toasted noodles with kale and navy beans

Tonight is Italian/Pasta Night

Although tonight's meal is not Italian, but Jewish, it is a pasta dish.


The kids love this meal and requested a repeat, especially Kate who did not want me to forget about making garlic bread! Traditionally it is simply referred to as 'fideos'; the noodles are first sauteed in olive oil and then baked with just enough vegetable broth to soften them. After baking I crispen them in the oven on broil. I added kale and navy beans this time around. I know the kids will add some Better Than Sour Cream -it is just how they roll and this can be traditional as well.

Then they'll do an un-traditional thing and put it on some fresh garlic bread. Yeah, we live adventurously here.

Cost Breakdown:

brown rice pasta: $2.50

vegetable broth (homemade): $.50

tomatoes: $2

1/2 kale: $1.50

bread: $2

garlic and onions: $.50

Better Than Sour Cream: $1

beans: $2

Total to feed a family of 5:

$12.00

Toasted Noodles with Greens and Beans Recipe

basil-tomato soup

When we suddenly went vegan (really- one weekend I tossed everything that wasn't vegan and on Monday we went to Whole Foods; that was it) back about a decade ago, my daughter's, four at the time, new comfort food became Whole Food's Basil-Tomato Soup. She would get that soup every time we went to Whole Foods!

Then one day a few years ago, we returned for her obligatory soup-fix only to find that it was no longer vegan - it had cream in it. Yikes! Magic in the kitchen was needed. I managed to recreate her beloved soup for her and she has been enjoying it ever since. This is her contribution to the family cooking this week and she does a tasty job of it. Thank you, Cat!

Simple, more cost-efficient, and vegan.

Cost Breakdown:
tomatoes: $5
basil, dried: $.50
onion, garlic: $1
sugar or agave: $.50
bread: $3
Total to feed a family of 5 a few times:
$10.00