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Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumCooking On Pennies XI: From "Vegan On The Cheap" 🌞

Mexican Rice and Bean Bake
Makes 4 to 6 servings
The popular duo of rice and beans teams up well in this zesty
casserole. The rice starts out on top of the stove, but finishes
in the oven, so theres no standing around to watch pots.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt
1 (16-ounce) jar tomato salsa
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4-ounce) can mild diced green chiles
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels (optional)
1⁄2 cup **Cheezee Sauce
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and set
aside.
2 In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover,
and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir
in the rice, chili powder, and water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat
and add the pepper and salt to taste. (The amount of salt you need will
depend on if you use broth or water.)
3 Carefully transfer the rice mixture to the prepared pan. Stir in the salsa,
beans, chiles, and corn, if using. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the
rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
4 When the casserole is ready, remove it from the oven, uncover, and
spread the cheezee sauce on top, if using. Return to the oven until heated
through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Splurge a Little
Top with vegan sour cream. Substitute shredded vegan
cheddar cheese for the cheezee sauce.
**Cheezee Sauce
Makes about 2 1⁄2 cups
This thick, flavorful sauce is drastically less expensive than commercial
cheese alternativesand it tastes better than many of them, too. Use it
in casseroles such as the Mexican Rice and Bean Bake, as a topping for
grain and vegetable dishes, drizzled onto your favorite pizza, or
anytime a cheesy flavor is in order.
2⁄3 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk
or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 In a medium saucepan, combine the yeast, cornstarch, salt, and garlic
powder. Turn the heat on medium and whisk in the soy milk. Cook,
stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
2 Remove from the heat and stir in the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and
mustard. The sauce is now ready to use. If not using right away,
refrigerate the sauce in a container with a tight-fitting lid, where it will
keep for several days.
From "Vegan on the Cheap"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap
**********************************************************************

Penne-Wise Peanutty Pasta $1.50 per serving
Makes 4 servings
Heres a great way to get a delicious dinner on the table in a few minutes
that the whole family will love. (Just omit the crushed red pepper if
you have young children.)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 ounces silken tofu, drained
1⁄3 cup creamy peanut butter
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 1⁄2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk
12 ounces penne
2 medium carrots, cut into 1⁄8-inch slices
2 cups small broccoli florets
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or cilantro
1⁄4 cup crushed unsalted roasted peanuts
1 In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, green onions, and
ginger. Process until well minced. Add the tofu, peanut butter, soy sauce,
vinegar, oil, ketchup, sugar, crushed red pepper, if using, and soy milk.
Blend until smooth. Set aside.
2 In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne over medium-high
heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. About halfway
through, add the carrots and broccoli to the boiling pasta. Drain the pasta
and vegetables well and return to the pot.
3 Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables. Toss to combine and cook
over medium heat, stirring occasionally to heat through, about 5 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Sprinkle with the parsley and
peanuts and serve.
From "Vegan on the Cheap"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap
********************************************************************

Skillet Hash $1.00 per serving
Makes 4 servings
Hash makes an especially yummy brunch entrée, but its delicious for
lunch or dinner, as well. When I have leftover Slow-Cooker Seitan Pot
Roast (page 213) and potatoes, this hash is usually on the menu the
next day. If you have leftover cooked onion and carrots from the pot
roast, you can substitute them for the raw ones in the recipe. Any kind
of cooked potatoes can be used in this hash, such as russets, Yukon
Golds, or sweet potatoes.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 medium carrots, grated
2 large or 3 medium potatoes, peeled, cooked, and chopped
2 cups cooked seitan (Wheat gluten), chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1⁄2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Ketchup, for serving
1 In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion,
cover, and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the
carrots, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes more.
2 Add the potatoes, seitan, marjoram, fennel, salt, and pepper.
Cook, uncovered, turning occasionally, until nicely browned,
about 10 minutes.
3.Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot, drizzled
with ketchup.
Splurge a Little
Sprinkle with shredded vegan mozzarella.
From "Vegan on the Cheap";
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap
Cheap and Tasty! Enjoy!


