Thriftism

This is a very simple recipe that is delicious and easy to make gluten free and dairy free if desired. It wouldn't be hard to transition to vegan as well (cut out chicken and cream cheese and replace with desired alternative. We loved this a a warm fall, budget friendly meal.  Embed

While rhubarb recipes are traditionally sweet or revolving around dessert, we decided to try taking rhubarb into the savory realm. Rhubarb adds a fun flavor to this healthy soup that can easily be made into a vegan meal (just switch vegetable stock for chicken stock). It is quick and easy to make and incredibly affordable, especially if you have any home grown garden produce. Scroll down for a printable recipe. Steps: Put all ingredients minus spices into stock pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add spices. Simmer additional 5-10 minutes. Eat and Enjoy! Embed

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I hate having to cook before each meal. This is probably why I typically have one big meal prep day a week, followed by heating up leftovers from the prep day. I don't remember to start cooking soon enough and am left starving by the time I think of making something. That's why I love slow cooker meals. This is a super flavorful one that I was able to put on overnight to have ready in the morning, but you could also throw it on in the morning to be ready for supper. Printable to letter sized paper Check out the  Why Buy Dry Blog post: https://thriftism.blogspot.com/2014/02/why-buy-dry.html Embed

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This radish stew requires no heavy cream but offers the same creaminess as if you had added it. For those, like me, that aren’t in love with eating fresh radishes, this recipe is a wonderful way to use garden produce while taking away some of the radish bite. Not only is it tasty, radish soup offers vitamins C and B-12, magnesium, and iron and is under 200 calories per serving. This makes a great soup and salad lunch. Plus, did I mention it tastes great to a nonradish lover????

Copy of Copy of Rhubarb cheese cake by ashley rolland

Get ready for the week with a easy store, protein packed snack! Beans and rice usually sounds plain, boring and basic, but with the spicy kick these beans and rice are anything but basic. We like to keep a few cups of this on hand to use as a side dish or for a low calorie, high protein snack to keep us going throughout the day. What You'll Need: 2 Cups Water 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon 2 tsp Gelatin 1 tsp Olive Oil 2 Cups Diced Onion (1.5 Large Onions) 1 Cup Diced Bell Pepper (feel free to use spicier peppers if desired) 1/2 Cup Diced Celery  4 Cloves Garlic (minced) 2 tsp Paprika 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper 2 Cups Black Beans (Cooked ~2/3 Cup Dried) 2 Cups Rice 4 tsp Parsley Optional 1 Cup Diced Ham Equipment ( What We Used ) Cutting Boards Sauce Pot Knives Stir Spoon Storage Containers - We love Pyrex for easy transporting and microwaving How to Make Combine water, bouillon, and gelatin. Cook rice as directed on pac...

Eating on a budget can often seem restrictive and can lead to a food rut (eating the same meals over and over and over...). Spice up your meal plan this week without breaking your budget or your diet. Chicken tortilla soup packs a punch of flavor and is sure to leave you feeling satisfied while using budget ingredients. Bonus, it weighs in at around 340 calories per serving and is very simple to make. For a printable recipe, nutrition information, and 2019 recipe cost, scroll down. What You Need 2 Tbsp    Olive Oil 1.5 Cup   Diced Onion 1 Cup     Diced Celery 1 Cup     Diced Carrots 4 Cloves Garlic 1 Cup     Diced Tomatoes 6 Cups   Chicken Broth 8            6-in Corn Tortillas 6 Cups   Tomato Juice 1.5 Lb    Shredded Chicken 2 tsp      Oregano 2 tsp      Chili Powder ~1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper C...

Colder weather has arrived as have an abundance of school and work activities. The extra to-dos that come with fall make cooking a healthy and still budget meal much more challenging. Enter the crock pot or slow cooker. Slow cook meals can be both a time and wallet saver, not to mention the benefit of having home cooked meals most nights. Slow cookers allow you to set and forget and can work around everyone in the family's schedules. Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe. What you'll need 1.5 Cup Rice 6 Cup Broccoli (Chopped) 1 Medium Onion 1 Can Cream Soup (Mushroom, Chicken, Celery, Your choice) 1.5 Cup Milk 3 Tbsp Margarine 3 Cups + soup can Water 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese (your choice of flavor - cheddar, colby jack, mozzarella) 6 Qt Slow Cooker Start by combining the ingredients except the shredded cheese in a 6 qt slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.  Add cheese and continue cooking until melted.  Printable to lett...

Healthy, high protein meals seem to come at a premium. Protein is likely the most expensive portion of your meal and your grocery budget. Don't let this drive your grocery spending through the roof or let this prevent you from enjoying a high protein and healthy meal. Lentils are a wonderful alternative to meat as a source of protein and provide a plethora of additional benefits. Think high fiber, high in nutrients, and very affordable. We decided to capitalize on the cost savings of lentils by created a meal with lentils as the main focus. This lentil casserole is simple to make, is very fulfilling, and tastes great without costing a fortune. It is also a bit of a variation from the typical rice and beans meals people generally revert to when trying to save money. What You'll Need 1.5 Cup Water 2 Cup Lentils 1 Large Onion 1 Lb Carrots 2 Cloves Garlic 2 Cans (14.5oz) Diced Tomatoes 1 tsp Cumin 8 oz Shredded Cheese Prehea...

Going out for pizza is a favorite pastime for couples, families, friends - pretty much everyone! It can get fairly expensive at times and may end up cutting into your budget. For a thrifty alternative, try a DIY pizza for your next gathering. We estimate that you can save at least 50% making your pizza at home over going out for pizza, even at the most affordable eateries. While saving money is great, it isn't the only reason to make your own pizza dough. This is also an easy way to custumize your pizza to fit every dietary need one's dietary needs/wants (half vegetarian, extra mushrooms on one piece, meat only, etc.) without spending extra or driving your server crazy. Lastly, it is a fun way to get everyone involved. Want to have a family night? Get the kids involved in adding toppings or kneading the dough. Some kids might even have fun watching the dough mix in the bread machine. It will turn dinner prep into a fun family-oriented activity. Another option that we...

Pizza is one of my favorite foods. When I was in college I would eat pizza several times a week. Too bad I came to the realization that pizza isn't very healthy (especially not if you're eating it for 7 meals during the week). We still get pizza every once in awhile, but we try to stick to foods that are both healthier and cheaper. Eating out or ordering in can get pretty spendy. Luckily, I recently figured out a real gem of a recipe when brainstorming how to use the remaining 30 spaghetti squash before summer arrives. (Yes, we still have that many squash in March - gardening saves us lots of money!) I didn't have high expectations for a squash pizza, but what the heck, might as well try it, right? Let me tell you, I LOVED IT!!! It's not quite the same as a thick crust pizza or as a crunchy thin crust, but it definitely tastes like pizza and has a fairly similar texture. It might be my new favorite recipe given the great taste, the nutrition (can you say calori...

It might be freezing outside, but you can be warm and healthy with this easy to make squash soup. Butternut squash makes a tasty soup and it is an great meal or side. There aren't many ingredients, but it is sure to go over well with even picky eaters. Not to mention it packs a load of nutrients into each bowl. What You'll Need:  1 Med Butternut Squash (4 Cups) 4 Stalks Celery 1 Yellow Onion 3 Carrots  2.5 Cups Water 2.5 Cups Chicken Bouillon Garlic to Taste 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream Step 1) Bake Squash Bake squash at ~350 for 45 minutes. Check out our how to cook squash  post or video if you need help.   Step 2) Cut/Cook Vegetables Cut celery, onion, and carrots into small pieces. The size isn't a big deal, but we will be blending later so judge according to your blender/food processor capabilities.  Put the vegetables in a stock pot or cook in smaller batches if need be. Boil under soft.      ...

Is there anything better than grilled chicken? Maybe not once you add some fresh cilantro and garlic. This quick and simple recipe is sure to be a new favorite if you're already a fan of cilantro and can easily be adapted to an appetizer if need be.  This goes great with fresh greens (lettuce, kale, spinach) and potatoes, but would taste amazing with just about anything. Try using fresh garden veggies for optimal taste this summer! What you'll need: 1 Chicken Breast (~1lb) 3 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro or 6 Tbsp Dried Cilantro 8 cloves garlic 1/3 Cup Tomato Sauce 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar 1/2 Cup Raisins Food Processor 1.Combine all ingredients except the chicken in your food processor. Pulse until a fairly smooth sauce is formed. 2. You will now need to cook the chicken. Grill Chicken on medium heat. Apply half the sauce over chicken once you have flipped it the first time. Another option is to marinate the chicken with half the sauce before...

Blueberry muffins can be a fun start to your day. They can also load you full of sugar and fat which can kill your productivity for the day and cost a few bucks to do so. Try your hand at making these yummy muffins at home to reduce your sugar intake and save a few bucks. You'll Need: 2 Cups Flour 2 Tbsp Sugar 2.5 tsp Baking Powder 0.5 tsp Salt 1 Egg 1 Cup Milk 1/4 Cup Butter Crisco or Butter or Liners Mini Muffin Pan or Muffin Tin Preheat oven to 350 Chop Blueberries Mix your dry ingredients. Beat the egg, add milk and butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add Blueberries Grease or line your muffin tins. Bake mini muffins for 10 minutes and regular muffins for 20 minutes. When you can insert toothpick and it comes out clean they are done! Enjoy these easy to make, yummy muffins as breakfast or a snack! Feel free to be creative, branch out, try raisins, pecans, apples and cinnamon. The sky is the limit.

Who doesn't love muffins? Maybe a few of you, but it seems most people are all about muffins. Buying them at a coffee shop or even at a bakery can get spendy and they have a lot more calories and sugar than you would think. We started making our own to enjoy great flavor, fresh ingredients, and save money by making our own snacks (or breakfast). Makes ~12 regular size muffins or 24 mini muffins or a combination of both! INGREDIENTS: 2 Cup All Purpose Flour 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt 1 Large Egg 0.25 Cup Butter 1 Cup Milk 1 Cup Cranberries (Optional: add 1/2 Cup Sugar to sweeten Cranberries) Preheat your oven to 400° F. Begin by chopping up cranberries. Or use a food processor to speed things up. You can use dried cranberries too, but this increases cost and adds a lot of sugar to your recipe. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in eggs, milk, and butter. Mix Finally, mix in your cran...