5 low cost healthy, yummy, easy recipes
To celebrate the upcoming launch of my millennial health season 2 we wanted to deliver you five low cost, healthy, yummy and easy recipes – you’re welcome ☺ Check out the episode where Jess and Jess chat through these recipes:
One of the most common responses we hear when we talk about healthy eating is that it’s too expensive to stick to, and convenience foods are easier and cheaper. However, there is a lot of research that indicates the opposite! Enter the Mediterranean Diet which we love for so many reasons including it is good for our health and bank accounts!
The Mediterranean Diet is a dietary style we talk about a lot because the research shows time and again that this pattern of eating has multiple health benefits and can contribute to longevity. The Mediterranean Diet is a mostly plant-based diet, and in the 2012 – 2015 SMILES Trial, participants following the Mediterranean Diet spent $26 less per week on groceries compared to the baseline diets (typical Western style of eating). It helps to prove that healthy eating doesn’t equal expensive, and in fact can be a great way to cut costs on your weekly grocery shop, perfect for families, single parents, students and anyone looking to save a little extra cash!
To help you get started, we’ve put together 5 of our favourite recipes that meet all the important criteria of being healthy, yummy and also easy to make! We’ve even included the cost per serve so you can see how budget-friendly healthy recipes can be as well. Note: the costs were sourced from Woolworths online and are accurate at time of comparison. Recipes were all created by Health and Performance Collective.
1. Berry Bircher Muesli
Bircher muesli, or overnight oats, are a great make-ahead breakfast to save you time on busy mornings! In summer enjoy your bircher muesli cold out of the fridge, or in winter you can warm it up in the microwave for a hot breakfast. Feel free to change the fruit combinations to keep things interesting too! Grated apple and cinnamon or mango and mint are some of our favourite combos.
PREP: 5 minutes
LEAVE: Overnight
SERVES: 1
COST PER SERVE = $2.15
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts or almonds
2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup of milk of choice (such as dairy or soy milk)
1 tbsp plain Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup (1/2 punnet) of fresh blueberries
½ cup (1/4 punnet) of fresh strawberries, sliced
METHOD
In a jar, container or bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and chia seeds then pour in milk and yoghurt. Stir to combine
Place a lid on top and seal. Leave overnight in the fridge to soak
In the morning, add fresh blueberries and strawberry slices on top. Enjoy!
2. Veggie Omelette
Omelettes are a quick savoury breakfast that packs a protein punch to help keep you feeling full through the morning. You can play around with the omelette filling so it never gets boring! Spinach, goats feta and chilli or kimchi and cheddar are tasty combo’s to try too.
PREP: 5 minutes
COOK: 10 minutes
SERVES: 1
COST PER SERVE = $3.95
INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp grated tasty cheese
½ cup pre-sliced mushrooms
1 cup baby spinach
5 cherry tomatoes
METHOD
In a bowl beat the eggs with a fork until yolk and white are combined
Warm the EVOO in a small fry pan over medium heat then add the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms to the pan, sautéing until mushrooms are beginning to brown and soften, then add the baby spinach for an extra minute until it has wilted. Tip the vegetables into a bowl for later
Put the pan back over heat then add the egg mixture to the pan, swirling until eggs are evenly spread around pan
Sprinkle the cheese on top and let eggs cook 2-3 minutes until the underside is browned and inside is slightly runny
Use a spatula to fold the omelette in half, enclosing the cheese and vegetables inside
3. Veggie Burrito Bowl
This burrito bowl is a fresh, healthy way to enjoy the flavours of Mexican food while incorporating principles of the Mediterranean diet - lots of plants and colour! Burrito bowls are a great option to prep-ahead for lunches or dinners. Swapping meat for beans will help to keep costs low but still packs a protein punch. Fill your burrito bowl with a rainbow of plants to keep you feeling full and enjoy!
Note: this recipe makes use of some pantry staples such as dried herbs. If you don’t have these at home already, the cost per serve may increase.
PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 5 minutes
SERVES: 2
COST PER SERVE = $5.70
INGREDIENTS
1 avocado, seed and skin removed
1 lime, cut into quarters
1 large tomato, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 capsicum (any colour), sliced into strips
1 tin Mexican bean mix, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp each dried herbs: cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin and garlic powder
1 microwave brown rice cup
1/4 cup shredded tasty cheese
1 tbsp of plain Greek yoghurt
METHOD
In a small bowl, mash the avocado flesh with the juice of 1/4 lime
In another bowl, combine the finely diced tomatoes and red onion to make your salsa. Stir through 1/2 the coriander
In a small fry pan, heat half the EVOO over medium-low heat then add the capsicum strips, stirring until capsicum is softened. Tip the capsicum into a bowl then return the pan to the heat.
Heat the other half of the EVOO in frypan on medium-low heat then tip in the Mexican bean mix with all the dried herbs. Sautee the beans until warmed through (they are already cooked so should only take a couple of minutes). Meanwhile, warm brown rice as per packet instructions
In two bowls, divide the ingredients layering brown rice first, topped with the bean mixture, capsicum strips, then avocado mix, tomato salsa, sprinkle of tasty cheese and lastly a dollop of plain Greek yoghurt in place of sour cream
4. Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad
This salad is a perfect meal prep option for those who like to prepare their weekday lunches in advance! It is a great salad served cold from the fridge but can also be warmed up for a winter lunch. You won't miss the meat in this super filling salad.
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 35 minutes
SERVES: 2
COST PER SERVE = $4.65
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium sweet potato, cut into small chunks
1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of cumin
2 tbsp of EVOO
1/2 cup buckwheat
2 cups baby spinach
2 tbsp of sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped continental parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Spread sweet potato chunks on a lined baking tray and brush with ~1/2 tbsp of the olive oil then place in the oven for 20 minutes
Meanwhile, cook buckwheat in 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until softened and water is absorbed. Add more water if needed
After 20 minutes, remove sweet potato from the oven and spread chickpeas and onion around the tray, sprinkle paprika and cumin over the top and brush with more EVOO if needed. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes or until sweet potato is soft
In a bowl, layer the spinach with chickpeas, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, parsley and squeezed lemon juice on top.
5. Raspberry Chia Pudding
Chia seed puddings are worth the effort of making in advance! You can prep these at the beginning of the week, change the flavours to whatever fruit combination you like, and they also feel a little bit like having a pudding dessert! Chia seeds are a good source of healthy fats and fibre to help fill you up in between meals.
PREP: 5 minutes
LEAVE: 2-2 hours
SERVES: 1
COST PER SERVE = $2.60
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp black or white chia seeds
1/2 cup milk of your choice
½ cup of raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
METHOD:
Using a blender, mix together the milk, vanilla extract and raspberries (leave a couple of raspberries out as a garnish on top if you like)
In a small cup, pour the raspberry and milk mixture in, and add the chia seeds
Stir the chia seeds through the milk mixture thoroughly, until they are incorporated into the milk
Wait a few minutes as the chia seeds will settle to the bottom, then stir thoroughly again and make sure the chia seeds are dispersed evenly throughout the mixture
Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours until it has firmed up
Top with remaining raspberries and pumpkin seeds and serve