tuscan pasta dinner $18.20 / serves 6

tuscan pasta dinner

$18.20 / serves 6

Alright! I'm back online so I can finally post the complete meal breakdown for last week's Tuscan White Bean Pasta meal, as promised.

This meal is comprised of four dishes and can be "mix and matched" to fit your taste or budget. If you're vegetarian or just want to cut the cost, you can nix the grilled chicken (while still having a protein packed meal). The dinner, sans chicken, would only be $9.46 for 6 servings or $1.58 per serving (as opposed to $3.03 per serving with chicken). Another option is to skip the garlic bread (since you already have a lot of carbs with the pasta) and cut $1.77 from the total meal costs.

Personally, I think getting the feast below for only $3.03 per serving is still a pretty fantastic deal so I decided to post the whole sha-bang. Alter the meal as you see fit!

This meal includes:

Tuscan White Bean Pasta $5.67
Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken (instructions below) $8.74
Lemon Butter Green Beans $2.02
Garlic Bread $1.77
Total: $18.20
Serves: 6, $3.03 per serving

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tuscan white bean pasta $5.67 recipe / $0.95 serving

tuscan white bean pasta

$5.67 recipe / $0.95 serving

This is definitely my type of recipe. It's quick, uses a lot of fresh ingredients, is filling and flavorful! This pasta packs protein (white beans and parmesan), veggies (tomatoes and spinach) and carbohydrates (pasta), making it a great one-dish meal. You can serve it up as is (vegetarian) or add some sliced grilled chicken for the carnivores.

If you can't find fresh tomatoes and spinach for a good price, you can substitute one can of diced tomatoes and use frozen chopped spinach. If you use frozen spinach, be sure to use the "loose" kind (usually in a bag), not the stuff that's packed into a box. The loose frozen spinach has larger pieces and will more closely resemble fresh once cooked. Add the frozen spinach as is to the hot skillet and let it thaw as it cooks. Any juices that come off the spinach will just add flavor to the sauce.



Total Recipe cost: $5.67
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.95
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 20 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
8 oz.	linguine	$0.61
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.05
1 Tbsp	butter	$0.05
3 cloves	garlic, minced	$0.07
1 pint	grape or cherry tomatoes	$1.49
10 cranks	freshly ground pepper	$0.05
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.05
1/2 tsp	basil	$0.05
1 can (15 oz.)	white beans	$0.78
1 bunch (6 cups)	baby spinach	$1.00
16 oz.	shredded parmesan	$1.47
TOTAL		$5.67

STEP 1: Fill a large pot about half way with water and place on the stove to boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander once it is cooked al dente (slightly firm).

STEP 2: While you're waiting for the water to boil, mince the garlic. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it simmer for about a minute (it should be all bubbly in the oil and butter).

STEP 3: While the garlic is simmering, rinse the tomatoes and cut each one in half. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil to the skillet. Stir and let simmer for one to two minutes more. Do not let the skillet get dry and begin to brown. If it starts to, move on to the next step.

STEP 4: Open the can of beans and drain about half of the liquid off. Pour the beans into the skillet with the garlic and tomatoes. Let the mixture simmer for about 7-10 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened. Stir occasionally.

STEP 5: Add the spinach to the skillet, reduce the heat to low and stir until the spinach has wilted. By this time the pasta should be finished cooking and drained. Add the pasta to the skillet and stir everything together.

STEP 6: Plate up the portions of pasta and top each with about 1 oz. of shredded parmesan.

Stirring the pasta into the bean and tomato mixture can be difficult. Alternatively, you can plate up the plain pasta and spoon the tomato/bean/spinach mixture over top, finishing with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Step By Step Photos

Begin to boil the water for the pasta. As the water is heating, mince the garlic and simmer it in a large skillet with butter and olive oil.


Once the garlic has sauteed and softened, add the washed and halved tomatoes. Also add salt, pepper and basil. Let the mixture saute for one to two minutes more.


Add the canned beans with half their liquid. Let this mixture simmer for 7-10 minutes more or until the tomatoes have softened.


Add the fresh spinach, stir and cook on low until it is wilted.


Once the spinach is wilted, it is ready for the pasta.


Stir in the cooked and drained pasta or serve the tomato/spinach/bean mixture over the top of the pasta. Top with a little parmesan cheese.



I served my pasta with some grilled chicken seasoned with lemon pepper, garlic bread and lemon butter green beans. Look for the complete menu with costing and grocery lists later this week!

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tomato sandwich $0.89 ea

tomato sandwich

$0.89 ea

This humble tomato sandwich is what I wait ALL year for. Ripe, local tomatoes are really something special. I'm truly obsessed with tomatoes and this is my favorite way to eat them (doused with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and basil is a close second). I don't think anyone really needs a recipe for tomato sandwiches but I love them so much that I had to post them anyway. They're simple, delicious and a true sign that summer is here.

It's important to use local tomatoes because they have much more flavor. Local tomatoes have a shorter distance to travel before sale so they take less abuse and therefore can stay on the vine longer to ripen, soften and develop flavor. Other tomatoes are picked early while they are still hard so they'll survive transport. Sure, they ripen on the shelf but the flavor is just not nearly as intense. Trust me.

You can probably make a tomato sandwich for less than I did here. I bought expensive bread today because this is my first tomato sandwich of the season and it deserves the best! I used name brand light mayo which is more expensive than generic or non-light versions. Also, these local creole tomatoes are just so special that they were $0.40 more per pound than the regular tomatoes... but, again, they're totally worth it.

If you're one of those unlucky people who can not find the delicious pleasure in tomatoes, then I'm sorry. Stay tuned 'till tomorrow when there will be a tomato-free recipe.

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chicken enchilada dinner $13.33 meal / serves 6+

chicken enchilada dinner

$13.33 meal / serves 6+

Here is the complete meal that I prepared for myself last week. It's a classic Mexican-style restaurant dinner: enchiladas, beans and rice. Of course the Budget bytes version is about $1.50 per serving as opposed to the $7.99 that you'd pay at the restaurant... I'm just sayin...

The Chicken Enchilada recipe makes 10 enchiladas. Combined with the beans and rice I can only eat one at a time which would be 10 servings. But, if you're a two-enchilada-eater, you'll get five servings. My guess is that some of your family will eat one, some will eat two so lets call it a 6 serving average (don't ask me what kinda math that was). If you make all three recipes you'll have enough for about 6 people, perhaps with some left over.

Remember to buy your chicken breasts in large packs, divide them up and freeze them to get the most bang for your buck. When I buy 5 lbs. at a time they're about $1.50 less per pound than if I were to just buy the one pound needed for the recipe. Plus, it's nice to have chicken waiting to be used in the freezer the next time you're ready to cook.

This meal includes:

Chicken Enchiladas $9.67
Quick Seasoned Black Beans $1.74
Simple Spanish Rice $1.92
Total: $13.33

Serves: 6, plus 4 left over enchiladas (tomorrow's lunch!)

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quick seasoned black beans $1.74 recipe / $0.29 serving

quick seasoned black beans

$1.74 recipe / $0.29 serving

Okay, this is the last segment in my "I'm too busy to really cook because I'm trying to pack up my life and move... while in the middle of the semester... while fighting a cold" series. But I'm not complaining, I'm making do. Sometimes the riptide of life sweeps your feet out from under you and there is no choice but to go along for the ride. In situations like that you still deserve more than just a plain 'ol can of beans. So, my suggestion is to grab that can of beans and stir in a little love... it will make a big difference.

In fact, the little bit of love that I added to these beans made them so good that I started eating them out of the pot like it was some sort of soup. In reality, I made the beans as a quick side dish to my Chicken Enchiladas but I would have been just as satisfied with a ladle full of them poured over a pile of steaming rice. They're THAT good... and they only take about 5 minutes to prepare. No lies.

If you prefer to cook dry beans rather than using canned, just add these seasonings to the pot as you boil the beans.

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chicken enchiladas $9.67 recipe / $0.97 each

chicken enchiladas

$9.67 recipe / $0.97 each

Last week I tried to make something quick and easy but I got in way over my head. This week I made sure to choose something simple (and delicious, of course). This recipe uses more canned goods than I would usually use but everyone is allowed to take a short cut now and then, right? I sure think so.

Anyway, these enchiladas are warm, gooey, spicy and filled with grilled chicken and a creamy, cheesy sauce. I topped the casserole with some diced tomato and sliced green onions but they are completely optional. Originally, I threw them on there to add some color but they ended up offering a nice freshness to balance out the creamy filling.

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eggplant parmesan $7.83 recipe / $0.87 serving

eggplant parmesan

$7.83 recipe / $0.87 serving

So, I'm about to pack up all of my things and move to a new apartment in a new city. I thought I'd just cook up something simple and classic this weekend to cut down on extra work amidst all of the moving chaos. Well, the eggplant parmesan ended up being a little bit more involved than I had bargained for but the end result was so scrumptious that I instantly forgot about all of the effort (and all of the things that I didn't get done because of it). To be honest, most of the recipe time was passive but I kept myself busy doing other chores during the down time so I think it just felt like more work than it really was.

Normally eggplant parmesan is comprised of breaded and fried eggplant layered with marinara and cheese. I love eggplant and happen to think that frying it completely ruins the delicate flavor. So, I searched for a recipe that baked the breaded slices instead of frying them. I ended up working off of this recipe from Ezra Pound Cake (a FANTASTIC blog full of wonderful recipes laced with clever wit). Of course, I made some tweaks to make the recipe fit my taste and budget.

This is one of those recipes that turned out so good that I ate TWO helpings of it... which completely goes against my budget byting principles (eat only what you need, not what you want).

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lobster & cream cheese wontons $7.57 recipe / $0.94 serving

lobster & cream cheese wontons

$7.57 recipe / $0.94 serving

I've wanted to make these yummy little wontons since the success of my Pork & Ginger Potstickers. I saw a recipe on the inside of the wonton wraper package for cream cheese filled wontons and that set the wheels in my head into motion. IMHO, these wontons are tastier, WAY easier to make and don't smell as bad (no cabbage) as the Pork and Ginger Potstickers.

I found some really great imitation lobster at Whole Foods which contains a mix of pollock and real lobster (so it's real fish, just not 100% lobster) and decided to add that into the filling. I also added some green onions and a splash of Sriracha hot sauce. I only added a smidge of Sriracha so there would be a hint of flavor without any real heat. The flavor balances the sweetness of the "lobster" perfectly. If you want them hot, simply add more. An egg was also added to the filling to act as a binder. The egg solidifies when it's cooked so that you don't have runny cream cheese spilling out of the hot wontons.

These little guys were so insanely delicious that I couldn't stop popping them into my mouth while they were cooking. They take a little time to fill and fold (about 30 minutes) but it's so worth it. Although they were noticeably more delicious right after cooking, I still snacked on them happily throughout the week!

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vegetable (not) fried rice $2.55 recipe / $0.43 serving

vegetable (not) fried rice

$2.55 recipe / $0.43 serving

I'm calling this one Vegetable (not) Fried Rice because it's like fried rice but not (in case that wasn't obvious). I love fried rice but it is usually so insanely oily that I decided to lighten it up a bit. Since I reduced the oil to just a couple of tablespoons, the rice can't really put in a hot wok or skillet without it sticking like crazy. I learned this the hard way (see photos below). I've posted an alternative method for those of you who don't like scrubbing off layers of hard rice from your pans. If you have a non-stick wok, then you're good to go, "fry" away.

Items to buy, #1,427: Non-stick Wok.

Anyway, I love this recipe because it's packed with veggies, ultra versatile and totally satisfying. I chose to put carrots, peas, green onions and green bell peppers in this batch. I'm not super crazy about the bell pepper so I might leave it out next time. It didn't seem to match the other veggies but perhaps that's because I sliced it rather than diced it.

The rice is seasoned with the usual players: garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. If you want a more savory rice, I suggest leaving out the ginger; it added a faint sweetness and lightened up what is usually a pretty heavy palate of flavors. You can also experiment with dried chili flakes, yellow onion, mushrooms, cabbage, spinach, seaweed... or just leave it simple and delicious as described below.

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