The Nourishing Gourmet

Nourishing. Satisfying. Gourmet.

$5 Dishes

Mango Orange Smoothie

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smoothie

It’s been quite cold here recently, even cold enough to freeze our chickens water dish! But yet I still find myself making smoothies (and perhaps adding a layer or two of warmth with a jacket or sweater while I indulge myself). This smoothie is so very delicious that I could drink it everyday! Coconut milk is blended with bananas, oranges and mango- an incredible mix of flavors. My husband made this up for us the other night and I told him that we needed to take a picture of it to put on my blog because it’s so good!

It’s pretty sweet just from the fruit. In fact I think that this could easy qualify as a dessert. It’s also a great smoothie for this time of year because oranges are in season right now (and so holiday-ish) and mangos are in season on the other side of the world (this is when buying local isn’t an option).

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Guest Post: The Healthy $1 Menu, Turnip and Squash Gratin

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Don’t forget that tomorrow is our regular Pennywise Platter Thursday! The winner of the Chaffin Orchard giveaway will be announced soon too.

Today we have another great guest post as part of the Healthy $1 Menu. Katy says that this substantial side dish could also be a main with the addition of salad and bread. The picture makes this gratin look divine! Thanks for sharing Katy. What a gourmet dish for our $1 menu! Everyone be sure to check out Katy’s blog, Thought for Food.


Cost analysis (all local/organic vegetables and pastured milk/eggs):

    1 medium turnip: $0.50
    half small winter squash: $1.00
    one onion: $0.25
    1 garlic clove: $0.10
    2 eggs: $0.60
    milk: $0.20
    parmesan: $0.75
    herbs: $0.10

TOTAL: $3.50 for 4 small main-dish servings (or 6 side-dish servings)

Winter Squash and Turnip Gratin

    * about 4 cups peeled and chopped (appx. 1″ pieces) winter squash and turnips
    (you could do this with all squash, but I wouldn’t do it with all turnip, since they are so strong)
    * 2 Tbsp olive oil
    * 1/2 onion, chopped
    * 1 clove garlic, minced
    * 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
    * 1 tsp minced fresh sage (or a pinch of dried sage)
    * 2 eggs
    * 1/4 cup milk
    * 1 oz. parmesan, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 425º. Place squash and turnip pieces in an 8×8″ (or smaller — as long as they fit) baking dish, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss to coat, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pieces are tender. Remove from the oven (this can be done ahead, and refrigerated until ready to finish).

Meanwhile, heat another Tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until tender but not brown, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the parsley, sage, and cooked squash/turnip mixture (keep your original baking dish handy; no need to wash it), and stir to mix well. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat together the eggs and milk with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Pour the squash/turnip mixture back into your baking dish, and pour the egg mixture on top. Top with grated parmesan, return to the oven, and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the eggs are set. Serve warm.

A Healthy $1 Menu Guest Post: Split Mung Bean Soup

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I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours went great with a lot of food and family time. I had the first time honor of making the turkey and everyone said it was one of the best turkeys they ever had, which was quite flattering and my head probably grew three sizes. (3 Tips: Start with a good turkey, brine it, and cook it breast side down for the first half of the cooking).

If you have eaten all of your leftovers by now, it’s the perfect time for a frugal and simple meal after so much rich food! Today I am very pleased to have Wardeh from the lovely blog, Gnowfglins.com share a guest post as part of the healthy $1 Menu Series. Thanks Wardeh! This sounds lovely.

Last winter, I ordered split mung beans (also called mung dal beans) by accident. These interesting beans became the basis for a family-favorite soup with fantastic flavor.

You might wonder, as I did when I received these beans: what are split mung beans? They are mung beans that have been skinned and split. They cook quickly anyway, but I do an overnight soak to make sure they are fully digestible. You’ll likely find them through a natural food co-op, health food store, or ethnic market. Look for split mung, mung dal, moong dal, or yellow mung beans. The terms are interchangeable and all stand for mung beans that have been husked and split.

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The Healthy $1 Menu: Black Bean and Egg Burritos

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Black beans and scrambled eggs are gently flavored with cumin, garlic and onion. Packed into a tortilla, they make a great breakfast burrito (or serve at lunch or dinner!. You could serve these plain, or with a wide variety of toppings. And with these only being about a dollar a serving, you will have a yummy treat for very little.

I made these just for me and Elena yesterday. I can be the Queen of simple cooking, and usually make the plainest of plain lunches for us (or reheat leftovers). But yesterday I decided to put just a bit more effort into our lunch and this was the delicious result. We made two burritos and then ate the rest of the filling on the side. I would probably figure two burritos per person.

Cost Analysis

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