Appetizers, Beverage, Breakfast, Healthy, Less than 5, Snacks, Sneaky Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Smoothie Freezer Bags

August 28, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Happy 500th Post! Time flies when you’re having fun 😉

Let me describe for you a typical American’s morning. We wake up to the alarm going off, maybe hit “snooze” once or twice or ten times. Realize what time it is, maybe freak out about everything we need to do today. Finally coerce ourselves out of bed (probably with the promise of coffee soon).

We stumble into the kitchen and autopilot the caffeine of choice (hot tea, cocoa, Moutain Dew, but probably coffee. So much coffee). Glance at the clock, think “oh crap I’m gonna be late!” run back to our room, look through closets and drawers trying to find something to wear that is appropriate / cute / in season / matches the weather / doesn’t smell like rotten garbage / still fits.

Finally clothed, we rush to the bathroom. We shave, shower, do our makeup, brush our hair, bonus points for time to blow dry or style it, brush our teeth (hopefully!). Now with negative two minutes to go until we need to leave, we rush out the door, maybe with second coffee in to-go mug in hand, and off to work we go… And don’t even get me started on the ridiculous circus that is a morning when there are children involved!

Where is the breakfast in all this rush?

You know your entire life your mom always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and of course she is right. A healthy breakfast helps you wake up, gets your metabolism revved to create and repair cells, pump blood and oxygen, filter out the bad stuff, and move your muscles all day.

It keeps you from getting hangry right around ten or eleven am and making a trip to the vending machine / coffee shop / donuts in the break room and gets you through until lunchtime. It keeps your neurons firing so you can think and be your best all day.

But you just don’t have the time!

I get it. I’ve been there a million times. Drive through bagels, donuts or muffins from heaven when someone has a birthday or there’s a meeting and its catered, a granola bar hidden in a desk drawer. Some days you gotta do what you gotta do.

But there is a better way.

Enter: The Smoothie Freezer Pack!

Oh yes, this thing is a busy persons’ dream. Just pull it out, dump in a blender with some milk or juice, push “go” and walk away for a few minutes. Pour it into a glass or travel mug and you have a real food, super healthy, breakfast of champions with almost no work! It just takes a few moments of prep and a bit of planning ahead. Don’t get scared now, I believe in you.

On a weekend or whenever you grocery shop, just stock up on 5 bananas, 2-5 other fruits you like, and some sort of green (spinach is a good starter, but you can also use kale, swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, etc). Then grab some plastic zip top baggies and a knife, and here we go!

Step 1: Cut up all your fruits. You will notice avocados, and that may worry you. But trust me, if you’ve never tried it, avocado is AMAZING in smoothies! And it is a super way to sneak in some healthy fats and a creamy texture that no one will even know is there! It will be our secret 😉

Step 2: In each baggie, add 2-3 types of fruits, one whole banana, and a big ol’ handful of greens. I used avocados, pears, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, spinach, and beet greens. Try different combinations until you find what you like the best.

Step 3: Zip up the baggies, and pop them in the freezer. That’s it! Now all you need to do when you want breakfast in a hurry is take out a bag, pour it into a blender. Then add about 1/2 – 1 cup of liquid of choice, I recommend milk, juice, green tea, or kefir, and blend until smooth.

These smoothie packs can also be a great after-workout refresher, or a snack / treat anytime you want a blast of healthy fruits and veggies. You can add some protein powder or a tablespoon of peanut butter for an extra protein punch. Now go forth and conquor your day!

What is your favorite smoothie mix? Do you have a super quick breakfast you love? Share here!

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Casseroles, Comfort food, Healthy, Main Dishes, Sneaky Healthy

Sweet Potato Lentil Meatloaf

August 21, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 1 Comment

Everyone knows the iconic meatloaf, a loaf of meat. You may have fond memories of your mother serving it as a child, you may have a secret family recipe, you may have only seen it on TV, or you may be a whiz at making vegetarian versions for faux-meat-loaf. Heck, maybe you don’t actually know what meatloaf is. Whatever the case, I will bet you you can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes!

When dating/living with/married to die-hard meat lovers and trying to stuff more vegetables into a resistant person’s diet, you need some tricks up your sleeve. This recipe is great because it combines two of my favorite strategies: shred the veggies so you barely know it’s there, and add lentils to meat to bulk it up without affecting taste too much. If you want a vegetarian version of this dish, easy peasy just leave the ground turkey out and double down on lentils, or try half lentils and half black beans.

This recipe creates a moist, tender, tasty loaf which is packed with all kinds of healthy goodies. The sweet potato gives it vitamin A, beta carotene, fiber, vitamin C, and other nutrients. The lentils give you tons of healthy fiber, protein, folate, iron, and other nutrients. If you add the meat, it keeps the carnivores happy too, and has a texture not much different from meat alone.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey (or pork, beef, chicken)
1 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 egg
1 med-large sweet potato, shredded
Spices to taste (suggest garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning)

For the Sauce:

1 small can tomato sauce
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp ketchup

If you are staying away from processed things (good for you!) and or feel ambitious and want to make your own ketchup (see here) or hot sauce (right here) then go for it! You can use other sauces if you don’t like ketchup such as BBQ sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, or Thai chili sauce. Or you can go sauce-less & have your meatloaf naked!

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine lentils, meat, oats, eggs, and any spices you are using. Optional additions here: diced onion, garlic, or bell peppers.

Step 2: Shred your sweet potato , and add that to the mix.

Step 3: Spray a bread pan with cooking oil, and spread the mixture into the pan, smoothing down the top.

Step 4: In a small bowl or just on top of the loaf, mix the sauce ingredients together and spread evenly over top.

Step 5: Bake in a 350 oven for about 75 minutes.

And that’s all there is to it! Slice it up and serve it up. I made some cheesy potatoes and fresh corn on the cob and it was a delightful summertime meal.

Of course, with meatloaf leftovers the best thing to do it make meatloaf sandwiches! Add some shredded cheese, maybe some extra sauce, and it has a whole new life. Mmmm-mmm!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:56]

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Appetizers, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian

Caprese Salad

August 14, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Isn’t it amazing how the simplest of things can tend to be the most delicious? Sometimes we get wrapped up in crazy new flavors, seasonings, toppings, ingredients list as long as your arm. But it truly is quality that makes all the difference. When produce is seasonal, fresh, local, and picked in its prime, there is nothing better. And nothing says “summer” quite like a fresh Caprese salad. Soft, creamy mozzarella cheese, tangy fresh basil, and plump juicy heirloom tomatoes fresh from the vine. OPA!

High-quality cheese is a delight, while 99 cent slices of pasteurized processed cheese like product is hardly worth wasting the calories and preserving your insides. And you can taste the difference between a true fresh pressed, high quality olive oil and a knock off lower quality oil or mixture. It should taste grassy and strong on its own, maybe tickle the back of your throat a little. That is the anti oxidants working. It is worth investing in some! A little bit goes a long way.

Ingredients:

1 large fresh tomato
1 large ball fresh mozarella cheese
Big handful fresh basil leaves
Drizzle of olive oil
Optional: Sea salt to taste

Step 1: Slice the tomato and mozzarella into slices, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick. Layer them alternating on a plate with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle olive oil over it all, and sprinkle on some sea salt. That’s it.

You can also make this salad on skewers to serve as an appetizer or snack, or use the tiny mozzarella balls and grape tomatoes for an adorable itty bitty version! These flavors also lend themselves very well to bruschetta or pasta dishes.

What is your favorite summer dish? Do you have other recipes with the Caprese flavors you’d like to share? Comment below!

Casseroles, Healthy, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetarian

Creamy Peas and Panchetta Pasta

August 7, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Nothing is quite so satisfying and delicious as enjoying a brief crop of produce in its prime. Spring peas are a great example. They burst into bloom in the early spring, swell to full pods, and then quickly disappear, leaving round seeds to dry and protect until next year.

The beauty of frozen produce is that you can lock in all the enzymes and living nutrients of a fresh item and keep it for use many days or weeks or even months later. Flash frozen vegetables can be the next best thing to right-from-the-dirt produce, and maybe even better because it is washed and minimally processed. This way, you can enjoy this fresh taste of spring any time of the year!

The cream sauce is made with a minimal amount of fat. I used some half and half and some regular 2% milk. Add fresh grated Parmesan cheese and if you desire a tbsp or so of flour for a thick, creamy, salty sauce that tastes like velvet and will satisfy any Alfredo lover. You can use other types of cheeses too, don’t be shy about trying mozzarella or reggiano, asiago or feta.

Ingredients:

1/2 – 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup torn greens of choice (kale, swiss chard, collards, spinach)
2 slices thick cut bacon (optional, you can omit for a vegetarian recipe or use turkey bacon instead)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup milk
1/4 – 1/2 cup grated hard cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 pound cooked fresh pasta, drained

Step 1: Boil and drain your pasta. In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain all but about 2 tsp of fat*, and crumble the bacon. Cook the peas and greens in the bacon fat for 5-10 minutes, until softened.

Step 2: To the pan, add the milks and bring to a slow simmer. Add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until thickened, add flour 1/2 tbsp at a time if desired. Pour it over the hot drained pasta and top with a sprinkle of fresh grated cheese!

*If you want a vegetarian dish, omit the bacon and use vegetable of coconut oil instead!

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Budget Epicurean

Monthly Archives: August 2016

Smoothie Freezer Bags

Sweet Potato Lentil Meatloaf

Caprese Salad

Creamy Peas and Panchetta Pasta

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