The notion that healthy eating includes splurging on expensive ingredients needs to go. The trick is to use staple ingredients and vegetables in combination with premium ones to make a budget healthy meal for the family.
Over time I’ve tried to create innovative healthy budget-friendly meals with inexpensive but flavour-packed ingredients for my family.
However, one thing that I hate is spending hours in the kitchen during the summer to prepare a delicious meal.
Hence I am constantly looking for tips and tricks to reduce time in the kitchen. If you share the same ethos, you will love these recipes.
One Pot Cheesy Mince Chicken Pasta
To begin, let’s start with my family favourite. This has become my go-to dish when I can't think of preparing anything else. Not only is it quick, but healthy and budget-friendly as well.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
- Chicken mince - 1lb
- Red onion - 1 cup chopped
- Whole-wheat penne pasta - 1 packet
- Tomatoes - 2 whole chopped
- Oregano - 1 tsp
- Salt - as per taste
- Pasta sauce - 1 cup
- Fresh cream - ½ cup
- Unsalted chicken broth - 3 cups
- Fresh baby spinach - ½ lb
- Fresh basil leaves - ½ cup
- Low-fat mozzarella cheese - ½ cup
- Grated parmesan cheese - (optional)
Method
- In a pot, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add minced chicken, and let it cook for around 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid forming lumps of the meat.
- Once the chicken starts changing colour to a brownish shade, add onion, tomatoes, oregano, and salt.
- Let it cook for 4-5 minutes or until the tomatoes are breaking down and the onion has sauteed.
- Stir in pasta, unsalted broth, pasta sauce, and cream at this stage. As soon as it starts simmering, cover and let it cook over medium-high flame. Occasionally stir the broth so the pasta doesn't stick to each other.
- Ideally, cook until the pasta is al dente, it usually takes around 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach in small batches along with basil and mozzarella. Cover and cook for around 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the cheese starts to melt.
- Garnish with parmesan and some remaining basil leaves.
- And ta-daa the whole meal will be prepared in less than half an hour and devoured within minutes.
Baked Eggplant With Tomato Sauce/ Baingan Borani
Baingan Borani has a history of Afghani and Iranian cuisine. I found this recipe nothing but love in a bowl. It is so easy to make, packed with flavours and nutrition, and light on the stomach and budget.
Ingredients
- Eggplants - 2 large
- Tomatoes - 2 large
- Puree of 1 large tomato
- Onion - 1 large
- Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
- Chaat masala - ½ tsp
- Green chillies - 2 sliced
- Coriander powder - ½ tsp
- Salt - as per taste
- Yoghurt - 1 cup
- Garlic - 2 cloves
Method
- Cut the eggplants, 2 tomatoes, and onion into thick slices.
- Sprinkle some salt and chaat masala on both the sides of sliced eggplants. Place them in a greased oven tray and bake them for 10 minutes on both sides respectively.
- Heat oil in a pan, add ginger garlic paste, tomato puree, all the spices, and green chillies, and cook until the oil separates from the masala.
- Now place the sliced tomatoes, onion rings, and baked eggplants on top of each other on the masala. Press it down, add some water, and let it cook for around 10 minutes.
- Separately, take yoghurt in a bowl, add crushed garlic, chaat masala, and salt to it. Mix using a whisk to avoid lumps.
- In the serving dish, spread ½ of yoghurt on the bottom, then dish out the eggplant masala and pour the remaining yoghurt over the top. Sprinkle some chopped green coriander and serve with whole wheat flatbread (roti).
I am sure you will love this healthy version of eggplants that is not only easy to make but budget-friendly as well.
Budget Healthy Meals for the Family - Chipotle Quinoa Chicken Salad
Occasionally when I am on a serious weight loss journey, and watching every morsel I eat, then this becomes my go-to recipe.
The reason being this quinoa chicken salad is so irresistible that the whole family enjoys eating it and I don’t have to prepare separate meals for myself and the family.
You have to taste this budget healthy meal for the family to believe it.
Ingredients
Veggies
- Chopped tomatoes - 1 cup
- Chopped onions - 1 cup
- Chopped green jalapenos - ½ cup
- Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
- Salt - as per taste
- Black pepper- ½ tsp
Chipotle Chicken
- Chicken breast - 2 lbs
- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
- Salt
- Paprika powder - ½ tsp
- Cumin powder - ½ tsp
- Oregano powder - ½ tsp
- Garlic powder - ½ tsp
- Chipotle sauce - 2 tbsp
- Tabasco sauce - 1 tbsp
Quinoa
- Quinoa - 1 cup
- Water - 2 cups
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Butter - 1 tbsp
Garnishing
- Lettuce
- Corns
- Kidney beans
Method
- Mix all the spices in the chicken and let it rest for 10 mins, then cook the chicken in a frying pan until tender. Cut the chicken into small pieces and keep aside.
- Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve. In a pot, add some butter and quinoa, and roast it for a minute. Then add water and salt and bring it to a boil.
- Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 10-12 mins. Turn off the heat and let it remain covered for 5 mins. Fluff out the quinoa with a fork.
- Dish out the quinoa in a large bowl, place the chicken on one side, and chopped veggies on the other side.
- Garnish with some lettuce, kidney beans, and corn.
- In the end, add a dab of sour cream, which works wonders with all the ingredients.
Parting Thoughts
Healthy eating has become the new norm these days. People are getting more health conscious and want to inculcate the habit of having a well-balanced diet in their meals.
However, eating healthy does not necessarily mean spending hours in the kitchen or buying expensive ingredients that dismantle your budget.
These few recipes are an example of how healthy, quick meals can be made within a budget.
