National Nutrition Month 

March 1, 2021

BUDGET-FRIENDLY RECIPES

 

A healthy diet is a big part of a healthy lifestyle! You can start achieving your goals for healthy eating, one meal at a time. There are many healthy recipes and meal ideas in the MyPlate.Gov Kitchen. Here are five quick and cheap recipes to get started:

Avocado Melon Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 1 slice of honeydew melon (about 1 cup)
  • Lime juice (1 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 cup 8 ounce skim milk
  • 1 cup fat-free yogurt
  • 1/2 cup 100% apple juice or white grape juice (no added sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon honey

 

Directions

  1. Cut avocado in half and remove the pit.
  2. Scoop out the avocado flesh and put it in the blender.
  3. Add the other ingredients and blend well.
  4. Serve cold!

 

Avocado melon smoothies can stay in the refrigerator for 24 hours before spoiling.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Ingredients

 

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped, including some leaves
  • 8 cups chicken broth, fat free, reduced sodium
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

Dumplings

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup skim milk
  • 1 egg, large

Make the soup:

  1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook carrot, onion and celery for 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in broth, chicken, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves.
  4. Turn down heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes.

 

Make the dumplings:

  • In small bowl, mix dumpling ingredients until well blended.

 

Combine soup and dumplings:

  1. Drop small spoonsful of dumpling dough into simmering soup.
  2. Cover soup and allow dumplings to cook for about 20 minutes. They will rise to the top of the soup as they cook).
  3. Stir in spinach.

Remove bay leaves before serving soup.

Caribbean Bean Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup canned black beans, low-sodium (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 orange, peeled and diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or cooking oil of choice)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • black pepper (to taste, optional)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Toss all ingredients together in large salad bowl.
  3. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to one hour.

 

Caribbean Bean Salad can last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin (1/4”) slices
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, low-fat, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons margarine
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 dash black pepper
  • 2 cups milk, non-fat

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Prepare a large casserole baking pan (9″ x 13″) by coating lightly with oil or cooking oil spray.
  3. Place a layer of potatoes in pan, using one-quarter of the potatoes.
  4. Sprinkle layer with one-quarter of each ingredient: onion, cheese, margarine, flour, salt, black pepper.
  5. Repeat and make four layers.
  6. In a separate pot, warm the milk, and then pour it over the casserole dish.
  7. Bake at 350 °F. for one hour.
  8. Take out and serve!

 

Leftovers must be refrigerated within two hours.

Fat-Free Apple Crumb Dessert

Ingredients

  • 4 apples (medium)
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal, quick cooking (uncooked)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup 100% apple juice
  • Non-stick cooking spray (4 sprays)

 

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Move the oven rack to the center of the oven, then preheat the oven to 350 °F.
  3. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9” square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  4. Wash and peel the apples. Cut them into thin slices.
  5. Spread the apple slices evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
  6. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon.
  7. Spread the oatmeal mix evenly over the apples in the baking dish.
  8. Lightly pour the apple juice over the oatmeal mixture.
  9. Cover the dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until apples are just starting to soften.
  10. Uncover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until apples are soft.

For more recipes, visit Myplate.gov and look up the MyPlate section.