Whether you are a student off to a post-secondary school or at home in high school with a regular meal rotation for the family, you may want a few ideas for meals.
Making nutritious, easy, fast and inexpensive meals is a balancing act.
It all starts with careful shopping. There are several grocery store apps that will lead you to what is on sale around town. Be careful while in the store to make sure you aren’t pulled into adding other items to your shopping cart that catch your eye but are not in the budget. Always shop with a list.
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Making large batches and freezing meal-size portions is a time saver. You can double or triple most recipes. Don’t let leftovers go to waste. Most things can be frozen for a future meal. Combine a few leftovers and add a chicken or beef stock to make a hearty soup. Add some pasta or rice.
Not letting food go to waste is a money saver. In particular, keep an eye on fresh salad ingredients. Check the “use before” date on meat. Be sure your refrigerator is at the right temperature. If you notice that perishables are spoiling too quickly, turn the temperature down. The refrigerator should be at 35 to 38 F (1.6 to 3.3 C) and the freezer at 0 F (-17.8 C).
Keeping pantry staples on hand allows you to easily make a meal. Canned tomatoes, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cumin, coconut milk, eggs, frozen vegetables, flour, canola oil, canned tuna, pasta or noodles, white or brown rice and dried chillies are always in my kitchen.
A couple of vinegars and oils make a quick salad dressing. Nuts, seeds and dried cranberries, raisins or fruit are nutritious additions to a salad or breakfast yogurt. Maple syrup and honey are good alternatives to sugar.
Handy appliances and kitchen items help with meal preparation. Depending upon your style of cooking, you might find a slow cooker, non-stick frying pan, a set of metal kitchen bowls, toaster oven, casserole dish, air fryer and measuring spoons helpful.
Don’t give in to Door Dash. Restaurant food is higher in fat and added salt, not to mention expensive. With a little planning, you will be eating home cooked food most of the time.
Pork Tenderloin with seasoned rub
Pork tenderloin is versatile and adapts to any flavour profile — sweet or savoury. This leftover pork tenderloin is delicious reheated with your favourite barbecue sauce or apple sauce.
- 1 tsp. garlic powder 5 mL
- 1 tsp. dried oregano 5 mL
- 1 tsp. ground cumin 5 mL
- 1 tsp. ground coriander 5 mL
- 1 tsp. dried thyme 5 mL
- 1 tsp. kosher salt 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper 2 mL
- 1 1/4 lb. pork tenderloin
- 1 tbsp. olive oil 15 mL
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
In small bowl, mix the spices, including garlic powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme, pepper and salt. Stir mixture with a fork until well combined. This will be used as a rub to ensure the pork is well seasoned throughout.
Remove the silverskin from the tenderloin with a sharp knife. Slip it under the silverskin and then gently move it along until the silverskin is removed.
Sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin with a dry hand and then rub the pork with the seasoning over all sides of the meat, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres well to the tenderloin. Let sit for 20 minutes or up to two hours.
In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat. Add the minced garlic and saute, stirring, for one minute. Put tenderloin in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, searing each side using tongs to turn the meat. Transfer meat to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read 145 to 160 F (62 to 71 C). Slice and serve. Serves two.
Sloppy Joes
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 15 mL
- 1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard 7 mL
- 15 fl. oz. can tomato sauce 500 mL
- 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey 500 g
- 1 tbsp. canola oil 15 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste 2 mL
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste 1 mL
- 1 tsp. garlic powder, or to taste 5 mL
- 1/4 c. water, optional, or added to desired consistency 60 mL
- 6 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Finely chop the onion. Seed and finely dice the green pepper.
Place a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add canola oil and ground beef or turkey. Saute the meat until cooked through and all liquid has evaporated, breaking it up with a spatula. Season with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper and add the diced peppers and onion. Cook another five minutes until the vegetables are tender and meat is browned.
Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add water if you prefer a looser consistency. Serve on a toasted buns. Serves six.
Slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 1 – 12 fl. oz. bottle buffalovwing sauce, divided 354 mL
- 1/2 – 1 oz. package dry ranch salad dressing mix
- 2 tbsp. butter 30 mL
- 10 buns, hamburger or hot dog
Place chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Pour in three-quarters of the wing sauce and ranch dressing mix.
Cover and cook on low for six to seven hours.
Shred chicken in the cooker with two forks. Stir in butter.
Pile shredded chicken and sauce onto buns. Serve with remaining buffalo sauce.
Thai curry chicken
Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy.
- 1 tbsp. canola oil 15 mL
- 1 boneless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 – 14 fl. oz. can coconut milk 435 mL
- 1/2 c. chicken stock 250 mL
- 2 tbsp. red Thai curry paste 30 mL
- fresh or frozen vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces
Heat oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add chicken cubes. Cook until browned, about five minutes. Cook until all moisture has evaporated. Add curry paste and cook for about a minute. Reduce heat to medium-high and add coconut milk and chicken stock. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the centre, about five minutes.
Reduce skillet heat to simmer. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Serves four.
Leftovers can be frozen in individual sized air-tight containers for up to three months.
Eggs and fries
- 1 tbsp. butter, or to taste 15 mL
- 2 c. frozen french fries, tater tots or hash browns 500 mL
- 2 sausages, cut into bite sized pieces
- 6 eggs, beaten
- pinch salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add french fries. Cook and stir until browned and hot, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until scrambled and set, three to five minutes. Serve immediately. Serves four.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
