RECIPE: Black Bean and Roasted Vegetable Salad

We've had some record-breaking temperatures in the last few weeks, making it feel like we've already hit the dog days of summer, when normally we're just kicking off the start of the growing season. This bizarrely hot weather has got me into full-on "summer cooking mode"; when the temperatures start to soar we trade our piping hot soups and stews for lighter, cooler fare which includes lots of hearty dinner-worthy salads made with a variety of grains and beans.

Lately black beans and sweet potatoes seem to be an "in" combination, judging by the number of recipes pairing them together that I've seen in magazines and on the internet. Since everyone in my family loves roasted vegetables, I was inspired to create this salad which features the aforementioned beans and sweet potatoes with a variety of other roasted vegetables, then dresses them up with the Lime and Cumin Vinaigrette from my Southwestern-Spiced Barley and Vegetable Salad.

This turned out to be a winning (and very filling!) combination. It also makes a lot, as we miraculously had leftovers (that doesn't happen too much around here these days). I served the leftovers a few days later by tossing some steamed broccoli into the mix, then smothering it all in my Zesty Cheese Sauce, topping with breadcrumbs, and baking for about half an hour. It was delicious served that way, too - and might be a good option for those of you who have kids who are a bit apprehensive about beans and/or vegetables. For some reason cheese sauce seems to make most things have a lot more kid appeal :)

Ingredients:

3 cups of cooked black beans (or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained)
4-6 spring onions (scallions), sliced
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
3 small onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:
Arrange the vegetables in a single layer in a 9 x 13" baking dish. Combine the olive oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over top, turning to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast at 425F for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Let cool for 15-20 minutes, so they are warm but not piping hot.

Combine dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables. Add black beans and green onions and stir gently until everything is evenly combined. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 6-8 as a main dish.

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday, the GCC Recipe Swap and Friday Favorites. 


Want more salad ideas? Check out my roundup of Spring and Summer Salads.

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RECIPE: White Chili

We all love chili around here, and it's such a quick and easy meal that it appears on our menu quite often! Although my Black Bean Chili is a family favourite, I wanted to mix things up a bit by bringing a white chili into the rotation. This recipe is what I came up with, and it was a definite hit at my dinner table..

I always cook up big pots of dried beans and freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions so I have them ready to go for meals like this. If I happened to have a fresh jalapeno pepper kicking around, I might mince it up and toss it in with the onions and garlic to give this an extra kick.

My Garlic and Cheddar Biscuits make a great accompaniment to this dish!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1-2 cups chicken stock
meat from 5-6 cooked chicken thighs or drumsticks, shredded
3 cups cooked white beans (such as navy beans)
12 oz can of corn, drained
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:
In a deep-sided skillet or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in butter until tender. Add the flour and stir until well coated with fat.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, chicken, beans, corn, and seasonings. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and flavours to blend. Add more chicken stock if necessary to get sauce to desired consistency.

Serves 4-6.

I shared this recipe at Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Sausage and White Bean Casserole

I don't know about you, but at this time of year when the days are dark and chilly and filled with a million and one holiday-related activities, a comforting home-cooked casserole is just what I need at the end of the day.

I created this Sausage and White Bean Casserole when I was fiddling around with ingredients I had on hand earlier this week. It tasted even better than I expected and was a huge hit with my family. I think even reluctant legume eaters would enjoy this dish, as it doesn't taste "beany" at all, just creamy and flavourful! It would be great to tote along to any holiday gathering.

Ingredients:

6 Italian-style sausages, cooked and diced

3 cups cooked white beans (or two cans, rinsed and drained)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp olive oil or melted butter

Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, saute the onion, garlic and red pepper in butter until soft. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir until well coated with fat. Slowly add the stock, stirring contantly. Add the milk and continue stirring until sauce thickens. 

Add oregano, salt, pepper, paprika, dry mustard, beans and sausage. Pour into an 11 x 7 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the olive oil or butter and stir until crumbs are evenly coated. Sprinkle evenly over top of casserole.

Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and golden brown on top.

Serves 6. 
I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday and Frugal Food Thursday.

RECIPE: Black Bean Chili

We recently enjoyed a week of summer-like weather here in Southern Ontario (our Thanksgiving weekend was apparently the nicest weather we've had for that holiday in 50 years!) Today the weather's snapped back to more typical fall temperatures, and there's a lot of rain in the forecast for the next several days. In other words, it's perfect soup and stew weather!

One of our favourite meals in the cooler months is Black Bean Chili. In fact, I make this so often I can't quite believe I haven't shared the recipe here yet, but somehow I've never gotten around to it!

This recipe is easy to customize to your own family's preferences. It can be made vegetarian by omitting the ground beef, and the level of spiciness can be controlled by adjusting the amount of chili powder. If you prefer more tomato texture, you can use a 28 can of diced tomatoes plus 2-3 tbsp tomato paste in place of the crushed tomatoes (you will probably need to add less water as well).

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 -1 lb ground beef
3 cups cooked black beans
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
12 oz can of corn, drained
1 tsp cumin
2-3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped avocado for topping (optional)

Instructions:

 In a large, heavy bottomed-saucepan or deep skillet, saute onion, garlic and red pepper in olive oil until they start to soften. Add ground beef and cook until no trace of pink remains.

Add black beans, tomatoes, water, corn, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, adding more tomatoes and/or water as needed to get desired consistency.

Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, sour cream and/or avocado as desired.

Serves 6-8.

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday. 

RECIPE: Peach & Salsa Baked Beans

Photo by Suat Eman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My family loves baked beans and I'm sure glad they do! They are such a simple, filling and inexpensive meal. I'm always looking for a new "twist" on the standard to keep things interesting.

I make an apple and bacon baked bean dish in the winter. Now that peaches are in season, I was inspired to do a summery version of that recipe, and Peach & Salsa Baked Beans was born. They were a big hit around here, so I hope your family will love them, too!

Note: This recipe calls for 6 cups of cooked white beans. I cook large quantities of dried beans and then freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions, as that's roughly the amount in one can of drained beans. Using cooked-from-dried beans is much cheaper than buying canned, but if you don't have any cooked beans on hand, you can use 4 cans of drained white beans instead.

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked white beans (such as navy beans)
8 slices bacon
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4-6 peaches, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup ketchup

Instructions:
Place the beans in a large casserole or bean pot. Cook the bacon until crisp, reserving drippings. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until it starts to soften; add peaches and cook about 5 minutes or until very tender.

In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, salt, pepper, brown sugar, molasses, salsa and ketchup. Crumble bacon and add to mixture, then stir in peaches and onions. Pour over beans, stirring gently until well combined. Add 1-2 cups of water, to just barely cover beans (amount of water will depend on size and shape of baking dish you're using). Stir again to blend water into sauce.

Bake at 375F for 1 1/2-2 hrs or until sauce has thickened and a crust has formed on top of beans.

Makes 6-8 servings.

I shard this recipe at Recipe Swap Thursday, Full Plate Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursday, Fat Camp Friday and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Roasted Chickpeas

You know how you have a recipe you've been meaning to try out for years, and somehow never quite manage it? The one that falls out of your recipe file every time you're rummaging around in there, and you glance at it *again* and think "Oh, yeah, I've really got to try that!" and then stick it back in there and forget about it *again* for the millionth time. This is one of those recipes. And I am SO glad I finally did try it, because it's become one of our favourite snacks around here. In fact, I have to restrain myself from nibbling away most of the batch while I'm waiting for them to cool down enough to put in a storage container afterward.

If you like chickpeas at all, you will LOVE these! And even if chickpeas aren't on your top ten favourite foods list, I think you'll be surprised by how much you might like them (my older son, who doesn't normally care for chickpeas, will happily munch away on these crunchy little morsels). They are super easy to make, and are a great protein-rich snack. While they are addictive to eat on their own, they also make a great salad topper. And (the icing on the cake) you can whip up a batch of these for less than 50 cents if you use cooked-from-dried beans.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
other seasonings as desired (cumin, chili powder, curry, Italian seasoning), optional

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings (if using). Spread in a single layer on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 30-45 minutes, until chickpeas are crunchy. Cool and store in an airtight container.

I shared this recipe at Recipe Swap Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, the GCC Recipe Swap, Fat Camp Friday and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup

I'm sure every frugal cook has their own version of "anything goes" soup; this is mine! It's a bit of a joke around our house that when we have this soup for dinner I've managed to make a meal out of stuff most people would have thrown out. Honestly, even though that's sometimes pretty close to the truth, it's still one of the best soups I make. Although it never comes out exactly the same twice, it always makes a tasty and filling meal.

Basic soup:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups water

1 carrot, diced

1 cup frozen peas or green beans

1 cup dried red lentils

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¾ - 1 cup crushed tomatoes

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp dried parsley (or ¼ cup fresh minced)

In a large saucepan, saute garlic and onions in oil until tender. Add stock, water, carrots, peas, lentils, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender (about 10-15 minutes). Add the crushed tomatoes, lemon juice and parsley and simmer another 10-15 minutes to allow flavours to blend.

Possible additions

I've successfully used all of the following in this soup:

-leftover cooked vegetables (in place of the carrots and peas)

-small amounts of leftover gravies and sauces

-scraps of cheese or the last bit of sour cream from the bottom of the container

-small amounts (less than 1/2 cup) leftover mashed potatoes

-leftover cooked rice or barley (or any cooked grain)

-finely diced leftover meat

Depending on how many additions you use, you may need to add some more water or stock to thin it out a bit.

What's your favourite go-to dish for using up a bunch of leftovers?

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Tip Day Thursday, Friday Favorites, Fat Camp Friday, and the GCC Recipe Swap.

RECIPE: Spicy Black Bean Bake

Photo by Filomena Scalise/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My older son *loves* black beans so I'm always looking for new ways to use them. I came up with this dish one night when I wanted something meatless, quick, and filling. Both my boys loved it, so it's definitely going in our regular menu rotation (I would have a photo, but the midnight snackers ate the leftovers I was saving to photograph during daylight!)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cups salsa

3 cups black beans

1 ½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp each salt and pepper

juice of 1 lime

1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

cornbread batter for topping (recipe below)

Instructions:

In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the salsa, black beans, chili powder, cumin, salt pepper and lime juice. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes to allow flavours to blend.

While bean mixture is simmering, prepare the cornbread batter.

Pour the bean mixture into a greased 11x7" lasagna pan. 

Sprinkle with grated cheese, then pour cornbread batter over top and spread evenly.

Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.

Serves 6.

Cornbread Batter:

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

⅓ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup milk

¼ cup vegetable oil

In bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and beat well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 

I shared this recipe at  Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Fat Camp Friday, the GCC Recipe Swap and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Lentil Dal Burgers

 One of my favourite frugal tried-and-true recipes is my Lentil Dal. Dal (also spelled Dahl, Daal or Dhal) is a thick stew made from lentils, peas or beans and is a staple food in countries like India and Pakistan. It's a staple food in my home too, because it's inexpensive, nourishing, easy to prepare and delicious!

This lentil dal is particularly versatile. You can serve it hot over rice, or chill it and serve it as a dip or spread (much like you'd serve hummus). I like it on wedges of pita or rolled in a flour tortilla with some cheese and veggies. I've taken this to many potlucks as an appetizer, and always get asked for the recipe.

Last week I had about half a batch of dal sitting in the fridge that needed to be used up, and I decided to try and make burgers with it. My experiment turned out quite well and received rave reviews from all members of my family.

Basic Lentil Dal
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (use water if you don't have either on hand)
1 tbsp canola oil or other light vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp whole mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp tomato paste (if you don't have tomato paste, you can sub 1/2 cup or so crushed tomatoes, you'll just need to simmer it a bit longer to thicken it up)
1/2 of a 13 oz can of coconut milk
2-4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

In a small saucepan, cook lentils in broth until tender (about 10 minutes). Saute onion and garlic in oil until they begin to soften; add spices and cook one minute. Add lime juice, tomato paste, coconut milk and cooked lentils. Simmer until thickened. If you're a cilantro lover, stir in the cilantro for the last few minutes of cooking (personally, I can't stand the stuff).

That's it for the basic recipe! Very quick and easy. If you're going to make burgers with this, I recommend starting with thoroughly chilled dal.

(What to do with the other half a can of coconut milk? It freezes well, so you could save it to make another batch of dal. Coconut milk is a delicious addition to any kind of curried dish. You can also add it as part of the liquid when cooking rice, or use in smoothies or homemade popsicles.)

Lentil Dal Burgers:
1/2 a batch of Red Lentil Dal
1 carrot, grated
1/2 a yellow or red pepper, chopped fine
3/4 cup or so rolled oats

In a medium bowl, combine the dal, carrot, and pepper. Add oats 1/4 cup at a time until the mixture is firm enough to shape into patties (you may need as much as a cup of oats but probably not more than that). Shape into 6 patties.

I pan fried these in a little bit of olive oil; topping them with cheese for the last couple minutes of cooking so the cheese could melt. The patties ended up being a bit on the "squishy" side (i.e. oozing out of the hamburger buns when you took a bite). They may have been a bit easier to eat served in a pita or wrapped in a flour tortilla! I think next time I'll try baking them in the oven at 350F for about 15 minutes or so, which I expect will make them a bit firmer.

I'm always looking for more ways to use red lentils, so if you have a favourite recipe to share, please leave a link in the comments.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and the GCC Recipe Swap.

RECIPE: West African-Style Baked Beans

Here in Canada, we just had our May long weekend (it was Victoria Day yesterday) and I know all my American readers will be celebrating Memorial Day this coming weekend. That means it's time to break out some great warm-weather recipes!

Nothing says summer to me like a great barbecued meal with some baked beans on the side. While I love traditional baked beans, we eat beans so often that I like to shake things up a bit with something slightly off the beaten path. These beans really fit the bill! They are deliciously good, and very different from traditional baked beans. They are my own adaptation of Madhur Jaffrey's "Baked Beans with Nigerian Seasonings" from World Vegetarian. My version is much quicker to prepare and heavier on the peanut butter & tomatoes - I like lots of rich sauce and lots of flavour! This dish is guaranteed to please both carnivores and vegetarians; it has been extremely well received at potluck dinners. My family loves these beans served with barbecued ribs and a hearty salad (Colourful Cabbage Salad, green bean or broccoli). Vegetarians can serve them with sauteed or grilled veggies and a hearty whole grain bread (like my Whole Wheat Bread or Pull Apart Garlic & Parmesan Breadsticks).

Ingredients:
Two 19 oz cans navy beans, rinsed and drained, or about 3 cups of cooked white beans
2 tbsp canola oil or other light vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp curry powder
6 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use 2 really big spoonfuls!!)
about a tsp or so each salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups water

In a medium frying pan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Add curry powder and mix until well blended. Add tomatoes and cook until they start to soften. Add peanut butter, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Cook until bubbly. Add another cup of water and stir until well combined.

Put beans in a medium size casserole dish (1/2 - 2 quarts). Pour the peanut mixture over top, and stir gently until well blended.

Bake at 375F for about 1- 1 1/2 hrs. It should be really hot and bubbly and have a nice "crust" on the top.

I hope your family loves these as much as mine does!

This recipe is linked to the GCC Recipe Swap

(This post contains an affiliate link)

RECIPE: Build a Cucumber and Bean Salad

I've seen a lot of cucumber salad recipes flying around the internet lately - must be a sign of spring! Everyone in my family adores cucumbers, and we finally have local, reasonably-priced ones available again (after a loooong winter!), so I figured I'd whip up a cucumber salad of my own. One of the recipes I saw used chickpeas, and since I still have a lot of chickpeas in the freezer from the last time I cooked up a batch from dried, I decided to start with a cucumber and one can's worth of chickpeas and see where I went from there. Since we also had sweet peppers (also for the first time since fall!) I couldn't resist throwing some in for colour and crunch. Before I knew it, I had a gorgeous-looking salad that ended up being a huge hit with my family. This is definitely going to be a spring & summer staple around our house from now on!

To make the salad as pictured:

1 seedless cucumber, sliced and quartered
1/2 a red pepper, chopped
1/2 a yellow pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
2 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

In a medium sized casserole or serving dish, combine the cucumber, peppers, chickpeas and green onions.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and stir until well blended. Pour over cucumber mixture, and stir gently until well blended.

That's it! Super easy, but super delicious (and really, isn't that the best kind of recipe?)

You could easily vary the ingredients, using what you have on hand, and come up with a winner every time! I've made this salad twice already, and the second time I tossed in some chives from my garden and some diced-up mozzarella. YUM! Feta would also be fantastic in this salad. When I had it for lunch the next day, I threw in some chopped avocado (no-one else in my family likes avocado, lol!) You could use white beans in place of the chickpeas, and tomatoes in place of (or in addition to) the peppers. For a Southwestern variation, use black beans instead of chickpeas, corn instead of yellow peppers, and lime juice instead of white wine vinegar. And throw in some avocado, too, unless you, too, have a family of avocado haters! You could sprinkle a bit of cumin and chili powder into the dressing as well, to give it a bit of a spicy kick.

There are enough possibilities for this salad to keep me experimenting all summer long. I'd love to hear what variation of this recipe becomes your "family favourite"!

RECIPE: Hummus & Veggie Wraps

These wraps appear regularly on our warm-weather menus. They are much heartier tasting than you might expect. My favourite vegetable combination is included in the recipe, but you can use any seasonal veggies you have on hand. A hearty tossed salad rounds out this meal very nicely!

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas ( or a19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained)
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced (optional)
2-4 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sized zucchini, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Four 10" flour tortillas (we like whole wheat)

Preparation:

1. In food processor, combine chickpeas, garlic, peanut butter, cumin, lemon juice and parsley. Process until mixture is semi-smooth. With food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until hummus is desired consistency.

2. In medium frying pan, saute vegetables in olive oil until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. While vegetables are cooking, warm flour tortillas in oven or microwave.

To assemble:
For each wrap, spread 1/3 - 1/2 cup hummus on flour tortilla, then top with sauteed vegetables. Fold in ends and roll together tightly. Slice in half and serve.

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday.

RECIPE: Spicy Chickpea Pasta

This is a great recipe to pull out when you're overdue for a grocery shop and need to dig deep in the pantry! This dish is vegetarian as long as you use vegetable rather than chicken stock.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
10-12 oz rotini pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 a sweet pepper (red, yellow, or orange)
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Half a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
19 0z can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen green beans
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp dried parsley (or about 1/4 cup fresh chopped)

Preparation:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water.

2. While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil until they start to soften. Add the sweet pepper and cook until tender.

3. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, green beans, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until hot and bubbly and the green beans are completed heated through.

4. Pour sauce over cooked pasta and serve!

RECIPE: Chickpeas with Potatoes and Peas

I love ethnic foods of many types. Indian cuisine is perfect for the frugal-minded, as many of their dishes are heavy on the legumes and rice. This is really quick to make and if you have any around, some crispy pappadums or warm Nan bread make a tasty addition to the meal.

1 tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut in 1” pieces (use sweet potatoes for added nutrition!)
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
½ cup crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups frozen peas

In large frying pan, sauté garlic and onion in oil until tender. Add potatoes, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, cumin, turmeric, ginger, chickpeas and peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (add more water to mixture as needed to prevent drying out while potatoes are cooking).

RECIPE: Sausage and Lentil Stew

On Monday evening we had a particularly delightful frugal feast which I thought would be perfect to share with you: Sausage and Lentil Stew, cornbread, tossed salad, and chocolate mousse.

Sausage and Lentil Stew
This is a great way to stretch 2 sausages to feed four people (there's still plenty of protein in the dish due to the lentils).

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 large or 2 small carrots, chopped
1 cup red lentils
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 Oktoberfest style sausages, cooked and chopped (I use a Bavarian-style turkey sausage)
1 tbsp Braggs or Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried parsley

In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in oil until tender. Add celery and carrots and cook until they start to soften. Add lentils and broth. Cook for 10 minutes (until lentils are nearly soft) then add tomatoes, sausage, Braggs and parsley. Simmer over medium heat until carrots are tender, adding water if needed to keep stew from drying out. Serves 4.

Chocolate mousse is not exactly your typical choice for a frugal dessert, but I had bought a 500 mL (16 oz) carton of whipping cream on sale just before Christmas and had only used up half of it. I used a very simple (but delicious) recipe from About.com's Southern Food guide: Chocolate Mousse in a Minute . My kids thought it was quite possibly the best thing they'd ever tasted!