Sooooo, this was delicious and easy and cheap and healthy. (And if you leave out the sugar- which I did-- meets the Whole 30 requirements, which I'm not doing, but a friend is)
I can already tell that it's going to be a staple recipe. It takes like no effort, it's real hard to screw up --like a soup is. And it's hearty and delicious.
I didn't really spice it much because I wanted to leave it up to my friend to make it to her level.
http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/07/summer-2010-travel-blog-shakshuka/
I also think it'd be interesting to try it with some spinach or some mushrooms.
This time I served it over pasta because it was what I had, but next time that crusty crunchy bread would be amazing.
I think next time I might try this variety:
https://www.budgetbytes.com/2016/04/smoky-white-bean-shakshuka/
I have now tried the budget bytes variety and I actually liked the first version better! The beans make it more feeling, but I like the more veggies more.
Showing posts with label people approved. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people approved. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
**This recipe was inspired by the great and lovely Melissa**
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/223211/quinoa-stuffed-peppers/
So, once again, I'm not sure that I could call this the recipe I followed, because I ignored it, but this was the start.
Quinoa + broth + carrots, onions, and tomatoes because that's waht I had around.
The peppers needed more time in the oven (350, 22 minutes)
This is a great starter. It could use a bit more, but I like how flexible it is.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/223211/quinoa-stuffed-peppers/
So, once again, I'm not sure that I could call this the recipe I followed, because I ignored it, but this was the start.
Quinoa + broth + carrots, onions, and tomatoes because that's waht I had around.
The peppers needed more time in the oven (350, 22 minutes)
This is a great starter. It could use a bit more, but I like how flexible it is.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Keeper: I made NAAN
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2010/09/naan/
http://www.fullforkahead.com/2013/09/25/homemade-naan/
Some interesting instructions here
Naan notes
--takes an hour + to rise (may use tips in second article next time)
-- if don't have rolling pin, make do with any cylindrical object-- I used a water bottle
--the thinness of it seemed to be a crucial variable-- thin, but not toooo thin
--the minced garlic added to the butter after (from the tin), was meh on the flavor. may be better added to the dough--see second article
http://www.fullforkahead.com/2013/09/25/homemade-naan/
Some interesting instructions here
Naan notes
--takes an hour + to rise (may use tips in second article next time)
-- if don't have rolling pin, make do with any cylindrical object-- I used a water bottle
--the thinness of it seemed to be a crucial variable-- thin, but not toooo thin
--the minced garlic added to the butter after (from the tin), was meh on the flavor. may be better added to the dough--see second article
Keeper Recipe: Dal Nirvana
Oh my god. It's so good and so easy and so cheap.
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2010/09/dal-nirvana/
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2010/09/dal-nirvana/
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Keeper: Chana Aloo Masala
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2016/02/chana-aloo-masala-chickpea-and-potato-masala/
So, if you come into this with the expectations that this is going to taste just like the Indian food from your favorite restaurant, you're going to be disappointed. Your favorite restaurant probably uses a pile of ghee, don't get their garam masala on sale from Kroger, and probably use a more complex spice combo. However, oh my gosh was it good. Especially once I added sour cream/plain greek yogurt and sriracha? Super addictive.
It was also super easy to make, although I did also have a romcom moment. I was trying to drain the potatoes when I heard all of these popping sounds-- the lovely tomato sauce was trying to splatter all over my walls. So, I tried to hop over there (carrying the pot with me), which caused my poor little foot to cramp. So then I somehow ended up with one shoe off, half crouched by the stove, with one hand massaging my foot and the other hand swatting at the sauce trying to stir it to stop the little explosions. It was fun.
Cost: Cheap? It's from budget bytes. That's all I know.
Convenience: This is quite easy to make. If I could chop potatoes evenly and quickly it could be quite fast! The sauce does need some monitoring if you take too long though.
Delicious: This is way better the second day and with the creaminess and a little more spice added. Sooooooooooooo delicious.
Freeze: Apparently yes. Budget bytes Beth says the potato might get grainy, but she thinks it'd be great.
Uses: Fast dinner with Indianish twist?
Notes: I added twice the garam masala as suggested because I think mine was pretty weak, I also ended up adding some sour cream and sriracha. Next time maybe add green peas? More veggies in this would make me really happy. I know that's even less Indian, but I'm going to try it anyway.
So, if you come into this with the expectations that this is going to taste just like the Indian food from your favorite restaurant, you're going to be disappointed. Your favorite restaurant probably uses a pile of ghee, don't get their garam masala on sale from Kroger, and probably use a more complex spice combo. However, oh my gosh was it good. Especially once I added sour cream/plain greek yogurt and sriracha? Super addictive.
It was also super easy to make, although I did also have a romcom moment. I was trying to drain the potatoes when I heard all of these popping sounds-- the lovely tomato sauce was trying to splatter all over my walls. So, I tried to hop over there (carrying the pot with me), which caused my poor little foot to cramp. So then I somehow ended up with one shoe off, half crouched by the stove, with one hand massaging my foot and the other hand swatting at the sauce trying to stir it to stop the little explosions. It was fun.
Cost: Cheap? It's from budget bytes. That's all I know.
Convenience: This is quite easy to make. If I could chop potatoes evenly and quickly it could be quite fast! The sauce does need some monitoring if you take too long though.
Delicious: This is way better the second day and with the creaminess and a little more spice added. Sooooooooooooo delicious.
Freeze: Apparently yes. Budget bytes Beth says the potato might get grainy, but she thinks it'd be great.
Uses: Fast dinner with Indianish twist?
Notes: I added twice the garam masala as suggested because I think mine was pretty weak, I also ended up adding some sour cream and sriracha. Next time maybe add green peas? More veggies in this would make me really happy. I know that's even less Indian, but I'm going to try it anyway.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Keeper: Freezer Food: Black Bean Quesadillas
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/02/hearty-black-bean-quesadillas/
These are a great freezer option. I want a healthier version though. Things to contemplate.
Cost: My most expensive ingredient was the whole wheat tortillas. Regular flour would have been cheaper (and honestly possibly more delicious to my tastes), but much less healthy.
Convenience: Super easy. Chopping onion and garlic was the hardest part.
Delicious: Mmmh quesadilla.
Freeze: Works well, but can take a while to warm up so the cheese will melt, need it on low.
Uses: Quick healthy dinner, warming and filling, easy
Notes: -can I add more veggies? --or more cheese? Intriuging
These are a great freezer option. I want a healthier version though. Things to contemplate.
Cost: My most expensive ingredient was the whole wheat tortillas. Regular flour would have been cheaper (and honestly possibly more delicious to my tastes), but much less healthy.
Convenience: Super easy. Chopping onion and garlic was the hardest part.
Delicious: Mmmh quesadilla.
Freeze: Works well, but can take a while to warm up so the cheese will melt, need it on low.
Uses: Quick healthy dinner, warming and filling, easy
Notes: -can I add more veggies? --or more cheese? Intriuging
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Keeper Recipe: Baked Acorn Squash
So, I started with this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-acorn-squash-with-brown-sugar-and-butter-recipe.html
But that wasn't going to do it for me and my desire to not get diabetes. So, I did a dash of salt, dash of pepper, maybe 1/3 tbsp of butter, and 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar and no maple syrup. Next time, I'd give more butter and brown sugar for a much richer flavor, but it doesn't really matter.
Recipe:
- slice it open (and slice a little bit of the bottom if it won't stay upright)
-scoop out insides and throw in trash (unless you have creative powers and can use it)
- put some stuff on it, preferably brown sugar and butter-- add a bit of salt and pepper too
-put it in the oven at 400F for 1 hour and stab it with a fork to be sure it's good to go
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
delicious
Cost: Whatever the cost of acorn squash is, currently it's real cheap.
Convenience: Could hardly be easier to make, but it does take time to cook.
Delicious: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmh
Freeze: Dunno. Doesn't sound like a great idea.
Uses: Side dish, quick healthy dinner, warming and filling, eat your veggies
Notes: -could be interesting to try some other toppings on it--lots of variety possible
-life is much better if you put it on aluminum foil so you can destroy the environment but not have to wash dishes.
But that wasn't going to do it for me and my desire to not get diabetes. So, I did a dash of salt, dash of pepper, maybe 1/3 tbsp of butter, and 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar and no maple syrup. Next time, I'd give more butter and brown sugar for a much richer flavor, but it doesn't really matter.
Recipe:
- slice it open (and slice a little bit of the bottom if it won't stay upright)
-scoop out insides and throw in trash (unless you have creative powers and can use it)
- put some stuff on it, preferably brown sugar and butter-- add a bit of salt and pepper too
-put it in the oven at 400F for 1 hour and stab it with a fork to be sure it's good to go
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
delicious
Cost: Whatever the cost of acorn squash is, currently it's real cheap.
Convenience: Could hardly be easier to make, but it does take time to cook.
Delicious: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmh
Freeze: Dunno. Doesn't sound like a great idea.
Uses: Side dish, quick healthy dinner, warming and filling, eat your veggies
Notes: -could be interesting to try some other toppings on it--lots of variety possible
-life is much better if you put it on aluminum foil so you can destroy the environment but not have to wash dishes.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Keeper Recipe 2: Summer Vegetable Tian
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/08/summer-vegetable-tian/
Cost: It's the cost of veggies and cheese pretty much. Not the cheapest ever, but definitely not expensive.
Convenience: This is super easy to make. It takes at least an hour to make, but most of that is unattended cooking. It's mostly lots of chopping and cramming for the work part. It is a little annoying that it uses up the dish to saute too-- so it might be nice to find other recipes to pair it with.
Delicious: So good. Soooo good. Mmmmmmh.
Freeze: Probably a no. Haven't tried yet.
Uses: We'll see how it holds up this week as one of my major meal options. It's not the most filling thing on the planet because it's mostly just watery veggies, but it was sooooo good. This makes a great side dish, a great snack food for my tastes.
Notes: It came out watery in the bottom this time, I just drained it off and it wasn't a big deal, but there were some recommendations to take the seeds out of the tomato, salt the veggies first, or cook it for longer. ALSO, I used sweet potato instead of potato and cooked the potatoes for 3-4 mintues before I chopped them up, that seemed to work well. Also, the cheese was delicious melted, but not evenly distributed and not really toasted brown (I burned my hand, so I was over it)-- so that could be better next time too. Also, I basically doubled the recipe and used a larger pan because I didn't have an 8x8..There's definitely room for modification on this recipe to make it more stellar, but I'd eat it any day of the week.
Cost: It's the cost of veggies and cheese pretty much. Not the cheapest ever, but definitely not expensive.
Convenience: This is super easy to make. It takes at least an hour to make, but most of that is unattended cooking. It's mostly lots of chopping and cramming for the work part. It is a little annoying that it uses up the dish to saute too-- so it might be nice to find other recipes to pair it with.
Delicious: So good. Soooo good. Mmmmmmh.
Freeze: Probably a no. Haven't tried yet.
Uses: We'll see how it holds up this week as one of my major meal options. It's not the most filling thing on the planet because it's mostly just watery veggies, but it was sooooo good. This makes a great side dish, a great snack food for my tastes.
Notes: It came out watery in the bottom this time, I just drained it off and it wasn't a big deal, but there were some recommendations to take the seeds out of the tomato, salt the veggies first, or cook it for longer. ALSO, I used sweet potato instead of potato and cooked the potatoes for 3-4 mintues before I chopped them up, that seemed to work well. Also, the cheese was delicious melted, but not evenly distributed and not really toasted brown (I burned my hand, so I was over it)-- so that could be better next time too. Also, I basically doubled the recipe and used a larger pan because I didn't have an 8x8..There's definitely room for modification on this recipe to make it more stellar, but I'd eat it any day of the week.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Staple: African Peanut Stew
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/08/african-peanut-stew-vegan/
This was my biggest absolute winner of 2015. I made it like four times. It's really delicious and really filling. It's been popular with a range of people and I love the taste.
Cost: Pretty cheap overall.
Convenience: Really easy. The longest part at this point is chopping up the stuff... if get faster than that... it's gonna be an absolute breeze
Delicious: It's so good. Mmmmmh.
Can you pressure or slow cook it?? I have no idea. Not tried yet
Freeze: Yup. It's not perfect, but it works quite well.
Uses: Make for other people, Eat all week, It's a favorite, use it for anything.
Notes: I actually prefer the non-natural peanut butter with it, extra crunchy versions. I've tried it with kale, but like it better with the collard greens. If you use the whole bunch of collard greens instead of half, it makes the flavor quite a bit less sharp, buuuut you get way more healthy greens so it's a tough call. I trade off like every time I make it. . The ginger is super important to it, if it's not fresh, it's just not as good. The best Tom suggested putting it on toast and it was super good -- bet it would also be amazing on naan or jasmine rice.
This was my biggest absolute winner of 2015. I made it like four times. It's really delicious and really filling. It's been popular with a range of people and I love the taste.
Cost: Pretty cheap overall.
Convenience: Really easy. The longest part at this point is chopping up the stuff... if get faster than that... it's gonna be an absolute breeze
Delicious: It's so good. Mmmmmh.
Can you pressure or slow cook it?? I have no idea. Not tried yet
Freeze: Yup. It's not perfect, but it works quite well.
Uses: Make for other people, Eat all week, It's a favorite, use it for anything.
Notes: I actually prefer the non-natural peanut butter with it, extra crunchy versions. I've tried it with kale, but like it better with the collard greens. If you use the whole bunch of collard greens instead of half, it makes the flavor quite a bit less sharp, buuuut you get way more healthy greens so it's a tough call. I trade off like every time I make it. . The ginger is super important to it, if it's not fresh, it's just not as good. The best Tom suggested putting it on toast and it was super good -- bet it would also be amazing on naan or jasmine rice.
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