quick & healthy spinach potato soup February 5, 2012

I was inspired by the baby spinach and crouton soup recipe in Gourmet Today – but this is the quick & cheap version:

3 russet potatoes, cubed

1 10oz pkg frozen spinach

1/2 onion, diced

1 tsp each butter and olive oil

1 cup milk

2 tbsps chicken base

Place potatoes in a couple cups of water and simmer.  Place spinach on top of potatoes and let it steam while potatoes are cooking.  Meanwhile, sautee onion in 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp olive oil until brown and translucent.

Blend onion, cooked potatoes, spinach, milk, and chicken base (or vegetable stock if you want to go vegetarian).  Add water until soup is desired thickness.    Serve with bacon bits, cheese, yogurt, or crackers.

Eating healthy on a shoestring, Fave 5 tips for 2011 February 17, 2011

Like many people, we’ve been reworking our budget this month and I’ve been tracking food costs a little bit more closely. Yikes! As I’ve been reviewing credit card statements and receipts, here are some of my goals and ideas for trimming the fat on my grocery budget:

1) Eat in: sometimes even I get tired of cooking, but a $30 meal for our family of four usually costs me about $5 to make at home
2) Skip the beverage aisle: I’m usually pretty good about not buying soda or juice, but I do like my perrier water, tea, and coffee. Alcohol, juice boxes, and bottled water are some of the items that I keep around for guests, but not for our regular consumption.
3) Lentils! I’ve written quite a bit on this blog about the health and cost benefits of beans, but now that I have officially received my sixteen pounds of various types of lentils that I bought online, I’m ready for the apocalypse. Just kidding. But I am ready to have lentils once a week and try various recipes until I find a few that are worth keeping.
4) Stick to a list: I always carry a list when grocery shopping, but inevitably I stray a little and buy at least one “fun” item. That can add up!
5) Online shopping. Thanks to a few friends, I am now a fan of buying my teas at www.mountainroseherbs.com and some foods off Amazon.

And of course, planning meals weekly so I don’t end up desperate for something to feed the fam at 5pm.

Alright, any tips from the rest of you? And can anyone recommend other inexpensive CSA’s, co-ops, or farmer’s markets in the Houston area?

Options with Oatmeal February 10, 2010

We love oatmeal at our house.  In fact, we probably eat oatmeal about five mornings a week.  In keeping with my goal of minimizing packaged food and consuming more minimally-processed foods, we either buy it in bulk (I love HEB’s bulk steel-cut oats) or in the 2.5lb canisters.  The best thing about oatmeal is that you can get very creative with it.  This morning we had the standard cinnamon-raisin oatmeal, except John decided he wanted sprinkles on it.  Colored sprinkles make even the healthiest foods go down easy!  I like to get the quick oats, mix them with filtered water, and then microwave for 60-90 seconds.  Voila!  Great texture and a great base for the following flavor combinations:

maple syrup and pecans or walnuts

cinnamon raisin (no sugar needed, it’s pretty sweet as is!)

lemon zest or extract (about 1/4 tsp) and craisins

molasses, cinnamon, and ginger (add just a touch of the spices for a gingerbread-cake flavor)

homemade jam, any flavor, and nuts

bananas

Get creative!  If you have a favorite muffin recipe or type of pancakes, just use those flavors in your oatmeal.  Still not convinced?  You can always grab your favorite pie filling and add that…or do my favorite combo when camping -  chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter…

Dietitians: Save Money And The Environment This Clean Up Australia Day January 5, 2010

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Planning meals and planning grocery lists…this is one tip of many that can be great for the environment and our waistlines.  Making a menu for the week streamlines food preparation time as well as grocery shopping.  Shopping off a list  prevents food from going to waste because we’re less likely overbuy and let food spoil.  It also keeps food from going to “waist” as we seldom write ”cookies and chips” on our lists, but  these tasty (but not so healthy) treats have a way of finding their way into the cart if we don’t follow a list.  Good for the environment, good for your waistline, and good for the budget – can’t beat that!

Happy shopping.

via Dietitians: Save Money And The Environment This Clean Up Australia Day.

cheap and healthy bean soups October 8, 2008

Ahh, it was only 55 degrees this morning, and today it finally smells like fall in Houston!  I love warm soup in the fall, winter, and spring…anytime there is a chill in the air.   Soup and homemade bread always pair for a comforting, inexpensive meal.  

 I have found that buying the dry beans overnight, then cooking them myself rather than buying the canned beans is much cheaper.  If you make more beans than the recipe calls for you can always freeze the rest for another day!  Beans are full of important minerals such as calcium and potassium, as well as fiber, and have a low glycemic index, which is great for those with diabetes or trying to lose weight.  That makes them a perfect food for those eating healthy on a budget!   

Anyway, here are some of my faves, and if you have any you wouild like to add I am always interested in more healthy, cheap recipes…

Tuscan Turkey and Cannelini (30 minutes – great for leftover chicken or turkey)

(6 servings:  208 calories, 6g fat, 15g carb, 22g protein, 3g fiber)

2 tsps evoo (extra-virgin olive oil)

2 leeks, white and light green parts cut into 1/4 inch rounds and rinsed well

1 Tsp dried thyme

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth (I use the Costco chicken boullion and add water)

2 cups cannelini beans, cooked

1 pound cooked, shredded turkey (or chicken) meat

2 cups water

1) Heat oil in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Add leeks and cook until soft, stirring frequently.  Add thyme and stir for 30 seconds, then add remaining ingredients.  Heat thoroughly and serve.

 

White Chicken Chili (high in protein, fiber, and most minerals)

(6 servings, 273 calories, 9g fat, 31g carb, 19g protein, 11g fiber)

1 medium onion

3 Tbsp olive oil

4oz can green chilis, chopped

3 Tbsps flour

2 tsp cumin

3-4 cups white beans, any kind

15 oz chicken broth

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast (canned works too)

Heat oil in a soup pot.  Saute onion until translucent, then add chilis, cumin, and flour.  Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes on medium-low.  Add the rest of ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Make-Ahead Minestrone

From Lowfat & Luscious Italian (this is a terrific cookbook for soups and desserts)

 

3 14.5oz cans beef broth

1 15oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 14.5 oz can low-sodium stewed tomatoes

1 11.5oz can vegetable juice (V8)

1 6-oz can low-sodium tomato past

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1.5 cups loose-pack frozen mixed vegetables (preferable Italian blend

2 cups fresh spinach

2 cups cooked pasta (1c uncooked) such as small shells or mostaccioli

Shredded Parmesan for garnish

 

1.  In a large kettle combine first 8 ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Add mixed vegetables and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add spinach and cooked pasta to serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, for 1-3 days before adding last 2 ingredients and serving.

(8 servings, 214 calories, 41g carb, 2g fat, 12g protein, 9g fiber) 

The secret to healthy eating on a budget August 26, 2008

Most of us are trying to trim our grocery bill while continuing to feed our families healthy meals, and I hear a lot of people saying that it just isn’t possible to eat healthy on the cheap anymore.  To that I have to say “false!”  Now, before you start throwing your organic rutabaga at me, let me explain that most Americans are spending the bulk of their grocery bill on meat and beverages.  Take a look at your receipt, and if you are in this category, try these two tips: 

1)  Cut out all juice, soda, and alcohol.  Soda and alcohol are devoid of nutrients, and you are much better off eating a 20 cent banana than drinking a glass of juice. 

2) Skip the meat aisle and head for the dry beans.  Beans are a great source of iron, calcium, and potassium – three nutrients that many Americans eat in insufficient amounts.  They are also rich in protein and fiber, both of which increase satiety for a lower cost and fewer calories than meat.  If you substitute bean-based meals for meat-based meals 2-3 nights a week you could save $10-25 a week.   Canned beans are nutritious too, but you will save much more money by buying the dry beans and taking the time to soak and cook them yourself.  Need some recipes?  check out allrecipes “bean basics” or try some ethnic lentil recipes if you have a more adventuresome palate.  Becoming full of beans a couple nights a week may just make for a fatter wallet and a slimmer you.