Mediterranean Pitas

Vegetarian-friendly and easily packed into a ziplog sandwich bag, these mediterranean pitas are perfect to bring anywhere and to anyone!

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium size carrot
• 1/4 of a large cucumber
• 1/4 cup of kalamata olives
• 1.4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• mini pitas, cut in half

Instructions:

1. Shred carrot. Peel and cut cucumber into matchsticks. Chop olives.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine carrots, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Toast mini pitas, and stuff with mixture.

Costs:

• 1 medium size carrot-$0.16
• 1/4 of a large cucumber-($0.34 for an entire cucumber)-$0.09
• 1/8-1/4 cup of kalamata olives ~($4.00 for a jar)- $80
• 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled-($2.38 for a cup) -$0.60
• 1 lemon-$0.16
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 pitas halves -($1.98 for 6 halves)-$0.67

Approximate Cost: $2.48 for one serving

xoxo,

Amy

7 Layer Dip

I was at a Mexican restaurant the other day, and I came to the conclusion that most of the dishes consist of the same ingredients. Fajitas= tortilla, meat, veggies, & cheese. Nachos= tortilla, meat, veggies, & cheese. Tacos= tortilla, meat, veggies, & cheese. The list goes on. Well this 6 or 7 or 8 layer dip (depending on how many layers you want) consist basically of you guessed it.... tortilla, meat, veggies, & cheese. :D

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag of shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced
• a bag of finely shredded cheese( the mexican mixture which is cheddar & monterey jack)
• 1 can of refried beans
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped

Instructions:

1. On medium high heat pour some oil into a large skillet. Add the chopped onions. Let it cook for a minute or two, and then add the ground beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper ( I added a hint of soy sauce, but you can season the beef however.) Cook well for about 4-5 minutes.
2. In a large container, for the first layer spread the refried beans at the bottom of the container. Add the cheese for the second layer. Once the beef has cooled, you may add the beef and onions for the third layer. Spread the sour cream very slowly for the fourth layer, or it'll get clumpy on your spatula. Fifth layer, lettuce. Sixth layer tomatoes. Seventh layer green onions. 
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Costs:

• 1/2 bag of shredded iceberg lettuce-$1.15
• 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef-$2
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced-$0.60
• a bag of finely shredded cheese( the mexican mixture which is cheddar & monterey jack)-$2.28
• 1 can of refried beans-$0.80
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onions-$0.20
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped-$0.25

Approximate Cost: $8-9 for a serving of 5

xoxo,

Amy

Soy-Glazed Baked Carrots

Carrot lover or not, you're going to love these! Drizzled with soy sauce and olive oil, these carrots are the perfect side dish, or even a light, scrumptious, afternoon snack. I really enjoyed eating these carrots because you get a combination of sweet and salty; a taste of sweetness from the natural flavor of the carrots and a nice salty kick from the soysauce. Inspiration from one of my great friends, Amy Abell. :)


Ingredients:

• Bag of carrots ( about 6-7 carrots
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 400F. Spray baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Peel carrots with a vegetable peeler. Slice carrots in half hotdog style. Laying one of the halves on the cutting board, flat side down, slice the carrot diagonally. You'll get longer strips of carrots this way. 
3. Throw on to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss so that the carrots are covered evenly. 
4. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. 

Costs:

• Bag of carrots ( about 6-7 carrots) - $ $1.12
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Soy sauce

Approximate cost- $1.12 for a serving of 2-3

xoxo,

Amy

Black Bean & Corn Spanish Salad

I always see my roommate Jessica eating this corn and black bean mixture. I sneaked a bite, thought it was delicious, and asked her for the recipe. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see Oscar in the background! :)


Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. of lime or lemon juice (I've used both, there's a mild difference) 
• 5 tbsp. of oil ( I use olive)
• 2 tbsp. vinegar (cider or red wine)
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 3 roma tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper ( or green, green is less $$)
• 2 tsp. of garlic
• 30 oz of black beans ( 2 small cans, or 1 large can)
• 1 can of corn 
• pepper
• 3/4 tsp. cumin (optional)

Instructions:

1. Drain black beans & rinse. Drain corn. Mince cilantro. Chop onion. Chop bell pepper. Chop tomatoes, and make sure you deseed the tomatoes or the salad will become soggy. Mince Garlic. Combine all in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine salt, lime or lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and optional cumin.
3. Pour the mixture over the vegetables.
4. Stir and chill.

Costs:

• 1 tbsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. of lime or lemon juice (I've used both, there's a mild difference) - $0.40
• 5 tbsp. of oil ( I use olive)
• 2 tbsp. vinegar (cider or red wine)
• 1 cup cilantro- $0.29
• 1/2 cup red onion- $0.60
• 3 roma tomatoes- $0.65
• 1 red bell pepper ( or green, green is less $$)- $1.68
• 2 tsp. of garlic
• 30 oz of black beans ( 2 small cans, or 1 large can) $1.25
• 1 can of corn $ 0.81
• pepper
• 3/4 tsp. cumin (optional)

Approximate Cost: $5.68 for a serving of 4 

( a lot of the ingredients involve kitchen basics such as salt, vinegar, and oil that I did not include in the calculations.)

xoxo,

Amy

Weekend Breakfast!

Ricotta cheese, asparagus, bacon, and poached eggs on thick-sliced toasted country bread is a perfect treat for your weekend guests! This well-balanced breakfast took me approximately half an hour to whip up, but only half the time the second time around.


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of fat free ricotta cheese
• 2 slices of toasted thick-cut country bread
• salt and pepper
• 8 pieces of asparagus
• 2 slices of bacon, crumbled
• 2 eggs

Instructions:

1. Bread: Preheat oven to 400F. Thaw loaf of bread in room temperature for about 15 minutes, and then bake for about 10-15 minutes.
2. Bacon: In a large skillet on medium heat, place pieces of bacon on the cool skillet. Cook until desire crispiness.
3. Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Cut the white ends off the asparagus. Place asparagus in a steamer over the pot, and steam for about 2-3 minutes until soft, yet slightly crunchy.
4. Once the bread is baked, cut the loaf into thick slices. Spread the ricotta cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the steamed asparagus spears. (Now you're prepared to poach the egg!)
5. Poached Egg: Bring a pot that 2/3rds full of water to a boil. Splash the water with some white vinegar (not necessary, but helps.) Crack an egg into a soup ladle. With a spoon, swirl the boiling water, and carefully drop the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Wait 2-3 minutes to cook. 
6. Top the toast with the poached egg. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and bacon bits.

Costs:

• 1/4 cup of fat free ricotta cheese($1.78 for a tub)- $0.22
• 2 slices of toasted thick-cut country bread (a loaf or 10 slices cost $2.98) ~ $0.60
• salt and pepper
• 8 pieces of asparagus( $1.98 for a bunch of about 40) ~ $0.40
• 2 slices of bacon, crumbled( $2.99 for 25 slices) -$0.24
• 2 eggs- $0.20

Approximate Cost: $1.66 for a serving of 2




xoxo,
Amy

Smoked Salmon Crisps

If you're looking for something affordable, extremely easy to prepare, and satisfying, then this recipe is for you! Smoked salmon crisps are the perfect snack and an easy appetizer, especially when you're having a few guests over. I really like this snack, because you contrasting textures in one bite: the crunch from the chip and the tenderness from the smoked salmon.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sour cream
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper
• a bag of thick potato chips or kettle cooked chips
• 4 oz. smoked salmon.

Instructions:

1. The smoked salmon usually comes ready to serve and pre-sliced (or you can slice it yourself.) 
2. Mix sour cream, dill, salt, and pepper. Put as much as your heart desires onto a large chip and top with a small slices of salmon.

 Costs:

• 1 cup of sour cream- $0.61
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill-($2.47 for about 10 stems, you need 2) $.50
• salt and pepper
• a bag of thick potato chips or kettle cooked chips-$2.29
• 4 oz. smoked salmon- $4.97

Approximate Cost: $8 for a serving of 3-4



xoxo,
Amy