Backwards Bill Breakfast

SATURDAY'S BREAKFAST:

3 Egg Omelet with Chard (aka Nest In the Eggs) 

with coffee and buttered toast: $1.05

Eggs In a Nest revisited! Ever heard that Shel Silverstein poem called Backwards Bill?


Backwards Bill, Backwards Bill
He lived way up on Backwards Hill
Which is really a hole in the sandy ground
But that's a hill turned upside down

This might be a Backwards Bill Breakfast, but it definitely moves forward in the yummy department! I took the leftover "nest" from Thursday's post ...

...and used it as a filling for a super savory omelet. Used 3 cage-free eggs from Trader Joes, added some raw milk cheddar, and voila! Some whole wheat toast with butter made it the meal complete. Delish. And cheap! Or should I say "cheep!" Getting creative with leftovers is a fun and east way to stretch your dollar.

Save your quesadollars!

FRIDAY'S LUNCH:

Raw Milk Cheddar Quesadillas & Demi Crudite $0.90

So I know it's no big shocker that cheese on a tortilla is inexpensive. But some people might be surprised at how filling and yummy it is! I use Trader Joes Raw Milk Cheddar because it has a beautiful creaminess not often found in aged cheeses. I'm a little disappointed that TJ's doesn't carry organic corn tortillas, as corn is typically a GMO crop (yuck), but I didn't have time to head over to Whole(paycheck)Foods to get some. So, you make due, right? I like to use corn tortillas because they are typically less processed. The ones from TJ's have 2 ingredients: Stoneground corn and water. The regular ones and whole wheat ones are often full of dough conditioners and preservatives. No thanks. The protein content is about the same between corn and flour, so I don't feel like I'm missing out.

I cooked my quesadilla in a cast iron skillet with some olive oil. Yum.  You could also add some black beans and salsa (both pennies per serving). But today, I was a purist. On the side, I enjoyed my demi crudite (some might say that name is a stretch, but I'm goin with it!): some sliced cantaloupe and cucumber (not organic--Fresh & Easy was on my way home from Target today and they have limited organic offerings....organic is important to me, but I'm not a food nazi, so I don't get OCD over it).

Oh, and I gotta share this with you, too:

Sassy Water!  

My chiropractor gave it this name. It's just filtered water on ice with sliced cucumber, sliced limes, and a bit of fresh mint. Perfect hint of green while you kick back and smile knowing you're saving some green!

This budget thing ain't hard with chard!

THURSDAY'S DINNER:

Wilted Chard with Poached Eggs on Brown Rice (aka Eggs In A Nest) $0.95 

On Monday I stopped by my mother in law's to pick up the kids and visit for a bit. I had a squarefoot garden there for a time, and although I hadn't tended it in over 2 months, the thing was brimming with parsley, chard, and basil! Bee-hue-tee-full organic chard. Made the stuff at the store look wimpy and sad. I prepped it Monday night by washing it thoroughly, chopping it up, washing it again, and putting it through the salad spinner. I also did a rough chop on the stems. I stored the prepped greens in a plastic container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. The chard tasted just as fresh today--as if I had just picked it!

This recipe is not an original. I got it from one of my favorite books, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. "Eggs In A Nest" is basically sauteed onion, garlic, carrots, tomato, chard...after you add the chard, you make little indents with your spoon and crack an egg in it. Lid gets placed on pan, and the eggs get poached. As you can see by the photo, my eggs got a little overcooked because I was away from the stove, trying to prevent my 2 year old from scaling the bookshelf and stealing his sister's iPod.




I added some red pepper and fresh organic basil (from the aforementioned garden) as well as some Bragg's. Lay it all down on a bed of organic brown rice, and you have one tasty meal that cost LESS than a dollar per person! My husband loves this dish with a good dose of Sriracha (or however it's spelled).

Enjoying the moo while saving my moo-lah...

Wednesday's dinner:

Grassfed Basil Sliders with Avocado & Tomato $2.30

I picked up a pound of local organic grassfed (and finished) ground beef from Figueroa Produce--one of my favorite spots to pick up great local, organic, and healthful foods. If you're in the LA area (eastside) and you're sick of spending your life savings at Whole(paycheck)Foods, check out this place. They don't have everything, but if you ask for something, they'll work hard to get it for you.

Wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. I know a pound isn't much, but when you're eating really quality meat and adding other nutrient-dense foods, it can go a long way. I had a bunch of purple ruffle basil just harvested from my garden on Monday, so I thought maybe that might make a nice flavor explosion occur with the yummy beef. Last weekend I had bought 3 gigantic organic avocados from the farmers market. 3 for $7--but I'm telling you, they were HUGE. I figured that the avo would also go well with the burgers. A couple of organic tomatoes from Figueroa would also be an obvious yum-yum with the basil. So, into the meat I mixed in some finely chopped red onion, the basil, a bit of Worcestershire, and S&P. Made some little sliders, threw them on the grill pan (too lazy to haul out the Webber), and voila! Served the little guys with sliced avo, tomato, and more basil. Deeelish. I had some leftover carrot sticks and celery from my book club gathering last night, so those were passed around as well. Finished off dinner with a couple bites of some dark chocolate. What a tasty meal!

I really have to get better about taking pictures of these yummy, budget-friendly creations...once the food is ready, all I wanna do is sink my teeth in!

Nesteggplant

Tuesday's lunch:

Sauteed Eggplant & Portobellos $1.09

I purchased some beautiful organic Chinese eggplant from my farmers market and sliced them up. Fresh & Easy had beautiful portobellos on sale and those got sliced as well. Sauteed them in olive oil and garlic. I added a bit of organic marinara from Trader Joes, S&P, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Sadly, the parm wasn't fresh, but even "shaker cheese" (as my niece calls it) will do in a pinch. Topped it all with fresh chopped organic flatleaf parsley from my garden, slopped in into a bowl and enjoyed a very tasty lunch that was way filling and full of nutrients! Thanks eggplant for being in season and cheap!