Traditional Meals for the Frugal Family

Book excerpt: Low-Budget Should Never Mean Low-Quality In this practical cookbook, Shannon Stonger, author of Traditionally Fermented Foods and co-author of The Doable Off-Grid Homestead, invites you into her bustling homestead kitchen. She shares how she feeds her family of eight with delicious, nutritious meals for less. Based on the wisdom of traditional food diets, these recipes are focused on unprocessed ingredients, pastured animal products and frugal foods that people have thrived on for generations. The resulting meals are gluten-free, almost entirely dairy-free, picky eater–certified and, most importantly, deeply nourishing. Find tips and tricks for cutting down on costs while prioritizing nutrient density per dollar. Follow easy directions for sprouting or soaking grains and legumes to unlock their full nutritional value, then use them in yummy meals like A Better Kefir-Chia Soaked Granola or Soaked Gluten- Free Artisan Bread. Learn to tactfully utilize more expensive produce, with foolproof recipes like higher-protein, lower-cost Stretched-Out Guacamole. With recipes like Homemade Coconut Milk and Cultured Oatgurt, you can make your own pantry staples, saving you money. There are also tons of incredible dishes that maximize wholesome animal products, mouthwatering flavors and cost-effectiveness, such as Mediterranean Hide-the-Heart Meatballs, Stretch-the-Meat and Bean Loaf and Real Food Copycat Tomato Soup. Give your family the gift of nutritious meals made from real foods—without breaking the bank.