glutenfreedirtcheap

1/2 cup frozen generic spinach

As much arugula or other about-t0-go-bad-and-unsuitable-for-salads green as you can scrounge from your own refrigerator.  It counts as freegan if you’d have to dumpster-dive it from yourself.

1/2 package rice spaghetti, preferably an off brand.  Mine has a label in a language other than English.

1 can albacore tuna or two hardboiled eggs or one can of white beans

1/4 cup parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil

pinch of sea salt

This is essentially a turkey tetrazzini recipe, if you’re wondering why it has that 1970’s flair.

Put a large saucepan of water on the stovetop to boil. 

While the water is starting to boil, take the spinach out of the freezer.  Separate off about 1/4 cup.  Place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water.  Microwave the spinach for five minutes on high.  Let cool.

Remove the arugula or other wilted green from the back of the refrigerator.   Sort out what is edible and wilted from what is not.  Put the good arugula in a bowl and cover with water.  Repeat the cooking process for the spinach.

Open the can of albacore or beans and rinse.  If you’re using hardboiled eggs, peel and chop them into small chunks.

The water should be boiling by now.  Put the pasta in the pot and turn the heat down to about medium.  Let it cook for at least ten minutes–maybe longer depending on the brand.  Take care to watch it enough that it doesn’t boil over.  When the pasta is soft, drain it and rinse in cold water at least twice to stop the cooking process.  (Without the cold water rinse, rice pasta gets gummy fast.) 

Drain the spinach and the arugula.  Mix in the tuna or white beans or harboiled eggs and the spinach and arugula.  Add two tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of parmesan, and a dash of sea salt.

Serves four, for between $5 and $7.00.

Note:  Principle of Cheap illustrated here–if it’s a vegetable or fruit that is too far gone for its usual use, it may still work in pasta or stew.