Student wanting to accrue recipe suggestions using LIMITED resources (vegetarian)

[seans_potato_business]

I'm a student and can only afford certain things. Below is a list of ingredients that I buy because they are fairly cheap at my current locale. I don't appreciate recipes that call for ingredients beyond my limited range (I earn practically no money - it just trickles out of my account for rent, food and health insurance (mandatory in the Netherlands)). In my experience, most people are quite insensitive to the concept of my limited resources - what is cheap to you, is probably not cheap to me; please don't suggest chicken - I can't afford it!

Meat, at least where I live, is quite expensive compared to vegetables, per unit weight, so the only meat product that I tend to buy is 'leverwurst' (liver-sausage) which contains a large proportion of vegetable anyway.

I prefer to avoid things which I believe are devoid of nutritional value (cucumber - I prefer fibre sources to also provide vitamins/minerals). I've noticed that sprouts, yukky as they are, are quite cheap, and would like to place special emphasis on their use (although any other combination also appreciated).

The kitchen equipment that I have available is pretty basic.

My pantry can consist of (classified as best I can; it's likely that I've forgotten a couple of things, but not much):

Dairy:

Milk
Eggs
Cheese (cheapest; somewhat softer and less flavourful than Cheddar)

Meat:

Liver-sausage

Produce:

Potatoes
Onions (white)
Broccoli
Carrots
Peas
Brussels sprouts
Lettuce
Baked beans
Tinned tomatoes
Strained tomatoes
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Split peas (yellow and green)

Grains:

Museli
Flour
Cornflour
Bread (brown but not wholemeal) [Flour comes from grains and bread comes from flour...]
Rice (brown and white)

Herbs and spices:

Fresh parsley
Fresh chives
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (dried)
Garlic powder
Ginger powder
Dill (dried)

Chemicals:

Monosodium glutamate
Sugar (white and brown/unrefined?)

Other:

Macaroni (made from durum wheat)
Mustard (French as well as 'seedy')
Peanut butter (smooth)
Oil (sunflower, peanut and olive)
Chicken and beef stock cubes
Baking powder
Yeast

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any serious suggestions.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Can you obtain dried beans? Much more variety than plain old canned "baked beans", cheaper, & easier to diversify into different recipes.

 

[redkitty]

Hi, any chance you can buy lentils? Lentils would be very versatile and would give you more protein. You can cook them in water or those stock cubes you have for more flavor. Add some chopped veggies and eat warm or cold over salad. Lentils are not expensive in the UK or US, so don't be annoyed I ask!

And how about oats, can you get those cheap there? Good hearty breakfast thats good for you, add some chopped banana or apples with it.

I see you have baked beans there but can you also buy other types of beans?

 

[seans_potato_business]

I've got a friend whose mum is supposed to know all the cheapest resources so if I can source them cheaply, I'll add them (beans, lentils and [crumby] oats) to my list. If anyone makes any other such suggestions, I will try to do the same with those.

I actually had a dream a few months ago, that ASDA had a grand opening of their first store in the Netherlands! How I miss "pocketing the difference"...

 

[Sue-Zee-Q]

Hi Sean,

Here is what I do for a nice soup:

Cut one onion, and fry it in 3 tablespoons oil until it is transluscent, then add 1/2 cup of flour and stir that together. Cut up your vegetables of choice and add them to the mixture and then add about 6 cups of water and a stock cube. After your vegetables are tender (usually about 20 minutes of cooking until they are done) process the soup with your hand blender. If you have any rosemary and thyme they are good in this soup. As well, yogurt (plain or greek style) [if you have it] and milk added to it make it a nice creamy soup. I have made this soup with broccoli, carrots, and have used the same process with potatoes, turnip and carrots mixed together.

My suggestion is to baby-step your way to a full spice cupboard. Each month buy one new dried herb or spice (or as you can afford to). As well, if you have a birthday coming up, maybe your friends in the UK (you mentioned ASDA) could send you some nice and tasty herbs, spices and pulses as a 'care packet'.

I'll look through my books for ideas for you and see what I can find.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

A couple of ideas I had are
baked stuffed tomatoes
Cooks.com - Recipe - Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
here's a microwave recipe
Stuffed Tomatoes. Microwave stuffed tomatoes, serves 4 people.
also stuffed bell peppers, if they are easily available. This recipe calls for ground beef but when my mom made them, she didn't use ground beef. You could probably add a small amount of sausage for more flavor, if you like.
Microwave Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe - BakeSpace's Global Cookbook
Good luck on this and welcome to DC!

 

[BreezyCooking]

While I don't want to violate any of your recipe rules or budget, is there any other meat product that you could buy (besides liver sausage) that might provide more meals? For instance, I know you said "don't mention chicken", but one cooked chicken can literally provide a week's worth of different & tasty meals for one person (I know this for a fact - lol!). When you divide the price of that chicken by 7 days, you might find it looking more economical.

Again - I apologize if this isn't the truth where you live. Obviously I don't know the exact prices/situation. Just a thought.

 

[jerseyjay14]

A few things you might want to look into adding that are cheap and could alot of good to your recipies

Barley - great as is cooked with just some chicken or veggie stock. great to add to stuffed peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. and its about 1.50 for a 12 oz bag

Chicken Thighs - boneless skinsless chicken thighs are usually extremely cheap. maybe 2.89 lbs at your grocer and 89 cents a pound at a local butcher/meat market. More flavor then chicken breast at about half the cost. its great pan seared or grilled with some veggies on the side

Butternut/Winter squash - a medium/large squash goes for about a dollar. baked in the over for an hour, puree it in a blend, add some salt and you've got a great tasting side in no time.

some basic recipies i'd use would be to stuff mushroom caps or cherry tomatoes with barley and onions and wild rice(boiled first in veggie or chicken stock)

Plain old grilled veggies, or veggies sauteed in oil along with some grilled thighs. another easy topping for chicken thighs would be to puree tomatoes onions and maybe some green chillies with some olive oil and top the thigh with the puree.

Potatoes can be done a bunch of ways. a quick easy recipe would be to cut them into wedges and season them with salt, pepper, chilli powder, and oregano. toss in a plastic bag with some olive oil and heat in that toaster oven until done.

With those eggs you could make a quick and easy frittata. Sautte 3 or 4 of your favorite veggies in some olive oil (asparagus, peppers, onions, mushrooms, whatever) drain and let sit for 10 minutes. beat 4 or 5 eggs and add to a well greased frying pan on a medium/low flame. add in the veggies and spread shredded cheese generousloy on top. once the egg sets on the sides season with salt and pepper. once the egg sets a bit more flip it until done and cut into wedges.

rice w/ a thick white cheese sauce also makes a great side. make the rice as directed, or even some short pasta shape like orzo. in a small pot over a VERY low flame add 1/4 cup of cream and 1 tablespoon of grated cheese(romano or parmasean works best for this recipe). once it combines and is smooth add another tablespoon and continue to stir constantly until smooth. do this with 6 more teaspoons of cheese. add more cream if neccessary. season with some black pepper. pour over the rice/pasta and stir in. top wit some fresh parsley or oregano.

 

[jerseyjay14]

Jerseyjay14 - the OP is in the Netherlands, so prices are WAY

ah.... my bad,.... sorry

 

[BreezyCooking]

Jerseyjay14 - the OP is in the Netherlands, so prices are WAY different. That's why he nixed chicken in his original post (even tho I still think a whole chicken might be a good value since it can make so many different meals for one person). A package of chicken thighs would probably be exhorbitantly expensive, if available at all, & would probably provide 2 meals at best for a single person.

However, I notice that the OP doesn't mention pasta as an option. One can make a lot of very nutritious & varied meals from different pastas. Certainly pasta isn't exhorbitant in the Netherlands?

 

[auntdot]

You can do an awful lot with eggs and the ingredients you have. Omelets, scrambled eggs with mushrooms, cheese, or other items added, a frittata, a Spanish tortilla.

 

[seans_potato_business]

However, I notice that the OP doesn't mention pasta as an option. One can make a lot of very nutritious & varied meals from different pastas. Certainly pasta isn't exhorbitant in the Netherlands?

Pasta could be an option but I note that it doesn't appear to be too nutritious - just a load ol'e carbohydrates.

People talk about how many meals can be made out of chicken, but I try to base my comparisons not on how many meals some arbitrary quantity makes, but rather the weight of edible portion provided per unit cost and the nutritional value of that weight. When I earn a salary, I'll buy chicken (except I wont because I'm too squeamish to tear little bodies apart). I'm a facultative vegetarian!

 

[GotGarlic]

Pasta could be an option but I note that it doesn't appear to be too nutritious - just a load ol'e carbohydrates.

Is whole-wheat pasta available to you? It has much more nutritional value than that made with white flour. Also, you might consider that adding pasta to your repertoire of recipes provides a lot more options for making tasty dishes using the ingredients you buy regularly. Consider the total nutritional value of a meal rather than each individual component.

 

[GotGarlic]

One other thing - winter tomatoes, in the U.S. at least, tend to be expensive, mealy and tasteless, and I believe that most of us make red pasta sauce with canned tomatoes, so I was wondering if that might be another option for you.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Re: pasta, as GotGarlic pointed out to you, you're not eating the pasta plain - you'd be tossing it with a sauce &/or butter/olive oil/cheese &/or vegetables, etc., etc. Same goes for egg dishes.

For someone so interested in the minutaei of "comparisons not on how many meals some arbitrary quantity makes, but rather the weight of edible portion provided per unit cost and the nutritional value of that weight", you're definitely not looking at the whole/big picture here as far as your options.

I think most of us assumed that you were/are looking for food options that were not only relatively inexpensive & nutritious, but varied & tasty as well, yet you continue to shoot down every suggestion made. I truly don't know what else to tell you.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Sean - we have had a lot of discussions about cooking on a limited budget ... so if anyone suggests something that is out of your budget it's not done on purpose, or out of insensitivity to your situation. Most of us don't live in the Netherlands, we don't know the costs of various food items available to you, or how many Guilders (oops - guess that's Euros now) you have to spend on food. So, we're all shooting in the dark when we try to suggest something to you.

Yes, meat costs more per unit weight than vegetables everywhere that I know. And, for what it's worth - liverwurst is not cheap nor is it loaded with vegetables where I live. But, meats provide flavor and protein. Look at Asian cooking for an example - limited amounts of meat to provide flavor to other ingredients. I know I often use cheap cuts like smoked ham hocks (pig's knuckles) or bacon (the British call it "streaky bacon" because of the fat) or salt pork to add flavor to dried beans. A bowl of lentils with onions and carrots served with a nice brown bread is great - and where I live very cheap.

Things that I find curiously missing from your food list are kale, cabbage, and fish/shellfish. There are a lot of things you can make with seafoods - fresh, dried or canned! I can think of a dozen recipes using fish that you can cook on top of the stove - but I don't want to suggest them if that is out of your budget - something like steamed cabbage rolls with salt cod, rice, onion, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil .... pan fried salt cod, onion and potato patties with a white sauce and peas, - you can also make a white sauce and add salt cod, peas and maybe some cheese and serve over bread - or mix with some cooked macaroni, etc. There are also fish and kale soups (even better with a little pork).

Pasta - well, most is made from semolina (not white) flour - and if made with white flour (like egg noodles) it is fortified or enriched to replace the vitamins lost in the milling process. There are a bunch of pasta sauces that don't require meat that are quite nutritious and cheap. For example - some sliced/diced zucchini squash (or eggplant) sauted in olive oil with onion, garlic, and diced tomatoes until tender ... served over fettuccine.

You could also make pierogi with potatoes and onions (add cheese if you wish - I would) and you can also add some steamed/boiled kale or sauerkraut ... boil until done and then saute in butter ....

 

[wysiwyg]

Hoi seans potato business,
Where in the Nederlands you live? I lived there briefly (in Zaandam) on a very limited budget and I ate fish on Fridays.
Herring, Mackarel and Cod weren't that exhorbitant in price (I don't know your budget). Perhaps you can incorporate it into your diet once a week?

Pasta, regardless nutrition content, is a very efficient energy source. Check with any long distance runner on this. Besides, as many suggested, you should supplement pasta with sauches and vegetables.

Going back to your original question. Based on the ingredients you listed, I suggest you:
Rice au gratin, with broccoli or other minced veggies.
Pommes Dauphinoise
Vegetables fondue
Dutch Fish croquettes
Soups, almost any type you like
You can do Google searchs with these tittles and you will get one or more recipes.

I am not sure how old are you, what is your schedule (do you do sports?) etc. All these factors play significantly on your diet. Do not deprive yourself of essential nutrients, just because you are young. This may end up affecting you when older. I suggest you checking with a nutritionist.
Perhaps you should think of living with a roomate to improve your financial situation.

And have a Hema Worst every now and then ! LOL

 

[Claire]

Since you aren't avoiding meat on religious/moral principals, may I recommend cooking dried legumes or rice in a powdered chicken broth/stock? You would use it in place of salt, since many brands are quite salty. Sage and thyme go particularly well with chicken broth.

Smoked meats, while they can be expensive, can give you a lot of flavor for very little amounts of meat and they keep for a long time under refrigeration. I know that fridges are much smaller in Europe than here, so just buy a little. A small dab of a good smoked ham will flavor an entire meal.

Remember the color rule my mom taught me as a child -- there are exceptions, but as a general rule, the more color in a food, the more nutrition. It is a lot easier than reading labels. A darker green generally has more nutrition than a lighter one; a sweet potato more than a white one, a beige pasta or rice more than a white one, winter squashes more than summer. Vitamin pills are more expensive than food, and food keeps your system moving. Put veggies under the broiler, and if you have a place for a charcoal grill, you can make some wicked soup from the simplest of ingredients.

As a matter of fact, when you are on a budget, soups and stews are the answer. Many of us have been there, if not exactly in the Netherlands. Oh, are split peas available? Yellow with curry spices, or green with sage and thyme (and that touch of ham I mentioned, if you can spring for it) are usually a bargain.

 

[dragonflystars]

Reply for recipes

You have ingredients for a good potato soup, omelettes, salads. You need more protein. Dried beans, lentils make a great soup. I will also look through my books to see what I have.

 

[seans_potato_business]

Thanks for your replies everyone! I'm taking note of your suggestions and they are appreciated!

Hi Sean,

Here is what I do for a nice soup:

Cut one onion, and fry it in 3 tablespoons oil until it is transluscent, then add 1/2 cup of flour and stir that together. Cut up your vegetables of choice and add them to the mixture and then add about 6 cups of water and a stock cube. After your vegetables are tender (usually about 20 minutes of cooking until they are done) process the soup with your hand blender. If you have any rosemary and thyme they are good in this soup. As well, yogurt (plain or greek style) [if you have it] and milk added to it make it a nice creamy soup. I have made this soup with broccoli, carrots, and have used the same process with potatoes, turnip and carrots mixed together.

My suggestion is to baby-step your way to a full spice cupboard. Each month buy one new dried herb or spice (or as you can afford to). As well, if you have a birthday coming up, maybe your friends in the UK (you mentioned ASDA) could send you some nice and tasty herbs, spices and pulses as a 'care packet'.

I'll look through my books for ideas for you and see what I can find.

Thanks - working on the spices. It'll be a while though.

How do I incorporate sprouts into such a soup? I bought them for the first time recently. Do I cut them first or throw them in whole? Some website said to boil them whole first, and then skim the surface - what's on the surface? Nutrients?

Edit: also, why must I throw away the yellow leaves? What's wrong with them?