Rice and beans, a staple of porfags everywhere. None of this is exactly groundbreaking or anything, just somethings I’ve learned over the last while.
Add spices to your collection as you can afford them. I suggest at least turmeric, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, onion and garlic powder - fresh is better, but not as cheap per use and don’t last as long. Jarlic is acceptable for convenience, as long you keep in mind it’s a lot milder than fresh. Those spices will allow you to make both Mexican and middle eastern flavors. If you add ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil, now you have Asian flavors to play with as well.
You can make a decent beef and broccoli with ground beef, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar. A little sesame oil goes a long way to adding flavor. Ground beef can also be used in stroganoff, add it to some pasta along with corn and tomatoes and you have American goulash.
A lot of other Asian sauces use those same ingredients as a base, you can make teriyaki sauce, mayo is one of the ingredients in yum yum sauce, orange marmalade and some chilis is the base for orange chicken.
Sour cream (a tablespoon or two) added to spaghetti sauce makes a nice creamy tomato sauce without changing the flavor.
You can blend in a can of white beans into spaghetti sauce and you’ll add fiber, without changing the flavor.
If you only have pasta and canned tomatoes, you can make pretty good pasta with a surprisingly thick sauce in the microwave. Pour the undrained tomatoes on top of the pasta, make sure all the pasta is covered. You might want to add some more water, but you won’t need much. Microwave it on high for 12-15 minutes, adjust as needed to get the right consistency depending on how much pasta you used. If there’s extra water the starch in the pasta will thicken it as it cools.
Mexican beans: onion, garlic, salt, cayenne (unless you’re using jalapenos), chili, cumin, and jalapenos. Fresh ones are pretty cheap and one jalapeno is enough to season at least two pounds of beans. Wear gloves or throughly wash your hands after, you will regret it if you don’t. If you eat the broth too, you’ve got a simple soup. If you add canned tomatoes and ground beef, you’ve got a Mexican inspired chili (no matter what Texans say).
Mexican rice: same spices, no jalapeno, rice, one can of tomato sauce, water or broth. Mix well before cooking. A little oil or butter is optional, but delicious.
Middle eastern flavors: lemon, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper. Add to cooked or canned beans, blend, and you have cheaters hummus using whatever beans you have. Tahini can be pricey, you can substitute with peanuts ground in your food processor if you have one. The flavor is close enough. If you’re making hummus with canned garbanzos, cook them with baking soda for about 20 minutes, and add ice water to the mixture to thin it as needed. The finished product will be much smoother and creamier.
Turmeric also works really well in rice. I made some yesterday that was absolutely amazing. Turmeric, garlic, a bay leaf (may or may not make a difference), chicken broth or bouillon- if you can find the better than bouillon paste it’s fantastic, a little goes a long way. I also shredded three carrots and three celery stalks and cooked them along with the rice. Adds vegetables and fiber, lowers carbs which also lowers calories if you are concerned about that.
Asian rice: soy sauce, vegetables, sesame oil, garlic and onion, chicken or other meat optional.
Baked potatoes: good with beans on them if you’re tired of rice. Any toppings really. Baked potatoes are one of the most satiating foods. The skin has most of the nutrients, but the white part has a lot too. For instance, a potato has more potassium than a banana of the same weight.
Canned potatoes: bake or air fry them until golden brown, add salt, and it’s a much faster way to make home fries that are surprisingly quite good. Nice to have on standby in case you’re having a really tough month, canned goods last forever. Watch for sales and buy a few extra when you can.
Spaghetti squash when it’s on sale: cut and scoop seeds. It’s easier to cut if you poke holes in it with a fork and microwave it for a few minutes. Fill the hollow with canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic to taste. Add some cheese if you have it, bake until the squash is soft. Eat straight out of the skin.
Most recipes that call for using fresh tomatoes will work just as well with canned ones.
Budget Bytes has a recipe that used to be called Italian wonderpot. She’s changed it, but google will still find it. It’s one pot spinach, onion, pasta and I’ve never had anyone who didn’t like it. Even my friend who doesn’t like onions.
If you have a salad and would like to add some protein but you don’t have a lot, you can bake some chicken nuggets and cut them into quarters. They also add some extra fat which can make your salad feel more substantial of a meal.
You can stretch ground beef by adding lentils to make a half/half thing. Brown lentils work best if you’re cooking for kids.
Apples: slice, add sugar and cinnamon, bake until soft in the oven or microwave.
Of course everyone probably knows about cinnamon toast: toast, butter (melted is best), cinnamon and sugar. You can buy that pre-mixed, but using your own container to mix them or not mixing them at all is cheaper.
A general PSA to the women here: be careful with 100% recycled toilet paper. A lot of women develop a bad, very painful rash that won’t heal unless you use the toilet paper that’s not recycled. Once you switch back it does heal fast.
Vaseline is the best moisturizer, according to my dermatologist. It prevents moisture from evaporating from the skin, even after it’s absorbed, it won’t clog your pores, almost zero chance of an allergic reaction. They also say don’t use antibiotic ointment on wounds, there isn’t enough antibiotics to make much difference. Plain petroleum jelly works just as well and won’t contribute to antibiotic overuse. A moist wound heals quicker. It’s also a good lip balm, although I don’t care for the taste and find it wears off too quickly, but it’s good in a pinch.
Dollar stores often sell high quality hair care products. I use a dollar tree brand hair mask as a leave-in, it’s the same stuff as a brand that sells for four times as much at Walmart. I don’t remember the name of it, but it’s a green jar. If I think about it next time I’m home I’ll let you know the brand. Look to see what you have locally and then Google reviews. There are also a lot of junk products to be found at those stores, but the online reviews haven’t failed me yet.
