Indian Stone Soup

It's that time of the week again - time to go grocery shopping. And until I do, there's not much in the way of options for lunch or dinner. As I was raiding the pantry and fridge, here's what I came up with. And, thanks to a little "phone a friend" help (from a semi-pro lentil soup chef!), it's not half bad!

"Indian" Lentil Soup

1 c red lentils $.50
3 c reconstituted bullion $.37
3 c water
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T ketchup
15oz can of crushed tomatoes $.69
1 tsp garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 box of cut frozen spinach $.34
1/2-1 c frozen cut vegetables of choice (I used corn, peas or carrots would work as well) $.20
2 medium sized squash/zucchini $1
1 T sugar

Total Cost: $3.10
Number of Servings: 6 (large bowls)
Cost per Serving: $.52

To Make:

1. Rinse the lentils and remove any debris, then, add them to a pot and cover with 6 c of water. Bring to a boil, adding in bullion, bay leaf, curry, cinnamon, sugar, and garlic.
2. Once the mixture is boiling, add in the frozen cut vegetables, tomatoes, and ketchup, along with the washed and diced squash (you could sub other fresh veggies here, like peppers and onions or mushrooms, but I used what I had on hand).
3. Allow the soup to return to a boil and cook 10 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces the squash. Reduce to a low simmer and cook 10 minutes more, then taste test and adjust as necessary. Too mild? Add a dash of red pepper flakes. Too acidic? Add another tsp of sugar or honey.
4. Serve hot with bread and butter. Mmmm.
   

Frugal Tip

• If you're on a budget it's NEVER ok to throw out food. When I first looked around my pantry yesterday, scratching my head to come up with something for dinner, it looked pretty bleak. A can of water chestnuts, tomatoes, various rices, some soba noodles, and baking materials. The fridge was empty save for the zucchini and some milk, 2 eggs, applesauce, and condiments. What kind of dinner could come out of that? But then the bag of lentils caught my eye. It wasn't enough to make lentil stew, but a soup? That could happen. From there on out I just dumped items into a pot, and ended up with a very tasty soup that will provide 3 meals for us. Most importantly, my zucchini didn't end up in the garbage! If you're not sure what to make for dinner, be creative - some of the strangest combinations end up as family favorites.