Cabbage Thai Salad

Salad Ingredients:
5 c. shredded romaine
7 c. shredded cabbage
2 chicken breasts, chopped and cooked
1/2 c. chinese noodles
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Dressing Ingredients:
2 T. peanut butter
2 T. honey
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 T. soy sauce
1/2 T. water
3/4 t. salt
dash cayenne pepper

Healthy Banana Bread & Muffins

BANANA BREAD

NO OIL and LOW SUGAR!
Ingredients:
3 c. bananas (about 6)
1/2 c sugar +1/2c powdered milk
(or 3/4c sugar+ 1/4c powdered milk)
(or 1c sugar)
2 eggs
4 c. wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. choc chips or raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Beat bananas, sugar and eggs in a bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour into two greased bread pans. (or 6 mini loaf pans)
5. Bake for 50 min. (25 min for mini loaves)

BANANA MUFFINS (24)

2 c. bananas (about 4)

6 T. sugar

2 eggs

3c. wheat flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t. salt

3/4 c. raisins

3/4 t. vanilla (opt)

-Bake 375* 13 min

Crockpot Beans

I am so into BEANS lately.  After trying "6 sisters" Refried Beans,
I made a formula for all different ways to make tasty beans from scratch. I often crockpot a big batch of beans plain (3 c. Beans, 9 c.Water) on low all day and then freeze them in quart jars or baggies. 1 3/4 c is equal to 1 can in a recipe.

CROCKPOT BEANS

Basic Ingredients:

Regular (Serves16)                       Large (Serves 20)
3 c. beans                                      4 c. beans

9 c. water  (12 c. chili)                  *12 c. water (15 c. chili)

1 c. wheat or rice (chili)                  1 1/3 c. wheat or rice  (for chili)

1 ½ c. onions (1/3 c dry)                  2 c. onion ( ½ c. dry)

2 T. minced garlic                            2 T. minced garlic

1 T. salt (1t. for chili & taco soup)   4 t. salt  (1 ½ t. for chili and taco soup)

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Optional Ingredients:

1 t. pepper (only ½ t. for chili and taco soups)

2 t. boullion (beef or chicken)

¼ t. red pepper (or 1 can diced green chilis)

1/8 t. cumin (or 2 T. chili powder + 2 t. cumin + ½ t. paprika + ¼ t. oregano for chili and taco soup… eliminate the oregano in chili, though and add 4t. brown sugar.  For smaller batch, just do 1½ T. chili powder + ½ T. cumin + 1T. brown sugar)

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Add after beans are soft:

-3 c. corn for taco soup and possibly chili (2 cans)   (4 c. for larger batch)

-2 c. cooked turkey burger or chicken (or 2/3c. more wheat + 1c. extra water to make it meatless)

-Tomatoes or tomato sauce (4 cans tomato sauce + 2 cans diced tomatoes for chili and taco soup)

-Top with lettuce, cheese, and/or avacados

Directions:

1. Crockpot beans, water, and all seasonings on low for 8 hours. (also wheat/rice for chili)

2. If using tomatoes or tomato sauce, add after beans are soft.

3. Serve plain beans over rice, or in tortillas, or with corn bread (serve taco soup with corn chips)

*3 to 1 ratio of water to beans

Here's some of our favorite combos:
Refried Beans:
(Serves 12)                           quick, smaller version
3 c. pinto beans                         1/2 T. oil
9 c. water                                  1/2 c. onions
1 onion (or 1/4c. dry onion)       1/2 T. minced garlic
1 T. salt                                     4 cooked  beans (2 cans)
2 T. minced garlic                   3/4 t. salt  (1/2 t. if canned beans)
2 t. black pepper                       1/2 t. chicken boullion
1/4 t. red pepper                        1/4 t. black pepper
1/8 t. cumin                               1 c. water
-Crockpot 8 hours, drain off some of the liquid and mash.
-Serve over Rice and top with lettuce and guacamole.

Runny Black Beans:
(Serves 12)
3 c. black beans
9 c. water
1 1/2 c. onions (1/3 c. dry)
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. salt
- Crockpot 8 hours, drain off some liquid.
- Optional- add or cook with ham or chicken
- Pour over rice and top with cheese and dressed cabbage (3T. olive oil, 1 T. lemon juice, 1/8 t. salt)
(Quick version- saute onions, oil, and garlic.  Add remaining ingredients.
Boil a few minutes, then mash.)

Taco Soup/Chili:
(Serves 16)
3 c. mixed, pinto, or white beans
9 c. water (12c. for chili)
1 1/2 c. onions
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. salt
1 c. wheat (for chili)
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. boullion
1/4 t. red pepper
2 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. oregano (taco soup) or 4 t. brown sugar (chili)
-Crockpot for 8 hours
-Add 1 c. cooked turkey burger or chicken, 4 cans tomato sauce, 2 cans diced tomatoes, and
2 cans of corn (for taco soup)
-Heat through
(Serve chili with corn bread or baked potatoes or corn)
(Serve taco soup with corn chips)
(Serve both with cheese or cottage cheese or sour cream and lettuce or salad)

Milk & Fruit Smoothies

STRAWBERRY-BANANA MILK SMOOTHIE
4c. skim milk

2 c. frozen strawberries

2  frozen bananas
2 T. sugar

½ t. vanilla

BANANA MILK SMOOTHIE
4 c. milk
4 bananas (frozen, chopped)
1/2t. Vanilla
1/2c powdered milk (or 2T sugar)
4c ice
(Optional: 8c spinach)

THICK BANANA MILK SHAKE:
1/2 c. milk
1 frozen banana, chopped
1/4 t. vanilla
2 T. peanut butter (optional)
1 c. ice (8 cubes)

ORANGE JULIUS:
2c. Milk
2 Bananas
1t. Vanilla
1/2c. Powdered milk (optional)
1 can Orange juice
5c Ice cubes

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

6 c. shredded potatoes (about 6 med)
2 c. sliced carrots (about 4)
2 cans green beans (or 3 c. peas)
*1 lb turkey burger (2c)
(or 2 c. beans + 1 c. boiled wheat for meatless option)
½ c. fresh diced onion (or 2 T dry)

1 T. Worchestershire Sauce

2 T. vinegar

½ t. garlic or season salt
cheese (optional)

Pie Directions:
1. Microwave potatoes for 5 minutes, then shred.  (or shred, then boil in water)
(or use left over mashed potatoes)

2. Fry turkey burger, onions, carrots, and green beans in seasonings until done.

3. Top with cooked potatoes & cheese and heat through.

*For a meatless version, replace turkey burger with
2 c. pinto beans (cooked and slightly mashed) + 1 c. boiled wheat
and omit the carrots and green beans too or double the seasonings.

Corn Bread

Favorite Cornbread

(Serves 12)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. wheat flour

1½ t. baking powder

¾ t. salt

6 T. powdered milk

6 T. sugar (3/4 c. for sweet cornbread,
but it's sweet enough- especially if you spread honey butter on top)

6 T. oil
6 T. greek yogurt or sour cream

3 eggs

1 c. cold milk or water
3/4 t. vanilla (or 1 1/2t. immitation vanilla)

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Stir in wet ingredients
3. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan
4. Bake at 350* for 20-23 min.

Sweet Cornbread (egg-less)
(Serves 16)
2 c. cornmeal
2 c. wheat flour
½ c. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 c. skim milk
2 T. canola oil
2/3 c. applesauce
*bake in two pie tins at 375 for 20 min.
*top with butter, not honey

Savory Cornbread (egg-less)
(Serves 16)
2 c. cornmeal
2 c. wheat flour
¼ c. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 ¼ c. skim milk
½ c. canola oil
*bake in two pie tins at 375 for 18 min.
*top with honey, not butter

March Meals

To save money this month, I made a monthly meal plan.
March Meal and Snack Calendar
We did one large shopping trip at the beginning of the month.
We plan to go back after 2 weeks for fresh milk, eggs, fruits, and veggies.
March Grocery List
This will serve our family of 8 (2 adults, 6 kids) for a month:
3 main meals, a couple of snacks, and a dessert each day.

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
8 potatoes
8 c. fresh spinach (or 8 oz frozen)
¼ c. olive oil
4 t. minced garlic
1 t. salt
¼ t. pepper

Directions:
1. Boil potatoes in water
2. Saute spinach, in oil and seasonings
3. Drain potatoes, reserving some water for desired consistency.
4. Blend all ingredients until smooth (adding reserved water while blending)

*This is from green smoothie girl

Small Spinach Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1/2 bunch spinach, shredded (about 6 cups)
1 can of mandarin oranges

Dressing Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 T. honey or sugar
2 T. white vinegar
¼ t. poppy seeds
1/8 t. salt
dash onion powder