Using these simple recipes made with fresh ingredients found in any supermarket, these easy budget meals are quick to make and filled with flavor. With short ingredient lists and simple preparation, you can prepare delicious meals in minutes and stretch your budget at the same time.
Each recipe makes 2 to 3 servings
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- Simple Pasta Toss: Combine a couple of cups of cooked pasta (rotini, farfalle, elbow) with a bag of your favorite frozen vegetable combination (cooked according to package directions). Add a couple of flavor boosters like cubes of cheese, chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts), sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, drained and roughly chopped), lemon or lime zest, cooked beans, or fresh chopped herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, or thyme. Add a dressing like olive oil and vinegar, plain yogurt (alone or mixed with mustard, horseradish, crumbled cooked bacon (regular or vegetarian style), or tamari soy sauce), salsa, oyster sauce, peanut sauce, or your favorite bottled dressing. Mix well and serve this pasta meal with a small tossed salad and warm garlic bread.
- Lemon Mint Quinoa: Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine well, adjusting the pepper to taste. Serve quinoa at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so and serve: 2 cups cooked quinoa, 1 cup canned garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained), 2/3 cup frozen peas (thawed and drained), 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Serve this easy pasta dish along with a side dish of baby spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, and capers tossed in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Ingredient Exchange: Use 1 cup cubed cooked ham instead of the garbanzo beans.
- Roasted Pepper and Rice Soup: In a soup pot, saute 1 cup of chopped onion in a little olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup broccoli (chopped), 1/2 cup carrots (diced), 1/2 cup green beans (cut into 1″ lengths), and 4 cups of low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth to the soup pot and heat on medium-high until soup comes just to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender (approximately 10 to 20 minutes). During the last ten minutes of cooking add 1 cup of roasted red peppers (roughly chopped), 3/4 cup of cooked beans (like kidney, garbanzo, cannellini, or pinto beans) and 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice. Just before serving, drizzle in some balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper to taste. Serve this quick soup with crusty bread and your favorite spread. Ingredient Exchange: Use 3/4 cup of cooked and cubed chicken instead of the beans.
- Pasta with Red Peppers and Spinach: Place all ingredients in the bowl and toss well to combine, adjusting the oil to suit your taste. Serve pasta either at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so and serve: 2 cups cooked bow-tie pasta (farfalle), 1 cup packaged flavored tofu (cubed), 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers (drained and roughly chopped), 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice, and 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil. For a simple side dish, place some mandarin orange slices on a plate and sprinkle with crumbled goat or feta cheese and some fresh ground black pepper. Ingredient Exchange: Use 6 oz canned, water-packed tuna (drained and flaked) instead of the tofu.
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