[The Basic Five]
All the recipes consist of 5 basic ingredients and all meals can be cooked in around 5-15 minutes from start to end. All are prepared in a large pasta style pot. All dishes make up enough for 2 people to get at least 2 meals (or more) and can easily be refrigerated and/or frozen for later use.
However, realize I do not measure and weigh food, so I do not have “exact” recipes and encourage you to adapt these to your own liking.
The 5 main ingredients:
1.) Canned Tomatoes - Whole, chopped and/or pureed, No Salt Added, 28 oz. If you are concerned about BPA, I recommend using POMI tomatoes which come in shelf-stable aseptic packaging.
2.) Canned Beans - No Salt Added (Eden Foods are my favorite), 14 oz.
3.) Frozen Vegetables - Individual and/or variety mixes without any of the sauce/spice packs.
4.) Starchy Vegetables - Brown rice, potato, sweet potato, whole grain pasta, barley, etc.
5.) Spice/Seasoning - I recommend using no-salt added spice “mixes” like an Italian mix, a Curry mix, a Mexican mix, etc.
By changing the type of bean, type of vegetables, the type of starch and the seasoning, you can come up with different dishes.
I make everything salt free and no salt added. You are welcome to sprinkle some salt on top at the table before eating.
Find Jeff Novick’s tasty and guilt-free Simple Recipes here!
(Source: www.jeffnovick.com)
Spy my groceries! Nearly 40lbs of veggies (2 wks worth) for $22!
15lb bag Yukon Gold potatoes - $3.99
1lb bag frozen corn - 2 @ $0.98 ea.
1lb bag frozen peas - 2 @ $0.98 ea.
3lbs green cabbage - $0.65/lb; $1.95
2.5lbs yellow onions - $1.00
3lbs bulk green beans - $3.00
4 bunches green onions - 2 @ 2/$0.88
4 bunches radishes - 2 @ 2/$0.88
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, no salt added - 2 @ $1.50 ea.
4 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce, no salt added - 2/$0.89
It is insanely cheap to eat healthy if you spend just a little bit of time planning. As they say, fail to plan and plan to fail. I check ads online EVERY Tuesday night and/or Wednesday morning (when new ads are posted) before I hit the grocery store.
This now leaves me about $8 for rice and fruit. Impossible, you say? I can buy ripe bananas for $0.38/lb (13lbs for $5; ~2 bananas/day), which leaves me $3 for a 2lb bag of brown rice. I may splurge and spend another $2 for 2 more 1lb bags of frozen mixed veggies at a different store whose sale starts tomorrow.
And for those not keeping track, that’s $30 ($15/wk) for the next 2 WEEKS worth of food for a college age person. Yes, I get a high from doing this. This is my weekly crack fix. Haha
Before: 260lbs
After: 125lbs
Wish you had more energy? I changed my life and so can you!
The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham!
The McDougall Program by Dr. John McDougall!
The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn!
FAST FOOD DVD by Jeff Novick!
Being healthy doesn’t have to be hard, nor does it have to be expensive. The fat you eat is the fat you wear. Eat the carbs, cut the fat, and enjoy life!
Health[ier] Dollar Tree Finds.
Cheap food doesn’t have to mean unhealthy food. Like all things, go for whole grains, low or no fat, and low or no added sugar or no sodium products whenever possible!
[Pasta, Grains, & Beans]
Columbia Dry Spaghetti Pasta, 13.25-oz. Box
Premier Fields Long Grain White Rice, 24-oz. Bag
Dry Kidney Beans, 16-oz. Bag
[Canned Goods]
Teasdale Pinto Beans, 15-oz. Can
Teasdale Black Beans, 15-oz. Can
Teasdale White Hominy, 29-oz. Can
La Costena Whole Pinto Beans, 19.75-oz. Can
Corina Diced Tomatoes, 28-oz. Can
El Pato Mexican Hot Style Tomato Sauce, 27-oz. Can
Tip: Rinsing canned beans reduces sodium content by up to 40%.
[Nuts & Seeds]
Lance Salted Snack Peanuts, 5-ct. Pack
Naturally Select Gourmet Mixed Nuts, 4.5-oz.
Reggie’s Salted Sunflower Seeds, 6.3-oz. Bag
[Beverages]
WestSoy Organic Low Fat Plain Soymilk Drink, 32-oz.
Crystal Geyser 16.9-oz. Natural Alpine Spring Water, 6-ct. Pack
[Spices, Seasonings, & Condiments]
Supreme Tradition Salt-Free Seasoning Blend, 1.9-oz.
Supreme Tradition Italian Seasoning, 5.4-oz.
Supreme Tradition Imitation Vanilla Extract, 8-oz.
Supreme Tradition Dried Basil, Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Onion Powder, Crushed Red Pepper, Paprika, Oregano Leaves, Ground Cinnamon, Garlic Powder, and Lemon Pepper Seasoning.
Hunt’s Ketchup (No HFCS), 24-oz.
Koops’ Yellow and Deli Spicy Brown Mustard, 12-20-oz.
Hisakawa Soy Sauce, 10-oz. Bottle
Riverton Orchards Lemon Juice, 32-oz. Bottle
Vine Ripe Mild and Medium Salsa, 16-oz.
Bell’s Jumbo Pitted Black Olives, 5.75-oz. Can
Breckenridge Farms Kosher Dills, Baby Dills, Spears, Sandwich Slices, and Hamburger Dill Pickle Chips, 17-oz. Jar.
Breckenridge Farms Fire Roasted Red Peppers, Sweet Red Peppers, and Sweet Relish, 12-oz. Jar.
Tapatio Hot Sauce, 10-oz. Bottle
(Source: foodphotosets)
Healthy heart.
