Challenge Recipe #5

            The closest local, organic food store from Como was Seaward Co-op on Franklin Ave, about a 25 minute bus ride or a 15 minute bike ride. I spent $13. 31 total for a reasonable combination of vegetables, grains, and fruit that met USDA guidelines from MyPlate’s nutrition recommendation. It’s important to have a variation of greens/ vegetables for an assortment of nutrients. For vegetables, I bought broccoli ($2.00), onion ($1.00), and a sweet potato ($1.50). Then, for a side of fruit I chopped two apples ($2.00) with peanut butter, cinnamon, and honey on the side for dipping. This can also be a healthy desert option.  In order to make a nutritious, cheap, yet filling meal for two I came up with a black bean soup meal from Mark Bittman's cookbook How to Cook Everything. To make the soup I used chicken broth ($4.29) and some other spices to create a flavorful taste with healthy fats and oils and seasoning. Next, I bought beans ($2.52) for protein and added the vegetables to the soup, cooking on the stove for a half hour.  I diced the onions, cut the broccoli into smaller pieces, and skinned the sweet potato that were cut into squares. For extra flavor I added basil, curry, salt and pepper.  I chose the black bean soup because not only are the ingredients inexpensive, but also abundant (enough for more than two) and can be stored for later.  After gathering the ingredients and completing the meal, the time it took to make this meal was more than an hour and a half total. It may be time consuming for a meal but is very healthy, affordable, local, organic, and can be preserved in the freezer for months.