summer garden pasta salad

Summer time is wonderful for bright, vibrant vegetables. Showcasing them simply in a light pasta salad is not only ideal, but imperative. Adding some cannellini beans and a garlic crostini (toast with fresh garlic rubbed on it) makes this a complete meal. I make Sunday's lunch lite because Sunday's dinner is a family favorite and more often than not is either a heavy meal or more involved to prepare. A lite lunch balances things out.

This pasta salad has broccoli, asparagus, red bell peppers and green onions that I lightly sauteed for a few minutes until they were just crisp. I added sliced grape tomatoes, some vinegar and a few tablespoons of olive oil and a few fresh herbs. Great flavors, little time.

Cost Breakdown:

asparagus: $3

1/2 bell pepper: $1

1 bunch broccoli: $2

green onions and garlic: $1

herbs: $1

tomatoes: $2

pasta: $.50

beans: $2

bread: $1

Total to feed  a family of 6:

$13.50

poblano and potato tacos

I was looking through a Rick Bayless cookbook and came across a taco recipe using poblano peppers, potatoes and swiss chard. I am always on the lookout for different taco recipes and this one fit the bill. In fact, except for the chicken stock (easy to fix) and the cream it called for, it was vegan. To sub the cream, I blended 1 c of cashews with 1/2 c of water and strained it through my milk bag. I was left with the needed 3/4 c of cream.

I love poblano peppers,leftover from living in Texas for many years, and the potatoes were an interesting addition. The cream made the tacos delicious, but the swiss chard lent too much earthiness for the kids.

Cost Breakdown:

poblanos: $3

beans: $2

chard: $3

potatoes: $2

onions, garlic, spices: $1

tacos: $2

Total to feed a family of 5:

$13.00