Roasted Yam and Beet Salad

Prep time:    15 minutes

Cook time:  45 minutes

Cost:            ~$7

Makes:         4-6 servings

This is a recipe that only has a few ingredients, but you can add nuts/seeds or arugula. It can be eaten warm or cold.

I didn’t base the prices on sales, so you can probably make this dish for less if the ingredients are on sale.

Ingredients:                                  Cost:

-          Small pack of goat cheese        $3

-          Vegetables

o   2-3 medium yams      $2

o   2-3 beets                     $2

-          Olive oil

What to do:

1.      Preheat oven to 400°C

2.      Wash and cut up yams and beets into small cubes

3.      Mix with oil and put on a pan in the oven for about 45 minutes until you can easily poke through with fork

4.      Cool and add crumbled goat cheese (seeds and washed arugula)

Curry Pumpkin Soup

Prep time:    30 minutes

Cook time:  1-1.5 hour

Cost:             ~$6

Makes:         6 servings

This is a great fall recipe and only needs a couple ingredients to make it tasty. I added leeks to bulk it up. You could also blend the soup and add a can of coconut milk to make it creamier, though I just mashed it up a bit.

I got most of the ingredients from the Moss Street Farmer’s Market, but Thrifty Foods has many of the below vegetables on sale as well. You can also keep the pumpkin seeds to toast and eat as a snack!

Ingredients:                                     Cost:

-          1 small pumpkin                             $3

-          Vegetables

o   4 medium carrots        $1

o   1 medium onion          $1

o   1-2 leeks (optional)      $2

-          Vegetable broth or powder

-          Olive oil

-          Spices (optional)

o   Salt

o   Cayenne pepper

o   Curry powder

o   Tumeric

What to do:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400°C

2.      Wash and cut pumpkin in half, cleaning out seeds

3.      Place the pumpkin face down with some water in baking pans

4.      Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until you can easily poke through skin with knife

5.      Take pumpkin out to cool and scrape out insides

6.      Cook cut up onion, leek and carrot with oil in a large pot on medium heat

7.      When browned add pumpkin, water/broth and spices

8.      Cook on medium heat covered for about 30 minutes until vegetables are soft

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

What to do:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400°C

2.      Wash pumpkin seeds

3.      Mix with a bit of oil and salt and put on baking sheet

4.      Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until browned

Yam and Black Bean Stew

Prep time:    20 minutes

Cook time:  1 hour

Cost:            ~$5

Makes:        4-6 servings

Another simple, low cost meal with lots of flavour. Yams are on sale at most grocery stores this week, and the other ingredients are similar costs at most stores.

Ingredients:                                   Cost:

-          1 can of black beans                  $1.25

-          1 can of diced tomatoes            $1.25

-          Vegetables

o   1 medium yam          $1

o   2 medium carrots      $0.50

o   1 small onion              $0.50

o   Garlic                          $0.50

-          Olive oil

-          Spices (optional)

o   Salt and pepper

o   Dried basil

o   Cayenne pepper

o   Cumin

o   Curry powder

o   Tumeric

What to do:

1.      Cook cut up onion and carrot with oil in a pot on medium heat

2.      When browned add cut up yam, spices and cans of black beans and tomatoes

3.      Cook on medium heat covered for about 30 minutes until vegetables are soft

4.      Take the lid off and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes