Three Staple Recipes

I'm so excited that a few people have decided to join me on my challenge.  I would love to hear successes (and failures) along the way.  But for now, I want to share three of my favorite staple recipes with you that can help you cut down cost each month.  

The first recipe is one that I have on hand, in my fridge or freezer, at all times.  It is a vegetable bouillon recipe that can be added to plain water to make amazing vegetable broth.  I even put it in the water when I'm cooking rice, quinoa, beans, and lentils.  Not only is it tasty, but it will completely cut out your cost of stock and/or broth, while saving space in your cupboards and fridge due to its high concentration of flavor.  Plus, the ingredients are inexpensive and it lasts a couple months.  Here is the recipe from HeartlandRenaissance.com:

A note: The quantity of salt in this recipe is essential to preserving the raw vegetables.  Basically you’re making a form of a pickle to store in your fridge until you add it with hot water to make stock.  Don’t even think of skimping it!  Also, unlike my other stock recipes, this one is already, obviously, seasoned so be cautious about any excess salt you add to your finished dish – taste test first!  If you must have a no or low-salt version, see the note at the end of the recipe for a freezer-version.

Vegetable Bouillon

(makes one full quart)

• 4 carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into one inch pieces
• 3 stalks of celery, trimmed, washed and cut into one inch pieces
• 1 very large shallot (3 average sized ones) or 1 medium-sized mild onion
• 4 green onions, washed and chopped (I would also consider substituting one leek, white part only, next time if I had one in my vegetable bin)
• 1 large handful of flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, washed and lightly chopped
• About 1/2 cup or so of sun-dried tomato halves (the only ones I could find were stored in oil, but I’d also make it again with those that are simply dried)
• 1-1/2 cups of mushrooms, stems and caps, cleaned and chopped (I used Baby Bellas)
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• 8 ounces salt (measure by weight, if possible – I used kosher salt and it was just under 1 cup but different salts will measure out differently by volume)
• 1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Layer all the ingredients in a large food processor and blend away, pulsing if necessary to get all the vegetables to the blades, until you have a uniform paste.  I have the largest food processor available to the masses – a 14 cupper – so if you have a smaller one I’d recommend halving the recipe or processing in batches.  Store in a quart size jar in the fridge! To use, measure out 1 measured teaspoon per 1 cup of hot water.

The second recipe was given to me by a co-worker, so I am not sure of it’s origins.  It is a simple and quick (for bread) Honey Wheat bread, and again, the ingredients, especially if purchased in bulk, are very inexpensive:

Honey Wheat Bread

• 1 cup water (plus more if needed)
• 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup wheat flour (plus more if needed)
• 2 tbsp yeast

Set oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Put all wet ingredients into standing mixer with a dough hook attachment.  Then add all dry ingredients and mix for 10 minutes.  Cover dough and let it rise for an hour.  Divide in half and put into two greased loaf pans.  Allow to rise another 20 minutes. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top starts to turn golden brown.

The final recipe is for a vegetable soup that is delicious.  You can add and subtract different vegetables for this one depending on what you have on hand and what you prefer.  Plus, you can use your new vegetable bouillon from the above recipe for the stock and serve it with a loaf of freshly baked Honey Wheat Bread as a great meal or two for the family.  This recipe is from the Salu-Salo.com website:

Vegetable Soup with Kale and Edamame

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4-5 servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can 213 ml (7.2 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1 cup frozen kernel corn
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
• 2 leaves kale, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
2. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
3. Pour in vegetable broth and tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until carrots are tender.
5. Add corn, edamame and kale. Continue to simmer for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Notes: Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Thank you so much for reading and for joining me on this journey!