10 Healthy, Budget-Friendly Family Recipes

The holiday season is a time for celebration and tradition, and it is even better when we get to share good food.

Here at The Dala Group, we like to have a fun, light-hearted article at the end of the year where we share something a bit more personal. Last year, it was favorite family games; this year, it’s favorite family recipes that promote health AND are budget friendly.

Of course, we like budget-friendly because we are mostly financial nerds, but it’s not always easy to find something that is also healthy, because usually budget-friendly equals questionable, like 10 for $1.00 chicken nuggets from a fast-food place that will not be named.

On this list, we have everything from starters to sides to main courses to drinks, and also, dessert. We hope you find something new that sounds interesting to try.

• Russian Carrot Salad

  Copyright © 2018 Natasha's Kitchen: https://natashaskitchen.com/russian-carrot-salad-with-coriander/

  Prep Time: 15 minutes

  Cook Time: 5 minutes

  Total Time: 20 minutes

  Servings: 4 -6 as a side salad

  Ingredients

  • 4 med/large carrots cut into fine match sticks or using grater for Korean carrot salad

  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar 5%

  • 1 garlic clove pressed

  • 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp sugar

  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 Tbsp oil olive or canola

  • 1 medium onion finely diced

  Instructions

  1. Mix together 4 grated carrots, 1 Tbsp of vinegar, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp of coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of sugar.

  2. Heat some oil in the medium skillet over medium/high heat than saute 1 diced onion until soft and golden (about 5-6 minutes).

  3. Add 1/4 tsp of ground pepper and stir the onions and pepper quickly. Immediately after stirring, add them to the carrots.

  4. Mix well and let salad sit for at least 1 hour before serving.

  Recipe Notes

  To crush the coriander, use a mortar and pestle or put them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin. Add more salt & sugar (in equal parts), to taste. If it's too flavorful after 1 hour, add more carrot.

• Miracle No-kneed Bread

  Pinch of Yum: https://pinchofyum.com/no-knead-bread

  Total Time: 18 hours 40 minutes

  Servings: 8

  Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

  • 1 1/2 cups room temperature water

  Instructions

  Dough Prep: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together until mixed. Stir in the water until a chunky, thick dough forms. If it needs a little more water, add a few more tablespoons, just enough to get it barely wet throughout. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 12-18 hours at room temperature. Overnight is ideal

  Baking Prep: When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450°F. Stick a 6-quart enamel coated crock pot (or similar) in the oven for about 30 minutes to heat.

  The dough should be big and puffy with little bubbles. Gently scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface but do not knead. Gently shape it into a ball with flour on the outside, set on a piece of parchment, and cover with plastic while your crock pot heats up.

  Bake: Remove the plastic from the dough. Lift the dough and parchment together into the pan so the parchment lines the bottom of the hot pan.

  Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake another 10-15 minutes to get the exterior nice and golden brown and crispy.

• Auntie Lulu’s Cornbread Casserole

  Prep Time: 5 minutes

  Cook Time: 55 minutes

  Total Time: 1 hour

  Servings: 9

  Ingredients

  • 1 can (15 oz) whole-kernel corn (drained)

  • 1 can creamed corn (15 oz)

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • ½ cup unsalted butter

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 box (8.5 oz) Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

  Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Grease an 8x8 baking dish

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the corn, creamed corn, sour cream, melted butter, and egg

  4. Stir in the corn muffin mix

  5. Transfer the batter to the baking dish and bake in the oven for 50-55 min, until the top is golden brown.

• Not Your Average Potato Soup

  Oh She Glows, Angela Liddon: https://ohsheglows.com/not-your-average-potato-soup/

  Prep Time: 15 minutes

  Cook Time: 30 minutes

  Total Time: 45 minutes

  Servings: 3

  Ingredients

  • 2 tsp coconut oil (or other oil)

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds (optional, but recommended)

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 3 celery stalks, diced

  • 4 cups diced Yukon Gold potato (about 1.4 pounds)

  • 1 cup uncooked green split peas, rinsed

  • 5 cups vegetable broth

  • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, or to taste

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme

  • 1/8-1/4 cayenne pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 tsp chili powder

  • fine grain sea salt and black pepper, to to taste

  • Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

  Instructions

  1. Add oil to a large pot and sauté the garlic and mustard seeds for a few minutes over medium-high heat, until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Be careful not to burn them.

  2. Add in the onion and saute for another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

  3. Add the celery, potato, split peas, broth, and spices. Stir to combine.

  4. Bring to a boil and simmer on low-medium heat uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until the split peas are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

  5. With a ladle, carefully transfer about 3 cups of the soup into a blender.

  6. Starting at a low speed, puree the soup until smooth and pour it back into the pot and stir.

• Grandma’s Vegetable Soup

  Prep Time: Part 1 - 15 minutes/Part 2 - 15 minutes

  Cook Time: Part 1 - 4 hours/Part 2 - 30 minutes

  Total Time: 5 hours

  Servings: 12

  Ingredients

  Part 1

  • 1 ½ pound boneless chuck roast

  • 2 whole carrots

  • 3 whole celery stalks

  • 1 onion quartered

  Part 2

  • 2 cans of beef broth

  • Big can of diced tomatoes

  • 3 large Idaho potatoes cubed

  • 1 peeled and sliced carrot

  • 1 small package each of peas, corn and green beans

  • 64oz bottle of V8 juice

  • 2 bay leaves

  • Cap full of Worcestershire

  • 1 ½ tsp salt

  • ½ small head of cabbage chopped

  Instructions

  Part 1: Cook the meat

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 300°F.

  2. Add the chuck roast and whole vegetables to an 8 quart stock pot.

  3. Fill the pot with water just above vegetables and meat.

  4. Cook for 4hrs or until tender.

  5. Put the pot in a cold place so the fat rises to top and can be scraped off, usually overnight

  Part 2: Cook the Soup

  1. Skim off all the large pieces of fat with a spoon.

  2. Take the meat out of the pot and set it aside.

  3. Squeeze the juice from the whole vegetables into the pot and throw the vegetables away.

  4. Cut up the meat into cubes and put it back in the pot.

  5. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, cubed potatoes, sliced carrot, peas, corn, green beans, V8 juice, bay leaves, Worcestershire, and salt to the pot.

  6. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 30 minutes).

  7. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

  8. Add chopped cabbage at the end to keep it from overcooking.

• Mexican Chicken w/ Cilantro Lime Rice

  Prep Time: 15 minutes

  Cook Time: 30 minutes

  Total Time: 45 minutes

  Servings: 6

  Grilled Chicken

  Ingredients

  • 12 large chicken tenderloins (frozen or fresh)

  • 4-6 Tbsp taco seasoning

  • 4-6 Tbsp cooking oil

  • 1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce

  • 1 Tbsp lime juice

  Instructions

  1. Place the chicken tenderloins in a Ziploc bag.

  2. Pour in the oil and add the taco seasoning.

  3. Mince one chipotle pepper and add it to the Ziploc bag.

  4. Add lime juice.

  5. Squish all ingredients around to coat the chicken.

  6. Seal the bag and allow the chicken to thaw. (if necessary)

  7. Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 3–4 minutes per side.

  Chipotle Copycat Rice

  The Kitchn https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chipotle-copycat-rice-228031

  Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice

  • 3 cups water

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  Instructions

  1. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold, running water.

  2. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

  3. Add the rice, bay leaf, and salt.

  4. Stir once, cover, and reduce the heat to low.

  5. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed, about 18 minutes.

  6. Remove the pot from the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 5 minutes.

  7. Uncover, remove the bay leaf, and fluff rice with a fork.

  8. Stir in the olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, and cilantro.

  9. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

• Aunt Lolly’s Granola

  Prep Time: 10 minutes

  Cook Time: 40 minutes

  Total Time: 50 minutes

  Servings: 12

  Ingredients

  • 5 cups rolled oats (Not instant. I use Bob's Red Mill)

  • 1\2 cup each, sliced almonds, walnuts, pecans

  • 1 cup raw sunflower seed

  • 3\4 cup sesame seeds

  • 1 cup finely shredded coconut

  • 4 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3\4 cup canola oil

  • 3\4 cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

  3. Mix the oil, honey, and salt in a small bowl.

  4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. (I use my hands)

  5. Spread the mixture on two jelly roll trays.

  6. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (Be careful it burns very easily toward the end. You want it nice and brown without burning.)

  7. Add 1 cup seedless raisins the last 10 minutes of cooking.

  8. Cool and store in an airtight container for several weeks. Freezes well in Zip-lock bags.

• Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes

  Bella Culinary Adventures https://bellabistro.com/chocolate-quinoa-cupcakes/

  Prep Time: 15 minutes

  Cook Time: 45 minutes

  Total Time: 1 hour

  Servings: 12

  Ingredients

  Cupcakes

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter melted

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted

  • 1 cup coconut sugar

  • 1 cup cacao powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • Pinch of salt

  Frosting

  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight or several hours)

  • 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

  Instructions

  Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Line muffin tins with parchment cups and spray with oil.

  3. In a blender, combine eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla, and blend for 30 or 40 seconds.

  4. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa, along with the melted vegan butter and coconut oil, to the blender and blend until smooth.

  5. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir until smooth.

  6. Add the dry ingredients to the blender and blend for a minute until well combined. (You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender and give another few pulses.)

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

  8. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes until set.

  Frosting

  1. Open the coconut milk from the refrigerator (do not shake or turn upside down)

  2. Scoop out the solid part that is at the top of the can and place it in a medium-sized saucepan.

  3. Add the chocolate chips and melt over low heat.

  4. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the coconut milk is well combined.

  5. Whisk until smooth.

  6. Place in a bowl and let it cool on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes.

  7. Cover and refrigerate, allowing it to cool and thicken fully.

  8. Remove the chocolate icing from the refrigerator.

  9. Using a mixer, beat on high for a minute until light and fluffy.

  10. Place the frosting into a heavy-duty Ziplock bag, snip the tip, and pipe the frosting onto the cupcake.

  11. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The frosting will get melty if left out at room temperature.

• Soothing Lemon Honey Ginger Tea

  Lana’s Cooking https://www.lanascooking.com/lemon-honey-ginger-throat-soother/

  Prep Time: 5 minutes

  Servings: 12

  Ingredients

  • 3 lemons

  • 11-inch piece fresh ginger root

  • 1 cup honey (more or less as needed)

  Instructions

  1. Wash the lemons and cut them into slices.

  2. Pack the slices in a clean, dry jar.

  3. Grate the ginger root into the jar.

  4. Fill the jar with honey.

  5. Close the jar and let it stand for at least 24 hours.

  6. Store in the refrigerator or dark, cool pantry.

  7. To use, dissolve a tablespoon of the honey from the mixture in a cup of hot tea or plain hot water.

That’s a wrap. We want to say thank you to our clients for trusting us and inviting us into their lives and financial decisions. It is a privilege to serve you, and we are grateful for the relationships we get to build throughout the year.

We hope this light-hearted tradition adds a little extra warmth to your holiday season.

From all of us at The Dala Group, we wish you a joyful, restful season and a healthy start to the new year.