Winter Comfort

It's no secret that the wintertime is the prime time for comfort food. Rather than reach for those pre-made dishes from the store, dive into this delicious, hearty dish! It's a Turkey Chili full of protein and veggies to keep you full for hours. TIP: This recipe freezes easily so you can make a big batch and freeze individual portions for an easy dinner when you're in a rush. This is a good idea to do with many of your favorites and you will build up a variety of dishes rather than buying microwave dinners!

Hearty Turkey Chili

Serves 4


Ingredients:

16oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey (Ralphs, Jennie-O Turkey Store brand -5.99 for 20oz, $4.80 here)
1 15oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes (Ralphs store brand - $.79)
7.5oz (half can) Low sodium Kidney Beans (Ralphs, Bush's brand - $.89 for a can, about $.45 here)
7.5 (half can) Low sodium Black Beans (Ralphs, Bush's brand - $.89 for a can, about $.45 here)
1 small russet potato [170g raw], chopped (Trader Joe's - $.49)
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped (Ralphs - $.40)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped zucchini [about 1 medium sized zucchini] (Trader Joes - $3.99 for a package, $.50 here)
1 cup chopped mushroom (Trader Joes - $2.29 for a bag, $.76 here)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (Trader Joes - $.50 for a whole pepper, using about $.25 here)
7.5oz (half can) Tomato Sauce (Ralphs - $.79 for a can, about $.40 here)
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in garlic and onions and saute until garlic is lightly browned and onions are shiny and soft.
• Add potato and saute until cooked about halfway through. Add in mushroom, zucchini, bell pepper, and ground turkey. Break up the turkey so it will be in bite size pieces. Continue to cook until turkey is cooked through and veggies are lightly browned.
• Add in beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, and pepper. Mix everything together and reduce the heat to medium or medium low and let the chili simmer for a few minutes until the flavors are combined and it is heated through.

Total Cost:  $9.29, or about $2.32 per serving.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 494g, 324 calories, 19g fat (2.1g saturated, .25g trans), 56g cholesterol, 600g sodium, 33.8g carbs, 8.3g fiber, 8.1g sugar, 35g protein, [Vit A 25%, Vit C 59%, Calcium 12%, Iron 16%]

Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!

Winter Dessert

'Tis the season to be entertaining! Whether you're bringing it to a party or gathering or doing the big meal yourself, if you're looking for a delicious dessert that won't break the bank or your diet, have I got the dish for you! This is a raspberry cheesecake recipe whose foundation is borrowed from Paula Deen's "Joann's Almost Fat Free Lemon Cheesecake" with some adjustments and my very own raspberry sauce recipe twisted in.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Serves 16

Ingredients: 

Crust:
1 3/4 cup crushed reduced fat Nilla wafers (Ralphs - $3 per box)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of melted unsalted butter (Ralphs - $2 for 4 sticks, $.25 used)

Filling:
24 oz (3-8oz packages) fat free Philadelphia brand cream cheese (Ralphs - $9)
1 cup fat free Knudsen brand sour cream (Ralphs $1.20 for a tub)
2 cups sugar (Ralphs store brand box - $1.50)
3/4 cup egg substitute - I use Trader Joe's Brand (Trader Joe's - $1.99 for a whole carton)

Raspberry Sauce:
1.5 cups frozen raspberries (Trader Joe's - $2 for a bag, using about half the bag for $1)
1 tbsp sugar (From other box)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon from Trader Joe's - $.49, using half a lemon or so for about $.25)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Put crushed Nilla wafers in a bowl with melted butter and mix together. Spray a springform pan with fat free canola cooking spray and press crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1/2 inch to 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes until set and light to golden brown in color. After baking, let the crust cool completely while making the filling.
• For the sauce, rinse the raspberries lightly to thaw them and drain. Put them in a small saucepan with the tablespoon of sugar and lemon juice. Stir to break up pieces as it heats. Mash whatever raspberries do not liquefy and bring to a light simmer. Set aside and let cool.
• For the filling, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Slowly add in the sugar while beating. Once all the sugar is mixed in, beat in the egg substitute 1/4 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Gently pour the sauce over the filling, mostly in the center with about a 1-2" border from the edge. With a knife, lightly swirl the sauce with the filling to make a marbled pattern. When done, put in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, giving up to 15 minutes extra if needed. It's done when the center still jiggles a little but is not runny.
• Cool completely and refrigerate for a few hours up to overnight before serving. Just before serving separate the springform pan for presentation.

Total cost: $18, or about $1.13 a serving. This may seem like a splurge for a dessert, but trust me, it tastes so decadent and neither you nor your guests will ever guess it's a light version! Considering a raspberry cheesecake from the store will run upwards of 500 calories a slice and won't look anywhere near as pretty, this dessert is definitely worth it.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 130g, 232 calories, 3.3g fat (1.8g saturated, 0 trans), 17mg cholesterol, 334mg sodium, 40.7g carbs, 1g fiber, 35.7g sugar, 9g protein, [Vit A 17%, Vit C 8%, Calcium 23%, Iron 2%]

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season. May your stomach be full and your grocery bill be small!

Staples to Keep On Hand

There are some staples I always keep on hand in my kitchen, just in case I don't have time to make something special. This way I always know that I can whip up a healthy meal anytime. I recommend stocking up so you won't ever be caught off guard!

Stock up on:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• In season fruits and veggies like squash, apples, bell peppers, and onions
• Whole wheat pasta
• Olive oil
• Marinara sauce
• Shrimp
• Lettuce
• Extra Lean Ground Turkey
  

The best advice I can give is to buy things like meat which freeze easily in bulk as soon as they go on sale. When you can get such versatile meal centerpieces like boneless skinless chicken breast for half price, divide them into individual sized portions and throw them into the freezer. A healthy meal is never more than a defrost cycle on the microwave away!

May your stomach be full and your grocery bill be small, wishing you warm wishes and a happy holiday season!

Warming the Soul

As an addition, I will start adding how much each item costs and where it was purchased to make shopping and saving even more convenient!

Throughout the Winter, I personally crave soup. It warms both the body and the taste buds while filling your stomach. A common misconception about filling soup is that it must be loaded with heavy cream, and therefore calories, in order to be thick, creamy, and delicious. Not true! This soup is best served hot on a cold evening.

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 2
Ingredients: 

• 1.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed [Trader Joe's - $1.69 for a 2lb squash)
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil [Trader Joe's - stock up on a bottle of this]
  
• 1/2 yellow onion [Ralphs - $.99 for 2 onions, about $.25 in this recipe]
  
• 1 tbsp hazelnuts [Ralphs - $3 for 1/2cup, about $.38 here]
  
• 1 tbsp ground sage [Ralphs - $2 for a whole container, about $.10 here]
  
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock [Ralphs - $.50 for one can]
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread butternut squash cubes in one even layer and put in oven. Roast for about 15-20 minutes, until soft and easily sliced through with a knife.
3. When squash is out of the oven, lower temperature to 350 degrees and spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast about 4 minutes, until lightly toasted.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the tbsp of olive oil. Saute onion and half the sage until onions are translucent and soft (about 10-15 minutes). 
5. Add roasted squash and chicken stock and raise heat high. Bring mixture to a boil then lower heat and let simmer for about 5 more minutes. 
6. Take off the heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes. In batches, puree the mixture in a blender and return to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, the rest of the sage, and hazelnuts. Reheat the soup until hot and enjoy! 

Total Cost: about $3.00, or $1.50 per serving
Nutrition Facts per serving: 575.5 grams, 248 calories, 9.7g fat (1.3g saturated, 0g trans), 0mg cholesterol, 374mg sodium, 39.5g carbs, 7.2g fiber, 7.9g sugar, 6g protein

Healthy tips to come tomorrow! May your stomach be full and your grocery bill be small, wishing you warm wishes and a happy holiday season!

Starting Off

My project is to help those who are convinced that cooking healthy on a budget is impossible. I am a second year college student with a passion for food who is living proof that this is not true! A few times a week I will be posting healthy recipes that are easily adapted to make larger portions as well as tips for smart shopping.

Today's recipe is a Mediterranean-inspired dish - my favorite type of food!

Mediterranean Baked Macaroni
Baked pasta full of veggies, protein, and flavor!

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into cubes
  
• 2 oz Barilla Plus Macaroni Multigrain Elbow Pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 cup chopped eggplant
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 oz lite mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
   
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente (still slightly hard but not fully cooked). Drain and set aside.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add chicken and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook about 4-5 more minutes until onions are soft and chicken is cooked through. Add to pasta.
4. In the leftover oil in the saute pan, lightly brown eggplant and mushrooms until tender and add to chicken and pasta mixture.
5. Add marinara sauce, mozzarella, pepper and basil and mix everything together.
6. Put mixture into baking dish and lightly sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
7. Bake approximately 10-15 minutes, until hot all the way through and breadcrumbs have formed a light crust.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 328 calories, 14g fat (1.5 g saturated, 0g trans), 145 mg sodium, 33g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 2.6g sugar, 22.5g protein

Tips for Smart Shopping:

• I have a Trader Joe's and Ralphs located right next to each other so I have the luxury of choosing which I want. If this isn't possible, look through the nutrition facts and ingredient lists of all the items on the shelves. For health reasons, typically shy away from long ingredient lists that have items you can't pronounce as well as foods high in sodium and saturated fats!
• Buy in season fruits and vegetables. I can't possibly stress how much cheaper this makes things! I buy apples year round for $1.59/lb, but this winter I got them for $.99/lb which was fantastic! I will center a lot of my recipes around fresh ingredients and will typically use in season items.
• It may not seem like smart shopping, but make the investment on items like olive oil which may be a little more expensive than you would like but lasts a long time. Once you stock up on an item that has more than just a few uses, it won't be something you have to buy on a constant basis.
• Don't forget to save the leftovers and reuse either for another meal or in another dish!
  

May your stomach be full and your grocery bill be small, wishing you warm wishes and a happy holiday season!