Tuesday, May 15, 2007

What does poverty look like?

I have done it again. Funny how one night on the town can make the difference between whether I eat or not. I was positive that I had enough money in the bank to allow a meal out. But I had conveniently forgotten about my tax bill AND one of my niece's birthday and graduation coming up. So I'm back to poverty. Here is what I mean by poverty:

You add black beans and rice to a mixture of slightly sauteed onion, pepper, garlic, chili pepper and two small tomatoes.

Even though I'm broke, I still have to get the organic stuff. That was a little bit more expensive than usual. I always add cumin and cilantro to my rice and also to my tomato mixture.

In this picture at right (yes, I took pictures because I was just so happy to have something to eat today), the beans are on the left, fresh stuff mixture sizzling in the middle and the rice waiting patiently on the right. Don't worry. The little frying pan has chili peppers on top. Perfectly beautiful, I think.


After everything is sufficiently heated, it all goes in a little casserole dish and then to the oven at 350 for 20 minutes, I don't know why I do that.



While we are waiting for the flavors to marry, Abner my favorite plant wants to say hello. Yes, Abner, you are a very handsome plant. But you are not the star of this episode. Poverty needs some attention today and I'll be *^)+ed if it's not going to get some!



And that's it!! Eat it with the cheapest tortilla chips you can find, and voila: poverty. My specialty.

Freshman year of college, I lived on this stuff. I could eat for $5 a week or less. I have, in the past, switched it up a bit. It's all based on how much money I have. Sometimes it's just plain old beans and rice. Sometimes it's beans and rice and roasted corn.

The key is to make this meal as simply as you can possibly stand it. There have been times in which I went to Wal-Mart and got their black bean and corn salsa, substituting it for the veggie mixture.. Back then it was less than two dollars for a big jar. Gotta love Wal-Mart when you are in POVERTY. As long as things aren't so bad you have to work there.

It's a very nutritious meal, I think. It's also yummy yummy yummy. Important thing here is that it's CHEAP.

2 comments:

NewsCat said...

Your post definately reminds me of when you can't afford to buy more groceries and suddenly you start thinking of all the things you can make with the flour in your apartment. Pancakes! Yes I can make pancakes!

mental hygiene said...

Isn't it a comfort?
Roux! I can make Roux!