sweet potato & kale salad

I was in dire need of some vegetables this week, so I made a BIG delicious salad. This salad is super hearty, thanks to the kale and roasted sweet potato. You can eat it as a side salad, or have a bigger portion for a light meal (maybe add a roll or slice of good bread).

I love the flavors of this salad. A tangy champagne dressing contrasts perfectly with creamy sweet potato. Raw sunflower seeds add just a touch of nuttiness and dried cranberries add a pop of sweet-tart flavor. It's just great! If you don't like kale, this would also be great over baby greens or spinach, although both tend to be more expensive than kale (at least in my area).

I used champagne dressing because its flavor is light an unobtrusive, yet it's super tangy. I predressed the kale because as the dressing soaks in it will help soften the tough kale. I found that predressing the kale with just a 1/4 cup of dressing was plenty for the entire salad even after adding the other ingredients. Depending on the size of your bunch of kale, you might not even need that much. If you are using other greens, I wouldn't suggest adding the dressing until just before serving as most greens can't stand up to dressing the way kale can.

Enjoy!

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honey mustard chicken salad

I was really craving some chicken salad this week, so I set out to find a new twist on the old classic. I knew I wanted cranberries, so I took quick inventory of my fridge and pantry and came up with this honey-dijon mustard dressing and added celery to bulk the whole thing out and stretch the cost.

Chicken salad is always going to be on the expensive side and the total cost will depend heavily on the price of your chicken. Even if chicken is fairly expensive in your area, I'm willing to bet that making chicken salad yourself will be far less expensive than buying it pre-made from the deli, where it can sometimes top $10/lb.

You can eat this salad on a sandwich, piled onto some spinach leaves, with yummy crackers, or by itself with a fork (like I did once I realized that I had no bread, no pita, no crackers, and no spinach - ha!). However you eat it, it's quick, delicious, and filling!

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kale & pasta salad

The moment I saw this recipe over at Kalyn's Kitchen, I knew I had to make it and share it with all of you. It fits the Budget Bytes formula to a "T". Take a few expensive/flavorful ingredients (olives, tomatoes & feta) and bulk them out with inexpensive ingredients (kale & pasta) to bring the cost per serving down. It works every time!

I made a few changes to the original (check the original recipe out too, because it looks awesome) to fit my budget and what I had on hand. I made a basic red wine vinaigrette instead of a pesto dressing, used sun dried tomatoes instead of fresh, and left the kale pretty much raw. Oh, and I didn't use whole wheat pasta, but only because I wanted these little "flower" shaped ones that reminded me of the curly kale leaves :)

If you don't want the kale to be raw, you can simply pour the boiling water and pasta right on top of the kale in the colander when you drain it. The hot water will wilt the kale in the process. Two birds with one stone!

Or, say you don't like kale. You can totally do this salad with regular green leaf lettuce, but you won't want that to wilt at all, so make sure your pasta is sufficiently drained and cooled before you combine the two.

Anyway, this salad was a hit in my book. Loved it so much that I almost choked to death on a kale leaf while scarfing it down. True story.

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pesto chickpea salad

I've been loving "quick fixes" lately because I'm cooking triple time in preparation for the cookbook. So, at the end of the day the last thing I want is something elaborate, time consuming, and dirty dish-creating. I just want something easy and delicious. Well, this salad takes about 10 minutes to whip up and will satisfy both your stomach AND your taste buds. As a matter of fact, it might be the most excitement your taste buds have seen a while. Pesto is seriously flavorful.

There were at least five brands of pesto at my grocery store, ranging from $1.99 to over $6, all for about the same size container. So, be sure to scour the shelves and get the best deal because that will either make or break the cost of the recipe. And hey, if you've got a bunch of fresh basil growing in your yard, make your own pesto! It will be even mo' bettah!

You can eat this salad several ways. Straight out of the bowl (like I was trying not to do), on a bed of salad greens, stuffed into a pita with some sliced tomato, or even as a cracker dip. It's good no matter what and fairly addicting, if I do say so myself.

Oh, this can easily be made vegan, too. Just sub the mayonnaise with some vegannaise!

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spicy hoppin' john salad

I lost track of who sent me the link to this Hoppin' John Salad from Whole Foods Market, but whoever it was, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.

The moment I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. It has all of my favorites: beans, crunchy veggies, and SRIRACHA! This is a super easy, super healthy way to use up the rest of that Thanksgiving ham. If you don't have any holiday ham, you can just go to the deli (like I did) and ask for a single thick slice of ham (black forest, smoked, honey, whatever type). Be sure to tell them you'll be cutting it into cubes for a salad so they'll know about how thick you'll need it.

This recipe was already so perfect that I *barely* adjusted it. I tweaked the ratio of the dressing a smidge and used rice vinegar because I didn't have any white wine vinegar. I also decided to add some golden raisins to complete the sweet-salty-spicy flavor trifecta. I really wanted to use chopped up dried apricots, but I couldn't find any at the store. Luckily, I had some golden raisins in the back of my pantry and they made a suitable substitute :D Green onions would probably also be super good in this!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

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tuna & white bean salad

The hardest part about cooking and testing so many recipes (for the upcoming cookbook) is that I get full after a few bites, but my taste buds still scream for more! I wanted to eat this whole bowl...

This recipe is as easy as 1,2,3... literally. Just mix it all together, adjust to your taste buds and you've got a protein packed lunch ready to go. You can eat this salad plain with a fork, top crackers with it, stuff it inside of a pita pocket, or scoop some over top of a bed of spinach. Anyway you serve it, it's super tasty!

One thing to consider with this recipe is the quality of beans and tuna. I chose the most inexpensive options for both, and it showed. The flavor was still top notch, but the beans were falling apart and the tuna was lumps of mush rather than large chunks of tuna meat. So, if you like things to be pretty, make sure to get high quality beans and tuna. :)

You can use any type of white beans you like - great northern, navy, butter beans, whatever. They'll all add an element of "creaminess" without having heavy mayo!

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shrimp & rice salad

Sometimes I get in the mood for something really light, fresh, and full of vegetables. I definitely felt like that today. It probably has something to do with that pizza I made yesterday that was piled high with all sorts of Italian salamis and pepperonis. Yummm.

...but I digress.

I decided on shrimp because it's lean, light, and fresh. Just what I wanted. I know I'm lucky because I live in Louisiana and shrimp is always super fresh and priced fairly low. If you aren't so lucky, check out your freezer aisle for the best prices. Shrimp thaws quickly under cool running water and I suggest rinsing it anyway, so you can kill both birds with one stone.

I was also lucky because I scored a bunch of red bell peppers 10/$10. You don't have to use red bell peppers, or the exact mix of vegetables that I used. Choose your add-ins based on what is available to you at a good price and what you enjoy. Some other great add-ins for this salad are: peanuts, sliced almonds, cashews, edamame, avocado, cucumber, mango, or mandarine oranges.

Oh, one more thing. I used beans that I had cooked from dry and then froze in place of canned beans. That definitely saved some money and helped make up for the (relatively) high cost of the shrimp.

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creamy garden vegetable pasta salad

It's HOT outside. Seriously so. I can still handle eating hot food up until about the 90 degree mark, but when it's in the upper 90's ever day and as steamy as a Roman bath house, I barely want to eat, let alone eat something hot.

So, yesterday I whipped up this delicious vegetable pasta salad. I knew I was in serious need of some veggies, so I made this pasta salad really heavy on vegetables and just used the pasta to kind of fill it out. I wanted something creamy to really satisfy my hunger, but I used my secret mix of ingredients to make a nearly guilt-free ranch-esque dressing. It turned out perfect - totally satisfying but secretly light and fresh.

I used light mayo (only Hellman's or Blue Plate will do, IMHO) and low fat buttermilk for the dressing. In a lot of recipes you can simply replace buttermilk with milk and vinegar or lemon juice, but I wouldn't suggest that here. In this recipe the buttermilk is not only used for its acidity, but also its unique flavor and thickness. Using regular milk with either lemon juice or vinegar mixed in does not have the creamy thickness or flavor of buttermilk. Another option would be to use a mix of plain yogurt and mayonnaise. It will still be lacking that classic buttermilk flavor, but at least it will be thick. ...but you've gotta try the buttermilk if you can, it's awesome!

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curry chicken salad

I was definitely slow to get on the curry train. In fact, I distinctly remember not linking curry spices. Luckily, people grow and change as they experience life and I eventually came around (thanks to experiences like quick curried chickpeas!).

Out of all of the recipes I've made with curry spices, this might just be my favorite. Something about the curry with the creamy mayo/yogurt dressing is just perfect! Not to mention the subtle sweetness of the raisins to balance it all out... Mmmm.

Chicken salad is never really "cheap", but when you get your chicken on sale (as I did here for $1.99/lb) it approaches affordable. And then when you consider the fact that you can sometimes pay $10/lb. for pre-made chicken salad at the deli, this is actually quite a steal. So, even if you have to save this for a special occasion, bookmark this recipe because you won't be sorry you did!

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apple dijon kale salad

I'm in love.

The dressing alone was enough to make me swoon. It's just a very simple and basic dijon vinaigrette, but it's so good that I kept dipping my spoon in for taste after taste. And because kale is so "sturdy," it stands up well to being pre-dressed with the vinaigrette. I just made the salad moments ago, but I'm sure it will still be tasty tomorrow, even after having the dressing on it all night. In fact, I'm sure the juice from the apples will start to mingle with the dressing and make it even better.

I love that this salad mixes so many tastes and textures in one bowl. You have the almost bitter flavor of the curly kale, the sweet and crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and super sweet raisins. All of which is topped off with a tangy dijon vinaigrette. It just all works.

Eat this salad with a cool glass of crisp white wine, some awesome crusty bread, and maybe some cheddar cheese. That's what I call the perfect summer dinner.

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quinoa tabbouleh

That's "keen-wah tab-ooh-lay". Don't let the name scare you away from this simple salad.

I'm obsessed with tabbouleh and have been since the first time I had it. It's full of texture and tons of super fresh, vibrant flavors. I like to eat it plain or stuff it into a pita with some tzatziki. I really can't get enough of it! There are a million ways to make tabbouleh, and this is just one (my favorite way, of course).

I decided to replace the traditional bulgur wheat in this tabbouleh recipe with quinoa because lately I've wanted to experiment with quinoa. Let me just tell you, I think I'm in love with quinoa. Not only is quinoa a nutritional powerhouse, but it has the most amazing texture! It's like tasty little beads that burst when you bite them. Fun!

Bulgur is a less expensive option, or you can even use couscous. All three items cook quickly and are usually available in bulk bins so you can buy just the amount you need. Hint: bulk bin scoops are usually pretty close to one cup in volume! ;D

The amount of salad that this recipe makes will vary quite a bit depending on the size of your tomato, cucumber, and parsley bunch. Also, make sure to use curly leaf parsley as it has more volume and will give the salad body. My salad yielded about 8 cups, but you could even add a second bunch of parsley if you want to stretch it out more. It will "shrink" as it refrigerates. The salt will slowly wilt the vegetables causing it all to collapse a little, but the flavor will get better as it does!


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southwest salad with taco ranch dressing

It's crisp, it's crunchy, it has an amazing, tangy, homemade dressing, and it goes perfectly along side your lentil tacos ;D

Honestly, this recipe started out with me craving a crunchy salad, but it ended up being nothing more than a vehicle for this delicious dressing. I didn't expect the dressing to be so amazing, but I love it... And it took only about five minutes to whip together! Normally I would use a buttermilk substitute rather buying a whole quart when I only need a little, but with this dressing you really need that authentic buttermilk flavor. What will I do with the rest? Make buttermilk biscuits, of course.

Actually, the whole salad will probably take less than 30 minutes to make; dressing, tortilla crisps, and all. Which means that you *can* have a delicious salad on a week night when you're exhausted from work. I did, anyway.

If you want to make a whole meal out of this, just grill up some chicken and toss it in!

Oh, and yes, I know iceberg is nutritionally void and all of that great stuff. I eat a ton of vegetables so I'm not worried about using iceberg once in a while. I needed a REALLY crisp green for this salad and iceberg kind of takes the cake. Romaine is also really crunchy and has more green, if you want it.


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lemon herb egg salad

As much as I love eggs, I never make egg salad. I guess it just always seemed a little too heavy, ooey, and gooey.

This egg salad, on the other hand, is light, fresh, and summery! The combination of lemon juice and fresh herbs provides tang and a light herbal flavor to contrast the rich eggs and mayonnaise based dressing.

I used thyme because I recently planted some fresh herbs and have been eager to use them. You can use fresh or dried and I actually used a combination of both (because mine are still quite young and I didn't want to use it *all*). If you're not into thyme, you can also try parsley or dill instead. Both will go well with lemon. I suggest fresh parsley if at all possible, but either dry or fresh dill will do.

For an extra lemony punch, use fresh lemon juice and try grating a little of the zest into the dressing. For extra crunch, try adding some chopped up red onion, green onion, celery, or even cucumber.


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crunchy asian salad

I loved eating the teriyaki meatball bowls all week but they desperately need a vegetable side to balance things out. So, I whipped up a quick Asian salad and coated it in the yummy sesame ginger dressing. It was just perfect. The crunchiness of the the cabbage, carrots, and peanuts was such a perfect contrast to the meatballs and rice.

The number of servings that you'll get out of this recipe will vary greatly depending on the size of your red cabbage. So, I didn't even measure servings but it looked like somewhere between 6 or 8 servings. You may get more, but I doubt you'd get less because my head of cabbage was one of the smallest I've ever seen. Also, I only used about 2/3 of the sesame dressing, so the recipe allows for more if you need it.

Pretty food is so... pretty.

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tahini kale salad

Kale is one of my all-time favorite greens and the best part is, it's usually fairly inexpensive! I've always cooked my kale, even if just slightly, to make it more tender and easier to eat. But this time, I wanted to experiment with eating it raw.

I've seen several recipes for tahini dressing and decided to combine my favorite parts of all of them. If you're unfamiliar with tahini, it's like peanut butter but made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts. It has an interestingly smooth, yet slightly bitter flavor. Tahini is what makes hummus taste like hummus, rather than just chickpea paste. Tahini can be expensive, but luckily, you only need to use it in small amounts. You can find tahini either in the peanut butter aisle or near other mediterranean ingredients (olives, oil, vinegar, etc.).

This salad comes together in just a few minutes and, thanks to kale's hearty texture, it stays good in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Add a hard boiled egg, some tomato, cucumber, or avocado and you've made it into a meal!

Also, I made two batches of this, the first with a clove of garlic mixed into the dressing. While the garlic was awesome, it wasn't convenient. Don't add garlic unless you plan on not being around other human beings for at least 24 hours after eating the salad. Just a fair warning.

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cumin lime chickpeas

Every winter, after weeks of eating hearty soups and stews, I start craving something really light and fresh. I just get sick of all of the super cooked down hot food. I want bright, I want it to taste like SUNSHINE. You know what I'm sayin'?

So today I threw together this quick salad with a couple of cans of chickpeas that I had hiding in the back of my pantry. It's really fast, easy, and bursting with fresh flavor!

Lime juice can sometimes have a slightly bitter bite to it, so if you're not into that or limes just aren't available in your area, this salad would be just as delicious with lemon juice. If you want to cut the price in half, cook your own chickpeas from dry. I haven't done it but I'm sure it's just as easy as cooking any other bean... especially if you cook them in the slow cooker!

Another interesting twist to this salad would be to add a touch of honey and chopped jalapeno. Unfortunately, I didn't think of that until just now as I was typing this. Someone try it for me and let me know how it is! Thanks!

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butternut squash pasta salad

Taking advantage of seasonal produce is definitely one of the most important principles of budget byting. I mean, anytime you can get produce for under $1 per lb, you've just gotta do it! Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall vegetables. It's bright color and rich flavor make it wonderful to add to soups, salads, and pasta.

Butternut squash can be quite large and a little difficult to handle. Luckily, once you get the squash peeled and cubed, you can freeze half of it and use it in recipes later. Prep once, cook multiple times. Thank you, freezer!

I probably should have froze half of my cubed squash because this recipe made a TON. I priced it out for 8 servings per recipe but it might actually be closer to 10. Luckily, the finished salad freezes well, too! I've been eating this salad warmed up in the microwave, so when I want to eat the portions that I froze, I'll just microwave it until it is heated through.

I didn't make a "dressing" for this salad because I found that just a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan was enough for me. If you're the type that needs more moisture, try something a little sweet, like a raspberry vinaigrette. The sweetness will compliment the cranberries nicely.

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chicken 'n apple salad

I made this recipe on a total whim today and I'm SO glad I did. It is so delicious that I want to eat it every day for the rest of my life.

And guess what? It's so easy that I just might be able to.

I wrote the recipe to use two chicken breasts but I didn't realize until it was too late that I only had one chicken breast in my freezer... so please ignore the photos that show only one. Make it with two. It definitely needs two.

It is important to note two things: A) I buy my chicken breasts in bulk, divide them and freeze them in bags of two. That is how I get the insanely low price of less than $2/lb. B) Apples were on sale as well, $0.98/lb. Even if your prices are a bit higher, you'll most likely still come out on top. Have you seen what they charge per pound at the deli for chicken salad? It's a lot... like there's gold dust in there or sumthin.

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vinaigrette slaw with feta

There is a constant war going on between my brain and my stomach. My brain likes things that my stomach doesn't and when I eat it anyway, my stomach throws a fit. Raw cabbage is one of those items. But, when my friend Jenni messaged me this recipe last night for a quick vinaigrette coleslaw with feta, I said, "screw you, stomach, I'm eating the raw cabbage whether you like it or not!"

And I'm so glad I did. This stuff is amazing. And amazingly easy!

You can use bagged coleslaw mix but the selection at the store today looked pretty sickly, so I decided to use fresh cabbage. The only problem with fresh cabbage is that you can't get away with making just a little coleslaw, you have to make buckets of the stuff. I only used half of each head of cabbage (green and purple) and I still had a TON. So what do you do with all of the left over cabbage? I shredded the rest of mine and froze it. It will make a nice addition to a vegetable soup this fall, or a quick stir fry!

The same goes for the dressing. You can make your own vinaigrette or buy pre-made. I took the easy route today and used some Newman's Own Caesar dressing. It was pretty incredible, I must say. I think the caesar added extra zing and umami that really made the slaw something special.

So, the next time you need a quick, delicious side dish, try out Jenni's vinaigrette slaw with feta!

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roasted vegetable couscous

I'm still trying to take full advantage of the fresh summer veggies before they're gone. I paid a little more for vegetables this week than I usually do, but the frightening thought that in a few months good vegetables will be hard to come by at any price motivated me to grab them anyway.

This dish highlights the wonderfully sweet flavor that vegetables take on after being roasted. I only seasoned the vegetables with salt and pepper because I wanted to enjoy the subtle flavor of their caramelized sugars.If you like a little punchier flavor, try adding feta cheese or a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar to this salad. I've tried both and can definitely say it's delish!

If you're using your grill this summer, throw the vegetables on the grill instead of roasting them in the oven to make this recipe even faster.

If you're unfamiliar with couscous, it's basically pasta that is made into little granules. It cooks almost instantly, which is awesome. I used whole wheat couscous for this recipe, which I was able to find in the bulk section at Whole Foods. In regular stores it can be found either in the international aisle or in a box near rice mixes (like rice a roni products).

You can take this recipe in so many directions, so be creative! Eggplant would be awesome, maybe even some edamame? Let me know what you try!

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