Thursday morning my husband told me he wasn't feeling too good, and by Thursday afternoon, I wasn't either. Nothing serious, just the tired, achy, slightly stuffy slow onset of a virus. While I still had my wits about me, I dashed to the kitchen and made these concoctions - tonight, boy, am I glad I did.
Best-Ever Whole Wheat Bread
(for bread machines, although I'm sure you could make it the old fashioned way too)
3/4 c warm water
3/8 c milk (remember, we make our own soy) $.02
1 and 1/2T butter/margarine $.08
1/2 tsp salt
3 T brown sugar $.08
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 and 1/2 c whole wheat flour $.22
1 and 1/2 c white flour $.15
1 and 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast $.15
Fun variations: Add 1-2T grated orange peel, substitute applesauce for the butter and replace 2T of the water volume with apple juice concentrate (frozen works well), you can also add in 1/3 cup of raisins, sunflower seeds, or 2T flaxseed.
To Make: Add the ingredients in the order specified by your bread machine manual, then allow them to mix for about 3-4 minutes. By that point the butter should be combined and you can peek in the top to see if the liquid to dry ratio needs adjusting. If the ingredients are breaking up into separate chunks and there is extra flour visible, add 1T water and allow it to combine. If the ingredients are creating a sticky mass that is adhered to the sides of the loaf pan and the paddle, add 1T flour and allow it to combine. The goal is to have an elastic, coherent ball of dough. Too little water, and it will not rise all the way. Too much water, and it will balloon up and collapse.
Total Cost: $.65
Servings: 11 (3/4" slices)
Cost Per Serving: $.06
And of course, what does everyone make when they feel a cold coming on? Soup. I modified this soup from a Martha Stewart recipe that had more expensive versions of these ingredients, and it came out very nicely!
Sick Day Turkey Sausage Soup
3 sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (on sale for $1.99/lb) $1.19
14oz can of diced tomatoes (I used half of a 28oz can) $.60
1 bullion cube (to make 16oz broth) $.10
1 medium-sized sweet potato $.50
1/3 c diced onion $.17
1/2 box frozen chopped spinach $.35
2 cloves or 1tsp from a jar garlic $.06
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (or 1/2 tsp sage and rosemary)
To Make: Freeze the sausage at least partially to make it easier to chop into neat coins, then drop them into an ungreased stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the sausage is completely browned. Then, add in the bullion/broth, the tomatoes with their juices, and the spices. Cover and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for it to boil, wash, peel, and dice the sweet potato, then add it to the boiling mixture. When the sweet potato feels almost done (will allow a fork to pierce it with a little pressure) add the spinach. I am lazy, so I just dumped the half a block in there and broke it up with my stirring spoon as it melted, but you could be responsible and let it thaw first. In either case, once the spinach is evenly distributed throughout the soup, reduce the heat to low and simmer 5-10 minutes.
Hints: If the soup tastes a little acrid for your palate, add 1T white sugar. If its too bland, add fresh ground black pepper and/or a shake of chili flakes. It Italian turkey sausage is not on sale at your supermarket, try substituting turkey breast or thighs. I also have a feeling that this soup would still be splendid if you left the meat out altogether and added canenelli beans instead.
Total Cost: $2.97
Number of Servings: 5 generous
Cost per Serving: $.59
And now, it's off to nurse my limping immune system with a good night's sleep!
P.S. If you haven't yet, check out my linked blogs under my profile. They're a lot of fun!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
So what's for breakfast?
As I stated in the first post, we're trying to stay on a budget for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. This includes breakfast - so I thought I'd write a few notes on the topic of the best meal of the day (in my opinion!)
Eating Breakfast on the Cheap:
The solution t the cereal conundrum? There are several. First, you can make your own granola for significantly less than the store bought variety.
Home made Granola (the quick, easy, stovetop way!)
2 c "Old Fashioned" oats $.26
1c favorite grocery store cereal (Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Nut Cheerios, and granola all work well, buy store brand, if you can!) optional $.31 (this assumes a $2.50 box with 8 servings)
1/3c of any TWO of the following: raisins, well packed; chopped nuts; shredded coconut, other dried fruit; flax seed or multigrain mix. Cost varies: for raisins and coconut $.85
2T plus 1T oil $.10 (from a $2.00 bottle with 64 T)
2T butter or margarine $.12 (from a four stick $2.00 box)
2T brown sugar. Approximately $.05
2T honey (substitute maple syrup or more brown sugar)
1 tsp of vanilla flavoring OR cinnamon (you can also add 1/4tsp of ginger, nutmeg, or cloves)
OPTIONAL: 2T protein powder
To Make: Heat 1T oil in a large pot (not frying pan). Also, get out a cookie sheet or baking pan and set aside. It is helpful to me to have my ingredients out on the counter, pre-measured, because you have to work fast at the end. When the oil is hot add the oats to the oil and toast, stirring frequently. This should take about 5-7 mins, depending on your stove/pot. They are done when the edges become smooth instead of "fuzzy" looking (you laugh now, but wait until you try!). Dump them out onto the cookie sheet or baking pan to cool.
Return the pot to low heat, and add remaining oil, butter/margarine, sugar, and honey/sugar, as well as the spices and protein powder, if using. Heat the ingredients until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Then, working quickly, return the oats to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients (including grocery store cereal). Toss everything to coat it in the syrup, and heat 2mins. Finally, spread it out on the cookie sheet to cool. When kept in a sealed tupperware, this lasts about 1 week without going stale - though I doubt it will last that long!
Try it with yogurt, or as cereal topped with fresh fruit!
Cost: $1.69 for over 3 cups of granola, make just the way you like it!
Number of Servings: 4 three quarter cup servings
Cost Per Serving: $.42
Second option? Go for the oats! I vastly prefer the "old fashioned" variety to the quick oats, however, I know many people who aren't safe with a hot stove first thing in the morning, so make your choice accordingly. Both cost $2.00 for a 30-serving container of store brand, making each serving only $.06! (note: a single serving is only 150 calories, so make at least two if you aren't eating anything else for breakfast!) The issue I have with oats is that for pseudo-vegetarians, they tend to be a bit low in protein. Even if you're a regular meat-eater, having a good amount of protein for breakfast helps stave off the mid-morning munchies! So here are some suggestions to liven up your oatmeal.
1. Add 1/4c frozen blueberries and 1/2 tsp vanilla per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Yes, they turn the oats a bit blue, but the frozen variety are cheaper and hold up better to stirring. At our local grocery the store brand are $1.50 for 2 cups, so that's about $.19 more per serving to make your oatmeal exciting!
2. Add 1/2tsp cinnamon and 2T raisins per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Not only does this taste great, but it makes the kitchen smell wonderful! At $2.99 for a 3c container, that works out to an extra $.12/serving.
3. If you have a soymilk maker, make one serving of oatmeal and mix in 1/2 c of okara to the hot oats (free!). Then I add 1/2 sliced banana at $.08 (after boiling) and honey to sweeten. Yum!
4. Shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, your choice) is also a wonderful addition - I love this with dried apricots. Unfortunately, apricots are a little pricey, so only buy them on sale or with coupons! Cost for coconut (again, about 2T before boiling is good). $1.50/2c = $.05/serving
For ALL oatmeal I recommend drinking it with a big glass (8oz!) of soymilk or dairy milk to increase the protein content. Or, if you have access to a discount store like I do, buy a container of whey protein powder (vanilla flavor) and add a scoop of that to the cooked oatmeal. I used to do that every day at the cafeteria at my undergraduate college. I got a lot of sideways looks coming into the breakfast line at 7:30am with a baggie of white powder, but it helped me get through my days of cross country running!
If you're a fan of eggs and don't have any cholesterol problems, try 2 eggs fried (you can just spray the pan with non-stick spray to keep fat down), fresh fruit and toast.
2 eggs $.22
whole wheat toast (bread machine loaf) $.12 - this includes margarine and jelly, however, grocery store bread bought on sale would be only slightly more expensive
1 banana $.16 (at $.49/lb)
Cost: $.50
Note: On buying bread - I highly suggest the bread machine route. It costs us about $.70 to have our own, fresh, whole wheat loaf that makes about 11 slices. However, if you can't come across a used bread machine or afford a new one, a good intermediate choice is to buy frozen bread dough at your grocery store. Rhodes is one brand I've tried. At $3 for 3 loaves of no-preservative whole wheat bread, that's not a bad deal! http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/812
Now that's a post to make anyone a morning person! (I'll have to post later with my favorite crepe and pancake recipes, also very affordable!)
Eating Breakfast on the Cheap:
- Rethink cereal: Despite rising cereal prices over the past few years, cereal is still a fairly affordable breakfast food/anytime snack. When I met my husband he was sharing an apartment with a friend and eating mostly cereal. He was also frequently hungry. If you haven't before, take the time to flip over the box of your favorite cheap cereal and look at three numbers 1. protein content, 2. fiber content, and 3. sugar content. Amid the low-sugar low-fat craze of the 1980's and 90's, many cereals are low in fat and sugar, but few have the amount of fiber and protein that will fill you up and keep you from stopping at the coffee shop during your midmorning break because you can't ignore your grumbling stomach a moment longer!
The solution t the cereal conundrum? There are several. First, you can make your own granola for significantly less than the store bought variety.
Home made Granola (the quick, easy, stovetop way!)
2 c "Old Fashioned" oats $.26
1c favorite grocery store cereal (Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Nut Cheerios, and granola all work well, buy store brand, if you can!) optional $.31 (this assumes a $2.50 box with 8 servings)
1/3c of any TWO of the following: raisins, well packed; chopped nuts; shredded coconut, other dried fruit; flax seed or multigrain mix. Cost varies: for raisins and coconut $.85
2T plus 1T oil $.10 (from a $2.00 bottle with 64 T)
2T butter or margarine $.12 (from a four stick $2.00 box)
2T brown sugar. Approximately $.05
2T honey (substitute maple syrup or more brown sugar)
1 tsp of vanilla flavoring OR cinnamon (you can also add 1/4tsp of ginger, nutmeg, or cloves)
OPTIONAL: 2T protein powder
To Make: Heat 1T oil in a large pot (not frying pan). Also, get out a cookie sheet or baking pan and set aside. It is helpful to me to have my ingredients out on the counter, pre-measured, because you have to work fast at the end. When the oil is hot add the oats to the oil and toast, stirring frequently. This should take about 5-7 mins, depending on your stove/pot. They are done when the edges become smooth instead of "fuzzy" looking (you laugh now, but wait until you try!). Dump them out onto the cookie sheet or baking pan to cool.
Return the pot to low heat, and add remaining oil, butter/margarine, sugar, and honey/sugar, as well as the spices and protein powder, if using. Heat the ingredients until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Then, working quickly, return the oats to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients (including grocery store cereal). Toss everything to coat it in the syrup, and heat 2mins. Finally, spread it out on the cookie sheet to cool. When kept in a sealed tupperware, this lasts about 1 week without going stale - though I doubt it will last that long!
Try it with yogurt, or as cereal topped with fresh fruit!
Cost: $1.69 for over 3 cups of granola, make just the way you like it!
Number of Servings: 4 three quarter cup servings
Cost Per Serving: $.42
Second option? Go for the oats! I vastly prefer the "old fashioned" variety to the quick oats, however, I know many people who aren't safe with a hot stove first thing in the morning, so make your choice accordingly. Both cost $2.00 for a 30-serving container of store brand, making each serving only $.06! (note: a single serving is only 150 calories, so make at least two if you aren't eating anything else for breakfast!) The issue I have with oats is that for pseudo-vegetarians, they tend to be a bit low in protein. Even if you're a regular meat-eater, having a good amount of protein for breakfast helps stave off the mid-morning munchies! So here are some suggestions to liven up your oatmeal.
1. Add 1/4c frozen blueberries and 1/2 tsp vanilla per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Yes, they turn the oats a bit blue, but the frozen variety are cheaper and hold up better to stirring. At our local grocery the store brand are $1.50 for 2 cups, so that's about $.19 more per serving to make your oatmeal exciting!
2. Add 1/2tsp cinnamon and 2T raisins per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Not only does this taste great, but it makes the kitchen smell wonderful! At $2.99 for a 3c container, that works out to an extra $.12/serving.
3. If you have a soymilk maker, make one serving of oatmeal and mix in 1/2 c of okara to the hot oats (free!). Then I add 1/2 sliced banana at $.08 (after boiling) and honey to sweeten. Yum!
4. Shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, your choice) is also a wonderful addition - I love this with dried apricots. Unfortunately, apricots are a little pricey, so only buy them on sale or with coupons! Cost for coconut (again, about 2T before boiling is good). $1.50/2c = $.05/serving
For ALL oatmeal I recommend drinking it with a big glass (8oz!) of soymilk or dairy milk to increase the protein content. Or, if you have access to a discount store like I do, buy a container of whey protein powder (vanilla flavor) and add a scoop of that to the cooked oatmeal. I used to do that every day at the cafeteria at my undergraduate college. I got a lot of sideways looks coming into the breakfast line at 7:30am with a baggie of white powder, but it helped me get through my days of cross country running!
If you're a fan of eggs and don't have any cholesterol problems, try 2 eggs fried (you can just spray the pan with non-stick spray to keep fat down), fresh fruit and toast.
2 eggs $.22
whole wheat toast (bread machine loaf) $.12 - this includes margarine and jelly, however, grocery store bread bought on sale would be only slightly more expensive
1 banana $.16 (at $.49/lb)
Cost: $.50
Note: On buying bread - I highly suggest the bread machine route. It costs us about $.70 to have our own, fresh, whole wheat loaf that makes about 11 slices. However, if you can't come across a used bread machine or afford a new one, a good intermediate choice is to buy frozen bread dough at your grocery store. Rhodes is one brand I've tried. At $3 for 3 loaves of no-preservative whole wheat bread, that's not a bad deal! http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/812
Now that's a post to make anyone a morning person! (I'll have to post later with my favorite crepe and pancake recipes, also very affordable!)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Well, maybe it wasn't QUITE like Nanas....
....but it was good! The other night I was driving home from class thinking about what to make for dinner, and began to feel deeply guilty about the half an eggplant lying cold and lonely in the back of the fridge. Fresh vegetables (even on sale) are expensive! How could I let it go to waste? The solution: I modified a traditional Italian Pasta y Fagioli recipe, with surprisingly good results!
Pasta y Fagioli (moderno?)
Note: This recipe was an excellent use for "old" wine that has been sitting in the fridge for a while. We really like wine flavor, so I increased the wine to 1c and omitted the water - I just heated the wine and dissolved the bullion in that. Also, try to buy no or low sodium bullion when you can. If its slightly more expensive - it's still worth it!
Total Cost: $1.89
Servings: 4
Cost per serving: $.47
The verdict from the test subject (who is full-blooded Italian on BOTH sides)? He liked it! And he doesn't even like beans as a rule. I do, and I thought it was exceptional. Serve it with a tossed salad or crusty Italian bread - you can afford to with this meal!
Pasta y Fagioli (moderno?)
- 4 servings whole wheat angel hair pasta (you could substitute another shape, but it does look elegant on top of the angel hair) $.40
- 14oz can of beans - your choice, white, kidney, or red work well $.69
- 1 tsp fresh diced garlic (substitute 1/2 tsp of garlic powder)
- 1 tsp each: oregano, basil, parsley
- 1 bullion cube dissolved in 1 c hot water OR 1/2 c of wine and 1/2 bullion cube dissolved in 1/2 c of hot water $.20
- 1/2 c diced onion (you can omit, if you don't care for onion) $.10
- 2 c diced of any of the following: mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant $.50
- Parmesan cheese (to garnish)
Note: This recipe was an excellent use for "old" wine that has been sitting in the fridge for a while. We really like wine flavor, so I increased the wine to 1c and omitted the water - I just heated the wine and dissolved the bullion in that. Also, try to buy no or low sodium bullion when you can. If its slightly more expensive - it's still worth it!
Total Cost: $1.89
Servings: 4
Cost per serving: $.47
The verdict from the test subject (who is full-blooded Italian on BOTH sides)? He liked it! And he doesn't even like beans as a rule. I do, and I thought it was exceptional. Serve it with a tossed salad or crusty Italian bread - you can afford to with this meal!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
And now for something....completely different.
Ok - not really. I mean, we've all had meatloaf before, right? Well I wish I could tell you something is amazingly different about this one - but it isn't. Except that its cheap, healthy, and, oh, I had just spent 2 hours wrestling MY OWN MEDICAL RECORDS out of my doctor's office. Hence, not a lot of creativity on tap for dinner. However, if you're looking for a good basic meatloaf recipe, here it is.
Turkey Meatloaf
1lb ground turkey (as lean or non-lean as you would like) $2.50
2 eggs $.22 (if you're concerned about cholesterol, use one egg and one egg white)
1tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder, ground rosemary, and lemon pepper (if you don't have rosemary, you can also use poultry seasoning)
1/4 c salsa (1/8th of my $2 container) $.25
1/4 c fresh or frozen diced peppers and onions (or one or the other...or you can omit) $.10
1 T ketchup (um.....this is a tinnnnyyy cost - let's say $.03)
1/2-3/4 c bread crumbs (homeade are the cheapest - just save the ends of your bread and toast them about 15 min at 350 degrees, then crumble them into a tupperware and use as needed!) $.30
To Make: preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a small loaf pan (you can use any size, but the wider it is, the thinner your meatloaf will be. Remember, meatloaf doesn't "rise!"). Actually, if you are using a high enough % fat turkey, it doesn't need to be greased, but I say do it just in case ;-) In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs slightly. Then mix in the spices, salsa, ketchup, and peppers/onions. Using a wide spatula or your hands covered by sandwich bags, squish the ground turkey into the mixture. It may look a little watery - that's what the bread crumbs are for. Add breadcrumbs until your meatloaf has an easy-to-mold consistency, then place it in the pan and bake, uncovered, about 25-30mins - depending on thickness. Thinner meatloaf will be done sooner, while thicker meatloaf may take up to 45min. To check if it is finished, stick a butter knife into the center and push it slightly to one side. If you can see pink meat or juices, let it bake a little longer.
Easy options to pair with this meal?
"New England" Mix Frozen Veggies
1/2 of a 16oz bag boils in 1/4 c of water, covered, for 5-10 minutes. $.50
Whole Grain Egg Noodles
1/2 of a bag, boiled for 7 minutes then combined with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Spread and topped with a few shakes of parmesan cheese. $.75 (higher than normal because these were an emergency "expensive store" purchase)
TIP: For extra nutrition content, save your water from boiling the veggies and add it to the pot for cooking the noodles. It's such a small amount that it won't change the flavor, but your noodles will absorb some of the vitamins that leeched out of the vegetables.
Total Meal Cost: $4.65
Servings: 4 (we had it for dinner and leftovers for lunch)
Cost per serving: $1.16
A couple of notes:
1. Concerning pasta: Many people think that pasta is the best "cheap food" you can buy. It's quick, it's easy, and it doesn't cost much. Well that's all true, but in the grand majority of cases, it's a waste of money to buy the $.50 on sale regular pasta. Have you ever noticed how MUCH of that stuff you have to eat to fill yourself up? And then 2hrs later, you're hungry. This is assuming you didn't have meat with the pasta....which, if you're trying to eat cheaply, you probably didn't. It's a WAY better use of your money to pay the extra $.40 for the store brand whole wheat pasta. More fiber, more protein, and you can eat a smaller portion to be satisfied. If you haven't tried whole wheat pasta since the 90's....try it again. With the rise in "whole grain" popularity, the taste has been improved EXPONENTIALLY over the old earthy crunchy whole wheat brands.
2. Frozen veggies: Frugal shoppers - be not afraid! We've all heard that frozen veggies are often equivalent or superior to fresh for their vitamin content, but many of us stay away because they simply don't taste as good as fresh. I'd have to agree there, but there are some ways to make frozen vegetables palatable. Try them for yourself!
P.S. Check out my profile page for a few fun blogs that I follow....I'll try to add to this as time permits!
Turkey Meatloaf
1lb ground turkey (as lean or non-lean as you would like) $2.50
2 eggs $.22 (if you're concerned about cholesterol, use one egg and one egg white)
1tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder, ground rosemary, and lemon pepper (if you don't have rosemary, you can also use poultry seasoning)
1/4 c salsa (1/8th of my $2 container) $.25
1/4 c fresh or frozen diced peppers and onions (or one or the other...or you can omit) $.10
1 T ketchup (um.....this is a tinnnnyyy cost - let's say $.03)
1/2-3/4 c bread crumbs (homeade are the cheapest - just save the ends of your bread and toast them about 15 min at 350 degrees, then crumble them into a tupperware and use as needed!) $.30
To Make: preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a small loaf pan (you can use any size, but the wider it is, the thinner your meatloaf will be. Remember, meatloaf doesn't "rise!"). Actually, if you are using a high enough % fat turkey, it doesn't need to be greased, but I say do it just in case ;-) In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs slightly. Then mix in the spices, salsa, ketchup, and peppers/onions. Using a wide spatula or your hands covered by sandwich bags, squish the ground turkey into the mixture. It may look a little watery - that's what the bread crumbs are for. Add breadcrumbs until your meatloaf has an easy-to-mold consistency, then place it in the pan and bake, uncovered, about 25-30mins - depending on thickness. Thinner meatloaf will be done sooner, while thicker meatloaf may take up to 45min. To check if it is finished, stick a butter knife into the center and push it slightly to one side. If you can see pink meat or juices, let it bake a little longer.
Easy options to pair with this meal?
"New England" Mix Frozen Veggies
1/2 of a 16oz bag boils in 1/4 c of water, covered, for 5-10 minutes. $.50
Whole Grain Egg Noodles
1/2 of a bag, boiled for 7 minutes then combined with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Spread and topped with a few shakes of parmesan cheese. $.75 (higher than normal because these were an emergency "expensive store" purchase)
TIP: For extra nutrition content, save your water from boiling the veggies and add it to the pot for cooking the noodles. It's such a small amount that it won't change the flavor, but your noodles will absorb some of the vitamins that leeched out of the vegetables.
Total Meal Cost: $4.65
Servings: 4 (we had it for dinner and leftovers for lunch)
Cost per serving: $1.16
A couple of notes:
1. Concerning pasta: Many people think that pasta is the best "cheap food" you can buy. It's quick, it's easy, and it doesn't cost much. Well that's all true, but in the grand majority of cases, it's a waste of money to buy the $.50 on sale regular pasta. Have you ever noticed how MUCH of that stuff you have to eat to fill yourself up? And then 2hrs later, you're hungry. This is assuming you didn't have meat with the pasta....which, if you're trying to eat cheaply, you probably didn't. It's a WAY better use of your money to pay the extra $.40 for the store brand whole wheat pasta. More fiber, more protein, and you can eat a smaller portion to be satisfied. If you haven't tried whole wheat pasta since the 90's....try it again. With the rise in "whole grain" popularity, the taste has been improved EXPONENTIALLY over the old earthy crunchy whole wheat brands.
2. Frozen veggies: Frugal shoppers - be not afraid! We've all heard that frozen veggies are often equivalent or superior to fresh for their vitamin content, but many of us stay away because they simply don't taste as good as fresh. I'd have to agree there, but there are some ways to make frozen vegetables palatable. Try them for yourself!
- Buy the kind you can fry! Corn, mushrooms, peppers, and onions perk up their flavor considerably in a little bit of olive oil and garlic powder for a few minutes on medium heat.
- Boil it, mash it, stick it in a stew! When frozen vegetables become part of a soup, stew, or casserole, they're hardly distinguishable from fresh. Try already cooked and mashed frozen squash (usually less than $1 for store brand) instead of mashed potatoes to top your next shepherd's pie. Or buy a bean-based soup mix (such as the Manischewitz tube soup mixes) and add some bulk with a bag of mixed frozen veggies (again, less than $1 per bag).
- When in doubt, buy the steamable option - many grocery stores now make their own brand. To keep cost and sodium levels down, opt for non-flavored varieties and serve them as a side with a little butter or Parmesan cheese on top.
P.S. Check out my profile page for a few fun blogs that I follow....I'll try to add to this as time permits!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Results from night one:
So last night we had the tofu lasagna alluded to in the previous post. And...despite my lack of ability to follow directions....it came out great!
Here's the recipe.
Tofu Lasagna:
And the best mistake of the night? I didn't reserve enough sauce for the top layer, and 2/3 of the way through the cooking process the top layer noodles were a bit, ahem, "crunchy." So I thought like the science major I am and decided that I would add 1/2 cup of water on top of the noodles, cover, and let it boil for 10 mins. Then I removed the cover and cooked until the remaining water evaporated. After this little escapade you can imagine the apprehension I felt as I cut and served the meal...but after one bite my test subject (my husband), declared that it was the best lasagna he had ever had and that he LOVED the slightly "chewy" top layer of noodles! whew!
Obviously this was a cost effective meal - even if I added the 1/2 of an eggplant that we purchased on sale this week ($.50), it works out to $5.84. (by the way, if you want to add eggplant, zucchini, or mushrooms, saute then for 5 mins in a tsp of extra virgin olive oil before adding them to bump up the flavor!) Now I know what you're thinking. Dinner for $2.50 a person? That's pretty good! But it wasn't dinner - oh no. That 13x9 pan was dinner, lunch the next day, and will be leftovers for lunch at work and school tomorrow. Altogether that's 6 healthy sized servings, working out to $.89 each! At that cost you could splurge and serve it with a tossed salad or a bottle of wine!
Incidentally, if you're looking for good cheap wine, I recommend the Barefoot Bubbly brand. http://www.barefootwine.com/ Nice taste (even for non-wine snobs) and good price (less than $10/bottle). However, if you're really trying to stick to $50/week or less for groceries, you'd better wait until someone gifts you with a bottle. ;-)
Happy Cooking!
Here's the recipe.
Tofu Lasagna:
- 3/4 package of no-boil lasagna noodles (try to get whole wheat if you can. $1.50
- 26oz(ish) Can of garden vegetable spaghetti sauce (get garden veggie because it is usually the lowest in sodium and highest in fiber! Get a can because it's cheaper and you're going to use it all at once anyway.) $.99
- 12oz block of firm tofu (tofu tip: Check with your local health food or asian grocery stores to see if you can buy tofu out of a bucket or in a resealable tupperware - way cheaper and easier to store leftovers!) 1/3 of a $1.99 bucket - $.67
- 2 eggs. 1/9 of $1.99 container - $.22
- 2 cups part skim shredded mozzerella cheese. 2/3 of a $2.19 bag - $1.46
- 1/4 cup soy or dairy milk (negligible because we make our own soy...)
- 1 tsp each: oregano, basil, parsley (sorry - not going to try to calculate the cost there)
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
- Total Cost: $4.84
And the best mistake of the night? I didn't reserve enough sauce for the top layer, and 2/3 of the way through the cooking process the top layer noodles were a bit, ahem, "crunchy." So I thought like the science major I am and decided that I would add 1/2 cup of water on top of the noodles, cover, and let it boil for 10 mins. Then I removed the cover and cooked until the remaining water evaporated. After this little escapade you can imagine the apprehension I felt as I cut and served the meal...but after one bite my test subject (my husband), declared that it was the best lasagna he had ever had and that he LOVED the slightly "chewy" top layer of noodles! whew!
Obviously this was a cost effective meal - even if I added the 1/2 of an eggplant that we purchased on sale this week ($.50), it works out to $5.84. (by the way, if you want to add eggplant, zucchini, or mushrooms, saute then for 5 mins in a tsp of extra virgin olive oil before adding them to bump up the flavor!) Now I know what you're thinking. Dinner for $2.50 a person? That's pretty good! But it wasn't dinner - oh no. That 13x9 pan was dinner, lunch the next day, and will be leftovers for lunch at work and school tomorrow. Altogether that's 6 healthy sized servings, working out to $.89 each! At that cost you could splurge and serve it with a tossed salad or a bottle of wine!
Incidentally, if you're looking for good cheap wine, I recommend the Barefoot Bubbly brand. http://www.barefootwine.com/ Nice taste (even for non-wine snobs) and good price (less than $10/bottle). However, if you're really trying to stick to $50/week or less for groceries, you'd better wait until someone gifts you with a bottle. ;-)
Happy Cooking!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Married, in college, during a recession?!
I decided to create this blog because of a distinct lack of information on the internet with regard to the art of living and eating frugally. Let me qualify: There were plenty of articles on how to save money, but nothing on how to be healthy while you were doing it. There were also many articles on how to create healthy meals, but few on how to do it when you have no money. And NEITHER of those categories took into account how much TIME I would have to spend being frugal or healthy.
So, are you ready? I'm about to begin an internet adventure in how to cook three meals a day for two people on less than $50 a week, without sending our blood pressure and cholesterol through the roof, all while keeping a 3.9GPA in a medical graduate program (we hope). Before we begin, there are a few words of warning:
1. I am all for the environment. Before getting married, I was a fist-shaking organic goddess. Unfortunately, dear friends, not on less than $50 a week. As a compromise, I have developed a list of rules to try to keep costs down while not kicking the earth to the curb.
3. Additionally, I will note that while I try to make meals low in dairy and fat, I cannot omit all fat, because my husband is chronically underweight. If there is a lighter solution that I can think of, I will try to post it alongside the original recipe.
Alright - here we go! What's on the menu for tonight? Lasagna made with tofu....will try to post the results with photos later on.
Until then, Hail and Farewell!
So, are you ready? I'm about to begin an internet adventure in how to cook three meals a day for two people on less than $50 a week, without sending our blood pressure and cholesterol through the roof, all while keeping a 3.9GPA in a medical graduate program (we hope). Before we begin, there are a few words of warning:
1. I am all for the environment. Before getting married, I was a fist-shaking organic goddess. Unfortunately, dear friends, not on less than $50 a week. As a compromise, I have developed a list of rules to try to keep costs down while not kicking the earth to the curb.
- Buy organic/all natural....but only when it really matters OR if it is on sale. For example, we buy our eggs free range because the nutritional content is better and it's better for the chickens. Are they more expensive? Of course. To take up some of the difference I buy the 18ct carton, so the cost is only a few cents more per egg than the store brand.
- Waste not! If things are non-perishable items or items that you use frequently, buy the biggest size you can. PLEASE don't be one of those people who purchase the tiny cups of applesauce. yes it is convenient, but it's almost as convenient to pull a jar out of the fridge and dump it in a tupperware to take for lunch....just think, you'd have to wash the single-serve cup anyway if you want to recycle it.
- Buy unprocessed components and make the real thing whenever it is time/cost effective. You'll be saving money AND helping the environment AND (odds are) being healthy. To illustrate: my aunt was able to find us a bread machine at a tag sale. It is so easy (5min - max) to dump components into the machine and have cheap, healthy bread later. This saves us from buying bread without preservatives ($4/loaf around here) and saves the environment because we decrease the packaging used and can make just the amount we need - so nothing goes to waste.
3. Additionally, I will note that while I try to make meals low in dairy and fat, I cannot omit all fat, because my husband is chronically underweight. If there is a lighter solution that I can think of, I will try to post it alongside the original recipe.
Alright - here we go! What's on the menu for tonight? Lasagna made with tofu....will try to post the results with photos later on.
Until then, Hail and Farewell!
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