Spicy Turkey Bean Chili

10 servings
Total cost: NY $18.79
Cost per serving: NY $1.88


Everyone needs a good turkey chili recipe in their repertoire, particularly during the dark days of January. This one has some zing to it; if you like it milder, knock it back down to 1 chipotle pepper. In furtherance of my continued quest to break free from the tyranny of commercial broths, this recipe calls for no broth whatsoever. This makes a lot, but like most chilis, it improves with age as the flavors meld and freezes well to boot.


Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 2 cloves garlic (NY $0.31 for one head)
• 1 large yellow onion (NY $1.26)
• 1 green pepper (NY $1.89)
• 1 red pepper (NY $2.15)
• 1 pound ground turkey (NY $5.99)
• 2 tbsps chili powder (staple)
• 1 tsp cumin (staple)
• ½ tsp oregano (staple)
• ½ tsp hot paprika (staple)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (staple)
• 1 14.5 oz can kidney beans (NY $0.89)
• 1 14.5 oz can pinto beans (NY $0.89)
• 2 chipotles en adobo (NY $2.19 for one can*)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (NY $1.89)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (staple)
• 1 bottle cerveza (NY $1.33)
• 1 bunch scallions (NY $0.99) (optional**)

Directions

Start this one about an hour before you plan to eat.

Mince the garlic, and chop the onion, green pepper and red pepper.


Warm 2 tbsps olive oil in a large pot, and saute the chopped vegetables about 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground turkey, spices and cocoa powder. Continue cooking, stirring to break up the meat, until the turkey is browned, about another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the chipotles. Once turkey is no longer pink, stir in the drained and rinsed beans, the chipotle, crushed tomatoes, vinegar and beer.


Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, approximately 30 minutes longer.


* When you have leftover chipotles, which you inevitably will b/c I’ve yet to see a recipe that calls for an ENTIRE can (and my lips burn just thinking about it!), freeze the excess.

** You can, of course, garnish this with any number of things, according to taste and the contents of your fridge. Diced tomatoes, sour cream, chopped red onions, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, shredded monterey jack, diced jalapenos for the truly bold, etc., etc. We happen to like scallions, and we didn’t want to leave all toppings out of the pricing for this recipe, because half the fun of chili is the make-your-sundae-style garnishing.


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 220.7	Vitamin A 32.8 %	Iron 17.8 %
Total Fat 6.8 g	Vitamin B-12 0.0 %	Magnesium 11.9 %
Cholesterol 32.0 mg	Vitamin B-6 11.6 %	Manganese 23.7 %
Sodium 329.6 mg	Vitamin C 79.3 %	Niacin 3.9 %
Potassium 457.6 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Phosphorus 13.0 %
Total Carbohydrate 24.2 g	Vitamin E 3.1 %	Riboflavin 6.9 %
Fiber 8.3 g	Calcium 5.6 %	Selenium 5.1 %
Sugars 1.0 g	Copper 11.9 %	Thiamin 10.7 %
Protein 15.6 g	Folate 26.3 %	Zinc 5.9 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Mmmmmm Moussaka

12 servings
Total cost: NY $ 21.26
Cost per serving: NY $1.77

It’s the time of year when you don’t mind having the oven on for hours, and having an all day kitchen project to occupy your time saves you from having to venture out into the frostbitten world.* Yet its also the beginning of January, a time when it seems almost everyone I know--and I think this says something about the ages and accompanying plunging metabolic rates of my intimates--is pledging themselves to a new diet, a new gym routine, or just “eating better” in general. Hmm, how to harmonize these two seemingly disparate impulses? Enter this moussaka.


A moussaka is something like a Greek version of lasagna, but with thin layers of eggplant instead of pasta. Hey, what’s that? It uses vegetables in place of white carbs? Eureka! A traditional moussaka recipe will call for lots of egg yolks and ground meats; this rendition eases up on both, making it kinder to both your wallet and your waistline. Don’t worry though, it still takes positively ages to make, and requires having the oven cranked on for most of it. (Well, if your oven is anything like the crappy one in our rental apartment that, though tiny, still takes almost an hour to preheat and steadfastly refuses to admit that temperatures between 425 and 325 exist, thus requiring constant toggling back and forth between temps to even approximate a steady 350 or 400 degree temperature. But I digress.) Accordingly, I submit to you that this moussaka, which will fill your kitchen with heady warming aromas and satisfy your cravings for stick to your ribs foodstuffs, is the perfect recipe for deepest January.


Ingredients

• 4 eggplants (NY $7.68)
• Salt (staple)
• 5 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 3 cloves garlic (NY $0.29 for one head)
• 1 large onion (NY $1.16)
• 1 pound ground lamb (NY $5.99)
• 1 tsp oregano (staple)
• ½ tsp cinnamon (staple)
• ½ tsp all spice (staple)
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley (NY $1.16 for one bunch)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (staple)
• 2 tbsps tomato paste (staple)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (NY $1.19)
• 4 tbsps butter (NY $0.51)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (NY $0.10)
• 2 ½ cups milk (staple, we used 1%)
• ½ tsp nutmeg (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• White Pepper (staple)
• 1 egg (NY $0.15)
• 1 egg yolk (NY $0.15)
• 8 oz. feta cheese (NY $2.88)
• 3 tbsps parmesan cheese (staple)

Directions

I’ll tell you upfront that this is going to take awhile: you’ll want to start well in advance of when you actually anticipate eating. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/8 in to ¼ in thick slices, making sure to maintain even thickness. Salt and let stand about 45 minutes, then rinse. Tossing the slices into a colander works well for this. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.


Pat eggplant slices dry, brush lightly with olive oil, and lay on baking sheets. Bake, in batches if need be, about 30 minutes. If your eggplant slices, despite your best efforts, end up varying in size, cook ones of about the same thickness at the same time, so you can remove them sooner or give them a bit more time depending on whether they’re thinner or thicker. Remove from baking sheets and set aside to cool. Just pile them up on a plate or in a deep bowl.


While eggplants are in the oven, cook the meat sauce layer. Mince the garlic and finely chop the onion, and cook in 1 tbsp of olive oil until fragrant and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add lamb and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in oregano, cinnamon, all spice, parsley, Worcestershire, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook uncovered until liquid has reduced by about 2/3rds, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside while you prepare the next layer.


To prepare the béchamel layer, put milk in a small pot to warm. Melt butter in a larger pot, then add the flour, stirring vigorously, until well combined. Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for about a minute. Remove the pot containing the butter/flour mixture from heat. Slowing add in the warmed milk, whisking to combine. You’ll get a bit of a work-out here (go ahead, count it towards that exercise resolution goal) as you need to whisk vigorously, and the béchamel is going to start to thicken up and fight back. Stay strong and have at it, you don’t want to let any lumps develop. Once you’ve got your thickened, smooth white sauce, whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Step back and admire the sunny lemony color of your completed béchamel.

And now for the assembly! (Some time will have passed at this point, and your kitchen should be nice and toasty warm at this point. Then again, so will you.) You can enlist a helper at this point if you feel like sharing the fun. If your idea of a helper needs to be opened with a corkscrew, I, for one, won’t judge. And if you own a dog, you’ll probably find that you have at least one volunteer poking curiously around the kitchen trying to find out where all the meaty-milky-eggy-eggplanty smells are coming from. Apparently, dogs dig eggplant. Who knew?


In a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish, lay down a layer of eggplant, just like you would if you were making a lasagna. Spoon some of the lamb mixture on top, followed by a layer of the béchamel. Crumble some of the feta on top of the béchamel, then grate about a tablespoon of parmesan across the top. Repeat! Once you get to the top of the dish, put down a deep layer of meat sauce, lay eggplant slices a top, then end with a thick layer of béchamel topped with the cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, until lightly browned on top, about 1 hour. Put your feet up while you wait, sip some of your “helper” if you like, and let someone else tackle the dishes. Once the moussaka comes out of the oven, let sit about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Then, if you’re actually eating before 10 pm, pat yourself on the back.**

* Particularly if you have a LBUH to make the grocery shopping excursions for you. Heh heh.

** Or, have someone else do it for you, and make that “pat” into a “rub”. That was a lot of knifing and whisking!


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 365.3	Vitamin A 17.7 %	Iron 11.4 %
Total Fat 24.5 g	Vitamin B-12 25.1 %	Magnesium 11.9 %
Cholesterol 93.1 mg	Vitamin B-6 16.7 %	Manganese 17.2 %
Sodium 2,734.4 mg	Vitamin C 16.5 %	Niacin 20.0 %
Potassium 638.1 mg	Vitamin D 7.5 %	Phosphorus 24.6 %
Total Carbohydrate 23.0 g	Vitamin E 5.8 %	Riboflavin 27.2 %
Fiber 5.9 g	Calcium 21.5 %	Selenium 23.7 %
Sugars 4.6 g	Copper 8.9 %	Thiamin 15.2 %
Protein 15.0 g	Folate 16.8 %	Zinc 16.8 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Hoppin’ John

10 Servings
Total cost NY $ 12.17
Cost per serving NY $ 1.22


Welcome 2010! Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern dish that, if eaten at the beginning of the New Year, is supposed to bring good luck in the coming year. Well, we can all use a little bit of THAT in the coming year, yes? So, sayonara 2009! Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? Dig into some of this tasty bean dish, and lift your fork to a healthier and happier New Year for all!*


And, if we keep eating dishes that are this budget-friendly, it can’t help but be a more prosperous one. This recipe, unlike more modern iterations of this dish, goes old school and calls for water instead of stock. I often find myself annoyed by the over-reliance on chicken and vegetable stock in recipes these days. Yes, it adds flavor, but unless you’re making your own (and frankly, I doubt most home cooks do this) you’re jacking up the cost, in some cases needlessly. And some of the commercial stocks end up being little more than salted water with strange chemicals, mysterious ingredients and a ton of sodium. So this recipe uses just plain old water, from the tap. I hope you’ll agree that it still has plenty of flavor.


Ingredients

• 1 lb dried black eyed peas (NY $1.79)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (staple)
• 1 turkey kielbasa sausage (NY $5.79)
• 1 yellow onion (NY $0.79)
• 1 green pepper (NY $0.83)
• 3 stalks celery (NY $1.39 for one bunch)
• 1 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco) (staple)
• 1 tsp dried thyme (staple)
• 1 bay leaf (staple)
• 3 cups water (staple)
• ½ cup chopped parsley (NY $0.79 for one bunch)
• 1 bunch scallions (NY $0.79)
• Salt and pepper (staple)

Directions

Soak beans overnight, or using the quick soak method.

Slice kielbasa into coins, and chop onion, pepper and celery.


Rinse out the pot you soaked the beans in, and warm olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Sear kielbasa until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes, then add chopped vegetables. Continue cooking another 5 minutes or so, until vegetables have softened slightly. Add soaked beans along with thyme, bay leaf, hot sauce and water.


Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking stirring occasionally about 40 minutes longer, or until beans softened and are creamy and tender. Add scallions and parsley, and continue cooking about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste. Serve over rice and, if desired, garnish with additional parsley and hot sauce.


* Speaking of healthier . . . you may have been wondering where we’ve been all these months. Without going into too much details, I’ve been having some health issues that had me on a very restricted bland food diet for awhile there. (The LBUH has taken to calling himself “for poorer” and me “in sickness.) All of which made running a food blog pretty challenging. Unless, that is, you’d be interested in reading recipes like “Boil egg noodles in water according to package directions. Optional: garnish with salt.” No? I didn’t think so.


Nutritional Facts

Calories 213.1	Sugars 5.2 g	Folate 4.1 %
Total Fat 7.4 g	Protein 6.8 g	Iron 11.9 %
Saturated Fat 2.6 g	Vitamin A 28.2 %	Magnesium 2.0 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g	Vitamin B-12 0.0 %	Manganese 5.0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1.0 g	Vitamin B-6 3.5 %	Niacin 1.0 %
Cholesterol 7.5 mg	Vitamin C 33.7 %	Phosphorus 1.6 %
Sodium 408.1 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Riboflavin 1.3 %
Potassium 121.1 mg	Vitamin E 1.9 %	Selenium 0.4 %
Total Carbohydrate 31.5 g	Calcium 18.8 %	Thiamin 1.8 %
Fiber 7.5 g	Copper 1.9 %	Zinc 0.8 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Vegetarian Molasses Baked Beans

Makes 8 servings
Total Price: NY $4.20
Price per serving: NY $0.53


Much like chowdah, baked beans are one of those recipes that can somehow be perfect both in the dead of winter and in the dog days of summer to boot. In the winter, I prefer my baked beans with some bacon for flavor, but in the summer I like them more barbecue-y. And in any season, I love them heavy on the molasses! This iteration is zesty but not heavy or goopy (as barbecue-type beans can sometimes get.) This recipe requires having the oven on for some time. If the fates align, the ideal time to prepare this is on a rainy afternoon a day or two before heading to a barbecue on a gorgeous sunshine-y summertime day.


Ingredients

• 1 lb.dried navy beans (NY $1.39)
• 1 large onion (NY $0.85)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (staple)
• ½ cup molasses (NY $0.99)
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (NY $0.28)
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar (NY $0.51)
• ¼ cup ketchup (NY $ 0.18)
• 2 tbsps dijon mustard (staple)
• 1/8 tsp cloves (staple)
• ½ tsp dried ginger (staple)
• Pinch of allspice (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• Black pepper (staple)

Directions

Soak beans overnight in cool water, covered by about an inch of water.* Drain soaked beans, discard soaking liquid, and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Place beans in a large ovenproof pot, and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, or until beans are tender. Check the water level during cooking, adding more if the water nears the surface of the beans. Once beans are tender, drain and reserve cooking liquid.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the same large ovenproof pot, heat the olive oil.. Add onion and cook, stirring occassionally, until beginning to color and soften, approx. 5 minutes. Add the molasses, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, mustard, cloves, ginger, all spice and 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. (If you don’t quite have 2 cups cooking liquid left, add some water until you do.) Stir and simmer for approx. 4 minutes. Add the beans, and season with several grinds of black pepper and a few dashes of salt. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes, then transfer to oven. Cook, uncovered, until bubbly, approx. 1 hour, adding more cooking liquid or water during cooking as needed.**

*Alternatively, beans can be quick soaked by again covering them in a pot in with the same amount of water, then bring to a boil on the stove. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for at least 1 hour. (Longer is better if you have time to spare.)


** If, in an effort to be helpful, your spouse/partner/roommate/passing stranger tosses out your cooking liquid in a misguided effort to clean up and help out, you can use water instead. Hypothetically speaking, of course.


Nutritional Info
Amount Per serving

Calories 313.7	Protein 11.4 g	Magnesium 31.2 %
Total Fat 2.6 g	Vitamin A 0.0 %	Manganese 56.7 %
Saturated Fat 0.3 g	Vitamin B-12 0.0 %	Niacin 5.4 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g	Vitamin B-6 16.3 %	Pantothenic Acid 5.3 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g	Vitamin C 4.5 %	Phosphorus 20.4 %
Cholesterol 0.0 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Riboflavin 5.3 %
Sodium 14,280.2 mg	Vitamin E 1.0 %	Selenium 11.0 %
Potassium 846.2 mg	Calcium 15.0 %	Thiamin 22.1 %
Total Carbohydrate 63.3 g	Copper 20.1 %	Zinc 10.1 %
Dietary Fiber 14.7 g	Folate 47.8 %
Sugars 23.3 g	Iron 24.7 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Quick Cannellini Bean & Ham Stew

Makes 6 servings
Total Price: NY $17.50
Price Per Serving: NY $2.91

Wet and gray spring days make me crave a bowl of steaming stew. The result of this recipe is a golden broth overflowing with fresh spinach, ham and cannellini beans. I found a variation of this stew two years ago in a winter issue of Gourmet and it has since become a staple in our apartment on cold days when we don’t have a lot of time for cooking.

Top this with slices of baguette broiled with olive oil and a little parmesan cheese. The toasts absorb the garlicky, tomatoey broth. Warming and satisfying on a chilly, rainy day.

Ingredients

• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped (NY $0.48 for 1 bulb)
  
• 1 large onion, chopped (NY $0.86)
  
• 2.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (staple)
• 1 14.5oz. can stewed tomatoes, coarsely cut* (NY $1.59)
  
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (NY $1.29)
  
• 2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (NY $2.98)
• 1 1/2-lb piece baked ham (sliced 3/4 inch thick), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (NY $5.51)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (staple)
• 10 oz spinach (roughly torn) (NY $2.50)
• 1 demi baguette, sliced (NY $2.29)
  
• Grated Parmesan cheese (staple)

Directions

In a large pot, sauté the chopped garlic and onion in 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderately high heat until the onions turn golden (approx. 3-5 minutes).

Add the can of cut stewed tomatoes and juice to pot and stir.

When the juice starts to simmer, add the beans, ham and black pepper.

Add the chicken broth, stir and bring to a boil.

When the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat until it settles at a simmer.

When the soup is simmering, pile the spinach on top of the pot to steam the spinach. As the spinach starts to wilt, stir it into the soup and turn off the heat.

Serve immediately, garnished with toasts.

While stew is simmering, preheat broiler or set your toaster over to broil.

To Prepare Toasts:
Put bread on a baking sheet or toaster over tray covered with foil, and lightly brush each side with 1/2 tablespoon oil total. Broil until light gold, approx 1 minute.

Flip toast, sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste, and broil again for approx 1 minute longer.

* We’re not big fans of high fructose corn syrup around here, so the LBUH always checks the fine print (you know, the ingredients) to make sure they’re not slipping any into our stewed tomatoes. You can cut stewed tomatoes right in the can using clean kitchen shears or a knife.


Adapted from Gourmet, January 2007

Nutrition Facts

Approximate values per serving

Calories: 367.6	Protein: 26.0 g	Magnesium: 29.7 %
Total Fat: 10.0 g	Vitamin A: 92.1 %	Manganese: 66.7 %
Saturated Fat: 2.3 g	Vitamin B-12: 8.1 %	Niacin: 27.5 %
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2 g	Vitamin B-6: 24.5 %	Pantothenic Acid: 7.0 %
Monounsaturated Fat: 5.7 g	Vitamin C: 39.6 %	Phosphorus: 39.8 %
Cholesterol: 20.4 mg	Vitamin D: 0.0 %	Riboflavin: 19.3 %
Sodium: 1,736.7 mg	Vitamin E: 10.4 %	Selenium: 21.3 %
Potassium: 1,224.9 mg	Calcium: 20.7 %	Thiamin: 42.2 %
Total Carbohydrate: 45.1 g	Copper: 29.0 %	Zinc: 16.5 %
Dietary Fiber: 11.0 g	Folate: 56.6 %
Sugars: 4.3 g	Iron: 31.6 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Herbed New England Clam and Corn Chowder

8 servings
Total Cost: NY $18.67 (plus extra bacon* and carrots)
Price per serving: NY $2.34


Even though its technically spring, its going to be cold and rainy weekend here in New York: perfect chowder weather! I adapted this recipe from a recent Bon Appetit article about eating better for less, but last I checked this chowder doesn’t seem to have ever made it on to Epicurious. Which is a darn shame because its economical, quick, easy, tasty, and a great way for Lovely But Unemployed Husband to get his bacon (“Mmmm, bacon”) fix without me worrying about the state of his arteries. (I am sparing you here from a truly dreadful joke about bringing home the bacon. I would like this noted on my permanent record. Thank you.) The original recipe called for whole milk, but I’ve substituted 2% because it’s a little less heavy and for us its more economical as 2% is what we use on a daily basis. Go ahead and use whichever you have on hand, or a mix if you feel like it. Like most soups, this freezes well.


Ingredients

• 6 bacon slices (NY $3.99 for 1 lb. package)
• 2 medium onions (NY $.69)
• 3 large carrots (NY $1.29/Bunch)
• 1 ¼ tsps dried thyme (staple)
• ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary (or a few sprigs fresh if you have it) (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• Pepper (staple)
• 3 tbsps flour (whole wheat pastry if you like) (staple)
• 4 cups 2 % milk (NY $2.25 for organic)
• 2 8 oz potato (NY $1.50)
• 3 6 ½ oz. cans chopped clams in juice (NY$5.97)
• 2 10 oz packages frozen corn** (NY$2.98)
• Chopped fresh parsley (staple)

Directions
Cut bacon crosswise into ½ inch pieces. Peel and chop carrots, chop onions. Chop, but do not peel, the potato into ½ inch cubes.

Cook bacon in soup pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Pour out all but 2 tbsps of bacon drippings from pot. (Note: if you’re phobic about saturated fat, you could pour out all but 1 tbsp and substitute 1 tbsp olive oil. But you get a lot of flavor bang out of the bacon grease for both your actual and caloric bucks.)

Add onion, carrots, thyme, rosemary, a few pinches salt and several grinds of pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender but still crisp (approx. 5 minutes).

Sprinkle in flour, stir over heat until well combined (approx. 1-2 minutes). Stirring constantly, slowly pour milk into pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Cook until slightly thickened, stirring frequently (approx. 5 minutes).

Add potatoes, and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring often (approx. 15 minutes.)

Add the clams with their juice, and the corn Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmet for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Crumble bacon slices into bits. Sprinkle individual bowls with bacon and parsley, serve and enjoy!

Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2009

*Bacon freezes well and according to Sarah Moulton stays tasty for up to a month. Insert a sheet of wax paper between every six slices or so (or whatever the smallest quantity you think you might want at one time is), wrap in plastic wrap, and place in heavy duty freezer bag before freezing.

** The original recipe called for 1 8 ¾ oz can corn kernels, drained. “CANNED CORN?!?” you ask, increduously. Hand to heart, Bon Appetit said to use canned vegetables. We elected to use frozen corn instead as, among other things, canned corn frequently contains added salt or sugars.

Nutrition Facts
Approximate values per serving, using 2% milk

Calories: 285.6	Vitamin B-6: 14.9 %	Manganese: 15.7 %
Total Fat: 6.5 g	Vitamin C: 25.5 %	Niacin: 11.7 %
Cholesterol: 46.4 mg	Vitamin D: 0.0 %	Pantothenic Acid: 4.5 %
Sodium: 496.6 mg	Vitamin E: 1.1 %	Phosphorus: 11.7 %
Potassium: 795.1 mg	Calcium: 63.3 %	Riboflavin: 7.3 %
Total Carbohydrate: 37.4 g	Copper: 5.8 %	Selenium: 4.4 %
Protein: 21.8 g	Folate: 61.2 %	Thiamin: 12.3 %
Vitamin A: 352.7 %	Iron: 11.4 %	Zinc: 6.2 %
Vitamin B-12: 1.4 %	Magnesium: 9.8 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

"French" Lentil Soup

Adapted from Bon Appetit, Dec. 2006
6 generous servings
Total Price: NY $17.14
Price per serving: NY $2.86


Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil (staple)
• 3 garlic cloves, diced (NY $ 0.59 for one head)
• 3 medium onions, chopped (NY $1.99)
• 5 organic celery stalks, chopped (NY $3.49)
• a handful of baby carrots chopped (NY $ 2.00 for one bag)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (NY $ 4.99 for organic)
• 1 ¼ cups lentils, rinsed and drained (NY $ 1.89 for one bag)
• 1 14 ½ oz. can diced tomatoes in juices (NY $ 2.19 for one can, organic)
• Salt and pepper (staple)
• Balsamic vinegar (staple)

Directions
Heat oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, celery and carrots. Saute until vegetables start to brown (softening, but still firm), about 15 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes in juice and lentils. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer. Cook until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Once cooked, puree about half of soup either using a stick blender or by transferring several cups to a blender and pureeing. Return puree to pot. If desired, thin soup with a few tablespoons water. Season with a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar, several grinds of pepper, and salt to taste.

Garnish with celery leaves, serve and enjoy! Like many soups, the leftovers are even better once the flavors have a chance to meld.

Nutrition Facts
Approximate values per serving

Calories: 201	Vitamin B-6: 10.8%	Manganese: 18.4%
Total fat: 7.1 g	Vitamin C: 46.3%	Niacin: 4.5%
Cholesterol: 0g	Vitamin E: 5.8%	Phosphorus: 11%
Potassium: 401.8 mg	Calcium: 10.6%	Riboflavin: 4.1%
Carbs: 28.9 g	Copper: 8.1%	Selenium: 2.7%
Fiber: 7.5 g	Folate: 24.1%	Thiamin: 8.4%
Protein: 5.5 g	Iron: 13.5%	Zinc: 5%
Vitamin A: 99 %	Magnesium: 6.6%

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump