This is something I wrote for my other blog Natural On A Budget last fall. It was such a hit over their that I thought I would repost it here. Beans and rice meals are a great way to save money when you are a stay at home mom and needing to stretch your grocery budget.

After buying a lot of bulk beans and rice last week I decided I needed to look for some inventive ways to use them so we do not get bored with just beans and rice. I have obviously not had a chance to try all of these, but I have made a few. All of which were quite good.

I tried to look for recipes that did not include meat to make these more frugal, but there may be some that do have it in the ingredient list. Of course you can always adapt the recipe to your taste and budget.

I also tried to find recipes that did not require strange or expensive ingredients, but were still varied and interesting, including two desserts. (Check out the recipe for chocolate hummus at the bottom.)

Italian and Mediterranean
Minestrone
Pasta e Fagioli
Italian Black Beans and Rice
Hummus and Veggie With Pita
Falafel

Indian
Curried Lentils and Rice
Chola (Channa Masala)
Butter Chickpea Curry
Lentil Curry Dip
Lentil Curry Snack
Dhall

Southwest
3 Bean Chili
Taco Salad
Rice and Bean Burritos
Taco Soup
Taco Pizza
Mexican Lasagna
Spanish Rice With Bean Dip
Bean Quesadillas
Layered Bean Enchilada Casserole
7 Layer Tortilla Pie
Pintos With Mexican Spices and V8
Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

Southern
Red Beans and Rice

Soups and Salads
Chickpea Soup
Chickpea Pasta
Lentil Soup
Split Pea Soup
Black Bean Soup
Tuscan White Bean Soup
Lentil Curry Soup
Moros y Christianos
Chickpea Salad
Pasta Bean and Veggie Salad

Indian (American)
Indian Fry Bread (Tacos)

Asian
Pho
Chinese Fried Rice

Caribbean
Caribbean Rice and Beans

Misc.
Lentil and Rice Casserole (Easy, cheap, and YUMMY!)
Lentil Soup With Mashed Potatoes (Think shepherd's pie)
Black Beans and Rice Burgers
Bean Chili Over Baked Potatoes (Just like it says. Leftovers over baked potato)
Caramelized Onions and Beans
Lentils In Butter With Veggies and Cornbread
Sauteed Crispy Chickpeas
Savory Lentils and Rice
Chickpeas With Sweet Potato ans Summer Veggies
3 Bean Casserole
Black Bean Tortilla Bake
Chocolate Hummus (I think this sounds interesting)

OK, after putting this together I am hungry!

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I thought that for St Patrick's Day I would share my take on green smoothies. I got the idea from two of my favorite healthy blogs Passionate Homemaking and Heavenly Homemakers. They both have great recipes for green smoothies/slushies. I took both recipes and kind of made up my own yummy green smoothie. They are so good for you and even my 1 year old will drink them. Unfortunately my 3 year old will not, but she does not care for smoothies of any sort. Weird I know. Oh well. 

Green Smoothies (I tend to eyeball amounts)

Frozen strawberries

Frozen or fresh banana

A couple hand fulls FRESH spinach (Frozen tastes terrible)

A little juice (or water)

Yogurt or kefir (I use homemade for extra nutrition)

Honey if you like (I leave this out)

     

Put everything in the blender and blend very well. All of the spinach should completely blend away and leave you with a nice green colored drink. You can hardly taste the spinach. The fruit does a nice job of masking it.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add any fruit you like as well as change out the greens. Experiment with what you like to eat. Start out with only a little spinach and eventually you can add more as you become accustomed to the taste. This is a great way to get some nutrition down picky eaters.

One thing I discovered is that you do NOT want to use frozen spinach. It does not blend well and will leave chunks in your smoothie. YUCK! It also leaved behind a strong spinach flavor.

Head on over to Tammy's Recipes for more of today's kitchen tips. 

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I have to admit that I LOVE hummus. My husband loves it when I make this recipe. From all the research I have done chickpeas are very good for you which makes this dip extra healthy since it contains olive oil, tahini, and garlic. Yes, it is a bit high in fat, but it is good fat. I am a firm believer in eating full fat and whole milk as long as it is healthy fat and comes from a reliable if not organic source. 

If you are wondering about why I believe in eating this way you should check out the 2 books that completely changed the way my family eats, The Maker's Diet and Nourishing Traditions. In fact my husband lost around 60 pounds eating real butter and full fat diary. HMMM that seems to go against everything we have been taught. I feel we should eat our food the way the Lord made it and not mess with it too much. If I could find a source of farm fresh milk anywhere near here I would be buying it. 

Using coupons to eat a whole foods diet can be a bit of a struggle. Since we are currently working to pay all of our debts off we have decided to compromise on a few foods, but I have to say that eating a whole foods diet can be just as cheap if not cheaper then using coupons alone for processed foods. I strive to use my coupons to help of set the price of some of our produce and other things. There are also great sources of organic and whole food coupons if you keep an eye out for them. Maybe I should do a post on just organic couponing or what I spend on a whole foods diet. The way I have found we save is by making nearly everything we eat. It is amazing how much you can save when you are not buying premade or processed foods. It is so much healthier and cheaper, even when you can get some things for free. My sister-in-law said once that she would rather pay more for food now then pay much more for medical bills later. 

All this said here is my favorite hummus recipe...

15 oz garbanzo beans (chick peas, I use dried beans, but you can use 1 can)

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup tahini (sesame "butter" found in the health food section of grocery store)

1/4 cup lemon juice

olive oil to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend together. If the hummus is too thick you can thin it with olive oil or a little water. 

Place in a bowl and garnish with pine nuts, paprika, and a little olive or sesame oil if you like. I usually don't. 

Serve with pita or fresh veggies.

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Today is Recipe Thursday. I think I am in a fall recipe mood. Everything seems to have pumpkin in it. Today I am planning to make pumpkin pie with my daughter. I have found one of the easiest recipes for pie crust that I have ever tried. To make it even simpler to do I make it in my food processor. It is a matter of adding the ingredients and turning it on. What could be easier? I often make several of these and freeze them for quiche or something else later.

Easy Pie Crust-Makes 2 crusts

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup cold water

Put everything in a food processor and blend until a ball forms. Roll out and place in a pie pan. Fill with desired filling. Cook as directed for your particular pie.

The original recipe can be found here.


If you would like to participate in Recipe Thursday please leave your name and a short description of your recipe with a direct link to your recipe in your blog below. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.

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This is an excellent bread that I make whenever I don't have time to make a bread that I have to knead. Especially since I dropped my bread maker and shattered the glass dome.

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm water
2 cups all purpose bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
I often add oats, millet, or any other seeds I have around

Combine the yeast, sugar, water, and salt and let set 10 minutes.
Add in the flours and stir until well mixed.
Place dough in a well greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
Shape into 2 loaves and place on a cookie sheet.
Cook 375 for 30 minutes

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I was thinking about posting my recipes from the things I baked today. Since I had a reader request them, I think I will go ahead and do that tonight.

Banana, Apple, Carrot Muffins

This is a recipe that I found and tweaked to make it a bit healthier. One of these day I am going to remember to soak the flour before hand. These are a great way to get some fruits and veggie down picky eaters. My daughter loves them and actually asks for carrot muffins to take for preschool snack.

If you are interested in the original recipe you can find it here.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1-2 Tablespoons ground flax seed

3/4 cup of sugar (I use half this amount. I hate to use it at all. I think I will try honey)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup millet

Mix the above ingredients together and spoon into muffin pan.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

Quick and easy

Cranberry Pumpkin Scones

These did not turn out nearly as pretty as they usually do since I ran out of baking soda.

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour (Just to help make them softer)

1/4 cup sugar or honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 cup butter (no substitutes) cut up

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup applesauce

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I leave these out)

1/3 cup dried cranberries (Today I used fresh chopped up)

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1.) Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

2.) Cut in the butter until it resembles fine crumbs.

3.) Add pumpkin, applesauce, nuts, and cranberries, stir just until moistened.

4.) Transfer dough to a greased cookie sheet and pat down into an 8 inch circle.

5.) Use a knife to cut dough into 8 wedges, do NOT separate wedges.

6.) Sprinkle with brown sugar

7.) Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

Tomorrow I think I may post my recipe for peasant bread. It is a no knead yeast bread that is so good. Not to mention that it is really easy to make. I really miss my bread maker.

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Since I have a really picky 3 year old (who used to eat anything!) I have had to become creative in how I get her to eat her vegetables. So I learned what foods you can sneak veggis into. She has been eating things that she would normally turn her nose up at. I have to tell you this works on adults too. I have compiled a short list of the things I have tried so far. Most of my ideas came from the book The Sneaky Chef and others I came up with on my own.

Some of the concoctions look terrible, but I have tried each one and they are actually very good. Some recipes have other healthy things instead of veggies. All the recipes are healthy and full of good things.

Cocoa Chocolate Chip Pancakes (SO GOOD and actually healthy)-blueberries and spinach
Breakfast Ice cream-Pumpkin, banana, berries, avocado, apples
Breakfast cookies-Whole grains and cottage cheese
Grilled Cheese-Any orange veggie pureed
Mac and Cheese-Any orange or white veggie pureed
Spaghetti sauce-You can add anything white, red, or orange This is easy to hide things in
Pigs in a blanket- Sweet potatoes or butternut squash
Quesadillas-Sweet potatoes, squash, zucchini, cauliflower, white beans
Chicken Nuggets-Any white or orange veggie snuck into the wet step before breading
Fish Sticks- The same as chicken nuggets
Meatloaf-Just about anything Peas, spinach, and broccoli pureed are a great combo
Lasagna- Hides a ton
Burritos-White veggie and white beans
Brownies-Blueberries and spinach (Sounds bad, but my kids cleaned them up!)
Pancakes-Pumpkin and any fruit
Smoothies-Pumpkin and any fruit (Can be made into Popsicles)
Biscuits- Sweet potatoes and squash
Mashed potatoes-Zucchini and cauliflower. If your kids will eat orange mashed potatoes you an add some sweet potatoes to the white ones.

All of these recipes work best if the "snuck" in item has been pureed first. It makes it easier to hide and less noticeable for kids or some adults. I have found that baby food works well in a pinch.

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Chicken breast cut into pieces
2 can diced tomatoes

For Curry:
4-5 tablespoons oil enough to cover onions
1 large onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1-2 jalapenos diced
1 clove garlic diced
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garam masala (I do not know what this is)
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

Heat oil in a large pan or wok
Add onions and coriander seeds to cook over medium to low heat until onions are caramelized and soft
Drain most of the oil
Add jalapenos and cook just enough to soften the peppers
Add garlic, ginger paste, and all other spices and stir.
Add diced tomatoes and stir
Add chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked through.

As with any Indian curry you can add or subtract spices to increase the flavor and spiciness to you liking

This dish can be served with:
White or brown rice, nann or gram flour bread.

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1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup honey
2 pounds chicken breast, cooked

In a skillet heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the curry powder. Cook about 1 minute
Stir in the remaining ingredients and turn to coat.
Cover and cook about 5-6 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

NOTE: Make sure to use a mild salsa. It can get a bit spicy.

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Mix together:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 eggs
1 cup sweet milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 can cream corn

Saute':
1/2 pound ground meat
1 large onion

Drain and add:
1/2 pound cheddar cheese
3-4 jalapeno peppers

Cook until cheese melts

Pour 1/2 of cornbread mixture into a baking dish. Add meat mixture and top with remaining cornbread mixture.

Bake 1 hour at 350 F

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My mother used to make something like this all the time when I was growing up. Usually for Saturday lunch.

8 oz sausage (I use turkey)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon oregano
10 oz can pizza dough (I make my own in a bread maker)
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F
Preheat skillet to medium temperature
Add sausage to the skillet along with garlic and oregano
Cook until sausage is brown
Remove from heat and spoon sausage on paper-lined place to drain and let cool
On lightly floured surface, roll pizza crust into a 8 x 12 inch rectangle
Top center of dough with sausage mixture and cheeses, overlapping. Enclose ends and brush with beaten egg
Bake on greased baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool slightly and cut into slices

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1 (14 ounce) package spring roll wrappers
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
1 leek, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon water, or as needed
1 quart oil for frying

1.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic. Cook, stirring until the onions are transparent. Add beef and cook until about halfway done. Season with cumin, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Mix well, and continue cooking until beef has browned.

2.)In a small dish mix together the flour and water to make a thin paste. Using one wrapper at a time, fold into the shape of a cone. Fill the cone with the meat mixture, close the top, and seal with the paste. Repeat until wraps and filling are used up.

3.)Heat the oil to 365 degrees F in a deep-fryer or deep heavy pot. There should be enough oil to submerge the wraps. Fry the Sambusa a few at a time until golden brown. Remove to drain on paper towels.

NOTE: This is great served over brown rice as well.

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16 Chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1 onion chopped
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon ginger

Place chicken and onions in a soup pot and fill with enough water to cover, bring to a boil.

Preheat oven to 375 F. While the wings are cooking, combine the soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in a saucepan and warm over medium heat. When chicken is done, drain water (may be reserved for use as a broth) and pour in the soy sauce mixture. Stir to coat and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the outsides are crisp. Baste with sauce as desired while cooking.

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For the international dinner menu plan I will make this without the beef

1 medium onion, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 ketchup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro

While chopping onion and bell pepper, cook beef in a small soup kettle or Dutch oven.

Add onions and pepper to beef; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, water, rice, ketchup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until rice is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve

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1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
3 cups sliced carrots (4 medium-large)
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, paprika, cumin, and coriander; cook; stirring until fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add carrots, water, lemon juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cove and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until the carrots are just tender and the liquid is syrupy, 2-4 minutes.
Stir in the parsley.
Serve hot or at room temperature

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1/2 cup olive oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

Do not add liquid. The cabbage and potatoes release enough

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15-20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cover.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20-30 minutes.

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8 oz penne pasta
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 green onion, sliced
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1-10oz box frozen spinach
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried basil
pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to box. Drain, save 1 cup pasta water
In a 2 quart pot saute' onion in oil until translucent
Defrost spinach, squeeze out the water
Add tomatoes, basil, pepper, and spinach to the onions and saute' only until heated through

Combine pasta with sauteed vegetables. Add cheese and continue to cook over low heat for a minute or two until the cheese is melted.

Add a little pasta water if it seems dry

Serve with crusty bread and a salad.

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3/4 cup brown lentils
4 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 cup elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.)Cook the lentils and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes. Add the rice to the lentils,and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.

2.) Fill a separate saucepan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain

3.) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is lightly browned. Pour in the tomatoes and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 10-20 minutes

4.) In a large serving dish, stir together the lentils, rice, and macaroni. Mix in the tomato sauce until evenly coated.

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3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cracked wheat or fine bulgur
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced mint leaves (I often leave this out)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste
Pinch allspice

Pour boiling water over the cracked wheat, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed. Add the chopped vegetables and toss to mix. Combine oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and all spice. Add to wheat mixture and mix well.

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Lemon Dressing

1/4 c oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Salad

7 oz spinach torn into bite sized pieces (5 cups)
1 head Boston lettuce (4 cups) I plan to use romaine
1 4oz package feta
4 medium green onions, sliced
24 pitted olives
3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium cucumber, sliced

In tightly covered container, shake all dressing ingredients.

In large bowl, toss salad ingredients and dressing, serve immediately

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