My point is, I'm still learning to cook and bake well. Our meals are simple. No four course dinners here! Still, I really enjoy cooking and learning new recipes and I try to add a new recipe to my repetoire every week.
In order to stick to our newlywed/med student budget and eat healthy, I rely on a few simple staples to get us through breakfast and lunch for the week - sometimes dinner if I'm feeling lazy or we have a lot of leftovers.
The following are NOT fancy recipes that should be featured on Pinterest but rather a quick guide on how I keep us fed and watered on a budget.
1. Breakfast Cassarole
We eat A LOT of eggs in our house! They are cheap, full of nutrients, and keep me full until lunch time. Cooking eggs is certainly less convienent than pouring a bowl of cereal - especially if I'm pressed for time. That's why I started baking an egg cassarole ahead of time so that all I have to do is pop it in the microwave and top with salsa or avocado! It's a super simple recipe that you can customize however you please!
Depending on what ingredients you add and how big your serving size is, you can get this for 150-200 calories typically. Add some avocado, salsa, hot sauce, etc. and a piece of fruit (LOVE prunes) and you have an awesome breakfast that will fill you up 'til lunch! Lots of protein, low carb if you skip potatoes, and a great way to sneak your veggies in!
I hesitate to even label this as a recipe but roasted veggies are a staple in our house - I like to make them in big batches and reheat them later - some people might not like that but the texture and flavor is just fine to me. Name a veggie and you can roast it - drizzle with a little olive oil and season to taste. I try to limit the amount of salt I use - instead use Mrs. Dash, fresh italian herbs, pepper, etc.
I love asparagus! Paired with chicken and orzo, potatoes, and squash.
Roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes with a turkey burger.
This one is really a no brainer - I typically roasted on 400 degrees for 20-40 minutes depending on the type of veggie. Just monitor them until golden brown. You can even throw them into your breakfast casserole, meatloaf, or a variety of other recipes!
3. Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
I introduced the recipe I use (from Jamie Eason) HERE. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these! Lately I've been experimenting with different veggies and toppings. Right now, I love topping the muffins with a little sauerkraut and spicy mustard. Is that super weird? Probably but it's delish.
I like to freeze half of the batch (typically yield 18 muffins) so I don't have to eat them all at once.
Everything I eat is covered in hot sauce/salsa. Quinoa, turkey muffin, and broccoli.
4. Salsa Chicken
Another no brainer recipe that is PERFECT for so many meals - I make a batch in my crockpot and then freeze half of it.
The recipe is simple. Chicken breast & salsa. BAM! Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hrs), shred, and die of happiness.
Salsa chicken is AWESOME in tacos, salads, paired with veggies and rice, in eggs, etc. Just do it - it's the easiest thing ever.
To add a little variety and flavor, I just change the salsa - medium, hot, salsa verde, etc. If I don't want that salsa taste, I season it with whatever sounds good and add low sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
I imagine you could also do this with turkey breast or another similar meat. Just change it up.
Stay tuned for next week when I share my favorite sweet treats and snacks to keep on hand!
