young, broke & hungry
a guide to eating on the cheap
Chloe James
Young Broke & Hungry a guide to eating on the cheap
Chloe James
Introduction This collection of recipes is designed for the people out there, who—like me—are looking for ways to eat healthy and delicious food without spending their whole wage. Obesity is one of the biggest health issues in Australia and from my experience, it’s hard to be surprised. Anyone living on a week-to-week budet, knows how hard it is to eat well. It’s much cheaper to buy the inredients to a pasta bake than the ingredients to a stir-fry. In fact it’s much cheaper to go out and buy a cheece burger meal. This cookbook is not only filled with affordable and healthy recipes that taste great, but helpful tips that will save you both time and money. I offer suggestions on where to shop, how to store your food and little cheats to save you time and make your life a little bit easier. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of these recipes as I have myself and can find your happy medium: eating healthy with enough money left over to live your life
best wishes,
Chloe James
breakfast Homemade Baked Beans with Poached Eggs French Toast with Caramalised Stone Fruits The Vegie Scramble The Best Egg and Bacon Toastie Ash’s Overnight Oats
lunch Spicy Pumpkin Soup Chicken and Mango Lettuce Cups Apple Coleslaw and Chicken roll Pickle and Ham Toastie Roast Vegie and CousCous Salad
dinner Pesto Quinoa and Poached Chicken Chow Mein Silken Sticky Tofu on Broccolini Beef and Bean Spicy Tacos Home made Zucchini Pasta with Tomato and Feta
juices & smoothies Choc-Banana Espresso Watermelon and Berry Juice Recovery Juice Go-Green
breakfast
Tip: when poaching eggs, make sure the water is only just boiling. Violently bubbling water will destroy your egg. Spinning the water into a whirlpool with a spoon will help hold your egg together.
Homemade Baked Beans with Poached Eggs Ingredients Splash of olive oil ½ a brown onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 400g tin of cannellini beans 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp of tomato paste Ÿ cup of fresh basil, chopped or 1 tbsp dried basil 2tsp of brown sugar salt and pepper to taste
method:
Pop the olive oil, onion and garlic in the pan and fry until softened. Add the drained cannellini beans, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and brown sugar. Simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the beans are soft and the flavours combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with poached eggs and thick toast.
Tip: Use whatever stone fruits you have around, cherries, apricots etc. You can always use canned fruit as a quick and cheap replacement.
French Toast with Caramelised stone fruits Ingredients 8 slices of thick bread 3 eggs 1 cup of full cream milk 1tsp of vanilla extract ½ tsp of ground cinnamon 1 peach, in segments 1 nectarine, in segments 1 plum, in segments 1 tbsp of brown sugar
method:
Turn on the grill in your oven. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon until well combined. Soak the bread in the mixture well, before placing in a hot buttered pan. Cook for a minute or two on each side, or until golden brown. Meanwhile, place the fruit on a lined tray and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place under preheated grill. Cook for five-ten minutes or until the fruit looks golden and sticky. Serve toast topped with fruit and honey.
Tip: For cheap produce, source out your local markets, you’ll be amazed at how much you save!
The Vegie Scramble Ingredients 4 eggs 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup of baby spinach 1 tomato, chopped ½ cup of mushroom, sliced ½ an avocado Salt and pepper to taste
method: Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Cook garlic in an oiled pan on low heat until soft and fragrant. Add whisked eggs. When eggs are half cooked, add the spinach, tomato and mushrooms, making sure to stir frequently so the eggs don’t stick. Once vegetables have softened, remove from pan and season with salt and pepper. Serve with thick toast and chopped avocado.
Tip: If you don’t have time to be cooking bacon, this toastie is almost as tasty with ham.
The Best Egg & Bacon Toastie Ingredients 1 egg A dash of milk 2 slices of bread 2 rashers of bacon 1 slice of tasty cheese Salt and pepper to taste
method:
Place bacon in hot pan to fry until crispy. While bacon cooks, whisk eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. Coat the bread in egg mixture. Transfer one piece of coated bread into hot pan or toasting grill. Place cooked bacon and cheese on top of the bread and put second piece on top. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp and golden. Serve as is or eat it on the run.
Tip: Oats are one of the healthiest and cheapest ways to get your breakfast fill. If they seem boring to you, mix up the toppings with different fruits, nuts, and spices.
Ash’s overnight oats Ingredients 1/2 cup of traditional rolled oats 1/2 cup of almond milk 2 tsp of almond meal Handful of frozen berries 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
method: Combine ingredients in a container and refridgerate overnight. In the morning take out your oats and heat or eat as is. Serve with honey.
lunch
Tip: Having soup in the freezer is a great way to stop yourself wasting money on lunches and lazy takeaway dinners.
Spicy Pumpkin Soup Ingredients 1kg of butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1.5cm pieces 2 tbsp of red curry paste 270ml can of coconut cream 2 cups of cold water Âź cup of coriander leaves, roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste
method:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pumpkin and curry paste, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until mixture begins to stick to pan. Add coconut cream. Cook stirring for 1 minute. Add water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until pumpkin has softened. Set aside for 5 minutes. Blend or process soup in batches until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and top with coriander to serve.
Tip: Buying a roast chicken from the supermarket may seem pricey at the time, but it’s a great weekly investment. Tear it up and add to salads, sandwiches and soups.
Chicken & Mango Lettuce Cups Ingredients 1 romaine lettuce 1 cup of cooked chicken, diced or shredded 1 ripe mango, diced 1 red capsicum, finely sliced 1 carrot, cut in matchsticks 3 spring onions, finely sliced Half a bunch of coriander leaves, chopped coarsely Juice of half a lime 2 tbsp of olive oil ½ tsp of Dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste
method: Peel away whole lettuce leaves, wash and dry. Combine chicken, mango, capsicum, carrot, spring onions and coriander in a large salad bowl. Combine lime juice, olive oil and mustard in a small bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing mixture over the salad and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon a small amount of salad into the lettuce cups to serve.
Tip: If you don’t have time to make coleslaw from scratch grab a bag of coleslaw mix from the supermarket. If you are only making a small batch of coleslaw this can often be a cheaper alternative.
Apple coleslaw & Chicken roll Ingredients 1 red apple, finely diced ½ cup of white cabbage, shredded ½ cup of red cabbage, shredded 1 carrot, chopped in matchsticks 2 spring onions, sliced finely ¼ cup of coriander leaves, chopped ¼ cup of store-bought coleslaw dressing ¼ cup cooked chicken, shredded 1 fresh bread roll
method:
Combine apple, cabbage, onions, carrot, coriander and dressing in a bowl and mix well. Place the chicken and a generous serving of coleslaw in the bread roll and enjoy!
Tip: Pickles are a cheap, tasty and healthy snack. So next time you go for the bag of chips, grab a pickle instead.
Pickle & Ham Toastie Ingredients 2 slices of dense brown bread 2 slices of honey leg ham 2 sweet pickles, sliced finely lengthways 1 slice of swiss cheese
method:
Layer the ingredients between the bread and press in toaster machine or grill on stovetop and enjoy!
Tip: Chop up vegies in advance and freeze for quick use. This will also cut back on waste.
Roast Vegie & couscous salad Ingredients 1 red capsicum, roughly chopped ¼ of a butternut pumpkin, diced in 1.5 cm pieces 1 zucchini, chopped 1 baby eggplant, diced in 1.5 cm pieces 1 red onion, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 tbsp oil
1tbsp of harissa 1tsp of cumin seeds Juice of 1 lime 1 bunch of coriander leaves, chopped roughly 1 cup of couscous 300ml of vegetable stock Salt and pepper to taste
method:
Heat oven to 180°C. Combine capsicum, pumpkin, zucchini and eggplant in a baking tray with peeled whole garlic and oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and add cumin seeds, harissa and onion, combine and return to oven for a further 20 minutes. In a large bowl combine couscous and vegetable stock. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. When all liquid is absorbed, fluff up couscous with a fork. In a bowl combine limejuice and the cooked garlic— crushed. Pour dressing over vegetables and sprinkle over half the coriander. Combine vegetables with couscous and toss well. Sprinkle combined salad with remaining coriander.
dinner
Tip: Quinoa may sound too trendy for some, but it is a great staple and a superfood (both protein and fibre). Plus, it’s gluten free.
Pesto Quinoa & Poached Chicken Ingredients 1 cup of quinoa 1 ½ cups of chicken stock 1 large chicken breast fillet 2 tbsp of olive oil Ÿ cup of pumpkin seeds 1 tbsp of lemon juice 1/3 cup of basil pesto 1 bunch of broccolini trimmed
method:
Place quinoa and stock in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and all stock is absorbed. Meanwhile, place chicken in a pan of simmering water, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from liquid to cool. Toast pumpkin seeds in 1 tbsp of oil. Blanch broccolini. Shred the cooked chicken and toss with lemon juice and remaining oil. Combine the chicken, quinoa, broccolini, pumpkin seeds and pesto in a large bowl to serve.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to alter recipes. Why not replace the beef mince with chicken mince? or the vermicelli noodles for egg noodles? If you are creative enough, you will never lack variety.
Chow MEin Ingredients 1 tbsp of oil 500g of beef mince 1 brown onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp of curry powder 1 large carrot, chopped finely 2 celery stalks, finely sliced 150g of mushrooms, sliced 1 cup of chicken stock 1/3 cup of oyster sauce 2 tbsp of dark soy sauce 500g of vermicelli noodles, cooked ½ cup of frozen peas ½ a small wombok, shredded
method:
Stir-fry beef onion and garlic in oil until beef is browned. Add curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant. Add carrot, celery and mushrooms. Stir-fry until vegetables soften. Add stock, sauces and noodles. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add peas and wombok, stir-fry until wombok just wilts. Serve as is, or garnish with coriander.
Tip:Check out your local asian supermarket for cheap asian condiments and tofu. You will also find a much larger selection of tofu varieties!
Silken Sticky Tofu on Broccolini Ingredients 1 tbsp peanut oil 300g silken tofu, crumbled 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup water 2 tbsp oyster sauce 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 kaffir leaves, sliced thinly 2 bunches broccolini, sliced lengthways 1/2 cup fried shallots 1/2 cup toasted peanuts 1 bunch coriander leaves 1 tbsp lime juice 1 long red chilli, sliced diagonally
method:
Heat oil in pan, fry tofu until lightly browned and set aside. Add sugar, water, both sauces and kaffir lime leaves to the pan. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly. Add Broccolini to the pan and simmer with the lid covered for 3 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan, along with the tablespoon of lime juice, the fried shallots, peanuts, 1/2 the coriander and the chilli. Mix together well and serve up. Garnish with leftover coriander and extra dried shallots. Serve with brown rice.
Tip: If you are having friends over for dinner, tacos are an easy and cheap way to put on a fun and tasty dinner. Serve it up with some sangria for extra mexican-style points.
Beef & Bean Spicy Tacos Ingredients Filling: 1 tsp of oil 500g of beef mince 1 brown onion, finely diced 1 400g tin of red kidney beans 1 400g tin of diced tomatoes 1tbsp of brown sugar 2 tsp of ground cumin 1tsp turmeric 1tsp of smoked paprika 1 tsp of cayenne pepper ½ tsp of chilli flakes
Toppings: 12 taco shells 2 tomatoes, diced 60g of lettuce, shredded 1 cup of tasty cheese, grated 1 avocado, smashed salsa and lime slices to serve
method: Brown the beef and onion in oil. Add drained beans, canned tomatoes, sugar and spices to mix. Leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. While filling is cooking toast the taco shells in the oven on a low heat for 5 minutes. Serve it up buffet style with all the extras.
Want a lazy pasta dish but feel guilty about the carbs. Zucchini pasta is an easy alternative without the food baby.
Homemade Zucchini Pasta with tomato & feta Ingredients 6 zucchinis 1 tsp of oil 2 cloves of garlic, crushed ½ a brown onion, diced finely 1 400g tin of diced tomatoes 2 tbsp of tomato paste 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 bunch of fresh basil, torn 150g of Danish feta Salt and pepper to taste
method:
Using a slicer or peeler, slice the zucchinis into ribbons. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Cook onion and garlic in pan until soft and fragrant. Add the can of tomatoes, tomato paste and cherry tomatoes. Meanwhile boil kettle and place zucchini in a colander or strainer. Pour boiling water evenly over zucchini. Add the basil to the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Once the cherry tomatoes have softened turn off heat and crumble half the feta into the sauce, stirring briefly. Pour sauce over zucchini past to serve and crumble with remaining feta.
juices & smoothies
Tip: For a great chilled banana smoothie, chop bananas in advance and freeze. The result is a thicker and colder smoothie, and bulk bananas on demand!
Choc-Banana Espresso Ingredients 1 banana 2 tsp of chocolate powder 1 tsp of instant coffee 30ml of hot water 1 cup of milk
method: Combine hot water and coffee. Put milk, chocolate, banana and coffee shot in a blend and blend until smooth. Serve with ice.
Tip: Add some vodka or rum for a tasty summer cocktail!
Watermelon & berry juice Ingredients 1 large slice of watermelon ¼ cup of mixed frozen berries ½ cup of ice ½ cup of coconut water
method: Combine ingredients in blender and blend well until juice has a slushy consistency. Serve with a sprig of mint or slice of lime.
Tip: hungover or just feeling under the weather? Drink this juice to re-hydrate and to boost your vitamin c and antioxidant levels.
Recovery Juice Ingredients 1 cup of orange juice 1 kiwi fruit 4 strawberries Ÿ cup of kale leaves ½ cup of ice
method: Combine ingredients in blender and blend well until juice has a slushy consistency. This is a vitamin C powerhouse!
Tip: join the green revolution and boost your vegie intake with an ice cool glass of juice. Great if you are on the run and just dont have time to chop up a salad.
go green Ingredients ½ a pear ½ a red apple ½ a cucumber 1 cup of spinach leaves Juice of ½ a lemon
method: Combine ingredients in blender and blend until consistency is smooth. Serve with lots of ice.