I’m not typically a fan of creamy sauces — I find fettuccine alfredo way too rich. But in thinking up a way to use the lovely corn I got from the Grand Army Plaza farmer’s market on Saturday, I thought a creamy basil sauce with corn sounded nice. And it was! The sauce was not overly thick, and the main texture takeaway was the crispy, sweet corn. The best part about this dish is that besides the prep of chopping, the actual cooking time is just about 10 minutes, so no slaving over a hot stove in summer. I had mine over a bed of arugula dressed with just a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Tangy!

I also want to point out that this is a meal packed with summer flavor, and a great vegetarian main dish. You could always add meat to this, but really, when the flavors are so pure and fresh, why would you?

Linguine with Basil Cream Sauce and Corn

Serves 4

1 lb. linguine
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from cobs
zest of one lemon
1 T. butter
2/3 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. grated parmigiano reggiano
salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water, heavily salted, to boil.

Meanwhile, add the butter to a saute pan or medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cream and wine and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.

Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente. Drain.

Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes or until it has reduced and thickened somewhat. Add the corn and simmer for an additional 3 minutes, stirring. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cheese and basil, stirring to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta back to the pot you cooked it in and then pour the sauce over top, tossing to coat evenly. Serve immediately. The corn will fall to the bottom a bit, so be sure to scoop some of it up on top of the pasta!

What’s more beautiful this time of year than a basket of heirloom cherry tomatoes? I couldn’t resist the multi-colored tiny tomatoes at the farmer’s market, all purple and red and yellow, and at $4 for a basket, they were less expensive than some of the heirloom monsters you see dominating the stands.

I based my recipe off of this one I found on epicurious, for a tomato and goat cheese tart with cornmeal crust. The cornmeal in the crust gives it a nice crunch, and the flavor pairs well with the goat cheese. I had a single onion that had been hanging out awhile, and before it went bad, I decided to caramelize it and throw it into the mix, along with part of a zucchini I’d also gotten from the market. The result was very decadent — this recipe has a lot of butter — but perfect alongside a light salad in place of a more banal quiche. This tart would be perfect to serve to company. Pretty and delicious!

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart (adapted from epicurious)

For crust:

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1 t. salt
3 T. ice water
pie weights or raw rice for weighting crust

For custard:

3 T.  chopped fresh sage
7 oz. mild soft goat cheese, softened
1/2 stick (4 T.) unsalted butter, well softened
1/2 c. sour cream
2 large eggs

1 pint vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 small zucchini, thinly sliced

Make crust:
Cut butter into pieces.

In a food processor pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and pulse until incorporated and mixture just forms a dough. Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 10 1/2- by 7- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan (or a 10″  by 1″ deep round tart pan) with a removable fluted rim and trim dough flush with rim. Chill crust about 20 minutes, or until firm.

While crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F.

Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake crust in lower third of oven until edge is set, 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights or rice and bake crust 5 – 10 minutes more, or until just dry. Leave oven on and cool crust in pan on a rack (crust may crack slightly). Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Caramelize onions:
Place onion in a dry pan over medium-high heat and cover. Let the onions sweat in the pan. They will begin to brown. Stir every few minutes and remove lid when the onions have released their liquid and have become dry. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil, stir, and continue to cook until well caramelized. Lightly salt and let cool.

Make custard:
Chop sage. In a bowl whisk together sage and remaining custard ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Scatter the cooled onions evenly over the bottom of the crust. Pour custard into crust, spreading evenly. Halve tomatoes and arrange, cut sides up, in one layer on custard along with zucchini rounds, pressing lightly into custard. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and bake tart in lower third of oven until custard is just set, about 30 – 35 minutes. Cool tart to warm before serving so it can set up. Serve warm or at room temperature.

So I had an epiphany the other day, at the DUMBO flea market in Brooklyn. I was willing to pay $3.50 on a hot day for a delicious popsicle. $3.50! They’re not even filling! But it made me realize I could probably make popsicles just as delicious at home — and then I remembered I actually had a popsicle mold! I acquired said mold from a friend, who hosted trivia night at her house and gave it out as a prize. I promptly stashed it somewhere and forgot about it, until it got to be a billion degrees outside. Thanks, New York summer!

A couple of slightly overripe peaches and a handful of frozen blueberries later, I had delicious, awesome popsicles for a lot less than $3.50 each. This is a method moreso than a recipe — you could use juice instead of yogurt, any kind of fruit (mostly), and you could get creative. And, for a summer dessert, they’re not even bad for you. I bet a mojito popsicle would be pretty damn good!

Peach Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles

2 peaches, pitted and chopped finely
1/3 c. frozen or fresh blueberries
2 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar
splash vanilla extract
1 c. plain yogurt (whole milk is best)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the brown sugar. Once the sugar is melted, add the fruit and vanilla and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the fruit is just simmering and cook for 5 minutes or until the fruit is softened and the mixture has thickened slightly. Let cool to room temperature. Combine with yogurt and pour into molds. Freeze, and enjoy!

Salads in the summer are the best. Very little (if any) stovetop time required and usually very speedy, salads are pretty much the most versatile category of food out there. Hence Mark Bittman’s inspirational list of 101 salads in the New York Times this week! I’ll admit, I was influenced by his run-down (I still have a fig, blue cheese, bacon and balsamic salad on my list to make!) and originally planned to do a trio of salads. Instead I settled for a duo, and added some veggie sausage on the side for more heft.

My first salad is really more of a guacamole than a salad, but I guess that depends on how you choose to define salad. I made my own twist here, but I stole Mark’s idea to serve it in the hollowed-out shell of the avacado. Cute!

Avocado Jicama Salad
Serves 3 – 4 as a side

2 avocados, halved, flesh scooped out and cubed
1/2 large tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 red onion, finely minced
1/2 c. diced jicama
2 T. prepared tomatillo salsa (make your own or use purchased salsa)
juice of 1/2 lime
salt to taste

Stir all the ingredients together to incorporate well. Chill until ready to serve. Save avocado shells and serve with the salad heaped inside. Could that be any easier??

The second salad is a warm corn and bean salad. It would be great atop grilled meat or fish, or as a barbecue potluck dish.

Corn and Black Bean Salad
Serves 3 – 4 as a side

3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
1 can black beans
1/4 c. crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco (in a pinch, feta will work)
2 scallions, white and light green parts chopped
2 dashes hot sauce
salt to taste
1/4 t. cumin
juice of 1/2 lime

Add a bit of oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add the corn. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes, and add the black beans. Stir until the beans are heated through and add the hot sauce, cumin, and salt to taste. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the scallions, lime juice, and cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

So I made it through one week of hard core budgeting…and guess what my total was?

$46.04!!!!!

I won’t bore you with the details of every single thing I ate for days 4 – 7, although I do have a plethora of recipes to follow, with prices. Saturday, instead of recording a dinner price, we went to a friend’s house for BBQ and brought a white bean and green garlic dip, so I included the cost for that. And let’s be honest, there’s no way I didn’t miss something here or there, miscalculate, or not eat every bite of leftovers, which would drive up the per serving cost. So we can safely assume I came in somewhere in the ballpark of $50. On to the recipes: Grits Gratin with Arugula & White Beans, White Bean & Green Garlic Dip, Curried Lentils with Potatoes, Ground Coriander and Cilantro Flatbreads, and Raita!

Grits Gratin with Arugula and White Beans

1 c. polenta = $.75
4 cloves garlic = $.10
1/2 t. sugar = n/a
4 c. arugula = $.75
1 c. cannellini beans = $.45
1/4 c. olive oil = $.30??
Dash balsamic vinegar = n/a
1/2 c. milk = $.18
parmeggiano cheese = n/a
salt & pepper = n/a
Total = $2.53 / 4 servings = $.63 / serving

Bring 3 1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. milk to a boil in a sauce pan. Add the polenta (or grits) and cook, whisking frequently, for 10 – 15 minutes. Keep them at a low simmer until the consistency has thickened to that of thick oatmeal. Taste and season well with salt & pepper. Pour the grits into a greased loaf pan and let cool for 1 hour or longer. Can be made ahead.

Chop garlic roughly and add to a pan with some olive oil and the sugar. Cook over low heat until the garlic has softened and begins to get golden brown (but not burnt). Turn off the heat and add the arugula and beans. Toss to coat evenly with the garlic and oil. Season with salt & pepper.

Add the arugula and bean mixture to the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Remove the now solid polenta from the loaf pan and slice into 1/2″ thick slices. Top the arugula with the polenta, then top the polenta with salt & pepper and grated parmiggiano cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

White Bean and Green Garlic Dip
(adapted from the Kitchen Sink)

1 can cannellini beans = $.89
1 stalk green garlic (farmer’s market) = $1
1 small onion = $.20
1/4 t. smoked paprika = n/a
Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper = n/a
Juice and zest from 1 lemon = $.25
Olive oil = $.20
1 baguette = $2.79

Total = $5.33 / multiple servings, but all $5.33 counts against the budget

(Recipe at link above — I added some cayenne pepper because I thought it needed a little kick.)

Curried Lentils with Potato and Rice

(adapted from How to Cook Everything)

1 1/2 c. long grain white rice = $.75
1 c. brown lentils = $.85
3 1/2 c. vegetable (or other) stock =$.93
1 T. curry powder = n/a
1/2 t. cumin = n/a
1/2 t. ground ginger = n/a
1 small onion, chopped = $.20
2 cloves garlic = $.05
1 carrot, diced = $.16
3 small-med. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks = $1.75
Salt and pepper = n/a

Total = $4.69 / 4 servings = $1.17 / serving

Cook rice according to directions.

Saute onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften. Add lentils, spices, and stock, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for about 15 minutes. Add the carrot and potatoes and cook, completely covered, for another 10 minutes or so. Stir, season with salt, and if the lentils have become too try, add a bit of stock or water. Continue to cook another 5 – 10 minutes or until the lentils are very soft and the potatoes are soft to the center. Serve over rice.

Ground Coriander and Cilantro Flatbread
(from Bon Apetit)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat) = $.28
2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander = n/a
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder = n/a
3/4 teaspoon salt = n/a
1/2 teaspoon baking soda = n/a
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro = $.25
3/4 cup (or more) plain whole-milk yogurt = $.75
Olive oil (for frying) = n/a

Total = $1.28 / 4 servings = $.32 for 2 flatbreads

(recipe at link above)

Raita
(from Bon Apetit)

1/2 c. plain yogurt = $.35
1/2 c. chopped cucumber = $.50
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro = $.10
2 t. chopped green onions = $.16
1/4 t. ground coriander = n/a
1/4 t. ground cumin = n/a
salt, to taste = n/a

Total = $1.11 / 4 servings = $.27 / serving

Seed the cucumber before chopping. Mix the ingredients together and keep chilled until ready to serve.

So, Day 1 report. My daily allowance for 2 people is $7.14 to equal $50 for the week.

What we ate Monday:

Breakfast: Brown Bread = $.23 x 2 servings = $.46
Lunch: Leftover Arroz con Pollo = $1.58 x 2 servings = $3.16
Snack: Orange (already accounted for cost in scone recipe)
Dinner: Black Bean Soup = $.74 x 2 servings = $1.50

Total: $5.12 – wow! under!

The Arroz con Pollo recipe, which I made for dinner Sunday, was supposed to serve 4, but definitely came out to 6 servings (and I think I put in 1/2 the chicken it called for!). So that brings my per meal price down significantly. The Arroz con Pollo and soup are also combined to nice effect for lunch — a little bean & rice action. Last night I made cornbread to go along with the soup…but first things first.

Here are the recipes and prices for my first 2 main dishes:

Arroz con Pollo

6 servings

1/2 chicken, cut into pieces, or several bone-in skin-on pieces = $6

1 onion = $.20
2 cloves garlic = $.05
1 red bell pepper = $.75
6 oz. canned diced tomatoes = $.40
1 1/2 c. white rice = $.75 (est.)
3 c. vegetable broth = $.80
Salt, pepper, paprika to taste = n/a
Pinch saffron (opt.) = $.50

Total = $9.25 or $1.58 / serving

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a very large saute pan (with sides) or paella pan until fragrant. Add the red bell pepper and saute for another minute. Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the oil and begins to toast in the pan. Meanwhile, heat the broth until it comes to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes (you could sub with one fresh tomato, diced). Nestle the pieces of chicken in the rice. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika and add the saffron. Add the hot broth to the rice. Lower the heat until the broth is just simmering, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Black Bean Soup

4 servings

1 1/2 c. dried black beans = $1
3 c. vegetable broth = $.80
3 c. water = free
1 onion, diced = $.20
2 cloves garlic, minced = $.05
1 carrot, peeled and diced = $.17
1 celery stalk, diced = $.15
1 chipotle in adobo, minced = $.50
1 lime = $.12
Salt, pepper, chili powder = n/a

Total = $2.99 or $.75 / serving

Soak the black beans for several hours or overnight and drain.

Saute the onions and garlic in a couple tablespoons of oil in a large soup pot until fragrant. Add the celery and carrot and saute until just softened, stir in about 1/2 t. chili powder and season with salt and pepper. Add the black beans, stock, water, and chipotle. Bring to a boil then lower the heat so it remains at a simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for approximately 1 hour, or until the beans are tender but not mushy. You may need to add a cup or two of water to keep the consistency soupy. Taste and season. Ladle 1/2 of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir. Serve with a wedge of lime. Other toppings that would be great but are not necessary are cheddar cheese, cilantro, sour cream, or green onions.

Probably the most essential part of keeping to a tight food budget is planning ahead — something that seems nearly impossible in the city. Any night of the week you may be called out to some event or another, sidetracked at work, or otherwise engaged. But as soon as you let last-minute plans take over your life, you find yourself spending a lot of money on quick or portable (and not usually very satisfying) meals.

Compiling a bunch of recipes ahead of time for the week was really difficult for me. I tend to cook on a whim, which of course leads to a lot of impulse buying. For inspiration, I pulled out my copy of How to Cook Everything, and just started flipping through the pages. I think I came up with several inexpensive, delicious dishes to cook, and I will have the flexibility to swap days or delay cooking something if I have more leftovers than I anticipated. Here’s what I started with on Sunday. A day of planning and prepping was necessary.

For lunches and dinners:

• Vegetable Stock (for use in the following):
• Arroz con Pollo
• Spicy Black Bean Soup with Buttermilk Cornbread
• Linguine with lemon oil and arugula
• Grits gratin with garlic, arugula and white beans
• Curried Lentils with Potatoes and Naan

For breakfasts:

• Irish Brown Bread
• Cranberry-Orange Scones

I also bought some sliced turkey breast and cheddar cheese in the event I need to make a sandwich for lunch at the last minute, as well as some honey-roasted peanuts and chocolate-covered orange peel for work snacks. I plan on picking up fruit as the week progresses for additional snacks.

Because some of the ingredients I purchased will be used only partially in each dish (for instance, I am only using half the chicken I bought in the arroz con pollo) I will give individual prices for each dish as I go. I’ll start with the three things I made in preparation to use the whole week:

Vegetable Stock:

- 3 carrots = $.50
- 2 stalks celery = $.30
- 2 onions = $.40
- 6 cloves garlic = $.15
- 1/4 bunch parsley = $.17
- 1 large potato = $.50
- 2 tomatoes = $1.20
- 14 cups water = free

Total cost: $3.22 for 12 cups of stock, or approximately $.27 per cup.

For the Irish Brown Bread:
(recipe on epicurious)

- 4 c. flour = $.75
- 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ = $.40
- 2 teaspoons salt = n/a
- 2 teaspoons sugar = n/a
- 1 teaspoon baking soda = n/a
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar = n/a
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes = $.65
- 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk  = $1.00

Total = $2.80 / 12 servings = $.23 / serving

For the Cranberry – Orange Scones:
(recipe on epicurious)

- 3 cups all purpose flour = $.56
- 1/3 cup sugar = n/a
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder = n/a
- 1 teaspoon salt = n/a
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda = n/a
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel = $.49
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces = $.98
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries = $1
- 1 cup chilled buttermilk = $.50

Total = $3.53 / 8 servings = $.44 / serving

Next up: Arroz con Pollo and Black Bean Soup!

• My budget of $50 per week will feed 2 people 3 meals a day. That is an average of $1.20/serving.
• My goal is to make the most diverse, delicious things I can on my budget, not just ketchup sandwiches and ramen noodles.
• I will not count the most common “pantry” items toward my costs (salt, pepper, sugar), although I will try to estimate price if they are not as common.
• Beverages are not included in the budget, although I am on a month-long booze hiatus anyway, and make coffee at home in the morning to save money (and the environment).

Some of the givens:

• Plan every meal for the week ahead of time.
• Limit meat consumption.
• Buy bulk items as much as possible.
• Keep snacks around at work so I don’t buy $4 pastries from City Bakery
• Always have bread, lunch meat, and cheese around for lunch sandwiches if leftovers aren’t an option.
• Keep a dry erase board on the fridge so I know what I have at all times. Use it.
• Bake a large batch of bagels / scones / muffins and freeze for breakfasts.
• Try to make things from scratch and buy responsibly as much as possible (i.e. organic milk, cage free eggs). Don’t compromise ethics.

Something else to note: When I buy things in bulk and freeze the rest (like chicken, etc.) I am counting the per piece price, not the capital needed to purchase the entire amount. I understand for some people who have severely limited budgets, this is not always possible, but for my purposes I will assume some capital is involved in order to get the best per-piece deal.

So much to say! I can’t believe it’s Friday already, and so far so good. Lots to follow — price breakdowns for days 2 & 3, three new recipes, some disappointments, some triumphs. It’s like a soap opera…without the mistaken identity, steamy sex, or amnesia.

Overall it hasn’t been as hard as I thought. The advantage of pre-planning is knowing what you need when you need it, and not agonizing over what’s in your fridge and how you’ll make it into a meal, or what you need to pick up on the way home. It is definitely freeing. The bad part? Walking through the Union Square farmer’s market and trying not to buy the golden beets, green garlic, cherries, kale….well, everything. It’s possible I could buy something there and not destroy my budget, but I would have to visit every stand and make sure I was getting the best possible deal, and work it in with cheaper ingredients. Which makes me think maybe I should, ethically, be spending more on my food. I am certainly still eating ethically and well on my budget, but I’m not supporting local farmers, which I think is essential. Something to ponder when planning next weeks’ meals….

Price breakdown for Day 2:

Breakfast: Brown Bread = $.23 x 2 servings = $.46
I took a scone to work too….so another $.44
Lunch: Leftover Arroz con Pollo = $1.58 x 2 servings = $3.16
Snack: Grapefruit = $.50
Snack: Peanuts = $.45
Dinner: Black Bean Soup w/ fried egg and Cheddar Buttermilk Cornbread = $.74 + $.25 + $.38 x 2 = $2.74

Total for the day: $7.75

Cheddar-Buttermilk Cornbread
via epicurious

1 c. Cheddar Cheese = $1
1 c. corn meal = $.25
1 c. flour = $.19
1/4 c. sugar = n/a
salt, baking soda, baking powder = n/a
2 eggs = $.50
1/2 stick butter = $1 (from the stupid expensive grocery store!)
1 c. buttermilk = $.50

Total = $3.44 / 9 servings = $.38 / serving

Day 3: Here’s where explaining things gets a little confusing. I still had black bean soup and some rice left over Wednesday, so that’s what I had for lunch, along with some cornbread. How does that factor into my serving price? I have no idea…it’s like a 1/2 serving of each, but they also had more servings than I originally thought, so my other servings cost more than they should have….oh hell, who cares. No one said this was an exact science.

Also, my linguine for dinner was supposed to have shrimp in it. But when I got to Trader Joe’s, the frozen shrimp I wanted was $8.50 a bag. Even using half the bag would ruin my per serving price. I stood there, holding the bag of shrimp, putting it back, picking it back up again. Finally I put it back and hurried to the line so I wouldn’t change my mind. Suddenly though, I had to come up with something to go with the pasta, which I feared would be too plain all by itself, and the chicken breasts I had in the freezer would take too long to thaw.

Luckily I had a couple of small beets left from a farmer’s market trip last weekend before my budgeting got started, an apple I’d just bought, and celery. I decided on a little beet, apple, and celery salad with a lemon-yogurt dressing. Plain yogurt is a great staple to have around, since you can use it in place of sour cream, make dressings with it, or just eat it with fruit. Plus, it lasts forever.

In any case, here’s the price breakdown for Wednesday (Day 3):

Breakfast: Brown Bread = $.23 x 2 servings = $.46
Lunch: Leftover Arroz con Pollo & Black Bean Soup & cornbread = $1.58 + $.74 +$.76 = $3.08
Snack: Grapefruit = $.50
Snack: Peanuts = $.45
Dinner: Linguine with Lemon & Arugula and Beet, apple, and celery salad: $2.82

Total for the day: $7.31 – argh, just over!

Recipes…..

Linguine with Lemon & Arugula

1 lb. linguine = $.99
1/2 bag arugula = $1
1 lemon = $.25
1/3 c. olive oil = $.40??
handful parsley = $.17
parmeggiano cheese = n/a
salt & pepper = n/a
2 shallots = $.40
2 cloves garlic = $.05

Total = $3.26 / 4 servings = $.81 / serving

Zest 1 lemon and combine zest with the olive oil. Let it sit while you are prepping everything else. Thinly slice the shallots and mince the garlic. Heat a skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium heat, and cook the shallots and garlic until softened. Chop a handful of parsley. Cook the linguine until al dente and drain; return to pot. Add olive oil with lemon zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Mix in parsley, shallots and garlic, and arugula. Toss until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and top with grated parmiggiano cheese.

Beet, apple and celery salad with lemon-yogurt dressing

2 small beets: $.62
1/2 fuji apple: $.25
1 large stalk celery: $.20
1/2 lemon: $.13
2 T. plain yogurt = n/a
salt & pepper = n/a

Total = $1.20 / 2 servings = $.60 / serving Total meal cost: $1.30 / serving

Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 400 degrees until easily pierced by a knife. Let cool and the skin should easily slide off. Cut into a small dice and refrigerate. Cut the apple (with skin) and celery into the same size dice as the beet and mix the three together. In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1/2 lemon with 2 T. of plain yogurt. Mix to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Toss with the beet mixture, chill, and serve.

I love pesto. I love it because of the flavor, because it is the easiest thing to make, and because it is so versatile. Traditional pesto is perhaps not a particularly budget-friendly dish, if only because of its reliance on pine nuts, which are absurdly expensive. Luckily, the definition of “pesto” is quite broad, at least these days, and can include other types of herbs and greens, different nuts, and totally different ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes. I love basil, but it usually comes in enormous quantities — perfect for pesto. Round out your basil with parsley, arugula, pea shoots, or other tender greens, and you’ve got yourself an incredibly versatile sauce. Here are a few ways to use your batch of pesto.

• Salad with lemon-basil vinaigrette. Thin out your pesto with extra lemon juice and olive oil, and you have a delicious, herbaceous vinaigrette for a green salad.
• Pesto pasta salad. Pesto, pasta, and fresh, in-season veggies. Enough said.
• Pesto turkey burgers. Mix a bit of pesto with some ground turkey (which is very cheap, by the way), form into patties, and grill indoor or out. Delicious!

You could also make pesto potato salad, panini with pesto spread, a pesto torte… you can mix pesto with sour cream and make a dip! You can grill fish or chicken and top it with pesto! What are you waiting for? Go make some!! You can easily reduce this recipe — it makes a lot of pesto. But you should have plenty of ways to use it now.

Ingredients

2 c. packed basil leaves
1 c. packed arugula leaves
3/4 c. walnuts (or pine nuts if you are feeling rich)
1/2 c. grated parmeggiano cheese
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t. salt
olive oil

Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor (or a blender would work). Pulse the food processor as you add the olive oil through the feeder tube — add oil until you get the desired consistency. Taste and add salt as necessary. Enjoy on pretty much anything! It’s that easy! Store in an airtight container, topped with a thin layer of olive oil, for maximum freshness.