ERE Cookbook

All of the recipes on the ERE blog in alphabetical order, with links, nutritional info (calculated on http://www.calorieking.com/foods/), AU pricing, and detailed methods. Photos of each recipe can be found here: http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4495

Black Bean Rice

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/day-3-grocery-shopping.html (48c per serve, 973 kj per serve)
- 1 cup black beans
- 400g rice
- 900g water
- 1 carrot
- 1/8 cabbage (or equivalent kale)
- 1 onion
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup soy sauce

1. Soak 1 cup of black beans overnight.
2. Steam 400g of rice using 900g of water (or boil according to usual method). Meanwhile boil black beans until soft.
3. Chop up a carrot and 1/8th of a cabbage (if kale unavailable) and fry up in a non-stick pan. (If using another kind of pan, use olive oil as Jacob suggests).
4. Slice the onion add to the pan, fry until transparent.
5. In a large pot, combine 1 cup of raisins, the black beans, cabbage, carrots and onions, the rice, and 1 cup of soy sauce over heat.
This made about 4-6 servings, depending on whether it is served as a large meal or with a side. Variations: swap the soy sauce for curry powder and the raisins for sultanas.

Cauliflower Omelet

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/cauliflower-omelet-another-sub-dollar-meal.html ($1.89 per serve, 1113 kj per serve)
- Cauliflower (1/2 for single/couple, whole for family/bulk cooking)
- Potatoes (in equal measure to volume of cauliflower. Again, I only had one, so needed to add some flour and a little water to thicken the mixture in its stead)
- Eggs (I used the equivalent of 4 eggs using "No Egg", but would use 6 or more for a full recipe)
- Pepper to taste
- Oil (to fry)
- Salt (optional)
- Tomatoes and/or cucumber (to garnish)

1. Chop up cauliflower into chunks, and quarter potatoes.
2. Boil cauliflower and potatoes until tender, and potatoes can be mashed.
3. Mash potatoes, add to jug with cauliflower in small pieces.
4. Add eggs and pepper, mix with a fork until a batter-like consistency is formed. If the mixture does not stick together, try adding flour and water as needed.
5. Pour into a pan (with a little oil) and fry until crispy and golden.
6. Garnish with tomatoes and/or cucumber, and sprinkle with sald as desired.
Use 1/2 or a small cauliflower to feed a single/couple, or a large cauliflower for a family/bulk cooking. Variation: If you don't have enough potatoes, add some flour and a little water to thicken the mixture. Egg substitute makes this meal cheaper and is good for vegans/those with allergies.

Cooking for 6 Days in 30 Minutes for Less Than $4:

(Red Lentil Soup and Tuna Mustard Sandwiches) http://earlyretirementextreme.com/cooking-for-6-days-in-30-minutes-for-less-than-4.html (22c per serve for the soup, 35c per serve for the sandwiches, 751kj per serve for the soup, 648kj per serve for the sandwiches)
RED LENTIL SOUP (751kj per serve, 22c per serve)
- 1/2 Onion (use half for the sandwiches and half for the soup)
- 1 tsp chopped garlic (I used garlic paste from a jar)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup red lentils (measure 1 cup of dry lentils, then wash and soak in water overnight)
- 1 tbs ketchup/1 small tub tomato paste
- pinch of pepper, and any spices desired

Jacob's instructions at the above link are excellent for those with a pressure cooker. For those who do not have one, you may like to use the following method:
1. Soak the lentils overnight, or boil according to instructions on packet.
2. Once lentils are fully soaked, add roughly chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, spices and if too thick, additional water.
3. Once all ingredients are heated, serve.
Makes roughly 6 large serves with these quantities.

TUNA MUSTARD SANDWICHES (94kj per serve + bread = 648kj per serve, 19c per serve + bread = 35c per serve [on white sandwich bread])
- 1/2 Onion (use half for the sandwiches and half for the soup)
- 1 185g can of tuna
- 2 tbs mustard
- Bread

1. Mix the finely diced onion with the can of tuna and the mustard.
2. Spread on bread.
Makes roughly 8 sandwiches with these quantities.

Inexpensive Bean Spaghetti Sauce

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/inexpensive-bean-spaghetti-sauce.html (35c per serve, 1484 kj per serve)
Recipe modified for use as a tortilla stuffing.
TORTILLAS
- 350g flour
- 250ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp herbs (e.g. rosemary and parsley)
- 1 tbs extra light olive oil

1. Mix flour and water in a mixer on a high speed for 1.5 mins or by hand until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on a low speed for 1-3 min. Mixture should be runny enough to enable pouring. Add more water if necessary.
3. Pour mixture into an oiled pan and fry until golden, flip and fry until cooked through.
This should make 3-6 depending on the size and thickness desired.

SAUCE/FILLING
- 2 cups black beans, soaked
- 1-2 onions, depending on size and tastes
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- Balsamic vinegar to taste
- Chilli sauce to taste
- Flour as required
- Olive oil (unnecessary if using a non-stick pan)
- Sherry (optional)

1. Soak black beans, overnight if possible.
2. Chop onion and brown in a pan. Meanwhile, boil black beans in a saucepan.
3. When onion is browned (not just transparent) add remaining ingredients except for the flour and heat through.
4. When both black beans and the onion and tomato mixture are cooked, combine in the larger saucepan.
5. Sprinkle flour over the top to thicken as required (tortilla filling will need to be thicker than pasta sauce).
6. If desired, serve with vegetables of choice (e.g. lettuce) Variations: Jacob recommends sherry, but I didn't use this. This recipe was originally a spaghetti sauce recipe - click on the above link for details.

Leftover Recipe

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/leftover-recipe.html (cost and nutritional content depend on your leftovers!)
- Can of chickpeas (or other beans/lentils)
- Leftover rice
- Leftover vegetables
- Leftover meat if you have any
- 2-4 tbs of curry paste, depending on strength and taste
- Sauce to match ingredients

1. Clear your fridge/freezer of leftovers and add to a base such as chick peas or rice.
2. Add curry paste and stir over heat in a pan.
3. Serve with sauce(s)!

Pancake Recipe

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/pancake-recipe.html (10c per serve, 712kj per serve)
Jacob's instructions at the link above are quite detailed. These are cheaper than usual pancakes made with milk and salt. I didn't have any baking powder so didn't add it, and didn't notice any significant difference.

Pilaf

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/pilaf-to-really-slash-your-grocery-budget.html (43c per serve, 2021kj per serve)
- Onions (approx. 4)
- 1 cup lentils (soaked overnight)
- 400g rice, cooked

1. Slice and fry onions.
2. Mix together all ingredients over heat until lentils are warmed through.
3. Serve with vegetables (I used frozen vegetables cooked with a bit of apricot nectar for flavour) Serves 4. Variation: caramelise onions with a little sugar in step 1. As this is a fairly bland meal (as Jacob's post notes) some sort of sauce or seasoning may be necessary)

Peach Chutney

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/peach-chutney.html ($1.50 per jar, approx $0.15 per serve. Approx 200kj per serve)
Jacob provides 2 recipes for spicy peach chutney: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peach-chutney-10000001622501/ and http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spicy-Peach-Chutney/Detail.aspx
If you cannot find any cheap peaches, try this recipe:
- 2 onions, grated or diced in a food processor
- 1/4 cup apricot nectar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 chili, chopped finely (I think you could also use a teaspoon of chili powder or chili sauce, but I happen to have a big bag full in the freezer thanks to DB's miraculous find of a $2 bag)
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp salt

1. Slice onions and fry in a little nectar, adding sugar to caramelize.
2. Add all other ingredients, and mix over heat until a jam-like consistency.
3. Serve on rice, or in burgers etc. You can find info on sterilizing jars here: http://britishfood.about.com/od/glossary/ht/sterilizingjars.htm (Do be careful!)

Potato Pancakes for Less Than $1

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/potato-pancakes-dinner-for-less-than-1.html (27c per serve, 1076kj per serve)
Great instructions in link above. Nice baked, even tastier fried. Serve with salad and sauce.

Rice, Lentils and Bacon Recipe

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/rice-lentils-and-bacon-recipe.html (45c per serve, 1563 kj per serve)
- 400g uncooked rice
- 2 cups lentils
- 4-8 pieces of bacon
- 2 onions
- Stock if desired
- Vegetable(s) of choice

1. Soak lentils overnight if possible.
2. Cook rice. Meanwhile, boil lentils in a small saucepan, with a little salt if desired.
3. While rice and lentils are cooking, chop up bacon and fry in a large saucepan. Set some aside as garnish if desired.
4. Chop onions and add to bacon. Add a little sugar to caramelize if desired.
5. When onions are transparent and rice and lentils cooked, mix together in the large saucepan. I added some stock at this point with a little water to add flavour.
6. Serve with vegetables of choice (Jacob recommends tomato, cucumber, lettuce) and garnish with crispy bacon. Soy sauce goes well with this dish, as Jacob says.
Variation: as Jacob recommends, green lentils work much better than red, although either can be used.

Sloppy Joe Pinto Beans One Dollar Meal

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/sloppy-joe-pinto-beans-one-dollar-mea.html (800kj per serve, 77c per serve)
Serves 4 when prepared as below (or 2x sloppy joes and 2x nachos)
- Beans (e.g. pinto, or 1 can red kidney beans)
- Sliced and diced onion (I used 4)
- Can of tomato paste
- Chopped jalapeno peppers OR a can of Spicy Italian Tomatoes
- Basil (optional)
- Oregano (optional)
- 1tsp Tabasco (optional)
- Chili pepper/sweet chilli sauce (optional)
- 3tsp black pepper (optional)
- Garlic/garlic paste (optional)

1. Fry the onions in a pan, with a little oil if not non-stick.
2. In a pot, mix together all of the ingredients including onions over heat until all warmed through.
3. Serve with bread/pasta/rice as desired.
Variations: If using a can of tomatoes that includes herbs, you do not need to include those marked "optional" above. To reduce dishes, fry onions in base of pot.

Smoothies/Coffee:

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/smoothie-project-5.html, http://earlyretirementextreme.com/smoothie-project-6.html, http://earlyretirementextreme.com/smoothie-project-7.html, http://earlyretirementextreme.com/smoothie-project-8.html, http://earlyretirementextreme.com/smoothie-project-12.html, http://earlyretirementextreme.com/making-coffeean-interesting-little-physics-problem.html

Some Bean Cooking Tweaks

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/some-bean-cooking-tweaks.html (93c per serve, 1013kj per serve)
Jacob links to this recipe: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-cuban-black-beans-and-rice/fe8730af-a2e5-4fb6-b1b9-61f297aeb0bf which serves about 6.
It is a little plain, but the mixture made up as burritos with salsa is delicious! A great way to use leftovers.

Swedish Sausage Dish

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/swedish-sausage-dish.html (68c per serve,1835 kj per serve)
Probably my favourite recipe. See the above link for imperial measurements and method, below for metric ingredients list.
- 900g potatoes (the original recipe says 2 pounds - you could round this up to 1kg for simplicity)
- 1 large onion
- 3 sausages (the original recipe says 6-8 hotdogs)
- Paprika
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 small can of tomato paste

Thousand Islands

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/thousand-islands.html (price and nutritional info differ but pretty negligible)
Simply mix together equal parts tomato sauce and mayonnaise, with a dash of vinegar. This is perfect a perfect recipe if you have only a small amount of ketchup left in a squeezy bottle. Serve with BBQ or coleslaw.

Tortilla Chips

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/making-tortilla-chips.html 1247kj per serve, 51c per serve)
Serves 2 (but can easily cater for more, just add 1-2 more tortilla(s) per person)
- Tortillas of any description (1 large per person)
- Oil
- Salt and any spices desired (I used a curry blend made by a friend)
1. Cut the tortillas into strips, and then into triangles. Jacob suggests a pizza cutter/knife or tearing - I tried both, but
2. found scissors far easier.
3. Spread on an oven tray, brush with oil, sprinkle with spices and salt.
4. Bake for 10 mins at 200 degrees C.

Variations: And to make it into nachos...
- Leftover sloppy joe beans (see above)
- Grated cheese
5. Spread sloppy joe beans and grated cheese on top of baked tortilla chips.
6. Return to oven for 5 min at 180 degrees C.

Unleavened Bread the Easiest Way

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/unleavened-bread-the-easiest-way.html (1039kj per serve, approx. 7c per serve)
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups water
- salt/pepper/spices if desired

1. Form into a dough.
2. Fry in a pan like pancakes - use a little butter/oil if you don't have a non-stick pan. Makes about 4.
Variation: If you want to turn your unleavened bread into an 11c burrito, follow this awesome recipe: http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/frozen-bean-and-cheese-burritos-011-each.html#.UVAW1jdvBEJ

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/vegan-slow-cooker-chili.html (1173kj per serve, $1.14 per serve)
- Pack of Italian soup mix
- 2 chilis (or chili sauce if you don't have any)
- Can of corn kernels OR cup of fresh/frozen corn
- Can of tomatoes
- Onion if you have any (I didn't at the time!)
- Spices, curry powder etc. if desired

1. Prepare Italian soup mix as directed on pack.
2. Mix all ingredients together in saucepan and heat through.
3. Serve (tastes great with chips or cornchips as a salsa - not a very healthy addition, but very tasty for an occasional treat!)

Veggie Burger

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/veggie-burger.html (40c a serve, 1461 kj per serve)
The above link provides great instructions. Variation: My only variation to this recipe was to actually bake my own bread (more of a damper really; just self raising flour and water mixed into a dough and baked), to which I added rolled oats and a honey glaze (mixing water and honey together to brush on top) in an emulation of Subway's honey oat rolls.