How to save without starving
B.C. blogger shares insight on how to make quick dishes while on a strict budget
Emily Wight makes a compelling case for cooking on a budget.
She’s beaming in every picture in Well Fed, Flat Broke, and her colourful, messy food and mismatched dishes look fantastic.
No drab meals here, just a real working mom stretching her dollars with deep-fried Sriracha eggs, lentil tacos with avocado cream and lemon pudding. The book: Well Fed, Flat Broke: Recipes for Modest Budgets and Messy Kitchens is Vancouver blogger Emily Wight’s collection of nutritious, affordable dishes. There are 120 recipes built around 11 ingredients, including pasta, eggs, chicken, fish, fruits, vegetables and sugar. The author: Emily Wight is a writer, home cook, blogger at wellfedflatbroke.com, cat lover and married mom of a picky toddler. The recipe: Wight likes this noodle dish in January when she still has hearty kale left from her garden and would rather dig into her apartment pantry than walk to the store in the cold. I like this room-temperature meal right now, when it’s so nice outside that you don’t want to spend too much time at the stove.
Peanutty Soba Noodles With Kale
3 Star Tested If kale’s not your thing, use another fresh green or even frozen spinach that’s thawed and squeezed dry. Adapted from Well Fed, Flat Broke. 1/2 lb (225 g) dried soba noodles 1/2 lb (225 g) chopped, trimmed kale (about 8 cups/2L) 1/2 cup (125 mL) smooth, natural peanut butter 1/4 cup (60 mL) soy sauce 1/4 cup (60 mL) Sriracha (Asian hot sauce) 2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar 1 tbsp (15 mL) Asian sesame oil 2 tsp (10 mL) honey 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil 1 small yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger 1 block medium-firm tofu (about 1 lb/450 g), patted dry, cut in small cubes Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (250 mL) chopped cilantro 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped, roasted peanuts Bring large pot of water to boil on high heat. Add soba. Cook 3 minutes. Add kale. Cook 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, Sriracha, rice vinegar, sesame oil and honey until smooth.
In large pan on medium-high, heat canola oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes to soften. Stir in tofu. Cook 1 minute to warm slightly and brown lightly. Add to bowl with soba and kale. Pour peanut sauce over. Toss with 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro. Divide among 4 to 6 plates. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro and peanuts.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. jbain@thestar.ca