meals under $5

[budgetvegetarian]

jack monroe’s banana, chickpea and tea curry

i’m obsessed with jack’s food blog. i’m waiting for their cookbook to come in from the UK

jackatapinch.com

1 tbsp oil 1 onion, finely sliced 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 red or green chilli, finely chopped, or generous pinch of dried 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp cinnamon 400g canned chickpeas 200g canned mandarins (peaches or apricots would work too) 300ml strong tea 2 bananas 200ml natural yoghurt Handful of coriander, or mint, or parsley, chopped

First, add the onion, chilli and garlic to a sauté pan or frying pan. Drizzle the oil over, add the cinnamon and cumin, and sauté gently on a medium heat to soften the onions for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the kettle and brew the cuppa! (And make one for yourself while you’re there!)

When the onions are softened, drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas, and tip into the pan. Slice the bananas and add to the pan. Pour the mandarins over, add the tea (without the teabag) and most of the herbs, and turn the heat up high. Boil vigorously for a few minutes, then reduce to a medium simmer. Simmer for around 20 minutes, until the chickpeas have slightly thickened the sauce. ***To save energy, you can turn the heat off completely here, cover the dish with foil or a lid, and leave it to cool. The retained heat will continue to cook it gently, amalgamating the flavours beautifully.***

Stir the natural yoghurt through before serving, and top with the remaining herbs.

I had mine with rice and a basic pitta bread, with extra natural yoghurt on top.

[budgetvegetarian]

lentil tacos 

1 tsp canola oil (i used vegetable oil)

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1 tbsp taco seasoning, or to taste

1 2/3 cup chicken broth

2/3 cup salsa

12 taco shells

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix lentils and taco seasoning into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.

Pour chicken broth into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Uncover the skillet and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash lentils slightly; stir in salsa.

Serve about 1/4 cup lentil mixture in each taco shell.

add sour cream, cheese, avocado, whatever you like in a taco :-p

i used red lentils and it was dope. did not taste lentilly at all. not like those vegetarian lentil soups that CAN taste bland sometimes. it was dope.

[budgetvegetarian]

boca crumble southern meat pie

this recipe costs more than $5 because of the puff pastry being $2+ a piece and the boca crumbles. TVP could be substituted, or whatever brand of frozen veggie meat crumbles you find on sale. I wanted to post this because it will last you several days, which is budget friendly, also because it is delicious.

2 packs of boca crumbles

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1 large baking potato, diced

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

2 tblspn fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

salt-free seasoning blend to taste

salt and pepper to taste

2 beef bouillon cubes (or veggie, whatever you have)

1 cup hot water

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk

1 tblspn water

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch dish with cooking spray.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the boca crumbles. Cook and stir until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cover and reduce the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the skillet and put the minced garlic directly on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant, and then blend the garlic with the meat mixture. Add the carrot, potato, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning blend, and salt and pepper.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the hot water in a bowl, and pour it into the meat mixture; mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the carrots are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry in the prepared baking dish. Gently press the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the dish. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat into the crust and spread evenly. Avoid adding liquid to the pie. Top with Cheddar cheese.

Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the edges of the bottom puff pastry sheet. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry over the baking dish, pressing with a fork to seal the edges. Brush the surface with egg wash and pierce with a fork several times to vent the crust.

Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning (tent with aluminum foil, if necessary). Remove the pie from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: I have been making this for years and have never added the cheddar or bell pepper. Today I will add the bell pepper just to have extra vegetables up in there :-p ALSO I use pyrex (this is not my photo)

[budgetvegetarian]

crustless vegetable quiche

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

5 eggs, beaten

3 cups shredded Muenster cheese (you can substitute with grated Parmesan or eliminate altogether)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan.

Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Read more:

http://www.cheatsheet.com/personal-finance/4-family-meals-for-under-4.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3VRb6TTpG

[budgetvegetarian]

“eggs in purgatory”

total time: 25 min

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ large onion, small dice

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (if needed, curry powder would be the closest substitute)

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon paprika

⅛ (a pinch or two) teaspoon ground red pepper

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

15 ounces canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are delicious if you can find them)

4 large eggs

for garnish: fresh parsley or cilantro

Heat oil over medium heat in a 10-12-inch skillet.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4-5 minutes; add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes more. 
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add oregano, turmeric, cumin, paprika, red pepper, black pepper and salt. Cook about 1 minute to toast spices.

Add tomatoes, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Using a potato masher or back of large spoon, crush the tomatoes a bit.
Crack the eggs into the sauce and cover. Simmer gently until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny.

Salt and pepper to taste. 
To serve spoon sauce over prepared polenta or grits, top with egg(s). Sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve with toasted bread.

[budgetvegetarian]

sauteed chickpeas with broccoli and parmesan

4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

salt and pepper

1 1/2 heads of broccoli, including stalks, trimmed and chopped (2 cups)

1 10.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup parmesan shavings

In a large skillet (preferably one with a lid), warm olive oil over medium heat until hot. Carefully add onion, garlic and salt, and sauté, stirring often, until onion becomes transparent and garlic just begins to turn golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Toss in broccoli; sauté for 3 minutes. Add chickpeas, broth and red pepper. Stir once, cover and cook for 3 minutes more, just to heat through and finish cooking broccoli.

Uncover, season with pepper, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

[budgetvegetarian]

smoky mushroom stroganoff

18 min. Serves 4.

1  8.8 ounce package dried pappardelle (wide egg noodles)

1  1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms, such as button, cremini, and/or shiitake

2  cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1  tablespoon olive oil

1  8 ounce carton light sour cream

2  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1  cup vegetable broth

Snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley (optional)

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; keep warm. 2. In extra-large skillet cook mushrooms and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat 5 to 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. (Reduce heat if mushrooms brown quickly.) Remove with slotted spoon; cover to keep warm. 3. For sauce, in bowl combine sour cream, flour, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in broth until smooth. Add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 1 minute more. Serve mushroom mixture and sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley.

Per serving: 407 kcal cal., 13 g fat (5 g sat. fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 5 g monounsatured fat), 72 mg chol., 443 mg sodium, 59 g carb., 4 g fiber, 5 g sugar,17 g pro.

[budgetvegetarian]

White Bean Tuna Salad

20 min. Yields 6 cups

1  15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2  5 ounce cans tuna packed in water, drained

2  cups lightly packed arugula or spinach

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 lemon

1. In a large bowl combine beans, tuna, arugula, red onion, and parsley. 2. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine vinegar, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine. 3. Pour dressing over tuna mixture; toss gently to combine. Squeeze juice from half of a lemon over salad. Serve with toasted crusty bread, if desired.

Per serving: 274 kcal cal.,13 g fat (2 g sat. fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 8 g monounsatured fat), 30 mg chol.,644 mg sodium,15 g carb., 5 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 22 g pro.

notes: I've been switching the cannellini beans for small white beans and it's just as good if not better. I haven't had any fresh parsley so I've been using dried parsley.

[budgetvegetarian]

refried bean tostadas

6 servings

6 (6 inch) flour or corn tortillas

3/4 cup fat free refried beans

3/4 cup jarred salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar

1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

2 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mist every other cup of a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press a tortilla into each sprayed cup, flattening out edges, and bake until golden, about 8 minutes.

Divide beans among tostadas, top with salsa and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake until warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes.

Place each tostada on a plate and sprinkle with cilantro. Top with some lettuce and a small dollop of sour cream. Serve with extra salsa, if desired.

notes: I used fresh salsa and traditional refried beans ¯\_(ツ)_/¯