Category Archives: Less than 5

These recipes take less than 5 ingredients, less than $5, and/or less than 5 minutes

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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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!

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

Stuffed Squash Flowers

July 31, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

If there’s one thing every gardener knows, it’s to always over-plant zucchini plants. Just kidding. Every gardener reading this just did a facepalm I bet.

Zucchini is notorious for going from a few fan-like leaves to a gigantic jungle of non-stop baseball-bat sized squash within days. The things just can’t stop won’t stop. And every summer, we still seem surprised when we end up with so many of the dang things, we can’t even give them away anymore.

(That won’t stop me from planting it and loving it every year!)

Once you have exhausted all the stir-fried zucchini, zucchini bread, and Zoodles (zucchini noodles), you may stop to wonder, where do these things keep coming from?!

The answer: flowers!

Flowers get pollinated and produce new zucchini. Flowers are also tender and delicious when stuffed and fried. Why not do yourself (and your neighbors) a favor, and eat some before they grow into a 10-pound giant you forgot under a leaf until it got too big and woody to eat?? Also they are just really, really good.

Ingredients:

6-12 zucchini or any squash flower
2-3 tbsp cottage cheese (any kind of cheese)
2-3 tbsp ground beef
1 egg, or 3-4 tbsp milk
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup oil (coconut preferably)

Step 1: Rinse the flowers and make sure there are no friends still inside. Not a joke, I picked some flowers and dropped one in shock when it buzzed. A bee flew right out!

Step 2: Gently peel the flowers open, and pick out the stamen. Stuff a tiny bit of beef and cheese inside. To keep these vegetarian, you could use any cooked vegetable or grain combo and forego the meats and cheese.

Step 3: Roll the stuffed flowers in the egg or milk, and then in the breadcrumbs. Completely coat it. Heat the oil just until it start to sizzle, then add the flowers. Fry for 1 minute and flip, fry the other side. Place onto a plate, and then try to let them cool enough to scarf them down!

You could stuff these little guys with any number of things, from rice to quinoa, to shredded carrots or feta. If you want it to be totally vegan, use plain water instead of egg to make the breadcrumbs stick. I made 8, and my husband only got ahold of one of them before I demolished the whole plate! You’re lucky I even got photos…

Have you ever tried stuffed flowers? What do you stuff them with? Let me know below!

Appetizers, Dessert, Dips and Sauces, Less than 5

Pink Fluff

July 17, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

With summer in full swing, there are picnics to attend, pool parties to have, and barbecues and potlucks to create a dish for. This is the time for quick and easy, no-bake, crowd pleasing recipes. It is hot enough outside, you don’t want to turn on the oven. And you only have an hour until you need to show up at someone’s door, dish in hand to share.

I’ve got you covered.

My family has a recipe that’s been around as long as I can remember. It is a part of every summer picnic, get-together, birthday party. Everyone who tries it for the first time loves it, and wants to know the secret. The secret of Pink Fluff.

What is Pink Fluff?

Well, it’s pink, and it’s fluffy. (And ridiculously high in sugar, so use good judgment with portion sizes 😉 ) All you need is 4 ingredients, canned, no need to even drain. Mix well, chill, and get ready for the compliments to roll in.

Ingredients:

1 can crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tub cool whip

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix all four ingredients, and refrigerate. Don’t worry about draining the pineapple, just pour it all in. The cherry pie filling is what gives Pink Fluff its lovely color, or you could boost it with a few drops of food coloring or fruit juice.

This stuff is addictive, it is tasty on its own right out of the bowl with a spoon, or it is also a great fruit dip. Mix in some bananas, chopped strawberries, fresh cherries, or grapes. Slice up some apples or oranges and use them to dip. Keep this recipe in your back pocket, and you will never be unprepared for a picnic again! Enjoy.

Beverage, Healthy, Less than 5, Vegan

Blueberry basil iced tea

July 10, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

July means blueberry season here in Connecticut, and boy am I happy about that! I am thrilled to have a farm share this year from Farmer Joe’s Gardens in Wallingford. Someday I’ll write a whole post about CSA’s and why they are amazing fantastic and wonderful. But for now, let me just brag on these blueberries!

I’m not knocking store bought or frozen blueberries, no matter what form they take blueberries are one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants and nutrients. But you haven’t truly tasted a blueberry until you have an organic, farm fresh, just picked berry. They are so sweet, yet tart, plump and juicy and delicious! I could nom a whole pint in one night if I’m not careful!

Our farm share also gave us a baby basil plant, which is awesome because I love basil in pesto! I already had a big ol’ basil bush of my own too, so this new plant will become my second harvest in a few weeks. I harvested a ton of basil in anticipation of said pesto, and then wondered what else I could use it for.

Well, with the weather being as hot as it has been, in the 90s on average across the country, nice iced beverages have been what keeps me going each day. While I am all in favor of massive volumes of water in general, sometimes you want something with a different flavor. You can of course simply crush some berries and add them right to water to add some flavor.

But iced tea is really what I crave on a midsummer day. So I thought, why not use this fresh pungent basil and plump blueberries together to make a refreshing summer beverage? The flavors seems strange, until you try them together. Then you realize the truth, they were made for each other.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup blueberries
Handful fresh basil leaves
2 cups fresh brewed tea

Step 1: In a cup, crush the blueberries and muddle the basil leaves to release the juices. Add the fresh brewed tea and let it sit and brew for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2: Strain into a glass filled with ice and enjoy!

You can definitely mix this up and use other berries such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries. Try other fresh herbs like mint, sage, or lavender. And if you want, you can make this an adults-only tea and add a shot of rum or iced tea schnapps!

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Casseroles, Comfort food, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes

One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Potato Bake

June 19, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 16 Comments

Do you love tasty food?

Do you love having fewer dishes?

Do you love meals that you can make in under 30 minutes?

You guys. You have to try this recipe. If you only try ONE recipe from this blog, make it this one. (Unless of course you are vegetarian or allergic to potatoes or whatever.)

This dish was inspired by one of my favorite blogs Don’t Waste the Crumbs, but upon Googling I found oodles of variations! You can use any vegetable your heart desires, change up the type of hot sauce, and add as much or as little of any type of cheese that you want. And the best part is that I nearly always have all the ingredients in the house already, so no extra trips to the store.

Combined with the fact that the ingredients are all pretty darn frugal, that makes this dish an instant hit with me. Using on-sale potatoes, frozen on sale mixed veggies, and even with all the fixings, a 9×13 pan costs me under $10. It is now on my “mental rotation of last-minute meal ideas” along with stir fry, chili, and tortilla soup.

The crispy roasted potatoes, the tasty shredded chicken, spice from the hot sauce with the cooling sour cream, added health boost from the carrots and veggies… mmmm now I want some!

As for the additional vegetables, I’d recommend things that you or your family like of course, and things that are quick cooking. Try spinach, peas, or thawed frozen veggies.

I used okra because I had some and I love the flavor, but go wild with mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli. The more veggies you sneak in and slather in hot sauce the better!

Ingredients:

6-7 medium potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cooked chicken breasts
2 cups vegetable of choice
1/4 – 1/2 cup hot sauce
Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 cup sour cream or Ranch
Optional: 1/2 – 1 cup shredded cheddar

Step 1: Dice the potatoes to about 1-inch cubes, and spread them in an oven-safe pan sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until soft inside and crispy outside.

While the potatoes bake, cook your chicken breasts by baking, broiling, boiling, or sauteing. Or you could start with already-cooked chicken to be ahead of the game.

Step 2: Shred the cooked chicken and spread it over the baked crispy potatoes. Add the shredded carrots and other veggies.

Step 3: Layer on the hot sauce and sour cream or Ranch, if using.

Step 4: Add the cheddar (or other cheese) if using. Bake at 350 for another 10-15 minutes.

Step 5: Try to stop yourself from devouring the whole ooey-gooey pan all at once.

You are welcome.

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Appetizers, Finances, Healthy, Informative, Less than 5, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Pickled Ginger

April 17, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 4 Comments

If you’re a sushi fan like me, you are familiar with the paper-thin, spicy yet sweet pickled ginger sushi usually comes with. If you want an authentic at-home sushi experience (you can even try making your own! It’s probably easier than you think), you could buy it in a jar. Or, for far less, you can make it yourself!

Ginger is a unique and strong flavor that is unmistakable and irreplaceable. Ginger is delicious in ale, beer, tea, stir fry… you get the picture. A few thin slices added to steamed veggies takes dinner from “meh” to “did you get this from a restaurant?”

A few slivers of ginger elevates a cup of plain green tea to something decadent and exotic. A few pieces of root or some ginger juice in soup adds layers of flavor and depth. And in good times and bad, ginger ale soothes and refreshes.

Not only does ginger taste delicious, it is also known to have hosts of health promoting effects on the body. From head to toe, ginger has seemingly magical properties to aid and ease all kinds of complaints.

From ancient times to modern homeopaths, midwives and housewives, ginger in fresh, powdered, or pill form is useful for many health purposes. Here are just a few:

The Benefits of Ginger

Anti-Nausea: Ginger is a known remedy for motion sickness, morning sickness, and any other sickness which makes you feel like you need a trash can, stat.
Cold & Flu Prevention: When you or a loved one starts to feel a little under the weather, some nice ginger tea may be just what the doctor ordered. Or at least, just the thing to keep you from needing to go to the doctor. This may also help with allergies!
Reduces Inflammation: Ginger is a known anti-inflammatory, and some studies show it may even be just as effective as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin & ibuprofen.
Strengthens Immunity: Ginger helps to stimulate your body’s immune system, to build up new cells and make you more able to resist microscopic invaders on a day to day basis. It also decreases bacterial infections in the stomach.
Prevents Cancer: Studies have shown that chemicals present in ginger help inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. It also induces cell death in ovarian cancer cells. Who knows what else this powerful plant can do!
Stimulates Appetite: If you haven’t been feeling hungry, try a piece of ginger 10-30 minutes before a meal. Ginger can help stimulate appetite and get your digestive juices flowing.
Assists Digestion/Absorption: Ginger has many healing properties all along the digestive tract, from stimulating digestive juices in the mouth, to the stomach, to the intestines. Ginger with a meal or in tea helps you get the most out of the nutrients in the foods.

The best news of all is that it is super easy to make your own pickled ginger and have it around all the time! Ginger keeps well in the refrigerator for a week or more, and even longer in the freezer. But if you pickle the ginger, you can store it for months in the fridge.

All you need is a nice big chunk of ginger root, some vinegar (rice vinegar is best, but honestly you can use just about any kind), and sugar. A tiny dash of salt helps too.

This recipe makes about one pint jar worth, feel free to multiply it for larger batches, or halve it for just a single meal’s worth.

Ingredients:

1 large fresh ginger root (about 8 oz)
1 cup vinegar (rice wine or apple cider are best)
1/2 – 3/4 cups white sugar
1 – 2 tsp sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 cup water to fill jar

Step 1: Peel the ginger using a sharp knife, butter knife, or a table spoon. (Honest, it works!) Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the ginger as thinly as possible.

My mandoline, even on the thinnest setting, still sliced these super thick, so I won’t be eating these slices alone. Most likely they will get diced into stir fry or a strip or two tossed into a cup of tea.

Step 2: Pour the vinegar, sugar, salt, and water into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Place the slices into a glass container (such as a canning jar, or clean pasta jar) and pour the hot liquid over, using a funnel if needed. Cap it tight, and let cool overnight.

And that’s all there is to it! Put the jar in the refrigerator, and let it sit for at least 2 hours, but the longer it sits the more pickled it will become. It also may turn pink over time, due to the enzymes in the ginger, this is nothing to be concerned about. Use more or less sugar and salt to your tastes, or experiment with the types of vinegar.

Let me know in what recipes you use your ginger!

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Breakfast, Comfort food, Healthy, Less than 5, Vegetarian

Peach Oatmeal with Kefir

March 20, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Some of you reading this may be thinking “what in the heck is kefir“?, and, “How do you pronounce that?”, or maybe, “Oatmeal is awful boring goop.”

Well, I have heard it pronounced both “kef-eer” and “keef-er” and I don’t have a strong opinion on which is correct. If anyone knows for sure feel free to comment below. But call it whatever you want, what it is a superfood that has many proven health benefits of kefir supported by research. It is essentially fermented milk.

Now, before you go all “ewww, fermented stuff is gross!” hear me out. This is a drink which has been around for many many years, used by different herding cultures and passed down through the ages. Many peoples mostly lived on milk from their herds as they were nomadic, and they would store milk in leather pouches for days at a time. This would gradually ferment into a sour, thicker, yogurt-like liquid that they could store even longer. These people were known for their health and vigor. “Elie Metchnikoff, a Nobel-prize winning biologist at the Pasteur Institute, first suggested that lactobacilli might counteract the putrefactive effects of gastrointestinal metabolism in 1908. ” (source)

The fermented milk would contain chunks of symbiotic cultures of various lactobacilli (a type of bacteria), yeasts, and other microorganisms which are useful for healthy digestion. For those with a scientific curiosity: “Microorganisms present in the grains include lactic acid bacteria, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lb delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lb helveticus, Lb casei subsp. pseudoplantarum and Lb brevis, a variety of yeasts, such as Kluyveromyces, Torulopsis, and Saccharomyces, acetic acid bacteria among others. ” (source)

Kefir has antibiotic and antifungal properties. It’s been used in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis, and allergies, tuberculosis, cancer, poor digestion, candidiasis, osteoporosis, hypertension, HIV and heart disease. It may also help restore a better balance to the gut flora, alleviating conditions such as diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating. Many lactos-intolerant people also find they are able to drink kefir without difficulty, as the fermentation breaks down much of the problematic sugars in the milk. If you’re interested, feel free to read about the differences between kefir and yogurt .

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Among these small health benefits are: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, B2 and B12, vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin D, and many amino acids. In particular, tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves due to this and other salts important for a healthy nervous system.

So now that I’ve hopefully convinced you to give kefir a chance, how do you get it into your diet? Well, of course one option is to just eat/ drink it as if it were yogurt, as a snack or part of a meal. You can also use it like milk and pour over cereals for breakfast. You can whip it up into a smoothie just as you would with water or milk. Or you can try this delicious recipe to make Kefir Oatmeal!

Ingredients:

1/2 can of peaches (in juice or water, not syrup, or home canned)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oats
2 tbsp – 1/4 cup kefir
Optional: Sprinkle of cinnamon

Step 1: Pour the oats and water into a bowl with the peaches, and microwave on high about 3 minutes. You can also cook this in a slow cooker on low overnight, or simmer on the stove top for 5-7 minutes. Feel free to use any type of fruit you have and like here, frozen berries work well, as do bananas, pears, cherries, or apples.

Step 2: Sprinkle on some cinnamon if using, stir well. Let the oatmeal sit and soak for a few minutes. When it is cooled enough that you can put your finger in it and not get burned, add the kefir and mix it in. (You don’t want to boil alive all the healthy micro organisms we just talked about!)

You can also make this at night, and let it sit at room temperature, covered, overnight for some extra fermentation. You will get great digestive benefits from both the whole grain oats and fiber as well as the beneficial bacteria. Add more or less kefir to your own tastes based on how sour you like it. If you absolutely must, you can add in some maple syrup or honey, but I like it just plain as is. Enjoy!

Beverage, Breakfast, Healthy, Informative, Less than 5

Green Tea Matcha Latte

March 15, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 1 Comment

Now, I know matcha powder has been around in culinary circles for a long time, being used in everything from baked goods to ice cream to beverages. And it has been around long before that in Japan as a highly antioxidant-rich drink of choice. Matcha goes back many centuries in China and Japan, where it was first made as dehydrated and crushed bricks of tea leaves for storage and travel. Zen Bhuddists drank this tea in a ceremony prior to afternoon meditations, and found it enabled them greater clarity and sustained energy unlike anything before.

Powdered tea was made in very small batches, such that the expense meant only royalty could enjoy it. However, a new harvesting method soon enabled more efficient processing, and as the price became more affordable matcha became available to the public. By the 16th century, all levels of people took part it drinking tea and tea ceremonies to some extent. To learn more about how to make the perfect cup of matcha green tea, and for a brand review and comparison, check out this site.

Many claim matcha is a great replacement for coffee because it is so high in antioxidants, yet still packs quite a punch, as one teaspoon of matcha contains 70 mg of caffeine (approximately the equivalent of a half a cup of coffee, which typically contains about 160 mg). If you make or order a “koika” or “thick tea” this is made with twice the amount of matcha powder, and thus twice the caffeine content. A high quality matcha powder will be bright green, and smell earthy and complex. This is a fun drink to serve up for St. Patrick’s Day, or the day after when caffeine is maybe needed…

This recipe is a very simple one, which you could easily make at home, bleary eyed first thing in the morning. Which is great, because that is when I made it! I chose to use vanilla flavored milk, you could also use a vanilla bean or vanilla flavoring, or try something else like mint leaves or peppermint extract. Or you can leave your latte plain and savor the complex flavors of the matcha. I also used one medjool date as my sweetener, try agave nectar or pure maple syrup for something different.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon quality matcha powder
1 medjool date, pitted
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup almond or soy milk
Optional: use flavored milk, or add the seeds from one vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring

Step 1: Put the water in a small sauce pan with the cut up, pitted date and bring to a boil. This just softens the date in order to make it blend more easily. Pour the hot water into the blender and blend on high for 30-45 seconds.

Step 2: Add the milk to the sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Add the teaspoon of matcha to the blender.

Step 3: Add the hot milk, and blend together for 30-60 seconds to make it nice and frothy. You can of course whisk it instead, purists use a bamboo whisk, but I am far too lazy for that. 😉

Step 4: Pour into a mug, and enjoy! The blender makes a light, bubbly layer on top, and enables the incorporation of the date. It would be much harder to crush it up yourself, so if you are using a whisk you should probably use a different, liquid sweetener. This is best enjoyed immediately, still steaming from the stove.

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Beverage, Comfort food, Dessert, Holidays, Less than 5

Homemade Shamrock Shake

February 21, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Can you believe that St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner already! This year it is on March 17th. And one of my favorite things about this time of year, though I avoid the place like the plague at all other times, is McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.

Yes, I know they are horrible for you, and probably don’t even contain dairy but “sugar infused plastic“, but damn are they delicious. And it only happens once a year…

But, the facts remain that they are terrible for your health, so in an effort to swear them off I attempted my own homemade version. The recipe I used is similar to this one from SparkPeople. Now I don’t have to wait all year, or hope that the ice cream machine isn’t broken, I can have a Shamrock Shake anytime!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen Greek plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
Couple drops food coloring
Couple drops peppermint flavoring
2 tbsp honey or sugar

Step 1: In a blender, combine all ingredients.

Step 2: Blend well until smooth. Add as much green as you want.

Step 3: Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Budget Epicurean

Category Archives: Less than 5

Smoothie Freezer Bags

Caprese Salad

Stuffed Squash Flowers

Pink Fluff

Blueberry basil iced tea

One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Potato Bake

Homemade Pickled Ginger

The Benefits of Ginger

Peach Oatmeal with Kefir

Green Tea Matcha Latte

Homemade Shamrock Shake

The fusion of food, fun, frugality, and curiosity.