Are grocery prices making meal planning more difficult?
As if meal planning wasn’t hard enough, the ever-rising food and gas prices can make it feel not only timely but costly. Meal planning, grocery shopping, and prepping feel more stressful than ever these days. That’s why I (Coach Bella) decided to go on a mission to create a simple, affordable, and quick recipe that won’t break the bank or your back!
Bean, Rice, and Veggie Bowl
Cooking plant-based can actually be quite affordable, especially when opting for nutritious staples like rice and beans. For this recipe, I got my ingredients from Trader Joe’s and even opted for organic versions of a few ingredients (spinach, zucchini, kidney beans, and chickpeas). The prices are listed beside the ingredients. The grand total, with tax, was $12.18. However, this is meant to provide about 3 meals if eaten alone, or 5 meals if something is added to it like eggs, chicken/turkey, more veggies, or a side salad. That’s only $4.06/meal for 3 meals or $2.44/meal for 5 meals (with the additional cost of whatever else you add)!
Ingredients:
1 bag of spinach ($2.29)
1/2 bag of rice– jasmine, brown, white ($2.99)
1 onion ($0.99)
2 zucchinis ($3.69)
1 can of chickpeas ($0.99)
1 can of beans- kidney, black, northern, or your fav ($0.99)
Steps:
Chop the zucchini and onion
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and beans
Cook the rice
As you can see I had some brown rice to use up so I mixed the jasmine and brown rice together.
Sauté the zucchini and onions
I used olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season
Add the spinach to the pan with the onions and zucchini. Cook until spinach is wilted or cooked to your liking. (Option to leave spinach raw and have it as a base to the dish.)
Add the beans to the pan as well to lightly cook.
I added more seasoning once the beans were in the pan.
Optional toppings
Salsa, shredded lettuce, and Mexican cheese
Sriracha
Green goddess dressing
Curry sauce
Enjoy!
I used kidney beans + chickpeas. Two cans of beans could be used as opposed to chickpeas and beans.
There are few recipes simpler than rice and beans. However, this bowl has a world of possibilities depending on the veggies and toppings you choose to add. Please play around with the ingredients and use this as a guide to create a yummy bowl!
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 3
Cost 12.18
Ingredients
1bag of spinach
1/2bag of ricejasmine, brown, wild rice
1onion
2zucchinisor veggie of choice
1can of chickpeas
1can of beans- kidneyblack, northern, or your fav
Instructions
Chop the zucchini and onion
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and beans
Cook the rice
Sauté the zucchini and onions
Use oil and seasonings of choice
Add the spinach to the pan with the onions and zucchini. Cook until spinach is wilted or cooked to your liking. (Option to leave spinach raw and have it as a base to the dish.)
Add the beans to the pan as well to lightly cook.
Add optional toppings such as Sriracha, curry sauce, cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc.
Snacks are so fun, aren’t they!? The best snacks are balanced, containing a carbohydrate plus some protein and/or fat. Snacks can also be a strategic way to get in more fruits and vegetables. Make these muffins as a delicious mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up. You’ll be satisfying your sweet tooth and nourishing yourself with a healthy, balanced snack. If you want to hear more about the Well Balanced Way to snack, check out our workshop on Balanced Snack Secrets.
Cooking with Chef Christy
In this episode of cooking with Chef Christy, I bake a delicious muffin that works as a wonderful, balanced snack. While it is not your normal super light and fluffy muffin, it IS very nutritious and fun!
These muffins make the best Well Balanced Snack! They contain carbs, fat, protein, fruits and veggies. making them balanced, nutritous and delicious. It's a great way to use fresh zucchini and strawberries which are abundant in the summer months.
Course Snack
Cuisine baked goods
Keyword dairy free, gluten free
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Resting Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 5
Author Well Balanced Nutrition
Equipment
food processor (helpful but not required)
silicone muffin cups
cookie/muffin scoop
muffin tin
mixing bowls (2)
measuring cups
Ingredients
1cupoatsground (or 3/4 cup oat flour) gluten-free if necessary
1zucchini (small)grated and dried (makes about 1 cup grated)
1 1/2cupstrawberrieschopped
2eggs
1/4cupalmond butteror alternative
2tspvanilla extract
1tspcinnamon
1tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
1/4cupcocoa powderunsweetened
2Tbscoconut sugar
1/4cupdark chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grind the oats in a blender to create a fine flour (or purchase oat flour).
1 cup oats
Grate the zucchini, then squeeze out the excess water in cheesecloth (or chop in a mini food processor to save time).
1 zucchini (small)
Chop the strawberries (use a food processor to save time).
1 1/2 cup strawberries
Spray muffin tins with baking oil or use silicone liners.
Prepare the wet ingredients:In a large bowl: combine the strawberries, nut butter, eggs, and vanilla and stir to combine.
1 1/2 cup strawberries, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup almond butter
Prepare the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl: whisk the oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar
Entertaining this summer? Make some crowd-pleasing dips. They are a convenient and delicious way to consume a wide variety of anti-inflammatory vegetables, spices, and healthy fats. While we love the convenience of purchased dips like packaged hummus, some brands may contain unnecessary levels of fat, sugar, salt, preservatives, and hard-to-pronounce ingredients. Making dips yourself allows you to control the flavor and quality – and it’s easy!
The best dips begin with a creamy base made from foods such as beans, lentils, avocados, edamame, and roasted vegetables [eggplant, carrots, squash, zucchini, peppers, cauliflower] that are blended with oil or another liquid. Add flavor boosters such as tahini, garlic, hot sauce, nut butters, nuts and seeds, lemon or lime juice, and zest to add dimension. Finish by seasoning with fresh and dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper, and your dip is complete. Here are some of our favorite combinations with healthy vehicles ideas:
Ingredient and flavor combinations
Chickpea hummus [and other beans] – The classic chickpea base is very versatile and can be made with any bean. Add tahini, garlic, lemon, and cumin to chickpeas for a traditional version. Variations include [but are not limited to] roasted red pepper, lemon kale, Moroccan carrot, roasted zucchini, kalamata olive, spicy sriracha, and creamy pesto. Try this crowd-pleasing version for Lemon Dill Hummus.
Avocado, AKA guacamole! We love the healthy fats in avocado, but the calories can be intimidating. Cut the amount of avocado in half by adding defrosted edamame beans – you will decrease the calories and increase the protein. Win, win. Add some greens to keep your dip bright and fresh. Our Kale and Edamame Guacamole is a team favorite.
Roasted vegetables – Baba ganoush is the ultimate example here – a combination of roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, and garlic. Other roasted vegetables that work well in dips are butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, and peppers. Roasting them allows you to process vegetables until creamy. Start with store-bought for this nutrient-dense and super flavorful Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip.
Vehicles:
Carrot chips or sticks – You can purchase prepared crinkle-cut carrot chips or slice carrots on an angle. Baby carrots work too.
Cucumber chips – Slice cucumbers on an angle to maximize surface area for scooping.
Broccoli or cauliflower – Lightly steam these vegetables to bring out their sweetness – you want them to still have the firmness necessary to dip.
Green beans – Remove stems, rinse, and dip. If you prefer, you can lightly steam these as well.
Endive – This nutrient-dense vegetable is the ultimate chip – perfect shape, size, and sturdiness.
Peppers – Red, yellow, and orange peppers provide a variety of phytonutrients and are milder than green peppers.
Celery sticks – Firm and crisp, celery is a go-to vehicle.
Snap peas – These can be consumed raw or lightly steamed.
Cherry tomatoes – We love using grape tomatoes on our crudités platters, but dipping them can be tricky. Using toothpicks can help keep your fingers free of dip.
If you are interested in more Well Balanced snack options and new recipes, join us for our monthly webinar.
In this episode of Cooking with Chef Christy we get a brief overview (#lifehack) for adding juicy flavors without the fancy #sousvide equipment. She walks us through starting with a flavorful marinade for protein of your choice (such as chicken thighs). Then you cook them briefly on the grill. Lastly, you put the meat back in the marinade and bake in the oven for a flavor packed #protein.
Doing these steps in this order means that the active cooking time is finished early. You can use this passive cooking time to finish work, go play or prepare any other foods for this meal.
For more help making delicious meals like these, contact us to talk about how you can make more Well Balanced meals at home: https://wellbalancednutrition.com/contact-us/ #cooking #wellbalanced #homemade
First Add Flavor:
A marinade is a fairly quick way to add a ton of flavor to your chicken. We have this DIY recipe for you or you can buy premade spice blends at the store.
Option 1 – Moroccan Marinade (Recipe listed at the bottom of this post.)
Option 2 – Curry Blend (Recipe listed at the bottom of this post.)
Second Sear In The Flavor:
Grill the chicken for 10 minutes to for some caramelization and a bit of char if you’re into that. This step also adds a bit of texture, which holds up even after the finishing step.
Lastly, Finish Cooking In Oven:
In this method, the marinade doesn’t just flavor the outside of the chicken. Braising (which is what’s happening in the oven) allows these flavors to better penetrate the chicken. It also puts any excess marinade to good use here, as too much moisture on the grill tends to get messy.
Moroccan Chicken
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp maple syrup
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric optional
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
Whisk together all ingredients, except chicken, together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add chicken and let marinade while grill heats or up to 12 hours.
Preheat grill.
Place chicken breasts on grill, brushing on additional marinade over top. Grill, covered, for 5-6 minutes per side.
Place seasoned, grilled chicken thighs into an oven-safe dish, along with any leftover marinade.
Add 1-2 ounces of chicken broth. *In a pinch, just use water. You’ll have plenty of flavors already.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and place in a 350-degree oven for 60- 90 minutes. The chicken should be tender and fork-shreddable after 60 minutes but can cook longer for more tenderness.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and gently shred the chicken with a fork before serving. You can also serve the chicken in larger pieces if desired.
SUGGESTION: Serve w/ rice, peppers, green olives, lemon. Add cilantro if you have it. You can use cauliflower rice, whole grain rice, couscous or your favorite grain.
Notes:
While many ethnic foods have a reputation for being spicy, they don’t have to be. It’s very easy to omit chiles and build up a tolerance over time if you wish.
Fresh spices make a difference. Use dried spices within 3 months of opening for the best flavor.
Curry Chicken
Ingredients
1 T ground coriander seeds
1 T ground turmeric
2 t ground fenugreek seeds
2 t ground cumin seeds
1 t ground ginger
½ t ground black pepper
¼ t ground cinnamon
¼ t ground cloves
¼ t ground cardamom
¼ t ground cayenne peppers (optional)
coconut milk or Chicken Broth*
1 lb chicken thighs
Directions
Whisk together all ingredients, except chicken, together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add chicken and let marinade while grill heats or up to 12 hours.
Preheat grill.
Place chicken breasts on grill, brushing on additional marinade over top. Grill, covered, for 5-6 minutes per side.
Place seasoned, grilled chicken thighs into an oven-safe dish, along with any leftover marinade.
Add 1-2 ounces of chicken broth or coconut milk. *In a pinch, just use water. You’ll have plenty of flavors already.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and place in a 350-degree oven for 60- 90 minutes. The chicken should be tender and fork-shreddable after 60 minutes but can cook longer for more tenderness.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and gently shred the chicken with a fork before serving. You can also serve the chicken in larger pieces if desired.
SUGGESTION: Serve w/ jasmine rice, shreds of zucchini, and carrots
Notes:
I (Christy) like a brighter, more floral curry powder and favor a little more turmeric and less cumin than some blends.
Fresh spices make a difference. Use dried spices within 3 months of opening for the best flavor.
Plain Greek yogurt (full fat) makes a great base for the marinade too if you have this rather than coconut milk.
In the second episode of Cooking With Chef Christy, you’ll learn how to make a delicious and hardy salad with heart-healthy additions.
Are salads really healthy?
Salads are a great way to get in a lot of colorful plant-foods, but not every salad is a great choice. It is easy to think a salad is the healthiest option on the menu when sometimes it can be more than you need. On the flip side, a salad can lack a balance of nutrients and elements that keep you full and satisfied. Salads vary widely and the right salad for you should fit your energy needs and keep you satisfied.
How to make a salad balanced AND delicious?
Just like any meal, a salad needs a few things to be balanced AND delicious. First, include fiber, protein, and fat. Fiber can come from foods like starchy vegetables, beans, or whole grains. Protein can come from eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, or tofu. Fat can come from nuts, seeds, avocado, egg yolks, meat, and/or dressing. Having each of these nutrients present in your salad not only make it well balanced, but will keep you full longer.
Secondly, include an element that ramps up the satisfaction level of your meal. That might be a crunch factor, a bit of sweetness from fruit or dressing, something spicy, something creamy, or a combination. Both the nutrition and the satisfaction level of your food matter.
Be aware of how energy-dense ingredients like dressings, nuts, avocado, fried meats, cheese, dried fruit and bacon bits can add up quickly and come with more sugar, salt, fat, and calories than you may want or need in your salad.
Here’s what ingredients makes up the Arugula Radicchio salad. The only thing left to add is a piece of salmon or other great protein-rich option to round out this colorful dish.
Arugula
A cruciferous vegetable full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
Offers some spicy flavors to the salad.
Radicchio
A member of the chicory family
Offers a pleasantly sharp and bitter flavor.
CULINARY NOTE – The fat from the salad dressing and the acid from the citrus help curb/compliment the bitterness of this nutritous and colorful veggie.
It’s beautiful purple color is thanks to the anthocyanins present in the plant. Research shows that foods rich this chemical can have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic effects. It is also great for brain health and helping to prevent heart disease.
Farro
Farro is a high-fiber whole grain.
One serving of cooked farro (1/2 cup) contains about 100 calories and 1g of fat, 4g of protein, and 26g of carbohydrates.
It is an ancestor of modern wheat and contains gluten.
Commonly used in Italian cooking.
Olive Oil-Based Dressing
Olive oil is considered a healthy fat.
It’s the primary source of added fats in the Mediterranean diet.
It’s rich in heatlhy monounsaturated fat, which lowers total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (or “bad”) cholesterol levels.
Walnuts
Walnuts are the only tree nut that is considered anexcellent source of Omega-3s fatty acids.
A one-ounce serving of walnuts provides 2.5 grams of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid (ALA), 4g of protein and 2g of fiber
A serving of walnuts is also a good source of magnesium (45mg)
Seasonal Fruit
Fruit is a great way to add some extra fun, flavor and nutrition to your salads. In the winter, citrus fruit is perfect. In the summer, you have a variety of berries and tropical fruits to choose from.
How to make your own salad dressing
Nothing elevates a salad to “yum” status quite like a tasty, clingy dressing. Making your own salad dressing is simple, cost effective, and a great way to control additives, like sugar and preservatives, that might be hiding in processed varieties. Follow this DIY Salad Dressing Formula to make your own. You can play with the ratios but this is always a great to start! Have fun with it and find the combinations you love.
DIY SALAD DRESSING OIL TO VINEGAR RATIO:
4 TBS Oil
2 TBS Vinegar
1 TBS Fresh Chopped Herbs (or 1 tsp dried herbs)
1 TBS Chopped Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Simple Arugula Radicchio Salad with Farro, Walnuts, and Oranges
In the first episode of Cooking With Chef Christy, you’ll learn how to make pineapple upside-down cake with a few twists!
Instead of white flour, Christy uses coconut flour which contains more fiber and is great for those avoiding wheat. She also uses coconut sugar rather than white table sugar which has a slightly lower glycemic index.
Because of those swaps, this version of pineapple upside-down cake has fewer calories and carbohydrates and higher fiber and protein than its more traditional counterpart. Another cool thing, this recipe comes together much quicker than a traditional upside-down cake.
Is coconut sugar healthier than white sugar?
No. Not really. While coconut sugar is a more natural alternative to white table sugar that contains small amounts of minerals and a slightly lower glycemic index score, in the end we recommend you treat coconut sugar the same as any other caloric sweetener.
Fun facts about coconut sugar:
The calorie and sugar content of cococunt sugar is identical to regular table sugar.
It comes from the sap of a coconut palm tree and is less processed than white table sugar.
It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar. Table sugar = 58, Coconut sugar = 54
It contains small amounts of naturally-occurring minerals (iron, zinc, calcium and potassium), which makes it a tiny bit more nutritious than white sugar.
It contains a small amount of a soluble fiber called inulin that may make a blood sugar spike less likely to happen (if eaten in reasonable amounts).
Is coconut flour healthier than white flour?
Coconut flour is higher in fiber. In fact 1/4 cup serving contains 10 grams of fiber.
It’s fiber content makes it a blood sugar friendly option.
Great for people following a wheat-free or gluten-free diet.
A 1/4-cup serving contains:
120 calories
18 grams of carbohydrates
6 grams of sugar
10 grams of fiber
6 grams of protein
4 grams of fat
20% of the daily value (DV) of iron
Fun facts about coconut flour:
It absorbs a lot of liquid during baking. Your dough will often be much thicker when baking with coconut flour.
What are Chef Christy’s thoughts on baking with alternative sweeteners, like coconut sugar?
Proceed with caution, and stick with natural, less-refined sweeteners when possible. Choose recipes from sources that have tested their recipes.
This paleo version of pineapple upside-down cake has fewer calories and carbohydrates and a higher fiber and protein content than its more traditional counterpart. Another cool thing, this recipe comes together much quicker than a traditional upside-down cake.
Servings 6pieces
Author Well Balanced Nutrition
Ingredients
1/4cupcoconut oilmelted
1cupalmond flourblanched
1/3cupcoconut flour
3/4teaspoonbaking powder
1/2cupcoconut sugar
2eggs
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
3slicespineapplecut into rings
3tablespoonsmaple syrup
1/4cupraspberriesor cranberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Melt coconut oil and set aside to cool.
Line the bottom of an 8" springform pan with parchment paper [this facilitates a clean inversion of the cake] Note a 9-inch pie/cake pan will work also.
Spray parchment lined pan with oil.
Whisk together dry ingredients - flours, baking powder, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, and cooled coconut oil.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined and you have a smooth batter.
Arrange pineapples rings in a single layer in your pan.
Add raspberries [or cranberries] to fill holes.
Drizzle the maple syrup on top of the pineapples.
Gently press the batter into the cake pan.
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
Remove from oven a let stand for at least 10 minutes before releasing from pan.
Invert onto a plate and serve.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Nutrition Comparison
Paleo vs Traditional from Betty Crocker <All values listed per serving> Calories: 279 vs 390 (~110 less) Fat: 15 total, 9 saturated vs 14 total, 6 saturated (1 and 3 g higher respectively) Cholesterol: 69 vs 40 (29g higher) Carbohydrates: 32 vs 62 (30g lower) Fiber: 4 vs 1 (3g higher) Protein: 7 vs 4 (3g higher)
In summary, this paleo version has fewer calories and carbohydrates, higher fat and cholesterol, and higher fiber and protein than its more traditional counterpart.
