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My Mother Always Said This Poor Man’s Meal Is Fit For A King!

Is there anything more comforting than a big, hot bowl of your favorite soup on a cold and rainy day? I don’t think so! That’s why I tend to make this delicious split pea soup almost every week when we get to the colder months of the year. This makes such a wonderful lunch or dinner, and I guarantee you’re going to want a second serving.

This soup is perfect for anyone who is trying to keep an eye on their grocery bill. The ingredients are super inexpensive and you can get them year ’round, wherever you are! If you’d like a vegetarian version, you don’t have to add the crumbled bacon and you can use vegetable stock.

I prefer adding the bacon along with the croutons, when I serve this for dinner. But if I’m serving this for lunch or an appetizer, I usually go with the veggie version. I like to use whole-wheat bread for the croutons, but any stale bread will do! A little bit of sour cream will make the serving fancy enough for anyone!

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Quick Tip: To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock.

Half The Calories – Twice The Flavor!

Before you start guessing, let me tell you that there is not a single drop of cream in this soup. There’s no butter either.

In fact, no dairy is involved – just vegetables! So what is it that makes this soup so beautifully creamy and thick? It’s the pearled barley, my friends. The secret ingredient that I have just recently discovered, and it makes everything so much better. I’ve added it into casseroles, I’ve served it as a side instead of rice, it turns regular beef stew into a festive meal. But let’s set those aside for now and concentrate on this beautiful winter vegetable soup.

This is a keeper! It’s very lean, yet hearty and warming. The ingredients are so inexpensive you’ll be surprised. And like I said; no dairy is involved so this is completely vegan! Make a huge batch of this and you’ll have your meals ready for the next couple of days – this soup only gets better after a day or two in the fridge, so you won’t get tired of eating it!

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Quick Tip: Serve with some fresh, homemade crusty bread.

I don’t know about you, but this recipe takes me back to my grandmother’s table. Cabbage rolls, or “Pigs in a Blanket” as she liked to call them, were a staple part of Sunday dinners down on the farm. A mixture of seasoned ground pork and beef stuffed into crisp cabbage leaves that are smothered in tomatoes will make the pickiest eater’s mouth water.

This meal is great when paired with fresh, homemade bread or rolls. I remember my grandma would always serve apple pie and vanilla ice cream after we finished our cabbage roll dinner. What a great memory. Are you ready to create your own family tradition? Grab your apron and whip up a batch of this amazing meal, tonight!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Tip hero.

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There’s little better than a nice bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold day. This recipe is a bit non-traditional, but it is satisfying and rather quick and easy to put together. I could eat chili most any time of year, though many people like to save it for the colder months. As often as I cook chili, though, I am on the lookout for creative variations on the traditional recipe, and this is a nice one.

Here’s what our friends over at Domesticate Me had to say about this amazing chili:

I’m pleased to report that this chili is a vegan wonder, but you can easily beef things up with any type of meat you have handy. I’ve made it at least four times over the past few weeks with different fillings, and it never disappoints. Try simmering it with top round steak, ground turkey, shredded chicken, lightly browned chorizo or some spicy chicken sausage. (The Dude really lost his cool over the chicken sausage version.) Feel free to get creative.

 

Recipe and photo courtesy of Domesticate Me

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of chili powder and crushed red pepper to your taste.

The Italians are best known for their pasta dishes, but they can make a lovely rice dish or two, as well! This Sweet Potato Risotto is a delicious variant on a classic North Italian home recipe. It is such gourmet flavor in just a few easy steps. People in America may think of risotto as a dish for fine-dining restaurants, but it has its origins in comfort food cooking for the home. A big part of its appeal is that it makes for a highly variable template for most any flavor combination that you want.

Most people also think making risotto is difficult. It certainly isn’t! I used to think so, too, before I finally decided to give it a try. In my opinion, the secret is in the splash of white wine. It brings in such an incredible flavor that people will thing you’ve hired a professional chef to do all the cooking for you!

Recipe and photo courtesy of A Family Feast

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Quick tip: Make sure you use rice that is especially meant for risotto. Regular rice just won’t be the same.

Liven up your side dish menu a bit with this Loaded Wild Rice Pilaf. It sports an exciting combination of flavors that make it perfect as part of a holiday meal, though you shouldn’t have any trouble making up a batch for any occasion that you like.

I suppose that this is properly a Thanksgiving or Christmas side, but I got really excited, looking at the different combinations in this recipe, and just had to try it early. I am glad that I did. It’s not that difficult to put together, and it makes a great part of any fall (or winter) meal.

Recipe and photo courtesy of What Would Cathy Eat

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