What do you do for cheap family friendly-dinner

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"Throw an egg on it."

That's what I read on a chef's blog last month. He likes to poke around his home kitchen and cook whatever is there. If protein is needed, he adds a poached egg or two per person.

Good idea, I thought. Poached eggs with runny yolks provide a rich and yummy sauce as well as good, cheap protein.

So if I oven roast a big pan of veggies, I just transfer them to warm bowls, add a bit of broth or coconut milk, some herbs or spices, a bit of grated cheese or scoop of sour cream, and throw a couple of poached eggs on it.

Or just caramelize some carrots, shallots, zucchini, what have you, in a skillet with herbs and seasoning. Transfer to warm bowls, add a bit of dairy, and throw a poached egg on it.

Hard-boiled or warm, poached eggs can be great on top of salads, too.

No nutrition-empty starches and carbs. Lots of produce, protein, and flavour! Cheap!
 
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"Throw an egg on it."

That's what I read on a chef's blog last month. He likes to poke around his home kitchen and cook whatever is there. If protein is needed, he adds a poached egg or two per person.

Good idea, I thought. Poached eggs with runny yolks provide a rich and yummy sauce as well as good, cheap protein.

So if I oven roast a big pan of veggies, I just transfer them to warm bowls, add a bit of broth or coconut milk, some herbs or spices, a bit of grated cheese or scoop of sour cream, and throw a couple of poached eggs on it.

Or just caramelize some carrots, shallots, zucchini, what have you, in a skillet with herbs and seasoning. Transfer to warm bowls, add a bit of dairy, and throw a poached egg on it.

Hard-boiled or warm, poached eggs can be great on top of salads, too.

No nutrition-empty starches and carbs. Lots of produce, protein, and flavour! Cheap!

Eggs are definitely a cheap source of protein, and we now know that eggs are not the evil cholesterol bombs we once were told they were.

I sometimes make fried rice with whole grain rice and veggies, and the egg makes it taste better, adds protein, and keeps me satisfied for longer.

CD
 
True... which makes me wonder even more how vegans manage a balanced diet.

CD
It takes a lot of planning to get enough protein on a vegan diet. It's not really suited for humans, in my opinion. Animal protein has all the essential amino acids we need, while vegetable sources need to be combined properly to get them all.
 
We had relatives like that

I go visit a friend or relative around dinner time.
Growing up we had a Aunt and Uncle and their one child show up every Sunday unannounced for dinner, I grew up with 7 other siblings so I guess they figured whats 3 more. They never brought anything. They were cheep people, one year at a family picnic where you brought a dish to pass they brought a small plate with 6 pcs of celery on it. For a wedding present I received one pot holder. My mom was fed up with their showing up so one week we ate an hour earlier. When they showed we were doing up dishes, the next week mom fixed us a big Sunday breakfast so we would n't ruin her plan and wonder where dinner was. They showed up an hour early figure on time of week before and surprise nothing to eat, mom said to them everyone got up late so we had a big breakfast. The 3rd week, was planned on a picnic type meal so everything was on hold to see if they showed. they showed and mom played it cool and nothing said about food so they didn't know if we ate or not. They left and we had our picnic dinner. Next week
they never showed so figured they gave up on our house for a free meal. Sunday dinner went back to it normal schedule time. We only saw them on big family functions.
 
But... tofu is awful. I've never eaten Tempeh, but I have a very open mind. I'll have to try it, but if it is like tofu, it has no future in my diet.

I really, really want to try that new fake burger that is all over the internet, once it becomes readily available. I forget the name, at the moment, but it is supposed to be incredible. I'll reserve judgment until I actually eat it.

CD

If you're referring to the "Beyond Meat" burger, Ive tried it and it is good. It comes both refrigerated and frozen. Even though the same name , the refrigerated is significantly better ( just a much shorter shelf life). The frozen one is not the same product ( or at least it doesnt taste the same to me).

And I like tofu :) just has to be prepared properly.

Tempeh, cut up like french fry size, brown in oil, then drizzle some soy sauce on it. Its really good ( or at least I think it is ).
 
If you're referring to the "Beyond Meat" burger, Ive tried it and it is good. It comes both refrigerated and frozen. Even though the same name , the refrigerated is significantly better ( just a much shorter shelf life). The frozen one is not the same product ( or at least it doesnt taste the same to me).

And I like tofu :) just has to be prepared properly.

Tempeh, cut up like french fry size, brown in oil, then drizzle some soy sauce on it. Its really good ( or at least I think it is ).

The Beyond Meat Beast burger taste close to a grilled burger. Expensive but good.
 
But... tofu is awful. I've never eaten Tempeh, but I have a very open mind. I'll have to try it, but if it is like tofu, it has no future in my diet.



CD

Tempeh taste a lot different than Tofu. So far I am not a fan of it.

Most commercially produced tofu is really boring stuff. But the texture can be changed and it can be made to soak up flavors. Baking (or frying) it can really change it. A Tofu Recipe that does not suck
 
The one time I had tofu that I liked was at a Thai restaurant. It was sprinkled with seasoning and fried and really soaked up the flavor. DH is really against it, though.
 
I've modified an old recipe my mother used to make us with left over roast beef or steak..She would chop it up, fry it with onions(I add garlic also)until it browned and made a nice thick fond in the bottom of the pot, then she would throw in some water, salt and pepper to make a broth(I add a quart of beef broth) then let that boil down for a few minutes, she would throw in some very al dente pasta, usually bow ties, and let them finish cooking in the broth until most of it is absorbed. I add things like thyme, a bay leaf and sometimes a few cracked allspice berries and then serve it with a big handful of fresh chopped parsley....I don't necessarily make it because it is cheap..but, that's a bonus..I make it because it is darned good..
 
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Japanese tofu dishes are lovely.. Swedish vegan dishes with tofu , instead of meat, it just weird, it becomes chewy and weird.

I have a few vegan friends but I also have a dear foster brother who is allergic to all meat, fish, poultry and grains. Yes an allergy to grains means glutenfree isnt working either. Trust me that is a challenge.
 
Actually ground beef with diced carrots and onion in a thick gravy and potatoes.
 
Well it is correct but it sound not as yummy as it is.

What would you eat, ground meat on potatoes or a stew with carrot served potatoes?
 
Well it is correct but it sound not as yummy as it is.

What would you eat, ground meat on potatoes or a stew with carrot served potatoes?
Maybe if you would describe your dishes a little more, we would have a better idea of what you're talking about. Most of the members here are Americans who have little experience with British/Scottish/Irish names for foods. Mince and tatties means just ground beef and mashed potatoes to me, because I've heard those terms separately before but not as a dish.
 
Mince and tatties are cheap and cheerful.

Sounds good to me. Sounds like it's just a variation on the hamburger gravy that I mentioned above. Mine was seasoned and sautéed ground beef and onion. When it's browned sprinkle on a half cup of flour and mix in and cook for a couple of minutes. Then pour in about 3-4 cups of milk and bring to a boil to thicken. All quantities are approximate - I don't measure anything. Season well with black pepper and salt to taste, then add a package of frozen peas and let simmer long enough for the peas to heat through. I usually add some sort of herb or spice blend when browning the meat - this time it was a steak seasoning blend from Savory Spice Shop.

I like it over potatoes too, but yesterday I had some leftover ciabatta rolls from french dip sandwiches so I toasted them as a vehicle for the gravy.
 
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