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Budget Meal-Spicy Thai Chicken Salad
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. Rice and a package of coleslaw stretches the chicken in this tasty chicken salad. Here’s what you’ll need… 6 ounces of grilled chicken, cut into about ½ inch strips 3 cups cooked rice 6 cups of coleslaw mix 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 jar of Thai peanut sauce 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup water 3/4 cup coarsely dry-roasted peanuts, chopped In a large bowl, combine the chicken strips, rice, coleslaw mix and cilantro. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut sauce, oil and water. Add to the rice mixture and toss well. Garnish with peanuts.
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Budget Meal-Black Bean Salad
Black beans are inexpensive and full of protein, add some superfoods like pumpkin seeds and you’ve got a low-cost meal that packed with nutritionally dense items. Here’s what you need… 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered (gently squeeze out seeds) ½ cup minced onion 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped finely ½ cup diced red bell pepper 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and black pepper to taste Mix all ingredients together. This salad will keep for a couple of days and gets more…
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Budget Meal-SLOW-COOKER SEAFOOD CHOWDER
This time of year, fish is on sale so it’s a great time to stock up or at least buy a large bag and make several meals with it. Here’s a recipe for a seafood chowder that uses a slow cooker. It’s quick and delicious combined with bread and/or a salad. Here’s what you’ll need… 2 lbs. frozen fish filets 1/4 lb. bacon, diced 1 medium onion, chopped 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 cups water 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 can evaporated milk Thaw the frozen fish in refrigerator and cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a slow cooker. In a skillet, saute the…
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Budget Supper-Garlic Chicken
Here’s a quick supper, just a few ingredients, buy chicken when it’s on sale, make this dish and freeze it…the possibilities are endless. What you’ll need… 3 tablespoons butter 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon onion powder In a large skillet and over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and the onion powder. Saute for about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. You can serve this as is with a side dish or another idea is to cut the cooked chicken…
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Money Saving Tip-Homemade Salad Dressings
Salads make a great side dish or even a bargain main dish. One of the best things about salads is the dressing. And yes, you can pick up some bargains at the store but you’re paying for something that’s often loaded with preservatives and some not so good for you stuff too. Making your own is simple and most of the time, the most budget friendly way to go. Here’s a quick and tasty vinaigrette to try on your next salad. Mix ¾ cup of oil with ¼ cup of vinegar and season with salt, pepper and even some Dijon mustard. For other variations try adding honey, balsamic vinegar, orange…
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Budget Meal-ALL DAY MACARONI AND CHEESE
It’s comfort food and it’s also affordable but who says you have to serve mac and cheese from a box just because you’re on a budget. Here’s a version that adds a few more ingredients and best of all, uses a Crockpot to save on your energy bill too. What you’ll need- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained 4 cups(16 ounces) shredded sharp Chedder Cheese (divided) 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk 1 1/2 cups milk 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Place the cooked macaroni into the Crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Add the remaining ingredients but keep back 1 cup…
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Pantry Challenge-Stocking Up
It’s almost the end of February and did you take the pantry challenge? If so, what did you discover? Could you put together a few emergency meals if say there was a power outage? How about if you couldn’t get to the store for a week? Maybe you discovered you’re lacking basic things like rice, pasta, beans that make great emergency meals. Make a list of what you feel you need and then work some of these products into your budget. Check out my previous post about stocking a pantry for more tips on doing it on a budget. March is Frozen Food Month which means some sales and discounts…
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Budget Meals-Fiesta Eggs
I like to think of this as a fancy breakfast but you could also enjoy it for lunch or even dinner served with hash browns and sour cream, maybe even a chopped avocado. Eggs, while more expensive than they once were, are still a bargain protein to enjoy. This recipe called Fiesta Eggs is taken from my new cookbook One Pot, Low Cost, Easy to Fix Meals… What You’ll need- 1 15 ounce can chili beans 4 slices of bread, toasted 1/3 cup salsa 1/3 cup shredded cheese 4 eggs Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray four ramekin dishes with non-stick cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet.…
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Pantry Challenge-Five Tips to Help Build a Pantry
What have you discovered during this pantry challenge? Could you put together an emergency meal or if illness strikes or the grocery stores are closed, how many meals could you make from what you have on hand? If these questions put you into a panic then set a goal to start to put together a pantry. Here are five tips to help you do that on a budget- If you don’t eat it don’t buy it I’ve seen things on sale and grabbed them thinking they’d be perfect for the pantry but sometimes it’s something we don’t really like. Only buy things you know you eat or it’s a waste…
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Budget Meal-BREAKFAST PITA POCKETS
Although this is a breakfast recipe, you can eat it for lunch, even for dinner by pairing it with something like an apple or even a fruit salad depending on your budget. No matter what time of the day you eat this, it’s tasty. And yes, eggs aren’t as cheap as they once were but they’re still a good source of protein for the price. What you’ll need- 1 pita bread, cut in half. You can serve this cold or warm it slightly in the oven or even toast it lightly 2 eggs, beaten salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup peeled and diced potatoes Oil of your choice Optional-salsa,…