ONION ROSEMARY BISCUITS

These biscuits pair nicely with main dish soups or salads.  We were told not to use margarines with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats for health reasons.  We use Smart Balance and Earth Balance spreads, but butter works for this recipe as well.  Budget-friendly tip:  Rosemary (below) is another perennial herb that is easy to grow.
 

1 teaspoon canola oil

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

4 teaspoons minced fresh or 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary

1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar

2  cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold Smart balance or Earth Balance spread or 1/4 cup cold butter

1 cup lowfat buttermilk or nonfat sour milk

Heat oil in a small skillet.  Saute onion until tender. Add rosemary and saute one minute more.  Remove from heat and stir in honey or agave.  In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Cut in spread or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in onion mixture.  Stir in milk just until combined.  Add a bit more flour if dough is too sticky.  Turn onto floured surface and knead a few times.  Pat or roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter.  Place 2 inches apart on lightly oiled baking sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees for 9-11 minutes.  Makes 12-14 biscuits.

SUCCOTASH SALAD

I like to serve this colorful salad with some type of whole grain bread for lunch.  Lima beans are a good source of protein.  Budget- friendly tip:   Roast your own red bell peppers:  I do this in my toaster oven by cutting peppers into flat pieces and broiling until they start to blacken.  Put them in a covered bowl for a few minutes.  Pull off and discard the loose skin, then dice or cut into strips.  You can freeze some for later use.

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 1/2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels; or frozen corn, thawed

1/3 cup diced  roasted red bell pepper

2-3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoons crushed red pepper

 salt, to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet and saute lima beans and corn until tender.  Let cool for 20 minutes.  Place in a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and chill.  Makes 6 side dish or 3-4 main dish servings.

SUCCULENT WHITE BEANS

As a result of changing to healthier eating habits, we have learned to enjoy beans cooked in a variety of ways. This is one of our favorites.  Whole grain biscuits are a good accompaniment.  Budget-friendly tip:  Sage (below) is a perennial herb that is easy to grow.  It develops into a good sized bushy plant.  Since it doesn't freeze easily, we have often used it in Thanksgiving stuffing.  We think the flavor is quite a bit superior to dried.  

1 pound great northern or navy beans

3 or 4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, sliced

1/3 cup minced fresh sage (or about 2 tablespoons dried rubbed sage)

5 Roma tomatoes, cut in wedges

2 14.5 ounce cans low sodium natural chicken broth

salt and pepper

Wash the beans and place in a large cooking pot with 6 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and let stand for one hour.  Drain and rinse.  Return to the pot and add 6 cups water and the bay leaves.  Simmer about 45 minutes, or until tender.  Don't overcook.  Drain and discard bay leaves.  Return to pot.  In a small skillet, cook the sliced  garlic in the oil over low to medium heat until just starting to turn light brown. Add sage and cook another minute.  Add garlic/sage mixture to the beans, along with the tomatoes and chicken broth.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 6-8 servings.

PASTA WITH BEANS, ZUCCHINI, WALNUTS, AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

This main dish consists of an unusual combination of flavors, but take my word for it, it's delicious!  Budget-friendly tip:    Nuts tend to be cheaper in larger packages, so it can be a money saver to purchase them at a wholesale club or bulk food store and store them in the freezer.

13.25 ounce package whole grain thin spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut thinly into half circles

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1 15.5-ounce can or 1 2/3 cups cooked garbanzo beans or cannellini beans

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

salt

2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, opt.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large  skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and garlic slices and cook a couple of minutes or until they just start to brown.  (Watch closely.  Nuts burn easily.)   Add the zucchini, dried cranberries, beans, and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is just tender.  Add salt to taste.  Toss mixture with pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.  Makes 6-8 servings.

ROASTED CHICK PEAS

These are a great healthy snack and more budget-friendly than nuts.  You can vary the seasonings.  I've also made them with curry spices, and you can even make sweet ones with agave or honey and cinnamon, etc.  If you like heat, add some cayenne.  I think this makes about 2 1/2 cups, but I've never been able to measure them before some of them disappeared!

2 15.5-ounce cans, drained and rinsed, or 3 1/2 cups garbanzo beans

2 teaspoons olive or canola oil

2 teaspoons smoked or regular paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion (onion powder)

1 teaspoon salt (opt.)

Spread beans on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  Place oil in a bowl, add beans, and stir until coated.  Combine seasonings in a small cup or bowl.  Stir into beans.  Spread beans on  baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes, shaking pan every 10 minutes so they bake evenly.  When some start to turn a little brown, they are done.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.   

FRUIT AND NUT TOSSED SALAD

This is my version of one of our favorite restaurant salads.  If you wish, you can add grilled or sauteed chicken and make it a main dish.  Budget-friendly tip:   Just a small amount of strong flavored cheese, such as bleu, feta, or Gorgonzola adds a lot of flavor to a dish without a lot of extra calories.  I keep small containers in the freezer and use as needed.

6-8 cups leaf lettuce, cut or torn into pieces

1/3 cup thinly sliced onion

1 cup sliced strawberries, OR blueberries, OR 1/3 cup dried cranberries, or a combination

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese (opt.)

2 tablespoons light fruit dressing, such as Newman's Own Light Raspberry Walnut  

In a large bowl, toss together first 5 ingredients.  Add dressing and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.  Makes 3-5 servings.

HOW TO COOK DRIED BEANS

My husband and I are vegetarians most days.  We have fish or poultry a couple of times a week and beef about once a month.  I cook a lot of beans since most of our protein comes from beans served with brown rice or other whole grains, or  whole grain bread or  pasta. Budget-friendly tip:  Cooking beans instead of buying them in cans saves money. I cook 1 or 2 pounds at a time and use some in recipes, then freeze the rest in can size portions (about 1 2/3 cups cooked beans).  If you are watching salt intake, home cooked beans have a great deal less sodium than canned.

Rinse and sort beans.  Add them to a large pot with 6 cups of water for each pound of dried beans.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let stand for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse beans.  Place them back into the pot with 6 cups water for each pound. Add 2-4 bay leaves, if desired.  Simmer for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender, but not mushy.  Don't allow beans to boil hard or they will pop open.  One pound dried beans makes about 6 cups cooked.

PITA PIZZAS

I keep homemade pitas in the freezer (see yesterday's recipe) so I can make these about once a week.  Budget-friendly tip:  Make your own PIZZA SAUCE:  8 oz. can tomato sauce, 1 or 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried), and 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed (opt.)

4 whole wheat pitas

1 cup pizza sauce (see recipe above)

toppings of your choice

Spread about 1/4 cup pizza sauce on each pita.  Add toppings.  The pizza pictured on the top has chopped onions and sweet red peppers, fresh basil, a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.  The one pictured on the bottom has the same veggies, but also soy meat "crumbles" and jalapeno jack almond cheese instead of Parmesan and mozzarella, which makes it a vegan pizza. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet(s) and  bake at 375 degrees about 15 minutes, or until heated through.  Makes 4 individual size pizzas.

WHOLE WHEAT PITA

We usually use these to make pita pizzas (tomorrow's recipe!) or cut them in wedges to dip in hummus.  Homemade means they don't have the additives that store bought baked goods often have.  Budget- friendly tip:  Yeast can be expensive in little packets.  I buy it in 1-pound packages and store it in the freezer in an airtight container.

 1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons gluten

1 tablespoon yeast

FOR 2-POUND BREAD MACHINE:  Place ingredients in a two-pound bread machine pan in the order given.  Put on dough setting.  After 5 minutes, check dough and add a little more flour or warm water if needed.  When finished, form into 8 equal balls and arrange on oiled baking sheets.  With floured hands, spread each ball into a 6 inch circle.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 8 pitas.

TO MAKE BY HAND:  In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Stir in oil, honey or agave nectar, salt, gluten, and 2 cups of flour. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes.  Place in oiled bowl and let rice for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.  Punch dough down and proceed as above for bread machine dough.

ICED HAZELNUT COFFEE

We love iced coffee in the summer.  This is not only a budget- friendly recipe, but it is a healthier version than you find in most coffee bars.  You can vary the flavor, of course.  My favorite just happens to be hazelnut.

Any flavored ground or whole bean coffee 

1-2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar 

1/3-1/2 cup nonfat milk, almond milk, or soy milk

Brew coffee at least double strength.  Pour 1/2 cup into a heat proof glass or mug. Stir in honey or agave nectar. Pour in milk and and add ice.  Makes one serving.

 ZUCCHINI FRIES WITH DIP

During zucchini season in our garden, we eat it almost every day in various ways.  This is our favorite!  Budget-friendly tip: Make your own bread crumbs. Lay whole grain bread slices on a cooling rack and let them dry out for a day or two. Process in  a food processor or place slices in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin. 

 

1 egg white

2 tablespoons nonfat milk

2/3 cup whole grain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons all natural taco seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion salt or onion powder

4 small zucchini

1/4 cup Annie's Buttermilk Dressing or light Ranch

1/4 cup salsa

     

Cut each zucchini in half widthwise, then cut each half lengthwise into quarters.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg white and milk.  In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings.  Dip zucchini slices in egg white mixture, then dip into breadcrumb mixture.  Place on oiled baking sheets.  Bake at 400 degrees  for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.  For dip, combine salsa and salad dressing.  Makes about 4 servings.

 CHUNKY SPAGHETTI SAUCE TO FREEZE

You can add whatever veggies you like.  Sliced mushrooms and/or carrots would also work nicely.  This is a budget friendly recipe, especially if you raise your own vegetables!  We serve this on whole grain pasta.  Makes about 4 quarts. 

2 or 3 large onions

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

enough tomatoes to make one gallon of chopped

4-8 cloves garlic, minced, divided

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt (opt.)

4 teaspoons dried oregano

12 oz. can tomato paste

2 small zucchini, chopped

2 red or green peppers, chopped

1/2 c. chopped fresh basil (or 4 teaspoons dried) 

Chop onions in a food processor.  Saute in oil with black pepper in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.  To prepare tomatoes, boil water in a saucepan.  Dip tomatoes, a few at a time, in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then put them in cold water.  The skins should come off easily. Remove cores and coarsely chop in food processor.  Add to onions in stock pot along with half of the garlic,  bay leaves, salt, and oregano.  Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.  Add tomato paste, zucchini, and red or green peppers.  Simmer 45-60 minutes, or until  the veggies are cooked but not mushy.  Add the rest of the garlic and the basil the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Taste and add more salt if you like. Remove bay leaves.  Let cool and freeze.

DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT MUFFINS

Budget-friendly tip:  Sour milk makes wonderful baked goods.  The photo above was taken one day when I discovered my milk had gone sour.  In order not to waste it, I spent the afternoon baking!  One of my projects was coming up with another whole grain, low sugar chocolate recipe.  If you like lighter chocolate, use less cocoa.  Makes 18 muffins.  

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed (opt.)

 1/2 cup baking cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups fat free sour milk, buttermilk, or yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey or agave nectar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened flake coconut

1/2 cup coarsely chopped  pecans, walnuts, or almonds

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, flaxseed if desired, baking cocoa, baking powder, and soda.  In another bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, along with coconut and nuts, and stir just until combined.  Fill oiled muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until they test done.

REALLY QUICK GAZPACHO

This is a refreshing cold soup to make when tomatoes are in season.  Budget-friendly tip:  Make your own croutons.  Simply cut whole grain bread into cubes and spread on a baking sheet.  Lightly coat with cooking oil spray and season as you like.  Garlic powder or garlic salt and Italian seasoning work nicely.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  The soup serves 4-6.

3 or 4 tomatoes, quartered

1/2 green pepper, cut in pieces

1/2 small onion

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients in blender container.  Pulse until all is chopped.  Chill.  Top with toasted croutons. 

FLAXSEED WAFFLES

We try to avoid using refined sugars and refined grains.  In place of syrup, fruit makes a wonderful topping for waffles.  You can even puree it to make "syrup."  Budget-friendly tip:  You can find flaxseed in bulk in some natural food stores or bulk food stores.  I grind the seeds in my blender and store the extra seeds and ground flaxseed in the freezer. Walnut oil is tasty, but expensive.  You can use canola oil if you prefer.  Makes 3 big waffles.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt (opt.)

2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 whole egg

1 cup skim, almond, or soy milk

1 1/2 tablespoons walnut or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar (opt.)

Sliced fruit for topping: Peaches, berries, bananas, and/or unsweetened applesauce, etc.

powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves for sprinkling (opt.)

Combine flour, ground flaxseed, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, milk, oil, vanilla, and honey.  Stir into dry ingredients.  Bake in a preheated waffle iron.  (You may need to coat your waffle iron with cooking oil spray.)  Top with your choice  fruit and spices.

FRESH TOMATO AND MUSHROOM SALAD

This is a recipe I created years ago, but have lightened up on the dressing.  I'm told salads should be "lightly dressed."  You can leave out the mushrooms if you prefer.  Budget friendly tip:  Fresh basil is easy to grow.  As you snip off sprigs, the plant will bush out and produce more leaves.  Serves 6-8

                          

4 or 5 fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced

4 or 5 mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup minced fresh basil

 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (opt.)

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

light sprinkling of feta, bleu, or parmesan cheese (opt.)

Layer tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion in a shallow serving dish.  Sprinkle basil on top.  Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Drizzle over salad.  Top with a light sprinkling of cheese, if desired.  4-6 servings

Black Forest Smoothies

The sweetness of these comes from bananas & cherries, rather than sugar.  Budget- friendly tip:  Buy dark sweet cherries when they are on sale, remove the pits, and freeze in one cup portions.  Serves 2, generously

1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries

1 1/2 frozen bananas

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (opt.)

skim, almond, or soy milk

Place first five ingredients in blender container.  Add milk to 3 cup line.  Blend until smooth.