Lazy dinner

So money's been tight. Lately our strategy has been to go to the farmers' market first and base meals off what we find there, so we can then hit up the grocery store and buy the other stuff we need.

I think I'm not buying enough at the market. We shop on Friday and by Wednesday things are looking a little thin. I'm also trying to use up what we have already rather than buy a ton of new stuff. So, with that in mind, here's last night's recipe: cheap, filling, and relatively easy.

White Bean 'n' Green Soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
½ onion, chopped
3 cups chopped greens: chard, kale, beet, turnip, collard...
½ cup diced carrots
4 cups veggie or chicken broth
½ lb dry white beans
one can diced tomatoes
bay leaf
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, or whatever seasonings you want*
Salt and pepper to taste


Soak beans overnight in a large pot. In the morning, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Drain and rinse beans, cover with water, and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours or until done. Drain beans and toss everything into the crock pot. Set to Low. Go to work. Come home, make some cornbread, and have dinner.

Or: throw in some browned ground beef and cooked pasta and tada, minestrone.

*I should probably mention, at our house Old Bay seasoning and Tabasco sauce go in everything.