Having to feed yourself, or a family, when you’re on a very tight budget is hard work. It’s exhausting trying to think of meals that are inexpensive, tasty and can stretch for more than one sitting. It’s also important to keep some variety so boredom doesn’t set it (think of the cacophony that is the whining sounds of “spaghetti again?”) For me, I’ve found that the best way to eat a varied diet on a limited budget is encompassed in one word—soup.
I don’t care what season it is. I will eat soup whether it’s 4° or 84°. There are endless possibilities for soup. It can be vegetarian, vegan, meat based, hot or cold. They can have lots of vegetables or no vegetables. They can be cream based or broth based. The list goes on and on. Almost every Sunday, you will find me in my kitchen making at least one pot of soup (I typically don’t eat sandwiches so soup serves as my lunch most days).
One of my favorites soups is a broth based black bean soup. I found it on All Recipes years ago when my husband and I had a $30 a week grocery budget. I have been making it ever since. It’s a simple soup that can be made for approximately $5-7, depending on sales and where you shop.
A few comments about the ingredients and cost: if you have a fully stocked pantry and spices on hand, this recipe is even less expensive. For instance, I always have cumin, chili powder, jarred garlic and vegetable oil on hand; as such, the cost of those ingredients in this recipe is nominal. I buy the large “Bugs Bunny” carrots ($2.99 for 5 lbs) so the cost of the 2 carrots is also nominal. I also prefer to buy vegetable bouillon cubes for the broth ($1.59 for 6 cubes or 12 cups of broth); I find that for the cost, the bouillon cubes stretch my money a lot farther. So, to make this soup I had to buy: 1 box vegetable bouillon cubes, 2 cans black beans, 1 can tomatoes, 1 onion and 1 package of corn which came to a grand total of $4.87 or $.61 per serving. That’s not a bad deal.
Black Bean Soup (adapted from a recipe found on All Recipes)
Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced (I use a big heaping spoonful of jarred minced garlic)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 can corn (can substitute with one package frozen corn)
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth (I use vegetable bouillon cubes)
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can stewed tomatoes (I use a can of diced tomatoes)
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium-large pot.
2. Add the onion, carrots and garlic. Sauté until onion is soft, approximately 5-7 minutes.
3. Stir in the cumin, chili powder. Cook for 1 minute. Then add corn, pepper, broth and 1 can black beans. Bring to a boil.
4. Puree remaining can of black beans and tomatoes in a food processor (note: I have never done this. I usually combine the beans and tomatoes in a bowl and mash with a fork. ) Add to the rest of the soup.
5. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Makes approximately 8 cups.
This is a really versatile soup. You can make it as describe or you can make it your own. You can add peppers or celery to the soup or you can top it with some shredded cheese or sour cream (or both!). You can even add some leftover chicken. I usually have it with a roll or tortilla strips.
Anyone with a small grocery budget will tell you that finding satisfying, nutritious and healthy meals is close to impossible. So I recommend soup. It’ll keep you full, it’ll keep you in budget and it’ll give you a lot of food. That’s a combination that definitely tastes good!
You can find more of Jana’s recipes, kitchen disaster stories and thoughts on food at her blog, The Empty Kitchen.
