Spiced Lemon Quinoa

We love making one pot meals that can be made in bulk, kept in the fridge, and don't need to be reheated before eating.  This very simple and nutritious dish only takes about 30-40 min to make and can be used as an excellent side or an entree by itself.

It's based on many quinoa recipes that are already out there and in store delis, but we differentiate ours by adding in more spices to make the flavor pop.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 1 cup quinoa seeds - $1.80
• 3 cups low fat / low sodium chicken broth (or water) - $1.10
• Flavoring:  curry powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, all spice - $0.25
• 1 red bell pepper (diced) - $0.70
• 1/2 red onion (diced) - $0.35
• 8 oz frozen green peas - $1.20
• 1/2 bunch green onions (chopped) - $0.50
• Chopped herbs, e.g., rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano - $1.00
• Currants or any dried fruit (chopped) - $0.50
• Lemon juice - $0.50
• Red wine vinegar - $0.20
• Salt and pepper - N/A

Estimated Cost:  $8.10

 Directions:

1. Cook quinoa in rice cooker with chicken broth and/or water and stir in flavoring
2. Quickly blanch the green peas for 2-3 min in boiling water and then cool in ice bath
3. Once quinoa is cooked, refrigerate for at least 20 min to cool
4. Mix quinoa, bell pepper, red onion, green peas, chopped herbs, and dried fruit in large bowl
5. Add lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste

Calories per Serving:  280
Triple H Rating:  10 out of 10 (5 for health and 5 for cheapness factor)
 

Mango Salmon Salad

This is the perfect light dinner to impress your significant other on a date.  Alternatively, if you're already past that "need to impress someone phase" and are already married like us, it's a nice way to eat a restaurant quality meal at home without paying restaurant prices.

This dish really is very simple to make, and you can't really fudge it up unless you don't pay attention when you're searing the salmon.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

Salad:

• Salmon (either whole fillet or 4 six ounce pieces) - $12.00
• Seasoning:  any combination of old bay, cajun, seafood rub, etc. - $1.00
• Sesame oil - $0.10
• Romaine lettuce hearts (chopped) - $2.00
• Cherry tomatoes (halved) - $1.50
• Red onion (sliced or diced) - $0.20
• Ripe mango or papaya (diced) - $4.00
• 2 avocados (diced) - $2.00
• Blue cheese (crumbled) - $0.50
• Chopped walnuts - $1.30
• Rosemary or other herb for garnish - $1.00

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• Dijon mustard - $0.20
• Balsamic vinegar - $0.10
• Apple cider vinegar - $0.10
• Maple syrup - $0.75
• Olive oil - $0.20
• Salt and pepper - N/A

Estimated Cost:  $26.95

Directions:

1. Season salmon fillets with sesame oil and seasoning rub - set aside at room temp
2. In large salad bowl, combine chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, mango/papaya (do not include avocado just yet)
3. Heat non-stick pan on medium high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil
4. Place salmon fillets skin up and leave untouched for about 2 min
5. Flip salmon fillets and press down lightly with the spatula, creating some pressure to crisp up the skin
6. Remove from pan after about 5-6 min, until desired cooking level.  Be sure not to overcook!
7. Prepare vinaigrette dressing
8. Dice avocado and toss into salad bowl, along with chopped walnuts
9. Prepare salad bed on large plate, lay salmon fillet on top, and sprinkle crumbled blue cheese and rosemary on top of everything
10. Drizzle with vinaigrette dressing

Anytime you add seafood to a meal it automatically bumps up the cost even if you are not buying very high quality seafood at like a Central Market or Whole Foods.  It is, however, still significantly cheaper to make it yourself at home and honestly, I really do think it tastes better.  Often times, restaurants overcook the salmon and either don't put in enough, or put in at all, the ingredients that make it taste good, i.e., avocado, mango.  Making it at home allows you to control how much of each ingredient to put in, and also allows you to walk away from the table extremely full and satisfied, vs. wanting more at a restaurant.


Obviously you can put whatever salad ingredients you'd like in this recipe, but I find that this combination somehow hits all of the major taste buds in a way that words cannot describe.  The cajun seasoning on the salmon provides just the right amount of salt and spice, red onion provides just a little bite, the fruit and dressing make it sweet, and the avocados and blue cheese top it all off to create this dish's signature creamy texture.

We had so much leftover ingredients the next day that we made it again but this time baked the salmon with a jerk mayonnaise based marinade slathered on top of the fillets.  Ingredients for the marinade were as follows:  mayonnaise, jerk seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne, dijon mustard, honey, Chinese satay sauce.  Just spritz a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil and pop them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 12 min.  Then switch it on broil for another 4-5 min.  You know it's done when you slip in a toothpick in the thickest part of the meat and it comes out clean.

Calories per Serving:  300-350
Triple H Rating:  6 out of 10  
(5 for health and 1 for cheapness factor)

Savory Sweet Potato

This one's a quick favorite in our household - also is pretty healthy as a side considering it tastes like dessert.

Ingredients:

• ~2 lbs of sweet potato - $1.40
• Coconut oil - $0.50
• Ground cinnamon - $0.10
• Ground nutmeg - $0.05
• Honey - $0.25

Estimated Cost:  $2.30


Directions:

1. Dice sweet potatoes to desired size (leave skin on)
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in large pan or dutch oven
4. Toss in diced sweet potatoes and sprinkle in ground cinnamon and nutmeg
5. Mix well for a few minutes and then remove from heat
6. Spread sweet potatoes onto baking dish, drizzle honey (or maple syrup) and stir well, making sure it does not stack too high (I used a 13x9" pan)
7. Put in oven and bake/roast for about 40 min or until desired cooked level 

So easy/quick to make, and like I mentioned earlier, it tastes like dessert.  No need to wait until Thanksgiving to make this dish - you can find sweet potatoes in grocery stores all year round and the cheapest ones are in the Asian grocery stores.  Optional add-ons to make this dish even more addictive are candied pecans or walnuts, and ripe banana chunks which caramelize nicely when added to the pan during the last 10 min of roasting.  Also some chopped mint for garnish and an extra dimension of flavor/fragrance.

Calories per Serving (1/2 lb):  ~180
Triple H Rating:  9 out of 10 (4 for health and 5 for cheapness factor)

Curried Cauliflower Power

Was walking by the hot foods deli at Whole Foods Market one day (no, that isn't one of our regular grocery spots) and saw a pan of roasted cauliflower called "Cracklin' Cauliflower."  Haven't really been much of a cauliflower eater but it looked and smelled good.

Quickly scanned the list of ingredients on the label and realized we already had most, if not all, of the ingredients in our pantry.

So here is our take on "Cracklin' Cauliflower," with a few Triple H additions, specifically the cajun jerk seasoning, garlic powder, rosemary, and brown sugar.

Makes 4 servings (enough to fill a 13x9" baking dish)

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower head - $3.50
• 1 yellow onion (diced or sliced) - $0.40
• 8 oz frozen green peas - $0.80
• Ginger (thinly sliced or minced) - $0.10
• Few cloves garlic (minced or crushed) - $0.20
• Lemon zest - N/A
• Rosemary - $1.00
• Cilantro (chopped for garnish) - $0.20
• Curry powder - $0.05
• Garlic powder - $0.05
• Cajun jerk seasoning - $0.05
• Brown sugar - $0.05
• Olive oil - $0.20
• Sea salt - N/A
• Black pepper - N/A

Estimated Cost:  $6.60

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut up the cauliflower into small florets
3. Throw cauliflower, onion, ginger, garlic, rosemary into mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, curry powder, garlic powder, cajun jerk seasoning, brown sugar, sea salt, and black pepper
4. Transfer to baking dish and roast for 30 min, mixing every 10 min or so 
5. Quickly blanch frozen peas in boiling water for 2-3 min, making sure they retain their bright green color; drain
6. Remove dish from oven, top with cilantro, peas and lemon zest

If you feel like the dish is missing some protein, dice up some skinned chicken thighs and saute in olive oil using the same seasoning/spices used for the cauliflower.  Serve with grain of your choice, e.g., brown rice, quinoa, for a complete and satisfying meal.

For those that don't know much about cauliflower, it contains a load of nutrients, such as vitamins C, K, B1-B6, folate, choline, potassium, fiber, manganese, and others.  It is also said to help with detox support and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.  


Calories per Serving:  ~130
Triple H Rating:   9 out of 10 (4 for health and 5 for cheapness factor)

Perfect Oatmeal

Some people are addicted to coffee in the morning and others, like me, are addicted to oatmeal.  There is nothing I look forward to more when I'm brushing my teeth than going through my daily ritual of preparing my oatmeal.  After ingesting that creamy, sweet, cinnamony bowl of oatey goodness, my mind and body are in a very happy place, ready to take on whatever the day brings.


Even though I eat this bowl of oatmeal almost every morning, it remains my favorite meal of the day hands down.  When I'm traveling out of town and don't have my usual ingredients on hand, I'll desperately look for substitutes only to be sorely disappointed by whatever the local fare has to offer, e.g., muesli, granola, yogurt parfait, or even worse, the "Perfect Oatmeal" at the Starbucks around the corner.  


Yes, I am borderline OCD about my oatmeal - I'm sure you'll understand why once you experience this for yourself!


Ingredients:

• Few cups boiling water - N/A
• 1 cup instant Quaker Oats oatmeal (dry) - $0.10
• 1 cup frozen blueberries - $0.75
• 1 ripe banana (sliced) - $0.25
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed - $0.10
• 1 tablespoon stevia extract (natural sweetener) - $0.10
• Dash of ground cinnamon - $0.05
• Splash of almond milk (optional) - $0.15

Estimated Cost:  $1.50
 
Directions:

1. Boil hot water using a kettle or pot
2. Put the following ingredients in a bowl: blueberries, dry oatmeal, flax seed, stevia, cinnamon.  Mix around using a spoon.
3. Pour hot water on top until desired consistency/thickness is reached
4. Top with sliced banana and quick splash of almond milk for added creaminess

Few things worth mentioning here.  There is a reason why I choose to use these exact ingredients.  I'm no nutritionist or doctor, but everything I've read so far leads me to believe that most if not all of these ingredients provide essential minerals and vitamins that are good for our body.  i.e., fiber in the oatmeal, potassium in the banana, antioxidants and vitamins in the blueberries, omega 3's in the flax seed, calcium in the almond milk, and metabolism boosting reactors in the cinnamon.  Coincidentally, if you combine them all together in one bowl, it happens to be absolutely delicious!



I choose to use instant Quaker Oats as opposed to something else like steel cut oats because it's way cheaper and faster to make.  Frozen blueberries are also cheaper than fresh ones, and for some reason they end up being sweeter as well.  Using stevia extract vs. honey, brown sugar, or agave means no unnecessary calories, fat, or sugar.  Try and buy most of these ingredients at a wholesaler or bulk foods store to get the most bang for your buck.


Enjoy!


Calories per Serving:  450-500
Triple H Rating:  10 out of 10  
(5 for health and 5 for cheapness factor)

Pagliaccio Salad (Copycat Recipe)

One of our favorite take-out meals to bring back to the house on a Redbox movie night was a pizza and salad from Pagliacci's down the street.  Specifically, it would be the 11" Margherita and party sized Pagliaccio Salad.  The pizza was $12.99 and salad was $13.99.  They had smaller sizes for the salad that were cheaper, but we never had any leftovers when ordering the party size.

After staring at the menu one day while waiting for the takeout order, we noticed how simple it was to replicate the salad and save $13.99 each time and even potentially have leftovers.  On top of that, we were able to control what and how much of the ingredients went into the dish, i.e., less or no cheese, less dressing, and substituting the salami for chicken as a healthier alternative.

So here it is....we think our substitutes and own house-made dressing make it taste way better than the original at Pagliacci's and are able to make 3x as much at a 1/3 of the cost.  Let us know what you think!

 
Pagliaccio Salad Ingredients:

• 1 bunch green leaf lettuce (chopped to desired size) - $1.30
• 1 red bell pepper (diced) - $1.00
• 1/2 red onion (diced) - $0.40
• 1 can garbanzo beans (drained) - $0.89
• Handful of cooked chicken breast fajita meat (chopped) - $0.50
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) - $0.10

 
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing:

• Dijon mustard - $0.20
• Apple cider vinegar - $0.10
• Honey - $0.20
• Salt and pepper - N/A
• Olive oil - $0.20

Estimated Cost:  $4.89

Directions:

1. Lay down chopped green leaf lettuce on serving plate
2. Sprinkle desired amount of diced red bell pepper, red onion, garbanzo beans, and chicken on top
3. Lightly shake grated Parmesan cheese on top
4. Mix dressing ingredients together until smooth (adjust amount of mustard, vinegar, and honey according to taste)
5. Add dressing and freshly cracked black pepper just before serving

Calories per Serving:  <200 (one big plate)
Triple H Rating:  9 out of 10 (4 for health and 5 for cheapness factor)

A Taste of Things to Come...

Tired of paying top dollar for gourmet meals?  Wondering why eating healthy is so #%$@! expensive?  Want to know how to cook nutritious meals while making your dollar stretch?

If you answered "Yes!" to all of the above, this blog is for you!  

Our goal here at Triple H is to share the recipes we've created (and borrowed) with people that want to prepare fresh and nutritious food at cheapskate prices.  So with each post, expect to see the detailed recipe and pictures but also a line item breakout listing out the estimated costs per ingredient. 

And.....since we at Triple H are a bunch of fitness freaks (albeit cheap ones!), we're also going to provide an estimated total calorie count for each recipe for you calorie counters out there.

Lastly, each recipe will be given a Triple H rating which is a sum of the following 5-pt scores:  (1) how healthy the meal is and (2) how much it costs to make.  The higher the rating the better, so the ever elusive 10 rating means the recipe is packed full of nutrients and super foods but is dirt cheap to make.

Join us on a journey to make your waistlines skinnier and your pockets fatter.  Welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions!