Budget Bytes Ginger Scallion Soba Salad Recipes

BUDGET BYTES' GINGER SCALLION SOBA SALAD

Steps:

• First prepare the ginger scallion dressing. Peel the ginger and grate it straight into a bowl to catch the juices. Slice the green onions, tip to end. Add the vegetable oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey to the scallions and grated ginger. Set aside until you're ready to assemble the salad.
• Put a medium pot of water on to boil. When it reaches a rolling boil, add the soba noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for about 5 minutes or until al dente).
• While you're waiting for the water to reach a boil (and for the noodles to cook once added), prepare the vegetables. Take the edamame out of the freezer and let thaw. Clean and slice the bell pepper and carrots into a thin matchsticks.
• When the noodles are finished cooking, drain them in a colander until most of the water is gone. Do not rinse under cold water or else the dressing won't stick and your salad will be soggy. Immediately combine the noodles, vegetables, and ginger scallion dressing. Toss to coat with dressing and serve.

BUDGET BYTES' ITALIAN WONDERPOT

Steps:

• Add four cups of vegetable broth to a large pot. Break the fettuccine in half to make stirring easier later, and then add it to the pot. Also add the canned tomatoes (undrained), olive oil, frozen spinach, onion (thinly sliced), garlic (thinly sliced), basil, oregano, red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
• Make sure the ingredients are submerged under the liquid, place a lid on top of the pot, and then turn the heat on to high. Allow the pot to come up to a full, rolling boil over high heat then remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium.
• Allow the pot to continue to boil over medium heat, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the pot every few minutes as it cooks to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, but avoid over stirring which can cause the pasta to become sticky and mushy. The pot must be boiling the entire time.
• After the pasta is cooked, crumble the feta cheese over top and serve.

BUDGET BYTES' DRAGON NOODLES

Steps:

• Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes).
• While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.
• In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat.
• When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

BUDGET BYTES' SUMMER VEGETABLE TIAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute both in a skillet with olive oil until softened (about five minutes).
• While the onion and garlic are sauteing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables.
• Spray the inside of an 8×8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

BUDGET BYTES' CHANA SAAG

Steps:

• Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to a large skillet with the olive oil. Use a vegetable peeler or the side of a spoon to scrape the skin from the ginger. Once peeled, grate the ginger on a cheese grater straight into the skillet. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and transparent. While these are cooking, dice the tomato.
• Add the curry powder and cumin to the skillet and continue to stir and cook for one minute more. Add the diced tomato and salt. Continue to cook for about five minutes more, or until the tomato has broken down and is no longer holding its diced shape.
• Drain the chickpeas in a colander and give them a quick rinse. Add the rinsed chickpeas, frozen spinach, and a half cup of water to the skillet. Stir everything together and then bring it up to a simmer over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer for five minutes so that the flavors can meld and everything heats through.
• After five minutes most of the water should have simmered away. Turn the heat down a bit (medium-low) and add the evaporated milk. Depending on how thick you want the sauce, you can either just heat through or let it simmer until thickened. If you prefer a smoother Chana Saag, you can use an immersion blender to purée some of the mixture, or transfer half of it to a blender and carefully purée it.* I left mine chunky. Once it's heated through, adjust the salt and curry powder to your liking.