We have all seen the increase in food costs that seems to be growing continuously. Given that, as I mentioned last week, I will be doing several posts to help fight rising costs with cheap and easy meal options. Consider the following ideas for next week’s food line-up.
Dense Bean Salads: I’ve been told that’s a terrible name for a dish, but hear me out. Beans are a versatile legume that can be prepared many ways. Canned beans are a great way to cut down on cooking time while still providing valuable nutrients like fiber, vitamins and some plant-based protein. I’ve made a couple of versions of this salad and you will find both recipes posted below.
Recipes
Roasted cauliflower and chicken salad. This was easy to do though the roasting does take time. I found myself doing chores in the garden (with a timer of course) while my cauliflower and garlic roasted in the oven. You can use any bean you like as well as any other vegetables. The dressing pulled together the roasted garlic, some fresh herbs, grainy mustard and lemon juice. At a cost of $1.63/serving, this was a winner that I will definitely make again.
Chickpea Salad. I used sweet peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, and chicken for this chickpea salad. And the quick dressing was lemon, basil, parsley and olive oil. This took about 20 minutes to make, primarily because of the chopping while cooking the chicken. At a cost of $1.10/serving, this is an easy add-on in a pinch.
As always, I love to hear your thoughts on how this works and what substitutions you try. If you find these tips helpful, check out my e-book where you can find more tips on how to save money through meal prepping. Use coupon code TIP25 at checkout to access it for $1.99. Stay tuned for the next posting on cost effective meal options! Until next time!