your go-to meal when groceries are running low

[Lovely]

Chili.

I almost always have a couple cans of beans hanging around along with either a can of diced tomatoes or tomato paste.

Mix together in a big pot with chili powder and cumin. Tada~

If I'm feeling fancy and have it on hand... chop up some onions or peppers, brown some ground beef or turkey.

The chili is filling and leftovers last for days.

[ahyessophie]

chana masala (or my white girl version)... i almost always have chickpeas on hand and some curry paste, an onion, some tomatoes (but sometimes just chickpeas and curry paste!). it's what my mom would always make when we were in a rush or between grocery runs. even my Indian boyfriend approves!

[tdiprincess]

It depends on what is in the pantry and freezer. Right now we've been eating down the pasta. We just combined households so we have a TON of whole wheat pasta. I'm slowly making our way through it. Sometimes I'll make it with regular sauce. Tonight I made some and made a sauce out of my fresh pesto I made today and some tomatoes (since they were on their way out).

When we're running out of money for food for the month, we just pick up our staples: milk, bread, some fresh veggies that are on sale. Then I just use up what we have left.

[GobabyGoGO]

eggs and oatmeal because I am very likely to have those on hand

[Munchy]

Soup (with whatever is around), or rice and beans, which I ALWAYS have on hand.

[ringmaster]

Originally Posted by ahyessophie

chana masala (or my white girl version)... i almost always have chickpeas on hand and some curry paste, an onion, some tomatoes (but sometimes just chickpeas and curry paste!). it's what my mom would always make when we were in a rush or between grocery runs. even my Indian boyfriend approves!

I'm going to try this... been wanting to try chana masala but all the recipes online call for a long list of spices, can it be done with just curry powder?

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by ringmaster

I'm going to try this... been wanting to try chana masala but all the recipes online call for a long list of spices, can it be done with just curry powder?

I've use American-style, all-purpose curry powder before in very similar dishes and while it turns out ok, I've never been really happy with the flavor (I think it's the tumeric - I think American-style curry powders usually contain way too much for my preferences).

The important thing (or so I've read) is that you like the curry seasoning you choose to use - whether it's a curry powder or a paste.

I've tried higher quality curry powders, with better results, but mostly I've just learned that the curry pastes in a jar, usually taste a thousand times better to me than curry powders (and yet are still very convenient to use).

[Tikrit]

This all sounds great. I also freeze all my leftovers and pull those out when I need a quick meal.

[DesertTabby]

Originally Posted by Esofia

Some great soups have resulted from the "grab whatever veg are in the fridge and shove them in a pan" method.

Pasta and lentils is one of our favourites. It's an Egyptian recipe, originally called rishta bi ads. Slice/chop an onion, sauté it in olive oil with ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon, add a tin of green or brown lentils, season with salt and pepper, and serve on pasta with a dab of butter/marg. This makes 2-3 servings depending on how hungry you are, it's very easy, and it's great comfort food.

Shorbat Adas! Man, that is my favorite comfort food! You have to add the black lime too (since I'm the youngest I always get the lumi in the end Love squeezing that into my soup.) Its also the best food to have when you're sick. We add only a little noodles in ours though, so its more red lentil soup and less pasta.

[Rainbowgirl]

My go to meal isn't all THAT healthy (could be healthier):

You brown some hamburger and throw it in a roaster with cream of mushroom soup, and whatever vegetables you can find (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, brussel sprouts are my fav in this, onions, potatoes; no tomatoes or cabbage or cucumbers of course), bake until vegetables are cooked. You can also add egg noodles and grated cheese.

I almost always have the ingredients for this in the house.

I'm not a huge meat eater, though I usually have meat in the freezer. My mom gave it to me; organic beef and pork. I don't use it much so when things get desperate (like this week with next to no money in the bank), I start pulling out the meat and have it with rice. Since I mostly only ever eat at work, I can get away with just taking some meat to work with some fruit cups, a fruit, and a pudding.. I don't have to make an entire meal if I don't want to or if I can't.

[ringmaster]

I've been making this vegetarian sweet potato chili... higher in carbs, but a small portion is filling. My mom who is very picky and isn't a vegetable eater at all even like this; http://www.realsimple.com/food-recip...528/index.html

[EatMoreCelery]

"Fling" is my go-to meal when groceries are running low.
Fling is my word for stir-fry ... Fling it in a pan ~ fling it on a plate!

Any fresh or frozen veggies get stir-fried and if I have any meat already cooked I throw that in as well. I make a sauce out of broth (or water), ground ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and corn starch, and add it to the veggies as they become semi-tender.

Prepare some brown rice and Fling is ready to be eaten!

[lin43]

Originally Posted by kaplods

I've tried higher quality curry powders, with better results, but mostly I've just learned that the curry pastes in a jar, usually taste a thousand times better to me than curry powders (and yet are still very convenient to use).

Is there a brand that you would recommend?