This is a great way to use leftover roasted chicken. Serve it on lettuce cups or a hearty grain bread for a filling sandwich. I use different herbs and spices to change the taste like adding a curry spice or using tarragon as a choice of herb. What really adds flavor is using a mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream. I also like to add sliced grapes into the mixture if I have them. This recipe makes two servings depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Just double or triple the amounts to serve a larger group.

Chicken Salad

Prep Time 10 – 15 min

Ingredients 

1-2 chicken pieces, remove meat from bone. Cut into bite size pieces

1 stalk celery diced

1/4 cup walnuts chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbs sour cream

1/4 tsp sage

salt and pepper to taste ( I like the flavor of white pepper in this)

mix together in a bowl. Serve in lettuce cups or use to make a sandwich.

When I roast a chicken with vegetables there is always leftover chicken. For another meal I like to repeat the menu using an assortment of vegetables to roast. Because the chicken is already cooked I wrap it in parchment paper and put it in the pan with the vegetables. I still roast the vegetables at 425 degrees Fahrenheit but for a slightly shorter time. Usually the vegetables get the nice color, sweetness and flavor after 30 minutes. The chicken is nicely reheated and still moist. Quick to prepare and just as delicious as the first meal.

I’ve posted a similar recipe before but as you know all ovens are not the same. My current oven is a 1950’s all electric push button model with fins. Very futuristic in its time. The ovens are blistering hot so I cook this at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In other stoves I had to crank the heat up to 445 or higher. Roasting vegetables brings out their sweetness and in many vegetables like tomatoes and onions it creates a chemical reaction that brings many healthy benefits when eaten. Brussels sprouts are best eaten when roasted. For this recipe I used cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, whole mushrooms,Roma tomatoes. It’s different every time I make it. A little of each goes a long way. I use what’s on hand. Root vegetables are great and store for a long time. I toss the vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper. You can use many different herbs such as rosemary or thyme. When I roast the tomatoes I always put some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. It melts and adds such a great flavor.

Roasted Vegetables with Chicken

Prep Time 10-20 min

Cooking Time 35-45 min

Ingredients

assortment of fresh vegetables (see above) use what you love from asparagus to zucchini. Cut to pieces of a similar size for even cooking time. Toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs of your choosing. Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take a whole chicken and cut in half. Rinse and salt and pepper both sides. Arrange along side of the vegetables in a roasting pan. Roast for 35-45 minutes until chicken juices run clear and internal temperature is 165 degrees when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. 

This week I found a couple of deals that have affected my menus for the next few weeks. I found a frozen cod that bakes so well in an oven from a frozen state. With that I can roast vegetables such as potatoes for a fish and chips kind of meal. The box of fish was $12 but divide that by 6 meals for two its affordable and meets our goal of $25 a week. Also I bought so many vegetables last week that I didn’t have to buy anything but some cabbage and fruit. So when that happens I use the budget to buy fill ins. This includes buying more meat like frozen ground turkey for the chili, and because it was a great buy a nice piece of corned beef for a boiled (simmered) dinner. The left over corned beef will make a great hash for dinner or breakfast and some sandwiches for next week.

SUNDAY
Brunch breakfast hash, toast w/ jam, orange
Dinner roasted chicken and vegetables

MONDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange or clementine
Lunch salami sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner four can chili, fruit

TUESDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange
Lunch chili, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner roasted vegetables with chicken, fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast granola, orange
Lunch peanut butter sandwich, fruit
Dinner roasted vegetables with sliced turkey, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange
Lunch chicken salad,carrots
Dinner chili, nacho chips, fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast granola hot or cold, orange or clementine
Lunch cheese sandwich fruit
Dinner baked cod with roasted potatoes and asparagus (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash or poached eggs and toast, orange
Dinner corned beef boiled dinner, fruit

SHOPPING LIST
Bread, cabbage,frozen ground turkey,corned beef,frozen cod,milk,eggs,clementines

I like  taco salad and always ate it with tortilla chips.  Also I always put shredded Colby jack cheese on my salad. I like tortilla chips with shredded cheese under the broiler until they get bubbling hot and served them with guacamole. So I created the combination of both my likes. Taco salad with tortilla chips and naturally you have nachos. I like to make a big platter of them and have a more casual meal. It looks like a gloppy mess but I love the taste. For my guacamole I make what some call California guacamole. That is mashed avocado with chopped onion lemon or lime juice salt pepper and your favorite salsa. Mix together and it’s quick and easy. 

Nachos serves 2

Prep time 10-20 min

Cooking time 10-20 min

Ingredients

1/3 – 1/2 pound hamburger browned with taco seasoning

4 oz shredded cheese ( I use Colby jack )

tortilla chips

avocado 1 whole

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4  – 1/2 cup salsa ( use what you love from mild to hot)

juice of 1 lemon or lime

salt and pepper to taste

romaine lettuce chopped 1 small head

sour cream ( only if you like it)

brown the hamburger in a little oil with a sprinkling of taco seasoning. Meanwhile on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Put under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat and watch carefully. Cook until hot and bubbly. Be careful not to burn. In my very hot oven that just takes a few minutes. Remove from oven. I leave the chips on the parchment paper and lift it onto the serving platter. Then I place the browned hamburger on top. Then add the lettuce.

Make the guacamole in a bowl by smashing the avocado with a fork sprinkle on juice of lemon or lime.  Add chopped onion and salsa. Combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto lettuce add sour cream and serve. Enjoy!

This is a great soup to get plenty of nourishment from. It is also a great way to use up the vegetables you have on hand. I use everything from potatoes to Brussels sprouts to frozen corn in this soup. It doesn’t take a lot of each vegetable to get a whole pot full. I start with browning hamburger and then start throwing in the onion and celery and carrots. Let them soften a bit and add all the other ingredients. I eat this soup from only a 30 min simmer to a couple of hours. Great for a slow cooker or instapot. You can make this vegan by just sautéing the onions celery and carrots first in olive oil and leave out the Worcestershire  sauce. 

Hamburger Soup

Prep time 10-15 min

Cooking time 30 min-2 hours

Ingredients

1/2-1 pound ground beef (I like grass fed) browned

onion 1 whole medium

celery 2-3 stalks sliced into bite sized pieces

carrots 2-3 whole sliced in have and cut into bite size

tomatoes 2-3 ( I use Roma and ones that are getting to the end of the shelf life)

potatoes 1-3 depending on size cut to bite sized pieces

add whatever else you have Brussels sprouts, cabbage corn beans, as you can see by the picture above that is what I had that day. To that I added…

1 14-28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tbs paprika

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs low sugar ketchup

salt and pepper to taste

brown the hamburger and the onion celery and carrots to soften add the remainder of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer to your liking. If you want a softer vegetable then simmer longer. Add liquid can be beef chicken or vegetable stock or water if needed.

This soup gets better the second day. That’s why I make a big batch and eat it many times for different meals in a week.

My last menu and shopping list was April 2012– five years ago. Where does the time go. That is to esoteric for this blog so lets talk about what does $25 buy today. I was reading with interest that too many people are still eating a junk food diet because healthy eating was cost prohibitive. I agree that in some areas food at a value is hard to find. Especially rural areas. However I have found that a number of options exist today that were not available five years ago that are changing food distribution and thus food costs. The one thing I can say is stay away from prepared foods. They are too expensive and too many offer no healthy nutrition. Make your own food. I try to cook using as few ingredients as possible and try to focus on dishes that are fast to prepare.

I went shopping this week and my receipt came to $27.94. A couple of items on the list were those things I had to replace for the pantry. The bulk of the items were fresh vegetables milk eggs cheese and grass fed beef.  Two things I buy that are prepared and I like to use to fill in for those times when I don’t have time to cook are roasted chickens ( a five dollar chicken can feed you for the better part of a week) and precooked turkey breast. I don’t buy the sliced turkey breast but buy one that is a nice sized piece of meat. I like to slice it myself so that I know I am eating turkey or cube it and put it in a dish like the pasta with ham and peas. This week you will notice that I have the recipe listed but with cubed turkey and asparagus instead of the ham and peas.  I had turkey breast from last week. I know hamburger soup is on a number of times. It makes a big batch and I love it so I eat it up. You can freeze it for future meals. Also a platter of nachos isn’t the healthiest meal but you have to have a little fun. I had reserved a little of the hamburger to make them.

SUNDAY
Brunch breakfast hash, toast w/ jam, orange
Dinner chefs salad and tortilla chips with cheese

MONDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange or clementine
Lunch salami sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner pasta with turkey and asparagus

TUESDAY
Breakfast Granola, orange
Lunch pasta with turkey, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner hamburger soup, fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast granola, orange
Lunch hamburger soup, fruit
Dinner roasted vegetables with sliced turkey, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange
Lunch turkey sandwich, carrots
Dinner hamburger soup , fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast granola  hot or cold, orange or clementine
Lunch cheese sandwich fruit
Dinner hot turkey sandwich (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash or poached eggs and toast, orange
Dinner platter of nachos, salad,

SHOPPING LIST

asparagus, cucumber , avocado ,mushrooms, green beans,Roma tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, Colby jack shredded cheese, Hamburger ,12 grain bread, eggs, tortilla chips, pasta