Meatless meals ease pressure on budget

photo by wordridden

Give flexitarianism (semi-vegetarianism) a try. Once a week, incorporate a meatless dish into your meal rotation. You’ll be surprised that you don’t miss the meat in the following recipes even when these dishes typically include it as a key ingredient. It’s good for your budget, too.

Mushroom-Barley Soup

2 onions
2 stalks of celery
2 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 pound fresh mushrooms
2 carrots
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
10 cups water

Chop the onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms, parsley and carrots. In a large pot, combine the onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms. Add just a bit of the water so the veggies don’t stick to the pot (or you can add oil if you want to add some more texture). Saute for about four minutes, and then add the barley, soy sauce, salt, garlic powder, dill, parsley and remaining water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-1/2 hours. Add the carrots, and allow to simmer another 45 minutes or until the carrots are tender. — Donna, California

Mushroom Quesadillas

12 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
20 small corn tortillas
sour cream or guacamole, for serving

In a skillet, cook the onion and garlic in a bit of oil for a few minutes until tender. Add the chopped mushrooms, and cover. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender and size is reduced, stirring occasionally. Drain, and set aside. Line 10 tortillas with a thin layer of cheese. Spread a couple spoonfuls of the mushroom mixture on top of cheese. Top with another thin layer of cheese, and cover with a second tortilla. Pan cook just like grilled cheese until the cheese is melted, and serve with sour cream or guacamole. — Sophie, New York

Tempeh Cheese-Steak Sandwiches

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 block tempeh
1 onion
1 green pepper
10 ounces mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
sandwich rolls

Whisk together the teriyaki sauce and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Slice the tempeh as thinly as possible along the short side. Add the tempeh to the marinade, stir to coat, and set aside. Thinly slice the onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Add the veggies, cook until they begin to caramelize, and then add the tempeh and the marinade. Continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed and the tempeh is heated through. Serve with Italian bread cut to size for easy portion control. These are delicious with or without steak sauce. — Sage, Connecticut

Rice-and-Bean Casserole

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1-1/2 cups cooked from dry beans)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese

Mix rice, beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa, sour cream, onion and 1 cup cheese in a large bowl. Spray a 2-1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray, and fill with the rice mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake another 10 minutes, or run it under the broiler until the cheese melts. You can eat it as is, or wrap it in a tortilla for a tasty burrito. — Sage, Connecticut

Posted by Sara Noel on October 31 2009. Filed under Frugal Cooking.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook