Fifteen Ingredients: Two Budget-Friendly Meals

Posted by Renee Reardin on September 10, 2014

When you’re a new cook out on your own, there are a few inevitable problems you’re bound to face. The first is you suck at planning. You head to the grocery store almost every evening to pick up more ingredients for dinner. Which brings us to my second point: You require so many ingredients for a single meal, you’re left with a ton of food left over and therefore little extra money for your entertainment fund.

But it’s okay! To solve a few of your weekly dinner woes, I’ve come up with two recipes to make with fifteen simple ingredients, then a few extra pantry items.

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Two Dinners Under $35

The first recipe is your classic vegetable stir fry, and the second is a tasty bean burrito. And after you’ve cooked these meals? You’ll still have all the ingredients you need to make a hearty omelet, fajita, and classic side dishes to your typical chicken dinner.
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Ingredients:

Brown grain rice Whole wheat tortillas 1 large carrots or a handful of mini carrots 1 Red bell pepper Small crown of broccoli  1 Red Onion 1 Egg Cheddar Cheese Salsa Sour Cream Chili Peppers Tomato Paste Pinto Beans Garlic GingerPantry Items: Olive oil Butter Vegetable broth Soy sauce Toasted sesame oil Brown sugar Cumin
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How to Make the Stir Fry (1 serving, 2 cups)

What You Need for an Individual Serving: 1/2 cup brown rice ½ cup vegetable broth 1 egg 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon butter Handful broccoli crowns 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1 large carrots or a handful of mini carrots, sliced ¼ red onion 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh ginger 1 tablespoon rice vinegar ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil Chili pepper flakes
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Directions: Step 1 & 2

Combine rice and vegetable broth in a small pot, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes, then set aside.In a large nonstick pan, add the butter and egg, scramble it with a spatula and set aside.
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Directions: Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add garlic, onion, red bell pepper, carrot, broccoli and ginger, stirring until vegetables are tender. Add the rice, soy sauce and vinegar and mix.
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Directions: Step 4

Fold in the egg, remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and sprinkle on the chili flakes.
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Directions: Step 5

Serve immediately.Next up, the Bean Burrito.
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How to Make a Bean Burrito

What You Need for an Individual Serving: 1/4 cup brown rice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 garlic glove, chopped 1/2 red onion, chopped ½ red pepper, chopped ¼ teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon tomato paste ½ cup pinto beans Whole wheat tortilla 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Salsa Sour cream
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Directions: Step 1 & 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside.Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add garlic, onion and cumin. Stir and cook until golden, then add tomato paste and red pepper.
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Directions: Step 3

Add beans and 1/3 cup of water, boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes.
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Directions: Step 4

Heat tortillas in the oven for a few minutes, until edges slightly curl.
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Directions: Step 5

Assemble the burrito, first with rice, bean mixture, and then cheese.
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Directions: Step 6

Add sour cream and salsa to sides if desired.
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Directions: Step 7

Serve immediately.Renée Reardin is a lifestyle writer and stylist living in Toronto. To learn more about her, visit <a target="_self" href="http://reneereardin.com/">www.reneereardin.com</a>, and follow her on Twitter <a target="_self" href="https://twitter.com/reneereardin">@reneereardin</a>.<a target="_self" href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/blog/author/reneereardin/">More posts</a> from Renée.
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