Delicious Dinners on a Dime

No-Fuss Family Meals that Feed Four for Less than $10
by SparkRecipes.com
Taco Soup
$15.34 for 9 servings; $1.70 per serving; about $6.80 to serve 4
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Yields: about nine 1 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:
16 ounces lean ground beef Additional toppings
1 14 ounces can tomato sauce (not included in nutrition info):
1 14 ounces can diced tomatoes w/green chilies Corn chips
1 4 ounces can chopped green chilies Low-fat cheddar cheese
2 14 ounces cans corn Light sour cream
Nutritional Info
2 14 ounces cans dark kidney beans
1 packet of low-sodium taco seasoning
Calories: 262.2

Instructions:
Total Fat: 2.9 g
Brown ground beef over medium heat.
While cooking the beef, simmer the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green Cholesterol: 6.4 mg
chilies, corn, kidney beans, and taco seasoning in a large pot. Drain beef Sodium: 808.0 mg
and blot away excess grease. Add beef to soup. Simmer 15 more minutes. Total Carbs: 44.4 g
Serve and enjoy. Garnish with chips, cheese, and sour cream! Dietary Fiber: 11.7 g
Protein: 15.0 g

Benny's Ground Chicken and Beans

$10.48 for 4 servings; $2.62 per serving
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Yields: about four 2 cup servings

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons canola or olive oil 1 cup canned black beans
1 1/3 Tablespoons garlic, minced 1 cup canned red kidney beans
1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup green pepper, chopped 16 ounces ground all-white meat
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped chicken

Nutritional Info

Instructions: Calories: 412.7

Brown the ground chicken in medium sauté pan using about a tablespoon
of oil. Mix in a third of the garlic. In a separate pan, sauté peppers and Total Fat: 22.9 g
onion with the remaining oil, then add the remaining minced garlic. Cholesterol: 130.0 mg
Drain beans and rinse beans, then add them, along with the diced
Sodium: 421.8 mg
tomatoes to the pan with the peppers and onions. When meat is
browned, add it to the vegetable mixture. Let simmer for approximately Total Carbs: 32.2 g
10 minutes. Optional: Serve over brown rice. Dietary Fiber: 10.8 g
Protein: 9.0 g

© 2009 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. For more easy, healthy recipes, visit SparkRecipes.com
Super Tofu Stir Fry
$9.24 to serve 5; $1.85 per serving; $7.40 to serve 4
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yields: five 2 cup servings

Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed 4 Tablespoons soy sauce (preferably light)
2 cups chopped kale 4 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
2 cups chopped broccoli nonstick cooking spray
3-4 peeled and chopped carrots 1/4 cup pasta water (give or take)
8 ounces whole wheat pasta
Nutritional Info

Calories: 328.3

Instructions:
Total Fat: 7.3 g
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add pasta and cook until al dente.
Place a steamer and lid over the cooking pasta. Steam vegetables on top Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
of cooking pasta for the final six or so minutes. (Kale will likely take the Sodium: 961.9 mg
longest so you might want to add it first.)Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok Total Carbs: 48.9 g
on high and coat bottom with cooking spray. Saute tofu until golden brown Dietary Fiber: 7.4 g
and a bit crispy. Dump just-tender vegetables into skillet/wok with browned
Protein: 20.7 g
tofu. Add cooked pasta and a bit of the pasta water to tofu and vegetables.
Drizzle on soy and chili sauces. Stir. Dig in.

Mediterranean Chicken and Brown Rice

Casserole
$23.88 to serve 14; $1.71 per serving; $6.82 to serve 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Yields: makes 14 one-cup servings

Ingredients:
2-3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 28 ounce can tomatoes, diced or whole
6 small ones (about one pound) with juice
1 1/4 cups feta cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped finely
6 cups cooked brown rice 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 10 ounce package frozen spinach thawed 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
Nutritional Info
and squeezed of excess liquid 1/4 cup grated romano cheese
salt, pepper, basil, and oregano to taste
Calories: 195.4
Instructions:
Put olive oil in large pan and add garlic Turn on heat to medium. When the garlic Total Fat: 5.0 g
has started to soften, add chicken and cook for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes,
Cholesterol: 28.7 mg
turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or so. Remove chicken
breasts and set aside to cool. Add sun dried tomatoes and herbs to the tomatoes, Sodium: 241.9 mg
and chop chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients except for Total Carbs: 24.1 g
the romano and mix thoroughly. Place in a large baking dish and sprinkle with Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
grated romano. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is brown on top. Protein: 13.5 g

© 2009 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. For more easy, healthy recipes, visit SparkRecipes.com
Seafood Pasta
$7.59 for 4 servings; $1.90 per serving
Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 4 servings (1/2 cup of cooked pasta, plus about a cup of sauce)

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon seafood spice (Pappy's or other)
8 ounces imitation crab or cooked shrimp 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 14 ounce can chicken broth 1 1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
1 14 ounce can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 onion, chopped salt to taste
Nutritional Info
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 3/8 tsp powder) 8 ounces whole-wheat pasta

Calories: 197.9

Instructions:
Total Fat: 5.3 g
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook pasta according to package
directions. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the oil, then saute Cholesterol: 22.5 mg
garlic and onion about three minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, and seasonings Sodium: 1,098.7 mg
and simmer for five minutes. Add seafood, heat through, and add drained Total Carbs: 26.7 g
pasta, tossing well. Dietary Fiber: 0.8 g
Protein: 11.2 g

Rainbow Chicken and Rice

$13.27 for 8 servings; $1.66 per serving; $6.64 to serve 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Yields: eight heaping 1 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (16 ounces) 2 cups brown rice
1/2 bag frozen mixed veggies (about 10 ounces) 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice(or lime)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 teaspoon sage
1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup onion, raw 2 teaspoon garlic (or more can be used to taste)
1 cup celery 2 Tablespoons black pepper
Nutritional Info

Instructions: Calories: 133.5

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add brown rice. Cook, covered, over medium-low
heat until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. While the rice is cooking, place chicken Total Fat: 1.2 g
breasts in stock pot, then cover with water and add ground garlic, sage, cumin, and Cholesterol: 20.6 mg
black pepper. Cook over medium heat until chicken is falling apart and can be shredded
Sodium: 49.4 mg
with a fork. Add veggies to the stock pot and cook another 10 minutes. You can use
any you have available, leaving out items if you don't have them, or adding in ones you Total Carbs: 20.6 g
do have. Add rice to the pot, stir well to combine, and add lemon juice right before rice Dietary Fiber: 3.4 g
is done to give the dish a zesty taste. This meal freezes well, too. Protein: 11.0 g

© 2009 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. For more easy, healthy recipes, visit SparkRecipes.com
Davie's Black Beans and Whole Grain
Brown Rice
$6.69 for 4 servings, $1.67 per serving
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Yields: four

Ingredients:
1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes (for less sodium use no salt added tomatoes)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 small red onion, diced Nutritional Info
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 teaspoon curry powder Calories: 222.6

Instructions: Total Fat: 2.4 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Use nonstick cooking spray or a little bit of olive oil in a saucepan over low Sodium: 850.4 mg
heat and add red onion, garlic cloves and curry powder. Cook on low for a
Total Carbs: 46.0 g
minute or two. Add remaining ingredients. Continue to cook on low for about
Dietary Fiber: 6.9 g
30 minutes. Stirring every 5 minutes. Keep lid on in between. Enjoy.
Makes about 4-5 servings Protein: 9.2 g

Til Payday Casserole

$17.64 for 10 servings, $1.76 per serving, $7.06 to serve 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 10 servings of about 3/4 cup each

Ingredients: Seasonings to taste:

16 ounces 96% or greater lean ground beef paprika, cayenne
2 16 ounce jars of low sodium, no added sugar tomato sauce oregano, basil
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese or part-skim mozzarella rosemary, savory
1 10-ounce box whole wheat pasta black pepper
3 cloves garlic garlic, onion
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine Nutritional Info
Instructions:
Calories: 268.9
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large stock pot, boil the water for the pasta. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
While pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a skillet and add seasonings to taste. Total Fat: 9.9 g
Cook until no longer pink, then drain well. In a sauce pan, add tomato sauce, about Cholesterol: 33.7 mg
1/8 cup of water, seasonings, onion and garlic, cover and bring to a simmer.Drain Sodium: 145.6 mg
pasta, then add sauce and browned meat and mix all the ingredients together
Total Carbs: 28.7 g
thoroughly. Pour mixture into a large glass baking dish greased with butter or margarine.
Cover with cheese and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Dietary Fiber: 5.1 g
Cut into 10 squares before serving for instant portion control. Protein: 18.4 g

© 2009 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. For more easy, healthy recipes, visit SparkRecipes.com
Mediterranean Chicken with Rosemary Orzo
$9.81 for 4 servings; $2.45 per serving
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yields: four servings 4 ounces of chicken with a heaping cup of vegetables
and orzo

Ingredients:
16 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic 2 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 can (14.5 ounce) low sodium chicken broth (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup water 3 plum tomatoes, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried rosemary canned tomatoes
Nutritional Info
(or 1 Tablespoon fresh) 1 medium bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 teaspoon (or more to taste) Italian seasoning 1 cup orzo
Calories: 363.6

Instructions:
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken;
stir-fry about 5 minutes or until brown. Cholesterol: 65.7 mg
Stir in garlic, uncooked orzo, seasonings and broth. Raise heat to a boil, then reduce Sodium: 639.1 mg
heat and cover. Simmer about 8 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Total Carbs: 50.0 g
(I usually taste it about now to make sure there is enough spice for me.) Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g
Stir in vegetables. Cover and cook another 5 minutes, stirring once, until bell pepper Protein: 35.5 g
is crisp-tender and pasta is tender.

Fast-n-Easy Southwest Chicken Chili

$11.88 for 6 servings; $1.98 per serving; $7.92 to serve 4
Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Yields: six 1 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:
24 ounces boneless, skinless chicken 2 Tablespoons dried onion
breast, cooked and cubed 3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups water 2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) tomato purée
4 ounce can diced jalapeno, drained Nutritional Info

Calories: 312.7
Instructions:
Put all ingredients together in a medium pot or large pan, bring to a simmer Total Fat: 3.3 g
and cook for about 15 minutes. Cholesterol: 65.7 mg
Sodium: 709.8 mg
Total Carbs: 37.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 8.0 g
Protein: 33.0 g

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© 2009 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. For more easy, healthy recipes, visit SparkRecipes.com