On a budget, need some vegetarian meals that are cheap!

I'm grocery shopping tomorrow and on a budget so I need some ideas for vegetarian meals that are cheap!

So far my plan is to hard boil a bunch of eggs. I can use that for egg salad, to toss in salads, and to just eat plain.

Besides that I'm a bit clueless.

I have a ton of dry beans and brown rice (not instant). I can pick up whatever vegetables tomorrow.

I'd like to get some bean salad recipes or something. Something that would last a week or so in the fridge that we can eat off of.

I was thinking I can make some hummus and spread that on some tortillas maybe with some sort of vegetables (though I have no idea what would taste good in something like that).

I'm not a fan of quinoa by the way, I notice that's big with vegetarians! lol

Any tips greatly appreciated!

[erinee]

[Serafine]

Originally Posted by KatIsSavedByGrace

I'm grocery shopping tomorrow and on a budget so I need some ideas for vegetarian meals that are cheap!

So far my plan is to hard boil a bunch of eggs. I can use that for egg salad, to toss in salads, and to just eat plain.

Besides that I'm a bit clueless.

I have a ton of dry beans and brown rice (not instant). I can pick up whatever vegetables tomorrow.

I'd like to get some bean salad recipes or something. Something that would last a week or so in the fridge that we can eat off of.

I was thinking I can make some hummus and spread that on some tortillas maybe with some sort of vegetables (though I have no idea what would taste good in something like that).

I'm not a fan of quinoa by the way, I notice that's big with vegetarians! lol

Any tips greatly appreciated!

For the hummus wraps...any veggies will work (although fresh produce is never "cheap") although I like spinach leaves, cukes, avocado, and roasted red peppers. Also, if you julienne some carrots, cukes, etc...it makes the wraps much easier to eat, I have found.

Black bean/corn salad

2 cu. cooked black beans, rinsed drained
2 cu. corn, drained or fresh cut
cilantro
tomato, chopped
cumin
lime juice
Stir and serve over lettuce.

Caribbean black bean salad
brown rice, cooked
black beans, rinsed/drained
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped

dressing: cumin, dijon, apple cider vinegar, olive oil - Great with tortillas.
White bean and tomato salad:
1.5 lbs. new potatoes, unpeeles, or larger potatoes, cut up.
4 cups cooked white beans, drained/rinsed
4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, sliced
one bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cu. olive oil
juice of one lemon (or equiv. bottled juice)

Cook potatoes until "potato salad" tender.
Cool, put in large bowl
Add everything else
salt/pepper to taste.

White and green bean salad:

3 T olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
4 cups cooked lima beans, drained/rinsed
8 oz. green beans, trimmed
1/2 cu. pumpin seeds

Mix oil and vinegar in large bowl, stir in lima beans, set aside
Cook green beans in boiloing, slightly salted water ~3 minutes
RInse in several changes cold water, until cool.
Add green beans and pumpkin seeds to bowl and stir.

Chickpea, tomato, and pepper salad:

5 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded (I have used canned in a pinch, although it does alter the flavor some - they don't really roast well)
3 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 cu. cooked chickpeas (garbanzos) drained/rinsed
bunch parsley, chopped

place tomatoes and bell peppers ina lightly oiled roasting pan. Cook in preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes.
transfer to bowl
add chickpeas, then mix in parsley and salt pepper to taste.
sprinkle with olive oil to serve

HOT DISHES:

Black beans and rice: (2 cu. of beans and 3 cu. rice for approximately 4 main servings) - you can double or triple this recipe

1 onion, chopped
several cloves garlic (or garlic powder)
2 cu. cooked black beans (NOT drained)
1/4 cu. red wine vinegar
3 cu. cooked saffron rice (or other)

saute onion and garlic cloves (NOT powder) until soft.
Stir in beans and vinegar, bring to boil, lower heat, simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in rice.

PINTO BEANS (recipe can be multiplied)

1 lb. dried pinto beans (soaked overnight and rinsed)
1/4 cu. canola or olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Place beans in slow cooker. COver with 1 -2 inches water.
Add oil and salt
Cook on high 4-5 hours
Serve with cornbread or chips, s. cream (if you eat that) and cheese (if you eat it) or (my DHs fave) ketchup.

Cauliflower pasta sauce:

1 head cauliflower, cut up.
Saute in oil or butter until very soft
puree with whatever seasonings you want
makes a nice creamy pasta sauce

OH my, thank you! Those all sound wonderful!!

When you do the last one, the cauliflower pasta, what seasonings do you like to use?

[Serafine]

Originally Posted by KatIsSavedByGrace

OH my, thank you! Those all sound wonderful!!

When you do the last one, the cauliflower pasta, what seasonings do you like to use?

Of course, you would ask about that one, since I haven't made it in about a year! Cauliflower is so "bland" that it really just provides a "creamy" base that can go in just about any direction, flavor-wise. I used, so far, veggie broth/stock and either a stock italian seasoning or rosemary, oregano, and basil. It would also be good with white wine instead of the stock...or you can just use water to thin it out a little bit.

One of the keys is to saute the cauliflower sufficiently in the butter/oil, so that it can be mashed easily with the back of a wooden spoon (you don't even have to puree it, if you don't mind a little lumpiness in your pasta sauce).

hope you enjoy some of those recipes...we are beanaholics in this house (although, you probably don't want to hang out with us a few hours after a meal! )

LOL!

We love beans too and I can tell you that we can create some mean stinkies around here too!