Holiday Entertaining or Quick Weekday Meals

Planning on hosting quests this holiday season?  Quiche is a great idea for a Sunday brunch or breakfast for company.  It’s quick and easy to make, and is even better the next day.  Because it takes about an hour to cook, I make mine on a Sunday and keep for quick weekday dinners and lunches.  I also like to make three or four at one time, cook one and freeze the rest for another day.

Add ingredients like spinach, mushrooms and artichoke hearts and pair it with a green salad and fruit for a super healthy, super cheap meal.  At our house, I will make two or three “starters” and let the kids add their favorite toppings to each one.

Start with a starter, then add any ingredients you like.  This is an excellent way to use up leftover veggies like broccoli, potatoes, spinach, mushrooms........

Here is the recipe for a basic starter:  (just $ .10 per serving!)

Ingredients

4 large eggs, beaten

1 cup low fat milk

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

1 deep dish pie crust- cooked about 10-15 minutes

Directions

1  Combine eggs, milk, and salt and pepper in bowl

2  Place desired toppings in pie shell

3  Pour egg mixture over toppings

4  Place in 375 degree oven for 55-60 minutes

5  Quiche is done when it begins to brown slightly on top, and is set in the middle

This spinach and cheese quiche was just $ .69 a serving!!!

Quiche will last three to four days covered tightly in the refrigerator.  

Nutrition Information for starter recipe per serving:  287 calories, 13 grams of protein, 18 grams of fat, 470 mg sodium, 0 fiber

You can add veggies for more fiber, and make it crustless if you want to reduce the fat!

Eat Well                                          www.sickofspaghetti.com                              Spend Less

Hummus!

Hummus- from Sick of Spaghetti : Eat Delicious and Healthy for Dollars a Day

Serves 8

$ .46 per serving


Ingredients

1 3/4 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas), or 1 (15.5 ounce) can of garbanzo beans, drained and liquid reserved
3 tbsp olive oil
dash salt
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves-minced
1/2 tsp cumin


Directions

Mix all ingredient in blender or food processor.  Add in enough liquid from can, or water to achieve desired consistency.  Chill 30 minutes before serving

Serve with assorted raw veggies for a super healthy, yummy snack!!!



Per Serving:  195 calories, 5 grams protein, 9 grams (good) fat, 352 mg sodium, 5 grams fiber

Eat Well    www.sickofspaghetti.com  Spend Less

Pizza Night!!

Friday night is pizza night in our house, and we look forward to this all week. 

It's hard to imagine a down-side to having a fresh, hot pizza delivered right to your door, but if you're tight on cash, or trying to fit into that bikini by summer, delivery pizza is not your friend.


Making your own pizza is a great alternative, and not as hard as you think.  If you have the time, consider making your own crust.  This recipe for whole wheat pizza crust makes a thin crust that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.  Top it with your favorite toppings and you have a healthy dinner, super cheap.  This dough recipe makes enough dough for two 16" pizzas.

The pizza dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen, then thawed in the refrigerator.  Take out of the refrigerator one hour before you're ready to cook.

One serving of this pizza is super healthy, super filling, and costs just $ .36!  (add artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomato - pictured - for just $ .65 a slice).  You can't get that from take-out!

And- if you just don't feel up to making your own dough, some grocery stores carry home-made pizza dough in their deli. 

Serve with a side salad for a complete meal.

Whole Wheat Pizza

makes 2- 16 inch pizzas

Ingredients 

Crust


1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tbsp active dry yeast ( I like Fleischmann's pizza crust yeast)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
seasonings to taste (I like to add garlic powder, and some basil and oregano right into the crust)

Toppings
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp garlic powder
4 cups shredded mozerella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese


Directions

1.  In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in water, and add yeast.  Let stand until bubbly (about 10 minutes)
2.  Stir in the olive oil and salt, then mix in all but 1/2 cup of the flours.  Mix until sticky dough forms.
3.  Turn out dough onto surface covered with remaining flour, and kneed in remaining flour, until dough is smooth, and does not break apart (about 10 minutes)
4.  Place dough in a bowl coated with olive oil, cover with a damp towel, and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size
5.  Punch down dough, and divide into two balls.  Place each ball into separate bowls, cover and let rise for about 45 minutes
6.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Roll out dough with a rolling pin to desired size, and transfer to pan.  Press dough with finger tips into edges.
7.  Brush dough with 1 tbsp olive oil all the way to edges.
8.  Combine tomato sauce with next three ingredients, and spread onto pizza crusts
9.  Sprinkle cheeses evenly over tomato sauce
10. Cook in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes
Enjoy!!!

Per serving:  202 calories, 12 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 373 mg sodium, 3 grams fiber

Eat Well   www.sickofspaghetti.com  Spend Less

Perfect Spring Salad- under $.50!

This is my favorite spring and summer salad! It's a simple, clean eating, healthy recipe that is so easy, and so cheap!  

It is rich in heart healthy fat, high in fiber, and protein too!

This recipe can be served as a meatless main dish, or as a side.  

Cost per serving:  $.44 for side dish
$.88 for meal

Per serving:  
For 1 cup main dish:  282 calories, 10 grams fat, 11 grams protein, 518 mg sodium*, 11 grams fiber
For 1/2 cup side:  141 calories, 5 grams fat, 6 grams protein, 259 mg sodium, 6 grams fiber

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans- drained and rinsed             
1 can no added salt corn- drained and rinsed
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes- chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro- chopped
2 garlic cloves- chopped

Directions:

Combine oil, vinegar, cilantro, and garlic in a medium bowl, and mix well.  Stir in beans, corn, and tomatoes, and toss.  Chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

*  to save even more money, or to cut back on the sodium, you can start with dry black beans, soak, cook, and use in the salad, then add salt to taste.

Eat Well   www.sickofspaghetti.com  Spend Less

Best Diet Meal Under a Buck!

 

Eggs and tomatoes- my favorite breakfast!  I learned this from my mother in law. I always knew when she was dieting when she had eggs and tomatoes on her breakfast plate. At just 250 calories, and loaded with good brain-stimulating protein, cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats, this is a breakfast of champions.  The added bonus - its good for your waistline.  Having eggs for breakfast has been shown to help dieters feel satisfied all day, eat less, and lose more weight than if they had the same number of calories from a carb-laden bagel.

And this week- eggs are on sale at kroger- just $ 1 for a dozen!  That makes this breakfast less than $1 a serving!  Upgrade to organic, free-range eggs for just a bit more- at just $ 1.25 a serving!

         Eat Well       www.sickofspaghetti.com    Spend Less

BIG Decisions

In an effort to make a dent in the childhood obesity crisis, City Council member of New York, Leroy Comrie, Jr. wants the city to ban the inclusion of toys in kids' meals at fast food restaurants, if the meals do not meet certain nutritional standards.  Specifically, Comrie calls for the meals to be less than 500 calories, 600 mg sodium, and less than 35% of the calories coming from fat.  In addition, the meal would have to include one serving of fruit or vegetable, OR one serving of whole grains.

Sounds like a great idea.  Marketing research has shown that special packaging and incentives like toys drive consumers to make purchases.  And moms know, Happy Meal toys make great bargaining chips. 

Mr. Comrie's  bill is to be presented today.  But is all the beurocratic hoopla really worth it? Will this bill really make a difference in the feeding behavior and choices of American parents? 

Some research has shown that displaying nutrition facts on restaurant menus causes consumers to make healthier choices.  However, this seems to occur less often in the fast food chains, than in sit-down restaurants.  Fast food goers typically go into the restaurant knowing which menu items they will purchase before they even enter the store.

Interesting research from the Journal of Consumer Research revealed that when restaurants provided diners with healthy food options, consumers were more likely to choose the least healthy options.  The researchers stated, "...the addition of healthy alternatives to food choice sets can, ironically, increase the consumption of very indulgent food items."

These researchers found that the mere presence of a healthy item on the menu vicariously fulfilled their healthy eating goals, giving them permission to indulge.  The effect was most pronounced on those participants found to have the most "self-control". 

Research aside, we are talking about young children here.  And ultimately, the parents are the ones making the decisions.  Moms are not going to McDonald's for the nutrition. Happy Meals are used for convenience,  rewards, and  bribery- and the toy is the ultimate goal. 

Under Comrie's plan, a Happy Meal at McDonald's that includes Chicken McNuggets, apple slices with caramel dipping sauce, and apple juice meets the standards set for in his proposal, while a cheeseburger, french fries and chocolate milk top the charts at 700 calories, and over 1,000 mg of sodium.   With Comrie's bill, parents have a little help nudging their children towards the healthier options. 

Here is a question to consider.  How will children's choices affect those of their parents? Ultimately, we all have to make the decisions for ourselves, and as parents, help our children to make wise food decisions.  Fast food, donut shops, and other temptaions will always exist.  It is our responsibility to teach our children the pleasures of eating for good health, and expose them to the good food that will nourish their bodies and their souls. 

My final opinion on the subject?  If you find yourself pulling into the drive of one of these restaurants, make the best choice and drive away!

Great Deals!

Attention Kroger Shoppers... check out these deals I found at the Hwy 100 Kroger in Nashville, TN.

Harvestland Chicken is a brand offered at Kroger stores that boasts USDA verification of its farming practices.  This verification assures that chickens from Harvestland are raised cage-free and humanely,  never given any antibiotics, steroids or hormones*, and are fed an all natural, vegetarian diet (no animal byproducts or fillers).

This is a great alternative to conventional chicken, and at just $ 1.39 per portion, a good budget buy!

For great recipes using Harvestland Chicken Thighs, log onto http://www.sickofspaghetti.com


* Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones and steroids on all poultry in the US, antibiotic use is up to the poultry producer


Organic Gala Apples on sale, a 3 pound bag for $ 3.  Stock up on these!  I got 10 in my bag- making them just $ .30 each!  Have one of these with an ounce of cheese for a super- healthy an satisfying snack for just $ .57 !!!


An apple a day........

In addition to the thousands of  good nutrients identified in apples, apples contain a compound called quercetin.  Quercetin is a very powerful anti-oxidant, that has anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties.  Researchers believe that  quercetin may even prevent prostate cancer.

Healthy Recipe Make-Over..........


Have a recipe that needs a make-over?  Submit it to the Sick of Spaghetti Healthy Recipe Make-Over

Winners may have their recipe featured in future Sick of Spaghetti programs

log onto http://www.sickofspaghetti.com for more details

On Sale Now!

 

Finding it hard to maintain a healthy diet with today's rising food prices? Sick of Spaghetti, Eat Delicious and Healthy for Dollars a Day is just what you need.  Eat Delicious and Healthy for Dollars a Day is the first book of the Sick of Spaghetti series, written by Trish Gomez, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer who knows first hand the challenges a shrinking budget can have on taking care of a family.  Let Trish show you just how easy it can be to create healthy, great tasting meals for just dollars a day.

This book was written with all the love and intent to make a better life for you and the ones you love.  It has taken many years of hard work, sacrifice and diligence to make this information available to you.  Please act with integrity and keep the giving spirit alive by legally purchasing and not sharing or illegally downloading copies.