Here is one of my side dishes from Thanksgiving this year, full of seasonal root vegetables along with the flavors of fresh ginger and maple syrup. The vegetables can be prepped the night before, or during the day while the turkey is cooking.

While the turkey is cooking, prepare the dish and place it in the oven during the last 20 minutes of the turkey cooking time. Once you remove the turkey, increase the heat to 400F and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 more minutes. This gives you time to let the turkey rest and get the rest of the food ready, then pull out the vegetables right before serving.

When preparing the vegetables, cut everything to the same relative shape and size. This will ensure that all the vegetables cook at the same rate, and that way you don’t end up with mushy carrots and rock-hard sweet potatoes.

Ginger Roasted Root Vegetables w/ Pecans
adapted from Food & Wine magazine

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
2 large parsnips, peeled and sliced about 1 inch thick
4 medium to small carrots, peeled and sliced about 1 inch thick
1 container (8 oz) whole baby bella mushrooms, rinsed and halved
1 cup whole pecans
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (about a 2 inch piece)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 /4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup maple syrup
Ground cinnamon, optional

Preheat the oven to 400F and brush a 13×9 inch baking dish with olive oil.

Combine the prepared vegetables in a large bowl along with the mushrooms and pecans. Add ginger, olive oil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss all of the ingredients, coating the vegetables.

Add vegetables to the prepared baking dish, then drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon just before serving, if desired.

This recipe uses curry powder to add a twist to traditional stir-fry. Of course, I found the original recipe to be a bit lacking. I added some more veggies and tweaked a couple ingredients, then served the stir-fry over couscous. Try it over rice or egg noodles as well. The vegetables can be swapped for whatever is available/in season (or to your preference).

You can look for beef pre-sliced for stir-fry to save time, but slicing it yourself will probably be cheaper. Look for tender cuts like top loin, top sirloin, tenderloin, or even flank. Placing the beef in the freezer for 10-15 minutes will help firm it up, making it easier to slice the beef into thin strips.

Curried Beef Stir-Fry
adapted from Southern Living

1 lb beef, cut into thin strips
Olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bell pepper (red, yellow, orange), sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 large apple, such as fuji, cored and diced
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
hot cooked couscous or rice, for serving

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet. Season beef with sea salt and black pepper. Add the beef, working in batches if needed, and stir-fry over high heat until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-high, add additional oil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add red onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Saute 2-3 minutes, then add bell pepper. Saute 2-3 minutes, adding additional oil if needed, then add zucchini and saute 2-3 minutes. Add diced apple, apple juice, soy sauce, and curry powder. Bring liquid to a boil and return beef to pan along with any accumulated juices on the plate. Toss ingredients, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, adding additional apple juice if needed.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve over hot cooked couscous or rice.

The original recipe from Cooking Light Magazine was for pork, not chicken, and used just cherry preserves. I added the apricot jam and decided to use frozen cherries for extra flavor. I served this chicken over egg noodles and zucchini sauteed with sweet onion, garlic, tossed with sesame seed oil. By slicing the chicken and tossing with the cherry-apricot sauce, it made a delicious stir-fry style dish.

Chicken w/ Cherry-Apricot Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
Olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 cup frozen pitted cherries, thawed
1/4 cup apricot jam or preserves
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Using a meat tenderizer or small frying pan, pound chicken between two pieces of wax paper until about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 5-6 minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside and keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to hot skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Heat until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes or until sauce is warmed through. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

I prefer to slice the chicken first, then pour the sauce over top.

This recipe incorpates vegan and frugal staples of eggplant and chickpeas. I wanted to try this recipe as part of my Eggplant Crusade over on Bitter/Sweet. The results were mixed. The eggplant soaked up much of the sauce, which seemed to mellow the spicy flavors. There may be room for improvement in this recipe, finding a way to incorporate the sauce without allowing the eggplant to soak it all up (as eggplant tends to do).

As part of the Eggplant Crusade, this dish did not win any battles for me. The cauliflower, however, was delicious roasted and would be outstanding on its own with the spicy sauce. The chickpeas add a nutty flavor while fresh basil adds an earthy note. I do not want to advocate taking eggplant out the recipe, but perhaps this is just not a recipe where eggplant can truly shine.

Spicy Eggplant with Cauliflower and Basil
from Cooking Light

1/2 tsp sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1  tbsp freshly ginger, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut lengthwise into wedges
1/2 head cauliflower (about 1 lb), broken into florets
1 can (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups  bean sprouts
1/2 cup  fresh basil leaves, torn if large
hot cooked rice, for serving

Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Whisk together the garlic, ginger, oil, curry paste, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Toss with the eggplants and cauliflower, then transfer to prepared baking sheet, spreading into a single layer. Roast until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chickpeas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from oven and toss with the bean sprouts and basil. Serve over cooked rice.

Frugal Breakdown:
1/2 tsp sea salt: negligible
2 garlic cloves: negligible
1  tbsp freshly ginger: $0.20
1/3 cup olive oil: negligible 
2 tsp Thai red curry paste: negligible (see below)  
1 1/2 pounds eggplant: $1.80 
1/2 head cauliflower: $1.00 
1 can (15 oz can) chickpeas: $0.99
2 cups  bean sprouts: $0.99 
1/2 cup  fresh basil leaves: $1.00
hot cooked rice: $1.05
TOTAL: $7.03

Verdict: Success, if you already have red curry paste. This is one of those things I keep in the pantry and do not use too often, so 2 teaspoons is not a large amount. If you do not already have this, it can set you back almost $4, which would not be a success.

Rice is also difficult to determine. I tend to buy Jasmine rice, which is a bit more expensive and cook it with some coconut milk. If you buy generic white rice, however, it is very cheap. I also considered 1/3 cup of olive oil negligible because I buy large bottles on sale, but again if this is not a regular item in your pantry it may be more expensive.

One of the most popular recipes on the website is Moroccan Chicken Couscous, which I made last summer with a bounty of vegetables from the Farmer’s Market. The one thing I did not like about the dish is that the spices were very subtle, and the amounts probably needed to be increased for more flavor.

While searching for recipe ideas for Veganomics, I came across a recipe from Cooking Light magazine with tons of vegetables and spices with couscous, and decided to try it. I made several modifications to accommodate what I had on hand, and you could use just about any vegetables you like in this recipe. Chick peas would be a great substitution for the mushrooms, zucchini would also be excellent.

I did not peel the eggplant, though you certainly could if you find the skin too tough. Look for an eggplant with smooth, unblemished skin that weights about 1 pound. Larger eggplant can be bitter and have more seeds. The couscous I used is particularly flavorful: tricolor with sun-dried tomato and spinach flavors.

Vegetables simmering before addition of couscous:

Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous
adapted from Cooking Light

2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of saffron threads (substitute turmeric if not available)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large eggplant, about 1 lb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), undrained
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup orange juice
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  

Heat oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger, saute 2-3 minutes. Add spice mixture, eggplant, tomatoes with juice, carrots and cabbage; saute 3 minutes.

Add orange juice and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Summary:

Economically Friendly: The eggplant, which is often substituted for meat in dishes, was $0.99 per pound. Ground beef, however, was originally priced $4.39 per pound, and on sale was only reduced to $3.59 per pound. Pantry staples like canned tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic and onion didn’t break the bank either.

NOTE: Saffron is crazy-expensive, but I bought it months ago and haven’t used it, so I felt this was an appropriate time to get my money’s worth. Turmeric is a reasonably price substitution, and sometimes referred to as “the poor man’s saffron.”

Ecologically Responsible: Aside from avoiding the use of meat, this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate the vegetables currently in season. It is also an all-in-one meal, which reduces energy needs for cooking and the amount of dishes to be cleaned.

Excellently Healthy: Loaded with tons of veggies, plus spices for flavor, a generous 2 cup serving has approximately 300 calories. Adding chick peas would give it a boost of protein. Garlic, ginger, and cinnamon have all sorts of proven health benefits. I found this dish to be surprisingly filling and satisfying.