Monthly Archive for January, 2009

Fab Frugal Friday Tip

Published on January 30, 2009 in Frugal Tips. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

Fresh is not always superior. Just take spinach, for example.

One 10-ounce box of spinach costs about $.99 or less, and the same amount of fresh spinach could be four times that much. If you are making a spinach salad, of course fresh is the only way to go. But, if you need to put spinach in a cooked recipe, frozen spinach is a fraction of the cost and performs just as well as fresh. You must thaw the spinach and then squeeze it dry with a smooth kitchen towel before using in your recipe. The extra step is well worth it in price and taste, too.

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Chocolate. Avocadoes. Together at last.

Published on January 29, 2009 in Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare and Vegan Recipes. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I thought it was about time for a sweet (yet healthy) treat around here. The combination -Vietnamese in origin, in fact -may sound bizarre if you’ve never had it, but cast your doubts aside!  Try it for a treat. It’s decadent, but positively so.  It may seem strange to have a shake in January, but it’s so rich and satisfying that it seems all the more fitting as a light dessert at a time when we’re all still working off those holiday pounds. This version is naturally vegan.

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO SHAKE

1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups non-dairy milk (hemp. rice, almond, whatever)
5 or 6 ice cubes

Blend all in a blender or food processor on high until smooth. Makes 4 small servings or 2 very generous ones.

As reflected in the recipe, I prefer using non-dairy milks here, and am especially fond of hemp milk these days, as it’s quite nutritious. Whichever variety you use, I recommend the vanilla variety if possible. If you prefer, or don’t have any non-dairy milk on hand, skim cow’s milk would also work.

– posted by Anne

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Rustic Cheese Spread

Published on January 25, 2009 in Appetizers. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

I love those clean-out-the-fridge type recipes – the ones where you can throw bits and pieces of whatever you have together and tastiness results.

After the holidays, I had a cheese drawer full of bits and pieces of delicious cheeses. I wasn’t even sure what some of them were by looking – I had to taste to make sure. I had cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, gorgonzola, monterey jack. So, I decided to experiment with throwing them all in the food processor and adding some liquids and some flavorings to see if I could make a cheese spread that would be as tasty as some of those spreadable cheeses you can buy in the “specialty cheese” sections at the grocery store. You know the kind: small tubs of cheeses flavored with “garlic and herbs” and the like. They are delicious, but very spendy.

I had bits of various cheeses, about a pound total. I threw them into the food processor with ricotta, garlic and parsley. This was too bland, so I added some white wine vinegar, cayenne pepper sauce and cracked black pepper. I slowly added a little water at a time, until the right consistency resulted.

I found that the spread is best served at room temperature, and served with good crackers or toasted baguette slices.

RUSTIC CHEESE SPREAD

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 pound assorted bits of cheeses, such as cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, etc.

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons diced flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

A few dashes cayenne pepper sauce

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Water as needed for consistency

Place all ingredients except water in food processor and process for about 2 minutes, or until very smooth. Add water in about 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth and spreadable consistency results. Serve at room temperature with assorted crackers or toasted bread slices.

– posted by Donna

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Fab Frugal Friday Tip

Published on January 23, 2009 in Frugal Tips. 0 Comments Tags: , .

One of my favorite frugal recent purchases is an oil mister. I bought one about a year ago at Williams Sonoma for $15.00. It pays for itself within just a few months, because you refill it with your own oil. This mister, made by Orka is about 6 inches tall and holds 4 ounces of oil. It has a built-in filter, so you can add herbs and spices and have fabulous flavored oil that sprays well and is clog-free. In addition to adding a flavorful touch, it also helps you to be low-fat, since you control the amount of oil and the mist is very fine. I liked the first one so much, I recently went back and bought another. Now I keep both garlic flavored and plain oil in my baking cupboard. I labeled them “garlic” and “plain” so there’s no mix-ups. This is one kitchen gadget purchase you won’t regret!

– posted by Donna

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Crusty Skillet Pizza

Published on January 22, 2009 in Entrees and Vegetarian Entrees. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I don’t do much baking. The reasons I don’t do much baking are: 1) I’m not good at baking, and 2) If I were good at baking, I am sure I would be the size of my refrigerator. My refrigerator with a head.

That said, like everyone else, occasionally I do small amounts of simple baking. For example, when 18 people will be at my house in 20 minutes to eat and I realize that I have no bread. I then frantically run around my kitchen searching for my seldom-used biscuit cutter, throw some dough together and cut some biscuits.

In the interest of all things frugal, I have lately been on a quest to make a delicious, easy pizza dough that is more frugal than those pre-made discs you buy at the store. Not a masterpiece, not one of those huge things that you can twirl above your head, but just a simple, easy, light, thin, crunchy pizza crust. The kind you can throw together when everyone is starving at 6:00 and you are desperate for something for dinner.

After much searching and experimenting, I have finally found a solution! My inspiration was found in this month’s Every Day with Rachael Ray – “Biscuit Pizza Dough.” I tried Rachael’s recipe just as is one time, but didn’t like a few things. The crust was too flaky and crumbly for pizza crust (it fell apart when I tried to eat a slice with my hands) and didn’t have a nice browned bottom.

So, I made a few changes, and voila! Easy crusty pizza crust! The two changes I made were: 1) I used bread flour and not all- purpose flour, which made the dough more sturdy, and 2) I added 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan before adding the pizza crust, which made the bottom browned and crunchy. Perfect! And, importantly, Frugal!

A cast iron or heavy bottomed 12-inch skillet is perfect for this crust – just cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes before adding sauce and toppings. (If you skip this 3-minute step, the dough won’t be crusty on the bottom.)

About 1 cup of sauce is plenty for a 12-inch pizza, then add toppings of your choice.

Transfer the skillet to the oven for finishing.

Voila! Yummy, crusty pizza that is fabulously frugal!

CRUSTY SKILLET PIZZA

Serves 3 or 4 folks

1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup 2 percent milk

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup pizza sauce

1 cup desired toppings

1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter to small crumbs. Stir in milk until dough roughly comes together with some bits remaining separately. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead about 12 times, until all dough is in a ball.

Roll dough out to a little thicker than 1/4 inch, about 15 inches in diameter, adding just a little flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Pour oil into a 12-inch cast iron or heavy bottom skillet. Place dough in skillet, covering bottom and up sides about 1/2 inch. Cook on stovetop over medium high heat for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat. Spread sauce evenly over surface of dough. Sprinkle on toppings and cheeses. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes near top of oven, until toppings are cooked through and cheese is bubbly.

– posted by Donna

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Borscht borscht borscht!

Published on January 22, 2009 in Entrees, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare and Vegetarian Entrees. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .

Those of you whose only experience with borscht is as a cold magenta liquid, perhaps served with a single boiled potato, think again! This version of borscht (there are many variations) hails from Russia & the Ukraine (the former is more the Polish/Yiddish variety), and is more like a hearty stew than a gazpacho. It’s still very much peasant food, though – and immensely nutritious and satisfying. Perfect for snowy winter nights! It’s also vegetarian, and even vegan if you skip the dollop of sour cream at the end, or use a non-dairy version of the sour cream.

In the interest of being extra-frugal, I recommend that you resourcefully save the beet greens, saute them in a little olive oil, and serve them with a dash of sherry vinegar alongside the steaming bowls of borscht. A recipe (if you could even call it that, it’s so simple) follows the borscht recipe.

Na Zdorov’ye! (Vodka optional.)

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT

8 cups vegetable broth, divided

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, shredded

1 green pepper, chopped

2-3 cups cabbage, shredded (approx 1/2 medium cabbage)

2 beets, shredded

1 Granny Smith apple, diced

1 russset or Yukon Gold potato, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)

fresh dill and sour cream

Saute onion, celery, carrot, and green pepper in about 1/2 cup of the broth over medium heat until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add cabbage and beets and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, incorporating fully, then add the remaining broth, apple, potato, and bay leaf, raising heat to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Add the paprika, sugar, salt and pepper to taste, then cover again and cook over as low a heat as you can manage for at least another hour; two if possible. Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream (unless you’re vegan) and a good sprinkling of fresh dill (don’t skip the dill, even if you omit the sour cream!).

SAUTEED BEET GREENS

Reserved greens, washed, de-stemmed, and torn into approx 3-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sherry (or red wine) vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softening. Add greens to skillet and saute until greens are wilting and tender (not too long). Toss with vinegar and serve with a bit of salt and pepper if desired.

– posted by Anne

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The Minimalist on what's in & what's out for 2009

Published on January 20, 2009 in Frugal Tips. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

A little bird passed this along to us, and I thought it was well worth sharing! A lot of his recommendations are extremely frugal as well – fancy that. Making your own simple stocks, using old bread for breadcrumbs and croutons, avoiding cooking sprays (full of preservatives and really, when you think about it, insanely expensive compared to using your own oil in a pump bottle), using dried beans instead of canned when possible – this is all right up our alley. Some of these topics are things we planned to discuss on this very blog!

I must quibble slightly with two of his recommendations: for vanilla beans over extract and tomato paste in a tube rather than a can. Vanilla beans ARE wonderful as a special treat, but the cost is really outrageous for using regularly if you’re trying to budget. Using a good quality vanilla extract is a much better bet (Cook’s Illustrated rated plain old McCormick’s as the best, and we concur, after shelling out way too much for fancier brands that honestly didn’t deliver). And the tomato paste in a tube, well, it’s true that there is often paste leftover after using the frequently-called-for two tablespoons, but I’ve never had  trouble saving it in a small tupperware container and using the rest within a few days. The tubular kind, again, is just too pricey.

The rest of the article is just great, though. Words to live by!

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'Tis the Season – or, Saved by Zero

Published on January 15, 2009 in Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes and Vegetarian Entrees. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Sorry to invoke everyone’s least favorite commercial appropriation of a pop hit, but it’ll all make sense in a minute.

We here at FFF do strive to cook seasonally, especially since doing so is usually a very frugal way to cook as well. In the next few months you’re going to see a lot of stews, soups, and other nourishing foods, including comfort foods. But what’s more in season right now, in January, than focusing on health and, of course, trimming down a little?

I myself have the extra task this year of finally knuckling down to shed the rest of my baby weight (my daughter was born in April – it’s high time, don’t you think?), so I find myself turning to a classic that I’ve revamped a little – the well-known “Zero Soup”. It was originated by Weight Watchers (and counts for zero points, hence the title), but is really suitable for just about any diet plan, save perhaps for the most die-hard Atkins devotee. I just added a few extra vegetables, really, and you should feel free to do the same.

ZERO POINT VEGETABLE SOUP, a la FFF

nonstick cooking spray OR 1 tablespoon olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable broth + 1-2 cups water

3 cups cabbage, shredded

1 leek, chopped (make sure to clean it well)

1 large parsnip, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped ( I sometimes use orange or yellow for the color)

1/2 pound frozen green beans

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste

1 large zucchini, sliced into half-moons (this is definitely the biggest fudge seasonally, can be omitted)

Spray a large stockpot with cooking spray or add olive oil and heat on medium high. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until they just start to sweat. Add broth and all the remaining vegetables and spices EXCEPT the vinegar and zucchini, if using, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar and zucchini and cook until zucchini is tender.

*****

As it stands, it’s hyperbolically healthy and naturally versatile. Add any combination of veggies you like, with the exception of high-starch items like corn or beans – tread carefully there. Those will up both the calorie and carb content (though if you’re not as concerned about those, feel free). If you have some fresh basil, by all means substitute it for the dried. If you like more of a kick than this very simply seasoned soup gives, add some crushed red pepper or even a few dashes of sriracha.

As a bonus for you, I’ve calculated the calories per VERY LARGE serving. If you divide this into four hearty helpings, each bowl comes to 205 calories. But you could probably just as easily get 8 bowls out of it, bringing it down to a measly 102.5 calories. So chow down and feel virtuous!

– posted by Anne

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Our Inaugural Recipe: Ultimate Veggie Chili

Published on January 8, 2009 in Gluten Free, Healthy Fare and Vegetarian Entrees. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

I thought this one would be the perfect recipe to kick off our fabulously frugal blog. This was featured in our cookbook “101 Things to Do With Tofu” (see our bios for more information on that and other projects we’ve done), and was also featured last year on the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown! I was one of three finalists in the chili division on the “Comfort Foods” episode, and it wound up coming in 2nd place. Not bad for a ridiculously easy vegan chili!

Ultimate Veggie Chili

I’ll write more about the experience of filming Ultimate Recipe Showdown in a future entry if readers are interested. Now that their second season has started airing (just the other night), it’s interesting to see what changes they’ve made.

Anyway, I’ve worked on this recipe literally for years, fine tuning it and trying different ingredients and approaches. This version is the one that includes all of my favorite variations over the years. I love the combination of diced and crushed tomatoes, and I am partial to black beans and corn as a pair. I like this amount of spice, and the smokiness of the chipotle powder – but it goes without saying that you should adjust it as you please.

The cashews are probably the most unusual ingredient – I got that idea from a chili I used to eat regularly back in college, when I was a dance major at the Boston Conservatory. The Trident Bookstore & Café on Newbury Street had a very tasty veggie chili that included cashews – I loved both the texture and how they added a kind of additional meaty texture.

ULTIMATE VEGGIE CHILI

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon each chipotle chili powder and red pepper flakes
  • 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced jalapenos, drained
  • 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, drained
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn*
  • 1 cup whole roasted cashews*
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat until onions are starting to soften. Stir in cumin, chipotle, and red pepper flakes. Crumble the thawed tofu into the mixture and sauté 5 minutes more.

Reduce heat to medium. Add all tomatoes, jalapenos, green chiles, black beans, kidney beans, corn and cashews; mix well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

*****

As the recipe stands, it’s an effortlessly vegan recipe. I personally prefer to add a little sour cream and grated sharp cheddar, but it stands alone perfectly well too, or you could use a vegan sour cream and/or cheese.

This is a great pantry recipe – only a few fresh produce items are called for, and as I said before, it really couldn’t be much easier. The one technique that might be new to a lot of people is the freezing, thawing and crumbling of the tofu. This is a crucial step! The freezing process causes the moisture within the tofu to separate from the soybean curd, which results in a denser, chewier texture, which is perfect for crumbling into any recipe you would normally use ground beef, turkey, sausage, etc. If you tried to crumble the tofu without freezing it first, the texture is much more like scrambled egg than ground meat.

My favorite way to do this is, after defrosting the tofu, placing it in a clean dishtowel and wringing it out (this was demoed on camera in the Showdown), thus squeezing the water out and crumbling the tofu at the same time. I usually crumble it a bit more by hand after I open the towel, just to make sure it’s even – and then right into the pot it goes!

*As the recipe appeared on the Showdown (and still appears on the Food Network site), I used only ½ cup each of the corn and the cashews, but I found that I was ALWAYS adding more, so I went ahead and changed it. Such is the constantly evolving nature of my recipes.

– posted by Anne

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