What recipes can I make in only a pot or pan with inexpensive ingredients? (Btw I love your blog)
Hey Anon! Thank you for the kind words :DFor inexpensive staples you should look into stocking:
Rice - one big bag can last usually 2 or more months but its worth the investmentSugar - one bag can last a whileBeans - Iâm looking at dried as theyâre less expensive than canned, but you can buy a small bag a week if you want.Vinegar - For most recipes Iâd recommend Red wine or Apple Cider vinegar, but white can work as well. A large bottle isnât too pricey and will last a while.
Inexpensive ingredients can range, but my usual go-to when Iâm budgeting my meals more are these:Lentils (dried is less expensive then cans)Another type of beans (chickpea, Kidney, Black-eyed)Cooking Onion (you can usually buy a bag for $2 and they last a month)GarlicTomatoMushroomsCabbageCarrotsSoy sauce and or hot sauce
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Using these ingredients you can make a few different recipes.These are my own, and based on what Iâve made in the past. I donât now your access to spices, and spices can be quite expensive so Iâll leave them as optional, however flavour will be better with spices.Vegetable StockVeggie stock is super easy to make, and requires your veggie scraps, a pot and a freezer. For me, it saved me about $3 a week. Although seeming like a small amount, thatâs ~$156 a year.
As you cook more, you can cut off the ends of the veggies (such as the tops of carrots, the ends of broccoli or mushrooms, the skins of garlic or onion). Rather than throwing them out, you can store these ends in a bag or container and collect them in the freezer. when your container is full, put them in a pot and cover with water. Add any herbs (oregano, Thyme, Bay) and salt and pepper to taste. Bring your pot to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25-35 minutes. Once done, drain the broth into a bowl, you can just try to pour it carefully or if you have a strainer to use, drain it through the strainer. Discard the boiled veggie scraps.You can store the broth in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 5 months. Lentil Cabbage SoupIf you have been collecting veggie scraps or have some homemade veggie stock available to you you can easily make this dish. Its a quick, light meal that you can also add cooked rice to if you desire.
½ cup sliced Cabbage1/3 cup lentils (or another bean) - pre-cooked1 clove minced GarlicPepper and salt to taste2 cups Vegetable stock1 tsp soy sauce or hot sauce½ cup cooked rice (optional)*
Bring your veggie stock to a boil with the pepper and garlic. Mix in the hot sauce or soy sauce. Taste and add salt to your preference. Add the lentils and if using rice, spoon the rice out into a bowl. Add your cabbage to the soup and cook for 1-2 minutes. Once the cabbage is cooked, pour into the bowl over rice(if using) and enjoy!
*You can use rice, pasta or quinoa for this recipe
Red beans and riceAssuming you have invested in a large bag of rice to use for the month, this is a great protein packed starch to have along side veggies.
1 Cup rice 1 ž cups water ½ cup red beans or lentils½ cup chopped tomatoSalt to taste
If using white rice and pre-cooked lentils/beans, add the rice and tomato to a pan with your salt. Add 1 ž cups of water and bring to the boil. once at the boil, reduce to medium heat and cook for 15-18 minutes. At the 13 - 15 minute mark, add your beans/lentils and continue cooking. Once the water has boiled away, fluff your rice.
If using brown ricepre-cooked lentils/beans, add the rice and tomato to a pan with your salt. Add 2 ½ cups of water and bring to the boil. reduce to medium heat and cook for 25 - 30 minutes.At the 23 - 25 minute mark, add your beans/lentils and continue cooking. Once the water has boiled away, fluff your rice.
You can also add Mexican chili spice or paprika to the rice to add flavour.
Cabbage RollsThis recipe will use most of the ingredients listed above, and can be used to make lunches or dinners for a while. The lentil filling will last in the fridge for half a week to 5 days.Cabbage - take off the leaves and use the largest outside leaves for this recipe1 ½ Cup Lentils (cooked)1 medium Tomato diced (or ½ large tomato)2-3 Sliced Mushroom½ diced Onion2 cloves Garlic, minced1 tsp soy sauce or hot sauce (different flavour depending on what you add)1 cup waterPepper and Salt to TasteRecommended but not required - 1 tsp Mexican chili spice,  1/2 tsp ginger or ginger powderBring a pot of water to a boil, in this pot you will be blanching the cabbage leaves. This will help wrap the filling in the cabbage leaves without the rolls coming undone or being too bitter. Submerge a few leaves at a time and cook for 1 to 3 minutes. Set the cabbage leaves aside and begin working on the filling.For the fillingHave the lentils cooked ahead of time or use a 400ml can of lentils for this. In your pan, add a few TBS of water or vegetable stock instead of oil to cook your Onion and mushroom. Add the onion and mushroom to the pan and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and any spices youâre using excluding Salt. This includes soy sauce or hot sauce(Iâd recommend Sriracha). Add your tomato and ½ the extra water. After 7-10 minutes add the Lentils. If your pot is drying out, add more water to the pot as you cook. Since youâre not using oil, the risk of your dish sticking is higher so you want to keep a layer of water/sauce in the pot while cooking.Cook for 10 -13 minutes, and keep adding water up to the 8 minute mark. Once the filling starts looking like a saucy âmeat likeâ filling you can take it off the heat.Â
Spoon your filling into you cabbage leaves and roll them up. You can store the filling on its own and make up blanched leaves or store the full rolls for almost a week.Cole SlawThis is a simple oil and vinegar dressed coleslaw,Â
1 cup Cabbage - Cut into thin strips ½ cup Carrot - cut into thin stripsÂ
Âź cup vinegar 1tsp sugarSalt and pepper to taste1 clove diced GarlicOptional (but reccomended) 2TBS Olive or peanut oil
Prepare the dressing first, using the Vinegar, Salt, pepper, sugar, garlic and Oil. (note: The oil makes this recipe more palatable, but its not required. This dressing is to wilt down the cabbage and carrot and add some acid to the recipe).Cut up your carrot, and cabbage. Add to a bowl with your vinegar dressing and let rest for 15-20 minutes or until the cabbage wilts. This can be stored for 1 - 1 ½ week.Lentil SlawThis is a little off the beaten path, but a nice no-cook meal like the cole slaw above.1 cup Cabbage - Cut into thin strips ½ cup Carrot - cut into thin strips½ cup lentils (cooked)Optional -  1/2 cup Diced TomatoÂź cup vinegar 1tsp sugarSalt and pepper to taste1 clove diced GarlicOptional (but reccomended) 2TBS Olive or peanut oilPrepare the dressing first, using the Vinegar, Salt, pepper, sugar, garlic and Oil. (note: The oil makes this recipe more palatable, but its not required. This dressing is to wilt down the cabbage and carrot and add some acid to the recipe).I highly recommend Apple Cider vinegar or Red Wine vinegar for this recipe but you can use white vinegar.Â
Cut up your carrot, and cabbage. Add to a bowl with your vinegar dressing and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Prepare your lentils and diced tomato (if using). You can add an extra bulb of garlic to your lentil mix if wanted.
Once the Cabbage is wilted, mix in your lentils (and tomato if using). Once mixed you can serve.ââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââOne little note - Most of these recipes I do by sight, so Iâve never written them out until now. The ratios may need a little tweaking when you make them so taste as you go. I tend to eat low salt, low sugar so my taste is very different from the average westerner.I hope these helped, and isnât just a wall of text - Good luck!Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes!
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