$10 Dinner Challenge
November 17, 2008 
Is your money tight? Sorry... stupid question.
Sarah's Cucina Bella and Sweetnicks are hosting a little Monday challenge to help us stretch our dollars.
Dinner for four for less than $10.
Main course, and one serving of vegetables per person. Salt, pepper, one tablespoon of herbs, and 1/4 cup of oil are freebies. Sound good?
Red Beans and Coconut Rice with Lime Side Salad
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Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers
The beans:
- one small onion
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- two cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- one large can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp. each of red pepper flake and dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg
- two good pinches of salt
The rice:
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups white rice (short grain if you can)
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 14 oz. can of coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (about a third of a bunch)
The salad:
- one head of romaine lettuce, washed and dried well
- one lime
- 2 tbsp. fruity olive oil
The process:
Start your rice first.
In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat, and add your rice and spices. Stir that for about two minutes. Add the coconut milk and water, and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the rice to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the rice cooks, work on the beans. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, and add the diced onions. Season with a little salt and pepper, and cook for about three minutes, stirring a couple of times throughout. Add the canned tomatoes, the drained beans, the red pepper flake, thyme, and nutmeg. Stir, cover, and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. The rice and beans will be done at about the same time. While those cook, chop the cilantro, and cut up the lettuce for a salad. Make your own vinaigrette with the juice of the lime and the oil, and toss the salad with the dressing. Then top the rice with the beans, sprinkle with cilantro, and go to town. Cheap and tasty meal.
The price breakdown (all from Wal-mart):
- coconut milk (1.29)
- tomatoes (1.29)
- beans (1.98)
- 1/4 bag of rice (0.58)
- small yellow onion (0.70)
- 1/3 bunch of cilanto (0.43)
- lettuce (1.99)
- lime (0.69)
- Total (incl. tax) - $9.13
Not gonna lie... I didn't think this dish would be totally great. I figured it'd get a "just okay." Boy, was I wrong. This dish is surprisingly tasty. Creamy, a little sweet, a nice lingering heat, comforting, and delicious. Please try it. It's worth it. Especially at less than ten bucks.
Reader Comments (18)
Hi Kendra! Found your site from Katies.... yummy! I'm going to link you from my blog so I can have easy access to your site and share it with others if that is ok?!
I would have loved to come to your Creative weekend- please add me to your email/mailing list for future events. I am trying to explore my creative side more! I am also interested in taking a class with you! Oh and I actually have some Arugula in the fridge from a goatcheese salad I did the other night- excellent that I have a new recipe to try with it! Going to try that salad tonight. Thanks! -Kristin Kocher
Back from a trip and I have enjoyed catching up with your recipes. This sounds absolutely delicious! I used to make a similar recipe with added acoren squash, diced up from Cooking Light and since I can't find the recipe, yours is on my list for this week's menu!
I'm assuming McDonald's doesn't count? Dang. Also, after watching your quesadilla video, we were starving for lunch and realized we didn't have any ingredients to make the 'dillas, so we hoofed it on over to Qdoba!! Not quite the impact you were hoping for, I'm sure, but you definitely got us in the mood for Mexican!!
Hi there! Oh my gosh - your recipe looks soooo amazing! I'm definitely going to try it. I found your blog randomly, but I must say, I'm completely addicted!
Hope to get to know you better through blogging :).
Yum! Your dishes look so good! Just stopping in from SITS! So glad I did. Can't wait to see what else your cooking up!
When I first saw the ingredients..I thought Ugh..but the picture makes me think again..I am a picky eater:(
sandy toes
I am really liking your blog! I am visiting from SITS! I will be back now that I am drooling!
Looks yummy! What a great post, and with helpful pics too!
When the blog started with the empty plate, I have to admit I was disappointed. Then I scrolled down to the end and found that "visual transport" I was looking for. Your food photos always take me to some place I want to be! Aahhh!
Kendra,
My email responses to you keep getting returned. Can you email me with another email address?
Thanks!!!
Tiffany
Yum! What a fabulous idea. I'm going to have to think up more $10 meals for sure!
Thanks for posting this recipe!
Oh, YUM! And what a deal...
I'm glad you liked the dentist post, even if you did make some public laughing noise... [tee hee]
That makes me happy!
Have a smooth evening...
:^) Anna
That's so funny...we've been thinking about how to spend less on our dinners. I love those flavors...coconut and lime..yummmmmmm!! Plus it's so cheap, that we can use all the $$ we saved on a few pints of ice cream!
This sounds really good, I think I'll give it a try!
I am seeing coconut milk everywhere! I'll have to give this recipe a try!
You could have made it for $5 if you got the stuff from an ethnic store. People think wal-mart is cheap, but its pretty expensive really.
This sounds good, and I'm all for thrifty! I'm sure I won't even need to adapt it, since I have a couple of munchkins that eat like a bird (even if I'm feeding all 6 of us). I love seeing different, cheap choices! I'll definitely try it. Glad Kimba sent me over. :)
Ooooh... the coconut rice sounds divine!