Frugal Friday: I’m doing the Slow Food USA $5 Challenge for the Natural Network Blog Hop!

This Saturday, September 17, Slow Food USA is inviting you to be a part of their $5 Challenge, and the Natural Network Blog Hop wants to kick it off and invite you to join us!


The challenge is to take back the 'value meal' by getting together with family, friends or neighbors to enjoy a meal that costs no more than $5 per person (the cost of the average fast food meal). Slow Food USA says that slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food, and they're right!

If you want to join in, you can sign up for the challenge over at Slow Food USA. If you're a blogger, join us by sharing your favorite slow food meal ideas and linking up with to our Natural Network Blog Hop at the bottom of this post!

When I first read about this challenge here, I thought, ok, $5 for a healthy, whole foods,  family meal, it will take some finagling but I can do it -- after all, I’ve done it before! 

Then I read further and realized -- the challenge is $5 per person.  Really? That’s a piece of cake. That’s $20 whole dollars for my family of four. The point is, taking back the “value meal” isn’t as hard as it sounds. It does take some planning, and sometimes, even some ingenuity.

The recipe I’ve chosen to share today requires neither! It is easy, healthy, and filling. I do use organic canned tomatoes, which technically aren’t a whole food. However, you could easily use fresh tomatoes from the garden and achieve the same results.

Simple Natural Goulash (For a family of 4, with leftovers)

1 lb 93% lean Organic, Grass-Fed Beef -- $4.19 using a coupon

1 pound organic pasta elbows -- $2.79

1 28-oz can, Muir Glen Crushed Tomatoes -- $2.99

1 organic onion -- $1

1 organic bell pepper -- $1

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Brown the meat in a large stock pot. Add the onions and saute 5 minutes

Add 2 1/2 cups water, the tomatoes, and all spices. Put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir, return lid, and simmer on med-low for 20 minutes

Turn off heat, and let goulash sit for 15-30 minutes before serving. 

Final Cost= $11.97 per recipe, or $2.99 per person 

(I didn’t include the seasonings in the cost analysis because they are assumed to be pantry ingredients)

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$5 Fridays: Even MORE Zucchini!

This is for all you wonderful locavores who are getting zucchini in your CSA baskets Every.Single.Week!


I thought we were in the clear when I looked through yesterday's basket, but nope! Nestled between a cucumber and some collard greens was that distinctive dark green vegetable that is slowly becoming the bane of my (cooking) existence.


So, because I haven't posted a zucchini recipe in, oh, a day and a half, here is some MORE zucchini!


Today's $5 recipe is for Zucchini Boats. I've seen these made a TON of different ways, and you can put almost anything in them, but I like this recipe because it is cheap, flavorful, and can be adapted to whatever vegetables you have on hand.


Zucchini Boats
4 medium- large zucchini, sliced lengthwise and hollowed out 
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced 
1-3 cloves garlic, diced 
1 tbs parsley
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into large pieces
1/4 cup bread crumbs (any kind, I used Wegmans' Italian Seasoned)
1 cup diced vegetables -- I used sweet peppers and tomatoes since that's what came in the CSA basket this week
1/2 cup cheese -- mozzarella or feta both work great
Salt & Pepper to taste


1. Mix up the onion, garlic, parsley, basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and diced vegetables in a medium bowl.

2. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the hollowed out zucchini.

3. Sprinkle cheese on top and broil or grill until browned and bubbly. 


I would like to thank my friend Jan for inspiring this recipe; a short video demonstration can be seen here on my Facebook page. (And, as suggested by a 3 year old on the video,  you can add chopped up pork or bacon if you feel so inclined).


**Note** I haven't included specific prices for these ingredients, because produce prices vary so much by season and throughout the country. Everything except the cheese and the bread crumbs came from my CSA basket this week, so my total out of pocket was only about $1 (although I realize I paid for my CSA stuff, but that was back in May).

$5 Friday: Crab Salad with Veganaise Dressing

Several weeks ago I was chosen by Moms Meet to participate in a sampling of Vegenaise brand salad dressing.  Yes, I said it -- Vegenaise. While it's still sort of a dirty word in my house (thanks to my carnivorous husband!), I have had only rave reviews of this product (and the resulting salad) from pescatarians, locavores, and meat-eaters alike.  Thanks to all the free samples I received, I have been using Vegenaise for a ton of different things, and it doesn't have any sort of weird eggless aftertaste. 


I recently used it to make a Crab and Pasta Salad for a potluck picnic with friends. It traveled well (on one of the hottest days of the year!) and tasted delicious.


Crab Salad with Vegenaise Dressing
1 box (12-16 oz) Elbow Pasta -- $.69
1/2 package imitation crab -- $1.75
6-8 oz Vegenaise -- $2.30
1 cup of CSA veggies, chopped into bite-size pieces (I used zucchini --surprise!-- cucumber, and onions) -- approx. $1
1 tsp Celery Salt
1 tsp Celery Seed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt & pepper to taste


1. Cook pasta until al dente. Do not over cook. Drain and chill in the refrigerator 1 hour.
2. Mix up dressing: add celery salt, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to the Vegenaise. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta and the vegetables. Add in the dressing and mix well.


Serves 4 as an entree, 6-8 as a side. 


Total Cost= $4.74


Note: I was not compensated  for this post, nor do I have an "arrangement" with Follow Your Heart Vegenaise. I was selected to sample this product and my opinions on it are my own.

$5 Fridays: CSA Edition Part III

Right at the beginning of the CSA season, I posted my basic recipe for Kohlrabi Slaw.   With our CSA, we get a double share and split it with my dad and step-mom. Well, they're on vacation this week so every time I look in my crisper I see 6 kohlrabi bulbs and about 100 carrots staring back at me.  


They're so beautiful that I couldn't stand to see any of it to go to waste, so I tweaked my Kohlrabi Slaw recipe a little and came up with this meal.  We had it last night, and again -- both kids ate every bite!  And no, that doesn't happen all the time, or even most of the time!
This $5 Friday meal is sort of a mish-mash of a couple of ideas, but it's a good way to make the most of your CSA veggies.


I used the Barbecue Marinated Chicken from My Once a Month Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking from the Stockpile day.  It involved literally dumping 3-4 chicken breasts in the crockpot, covering it with barbecue sauce, and turning it on low for 5 hours. That's it.  I'm happy to report that it held up to freezing and thawing perfectly and was tender and juicy. 

Photo Credit

For the Kohlrabi Slaw, my only goal was to use up a bunch of veggies and apples that were "on the edge." I used:

• 4 whole kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and julienned
• 20 carrots (the CSA carrots are much smaller than supermarket ones), peeled and julienned
• 1 onion, peeled and julienned
• 2 organic Granny Smith apples, peeled and julienned

Dressing: I normally recommend Wegman's yogurt Coleslaw dressing, but I was out, so I made my own!  Whisk together the following and mix it with the vegetables:

• 1 cup Mayonnaise (I used Vegenaise because I had several jars from a Green Moms Meet sampling opportunity)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard seed 
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

The dressing turned out sweet, tangy, and delicious with the tart vegetables and sweet apples. 

This meal was quick, easy, kid-friendly, and didn't involve turning on the oven! Perfect for a heat wave!

Total Cost:

3/4 lb boneless chicken breast -- $1.25

1/2 jar barbecue sauce -- FREE ( used $1/1 coupon from 5/15 SS on a $.99 jar at Target)

Kohlrabi, Carrots, & Onion -- $2.50 (I'm guesstimating based on the cost of our CSA)

2 organic apples -- $.70 at Wegmans

Dressing -- $.25 (Vegenaise was free)  you could use Wegman's Coleslaw Dressing for $2.29 using this week's coupon

Total Cost= $4.70

$5 Fridays: Mu-Shu Beef and Cabbage Wraps

Elegant photography, right? I am accepting sponsors for food photography lessons. 

Anyway, I sort of stumbled upon this recipe earlier in the week when I realized I had defrosted about 2 pounds of ground beef but didn't have any plans for it. I was searching through Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens) for a slow cooker recipe (duh!), and found this little gem. The only problem?  The recipe doesn't call for a slow cooker. I won't admit how much time I spent scouring the recipe for instructions on to cook this in my crock-pot -- and what I muttered as I did it!

Turns out, there's a "Bonus Chapter" called One-Dish Dinners, and that's which section I was in.  The recipe was so easy and quick to throw together, though, I didn't even miss the slow cooker. And here's another shocker -- both my kids ate every bite! My 3-year-old even asked for seconds. I am definitely going to make this again.  

Mu Shu Style Beef & Cabbage Wraps

(adapted from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes)

8 8" flour tortillas -- $1.49

3/4 lb lean ground meat (I used beef) -- $1.49

1 onion, chopped -- $.50

2 cups shredded cabbage with carrots (I used Wegmans' prepared cole slaw mix) -- $1.50

1 cup corn (I had some leftover canned corn in the fridge, so I just dumped it in) -- $.20

1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce -- $.33 (I made my own. Recipe to come Monday)

1. Brown the meat and the onions in a large skillet. Drain most of the fat (I like to keep a little, and then reduce the oil if it's called for in the rest of the recipe).

2. Mix in cabbage, carrots, and corn. Cover and cook 4 minutes. Cabbage should still have a bite to it -- no one likes flaccid cabbage.

3. Stir in hoisin sauce, then stir and cook until heated.

4. Spoon the meat mixture into the tortillas, and wrap up, burrito-style. You could also use lettuce leaves if you had large, fresh leaves -- that would make it even healthier (and possibly cheaper).

Total Cost= $5.51

Serves 4

$5 Fridays: Dessert Edition!

(photo credit HERE)

Am I the only person who has actually foregone dinner in order to have lots of room for dessert? I'm embarrassed to say how often I do this! I decided to deviate from the $5 Dinner theme this week, and do a $5 dessert.   My family loves desserts, and far from being an afterthought, they're often the highlight of the meal.  I have brought these Blondies to many family gatherings and they are always gone -- sometimes before we even eat dinner. And the best part (besides the fact that they are really cheap to make) is that they can be made in one dish so there is less to clean up.


Rum Butter Blondies 
(adapted from SmittenKitchen)


8 tbs melted butter (1 stick) -- $.69
1 cup brown sugar (I like dark, but you can use light) -- $.40
1 egg -- $.12
1 tsp pure vanilla extract -- $.42
1/2-1 tsp rum extract OR 2 tbsp Rum or Kahlua $.70 (for 1 tsp rum extract)
pinch salt
1 cup flour -- $.14
1/2 cup butterscotch chips -- $1


1. Melt the butter in the microwave for 1 minute in a glass bowl (plastic doesn't work, trust me!)
2. Add sugar to the butter and mix. Add the egg and mix.
3. Add vanilla, rum, salt, and flour (in that order).
4. Fold in butterscotch chips.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in an 8" square glass pan (or comparable size)


Make sure to wait until these cool to take them out of the pan and cut them -- if you're too impatient, they'll end up half in the pan and half on the cooling rack (again, trust me!)


Total Cost= $3.47


Just try not to eat the whole batch by yourself. :)

$5 Friday: Summer Barbecue

The Fourth of July weekend is a great excuse for grilling out. The recipe for today’s $5 Friday is not earth-shattering by any means, but it’s one of my family’s absolute favorite meals in the summer time. It’s flavorful, satisfying, and really inexpensive to make.

Barbecue Chicken with Homemade Russet French Fries

4 small chicken Breasts =$1.50

1/2 cup + 2 tbs barbecue sauce =$.25 (I usually pay $1 per bottle, so I’m guesstimating)

1 lb russet potatoes =$1.33 (3 lb/3.99 at Wegmans)

Rosemary, Sea Salt, Pepper -- $.25

Olive Oil -- $.50

1. Marinate the chicken  in the barbecue sauce for at least one hour, but preferably overnight, in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, grill on medium high for about 5-7 minutes on each side.

2. To make the fries, first wash the potatoes and peel them -- this is a great task for kids to help with (although mine always try to eat the raw potatoes -- yuck!)

3. Cut them into thin wedges -- I like mine as thin as possible because they’ll cook faster and get crispier.

4. Par-boil the potatoes for about 5 minutes. This will help with the cooking time in the oven.

5. Spread the potatoes in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil (about 2 tbs), sprinkle with salt, pepper, and about 1/2 tsp dried rosemary.

6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes, turning once. I have also cooked these in the toaster oven on a hot day, but check them more frequently -- they’ll burn much faster.

Total Cost= $3.83

A fresh salad of greens from the garden would round out this meal if you have them available. Dress with a little olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and you’ll still have a complete meal for under $5!

$5 Dinners: CSA Week 2

This week was a great CSA week. We got scallions, baby spinach, bok choy, and fresh strawberries, among other things. New this week is arugula.  As a fresh salad green, I've mostly only made -- you guessed it -- salads with my arugula. Not this week. I've come up with a beautiful Arugula Frittata for an easy weeknight $5 dinner.  Now, for some people (like my husband), a slice of frittata is not a complete meal.  Adding some breakfast sausage or croissants would be nice ideas for sides to go with the whole "breakfast for dinner" theme.


Arugula Frittata
(adapted from Health Magazine)
2 tsp. olive oil -- $.25
1 cup arugula chiffonade (basically just cut it up into bite-size pieces) $1.50
2-3 large organic eggs  $.90
3 large organic egg whites -- $.90
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese -- $1.75
2 tbsp chives (fresh or dried) --$.10 
2 tbsp parsely (fresh or dried) --$.10
salt & pepper to taste


1. Preheat broiler to high (yes, you have to turn on the oven, but it's only for a few minutes. You could use a toaster oven, but watch carefully for burning).
2. Saute the mushrooms and arugula in 1 tsp oil until just wilted, set aside
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, herbs, and cheese together
4. Add 1 tsp oil into the pan with the mushrooms and arugula, and mix until coated. Season with salt & pepper.
5.  Add egg mixture to the pan; cook on medium for 1-2 minutes.
6.  Pour the entire mixture into a glass pie plate. Broil for 2-3 minutes
7. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsely or chives if desired.


Total Cost: $5.50

$5 Fridays: CSA Edition

To celebrate the first week of receiving a CSA basket for the year, I'd like to share one of my favorite, super-simple suppers: Pasta with Spring Asparagus


*Note* Even though I got the asparagus in my basket, I'm using the price at Wegmans this week to calculate the total cost.  I'm not even going to attempt to calculate the price of one produce item for one week of the CSA share.


Pasta with Spring Asparagus
 (Serves 4)


1 small bunch asparagus (about 1/2 lb) -- $1.75
1 box pasta -- I used the Ronzoni Garden Delight, which was $.69 after using the $1 off 1 coupon in the 5/15 SS insert
3 tbs olive oil -- $.50
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese -- $1.75
Salt & Pepper to taste


1. Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tbs oil (Wegmans Basting Oil works well) and season with salt and pepper; grill for about 5 minutes until tender but still has a bit of bite.
2. While grilling, cook up the pasta on the stove. When both pasta and asparagus are finished, drain pasta (reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water).
3. Combine pasta, asparagus, the remaining oil, and the reserved cooking water (just use the pasta pot -- no need to dirty another dish!)
4. Finish with Parmesan and any fresh herbs you may have, and serve!


Total cost: $4.69

$5 Friday: Moroccan Grilled Chicken

With the toddler sick and the pre-schooler bouncing off the walls because I can't take his sister out (she's contagious!), I kind of forgot about making dinner tonight. Good thing it's $5 Friday because this is a quick, easy, healthy, and cheap meal that requires little to no forethought!


Moroccan Chicken
1 tsp Cumin ($.10)
1/2 tsp Sea Salt ($.05)
1/4 tsp cinnamon ($.05)
Pinch of paprika -- smoked if you have it (cost negligible)
4 chicken breasts pounded thin ($1.50)
1 tbsp vegetable oil ($.25)
1 pkg couscous ($2.39)
1 pkg frozen or fresh spinach ($.99)

• Stir the first 4 ingredients together and use as a dry rub on the chicken breasts. Pan-sear in oil 8-12 minutes until done, turning once OR cook on the grill. 
• Prepare couscous according to directions
• Add spinach to the pan and cook until it cooks or wilts
• Add couscous to the pan and stir everything together
• Season to taste

Total Cost= $5.33

$5 Fridays: Lazy Mom Edition

I wasn’t a cooking superstar this week -- one night I resorted to a frozen pizza and salad (I always keep 1 or 2  Wegmans’ $3.99 Bake & Rise pizzas in the freezer just in case), and another night I was saved by a last-minute dinner invitation from a friend.

When I’m just not feeling the cooking vibe, that is generally the time when I pull out my crock-pot.  This week I resorted to a recipe that I only discovered recently, and it is amazing. I found it on the blog “A Year of Slow Cooking.”  When you read the ingredients, it sounds like an unlikely combination. But try it. Trust me. Then come on here and tell me how awesome it is.

Brown Sugar Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets ($1.50)

1 cup brown sugar ($.31)

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (I know, I know! HFCS!) ($.10)

2/3 cup white vinegar (<$.10)

3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic ($.25)

2 T soy sauce ($.25)

1 tsp ground black pepper (pennies)

1 1/2 cup white rice ($.24)

1 package frozen asian vegetable medley ($1.69)

This is so easy -- just throw the chicken in the crockpot. Add brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper.

If you have kids and they’re into this, here’s the science experiment part: add the vinegar, then the soda. . .it’ll start bubbling and fizzing.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. 

In the last 30 minutes of cooking (right before you want to eat), pour the frozen veggies in the crockpot, and cook the rice per the package directions. 

Lay the chicken and veggies over the rice and ladle a big spoonful of broth over the whole thing. 

Now go eat!

Total Cost: $4.44