August 30, 2010 in Frugal Tips, Healthy Fare, Uncategorized
I thought we’d do a little something different this Meatless Monday, and give a shout-out to the vegetarian cookbooks that have inspired us.
August 6, 2010 in Frugal Tips, Healthy Fare
I dare you to find a recipe that is more frugal than one that uses spent corn cobs as the main ingredient. Go ahead. Try.
I saw this idea a while back on Eats Well with Others, a fabulous food blog I follow religiously. A few nights ago we had sweet delicious fresh corn with dinner, leaving kernel-free cobs at the end. Perfect timing to try this unusual recipe. Joanne, I put you to the test and you did not fail me! I was afraid the stock would be too sweet, and too, well, corn-y. It was not at all either of those. It reminded me a bit of chicken stock, actually, but just a tiny bit sweeter.
Joanne, I hope you don’t mind that I added a few touches of my own: cumin seeds because – hey! – cumin is great in everything; a few dashes of Frank’s; some fresh lime juice. And, OK, it’s confession time: I went to watch the new episode of The Next Food Network Star and accidentally left it simmering the whole time. So, it simmered much longer than you recommended, Joanne – but – I found that that somehow gave it a more “toasted” flavor, if that makes sense. A happy accident!
Next time you’re tempted to buy that veg stock at the store and spend a fortune for a few cups, try this trick and you’ll have a flavorful broth for only pennies!
August 4, 2010 in Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees
This time of year, a lot of fellow food bloggers have me shamefully coveting their outdoor grills. From the old-fashioned round kettle-style charcoal barbecues of yore to handy little Hibachis to the swanky flattop Weber grills of today and everything in between, I covet them all. It’s the one major appliance I don’t have. But a truly fabulously frugal person is a resourceful person.
I realized that, thanks to a lovely gift from Santa, I DO have something like a close, indoor cousin to the grill – a panini press (quite a nice one, too, a Breville). This was the perfect solution, really – I loved how it cut the time in half by grilling both sides at once! Read the rest of this entry →
August 2, 2010 in Appetizers, Entrees, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees
I make a cold shrimp salad with avocado and mango in an Asian sweet chili sauce. It is a great go-to quick main dish salad for the summer – cool, refreshing and so flavorful. Crispy tofu cubes in place of the shrimp is a wonderful switch up – added at the last minute, of course, to preserve their crispiness.
Anne and I have been huge tofu fans since writing 101 Things to do with Tofu a few years ago. It’s a fab frugal source of protein – and has a mild flavor that plays well with pretty much any other flavors. And, this sweet chili dressing is bright and flavorful with a touch of heat. If I wasn’t in mixed company when I ate this salad last night, I would have licked my plate. No, really.
Perfect for a summer Meatless Monday!
