Since embarking on a whole food diet at home (see details about a whole food lifestyle at http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/) I have discovered that purchasing all that whole food can take a toll on your grocery budget! For the first several grocery trips I expected to have a high bill considering I had just thrown out a pantry full of white flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cake mixes, white rice, pasta, cereal, "healthy" snack bars, and more. I knew that I was going to have to restock on better-for-us basics that are considered real food, and I was prepared for a high bill. However, after 6 weeks or so of grocery bills that were much higher than either I or Michael were used to, I knew I had to find a way to live our new lifestyle without giving Michael a heart attack each time I showed him the grocery receipt. The potential heart attack threat was kind of cancelling out all the ground we were gaining through eating whole foods!
Most of the whole food pantry basics that I buy are extremely economical. Items such as whole wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice are not that far off the price point of their "white" counterparts. Other necessary items, however, such as maple syrup (which along with honey is what I use as a white sugar substitute), dried fruit, organic beef and chicken, and fresh produce are more costly than the foods I used to buy. Add this with the fact that we purposefully maintain a strict weekly grocery budget, and you've got yourself in a pickle!
Therefore, I thought I'd share some economical dishes that I've created or adapted using food items that are either 1) inexpensive, 2) long-lasting, or 3) pull double-duty. All of these were taste-tested on Michael, and he loved them. Also, most of the additional ingredients used in these recipes are staples in our home anyway, which make them less expensive for us to prepare.
Sweet and Tangy Kale
Kale is one of our favorite things to eat. It is a leafy vegetable a bit like lettuce, but it is much heartier and has a great flavor. In fact, although it looks like lettuce, it tastes nothing like lettuce at all. I buy kale by the bunch. It is inexpensive and stays fresh for several days in the fridge. I can usually make two recipes from one bunch. Another perk is that kale is a double-duty item- use it as a side dish, on a burger, add to a salad, or bake it in the oven with some evoo until crispy.
1/4 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (or brown grainy)
4 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 c chicken broth or water
4 c kale
1/4 c cranberries or raisins
sunflower seeds or slivered almonds (optional if you have them already in pantry)
1. Saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until tender.
2. Stir in mustard, honey, vinegar, and broth. Bring to a boil.
3. Add kale. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
4. Uncover, add cranberries. Cook 15 additional minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.
5. Add sunflower seeds just before serving.
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Granted, Brussels Sprouts are not for the faint of heart. You either like them or you don't. However, I am proud of the fact that Michael now eats and enjoys Brussels Sprouts thanks to the way I prepare them. You can either buy fresh or frozen, but we tend to buy frozen. They last longer and are just as fresh as if they came from the produce section; plus you can get more for your money from a frozen bag.
1 clove garlic
1 bag frozen Brussels Sprouts, thawed
1 c chopped green apple
1/4 c chopped onion
1. Saute halved sprouts with garlic and onion until tender.
2. Add apples and cook 1-2 minutes more.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1 bag defrosted Brussels Sprouts, patted dry
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. grainy mustard
1. Whisk together syrup, oil, and mustard.
2. Slice sprouts and toss with maple mixture.
3. Roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Turkey Meatballs
I use ground turkey meat for many things, including burgers, meatballs, and taco meat. We love buying a box of Jennie O's frozen turkey burgers. They are so easy to throw in a grill pan for a quick supper on a busy night. There are 12 patties per box, and yes, while I could save the burgers for actual burgers, I have dubbed turkey patties as a double- duty item. I discovered that the meat from two thawed burgers is equal to about 12 small meatballs to be used with spaghetti or in soup. Leftovers freeze beautifully.
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 egg
1/3 c homemade bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
Options to taste: Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, dried mustard, thyme, red pepper flakes
1. Mix all ingredients together and roll out into small golf size balls.
2. Place on baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes at 425 degrees.
Hearty Healthy Stew (a.k.a. Refrigerator Cleanup Stew)
The key to making this dish economical is the type of meat that goes in the stew and to use leftover vegetables that you have in the fridge. In the summer I do "refrigerator cleanup stirfry," so I guess you could say this is the winter version of that. I buy beef tips when I am planning to prepare this dish. Beef tips are not the most tender cut of meat you can buy, but when you're on a budget and you want a little bit of meat to go a long way, this is a good option.
1 pkg beef tips
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1 can kidney beans
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can tomatoes with green chilies
1 c brown rice
1. Cook rice.
2. Meanwhile, brown beef tips with onion and garlic until done.
3. Add pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, and beans.
4. Heat through and serve with rice.
(Optional, can add 1 pkg dry Ranch salad dressing mix)
This is the most recent version of this stew that I made. You can, of course, use any type of vegetable or bean, or throw in additional items. It's a blank canvas, so get creative!
Quesadillas
This dish is not technically a whole food since I do not make my own tortillas. I have neither the time, energy, nor resources at this point to make my own bread and tortillas, so I make do with the really expensive kind that has the least amount of ingredients listed. Tortillas and breads are items that are now more expensive for us than they used to be because we are buying better quality and less quantity. They also spoil rather quickly due to the fact that they do not have as many added preservatives that keep other breads longer.The economical ingredients for this dish are the rotisserie chicken and the veggies. If you don't have any chicken, then just make it a veggie quesadilla.
2 c chopped veggies (can be refrigerator cleanup, last time I used zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and bell peppers)
2 c chopped rotisserie chicken* (I use the thighs and legs and save the breasts for another meal)
8 whole wheat tortillas
grated cheese
1. Saute veggies. Season to taste with lime juice, cumin, cilantro.
2. Add chicken until heated through.
3. Place tortilla in grill pan, spoon veggie mixture on tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, top with 2nd tortilla, press flat.
4. Flip to other side after 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes.
* Rotisserie chicken is probably the most economical buy as far as meat is concerned. I can use the meat from one chicken to prepare at least 2 meals with leftovers. The best part about it is that it comes precooked and is a whole food. Just make sure you get the Natural flavor rather than something like BBQ or Lemon Pepper, which have unneccesary additives in the seasoning.
Grocery shopping on a budget is definitely not always easy, especially when you're shopping for whole foods. After several months, though, I think I've pretty much got the hang of it. I've been putting aside any extra money that I don't use that week from my budget, and last week I had enough extra to buy a pound of organic, free range, lean ground beef for $8! I love those little victories.
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