In our hectic day-to-day lives, there’s something to be said for a cost-busting healthy meal that costs under $10! The fundamentals of how to prepare a $10 meal are careful planning and strategic shopping. Its not just the dinner entree that eats up the budget,  it’s all those non-essential treats that wind up in your basket when you don’t make a list. The key to economical cooking is “make a list and stick to it”.  Who will miss “luxury meals” when you are whipping up these finger-licking good meals in your kitchen.

Its 5:00 p.m., and you are just leaving the office. What are you going to do about dinner? You rush to the supermarket and should be able to check out in the express line. But you’re so hungry that you buy a bag of chips, some cookies and a candy bar and nibble on them while prowling the aisles pushing your cart You arrive home and see you bought items you already had and forgot the items you needed. Yes you just cursed but you certainly are not alone, This scenario is played out by millions every day.

NO FAIL, NO STRESS MASTER PLAN

The weeks Master plan:

Planning and shopping are the cornerstones to trimming the fat out of your food bills. It’s impossible to keep within a food budget if you are shopping small lists on a regular basis and impulse buying. The first step is to get into a frugal frame of mind. You are out to save money on your food budget, but not feel deprived

Next, look at the week, and what activities are planned for your family. How many nights will you actually be home? Are there any guests invited for any meals?  Is there a sporting event on television that everyone will want to see? How about the kids and their events.

All the signs of winter are here and all I can image for dinner is a bowl of soup to warm my soul. When going to the store is out of the question apply the third step by shopping in your own pantry. You probably have most of the ingredients for a hearty soup stock. Here’s how to navigate the process of stock making.   All those parsley stalks, carrot and onion peelings, scraps and bones become valuable assets.  Wah lah! You have soup stock by just adding water! Freeze some of your stock in the ice cube tray and plastic bags then freeze the bags flat on a baking sheet, then stack them.

Finger-Licking Good Black Bean Soup

 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth (I like Swanson)
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1-3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Handful chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pan. Add the onions, garlic cloves and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown.
• Add the black beans, chicken broth, oregano, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
• Purée the soup using a hand-held immersion blender until very smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, you can use a standard blender to puree the soup in batches; see note.) Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and freshly chopped cilantro.
• Wake-up the soup by squeezing fresh lime juice, tablespoon of sour cream and chucks of avocado on top to give it that finger-licking good finish.

Live Life Delicoiusly!

Ahhh, truck stops! The lure of fast food can be strong. The toll on your bank account though, and your stomach, isn’t always worth it. In some cases, the food and its price might cause heartburn! One question you might be asking yourself is “How will I stay healthy while out on the road?” The hunger pains have set in after a long stretch of driving and the only thing you can think of is how fast you can get through the fast food line. Does this sound all too familiar? Well, FEAR NOT! We have some good news for you: being good isn’t as hard as you think. A variety of resources and tips are available to help our ROAD WARRIORS make better choices in an effort to maintain an overall healthier lifestyle.

Hustle past the pastries and chips and go straight to the produce and refrigerator case. More often than not, you can buy and cook food to eat in your truck that is far less expensive than any meal you could ever hope to buy in a restaurant.

Let’s pick 5 items form the produce and refrigerator area that you can whip up in no time. 

One basic item you can make almost anything in is a crock-pot! Remove the glass insert, and it becomes an oven! Line the bottom with foil and you can make biscuits, cornbread, cookies, and well..the list goes on and on. With the glass insert in you can make stews, soups, lasagna, roasts, or just put some water in it to heat up a can of food.

EGGS

1.) Egg and cheese omelet

2.) Freeze dried eggs

3.) Egg sandwich (Bacon Lettuce Tomato Egg)

4.) Egg Salad

5.) Ham Steak and eggs

MILK

1.) French toast (milk and egg mix in bowl with cinnamon)

2.) macaroni and cheese

3.) Cereal

4.) Oatmeal (fruit goes great)

5.) Baby Bottle

BREAD

1.) Tuna Sandwich

2.) Toast

3.) Grilled Cheese

4.) Pizza

5.) Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich

FRUIT

1.) Fruit salad

2.) Chocolate covered fruit (warm in crock pot)

3.) Smoothie

4.) Banana Peanut butter sandwich

5.) Fruit Juice (Mango, Orange, Apple)

CHICKEN

1.) Crock pot chicken

2.) Chicken soup

3.) Chicken Salad

4.) Chicken Wrap

5.) Grilled chicken on a bed of lettuce

POTATO

1.) Sweet potato

2.) Potato salad

3.) Loaded potato

4.) Garlic Parmesan in crock pot

5.) Potato skin, wedges, gratin

Live Life Deliciously!