Comments on: Dinner With My Family #2: Pasta with Olives and Tomatoes http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Karen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935885 Karen Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:48 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935885 Sounds and looks delicious, Trent. Spaghetti squash instead of noodles would be just as quick with a steamer or pressure cooker. Whatever your armchair critics may think of your recipes, I like how you prove that: 1) you don’t have to spend a lot of money on ingredients; 2) you don’t have to spend a lot of time grocery shopping; and 3) you don’t have to spend an hour cooking dinner. I’m sure you’ve inspired many who have spent hundreds of dollars buying prepared diet food to empower themselves by firing up the stove!

]]> By: Cristy Robertson http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935712 Cristy Robertson Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:13:13 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935712 My family loves meals like this. I like using left over hotdog or burger buns the same way you used the leftover bread. Thank you for all the great ideas that put tasty and easy meals on the table for next to nothing.

]]> By: kk http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935706 kk Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:26:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935706 This is actually one of my kid’s favorite meals. They’re big olive lovers too so this ranks high for them. I have to cut the tomatoes in tinier pieces for their likes and sometimes we add spinach as well if we have it on hand and believe it or not a small amount of lentils tastes pretty good in it as well. That satisfies the protein and as for pasta having high carbs…well all things in moderation.

]]> By: Joanne http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935672 Joanne Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:05:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935672 While it may taste good, this meal is all carbs and processed ones at that.

While it is wonderful that you cook from scratch, this meal is nutritionally lacking. There is virtually no protein in this meal. You are doing yourself and your family a great dis-service with meals like this.

I don’t intend this as negative, a balanced diet is very important and this meal is unhealthy.

]]> By: Maureen Thomson http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935658 Maureen Thomson Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:07:43 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935658 Oops–typo. I made it with a few “modifications”. Although they were very moderate. LOL

]]> By: Maureen Thomson http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935657 Maureen Thomson Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:06:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935657 I made this recipe yesterday with a few moderations. OMG!…YUM! I don’t care for olives, so I added capers instead. Then I threw in some feta (as I am not vegan). Otherwise, I made it as directed. We skipped the garlic bread, opened some red wine and had a detectable lunch for two. This one’s a keeper!

]]> By: Janis http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935525 Janis Sun, 16 Jan 2011 16:00:15 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935525 To add to my previous comment (which is still in moderation as I type this), I’m with the food police, too, but that’s what I like about this recipe: it can be modified and still remain pretty frugal. For instance, I would use whole wheat pasta or even spaghetti squash and would add parmesan cheese. I’d only use fresh tomatoes if they were in season locally, otherwise I’ll use the home canned tomatoes that I put up last summer. I’d probably add greens or a green salad and would eliminate the garlic bread. I wouldn’t use dried basil, but would use a bit of the pesto that I made in and put in the freezer last summer. Ditto for real garlic instead of garlic powder. My sister would make her own pasta from scratch, but that’s too much effort for me. My version of this meal would have more vegetables – and all those would be locally and organically grown. But I am fortunate that I am able to grow and preserve a lot of my own produce. I could make this meal (including my mods) with ingredients that I already have on hand and I really like that!

That said, I’m not going to fault anyone, least of all Trent, for making this meal their own way. (BTW, as a kid, my favorite part of any spaghetti dinner was the garlic bread.)

]]> By: Jen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935523 Jen Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:37:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935523 I just have to chime in on the side of the “food police,” and say if a meal is so lacking in nutritional value (protein? and I don’t eat white flour, for health reasons, and because I’m a vegetarian and need whole grains for protein) I don’t care how cheap it is. One of my problems with my grocery budget, I think.

]]> By: Holly http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935488 Holly Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:04:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935488 Trent
Just a FYI
Parmesan cheese is available as in a soy substitute. Not sure where for you as I am in a BIG city w/ quite a few health food stores and even my chains have large health food/kosher sections.

]]> By: ospreyy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935478 ospreyy Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:15:10 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935478 (This is true) Twenty years ago I used to love olives. But I then became violently sick after eating a meal with many black olives. Since then I get physically nauseous when I even see pictures of food with black olives.

(This is sarcasm) Trent, you should never again post a picture with black olives because at least one of your readers gets nauseous when he sees it.

]]> By: Jen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935467 Jen Sun, 16 Jan 2011 02:37:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935467 Thanks for the recipe Trent. This looks very tasty!

]]> By: Golfing Girl http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935464 Golfing Girl Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:49:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935464 P.S. Whole wheat pasta got the thumbs down from me and hubby when I was preggo the first time, but we gave it another shot with baby #2 and it must have been an acquired taste. We now cook with nothing but whole wheat penne and spaghetti.

]]> By: Golfing Girl http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935462 Golfing Girl Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:46:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935462 This looks great–my family loves olives so this should be a big hit with them!

]]> By: Vickie http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935457 Vickie Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:06:00 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935457 Another great meal idea, thanks!

]]> By: Sheena http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935447 Sheena Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:06:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935447 It looks awesome! I will definitely be trying this this month. (I’m about the whole wheat pasta too, but to each his own.) I love your frugal recipe posts :)

]]> By: SP http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935442 SP Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:53:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935442 Since I’m in training for a marathon, this actually seems like the PERFECT meal for me. Ha.

I use whole wheat past about 1/2 of the time and the flavor difference isn’t huge to me (but husband prefers white). Yes, WW is better for you, but how much?

]]> By: ellie http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935434 ellie Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:23:59 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935434 I didn’t like whole wheat pasta at first – now I mix whole wheat and white. Its good.

]]> By: Cheryl http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935408 Cheryl Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:31:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935408 Try green ripe olives if you can get them (Olive Pit in Corning, CA, mail order).

We have tried lots of whole wheat pasta. The best is homemade (using spinach as the liquid along with eggs). Second best is Trader Joes spaghetti or fettucini.

]]> By: Celeste http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935399 Celeste Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:49:15 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935399 I make this a lot…suggest you try adding a can of artichoke hearts…yum!

]]> By: Brittany http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2011/01/14/dinner-with-my-family-2-pasta-with-olives-and-tomatoes/#comment-935393 Brittany Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:45:24 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=6503#comment-935393 Should have proofread that before submitting. Oops.

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