 I have been turned on to Quinoa as a vegetable and as an alternative to potatoes and rice and makes a good base for a meal. It appears expensive but a little goes a long way. A pound costs about $3-5 depending on where you shop and I have found a pound does about 6-10 single serving meals. 1/2 cup of dry quinoa yields about 1 1/4 cup cooked.
- First prepare the Quinoa.
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a small strainer or by running fresh water over the quinoa in a pot. Drain. I also like as an alternative, quickly roast the Quinoa in a dry saute pan until it starts to pop. This "cooks off" the dry powder and gives the quinoa a nice roasted flavor.
- Put quinoa and water in 1 1/2 qt. saucepan; about 1 cup of water for each 1/2 cup of quinoa; bring to boil. I also add a teaspoon of olive oil into the boiling water. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). When done, the grain appears translucent and the germ ring will be visible.
- While the quinoa is in preparation, saute yellow squash, some chopped broccoli, onions and garlic. Be creative, try other vegetables or even diced chicken or lamb.
- When the quinoa is done, pour into the saute pan, turn down the heat add a handful of raisins, a few pinches of cumin and oregano. Cover and let the the juices of the vegetables be contained.
Again be creative, don't be afraid to try something you like. While cooking throw in some zuccini for example, or cherry tomatos. Or both.
This is an eggless, milkless, butterless cake. " A delicious spiced cake that's easy on the budget".
SERVES 10 -12
 Lemons: They're full of Vitamin C, copper, magnesium, calcium and potassium, and they're good for boosting the immune system and aiding digestion. Some say they work to fight cancer. And, depending on where you live (or if you have a lemon tree of your own) they can be a NoJobSurvivor Frugal Food. AND, who knows... starting a lucrative lemonade stand could even help pay the bills!
Basic Lemonade Recipe:
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 4 cups of water
- 3-4 large lemons
Add sugar to warm water and stir to dissolve. Juice the lemons and strain into a bowl. [Tip: roll the lemons around on the counter first, it will loosen the juice.]
Add the lemon juice to the sugar/water and refrigerate. You may want to add more of one or two of the ingredients, depending on your taste. Adjust for ice usage as well.
Enjoy!
 I live in Santa Fe and a favorite restaurant here is EL Meson. They publish on their website a great spanish dish that I think qualifies as frugal. I leave out the Saffron which is expensive but everything else is affordable. Cheap food doesnt have to be dull.
This is a quick, cheap, yummy recipe that provides high amounts of protein, fiber and lycopene.
Buy a bag of dried lentils or purchase them from the bulk food section, they're literally pennies a meal.
Measure out 2 cups of lentils and remove shriveled ones or any debris.
In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to boil.
While the water is boiling, cut-up in chunks, one small tomato (per serving bowl).
When water has boiled:
Add lentils and let cook on medium heat for approximately 20-30 minutes (check them after about 15 minutes).
Then:
- Add ½ teaspoon of cumin
- Add ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Add ½ teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
- Spoon one serving into a bowl and add uncooked tomatoes on top.
- Add salt to taste.
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A slice of cottage bread is a delightful addition!
 Sweet potatoes: the name is a misnomer. This tuber is not high in sugar or carbs, but its counterpart, the white potato is high in both.
Both tubers are pretty cheap, but only one is Survivor Mood Food -- sweet potatoes.
[White (regular or red-skinned) potatoes are the equivalent to white rice or white bread -- full of weight-producing carbs and depression-producing sugars. Best to stay away from that lot.] Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A (antioxidant) and C, and incredibly easy and quick to cook and are quite versatile.
Via Steam:
Wash the potatoes, then with skins on or off, cut them in half or thirds (depending on the size) and drop into a steamer. Cook for approximately 8 minutes. See Survivor Stovetop Efficiency for more tips.
(also see Survivor Frugal Food and Mood Food)
2 cups flour (prefer a mix of whole wheat & white)
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups milk (or plain soy milk)
5 teaspoons melted butter
2 medium sized eggs
1 large sweet potato (cooked and finely mashed)
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a whisk.
Cook like regular pancakes, letting the bubbles come to the surface before flipping.
Add syrup and/or butter
Serves 3-4
For other yummy recipes see: The Sweet Potato Cookbook by Lyniece North Talmadge and Madeline Watt
Sweet Potato Passion
 Sweet potatoes: the name is a misnomer. This tuber is not high in sugar or carbs, but its counterpart, the white potato, is high in both. Both tubers are pretty cheap, but only one is Survivor Mood Food -- sweet potatoes.
[White (or regular, or red-skinned) potatoes are the equivalent to white rice or white bread -- full of weight-producing carbs and depression-producing sugars. Best to stay away from that lot.] Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A (antioxidant) and C, and incredibly easy and quick to cook, and are quite versatile.
Here's a job idea: start a crouton business!
How better to make oodles of money... take 5 slices of bread, cut 'em up, spice '˜em up, toast 'em up, call '˜em gourmet and sell the package for $5!
And, in the meantime, just because you're not getting a regular paycheck, doesn't mean you can't have gourmet croutons to dress up your already frugal salad.
The quintessential comfort food. It's cheap, easy, and does something to your brain that says, hey -- everything's just fine!
You can go to any store and buy it buy the box (Trader Joe's has a good one with white cheddar that's only $1.29), or you can make the real yummy stuff yourself that's also cheap and relatively easy. The good thing about making a big batch of it yourself, is that it's also more fuel efficient and you've got plenty of quick, microwavable leftovers.
AND, another great thing about Mac n cheese is that it's completely multi-adaptable. If you're lactose intolerant, use soy ingredients. If you're gluten intolerant, use rice pasta and approved cheese so on. Or you may prefer whole grain pastas or a certain type of cheese, a whole boatload of butter -- make what you like!
Here's the basic configuration; just adapt to your own style:
- 1/2 lb of macaroni/pasta
- 1 cup grated cheese (traditionally a sharp cheddar)
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Cook and drain the pasta. Mix all ingredients while the pasta is still hot. Double and triple the recipe for lots of leftovers.
for cereal, a rice substitute, or for a snack
 Feeling a little stressed? Buckwheat, a.k.a. kasha, is fabulous for mood, especially if you are prone to low-blood sugar. This nutty, tender fruit seed (no, it's not a grain) is cheap, easy to cook, gluten-free and extremely high in manganese. Manganese promotes the health of your nerves, maintains healthy bood-sugar levels, and helps protect against those nasty, cancer-promoting free-radicals.
There are many ways to cook buckwheat "groats" as they are called, and come in different grinds: fine, coarse, and whole. You can find buckwheat boxed or in bulk. My personal favorite is whole, cooked like rice and topped with butter, but there are many other recipes out there. Cook it for dinner; feel less stressed in the morning!
Simple Salmon Cakes (serves 2)
- Canned Salmon, water-packed (15.5 oz can) Remove water, large bones and skin
- 1 large egg
- Bread crumbs (approximately 1 cup)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- (½ cup of onion if preferable)
Mix ingredients in a large bowl, but add bread crumbs slowly to monitor the amount needed or preferred. Too much breadcrumbs may make the the cakes dry.
Make into small half-inch round patties and fry (on medium to low heat) in butter or a very thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet. Turn each side every 2-3 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Salmon
Feeling low, like you're headin' downstream? Think upstream with Salmon!
Salmon is rich in 3 key mood-elevator nutrients: Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D.
B6 and B12 are naturals at lifting mood and energy. Vitamin D is provides high levels of Serotonin which is a key neurotransmitters that influences mood.
Salmon is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, is high in protein, and is low in calories and saturated fats.
Thinkin' you can't afford Salmon on your unemployed budget? Think again.
There are many brands that sell high quality, inexpensive canned salmon. Try Whole Foods brand 365, water-packed.
 Have a great Mood-Food-Salmon recipe to share, post it here. Or if it's a Frugal Food recipe, post it here. And check the frugal SImple Salmon Cakes here.
Zesty Baked Salmon (serves 2)
Not so frugal, click here for the more frugal.
Rinse and dry fresh salmon filets
Place them on your favorite baking pan
To make the pan non-stick, rub a very thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pan.
Mix:
This topping might seem silly, but it's easy and makes the fish extremely creamy and flavorful.
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) hearty dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- Spread the mixture on top of the filets
- Bake at 375 for 15 minutes
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