My neighbor used to ask what's for dinner as she walked by my house. I was frying onions only! I make the rice, lentil dish Persian style with raisins or dates added and stir in the fried onions. It's called adas polo. We make the tomato sauce with garlic, red pepper flakes cooked in olive oil to serve over green rice. It is basmati with dill weed stirred in. It is usually served with fish or chicken. So yummy!
Hi Jacki 😁 Oh my goodness! Adas polo has been on my radar. They cook that dish along with some others at the Persian market that I shop at. I have this on my bucket list to make. Thanks for sharing this.
Also, I think I have some Persians living in my neighborhood too. When I'm out walking my dog I smell all of the delicious scents of people cooking their meals. I love it.
@@shess1640 It's easy to cook. I use a rice cooker. I add 2 cups basmati rice, 4 cups water, 3/4 cup dried dill weed and a can of black eyed peas. You can use other beans as well. I add oil, or butter and salt. 20 minutes later, you have a wonderful pot of green rice.
I love middle eastern food! Years ago I lived next door to some Muslim immigrants, I would go over 2 or 3 times a week and help them with their English homework. In exchange, they would cook for me, and I soon developed a taste for middle eastern spices.
When I was in Egypt, the first meal I had was Koshari. I got there (Cairo) at night and I wanted food. I wandered into a hole in the wall restaurant and ordered the Koshari. It was the best. It had the toasted vermicelli that gave it a really good texture. I never thought to make this, and now I will. I didn’t realize how budget friendly this dish is. Thanks, Michelle ❤❤❤
Hi Mary 😁 You're welcome. 🥰 Oh gosh, now I want to try the toasted vermicelli. I definitely think it would elevate the dish even further. Yum! 😋 I hope one day I can travel there too.
@@gretaz1502 Hi Greta 😁You could modify this by using cauliflower rice and eating smaller amounts of the beans. Same with the rice with gravy meal. Just use mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice and top with gravy and fried onions.
We love Koshari! Also- we make that second meal often and mix lentils in with the rice - great meal with leftover rice and lentils from the Koshari night! We are plant based and a family of 8- i challenge myself to make a large meal each night for under $5. We usually have a ton of leftovers too. Thank you for your videos- I enjoy them so much
Yay! 😁 So glad you enjoy my videos! I was thinking the same thing. I should have just poured the gravy over the leftover lentils and rice. 👍 Great job feeding 8 for less than $5. Let me know if you have any awesome recipes. 👩🍳
@@ArdentMichelle You can also a bacon to it with some of the fat to coat the noodles, but I eat low sodium. You can add black pepper herbs that you desire.
Remember that lemons come with a free flavour boost. Take off the lemon zest with a grater and add it to soups, stews and grilled foods. Lemon zest can also be stored in a zip- lock bag in the freezer.
I’m sure you know this trick with pasta , got it from a book long ago. Bring water to boil it in a saucepan with a lid, but don’t add the pasta until it is boiling. Watch the pot, and the moment it starts boiling again clap the lid on, remove the pasta from the heat and set a timer for your perfect level of Al dente. Just put it somewhere . It may take a little experimenting but should be within 12-16 min. The pasta will finish cooking in the heated water whether on a burner or not. When the timer goes off drain into a colander. I remove a portion and put the rest in the fridge to speed up meals later in the week. I like this method because it is consistent and you don’t have to watch the food or burner. Cheers!
@ thaliahelene Tried your pasta cooking method. It's awesome and so easy, the pasta was perfect!👍 Thank you so much for sharing your pasta cooking tip/hack. 😊
ok I finally tried your method 😁 I was apprehensive but I am now a believer 😂😂 Much easier than standing over it and tending to it. Thanks for sharing this awesome tip! 🥰
@@ArdentMichelle yay! It works because water is a great insulator, especially with the potlid on, and it loses heat more slowly than the pasta cooks. I tend to cook rotini, bow ties and egg noodles myself, and have often cooked an entire package without issue, although usually half a bag storing some for other meals. I wish I could take credit for the method but it’s common in other countries. I sure prefer not having to fish noodles out to sample, after I get my timing settled.
I used to make onion fritters to go along with emergency bean suppers. It's basically flour, minced onion and flour mixed up and pan fried like a salmon pattie. It packs a flavor punch and is always possible in my kitchen. (My kid jokes that I put onion in everything but dessert so I always have onions in the house.) *Edit: flour, onion and water.
That sounds interesting and delicious too. 😋 I feel like onion can be such a tool in the frugal cooks kitchen. I just googled this and will have to make these on my channel. Thanks for the great idea 😁👩🍳
You can water your plants with that starch water. My plants love it.💚🌱🌿 Thanks for the cheap meal ideas. I always cook extra rice and noodles when I make them for other meals.
Watching you cook AM, I notice and admire that you are careful and patient! Working in food for as long as I have, (demanding, demanding, demanding) I am re-learning that skill, now that I am "semi-retired"... It is very peaceful for me to watch! Thank you for your beautiful videos! I'm glad I found your channel! :) Dawn @ Rich & Dawn in MN :)
Can you please do some more budget diabetic meals? They are so hard to find. I'm not diabetic but my illness flares up when I eat too much starch or any amount of sugar, but I know a lot of people that struggle are also diabetic. Sometimes trying to adapt recipes to fit my needs gets exhausting.
I've been loving catching up on all of your old videos, and new, since I found out about your channel about a month ago. Since I became an empty nester this past year, one thing that I've been making once a month or so is homemade chicken noodle soup/chicken and dumplings. I buy a package of chicken legs and thighs (skin and bone intact) for about $5 and just boil them with some carrot peels and ends, celery leaves and ends, onion peels and ends, and salt and pepper and "italian seasonings" until fully cooked, take the chicken out and debone/deskin it, put the bones and skins back in and boil awhile longer. Meanwhile I peel and chop maybe 3 full carrots, half an average sized yellow onion, a few celery stalks, and maybe a clove or two of garlic, and just put them in a frying pan until they're cooked a bit. Then strain the liquid and add in the cooked veggies and the chicken back in. It makes a huge stock pot full of soup and I end up eating soup for lunch or dinner for literally the ENTIRE week for well under $10. Easily 7 meals which ends up being under $2 a meal. Sometimes I whisk together some flour, milk, egg, and oil and salt and drop in dumplings. Today I was out of floud but had a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix so am trying that out to see if it can make dumplings or if it just makes a mess lol. (edited to add - don't do the corn muffin dumplings like I did, lol, they're too sweet and the batter was too heavy, it dropped down to the bottom and just the smallest bit of burning on the bottom turned the ENTIRE POT into a burnt-tasting chicken stew with sweet dumplings. oh well, live and learn). Also wanted to add, I did add in a bit of chicken bouillon this time because I didn't take the whole day to boil the stock like usual. So that's good to have on hand, for anyone who might try making this. I know it's quite a basic thing to cook but we all start somewhere so hopefully it's worth sharing! I know you don't eat much meat and maybe I missed when you did a simple chicken soup /chicken and dumplings recipe like this, but just thought I'd mention it in case someone scrolling the comments has some use for it at least! Thanks again for such a useful channel!
Hello 😁 You're welcome. Glad you are enjoying my channel. Chicken and dumplings have been on my list of recipes to make for awhile. Thanks for sharing your method. I agree, it's a GREAT low cost meal. I love your willingness to experiment in the kitchen. It leads to so many great discoveries. 👩🍳
You had me at the word *FRIED*! 😍 Good advice to up the gravy volume. In my house, I will certainly up the gravy and the onions. I know this will be a big hit on a little budget. Thanks for another great dinner idea. 🙂
Foul Medammes is another budget friendly Egyptian dish. You can buy big bags or plastic jars of fried onions and shallots in Indian /Pakistani / Chinese shops if you have access to one. 1Kg is about £6 and you can just keep in the cupboard for when you need a handful.
Best video yet! Such a professional start that I thought we were going to watch a movie. Great use of the chop stick as a pointer. And we haven't even gotten thru the delicious and creative recipes. 😊
Hi Pat 😁 I snuck the mini- food adventure into this extreme budget meal series. 😂 I figured more people would watch it this way. I just love the $5 Food Adventure but I don't get as many views on those. 😞 I'm glad you like this.🥰
Thanks for the reminder that pasta does contain protein. Egg noodles with gravy and some green beans or broccoli sound like a great frugal meal. The half pound of Festive (or I believe you can get two beef patties at the Dollar Tree for $1.25) is a great affordable additions.
You are going in spoil us, AM....two videos in two days! I really enjoyed your intro, and got a kick out of you using a pointer (memories of grade school)....! This was a fun video.
These recipes look pretty darn delicious for being very budget friendly. I'm not sure why I don't fry onions like that, it's easy and I always have onions on hand, sometimes you just need a video to remind you. Thanks for these recipes. I've been commenting a lot lately on everything you are cooking up because they look so good.
Wow, that first dish looked like a really odd combination that I would never have put together, not sure I would like that but I made another dish that you showed us in another video that looked really odd so I thought I would got out of the box and try and it was delicious! I have made it several times! So just maybe I will try this.....😋🙂❤
I love fried onions but never thought to make them this way. Definitely going to try. Yum. Always have onions on hand. Lol I have fried onions in a bit of butter and made an onion sandwich. Don't know how healthy it is but it's delicious.
Sometimes for supper (for myself, my hubby is a carnivore)...I will simply make some gravy with chunky mushrooms and onions...it is so delish over rice or a potato...a person can really live simply....:) Then you just mentioned the mushrooms---great cooking minds think alike! :) Dawn @ Rich & Dawn in MN :)
I wish mushrooms weren't so expensive so that I could fit them into more meals. I can pretty much fit anything into the extreme budget challenge weeks, but they take me so much longer to film. 😞 That sounds like a nice combination. I'm using this idea. Send me all your great meal ideas Dawn. I'm sure you have lots!
😂 and there's my first laugh of the day! Thanks for getting my day started off right. 😂 And also thanks for your generosity and continued support 🥰 I appreciate you!
Oh so good . I had rice with fried onions this morning . There is a a site I think you would really like . Its called Spain on a Fork. His recipes are frugal yet elegant. Some of your meals remind me of his or vice versa. All are healthy and some are vegan.
@@patpeters6331 Okay, I’ve heard of that channel as well, but your mention of an easy on the eyes chef is finally prompting me to finally check it out!🤣
Everything looked delicious and “do-able” as always! You have such a gift for creating elegant, nourishing meals out of such humble ingredients, and they’re always plated and presented so beautifully. Thank you for all of the inspiration! I’ve actually never had gravy on rice (how is that possible?!?) but will be making some later today!❤
Awe.... I appreciate the nice complement. 🥰 I'm surprised but excited at the same time- that you haven't had rice with gravy yet. 😂 It will change your life! 😂 Use whatever your favorite bouillon is (beef, chicken, vegetable, onion). Vegetable is my favorite though. I can only attest to this one. 😂
@@ArdentMichelle I think it will be an onion gravy for us tonight. I saved the cooking water from yesterday’s green beans (I know, weird) and I’ll use that to mix up the gravy. I’m thinking sautéed onions and mushrooms with fried onions over top for me, and I’ll add some shredded chicken for my carnivores. I’m really looking forward to it! I’m also going to mix brown and white rices because we have just a small amount of brown rice left in our canister, and I want to use it up before I refill it. You’re just full of great ideas, thank you!❤️😊
Ohh! I can’t wait to try Koshari🤩!Thank you. I might do the rice/gravy with some of the leftover lentil and mushrooms as you suggested. I get ideas from the comment section as well😋 have a great day!
Your gravy dishes are so spot on delicious. So true, always make more gravy than you think you'll need. I thought I was weird eating rice, gravy and corn. It's such a comfort food. Noodles and gravy either plain or with meat...oy vey heaven on a plate. 😋
I really love the idea of mixing the brown rice into the white rice I definitely will have to give that a go with my next oriental stir fry dish thanks Michelle
I must learn how to make your gravy. My dad use to make the best gravy- unfortunately I never paid attention to what he used other than a cast iron skillet- he grew up very poor in MO (depression era) and told me gravy was served on just bread sometimes for dinner. Your dishes here look delicious.
That Koshari looks right up my alley, I’ll definitely be putting that in the meal plan! I love discovering new foods through your videos that otherwise I would have never tried,
Hi Patrice 😁 Funny you should say that. I just roasted the leftover chickpeas- half with the sriracha seasoning blend, and have with a gochugaru seasoning blend 😂 They are sitting next to my laptop as I'm typing this...munching away! You're right, seasoned chickpeas would be delicious on the Koshari 👍
I did a street food walking tour in Egypt and Koshari was one of the dishes we experienced - it was fabulous - so delicious. I've been thinking about it lately and wondering if I could make it myself so it's an amazing coincidence for you to be sharing how to make it! The version I had in Egypt had different shapes of pasta, along with elbow there was spaghetti (broken up, not long) and toasted vermicelli.
I can’t wait to try making the Koshari! I think that will be an amazing meal prep with the salad! Your recipes truly inspire me to try combinations I would never have known existed. I have wanted to try making Foul mudammas but can’t find fava beans in my area and they are outrageously expensive online.!
Glad this looks good to you 😁 Hmmm.....foul mudammas looks yummy! I may have to try this. Just saved it to my file. So many great low cost recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Oh Koshari that's actually a Indian dish brought to Cairo during the silk road days its not that bad and has many ways it can be made..it was made actually to eat on long expiditions and travels.. I'm into food anthropology but theres also a Anthony Bourdains no reservations episode where he goes to Egypt and eats koshari and his guide tells the history of it.
Hi Erin 😁 that's because rice is spray fortified with additional vitamins, but it also takes off carcinogens, dirt, bugs, and starch. Not rinsing rice results in a cooked consistency that most rice lovers don't like.
🌿🌷 Hi, Michelle! I wouldn’t think to put all those ingredients together either with the Koshari and I don’t know about that. But, your recipe for the gravy, onions and rice, I know I’d love that! That’s going to be a staple here now. Maybe I’d add a can of chicken to it once in awhile. I’m not a big meat eater. But, sometimes I have a craving for hamburger or chicken. :) 🌷🌿
Hi Debbie 😁 Understood. It seems like a strange combination to those of us that haven't grown up with it. I think hamburger or chicken alongside that gravy would be awesome 👍 Have a great weekend!
I have really been enjoying your videos. I appreciate how much you cook with complex carbs and gluten free so that we can avoid refined flour products. Love the way you incorporate beans, lentils, brown rice, etc. I also love your emphasis on frugality! On a side note, would you consider spending less time on stirring, chopping, spooning up bites, and other repetitive or less meaningful tasks? This would provide a more focused video with the best content being undiluted. I have watched a lot of frugal foodies and you are my favorite. You are helping the world!
Thanks so much Martha 😁 I'm glad you've been enjoying my videos. I'll consider your request. I try to edit my videos as much as possible while still producing a demonstrative cooking video. Sometimes I leave in a chopping shot if I have something to say. Most RUclipsrs show their face while they are explaining something, but I use b-roll action shots. Hope this makes sense.
well I do like my pasta a little al dente anyway because I loathe soggy pasta, but yes when I plan to reheat something later I try to make sure it is a little extra al dente so that it doesn't end up soggy.
Hi Margaret 😁 I think it's eaten both ways, but I tried to serve it warm when I ate it. I enjoyed this, it's really all about the fried onions and the spicy red sauce that brings everything together.
Is this dish meant to be served cold? I don’t care for chickpeas, or macaroni that is not covered is sauce. LOL. This would be a hard sell at my house but I do enjoy watching all your dishes form other countries.
Hi Debi 😁 Everything is served warm but I think it would be tasty cold too. I think every bite is supposed to have some tomato sauce on it, but a favorite hot sauce would work too. Yeah I get it about the hard sell. If a family isn't use to trying knew things they may be resistant. Someone remind me that Americans are used to eating rice a roni which is rice and pasta 😂 but otherwise this looks like an odd combo 😂
I never would've thought to put those foods together - esp pasta and rice. I also didn't realize egg noodles contained that much protein but it makes sense. I always learn something. I have a challenge - a budget friendly, low glycemic meal plan. I'm really struggling with eliminating simple carbs and staying within a low budget. The more I learn about insulin resistance, the more I realize the need to cut down now before it's a problem. Insilinresistance1 has some interesting videos testing food combinations that lowers insulin response that's been helpful.
That is definitely a challenge 👍 Did you watch my low carb eating plan? I also have other low carb recipes throughout my other videos. That's basically how I'm trying to eat too.
Hello 😁 Not sure what you mean. My content is a resource for viewers but you can also check out my video "HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES " for more tips and links to resources.
You can alter this to suit you. Swap out the rice for cauliflower rice and then go lighter on the beans and skip the pasta. I bet it would still be great. Also for the rice and gravy sub out either cauliflower mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice.
My neighbor used to ask what's for dinner as she walked by my house. I was frying onions only! I make the rice, lentil dish Persian style with raisins or dates added and stir in the fried onions. It's called adas polo. We make the tomato sauce with garlic, red pepper flakes cooked in olive oil to serve over green rice. It is basmati with dill weed stirred in. It is usually served with fish or chicken. So yummy!
Hi Jacki 😁 Oh my goodness! Adas polo has been on my radar. They cook that dish along with some others at the Persian market that I shop at. I have this on my bucket list to make. Thanks for sharing this.
Also, I think I have some Persians living in my neighborhood too. When I'm out walking my dog I smell all of the delicious scents of people cooking their meals. I love it.
Green rice? I’m so curious about that. That’s a new one on me.
@@shess1640 It's easy to cook. I use a rice cooker. I add 2 cups basmati rice, 4 cups water, 3/4 cup dried dill weed and a can of black eyed peas. You can use other beans as well. I add oil, or butter and salt. 20 minutes later, you have a wonderful pot of green rice.
@@jacki6301 that sounds yummy. I love dill.
I love middle eastern food! Years ago I lived next door to some Muslim immigrants, I would go over 2 or 3 times a week and help them with their English homework. In exchange, they would cook for me, and I soon developed a taste for middle eastern spices.
That's so awesome. I would have loved that 👍 I'm new to this type of food, but excited to explore more because this was really yummy! 😁
When I was in Egypt, the first meal I had was Koshari. I got there (Cairo) at night and I wanted food. I wandered into a hole in the wall restaurant and ordered the Koshari. It was the best. It had the toasted vermicelli that gave it a really good texture. I never thought to make this, and now I will. I didn’t realize how budget friendly this dish is. Thanks, Michelle ❤❤❤
Hi Mary 😁 You're welcome. 🥰 Oh gosh, now I want to try the toasted vermicelli. I definitely think it would elevate the dish even further. Yum! 😋 I hope one day I can travel there too.
@@ArdentMichelle you’ll get there. It’s so incredibly beautiful and interesting. It isn’t perfect but I loved it.
Looks like way too many carbs for us diabetics
@@gretaz1502 Hi Greta 😁You could modify this by using cauliflower rice and eating smaller amounts of the beans. Same with the rice with gravy meal. Just use mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice and top with gravy and fried onions.
or eliminate the beans and substitute white rice for brown rice- but I think the other way sounds better.
We love Koshari! Also- we make that second meal often and mix lentils in with the rice - great meal with leftover rice and lentils from the Koshari night! We are plant based and a family of 8- i challenge myself to make a large meal each night for under $5. We usually have a ton of leftovers too. Thank you for your videos- I enjoy them so much
Yay! 😁 So glad you enjoy my videos! I was thinking the same thing. I should have just poured the gravy over the leftover lentils and rice. 👍 Great job feeding 8 for less than $5. Let me know if you have any awesome recipes. 👩🍳
You might like Ethiopian lentils called Misir Wat. They're spicy and delicious. Though you will probably have to order the berbere spice online.
Hi Jordan 😁 Thanks for the heads up on this dish. Excited to try this 👩🍳
Thank you for exposing us to foods from around the world!! Keep up the good work,Michelle!
Hi Colette 😁 Yay! I'm glad you like this type of content. It's actually my favorite! Thanks for letting me know 🥰
I really like sauteed onions and cabbage over noodles, I add a bit of butter to the noodles to moisten and some romano cheese on top.
Thanks for sharing this 😁 I'm saving this to try.
@@ArdentMichelle You can also a bacon to it with some of the fat to coat the noodles, but I eat low sodium. You can add black pepper herbs that you desire.
Remember that lemons come with a free flavour boost. Take off the lemon zest with a grater and add it to soups, stews and grilled foods. Lemon zest can also be stored in a zip- lock bag in the freezer.
Yes indeed 👍 I was so inspired by this dish that I picked up a bag of lemons. You will see some lemon themed foods very soon. 😂 Great tips.
One of my favorite cheap yummy dishes is egg noodles brown gravy a can of corn and half a pound of ground hamburger and mushrooms
Yes! 👍 Yum!
I’m sure you know this trick with pasta , got it from a book long ago. Bring water to boil it in a saucepan with a lid, but don’t add the pasta until it is boiling. Watch the pot, and the moment it starts boiling again clap the lid on, remove the pasta from the heat and set a timer for your perfect level of Al dente. Just put it somewhere . It may take a little experimenting but should be within 12-16 min. The pasta will finish cooking in the heated water whether on a burner or not. When the timer goes off drain into a colander. I remove a portion and put the rest in the fridge to speed up meals later in the week. I like this method because it is consistent and you don’t have to watch the food or burner. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your pasta tip 👍
@ thaliahelene Tried your pasta cooking method. It's awesome and so easy, the pasta was perfect!👍 Thank you so much for sharing your pasta cooking tip/hack. 😊
@@patpeters6331 Yay! glad to help 😀
ok I finally tried your method 😁 I was apprehensive but I am now a believer 😂😂 Much easier than standing over it and tending to it. Thanks for sharing this awesome tip! 🥰
@@ArdentMichelle yay! It works because water is a great insulator, especially with the potlid on, and it loses heat more slowly than the pasta cooks. I tend to cook rotini, bow ties and egg noodles myself, and have often cooked an entire package without issue, although usually half a bag storing some for other meals. I wish I could take credit for the method but it’s common in other countries. I sure prefer not having to fish noodles out to sample, after I get my timing settled.
Wow 🤩 how lucky are we to have another video so soon?!? 😍🥰😁😊💕
Hello 😁 Yay! Glad you look forward to my videos. I'm working hard over here. 😂
I used to make onion fritters to go along with emergency bean suppers. It's basically flour, minced onion and flour mixed up and pan fried like a salmon pattie. It packs a flavor punch and is always possible in my kitchen. (My kid jokes that I put onion in everything but dessert so I always have onions in the house.) *Edit: flour, onion and water.
That sounds interesting and delicious too. 😋 I feel like onion can be such a tool in the frugal cooks kitchen. I just googled this and will have to make these on my channel. Thanks for the great idea 😁👩🍳
Very whole food plant based .. probably air fried onions no oil .. 😊and very budget friendly..
True 👍
You can water your plants with that starch water. My plants love it.💚🌱🌿
Thanks for the cheap meal ideas. I always cook extra rice and noodles when I make them for other meals.
hmm.. never thought of that before. Great idea 👍 Glad you like this video!
Watching you cook AM, I notice and admire that you are careful and patient! Working in food for as long as I have, (demanding, demanding, demanding) I am re-learning that skill, now that I am "semi-retired"... It is very peaceful for me to watch! Thank you for your beautiful videos! I'm glad I found your channel! :) Dawn @ Rich & Dawn in MN :)
Hi Dawn 😁 I'm so glad you found me too 🥰 I'm also glad you that you find my videos peaceful. That's a very nice complement! Thank you so much.
Family of eight here! This looks delicious. Well done and thank you for serving this community ☺️
Yay! 😁 Thanks so much. I'm glad my meals look good to you! Thanks for watching! 🥰
Can you please do some more budget diabetic meals? They are so hard to find. I'm not diabetic but my illness flares up when I eat too much starch or any amount of sugar, but I know a lot of people that struggle are also diabetic. Sometimes trying to adapt recipes to fit my needs gets exhausting.
Hi Angela 😁 I'll be including recipes or swap outs in my regular videos. I'll be trying a low carb noodle very soon!
I've been loving catching up on all of your old videos, and new, since I found out about your channel about a month ago. Since I became an empty nester this past year, one thing that I've been making once a month or so is homemade chicken noodle soup/chicken and dumplings. I buy a package of chicken legs and thighs (skin and bone intact) for about $5 and just boil them with some carrot peels and ends, celery leaves and ends, onion peels and ends, and salt and pepper and "italian seasonings" until fully cooked, take the chicken out and debone/deskin it, put the bones and skins back in and boil awhile longer. Meanwhile I peel and chop maybe 3 full carrots, half an average sized yellow onion, a few celery stalks, and maybe a clove or two of garlic, and just put them in a frying pan until they're cooked a bit. Then strain the liquid and add in the cooked veggies and the chicken back in. It makes a huge stock pot full of soup and I end up eating soup for lunch or dinner for literally the ENTIRE week for well under $10. Easily 7 meals which ends up being under $2 a meal. Sometimes I whisk together some flour, milk, egg, and oil and salt and drop in dumplings. Today I was out of floud but had a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix so am trying that out to see if it can make dumplings or if it just makes a mess lol.
(edited to add - don't do the corn muffin dumplings like I did, lol, they're too sweet and the batter was too heavy, it dropped down to the bottom and just the smallest bit of burning on the bottom turned the ENTIRE POT into a burnt-tasting chicken stew with sweet dumplings. oh well, live and learn).
Also wanted to add, I did add in a bit of chicken bouillon this time because I didn't take the whole day to boil the stock like usual. So that's good to have on hand, for anyone who might try making this. I know it's quite a basic thing to cook but we all start somewhere so hopefully it's worth sharing!
I know you don't eat much meat and maybe I missed when you did a simple chicken soup /chicken and dumplings recipe like this, but just thought I'd mention it in case someone scrolling the comments has some use for it at least! Thanks again for such a useful channel!
Hello 😁 You're welcome. Glad you are enjoying my channel. Chicken and dumplings have been on my list of recipes to make for awhile. Thanks for sharing your method. I agree, it's a GREAT low cost meal. I love your willingness to experiment in the kitchen. It leads to so many great discoveries. 👩🍳
You had me at the word *FRIED*! 😍
Good advice to up the gravy volume. In my house, I will certainly up the gravy and the onions.
I know this will be a big hit on a little budget.
Thanks for another great dinner idea. 🙂
Thanks Paula 😁 Glad you like this video. And thanks for letting me know you like it 🥰
Foul Medammes is another budget friendly Egyptian dish. You can buy big bags or plastic jars of fried onions and shallots in Indian /Pakistani / Chinese shops if you have access to one. 1Kg is about £6 and you can just keep in the cupboard for when you need a handful.
Thanks for sharing this. 😁 Adding this to the recipes I want to try 👩🍳
So good to have some low cost options up your sleeve! Tysm for this, will def try soon !!
You're welcome 😁 Glad you like this one.
Best video yet! Such a professional start that I thought we were going to watch a movie. Great use of the chop stick as a pointer. And we haven't even gotten thru the delicious and creative recipes. 😊
Hi Pat 😁 I snuck the mini- food adventure into this extreme budget meal series. 😂 I figured more people would watch it this way. I just love the $5 Food Adventure but I don't get as many views on those. 😞
I'm glad you like this.🥰
Ooh, those fried onions elevate anything. Going to try!
Yay! 😁
Thanks for the reminder that pasta does contain protein. Egg noodles with gravy and some green beans or broccoli sound like a great frugal meal. The half pound of Festive (or I believe you can get two beef patties at the Dollar Tree for $1.25) is a great affordable additions.
You're welcome 😁 Yeah such affordable options for meat.
You are going in spoil us, AM....two videos in two days! I really enjoyed your intro, and got a kick out of you using a pointer (memories of grade school)....! This was a fun video.
I will be happy to assist in spoiling you 😂 I kind of feel like a teacher with my pointer. 😂 Glad you like this video.
@@ArdentMichelle 🙂
These recipes look pretty darn delicious for being very budget friendly. I'm not sure why I don't fry onions like that, it's easy and I always have onions on hand, sometimes you just need a video to remind you. Thanks for these recipes. I've been commenting a lot lately on everything you are cooking up because they look so good.
Hi Charlotte 😁 Glad you are enjoying my content lately. I love hearing from my viewers 🥰
Ground coriander has a uniquely Middle Eastern flavor.
It looks delicious. I really enjoy fried onions on white rice, no need for anything else! Thank you for the video!
You're welcome 😁
Wow, that first dish looked like a really odd combination that I would never have put together, not sure I would like that but I made another dish that you showed us in another video that looked really odd so I thought I would got out of the box and try and it was delicious! I have made it several times! So just maybe I will try this.....😋🙂❤
That's EXACTLY what I thought Vinny 😂 😂 but it was good 😁 Maybe try a mini portion first with some leftover rice. 👩🍳
@@ArdentMichelle that's a great idea 💗
I love fried onions but never thought to make them this way. Definitely going to try. Yum.
Always have onions on hand.
Lol I have fried onions in a bit of butter and made an onion sandwich. Don't know how healthy it is but it's delicious.
Yay! 😁 Glad this inspired you to try the fried onions.
Sometimes for supper (for myself, my hubby is a carnivore)...I will simply make some gravy with chunky mushrooms and onions...it is so delish over rice or a potato...a person can really live simply....:) Then you just mentioned the mushrooms---great cooking minds think alike! :) Dawn @ Rich & Dawn in MN :)
I wish mushrooms weren't so expensive so that I could fit them into more meals. I can pretty much fit anything into the extreme budget challenge weeks, but they take me so much longer to film. 😞 That sounds like a nice combination. I'm using this idea. Send me all your great meal ideas Dawn. I'm sure you have lots!
Michelle on point as always. Great idea to look to other countries for great, inexpensive meals.
Glad you like this video 😁
Enjoyed watching again as it turned up on my feed 😊. Topping the noodles with a poached or fried egg ....thank you for tasty , frugal meal
My pleasure 😊
Woo Hoo! Another video already! Can hardly wait for the Pampers ad to end…
😂 and there's my first laugh of the day! Thanks for getting my day started off right. 😂 And also thanks for your generosity and continued support 🥰 I appreciate you!
I love the combo of rice and lentils!
me too!
Oh so good . I had rice with fried onions this morning . There is a a site I think you would really like . Its called Spain on a Fork. His recipes are frugal yet elegant. Some of your meals remind me of his or vice versa. All are healthy and some are vegan.
Hello 😁 I've heard of that site before. I just looked and saw a couple recipes that look delicious!
I really enjoy that channel too and the cook so easy on the eyes. Lol. Total win win.
@@patpeters6331 Okay, I’ve heard of that channel as well, but your mention of an easy on the eyes chef is finally prompting me to finally check it out!🤣
another great video.. thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Everything looked delicious and “do-able” as always! You have such a gift for creating elegant, nourishing meals out of such humble ingredients, and they’re always plated and presented so beautifully. Thank you for all of the inspiration! I’ve actually never had gravy on rice (how is that possible?!?) but will be making some later today!❤
Awe.... I appreciate the nice complement. 🥰 I'm surprised but excited at the same time- that you haven't had rice with gravy yet. 😂 It will change your life! 😂
Use whatever your favorite bouillon is (beef, chicken, vegetable, onion). Vegetable is my favorite though. I can only attest to this one. 😂
Let me know how it goes.
@@ArdentMichelle I think it will be an onion gravy for us tonight. I saved the cooking water from yesterday’s green beans (I know, weird) and I’ll use that to mix up the gravy. I’m thinking sautéed onions and mushrooms with fried onions over top for me, and I’ll add some shredded chicken for my carnivores. I’m really looking forward to it! I’m also going to mix brown and white rices because we have just a small amount of brown rice left in our canister, and I want to use it up before I refill it. You’re just full of great ideas, thank you!❤️😊
This sounds like a delicious dinner! 😋
Thank you for sharing these. I know I will love all 3 of them. Fried onions are the bomb 🤗 Will be making. Have a blessed and beautiful day 🥰
Yay! 🥳 Glad you like these recipes. Thanks so much for letting me know 💜
I think I’m going to try the fried onions on top of casserole ! Great ideas here!! Thank you!
Thanks 😁 Glad you like this video!
Ohh! I can’t wait to try Koshari🤩!Thank you. I might do the rice/gravy with some of the leftover lentil and mushrooms as you suggested. I get ideas from the comment section as well😋 have a great day!
Yay! Glad you like this meal 😁 I get lots of ideas from viewers comments too. You too. Have a great day! 😁
That’s a great idea to mix brown & white rice! 👍🏻👍🏻
I thought so too. I think Pat was the one that gave me that gem!
Your gravy dishes are so spot on delicious. So true, always make more gravy than you think you'll need.
I thought I was weird eating rice, gravy and corn. It's such a comfort food. Noodles and gravy either plain or with meat...oy vey heaven on a plate. 😋
Thank you 😁 I could literally eat that rice and gravy and corn dish every day. I agree, total comfort food.
Perfection 😍
Thank you! 😊 Glad you like this video!
Thanks for some cheap meal ideas
It's my pleasure 😁
I really love the idea of mixing the brown rice into the white rice I definitely will have to give that a go with my next oriental stir fry dish thanks Michelle
You're welcome 😁 Yeah I thought it was a great idea too. So glad to get these great tips from my viewers. Thank YOU for watching! 🥰
I must learn how to make your gravy. My dad use to make the best gravy- unfortunately I never paid attention to what he used other than a cast iron skillet- he grew up very poor in MO (depression era) and told me gravy was served on just bread sometimes for dinner. Your dishes here look delicious.
I grew up eating that too. Just plain white bread with some gravy on top. So yummy!
Thank you, what a great idea!
You're welcome! 😁 Glad you like this video!
THANKS LOT.⚘⚘⚘
I am from Egypt.
Hello 😁 and you're welcome 😊thank YOU for watching. I loved making this meal. I hope to do more dishes from Egypt in the future.
@@ArdentMichelle 🌹🌻🌻🌻🌹
Can’t wait to try these recipes. I add tuna to the noodles
Yay! 😁 That's a great idea to add tuna.
Looks delicious 😋, I am going to try 😋
Hi Linda 😁Yay! Glad you like them.
I think gravy is my favorite food in any meal
same 👍
Yummy.
Yay! 😁 Glad you like it.
I have everything in my pantry to make this today!
Yay! 😁 Hope you love it as much as me!
@@ArdentMichelle for storing leftovers, would you just mix it all together?
@@1213LB that's a good question. I stored them separately.
That Koshari looks right up my alley, I’ll definitely be putting that in the meal plan! I love discovering new foods through your videos that otherwise I would have never tried,
Yay! 😁 Glad you like this, because it's actually my favorite kind of content to make. Exploring different cultures via food. 😂
I’ve had this dish (at a restaurant) and loved it! I will definitely make it at home. Thank you for this inspiration!😊
You're welcome 😁I was going to try this at a restaurant but it was a little far from me and they wanted $15 for the meal. 😳
I like your pointer ❤
How lovely! Yay for meatless meals ❤
Glad you like them 😁
I bet that Koshari dish would be even better if you seasoned and roasted the chickpeas to make them crunchy.
Hi Patrice 😁 Funny you should say that. I just roasted the leftover chickpeas- half with the sriracha seasoning blend, and have with a gochugaru seasoning blend 😂 They are sitting next to my laptop as I'm typing this...munching away! You're right, seasoned chickpeas would be delicious on the Koshari 👍
Another fantastic video!
awe...thanks Teresa 🥰 Glad you like it.
I really liked this video a lot. It looks very good.
Thanks. 😁 I'm so glad you like it and I appreciate you letting me know that you like it 🥰
I did a street food walking tour in Egypt and Koshari was one of the dishes we experienced - it was fabulous - so delicious. I've been thinking about it lately and wondering if I could make it myself so it's an amazing coincidence for you to be sharing how to make it! The version I had in Egypt had different shapes of pasta, along with elbow there was spaghetti (broken up, not long) and toasted vermicelli.
How fun! I bet that was an awesome experience 😁 Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did.
I can’t wait to try making the Koshari! I think that will be an amazing meal prep with the salad! Your recipes truly inspire me to try combinations I would never have known existed. I have wanted to try making Foul mudammas but can’t find fava beans in my area and they are outrageously expensive online.!
Glad this looks good to you 😁 Hmmm.....foul mudammas looks yummy! I may have to try this. Just saved it to my file. So many great low cost recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I'm going to make these recipes. My friends just got back from Egypt, and some of their pictures and food were eaten by them.
Yay! 😁 We can always have a little travel adventure in the kitchen. 😂
I really enjoyed this culinary adventure! Have you tried using zucchini as a noodle? (aka 'zoodles')
not yet but it's on my bucket list. I even bought a tool from Amazon. 😂
Trying this asap
Yay! 😁 Glad you like this recipe. Thanks for letting me know 🥰
Oh Koshari that's actually a Indian dish brought to Cairo during the silk road days its not that bad and has many ways it can be made..it was made actually to eat on long expiditions and travels.. I'm into food anthropology but theres also a Anthony Bourdains no reservations episode where he goes to Egypt and eats koshari and his guide tells the history of it.
I'll try to watch sometime. 😁
@@ArdentMichelle .. it's a good episode..too bad about him though he was funny sometimes
@@Rebelartist83 yes it's so sad 🥲
Could the Frenches fried onion topping be used?
yes I think that's a great short cut idea. I've never had them before so I don't know how good they are, but they should work fine.
This looks really good, I’m going to try this! I was wondering where you buy your wooden tasting spoons?
Hi Barbara 😁 Glad this looks good to you! I buy those wooden spoons at Shein. They were super cheap. TEMU might have them also.
👍🏼
😁 glad you like this.
rinsing the rice takes off all the vitamins.
Hi Erin 😁 that's because rice is spray fortified with additional vitamins, but it also takes off carcinogens, dirt, bugs, and starch. Not rinsing rice results in a cooked consistency that most rice lovers don't like.
🌿🌷 Hi, Michelle! I wouldn’t think to put all those ingredients together either with the Koshari and I don’t know about that. But, your recipe for the gravy, onions and rice, I know I’d love that! That’s going to be a staple here now. Maybe I’d add a can of chicken to it once in awhile. I’m not a big meat eater. But, sometimes I have a craving for hamburger or chicken. :) 🌷🌿
Hi Debbie 😁 Understood. It seems like a strange combination to those of us that haven't grown up with it. I think hamburger or chicken alongside that gravy would be awesome 👍 Have a great weekend!
I bet that would be delicious with the chick peas roasted. ☺️
yes I think it would 👍
I have really been enjoying your videos. I appreciate how much you cook with complex carbs and gluten free so that we can avoid refined flour products. Love the way you incorporate beans, lentils, brown rice, etc. I also love your emphasis on frugality! On a side note, would you consider spending less time on stirring, chopping, spooning up bites, and other repetitive or less meaningful tasks? This would provide a more focused video with the best content being undiluted. I have watched a lot of frugal foodies and you are my favorite. You are helping the world!
Thanks so much Martha 😁 I'm glad you've been enjoying my videos. I'll consider your request. I try to edit my videos as much as possible while still producing a demonstrative cooking video. Sometimes I leave in a chopping shot if I have something to say. Most RUclipsrs show their face while they are explaining something, but I use b-roll action shots. Hope this makes sense.
@@ArdentMichelle What do you think is the best gluten free substitute for making gravy? Corn starch? Potato starch?
@@marthastock8940 Arrowroot is a gluten free thickening agent that replaces cornstarch.
@@patpeters6331 Thank you!
Just wondering where you making the pasta Al dente because you were heating it up later
well I do like my pasta a little al dente anyway because I loathe soggy pasta, but yes when I plan to reheat something later I try to make sure it is a little extra al dente so that it doesn't end up soggy.
Is this Koshari served hot or as a salad? It looks great and I will make it.
Hi Margaret 😁 I think it's eaten both ways, but I tried to serve it warm when I ate it. I enjoyed this, it's really all about the fried onions and the spicy red sauce that brings everything together.
Is this dish meant to be served cold? I don’t care for chickpeas, or macaroni that is not covered is sauce. LOL. This would be a hard sell at my house but I do enjoy watching all your dishes form other countries.
Hi Debi 😁 Everything is served warm but I think it would be tasty cold too. I think every bite is supposed to have some tomato sauce on it, but a favorite hot sauce would work too. Yeah I get it about the hard sell. If a family isn't use to trying knew things they may be resistant. Someone remind me that Americans are used to eating rice a roni which is rice and pasta 😂 but otherwise this looks like an odd combo 😂
Rice - a - Roni = Pasta and Rice!
you're right 👍 we've already been eating this combo and didn't realize it 😂
I never would've thought to put those foods together - esp pasta and rice. I also didn't realize egg noodles contained that much protein but it makes sense. I always learn something. I have a challenge - a budget friendly, low glycemic meal plan. I'm really struggling with eliminating simple carbs and staying within a low budget. The more I learn about insulin resistance, the more I realize the need to cut down now before it's a problem. Insilinresistance1 has some interesting videos testing food combinations that lowers insulin response that's been helpful.
That is definitely a challenge 👍 Did you watch my low carb eating plan? I also have other low carb recipes throughout my other videos. That's basically how I'm trying to eat too.
How about Indian food next?
Just made an Indian curry for Sunday's video 😂
What resources do you have for people in need of food?
Hello 😁 Not sure what you mean. My content is a resource for viewers but you can also check out my video "HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES " for more tips and links to resources.
Fried onions reminds me that Koreans eat toasted seaweed instead
Hi Su Yap 😁 So just pan fry the little nori sheets? Is it in oil or anything else added? This is exactly the kind of inside info I need 😂
Nice but too much white starch for us diabetics.
You can alter this to suit you. Swap out the rice for cauliflower rice and then go lighter on the beans and skip the pasta. I bet it would still be great. Also for the rice and gravy sub out either cauliflower mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice.
slay vegan