Elisha Stam: Ravenous Reader, Freelance Writer from Hamilton, Ontario Elisha previously shared two book reviews, here and here.

I am an excellent cook.  I will not be sheepish about it.  I can make something from nothing, and it will almost always taste good.  I come from a family of women who can cook a soup like it’s nobody’s business and roast a winner winner chicken dinner with all the trimmings, and Oh My!  The smell is just awesome.

I’ve been menu planning and cooking for my family for more then nine years.  I thought I had it down to a very fine science.  Yet, something has happened over the years, I’ve gotten muddled and mixed.  I’ve been joining whatever band wagon is running around at the time (seasonal food or local food, or ethnic food, or food that looks delicious on pinterest).  The cost of food has surely gone up in the past few years, but it’s not just inflation.  I’ve been cooking recipes with less repetition and more complexity.  I feel overwhelmed, and I end up with thirty condiments in my fridge that I use less than twice a month.  I am bored of this whim cooking.

I decided to go back to the start.  More importantly, my husband and I were looking to shave money off our grocery bill.  ”More with Less” was my answer.  It was published in the 1980s by the Mennonite Central Committee and is full of tried and true family recipes that promise more nutrition with less ingredients and costs. The motto of the book is: “on how to eat better and consume less of the world’s limited food resources.”

This is the food I’m the best at.  Food that brings my kids downstairs saying, “mmmmm I smell soup”.  “More with Less” is full of recipes and ideas to help our eating impact our world in a positive way.  This means lots of veggies, fruits and grains, a little less dairy, and very little animal protein.  I read last week on Grist that it takes 1800 gallons of water to produce 1 lb of grain-fed beef.  I want to be socially conscientious about my menu planning.

In the three weeks that I’ve been flipping through “More with Less,” I’ve saved $30-$70 each week.  This morning my husband opened the fridge to pack something for lunch he said he was so thankful for how much food we have. It’s filling, it’s tasty and each recipe is planned for a nice giant Mennonite family.  We can even have a leftover night now!

This is a beautiful thing.  I love the Mennonites, and I love German cooking because it’s similar to Dutch.  And there is also variety in the recipes with family friendly recipes from around the world.  This book is going to save us money and I feel better eating less meat.  I got this book at the library, but it is available at Ten Thousand Villages.