Meatless Monday: Beans and Rice

Dan mentioned this recipe early in our dating life. I had to adapt it because it’s a Puerto Rican dish that uses chicken wings — although with my newly omnivorous daughter, I should try it with wings some time.

When I first started making it, I used a big Farberware sauté pan. But since we got a rice cooker, I have used that instead. If you don’t have a rice cooker, then you should just go get one. But if you’re not going to, a sauté pan is fine.

Rice and Beans, the rpm way

1 and 1/2 cups brown rice
1 15 oz. can pigeon peas, drained
1 8 oz. can Goya tomato salsa
1 packet Sazon (from Goya) with Coriander and Annatto
2 spoonfuls Sofrito
2 cups vegetable stock

I put this all in the rice cooker, stir it all together, and press the button for brown rice. I suppose you could also so this on the slow cooker setting or in a slow cooker, on high, for about two hours.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, I suppose you need a little oil, and you may want to sauté some garlic or onion before you dump everything else in the sauté pan and cover it; cook for about 40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

With a salad, this is pretty much a complete meal.

And, no, Goya did not sponsor this post.

Do you have a rice cooker? What have you done with it besides cook rice?

Project: Food Budget, Week 24

This weekend, I want to cook ALL THE THINGS. But I am going to focus on the following and construct my menu from there.

I have a CSA pickup tonight, but that’s probably just going to be greenhouse mesculen greens and apples.

I also have a major Costco trip to undertake on Sunday. With a budget (for food) of $151.66. I’m probably going to blow it there and then for the rest of the month. Lunchtime snacks are kind of killing me.

Tip o’ the Week:
When I shop at Costco for things to pack in my children’s lunch boxes, I don’t buy the big boxes of individual packaged snacks. I buy a large bag (or two) of the favored snack (which varies from kettle corn, to Cheezits, to chips of some sort). I use baggies and some other types of (non-disposible) containers to pack them. It’s much more cost effective that way.

Another cost-conscious tip: Buy the big bags of shredded cheese. I buy the bulk shredded cheddar and shredded mozzerella. Then I split the package into three freezer-size storage bags, freeze two and use one. For some reason we go through cheese like crazy in this house.

Mmm. Cheese.

This coming weekend, I plan to make:
Vegetarian chili
Lentil Meat(less)balls (new web site for recipes! I must stop!)
Pizza dough and homemade sauce (Saturday night dinner, with salad)
Coconut Tofu Rice
Granola and/or Chewy Granola Bars

Those will all be incorporated into next week’s menu in some combination. I also have a bunch of potatoes I have to use. Maybe I can convince my children to eat baked “French fries”.

Go see how everyone else did!

* Emily Levenson
* Dairy-Free Cooking
* Test Kitchen Tuesday
* Acquired Tastes
* Fit Flexitarian
* Warm As Pie
* Katy Rank Lev
* My Inner Healthy
* Little Blue Hen
* xox, b
* Project Food Budget 2.0
* Fresh…A New Chapter
* Chandeleah
* Two Eggs Over Easy
* That’s Just Me
* Eat Whole Be Vital
* Four Happy Violets
* Naturally {Un}refined
* Pgh Dad
* yogabeautylife
* What da Health?
* Twice the Twinsanity

Meatless Monday: Cabbage

I’ve mentioned before that I am the only one in my household who likes eating cabbage, including sauerkraut — which if there is a more perfect food with mashed potatoes, I don’t know it. I was asking Dan about this dislike of cabbage, and he said, “Well, I like coleslaw.”

Which, ew. If we’re talking about mayonnaise based coleslaw, anyway.

I happened to stumble on a cabbage recipe at Slate that I thought I would try. I asked Dan to try it too. Maybe, I thought, the issue is cooked cabbage.

Turns out he liked it “okay”. He wasn’t ecstatic about it, but he ate cabbage and didn’t hate it (my ILs both liked it very much).

Red Cabbage Salad

1/4 head of red cabbage, shredded
2 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste

Mix everything together and serve. I let it sit for about an hour, and it held up fine, and I am eating some leftovers today, so we’ll see how it’s held up overnight. The cabbage hasn’t gotten salty or soggy. And it tastes a lot better than mayo-based coleslaw, IMO.

I “shredded” the cabbage by simply slicing it with my chef’s knife. You could probably shred it more finely with a mandoline or food processor.

++

As much as I love my haluski recipe (butter! noodles! cabbage! what could be better?), I may have found another cooked cabbage recipe that I love even more. This recipe for roasted cabbage with lemon is simple and tasty. You could find a million recipes like it. If you are a fan of cabbage at all, and you haven’t tried roasting it yet, I encourage you to do it.

I think that cooked cabbage is very much the issue in my household. Yes, it has a distinctive odor. So does cooked broccoli, so do boiled eggs. And my family like those things, so I have hope that (the kids at least) will come around to cooked cabbage, too.

Got a vinegar-based or other non-mayo-based cabbage salad recipe I can try for Dan? Link me up in the comments!

Meatless Monday: Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Every now and again, I have a preconceived notion about what a recipe should look like. So when I go out on the Interwebz looking for it, I get confounded by the recipes I often find.

Take today’s recipe for example. I received a nice bag of cremini mushrooms from my CSA last week, and so I wanted to make a creamy white sauce with mushrooms to serve over pasta. For some reason “creamy white sauce” in my head equals “roux + white whine + heavy cream”, but I couldn’t find a recipe like this. Although some recipes included white wine, none of them started with a roux, and most had plain yogurt or sour cream.

So I made one up.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
an rpm original

1 pound pasta of your choice (I used whole wheat penne)

2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
four cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
ground pepper, salt to taste

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

2. In the meantime, in a heavy-bottomed saute pan, heat the butter and olive oil together. Add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes.

3. Add dried herbs (the amounts here are approximate). Slowly sprinkle in flour, stirring continually.

4. Stir in mushrooms and saute for 7 minutes. Stir in white wine and stock, then slowly add heavy cream. When mixture starts to thicken, stir in parmesan cheese, ground pepper, and salt.

5. Serve over hot pasta.

We had this with a green salad, chicken for the meat eaters (had my ILs to dinner), and Quorn nuggets for the rest of us. Oh, and the kids had marinara sauce. They don’t like mushrooms (yet). It was a simple and filling meal!

++

Other stuff I cooked this weekend: I made my haluski, and I plan to eat every single bite of it. So good. These people in my household who don’t like cabbage are nuts! I also made this delicious and pretty beet soup (at the suggestion of @XTREMELYSERIOUS Justine), and I can’t wait to finish off those leftovers. It’s a nice change up from plain, old roasted beets!

What did you do in the kitchen this weekend?

Project: Food Budget Week 16

We spent $0 this week on food. Didn’t eat out, didn’t shop, didn’t go to Costco.

And, obviously, we didn’t starve.

We ate much of what I had said I was going to prepare last week: black beans and rice, roasted cabbage (that’s all me), roasted beets (only one family member, my 7yo daughter, does NOT like beets), vegetarian chili and mashed potatoes, and baked oatmeal (finally! It was good. I’m going to play around with it). Additionally, I made a delicious broccoli cheese bake that pleased me because it was tasty and I used up food instead of wasting it. I’m getting *much* better at that.

Although still not perfect. See: kale from two weeks ago. Forgot I had it, and never incorporated it into a meal plan.

Now, also obviously, eating in and packing lunches has put a huge dent in our pantry and freezer supplies. This week I am setting the budget for grocery shopping high. I need staples (from beans to butter) as well as some specialty menu items. I haven’t made the list yet (or the whole menu) because I pick up my CSA box tonight, and I need to see what’s in it.

I’m debating the Costco trip this week, too. I better evaluate what I have for lunches, and go from there.

Grocery: $400
CSA: $134 — this is higher than usual because we were offered local, grass fed beef. Even though I am a vegetarian, my husband is not. It’s a 20 pound lot that I am splitting three ways (with two other households). I’ll be curious to see what Dan thinks about the taste of it!
Costco: $50
Eating out: $50

Baked Oatmeal
Adapted from this recipe on allrecipes.com

4 cups milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups chopped, peeled apples
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan heat milk, brown sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Add remaining ingredients; mix gently. Spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

This made *too much*, and that’s saying something for my oatmeal-loving family. I’ll make it again, only half the amount.

Partial menu:

Vegetarian Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)
Lentil Stew
Beet Soup with Creme Fraiche

++

Let’s see how everyone else did!

* Emily Levenson
* Dairy-Free Cooking
* Test Kitchen Tuesday
* Acquired Tastes
* Fit Flexitarian
* Warm As Pie
* Katy Rank Lev
* My Inner Healthy
* Little Blue Hen
* xox, b
* What da Health?
* Project Food Budget 2.0
* A Nice Heart and a White Suit
* Fresh…A New Chapter
* Chandeleah
* Two Eggs Over Easy
* That’s Just Me
* Eat Whole Be Vital
* Four Happy Violets
* Naturally {Un}refined
* Pgh Dad
* yogabeautylife
* Charmingly Modern
* NaMAMAste

Meatless Monday: Broccoli Cheese Bake

This recipe is proof positive that I am dedicated to using what I have in my refrigerator to cut down on waste and stay in budget. I didn’t have to pick up a thing at the store to make this! *And* it’s delicious!

We had a vegetable tray at Kate’s birthday party, and we had a bunch of veggies left over. I thought a nice broccoli cheese sauce would be good over noodles.

So I adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com.

4 cups fresh broccoli
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bag Morning Star Farms Meal Starters, Chik’n Strips
1 1/4 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat over to 325 degrees.

Steam broccoli until just tender (6 to 10 minutes on the stove in a basket steamer).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour. Add chik’n strips and cook until thawed.

Gradually add milk. Cook until bubbly. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and eggs; mix well. Combine mixture with steamed broccoli.

Transfer to greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Serve hot over whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Meatless Monday: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I am always looking for squash recipes to try. Come the fall and winter months, my CSA gives me a squash or two a week, usually butternut, sometimes acorn.

The week approaching New Year’s Day, I found myself with two butternut squashes in my crisper, and a plan to do a lot of cooking for the holiday. Because we would also be having sauerkraut (with vegetarian kielbasa for the veggies, and pork for the omnivores), I thought a sweet soup would be better than savory.

I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten at the food network site. It’s excellent, and leftovers freeze well.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2 tbsp salted butter (it’s all I had; if you want less salt, use unsalted butter)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small yellow onions, chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
2 large butternut squash (about 5 lbs.), peeled and cut into chunks, seeds removed
4 sweet apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 1.5 lbs.; I used organic Pink Lady apples)
2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
1 cup apple cider

Warm butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot, uncovered over low heat, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

While the onions are getting tender, prepare squash and apples. Add squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to pot. Bring to boil, cover, and cook over low heat 30 to 40 minutes, until squash and apples are very soft. Use an immersion blender to puree soup coarsely. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or a food mill fitted with a large blade.)

Add apple cider (or juice) until the soup is the consistency you prefer. I only used a cup of cider for a thick, creamy consistency.

++

I made this soup the day before New Year’s, refrigerated it over night, and served it from a slow cooker the next day.

What’s your favorite way to use squash?

Project: Food Budget Week 14

I cooked a ton for New Year’s Day — and I loved it. We went a little over the grocery budget, $254.21 versus $200. I made butternut squash and apple soup, extra creamy mashed potatoes, Tofurkey kielbasa with sauerkraut (from my CSA — SO GOOD I HAVE TO SHOUT!), and cookies. Eating out, Dan spent $49.25. He’s got to get back on plan.

This week brings a CSA box full of goodies: $34; a birthday party for my soon-to-be 5-year-old (entertainment budget); and various and sundry running around. Looking ahead, I’ll probably have to send Dan to the grocery store at least once. I need to see what I have and plan a menu accordingly. I should be able to keep the total under $100, depending on the CSA box.

I’ll be posting a couple New Year’s Day recipes over the next couple of weeks, but for the meantime: Kate and I made chocolate chip cookies. Only instead of the usual recipe on the back of a package of Nestle Tollhouse chips, I made two minor substitutions: dark chocolate chips (instead of milk or semi-sweet) and dried cherries (instead of the optional cup of nuts). Now that’s a grown up chocolate chip cookie!

Happy New Year and let’s see how everyone else did!

* Emily Levenson
* Dairy-Free Cooking
* Test Kitchen Tuesday
* Acquired Tastes
* Fit Flexitarian
* Warm As Pie
* Katy Rank Lev
* My Inner Healthy
* Little Blue Hen
* xox, b
* What da Health?
* Project Food Budget 2.0
* A Nice Heart and a White Suit
* Fresh…A New Chapter
* Chandeleah
* Two Eggs Over Easy
* That’s Just Me
* Eat Whole Be Vital
* Four Happy Violets
* Naturally {Un}refined
* Pgh Dad
* yogabeautylife

Project Food Budget: Week 6

Yee-haw. Due to the fact that we shopped very little in the past week (too busy!), we are way under budget!

Grocery actual = $25.93
Eating out actual = $41.00

Which is good, because I am blowing up the budget in the next few days.

It’s Flora’s 7th birthday tomorrow. I have a friend and her daughter coming in from out of town; my parents are coming Saturday; I am hosting dinner and then a sleep over (for the girls) on Saturday evening; and Sunday we are having people over for the Steelers game, plus cake and ice cream.

Tonight we are going out to eat. I have too much cleaning to catch up on to cook and clean tonight. The menu from Friday to Sunday looks like this:

Lentil soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Gnocchi Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Rotisserie chicken
Quorn nuggets
Stovetop mac ‘n’ cheese (for the kids)
Salad
Peanut butter butterscotch Rice Krispie treats

Slow cooker ox roast sandwiches (courtesy of Nonna)
Crudite tray
Cheese and crackers
Santa Fe Soup with tortilla chips
Cake and ice cream

Add some staples to the party food, and I’m thinking we’re looking at around $250 in groceries. Plus another $100 in alcohol (just beer and wine).

And you know what? I am totally cool with that. It’s a party!

Budget:
Groceries = $250
Alcohol = $100 (2 cases of beer, 4 bottles of wine)
Formula = $25 (this should be our last formula purchase, *fingers crossed*; we didn’t buy any last week)
Eating out = $50

Let’s go see how everyone else did!

* Emily Levenson
* Dairy-Free Cooking
* Test Kitchen Tuesday
* Acquired Tastes
* Fit Flexitarian
* Warm As Pie
* Katy Rank Lev
* My Inner Healthy
* Little Blue Hen
* xox, b
* What da Health?
* Project Food Budget 2.0
* Ignition Nutrition
* A Nice Heart and a White Suit
* Because Hobbies Happen
* Primary Focus Health Coaching
* Chicken Tender
* Fresh…A New Chapter
* Whole Living Gal
* Chandeleah
* Two Eggs Over Easy

++

In case you are looking for something to do this weekend, my friend Jen England (@JenEngland) is promoting the On the Spot event at Howlers on Friday Nov. 11, from 6-8:30 p.m. On the Spot is a non-profit that helps girls in foster care or financially unstable home situations get feminine hygiene products, as well as helping boys and girls get things like deodorant and shampoo. Middle and high school are hard enough without worrying about this stuff!

An an added bonus, On the Spot events are always fun! They will have their usual cookie table (potato chip cookies, baklava, sour gummy worm rice crispy treats, and more) as well as terrific auction items for the paper bag auction. Admission is a $10 donation or $5 and a box of pads. Howlers is at 4509 Liberty Avenue, Bloomfield, and more information about the project can be found here.