If you are looking for ways to reduce the amount of money that you spend on groceries, try reducing the amount of meat that you eat. Not only will you save money, but you may even lose a few pounds. Check out these two frugal meatless meals:
Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Serve a simple, homemade pasta dish with a side of canned or frozen vegetables (bought on sale of course) and sliced bread.
Approximate cost: $4-$5
Cost Breakdown: Pasta–$1.00; canned tomatoes–$1.00 each; Vegetables–$.50 to $1.00; Onions, oil, garlic, and spices?minimal cost, perhaps $.25 to $.50
Serves: 4-6 people
1 lb pasta (some suggestions: Mostaccioli, Rigatoni, Rotini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 c diced onion
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
Spices (My recommendations: thyme, celery salt, basil, and savory)
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saut? until golden, approximately three minutes. Add tomatoes with liquid and season according to your liking. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until desired consistency. For even more flavor, simmer for up to one hour.
French Onion Soup
(Taken from Betty Crocker’s Big Red Cookbook)
This is a meatless meal, but not vegetarian since it uses beef broth.
Approximate Cost:$4-$5
Cost Breakdown: French bread–$1.00; broth–$2.00; cheese–$.50; other ingredients–under $1.00
Serves 4-6 people
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 cans (10.5 oz) beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
4 thick slices French bread (3/4 to 1 inch thick, slightly stale or toasted)
1 cup shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and coat with butter. Cook uncovered 10 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 35 to 40 minutes longer, stirring well every 5 minutes. Make sure the onions don?t get burned! Cook them until they are a light golden brown. They will shrink quite a bit during cooking.
Stir in remaining ingredients except bread and cheese. Heat until soup is boiling. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Set oven to broil. Pour soup into 4 individual oven-proof bowls. Top with French bread and cheese. Place bowls onto a cookie sheet and place in oven, with tops of bowls about 5 inches from broiler. Broil until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
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