the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 22: red beans + rice.

one of my big personal goals for this year was to try out more recipes and to get more comfortable and creative in the kitchen. the main reason i made this goal is because i have a bad habit of settling into a routine and just making the same four or five dinners over and over again, which makes me really sad because everyone here is actually pretty adventurous with food and i feel like were missing out on SO many great new things because i just make the same recipes over and over again. another lame side effect of this habit is that sometimes a meal slips off the rotation, gets forgotten for months and months, before i remember how great it is and start making it again. 

this is one of those recipes. 

i used to make red beans and rice pretty frequently, and there was ALWAYS a jar (or three) of them in the freezer for when we needed a super fast and easy dinner. i guess its simplicity is what made me forget how great it is, but with the last few months being so crazy with work (for james), school (for me) and having a new baby, red beans and rice are officially back on the rotation. why? because its a dinner thats not only super healthy and dirt cheap, but also takes zero effort in the crock pot. 

you know those crock pot recipes that are so complicated you might as well actually cook them? this is not one of those recipes. theres some chopping, some putting things in the crock pot, some button pushing, and then you get to do whatever for a few hours. all you have to do at dinner time is make rice. actually typing this reminds me that i need to go get some kidney beans...

red beans and rice. 

(makes 8 servings)

heres what you need: 

1 lb dried kidney beans, soaked overnight. 

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 onion

3 ribs of celery

1 green bell pepper

2 tablespoons creole seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

heres what you do: 

place soaked beans in crock pot and cover with 1 inch of water. 

finely chop garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper and add to beans. 

add creole seasoning and season with salt and pepper to taste (i add lots of pepper but no salt because the creole seasoning i use already has salt)

cook on low for 4-6 hours. serve over steamed white rice. 

to be completely honest, i dont use my crock pot a whole lot, what are your favorite crock pot recipes?

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 20: black bean chipotle hummus.

for the (wait for it...) twentieth edition of the poverty luxe kitchen, i have a very, very special recipe for you: the black bean chipotle hummus that i have been meaning to post on here for literally an entire year. yeah... obviously im really on top of things. but better late than never, right? 
right. 
because this hummus is awesome. i mean, not to toot my own horn or anything and we all know that hummus in general is awesome, but this goes beyond regular hummus into fancy-six-dollar-for-a-tiny-thing-at-the-farmers-market-why-cant-i-make-this-at-home hummus territory. except, that you can totally make it at home and a huge batch costs less than the little 8 ounce tub you buy at the farmers market. oh, and its totally easy. 
are you ready to get started with the recipe? here we go: 
black bean chipotle hummus.  (serves 6-8)
heres what you need: 
4-5 cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 1 can (or two cups cooked) garbanzo beans 1 can (or two cups cooked) black beans 3 tablespoons lime juice 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (save the rest to make chipotle aioli!) heres what you do: 
finely chop garlic and place in a small dish with the olive oil and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. 
in the bowl of your food processor, combine the oil and garlic with the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. if the hummus is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.  transfer hummus from food processor to an airtight container and store for up to a week in the fridge. 
im a big fan of eating hummus with carrot sticks and cucumber slices, how do you like to eat it? 

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 17: cheesy polenta + veggies

if i were to pick a new favorite food, it would definitely be polenta. now, polenta isnt exactly the most exciting thing on its own (as my mom put it, its just yellow grits), but its so versatile: you can bake it, fry it, mix things into it, or top it with almost anything and it always turns out delicious. 
unfortunately polenta has a reputation for being really fussy (some recipes involve forty minutes of stirring), so, being as easily intimidated as i am, i tended to consider it a "restaurant only" food. but, you know, sometimes you just NEED some polenta, and you dont have the time or money to go out to the fancy steakhouse with the $20 grilled polenta and veggies thats just SO amazing. so you start looking around at sprouts and find that the little log of pre-made polenta that barely makes one dinner is like $5. which, yeah is a lot less than it would cost at a restaurant, but still, its not cheap. 
except, sprouts sells dry polenta in the bulk section. and its super cheap. like, i got a HUGE bag (that lasted for months) for like $4. and after a little bit of research and experimentation, ive come to find out that polenta isnt actually all that fussy to make. so now polenta, which used to be reserved for birthdays and special occasions, has become a quick and easy weeknight dinner. is there anything better than that? no. no there is not. 
even though you technically can do all kinds of crazy things with polenta, my favorite way to eat it is warm and soft and freshly made, with some sautéed veggies on top. sometimes ill make this on its own for dinner, but its also a great side dish with say, some salmon. and thats what todays recipe is: 
cheesy polenta with veggies.  (serves 4 as a meal, more as a side dish)
heres what you need: 
1 cup dried polenta 4 cups water 1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional, if you omit the cheese this recipe is entirely vegan) olive oil 1 small/medium onion 4 cloves garlic salt, pepper, and herbs de provence to taste 1 bunch asparagus 1 package white mushrooms
heres what you do: 
in a medium/large pot, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil, add polenta, stir, and return to a boil. 
reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally (contrary to popular belief polenta does NOT need to be stirred constantly however it will stick if you dont stir it at all), until almost all of the water has absorbed and grains are cooked through (approximately 10-15 minutes) 
remove from heat, stir in cheese (entirely optional but i really think it improves the flavor and texture), and set aside. 
finely chop onions and garlic and sautee in olive oil until they begin to soften, seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence to your preference. 
cut the asparagus and mushrooms into small pieces, add to onion and garlic mixture, and continue to cook until the onions are caramelized and the vegetables are cooked through. 
serve the polenta in bowls with the vegetable mixture on top. 
do you have a favorite fancy restaurant food that you learned to make at home? id love to hear about it in the comments!

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 15: how to make beans (with or without a crock pot)

fun fact: unless i absolutely cant avoid it, i never buy beans in cans. yeah, i know, im that mom. i actually wrote a pretty in-depth post about all the reasons why i do this about a year ago (you can read all about it here) but it was right around the time i was really floundering with this while blogging thing and i never got around to posting about how i go about making our homemade beans. 
which ended up being a great thing, because at the time i pretty much only made beans in my crock pot. in my opinion, this is by far the easiest method, BUT its the slowest, and it takes a little bit of advanced planning. something that i havent been so great at since ive been pregnant, in school, and parenting a toddler all at the same time. so over the last few months, ive actually learned some different methods of cooking dried beans. 
and today im going to share them all with you, right here in one post, so that you can easily decide which bean-cooking method will work best for your current bean needs without having to scour the internet for individual recipes (something ive had to do, oh, every time ive forgotten to soak the beans). so here we go, three different ways to make beans at home (that i have personally used multiple times and can totally vouch for): 
note: all of these methods are for cooking one pound of dried beans (approximately two cups, in case you buy them in bulk), and yield approximately eight cups (four cans worth) or cooked beans. 
1. in a crock pot: 
like ive already mentioned, this way is my favorite because even though the time commitment is the longest, its the most passive. also, because the crock pot regulates its own temperature, there is no possibility of anything getting burnt (maybe its just me but i often have a problem keeping a close eye on things for hours). heres how you do it: 
rinse beans and soak them overnight in a large bowl covered with AT LEAST two inches of water. 
in the morning, drain off the soaking water, rinse beans again and transfer them to the crock pot, again covering with at least two inches of water, salt (dont forget the salt at the beginning, its very important!), and any other seasonings you might want to use (obviously this will depend on the type of beans that youre making and what youll be using them for). 
set your crock pot on low and cook the beans for approximately six hours, checking occasionally to adjust seasonings and avoid over-cooking. 
drain and serve. 
2. on the stove: 
like using the crock pot, this method also requires an overnight soak, however unlike the crock pot method, its quite a bit faster and doesnt take up all our counter space. this is the method im most likely to use if i remembered to soak the beans but i didnt remember to get them in the crock pot first thing in the morning: 
rinse beans and soak them overnight in a large bowl covered with AT LEAST two inches of water. 
in the morning, drain off the soaking water, rinse beans again and transfer them to a large pot or dutch oven with a well-fitting lid, again covering with at least two inches of water. add salt and any other seasonings you may want to use. 
bring the beans to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. cook beans, stirring (and checking for flavor/done-ness) occasionally until tender (depending on the type of beans this may take up to three hours). 
drain and serve. 
3. in the oven: 
this is the method that im most likely to pull out in an emergency, (and by "emergency" i mean "i forgot to soak the beans the night before") because it doesnt require soaking. yes, you can totally make beans without soaking them overnight first. the only reason i put this method last, honestly, is because it does involve having the oven on for a long time, which i tend to try and avoid in an apartment as small as ours. however, it is still a fantastic way to cook beans: 
preheat your oven to 250 degrees. 
rinse beans and put them in a large pot or dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and cover with at least two inches of water. add salt and any other flavorings that you desire. 
bring the pot to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour. stir, check for flavor and done-ness, and continue to cook until tender (another 20-30 minutes). 
drain and serve. 
so there you have THREE different ways of cooking dried beans and taking advantage of all the benefits they have over canned beans. 
do you make beans at home? whats your favorite method? 
 

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 11: easiest green beans.

guess what? i have a treat for you guys today: a vegetable recipe, thats not roasted. wait, what? yes, sometimes i do cook veggies in ways other than roasting. sometimes. 

i actually have a confession to make: i am not a fan of putting much effort into side dishes. im just lazy in that way, ok? i know some people get really into making an elaborate meal with all kinds of complicated sides (my in-laws, for example, have an entree, salad, and multiple sides at every single dinner), but me? no, i cant do that. the vast majority of dinners i make are all-inclusive (as in, protein, vegetables, and something starchy), and if not, i throw some kind of vegetable in the oven while its cooking (hence the excess of roasted veggies in the meyers house). 

but sometimes its too hot to turn on the oven, or maybe we want something other than asparagus, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, butternut squash, or kale. so for those nights (and also around the holidays when green beans are practically free), im a big fan of making these: the easiest green beans ever: 

easiest green beans: 

serves 4. 

heres what you need: 

1 lb fresh green beans, washed, cleaned, and broken in half

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

olive oil

lemon pepper

heres what you do: 

heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté garlic until it starts to brown (2-3 minutes). 

add green beans and sprinkle with lemon pepper to your preference. 

continue to cook, stirring occasionally until crunchy and starting to blacken in spots (5-10 minutes). 

and thats it. thats literally it. and now you have a fresh, delicious veggie side dish that took zero effort and cost a dollar or two. your welcome. 

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 9: curry lentil stew.

so when i started this whole poverty luxe kitchen feature, my intention was to show off new recipes, but as things went on (can you believe were already on post number 9? i cant), i realized that there were quite a few recipes waaaaaaayyyyy back in my archives from back when i was a little tiny baby blogger (and poor food photographer) that deserve to see the light of day (and a flattering portrait). 

first up im bringing back my recipe for curry lentil stew. maybe this seems like an odd choice for memorial day weekend since its basically summer now and all that, but honestly, this recipe is pretty relevant for us where we are right now, seeing as 1. were getting to the time of the year where james is working a lot more (and out of town a lot) so quick, healthy dinners are the main focus of our meal plan, and 2. were about to have a baby so im starting to get really concerned about getting the freezer stocked up so were prepared in case of bedrest or a slow recovery. 

this recipe has pretty much been on our regular dinner rotation since james and i first got married since easy, cheap, and makes a TON of food. i started with a recipe i found in this book (which, by the way, is fabulous and one of only three cook books i own), that i modified over time to include more veggies (cause why not), and changed the proportions a bit to better accommodate cooking in bulk (this recipe freezes/reheats beautifully so its one of the few things that i habitually make in bulk). 

so are you ready to make some lentils? lets go!

curry lentil stew. 

(serves 8+ on its own, even more if you serve it over rice)

heres what you need: 

1 pound of dried lentils (i typically get these in the bulk bins at sprouts or at the dollar store)

7-8 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons curry powder (note: this can be expensive, but i totally wrote a post about how to save money on spices)

4 medium russet potatoes (or two of those insanely huge baking potatoes)

3-4 carrots

3-4 ribs of celery

salt and black pepper to taste

heres what you do: 

in a large pot, combine the lentils, stock and curry powder and bring to a boil. 

once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot and cook the lentils (which should be bubbling gently, NOT a rolling boil) for about 15 minutes. 

while the lentils cook, peel and chop your potatoes, carrots, and celery, into bite-sized pieces and add them to the lentils at the end of the 15 minutes. 

stir the veggies in and continue to cook everything with the pot completely covered and undisturbed for about ten more minutes. 

check your lentils to make sure theres still enough liquid (add more if necessary), and (if needed) add salt and black pepper to taste.

 

cover and continue to cook for about 5-10 more minutes until the veggies are cooked through. 

serve as is, or over steamed rice. 

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 7: parmesan roasted asparagus (featuring bluff cove olive oil co.)

if youre a long time reader, youre probably pretty familiar with my affinity for roasted vegetables. and the fact that my friend owns a totally bomb olive oil store. and that the number one thing i look forward to in spring is the super cheap asparagus. ok, i dont think ive ever mentioned that last one before, but still. 

well today i finally get to combine the three in a recipe that i am way too excited about (seriously how boring am i that im this excited about roasting asparagus? no. dont answer that). conveniently enough, this recipe makes a fantastic complement to last weeks pesto baked salmon recipe, just saying. 

now, you absolutely do not have to use the herbs de provence olive oil from bluff cove that im using here, you totally could use regular olive oil with some dried herbs de provence. it just wont be quite as good. 

so are we ready to roast some asparagus? lets go: 

parmasean roasted asparagus. 

serves 4-6 (as a side dish)

heres what you need: 

1 bundle of asparagus stalks (usually around a pound or so)

olive oil (here i used herbs de provence oil from bluff cove olive oil co.) 

salt, pepper, and garlic powder (also dried herbs de provence if youre not using a flavored oil)

grated parmesan cheese

heres what you do: 

preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

trim the woody bits off the asparagus stalks and lay them in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. 

drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and herbs (if desired), then top with parmesan cheese. 

bake for 10-15 minutes until crunchy.

*disclaimer: this post/recipe was in no way sponsored or compensated by bluff cove olive oils, i just really love these oils*

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 5: chickpea and brown rice soup.

im going to be completely honest here: researching recipes when youre gluten free is total lamesauce. typically youre faced with one of two options: you can either search for specifically gluten free recipes and being assaulted with a barrage of kale and quinoa and "skinny" this and "paleo" that until you silently weep because youre pregnant and have a family to feed and you need recipes for actual food. OR you can browse "normal" recipes for inspiration and try your best to figure out if its even un-glutenable before getting tired and just making something that you already know will work (and be safe to eat). 

this soup though, happens to be my first full-blown success with the latter option. i had originally found this soup on pinterest and thought it looked/sounded fantastic. quick, healthy, filling, and CHEAP, basically everything i look for in a weeknight dinner, with the added bonus of involving garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas). alice LOVES garbanzo beans. it can be really difficult to get her excited over a new dinner, but not quite so much if it has her favorite beans prominently featured in it. 

the only problem with the original recipe was the orzo. orzo is definitely not gluten free. maybe somebody out there makes gluten free orzo but i wasnt really willing to put in the extra effort (and money) to find out when, you know, rice is pretty similar to orzo. and already gluten free. and 99 cents a pound. what could possibly go wrong here? not much, actually. the first time i made the soup i just followed the recipe verbatim, just substituting the rice for the orzo and while it was ok, it wasnt quite right. the rice soaked up WAY too much broth and i found it a little lacking in the flavor department. so i took a few notes and made a few adjustments and the next week: perfection. i think we have a new favorite soup on our hands. 

so are YOU ready to have a new favorite soup? i think so: 

chickpea and brown rice soup. 

(makes approximately 8 servings)

heres what you need: 

1 onion

3-4 cloves of garlic

olive oil

salt, pepper, dried rosemary, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf to taste

3-4 carrots

3-4 ribs celery (i tend to err on the side of more because who doesnt want more veggies?)

1 can of garbanzo beans (or two cups of cooked beans if you make your own)

3/4 cup brown rice

2 quarts vegetable stock + 2 cups of water

1/4 cup lemon juice

heres what you do: 

finely chop the onions and garlic and sauté with olive oil on medium-high heat in a large soup pot. 

when the onions become translucent, season with salt, pepper, and herbs (i dont really measure i just do what smells nice), and continue to cook until the onions start to brown. 

chop the carrots and celery into small pieces and stir them into the onions and garlic, cooking for another minute or two. 

add the garbanzo beans, rice, stock, water, and lemon juice and bring soup to a boil. 

cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until rice is fully cooked (add more water if necessary depending on how much the rice swells). finish off with a little more lemon juice if desired. 

and thats it! now you have a perfect quick and easy soup!

the poverty luxe kitchen vol. 3: vegan black bean chili.

jusssstt in case we have any new readers/while were still sort of on the topic of this sort of re-brand happening here i would just like to reiterate: the poverty luxe kitchen is a new recurring segment where i talk about food, recipes, kitchen hacks, etc., and how they relate to the poverty luxe lifestyle. as of right now its still in its baby stages (though you can read vol. 1 and vol. 2 to catch up if you so desire), but im still really, really excited about the direction this is headed in already. 

now without any further ado, lets talk about chili. even though here in los angeles were dusting off the bathing suits and getting ready for spring time, the internet has made me aware that this is very much not the case in the rest of america. so chili seemed like a good topic for this week. 

i like chili. im pretty sure i always have. its spicy, its hearty, its easy, and its total comfort food. the thing is, it usually comes from a can, which can be great for price and convenience, but isnt always so great in terms of nutrition and accommodating my dietary limitations. but it doesnt have to come from a can. you can totally make it yourself and its super awesome and cheap and not even hard. 

this recipe, like the majority of recipes in my mental library, has evolved quite a bit over the past few years since i started making it: first i had a recipe for a blended black bean soup, then i got lazy and stopped blending it, then i started cramming vegetables in it as an attempt to be healthier, and finally, i was like "hey this soup is basically chili" so i added more spices and now its basically always on our meal rotation. 

why? because its delicious, duh. also, its super, super cheap and basically entirely consists of stuff we usually have lying around. also also, this recipe makes a huge ass pot of chili that i can portion and freeze and feed my family a good five or six times before we run out and its time to make it again. also also also, it has the added benefits of not only being gluten/soy free (actually it can be entirely allergen free if you omit the corn), AND vegan. so if youre ever faced with a situation where you have to cook a meal for someone with impossible dietary needs, youre welcome. 

i think ive blabbered on enough, whos ready to make some chili?!

heres what you need: 

(recipe makes 12 + meal sized portions)

1 lb black beans, soaked and cooked (or 4 cans, i wont judge) 

1 can corn (or 1/2 bag of frozen corn, totally optional if you want to make this allergen free)

1 can tomatoes (nope, i dont have an alternative to suggest)

1 bell pepper, any color (also optional)

3-4 carrots

3-4 celery stalks

1 onion

4-5 cloves garlic

1 qt vegetable stock (i make my own)

olive oil

2 tablespoons chili powder (not the hot kind)

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional if youre not into spicy things)

salt + pepper to taste

heres what you do: 

start by finely chopping garlic and onion, and in your biggest pot, sauté those in some olive oil on medium-high heat until they start to soften. 

chop carrots, celery, and bell pepper and add those to the onion/garlic, continue to sauté until things start browning. season with salt and/or pepper as you feel necessary. 

next add your stock, beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices, give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil. 

reduce heat and simmer gently until the carrots are cooked through. 

aaaaannndddd youre done! 

you can eat this immediately, maybe with some cheese on top (in which case it would no longer be vegan, but you know) or some cornbread, put it on baked potatoes, burgers, hot dogs, french fries, anything youd do with chili. and the best part: it freezes beautifully so you can make this once, and keep eating it for a very, very long time. 

hope you enjoy this recipe as much as i have, be sure to stop by and let me know what you think after youve tried it out!

introducing: the poverty luxe kitchen (+ a recipe for roasted cabbage)

not long ago i had my very first blog coaching session ever with kayli at the passion punch. since then ive also had the opportunity to work with alisha and keizra, and while all three of these ladies are absolutely FANTASTIC and i would without a doubt recommend any one of them if you happen to be in the market for some blog/business coaching, during my first session with kayli we mainly talked about the content here on poverty luxe. i had been feeling a bit lost and burnt of on a lot of my typical topics, but going over everything through fresh eyes was so refreshing and inspiring. we brainstormed a few new series, and today i am very, very excited to debut the first of them for you: the poverty luxe kitchen. 

the poverty luxe kitchen, or the PL kitchen for short, will focus on recipes and tutorials to help you maximize your grocery budget (no matter how limited) on healthy, natural, delicious food, that wont take all day (or a million ingredients). just simple, yummy, and good for you. basically everything I've been working on for our diet for the past four years. if your anything like me (a broke, busy food snob with a million allergies), i think were going to have a lot of fun here. 

so today, as the inaugural post of the PL kitchen, i want to talk about cabbage. 

now, i know youre probably all freaking out, like "what the heck victoria, you built us up on this awesome new series and now youre talking about cabbage?!". but hear me out, cabbage is a surprisingly versatile vegetable. its great on tacos, in soups, coleslaw, salads, sir fry, steamed with other veggies and slathered in savory sauce (a local delicacy). oh and its regularly on sale at sprouts for .50 a pound. sometimes (especially around st. patricks day) its even cheaper. I've seen it for as low as .25 cents a pound at sprouts, and 6 pounds for a dollar at the local mexican grocery store. as far as veggies go, its hard to find something as cheap and versatile as cabbage. 

one of my favorite things to do with cabbage is to roast it (if youre a long time reader you may have already notcied that I've got a penchant for the roasted vegetables) roasted cabbage is perfect for when you need a quick , simple, and cheap veggie for a side dish. and today, im going to show you how to make it. 

(note: for the three of us, i typically only use half of a normal sized head of cabbage for this recipe, so to prevent waste, i usually do our weekly meal plan in a way that uses cabbage twice. like, fish tacos on wednesday and salmon with roasted cabbage sunday)

heres what you need (serves 3-4 as a side): 

1/2 head green cabbage

olive oil

seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, pepper flakes, spices, go crazy here)

heres what you do: 

preheat your oven to 400 degrees and oil up a baking sheet or jelly roll pan (one with an edge, DO NOT try this on a flat cookie sheet). 

remove the two outermost leaves of the cabbage (they tend to be dirty and yucky). 

remove the stem at the bottom and cut the whole head of cabbage in half (save the other half for later)

slice the remaining half in 1/2 inch slices, parallel to your original chop. 

arrange slices in a single layer on oiled baking sheet. 

drizzle with olive oil and season as you wish (im a fan of salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes). 

bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until browned. 

serve hot (trust me on this one). 

so that was our first installment of the PL kitchen, what do you want to see next time? 

p.s. its still january! treat yourself to a gift from the poverty luxe etsy shop for 30% off with code JAN15