I decided to make a pumpkin soup for Halloween. Pumpkin is full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. It can be used for so much more than pie! This soup has some spice, but you can tone it down by using less adobo peppers.You can also add some chicken to it if you want.
Ingredients:
Chicken (optional)
15 ounce can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)
1 can of black beans
1 onion, diced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, diced
6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 to 2 adobo peppers in sauce (If your family doesn't like things super spicy, then replace the adobo peppers and ground cumin with taco seasoning and add while you cook your onion and garlic)
Ground cumin to taste
Quesedilla (optional): tortilla and cheese
Serves 3 to 4
Saute the onion and garlic in some oil with the ground cumin and salt until the onions are soft and slightly browned. (If you want to add chicken, cook the chicken in the pan now). Add the can of pumpkin, can of beans, and broth. Stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the diced adobo peppers and stir to combine. Cook until heated through.
If you want to make this meal a little more hearty, you can serve it alongside a cheese quesedilla.
Delicious, healthy, and super easy.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I LOVE the chicken lettuce wraps from PF Chang's or Pei Wei. But, they make for a pretty expensive dinner out. Tonight, I am trying my hand at making my own version of lettuce wraps.
Ingredients:
1/2 Pound Ground Turkey
Dried Asian Seasoning
Ginger, diced
1 Clove of Garlic, diced
Green Onions, sliced thin
Mushrooms, diced into very small pieces
Soy Sauce
Siracha Chili Sauce
Romaine Lettuce (I like using Romaine because it has more vitamins than Iceberg lettuce)
Cilantro
Serves 2
Add ginger, the white part of the green onions, garlic, and dried Asian seasoning to ground turkey. Mix to combine. Heat some canola oil in a pan over medium high heat and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula. Add chopped mushrooms and a couple of table spoons of soy sauce. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink, continuing to break it up with a spatula.
Add the green parts of the green onions and chopped cilantro to the pan. Toss to combine.
Add filling to Romaine leaves. Serve with a sauce made by mixing soy sauce, Siracha Chili Sauce, and a tiny bit of table surgar. (The amounts of each will vary according to personal taste. Play with it until you find your preferred combination.)
You can also serve this meal with rice.
Do you have a favorite recipe that was inspired by a restaurant meal?
Ingredients:
1/2 Pound Ground Turkey
Dried Asian Seasoning
Ginger, diced
1 Clove of Garlic, diced
Green Onions, sliced thin
Mushrooms, diced into very small pieces
Soy Sauce
Siracha Chili Sauce
Romaine Lettuce (I like using Romaine because it has more vitamins than Iceberg lettuce)
Cilantro
Serves 2
Add ginger, the white part of the green onions, garlic, and dried Asian seasoning to ground turkey. Mix to combine. Heat some canola oil in a pan over medium high heat and add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula. Add chopped mushrooms and a couple of table spoons of soy sauce. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink, continuing to break it up with a spatula.
Add the green parts of the green onions and chopped cilantro to the pan. Toss to combine.
Add filling to Romaine leaves. Serve with a sauce made by mixing soy sauce, Siracha Chili Sauce, and a tiny bit of table surgar. (The amounts of each will vary according to personal taste. Play with it until you find your preferred combination.)
You can also serve this meal with rice.
Do you have a favorite recipe that was inspired by a restaurant meal?
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Week 2 Food Costs: $51
This food cost is 7 days for my husband but only 4 days for me. I was with my brother's family this weekend, and they graciously fed me. Cost per person per day is $4.63.
Also, since I am getting back home late tonight and won't have time to cook this week, I am having frozen lunches this week. We are maximizing our grocery budget and wasting as little food as possible by eating all of our leftovers from last week before this week begins.
Menu:
Friday lunch (Dave)- pizza buffet with his dad ($7). He didn't eat dinner because he was full of pizza. (My cost for food this week includes this $7).
Saturday lunch (Dave)- sandwich and vegies
Saturday dinner (Dave)- steak, Brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes
Sunday lunch (Dave)- leftovers from last week
Sunday dinner (Dave)- leftovers from steak dinner
Weekday breakfasts- toast, peanut butter, banana, milk
Weekday lunches (Dave)- sandwich with baby carrots
Weekday lunches (me)- frozen Healthy Choice lunch
Dinner 1: french toast, bacon, eggs
Dinner 2: turkey lettuce wraps
Dinner 3: Halloween pumpkin chipotle soup
Dinner 4: Greek turkey patties with salad and rice
Grocery List:
Romaine lettuce
Bananas
Onion
Green Onions
Mushrooms
Baby Carrots
Brussel Sprouts
Ginger
Ground Turkey (1 pound for 2 people)
Steak (on sale)
Frozen lunches
Eggs
Bacon
Sandwich Meat
Can of Pure Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
40 ounces of chicken broth
From Pantry: bread, milk, peanut butter, 2 tomatoes, 1 potato, garlic, leftovers from last week, soy sauce, dried Asian seasoning, dried oregano, garlic salt, lemon juice, olive oil, rice, Siracha chili sauce, ground cumin, jar of adobo peppers.
This grocery list feeds two adults. Add larger amounts of each ingredient to feed additional family members.
Check back for recipes by Tuesday.
Also, since I am getting back home late tonight and won't have time to cook this week, I am having frozen lunches this week. We are maximizing our grocery budget and wasting as little food as possible by eating all of our leftovers from last week before this week begins.
Menu:
Friday lunch (Dave)- pizza buffet with his dad ($7). He didn't eat dinner because he was full of pizza. (My cost for food this week includes this $7).
Saturday lunch (Dave)- sandwich and vegies
Saturday dinner (Dave)- steak, Brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes
Sunday lunch (Dave)- leftovers from last week
Sunday dinner (Dave)- leftovers from steak dinner
Weekday breakfasts- toast, peanut butter, banana, milk
Weekday lunches (Dave)- sandwich with baby carrots
Weekday lunches (me)- frozen Healthy Choice lunch
Dinner 1: french toast, bacon, eggs
Dinner 2: turkey lettuce wraps
Dinner 3: Halloween pumpkin chipotle soup
Dinner 4: Greek turkey patties with salad and rice
Grocery List:
Romaine lettuce
Bananas
Onion
Green Onions
Mushrooms
Baby Carrots
Brussel Sprouts
Ginger
Ground Turkey (1 pound for 2 people)
Steak (on sale)
Frozen lunches
Eggs
Bacon
Sandwich Meat
Can of Pure Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
40 ounces of chicken broth
From Pantry: bread, milk, peanut butter, 2 tomatoes, 1 potato, garlic, leftovers from last week, soy sauce, dried Asian seasoning, dried oregano, garlic salt, lemon juice, olive oil, rice, Siracha chili sauce, ground cumin, jar of adobo peppers.
This grocery list feeds two adults. Add larger amounts of each ingredient to feed additional family members.
Check back for recipes by Tuesday.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Invest in Staples
A big part of consistently eating on $5 per person per day and limiting how much eating out you do is to have enough meals that have lots of flavor and don't feel like you are eating on a budget or being deprived. Not eating out as much has been the hardest part of our journey to lower our food costs. My husband and I do have one date night a week where we go out to dinner, but other than that, we eat at home now.
To have a lot of flavor variety in your meals, you need to invest in some flavor staples that you can combine to go in any meal. Here is a list of flavor staples that I think are important:
1. Spices. The spices I use most and always have on hand are garlic salt, chili powder, ground cumin, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil, dried dill, and lemon pepper. Figure out what spices you love most, and invest in keeping them in stock in your kitchen. When buying spices, always check between brands to find the best deal.
2. Asian Flavors. We eat a lot of stir fry and Asian-inspired dishes. Consequently, I always have in my kitchen soy sauce, lime juice, and Siracha (or chili garlic) sauce.
3. Keepin' It Hot. My husband and I love spicy food. In addition to Siracha, we always have Tabasco and Cholula hot sauce. I add it to beans, chili, soups, or use it to marinade meat.
4. Canned Goods. I try to keep canned tomatoes and a variety of canned beans in my pantry that I can add to soups, pastas, or to round out a meal.
5. Starches. I try to keep some kind of starch in my pantry in case I get cooking and then decide that I don't have enough food in our meal to satisfy us. I keep rice, pasta, and cornmeal for polenta all the time. Adding these items to a meal keeps the cost of the meal down and can stretch a meal to be more servings.
6. Sandwich Fixings. I always keep spicy brown mustard (my favorite) and mayonnaise in the refrigerator to make a good sandwich or to add as flavorings in a meal. Mustard goes great on roasted vegetables!
Always having these items on hand will keep you from heading out to grab some fast food when you think you have nothing to cook with. Add the things that you will use regularly to your pantry slowly (may 2 to 4 items per week) to avoid raising your grocery bill too much at once.
What are the staples that are always in your kitchen?
To have a lot of flavor variety in your meals, you need to invest in some flavor staples that you can combine to go in any meal. Here is a list of flavor staples that I think are important:
1. Spices. The spices I use most and always have on hand are garlic salt, chili powder, ground cumin, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil, dried dill, and lemon pepper. Figure out what spices you love most, and invest in keeping them in stock in your kitchen. When buying spices, always check between brands to find the best deal.
2. Asian Flavors. We eat a lot of stir fry and Asian-inspired dishes. Consequently, I always have in my kitchen soy sauce, lime juice, and Siracha (or chili garlic) sauce.
3. Keepin' It Hot. My husband and I love spicy food. In addition to Siracha, we always have Tabasco and Cholula hot sauce. I add it to beans, chili, soups, or use it to marinade meat.
4. Canned Goods. I try to keep canned tomatoes and a variety of canned beans in my pantry that I can add to soups, pastas, or to round out a meal.
5. Starches. I try to keep some kind of starch in my pantry in case I get cooking and then decide that I don't have enough food in our meal to satisfy us. I keep rice, pasta, and cornmeal for polenta all the time. Adding these items to a meal keeps the cost of the meal down and can stretch a meal to be more servings.
6. Sandwich Fixings. I always keep spicy brown mustard (my favorite) and mayonnaise in the refrigerator to make a good sandwich or to add as flavorings in a meal. Mustard goes great on roasted vegetables!
Always having these items on hand will keep you from heading out to grab some fast food when you think you have nothing to cook with. Add the things that you will use regularly to your pantry slowly (may 2 to 4 items per week) to avoid raising your grocery bill too much at once.
What are the staples that are always in your kitchen?
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Over-Ripe Bananas
I always buy bananas with the good intention of eating them for
breakfast or snacks. But, that doesn't always happen. Once the bananas
get too over-ripe, their texture makes them almost inedible. There are
two things I have done with bananas at this point.
Alternative 1: Smoothies and Shakes
Since the texture of the over-ripe banana is really the part that is unappetizing, I usually blend them into smoothies with juice, milk, or other fruit. You can make a delicious chocolate banana "shake" by blending milk, an over-ripe banana, and cocoa powder.
Alternative 2: Baking
You can also use mashed up over-ripe bananas in baking. The most obvious time this works is when you are making banana bread. But, with any cake, you can replace the butter with equal amounts of mashed up banana. I did this tonight with a boxed chocolate cake mix. It turned out really good. However, since bananas have a distinct flavor, you should make sure that banana flavor goes well with the other flavors in your baking. For example, banana and chocolate goes well together, so using bananas in chocolate cake works.
Leave a comment to let me know what your favorite way to used over-ripe bananas is.
Alternative 1: Smoothies and Shakes
Since the texture of the over-ripe banana is really the part that is unappetizing, I usually blend them into smoothies with juice, milk, or other fruit. You can make a delicious chocolate banana "shake" by blending milk, an over-ripe banana, and cocoa powder.
Alternative 2: Baking
You can also use mashed up over-ripe bananas in baking. The most obvious time this works is when you are making banana bread. But, with any cake, you can replace the butter with equal amounts of mashed up banana. I did this tonight with a boxed chocolate cake mix. It turned out really good. However, since bananas have a distinct flavor, you should make sure that banana flavor goes well with the other flavors in your baking. For example, banana and chocolate goes well together, so using bananas in chocolate cake works.
Leave a comment to let me know what your favorite way to used over-ripe bananas is.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Waste Not: Stale Bread
One key component of eating well on a budget is to not waste any food you buy. I am going to do some Waste Not posts about how to use food that you might normally throw away.
Stale bread used to get thrown away a lot at my house. But, there are three good alternatives that will save you money on future grocery bills.
Alternative 1: Croutons
You can always take stale bread, chop it up, toss it in olive oil and your favorite spices, put it under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes, and you have croutons much better than anything you would buy in the store. For Italian croutons, try using garlic salt, oregano, and pepper. Or you could make a southwestern style crouton with garlic salt, cumin, and chili powder. Use your imagination!
Alternative 2: Bread Crumbs
You can run your stale bread through your food processor, add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and turn your stale bread into Italian Bread Crumbs for future cooking.
Alternative 3: French Toast
This is my favorite alternative for a thrifty but special Sunday brunch. Take 1 cup of milk, beat in one egg, and add ground cinnamon. Soak slices of stale bread in the mixture, and then toast them in a pan on your stove.
Stale bread used to get thrown away a lot at my house. But, there are three good alternatives that will save you money on future grocery bills.
Alternative 1: Croutons
You can always take stale bread, chop it up, toss it in olive oil and your favorite spices, put it under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes, and you have croutons much better than anything you would buy in the store. For Italian croutons, try using garlic salt, oregano, and pepper. Or you could make a southwestern style crouton with garlic salt, cumin, and chili powder. Use your imagination!
Alternative 2: Bread Crumbs
You can run your stale bread through your food processor, add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and turn your stale bread into Italian Bread Crumbs for future cooking.
Alternative 3: French Toast
This is my favorite alternative for a thrifty but special Sunday brunch. Take 1 cup of milk, beat in one egg, and add ground cinnamon. Soak slices of stale bread in the mixture, and then toast them in a pan on your stove.
Butternut Squash and Spinach Risotto
I actually got this recipe from Shape Magazine. It tastes so rich but is so healthy and cheap to make. The total cook time is about an hour, but it is only about 15 minutes of active cooking time.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 cups butternut squash, cubed
1/2 onion, diced
10 sage leaves
1/2 cup barley
5 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Serves 2
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Add some oil to a dutch oven (or in my case, I used the glassware from my crock pot), and saute the onion, squash, sage, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Add barley and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to oven, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in spinach and Parmesan.
I had never made risotto before, but this risotto alternative was very easy!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 cups butternut squash, cubed
1/2 onion, diced
10 sage leaves
1/2 cup barley
5 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Serves 2
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Add some oil to a dutch oven (or in my case, I used the glassware from my crock pot), and saute the onion, squash, sage, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Add barley and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to oven, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in spinach and Parmesan.
I had never made risotto before, but this risotto alternative was very easy!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Roasted Vegetables with Polenta
Tonight for dinner, I made delicious roasted vegetables with polenta. Healthy, cheap, and about to be husband-approved. And requires very little active cooking time. There is so much flavor and texture that you don't notice you are missing meat.
Ingredients:
1/4 red cabbage head, julienne (sliced thinly)
2 cups cauliflower chopped
1 cup butternut squash chopped (I spend the extra money to buy the squash already chopped. I am not good with a knife, and it only took almost killing myself once trying to chop one for me to decide to eternally spend the extra money for it pre-chopped.)
Canola oil
Garlic salt, ground cumin, spicy brown mustard to taste (or any other spices that you like)
1/2 cup corn meal
2 cups water
1 cup canned black beans
Serves 2
Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Add your vegetables to a big bowl, add canola oil, and your desired spices. I added mustard because I feel that cauliflower and cabbage need some sweetness to mellow out their natural bitterness for me to eat them. (I can't eat raw cauliflower or cabbage). Stir to combine the oil, spices, and vegetables. Pour onto a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way through.
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil with some salt. Mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup cornmeal. Add to boiling water, stirring constantly. After the mixture thickens, turn heat to low, cover, and let cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve vegetables with polenta and some warmed black beans. If you need some added protein, you could easily serve this along side some meat that you grill while the vegetables roast.
Ingredients:
1/4 red cabbage head, julienne (sliced thinly)
2 cups cauliflower chopped
1 cup butternut squash chopped (I spend the extra money to buy the squash already chopped. I am not good with a knife, and it only took almost killing myself once trying to chop one for me to decide to eternally spend the extra money for it pre-chopped.)
Canola oil
Garlic salt, ground cumin, spicy brown mustard to taste (or any other spices that you like)
1/2 cup corn meal
2 cups water
1 cup canned black beans
Serves 2
Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Add your vegetables to a big bowl, add canola oil, and your desired spices. I added mustard because I feel that cauliflower and cabbage need some sweetness to mellow out their natural bitterness for me to eat them. (I can't eat raw cauliflower or cabbage). Stir to combine the oil, spices, and vegetables. Pour onto a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way through.
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil with some salt. Mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup cornmeal. Add to boiling water, stirring constantly. After the mixture thickens, turn heat to low, cover, and let cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve vegetables with polenta and some warmed black beans. If you need some added protein, you could easily serve this along side some meat that you grill while the vegetables roast.
Delicious Vegie Street Tacos
Vegetarian Street Tacos are one of my husband's favorite things that I make. For being vegetarian, they are surprisingly hearty and full of flavor. This may be the cheapest healthy meal that I make.
Ingredients:
1 potato
2 zucchinis
Canola oil
Corn tortillas
Mexican blend cheese (We only use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup in this recipe, but its up to your taste and budget)
1-2 Adobo peppers in sauce (if you like it hot)*
Ground cumin and garlic salt to taste
Serves 2
Chop your potatoes into small bite size pieces. The smaller you chop them, the quicker they will cook. Heat some canola oil in your pan over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, ground cumin, and garlic salt. While this is cooking, chop the zucchini into bite size half-moons. Let potatoes cook 5 more minutes. Add the zucchini. Let everything cook while stirring occasionally. Cook until all of the vegetables are fork-tender.
If you like spicy food, transfer the vegetables to a cooler dish. Chop the Adobo peppers and stir into the vegetables. DO NOT add the Adobo to a hot pan. The fumes will burn your nose and eyes. I learned this the hard way.
Serve in corn tortillas with cheese on top. My husband likes to eat these with black beans on the side.
If you have leftovers, then you can create a casserole for something different. Just layer the vegetables, corn tortillas, and cheese in a casserole dish and broil in the oven until the cheese melts.
*Adobo peppers are smoked red chili peppers in a can found in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
Ingredients:
1 potato
2 zucchinis
Canola oil
Corn tortillas
Mexican blend cheese (We only use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup in this recipe, but its up to your taste and budget)
1-2 Adobo peppers in sauce (if you like it hot)*
Ground cumin and garlic salt to taste
Serves 2
Chop your potatoes into small bite size pieces. The smaller you chop them, the quicker they will cook. Heat some canola oil in your pan over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, ground cumin, and garlic salt. While this is cooking, chop the zucchini into bite size half-moons. Let potatoes cook 5 more minutes. Add the zucchini. Let everything cook while stirring occasionally. Cook until all of the vegetables are fork-tender.
If you like spicy food, transfer the vegetables to a cooler dish. Chop the Adobo peppers and stir into the vegetables. DO NOT add the Adobo to a hot pan. The fumes will burn your nose and eyes. I learned this the hard way.
Serve in corn tortillas with cheese on top. My husband likes to eat these with black beans on the side.
If you have leftovers, then you can create a casserole for something different. Just layer the vegetables, corn tortillas, and cheese in a casserole dish and broil in the oven until the cheese melts.
*Adobo peppers are smoked red chili peppers in a can found in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Week 1 Food Cost: $55
My first week's food cost is $55. This is actually only for 6 days ($4.58 per person per day) because we will be out of town to visit my brother's family on Friday.
Here is our menu for the week.
Saturday and Sunday lunch: french toast, eggs, bacon
Saturday and Sunday dinner: vegetarian street tacos (potato and zucchini) with cheese (leftover from last week) and black beans
Husband Breakfast: toast, peanut butter, banana (left from last week), milk
Husband Lunch: Roast beef sandwiches, small salad
Weeknight Dinners:
1. Roasted vegetables, polenta, black beans
2. Curried quinoa and vegetables
3. Squash, spinach, and sage riostto
4. Leftover Smorgasbord
For my breakfast and lunch this week, I am taking advantage of Subway's buy one sandwich, get one free. I will spend $4 per day on a breakfast and lunch sandwich. This $16 cost is added into my total food cost for this week.
Grocery list:
Milk
Eggs
Dried figs (snack)
Peanut butter
Parmesan cheese
Barley
Corn meal
Can black beans
Fresh sage
Cubed squash
Red cabbage head
Cauliflower head
2 bunches of kale (my husband loves sauteed kale as a snack)
Red bell pepper
2 potatoes
4 zucchinis
Bacon
French bread
Roast Beef
Here is our menu for the week.
Saturday and Sunday lunch: french toast, eggs, bacon
Saturday and Sunday dinner: vegetarian street tacos (potato and zucchini) with cheese (leftover from last week) and black beans
Husband Breakfast: toast, peanut butter, banana (left from last week), milk
Husband Lunch: Roast beef sandwiches, small salad
Weeknight Dinners:
1. Roasted vegetables, polenta, black beans
2. Curried quinoa and vegetables
3. Squash, spinach, and sage riostto
4. Leftover Smorgasbord
For my breakfast and lunch this week, I am taking advantage of Subway's buy one sandwich, get one free. I will spend $4 per day on a breakfast and lunch sandwich. This $16 cost is added into my total food cost for this week.
Grocery list:
Milk
Eggs
Dried figs (snack)
Peanut butter
Parmesan cheese
Barley
Corn meal
Can black beans
Fresh sage
Cubed squash
Red cabbage head
Cauliflower head
2 bunches of kale (my husband loves sauteed kale as a snack)
Red bell pepper
2 potatoes
4 zucchinis
Bacon
French bread
Roast Beef
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)