tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21392791322516275962024-03-18T20:58:58.898-07:00Foodie On A Budget Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-58805980369416022222013-06-09T02:29:00.000-07:002013-06-09T02:29:24.072-07:00Beauty Detox Solution on a Budget: Groceries for $60The Beauty Detox Solution is a program by Kimberly Snyder, which focuses on plant foods to ease digestion, make your body more alkaline, lose weight, improve health, and improve skin and hair. Her plan is gluten-free, dairy-free, mostly vegetarian, and focuses on lots of fruits and vegetables. People often say that these kind of diets are too expensive to follow, but I am going to follow her basic concepts for one week for $5 per person per day. I followed the basic principles of her diet and did notice a great difference in how I felt. <br />
<br />
The basic principles of her diet that I am following this week are: warm water with lemon first thing every morning, green smoothie for breakfast, eating "light to heavy" throughout the day (which means saving any protein for dinner), eating mostly raw foods, eating probiotics, and eating tons of fruits and vegetables. <br />
<br />
I am going to modify some things. The Beauty Detox is done in stages, with the last stage being completely vegan. That's not realistic for my husband and I, so we are including meat for dinner a few times over the week. She also advocates eating mostly organic. This is difficult to do on a budget, and so I have bought almost nothing organic. I did, however, buy a bunch of parsley and cilantro. We will have about 1/4 cup of parsley or cilantro each with lunch and dinner, which works to cleanse the body of toxins that might be found in non-organic food.<br />
<br />
Here is our menu:<br />
<br />
First thing in the morning: Hot water with lemon <br />
Breakfast: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/green-smoothie-recipe.html">Green Smoothies</a><br />
Snacks: Fresh Fruit<br />
Nuts <br />
Lunches: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/mediteranean-chopped-salad.html">Mediterranean Chopped Salad</a> (2 times)<br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/lebanese-salad.html">Lebanese Salad</a> (2 times)<br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/baby-greens-salad.html">Baby Greens Salad</a> (2 times)<br />
Dinners: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/salmon-cakes-with-brussel-sprouts.html">Salmon Cakes with Vegetables</a><br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/sweet-potato-and-zucchini-street-taco.html">Sweet Potato and Zucchini Street Tacos with Beans </a><br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/fried-rice.html">Fried Rice</a> <br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/chicken-calbaza-stew.html">Chicken Calabasa Stew</a><br />
<a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/butternut-squash-and-chick-pea-stew.html">Butternut Squash and Chick Pea Stew</a> ( 2 times)<br />
With Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/06/lacto-fermented-pickles.html">Lactose-Fermented Pickles</a><br />
<br />
Shopping List:<br />
7 Bananas<br />
Romaine Lettuce (2 heads)<br />
Baby Spinach (big container)<br />
10 tomatoes<br />
5 cucumbers<br />
Baby kale, mixed greens or spring mix, or baby spinach (1 big container)<br />
1 bell pepper<br />
2 avocados<br />
1 large or 2 small red onions <br />
Fruit (for snacking)<br />
Parsley<br />
Cilantro<br />
Calabasa Squash or Zucchini (4)<br />
1 pound sweet potatoes<br />
1 bag pre-cut butternut squash (4 cups)<br />
2 cans of Rotel<br />
1 can of diced tomatoes<br />
32 ounces chicken broth<br />
1 can chick peas<br />
1 can black or pinto beans <br />
Chicken breasts (1 pound)<br />
Package of tuna (optional for salads)<br />
1 can salmon<br />
1 package of steam-in-bag frozen brussel sprouts (or other vegetables to go with salmon cakes)<br />
1 package of frozen peas and carrots<br />
1/2 dozen eggs<br />
Orange Juice (I spend the extra for Simply Orange)<br />
<br />
From my pantry: garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic or other salad vinegar, rice, cinnamon, cumin, corriander seeds, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, cinnamon, pecans (for snacking), soy sauce, Siracha chili sauce, raisins<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-67486262926924051472013-06-09T02:25:00.000-07:002013-06-09T02:25:17.068-07:00Lacto Fermented PicklesThe Beauty Detox Solution advocates eating a "probiotic and enzyme salad" every evening with dinner to promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut, the bacteria you need for proper digestion. This salad is essentially home-made sauerkraut. I don't particularly care for sauerkraut, but I do like pickles. So, I am replacing the sauerkraut with 4 to 5 slices of lacto fermented pickles before dinner every night. (I make pickle chips, not pickle spears). Important: most grocery store pickles do not have the healthy bacteria in them any more, so you have to make your own.<br />
<br />
I am not an expert pickle maker, but I will share with y'all one of the recipes I follow for the pickles. These do take time to make, but I think they are so worth it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.peakprosperity.com/wsidblog/79393/how-make-lacto-fermented-pickles">Here is a link to the recipe I follow</a> . <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-5505869932436941412013-06-09T02:13:00.002-07:002013-06-09T02:13:58.595-07:00Butternut Squash and Chick Pea StewThis dish has great Indian warm flavors with cinnamon, coriander, and cumin. This recipe takes longer to make than I usually cook, but it is not "active" cooking time, and I usually use the time it is cooking to do something else. <br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 bag pre-cut butternut squash (4 cups)<br />
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed<br />
1 can tomatoes<br />
32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth (Organic if you can)<br />
1/2 onion chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic chopped<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (no need to measure precisely)<br />
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed (if you don't have them, add an extra 1/4 cup chopped cilantro into the cooking soup) <br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin (no need to measure precisely)<br />
red pepper flakes (to taste)<br />
1/4 cup raisins (golden raisins if you have them)<br />
Chopped cilantro (for garnish) <br />
<br />
In a soup pot, add a little oil and the onion and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and spices, and cook until the tomatoes start to cook down, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the squash, chick peas, raisins, and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. <br />
<br />
Serve in a bowl and top with some chopped cilantro. Hearty and delicious! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-57079880664763067322013-06-09T02:03:00.002-07:002013-06-09T02:03:45.817-07:00Fried RiceOkay, going gluten free, I really start to crave some grains. Thank goodness rice is gluten free! It is also the cheapest grain you can buy. <br />
<br />
Serves 2 to 3<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1/2 bag cooked brown rice (cooked according to package directions)<br />
2 cups frozen peas and carrots (no need to measure closely)<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup onion, diced (no need to measure closely)<br />
1 to 2 cloves garlic, diced finely <br />
Soy sauce<br />
Cooking oil<br />
1/4 cup cilantro chopped <br />
<br />
Heat a little cooking oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the rice and cook until it starts to get a little crunchy. Add the peas and carrots and garlic and cover. Cook about 5 minutes or until the vegetables thaw.<br />
<br />
In a separate pan, scramble the eggs and cook over medium low heat. Add to the fried rice mixture and toss to combine.<br />
<br />
Top with a little soy sauce, chili garlic paste (if you have it), and chopped cilantro. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-73572760593072024942013-06-09T01:54:00.003-07:002013-06-09T01:54:53.879-07:00Sweet Potato and Zucchini Street Taco with BeansMexican food is one of my loves, but it is hard to think of Mexican food that is vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free. I love street tacos and had some vegetarian ones a few months ago. This is my version.<br />
<br />
Serves 2<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 to 2 zucchini or calabassa squash, cut into bite size pieces<br />
1 small to medium sweet potato, cut into bite size pieces<br />
Chili powder, to taste<br />
Ground cumin, to taste<br />
Garlic salt, to taste<br />
Olive oil <br />
Black or pinto beans<br />
2 tomatoes<br />
1/2 an avocado<br />
1/2 cup fresh cilantro<br />
Corn tortillas (gluten free) <br />
<br />
Combine the sweet potatoes in a bowl with a little bit of olive oil and add the chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic salt. Toss to coat the sweet potatoes in the spices. Heat a little oil in a pan, and add the sweet potatoes, cooking over medium to medium high heat, stirring occasionally. While these are cooking, add the zucchini to the bowl with a little oil and toss with additional spices. After the sweet potatoes have cooked about 5 minutes, add the zucchini. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender.<br />
<br />
If you want refried beans with dinner, drain your can of beans and rinse them. Add to an additional pan with a little oil, garlic salt and chili powder, and cook over medium heat. Mash with a fork or potato masher while they cook for about 5 minutes. <br />
<br />
While cooking, dice the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro as a side "salad".<br />
<br />
Serve in gently warmed corn tortillas. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-58532819144596844412013-06-08T15:27:00.001-07:002013-06-08T15:27:06.119-07:00Baby Greens SaladAnother great salad recipe. I use this on the rare occasion that I need a break from the Lebanese salad.<br />
<br />
Serves 1<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Your favorite baby greens (baby kale, spring mix, or baby spinach)<br />
1/4 red onion chopped<br />
1/4 cucumber chopped<br />
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes<br />
1/4 cup parsley, chopped<br />
<br />1 Tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar<br />
1/2 clove garlic, chopped<br />
Fresh pepper<br />
<br />
Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and toss. Delicious!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-9678820477240793792013-06-08T15:22:00.000-07:002013-06-08T15:22:09.028-07:00Mediteranean Chopped SaladThis is a great salad that doesn't feel like a salad to me. It's a take on panzanella (a bread salad) without the bread or mozzarella.<br />
<br />
Serves 1<br />
<br />
2 tomatoes, chopped<br />
1/4 small red onion, finely diced<br />
1/2 clove of garlic, finely diced<br />
1/4 bell pepper chopped<br />
1/3 cucumber, chopped<br />
Optional: olives, chopped<br />
1 Tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar<br />
1/4 cup of parsley chopped<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Enjoy! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-26899468855092990042013-06-08T15:15:00.001-07:002013-06-08T15:15:35.734-07:00Salmon Cakes with Brussel SproutsOne of my health goals is to eat more omega 3 fats...and thus to eat
more salmon. But, salmon can be expensive, especially the good stuff.
This is a very tasty recipe for canned salmon, which is very economical.<br />
<br />
Serves 3<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 can of salmon<br />
1 egg<br />
3 tablespoons of good mustard<br />
1 clove of garlic, chopped<br />
Squeeze of lemon juice<br />
Crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)<br />
Dried Dill Sesoning<br />
Bag of frozen brussel sprouts(steam in bag)<br />
<br />
Take the salmon out of the can and remove the bones and skin. Place into
a bowl. Add the garlic, dill, pepper flakes, and squeeze of lemon
juice. Toss to combine. Add one egg and 1 tablespoon of mustard and combine. We are using this combination as a binder for the salmon.
Add more if necessary to hold the ingredients together. Form the salmon
into patties a little smaller than the palm of your hand. I usually get 6
to 8 salmon patties.<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the salmon patties to
the pan. Be careful not to overload the pan because you need room to
flip the patties. After about 4 minutes, check to see if the patties
have browned. If so, flip and cook until the other side is browned.<br />
<br />
While the patties are cooking, heat the frozen vegetables according to directions.<br />
<br />
For a great sauce to top your patties, combine 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise with 1 Tablespoon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice. Or omit the mayonnaise and just use mustard and lemon juice. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-6858473732942160252013-06-08T15:08:00.004-07:002013-06-08T15:08:52.753-07:00Lebanese SaladThis is my favorite salad with my favorite salad dressing. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Romaine lettuce<br />
Red onion<br />
Tomato<br />
Cucumber<br />
<br />
<br />
Dressing Ingredients: (per person)<br />
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 Tablespoon lemon juice<br />
Garlic salt (to taste) or 1/2 clove garlic per person<br />
Pepper<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-86722791519916255862013-06-08T15:03:00.002-07:002013-06-08T15:04:55.173-07:00Chicken Calbaza StewThis is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes for a busy day. It smells great when you come home too!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
4 calabaza squash, sliced into bite size pieces<br />
2 cans Rotel<br />
1/2 onion, diced<br />
8 ounces chicken, cut in bite size pieces<br />
1 T garlic salt (according to taste)<br />
1 T ground cumin (according to taste) <br />
Tortilla chips (optional)<br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
Place the first six ingredients in your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. *If you don't want to
use a slow cooker, just combine the onion, squash, chicken and spices in
a pan and cook until the chicken is done. Add the Rotel and just let it
simmer for 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
For serving, top with chips if you like. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-30732158074088479222013-05-28T19:17:00.002-07:002013-05-28T19:17:56.778-07:00Tamales with Refried Beans and Tomato Avocado SalsaI am so lucky to have my mom give me some tamales. If you don't have any tamales, this meal is great with cheese quesedillas as well. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Tamales (or tortilla and cheese for quesedillas)<br />
Can of pinto beans<br />
2 Tomatoes<br />
1 Avocado<br />
Cilantro<br />
Lime juice<br />
Garlic Salt<br />
Chili Powder<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the beans, garlic salt, and chili powder. Mash the beans with a fork or potato masher. Cook until heated through.<br />
<br />
Dice the tomatoes and avocado. Top with lime juice, salt, and cilantro.<br />
<br />
Serve with tamales or quesedillas. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-74402284947534603052013-05-28T19:13:00.002-07:002013-05-28T19:13:39.823-07:00Salmon Cakes with Brussel Sprouts and Spring VegetablesOne of my health goals is to eat more omega 3 fats...and thus to eat more salmon. But, salmon can be expensive, especially the good stuff. This is a very tasty recipe for canned salmon, which is very economical.<br />
<br />
Serves 3<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 can of salmon<br />
2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise<br />
1 Tablespoon of mustard<br />
4 green onions, chopped<br />
1 clove of garlic, chopped<br />
Squeeze of lemon juice<br />
1/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs (or crushed crackers, etc). <br />
Crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)<br />
Bag of frozen buttered brussel sprouts(steam in bag)<br />
Bag of frozen spring vegetables (steam in bag)<br />
<br />
Take the salmon out of the can and remove the bones and skin. Place into a bowl. Add the green onion, garlic, bread crumbs, and squeeze of lemon juice. Toss to combine. Add 1 Tablespoon each of mayonnaise and mustard and combine. We are using this combination as a binder for the salmon. Add more if necessary to hold the ingredients together. Form the salmon into patties a little smaller than the palm of your hand. I usually get 6 to 8 salmon patties.<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the salmon patties to the pan. Be careful not to overload the pan because you need room to flip the patties. After about 4 minutes, check to see if the patties have browned. If so, flip and cook until the other side is browned.<br />
<br />
While the patties are cooking, heat the frozen vegetables according to directions.<br />
<br />
For a great sauce to top your patties, combine 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise with 1 Tablespoon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-35906032056467833192013-05-28T19:03:00.000-07:002013-05-28T19:03:00.023-07:00Chicken Broccoli ParmeseanI was craving Italian food even though I was doing low carb. You could easily add pasta to this if you want.<br />
<br />
Serves 2 <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Chicken, cut into bite size pieces (4 ounces per person)<br />
1/2 onion diced<br />
1 large head of broccoli cut into florets<br />
1 clove of garlic, diced<br />
1/2 jar of Spaghetti Sauce<br />
Crushed red pepper flakes<br />
Parmesean cheese (to taste)<br />
2 Tablespoons of pesto sauce (optional) <br />
<br />
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then cook in a pan over medium heat with some oil until no longer pink. Add the broccoli and cook about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, spaghetti sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the chicken is completely done and the broccoli is bright green and tender. When serving, top with pesto sauce and Parmesean cheese if desired. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-91377615817989512272013-05-28T18:56:00.004-07:002013-05-28T18:56:52.710-07:00Chicken Stir Fry with BroccoliThis is part of my low carb program. If you wanted to, you could add rice. You could also use whatever vegetables you like. Stir fry is a great quick and healthy meal. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (4 ounces per person)<br />
Broccoli, cut into florets, about 2 cups <br />
1/2 onion chopped<br />
1 red bell pepper chopped (or green for a cheaper recipe)<br />
1 bag snow peas<br />
Ginger<br />
Soy Sauce<br />
Red Chili Paste (optional)<br />
Asian dried seasoning (optional)<br />
<br />
Season the chicken breast with Asian seasoning. Stir fry the chicken in a little bit of oil over medium high heat until no longer pink. Add the vegetables, ginger, soy sauce, and red chili paste. Cover and cook for four minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice if desired. <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-50484608065042977252013-05-28T18:49:00.001-07:002013-05-28T18:49:25.082-07:00Mediteranean Salad with ChickenThis is my favorite salad with my favorite salad dressing. I use Rotisserie chicken as a quick source of protein that doesn't require preparation. It makes this salad easy for lunch. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Romaine lettuce<br />
Red onion<br />
Tomato<br />
Cucumber<br />
Rotisserie Chicken<br />
<br /> Dressing Ingredients: (per person)<br />
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice<br />
Garlic salt (to taste) or 1/2 clove garlic per person<br />
Pepper<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-19024764293322606822013-05-18T17:32:00.002-07:002013-05-18T17:32:22.746-07:00Sopa de Lima and QuesedillasSopa de Lima is kind of like tortilla soup. I had it in Mexico and fell in love with it. This is a somewhat modified version, but it is very easy to make and healthy.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
5 long green chiles (You can use any kind of pepper you want depending on how spicy you like to eat: poblano, Anaheim, jalapeno, or even bell peppers. This version is pretty spicy. If you don't like spicy, use only 1 or 2 poblano peppers or bell peppers.)<br />
1/2 large onion<br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)<br />
36 ounces of chicken broth<br />
lime juice (3 or 4 limes or about 1/3 cup of juice)<br />
2 cloves of garlic chopped (only 1 clove if you aren't crazy about garlic)<br />
Ground cumin (about 1 teaspoon)<br />
Cilantro <br />
Tortillas<br />
Shredded Mexican blend cheese<br />
Garlic salt<br />
Chili powder <br />
<br />
Dice the onion and chiles. Heat a soup pot over medium heat, add a little oil, and saute the onion and chiles until cooked. Add the tomatoes, black beans, and ground cumin. Stir to combine. Then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the garlic and lime juice. Let sit about 5 minutes (this will cook but not burn the garlic). Top soup with chopped cilantro.<br />
<br />
While the soup is sitting, fill some tortillas with cheese. Add some garlic salt and chile powder to taste. Fold over and warm in a pan until the cheese melts.<br />
<br />
Serves 4Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-20404463253712372442013-05-18T09:41:00.005-07:002013-05-18T17:34:56.370-07:00Pasta with Brocoli and PestoThis is a great really simple but healthy meal for when you are strapped for time. If you need some protein, add some canned chicken, tuna, salmon, or rotisserie chicken, or even a can of cannelini beans.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 box of pasta (I use the Smart Taste brand for extra fiber and calcium)<br />
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets<br />
1/2 jar of pesto sauce<br />
Red pepper flakes<br />
<br />
Bring salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions, but in the last 2 minutes add the broccoli. Cook until the pasta is done and the broccoli has just turned bright green. Drain. Combine with pesto sauce and add red pepper flakes to taste. This recipe will make enough for great leftovers. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-80187101770852072432013-05-18T09:38:00.000-07:002013-06-08T14:50:57.047-07:00Green Smoothie RecipeIn the world of extreme health, juicing is becoming really popular. My problem is that juicing is expensive. In addition to buying a juicer (which is several hundred dollars), the amount of fruit and vegetables you have to put in to get one glass of juice is expensive. Also, juices have no fiber. For that reason, I have settled on green smoothies as a more budget friendly and filling substitute. Now, I know you're thinking this sounds really gross, but just try it. Even my husband really likes these. I always feel great starting my morning with a cup of vegetables and a cup to two cups of fruit.<br />
<br />
Some people recommend not making these with fruit juice, but these are usually people with really expensive blenders. I make these with my cheap one-portion-size blender I bought at Wal-Mart in college. If you want to omit the juice, you can use water, but it won't taste as sweet. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 to 2 hand-fulls of baby spinach (According to taste. Start with one hand full and then add more gradually. After a couple months, I shove as much spinach into there as my blender will hold.)<br />
6 ounces of orange juice<br />
1/2 to 1 banana (according to taste)<br />
Optional: a teaspoon of honey, 1/2 cup of your favorite frozen fruit, 1/2 cup of yogurt<br />
<br />
Usually, I use one whole banana if I am not adding other fruit and only 1/2 a banana if I am adding other fruit.<br />
<br />
Combine the orange juice and spinach in a blender and blend until the smooth. Add banana and any optional ingredients (yogurt, other fruit, honey) and blend again until smooth. Drink up!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-18911994256125793962013-05-18T09:26:00.001-07:002013-05-28T19:30:35.103-07:00Week 5 Food Costs: $50I'm back! I had lots of craziness in my life with family illnesses that prevented me from blogging. I did come up with some great strategies to get through those times on a budget and I will post about that later. Meanwhile, here is our menu and grocery list for this week:<br />
<br />
Breakfast: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/green-smoothie-recipe.html">Green Smoothie</a> (tasty, quick, fruit AND vegetables in the morning!)<br />
Lunch (about 3 days): <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/mediteranean-salad-with-chicken.html">Mediterranean Salad with Chicken</a><br />
Lunch (about 2 days): <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/11/bacon-tomato-avocado-sandwich-with.html">Bacon, Tomato, Avocado Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries</a><br />
Other 2 days of lunches will be leftovers from dinner<br />
<br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/pasta-with-brocoli-and-pesto.html">Pasta with Broccoli and Pesto</a><br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/sopa-de-lima-and-quesedillas.html">Sopa de Lima with Quesedillas</a><br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/chicken-stir-fry-with-broccoli.html">Chicken Stir Fry</a> (2 days)<br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/chicken-broccoli-parmesean.html">Chicken Broccoli Parmesean</a><br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/salmon-cakes-with-brussel-sprouts-and.html">Salmon Cakes with Brussel Sprouts and Spring Vegetables</a><br />
Dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2013/05/tamales-with-refried-beans-and-tomato.html">Tamales with Refried Beans</a><br />
<br />
I am doing a low-carb crash diet for three days this week (salad for lunch, chicken stir fry, chicken broccoli parmesean, and salmon cakes for dinner). If you don't want to do low-carb, simply add rice and pasta to these meals, for an extra week's cost of about $2 to $3.<br />
<br />
Grocery list:<br />
Cilantro<br />
5 tomatoes<br />
1 avocado<br />
ginger<br />
Romaine lettuce (I bought the bagged because the store was out of the heads, but the heads are MUCH cheaper)<br />
1 cucumber<br />
6 bananas<br />
1 bag spinach<br />
3 to 5 long green chile peppers or poblano peppers<br />
1 jalapeno<br />
2 large heads of broccoli<br />
1 red bell pepper<br />
1 package of snow peas<br />
a few oranges (for snacks) <br />
1 pound of chicken breasts<br />
frozen brussel sprouts<br />
frozen "spring vegetables" (get whatever kind of frozen vegetables you like)<br />
frozen bag of sweet potato fries<br />
Can of black beans<br />
Can of pinto beans<br />
Can of diced tomatoes<br />
Box of chicken broth<br />
Orange juice<br />
Shredded cheddar cheese<br />
1 rotisserie chicken <br />
<br />
From my pantry: parmesean cheese, 1 box pasta, 1/2 jar pesto sauce, 1/2 package bacon, sandwich bread, tortillas, olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, soy sauce, 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce, 1 can salmon, 1 onion, garlic salt, crushed red pepper flakes, mayonnaise, mustard, tamales (my mom makes tamales for me!)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-8446079827553579772012-11-24T16:50:00.003-08:002012-11-24T16:50:57.844-08:00Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey ChiliI love Thanksgiving leftovers. We ate them all day yesterday. But, I needed to add something besides leftovers today. I had turkey leftover, so I decided to make turkey chili.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKb6EWNo3_1Gwh9ewCul18Pn6ik5KtXmPM00JZe-RbRYDLnvq2QNKUC6ib0vhI9Td7lXLxkCVJODABLQItOMCyA_yMDl7zm1UZUDkwrqljuV0NsR60M6teFTHGJsJ2_2yAjUYoOQ-UpA/s1600/IMAG0118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKb6EWNo3_1Gwh9ewCul18Pn6ik5KtXmPM00JZe-RbRYDLnvq2QNKUC6ib0vhI9Td7lXLxkCVJODABLQItOMCyA_yMDl7zm1UZUDkwrqljuV0NsR60M6teFTHGJsJ2_2yAjUYoOQ-UpA/s320/IMAG0118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Leftover turkey meat, diced<br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed<br />
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed<br />
1/2 onion, diced <br />
1 jalapeno, diced<br />
Garlic salt, to taste<br />
Ground cumin, to taste<br />
Chili powder, to taste<br />
Shredded cheese for topping (optional)<br />
<br />
Combine all the ingredients except the cheese in a crock pot and cook on high for four hours. Serve with cheese on top. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-50430070468394642702012-11-20T12:40:00.000-08:002012-11-20T12:40:15.972-08:00Moroccan Spiced Lentils and CouscousThis is a great meal for when I want to feel kind of exotic and want a healthy, vegetarian, cheap meal. Lentils are a great bean to make when you don't have as much time since they don't have to be soaked before you cook with them. The secret is to toast the lentils in the oil before you add liquid and bring them to a boil. This keeps the lentils from getting too mushy.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 cup of dry lentils, rinsed<br />
1/2 onion, diced<br />
2 1/2 cups cooking liquid (could be vegetable or chicken broth or water)<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon ground coriander (if you don't have coriander, just add extra ground cumin)<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you like things spicy) <br />
1 box of couscous <br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
Prepare couscous according to package directions. <br />
<br />
Add some oil to a pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and spices and cook until the onion starts to soften. Add the lentils and cook, stirring often, until the lentils start to toast and smell fragrant, about 4 minutes. Don't walk away from the stove while you do this. They burn easily and stick to the bottom of the pan. Add your cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Serve over couscous. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-8202286720873665542012-11-20T12:39:00.002-08:002012-11-20T12:39:52.113-08:00Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto SauceI make this for dinner when I am at a loss for what to make. It's rare that I don't have pasta in the pantry and tomatoes in the fridge that I need to use. If I don't have pesto, sometimes I make a lemon butter sauce by melting some butter and adding some lemon juice to go with it. If you want to make it healthier, you could also add some frozen spinach when you cook the tomatoes. <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 pound of pasta<br />
2 to 4 tomatoes, diced<br />
1 jar of pesto sauce<br />
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
Set a pot of water on high heat to boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions. <br />
<br />
In a pan, add some olive oil, the diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the tomatoes release their aroma and get soft.<br />
<br />
Top pasta with tomatoes and some jarred pesto sauce. It doesn't get any easier! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-73928011666062335952012-11-20T12:39:00.001-08:002012-11-20T12:39:13.377-08:00Pumpkin OatmealI was craving something with pumpkin this time of year, but didn't feel like making pumpkin bread. I decided to make pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast instead. This recipe gives you tons of fiber and more than a full day's value of Vitamin A before you even make it to work!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1/2 cup of oats<br />
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)<br />
Ground Cinnamon to taste<br />
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar<br />
<br />
Serves 1<br />
<br />
Cook oats according to package directions. When the oatmeal is almost done, add in the canned pumpkin, the ground cinnamon and brown sugar and cook until fragrant and the oatmeal is done. Delicious. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-16544242303961960902012-11-18T10:23:00.001-08:002012-11-18T10:23:37.611-08:00Thanksgiving Recipes Galore!Nothing makes me happier than making Thanksgiving for my family. I have been doing it since I was 21 years old! I was able to put together this menu for everyone and stay within my weekly budget. <br />
<br />
I am going to put all my Thanksgiving recipes in one post to make it easier. Pictures will come after Thanksgiving. All of these recipes serve 7, plus leftovers. I have people bringing dressing, appetizers, and dessert. <br />
<br />
<b>Lemon Pepper Turkey Breast</b><br />
<br />
We make a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey because that is all that we eat anyway. Adding the lemon slices under the skin helps keep the turkey moist and adds a great lemon flavor. I am making mine with a Rotisserie, but you can bake it according to the package directions if you don't have a Rotisserie. Using a Rotisserie gives me extra oven room for everything else I make. <br />
<b> </b><br />
Ingredients:<br />
8 pounds of turkey breast<br />
3 lemons, sliced thin<br />
1/2 stick butter<br />
1 tablespoon lemon pepper<br />
1 tablespoon garlic salt<br />
<br />
After you remove the gravy packet and rinse off and dry your turkey breast, start separating the skin at the neck from the breast by working your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Separate the skin going as far back down the breast as you can. <br />
<br />
Mix together your butter, lemon pepper, and garlic salt by mashing it together with a fork. Put about 1/3 of the mixture in between the skin and the flesh of the turkey. Then shove the sliced lemons in between the skin and the breast. If you are baking your turkey, I also stuff lemons inside the cavity...but since I am using a Rotisserie, they would fall out. Use the rest of the butter mixture to coat the outside of the bird.<br />
<br />
Then, place the turkey onto your Rotisserie. Start checking your turkey at 1 1/2 hours. Keep cooking until the breast reaches 170 degrees. This should take between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. Be sure to let your turkey rest before you slice it.<br />
<br />
<b>Citrus Cranberry Sauce</b><br />
<br />
This is a great make-ahead recipe. I like my sauce to be more tart than sweet, so I use less sugar than the bag of cranberries recommends.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 bag of cranberries<br />
1 cup of water<br />
1/2 cup of sugar<br />
1 cap full of vanilla<br />
3 slices of lemon peel<br />
<br />
Dissolve the sugar and vanilla in the water over medium heat. Add the cranberries and slices of lemon peel. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries start to pop open. Remove the lemon peels and place in the refrigerator to chill. <br />
<br />
<b>Roasted Red Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Butternut Squash</b><br />
<br />
This is my super healthy dish for Thanksgiving. I use mustard to mellow out the bitterness of the cauliflower and red cabbage.<br />
<b> </b><br />
Ingredients:<br />
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced<br />
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets<br />
8 cups of butternut squash, diced into small pieces (I buy the pre-cut kind because butternut squash is SUPER hard to cut up and peel)<br />
Canola oil<br />
Garlic salt, ground cumin, and brown mustard to taste<br />
Peel of 1 lemon<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. (I like these to cook fast!)<br />
<br />
Toss your vegetables in canola oil, spices, and a healthy squirt of brown mustard. Spread evenly on a couple of cookie sheets along with the lemon peel and roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way in between. When you serve, remove the lemon peel (it only serves to add a slight citrus flavor to mellow out the bitterness).<br />
<br />
<b>Turkey Gravy</b><br />
<br />
For goodness sake, throw away the gravy packet that comes in the turkey! It is so easy to make your own and it has so much more flavor. Plus, it gives you something to do while you are waiting for your turkey to rest before you cut it. <br />
<b> </b><br />
Ingredients:<br />
Pan drippings from your roasted turkey<br />
2 tablespoons flour<br />
1 can chicken broth<br />
<br />
Pour the pan drippings from your turkey into a large pan over medium high heat. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until the flour is absorbed and cooked. Add the can of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook, while whisking, until the liquid reaches the desired thickness, about 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
<b>Tater Tot Casserole</b><br />
<br />
This was my husband's recipe for our very first Thanksgiving together and it has replaced the need for mashed potatoes in our house! It is the farthest thing from healthy, but it is sinfully amazing.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
2 small bags of extra crispy tater tots<br />
<b> </b>6 slices of bacon<br />
1 pint sour cream<br />
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br />
Canola oil<br />
<br />
Fry tater tots according to package directions. Slice and cook the bacon in a separate pan. Layer the tater tots, bacon, sour cream, and cheese in a casserole dish. Top with remaining sour cream and cheese. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese melts.<br />
<br />
<b>Ginger Carrots</b><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 pound of carrots, peeled and sliced on a bias<br />
1/2 stick of butter<br />
2 cups of Ginger Ale<br />
<br />
Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and some salt and cook for a few minutes. Add the Ginger Ale and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the carrots are almost fork tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the Ginger Ale reduces to a nice sauce. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2139279132251627596.post-50604861172260960852012-11-17T08:08:00.000-08:002012-11-20T12:43:14.151-08:00Thanksgiving Week, Including Thanksgiving Dinner: $70I am very proud of myself this week! Dave and I are eating for a full week, including feeding seven people Thanksgiving dinner, for only $70! To make this happen, before Thanksgiving we are eating vegetarian meals, but that is okay. Experts say that periodically eating vegetarian is very good for you.<br />
<br />
<b>Week Menu</b><br />
Saturday lunch: leftovers from last week<br />
Saturday dinner: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/11/moroccan-spiced-lentils-and-couscous.html">Moroccan Spiced Lentils and Couscous</a><br />
Sunday lunch: french toast and bacon<br />
Sunday dinner: Moroccan Spiced Lentils and Couscous<br />
<br />
Daily Breakfast: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/11/pumpkin-oatmeal.html">Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal </a><br />
Dinner 1: Polenta, Spinach, and Roasted Chick Peas<br />
Dinner 2: Tortilla Soup with Nachos<br />
Dinner 3: <a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/11/pasta-with-tomatoes-and-pesto-sauce.html">Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto Sauce</a><br />
<br />
Daily lunches are leftovers from the previous night's dinner.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://afoodieonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-recipes-galore.html">Thanksgiving Menu</a></b><br />
Now, for the good stuff.<br />
<b></b><br />
Lemon Pepper Turkey Breast (8.5 pounds)<br />
Homemade Turkey Gravy<br />
Homemade Citrus Cranberry Sauce<br />
Tater Tot Casserole (the only really unhealthy thing on the menu, but it's a Holiday!)<br />
Roasted Red Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Butternut Squash<br />
Ginger Carrots<br />
Crescent Rolls<br />
<br />
*While this would be a complete meal, my mom is bringing her famous Sausage Dressing, my mother-in-law is bringing appetizers and another vegetable, and my friend is bringing dessert.<br />
<br />
Shopping List:<br />
Milk<br />
Butter<br />
Turkey Breast (there aren't enough of us for a whole turkey and no one eats anything but the breast)<br />
5 Lemons<br />
1 Orange<br />
Calavasa Squash <br />
1 Avocado<br />
Cranberries<br />
Red Cabbage<br />
Cauliflower<br />
Butternut Squash (2 pre-cut bags for a total of 8 cups)<br />
2 Boxes + 2 Cans of Chicken Broth<br />
2 Bags of Extra Crispy Tater Tots<br />
2 Pounds of Shredded Cheddar Cheese<br />
1 Pint of Sour Cream<br />
1 Liter of Ginger Ale<br />
2 Cans of Crescent Rolls<br />
Apple Cinnamon Tea<br />
1 Box Cous Cous<br />
2 Cans of Chick Peas<br />
1 Can of Black Beans<br />
1 Can of Pumpkin<br />
1 Can of Rotel<br />
1 Canister of Oatmeal<br />
<br />
From My Pantry: Sugar, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Salt, Ground Cumin, Garlic, Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 Package of Bacon, 2 Onions, Brown Mustard, 3/4 Bag of Carrots, 1/2 Bag of Lentils, Pasta, Pesto Sauce, 2 Tomatoes, Corn Meal, 1/2 Bag Frozen Spinach, Tortilla Chips, Corn Meal<br />
<br />
Recipes coming soon! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533049955430990561noreply@blogger.com1