I am on a tight budget, anyone have healthy cheap recipes?

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andreaxmariexvnv
andreaxmariexvnv Posts: 30
in Food and Nutrition
Please help me :)

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  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Crockpot lentils
    (if you like lentils, and have a crockpot. I got my last crockpot at a garage sale.)

    2 C lentils
    3 C broth
    3 C water
    2 T dehydrated onion
    1 T minced garlic
    1 t cumin, coriander, turmeric (this is the pricey bit if you don't have spice rack.)
    1/2 t dried mustard, powdered ginger

    Dump all into a crockpot. Cook 7 hrs on low. You could add a chicken breast (2 halves), then shred or dice the chicken.
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Again with the crockpot:

    2 C black beans (dry), soaked overnight then drained
    1 jar salsa
    2-3 C broth
    2 T dehydrated onion
    2 T fresh garlic
    1/2 C raw brown rice.

    Cook soaked beans in broth until mostly tender. Add remaining ingredients (and make sure the liquid covers, but doesn't drown the softened beans.) Cook until both the rice and beans are soft.

    I usually add diced tomatoes, a sprinkle of feta and a some fresh cilantro to mine... but it's unnecessary. Without the feta, you might want salt (taste first: if your broth was really salty, it won't be missed.)
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
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    It depends on how tight a budget.

    400 grams of minced beef...if you cant run to the extra lean then cook and drain off all the fat that comes out, then blot of any remaining oils with kitchen roll.

    400 grams will make a 6 portion bolognaise, 6 portion chilli, or a 6 portion cottage/shepherds pie. Don't buy sauce mixes, wasted money and calories.

    Spahetti Bolognaise - It comes in at around 410 calories for a decent sized portion. You can portion it up and freeze until required.

    Minced Beef, 400 g
    Onions 1 large
    Mushrooms 200g
    Garlic 2 clove or a tablespoon of granules
    Italian Seasoning, 1.5 tsp
    Peppers green, raw, 0.5 small
    Peppers red, raw, 0.5 small
    Tin Chopped Tomatoes
    Tomato Puree 2 tablespoon
    Spaghetti 14.4 oz uncooked
    Spices - Pepper, black, 1 tsp


    Cottage Pie - This comes in at 200 calories but you need to add mashed potato and then add the calories for that. This can be frozen in portions too

    Minced Beef, 400 g
    Onions - large
    Peas - 1 tin
    Carrots - 1 tin
    Onion Gravy Granules, 200 ml (1.5 heaped tsp)


    I have more of my own recipes if you want, send me a message, say what sort of ingredients you like and can afford.
  • choshii
    choshii Posts: 10 Member
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    Here's a couple Asian recipes that are delicious:

    Oyako Donburi (it's a chicken/egg/brothy type thing you can mix with rice, it's delicious).
    Serves about 4 people
    -chicken breast (two med-large breasts) cut into cubes, strips, whatever
    -1/2 onion (cut anyway you like)
    -1 1/3 chicken stock
    -3.5 T soy sauce
    -2 T mirin (usually near the soy sauce or in your oriental aisle, if you can't find it, just add a tiny bit more sugar)
    -1.5 T sugar
    -2 eggs (beaten)
    -cooked brown or white rice

    Heat up the broth, add everything BUT the onions and eggs.
    Simmer on low for 5 minutes then add onion.
    Simmer for 3 minutes and add beaten eggs
    ladle the goodness (broth and all) over some rice and enjoy :)


    Easy Shoyu Chicken (shoyu=soy sauce)
    -chicken (~3lbs) cut into cubes
    -1 cup soy sauce
    -1 cup water
    -1 piece of ginger (about the size of your thumb) cut into large pieces, since most people like to fish it out instead of eating it haha
    -0.5 cup brown sugar
    -2 cloves garlic (minced)
    -veggies like carrots or potatoes (optional) cut into bite sized pieces
    -steamed rice (brown/white)

    In a large saucepan, mix sugar and soy sauce. Oil up a frying pan and add ginger and garlic and the chicken to cook. then add to sugar/soy sauce mix (add veggies if you'd like), and cover and cook till veggies and chicken is cooked (make sure you're mixing it while it cooks). enjoy with some rice :)

    (I hope you have soy sauce available and that it's not too expensive where you live...it's kind of a staple in my home and almost everyone that lives in my area ^_^).
  • sgeorgia
    sgeorgia Posts: 66 Member
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    Turkey Shepards Pie is my low cost low cal staple:

    1 1/4 lb ground turkey
    1.5 Jar Fat Free Savory Beef Gravy
    1.5 tbls butter
    3 tbls skim milk
    2 cans sweet corn (low salt if you can find it)
    8 red potatoes

    cook ground turkey and then drain fat.
    add gravy and cook for a few minutes more.
    Cut and boil potatoes - when soft, whip them and add a little skim milk and table spoon of butter (optional)

    Combine:
    In glass oven pan layer the turkey gravy mix at bottom, corn on second layer and then spread mashed potatoes on top later.
    Cook for 15 minutes at 350 and then it's ready to serve.
    I have it as being 4 servings and it's around 460 calories and is a pretty large portion.
  • andreaxmariexvnv
    andreaxmariexvnv Posts: 30
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    Thank you for everyone's help! :)

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