Barley-lentil stew with prosciutto & dill: $1.83/serving

As mentioned in previous posts, we were gifted a family-sized CSA box a few weeks ago, and were able to make use of every single item in it…except for half a bunch of dill. (The other half went into two loaves of dill-olive bread.) Dill is pretty far down the list of my favorite herbs. In fact, it may well be at or near the bottom. It’s mostly known for going well with seafood, which I hate, and/or eggs cooked by themselves, which I also hate, leaving few options for use (other than pickles, of course). Luckily I was able to find one. Yes, it’s a stew, which isn’t exactly the most appealing meal in late August, but the yogurt and dill combine to give it a coolness that somehow seems perfectly appropriate.

Red-lentil dal with apples: 55 cents/serving

I don’t cook a lot of Indian food (no particular reason why; I just don’t find myself drawn to it), but when I do, it’s usually some variation of dal, a simple, usually vegan lentil stew that can be made using whatever vegetables or lentils one happens to have on hand. This red-lentil version was born to use up half a can of whole tomatoes I had languishing in the freezer, as well as some of the 4 lbs. of Granny Smiths we bought this weekend at Winco; the apples add a sweet tang that goes perfectly with the earthiness of the lentils. It’s quick, warming and healthy—perfect for a rainy weeknight. (Yes, I know the Pacific Northwest is probably the only place in the country right now where it’s still raining and 55 degrees, but just humor me.)

Bulgur-lentil soup with mint: 63 cents/serving

Few things are more healthily filling than the combination of bulgur and lentils, and few things are more simple and inexpensive to make than soup. Why not combine them? (And use up some more of the weed-like mint that has now aggressively popped up in almost every part of the garden?) This soup certainly won’t win any awards for innovation, but it’s warm, comforting, and so hearty that B. and I were completely stuffed after our single 63-cent servings.

Mujadara (baked rice & lentils): 25 cents/serving

No need to sugarcoat it, although the inclusion of both brown rice and lentils probably gives it away: This is hippie health food. I wouldn’t advocate serving it to die-hard, meat-at-every-meal carnivores, but I wouldn’t advise against doing so, either, because this stuff is good. In fact, if you’re serving it to mixed company, it might behoove you to admit right off the bat that it’s hippie health food because people probably won’t believe you. Did I also mention that it doesn’t really even taste like lentils? And that it only costs 25 CENTS A SERVING?? In other words, you’re only hurting yourself if you don’t try this.

Roasted carrot & red lentil ragout: 36 cents/serving

My affinity for roasted carrots is no secret: They’re the poor man’s sweet potato and butternut squash. I’m a little more lukewarm when it comes to lentils. Red lentils, brown lentils, green lentils…lentils, to me, taste of dirt, depressing diets, and that one time you ate a tofu dog with sprouts and tried to convince yourself it was as good as the real thing but it really tasted like cardboard and B.O.