Meal Planning

I'm telling you, Meal planning is the way to go. We save so much a month meal planning by not wasting food nor buying food that's more expensive or unhealthy, than if we would have planned out cheaper and healthier meals.

Here are my basic tips...
1. Write down a dinner menu(& lunch options) for a least a week or two
2. Post the menu on your fridge so you don't forget
3. Try to pick some meals with a few same ingredients to buy less
4. Shop the ads to see what's on sale and in season before making menu
5. Make a list of meal ideas that you can use when your out of ideas
6. Don't try to buy 2 weeks of produc2 at once,it goes bad
7. Make meal planning a habit starting one week at a time

Magical Quinoa Salad

This is one of my fav's! It's great for lunch, but I usually make a double batch for extra lunches. It's a Sandra Lee Recipe from the foodnetwork show, Semi Homemade. I added some variations that I have found work well. Quinoa is a seed, very much like Couscous (and you can just substitute Couscous, just subtract one cup stock). Qunioa has lots of protien and fiber (like couscous) and it's cheapest in the bins at Sprouts. Don't be afraid of this recipe, it's super easy.

Ingredience:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or water if don't have)
1 hothouse cucumber, diced (regular will do as well)
2 scallions (green onions)
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced (or un-roasted works too)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fines herbs (recommended: Spice Island) (or lemon pepper and/or herbs of
Provance)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
(I live olive oil, basalimic vinagar, and lemon juice in it too)

For serving:
9 cups spring salad mix
1/4 cup light roasted garlic and balsamic salad dressing (These things are optional and I don't usually do the salad party)

To cook:
Combine quinoa and stock in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Let cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa with remaining ingredients. Toss to mix thoroughly.

Serve chilled on a bed of greens tossed with a little dressing. (again, this part optional)

Mmmm. Makes me hungry...wow. I think everything does.

Becki's Chicken Squares

Easy, Delicious...you can't go wrong

Ingredients:
1 can croissants
1 can chunk chicken breast or boiled shredded chicken
1/4-1/2 box of cream cheese
onion powder
pepper
garlic powder

To Cook:
1. Mix together and place in an 8x8 cassorole dish.
2. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 10 min.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

I got this recipe from FamilyFun.com. It's SOOO good in my opinion. Great with cornbread or chips too.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	1 cup tomato salsa
	2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
	2 cups chicken broth
	1 teaspoon lime juice
	2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
	Sour cream (optional)

1. Heat the salsa in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 15 minutes.

2. Let the soup cool slightly, then ladle half of it into a food processor or blender and puree it. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro and heat the mixture through. Serve the soup warm, topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Some Darn Good Chili

This recipe is great! It's from my friend Karina.

The Best (and easy and quick) Chili in the World
(I totally made up that name right now, if you couldn't tell)

ingredients:
Garlic (optional)
1/4 of an onion (optional)
Bell pepper (optional)
1/2 package ground turkey
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can red beans
(though she informs me that Fry's has cans with these mixed together)
Diced tomatoes (with green chilies if you'd like) (or tomato sauce)
About Tablespoon chili
Tsp cumin, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

To cook:
1. If you have time and ingredients, saute garlic, onions, and bell peppers.
2. Add turkey meat and cook.
3. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until hot (or as long as you want) and then you are done!!!
I really want to try it with cilantro and lime too! (if you read first entry, I'm really craving it...and no, I'm not pregnant)

What Meal Cents is all about

I could swear I was pregnant all the time, besides the leftover battle wounds, I have cravings all the time, often for weeks until I finally get my fix...of whatever. Right now I really want cilantro-y, lime-y stuff. Man, Black bean soup sounds so good (I've been thinking about it for over a week and still haven't made it) and I'm making myself so hungry right now...anyways, I hear women all the time talk about how we want to share recipes. I've been talking with my friends about how we are going to finally get together and recipe swap...but it never happens...So, we communicate so well in cyberspace, why not use it to our advantage!!! I would LOVE for you to email me your recipes that are preferable semi healthy, cheap, and quick...but hey, if they are not, yet totally worth making, then bring it on. Eventually, there could be theme weeks, i.e. kid friendly, black bean recipes, favorite 'take out' versions of food, and best of weeks. etc. I would love for people to comment on the recipes after they make them too! I know it make take a little effort to write down a recipe, but the benefit of everyone being able to network about recipes that work for them will be well worth it. Thank you to everyone who participates!!!