Eating Healthy On A Budget

Keri Glassman Tells How To Pack Most Nutritional Bang Into Relatively Low-Cost Meals

(CBS) 

RECIPES

Rice and Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup uncooked rice
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1/2 Cup frozen vegetables
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Directions:
Boil rice separately. Over medium heat add 2 Tbsp of oil to skillet or pan and add cut broccoli, onions and mushrooms (or any frozen vegetables). Once rice is cooked add to the pan with vegetables and flavor with 1 Tbsp of honey and low sodium soy sauce or flavoring of your liking.

Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken breast
2 Cups rice
2 Cups frozen vegetables
5 Cups water
1 Can chicken broth (14.5 oz)

Directions:
Combine water and chicken broth in pot and bring to boil. Add chicken and vegetables to pot and bring heat to low, then add the cut chicken and vegetables and cover for about 15 minutes. Add rice last and leave simmer for another 15 minutes.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of pasta
1/2 cup frozen vegetables
1/4 cup or tomato sauce
1Tbsp reduced fat parmesan

Directions:
Boil pasta and cook vegetables separately. Once complete combine pasta and vegetables with sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:
Frozen berries (strawberries and blueberries)
6 oz non-fat yogurt
1 Cup ice

Directions:
Add all ingredients in a blender and pulse. If needed you may add water for a smoother consistency.

Salmon Burger

Ingredients:
4 oz canned salmon (packed in water)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg white

Directions:
Lightly spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; stir well. Shape into a patty and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.

Sardines on Salad

Ingredients:
4 oz canned sardines (packed in water)
String beans, chopped
2 hard-boiled egg whites, chopped
Arugula salad
2 olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss salad with olive oil and lemon juice.

Omelet

Ingredients:
2 eggs whites and 1 egg
1/4 frozen vegetables
1/2 cup of reduced fat shredded cheese or fat-free cottage cheese

Directions:
Warm vegetables in a skillet. Then add egg whites and cook. Add cheese or cottage cheese last.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs (1 is a serving)
1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt
2 tsp yellow or brown mustard 1 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks from eggs and mash them in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add the yogurt, mustard, curry powder, and celery to the mashed yolks and mix until well blended. Add salt to taste. Using a spoon, refill each egg white half with about 1 Tbsp yolk mixture. Chill before serving.

White Bean Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups of beans
2-1/2 cups of water
1 cup frozen vegetables
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 dry thyme leaves

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a pot and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cover. Lower heat and allow to sit for approximately 2 hrs.

Bean Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups beans of your choice
1 cup frozen vegetables
1 cut celery stalk
1/4 chopped chives
5 Tbsp olive oilSalt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Use a whisk to combine olive oil and salt and pepper. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and add with olive oil with seasoning.

[dstydream]

I am very excited about these recipes. I have been looking through all of my "diet" cookbooks over the last few weeks so that I can find ways to help my family lose weight, become healthy and feel better. I have been so discouraged with these recipes. Not only are they complicated but they seem to require so many different ingredients and I just can't afford to do some of the elaborate recipes. So, we get the "cheap" groceries and don't get healthy and don't lose weight. I will be using these recipes for my grocery list for tomorrow and I will also be checking out Nurture your family site and would maybe even like to volunteer to pass this information on to my community.

[kguylay]

I think it is great to teach people that it is possible to eat a healthy diet on a limited budget. If you are interested in doing some philanthropic work in your communtiy towards this cause, please look at www.nurtureyourfamily.org. This non-profit organization provides food, cooking equipment and nutrition education to low-income families. The organization is interested in branching out to other communities. Please contact [e-mail] for more information. You can also watch a 3-minute video describing the program:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgEXscPts-w

[skinnyminny2]

I get so tired of people saying they can''t eat healthy because it''s so ''expensive''. It''s not--everything this article says I have done for years. Rice, dry beans, lentils, frozen vegetables/fruits on sale or in season....these are all very affordable! Buy stuff in season and freeze or can it yourself--even beter if you can have a garden.

Don''t buy pre-packaged and one can live very cheaply this way.

[mswolfestock]

The best way to cook dried beans is in a pressure cooker - I found one in a yard sale for $5.00.

You end up saving a lot of energy and time, too. The beans cook up nice and tender in 30 minutes or less as opposed to hours of boiling and stirring.

I soak a half-pound of pinto beans in the morning before I go to work. When I get home they go into the pressure cooker and we have a great meal without waiting forever.

Pressure cookers are also great for cooking economical, sometimes less-tender cuts of meat. Put a chuck roast in the pressure cooker and you''ll cut it with a fork.

[ademeyer]

Another cheap, nutritious ingredient is a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes. Only about $1.25 and its the basis of many delicious stews, ragus and pasta sauce. I made a checken stew recently for only $7.00 and ate it all week. Saute celery, carrots and onion in olive oli. Add can of crushed tomatoes. Add can of chicken broth. I put in a package of chicken thighs. Let it cook until the chicken was done. Added some basil and thyme and a can of kidney beans (rinsed). Very satisfying and cheap!