healthy, quick, and inexpensive

We have a cooking class for enrichment and I was in charge this month. Our theme was healthy, quick, and cheap. We did 3 chicken recipes, and here are some ideas I had:

Healthy ideas:

In soups, rather than cream, use a combo of skim milk and non fat sour cream. Carol Winters also taught me to use potato flakes to thicken the soups. ¼ cup of flakes thickens about 4 cups of soup.

When you make a casserole, lasagna, enchilada or the like, don't add cheese in the filling. Just broil some on the top for that bubbly gooey and crispy cheese effect. This also saves money as cheese is an expensive item.

Use lean meats when you can. You pay a bit more for them, but if you portion control and use fillers (grated carrots, onions, beans potatoes, etc) you can make it go farther. Plus, lean meats don't have to be drained so it speeds up the meal making.

Learn how to incorporate dark greens into your diet. If you don't like them, puree a small amount and add it to spaghetti sauce. Dark greens are super health foods and fairly inexpensive too. If you're afraid of the kale, start with spinach.

Roasting often gives the crunch of frying but without the added oil. Try potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, onions, green beans, asparagus, and garlic.

Thrifty ideas:

Buy sale items in bulk and add them to your 3 month food storage. I find beans, canned chicken, and tomato sauce are my big staples.

Don't buy uni-taskers for the kitchen – meaning – don't buy something that can only be used for one thing. It will clutter your house and stretch your wallet.

Tract your food spending for a week and see what your spending – include fast food, dining out, and all meals. Most people spend about 25$ per person per week on food.

Have some 2-3 $ meals that you can easily make in a pinch. If you have a good set of spices, you can even make some of the blandest foods taste delicious and it can stay inexpensive. Mine usually involve some of the following: eggs, soups, tortillas, beans, canned meats, rice, pasta, and canned veggies.

Quick ideas:

I think it's important to have recipes that you can walk away from and nothing is going to be ruined. We get children with problems, phone calls, and various other interruptions. Babysitting food is hard and seems to make the meal too labor intensive. Soups, roasting, simmering sauces, and boiling are things you can easily walk away from.

If you get in a rut with cooking, have someone give you their favorite food and try to make a meal around it. Chocolate? - adds well to chili. Pizza? - makes a great pasta dinner, with all the fixings. Alfredo? - grilled chicken with a pan cream sauce served over the top. The possibilities are endless and can make it fun for the eaters and the cookers alike.