Wikis tagged with entrees

With food prices going up, finding frugal dishes that fill your family is more important than ever.   We recently asked members of the Mothering community to share their best meal ideas that could be cooked for less than $5 and feed a family of four or more.   Of course, prices are different everywhere so these meals may cost more or less depending on where you are and what kinds of ingredients you prefer.   Enjoy!         Curried Coconut Chickpea Stew shared by avismama24   Ingredients 1 can chick peas 2 medium sweet potatoes 1 cup brown rice 1 onion 2 cloves...

If you’ve seen any of my previous recipes, you might have noticed I’m a big fan of stir-frys. Anything that has great flavor and doesn’t take hours in the kitchen but is nourishing for my family gets an “A” in my book. This budget friendly stir-fry is a favorite of my husband. It combines the salty flavors of sausage with the sweet flavors of red onions and apples. It cooks in under 20 minutes and is a great meal for busy nights. Prep Time: 5 minutes     Cooking Time: 20 minutes     Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 1 pound ground sausage (nitrate free if possible) 2 red onions 2...

As promised, here is a star dish in our $100 a week grocery budget. I love knowing a recipe’s story, so I’ll mention that a near and dear friend made this for me back when it was one of the only dinners she could cook. She was many years away from becoming a mother, while I had just had my first baby. She served it with shredded chicken, but I include it here with crispy fried tofu – a very cost-effective protein. Sometimes we like it with sauteed shrimp. Over the years I’ve bulked it up with kale and carrot in an attempt to get more vegetables into my kids. Let me know how your family...

A piece of (salmon) cake to make These zesty salmon cakes are another hit in our $100 weekly grocery menu. They’re delicious served with roasted potatoes or rice, or as burgers or sandwich filling. The kids love them (although maybe it’s because they contain the word “cake”). They like to help me form the cakes into different sizes (itty bitty ones for our 2 year old, big daddy sized ones for my husband). My 7 year old brings them to school for lunch the next day. SWEET POTATO LIME SALMON CAKES What you need: 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 cans wild sockeye salmon, drained 2...

(Ward can run but he can’t hide) They’re gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian, and they happen to be downright yummy.  Bonus recipe because we’ve included Avocado Salsa too!  Perfect for Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday or What the Heck Am I Gonna Make Tonight Wednesday!  Print the recipe HERE.   About Cynthia Lair Cynthia Lair's web cooking show Cookus Interruptus brings humor to healthy family eating with over 160 recipe videos. Cynthia hails from Seattle, WA where she is assistant professor and culinary director at Bastyr University, School of Natural Medicine. She is the...

Take your family to Southeast Asia for the evening Proudly presenting Asian noodle soup and salad rolls from our $100 weekly grocery challenge.  There were noodle soup shops all over Vientiane, Laos, where my husband and I met and later lived together. The shopkeepers served up massive, steaming bowls of pho (pronounced “fuh”), brimming with fragrant herbs just pulled from the earth. But being an almost-vegetarian (I eat fish and seafood), I missed out on the heavily beef based soup. Here’s a version we came up with to appeal to all preferences. While not authentic pho, it’s fun to...

Providing your family healthy real-food meals may be an endless job, but it doesn’t have to be an expensive or time consuming one. This recipe was my reaction to the idea that “convenience” foods come pre-packaged or canned. It’s a healthy and delicious one-pan recipe that comes together in under half an hour. This is one of my kids’ favorite recipes and we make variations of it at least once a week. Its simplicity makes it appealing to moms and its fun colors and textures make it appealing to kids. The vegetables in place of noodles add some extra nutrition and color and the spices...

My husband is Italian, so pasta dishes are a favorite at our house, but with various food allergies, we don’t eat regular pasta. I’ve had to get creative with substitutes and have found vegetable alternatives for practically every pasta. Personally, this is one of my favorites! This slow-cooker Chicken Cacciatore is served on a bed of roasted cabbage “noodles” to sneak in some extra nutrients. The flavors in roasted cabbage pair perfectly with the simple tomato sauce on the chicken, making an easy and budget friendly alternative to this popular pasta dish. Even my one-year old...

I admit, even though it isn’t always the healthiest option, I enjoy going out to eat sometimes just for the reprieve from cooking! One of my favorite places is Chipotle, and they are definitely on the healthier end of the eating out spectrum, but they can be pricey, especially with four kids. This recipe has a similar taste to a salad bowl from Chipotle but is easy to make at home. Often, I just cook extra chicken from a night earlier in the week so I can assemble these without any cooking… almost as good as eating out! The other advantage to this easy-to-prepare meal is that each...

 Every kid loves cupcakes, but not every mother loves the sugar high that often accompanies them! This is a healthy cupcake that kids and moms can both enjoy! The fun cupcake look combines savory meatloaf with a whipped sweet potato “frosting” that makes meatloaf fun for kids! The combination of protein and healthy starch from the sweet potato provides long lasting energy. These are a kid favorite at our house and I often make them ahead for easy-to-pack lunches for the kids or on-the-go snacks. The other advantage to meatloaf cupcakes is that they cook much faster than traditional...

(Steve needs a confidence boost) Deeply satisfying dish.  For our vegan friends, skip the chicken and replace with warm spiced pinto beans and the sauce we got going here.  You’re going to love this.  Click here for printable recipe.   About Cynthia Lair Cynthia Lair's web cooking show Cookus Interruptus brings humor to healthy family eating with over 160 recipe videos. Cynthia hails from Seattle, WA where she is assistant professor and culinary director at Bastyr University, School of Natural Medicine. She is the author of Feeding the Whole Family with foreword by...

sponsored post This Italian Pinhead Torta is the winning recipe from the Bob’s Red Mill 2012 Spar for the Spurtle contest. Try this savory Italian-inspired dish that incorporates Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats for dinner tonight. High fiber, low sugar, soy free and vegetarian.  This post is brought to us by Bob’s Red Mill. ITALIAN PINHEAD TORTA 1 oz dried Portabella Mushrooms 1-1/2 cups boiling Water 1-1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats 6 Tbsp Butter, divided 1 cup diced Onion 1 cup coarsely shredded Zucchini 1/2 cup diced Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil,...

…and it was a spam thinger about texas hold-em. Le sigh. You know, pretty soon I am going to be mailing out swag to my favorite, most assiduous commenters. Because I am not above dangling the old carrot when it’s called for ; )  The kids are at work with me today, and behaving themselves, too. Honorée is walking around on stilts and Nathaniel is “vacuuming” with a random vacuum attachment that’s attached to nothing except his dear little imagination engine. I took us all to lunch at Backroads Pizza, a really yummy locally owned pizza joint in our Second Street complex. The kids had a...

I’ve been aware of the raw food option for years now, but until January, I just didn’t see how it could be a part of my life. I thought it was too intense, too restrictive, and too hard (I was sure of that). I didn’t realize that I would find it to be delicious, simple, satisfying, and easy to integrate into my life. It also eliminates cravings, and led to my decision to exercise by dancing at Nia classes 5-6x per week. One of the things that makes it do-able for me: I have the occasional cooked meal. Recently, I was in NYC, and visited my brother, who had some bbq pulled pork going...

Pakistani Kima is an Indian Beef Curry recipe with delicious flavor and aroma. The spices are very fragrant and the mixture of vegetables adds color and taste complexity. Even if you aren’t a fan of Curries or Indian dishes, you will likely like this dish as it has a milder taste. All of my kids love this recipe and will eat it by the bowlful. We even use leftovers as the filler for omelets. This dish can be made quickly in one-pan for easy clean-up and re-heats really well. It’s also very budget friendly! Prep Time: 5-10 minutes     Cook Time: 20-30 minutes         Serves:...

(Jane loses her gloves) Hands down the best comfort-food sandwich ever. The sauerkraut adds the magic. Use 100% rye if you’re going wheat-free. Pair this with Tomato Basil Soup. Mmm-good. For printable recipe click here. About Cynthia Lair Cynthia Lair's web cooking show Cookus Interruptus brings humor to healthy family eating with over 160 recipe videos. Cynthia hails from Seattle, WA where she is assistant professor and culinary director at Bastyr University, School of Natural Medicine. She is the author of Feeding the Whole Family with foreword by Mothering's beloved...

By Cynthia Lair This is a superb one-dish meal when served over udon or soba noodles, brown rice, or quinoa.1 pound firm tofu 1-2 tablespoons sesame oil1-2 large bunches collard greensMarinade3 cloves garlic, sliced4-5 slices (1/8 inch thick) fresh gingerroot1 cup water1 tablespoon brown-rice vinegar1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1/3 cup tamari or shoyuSauce1/4 cup creamy cashew butter2 teaspoons maple syrup2 tablespoons tamari or shoyu1 tablespoon brown-rice vinegar1 teaspoon grated gingerroot1-2 teaspoons hot pepper oil1/3 cup waterIn the morning, combine all ingredients for marinade....

By Cathe Olson This delicious Greek pie will give you your daily dose of greens and more. It is very easy to make so you may want to make an extra to freeze. The Fillo Factory makes organic, vegan phyllo dough with no hydrogenated oils. It comes in unbleached white flour, spelt and whole wheat varieties and is available at many natural foods stores and supermarkets.2 teaspoons olive oil4 green onions, thinly sliced1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped (about 10 cups)2 eggs 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces) Black pepper to taste 8 sheets...

By Cynthia Lair Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a grain from the Andes Mountains of South America, where it was once a staple food of the Incas. It has a delicious light, nutty flavor. When cooked, the grains open up to form tiny spirals. Quinoa has a better protein value than most grains and is perfect for those who need more protein, such as pregnant or nursing mothers.1 cup quinoapinch sea salt1 3/4 cups waterRinse quinoa well with water and drain. Place rinsed quinoa, salt, and water in a 2-quart pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover, and let simmer 15–20 minutes, until...

This is a recipe my whole family loves, which is rare. It's good for regular evening meals, or for a nice company dinner. And it's easy to make too! This recipe feeds about five people, with some leftovers usually. I make it with a side of rice, and veggies.3 chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch strips1/4 tsp salt1/4 tsp pepper1/2 c olive oil1/2 c flour6 cloves garlic, minced2-3 tbsp minced cilantro (3 if fresh)4 tbsp butter cut into pieces1/4 c white cooking wine (putting wine in the oven can be dangerous, please use caution)3/4 waterPreheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix flour, salt, and pepper...