Healthy Eating for Penny Pinchers: Iron-Rich Foods

I've had anemia problems for a number of years (runs in my family), so I'm careful in making sure I eat iron-rich foods.

A lot of people think that the only way to get iron is through red meat, but there are actually many sources of iron outside of meat and liver, which can be both expensive and not too healthy in large quantities. Here are some items that will ensure you are getting a good amount of iron but not breaking the bank.

Iron-rich foods include cooked & canned beans, cooked lentils, almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit like prunes & raisins, baked potatoes (skin on), beets, and breakfast cereals that are iron-enriched (i.e. manufacturer adds iron to them). Most of these will cost you less than .50 per serving.

It's important to note that when you eat iron-rich foods, it's also a good idea to pair them with with foods that have lots of Vitamin C, which helps you absorb the iron you are ingesting (especially with non-heme [not from an animal] iron). Citrus fruits, tomatoes, red & green bell peppers, brussel sprouts, and broccoli are all good sources of Vitamin C.

One-Pot Wonder: Chicken, Tomato & Red Lentil Curry

I'm a big fan of one-pot dishes--something that I can make in a single pot that serves as a meal complete with all of the important food groups: starch, veggies, good fats and protein.

I've made only a million variations of this dish. My base is sauted onions and garlic, chicken, and canned tomatoes, but you can put any other veggies or starches in that you like (I've added broccoli, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.). This time I went with a combination of carrots, celery, brussel sprouts, and added red lentils for texture and curry and garam masala for flavor.

[Doesn't look so pretty but I promise it tastes great!]

Chicken, Tomato & Red Lentil Curry

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
5 carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
2 celery stalks, sliced into chunks
10 brussel sprouts, quartered
1 lb(ish) boneless chicken, cubed
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup red lentils
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock

Directions:

1. Heat oil and saute onion until soft, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more.
2. Add carrots, celery, and brussel sprouts and cook 8-10 minutes over medium-low flame, stirring occasionally.
3. Add chicken and spices, stirring to coat. Add lentils, tomatoes & stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30-40 minutes until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

The cost:
onion: .45
carrots: .99
celery: 1.99
brussel sprouts: 2.49
chicken: 6.53
lentils: 1.00
tomatoes: 1.00
stock: 1.99

Grand total: $16.44; serves 4 (or 2 + leftovers for 2 tomorrow!)

Brown Basmati Rice w/ Lentils

I usually stick to white basmati rice, mostly because I'm just used to it, but when they were out of white at TJs this week I decided to be adventurous and grab a bag of brown basmati.

A lot of people don't like brown rice because it has a lot more texture than white, but what they may not realize is that in order to turn rice white, it is stripped of many of its nutrients (see more about that here).

Here is a simple and delicious recipe using brown basmati--the texture is nicely balanced by the sauted onions and lentils.

Brown Basmati Rice w/ Lentils

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
1/2 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups soup stock
2 1/4 cups water

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium stock pot and saute onion until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients, stir just to combine and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a low flame and simmer 35-40 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender.

The cost:
onion: .45
rice: 1.99
lentils: .25
stock: 1.99

Grand total: $4.68; serves 6-8 as a side for fish/chicken and steamed veggies

Crockpot Deliciousness

Cooking with crockpots (also called slow cookers) is amazing. You throw in a bunch of ingredients, turn it on, and a delicious meal is ready for you when you get home from work. It's almost like it cooks itself! Oh wait...it does :)

Since a bunch of us didn't have plans for Friday night dinner this week we threw together a potluck. I was in charge of making a main dish, and since I Shabbat is so early now I knew I wouldn't have too much time to cook. Hence, I decided to use my crockpot.

This is a dump recipe--throw everything in, stir it up, then let the crockpot work its magic. I wanted something hearty and hot (cold weather and all), but also wanted there to be substantial meat so I threw a London broil in on top of my stew. It cooked up beautifully, succulent and juicy (you can also just use stewing beef).

Crockpot Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

1 lb lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 can chickpeas
28 oz can diced tomatoes (I like fire roasted)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups beef stock
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb London broil  or stewing beef

Directions:

1. Pour all ingredients except meat into crockpot and stir to mix.
2. Lay meat on top of stew mix and push down until just submerged (if using stewing beef, stir into crockpot mixture).
   
3. Cook on high 4-6 hours or on low 8-10 hours.

The cost:
lentils: 1.00
onion: .45
carrots: .20
celery: .20
stock: 2.39
meat: 10.99

Grand total: $15.23; serves 6-8

Curried Spinach & Lentils

I took a trip to Costco with a friend this weekend; it really is amazing how things are so much cheaper when you buy them in bulk. I bought a 2.5 lb bag of fresh spinach for 4.99--that's 50% cheaper per ounce than usual. However, that left me needing to find something to do with 2.5 lbs of spinach :)

I wanted something filling and nutritious so I paired the spinach with lentils and a sweet potato I had lying around. A little curry to spice things up, freshly grated ginger to brighten the whole dish, and voila! A pot of fragrant scrumptiousness.

Note: I use red lentils here, which require less liquid than green or brown lentils, so you may need to add more liquid if you see it has been absorbed but the lentils are not yet tender.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 large sweet potato, sliced thinly
1 lb spinach, cleaned
2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp curry powder (less if you don't like it too spicy)
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger (or 1 Tbsp dried)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil and saute onions over low heat until soft and browned, 10 minutes. Add sweet potato and cook 5 minutes.
2. Add spinach to fill saucepan; stir occasionally until wilted. Add spinach and repeat until it has all been added to the pan.
3. Add lentils, water and spices. Bring to a boil then turn down and simmer until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.

Fun additions:

• 1 tsp allspice and a can of chickpeas.
• Cubed tofu, baked in the oven until crispy.
• 1 can diced tomatoes.
  

The cost:
onions: .55
sweet potato: .35
spinach: 1.99
lentils: 1.32
ginger: .45

Grand total: $4.66; serves 6-8