So as some of you are aware, I am a college student. Finals week has just passed. This means, for those of you who don’t remember, that I have spent the entire last week eating at pizza and burger joints. because studying had left me with neither the time nor the energy to cook. That means that this week, I am a poor college student! That’s right kiddies, it’s my Week on the Cheap. Last semester I did Ramen Week. This time, it’s Legume Week!
For those of you who don’t remember, I have 3 rules:
- Each meal must come in at under $3 a serving
- Each meal must be bean based
- Each meal must be healthy (This one is easier with beans than it was with Ramen.)
My first foray (my warm-up, if you will) was a delicious and hearty Lentil Barley Soup coming in at a whomping $0.75 a serving.
Cheap and Satisfying
For Lentil Barley Soup:
1 cup Lentil Beans-$0.60
1 cup Barley-$0.50
1 (large) can Spiced Crushed Tomatoes-$1.79
2 Carrots-$0.30
1 Small Onion-$0.35
3 Celery Stalks-$0.20
3 Sodium-Free Beef Boullion Packets-$0.75
Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder and Red Pepper Flakes-~$0.02
Get them
Total Cost for 6 Servings: $4.50
Difficulty Level-College Student
Time Required-60 minutes
In the heaviest pot you have, heat 2 tbs Olive Oil and as much of each of the spices as your little heart can bear over medium heat.
Now chop up those vegetables
Like so
By the time you finish chopping, those spices should be turning a nice golden brown. Throw them veggies in on top. While you are waiting for them to cook, boil some water for your barley.
This is a good time to read the barley package for cooking instructions
Go back to your veggies, are they soft yet? Awesome. Throw some canned tomatoes and about two cups of water all up in there.
Starting to look like some goddam soup
Let that come to a gentle simmer. Then add not one, not two but three whole beef boullion packets. and mix that shit in.
Oh the beefy goodness
Meanwhile, look: your water is boiling! Measure yourself a cup of barley, dump it in, cover it, turn it to low and go do something else for 20 minutes.
Back? Good.
Now measure yourself a cup of lentils and dump that in to the soup. Go ahead, don’t be shy, mix it in! Now go back to what you were doing for another 20 minutes.
Once you are drawn back by the tantalizing scents coming from your kitchen, throw the barley in the soup and suddenly:
deliciousness
Tune in tomorrow for Pasta with Canneloni Beans!
