Beanie Weenies Vegan Style
First off, DO NOT BE SCARED of the word vegan :) I like to cook from scratch because, while it can be time consuming, it is the healthiest way to cook and the best way to make the most of your dollar. This is a recipe I created when I needed to use up the vegan 'hot dogs' I stocked up on and froze while on clearance at the grocery store. At my local grocer, I can always find alternative meat products for at least half the price of meat itself. If spiced up and cooked just right, nobody will ever know the difference! This meal serves about 4 people & cost me less than $3.00 to make!
1 Cup dried navy beans or 2 Canned if short on time
1 package meat alternative vegan hot dogs such as Yves or Light Life
1 large onion
2 TBS olive oil (or butter if not vegan)
1 BBQ sauce recipe or Bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we love Annie's)
Salt
Soak beans, cook & rinse according to package directions. Heat oven to 400. Cut hot dogs into small circles, length wise. Dice onion & saute in olive oil until browned. Coat casserole dish with non stick spray. Put beans, hot dog, sauteed onion & BBQ sauce in casserole dish. Sprinke with desired amount of salt. Toss all ingredients until well coated. Cover with foil and cook for about 20 minutes longer so flavors soak into each other well. Serve with sliced bread if desired. Mmmm Tasty!
*Health note: Dried beans are healthier than canned beans because there is no added sodium as in canned, or BPA which is commonly found in the lining of the can itself.
Cheesy Rice & Veggie Casserole
I have many days where I open the fridge or pantry and all I see is a chaotic swirl of left overs and random ingredients. Then my husband says, 'There is nothing to eat.' This is when I have to get into creative cooking gear. Let's make something out of nothing! This recipe came out of a moment like I just described. This is a SIMPLE recipe that you can substitute & add things easily as you prefer.
1 1/2 C brown rice (i had some left overs waiting to be eaten)
1 C frozen broccoli, defrosted
1 C sliced, marinated artichokes (i had a jar open in the fridge)
1 onion
2 Tbs olive oil
16 oz chicken stock
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C butter
Heat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with non stick cooking spray. Dice onion & saute until browned. Mix rice, broccoli, artichokes and sauteed onion together, place in casserole dish. Salt if desired. In a small pot, add stock, butter and cheese. Stir constantly on medium heat until smooth and creamy. Pour over casserole. Bake about 20 minutes or until heated through. *Tips- almost any vegetable you have in the fridge that needs to be used up will go in this. Squash & zucchini would be great choices. A variety of rice could be used as well if you do not desire brown. I always buy a block of cheese and shred myself to save some money. Keep this vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken. ENJOY!
I do not always have eggs in the fridge since organic eggs tend to be pretty pricey, but I love to bake. So, I have been playing with recipes and now have this yummy one to share. I like mini muffins because they are a great size for snacks & children alike. It is also super easy to make vegan if you choose & versatile!
Yields 48 mini muffins
2 1/4 C All Purpose Flour
1 C Sugar 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp salt
3 Very Large, Very Ripe Bananas
3/4 C Milk
1 Tbs Vinegar
1 Stick Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Hand Full Chocolate Chips (optional)
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon (optional)
Set oven to 350. Mix first 5 ingredients together. Mash bananas well in separate bowl. In a third bowl, pour milk & add vinegar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes. Then add softened butter, vanilla & milk mixture to bananas. Stir well and combine all ingredients. Fill muffin cups to top, bake about 15 minutes, or until the edges brown a bit & you smell bananas in the air. Voila!
*If you would like to make this recipe vegan, use any milk substitute you choose, and 1/2 C coconut butter in place of stick butter.
* TIP: Using super ripe bananas allows the surprisingly low amount of sugar in this recipe, 1 Cup, compared to other recipes due to its natural sweetness. Also, if you are ever short an egg in a baking recipe, you can substitute 1 mashed banana or 1 Cup applesauce to accomplish the same purpose.
Zucchini Muffin Madness
I have the perfect Zucchini Muffin recipe that will help use up your garden's bountiful zucchini crop as well as sneak vegetables into a delicious treat without your kids or husband ever knowing!
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large overripe banana
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C maple syrup
1 C pureed zucchini
1/4 C cooking oil
** nuts/chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 & spray muffin tin (mini or regular size) with nonstick spray. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Puree zucchini, uncooked & unpeeled. (It is a water packed veggie, so purees easily) Combine wet ingredients to mixed dry ingredient bowl. If desired, add a handful of chocolate chips or chopped nuts for a twist. Fill muffin cups & bake about 15-20 minutes, until golden on edges. Filled with flavor, super moist muffins for kids, adults & vegans alike!
Frozen Java Joy
I've got a coffee shake for you that is better & cheaper than your favorite local coffee shop. This week Breyers icecream is Buy 1 Get 1 Free at Publix. Combine your printable coupons from Target.com & Coupons.com on top off the sale price to get another $2.50 off. So, this gets you 2 cartons of Breyer's ice cream for $1.75 each. I like to use the All Natural Vanilla or All Natural Vanilla Fudge Brownie for this shake. Then, over a period of days, start freezing the last of your coffee from your coffee pot that always goes down the drain. Fill an ice cube tray with your left over coffee, freeze & store in zipped baggie. Put desired amount of ice cream, frozen coffee cubes & a splash of milk into blender & VOILA! For just pennies, you have some creamy java joy in seconds. Try it and tell me what you think!
Garden Scramble Wrap
Today was a 'there is nothing to eat in this house,' day- or so I thought. I guess when I get hungry enough my creative juices start flowing in the kitchen. After staring blankly into my fridge for several minutes, a light bulb went off that turned into the yummy goodness in this picture. My garden is producing tons of tomatoes right now as well basil. I made a batch of basil pesto last week which is an excellent condiment to have in the fridge for moments like these. So, I scrambled up 2 eggs with a dollop of cream cheese, added my diced garden tomatoes and corn from my local farmer's market. I then took a spinach wrap (which I scored a pack of for .60 last week at Publix when combining my coupon with their sale), spread some pesto down the middle, and laid my garden scramble on top. Voila. Something from nothing is mmmmm tasty! Try it and tell me what you think.
I don't think I have ever met a person who wouldn't eat pizza. It is extremely versatile, being served at sporting events and gourmet soirees alike. This pizza is yummy, simple, inexpensive & good for you all at once. I'm not sure it gets much better! You can use any pizza dough base, or make your own as I did here-which is totally easier than you may think if you've never done it. Search the internet for one you prefer. Next, I used my homemade pesto as a sauce with fresh picked garden basil. Simply throw basil leaves, diced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice into a food processor & blend. Start with a 'less is more' approach in portions of ingredients and add according to the flavors you like. Then add sliced tomatoes (like the garden heirlooms here) on top of your pesto pizza and finish with crumbled goat cheese and fresh cracked pepper. Bake at 400 about 12 minutes. This is a fun family dinner to involve the kids in too. From kneading the dough, to picking the basil leaves & crumbling the goat cheese, the kids are welcomed getting their hands in. As for the cost, I found the goat cheese on clearance, made the dough from scratch, and utilized my garden for topping. All in all it cost me about $3 for this homemade gourmet goodness! What homemade pizza recipe is on the top of your list? The more the merrier!
Getting my children to eat healthy meals can be a battle some days. To put a spin in the mix, I got out the cookie cutters today. An average Cheese Quesadilla is now exciting, new, and even healthy! I used spinach tortillas to sneak in some added vitamins while the kids loved their green Jurassic themed lunch basking under the yellow tomato sun. This is also a great idea for parties, young and old, as you can use any theme and shape you like. What creative twists do you use?
Too Much Watermelon
In my family of four, we can never eat an entire watermelon before we either get sick of it or it starts to go mushy. As it pains me to not eat perfectly good food, I have found a solution. I have been making watermelon pops and my kids LOVE them! You can either use the juice of the fruit that drains in the bottom of your storage container, or throw it in a blender after picking out the seeds. Then fill your ice pop holders for a tasty, healthy, affordable treat. If you prefer, you could also freeze them in ice cube trays and use the frozen cubes as a flavor booster for your morning smoothie. Making the most of what we've got can actually be delicious and rewarding!
Cinnamon Honey Fruit Crisp
Tasty, simple, versatile & affordable are the words I love in a recipe. This dessert has them all! I used fresh peaches & frozen mixed berries in mine, but you can use anything you would put in a pie such as apples, plums or apricots. It is also up to you on how much sugar and spice you put in the recipe depending on the flavor you are going for. This recipe is totally tweekable. In fact, I found that for me, there was not have enough of the yummy crumbly part on top, so next time I will probably double the 'crisp' part of it making any leftovers perfect for breakfast with coffee. So, I tossed 2 fresh, diced peaches & about 2 cups of frozen berries together in 2 TBS Honey and 2 TSP Cinnamon. I let that defrost and flavors settle for a couple hours. Next mix together 1 C Oats, 1/2 C Flour & 1/2 Brown Sugar.
Then take half of a stick of butter cut into small cubes, mix with flour/oat sugar mixture with hands until coarse & crumbly. Spread the crumbly goodness evenly over the fruit. I then sprinkled hazelnuts on top, which you can totally omit if you prefer. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream for an even fuller indulgence. Mmmmm tasty! 
Crockpot Vegetable Soup
Crockpot Vegetable Soup is one of the easiest meals I know. It is perfect for a day when you are on the go and do not have time to prep and cook a meal amongst a million other things to do. I used about 6 cups of chicken stock I had left over from my Crockpot Chicken as the base for this soup. However, you can use any kind of stock you prefer. Next, I added about 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables. I always have a giant 5 pound bag of this organic mix (corn, peas, green beans & carrots) from Costco in my freezer as they are less than $6 a bag and extremely versatile in their use. Then I added 2 stalks of chopped celery, 3 chopped red potatoes, 2 chopped garden fresh bell peppers & half of an onion, diced. Add salt, pepper and dried herbs to your liking. I then set on high for 4 hours. You can be done here and have a great, healthy meal for your family. Or, if you would like to keep going, you can add anything from noodles, rice, chicken or even tofu (extra firm) to give this soup some added 'umph'. This pot of homemade soup cost me under $3 to make and should serve about 6 people. Making the most of a dollar, delicious and nutritious- Mmmmm tasty!
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Scrambling to have dinner served in 15 minutes? Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie is quick, yummy, simple and costs about $1 a serving to make, feeding 4-6 people. There is no downside to this recipe! You can totally adapt it with ground beef if soy substitute freaks you out (it shouldn't) but it will make your cost rise as well as your cooking time.
Ingredients:
1 Onion Diced
1 TBS minced Garlic
2 C Mixed Frozen Vegetables
1 Package Ground Soy 'Meat Substitute' (looks like ground beef)
2 Medium Potatoes
1/4 C Butter
Cheese Optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Start a small pot of boiling water for your 2 potatoes. Chop potatoes in large chunks for quicker cooking in water. Place potatoes in water once boiling. Saute your onion & garlic until lightly browned. Add frozen vegetables and ground soy and saute until thawed (about 7 minutes) If you would like to add salt, pepper or dried herbs, do so at the end of sauteing. Spray baking dish (I used 12 x 9) with non stick spray. Spread vegetable mixture in dish. Drain water from cooked potatoes, add butter to potatoes and smash with a fork in pot. Add seasoning as desired. Spread smashed potatoes over vegetable mixture. Finally, place your choice of cheese, shredded or sliced, over top of dish. Bake at 350 til browned on top and warm through (about 5 minutes). Mmmm tasty!
**$$ SAVING TIPS- I always have packs of ground soy crumbles in my freezer. The more you season it the better it will be and it is GOOD! When I find it on clearance I stock up. If you find them on clearance in the refrigerated section and the date of expiration is that day, buy them for your freezer. Morningstar Farms routinely goes on sale and when combined with my coupons, I got them for $1.75 per package versus the regular price of $4.29 per package. Also, I stock up on a GIANT bag of organic frozen mixed vegetables for $5.79 at Costco which lasts me a few months and is extremely versatile.
**VEGAN FRIENDLY- use dairy substitute butter and soy based cheese on top. I have actually been pleasantly surprised by some of the shredded soy cheeses and have tricked skeptics into thinking they were eating the real deal! I regularly find soy based cheese on Manager Special at Kroger for about $1 a package.
$1 Black Bean Burger
Dollar menu burgers are ordered by waaay to many people every day because the value menu price fits the pocket. But what about nutritional value? I've got a burger recipe for your dollar menu at home that is not only delicious, but healthy and family friendly. So here we go... Buy 2 cans of black beans (.89 per organic can at Kroger) drain and gently mash with a fork. Next shred & dice 1 carrot as well as 1/4 of an onion. Add 1 TBS diced garlic & 1 TSP cumin to your mixture as well as salt & pepper to taste. Finally, add 1 1/2 C rolled oats to your mixture and pat into burger patties. If your mixture is not holding together well, add more oats to your desired texture. Yields about 6 burgers depending on your patty size. If you make more than you need, freeze them for a quick gourmet grab in the future! To cook, either grill or pan fry over medium heat for about 5+ minutes on each side. This is a great meal for versatility as you can put it on any bread (Toufayan Pita Bread .70 per pack at Publix right now) top of a salad, or wrap it in a tortilla. I love to eat these with Marie's Chipotle Ranch Dressing ($1.35 at Publix right now with coupon) but you can of course add toppings according to what is on sale or already in your fridge. I like avocado, garden grown cilantro, cheddar cheese and heirloom garden tomatoes on mine. For $1 per serving, you are getting gourmet food without the gourmet price!
Roasted Fig & Vegetable Quinoa Pilaf
Since I do my grocery shopping based on what is on major price reduction, the ingredients in my fridge and pantry often do not seem to make any sense together at first glance. But like most treasure, good meals must be sought for! Here is the simply delicious while nutritious result: I roasted a pan mixed with carrots, yams, onions and dried figs , along with dabbles of butter and savory dried herbs. Then I boiled quinoa in water with some butter, hazelnuts and more of the same dried herbs. Once vegetables were soft and water was evaporated from quinoa, I tossed all ingredients in a large bowl for a hearty quinoa pilaf. It would be even more amazing if you have some kale to wilt and mix in as well. If you twinge at the thought of a vegetarian meal, toss in some pork or chicken to your heart's content. A simply merry meal!
Greek Pita Pocket Burger
I have a new creation to share with you that is quite scrumptious: Greek Pita Pocket Burgers. On some recent B1G1 sales at Publix, I stocked my freezer with whole grain pita bread and meatless burger patties. While at Kroger, I stumbled upon organic broccoli slaw for .50 (simply a bag of raw shredded broccoli & carrots). So, I just sauteed half of a red onion, added salt & pepper and then added the slaw mixture to it, cooking on medium about 5 minutes. Next I put my sauteed vegetables in a bowl with some Greek dressing I needed to finish off, mixed and put it in the fridge to chill. Later on, I cooked the burger patties according to directions, thawed and slightly toasted my pita bread. Finally, fill the pita pocket with burger patty chunks, top with dressed vegetables, feta cheese, and enjoy. All in all, this meal cost me about $4 and will serve 4 people, breaking down to $1 per serving. Healthy, inexpensive and mmmmmmm tasty!
El Cheapo Chicken Nachos
I just made a simple, delicious dinner for four at $1 per person, without breaking a sweat, so thought this would be worth sharing. Here's the break down of my El Cheapo Chicken Nachos:
1 Lb Bag Tortilla Chips at Publix $2.50, recent sale
1Lb Organic Chicken $1 at Target, recent sale + coupons
1 Jar Salsa .90 at Publix, recent sale + coupons
8 Oz Cheese $1 at Publix, recent sale + coupons
1 Can Black Olives FREE at Publix, recent sale + coupons
Sour cream as desired FREE at Publix, recent sale + coupons
I cooked my chicken legs in the crockpot yesterday then picked the meat from the chicken which I threw in a pot on the stove with a of jar salsa and olives. I simply warmed the pot on the stove thoroughly, scooped the chicken mixture on top of the chips, topped with shredded cheese & sour cream. Cheap, easy & mmmmm tasty!
Meatish Loaf
Dinner at the Bennett's is Meat-ish Loaf tonight. This meal is an inexpensive, nutritious & delicious option that feeds four for under $5. Wondering what the 'ish' part is? I'll tell you...I mixed 1 pound organic ground beef ($2.99 at Kroger on sale) with 1 package of non-gmo soy crumbles also found at Kroger, on sale for $1.49. Instead of using an egg, I substituted 1 TBS ground flax seed mixed with 3 TBS water. Then I mixed in 1/2 C oats and 1/3 C water along with salt and pepper to taste. Finally I added 1 shredded carrot & 1/4 chopped onion to the mixture, put in a loaf pan and topped it with a sauce made of ketchup, dijon mustard and brown sugar. Barbecue sauce is also a great option. Then bake at 350 for about an hour, or until firm and the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan. I'm serving it with garlic mashed potatoes, corn and rolls, but this dinner will go with almost anything you have on hand. If you try it, let me know how it goes. I'd also love some new meatloaf recipes if you've got one!
Gourmet Burger Goodness
Can you believe this meal was made for 4 people for a total of $2.00?! My full belly can testify to it's goodness-both nutritionally and tastefully. Here's the breakdown: 1 package of frozen black bean burgers ($1.50 sale + coupons), free burger buns, 1/2 an onion caramelized in 1 TBS butter, 8 strips of turkey bacon (.50 for the package sale + coupons), free fresh spinach & mayonnaise on the bun. Coleslaw was free too with a recent sale + coupons, pickles were in the fridge to be used. If you want to try something similar, there is a great $2 off Morningstar Farms coupon in the Publix Yellow Advantage Buy flyer now that you can combine with a $1.50 off printable coupon from Kellogg's rewards for a really great deal. I also come across fresh veggie burgers on Manager Special at Kroger often in the section you would find tofu. This is a versatile meal that will satisfy your budget and your dinner guests simultaneously!
This is for the "Beanie Weenies Vegan Style" I can testify to the great yummmmyness of this recipe.
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