Lee Flier Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 OK y'll, I know there are some major league home chefs on here, so I need some advice. As many of you know, I left a pretty cushy income a year ago for one that's... well... pretty dicey... so I could have more time to pursue music. That decision has paid off well creatively, and I'm now in the best band I've ever been in and we're busy as hell. The only thing is, of course I've had to tighten the belt quite a bit. To that end, one thing that seems to have gotten awfully high is the grocery bills. I used to grow a veggie garden every year, but I doubt I'll have time for it this year, so I can't count on that. I try to eat healthy food, organic when possible. But that always means paying more money for your food, which really pisses me off that I have to pay a shitload of money in order not to be poisoned with chemicals... but that's a whole other story. What I'm looking for is some ways to stretch a dollar on the grocery bill, without resorting to junk food. What kind of meals can I make at home that are quick, easy, and cheap without being frozen pizza or overly fattening? I'm not a gourmet cook by any stretch of the imagination. Breakfasts I've got pretty well covered, but I could really use some suggestions for lunches and dinners that would be good. I don't have complicated tastes so I'm pretty easy to please with stuff like pasta, beans and veggies. Oh yeah, and I'm mostly vegetarian, except that I do eat seafood, and also chicken once in a blue moon if I get it from my friend's organic farm. I eat plenty of dairy products too. I'm open to anything - recipes, shopping suggestions, product recommendations, anything from raw ingredients to frozen stuff (if it's cheap and not bad for you). Looking forward to hearing you guys' ideas, and hoping we'll all learn something and maybe eat better! --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveMusic Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Groceries are really high. Sometimes, it's cheaper to eat out. I know a girl singer who drinks a protein shake of some sort six days a week. It must be a bad mofo. Heck, even a girl needs 1,200 calories or so. One day a week, she pigs out on whatever she wants. Walnuts. Almonds. Almond butter. Salads. I'm not much help. I've bought almond butter off the internet for half price what it costs in the health food store; have to buy it by the case. > > > [ Live! ] < < < Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worley Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Peanut Butter. And if you really want a treat...try it with bread. And for that special evening...toast the bread. Wow! Good stuff. I'm hungry. Regards, Dan Worley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_Gould Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hmmm... as a trained chef I should probably pass on this question, but as a former starving musician I can't resist. At my lowest income point, I invented a dish that cost me less than $1 - mac & cheese with salsa. Melt cheddar over low heat and stir in cream or milk 'till the consistancy is right, pour over noodles and top with your favorite salsa. Low cost, takes 10-15min. and tastes great. Nowadays I almost live on gazpacho, I make it by the blenderfull. Use equal amounts of cucumber & tomatoes, half as much onion, 1/4 as much bell pepper, a palm full of fresh cilantro, 3/4 cup V8, 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbs. champagne vinegar and sea salt to taste. Cut up the veggies into large chunks, add the cilantro & liquids and blend at med. low speed 'til the veggies are all in smaller chunks. Serve topped with croutons or sunflower kernals. There's a couple to get you started, let me know if you like 'em and I'll give you more. Scott [EDIT] - Jeez, I forgot to say that the onions for the gazpacho have to be sweets!! Yellow, white, red, Spanish, etc. will taste nasty - use Vidalias, Wallawallas, or Mayan sweets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worley Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by S_Gould: [b]Hmmm... as a trained chef I should probably pass on this question, but as a former starving musician I can't resist. At my lowest income point, I invented a dish that cost me less than $1 - mac & cheese with salsa. Melt cheddar over low heat and stir in cream or milk 'till the consistancy is right, pour over noodles and top with your favorite salsa. Low cost, takes 10-15min. and tastes great. Nowadays I almost live on gazpacho, I make it by the blenderfull. Use equal amounts of cucumber & tomatoes, half as much onion, 1/4 as much bell pepper, a palm full of fresh cilantro, 3/4 cup V8, 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbs. champagne vinegar and sea salt to taste. Cut up the veggies into large chunks, add the cilantro & liquids and blend at med. low speed 'til the veggies are all in smaller chunks. Serve topped with croutons or sunflower kernals. There's a couple to get you started, let me know if you like 'em and I'll give you more. Scott [EDIT] - Jeez, I forgot to say that the onions for the gazpacho have to be sweets!! Yellow, white, red, Spanish, etc. will taste nasty - use Vidalias, Wallawallas, or Mayan sweets.[/b][/quote]Yeah, but... where's the Peanut Butter? :( :( :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I tried the protein shake thing for awhile, but it sucks if you don't have a blender. My big thing is getting enough protein. It's difficult to get enough protein in your diet if you're a "pseudo-hypocritical vegetarian) (I don't eat anything that could be my friend: name, bovine meat). Frozen food is mostly carbs and fat. Protein either costs a lot (thinking of salmon steak ($12.50)at a certain local Japanese restaurant... sigh...), or it tastes bad and is a hassle to deal with (cheap soy isolate mix). I remember a few years ago I was trying that, mixing shakes myself with this cheapo protein powder, and while I *thought* I was mixing it "well enough"... apparently I wasn't, one day I was sitting here in front of the monitor and I suddenly had to sneeze... and ... WOOOSHHHH Out of my mouth comes this big cloud of protein powder. So. I still have some rice protein mix I put on my cereal. It has a mildly sweet taste that complements it fairly well. I also buy a lot of protein trail bars, so I try to have a few of those during the week. Curiously, there's another Japanese drive through place that has teriyaki chicken for $5 - and I can't eat it all. So, I usually do that once a week, protein bars maybe 3 times a week, protein mix on cereal in the morning. For the main meal I eat junk, figuring I've got to have carbohydrates anyhow. Carbs are always cheap. Once a week I might splurge on something; killer fusion/indian place around the corner from my house that has great somosas and curry chicken (saag paneer as well) - $12 and I have enough left over for lunch the next day. Luckily I hope I'm past my Ramen noodle days; I'd still like to stay under a $35-40 a week food budget, though. Having said that, it does seem like a better deal to eat at certain places that I can get out of for under $6 (with tip). Just because it's actually real food and from a nutrient standpoint it's probably a better deal than a $2.50 Hungry Man "turkey and fat" dinner. Plus it's usually friend's establishments so I'm helping them out and supporting the community as well, so that helps digestion. Man, there's just about nothing as depressing as going to the grocery store hungry, with about $10 to last a whole week... Then you start noticing that peanut butter *is* the cheapest way to get protein - at the expense of loads of fat. Then there's tuna, but they kill dolphins for that (even "dolphin safe"). Next down is probably deli turkey slices - which are quite nasty. The healthiest way of getting protein cheap is really powder mixes; everything below the tuna level usually means you're going to have to consume grams and grams of fat. The rice type seems the most palatable IMO. THEN you've got to worry about whether they use GM rice or not... ...it just never gets easy. Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not Cereal Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 maybe i am a weirdo but i love ramen noodles. i always have, ever since i was 5 or so. i have no idea why. but they have to be "maruchan" ramen noodles. other brands i wont touch. maybe its because they are high in sodium (?) other things i like to eat are campbells chicken gumbo or vegetable beef soup, add tobasco sauce and simmer. i drink a nice glass of ice tea also. when i need to eat real good, maybe some mashed potatoes with gravy, or my two all-time favorite dishes: #1 - my favorite: kraft M&C (make like normal) then add one can campbells condensed cream of mushroom soup (do NOT add water) add one can tunafish of your choice (drain it) put whole thing in oven pan and bake for 45 minutes at about 300 or so, depending. MMMMMMMM! that is my favorite thing to eat and i can eat ALL OF IT. #2 favorite thing - chip beef on toast (AKA shit on a shingle) i actually dont know how to make this correctly, but it involves milk, chip beef and flour. anyone help out here? i cant seem to make it right but other folks have. am i poor or just have no class...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffk Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 learn to make a 3 bean chili...big pot will last about a week. make friends with the lentil. saute some garlic, onion, add red pepper flakes add veggie stock, can of tomato sauce cut up 4 carrots let that all cook until the carrots are almost done then throw in a cup and half...thereabouts of lentils serve over some decent pasta... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngoldpdx Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Lee Flier: [b]OK y'll, I know there are some major league home chefs on here, so I need some advice. SNIP Looking forward to hearing you guys' ideas, and hoping we'll all learn something and maybe eat better! --Lee[/b][/quote]Lee This may sound exotic, but I have found the cheapest, most nutritious, fat-free and most satisfying way of eating at home is to learn to cook Indian food. I went on a regimen with an Ayurvedic (Indian traditional medicine) a few years ago, where I ate almost nothing but rice (basmati), dhal (various legumes, lentils), spices and vegetables. We did have a veggie garden, but even without, you can eat for very little a day. The key is that the spices make for satisfying tastes, and the combo of rice/legumes in various permutations makes for complete protein. Once you learn to make a few dishes you can eat some interesting dishes for very little. I recently have learned to make Japanese broths, and find that is similar. The noodles are pretty cheap in Asian stores. As are bulk spices, rice and lentils. If you want more info drop me a line private email. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 From that old Waylon tune; Livin' on ketchup soup, home made crackers & koolaid! I'll be a star tomorrow but today... Cheap & will keep ya skinny... Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by coaster: [b]#2 favorite thing - chip beef on toast (AKA shit on a shingle) i actually dont know how to make this correctly, but it involves milk, chip beef and flour. anyone help out here? i cant seem to make it right but other folks have.[/b][/quote]OK, I've never made this, but I can tell you a technique. First, you'll be making a Bechamel sauce, a flour-thicken milk based master sauce. Start with with equal measures of butter and flour, about 2 tablespoons each. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, and combine until a paste forms. This is a roux, a generic thickener. Don't let the roux darken by continuing cook it (unless your making gumbo or brown gravy, but that's another lesson). As you add 1 cup of milk with the pot momemtarily off the heat, stir with a wire whip (not recommended for Teflon pots) to incorporate the roux. Heat to a simmer, at which point you can thin the sauce with more milk, or thicken by making more roux in a separate pan and wisking it with some of the sauce before adding it to the batch. When the sauce base is thick, add the chipped beef. Done. You can enhance the flavor of the sauce base by cooking onion or garlic in the butter before adding the flour. Want 1950's-era Chicken ala King? Same sauce, add cooked diced chicken, peas, maybe some cooked diced red pepper. Want macaroni and cheese from scratch? Same sauce, add shredded cheese (skip most cheddars, those tend to separate). A Bechamel sauce with cheese is called a Morney sauce (a pinch of nutmeg helps). Want pasta primavera? Add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Want an upscale tomato sauce for pasta? Throw in a spoonful of tomato paste. I make a dish for my wife with this Bechamel sauce flavored with garlic (works with skim milk to keep down the fat). To it, I add leftover flaked grilled salmon, frozen peas, and Parmesan cheese, and toss it with pasta. It's like an Alfredo sauce without the cream, only a little butter. The best advice for meals on a budget is to learn to cook from scratch. No time to learn? Buy one cookbook: The Joy of Cooking. Cook large batches on a Sunday and freeze portions. Think soups, like the previously mentioned gazpacho and chili, because these are some of the cheapest meal you can make. At Thanksgiving, buy an extra turkey when it's on sale, cook it, carve it, freeze it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Wing Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Since you said you eat chicken, here is an easy chicken parmigiana recipe: Buy some thin chicken fillets. To save money, you can buy breasts with the bone. De-bone, and flatten with a food mallet. Pan fry the fillets. Just take a pan, spray with pan, medium high heat. Fry until just no longer pink inside. Place in a glass cooking dish. Spread your favorite spaghetti sauce over the chicken. Put mozzarella cheese on top. Put in oven until cheese melts and browns. Can use a temp. from 375 to 450. Serve with spaghetti. Make garlic bread by buying a loaf of bread at the store bakery. Cover with garlic bread spread you buy in the store. Cheap and easy meal. There's a pkg. of cannoli shells that has a recipe for making the shells stuffed; look in the pasta aisle. You don't have to boil the shells, and the stuffing is just cheeses and a couple of other things. Another cheap and easy meal. Do you like fish? Buy farm-raised salmon fillets; tends to be cheaper. Sprinkle with Lawry's seasoned salt. Broil until the fillet flakes when you run a fork over it. Swordfish - just lather mayonaise over the fillet, and put on the grill (can use the broiler). Cook until it flakes, turning once (be sure to put the mayo on the flipped side). There are two theories about arguing with a woman. Neither one works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spokenward Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Brown rice in 20 lb bags from the Japanese grocery. $11-13 well spent. You can stretch any soup, or make a bed for any vegetable, legume or fried morsel. Make a pot of rice and store it in the refrigerator. Something about a 20 lb bag that seems comforting and abundant too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fortner Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Thai flavors are actually really easy to do... if you have red curry paste, basil, lime, and coconut milk, you can make Thai anything... tofu, chicken, whatever. Brown your meat or tofu first, add veggies to stir fry, then throw in your basil, curry paste, and coconut milk at the end. You can add more paste if you want it hotter... just make sure to stir well. Also, don't dump in the whole can of coconut milk at once. Add enough to cover, let cook down, add some more or not, depending on whether you want it soupy or not. Let that mess simmer down 15-20 minutes until it's nice and thick, and serve over rice, Ramen noodles, etc. My college GF and I had a once-a-week "white trash cuisine" night. One of my favorite concoctions was "Glop": cup of Minute Rice, cup of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, half cup of grated parmesan, and several chopped-up bacon slices. Again, you could subsitute mushrooms, tofu, even asparagus if that's what dithers your data stream. Cooking rules! Stephen Fortner Principal, Fortner Media Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curve Dominant Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [b]The Curve's Chicken Rotini with Spinich and Mushrooms[/b] Serves two. 1/2 pound rotini pasta 1 boneless breast of chicken 10 spinich leaves 1/4 cup tomato sauce (homemade or from a jar) 4 mushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp salt 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp black pepper 2 leaves fresh basil 1 tsp parsley a few thin slices of pecorino romano cheese a big pot of tap water Frank Sinatra album of choice (keep away from moisture) First, put Sinatra album on stereo, set volume to medium-loud. Set pot of water on high heat. When it starts to boil, add salt, and bring to a rapid boil. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, clean spinich, and cut into strips. Clean mushrooms, and slice. Clean basil, and chop rough. Set these aside. Slice chicken breast into strips. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. (add cayenne if you are adventurous, and cardomon if you are feeling exotic.) Mince garlic, and sprinkle evenly into 10" sauce pan. Add olive oil, and turn on medium heat. After a few minutes, add chicken, and let cook until the chicken is almost done. The water should be boiling by now. Pour the rotinis into the boiling water. Stir occasionally. Add the mushrooms to the sauce pan with the chicken. Shake the pan, and flip it a few times. Once the mushrooms are somewhat partially cooked, add the spinich, the salt and pepper, and the butter. Flip the pan a few more times, then add the basil and parsley, and then the tomato sauce. At first, the tomato sauce will not mix with the oil-based sauce you've already got, that's OK. Simply let the heat make it bubble through, then shake the sauce pan a bit intermittently. The sauces will eventually begin to bind together. By that time, the rotinis should be cooked. Strain them, and add them to the sauce, letting a little bit of the pasta water get in with them. ([i]The pasta water is the "mother sauce" of any pasta dish: it has flavor, and will keep the sauce nice and "loose," as opposed to the dreaded "tight and goopy" pasta sauce.[/i]) Flip the pastas in the saucepan with the sauce until the rotinis are inundated with the sauce, and them spoon the stuff onto plates. Lay slices of pecorino romano cheese on top. This is an attractive, delicious and healthy lunch or dinner for two, total food cost approximately $6 - compared to approximately $30 that you would have spent for two plates of this exact pasta at a restaurant I once worked at, not including tax and gratuity. If you cook this on the day that your unemployment check arrives in the mail, spring $8 for a bottle of Chateau St Michelle Sauvingon Blanc to accompany perfectly, and you will be a pauper living large, yes indeedy. Buon Appitito! Chef Eric Ristoranté Con Curve Dominanté [i]All major credit cards accepted[/i] Eric Vincent (ASCAP) www.curvedominant.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not coaster MODERATOR Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by coaster: [b]maybe i am a weirdo but i love ramen noodles. i always have, ever since i was 5 or so. i have no idea why. but they have to be "maruchan" ramen noodles. other brands i wont touch. maybe its because they are high in sodium (?) other things i like to eat are campbells chicken gumbo or vegetable beef soup, add tobasco sauce and simmer. i drink a nice glass of ice tea also. when i need to eat real good, maybe some mashed potatoes with gravy, or my two all-time favorite dishes: #1 - my favorite: kraft M&C (make like normal) then add one can campbells condensed cream of mushroom soup (do NOT add water) add one can tunafish of your choice (drain it) put whole thing in oven pan and bake for 45 minutes at about 300 or so, depending. MMMMMMMM! that is my favorite thing to eat and i can eat ALL OF IT. #2 favorite thing - chip beef on toast (AKA shit on a shingle) i actually dont know how to make this correctly, but it involves milk, chip beef and flour. anyone help out here? i cant seem to make it right but other folks have. am i poor or just have no class......[/b][/quote]Coaster-I'm tellin ya the reason you're nuts is cuz you eat like a teenager. Absolutely no palletial discrimination. And another thing-no teenager would eat the stuff you eat my goodness-this guy would blend tuna fish into his protein shake if he could. Or how about a pnut butter and mayo sandwich You know what your problem is? You probably have the munchies right now AS WE SPEAK. Guys with munchies don't care what they eat. Lee, don't eat like Coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfjunkie Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 huh huh... [i]chipped beef[/i]... huh... great thread! here's one: [b]pasta without sauce[/b] works best with spaghetti, cook as usual. in a big enough bowl: garlic (chopped), and whatever else you've got. any sliced veg, cooked meat, cheese, even a raw egg :freak: here's the key: only the noodles get cooked. if you don't rinse them, they're hot enough after draining to heat the rest. they'll even cook the egg. the pasta is the main part of this, the rest is flavoring. and the pot is practically clean. you have to chop a few things, but it all goes into the bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not coaster MODERATOR Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Now I on the other hand as compared Coaster the Bohemian savor the following dish: Sliced squash Chopped onion Bell pepper green beans small potatos fried in Italian Dressing and served with cottage cheese. or.....just have a bowl of cereal and think of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 I wish I had the patience to cook. Eric's pasta sounds good, but geez... PREPARATION... How does one learn to appreciate the process? I love good food - I'll pay embarassingly large sums of money for it - but it's so utterly BORING to me to do it. I'd starve without a microwave.... Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Here's a few cheap ones: Spanish omelette: fry up red onions, chicken, mushrooms - whatever you have lying around. wisk 4 eggs and add some milk and pour into the frying pan. I know its easy but its cheap and healthy! If you can get fish cheap then fry salmon and serve with a lemon butter sauce and new potatoes. Let me know if you need to know how to make the sauce. fish cakes - boil potatoes, mash and stir in butter and milk. fry some salmon and flake it and add to the mixture. Add a few mild chillis. Use a cookie cutter to make the cakes, breadcrumb them and deep fry. Again, serve with lemon butter sauce. it's good to make a lot of mixture and freeze the leftover stuff. Bon appetit! "That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." - Banky Edwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hi Lee, We came up with an all purpose meal when we were overseas. Just combine a can of mixed veggys with either tomato or cream of mushroom soup. Tastes surprizingly good. Add a tuna or peanut butter sandwitch and maybe chips or crackers. I skipped meat for a time. The biggest problem is the hole in the plate in most meals where the meat goes. I pretty much replaced meat with cheese (cheese and onion sandwitches :thu: ). Got back into eggs too. And Bacos. Fast food in USA is impossible if you don't eat meat. Odd cos they've always had spicy bean burger at Burger Kings in England for years and I hear it's finally coming out here. Once I went into White Castle and asked them for four White Castle's, hold the meat, add cheese and extra onion. The girl at the counter handed me my order and said really sarcastically; "Enjoy." They were really quite good. -David http://www.garageband.com/artist/MichaelangelosMuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worley Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 At the Safeway grocery stores here in good ol' California, they have pre-cooked Tysons' chicken -- lemon herb and barbecue style. I like the lemon herb. It's very good. They come in plastic serving containers and they cost about six bucks. It's good for about two meals and a snack (the chicken, not the container). Not bad for six bucks. They're not big chickens, or small chickens, they're kind of medium petite chickens. Kind of in between the size of a Cornish game hen and a full-sized chicken. In fact, I've never seen a chicken that size alive. I've only seen full sized chickens and little baby chicks. Hmm. I wonder how Tysons gets the chickens just the right size to fit in those plastic containers, which are all the same size? If you want or need a big chicken, then this isn't what you want. They don't have big plastic containers, so they can't package and sell you the big chickens. I wonder what they do with the chickens that get too big for the containers? I haven't seen any really small chickens for sale either. They would fit in the plastic container, but they would have too much space and people would think, [i]wow, this chicken is really small,[/i] and not buy it. I think Tysons knows this, and so they don't make small chickens available because they don't want to get people mad at them for selling small chickens, even though they're not as small as people really think they are. They're only in a container that's too big for them and so they look smaller than they are. So, if you want a small chicken, that wouldn't work for you. Of course, you could go in halves with another person and buy the medium petite chicken and split it in two. That might work. But that's probably going to end up being smaller than the small chicken that they don't sell. A big chicken split in half would probably be about the right size, but they don't sell those because they don't have the containers big enough for them. So I don't know what you're going to do, Lee. Maybe you shouldn't even have chicken. Forget I said anything. Regards, Dan Worley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Lee, you can't go wrong with crockpot cooking...especially talking stuff like great northern white beans, Red Beans, etc. The secret is to cook them to death, and you can avoid seasoning with pork if you wish, by adding liquid smoke. My el perfecto recipe for beans in a crockpot is: two tablespoons of salt one of black pepper dash or two of liquid smoke one large Vidalia onion, peeled not chopped one package of beans...you pick what kind Wash em, soak em overnight, start the crockpot in the morning and when you come home that evening....done. Goes well with real white rice, and cornbread. Quick Potato: Wash a baking potato put it in a ceramic cereal bowl, put another bowl on top to cover it, microwave for eight minutes, take it out...cut it up a bit, throw on some butter and cheese, microwave for another minute or so.....killer. We make veggie quesadillas all the time...the secret is fresh cillantro, and grilling your veggies in a hot pan with peanut oil. Tuna steaks.....one of my faves. Grill your tuna, basting all the while with margeritta mix, make some good ole yellow mexican rice to go with it, also you can make some black beans..... I could go on forever....I do all the cooking at home. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Did you say you're a veggie? I can't remember, but if you're not...this is primarily for carnivores. For meat, (or fish or whatever) stretch it by making pasta dishes. Yummy and nutritious. Instead of making a roast or whatever, use smaller portions of meat in the sauce. I'm a big rice fan...so steamed rice in place of pasta does it for me as well. Eggs are a great source of protein...and lowfat coldcuts (turkey ham) on lowfat bread make great sandwiches. Instead of mayo, use a little lite Italian dressing. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franknputer Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hi Lee - Not really a recipe suggestion, but do you go to the Farmers Market? I have found that Dekalb Farmers Market almost always has the best prices on veggies, not to mention a far greater selection than any of the supermarkets. They also have grains etc. that you can buy in bulk. Also, if you just GOTTA eat out, their cafeteria is really reasonable - I can feed us & our 2 kids for less than $20. :freak: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botch. Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Lee, do you own a wok? I eat rather inexpensively but VERY well using the Chinese food pyramid: 3 cups rice, 2 cups veggies, 1 cup meat. I'll buy one expensive steak, and it stretches for four meals, use meat as a flavoring, not a bulk food. I never have leftovers and just by changing the condiments (and there is a universe of Chinese flavors!) I can make very different tasting dishes with the same ingredients. I'm also trying different Thai and Vietnamese dishes, they work the same way, and I'm going to take Neil's suggestion and look into Indian cooking too. It's too bad you won't have time for your vegetable garden, that's the cheapest way to go and also the healthiest (I had a garden but my Corgis developed a taste for vegetables! :mad: ). Dang, I'm hungry now! Botch "Eccentric language often is symptomatic of peculiar thinking" - George Will www.puddlestone.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylver Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Stirfrys w/ rice and tofu or tempe are always a good choice. Easy to make, easy clean up. Serve it over noodles or rice. Best word of advice with stir frys is to only use a few ingredients and VERY high heat. Firm tofu works best. Paellea and arroz con pollo type dishes are good for you, easy to prepare, can last for several meals and are darn yummy. If you are doing chicken, brown it first, then remove it from the pan. Saute some onions and garlic in the same pan, then add medium grain rice, coating the rice completely. Add some chicken or vege stock(2 parts liquid to 1 part rice) add the chicken back in, then turn down to a simmer, then let it cook for 20 minutes with a tight lid on it. You can substitute shellfish and fish stock for the chicken, just adding the shellfish in the last five minutes. You can even add no flesh and just use the vege stock and your choice of vegetables, and maybe some tempe. Medium grain rice just rocks! Hummus and grilled vege sandwiches on pita bread can be really tasty. Add some feta cheese and a greek salad with lots of olives, onions and tomatos. Yum. If you don't have a recipe for hummus, let me know Lee. It's really cheap to make and very high in protein. You can make it ahead of time and it lasts for a couple of weeks in the fridge. Way better than peanut better. Greek pasta ... artichoke hearts, fresh tomatos, feta cheese, olives, onions and garlic sauted in a pan server over your choice of pasta. Hot pita salad pocket ... romain, shredded caroots and cabbage tomatos, whatever you like in a salad, put it in a pita pocket(cut in half) top with your choice of dressing and grated provolone cheese. Put them in the over between the grates and heat at 350 until the cheese melts and the pita is crisp. Easy on the dressing, or it will get too soggy. Brocolli rabe sauted with garlic salt and olive oil over pasta. Any vege sauted with garlic, salt and olive oil over pasta. Bohemian style: Good crusty bread, cheese, olives, blanched and fresh veggies, fruit, some good olive oil, and a nice cheap bottle of red wine. It's really simple, but it's a great meal. Can you tell I worked in a vegeterian resturant? Jack I really don't know what to put here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Ratte Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Hey-I'm thinking mostly cheap & lotsa protein & fast with my food, so the staples of my diet are: protein powder tuna fish peanut butter. Badass Texas Tuna Fish: 30g protein, 150 cal per can. Only get the "packed in water" kind, the oil kind is for weirdos and degenerates. Fry it up in a pan, put on BBQ sauce while it's frying (so your pad smells like Texas instead of skanky fish), then put it in a bowl and add more BBQ sauce, stir it all up w/a spoon and eat. You know it's done frying when the fish water is gone. This is the best food ever. Dolphins, shmalphins... they can hop in my tummy too. Siff Bar: named after Dr. Mel Siff of the Supertraining list who thought it up. This is a way-better tasting and cheap alternative to protein bars. Get you a little Tuperware cup w/lid or those Ziploc sandwich boxes or something to carry this around in, 'cuz it's messy. You make it in the container. Get a heaping tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, put in a scoop of chocolate protein powder, squirt a lil' mess of honey from your bear on top, and then throw some raisins in too. Now you've got a mess and you've gotta congeal it into a lump, so add a tiny bit of water and get stirring w/a spoon. After a minute it should all be globbed together and you're done. Seal it up, you can carry this with you and it's way better than a pb sandwich, or lunchmeat sandwich either cuz then you've got spoiling problems when you're out & about, and bread is pretty lame anyways. protein shakes: get a blender. Yeah, you could just stir this stuff, but the blender makes a real difference. They're like 15 bucks. Throw in 2 scoops powder, cup of milk. You could add banana, peanut butter, whatever but it's probably best to go light with these. You're better off eating little bits constantly than some monster shake w/like half your daily calories in it at once. some hardcore weightlifters advocate the TUNA SHAKE. I made one once and it was about as bad as you'd imagine. The new house-brand Vitamin Shoppe protein powder has Splenda in it; that stuff is dang close to Nestle Quik now, wow. Always get the whey-derived. The soy stuff will make you gay or grow tits. V8-drink it one a day multivitamin-eat 2, 'cuz the USRDA is crap. junk- pancakes rule G. Ratte' G. Ratte' http://www.cultdeadcow.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R. Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Lee, I got two words for you: Trader Joes Now for the rest of the words. If you are lucky enough to live near one of these stores, there are bargins galore to be found, and lots of them with good ingreedients. If not, get your self a big soup pot and learn the fine art of soup making. You can make enough for 5 meals for [i]way[/i] under $10. Home made lasagna, always a tummy pleaser. A great book a friend gave to me is "How to Cook Everything." It is the bible in the kitchen. It doesn't just give recipies, it explains the theories and techniques behind them. And it is analog only :D . Bon Appetite! -David R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted March 15, 2002 Share Posted March 15, 2002 Jethro says: Two words... ROAD KILL... Yeehaw... :D "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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