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More With Less Cookbook
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This cookbook was mentioned in the Stretching the Food Dollar thread. If any of you own it, would you mind posting what recipes you liked from it, and what meals you made with it?
Thanks!
I think that was me that mentioned it. One of the reasons why I like it is that it is more than just a recipe book – there is also helpful information scattered all through it that will challenge the way that you think about food and help you to think about it more frugally. This is the book that really introduced me to using beans for example – I came from a meat and potatoes family and we didn’t ever eat beans unless it was baked beans from a can. This is the book that told me that a hearty soup could be the main dish for dinner. This is also the book that expanded my horizons beyond cold cereal and occasional pancakes for breakfast. So, beyond specific recipes that I like, this book overall changed the way I think about food and so that’s part of the reason why I so heartily reccomend it, particularly as it related to the frugality thread. (Not trying to sell anything for anyone here, just really happen to like this book!) There are also helpful sections that explain how to make your own tortillas, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. I learned how to do these things from other missionaries, so don’t necessary use the exact methods in this book – but would be very helpful if you are just starting out with scratch cooking on your own.
That said, here’s a list of some of the things that I use regularly from MWL:
Breads Chapter: Pilgrim’s Bread, Easy French Bread, Brown Breadsticks, English Muffins, Cinnamon TOpped Oatmeal Muffins, Basic Corn Bread, Dutch Apple Bread
Cereals: Koinonia Granola,Crunchy Granola, Chunky Granola, Peanut Granola,Coconut Oatmeal Cereal
Beans Chapter (NOTE with most of these recipes I use whatever beans I have available, not necessarily the suggested beans, with the exception of Lentils – Beans are flexible like that): Mexican Chili Beans,, Curried Lentils, Baked Lentils with Cheese, Honey Baked Lentils, Kusherie, Savory Baked Soybeans (I don’t use soybeans though)
Main Dishes: Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice), Pakistani Kima, El Burgos, Yaksoba, Chicken Turnovers, Bierrocks, Enchiladas (many fillings using this sauce)
Eggs, Milk, and Cheese: Scrambled Eggs and Noodles, Meat Potato Quiche,
Meats and Fish: Sweet and Sour Pork (i use chicken). Honey Baked CHicken, Creamed CHicken,
Soups: Cheese and Corn Chowder, Corn and Bean Chowder, Spinach Soup, Blackbean Soup, Hearty Lentil Sausage Soup,
Vegetables: Skillet Cabbage, Golden Potato Bake
Hope that helps,
Jen
HI Rene,
I also have it and am glad I do. I’m too tired now to go into too much detail, but I will post what I like and what I don’t like about it (like the over-population myth from the 70’s that’s in there) when I have some more time. It’s very inexpensive and I’m sure you could find it at your library, too, to try it out to discover whether it’s worth purchasing. That’s how I decide most of my book purchases; do I really want to send it back to the library? Then I know I should find a good used copy.
Rachel
Thank you, Jen! That is very helpful. I already own the cookbook, but just could never decide what to make from it, and I think, like you said in your review on the new blog (I’m assuming that was you) I need to change my ideas of what makes a meal. Someone in the other thread mentioned the Savory Rice Loaf and how it was their daughter’s favorite meal, and I’m thinking that would be a side dish.
One problem I have is that my husband seems to get a headache the next morning if he does not have meat with dinner. If I serve Potato Soup with bread, he wakes up with a terrible headache. He’s a very thin person – he’s 6’5″ and weighs about 165 – I don’t know if that has anything to do with it though. But it’s not like he’s a total “meat and potatoes” kinda guy either – sometimes he gets grossed out by the idea of meat. Lately he’s been wanting me to use much less meat when I make spaghetti or chili.
I also want to change how we do lunch around here. Too often now I’ve just had the kids make peanut butter sandwiches with chips or fruit, and I’d like to serve something more nutritious.
Since you have it, this will make posting much easier! I reach for it the most at the end of the month when food supply is low. First, I want to say that my objections to the book are the usage of soy in it’s unfermented form and the frequent use of highly processed and rancid milk powders. Also, I find that the recipes are somehwat bland, so I add much more herbs to season. However, the recipes that have succesful here are:
pg. 235-Baked Italian Skillet. I’ve succesffully used sliced cucumbers instead of zucchini. Also, if I have about 1/2 pound of cooked gr. beef, I’ll add into the layering. Also, crushed or diced tomatoes instead of sauce. Cubed bread instead of crumbs. I add a lot of Italian seasonings.
pg. 231-Barbequed potatoes and Carrots
pg. 180-Honey Baked chicken
pg. 168-Hamburger stew
pg. 137-six-layer dish, with kidney beans
pg. 132-hamburger casserole
pg. 122-Meat and Noodle skillet
pg. 103-Carribean rice and beans
pg. 99-Basic Baked Beans-I use my cast iron pot. Nany beans are definitely the best choice here. I add honey and worchestshire sauce to it.
For soups, I use my Sue Gregg Soups and Muffins book very successfully. Also, at least once a week, I use my crockpot w/either the soups from the aforementioned or Fix it and Forget It.
As for lunches, during the summer, either chicken or egg salad is made weekly to sub for PB; in Winter, grilled cheese. Also, my crockpot meats get shredded and get put on sandwiches or just reheat leftovers. Our soups last for days as lunches and further suppers; I just make cornbread or different types of muffins or biscuits. When they have sandwiches, I require one fruit and a fermented food, minimum, to go with it. Here are some choices: Homemade yogurt, home pickles, pickled watermelon rind, veges and dip, salad during spring and now w/homemade Balsamic vinaigrette, fruit, sauerkraut, leftover veges from nights before. You could make small pizzas in advance and freeze them for them to heat up for themselves.
You can extend your meat with bulgur wheat, which is sprouted soft wheat berries-easy to do and digest. From Nourishing Traditions- “Sprout the berries (I got those inexpensive plastic sprout lids, much easier than the way I’d previously) Drain well. Spread on a cookie sheet and set in warm oven, no more than 150 degrees, overnight or until well dried. Or put into dehydrator (I do this) set at 95 degrees until dry. Then grind on coarse setting (cracked).Store in airtight container in fridge.” I extend my spaghetti meat and meatloaf this way.
HTH, Rachel
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