Author Topic: under $1 meals - soups!  (Read 19930 times)

Loonie Tunes

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under $1 meals - soups!
« on: August 21, 2015, 04:18:10 PM »
Let's share some recipes!

I find that soups are smack in the middle of the intersection of tasty, cheap and nutritious.

For some Eastern European flavour:

Beet Borsch - makes 6-8 servings

4-6 cups of liquid. I use homemade turkey or chicken stock. Water works extremely well for a vegetarian option.
1 medium potato - diced
1 medium beet  - coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks
1 large or 2 medium carrots - - coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks
1/2 onion - diced
1 small bell pepper - diced
1 large tomato - diced
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1/4 small cabbage - cut into very thin strips
1/2 cup herbs (dill and parsley) - copped finely
1/2 cup dry red kidney beans (optional)
2-3 tbs cooking fat (oil or lard)
salt
pinch of coriander seed (optional)
Paprika or hot pepper to taste (optional)
sour cream for garnishing (optional)

If you are using kidney beans, start by soaking them overnight, until nice and plump. Then put the beans in the pot with the stock and boil until tender. Beans are optional; they add protein and lots of other good things, but this definitely increases cooking time by at least an hour (not including the overnight soaking).

Bring stock to a boil, throw in potatoes.

in the meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep pan, add garlic and any dry spices. Cook on medium-high for 2 seconds until fragrant.
add beets and carrots, stir, cook for 1-2 minutes until a bit caramelized
add bell pepper and tomato, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stir, reduce heat to simmer.

at this point, potatoes and (optional) beans should be thoroughly cooked and spoon-tender
Throw the vegetable mix into the pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add cabbage and fresh herbs. Immediately turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Taste, add salt and paper to taste.

Serve. You can put a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. Rye bread is a nice accompaniment.
It's tasty cold (unless you use fatty meat such as pork for broth) and very filling.
it's supposed to be even tastier on the second day (apparently, it develops flavour, they say). Borsch needs to go in the fridge quicky, since cabbage with its inviting complex carbs makes soup spoil easily.

ahoy

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2015, 01:40:29 AM »
My family and I love soup.  We make it all the time.  Never made borsch though, must do because we love beets. 

My specialty is roasted potato and garlic soup.  Also we make broccoli soup. Lentil soup also.   I now make my own vegetable stock for the soups (no salt added).   Yes!  super cheap but so tasty.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2015, 06:39:07 AM »
Oh, that sounds delicious! Can I ask you for your favourite recipes? I also love leeks and potato, butternut squash and plain old chicken noodle.

I love homemade stock/broth! I also make my own, but we are a meat eating family, so it may not be relevant to everyone. Usually it is chicken bones or turkey wings, so it's uber inexpensive.
I buy a whole chicken and carve it into portions - breasts for pastrami, leg meat for stir-fries, chilies and such. The remaining parts go into a pot with some veggies and spices and simmer. There is enough meat on the bone (wings, pieces of to make two-three days' worth of hearty soup for two adults and a toddler. once the meat on the bone is cooked, I take it out, pick off the tasty bits put them in a container and pour in some broth to cover (this prevents drying out). The bones go back into the pot to release the rest of the collagen. I do the same with turkey wings - they go for about $2/pound ($3.50/kilo) and make an exquisite broth with lots and lots of meat.

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2015, 09:33:14 AM »
We eat a lot of homemade soup.  We haven't graduated to homemade broth yet, but I'll get there.  I buy a lot of broth at Costco.

My three favorite soups are:
(1) Vegetable beef -- lean hamburger, veggies galore, beef broth, a couple of cans of diced organic tomatoes (costco), a large dollop of tomato paste (I bought the huge can at costco then froze dollops and threw them in a bag for soup), bay leaves, a cup of red wine, garlic.

(2) Chicken and rice or noodle -- self explanatory

(3) Italian sausage/sweet potato -- crumbled italian sausage, onion, a couple of sweet potatoes, lots of carrot (a couple of cups), beef broth, a couple of cans of tomatoes.  Different and "knock your socks off" good.

I recently made an Italian sausage summer veg soup that was quite good.  It had lots of zucchini in it.  I did it to use up our veg bounty.

I'm not much of a recipe follower when it comes to soup.  I have my base, but then go from there.  As a household of two it's something I can make in large batches and freeze and it still tastes good out of the freezer.  Not everything is like that.

I shop meat deals and go nuts when there's a bargain.  Italian sausage for $1.99 a pound was a recent good find.

I think I will work on carving up my own chicken next and doing a chicken soup.  Whole chickens are 88 cents a pound at the grocer now.

Liz

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2015, 10:04:18 AM »
Broccoli cheese soup in the blender is one of my favorites -- easy and delicious!

I use this recipe from the Vitamix website. But you don't need a Vitamix, any semi-powerful blender would work if the broccoli is already steamed.

https://www.vitamix.com/Recipes/Broccoli-Cheese-Soup/C-Series/Variable-Speed/Classic-64-Ounce

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2015, 10:39:58 AM »
Broccoli cheese soup in the blender is one of my favorites -- easy and delicious!

I use this recipe from the Vitamix website. But you don't need a Vitamix, any semi-powerful blender would work if the broccoli is already steamed.

https://www.vitamix.com/Recipes/Broccoli-Cheese-Soup/C-Series/Variable-Speed/Classic-64-Ounce

Gonna give this a whirl with broccoli from my CSA.  Also, I have lots of frozen cheese shreds to use up.

FIRE Artist

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2015, 04:12:21 PM »
I made this slow cooker Moroccan tomato soup for lunch and the freezer today.  Delish. 

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/moroccan_tomato_soup.php

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2015, 05:21:12 PM »
Awesomeness! I do have a Vitamix, and it is great for blending hot soup because of the variable speed setting. Blended soups almost always freeze well, because there is no loss of texture.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2015, 05:37:05 PM »
Thank you Trudie!

I'm definitely trying the italian sausage soup - sounds fantastic!

For me I find that carving a chicken is a good skill to practice. Once I got the hang of it, it has become really fast and easy. I usually start by making a few marinades in different containers and drop the meat there and refrigerate or freeze them. One chicken yields two breasts (about a pound), two legs and two oysters (another pound or so) and broth + meat on the bone that is enough for 6-8 servings of soup or chili.

FrugalKube

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2015, 06:14:51 PM »
There are some great ideas here! My family loves soup

libertarian4321

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #10 on: August 23, 2015, 10:56:10 PM »
Let's share some recipes!

I find that soups are smack in the middle of the intersection of tasty, cheap and nutritious.

For some Eastern European flavour:

Beet Borsch - makes 6-8 servings

4-6 cups of liquid. I use homemade turkey or chicken stock. Water works extremely well for a vegetarian option.
1 medium potato - diced
1 medium beet  - coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks
1 large or 2 medium carrots - - coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks
1/2 onion - diced
1 small bell pepper - diced
1 large tomato - diced
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1/4 small cabbage - cut into very thin strips
1/2 cup herbs (dill and parsley) - copped finely
1/2 cup dry red kidney beans (optional)
2-3 tbs cooking fat (oil or lard)
salt
pinch of coriander seed (optional)
Paprika or hot pepper to taste (optional)
sour cream for garnishing (optional)

If you are using kidney beans, start by soaking them overnight, until nice and plump. Then put the beans in the pot with the stock and boil until tender. Beans are optional; they add protein and lots of other good things, but this definitely increases cooking time by at least an hour (not including the overnight soaking).

Bring stock to a boil, throw in potatoes.

in the meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep pan, add garlic and any dry spices. Cook on medium-high for 2 seconds until fragrant.
add beets and carrots, stir, cook for 1-2 minutes until a bit caramelized
add bell pepper and tomato, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stir, reduce heat to simmer.

at this point, potatoes and (optional) beans should be thoroughly cooked and spoon-tender
Throw the vegetable mix into the pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add cabbage and fresh herbs. Immediately turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Taste, add salt and paper to taste.

Serve. You can put a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. Rye bread is a nice accompaniment.
It's tasty cold (unless you use fatty meat such as pork for broth) and very filling.
it's supposed to be even tastier on the second day (apparently, it develops flavour, they say). Borsch needs to go in the fridge quicky, since cabbage with its inviting complex carbs makes soup spoil easily.

We make something very similar to this all the time, using my Ukrainian grandmother's recipe, but we leave out the beats because my wife doesn't like them.

She's asian, so we sometimes put chopped medium or hard tofu in the soup, which works fine because it makes the soup more "substantial" and just absorbs the flavor of the broth.

But you can easily get creative with the basic recipe and add (or subtract) almost any of the vegetables.  It almost never comes out bad.  Cheap and healthy.

11ducks

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2015, 04:52:10 AM »
My fave is pumpkin carrot coconut soup- it's as simple as it sounds - add
Chopped pumpkin, carrots, with some onion garlic and pepper, slow cook until soft, add a can of coconut milk (makes it beautifully creamy) and blend.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2015, 06:30:46 AM »
Thanks for the links! This is awesome.

I don't use instant broth/bouillon powder or cubes - my impression is that they don't offer much nutritionally and what they impart in terms of flavour is due to salt and MSG (it goes by may names - protein soy isolate, yeast extract, etc). MSG is a nifty little molecule responsible for that  savoury "umami" taste. I find that my taste buds tend to adapt to whatever stimulation I throw at them, so after eating soup with MSG, homemade stock and soup tastes bland to me. So my palate adapts to the new standards and everything starts tasting great again.

That being said, instant broth was my family's staple as some point in time.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2015, 06:36:19 AM »
libertarian4321, that is so true! My mother in law also makes borsch without beets - she uses lots of tomatoes/tomato paste. There are millions of recipes of this soup that vary regionally and seasonally - just like gumbo.
oh, gumbo.
I need to make gumbo.

Gerard

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2015, 06:39:58 AM »
*EDIT: Does anyone use Bouillon to bring down the cost of stock? If so, what type do you use and how does it taste?

I have a food snob bias against bouillon cubes/packets, so if I'm out of stock I'll often just add a spoonful of soy sauce and a dried chinese mushroom to a litre of water, and that gets me most of the way there.

Bouillon cubes that I have tried and liked are Knorr's chipotle cubes (for chili and the like) and Winiary brand pork/ham cubes, which you can get at Polish stores. They're surprisingly "real" tasting in small amounts. Also instant dashi (I have Shimaya brand), which I've only just started using and am quite pleased with.

Also, I think in about 3-5 years we're gonna start getting over our mostly-irrational fear of MSG, the same way we're now getting over our fear of fat, and that will help make cheap-ingredient stocks and soups a lot more appealing.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2015, 06:51:31 AM »
11ducks, I love pumpkin soup! It's that season coming soon.

Oh, there's another thing - you can measurably increase the enjoyment of food and drinks by describing them in a fancy way and/or adding a tiny bit of luxury.

I've had a bottle of truffle-infused oil for the longest time and I love using a drop here and there. It's an acquired taste, but the thing is very pungent and it brings out the flavour of beans, roast vegetables and omelettes. So, you can say that you've made  a roast vegetable soup and it sounds like one thing. Or, you can say that you are making a rosemary roast heirloom rutabaga and jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle oil and asiago cheese (toasted walnuts, whatever) and homemade croutons and it becomes a gourmet experience that commends admiration.

Kimchi Bleu

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #16 on: August 24, 2015, 07:41:43 AM »
I love Egg Drop soup - here is the one I use

6 cups chicken stock
2-3 eggs at room temp - beaten slightly
2-3 bunches green onions - roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Bring stock to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately add eggs.  Swirl the eggs into the stock with a chopstick.  Let rest 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce, onions, and sesame oil.  Simple, quick, and delicious!

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #17 on: August 24, 2015, 11:17:59 AM »
I love Egg Drop soup - here is the one I use

6 cups chicken stock
2-3 eggs at room temp - beaten slightly
2-3 bunches green onions - roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Bring stock to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately add eggs.  Swirl the eggs into the stock with a chopstick.  Let rest 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce, onions, and sesame oil.  Simple, quick, and delicious!

Finally a use for all the green onions I didn't know what to do with!!!

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #18 on: August 24, 2015, 11:20:35 AM »
My fave is pumpkin carrot coconut soup- it's as simple as it sounds - add
Chopped pumpkin, carrots, with some onion garlic and pepper, slow cook until soft, add a can of coconut milk (makes it beautifully creamy) and blend.

Is there a trick to the kind of pumpkin you use?  Do you roast it first?  I've never cooked "real" pumpkin.  I always buy the canned stuff for pies and breads.

Kitsunegari

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2015, 12:33:19 PM »
Nice idea! Here a recipe for a thick chickpeas soup:

- 2 cups dry chickpeas
- a pinch of baking soda
- 2 onions
- some dried tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt&pepper to taste
- rosemary


The night before, soak the chickpeas in abundant water with the baking soda for about 20 hrs.
Drench and wash the chickpeas, put them in a pot with double volume of water, the onions cut in chunks, the dried tomatoes and the rosemary. Set to high temperature until water boils, then bring to a simmer. Simmer until chickpeas are tender, then add salt, pepper and oil to taste. Serve with an extra bit of rosemary and grilled bread.
If you wish, once is cook and cooled down a bit you can use a hand blender to give it a smoother texture.

Ideal for winter, it really satisfy hunger and warms you up!


seemsright

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2015, 12:50:08 PM »
I started a batch of beef bone broth last night to make minestrone soup some time in the next few days.

My family eats a ton of soup during the cooler months of the year...upwards of 10-12 times a week.

I will make just about anything. As making soup is one of my fav things to do ever.

This summer my CSA gave us a ton of snap peas. That I took and made pea pesto out of. I took the shells and made pea stock out of with the intent of making split pea and ham soup this fall.

All summer I save the veggie scraps from the CSA and make a pot of veggie broth when the bag in the freezer gets full. My freezer is full of veggie broth for soup this winter. All I do is dump the scraps into a crockpot and cover with water and turn it on over night. Then strain and freeze.

When the CSA gives us some pumpkins I love to take them roast them and then put about of a cup or so into a pot of chili.

The one way I get value out of my CSA is to use everything that comes with it....it is the only way I can justify the cost every year.

ShaneD

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #21 on: August 25, 2015, 10:05:12 AM »
[ETA: I already love this thread.]

Soup is one of the greatest inventions ever, and such a great way to save/not lose money. One of my faves to make is what we call green soup. It's a real non-recipe recipe.

Take whatever (primarily above-ground) vegetables you have on hand, especially frozen scraps or produce past its prime. This is a great way to use up those bits of veg that aren't enough to make a meal, fresh produce that has softened (but isn't slimy), even bits of leftover takeout. E.g., I may end up using green beans, broccoli and cauliflower stems, red/yellow/orange peppers, leftover bits of onion, stems from various greens collected through the months, a sad tomato, maybe a couple of wayward carrots or celery, a zucchini, a few mushrooms, and some steamed water chestnuts, snow peas, and cabbage from the nearby Chinese delivery place. Whatever bits and bobs are around.

Add in a bag of fresh or frozen greens, such as spinach, kale, or collards. (I avoid beet and carrot greens, though, as they tend to take over flavor-wise.)

Toss all in a pot and add broth (say, chicken, veg, or ham) or water + bouillon to about 3/4 of the height of the veg (or more liquid if you like your soup thinner), and add whatever spices you like. I usually do at least garlic and lemon pepper, and sometimes curry powder. Sometimes I'll add ginger and fish or soy sauce.

Boil the hell out of everything, until the hardest of veg (say, carrots) can be easily pierced with a fork.

Puree. (I use a stick blender.)

Adjust seasonings, add more broth if you it's thicker than you like, maybe add some lemon juice or a splash of vinegar for brightness, and you're done. For a silkier, richer soup, melt in some fat (e.g., butter, bacon fat, olive oil).

Makes a great snack or light meal on its own or with interesting add-ons, such as pecans or walnuts or almonds, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and/or green onions. Can also be used as a base to which you add, say, chicken and couscous or ham and rice.

It's pretty foolproof, and such a great way to get a solid shot of vegetables into your day. As mentioned, I avoid beet and carrot greens, as well as beets in general, as they all tend to overpower the other vegetables. I don't avoid cabbage because I really like it, but it, too, can tend to overpower, so I wouldn't make it the predominate veg. If the vegs you have on hand tend toward the bitter end, you can throw in an apple or orange when you're boiling the veg to temper some of the bitterness. (If you find it bitter after having already boiled and pureed, throw said fruit into the microwave to soften, puree, then incorporate into soup.)
« Last Edit: August 25, 2015, 10:16:32 AM by ShaneD »

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #22 on: August 25, 2015, 11:01:03 AM »
The economics of soaking your own beans have been well-documented in other parts of this site.  But, let me just add my vote for soaking beans and using them in place in canned in soups.  The flavor is so much better.  Canned beans, even when rinsed, have a bitter taste.  And salt is reduced.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #23 on: August 25, 2015, 12:51:18 PM »
Trudie, I passionately agree!

In fact, I would add that almost any grain/seed used in cooking will benefit from soaking in advance. I soak my rice, quinoa, buckwheat, peas, beans, chickpeas, etc. Soaking and rinsing removes the naturally occurring chemicals that the seed uses to stay dormant, and this simple operation always improves taste and nutritional value. Not to mention that the product will cook faster, cutting down on active cooking time and energy bills.

11ducks

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #24 on: August 26, 2015, 05:31:22 AM »
My fave is pumpkin carrot coconut soup- it's as simple as it sounds - add
Chopped pumpkin, carrots, with some onion garlic and pepper, slow cook until soft, add a can of coconut milk (makes it beautifully creamy) and blend.

Is there a trick to the kind of pumpkin you use?  Do you roast it first?  I've never cooked "real" pumpkin.  I always buy the canned stuff for pies and breads.

Not at all- I don't think we have canned pumpkin in Aus, so I've always used fresh jap/kent pumpkin. Peel and chop in half, use a spoon to de seed, then either slice or cook in the oven as is (then scoop out cooked flesh). Good luck!

Trudie

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #25 on: August 26, 2015, 08:08:31 AM »
Also, save the seeds.  Roasted pumpkin seeds are a yummy snack.

DagobertDuck

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #26 on: August 27, 2015, 02:31:44 AM »
Following this one.... I make lentil soup quite often, but could use some ideas.

cerebus

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #27 on: August 27, 2015, 04:38:46 AM »

*EDIT: Does anyone use Bouillon to bring down the cost of stock? If so, what type do you use and how does it taste?

Stock needn't cost more than the oven usage to make. We clip the leaves from our celery, and the tops from our leeks, and save our carrot and onion waste, and the carcass and bones from chicken that we eat. When our stock supply is running low, you just roast it all for 10 minutes with some peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme, then simmer it in a dutch oven full of water for 3 hours or so, then strain out and pour into cup-sized plastic containers for freezing. Bouillon simply cannot compare in taste to real stock.

We make soup quite often, but it's rarely as cheap as the meals here. I can't seem to get around to soaking lentils and beans because I hardly ever plan what I'm going to eat ahead of time, far enough to make elaborate preparations. I've no doubt that it is a significant savings though. In general I don't try hard to save money on the food I make because simply the fact of making everything from scratch and using a lot of vegetables and cheaper portions of meat does the bulk of saving on food cost anyway, and plus, I'm a bloody good cook.
« Last Edit: August 27, 2015, 04:51:34 AM by cerebus »

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #28 on: August 27, 2015, 07:16:17 AM »
Cerebus, it sounds like you do plan ahead with some things that you consider worthwhile - making stock is an example of doing something today so that your future self can open the freezer and take out a container of delicious stock.
I think the best benefit of practicing planning ahead is getting in touch with your future self, as Philip Zimbardo has put it. It's like sending time capsules with gifts to your future self. These gifts can be investments, the garden you've planted back in May gives you tomatoes now, the dough you've mixed for 30 seconds yesterday and set aside now saves you tedious kneading. Oftentimes, the little bit of planning today allows you to harness the power of time and make it work for you. Little things, like soaking the beans, just strengthen and reinforce the habit.

I just wanted to share Zimbardo's Ted talk and a cartoon lecture on past, present and future selves:

https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_prescribes_a_healthy_take_on_time?language=en
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg

cerebus

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #29 on: August 27, 2015, 08:41:54 AM »
Cerebus, it sounds like you do plan ahead with some things that you consider worthwhile - making stock is an example of doing something today so that your future self can open the freezer and take out a container of delicious stock.
I think the best benefit of practicing planning ahead is getting in touch with your future self, as Philip Zimbardo has put it. It's like sending time capsules with gifts to your future self. These gifts can be investments, the garden you've planted back in May gives you tomatoes now, the dough you've mixed for 30 seconds yesterday and set aside now saves you tedious kneading. Oftentimes, the little bit of planning today allows you to harness the power of time and make it work for you. Little things, like soaking the beans, just strengthen and reinforce the habit.

I just wanted to share Zimbardo's Ted talk and a cartoon lecture on past, present and future selves:

https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_prescribes_a_healthy_take_on_time?language=en
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg

Nice animation. Ah, but I wouldn't be very mustachian if I couldn't plan forwards now would I? ;)

I suppose you have a point. I will sometimes plan a meal for months actually. But when it comes to making the week's food, there's an element of extemporaneity that I think enables better creative possibilities to come out. Or I should just get over myself and soak me some pinto beans. 

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #30 on: August 27, 2015, 09:23:04 AM »
no, I agree with you about the value of spontaneity and ability to adjust plans. A totally scripted life is not feasible and it could be pretty boring if you went through the frustration of sticking to the plan in minute details. And it has to be practical and relevant - sending your future self a gift of the proverbial soaked beans is a waste of time if you (and future you) don't like beans anyway.

HipGnosis

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #31 on: August 27, 2015, 10:30:18 AM »
I only eat soup on cold winter days, but this thread prompted me to try a stew I've been concocting for a while.

Pumpkin-chicken stew.
I am diabetic and need to watch my carbs.  I have a low carb pumpkin-egg-creamcheese recipe that can be adjusted to be a breakfast, desert or side dish. It got me to wondering what else I can use pumpkin in...

I used pumpkin to thicken the stew instead of flour (which I haven't bought in 2-3 yrs).
I roasted the pumpkin (canned) with some carrots, onion, butter, garlic, salt and pepper at the same time I roasted chicken thighs (bought on sale).
I deboned and diced the thighs and removed the oil from the roasting pan.  Then added the pumpkin, chicken stock and mixed vegetables.
I will use more butter and garlic next time, but it was GOOD.


Kaspian

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #32 on: August 27, 2015, 10:40:01 AM »
I used pumpkin to thicken the stew instead of flour (which I haven't bought in 2-3 yrs).

Nice, I never thought of that!!


My traditional Russian borscht is super simple (the extended family love it).  It can easily be adjusted for volume using a simple formula:

0.5 parts shredded onion
1  part beets (e.g., 1 can)
1  part beef broth/bouillon
3  parts shredded cabbage

Add sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice to taste in soup as it cooks to adjust acidity/bitterness/sweetness.  Top with dollop of sour cream.

Kaspian

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #33 on: August 27, 2015, 10:52:07 AM »
I can't seem to get around to soaking lentils and beans because I hardly ever plan what I'm going to eat ahead of time, far enough to make elaborate preparations. I've no doubt that it is a significant savings though.

Look for the red lentils which look like this.  Cost about $1.30 a big bag where I live.  They cook in 20 minutes or less.  :D



This is what I do with them:

- Sautee an onion in a pot with margarine/butter
- Add a cup of lentils
- Add a cup water
- Add a can of diced tomatoes
- Add tablespoons of chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cayenne to taste
- Boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, adding more water as necessary

Start to finish takes less than half an hour.

Here's a fancier recipe for basically the same thing:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Red-Lentil-Curry/
« Last Edit: August 27, 2015, 10:54:12 AM by Kaspian »

cerebus

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #34 on: August 27, 2015, 11:23:10 AM »
The other day I made this awesome chicken enchilada soup:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-enchilada-soup-iii/

Enchilada sauce is pretty easy to make for yourself. The only thing is here in SA it's very difficult to find Mexican ingredients like masa - there's literally one guy in the whole country who imports, and he's up north in jozie. So I have some but I'm stingy on it like a miser because the stuff is magical.

N

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #35 on: August 27, 2015, 12:00:06 PM »
I LOVE SOUP.

which leads me to recommend you buy or borrow Love Soup by Anna Thomas. Filled with great vegetarian recipes (of course, you could add meat to them, if you want)

I just made a fantastic soup that had roasted poblanos, bell peppers, jalapeno, corn, potatoes...man. so freaking good. from the Love Soup book.

I also like zucchini sauteed and whizzed up with broth and ginger. Sometimes Ill add cooked greens like chard or spinach.

My kids love corn chowder. I make that a lot, its essentially mashed potatoes, corn and broth  to make it soupy.

And, while I do often make my own broth, I do also use Better than Bouillion in a jar. Its kind of a thick paste. Its way cheaper than buying liquid broth. At costco they have the large jars of low sodium and I even think its Organic, chicken for around 6$ (often the small ones are that much at the local market).

Soups in my regular rotation:

Corn chowder
Zucchini
Chicken noodle
Ham n veggie
Beef barley
Veggie (especially with cabbage!)
Zuppa Toscana
Pasta e Fagioli (olive garden knock off recipe)

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #36 on: August 27, 2015, 12:29:44 PM »
This week I've made borsch (Monday and Tuesday dinner) and chili (Wednesday dinner and Thursday lunch) using the chicken broth I've made on Sunday.

In addition to these meals we've had chicken fried rice (Sunday dinner and Monday lunch), chicken breast pastrami - lunches Tuesday through Thursday with roast veggies, in sandwiches and tomato-eggplant pasta salad). It's Thursday and there is one more container of marinated leg meat that will be used in stir-fry for tonight's dinner.

This is one long chicken... Although it was a pretty small bird, less than 3 lb whole.

merula

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #37 on: August 27, 2015, 12:47:52 PM »
Just wanted to chime in with my method of cooking whole pumpkins. I don't bother peeling or chopping or anything, I just cut it in half (full disclosure: I have my husband hack it in half with his cleaver), scoop out the seeds and roast in a medium oven (350F, but if you're making something else, really anything from 300-400 will work) until the flesh is very tender, about an hour for a small pumpkin. Then I take a spoon, scrape out the flesh into a bowl and use a stick blender to puree. This is completely freezeable and works for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, soups, curries, baby food, anything you'd use canned pumpkin for.

Valencia de Valera

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #38 on: August 27, 2015, 12:53:10 PM »
You can soak and cook beans and then freeze them, I just put mine in a plastic bag and they come out fine.

The green(?) lentils that I get at the store cook quickly with no soaking required. The package just says "lentils" so I don't know whether they're technically green or brown, but they're greenish in appearance. They take about 30 minutes to cook in the soup recipe I use: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29342-basic-lentil-soup (I put in double the carrots and celery). Thanks to the MMM forums I started a scrap bag to try making my own vegetable broth for the next time I make this.

I also make potato soup from my grandmother's super easy non-recipe: saute onions and celery in butter, add chopped potatoes and Cavender's Greek seasoning and enough water to cover them, boil until the potatoes are cooked, whisk together flour and milk to your preferred consistency and add that to the soup, simmer a bit longer until it thickens up, add cheese if you want to, and you're done. And I love vegetable soup of all kinds, and white chicken chili, although I'm sure that isn't under $1.

N

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #39 on: August 27, 2015, 09:09:49 PM »
with a small sugar pumpkin, I just poke a bunch of holes in it with a kebab skewer, then set it on a foil lined sheet or dish and bake it whole.
http://detoxinista.com/2012/11/how-to-roast-a-whole-pumpkin-homemade-pumpkin-puree/

so easy. then you can freeze it or use it.

Squirrel away

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #40 on: August 29, 2015, 04:38:05 AM »
I love leek and potato soup. :)

KMMK

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #41 on: August 29, 2015, 07:32:17 AM »
Just wanted to chime in with my method of cooking whole pumpkins. I don't bother peeling or chopping or anything, I just cut it in half (full disclosure: I have my husband hack it in half with his cleaver), scoop out the seeds and roast in a medium oven (350F, but if you're making something else, really anything from 300-400 will work) until the flesh is very tender, about an hour for a small pumpkin. Then I take a spoon, scrape out the flesh into a bowl and use a stick blender to puree. This is completely freezeable and works for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, soups, curries, baby food, anything you'd use canned pumpkin for.

I do this, but without the hacking in half first. I just cut some kind of airholes into the pumpkin (in case it would explode if I didn't - not sure), bake it whole, then do all the peeling, de-seeding, etc when it's all soft.

Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #42 on: August 29, 2015, 07:24:36 PM »
tracking the meat to be made into meals this week... This is not exclusively about soup, but rather the benefits of buying a whole chicken and using every bit.

whole raw chicken, carved and marinated:
- 2 whole breasts, about 1.2 lb - marinated for pastrami. These are used in sandwiches, or sliced and served with rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables, pasta and/or salad
- 1 leg, deboned and diced, marinated in orange juice with garlic and spices. for stir fry
- 1 leg, deboned and sliced, marinated with chili mix and lemon juice. for quesadillas
- chicken fat and skin, cut into small pieces. will be used for pan-fried potatoes.
- a pot of chicken stock, about 6-8 cups, (depending on how much I want to reduce it) with a bit of meat

so. what's cookin'?

ShaneD

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #43 on: August 30, 2015, 09:18:49 AM »
I've been aiming to get more vegetables into my breakfast lately, as well as changing up my usual poached or soft-boiled egg breakfast. Have started to cook the eggs in chicken broth, add a big handful of broccoli slaw or cabbage or other quick and handy vegetable (raw or cooked), melt in a pat or two of butter, and voila, breakfast soup. (Topping with green onions would be nice, but I'm not that ambitious in the morning.)

Shakshouka (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakshouka) can also be made into a tasty soup easily by thinning with broth.

That's one of the things about soup that I love: how easily you can transform a dish into a soup and make it new again. Great for leftovers.

CupcakeGuru

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #44 on: September 08, 2015, 05:58:17 AM »


*EDIT: Does anyone use Bouillon to bring down the cost of stock? If so, what type do you use and how does it taste?

I haven't graduated yet to making my own stock. I currently use Better than Bullion in chicken and beef. I get them at Costco 16 oz jars which make about 19 quarts of broth for about $6 or $7.

Lkxe

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under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #45 on: September 08, 2015, 07:55:10 AM »
I always love the thought of bullion but the salt, ugh, I just  can't


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Loonie Tunes

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #46 on: September 08, 2015, 12:09:29 PM »
making stock is very simple, although it does seem intimidating. It took me over 25 years to get started.

made 10 cups of chicken stock, 4 cups of bone broth and the remaining softened bone is being turned into bone meal for the garden :) Take that, raccoons raiding my green bin!

1967mama

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #47 on: September 08, 2015, 12:51:17 PM »

This is what I do with them:

- Sautee an onion in a pot with margarine/butter
- Add a cup of lentils
- Add a cup water
- Add a can of diced tomatoes
- Add tablespoons of chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cayenne to taste
- Boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, adding more water as necessary



Thanks for posting this recipe.  I have a bag of red lentils from 6 months ago from when I felt inspired to cook with them, but then forgot about them and really didn't have any idea what to cook with them. This dish is going to be a side with our chicken tonight.  Thanks!

Kaspian

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #48 on: September 08, 2015, 01:26:12 PM »

This is what I do with them:

- Sautee an onion in a pot with margarine/butter
- Add a cup of lentils
- Add a cup water
- Add a can of diced tomatoes
- Add tablespoons of chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cayenne to taste
- Boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, adding more water as necessary



Thanks for posting this recipe.  I have a bag of red lentils from 6 months ago from when I felt inspired to cook with them, but then forgot about them and really didn't have any idea what to cook with them. This dish is going to be a side with our chicken tonight.  Thanks!

Hopefully I haven't instructed to use too much/little water!  :)  I guess it depends whether you like it soup, porridge, or mashed potato consistency.  Personally, I like all three so happily eat it at however it ends up.  The lentil bag will probably tell you how much water to add (but don't forget you're adding all the liquid from the tomatoes as well.)   

Kimchi Bleu

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Re: under $1 meals - soups!
« Reply #49 on: September 09, 2015, 07:14:54 AM »


*EDIT: Does anyone use Bouillon to bring down the cost of stock? If so, what type do you use and how does it taste?

I haven't graduated yet to making my own stock. I currently use Better than Bullion in chicken and beef. I get them at Costco 16 oz jars which make about 19 quarts of broth for about $6 or $7.

Quick and easy way to make stock is just to save and freeze bones from your leftovers.  I will make a whole chicken in the crockpot for dinner, remove the meat and return the bones to the crock pot.  I will add in any bones that I have frozen as well as chicken backs and necks that I've frozen as well.  I then cover the bones with water and add a little vinegar.  You can season your stock now.  I don't add any veggies, but you can add carrots and onions.  Cook on high 4 hours and then it switches to warm overnight.  Instant stock in the morning.