The Healthy $1 Menu: Sauteed Collard Greens with Walnuts & Dried Cranberries

This is a wonderful recipe for those wanting to eat more greens as it’s delicious, and for those wanting to eat a healthy diet on a budget! Thanks so much, Kristin. I will be making this soon, myself. -Kimi

Creating New Years resolutions can be like writing a novel. In the past, I’ve written more New Years resolutions for a year than there are days in it! But this year, my family and I have decided to keep it simple. We’re not going to be over planning, over indulging, or over spending. Yet, we are still committed to eating healthy and keeping our wellness a priority, without going into debt over it.

Somehow, eating well has gained a reputation of being expensive – something that a family on a budget simply cannot afford. But simple foods, real foods, do not have to be out of reach, nor fancy. For my family, we have decided to continue to buy organic, local and fresh and be frugal. I thought I would share a very easy to make recipe, that requires minimum work in the kitchen but uses foods that are extremely nourishing to the bod and not very taxing on the wallet.

Sauteed Collard Greens with Walnuts & Dried Cranberries

1 bunch of collard greens ($2.50)
2 tablespoons of butter or extra virgin olive oil ($0.15)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped ($0.10 cents)
2 tablespoons walnuts chopped ($.25)
2 tablespoons dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice ($0.50)
a splash (about 2 teaspoons) apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar ($0.05)

1. Cut stems off greens and set to the side. Chop leaves into chunks and place in strainer, rinse and set down to drain. Rinse off stems, then dice.

2. Over medium heat in a frying pan, melt butter. Add diced stems and chopped garlic. Saute for 2 minutes or until the garlic begins to smell strong.

3. Toss in rinsed leaves and cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Remove lid, add in cranberries and chopped walnuts and recover for another 2 minutes. Once again, remove the lid, pour in the vinegar. Turn heat off and cover with lid for another 2 minutes.

Serve hot with a fried egg ($0.25) and a cup of tea! A great way to start the day and fill your body with energy.

Grand Total: $4.55 for four eggs and four people or $1.13 per serving!

Add a slice of nitrate free bacon for an additional $0.50

Serve with some steamed brown rice $1.00 (for 1 ½ cups of dried brown rice).

Slice of sourdough bread $0.25

Go ahead, eat your greens this year and keep some green in your wallet

Kristin Jukes blogs at The Seasonal Family about the changes of life as a family from season to season. After the birth of her and her husband’s first child in 2008, she began to slowly change their families diet to one high in whole foods. With various food allergies,

many of the recipes are wheat free, egg free, peanut free and refined sugar free. Now, a mommy of two little ones, her site content continues to expand to cover crafting, homeschooling while striving to be a Godly wife and mother.