The Frugal Foodie

When Life Gives You Bananas...

2014-03-27T14:18:00.002-05:00

...you {freeze them for smoothies and part with a few of them to} make banana bread!

This recipe from Tasty Kitchen (PDub's recipe site) is my favorite for banana bread. (The roasted bananas are delish, but you can skip that step if you already have ripe bananas and you're short on time.)

I love to use this streusel topping for...well, everything. In particular, it takes pumpkin bread to a whole new level.

On these chilly almost-spring days, some warm banana bread is the absolute most perfect thing.

Banana Bread with Streusel Topping via {Simply Scratch featured on} Tasty Kitchen

I'm playing a little game this week to see if I can avoid grocery shopping while cleaning out my fridge/freezer/pantry. We had (homemade) Mac-n-Cheese w/ Bacon on Monday (leftover ingredients from getting bumped off the schedule last week), Poached Eggs in Spanish Rice on Tuesday, Apple/Brie/Honey Pizza topped with Kale Salad on Wednesday, and for tonight's dinner, I'll be serving {drumroll please} Peanut Butter & Honey Banana-Bread Sandwiches. (How Memphis-y of us!) I could have gone the French toast direction, but I'm almost out of eggs (see: Tuesday's dinner). Technically, I'm also out of peanut butter, BUT I have a can of roasted peanuts in the pantry just begging to be "buttered" in the food processor. Tomorrow is take-out night, so I think I'm in the clear!

What's for Lunch

2014-03-25T14:30:00.000-05:00

I have to share this yummy salad dressing I've really been enjoying:

via

I found this Sesame Ginger Dressing in the refrigerated salad greens section in the Whole Foods produce department. Here are the ingredients: Filtered Water, Sesame Tahini (Ground Sesame Seeds), Pear Juice Concentrate, Dry Roasted Almonds, Organic Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt), Orange Juice Concentrate, Rice Wine Vinegar, Ginger Puree (Ginger, Water), Chives, Xanthan Gum.

I was looking for a pre-made dressing with Asian flavors because I have been eating a LOT of Chick-fil-a's Asian Salad w/ Honey Sesame dressing. While it is a better choice than the fried chicken sandwich loaded up with mayo (mmmm), I knew I could make something healthier & cheaper at home. (And I would be eating it WITHOUT a side of waffle fries dipped in Chick-fil-a sauce!)

To be honest, I felt a little nervous about this dressing BECAUSE it sounded so healthy, but I figured I'd give it a whirl. I am now officially addicted! I actually look forward to lunchtime so I can make myself a salad of greens (I like the "I heart Baby Kale" mix from Organic Girl), topped with one diced apple, & some slivered almonds. Dicing a whole apple actually makes this salad half apple/half greens, but I'm completely okay with that. I love the way the sweet, crisp apple squares taste with the salty, gingery, nutty, dressing.

Hope you enjoy this nutrient-packed salad as much as I have!

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2014-03-18T15:12:00.002-05:00

Good news, Memphis foodie friends: I'm thinking about bringing back meal prep for June, July, & August. If you're interested in saving yourself some shopping & cooking time this summer, comment with your email address (or email me at FrugalFoodieMemphis@gmail.com).

I'm regrouping with my spring/summer recipes, and I'll have some recipe links back up on the blog soon!

Coconut Thai Chicken Soup

2014-03-06T20:22:00.001-06:00

Coconut Thai Chicken Soup via Rachael Ray

In theory, I really enjoyed the "10 Ways" articles that came out in Rachael Ray's magazine. She would take a basic favorite and have different chefs list different variations on say, fried chicken or grilled cheese. I say I liked it in theory because it was interesting to think about all the different ways you could make a dish, but when it comes down to it, I'm personally always searching for the best version of a dish instead of just 10,000 different ways to make it.

{That is, unless the dish is Tortilla Soup. I have literally about 5 different recipes in a regular rotation, and I am open to adding more!}

This Coconut Thai Chicken Soup is from one of those "10 Ways" articles. It is a little vague, and I therefore I took some liberties with my interpretation of the recipe. In my version, I cut a stalk of lemongrass in 4 different (medium-sized) sections, smashed 2 garlic cloves, and boiled/simmered these items in a quart of (good quality) chicken stock for 5 minutes. I then discarded the garlic & lemongrass and added half a package of sliced baby bella mushrooms and half the shredded chicken from a whole rotisserie chicken--I simmered those items (with the lid on the pot) for 5 more minutes. Then, I lowered the heat and added a can of light coconut milk, a couple spoonfuls of Thai red chili paste, the juice of 4 limes, some salt, and a teaspoon and half of sugar. I sprinkled chopped scallions over the top of each bowl of soup.

I loved the lime-coconut flavor of this soup that reminds me of my favorite Thai soup, but next time I'll add something else...maybe noodles? I normally don't add shredded chicken to my soups, but I felt I needed to just to have something besides mushrooms & broth. Once I figure out the right ingredients, I have a feeling I'll have something close to my best version of Coconut Thai Chicken Soup.

Spaghetti w/ Bacon Meatballs

2014-03-05T20:16:00.000-06:00

Spaghetti w/ Bacon Meatballs via Real Simple

My daughter went through a meatball obsession when she was 2 years old. She requested them all the time, including for her birthday dinner when she turned 3. We eat less meat in general now, but when we do, there's a good chance meatballs are on the menu.

We liked these--the bacon mixture in the food processor smells divine. (I used dried parsley instead of fresh.) This recipe required too many steps to make it into my favorite list, but I'm glad I gave them a try. (My own take on this recipe from Dinner: A Love Story will remain my meatball go-to for now.)

Slow Cooker Paella

2014-02-21T04:00:00.000-06:00

Slow Cooker Paella via Rachael Ray

Ahhh, the crock pot: our best friend on busy days. I'm excited about trying out this new recipe from a recent Everyday with Rachael Ray issue. While I usually omit or substitute meat in recipes, I'll be using the chicken & chorizo in this. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Chicken Piccata Pasta

2014-02-20T04:00:00.000-06:00

Chicken Piccata Pasta via Rachael Ray

I love trying new recipes, and I usually fill my menu with new adventures rather than old favorites, but THIS, my friends, is an old favorite. The lemon juice/white wine sauce of chicken piccata is my favorite, and this pasta dish takes all of the delicious flavors and adds them to penne. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Black Beans & Rice

2014-02-19T04:00:00.000-06:00

Black Beans & Rice via Real Simple

This is one of those "here's what you can do with a can of black beans" recipes from Real Simple. This recipe would make a perfect (healthier) substitution for oh, say, boxed macaroni & cheese (*sheepish look*) those nights you need the cheapest dinner possible (or the nights you don't feel like making dinner).

If you want to dress this recipe up a little, Real Simple also has a great Cuban Black Beans & Rice recipe, which requires only a little more effort.

Food for Thought: Off-Menu-ing

2014-02-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

Do you ever go off-menu-ing?

Here's an example: last weekend was Valentine's Day (Friday) and my husband's birthday (Saturday). In an effort to be frugal, I planned to cook both days--Drunken Risotto for VDay and Pork Tenderloin for the birthday dinner.

I encountered my first bump in the menu road when I was grocery shopping that Monday. I had saved my pork tenderloin purchase for my last store, and lo & behold, Whole Foods was out of pork tenderloin. I had a lot to do that day, and I was out of time to run to an extra store, so I told myself I'd grab some later that week.

Friday rolled around, and after a long week, I just wanted to sit down with my Valentine, some take-out, & Netflix. We postponed the risotto dish and treated ourselves to take-out.

As a birthday gift to my husband, our family spent the day raking up an autumn's worth of leaves from our backyard, and we were all happily tired and sore after we knocked out that monster chore. We decided a birthday dinner at a restaurant of my hubby's choice would be a better option, thus postponing the pork tenderloin.

I normally would have made one of the postponed dishes on Sunday evening, but after a trip to the park with our daughter to enjoy some rare sunny weather, we decided sharing a pizza would be a good way to use up our budgeted restaurant money.

This might sound like a confession, but you probably identify with it as plain ole' real life.

Instead of feeling incredibly guilty that I wasted those days or those meal ingredients, I'm scheduling them into this week's menu plan for our family. I cut one of the planned recipes from my grocery list, I'll buy ingredients for the other three meals, and I'll end up with enough ingredients for five meals. I'll cook four of the meals during the weekdays (eating leftovers on one of the weekdays), and I'll make the final dish this weekend. (I could have cut two meals, but an extra meal will save us some restaurant money this week.)

I love structure & schedules, but the flip side is that when I get "off menu," I end up stuck in the mud of my cravings and whims for the rest of the week. If this happens to you, don't worry--it's not hard to reschedule and jump right back on the menu without losing money. And if you find yourself unmotivated to get back in the kitchen, remind yourself that some happy music and a glass of wine (or any favorite treat) can make the "chore" fun again!

Butternut Squash & Arugula Salad

2014-02-17T08:44:00.002-06:00

Butternut Squash & Arugula Salad via Rachael Ray

Here's something that bugs me: we go all pumpkin & squash crazy in October (which is delicious), but we burn out on the ingredient and never want to see it again until next year. Butternut squash is in season beginning in October, but it keeps on growing through mid-March. Try this perfect winter salad to remind yourself that you can still be friends with pumpkin-y flavors!

Pork Tenderloin w/ Cheesy Polenta

2014-02-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

Pork Tenderloin w/ Cheesy Polenta via Rachael Ray

Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovebirds....and Happy Birthday to my husband on Saturday! Yes, his birthday is the day after Valentine's Day, and yes, we are always planning some kind of double celebration. Usually this means eating out for one special night and cooking a special meal for the other--this year, we're attempting to eat in for both as a cost-saving measure. Pork tenderloin is a dish he usually orders when we're eating out--if there is a memorable restaurant meal he's raving about, it usually includes pork tenderloin (and probably at The Majestic in downtown Memphis). Blue cheese is another favorite of his, so this recipe that includes blue cheese polenta on the side sounds perfect for a birthday dinner.

(And just in case you're curious, the Peanut Butter Pie from Hog & Hominy is his requested bday dessert--good thing I just received the "Collards & Carbonara" cookbook from him at Christmastime! Strategic? Maybe.)

Drunken Risotto w/ Sausage & Spinach

2014-02-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

Drunken Risotto w/ Sausage & Spinach via Rachael Ray

I'm planning on making this for my Valentine on Friday. You cook the creamy risotto IN WINE...genius, people! Add some Italian sausage & spinach, and you have a rich, unique, comfort-food-meets-romance dish.

Bacon, Tomato, & White Bean Soup

2014-02-12T13:39:00.001-06:00

Bacon, Tomato, & White Bean Soup via Rachael Ray

I think the bacon in this recipe is going to take tomato soup to a whole new level. Maybe I'll melt some cheese on top of my charred bread, just for nostalgia's sake.

Skillet Poached Eggs w/ Braised Peppers & Onions

2014-02-12T13:37:00.003-06:00

Skillet Poached Eggs w/ Braised Peppers & Onions via Real Simple

This is a one-skillet meal, and I'm excited about trying it out with some fresh rolls from the sourdough starter a friend shared with me recently. The ingredient list keeps this super-affordable, especially if you decide to make your bread and use dried spices/parsley!

Hungry Jack Casserole

2014-02-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hungry Jack Casserole via (& photo via)

This is my mother's trademark casserole. I don't even know if she would say that, but it is what I remember our family always requesting. "Hungry Jack" was a brand of baked beans that I'm not sure you can even buy anymore, but that is how the casserole got its name.

This blend of baked beans, ground beef, & BBQ sauce was put in my mother's round skillet and topped with canned biscuits and shredded cheddar. It is a science and an art getting the biscuits to bake all the way through without burning the tops of them in this casserole.

This is about as manly as a casserole gets, in my opinion. Maybe growing up on all that BBQ sauce is what brought me to Memphis to put down roots...

Chicken Pot Pie

2014-02-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Chicken Pot Pie via Real Simple

I keep my recipes in 2 separate binders--one for spring/summer, and one for fall/winter. Chicken Pot Pie falls undoubtedly into the fall/winter binder for me. Even though the veggies can be found fresh at the farmers' markets in the summer, I just can't resist that creamy, bubbling casserole with the pie crust on top as one of my favorite winter comfort foods.

I often leave the shredded chicken out of this pie these days (and bump up the veggie content), which kind of nullifies the entire name, but I still insist on calling it Chicken Pot Pie.

This is my favorite CPP recipe--it cuts down on calories by omitting or cutting down on some of the higher-calorie ingredients. (A pie crust on top instead of fully surrounding the casserole, for example.) Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Food for Thought: Fruit for Breakfast

2014-02-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last January, as a first step toward eating more healthfully, I started serving fruit for breakfast. It started out as a few strawberries, some orange slices, and a banana.

A couple of things happened:

1. We were surprised to learn we did not feel hungry again until lunchtime.

2. This new practice helped us begin losing weight.

3. My husband said he could not eat another orange or banana again...ever.

So we might have overdone it with the bananas. (Itt was winter--not a lot of "in season" fruits!)

But I definitely noticed that eating fruit for breakfast made me feel much better than anything else, particularly cereal. When I ate a bowl of cereal (even "healthy" cereal) with any kind of milk (even almond milk), I found myself getting shaky-hungry around 10:30 later that morning. I could not make it until lunchtime without having a snack--whereas with the fruit, I was fine until lunch, without any shakiness.

Then came along another gamechanger: the Blendtec. I cobbled together some money in our budget this past summer to purchase a high-powered blender. I debated and researched Blendtec vs Vitamix vs Ninja vs Magic Bullet, and Blendtec came out on top for us. Yes, it is on the pricier side, but it was well worth it. I chose Blendtec because it was higher-powered than Ninja or Magic Bullet--I decided that meant something to me, because the power to make a whole juice or blend my own almond milk appealed to me. I chose Blendtec over Vitamix for several reasons: it sits lower on the countertop and thus fits under my cabinets, its blades were not sharp like Vitamix's--they are blunt and just spin at a very high speed, there was no fiddling with it during blending--no tampers, and it had settings that allow me to push a button and walk away from it as opposed to standing there and pulsing it until blended. And it looked cooler. Just kidding. Kind of.

You guys, I LOVE this blender. And it took my fruit-for-breakfast habit to the next level--I was able to add spinach and other vegetables, ice, and chia seeds or berries with seeds and end up with a super-smooth drink. I wasn't just eating a few pieces of fruit--I was eating a lot of fruit PLUS veggies & seeds. Triple the nutrients!

If you can budget for a high-powered blender, I highly recommend it. And even if you can't, I used my inexpensive Black & Decker blender for several months (before the rubber seal broke and the bottom fell out!) with adequate results.

Depending on what you put in your smoothie, it can save you money on breakfasts. For 3 of us to eat cereal everyday for a week, we used up about 3-4 boxes of cereal plus a carton and a half of almond milk. I've done more "elaborate" smoothies some weeks, with lots of different kinds of produce--or even a different kind of smoothie every day. But what works best for us is something simple that we have everyday for a week...then, I switch it up to something different the next week. In the picture above, I made fresh spinach + frozen strawberries + fresh pineapple (that I cut up and then froze) + frozen banana. The pineapples were on sale that week at Aldi for 99 cents--I bought two and they lasted me all week and into the next. I buy packages of overripe bananas on clearance for 40 cents a bunch at EasyWay every few weeks. I almost always use plain old (free) tap water for our liquid.

No blender and no money to budget for one? Buy a bag of oranges & a bunch of bananas at Aldi (usually around $3 a bag & 44 cents/lb for a bunch) and get started with some fruit for breakfast! It's the cheapest, healthiest way to get the most nutrients and the lowest calories into one meal!

Mushroom Soup w/ Marsala

2014-02-04T15:04:00.000-06:00

Mushroom Soup w/ Marsala via Rachael Ray

This recipe is one I clipped from a recent Everyday with Rachael Ray issue. The picture in the magazine was different, and it was what actually caught my interest. Don't you feel like a delicious picture is so much more powerful than a recipe alone? Mushrooms with marsala are so yummy--I'm looking forward to trying this soup!

Brussels Sprouts Pasta

2014-02-03T12:13:00.004-06:00

Brussels Sprouts Pasta via Rachael Ray

Here's another Brussels sprouts recipe for all you skeptics out there. Brussels sprouts are high in fiber, protein, and vitamin C--perfect for those of us hoping to fight off impending colds!

Chickpea Burgers w/ Tomatoes

2014-01-31T05:00:00.000-06:00

Chickpea Burgers w/ Tomatoes via Rachael Ray

I have a confession: I have bought ingredients to make these chickpea burgers on two previous occasions, and I have bailed out both times. Does that ever happen to you?

Oftentimes I do this if the recipe is new/unfamiliar and seems complicated. (In this case, it's a recipe I've never tried, and the whole making-the-chickpea-patties part seems like a lot of work without reading the recipe.)

Part of my health/budget deal with myself this year is to follow through on more meal plans. I bail out waaaay too easily. (It doesn't help that my daughter is often begging to go "bye bye yummy"...aka out to eat. I LOVE eating out--I fold under the begging pressure all too often!)

This week, when I get to Friday (also another excuse for bailing out--the whole "oh come on, I've cooked all week" excuse), I am going to read through the recipe with plenty of time in advance and commit to "just do it" all Nike-style. A glass of wine and some music in the kitchen always give me some good motivation.

(And just to help motivate YOU, the recipe sounds like these burgers practically make themselves in the food processor!)

Black Bean Taco Pizza

2014-01-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

Taco Pizza via Real Simple

I love making homemade pizza. And who doesn't love pizza? Well, my daughter is probably the one person in the universe who doesn't love it, actually. But the great thing about pizza is that it can be personalized--picky eaters only need their own little portion of the pie (or a personal-sized pie just for them), and they can make it however they like.

I highly recommend preparing your own pizza dough (this is my current favorite recipe), but it does require some planning ahead. In order to make this happen, I literally schedule it into my phone or planner so that I've carved out enough time to prep the dough & let it rise. If you're like me and use the "oops, I forgot to make the dough" excuse for take-out, then use anything you have on hand as a base--slices of bread, english muffins, bagels, tortillas, etc. There's no bailing out this week!

I plan to substitute the ground beef for black beans--it's cheaper, healthier, & quicker! Win/win!

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts w/ Rolls

2014-01-29T05:00:00.000-06:00

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts w/ Bacon & Golden Raisins

Here's another dish that you might have thought of as a "side" that I'm serving up as my main dish this week. I'll be serving rolls on the side for a little extra "something" (and because I'm a breadaholic).

This Real Simple recipe calls for raisins, and we are not huge raisins-lovers around here, so I might omit them (and just add a little of the cider vinegar). Raisins are a perfect example of an ingredient that you may not have in your pantry, and you might consider whether they're worth purchasing just for this recipe. I have some leftover dried berries from last week's lunch (salad w/ dried berries & goat cheese), so perhaps I'll toss some of those in instead. The point is: omissions or substitutions are fine as long as you're not losing a central concept of the recipe.

Creamy Ravioli & Pesto Gratin

2014-01-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

Creamy Ravioli & Pesto Gratin via Real Simple

Real Simple's recipes using frozen cheese ravioli as the foundation are some of my favorites. They're easy & inexpensive. I think I'll add some leftover snap peas to this mixture before browning the top. By the way, that's what a "gratin" (pronounced "GRAH-ten") is: something that's browned on the top, usually consisting of cheese & sometimes butter & breadcrumbs. (Yes, please.)

One-Pot Braised Chicken & Pear

2014-01-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

One-Pot Braised Chicken & Pear via Rachael Ray

Ok, I'm splurging for some chicken for this dish. If you've been keeping score, this would be the first dish with meat that I've made in two weeks. Let's say meat for each recipe costs around $6 and you ate it for four meals last week and this week--I've saved about $42! It adds up, people! Plus, I've eaten way more vegetables than I would have with a meat-centric meal every day.

While this dish takes some time to cook, it's a one-pot meal, which is a major plus when it comes to clean-up!

Spinach Dip w/ Toasted Pita

2014-01-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

Spinach Dip via Rachael Ray

If you can make a side for dinner, why not an appetizer? This was one of those "make this, not that" recipes from a 2010 Rachael Ray magazine. Everyone loves a warm, creamy dip--perhaps this is the perfect dish for your "I hate spinach/artichokes" declaring family member.

I'm serving this with pita that I plan to cut into wedges & toast in a 350 degree oven. Other options could be to serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, fresh cut veggies, or slices of crusty bread.