Posts Tagged ‘Fruit and Vegetable’

Mr. CBB’s Meatless Sloppy Lentil Joes

Posted: March 3, 2013 in Mr.CBB's Frugal Kitchen
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Meatless_Sloppy_Lentil_Joes

No way, a Lentil Sloppy Joe, impossible! It’s true, and it’s delicious. We eat meatless meals in our diet simply because the body doesn’t need meat every single day so we opt for alternatives like lentils. In our house you will normally find red and green lentils that we typically pick up at Food Basics or our local Indian shop.

One of our favourite side dishes is simple red lentils and rice which we serve with fish as a Good Friday Meal. When I came up with my version of the Sloppy Joe it quickly became a hit in our house and many of our fans enjoy it as well. We were tired of spending money buying convenience spice packets or pre-made cans to make the everyday frugal comfort foods that most families enjoy.

When you read the ingredients on the packets it’s obvious to see that you too can easily create a recipe similar to the original if you use your imagination. Meatless Sloppy Lentil Joes is simply a switch up using lentils instead of meat. I used my original Sloppy Joe Recipe to make this one but I found I needed to add more spices, ketchup and vinegar to get the taste just right.

You may find you will adjust flavours as well. Sure you will miss the fat taste from the meat so be prepared for that but otherwise we served this on a homemade bap (bun) topped with plain yogurt (or sour-cream) and old cheddar cheese with a side of tangy dill pickles.

Green Lentils

What Are Lentils?

A lentil is a pulse bean” an annual plant in the legume family that grows in pods with 2 lens-shaped seeds in each. Friends of ours who originate from India eat plenty of lentils as they don’t eat meat and in fact it’s a staple in their diet. Lentils are a great source of protein but without the costs of meat.

Thinking back when I did the welfare food challenge in 2012 my friend Steve picked up a bag of lentils and I picked up black beans. If I could go back I would have done the same as Steve as that was a cheap way of adding protein to the diet.

 I grew up around the Indian cuisine and had many friends who were of the Indian culture so I was exposed to lentils from an early age eating over at their homes for dinner. I also went on a holiday to India where Indian cuisine was brought to life through smell, flavour and textures.

I have a tendency to throw myself out there to learn about culture and cuisine when travelling because food is what brings people together. Lentils come in various sizes and colours such as green, brown,red, black, yellow and many others which I have had the liberty of trying in various meals.

Lentil Nutrition

Lentils are used in cuisines all over the world and one thing we learned from our friend was that you can sprout lentils. In fact last time we were at her house she showed us her sprouts, amazing little things and we learned about black chickpeas.

She puts them in a container with a bit of water, covers them and lets them sprout as she said it changes the texture and according to wikipedia it changes the nutritional content adding “essential amino acids” and “30% of their value comes from protein and have the third highest value in protein next to the soybean and hemp“. 

I’m not a lentil pro so the research I’m doing today is not only educating myself but I hope that you learn something about the lentil and use it in your meals. Lentils also contain “fibre, B1, folate and minerals” so you can’t go wrong when you choose lentils as part of your diet.

Indian Lentil Dal

It’s taken me some time to get the wife into lentils but now she can’t get enough of them and always so inquisitive asking for recipes from our friend. When we visit our friend the smell of cumin and turmeric permeates the house and it’s just lovely, reminds me of real Indian cuisine.

Typically our friend will use the pressure cooker (we can be sure to hear the swish of steam when we visit sometimes we think it sounds like a science experiment in the kitchen) to cook them faster (we don’t have one) or she puts her lentils or any dry bean in the slow cooker and lets them cook on low all day until they are done.

We thought that was a brilliant idea as we had never thought of it. She then saute’s cumin seeds in oil then adds onion, garlic, green chili, coriander, turmeric, chopped tomato then adds in the lentils.

She explains to us that this is the equivalent of a stew which they call Dal and she serves it with a homemade Naan bread or a flat bread she makes with flour and water. I’ve made Dal on many occasions and tried different versions of Dal in India and the UK as I just love it. We don’t prefer the hot chilis and we use cumin spice instead of seed but it seems it is traditional.

We also make our own bread a simple tortilla recipe which is essentially the same thing or we serve it with Basmati rice.  Next time I make the Dal I will post the recipe on the blog for all of you. I’m sure you will love it if you like lentils.

Lentil Sloppy Joe

Mr.CBB’s Meatless Sloppy Lentil Joes

Feeds: 4-6 people

Lentil Sloppy Joe Ingredients
  • 2 cups of dry green lentils (I used green and tried red lentils just be careful as the red tend to soften quick)
  • 1 can tomato paste 60z
  • 1.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 4 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons of dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon of dry basil
  • 3/4 cup of  Tomato Ketchup
  • 3/4 cup of water (add more if needed to make the mix consistent)
  • 2 yellow onions chopped
  • 1 large green or red pepper chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic chopped fine
  • 5 tablespoons of brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoon of olive oil

Homemade Baps

How To Make Lentil Sloppy Joes
  • Add your green lentils to a medium pot filled with water and boil until just tender. Don’t over-cook them or they will be mushy. Drain them under cold water.
  • In a frying pan add the olive oil, onions, green pepper, garlic, and sautee
  • Add in all the spices and stir – basil, salt, pepper, mustard, paprika, cumin, oregano
  • Add in the tomato paste and ketchup
  • Add in the water, vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce
  • Add in the brown sugar and mix
  • Add in your cooked, drained lentils and gently stir
  • Let simmer for 15-20 minutes to let the flavours come together
  • Serve on hot fresh baps (buns)
  • Optional: top with plain yogurt, sour-cream, cheddar cheese
  • Enjoy!

What other ways do you enjoy serving your Lentil Sloppy Joes?

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SOW, GROW AND SAVE

Posted: July 2, 2012 in Landscaping and Garden
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SOW, GROW AND SAVE

After checking the prices in the produce aisle, how many times have you plopped some cherry tomatoes or asparagus into your shopping cart with a resigned look ala Mary Richards in the opening credits montage of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

What’s a person to do?  Resist artichokes?  Swear off broccoli and stock up on mac-n-cheese mix from the box?

How about some good old-fashioned “if you can’t beat, ‘em join ‘em” action and start planting your own vegetables and fruits?  Yes, you can save money by growing your own food, whether you have a few container plants on the balcony or a nice sized garden in the back or front yard.

The amount you save depends on how much you plant, your initial and ongoing investment in the garden, and how you use what you harvest.   If you want to save significant amounts of money and you have the space, plant seeds and go big.

Otherwise, even with conservative efforts, by growing your own organic vegetables and fruits you can save on grocery store costs and reap other benefits as well.   You’ll contribute positively to the environment and your health by avoiding produce that’s been treated with pesticides and shipped from afar.  And the initial outlay can be recouped with the amount you save on the gas used going to the grocer.

 

from Wallace Gardens

The rising cost of groceries is worsened if you end up wasting produce in the fridge each month.  (A 2008 NY TIMES article on food waste in America estimated that about a pound of food is wasted every day for every American – 24 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables for a family of four for a month.

Canadians spend an average of $7,262 per household on food each year (StatsCan). 25% of all food is wasted at home, so every Canadian household could save around $1,800 a year by garbaging less grub.)

How much better to pick what you need from your own garden right before prep time – you won’t harvest more than you need.  And what you don’t use the same day will be less likely forgotten in the recesses of your veggie compartment, especially if it’s the product of your own sweat and care.

But before you go willy-nillying it off to the plant store, plan first:

  • Start small.  If you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew (in more ways than one), then plant just a few of your favorites.  Even a single tomato plant in a large pot will save you money and time.  No more last-minute trips to the grocery store.  Just walk right outside your door for the sun-ripened tomato to top off your tossed salad or to satisfy that spur of the moment BLT craving.
  • Plant your favorites.  Although it’s great to have an adventurous and open palate (good for you for embracing kale and swiss chard), do plant what you like and what you know you will eat, not just what’s in stock at the nursery or the latest “it” vegetable.

HERE IS A LIST OF TYPICALLY EXPENSIVE VEGGIES AND FRUITS YOU CAN GROW AT HOME:

TOMATOES – Ubiquitous, easy to grow, so many varieties to choose from

HERBS - Have you priced little bunches of basil and spearmint lately?  More cost-effective to keep harvesting from your own herb plants than buying several sprigs of cellophane wrapped herbs.


12-year- old Troy’s front yard gro-O raised planter garden

LETTUCE, SPINACH , ARUGULA (leafy greens)-Pick just what you need of the outer leaves from cut-and-come-again lettuce for salads or sandwiches. Many varieties with lots of nutrients.

ARTICHOKES-Beautiful as a landscape plant too

MELONS-The per pound cost of a cantaloupe or honeydew make this a good choice to try.  Note: The vines need space to ramble.

YELLOW SQUASH & ZUCCHINI-After cooking zucchini and yellow squash, think freezing and storing your excess harvest.   With zucchini, having extra is not an uncommon feat.  Remember zucchini bread for freezing or sharing.

FALL & WINTER SQUASH-Spaghetti squash is a great pasta substitute and stores for several months.

BROCCOLI- Tip: Plant a lot of what you would buy regularly and stagger your plantings for continual harvest.

ASPARAGUS-Requires patience (a couple of seasons before first harvest) and a bit more of a learning curve.

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Guest Post: Written by May & Lydia Pulido from gro-O.com Where we explore all that nourishes us. From our daily work and play…the food we grow, prepare, and eat. To art and creativity and music… to what makes us laugh and wonder and say hmmmm…to walking barefoot in cool grass and getting very down to earth.

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