Tag Archives: cheap

Throwback Thursday – Thanksgiving for Two

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On behalf of Tablespoonsandteaspoons we want to wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you to my followers for your continuing support. 

If you’re unable to celebrate Thanksgiving with your family, we came up with a meal that can be done in a hour and more importantly it’s budget friendly, healthy and low carb. 

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Cutlets with Brussels Sprout Casserole and Skinny Mashed Yams

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Cutlets – Recipe was adapted from Domesticated Wildchild and Grace Before Meals

Boneless Skinless Turkey Breast Cutlets $4.99/lb 

Bacon $3.99 

Salt

Pepper

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2) Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet and lay 4 strips of bacon flat on the foiled baking sheet. 

3) Rinse 2-4 slices of turkey breast cutlets depending on size and place cutlets on top of the bacon. 

4) Season cutlets generously in salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Stack cutlets. 

5) Place the tips of the bacon to wrap around the cutlets and roll tightly. 

6) Place bacon wrapped turkey cutlets in the oven for one hour.  Rotate the baking sheets 180 degrees halfway. 

7) Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. 

Brussels Sprouts Casserole – Recipe was adapted from Grace Before Meals

1 tablespoon of butter (I used the Earth Balance Organic Whipped Butter) $3.50 

16 pieces of Brussels sprouts -$2.99/lb.

Ocean spray craisins  (dried cranberries) at 2 for $3 ($1.50)

1/4 cup of water 

1/4 cup of breadcrumbs $1.50

1) Rinse and cut Brussels sprouts into quarters.

2) Melt butter in a non stick pan

3) Add Brussels sprouts and let it cool for 4 mins. 

4) Add dried cranberries and water and let it cook until water is evaporated. 

5) Add breadcrumbs and mix until toasted. 

Skinny Mashed Yams – Recipe was adapted from Tasty Kitchen

2 yams washed and cubed = $0.59/lb

Cinnamon 

Salt

Butter

1) Wash and cut yams into cubes.

2) Add yams to boiling water and cook until fork tender. 

3) Drain yams. Mash yams and add cinnamon and butter as needed. 

There you have it, a date night/Thanksgiving meal for two that can be done in one hour with each dish requiring no more than five ingredients. 

From our family to yours, once again Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers! 

Meatless Monday – 2 ingredients – Sauteed spinach & Garlic

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Here’s a quick pick-me-up that is cheap, healthy, gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian side dish.  Recently I brought a bag of Dole Baby Spinach, on sale at Shop & Shop (buy 1 get 1 free) and homemade minced garlic (thank you dad) and put a quick side dish together.

Spinach has many health properties, which were previously mentioned on a past Meatless Monday post.  In addition, spinach has one of the highest if not the highest level of folate, which helps prevent depression, neural tube disorders during pregnancy, and dementia.

 

Garlic has been considered to be medicine food especially in India and China.  It was used to aid respiration and digestion.  It helps reduce inflammation and even prevent cancers.  It also contains neuroprotective properties that helps with visual memory and performing executive functions.  It is also an immune system booster, which helps treat colds and flu.  It helps with high blood pressure and may help treat diabetes.

1 bag of Dole Baby Spinach, washed = 20 calories for 3 cups.

2 tablespoons of minced garlic = 30 calories

  1. Spray the pan with cooking spray

2. Add minced garlic and saute until starts becoming golden brown

3. Stir in spinach gradually until wilted

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At various Chinese restaurants I’ve eaten at, this dish or any other green vegetable dish and garlic would cost over $10 (family style) and they use vegetable oil, which is less healthier than olive oil, and grapeseed oil.  This dish can be made with other vegetables such as bok choy and watercress.

 

Throwback Thursday/Flashback Friday – Pork Dishes Filipino & Thai style 

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Today’s first Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday post of 2017 is a double duo, filled with cultural and food experiences that I can identify with – Pork. 

Although pork is forbidden in some cultures, it is also one of the most popular types of meat in eastern Asia especially in the Philippines and Thailand. 

Pork, the product of the pig comes in a variety of forms and there are many ways of preparing them for consumption. 

In the New Year, one of the lucky foods to consume is pork because the pork is said to be rotund, which signifies prosperity. Since it is derived from the pig, the animal itself “roots forward” symbolizing progress.  Not only pork brings good luck it is also healthy. 

Health Benefits of consuming pork include: 

– Protein for growing and maintaining muscle

So, given this information for the occasion I decided to turn back time to several posts here as well as my own experiences to attempt a healthier yet authentic version of the Filipino adobo and Thai grilled pork (moo ping).  Better yet the cost to make both of these dishes was under $10 and it serves 4 people plus leftovers. 

Pork Belly Adobo

The pork belly was sliced and marinated in 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of tamarind sauce, 4 tablespoons of datu puti, garlic, onions, ginger and bay leaves. The only addition added was star anise. The dish was marinated for 3-3.5 hours at room temperature.  The dish was prepared as described in one of my earliest post: Chicken Thigh Adobo. 

Moo Ping – Thai grilled pork

One of father’s favorite Thai dishes is moo ping, translated in Thai for grilled pork. Inspired by one of the best pork dishes at Ayada, I attempted to replicate the dish while keeping it healthy. 

Pork shoulder was sliced and marinated in garlic, cilantro, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar for 3-4 hours prior to grilling. Normally this dish is prepared in skewers. 

So today we covered a throwback recipe and a flashback dish at a restaurant to make two lucky cultural pork dishes for the New Year. Hopefully this double duo will help Tablespoonsandteaspoons progress to bigger and better 2017. Cheers! 

Meatless Monday/Traditional Tuesday – Sautéed Black Eyed Peas and Spinach 

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Welcome to Tablespoonsandteaspoons first Meatless Monday post of 2017. As part of this week’s game plan, we will be exploring what is considered lucky New Year’s foods that is also beneficial for one’s health.  To start the year off, we will be working on another 5-ingredient dish that consists of two lucky foods that are also healthy: Black Eyed Peas and spinach. 
Black eyed Peas – are the creamed colored bean with a black speckle on it almost resembling an eyeball. Consumption of this bean is considered good luck according to a Southern food tradition.  For New Years, eating black eyed peas symbolizes coins, which brings in good luck and prosperity for the year. 

Consumption of black eyed peas also has several health benefits including: 

  • Improving digestion and preventing constipation due to its high dietary fiber content
  • May prevent anemia due to its high folate content, which is partly responsible to producing red blood cells
  • May lower blood pressure thus potentially lower the risk of heart disease due to its high potassium, which balances blood pressure. 
  • Helps protect vision and skin due to its high vitamin A content.

Spinach – is a vegetable that are relatives with Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens.  Eating spinach or any greens on New Year’s is good luck because the green color resembles money. 

Consuming spinach has many healthy properties making it one of the best foods to consume to prevent and potentially treat illnesses. These include:

  • Cancer prevention due to its high antioxidant & anti-carcinogrnic properties, protects the cells from DNA damage and oxidative stress. 
  • Reduces inflammation associated with heart disease in the long run and due to its high antioxidant content.
  • Reduces cholesterol, improve circulation especially in blood vessels, and reduces blood pressure, 
  • Helps maintain a strong immune system thus reducing inflammation and protects eyes, skin and teeth. 
  • Helps protect against diabetes prior and even during diagnosis due to its protective steroid properties responsible for maintaining blood surgar levels in the body.
  • Preserve and even protect macular degeneration due to its high vitamin A and carotenoids content 
  • Maintain strong bone due to its high vitamin K content, which also helps blood clots and reduces inflammation.
  • Help prevent skin cancer 
  • Its high fiber content helps serves as a detox.
  • Protect and even reduce neurological damage 
  • Contains magnesium which help regulate and control nerves and muscular functions

Given these two lucky and yet very healthy foods, here is a recipe that would be considered lucky while promoting good health. 

Sautéed Black Eyed Peas and Spinach –

Serves at least 2

2 tablespoons of olive oil = 120 cal/tbsp.

1 tablespoons of minced garlic = 15 cal/tbsp.

1/2 red onion sliced = approx. 40 cal/100g

2 cups (32 tbsp.) spinach = 7 cal/16 tbsp. 

1 can (15 oz.) Eden Organic black eyed peas = 90 cal/8 tbsp.

1) Sauté oil, garlic and onion for approximately 5 min. 

2) Add spinach and stir until wilted (approximately 3-4 min).

3) Drain and rinse the canned black eyed peas (dried black eyed peas would be cheaper but due to time, we had to settle with the canned peas). Add them to the mixture. Stir until heated through. 

Ready to serve. 


    Traditional Tuesday – Paleo Party Food – BBS: Bacon, Basil, Shrimp Finger Food.

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    My friend introduced me to a three ingredient dish that was so cost-effective and easy to make.   It is a great day game day appetizer plus it is quick, healthy, low calorie and paleo-friendly.  This dish does not have its true origins, but restaurants have made it part of their appetizer, bar and/or gastropub menus.  It is called Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.  I call it:

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    As you can the total number of calories for each piece is between 33 and 45 calories depending on the type of bacon used and the size of the shrimp.

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    Turkey BBS – Turkey Bacon Basil (Wrapped Around) Shrimp

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    Oscar Mayer BBS – Oscar Mayer Bacon, Basil (Wrapped Around) Shrimp

    This three ingredient quick dish is made in five steps totaling about 15-20 min.

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Rinse shrimp, pat dry and place a piece of basil on top.
    3. Holding the shrimp with the basil, wrap the slice of bacon around each piece.
    4. Place the wrapped shrimp on a greased cookie sheet or small pan.
    5. Place it in the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes until the shrimp is opaque.

    This dish is so addicting in a sense that when one piece is eaten, there are cravings for more.  Just remember everything in moderation.  Bon appettit!

     

    Meatless Monday – Mung Bean Pudding

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    Happy Monday, technically Tuesday.  Well, this week there is no game plan because, I had an accident working out and I am recovering from the aftermath.  Therefore, since this week is Songkran aka Thai New Year, I will dedicate this week to posting healthy Thai recipes and recent places I have eaten at.

    Therefore, the first of two Thai recipes for the week is meatless for Meatless Monday.  This dish is a Thai dessert, which personally can be versatile and be served as a meal.  The meal can be made with two ingredients or up to four ingredients.  The star ingredient of the dish is Mung Bean, a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine and it is very nutritious and detoxifying.

    Health Benefits of Mung Bean Consumption:

    Contain high soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol

    Contain protease inhibitors, which block the copying and reproducing of tumor and cancer cells especially breast cancer

    Contain isoflavones that regulate hormones, estrogen, in particular, which helps women with post-menopause.

    Low glycemic making it diabetic friendly.

    High in protein

    Recently, an article was published at the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggesting the possibility that the extract of mung bean sprouts can serve as a potent antiviral property.  The extract’s potency can economically and effectively fight against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Herpes Simplex virus −1 (HSV-1).

    Tau Suan – Mung Bean Sweet Dessert/Pudding

    This dish is very easy to make and it cost effective.  Total cost of the dish can range between $5-$10 at most Asian supermarkets.  This dish serves two people.

    8 tablespoons of dried mung beans = 361 calories/2 servings

    2 cups of water = 0 calories

    4 tablespoons tapioca starch  = 84 calories/2 servings (optional)

    4 tablespoons sugar =186 calories/2 servings (optional)

    5 tablespoons coconut milk = 100 calories/2 servings (optional)

    Ingredients
    Final dish
    1. Boil beans in water for approximately 20 minutes.
    2. Mix tapioca starch with water, keep stirring so nothing sticks in the bottom of the pan.
    3. Add sugar (optional)
    4. Warm coconut milk but do not heat it all the way (optional).
    5. Pour warm coconut milk to the lentil dish (optional).

    Personally I have made this dish several times, using three ingredients and performing only the first two steps because my father does not eat sweets.  Recently I have made this dish using all the ingredients listed to obtain the sweet and creamy texture.

    Cheers to better health! Off to the next recipe.  Stay tuned.