Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?

Elle1036 · November 2010

Ugh.

I just weighed myself for the first time in a while. A month of unemployement-induced comfort eating, and last week's Thanksgiving binge... well, I'm not happy.

Anyway, I'm full-on dieting from now until Christmas. I'll be setting up a new ticker momentarily.

Does anyone have any cheap, low-cal recipes to share?

CASK85 · November 2010

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach

Not sure of the calorie content, but it is tasty and healthy.

ETA: this should be fairly cheap. . . the most expensive thing is the balsamic vinegar, but once you have it you can use it over and over.

lindsayrae1986 · November 2010

homemade minestrone
Ingredients

    * 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    * 3 tablespoons minced pancetta (about 1 ounce) --OPTIONAL--
    * 1 medium onion, chopped
    * 4 medium carrots, chopped
    * 4 celery stalks (with leaves), chopped
    * 5 cloves garlic, chopped
    * 1 medium zucchini, chopped
    * 1/2 head cabbage (about 12 ounces), cored and shredded
OR
    * approx. 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
    * 1 28-oz can drained whole, peeled, canned tomatoes, roughly chopped
    * 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
    * 1 to 2 cups tubetti or other small pasta, such as orzo, or broken spaghetti
    * 1 can cannellini/navy beans (about 16 ounces), with liquid
    -mash half the can, leave the other half whole
    * 1 can kidney beans
    * 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
    * 3 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
    * 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more
    * Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until slightly crisp and the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are somewhat soft, about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, uncovered, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Stir in the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta, lower to a simmer, and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a fork. Add the mashed and whole beans to the soup and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the herbs and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately with more cheese for passing at the table.

and this pomodoro recipe is really good too!

Ingredients

    * 1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
    * 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for taste
    * 1/2 onion, chopped
    * 4 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 cup roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
    * 1 can diced tomatoes
    * 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus extra for taste
    * 1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
    * crushed red pepper to taste
    * freshly ground black pepper to taste
    * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
    * 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

   1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
   2. Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, vinegar and chicken broth; simmer for about 8 minutes.
   3. Stir in red pepper, black pepper, basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated cheese.

i am also trying to get back to healthy living... it's so hard after letting it fall to the wayside!

PaigeMcC · November 2010

SparkPeople. Seriously, they have some delicious recipes.

bsidebella · November 2010

I have several, so I'll make a few posts. I love healthy cooking! First and foremost, Turkey Mealoaf! Originally a recipe of my father's, then modified by my mother, now requested for me to make by my friends!

ING:
3lbs ground turkey
2-3 celery stalks
1 red or green pepper
1 red or white onion
2 eggs
1 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp thyme

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Dice the celery, pepper and onion. Saute in thyme and olive oil until soft.

3. Mix ground turkey, veggies, eggs, oatmeal and ketchup in a large bowl, preferrably with your hands (if you have culinary gloves, here's where they'd come in handy!). If the mixture is too wet, add more oatmeal. If the mixture is too dry, add more ketchup.

4. Form it into a greased loaf pan (3qt pan works best) and stick it in the oven. OPTIONAL: spread some ketchup on the top of the loaf before baking!

5. Bake for one hour and enjoy! Serve with some couscous and fresh veggies.

Elle1036 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:9ee4af27-0007-4ce5-b8df-56fb8b78ed5e">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]SparkPeople. Seriously, they have some delicious recipes.
Posted by PaigeMcC[/QUOTE]\

I used to use Sparkpeople regularly, but I fell off the wagon a month or so ago. Thanks for reminding me to get back on.

Everyone else, thanks for your input!!

bsidebella · November 2010

Tomato and White Bean Pasta

1lb of tri-color pasta
4 roma tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
3 peeled garlic cloves
1 can white beans (cannellini, Great Northern or white kidney beans are all good!)
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup grated Parm cheese
salt & pepper

1. Cook pasta in salted water. Drain, then return to pot.

2. Cut tomatoes in half, scrape out seeds with a spoon and cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes and garlic cloves. Cover and cook 10-12 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves and set aside.

3. Rinse the beans, add them to the skillet, then remove from heat. Smash garlic with a fork, add to drained pasta. Add tomatoes, beans and basil. Stir well, sprinkle with Parm cheese, salt and pepper. Serve & enjoy!

bsidebella · November 2010

Finally...

Avacado-Stuffed Chicken

4 chicken breasts, pounded flat
2 avacados
3 tbsp lime juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh, minced basil leaves
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Scoop avacado out of its peel, cut lengthwise

3. Place avacado slices in a mixing bowl; add lime juice, pepper, garlic powder, basil, tomato and onion. Mix together.

4. Oil a baking pan with cooking spray. Lay a piece of chicken onto its flat surface.

5. Scoop a spoonful of the avacado mixture and lay it onto the chicken breast. Roll the meat over the mixture, tucking in the ends.

6. Repeat this with the other chicken breasts. Aim to use about half of the avacado mixture.

7. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with extra black pepper, bake for 45 minutes.

8. Serve with brown rice or couscous and the rest of the avacado mixture on the side!

deburnin · November 2010

I second sparkpeople.

A few from others:

http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/35363

http://recipes.menshealth.com/Recipe/chile-peppered-steak.aspx

Buffalo-Turkey Breast Roast (we substitute chicken since we've never been able to find a turkey breast):

Olive oil spray1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless, skinless turkey breast roast1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil1 to 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce (Look for a thick, all-natural sauce, but definitely not a thin one like Tabasco; I like to use Wing-Time Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce)1/4 cup waterPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist an 8” x 8” glass baking dish or nonstick baking pan with the olive oil spray.In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place the roast on a cutting board. With a fork, pierce each side (top and bottom) deeply about 25 times. Drizzle on the oil and rub to coat evenly on both sides. Sprinkle with the garlic powder mixture and rub it in to evenly coat both sides.With the smooth side of the breast down, drizzle with half of the wing sauce, rubbing to coat. Place the turkey, smooth side up, in the prepared pan. Rub the buffalo sauce over the smooth side of the breast. Pour the water into the pan, taking care not to our it over the turkey.Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thicket portion registers 160 degrees and the juices run clear. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes (the temperature should increase to 170 degrees). Place the turkey on a clean cutting board and carve against the grain into thin slices. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight plastic container for up to 3 days.Makes 5 (about 4-ounce) servingsNutritional Facts:Per serving158 calories
34 g protein
trace carbohydrates
3 g fat (trace saturate)
54 mg cholesterol
trace fiber
198 mg sodium

CvilleClaire · November 2010

At the front of Whole Foods each month, they have a flyer with five meals in it. The recipes are all related, ingrediant wise and they say it shouldn't cost more than $40 to purchase everything.

FI and I used the most recent flyer, which was full of yummy recipes that involved beans and lentils. If you like those, you'll love the recipies. We probably spent $45 (red lentils were hard to fine and we wound up paying more for them). Each recipe had at least 4 servings, so we we ate for well over a week with what we bought.

If you don't have a Whole Foods near you, I'd be happy to type up the recipes when I get home tonight. Just say the word.

lindsayrae1986 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:2ea38918-2284-4f64-b216-ed811f1a889d">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]At the front of Whole Foods each month, they have a flyer with five meals in it. The recipes are all related, ingrediant wise and they say it shouldn't cost more than $40 to purchase everything. FI and I used the most recent flyer, which was full of yummy recipes that involved beans and lentils. If you like those, you'll love the recipies. We probably spent $45 (red lentils were hard to fine and we wound up paying more for them). Each recipe had at least 4 servings, so we we ate for well over a week with what we bought. If you don't have a Whole Foods near you, I'd be happy to type up the recipes when I get home tonight. Just say the word.
Posted by CvilleClaire[/QUOTE]

we don't have any whole foods in my area, but i'd love to see the recipes if you ever have a change to type them. we've been trying to do a "vegetarian" day at least once a week to save money on meat (plus, i'm not a big meat-eater), so the beans and lentils sound like they'd be good for that.

calindi · November 2010

Pesto Salmon on Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Piece of salmon big enough to serve however many you're feeding
1 container of pesto (or make your own - basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic in food processor)
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
Container of salsa
Cilantro
Lime

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Drain corn and black beans, mix with salsa and pour over the bottom of a deep baking dish (I like Pyrex). Lay the piece of salmon on top - cover the fish with a decent layer of pesto. Squeeze lime juice over the whole thing, top with a sprikling of cilantro to taste. Bake for 45 minutes, or until fish becomes flakey in the middle (test with fork).

mana8503 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:9ee4af27-0007-4ce5-b8df-56fb8b78ed5e">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]SparkPeople. Seriously, they have some delicious recipes.
Posted by PaigeMcC[/QUOTE]

LOVE SP!

I also LOVE Hungrygirl.com. they send daily emails with recipes, and I got her 1-2-3 book that has some GREAT and cheap recipes. 13 bucks for the cookbook at walmart.

Elle1036 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:9d81142e-de39-45b9-8a43-aaf7a1c8d13a">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]Pesto Salmon on Black Bean and Corn Salsa Piece of salmon big enough to serve however many you're feeding 1 container of pesto (or make your own - basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic in food processor) 1 can of corn 1 can of black beans Container of salsa Cilantro Lime Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Drain corn and black beans, mix with salsa and pour over the bottom of a deep baking dish (I like Pyrex). Lay the piece of salmon on top - cover the fish with a decent layer of pesto. Squeeze lime juice over the whole thing, top with a sprikling of cilantro to taste. Bake for 45 minutes, or until fish becomes flakey in the middle (test with fork).
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]

This recipe combines several of my favorite flavors. Can't wait to try it.

calindi · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:e05c326d-afc7-462e-bc51-55b999c019fb">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes? : This recipe combines several of my favorite flavors. Can't wait to try it.
Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

I call it my "easy gourmet recipe in a pinch" - it is literally 5 minutes of work, if that! The most time consuming part is chopping the cilantro and opening the cans, no joke. and it looks absolutely beautiful, tastes delicious, and is healthy. It's a real crowd pleaser... unless people don't like salmon, in which case you can use chicken. But salmon's the best.

babybchbum · November 2010

I went on South Beach and it worked wonders for me. It really teaches you to be consious of what you are eating I highly recommend it.:-)

heyimbren · November 2010

I use the Delish website to look up recipes, Elle. I'm trying to think of any that really stand out to me, but I've never had one that I didn't like. And most of them are simple, and come with nutritional info which is great.

Also, I'm like you. The scale depresses me. So does my clothing sizes. I used to be skinny... and then I turned 18 and lived away from home and didn't care what I ate/drank until it was too late!

bsidebella · November 2010

<div align="left">In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:05ce92a5-2a8e-44c4-9178-98b1b0e4819c">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes? : I call it my "easy gourmet recipe in a pinch" - it is literally 5 minutes of work, if that! The most time consuming part is chopping the cilantro and opening the cans, no joke. and it looks absolutely beautiful, tastes delicious, and is healthy. It's a real crowd pleaser... unless people don't like salmon, in which case you can use chicken. But salmon's the best.
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]

I copied that recipe down, hope you don't mind! I LOVE salmon and, coincidentally, I just made a batch of pesto last night and stuck half of it in the freezer. Now I know exactly what I'm going to save it for :-)</div>

Elle1036 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_cheap-diet-friendly-recipes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:fa9ccb4f-0ebc-449a-987c-4340cf34bac9Post:fd7c0434-0c8b-4a8d-9106-e477b071ca2a">Re: Cheap, Diet-Friendly Recipes?</a>:
[QUOTE]I use the Delish website to look up recipes, Elle. I'm trying to think of any that really stand out to me, but I've never had one that I didn't like. And most of them are simple, and come with nutritional info which is great. Also, I'm like you. The scale depresses me. So does my clothing sizes. I used to be skinny... and then I turned 18 and lived away from home and didn't care what I ate/drank until it was too late!
Posted by heyimbren[/QUOTE]

I was involved in organized sports my entire life, up until a couple of years ago. So I've always been able to pretty much eat whatever I want. Now that I spend most of my time sitting, it's hard. I want to get back to the weight I was when I finished college.

CvilleClaire · December 2010

#1 BLACK BEAN LETTUCE BUNDLES
2 cans black beans
1/2 large advocado, mashed
1/2 green bell pepper
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsn lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup mild salsa
romaine lettuce leaves

Heat beans over medium heat for about 5 minutes, remove from heat and add everything else except the lettuce. Mash it up, then wrap into lettuce with your favorite toppings.

#2 POTATO CHOWDER
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper
1 carrot, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 1/4 cup water
2 large potatoes, cubed
1 tbsn low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tspn basil
1/4 tspn paprika
1/2 tspn pepper
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

Saute onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, garlic, and 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, soy sauce, basil, paprika, pepper, and rest of water. Boil, reduce heat, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Add tomotoes and cook addition 15 minutes.

#3 THREE BEAN CHILI
4 tbsn water
3 bell peppers, chopped (red, yellow, orange)
1 yellow onion, minced
2 tbsn chili powder
1 tspn ground corriander
1 tspn cumin
1 tspn oregano
1/4 tspn cayenne
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can each, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Heat water over medium heat and then add peppers, onion, garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Cook 5 minutes, stirring until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, corn, and all beans. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Add cilantro when serving, if desired.

#4 RED LENTIL & ARTICHOKE STEW (I used califlower instead of artichoke)
1 1/2 cups water
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsn cumin
2 tspn coriander
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsn lemon juice
1 (24 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cups quartered artichoke hears (9 oz package or 15 oz can)
1/2 tspn crushed red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat 1 tbsn water, add onions and cook for about 7 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rest of the water, letils, bay leaf, lemon juice, tomatoes with juice, artichoke hearts, and red pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if too much liquid evaporates. Remove bay leaf and season with salt & pepper before serving.

#5 BROWN RICE & VEGGIE STIR FRY (I added some shrimp)
1 tbsn water
1 1/2 yellow onions, chopped
1 tspn each, salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
3-4 scallions, chopped
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups frozen brown rice (I just made rice)

Heat water in a wok and then add onion, salt, and pepper. Saute 8-10 miuntes until translucent. Lower heat to medium and add garlic, saute 1 minute. Add scallions and celery, saute for 5 minutes. Add more water, if needed. Stir in brown rice and heat through, about 5-8 minutes.

I'll post the shopping list in a moment...

CvilleClaire · December 2010

Here's the shopping list for the Meals for 4 under $15:

PANTRY BASICS (these are assumed to be on hand)
bay leaf
black pepper
cayenne
chili powder
coriander
cumin
basil
oregano
soy sauce (low-sodium)
paprika
crushed red pepper
salt

SHOPPING LIST
2 limes
1 lemon
1 bag yellow onions
dry red lentils
1 avocado
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 head garlic
1 head romaine lettuce
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch celery
1 carrot
1 jar salsa
1 can corn
3 cans black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 bag frozen brown rice
1 can artichoke hearts
3 cans diced tomatoes

We really enjoyed these recipes. As I wrote above, each recipe makes four servings, so what we made lasted us more than a week. Some were big enough to give me some to take to work for lunch.

I wasn't even trying to lose weight and I dropped about four pounds after we did this. My FI is a total carnivore and didn't comment on the lack of meat at all. I added cheese and low fat sour cream to the chili and shrimp to the stir fry. Without those, I'm pretty sure these meals are vegan.

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