Poor Man's Meal

In these difficult times, it makes sense to look back at what people used to do to stretch their food budget. This recipe can be made anytime, but works especially well when you’re getting low on groceries. And…it’s delicious (always a bonus).

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp vegan margarine (olive oil or other vegetable oil works well too)
1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces (any starchy vegetable works well, even a combination of them)
3 gluten-free hot dog wieners, cut into thin rounds
2 Tbsp red sauce of your choice (pizza sauce, pasta sauce, salsa or even good old-fashioned ketchup all work well)
Salt and pepper to taste
A little broth or water, as needed

Directions:

Heat the margarine or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to soften.

Add the potato (or other starchy vegetable). Cook for about 5 minutes, until the pieces are softening and browning. Harder vegetables, such as turnips and rutabagas (if you’re using those), will take longer. Use a fork to check how soft the starchy vegetable is becoming.

Once the starchy veggie is softening well, add the hot dog wiener pieces. Continue to cook the mixture for a few minutes to let the meat cook through.

Mix in the red sauce of your choice. You can even combine several sauces in a small bowl before adding to the skillet. By the way, a great combination is salsa & ketchup. But don’t worry if you don’t have salsa. Just use whatever you’ve got.

Taste the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you find the mixture is too thick, add a little broth or water to thin the sauce.

Makes 2-4 servings.