Extreme Frugality - Low Cost Healthy Main Meals

[@virginiacervantes7988]

👍🌹 looks so good and healthy

[@karenwhite1275]

Looks delicious, just as I can be feeling a bit bogged down with everything, your positivity and happy face cheer me up and keep me motivated, thankyou x

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re welcome Karen, we keep on keeping on.

[@mariedamon5655]

Morning jane and micheal i thought this recipe looks nice .love it that you cooked two meals at once and also had enough for lunch thank you .x

[@donnascottcomedy]

Definitely going to try those wraps! Genius!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for the feedback Donna

[@sowenchantedirishkitchenga8282]

Great recipes Jane! As always 😊

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@rachelmolina3995]

Hi Jane and Michael, thanks for another great video! We do something similar with corn tortillas, cheese, onion and meat stuffing in a chili sauce called enchiladas. Add olives if you like. Very filling and tasty! Thanks again, wonderful video!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@lorrainehunter5646]

Will be trying this lentil pacake for sure. Thanks for sharing

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re welcome

[@katies8080]

Instant subscriber, was looking for videos about living in France (I'm in Australia) and just loved this video and the recipes. It's funny because yesterday on the way home I was listening to radio in the car and they were talking about the price of food and supply shortages. I will be trying that vegan shephards pie. I'm also glad to know I'm making the white sauce correctly too!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@maryettabeck1967]

I have been stretching my ground beef with same amount of cooked brown lentils. I increase the spices all good! Teen does not even notice in tacos, wraps and baked zitti. MB

[@twilightshealy4152]

I've just realized that you are Europe's Martha Stewart/Dave Ramsay equivalent. I'm so glad I found your lovely informative KZbin channel. I hope you and Mike live a long and charmed life. 🥰💗 thank you for inspiring others around the world! ***real name- Melody (Twilight was my cat) from Georgia, USA.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@halfanewfie2]

I made the vegetarian cottage pie this weekend with veg I had that needed using up. It was fabulous! 💝

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for the feedback

[@tesyward9544]

Glorious offerings, Jane & Michael! Cottage pie on the menu tonight, making three large trays of lentil wraps tomorrow. Lovely hot, healthy meals and a stash for the freezer!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@debbiedorsey2371]

Love your videos! Thank you!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Glad you like them!

[@joannapatterson4625]

I made lentil stew today with mixed veg, spinach, cauliflower, rice, potatoes, canned tomatoes. 9 portions.

[@kerryneylan7978]

I like that your meals are varied. There is a tendency to keep using pasta when on a budget which delicious though it is becomes monotonous. I think the idea of using lentils is good when maybe grainy carbs become scarce like they did with the food shortages a couple of years ago.

[@kenneth7610]

Great video! Cheers!

[@joysleeman3311]

When I make a cheese sauce I put a little seeded mustard in with the butter at the start, it really lifts the taste a notch.

[@annelisematthews388]

Good old Corning Ware. I still have some in my cupboard I got as a wedding present in 1983. 39 years ago!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I sadly broke the lid.

[@GinaStanyerBooks]

This is fantastic, I get the best ideas from you! I just love your frugal meals - they are tastier, 'fancier', healthier than most expensive meals. This should be how all of us eat all of the time, regardless of budget.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Gina

[@wendygardener2316]

Very inspiring!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@karenchristenson4004]

Yes, yes to the lentil wraps! We really just have no idea until Jane tells us 😂 👍😋

[@patrice3603]

Those look very tasty, I’ll have to give the recipes a try. Thanks for sharing them. 😃

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Patrice

[@tinacusimano6784]

Sound is much improved!

[@frankieniedorf4463]

Looks delicious, thanks for the recipes,

[@lindahuff2996]

Soooo yummy! My hubby is very impressed with the videography

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@sheilap3100]

Both of your meals look delicious. I will try them both. Thankyou Jane and Mike xx

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Shelia

[@kakelinga]

Hi Jane, I just love to watch your videos. I came to learn about your channel from Frugal Jo. I must admit, almost every meal I make has some meat in it. Even if it's fried rice, we use some meat and egg in it with veggies. I think the only meatless meal I have ever made for my family is Macaroni and Cheese. When I was a kid growing up in the 60'and 70's, we ate all our meals at home and we had many a nights of eating a raw egg over hot rice with soy sauce for flavor. I was born and raised in Hawaii and most of the families had to stretch their pennies until the begged for mercy. Mom's did not work in those days. We ate what we had and what was cheapest. With rising prices, I will have to revert back to the old ways and be more creative with our meals.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We do need to

[@bkj2508]

Thanks for showing us your recipes!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re welcome

[@tonideluca8569]

Looked so yummy 😋

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Toni

[@mkhuntstreasure3192]

Thanks for sharing the recipes. I always enjoy watching your cooking videos. Frankly I don’t know how you get anything done, I’m afraid I would be sitting, sipping a hot cup of tea enjoying your beautiful view.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

It’s pretty

[@tinalemna7998]

I made your lentil wraps today and they were delicious!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for the feedback

[@belindacopson2390]

Those lentil wraps look great, I will be trying them! Always enjoy your creative cookery ideas.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@ReinaAGrace]

All the recipes looked delicious 😋 thanks for sharing.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@sarahgulliver6986]

Thank you so much, Jane and Mike, for your fab and doable recipes - this video has come at exactly the right time for me! Our power has just been restored after nearly 2 days off due to Storm Eunice toppling a huge tree on our village power lines. Sadly the whole contents of my fridge have had to be condemned - all the milk, yogurt etc had been warm for too long to chance it, but I kept the freezer door firmly shut and all the bigger things like meat and larger containers of batch cooked meals look like they have successfully survived. However my smaller tubs of cheese sauce, bagged blanched veg from the garden and smaller odds and ends of bacon etc went soft so I need to cook them and eat them as soon as possible. I couldn't believe it when I saw your video here basically using all of the ingredients I need to use up! Just popping over now to view the lentil wrap recipe and I will crack on xxx You are both much appreciated, please keep your common sense chats and tips coming. A voice of sanity in a crazy world x

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for the feedback and your kind words

[@josiahsmom3781]

Might you consider mentioning in an upcoming video tips on frugal mother's day ( may 8th) celebrations/ gifts. In the past I have had flowers delivered and taken mom to an expensive restaurant .

[@carolinedaley8024]

love this video so much!! 💗

[@marie34K]

On one of the utube channel I'm a subscriber to the woman who owns it made exactly the same shopping (in the same supermarket ) in February 2020 and this February ... the result shows a 9.1% increase in prices for basic food ...

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Some items have increased much more too,

[@guybichwiller2308]

C'est la chaîne KZbin d'une maman sympathique..."mamanEconome"....

[@marie34K]

@@guybichwiller2308 oui oui ... le monde est petit .... yes , this is a small world

[@corinneleppard1933]

That looks lovely and made a little go such a long way. I have some near-date tortilla wraps in the cupboard, a small-ish portion of chilli in the freezer and can easily make a bechamel sauce, plus grated cheese from the freezer as well, so that's another meal sorted (and beats chilli and plain old rice again!). I have learned a lot about batch cooking and also being more sensible with what to freeze, thanks to your videos. Thank you for the time you take to provide such clear and helpful advice.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re very welcome

[@jackieconrad4500]

Yummy! I'm going on my once a week shop in a mo, i'm going to buy some lentils and give those pancakes ago. Thanks Jane.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

They are surprisingly easy and tasty

[@cathyeller5722]

Went to the grocery store yesterday. One of the young ladies from the meat department came out with a box full of prepackaged pork loin roast, they were really small roast. I looked at them and started to turn away, she said "wait these are a really good deal" you get two for 9.99. That's 4.00 a piece, I just looked at her then explained that the loins were not even a pound a piece so you are paying 4.00 for not even a pound of meat. When the larger ones where only 2.60 a pound. So, getting the bigger ones were actually a better deal per pound. Just cut them up when you get home into small pound pieces. She blankly looked at me, so I explained it again how to do the math. Oh, she said "I hadn't noticed that". Things we take for granted that other people know they don't. That is why after all these years of scrimping and saving I still watch frugal shows on utube. I found out the other day you can make a carrot taste like a hotdog with liquid smoke I have to look up the recipe. Hope it passes my husbands inspection since hotdogs are now 4.00 for 10 ! Thanks for the video

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Good to pass up a bad deal

[@Meli_Mels]

You're right @cathy Eller, so many don't know the basics of household budgetting.

[@jeannestott1456]

Two more delicious recipes ,unfortunately my husband and I have been stricken by covid ! So we will have to wait a while until I can face cooking again. We are eating what I can be bothered to make. I love your top you are wearing today. Your videos are keeping me going thank you .

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Get well soon

[@jeannestott1456]

Thank you I'm going to look at your Web site for some more inspiration. Ordinary pancakes maybe an option today.

[@patmartin9727]

Had veggies to use up but no time to stand cooking so I put all the veg in the slow cooker for a few hours the finished everything off when I got home and put it in the oven to finish. Wasn’t sure if it would work but it turned out well.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Sounds delicious to me

[@brendasimspon3378]

They were 2 very nice meals and yes money saving but healthy. To avoid lumps in the sauce I place the milk butter salt and pepper and the cornflour in all together cold then just stir gently until thickened.

[@katworkstowander9853]

My grandmother was a great cook and taught me how to make gravies and sauces. She taught me to warm up the milk to very hot to the touch. Equal parts butter and flour( but I usually add a little extra butter to ensure it’s not too dry.)Melt the butter, remove from the heat and stir in flour and return to heat, cook just until bubbly; it should still be wet which is why I use just a little extra butter. Then add at least 2/3rds of the hot milk all at once and stir with a whisk, then slowly add the rest and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.Then stir in your cheese, and stir until thickened to desired consistency. She said adding cold or room temp liquid to the flour mixture. made it seize up and that’s what creates the lumps. I’ve been consistently successful when I follow this method. When I don’t I get “gravy balls”. I’ve got a bag of red lentils I was wondering what to do with them but now I know. Am going to try this recipe out this weekend.

[@2ndchancecatrescue398]

We were told to take the pot off the heat and then add the milk and stir. Dont add all the milk at once but gradually. Great that you told viewers the mistake. As i guess it happens to all of us. Don't throw it out but save it. You can use a sieve to put it thru if you don't have a blender. Looks delishious may try this on my very fussy husband.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

If I didn’t have a blender stick, we’d have eaten it, lumps and all

[@lindajacquot5391]

Lentil wraps! Brilliant and simple at the same time! I can't wait to make some! Thanks, Jane and Michael, for another good Frugal Foodie Friday!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Linda

[@jomcd2073]

Not only does all your food look so tasty you vary what you cook each week. You're such a good cook Jane and l hope you and Mike are safe with the big storm coming:)

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Jo, the storm passed the north east of France and missed us

[@jomcd2073]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance Glad to hear it missed you 😁

[@madeleine7729]

Thanks for doing some vegetarian recipes. Although I'd eaten dinner before watching it looked so good my mouth was watering!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We are not vegetarian, we’d rather this had meat in, we eat like this to save money. Thanks for watching

[@dawnmorandin541]

Yesterday I made a meat pie, stew and roast dinner out of a piece of beef, lemon meringue pie for dessert, bran muffins for snacks. I listen to a audio book while cooking, I have to try your recipes today, winter storm warning here all weekend, cozy inside using my little prepper pantry.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

All sounds delicious Dawn.

[@heathertucker7056]

How delicious the pancakes looked Jane! You reminded me I used to make these for my children and I will start making them again! Our favourite was left over cooked chicken and mushrooms! Thanks for a great video and a timely reminder!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Heather, I used to feed four of us on the chicken legs from a roast, with a few mushrooms and cheese sauce in pancakes

[@lisashepherd3411]

Yum those meals look great.I will make the filling and try it with store bought wraps just because I have loads in my store cupboard.Thankyou Jane and Mike.

[@wendyflores6577]

Another wonderful video. I’ve been doing so well with managing my money of late, thanks to your upbeat and informative tips. I find I remake leftovers, scrape out the last little bit and have filed away some of your recipes to make! Thank you so much for your time and suggestions.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Great to hear that Wendy

[@rev.ruthe.gallot9103]

oh my goodness... those savory pancakes look AMAZING! Thanks for sharing that recipe, I will definitely be going to look at the other video for directions on how to make them.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re welcome

[@leedezern6862]

Love that too. It’s so cute!

[@kathryncooper4001]

Looks yummy, Jane! My own favorite low-cost meal has always been a big mixed salad filled with lettuces, uncooked cauliflower & broccoli, cheddar cheese, red onion slices, celery, hard cooked eggs, grape tomatoes, etc., topped with a homemade vinaigrette. Carnivores might want to add a little leftover meat, and I understand it's splendid with sliced ham. I almost always have the ingredients in the fridge, including the hard cooked eggs, so it's quick and easy to assemble. I usually serve it with a loaf of crusty bread or rolls, straight out of the oven. Fresh vegetables, cheese and eggs are still pretty inexpensive at the market here, and the veggies are basically free (my favorite price) when the garden is producing. Bon appetit!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We love salads with everything

[@nikki27ish]

Great video, I'm definitely going to try the lentil pancakes with a vegan cheese sauce on top.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Happy cooking

[@LoriJMarshall]

Oh my goodness Jane, that looks so tasty. I must try 😊

[@jessicahollinghurst36]

I put the milk flour and butter in cold and stir as it heats then add the cheese and grain mustard lump free every time.

[@Justme0243]

Another great video!. Love the lentil wraps. If I may ask how do you make your gravy please! 🌷🌷

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

It’s instant gravy from the UK, just add boiling water

[@Justme0243]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance Thanks. It always look so delicious. I will check for instant gravy in our stores . 🌷🌷

[@lisag9493]

Looks delicious ,, I’m definitely going to use up some sacks of Charlotte potatoes in the garage that I grew last year and are beginning to sprout ,, why waste them ? Best wishes, Lisa

[@cgt6497]

These meals look delicious, nutritious and very frugal! I can't wait to try them! Thank you for sharing the recipes.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You’re welcome

[@margaretthompson5491]

Another great recipe to add to my list. looks really yummy.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@garygnagey3569]

Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing, Jane!…Deborah Gnagey

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Deborah

[@janenewley6539]

A thought about renaming vegetarian “shepherd’s pie”….gardener’s pie? Meanwhile many thanks for the lentil pancake recipe…at last a solution to finding a low glycemic-index recipe for pancake day….which is coming up shortly…hope you didn,t get the storm as badly as us in uk. All best wishes, jinxy

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We had wind enough to bring a tree down over a power line so they had to switch the power off to cut it down

[@buffypearce4735]

I believe you did a video with gf tortillas. Which video is that?

[@julies3223]

Need to make the lentil wraps for my GF hubby! Jane, are you allergic to gluten? Thank you for bringing us into your home with another wonderful video!

[@lisahaffner3337]

Looks delicious.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@lilalavendel3951]

Dear Jane, I LOVE THE MUSIC IN YOUR VIDEOS❤. Would you please tell us, where your music does come from? Do you have some links to the music? Thank you very much for your lovely videos!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

The music comes from KZbin itself

[@lilalavendel3951]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance I was blind, I have not seen the links in the description. Sorry for my stupid question 😉.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

@@lilalavendel3951 no such thing as a stupid question, you’re always welcome to ask questions

[@karenchristenson4004]

I made these wraps yesterday and wow, super easy and delicious!! They were meant to be baked with a nice filling and sauce …. But Nope….. All were gobbled up hot off the pan, crispy around the edges, soft in the centre, how are these so good??? Lol! Next time we will have more restraint and make a proper meal of them, maybe 😉

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks so much for the feedback, they are so easy to make, we sometimes have them instead of bread

[@deannab9511]

Delicious!

[@maggiecroall3830]

Good vege food! Did your cauliflower have outer leaves, if so do you makes use of them?

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Yes and yes

[@jkazzie2521]

Cauliflower leaves are lovely finely shredded and steamed as an (often free) alternative to cabbage which are currently $13 each at my local supermarket in Nth Queensland, Australia. Ask your supermarket veg department if they have any cauli leaves they are discarding. I do that and I get them free. Some I give to the chooks and some I use for myself.

[@maggiecroall3830]

@@jkazzie2521 I sometimes roast or make a flavoursome soup with addition of a carrot, sweet potato, onion, garlic.

[@football_editz453]

Both meals look delicious. Sorry if this is a stupid question but how do you reheat your cottage pie the next day without using your oven again? Microwave?

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

I have a little toaster oven, I warm it in that

[@marilynthomson9564]

What a great video, I plan to try these recipes only a vegan version. Thank you so much!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for watching

[@helenmak5663]

What sumptuous meals for a weekend with batch cooking! How do you make the brown gravy? It looks good too.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

The gravy is instant gravy, just add boiled water

[@helenmak5663]

@@FrugalQueeninFrance Thank you Jane!

[@sophiawolthof1238]

👍👍👍

[@bridgetryan6936]

Great vlog

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks very much

[@wendytravers4400]

What a fabulous video and great recipes and ideas that can be adapted to suit everyone’s taste . Thank you and take care it’s a 👍🏻 from me ♥️💋

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks Wendy, you’re a great supporter of our channel.

[@beefreelady]

Great minds think alike: I have been simmering a large pot of pinto beans this morning and I can hear the timer buzzer sounding off now. I cooked them with one large, chopped onion and four cloves of garlic. I will put about half of it into a container to freeze. And then, I will take some and cook refried beans for meatless tacos for today's dinner. The rest will become Chilli Con Carne for tomorrow and day after. I have about one and a half packages of flour tortillas to go with it all; plus, I plan to cook Spanish rice too. It's way too much to eat all at once. It's my frugal go to once in a while.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

That all sounds delicious

[@sandykmalta]

This is like enchilada s here in Texas. Looks tasty!

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Thanks for sharing

[@halfanewfie2]

In the US, wholesale inflation is now at 9.5%. That's only for goods. Fuel and heating costs are skyrocketing. Our gasoline prices on the California Central Coast are at an all time high of $4.71 per gallon. Never before have prices been so much. I'm having to make choices similar to what you spoke about in your last video.

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

$7.06 a gallon here in France and we have a flat rate of 22% tax on all our earnings.

[@jkazzie2521]

We pay a round $2 per litre in Australia for petrol so that’s around $8 per gallon. We’d queue for hours to pay well less than $5 for 4 litres of fuel when filling up our car’s petrol tank! Compared to most other parts of the world, fuel in the USA is cheap.

[@halfanewfie2]

@@jkazzie2521 Absolutely!!

[@marilys3549]

Looks yummy 😋 I wish I weren't dairy 🐄 intolerant 😕 love your videos heart ♥

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

You can use goats cheese or Sheep cheese and dairy free milk

[@marilys3549]

I sneek some goat or sheep in every now and again. I am reactivate to lactose, but also the dairy protein. I use coconut milk and oil. Ghee is OK because all the dairy solids have been taken out. Soy is highly contaminated with roundup and is a sudoestrogen and I have hypothyroidism which requires no soy. Almond milk is entreamly high in Oxalates ( a highly abrasive molecule to gut, kidneys, liver, etc and should be eaten in very small quantities)which the body has trouble getting rid of. So my choices are limited. Your food looks so amazing 👏 I like food in the cold weather that make me feel full. It's so much fun to see what you are cooking up each week.🤗

[@diegeferenbach8065]

All looks 😋. I'm finding it's so expensive to buy good quality mince. Salad looks tasty. Is that homemade croutons I see?

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We rarely buy mince it’s too expensive. Yes homemade croutons

[@marie34K]

And my pension is exactly the same ... not a Euro more . And I bet nobody got a raise be it in France where I live or anywhere else

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

Nope, nor us

[@patmartin9727]

No rise on my Uk pensions and the rise last year was calculated differently. The reason given was COVID effect on wages.

[@patmartin9727]

I agree that everyone will get the £200 if they pay a fuel bill and £125 if you pay council tax in the UK.the issue I have is that if you means test these payments people in the middle not rich but not at the benefit level get squeezed yet again these are the people I feel sorry for. Have pensions that I paid in to all my working life, I am comfortable but I am also not rich and I will have to cut back on things just like everyone else to meet the cost of my fuel and food. No I won’t be going hungry as I am frugal but I will be cutting out all the frills to stay out of debt.