Polokwane health coach shares tips and recipes to help you eat healthy on a budget
Does the last few weeks of Janu-worry have you scratching in the bottom of your bag or in the car and sofa for a few Rand extra? Do you scratch your head for ideas on what you can make for supper that is cheap but still healthy? To help you get through the crunch, Review asked nutritionist and health coach, Aleshia Kellerman for ideas how to make healthy and delicious meals on a budget.
POLOKWANE – Aleshia says a big misconception is that eating healthy is an expensive ordeal. “Eating healthy does not need to be expensive. You can eat healthy, delicious, simple and easy-to-make meals in those last ‘thin’ weeks of the month,” she says.
She shares the following tips that will help Review readers save on costs and even increase your nutritional intake which will leave you more feeling energised.
• Halve your meat intake. “Use meat as flavouring. Rather have a one-dish-meal like a stew for dinner with finely cut meat pieces than trying to give every member of the family a peace of meat on the plate. You can stretch your meat a lot this way. I often make one-dish meals with only two to three chicken breasts for a family of five which they love and believe me my family eat a lot and love their meat.”
• Add beans to every meal. “This helps make up the protein in your food but also adds phyto-nutrients or plant nutrients that I call ‘super-heroes’ and fibre to your meals that are incredibly healthy and add a great deal to your health. Beans help stabilise sugar levels giving a healthy flow of energy throughout the day according to the research of Dr Joel Fuhrman. This will help you and your family focus at work and in school.”
• Avoid processed meats and other processed foods. “They leave you hungry and unsatisfied. Processed foods are anything and everything that you cannot find in nature. Rather two chicken breasts between the whole family than a bunch of Vienna sausages with spaghetti for dinner.”
• Stick to whole foods. “Buy fruits and veggies at fresh food markets. You pay so much less than what you pay in regular supermarkets.”
Here are a few budget meal ideas you can try that are easy to make and takes minimum ‘hands-on’ time:
• Butternut soup with roasted chicken and caramelised onion.
“Starchy vegetables are great ‘fillers’ and are loaded with great nutrients. Other vegetables we enjoy with a butternut soup are caramelised onion and baby marrow. I always top it with baby spinach or rocket for a crunchy, super healthy finish. Roast the chicken in a pan with some lemon juice and spices before you add it to the pressure cooker or pot. This will give an explosion of taste and meatiness to your meal. You can easily omit the chicken or add a can of chickpeas for some good quality protein before or after you mash or blend the butternut.”
• Vegetable Stew with rice and lentils.
“Use butternut and/or sweet potato as base for the stew and add roughly cut vegetables. Choose at least two of the following: carrot/baby marrows/green beans/patty pans/onion/mushrooms/cherry tomatoes. Make preferably brown or Basmati rice with lentils. Cook it together. The low GI value of lentils make it an ideal addition to any meal. If you cannot buy wholegrain rice at least add some lentils to your rice when cooking. The lentils will help with a slower release of sugars in your blood and thus assist with more constant energy without you getting hungry quickly.”
• Potato spuds with filling.
“Try a vegetable based filling with onion, pan fried baby marrows, sliced carrots and frozen peas. Add some tomato paste and/or a can of whole tomatoes in tomato paste. Use your favourite spices and herbs. Depending on your budget you can top it with a little grated cheese afterwards, fry some mince or a few chicken breasts with the vegetables. Otherwise just add a can of black beans for a Mexican Meal.”
• Spaghetti Bolognese with a twist.
“Replace half the mince with black beans. Fry some onion, garlic and mince with spices and add one to two cans of tomatoes for a very quick and simple sauce. Use canned tomatoes that are whole tomatoes in tomato paste for the best quality. Top it with some baby spinach and fresh basil for a wonderful Italian meal.”
“These meals can taste so different, depending on the ingredients, that you can make it twice a week and no one will notice. Family meals can be tasty, easy and quick to make and nutritious without being expensive. Avoid the temptation to skimp on nutrition those last few weeks of the month and know that it could be very easy to put well balanced family meals on the table.”
For more advice visit the Back2Basics Nutrition Facebook page.
