veggies

Flashback Friday: 122 Delicious Vegetarian Meals That Are Surprisingly Filling

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 08:30:11 +0000

Those looking to go completely meatless often worry that vegetarian meals won't be as filling. Meat and potatoes is a staple of stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, after all. But luckily, there are tons of delicious and easy meals that lack meat and will also fill your belly. They'll also fit your budget. Here are over 100 to get you started.

35 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy (or Lazy) Vegetarians — For those with a hectic schedule, or no interest in spending a ton of time in the kitchen, these vegetarian dinner ideas are for you. Just toss the ingredients into your slow cooker, walk away for a few hours, and come back when dinner is ready.

12 Delicious Ways to Go Meatless for the Newly Vegetarian — Going meatless is a whole new world, but these tasty dishes will make for a seamless transition. You'll get to indulge in crispy tofu nuggets, eggplant bolognese, black bean chili, and more!

35 Mouth Watering Lentil Recipes — Lentils are such an underrated legume. They are packed with iron, fiber, and amino acids, and they can be added to just about every meal. Still not convinced? I have three words for you: Lentil. Sloppy. Joes.

15 Grilled Veggie Dishes That Hold Their Own With Meat — Question: What's the best kind of a veggie? Answer: A grilled veggie. Sure, the grill is known is the sacred space for meat, but after eating a few grilled veggie kabobs, grilled black bean and pineapple burgers, and grilled veggie pizzas, you'll be singing a different tune.

15 Fresh Corn Recipes You'll Swoon Over — There's nothing quite like fresh corn on a hot day. There's also nothing like a hearty corn dish on a cold day. Corn is always a treat! So pull out the corn on the cob or frozen corn and cook up these delicacies.

10 Amazing Veggie Burgers to Make Tonight — Don't go into this new lifestyle thinking veggie burgers will taste anything like beef or turkey. They won't. But they will be healthier, packed with flavor, and just as filling. And these are the veggie burger recipes to try first.

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Most Valuable Things to Plant in Your Garden This Spring

Dr Penny Pincher — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 10:00:13 +0000

With the days getting longer and warmer, I find myself looking out the window thinking about what to plant in my garden. I usually decide what to plant by choosing things that I like to eat, or things that grow well in my location. This year I decided to look at garden planting strategy from an economic angle. Considering the value of the produce, the likely amount of production, the garden space required, and the general desirability of the produce, here are the 10 most valuable things to plant in your garden this year.

1. Garlic

Since garlic is one of the most expensive produce items to buy in-store, growing it yourself is a much better plan. Whether you're buying the full cloves, the striped cloves that are pre-washed, or the pre-minced garlic, you're paying way more for this plantable item than necessary. To save even more money on your garlic harvest, you can grow it as a perennial, and not have to replant it every year.

2. Cilantro

Cilantro can be a relatively inexpensive item to buy, but how often do you use up everything you buy? It is also a plant that produces the highest dollar value per square foot based on typical production in good growing conditions. Cilantro is an annual, but it seeds itself so well that you might think it is a perennial.

3. Lettuce/Mixed Greens/Spinach

Whatever green, leafy base your favorite salad requires, you would be wise to grow it yourself this spring. Spinach, mixed greens, and lettuce are all quite pricey in the produce aisle. You're usually paying for convenience with these items, so they're often found bagged or boxed, pre-washed, and free of stems. But if you plant them yourself, along with arugula and Swiss chard, you'll get the most value per square foot. Plus, you'll know exactly what you're getting and just how clean it is.

4. Chive

Like garlic, chives are a perennial plant, so you only have to plant once and can count on it growing back every year. It's also another produce item found on the list of crops that produce the highest dollar value per square foot based on typical production in good growing conditions.

5. Cherry Tomato

There's something particularly satisfying about biting into a juicy tomato you grew in your very own garden. And since cherry tomatoes are small, you tend to go through them quickly. You'll no longer be paying top dollar for each box when you can pick what you need from your garden.

6. Peas

Instead of shucking store-bought peas, why not experience the pride of shucking peas that emerged from the ground outside your house? Freeze the surplus from your harvest and you'll have peas to use year-round.

7. Bell Pepper

Have you ever watched a bell pepper grow in a garden? It's kind of amazing. They start small, then they gain some length and width, and then the finale is when the robust color shines through the pale green. Depending on how long you let them ripen, you'll get red, orange, yellow, or green. But when you buy these in-store, you're paying a premium. So why not save some cash and grow them at home?

8. Jalapeño Pepper

A spicey member of the pepper family, jalapeño peppers are also cheaper to grow than they are to buy. Just make sure you give them direct access to sunlight as these guys love to sunbathe.

9. Artichoke

Artichokes are another perennial gem. They are cheaper to grow, but they do need moist soil in order to thrive. Also, make sure you keep them free of surrounding weeds that could get in their way.

10. Onion

Onions might not be a produce item that you feel like you're spending a lot on at the store. But just because you're used to a certain, fairly low price doesn't mean you need to pay it. Grow your own onions and you'll be saving money over time. Plus, if you plant scallions, they could be ready for eating in 20-30 days!

Growing your own most valuable plants

You can grow these plants even if you don't have space for a garden. Start these plants in containers on a patio or balcony.

Another factor to consider in selecting the most valuable things to grow is how much space is required per plant. Plants that take up less room work better in small gardens, and smaller plants allow more variety in whatever size garden you have to work with.

Check for hardiness, too

The hardiness of plants and the climate that they need to grow must also be considered when deciding what to plant in your garden. It would not work out well to try to harvest a high value crop from a plant that will not grow in your climate. You can check your hardiness zone using a map available from the USDA and then check seed packets or listings in seed catalogs to make sure that the things you want to plant will grow in your area before you buy them. If you have more room available, you will be able to grow some of the larger plants such as squash, pumpkins, and large tomatoes.

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This article is from Dr Penny Pincher of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

31 Delicious Ways to Enjoy Your Summer Veggies

Laurel Randolph — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:00:18 +0000

Summer doesn't just bring fun and sun, it also brings a bounty of fresh veggies like corn, tomatoes, and squash. It's arguably the best time of year for vegetable lovers, and it'd be a crying shame if you didn't take full advantage of it. The following 31 recipes should get you started!

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are far and away at their best this time of year, so this is the time to really enjoy them. Look for bright red, ripe fruits, or seek out especially tasty heirloom varieties.

1. Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Combine two of summer's favorite fruits — watermelon and heirloom tomatoes — into one sweet and savory salad that's really simple to make.

2. Fresh Tomato Sauce

Snatch up as many fresh tomatoes as you can while they're in season, and make a big batch of fresh tomato sauce. Freeze or can it for a taste of summer all year long.

3. Grilled Tomato Gazpacho

Showcase tomatoes in all their glory by making an easy gazpacho soup. The chilled dish is a great way to beat the summer heat.

4. Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salad

Celebrate the pure flavor of heirloom tomatoes in this satisfying tomato and avocado salad that won't weigh you down. Orzo and chickpeas add heft, and fresh tomatoes, arugula, and basil keep it seasonal and light.

Squash

Summer squash is yellow and can be crook-necked or straight like a zucchini. They'll last for up to a week in the fridge.

5. Grilled Summer Squash Boats

Gluten free and vegetarian, this recipe is healthy and quick enough for a weeknight meal. Other summer produce like tomatoes, basil, and bell pepper are stuffed into grilled squash boats and topped with melty cheese.

6. Penne With Grilled Summer Squash and Sweet Corn

Smoky grilled squash, sweet corn, and fresh tomato combine with penne and ricotta cheese for a summery pasta dish.

7. Ridiculously Easy Roasted Yellow Squash

Sometimes simple is best. An easy side dish of roasted yellow squash and onions brings out their natural sweetness, and pairs well with meat or other veggies.

Zucchini

This green vegetable is everywhere this time of year, and is especially versatile. Use it for bread, as a side dish, as noodles, and more.

8. Zucchini Noodles and Grilled Shrimp

Ditch the pasta and replace it with strands of tender zucchini for a light summer meal. Combined with grilled shrimp and pesto, this zucchini noodle dish hits at the right notes.

9. Sautéed Zucchini

A great way to prepare zucchini is by simply sautéing it in oil and adding a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve sautéed zucchini with chicken or pork.

10. Healthy Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread

If you're swimming in fresh zucchini, shred some up and make zucchini bread. This version uses Greek yogurt and ripe banana to replace much of the fat and sugar.

11. Zucchini Fries

For a healthier version of french fries, bake up a batch of zucchini fries. Roll pieces of zucchini in a simple batter and bake until crispy for a delicious side or snack.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers come in a rainbow of colors, and they're all equally delicious in the summertime. Cut them up for a crudite platter, or cook them in one of the following recipes.

12. Marinated Bell Peppers

When putting together an appetizer plate, include these flavorful marinated bell peppers. They're great with cheese, olives, bread, crackers, and more.

13. Cheesy Quinoa and Turkey Sloppy Joe Stuffed Bell Peppers

Hollowed out fresh bell peppers are perfect for stuffing with savory ingredients and baking for a convenient meal. These stuffed bell peppers have the flavor of sloppy joes, but with healthier ingredients like quinoa and turkey.

14. Seared Steak, Pepper, and Onion Fajitas

Fajitas wouldn't be fajitas without sliced bell peppers. Seared and sliced steak and onion join the peppers for a classic Tex-Mex feast.

Hot Peppers

If you're into spicy food, then this is your time of year. From jalapeños to habaneros, hot peppers are now in season.

15. Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño poppers are the ultimate party food. They're crispy, spicy, and filled with gooey cheese. And now you can make your own at home!

16. Hot Pepper Relish

Add a delicious kick to your hot dogs or sausages with homemade hot pepper relish. This recipe will last in the fridge for a month without the hassle of canning.

Eggplant

Deep purple eggplants are hearty and almost meaty, making them really handy for a vegetarian diet. They're great on sandwiches, with pasta, and made into a dip.

17. Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant and Italian food are meant to be together. This eggplant lasagna is a perfect example, and only has a few ingredients!

18. Homemade Baba Ganoush

Baba ganoush is an easy and tasty appetizer that happens to be low fat, too. Simply grill or roast a couple of eggplants, scoop out the flesh, and whirl it up with tahini, garlic, and lemon.

19. Grilled Eggplant Parmesan Heros

Lighten up the typical eggplant parm sub by firing up the grill. These grilled eggplant parmesan heros with fresh tomato sauce will have everyone raving.

Corn

Nothing tastes quite like summer like fresh sweet corn on the cob. Whenever possible, buy ears that were picked fresh, and use them as soon as possible.

20. Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn)

Take grilled corn up a notch and make Mexican grilled corn, or elote. After being grilled, cobs are slathered in mayonnaise, lime, and spices.

21. Summer Corn Chowder

Corn chowder is a rare summertime soup that's hearty and light at the same time. It's creamy, smoky, sweet, and just plain delicious.

22. Fresh Corn Skillet Cornbread

To go with all of the meats you'll be grilling up this summer, use some of summer's favorite vegetable to make fresh corn cornbread. Buttermilk makes this bread moist and flavorful.

23. Corn Salsa

A fresh corn salsa is a simple and easy way to eat the summer veg. Just add tomatoes, lime, and cilantro, and serve with chips.

Cucumber

Crunchy cucumbers come in a few different varieties, with some types making better pickles than others. Eat them cut up with dip or slice them into salads.

24. Lemony Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers, radishes, and bell peppers are dressed with lemon and white wine vinegar for a bright summertime salad.

25. Spicy Dill Quick Pickles

Transform cucumbers into an irresistible spicy and tart snack overnight with this quick pickle recipe.

26. Chilled Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Noodles

Just like zucchini, cucumber makes beautifully light, fresh noodles. Chilled cucumber noodles with a sweet and spicy sauce is a perfect hot weather dish.

Tomatillos

If you've ever wondered what salsa verde, or green salsa, is made of, this is it. The crunchy little veggies are surrounded by a husk, and take well to being charred.

27. Salsa Verde

Salsa verde (green salsa) is super fresh, and you can adjust the spices as you see fit. Serve as a dip or with tacos.

28. Steak and Corn Salad With Tomatillos

Raw tomatillos add crunch to this meaty summer salad. Spice-rubbed seared steak and fresh summer veggies make for an all-in-one meal.

Green Beans

Fresh-picked green beans can be eaten raw for a crunchy and fresh experience, or they can be cooked in a variety of ways. Don't overcook them or they'll turn to mush.

29. Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette

Fresh green beans are briefly cooked before being tossed with shallots, crispy bacon, and a simple vinaigrette in this tasty side dish. You'll be wondering why everyone doesn't serve green beans with bacon all the time.

30. Tempura-Fried Green Beans

Turn this summertime green veggie into a crispy, crunchy appetizer. Tempura-fried green beans are totally addictive, especially when they're dipped into a mustard sauce.

31. Potato and Green Bean Salad

This classic French side dish tastes great served hot or cold, and mustard vinaigrette makes these potatoes and green beans sing.

What are your favorite summer veggie dishes?

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This article is from Laurel Randolph of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Food Going Bad Quickly? Here's How to Fix It

Amanda Meadows — Fri, 15 May 2015 11:00:16 +0000

Ever remember that you have delicious leftovers or fresh veggies in the fridge, only to discover rolling hills of mold covering their surface? It's the worst and it's time to learn how to prevent rapid food spoilage. Keeping food fresh for longer saves money — and it's easy.

1. Store Fresh Produce Correctly

Do you place different types of produce in different areas of the kitchen, or do you shove everything in the crisper drawer? Here's how to store them best.

Greens

These go in your vegetable crisper. Be sure to keep them at the top, never stacking heavy veggies on top of lettuces and baby greens.

Vegetables

Remove rubber bands and twist ties. Be sure to trim leafy ends and wash the veggies. Place in a clean bag with air holes punctured for air flow. Give them a space in the crisper or the bottom shelf of your fridge.

Fruit

Do not store fruit and vegetables together — a gas called ethylene accumulates, attracting bacteria too quickly. Stone fruits, apples, pears, and melons should all be left to ripen on the countertop. Oranges and all citrus, bell peppers, and most berries should be refrigerated immediately. And because bananas ripen fastest, place them near any other fruit you'd like to ripen faster, such as apples or pears.

Roots

Basic roots like onions, potatoes, beets, and turnips should stay outside in their own basket. Once they have been cut, store them in a Tupperware in the fridge.

2. Store Leftovers Immediately

Do you normally let dinner cool on the stove after eating? That actually allows bacteria to accumulate faster, giving it a head start before entering the colder, less hospitable fridge environment. For best results, store food while it's still piping hot. Build time into dinner prep to immediately pour a portion of leftover food into storage containers and throw into the fridge.

3. Use Natural Preservatives

There's no need to go out and buy antimicrobials and antifungal chemical preservatives unless you are cooking for large groups. For home cooking, here are a few simple ways to keep food from spoiling without resorting to pickling everything:

Brining (or Salting)

Have a whole bird or large cut of meat and worried you might not get to it in time? Freezing is only good if you have the right containers to prevent freezer burn. Try brining your meat by coating it in salt. This pulls water from bacterial cells, killing the bacteria which cannot live without moisture.

Sugaring

Similar to brining, sugaring also pulls moisture from bacterial cells, making food safer to eat for a very long time. This is great for fruits, making delicious snacks out of fruit you may not have had enough time to eat fresh.

Citric Acid

Lemon and lime juice are a godsend for fruits and vegetables that have already been cut and are vulnerable to browning or spoiling. From guacamole to pre-made salads, use plenty of lemon or lime juice that not only adds vitamin C and brightness to your food, but also stalls the spoiling process for a day or two.

4. Sweep the Refrigerator

It's smart to take stock of the fridge once a week and clean it out. Here what to look for.

Other Rotten Food

If there is anything rotting in your fridge, get rid of it immediately. The gases coming from those bacteria flourishing in nearby rotting foods could be spoiling your fresh food by proxy.

Cleaning

For the same reasons as above, random condiment smears, beverage spills, and other grime attracts bacteria and fungus along the surfaces inside your refrigerator. Be sure to clean any food residue from the surfaces regularly.

Temperature

Be sure that your fridge is cold enough to prevent fast bacteria growth, but not so cold that it freezes fresh food (which can ruin most fresh produce by the time you want to eat it).

5. Sterilize the Tupperware Regularly

One of the easiest things you can do is also one of the easiest things to forget: keeping Tupperware clean. If things get really bad, sterilize containers by soaking them in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.

Are you still bothering with flimsy plastic containers? It can be difficult to remove mold spores from plastic, so invest in some more durable and less porous glass containers. They are not only easier to clean, but are safer to store food for much longer than their plastic counterparts.

How do you keep your food fresh for longer?

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This article is from Amanda Meadows of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Ways to Make Use of Sub-Par Produce

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:00:06 +0000

My grocer has a little known secret: It sells damaged and past-date produce weekly. To find it, you have to go around the corner of the regular produce aisle, next to where the employees take their breaks, and right in front of where the forklifts go in and out. It’s in a wire bin with no special markings or signage. It’s our little piece of heaven.

In addition to finding your typical antique bananas and bags of slightly bruised apples, there are other delicious treasures: plastic-wrapped packages of bell peppers, bags of pre-washed organic lettuce hearts, and sacks of hodge-podge items that combine avocados, artichokes, and lemons in the same space. While not everything here is worth buying, they charge 50-99 cents for each package — regardless of what’s inside or what shape it’s in.

Because we are not food snobs, and we’ve learn to adapt our diet to include the parts of produce that others throw away, we love stocking up as much as we can fit into our cart. Anything that gets home in too bad a shape for us to eat happily goes to our 40+ laying hens for some much needed dietary excitement. Here are the ways we use up the good stuff, and how we eat well for pennies per pound of produce.

Dehydrate (drying)

This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to use up food. Bananas are especially delicious when sliced thinly and placed on the drying racks of our $25 food dehydrator. Other foods we have had fun doing this with include whole chili peppers and apple rings.

You’ll want to consult the directions that come with your food dehydrator to see if you’ll need to add citric acid to your produce, but as long as the portions you are drying are not too bruised and are mold-free, you’ll have a way to keep food for many months or even decorate your kitchen! (Our dried chili peppers are beautiful on the counter.)

Breads

Sweet breads, muffins, and cakes are very forgiving to the quality of fruit and veggies you can use. The parts of the bananas that are too mushy or brown to be dried effectively end up in a plastic bag that gets mushed up and made into banana bread. As long as the fruit hasn’t reached the stage of fermentation (smells like alcohol), you’re usually safe to put past-date fruits of all kinds into your favorite baking recipes. Don’t forget that you can do this with some veggies, too! My favorite carrot cake recipe uses a whopping 3 cups of grated carrots, and this vegetable garden bread puts cabbage and celery to good use!

Soups

While salads are often more about presentation than flavor, soups are the exact opposite. Traditionally, soup pots have been a final destination for the parts of the veggie that most of us today just chuck into our compost pile. The skins and rinds of certain produce, however, can contain more than just hearty flavor; they also house some of the most nutritious portions of the vegetable. Potatoes, for example, are chock full of vitamins when the skin is left on (just avoid anything that has already begun to sprout or places where the skin is green — this signifies a high glycoalkaloid content, which is toxic!) By using up your slightly wilted celery, less-than-juicy onions, and blemished carrots, you can create delicious soup bases, stocks, and stews for mere pennies. Hungry for a skin-on potato soup? Check out this mouth-watering rendition from J.D. Roth!

Note: Please be careful to wash all produce carefully, and be aware that some items will be healthiest when purchased as an organic offering.

Freezing

My favorite way to quickly store the oodles of green, red, and yellow bell peppers that my grocer likes to put on quick sale is to simply rinse each pepper, slice into fourths, remove the seeds, and toss into a freezer bag. This is a great way to have green peppers on hand for making fajitas, meatloaves, or any other dish that requires cooked bell peppers. You can also freeze most any fruit or veggie, but blanching and citric acid may be required to maintain quality. (Dicing up tiny pieces of peppers, celery, and berries and then freezing them in ice cube trays make preparing soups and smoothies a breeze!)

Jams and Jellies

Much more labor-intensive, but possibly the most long-term of all solutions, making up a batch of strawberry jam or jelly is a tasty way to use up that couple of pints that didn’t look so appealing at the grocery store. While the process itself takes some mastering, you can enjoy the “fruits” of your labor for many months to come!

(Editors Note: As a few readers have pointed out, some types of overripe fruit may not be suitable for typical jams and jellies, as they will not contain the pectin needed to set well. Some ideas for long-term storage of fruit concoctions include chutneys, some berry jams that are stored in the fridge, and using overripe fruit as an addition to a basic jelly/jam or in homemade applesauce. Thanks to our many jam and jelly experts for helping us finetune this article!)

Juice

Have one of those expensive juicers at home just taking up space? Maybe you don’t use it more because you hate cleaning it after every use. Or you just figured out how darned expensive it is to feed your juicing habit. Enter the miracle that is discounted produce: Use those bruised apples, bumpy carrots, and overripe berries to fuel you up before you leave for work. Feel good and save money!

Yes! My absolutely most frugal tip of this article is for the tiniest of foodies. Avoid buying premade baby food if you can make it yourself — for far less with reduced price produce! Whether you enjoy making up tiny portions of applesauce (crockpots work nicely for this), or you want to give a steamed, mashed broccoli mix a try, any edible, thoroughly washed, and properly cooked fruit or veggie can be blended into a beautiful and affordable puree for baby. Freeze or refrigerate for weeks’ worth of snacks and meals!

Before you turn up your nose at the “Manager’s Special” offered in your grocer’s produce aisle, consider how much money you could save by buying their unwanted fruits and vegetables. Then look at the typical amount of fresh food wasted by the average American family. Buying slightly damaged produce isn’t disgusting — throwing away your money on overpriced food that you’ll eventually let rot in the bottom of your crisper drawer, in my opinion, most certainly is.

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: