Roasted Eggplant
Welcome to our third and final Budget Meal Video Series! Go to One-Pot Chicken and Rice for the first video and Chicken Adobo with Pineapple for the second video.
Roasted Eggplant is my go-to if I want something quick and deliciously nutritious. This budget-friendly dish is great with steamed rice and any roasted meat. I know it doesn’t seem like a meal by itself, it is more like a side dish, but for me, I can survive with just any eggplant dish and steamed rice with the dipping sauce.
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how to eat well on a budget?
Nowadays, everything is so high, starting from gasoline, food, utilities, and other miscellaneous. How can we make it work with a limited budget?
Let’s focus on one thing at a time. We all know that preparing and cooking our meals rather than going out to eat will save us money significantly. If you’re new to cooking but willing to learn more, then keep reading, we are about to dive into several ways we can eat well without breaking the bank.
You don’t have to be a professional chef to create great-tasting meals. Knowing the basics like how to handle the knife safely, cutting your ingredients into uniform pieces for even cooking, seasoning your meat and vegetables, and most importantly learning how to re-purpose one dish to make several dishes. Let’s dive into some ways we can efficiently work around the kitchen and maximize the flavor of our foods.
common knife cuts
JULIENNE – is commonly known as matchsticks. It can easily be cut into tiny diced called BRUNOISE normally added to your Fried Rice or ground meat like Picadillo.
LARGE BATONNET – is large julienne. It can easily be cut into large cubes used for stewing or roasting.
CHOP – is cutting loosely, there may be some uneven pieces. Unlike dice that are square or even in size. This type of knife cut is commonly used for sauteing onions. MINCE – is finely chopping your ingredients like garlic or ginger.
Always keep your knife sharp. Cutting your ingredients with a dull knife can hurt you. When the knife is not sharp we tend to use more force of pushing and pulling that can make us more prone to accidents. A dull knife can also slow the process of your preparation. Another thing to remember is to cut your ingredients the same size so they can cook at the same time.
how do you repurpose leftovers?
The great thing about buying the whole chicken is it costs a lot less than skinless, boneless, thighs, and breasts. You can make so many recipes with shredded chicken. Chicken soup is one of them, it’s hearty and soothing, especially for those cold winter nights. Have your kids help you make those Chicken Tacos and make it for Taco Tuesdays. How about making Waldorf Chicken Salad, a nice lunch to bring to work?
Inexpensive dishes that are very filling:
ROASTED POTATOES – a bag of 10-pound Russet potatoes costs from $5 to $7. If you’re cooking only for yourself, you can get a small bag for between $3 to $5 per 3-pounds. There are plenty of delicious potato recipes you could download online or from recipe books. Here’s one, Roasted Potatoes and Green Bean Salad
RICE AND BEANS – are very filling. You can either cook the raw beans then add them to your chili, or buy the canned and make some baked beans and rice.
LENTILS – are a great option if you’re looking for a healthy meal. You can make soups or Lentil Tacos
ROASTED MIXED VEGETABLES – such as eggplant is a very budget-friendly meal. One of my favorites is this Eggplant with Chili Garlic Sauce I made in the past. I always ensure to cut my veggies in bigger chunks so they don’t disintegrate when roasting. I place my veggies in a bowl, then add the seasonings and oil, and toss to coat. And I line my baking sheet pan with parchment paper, lay my veggies, or spread them in a single layer for even baking. I also make sure to preheat my oven high at about 450ºF. High heat helps the veggies release the natural sugar to get a nice caramelized flavor.
download budget-friendly recipes
watch how to make the roasted eggplant
recipe
Roasted Eggplant
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- baking sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
DIPPING SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, use a microplane to grate your ginger
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 stalk green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper
- In a bowl, combine the eggplant, garlic powder, salt, ground pepper, and oil. Toss to coat well.
- Lay the eggplant onto the prepared pan. Spread them in a single layer for even baking.
- Meantime, make the dipping sauce. Combine all dipping sauce ingredients, stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- When the eggplant is done baking, place them on a platter and drizzle the dipping sauce on top.
Notes
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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.
I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort. After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do and naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals.