I know a lot of skeptics out there think you have to spend tons of money to eat real foods. In reality, it comes out about the same. There are some things that help matters. The first being that you rarely eat out. I eat out maybe once a week, not including getting together with friends which also eat clean. The other thing that helps is that I pack my own lunch using leftovers. This helps in two ways: I don't buy my lunch and every meal is Daniel Plan approved. Today I will prove that eating clean really can be cost effective. I'll include what I eat for all my meals and pointers for getting things super cheap and where. I want you to be successful and the only way to do that is to make sure it fits into your life and your budget. I'm also going to include a snack that is addicting…you've been warned.
Meal 1 - Lemon Garlic Crockpot Chicken
This meal is perfect for those of you that hate touching raw meat. I recently saw a news article that said raw chicken shouldn't be rinsed due to cross contamination. This frees me from doing too much raw handling. Don't throw away the bones because you're going to need them for making chicken stock tomorrow. So easy and about $1.50 to make 6-8 quarts of stock.
1 whole chicken, giblets removed
3 lemons, 2 halved, 1 sliced
2 heads of garlic, tops cut off and loose paper removed
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning or season all
In your crockpot, place halved lemons and garlic heads cut sides up. These will hold up the chicken and allow the juices to pool without soaking the chicken. Season chicken with seasoning and then place slices of lemons and rosemary sprigs on top of chicken. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove chicken and cut up for dinner. Serve with roasted vegetables and whole grain side like quinoa or brown rice. Don't forget to save the bones and giblets for the stock.
Meal 2 - Chicken Stock
Ok, so this isn't technically a meal but it will turn into one or many depending on the size of your crockpot.
Chicken bones and giblets from one chicken
1 onion, quartered
2 ribs of celery, chopped big
2 carrots, chopped big
3 cloves of garlic, papers removed
herbs, I used parsley and chive but you can use any of your favorites, fresh or dried
5 peppercorns
2-3 tablespoons of salt
Place everything in a crockpot and cook on low overnight or 24-48 hours. Strain through a mesh colander. Store in the fridge for a week or freezer in plastic storage bags for months. I fill my bags and lay them on a cookie sheet placed in a freezer. When frozen solid, they can be stacked on top of each other for easy storage. Don't forget to label it with a date.
Meal 3 - Indian Red Lentil Soup
I love soup. All kinds, all the time. This is a super easy stovetop soup that could be made in the crockpot as well. If you don't like curry, just leave that out. So easy.
For the Soup
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pureed chipotle in adobo sauce (or diced jalapeño)
1 pound red lentils
6 cups chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
For the Topper
1 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons chive or cilantro, chopped
Mix all ingredients for topper in a bowl and put in the fridge. Place oil, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in hot pot. Cook for 5 minutes until ingredients are soft. Add chipotle and lentils. Add stock and cook 15-20 minutes. Use a blender or immersion blender to make the soup smooth. Add lemon juice. In each bowl, drizzle with oil and add a dollop of yogurt. Enjoy!
Meal 4 - Chicken Club Pasta
This was taste tested by a friend that is not an adventurous eater to say the least. She really liked it. It has bacon so I'm pretty sure that everyone will love it. I used the leftover chicken from first meal to keep cost down.
6 slices of bacon, cooked oil reserved
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cups cooked chicken
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or 3 tomatoes, chopped)
3/4 cup banana peppers, drained and chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked according to directions (I used penne.)
parmesan and red pepper flakes to finish
Boil water and cook pasta according to directions. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add cabbage and onion and cook until soft. Add chicken, tomatoes and banana peppers and heat through. Add sour cream and stir just until combined. Add pasta and toss. Plate and finish with parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Meal 5 - Quick Breakfast
This is a quick go-to meal if you are pressed for time. I get my produce at Aldi but be warned you have to eat it fast or freeze it because it will go bad.
2 eggs, scrambled
1 teaspoon water
salt and pepper
1 pat of butter
2 cups of fruit, chopped
Heat a small skillet of medium heat. Add butter. While the butter melts, crack and scramble eggs and put water with the eggs. Season to taste. Add eggs to skillet when it's hot. Cook until eggs are done but still slightly wet. Remove to plate with fruit. You are ready to go or sit and eat.
Snack - The Amazing Maple Bacon Popcorn!!!
This was a stroke of genius…really, genius! This is all of my favorite flavors made into an outrageously delicious snack. This is like kettle corn on crack. It's awesome…I can't express it strongly enough.
1 cup popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons bacon fat, 2 for the corn, one for the topping
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
salt
In a large pot with a lid over medium high heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of fat. Add popcorn and cover. Shake the pan to coat the kernels with the fat. Cook and shake until all the popcorn is popped. In a small pot, heat 1 tablespoon of bacon fat, syrup, and vanilla until warmed through. Pour over popped corn and shake well. Sprinkle with salt as desired.
This journey of clean eating has been great for me and I think it has gone pretty well for my family. I am curious how it's going at your place. I'd love to hear your cheers and jeers. Share what works and what didn't with me. I also love new recipes. If you've tried something that has worked for you, I'd like to try it, too.
With maple, bacon fingers,
Brooke
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