Looking for meal options that won't break your budget?
You don't need to spend a fortune on groceries
to make something delicious.
Today, I'll be showing you how to make four easy recipes
that cost just $10 or less.
Hey guys, welcome back to my channel.
It's Taylor from the Girl on Bloor.
I'm all about sharing easy meal prep strategies
that you can save time, money, and stress.
Budget friendly doesn't have to mean rice and beans.
Whether you're trying to save some money
or you're looking for some simpler meals
to make throughout the week,
there are tons of recipes that are as affordable
as they are delicious.
Today, I'll be showing you how you can make
four delicious filling and healthy meals for just about $10.
That breaks down to $2.50 a serving.
We'll be making Instant Pot chana masala,
mini vegetable lasagna cups, healthy mac and cheese,
and the easiest ever turkey stir fry.
These recipes are packed with flavor.
I promise, you won't be able to tell
that they cost so little to make.
Speaking of saving money,
I've got even more easy, healthy dinner recipes
to choose from in my free...
Yes, free four-week meal plan,
which I've linked to in the description below.
So grab your copy now and get ready to save on groceries.
Okay, enough talk; let's dive right in.
We're going to kick things off
by making our Instant Pot chana masala.
This delicious vegan dish is made using pantry staples
that you likely already have on hand at home,
and it costs just $9.81 cents for four servings.
You can make it in the slow cooker
or on the stove top as well.
I've got instructions for both in the blog post
linked to in the description.
But today, I'm going to make it in the Instant Pot.
To start, prep your ingredients.
Dice two small yellow onions.
Mince four cloves of garlic.
Mince one tablespoon of fresh ginger.
Rinse and drain two cans of chickpeas.
And chop up three cups of baby spinach.
Now you're ready to dump and cook.
This is why I love the Instant Pot.
It is super hands off.
Add one tablespoon of coconut oil
along with the diced onions, minced garlic,
minced ginger, your chickpeas,
one tablespoon of garam masala,
one tablespoon of ground coriander,
one tablespoon of brown sugar,
two teaspoons of cumin, one teaspoon of turmeric,
one teaspoon salt, one can of diced tomatoes,
and half a cup of vegetable broth
to the Instant Pot, in that order.
You want to make sure that you add
all of your ingredients in this order
so that your chana masala cooks properly
and you don't get the dreaded "Burn" message.
Now, pop on the lid
and cook on high pressure for two minutes.
While the chana masala is cooking,
heat up a few pieces of naan in the oven or in the microwave
and make the rice.
Add one cup of basmati or jasmine rice,
one and a half cups of water, and one teaspoon of butter
to a rice cooker or a pot on the stove
and cook until the water is absorbed.
When the Instant Pot is done,
do a quick release of the pressure
and stir in the baby spinach.
Serve over rice, with some cilantro for garnish,
along with some naan to serve,
and then dig in.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights
when you need something fast and comforting
but you don't wanna break the bank.
You can store your leftovers in the fridge
for up to five days.
When you're ready to eat again,
sprinkle some water over top
so that the rice doesn't dry out
and then reheat the microwave for one to two minutes.
This recipe also freezes really well
in airtight glass containers for up three months.
Let it thaw in the fridge overnight;
then microwave for a couple minutes.
Easy peasy.
Okay, next up, we're going to make a healthier version
of everyone's favorite comfort food:
Instant Pot mac and cheese.
I know, I know, another Instant Pot recipe,
but I've got instructions for making it on the stove top
in the description below.
This recipe is way better than the box KD
you used to eat as a kid,
and it's super affordable.
For just $8.63, you'll get eight portions
of this super creamy and comforting dish.
How is that for budget friendly?
There's not a lot of prep involved for this recipe.
All you have to do is finely chop a head of broccoli
and grate some cheese.
You want your broccoli to chopped up into tiny pieces
because it'll be cooking thanks to the heat of the pasta.
Then, you'll grade three cups of white cheddar cheese,
and that's it for your prep.
You can also use another cheese of your choice,
like gouda, orange cheddar, or Swiss cheese,
but white cheddar will give you
that traditional mac and cheese flavor.
Add two tablespoons of butter, then four cups of water,
one teaspoon of salt, and one pound of macaroni spirals
to the Instant Pot, in that order.
If you don't have any macaroni spirals,
you can use another pasta noodle of your choice,
like rotini, macaroni elbows, or even penne.
Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure
for two minutes.
When it's done cooking,
do a quick release of the pressure and open the lid.
If you don't have an Instant Pot,
you can just cook your pasta on the stove,
then drain and add back to the pot.
Once your pasta is cooked,
stir in your grated cheese and one can of evaporated milk,
which is the secret to getting it extra creamy
without having to make a roux using flour and milk.
Stir it all together until fully blended.
Then, mix in your broccoli florets and stir.
Pop the lid back on your Instant Pot
and let it sit for five minutes
until the broccoli is steamed and softened.
Then, serve and enjoy.
If you want your broccoli to be cooked through
a little more,
you can always steam beforehand
or microwave in a bowl of water for five minutes
before draining and adding to your mac and cheese.
Okay, how easy was that?
It's almost as simple and affordable
as your favorite boxed mac and cheese
but way healthier, without any of the preservatives.
You can store this recipe in the fridge for up to five days,
than reheat the microwave for one to two minutes.
Like most pasta recipes,
it freezes really well in glass containers
or freezer safe bags for up to two months.
Thaw the mac and cheese in the fridge overnight,
then reheat in the microwave for a couple minutes,
sprinkling some water or milk overtop,
so that it doesn't dry out.
You can also reheat in a pot on the stove,
adding milk or water to make it creamy again.
It'll reheat just like new.
Now, if you're craving some Italian food,
you're going to love these mini vegetable lasagna cups
we're making next.
They're a lighter version of the iconic Italian dish,
and you can make four servings for just $9.62.
Prep your ingredients to start.
Dice one bell pepper.
Slice half a cup of mushrooms.
Chop up half a cup of broccoli, half a cup of zucchini.
And then chop up two tablespoons of fresh basal or parsley.
Finally, grate half a cup of mozzarella cheese
or use the pre-shredded stuff to save time.
You can also switch up the veggies
to whatever you have on hand,
like carrots, celery, cauliflower, or red onions.
Now, preheat the oven to 400 degrees
and grease four oven safe ramekins with olive oil.
Your ramekins should be about eight ounces,
or one cup, in size.
Now, you can start to assemble your lasagna cups.
You'll need half a cup of ricotta cheese,
one cup of oven-ready lasagna noodles broken up into pieces,
the grated mozzarella, your veggies,
and about one cup of your favorite pasta sauce.
Start by adding a bit of ricotta,
followed by the lasagna noodles, some veggies,
more ricotta, more lasagna noodles, a bit of pasta sauce,
and then top with mozzarella for the finishing touch.
Bake them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes,
until the lasagna noodles are al dente
and the cheese is melted.
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and voila.
These lasagna cups are a great option
when you're craving Italian food
but you don't want to spend money
on takeout or at the restaurant.
For less than $10,
you'll get a lighter version of this delicious dish
that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
You can store these lasagna cups in the fridge
for up to five days.
When you're ready to enjoy,
sprinkle a bit of water over top
and reheat in the microwave for two to three minutes,
stirring halfway through.
They'll also last in the freezer for up to three months.
I recommend wrapping each individual ramekin
in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
Reheat them right from frozen for 30 to 40 minutes
in a 375 degree oven,
or defrost in the fridge overnight
and reheat in the microwave.
Okay you've seen three budget-friendly recipes.
Now, it's time for the last one
and my personal favorite,
which is this ground turkey stir fry.
It's probably one of the easiest stir fry recipes ever,
and it's a great low carb meal idea.
It costs $10.88 to make four servings,
so it's a tiny bit more than $10,
but trust me, that extra 88 cents is totally worth it.
To start, prep your ingredients.
Slice one yellow onion and one red pepper.
Then, chop up one cup of red cabbage.
Finally, slice four green onions,
mince four cloves of garlic,
and mince one tablespoon of fresh ginger.
You'll also need one cup of carrot matchsticks,
or you can grate one carrot
if you can't find them at the store.
This recipe is a great way to use up
any leftover veggies you have in the fridge,
like peas, kale, green beans, broccoli, or mushrooms.
With the prep out of the way,
it's time to make the stir fry sauce.
Mix together two tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce,
one tablespoon of honey, the minced garlic, minced ginger,
and one teaspoon of sriracha or chili garlic sauce.
Now, you're ready to start stir frying.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil or sesame oil
in a pan over medium high heat and add in the onion.
Saute for two minutes until soft.
Then, add in one pound of ground turkey.
Season the turkey with a pinch of salt,
breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon,
and saute for five minutes until lightly browned.
Add in the carrots, bell pepper, and cabbage
and saute for two to three minutes.
Then, pour in the stir fry sauce
and cook for another two to three minutes,
until the sauce thickens slightly.
Now, remove from the heat, garnish with green onions,
and enjoy.
I like eating this stir fry on its own for a low carb meal,
but you could also serve it with rice or noodles.
This recipe is great for meal prep
and will last in the fridge for up to five days
in air tight glass containers.
Reheat it in the microwave for two to three minutes
or saute on the stove top
to make sure the veggies stay nice and crisp.
And there you have it,
four meals that all cost $10 or less,
but are still packed with flavor.
These recipes are all super affordable
and will keep your stomach and your wallet happy.
Plus, they're all great for meal prep,
so it's just a win-win.
So which recipe are you going to try first?
Make sure to tag me
in all of your food pictures on Instagram, @thegirlonbloor,
and give this video a thumbs up
and subscribe to my channel
if you're enjoying all my meal prep tips and tricks.
If you're loving all these meal ideas,
I've got even more healthy, budget-friendly dinner recipes
to choose from in my free four-week meal plan,
which I've linked to in the description below.
Now that I've saved all that money,
I'm going to treat myself to a nice bottle of wine
and dig into one of these delicious meals.
Thanks for hanging out in my kitchen today,
and I will see you in the next video.