Alphabet Soup

I loved this recipe. Everyone else was pretty meh about it, but I loved it and will definitely make it again, probably not on a night when Andrew and Dad are rushing out to Cub Scouts. I will offer extra dessert to anyone who can spell their name in the soup, and then eats it.

Real life. I don't believe in staging. Not pictured: the crying baby on my lap.

Alphabet Soup

from Happy Healthy Mama

2 T butter or oil

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 potato, diced

1 medium sweet potato, diced

1 cup cauliflower florets, or 1 small red pepper, diced

2 quarts chicken of vegetable broth

1 can diced tomatoes, not drained

2 t salt

black pepper to taste

2 T tomato paste

1 cup small alphabet pasta (I used the Prince brand, 69 cents at my local grocery store)

1 cup frozen green peas

1 cup frozen corn kernels

In a large saucepan, heat oil and sauté all veggies about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes. Add pasta and simmer 5 more minutes. Add peas and corn and heat through.

I made this in my instant pot since we cracked our stovetop. I sautéed all the veggies about 5 minutes, then added everything except the peas and corn (I decreased the broth to 6 cups) and cooked on high pressure for 6 minutes. Everything except the potatoes was a little overcooked, so I would try 5 minutes next time.  Let the pressure come down for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure. 

I served this with some delicious cornbread and it was a perfect meal, in my book, but I think you could easily brown some ground beef, turkey or sausage in step 1 or add some cooked chicken with the peas and corn for a meatier option. 

Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili

Do you quinoa?  I have tried it in several different applications from salads to breakfast cereal and even this chocolate cake. I'll be honest - I don't think it's as great as all the food bloggers make it out to be. But this chili is without a doubt my favorite use of it. I like it better than the ground beef slow cooker chilis I've made, and the slow cooker makes it simple. I usually buy quinoa at Trader Joe's, which I find has the most reasonable price. Give it a try!

from Everyday Reading 

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can diced mild green chiles
1 cup frozen corn
2-3 cups vegetable broth (use the higher amount if your crockpot runs hot or you'll be cooking it longer than about 6 hours)
1/2 onion, diced
1 bell pepper (I used red), diced
2 teaspoons garlic powder (I used garlic salt because my beans weren't cooked in any salt)
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed throughly

Guacamole, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, etc for serving


Combine all ingredients (except the toppings, obviously) in a crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Stir to combine, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with your choice of toppings.

Meatless Shepherds Pie

I couldn't figure out where to put the apostrophe in the title of this post, so I just left it out. I'm sure you'll all weigh in on the subject.

The following adjectives apply to this dish:  cheap, healthful, filling, warm, easy, tasty.  What more could you want?  Preston and the kids would probably prefer regular shepherds pie, with ground beef, frozen veggies and cream of mushroom soup, but this super cheap version is more likely to appear on our dinner table this fall and winter.

Meatless Shepherds Pie

recipe from The Cheapskate Cook

1 cup lentils, rinsed

2 pounds of a combination of potatoes and sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon olive oil, butter or fat from chicken stock
1/4 – 1/2 cup onion (to taste), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or other vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or a few drops of hot sauce
1 cup frozen sweet corn (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pour lentils into a small saucepan and cover with stock or water  until stock or water level is one inch above lentils. Bring lentils to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and allow lentils to cook for 20 minutes or so until done.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan, cover them with water, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring them to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer potatoes until they are tender and pierced easily with a fork.

Drain the lentils in a colander.

Sauté onion in the small saucepan until soft. Add thyme, spices, lentils, vinegar, ketchup and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the onions and stir to combine add a splash of chicken stock or water (about 1/2 cup) to the lentil mixture and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

When potatoes are tender, drain them, transfer them to a large bowl and mash them well, blending together the sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. Stir in butter, milk, salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour lentil mixture evenly into a pie pan or 8×8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle lentils with frozen sweet corn. Spread potatoes evenly on top of the corn.

 

Bake the pie in a  375-degree oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

Vegetarian Asian Lettuce Wraps

This recipe is everything I'm looking for a dinner recipe. It's healthy, frugal, easy to prepare, and delicious.  This was my first time having lettuce wraps and they were good.  If the wraps aren't working though, I think you could just chop up the lettuce and have it as a salad. I thought her idea of serving it with egg fried quinoa was a great idea too, although I haven't tried it.

Asian Lettuce Wraps   from Super Healthy Kids

2 tsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or substitute dried)
3 cups black beans, rinsed (2 cans or about 1 1/3 cups dry)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrot
3 green onions, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
one head bibb, iceberg, or romaine lettuce, washed and leaves separated


for the sauce:
4 T soy sauce
4T brown sugar
1/2 t. sesame oil
2 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 t fresh ginger, minced (or substitute dry)


Saute garlic, ginger, carrots, mushrooms and onion in oil, adding water if necessary,  until cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cilantro and beans and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine sauce ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add to saute pan (you may not need all of it) and bring to a boil. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves.

Zesty Veggie Enchiladas

Another zucchini recipe? Yes!! See, I really could use a car full of this most versatile of vegetables. This recipe is also from a family cookbook (thanks, Aunt Miriam). This is a great food storage recipe.

1/3 cup lentils, rinsed
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 medium carrots, shredded
oil
2 cups cubed zucchini
1 cup stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup shredded cheese
6-8 flour tortillas

Simmer lentils in water with salt 20-30 minutes, until tender. Rinse and drain. In a large skillet, stir fry carrots. Add zucchini and fry a few more minutes. Add stewed tomatoes, broken up, salsa, cumin, and lentils. Stir in cheese. Place some of the mixture in the center of a tortilla, roll up, and place seam down in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Bake in a 350 oven for 8 minutes or the microwave (in a microwave safe dish) for 3-4 minutes. Top with more salsa and cheese and bake again until cheese melts. Eat and say yum.


Do you like lentils?