how I stay fed

Hi all,

I don't know how much of a habit this will become, or not, but I thought I'd put up a couple of 'recipes' (in the broadest sense of the word) that keep me going through the week. As many of you know I'm vegetarian and I live on a pretty tight budget (I shoot for between 100 and 150 pounds a month GBP; it doesn't always work, but I keep the expenses as low as possible due to the fact that I've been earning minimum wage at retail jobs for the past several years). SO. I thought it might be amusing to see a sample of what I actually do eat. Also, I thought posting this stuff might make me more aware of the fact that I need more variety in my diet. So maybe this will push me to stretch my comfort zone a little.

With inspirational debt to the NOLS Cookery, 1998 version:

homemade pizza (vegetarian)

Pizza dough:
big dump of flour, about a serving bowl's worth
water, and if times aren't too tough, some milk/soymilk (not too much)
2 eggs
pinch of baking soda
pinch of salt

Mix together with a wooden spoon. Should be an independent dough, capable of living on a cookie sheet by itself; if too sticky, add more flour. If too powdery, add a little more water or more prudently, stir a little more until the flour's mixed in to a part of the dough you hadn't seen yet. Stretch dough out onto cookie sheet AFTER sunflower oil (cheapest available oil where I live) has been put on pan/sheet.

Sauce:
EITHER
use a cheap commercial pasta sauce plus about two tablespoons of sugar
OR
tomato paste + garlic/oregano + 2 tbsp sugar + slightly less water than can calls for
OR
boil up some tomatoes and onions until they're no longer watery, and go from there

Toppings:
any kind of cheese, chopped by hand (shredded cheese is about twice the price)
      *my personal favorite is a combo of monterey jack and mozzarella
veggies
       -favorite combos: black beans and corn, broccoli and extra garlic, red bell peppers

Throw in the oven at 425 F for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the crust. Thick pizza took about 15 minutes the other day before it ceased to be chewy-doughy; a thin one might take as little as 8. I try to avoid making too thin a crust for fear of burning things, and also because I like doughy stuff.


And for breakfast, there's always the amazingly nourishing Fresh Start to the Day Breakfast Smoothie (zillions of variations available, thank you Klutz Smoothie Cookbook 1997):

Pour into a blender:

about a cup of orange juice
about 3/4 cup of yogurt (vanilla or berry recommended)
a banana, preferably frozen (peeled)
a cup of frozen raspberries (or blackberries, pineapple chunks, or mango)
     *budget tip: buying berries and other fruit fresh, then chopping and freezing it yourself, saves $$

Blend until smooth enough to drink comfortably. Drink up!