I can't tell you how much that I love that even though you're a vegetarian you are never mean, judgy or pretentious and even offer suggestions for those of us who do eat meat. Thank you
Awe...thanks so much 😁🥰. I appreciate that very much. I try to have variety on my channel so there is something for everyone. I have people on VERY extreme budgets and then I have not as much....so I try to balance that as well. Next week I'm working on a super extreme budget video so that should be interesting 😂
You might want to try Capellini noodles they are thin great in butter and pasta sauce cheese put your favorite meat in it like a spaghetti except not as thick. Take only 3 to 6 minutes to boil depending how you like your texture. The cook Ina Greten has her own cooking channel has her own lemon sauce recipe I thought I would give the recipe try in Capellini noodles sounds like a really great recipe for the this hot season!
Hi Marisa 😁 I like capellini, and just about any type of noodle. Wondering if the Ina recipe is similar to the Giada de Laurentiis lemon spaghetti I made on my channel. I'll check out her recipe. Thanks for the heads up.
@@ArdentMichelle Hi you are welcome for the heads up! I don't know about the Giada recipe? I am not sure if I watched it or not on your channel? However Ina Greten is on Food Network channel. You can just do a search on UA-cam Ina Greten simple lemon recipe it's only about a 3 minute video looks very simple except I would probably use my blender for the lemons instead!
I’m a new stay at home Mom and watch your videos at night when my baby is asleep! I’m learning so much and am happy to cook more at home! Thank you for all that you do, you’re helping this first time mama out 🤗.
How are you doing? I started cooking more when having kids too. I have a 3 year old and 6 month old. It's difficult to find time for recipes that take any amount of time though.
@@ashleebickley1222 now my son is 16 months and it’s way better to do things more than when he was a baby. I have a feeling I’ll get to a confident point and than we’ll have another baby so I’ll end up learning how to do things all over again 🤪.
That’s the way I do my eggs. I’d like them with the white set and the yolk soft so I put a little bit of water in and put a lid on them. Uses less oil that way too.
The prices in the flyer that you shared is amazing. I live in CT and I don't see prices that low ever. I do have 2 local discount stores near me that I do shop at every week.
What’s amazing is I don’t live very far from Michelle and I’m in LA County and she’s in orange county and I don’t see these prices either anywhere near where I live
I'm very fortunate to have Wholesome Choice. They are the best I've seen for produce. Funny thing is..all of their other items are super expensive so I only go in for the produce. 🍆🥔🌶🌽
Cooking from scratch is definitely the key to saving money on the food budget, along with very careful shopping. And once you get your budget down to $1 a day you'll be in the extreme food budgeting club, also known as a zero waste hero! We do it for fun and to prove it's possible, but we buy no manufactured food at all, not even condiments. If there is a good sale on something, like limes, I buy them and then find a way to preserve them, usually by zesting, freezing the juice in ice cube trays, and making candied peels. But I like to cook, garden, and mess about in the kitchen so to me it's an enjoyable hobby. Keep up the good work! This is a necessary skill to nurture with potential food outages and shrinkflation.
Thanks Sandra 😁🥰. You are right...cooking from scratch is the way to go for extreme budgeting. It does take more time but can really pay off. Sounds like you have been super resourceful and discovered how to use all parts of the food. I like that 👍
@@ArdentMichelle Yes, and that's how we keep the food budget extremely low--buying and preserving unexpected sale items even if the items aren't part of the weekly menu. We've built up a good long-term supply of staples and don't need to do weekly shopping but will take advantage of good sales when they come up.
You inspire me to save money on food. I’ve been eating out wayyy too much and it’s eating into my savings. During the week from now on, I’m going to head to the grocery during instead of going to a restaurant.
I'm so glad you are finding inspiration from my videos. 😁 It can be so easy to order delivery from restaurants. It helps to put a financial goal to work towards to keep from spending the money...at least for me. Thanks so much for watching 😊👩🍳
Thanks so much. 😁 I totally agree. I don't make dried chickpeas often enough. This recipe for the chickpea stew was outstanding. I found another one with a tomato base that I want to try. Thanks for watching!
I had never had kale until a couple of years ago when my daughter brought a kale salad to Christmas dinner. I fell in love. Now I use kale like you do. 😋😍
I have been getting so much inspiration from your videos & feel very encouraged to look at ads & buy only what’s on sale! I inherited my mom’s cookbook that looks similar to the one you purchased. I’ve been going through her recipes lately. I’m so glad to have it; I am sorry that you lost yours in a move. Take care! ❤️
I absolutely love your sauces. Fabulous. I agree it's hard to satisfy everyone. That's when I remember what my mom used to tell us..."as long as you live and eat under my roof, you'll eat whatever I make and like it" 🤣 works like a charm.
I made my take on the chickpea coconut soup; it is delicious. I used moringa instead of kale as it was in my garden. Also subbed turkey broth for stock. That broth was kept frozen from a turkey I raised and cooked for Thanksgiving. Mint was also fresh from my garden, and the yogurt was homemade. I did reduce the cayenne to my more mild level. An inexpensive, delicious and healthy meal. Thank you.
Yay! 🥳 I'm so glad you love this recipe. I think it's one of my all time favorite chickpea recipes. I bet the mint was so good coming straight from your garden. 🌱 I love the substitutions you made based on what you have in your kitchen. Thanks for sharing this!
To add: i love watching your videos because they give me ideas to cook healthy. I really need to eat more vegies to lose weight… tq so much for your sharing!
Thanks for this inspiration. I finally made fideo the first time today thanks to your inspiration. I poached two eggs in it at the end to add some protein to it and topped with a Mexican blend cheese. It was so good. I’ve had fideo before and always wanted to try making it. So yummy. Thank you
That is my FAVORITE type of kale! I love it so much. l can't wait to start making my fall soups and adding that in. Bummer you can't find any where you are ☹️
Yes! I love the cabbage idea. 👍That would work perfectly! And probably taste better as well. I love the taste of cabbage. Bean sprouts are like eating crunchy water. 😂
Stuffed pepper soup is delicious and you can make a huge pot if you stretch out chopping your veggies a bit smaller and of course adding the rice makes is really stretch!
Re: thicker noodles Walmart carries Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles. They’re wide, like a fettuccine noodle. Asian restaurants call them Chow Fun noodles. They’re more expensive than the rice sticks, by quite a bit, but much sturdier. I’m in central Texas & a 14 ounce box is around $3. Edited to add: they’re labeled gluten free, which increases the price.
I love your videos! I have done several of these challenges and just as you show- it is definitely possible to eat well on a tight budget! Thanks for sharing!
I always love your creativity. Each meal looks so appetizing. You inspire me to try the tofu. I have never tried it. You did well with your challenge and had leftovers with growing boys. I could never fill my son up during that season of life. 😆 He's learning, as he is in his 30's with his own kiddos, that kids are always ready to eat. I'm thankful for you and your devotion to your channel. Thanks so much for sharing your meals with us. Willette
Thanks Willette. 😊I'm so glad I'm inspiring you to try new things. 👩🍳 In case you haven't noticed, I get a lot of entertainment value out of food and trying new things.
❤everything is delicious. I had Singapore noodles once. It was delicious but so spicy. 😭. With the chickpeas I would definitely go for the curry. The Badia spice is mild. I like your non stick pans. Oh! You know I love kale and that’s my favorite. Thank you again my friend ❤
In Singapore Noodles try using Glass noodles. They're clear and delicious and sturdy enough for your dish. They hold up very well for leftovers also. Cheers!
Even on a budget, I feel like the $40 annual subscription to NYT Cooking is so worth it. I've literally never had a dud meal from that site. And I've had the chickepea stew bookmarked for at least 2 years. Your endorsement is all I needed to push me over the edge. Wonderful channel; thanks Ardent! Re: noodles, I recommend fresh udon and dried ramen noodles!
I've never subscribed to NYT Cooking, but I do occasionally see recipes from there. Not sure how I got my hands on that recipe. Thanks for the noodle recommendations!
That sounds yummy too. 😋 I also made a dish with the leftover chickpeas that had a squeeze of lemon and topped with the parsley. It tasted very fresh. I will definitely be making my own chickpeas again!
Have you heard of aquafaba? So crazy but I finally tried it. You cool down the chickpea liquid and whip it just like egg whites. Slowly add powdered sugar and you can make faux meringues or a royal icing for cookies and cakes. It literally melts in your mouth and tastes nothing like chickpeas. I baked my meringues for about 20 minutes and they melt in your mouth. Oh, and you can make macarons with it.
A little food saving tip. If u find limes or lemons at a good price and you aren't going to use it all. Just cut them up in wedges, line a baking tray with some parchment paper. Spread out the limes in a single layer and freeze for about an hour. After the limes are in the freezer for an hour, just put them in a ziplock bag. When you freeze produce spread out on a tray like that and then put it in a Ziploc bag, they don't clump together Then you just take out however many wedges you want and thaw them out so you can use them
Great video! Save the boiled chickpea water to make Aquafaba. Use a little bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract and whip it into whipped cream and serve over berries! So decadent. Doesn’t stay stiff very long though.
Love your videos, have you thought about using milk (either full fat or skim) with coconut essence, much cheaper than buying coconut milk, warmest regards, Beth
Hi Beth....I've actually never even heard of coconut essence. Just googled it though 🤔 I agree...that would definitely be a real budget saver since milk is less than coconut milk. Thanks for sharing. I'll have to look into this. Also...thanks for the complement 😁🥰
I made the chickpea stew last night and it turned out great. I didnt have kale so I used napa cabbage instead and the inner thick white part made it chunky and the flavor of it was excellent. I rarely make soup because I want food that I can chew.........I am a novice chef, like peanut butter sandwiches and cereal, so this is an adventure for me!
Hi Michelle! I’m a new subscriber/fan and have been binge watching your videos, they are so good! I’ve gotten so many great ideas n the last couple days. I bought a chuck roast at Aldi after watching one of your videos, although I did have to pay the full $5.69/lb. You got me to make chicken tortilla soup after watching one of your other videos, and after another one I’m contemplating driving to the Winco in Pomona even though it’s 34 mins away and I have a lot of pantry snacks to go through first lol. Those rice stick noodles are also used in a dish called palabok. I don’t know how to make it myself but it has delicious gravy topped with crispy pork bits. Yum. If you ever get a chance to go to a Jollibee you can try it there.
Yay! I'm so glad you are enjoying my videos! 😁 This makes me so happy! Yes I definitely think you should go to the Pomona Winco one day. It's fun to shop somewhere different and I think you will love the deals. I definitely think it will be worth it to me to drive to Winco about once a month for the great deals. Thanks so much for subscribing and welcome 😁 Glad you are here.
Nice recipe ideas. The only thing I don’t eat from these options are undercooked eggs. I don’t like the taste but I know how to make them as the sunny side up were my dads favorite. If he were still in the land of the living he’d love that part. Lol. But for me, it’s scrambled or boiled eggs. TFS
I definitely understand that. 👍I've always eaten my eggs fairly well done until about a year ago. I do think that over easy eggs are beautiful though....so I do like to serve them that way to whoever will eat them. 😂
I never buy bean sprouts anymore its so easy to make them fresh out of mung beans you take one or two tablespoons of mung beans Pour some cold water let it sit over night and then drain it, let it sit in a small container or jar with a lid, rinse the beans one or two times each day so they are a little wet. In 3-4 days they are ready to eat. They are far better then the storebought and you only need to plan ahead a bit. And you can make less each time and/or you can have one or more batches starting on different days so you can always have fresh bean sprouts.
yeah...I'm surprised at how inexpensive the produce is here. I just went to Winco today (not sure if you have that there) and their produce was so much less than Walmart. I'm fortunate to have multiple places to shop for cheap produce.
I may have to try the Chinese Vermicelli Salad, it sounds somewhat similar to Dragon Noodles by Beth over at Budgetbytes. I'm picky when it comes to Chinese recipes, but this one may work for me. Also, just a thought - have you considered marking the videos with time stamps for each recipe? I've seen some folks do that. No complaints though - I enjoy your content either way. :)
I will definitely add the time stamps if its helpful for my viewers. I hadn't really thought about it. 🤔 I hope you do try that recipe. If you like the taste of sesame oil you will love it.
You can buy 1 dozen eggs for only $1.69? Here in Toronto Canada it is normally $2.99 even more. Might be able to get for rarely $2.49 $2.69 hmm I think you can buy fresh herbs alot cheaper as well. Even just regular eggs can cost $3.49
@@ArdentMichelle It depends sometimes what store we go to some stuff like milk and eggs can be significantly higher then other stores. Just need to know where to shop for certain things! There is always great deals in the great deals on the flyers for some stuff!
Wow, limes 12 for a dollar? Here if you can get two for a dollar you’re doing good. But I found out that if you slice or halve them you can freeze them. I also found out that you can freeze chopped up celery and use for soup. I also freeze cilantro and just crumble it. I freeze ginger and just grate it while it’s frozen and put the rest back in a plastic wrap. These may have been hints that I got from your channel though.
I make hummus with garbanzo beans. I get canned ones from a discount store or better yet I buy them at Winco in their bulk food section. Hummus has tahini as an ingredient, which is not cheap, but lasts a long time and the finished product is far cheaper than purchasing it ready made. I like your channel, but would like to see you, not just your hands. Walmart has great Greek yogurt that is a very good price. I use it in baking and as a replacement for sour cream. I would think it is more nutritious than sour cream.
I bought tahini at Trader Joes that I've been meaning to make some hummus with 😋 You are right..it is expensive. I'm sorry you would like to see my face on camera. I don't have any plans to start filming in front of the camera.I understand if you might rather watch other UA-camrs. Thanks for watching this video though 👍
I hope this sounds respectful. I’m v respectful. Everyone gets to make their own food choices. I sometimes wonder about calorie counts / food restriction … sometimes it could seem like the $$ restriction is the reason for food restriction. 🙏🙏🙏
This may sound as if I’m stating the obvious but I believe these are just inspiration videos so we can see what can be done on a low budget. She shows you how she shops the sales of foods she thinks she can use and bases her meal plan off it. Any seasonings and spices are also choice additives (as she mentioned). It’s very versatile. Also, food restriction due to money issues is an ongoing worldwide issue. Many families are starving… People live on different budgets and shop accordingly - as she did. Respectfully, I’m not sure what your point is ; please do clarify.
Hi Amy 😁Yes you are right....people generally choose to budget in order to conserve the resource of money. Some people do it because they don't have enough money for food ☹️, and others do it because they are funding their investment vehicles for retirement. It's amazing how many thousands of dollars every year can be saved on groceries. 💵💲💰For this particular video, I ate very well and didn't feel at all like I was going without. I love doing these videos because it gives me a greater appreciation for the food that I have and I am able to discover many new recipes. 💜👩🍳
@@ArdentMichelle thank you. I like your content. I find you soothing and lively. There are parts that feel … ED and I think you’ve touched on it before? More I watch your content the more I wonder about your health.
IThere should be a link in the description of the video. I think you are referring to the Michelangelo pan I purchased on Amazon. See my link. I really like this pan.
I grew up in Southern California and can remember days when you could pick up 5 pound bags of oranges for a dollar at a roadside stand. It hurts me to see how much the prices have gone up.
Question...here in canada walmart has stopped price matching which makes it hard for me to shop around as I cannot drive due to having epilepsy..so i used to do all my shopping at walmart. Now im looking for cheaper canadian alternatives..you guys have amazing food prices!!
Yes some of our stores here are drastically cheaper than others. I'm always searching for good finds. A lot of my Canadian viewers tell me their groceries are very expensive ☹️ Even more reason to budget and meal plan.
Oh no! ☹️That's terrible. I wonder why they closed. Yes the one in Irvine is open and they are always packed! No matter what time I go there, it's crazy busy. H Mart also has some good prices on produce but not as good as Wholesome Choice
Thank your for all those amazing inspirations and your creativity! The visual quality of your videos is great 🥰 But maybe you could switch to a diffrent microphone...? 🤔
Hi Michelle! I really want to try out these garlic drumsticks fokr my family. I have one question: how much garlic did you use for that sauce? I rewatched the video but you didn't say how much garlic you used. They look so good! . Thanks so much!
I believe it was 2 cloves of garlic. My family loves garlic. You can use more or less to your liking. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you....it's month end at work-so dreadfully long work hours ☹️
Most grocery stores will sell you the single item for the appropriate fraction. I think they have to. If the ad says "Must buy 5" than it's a excludive to 5 deal, but if it states 5 for $1 then I always get 1 for 20 cents. I tried this at Kroger, Safeway, FoodMaxx etc. and never had a problem. I think the stores put the 5/$1 on the sign because people imply they have to buy 5 which in my experience isn't true unless explicitly stated. Edit: use less water for the eggs, maybe just a tablespoon or even less for your small pan. All you need is a little steam because it goes quickly, but you want to keep the crusty bottoms - if you like the crusty bottoms that is. So with just a little water you can quickly steam them, take off the lid and let the water evaporate to get that crust.
I was thinking the same thing on the eggs. I should have used a fraction of the water. I'm always in a rush and it impacts my cooking😂 I think it's Albertsons that makes you purchase 5. ☹️
Where in the world can you get prices like these? I grabbed romaine last week and it was $6. I totally sent it back. Peppers $2-3 each. Apples $6 for 3 lbs and they are blah.
@@ArdentMichelle I am in the Bay area with zero discount stores within 40 miles. So our family of 4 who budgets spends what someone in the midwest pays for a high end mortgage on food. And we don't buy too many extras and we don't overeat. It's painful.
I love Alison Roman’s recipes! I haven’t made The Stew yet but I have made The Cookies. (Delicious.) PLEASE try her Creamy Cauliflower Pasta. I’ve made it at least 6 times and it’s amazing. Cook the cauliflower and shallots longer than she says to really caramelize them. Also - I just sauté breadcrumbs alone (with seasoning) and put the pecorino into the sauce with the cream. I find that it’s a better taste overall. Oh yeah. And her Caramelized Shallot Pasta. Both are on UA-cam if you don’t subscribe to NYT Cooking.
I've made something similar to the cauliflower pasta with bread crumbs and it was fabulous. I also posted it on my recipes channel. Rachel Ray made a shallot pasta years ago that's really good but it looks like Alison Romans has anchovies and tomato paste. I could modify that. Thanks for the heads up on those 😁
@@ArdentMichelle Isn’t Orange County one of the wealthiest counties in California? A the cost of living is 52% higher there than the national average so it’s amazing to me that you can find groceries that cheaply. I guess if you look hard enough you can find shops like that
It's all the extras like herbs, lemon and onions that take your recipes over the top! Great prices really help give you variety and nutrients.
So true..All those things do make the meal.👩🍳 Thanks for watching my video and taking the time to comment 😁🥰
I can't tell you how much that I love that even though you're a vegetarian you are never mean, judgy or pretentious and even offer suggestions for those of us who do eat meat. Thank you
Awe...thanks so much 😁🥰. I appreciate that very much. I try to have variety on my channel so there is something for everyone. I have people on VERY extreme budgets and then I have not as much....so I try to balance that as well. Next week I'm working on a super extreme budget video so that should be interesting 😂
You might want to try Capellini noodles they are thin great in butter and pasta sauce cheese put your favorite meat in it like a spaghetti except not as thick. Take only 3 to 6 minutes to boil depending how you like your texture. The cook Ina Greten has her own cooking channel has her own lemon sauce recipe I thought I would give the recipe try in Capellini noodles sounds like a really great recipe for the this hot season!
Hi Marisa 😁 I like capellini, and just about any type of noodle. Wondering if the Ina recipe is similar to the Giada de Laurentiis lemon spaghetti I made on my channel. I'll check out her recipe. Thanks for the heads up.
@@ArdentMichelle Hi you are welcome for the heads up! I don't know about the Giada recipe? I am not sure if I watched it or not on your channel? However Ina Greten is on Food Network channel. You can just do a search on UA-cam Ina Greten simple lemon recipe it's only about a 3 minute video looks very simple except I would probably use my blender for the lemons instead!
I’m a new stay at home Mom and watch your videos at night when my baby is asleep! I’m learning so much and am happy to cook more at home! Thank you for all that you do, you’re helping this first time mama out 🤗.
That is awesome! 😁🥰 I'm so happy to hear that my videos are useful to you.
How are you doing? I started cooking more when having kids too. I have a 3 year old and 6 month old. It's difficult to find time for recipes that take any amount of time though.
@@ashleebickley1222 now my son is 16 months and it’s way better to do things more than when he was a baby. I have a feeling I’ll get to a confident point and than we’ll have another baby so I’ll end up learning how to do things all over again 🤪.
That’s the way I do my eggs. I’d like them with the white set and the yolk soft so I put a little bit of water in and put a lid on them. Uses less oil that way too.
The prices in the flyer that you shared is amazing. I live in CT and I don't see prices that low ever. I do have 2 local discount stores near me that I do shop at every week.
What’s amazing is I don’t live very far from Michelle and I’m in LA County and she’s in orange county and I don’t see these prices either anywhere near where I live
Try the ethnic groceries. Looks like she went to an El Super. Try Vallarta, 99 Ranch, Seafood City, or Island Pacific.
Where do you live where the grocery prices are like that either that or you time travel back to 1950
I'm very fortunate to have Wholesome Choice. They are the best I've seen for produce. Funny thing is..all of their other items are super expensive so I only go in for the produce. 🍆🥔🌶🌽
I am in New Jersey. Nothing even close to these prices
Your son's gaming commentary in the background 🤣 I love these flavor profiles!
Oh my gosh! I did not know I picked any of that up. 😂
Cooking from scratch is definitely the key to saving money on the food budget, along with very careful shopping. And once you get your budget down to $1 a day you'll be in the extreme food budgeting club, also known as a zero waste hero! We do it for fun and to prove it's possible, but we buy no manufactured food at all, not even condiments. If there is a good sale on something, like limes, I buy them and then find a way to preserve them, usually by zesting, freezing the juice in ice cube trays, and making candied peels. But I like to cook, garden, and mess about in the kitchen so to me it's an enjoyable hobby. Keep up the good work! This is a necessary skill to nurture with potential food outages and shrinkflation.
Thanks Sandra 😁🥰. You are right...cooking from scratch is the way to go for extreme budgeting. It does take more time but can really pay off. Sounds like you have been super resourceful and discovered how to use all parts of the food. I like that 👍
@@ArdentMichelle Yes, and that's how we keep the food budget extremely low--buying and preserving unexpected sale items even if the items aren't part of the weekly menu. We've built up a good long-term supply of staples and don't need to do weekly shopping but will take advantage of good sales when they come up.
You inspire me to save money on food. I’ve been eating out wayyy too much and it’s eating into my savings. During the week from now on, I’m going to head to the grocery during instead of going to a restaurant.
I'm so glad you are finding inspiration from my videos. 😁 It can be so easy to order delivery from restaurants. It helps to put a financial goal to work towards to keep from spending the money...at least for me. Thanks so much for watching 😊👩🍳
This was by far the best video you've done. Job well done.
awe...thanks so much Courtney 😁🥰 I appreciate that. It TOOK me long enough to get this one out...so I'm glad you think it is good. 👍
Go ahead and buy the limes, juice them and save the juice in ice cube trays! I've always got lemon and lime juice cubes in bags in my freezer.
I love that idea 👍 I'm definitely gonna use this one! Thanks so much 😁
I love chickpeas from the bag better then the can. Taste so much better. They all look really good.
Thanks so much. 😁 I totally agree. I don't make dried chickpeas often enough. This recipe for the chickpea stew was outstanding. I found another one with a tomato base that I want to try. Thanks for watching!
I had never had kale until a couple of years ago when my daughter brought a kale salad to Christmas dinner. I fell in love. Now I use kale like you do. 😋😍
Yay! 😁I loved using the Italian Kale this week.
Another amazing video, AM! Best one yet! 😃
Thank you Linda 😁🥰🤗
Already so super helpful from the start! I love lime juice with club soda and some Splenda; much better than plain water! It’s like a healthy limeade.
That sounds refreshing! I'm going to try it. The limes are on sale again this week 😂
Newish subscriber here. Love your videos. This is my favorite one so far. I like the Asian inspired recipes you are making.
I love this type of food. It's one of my favs
I have been getting so much inspiration from your videos & feel very encouraged to look at ads & buy only what’s on sale! I inherited my mom’s cookbook that looks similar to the one you purchased. I’ve been going through her recipes lately. I’m so glad to have it; I am sorry that you lost yours in a move. Take care! ❤️
That's awesome 😁 Glad to know you can relate to the cookbook issue. Those are treasured family memories. ☹️
Singapore noodles are one of my favorites.
Everything looks great, especially the glazed chicken drumsticks. Great video
Hi Tina 😁 Thank you. I'm glad you liked this video.
Thanks for letting me know. 🥰
Beautiful! Thank you.
Glad you like it! 😁
Awesome video that chickpea stew looks delicious. I will have to try that for myself this weekend.
Hope you like it as much as we did 😁👩🍳
I really enjoyed this video. The chickpea stew seems like a wonderful veg. option.
Thanks Sara 😁 I'm glad you liked this video. That chickpeas stew is DELICIOUS and so well balanced. You should definitely try it.
Great idea starting with produce. I go to my local farmers market and get ideas from there.
I love to be inspired by the food and then go from there. Usually whatever is fresh and on sale is what I'm planning my meals around.
Omgosh! Just found your channel! Your recipes look so delicious!
Glad you like them! 😁👩🍳
The method of cooking eggs by adding water into the pan and putting on a lid is called basted .
👍
Have you considered writing a cookbook? Your recipes are refreshing and easy and I’m sure it would be a hit. Thank you for sharing.
awe....thanks Renee. 🥰 Maybe somewhere in the future.
I absolutely love your sauces. Fabulous. I agree it's hard to satisfy everyone. That's when I remember what my mom used to tell us..."as long as you live and eat under my roof, you'll eat whatever I make and like it" 🤣 works like a charm.
Glad you like them. 😁
My mommy gave us choices . Take it or leave it . More for everyone else .
I made my take on the chickpea coconut soup; it is delicious. I used moringa instead of kale as it was in my garden. Also subbed turkey broth for stock. That broth was kept frozen from a turkey I raised and cooked for Thanksgiving. Mint was also fresh from my garden, and the yogurt was homemade. I did reduce the cayenne to my more mild level. An inexpensive, delicious and healthy meal. Thank you.
Yay! 🥳 I'm so glad you love this recipe. I think it's one of my all time favorite chickpea recipes. I bet the mint was so good coming straight from your garden. 🌱 I love the substitutions you made based on what you have in your kitchen. Thanks for sharing this!
To add: i love watching your videos because they give me ideas to cook healthy. I really need to eat more vegies to lose weight… tq so much for your sharing!
Thank you so much 😁🥰 Glad you are enjoying my content!
Thanks for this inspiration. I finally made fideo the first time today thanks to your inspiration. I poached two eggs in it at the end to add some protein to it and topped with a Mexican blend cheese. It was so good. I’ve had fideo before and always wanted to try making it. So yummy. Thank you
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it.
@ so good I made it again today 😂
Honestly I don’t know why you don’t have more followers! Your recipes rock!
Thank you 😁 🥰 Gosh...I appreciate that so much 👩🍳 Thank you for watching!
I'm so envious of your kale. They don't sell Lacinato kale anywhere around here. How lovely! And what great deals you found!
That is my FAVORITE type of kale! I love it so much. l can't wait to start making my fall soups and adding that in. Bummer you can't find any where you are ☹️
Love the recipes ideas, I’m enjoying so much here to stay🥰🥰 keep the great work coming blessings
Thank you so much 🤗
Happy to see u every week for sure! If I don’t have bean sprouts I add shredded cabbage or bok choy for crunch in noodle dishes. Hugs to your 🐾too
Yes! I love the cabbage idea. 👍That would work perfectly! And probably taste better as well. I love the taste of cabbage. Bean sprouts are like eating crunchy water. 😂
Haha
I’m absolutely having the Singapore noodles tomorrow. I have everything needed to make them.🙌🏻
Yay! Let me know how they turn out for you 😁🥰
All the recipes look so delicious, as always. Thanks for the info about curry powder.
My pleasure 😊
Love cool temps! SO looking forward to fall :)
YES! I couldn't agree more 😁
Stuffed pepper soup is delicious and you can make a huge pot if you stretch out chopping your veggies a bit smaller and of course adding the rice makes is really stretch!
Sounds great!
Yummy, I'm trying these recipes! Thank you!
Yay! Hope you like them 😁
Lovely ideas, as usual. TFS. Brightens our winter days.🥰
Re: thicker noodles
Walmart carries Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles. They’re wide, like a fettuccine noodle. Asian restaurants call them Chow Fun noodles. They’re more expensive than the rice sticks, by quite a bit, but much sturdier. I’m in central Texas & a 14 ounce box is around $3.
Edited to add: they’re labeled gluten free, which increases the price.
I've seen them at Walmart. I may have to give those a try in this recipe. I bet those would be good in a pad thai also.Yum!! 😋
@@ArdentMichelle I bet they would be good in Pad Thai! I look forward to seeing your review if you do try them.
I love your videos! I have done several of these challenges and just as you show- it is definitely possible to eat well on a tight budget! Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome 😁 Thank YOU for watching 👩🍳
that chickpea recipe looks interesting! i might try just to see!
You should! 👍 It was a well liked recipe on the New York Times. I LOVED it! Thanks for watching 😁🥰
I always love your creativity. Each meal looks so appetizing. You inspire me to try the tofu. I have never tried it. You did well with your challenge and had leftovers with growing boys. I could never fill my son up during that season of life. 😆 He's learning, as he is in his 30's with his own kiddos, that kids are always ready to eat. I'm thankful for you and your devotion to your channel. Thanks so much for sharing your meals with us.
Willette
Thanks Willette. 😊I'm so glad I'm inspiring you to try new things. 👩🍳 In case you haven't noticed, I get a lot of entertainment value out of food and trying new things.
❤everything is delicious. I had Singapore noodles once. It was delicious but so spicy. 😭. With the chickpeas I would definitely go for the curry. The Badia spice is mild. I like your non stick pans. Oh! You know I love kale and that’s my favorite. Thank you again my friend ❤
Welcome 😁
Going to try the chicken recipe tonight
Yay! Let me know how it turns out. 😁
They were crispy, tender inside & delicious!
In Singapore Noodles try using Glass noodles. They're clear and delicious and sturdy enough for your dish.
They hold up very well for leftovers also.
Cheers!
Hi Dolly 😁 I actually have some glass noodles in my pantry that I have been waiting to try. Thanks for the tip. 👍
Even on a budget, I feel like the $40 annual subscription to NYT Cooking is so worth it. I've literally never had a dud meal from that site. And I've had the chickepea stew bookmarked for at least 2 years. Your endorsement is all I needed to push me over the edge. Wonderful channel; thanks Ardent! Re: noodles, I recommend fresh udon and dried ramen noodles!
I've never subscribed to NYT Cooking, but I do occasionally see recipes from there. Not sure how I got my hands on that recipe. Thanks for the noodle recommendations!
Nice variety of meals. I use either udon or soba noodles as a replacement in Singapore noodles. They are much hardier and stand up well. Kelz
I bet I would like soba noodles. 👍I'll have to try that. Thanks for the tip.😁🥰
No problem, I get the dry ones not the ones from the fridge. The dry are the cheaper option here (I’m in Australia) 👍
Like most noodles they absorb flavour, so if your sauce is delicious you will like them.
@@kelliesayers2202 ok ill look for those
@@kelliesayers2202 so true
I do a similar chickpea curry, I add a diced sweet potato or a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables and one tin of coconut milk served with rice.
That sounds yummy too. 😋 I also made a dish with the leftover chickpeas that had a squeeze of lemon and topped with the parsley. It tasted very fresh. I will definitely be making my own chickpeas again!
Have you heard of aquafaba? So crazy but I finally tried it. You cool down the chickpea liquid and whip it just like egg whites. Slowly add powdered sugar and you can make faux meringues or a royal icing for cookies and cakes. It literally melts in your mouth and tastes nothing like chickpeas. I baked my meringues for about 20 minutes and they melt in your mouth. Oh, and you can make macarons with it.
OMG!! That is crazy... I had NOT heard of that. I definitely have to try this, simply because it doesn't seem possible 😂 Thanks for the info. 👍
I use limes a lot. They are great with Mexican and Thai food. I also love using lime juice as my acid to balance soups and stocks.
Love both Mexican and Thai. I should use limes more I think. You make a good point. 👍
Curry chickpea (channa) is a hit in the Caribbean especially Trinidad where I'm from.
I'm definitely going to do a Caribbean themed video. Thanks for the great tips. 👍
A little food saving tip. If u find limes or lemons at a good price and you aren't going to use it all. Just cut them up in wedges, line a baking tray with some parchment paper. Spread out the limes in a single layer and freeze for about an hour. After the limes are in the freezer for an hour, just put them in a ziplock bag. When you freeze produce spread out on a tray like that and then put it in a Ziploc bag, they don't clump together
Then you just take out however many wedges you want and thaw them out so you can use them
This is a great tip! I wouldn't have thought of doing it this way...but it's brilliant
Great video! Save the boiled chickpea water to make Aquafaba. Use a little bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract and whip it into whipped cream and serve over berries! So decadent. Doesn’t stay stiff very long though.
I still haven't tried that ....but definitely need to 👍
❤ Thanks SO much for the inspiration.
You are so welcome! 😁 Thanks for watching 👩🍳
Love your videos, have you thought about using milk (either full fat or skim) with coconut essence, much cheaper than buying coconut milk, warmest regards, Beth
Hi Beth....I've actually never even heard of coconut essence. Just googled it though 🤔 I agree...that would definitely be a real budget saver since milk is less than coconut milk. Thanks for sharing. I'll have to look into this. Also...thanks for the complement 😁🥰
New sub here and loving the content ✨️
Yay! 😁🥰 Thanks for subbing and welcome. Glad you have you here! Glad you are enjoying my content.
I made the chickpea stew last night and it turned out great. I didnt have kale so I used napa cabbage instead and the inner thick white part made it chunky and the flavor of it was excellent. I rarely make soup because I want food that I can chew.........I am a novice chef, like peanut butter sandwiches and cereal, so this is an adventure for me!
Yay! 🥳 I'm so glad you tried the chickpea stew. Great idea to swap out cabbage. Well done! I love that soup! Did you have the mint for the topping?
no I didnt have the mint. I bet it would have been a flavor pop because the yogurt definitely was.@@ArdentMichelle
@@MaryEavey-dc3sk yeah I really liked the freshness it added, but then I do love mint.
@@MaryEavey-dc3sk glad you tried it with the yogurt. That's yummy too!
I like to see what you do with the tofu. Im a vegetarian as well, with meat eating family to cook for.
I need to make more meals with it. It really is a staple in my eating!
Love your channel! Will you be making a Christmas and Thanksgiving video this year? 😊
Yes I am! The Thanksgiving video should be out tomorrow or Wednesday. 😁🥰 Thanks for asking.
I’m going to make the Singapore noodles! I LOVE bean sprouts!!!! 💕💕
Yay! Hope you like them. You just have to get the spices right to your liking!
The chickpea stew looks amazing. I'm going to try that without the yogurt since I can't have that.
Let me know if you love it. You might be able to use a plant based yogurt.
I love your videos!!
I'm so glad 🥰😁
Hi Michelle! I’m a new subscriber/fan and have been binge watching your videos, they are so good! I’ve gotten so many great ideas n the last couple days. I bought a chuck roast at Aldi after watching one of your videos, although I did have to pay the full $5.69/lb. You got me to make chicken tortilla soup after watching one of your other videos, and after another one I’m contemplating driving to the Winco in Pomona even though it’s 34 mins away and I have a lot of pantry snacks to go through first lol. Those rice stick noodles are also used in a dish called palabok. I don’t know how to make it myself but it has delicious gravy topped with crispy pork bits. Yum. If you ever get a chance to go to a Jollibee you can try it there.
Yay! I'm so glad you are enjoying my videos! 😁 This makes me so happy! Yes I definitely think you should go to the Pomona Winco one day. It's fun to shop somewhere different and I think you will love the deals. I definitely think it will be worth it to me to drive to Winco about once a month for the great deals. Thanks so much for subscribing and welcome 😁 Glad you are here.
Have you ever tried a chickpea salad? It’s like a sub for tuna salad and it’s delicious
Nice recipe ideas. The only thing I don’t eat from these options are undercooked eggs. I don’t like the taste but I know how to make them as the sunny side up were my dads favorite. If he were still in the land of the living he’d love that part. Lol. But for me, it’s scrambled or boiled eggs. TFS
I definitely understand that. 👍I've always eaten my eggs fairly well done until about a year ago. I do think that over easy eggs are beautiful though....so I do like to serve them that way to whoever will eat them. 😂
I'm a well-doner myself LOL!
You can try soba noodles
👍 good idea
I never buy bean sprouts anymore its so easy to make them fresh out of mung beans you take one or two tablespoons of mung beans Pour some cold water let it sit over night and then drain it, let it sit in a small container or jar with a lid, rinse the beans one or two times each day so they are a little wet. In 3-4 days they are ready to eat. They are far better then the storebought and you only need to plan ahead a bit. And you can make less each time and/or you can have one or more batches starting on different days so you can always have fresh bean sprouts.
great tip 👍 I bet I can find mung beans at H Mart. Love this idea 😄
I know this is an old post, but I make my eggs like that and never add water. They make their own steam.
Understood. 👍 I'll try that 😁 Thanks for watching!
wow, so envious of those prices. I grew up in Orange County, CA--live in the midwest and our produce is never that cheap !!
yeah...I'm surprised at how inexpensive the produce is here. I just went to Winco today (not sure if you have that there) and their produce was so much less than Walmart. I'm fortunate to have multiple places to shop for cheap produce.
I may have to try the Chinese Vermicelli Salad, it sounds somewhat similar to Dragon Noodles by Beth over at Budgetbytes. I'm picky when it comes to Chinese recipes, but this one may work for me. Also, just a thought - have you considered marking the videos with time stamps for each recipe? I've seen some folks do that. No complaints though - I enjoy your content either way. :)
I will definitely add the time stamps if its helpful for my viewers. I hadn't really thought about it. 🤔 I hope you do try that recipe. If you like the taste of sesame oil you will love it.
Well done. Enjoy yr week. 😁👏👍🏼😀Where can we buy the rice sticks to make that dish?
Thank you 😁🥰I think I got those at H Mart but they have the Maifun rice sticks at Walmart and maybe a few other brands as well.
Those sheets are in case you tear out recipes from a magazine or something! Good look with your new book
ok that makes sense 😁👍 Thanks so much. I'm sure I will fill up my recipe book very quickly. Next time I move....it's riding in the car with me. 😂
You can buy 1 dozen eggs for only $1.69? Here in Toronto Canada it is normally $2.99 even more. Might be able to get for rarely $2.49 $2.69 hmm I think you can buy fresh herbs alot cheaper as well. Even just regular eggs can cost $3.49
Yes I've definitely heard from my Canadian friends that the cost of groceries is much higher up there. ☹️ That's tough. I feel for you.
@@ArdentMichelle It depends sometimes what store we go to some stuff like milk and eggs can be significantly higher then other stores. Just need to know where to shop for certain things! There is always great deals in the great deals on the flyers for some stuff!
I am thinking of starting up a basic small emergency stalk pile for world war 3 coming very soon.
Wow, limes 12 for a dollar? Here if you can get two for a dollar you’re doing good. But I found out that if you slice or halve them you can freeze them. I also found out that you can freeze chopped up celery and use for soup. I also freeze cilantro and just crumble it. I freeze ginger and just grate it while it’s frozen and put the rest back in a plastic wrap. These may have been hints that I got from your channel though.
I've never frozen celery or ginger. Great tips 👍
I make hummus with garbanzo beans. I get canned ones from a discount store or better yet I buy them at Winco in their bulk food section. Hummus has tahini as an ingredient, which is not cheap, but lasts a long time and the finished product is far cheaper than purchasing it ready made. I like your channel, but would like to see you, not just your hands. Walmart has great Greek yogurt that is a very good price. I use it in baking and as a replacement for sour cream. I would think it is more nutritious than sour cream.
I bought tahini at Trader Joes that I've been meaning to make some hummus with 😋 You are right..it is expensive. I'm sorry you would like to see my face on camera. I don't have any plans to start filming in front of the camera.I understand if you might rather watch other UA-camrs. Thanks for watching this video though 👍
I also like that Greek yogurt at Walmart! Awesome price!
I like lime juice on ramen/veggies/tofu. So tasty
I'll have to try that.
I hope this sounds respectful. I’m v respectful. Everyone gets to make their own food choices. I sometimes wonder about calorie counts / food restriction … sometimes it could seem like the $$ restriction is the reason for food restriction. 🙏🙏🙏
This may sound as if I’m stating the obvious but I believe these are just inspiration videos so we can see what can be done on a low budget. She shows you how she shops the sales of foods she thinks she can use and bases her meal plan off it. Any seasonings and spices are also choice additives (as she mentioned). It’s very versatile. Also, food restriction due to money issues is an ongoing worldwide issue. Many families are starving… People live on different budgets and shop accordingly - as she did. Respectfully, I’m not sure what your point is ; please do clarify.
Hi Amy 😁Yes you are right....people generally choose to budget in order to conserve the resource of money. Some people do it because they don't have enough money for food ☹️, and others do it because they are funding their investment vehicles for retirement. It's amazing how many thousands of dollars every year can be saved on groceries. 💵💲💰For this particular video, I ate very well and didn't feel at all like I was going without. I love doing these videos because it gives me a greater appreciation for the food that I have and I am able to discover many new recipes. 💜👩🍳
Thank you. Conserve your energy. We’re all adults & she managed the feedback just fine.
@@ArdentMichelle thank you. I like your content. I find you soothing and lively. There are parts that feel
…
ED
and I think you’ve touched on it before?
More I watch your content the more I wonder about your health.
just order some letter size sheet protectors, if you need them. I have been through this process before, Lol!
Understood 😂
amazing
Glad you think so! 😁🥰
you're helping a lot of people eat well on budget.
Faye happy thanksgiving was that your son in the video
Yes it was 😁 Hope your thanksgiving was great!
Maybe add some peanuts to the noodle dish. You can sauté them along with the peppers. They would add crunch
I bet peanuts would be good in the Singapore noodles. 😋 Yum
What brand are those sauté/fry pans? It was clear nothing was sticking to them, must be easy to clean?
IThere should be a link in the description of the video. I think you are referring to the Michelangelo pan I purchased on Amazon. See my link. I really like this pan.
I grew up in Southern California and can remember days when you could pick up 5 pound bags of oranges for a dollar at a roadside stand. It hurts me to see how much the prices have gone up.
So true! 👍I feel fortunate to be able to get such amazing deals though, especially when I hear about food prices in other countries. 😳
Curry chicken with coconut milk is known to have lots of flavour.
Yes 😊 That would be a good recipe edition here.
Question...here in canada walmart has stopped price matching which makes it hard for me to shop around as I cannot drive due to having epilepsy..so i used to do all my shopping at walmart. Now im looking for cheaper canadian alternatives..you guys have amazing food prices!!
Yes some of our stores here are drastically cheaper than others. I'm always searching for good finds. A lot of my Canadian viewers tell me their groceries are very expensive ☹️ Even more reason to budget and meal plan.
Hi I was going to order something from your list but it would not let me changes to Canada with this link. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
Hi Kathryn 😁 Are you talking about my Amazon links?
@@ArdentMichelle yes I was, but sorry I figured it out not a real big computer user.
Is the Wholesome Choice in Irvine still open? I see the Anaheim Hills location closed.
Oh no! ☹️That's terrible. I wonder why they closed. Yes the one in Irvine is open and they are always packed! No matter what time I go there, it's crazy busy. H Mart also has some good prices on produce but not as good as Wholesome Choice
Thank your for all those amazing inspirations and your creativity! The visual quality of your videos is great 🥰
But maybe you could switch to a diffrent microphone...? 🤔
Thank you. 😁🥰 What was the issue with the audio?
Can you add regular paper size plastic sleeves or will the folder be too small? That’s an option
The folder is too small. Still...I do think it's cute and I'm going to enjoy it.
@@ArdentMichelle it’s very cute!
I would grieve if I lost my record of recipes. You have a very pretty binder and cards to start fresh.
Yeah it's definitely a sad loss. I'm building my new collection though. 😁
The chickpea stew looks delicious...dts/usa
That was one of my favorite dishes of the year actually. 👩🍳
I saw toor dal advertised in your sale paper. You and I live in different universes.
Are there no ethnic food stores where you live? I feel blessed to have so much variety to choose from. It's a foodie haven!
Hi Michelle! I really want to try out these garlic drumsticks fokr my family. I have one question: how much garlic did you use for that sauce? I rewatched the video but you didn't say how much garlic you used. They look so good! .
Thanks so much!
I believe it was 2 cloves of garlic. My family loves garlic. You can use more or less to your liking. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you....it's month end at work-so dreadfully long work hours ☹️
Most grocery stores will sell you the single item for the appropriate fraction. I think they have to. If the ad says "Must buy 5" than it's a excludive to 5 deal, but if it states 5 for $1 then I always get 1 for 20 cents. I tried this at Kroger, Safeway, FoodMaxx etc. and never had a problem. I think the stores put the 5/$1 on the sign because people imply they have to buy 5 which in my experience isn't true unless explicitly stated.
Edit: use less water for the eggs, maybe just a tablespoon or even less for your small pan. All you need is a little steam because it goes quickly, but you want to keep the crusty bottoms - if you like the crusty bottoms that is. So with just a little water you can quickly steam them, take off the lid and let the water evaporate to get that crust.
I was thinking the same thing on the eggs. I should have used a fraction of the water. I'm always in a rush and it impacts my cooking😂
I think it's Albertsons that makes you purchase 5. ☹️
Next time u c limes that cheap, buy them. U can squeeze n freeze n ice cube trays and have fresh lime juice netime u need.
👍
Where in the world can you get prices like these? I grabbed romaine last week and it was $6. I totally sent it back. Peppers $2-3 each. Apples $6 for 3 lbs and they are blah.
I'm in Irvine, CA. ☀️🌴 We do have great prices on food here. But.....we have very expensive housing!
@@ArdentMichelle I am in the Bay area with zero discount stores within 40 miles. So our family of 4 who budgets spends what someone in the midwest pays for a high end mortgage on food. And we don't buy too many extras and we don't overeat. It's painful.
@@acgdlov3325 I can totally understand. 👍 I feel the pain.
I love Alison Roman’s recipes! I haven’t made The Stew yet but I have made The Cookies. (Delicious.) PLEASE try her Creamy Cauliflower Pasta. I’ve made it at least 6 times and it’s amazing. Cook the cauliflower and shallots longer than she says to really caramelize them. Also - I just sauté breadcrumbs alone (with seasoning) and put the pecorino into the sauce with the cream. I find that it’s a better taste overall. Oh yeah. And her Caramelized Shallot Pasta. Both are on UA-cam if you don’t subscribe to NYT Cooking.
I've made something similar to the cauliflower pasta with bread crumbs and it was fabulous. I also posted it on my recipes channel. Rachel Ray made a shallot pasta years ago that's really good but it looks like Alison Romans has anchovies and tomato paste. I could modify that. Thanks for the heads up on those 😁
@@ArdentMichelle - and I'll look up Rachel Ray!
I think this is one of those rare times when you really have to use rice noodles here. They have the right touch.
Understood. 👍
Where do you live with prices like that haven’t seen those since 1950
Orange County in Southern California. 🌴☀️ Our housing costs are very high, but cheap groceries can be found!
@@ArdentMichelle Isn’t Orange County one of the wealthiest counties in California? A the cost of living is 52% higher there than the national average so it’s amazing to me that you can find groceries that cheaply. I guess if you look hard enough you can find shops like that