Dollar A Day Meals

                                                                     MAIN MEAL RECIPE

Polka Dot Stew

dollaradaymeals.com

Important: read note below before making this soup....

4 to 6 c. water

1/2 c. dry lentils (brown or green), rinsed

1/2 onion, finely chopped

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1/3 c. dry white rice (or brown rice)

1 large carrot, peeled, halved, thinly sliced

2 chicken bouillon cubes (or more according to taste)

2 to 4 T. tomato sauce

1 c. crushed canned tomatoes (optional)

sea salt, garlic salt, and pepper to taste

In pot: water, lentils, onion (and if using brown rice, add now also). Bring to a boil, turn to low, cover, cook for 25 minutes. Add rice (if using white),  carrots,  bouillon,  tomato sauce,  and more water as needed.  Bring to a boil,  cover,  turn to low,  cook 20 more minutes. Season with sea salt, garlic salt, and pepper to taste.  Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Note:  This soup can vary in content.  Thus, if you have any cooking liquids left, or bits of vegetables,  add them to this soup.  Especially good with cabbage added if you have any on hand. Sometimes I omit the tomato sauce and the tomatoes, and use more water. Or we leave out chicken bouillon and just use salt/ garlic salt/ pepper for season.  The idea is to make lentil soup using what you have. Thus stretching your dollars, but not compromising healthy meals.

Serve with whole wheat bread or flour tortilla crackers.

Tip: dry beans (also called legumes) plus a grain, make a complete protein.   For  example:  burritos are beans  plus  flour  tortillas; or southern tradition of beans with cornbread, also rice and beans, or lentil soup and whole wheat bread.   

                                                          ©Janet Marie Huff / dollaradaymeals.com