FRU-GAL'S LASAGNA TWIST

Here is a great way to enjoy lasagna using portion control.  I love these lasagna roll-ups because they help you stay on track and stick to portion control.  One of these rolls is enough...if you are really hungry, maybe two.  What I do is have one roll up, one piece of  fru-gal's garlic bread (read on below), and a generous portion of your favorite mixed salad, and of course, one small glass of wine....I mean what's Italian food without red wine to go with it!  Try my recipes tonight:

One of my favorite wineries.....great red wines....located in El Dorado County

LASAGNA ROLLS

This is a different twist to traditional lasagna

½ package lasagna sheets (cooked)

1 small tub of fat free ricotta cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp favorite herb (I love rosmary or basil, or use ½ tsp each)

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Any type of meat or veggie you like

½  jar of favorite marinara sauce

½ cup of lowfat alfredo sauce

1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese (or your favorite lowfat shredded cheese)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix ricotta cheese with herbs and spices, and any type of cooked meat or veggie you like( I like to mix in prosciutto and spinach,set aside

Spread alfredo sauce on bottom of baking dish

Take one lasagna noodle and layer about ¼ cup of ricotta cheese mixture , roll up and place in dish…repeat until all noodles are used up

Pour marinara sauce over noodles and sprinkle mozzarella cheese all over

Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and place over dish so cheese doesn’t stick to foil

Bake for 20 minutes, take foil off and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly

Serve with lowfat garlic bread….recipe follows

LOWFAT GARLIC BREAD

1 loaf of French bread

2 tbsp lowfat butter or margarine

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp favorite herbs (again, I like rosemary or basil)

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 400

Slice loaf in half

LIGHTER PIZZA RECIPES INCLUDING "FRU-GAL" RECIPE

One of my favorite "guilty pleasures" is PIZZA!  But, you know what, with my new recipes, they don't have to be!  These pizzas are delicious and affordable, and the best part is:  they are individual portions, you can eat the whole thing and not feel guilty!

SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO PIZZA

1 small pizza round (around 150 calories) or flatbread

2 tbsp sundried tomato pesto, storebought or you can make your own much healthier version…(look to my previous post for recipe)

1 oz lowfat shredded cheese (your favorite flavor)

Fresh basil leaves

Tomato slices

Pine nuts (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS:

-Spread pesto onto pizza round

Add cheese, a few tomato slices (4 or 5), as much basil as you wish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a few pine nuts if desired

Spray a few sprays of olive oil from a spray bottle

Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes

BISCUIT PIZZA MINIS

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-1 tube large refrigerated biscuits….on sale for 1.00 at grocery stores

-1 jar favorite pasta sauce….most brands go on sale for 1.00 at grocery stores

-1 bag (8oz) low fat shredded cheese….on sale for 2.00 at grocery stores

-1 can (about 14 oz) of black olives, sliced…1.00 at grocery stores*

-1 small can (about 6 oz) of sliced mushrooms….on sale for 1.00 at grocery stores

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees

-open up can of biscuits and divide into 8 pieces

-roll out dough to form mini pizza crust

-top each pizza crust with sauce, cheese, mushrooms, and olives (as much as you like)

-bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown

*can use any toppings you like but may change the price of the meal

SERVE WITH A TOSSED GREEN SALAD OR PASTA SALAD (CAN GET A BOX OF PASTA SALAD MIX AT DOLLAR TREE FOR 1.00)

SERVES 4 (EACH PERSON HAVING 2 PIZZAS) INCLUDING SALAD FOR 7.00…. ….1.75 PER SERVING

Experiment and try with different, affordable toppings and come up with your own creations....kids really love that, and they are more likely to eat it if they created it.....This could be what's for dinner tonight!

FIGURE FRIENDLY PESTO RECIPE

My favorite type of pasta sauce is Pesto sauce, I just love it's nutty, creamy flavor.  What I don't like is all the fat and calories that come along with it! 
So....I decided to come up with a lighter recipe that I don't feel guilty about using but still tastes good.  This is what I came up with:

SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO RECIPE:

1 package (around 8 oz) of sundried tomatoes

1 bunch of basil leaves

¼ cup of crushed croutons

¼ cup of broth

¼ cup of nonfat ricotta cheese

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth

You can add more broth or sour cream to either make thinner or thicker

TOSS WITH COOKED PASTA......USE AS A SPREAD FOR GARLIC BREAD.....OR MY FAVORITE: AS A SAUCE FOR YOUR PIZZA....

Try it, you'll love it!

DEAL OF THE DAY

Here is my latest Deal of the Day:

I spent a total of 3.50 for what you see here! 

The little boxes of milk are vanilla flavored.....a more expensive flavor that my kids LOVE which only cost me .80 for all 3

There is no need to buy ANYTHING full price when you can get deals like this!

IT'S NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY!

HERE IS ANOTHER OF MY "FRU-GAL" RECIPES THAT I JUST LOVE AND IN HONOR OF NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY.....CHECK IT OUT:

PB AND B BREAKFAST POCKETS:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-sandwich maker or waffle maker

-1 loaf of white or wheat bread…on sale for 1.00 at grocery stores

-6 tbsp peanut butter…on sale for 1.50 per jar at grocery stores

-2 bananas….on sale for less than 50 cents per pound at grocery stores

-sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-spray sandwich or waffle maker with butter spray and preheat

-take 2 slices of bread, on 1 slice, spread 1tbsp peanut butter, top with 1/3 of banana, sliced, sprinkle with cinnamon (if desired), and place other slice of bread on top, repeat with 5 more sandwiches

-place 2 to 4 sandwiches in sandwich/waffle maker, depending on how many can fit and cook for 3-5 minutes until inside melted and bread a light golden brown…enjoy your yummy, warm breakfast treat….be careful….filling may be a little hot

MAKES 6 BREAKFAST POCKETS FOR LESS THAN 2.00….THAT’S ONLY ABOUT 33CENTS EACH!

You may be thinking ”I never see these “sale prices” that you are talking about in my local grocery store”.  The truth is, all grocery and even drug stores rotate their products for sales continuously.  Look through their ads weekly, note the sales in particular of products you use frequently, stock up while they’re on sale (pair with a coupon if you have one for even more savings)  and make recipes according to what you have on hand.  I don’t believe in paying full price for ANYTHING EVER…it is unnecessary!  All you need is a little patience and time and, I promise you, you will see the rewards and savings you are getting!

You can even try this for lunch today!

DEAL OF THE DAY

Here is the Deal of the Day:6 pack raspberry flavored water for 1.00 a pack....this is the time to stock up!

You can SAVE BIG and be a shopper like me....it's easy and fun!

FRU-GAL DINNER

Here is another "fru-gal" dinner of mine that's so easy and so yummy and very affordable....just follow my directions:

CHINESE FIVE SPICE DRUMSTICKS

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-1 package of 6 chicken drumsticks…..on sale or managers special for 3.00….sometimes less at grocery stores

-1/2 cup lite soy sauce…on sale for 1.99 at grocery stores

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 tsp chinese five spice powder….on sale for 5.00 at grocery stores….you only need a little bit but once you use it, you will start using it in everything!....If you don’t have, you can substitute with ½ tsp each: ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and anise or anise extract or cloves (or can use ¼ tsp of anise and ¼ tsp of cloves)

-salt and pepper to taste

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper (to make it leaner, I always remove skin before adding salt and pepper…you won’t even notice the difference)

-mix soy sauce, garlic, and Chinese five spice powder together and place in large storage baggie, add chicken to baggie, seal, and mix all together…refrigerate for a couple of hours if possible

-preheat oven to 400 and place drumsticks in baking dish and pour marinade over chicken

-bake for 45 minutes

SERVE WITH STEAMED WHITE OR BROWN RICE AND FRESH OR FROZEN VEGGIES SUCH AS ASPARAGUS OR BROCCOLI…WHATEVER IS ON SALE THAT WEEK

SERVES 6 FOR 6.00…..1.00 PER PERSON….INCLUDING THE RICE AND VEGGIES!

This SHOULD BE what's for dinner tonight!

BOTTOM OF THE BAG RECIPE

Do you ever find yourself throwing out that little bit of food that's at the bottom of the bag that probably no one is going to finish to clean out your pantry?  I have been guilty of that in the past...but...no more!  You can always repurpose those "bottom of the bag" or "end of the jar" tidbits together into another complete dish! 
Here is something I came up with raiding my pantry this morning:

PUMPKIN/GINGER MARSHMALLOW TREATS

I used 1 tbsp of "pumpkin" flavored butter I had leftover from the holidays
the end of a bag of marshmallow cereal (similar to lucky charms) (about 2 cups)
the rest of a tub of gingerbread flavored marshmallows leftover from the holidays

I melted butter and marshmallows in nonstick pot over low heat, once melted, added cereal and spread out on butter sprayed cookie sheet and allowed to cool

I, then, cut into little pieces for a treat similar to rice krispy treats with a warm/sweet kick and the best part is, I didn't waste any food by throwing anything out and it only took a matter of minutes!
Raid your pantry today and see what you come up with.....I'm curious to find out!

HOT AND SPICY WINE

The weather is finally COLD and there is NO better time than NOW to have an excuse to make a pot of HOT AND SPICY WINE and curl up on the couch and try to keep warm!
This is a recipe I came up with just experimenting one day.  I LOVE to drink HOT drinks during the winter and this one just might be my best one yet!  Here ya go:

HOT AND SPICY WINE:

If you have one (and if you don't, I highly recommend you get one), pull out your crockpot, it makes this so much easier and yummier!

You will need:
-1 bottle red wine (inexpensive one.....you will be adding more flavor to it.....two buck chucks come in handy here)
-peel of 1 orange
-dash of pepper
-dash of cardamom (use cinnamon if you don't have cardamom)

This is what your night time treat should be tonight....I know it's going to be mine!

-dash of cloves or crush up 1 whole clove
-2 tbsp splenda
-2 good splashes of sugar free cherry or raspberry syrup, such as torani.....this time I used sugar free vanilla since I was out of cherry/raspberry....was just as delicious....just not as fruity
-8-12 oz of diet lemon lime soda or lemonade or any other light fruity juice (this is where experimenting is fun....you can come up with your own variations)

put everything in crockpot and cook on high for about 1- 2 hours, until nice and hot but not scalding
drink up and stay warm!

AMAZON IS AMAZING!!

 I am a loyal Amazon.com shopper for good reason.....they are AMAZING!  I usually can get free shipping on orders over 25.00 and in their warehouse deals, I get amazing prices for a lot of groceries!  I have gotten boxes of brand name cookies, poptarts,cereal,  snacks, chips, etc....for about 1.00 per bag/box or sometimes less, and the dates are never expired!!  You do need to buy in bulk, but only buy products your family will eat.  The products will last in your pantry and a lot of times, we go through them pretty quickly!  Their website also has a "sales and special offers" page that gives you even more savings on top of that.  Check them out today.....I have saved SO much money this way and I constantly get e-mails from them with other offers as well. 

less than 1.00 per 4 oz bag (4 servings per bag)

Check out their books and DVDs as well, you'll be AMAZED!

NEVER PAY FULL PRICE!

I didn't pay more than 5.00 for any of these shirts!

There is never a reason to pay full price for anything!  My kids have plenty of name brand designer clothes and shoes while still allowing us to eat….haha!  My favorite stores are Ross, Marshalls, TJMaxx, Nordstrom Rack, and any discount store like this that carry name brand merchandise but for half the price of regular stores.  My first stop in any shopping excursion is to make my way to the clearance rack of whatever department I am shopping for that day.  What’s great about clearance racks at discount stores is that you can get 75-90% off regular price of name brand items.  Make sure you check for any damage to clothing, such as rips, holes, marks, missing buttons, or anything like that.  If you find items with these issues and you think it can be an easy fix for you, take it to the manager and ask for even more of a discount (most stores will accommodate) and you will have even bigger savings.  Buying off season is a great way to save money too.  Stores will usually have big discounts on previous seasons merchandise to make room for next seasons stock.  For example, stock up on  bathing suits, flip flops, shorts, tank tops at the END of summer for next summer, the markdowns are usually significant!  My kids have plenty of Hurley, DC, Zoo York, Billabong and other name brand shirts that I didn’t pay more than $5.00 each for! I always  buy pants for less than 10.00 and never pay  full price for anything….there is absolutely no need to…if you take the time and patience to look and be frugal, you won’t ever have to either.

BREAKFAST ON A BUDGET

MEALS ON THE CHEAP:

As with most moms, I want my family to eat healthy while still needing to stick to a strict budget.  Here are some recipes that are SUPER affordable for all families:

TURKEY BACON/SAUSAGE BREAKFAST BURRITOS:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-package of turkey bacon-2.00 or package of brown and serve frozen turkey sausage-1.00

-1 package of flour or corn tortillas (your preference)-1.00 at Dollar Stores

-1 carton of eggs (on sale, you can get them for close to 1.00 per carton)

-1 package of lite shredded cheese of your choice-2.00 per bag

-salt and pepper to taste

Recipe directions:

-Cook 8 slices of bacon or sausage or both in skillet according to package directions, cool and crumble or cut into small pieces (1-2 pieces per burrito)

-scramble up 8 eggs, set aside into 8 portions

-take a tortilla and 1 egg portion inside, add 1 bacon/sausage (or both) portion, sprinkle with cheese and salt and pepper if desired

-roll up and enjoy

MAKES 8 SERVINGS FOR A TOTAL OF LESS THAN 7.00….LESS THAN 1.00 PER BURRITO!

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAKFAST SANDWICH:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-1 package of your favorite flavor of English muffins when on sale for 1.00-1.50 (I find a variety at Winco)

-1 package of sliced  American Cheese…1.00 when on sale (most grocery stores rotate this product for 1.00 sales frequently)

-1 package of sliced Canadian Bacon in deli section…1.99 per package

-deli mustard if desired

-butter spray if desired

-salt and pepper if desired

-1 carton of eggs…when on sale for 1.00

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-scramble 6 eggs, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside into 6 portions

-toast 6 english muffins in toaster

-open up English muffin, place one egg portion on bottom slice, place one slice of cheese on top of egg, one slice of Canadian bacon on top of cheese, spread mustard on other slice of English muffin, spray with butter spray, if desired and close up sandwich…enjoy!

MAKES 6 SANDWICHES FOR LESS THAN 5.00….LESS THAN 1.00 PER SANDWICH

For more recipes.....breakfast, lunch, or dinner.....comment on and follow my blog and let me know what recipes you are looking for....I've got many!!

BREAKFAST IS A GREAT WAY TO START THE DAY

The holidays are over and we are all making New Year's Resolutions and one of the top Resolutions every year is to lose weight and get in shape.  Let's forget about the term "losing weight" and start thinking "get healthier" because, really, after you lose the weight, you most likely want to keep it off and the only real way to do that is to instead of diet, change your lifestyle!
Get your body moving and start eating healthier and continue this as your new way of life.....I did over 20 years ago and have never felt better!
Some people skip breakfast because they either: don't have time to eat in the morning or they are not really hungry or feel that if they skip this meal, they will consume less calories for the day.  There really is no good reason to skip breakfast.  You need to eat a healthy breakfast to get your metabolism going, to get your body going for the day, and to keep your hunger in check for the rest of the day.  Start training your body to eat breakfast and you will notice results!  Here are 3 of my favorite healthy breakfast recipes to get you started:

FRENCH TOAST BREAKFAST SANDWICH:

You’ll feel like this is a guilty pleasure but there is no guilt involved, just pleasure!

-slices of favorite flavor light bread (I use cinnamon raisin, white, or wheat)

-1/4 cup egg substitute

-1/4 cup nonfat milk

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

-1/4 tsp vanilla extract or your favorite flavor extract (maple or orange extract work well in this recipe)

-2 strips of Morningstar veggie bacon

-1/4 cup of sugar free maple syrup

-sprinkling of powdered sugar

MIX TOGETHER EGG SUBSTITUTE, MILK, CINNAMON, AND EXTRACTS AND DIP EACH SLICE OF BREAD IN MIXTURE UNTIL EVENLY COATED….SHAKE OFF ANY EXCESS LIQUID

PLACE IN NONSTICK SKILLET SPRAYED WITH NONFAT BUTTER SPRAY (SUCH AS PAM) AT MEDIUM HIGH HEAT AND COOK FOR 2-3 MINUTES ON BOTH SIDES UNTIL NICE AND GOLDEN

IN THE MEANTIME, COOK BACON IN MICROWAVE PER PACKAGE DIRECTIONS

PLACE ONE SLICE OF FRENCH TOAST ON PLATE, PUT BACON ON TOP AND TOP WITH OTHER SLICE OF FRENCH TOAST

SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR

YOU CAN EITHER DRIZZLE SYRUP OVER FRENCH TOAST OR PLACE IN CUP FOR DIPPING…EITHER WAY, IT’S HEAVEN IN YOUR MOUTH!

LOADED OATMEAL:

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts to have on a cold morning and after you taste my version, you’ll see why!

-1 PACKET OF YOUR FAVORITE FLAVORED OATMEAL (MY FAVORITES ARE RAISIN OR CINNAMON SPICE)

-1 TBSP YOUR FAVORITE FLAVORED LIQUID COFFEE CREAMER SUCH AS COFFEEMATE

-1 TBSP YOUR FAVORITE FLAVORED SUGAR FREE COFFEE SYRUP

-1 TBSP YOUR FAVORITE DRIED FRUIT

MICROWAVE CONTENTS OF OATMEAL PACKET WITH ABOUT ¼ TO 1/3 CUP OF WATER FOR 50-55 SECONDS

ADD CREAMER AND SYRUP AND STIR, ADD YOUR DRIED FRUIT AND ENJOY THIS HOT AND STEAMY BOWL OF DELIGHT!

What I love about this recipe is that you can mix and match different flavors to create a new variety every bowl…..such as…..cinnamon spice oatmeal with vanilla cinnamon coffeemate, sugar free brown sugar coffee syrup and golden raisins…..the possibilities are endless!

NEW AND IMPROVED GRAPENUTS:

Who knew Grapenuts could be so good!

-1/2 cup of grapenuts cereal

-1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

-1 tbsp raisins

-1 tbsp sugar free maple syrup

POUR GRAPENUTS IN A BOWL, ADD MILK AND SYRUP AND STIR, ADD RAISINS….GRAB A SPOON AND ENJOY……FOR A WARM TWIST TO THIS MEAL, WARM IN MICROWAVE FOR 30 SECONDS!

For more recipes, comment and follow my blog.......I have LOTS more!

FAVORITE SLOW COOKER RECIPES

As promised, here are 2 of my all time favorite recipes to make in the slow cooker and one is a "fru-gal" meal meaning it's very affordable!

SLOW COOKER FIG JAM RECIPE:

In slow cooker, combine 1 package (around 8 oz) of dried figs, ¼ cup of any citrus juice, 1-2 tbsp of zest of any citrus fruit, 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup water, ½ cup of wine (whatever you like to drink) and stir….cook on low for 6 hours….cool….then scoop into blender and blend…..delicious on sandwiches or as a spread for anything!

SLOW COOKER BURGUNDY BEEF STEW

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-4lbs lean stew meat….6.00 on sale at grocery store (look for managers specials....Savemart grocery store is great at this)

-4 potatoes, such as Idaho or russet….peeled and cut into chunks the size of the stew meat….1.00 for entire bag on sale at grocery store….won’t use whole bag

-1/2 package of baby carrots or cut 4 long carrots into chunks as well…1.00 for whole bag

-1 cup of favorite frozen veggies (I like peas)…1.00 for whole bag

-1/2 cup black olives…..1.00 for whole can….won’t use all of it

-1/2 cup red wine….I like Charles Shaw (called 2 buck chuck at Trader Joes)….the reds are my favorite….use any red you like…..2.00 at Trader Joes

-1/2 cup water

-1/2 cup beef broth….1.00 for whole carton at Dollar Tree

-1 package of “beef stew” mix packet found in the grocery store next to the other “dip” mixes…..1.00

RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

-place stew meat, all veggies, and olives in slow cooker

-open beef stew mix and pour package contents into slow cooker

-add ½ cup red wine , ½ cup water, ½ beef broth into slow cooker and mix everything together

-cook on low for 4-6 hours until tender

SERVE WITH STEAMED WHITE RICE

SERVES AT LEAST 4 FOR LESS THAN 12.00 INCLUDING THE RICE….LESS THAN 3.00 PER PERSON

If you want more of my slow cooker recipes or want to transform your favorite recipe into a slow cooker recipe, comment and follow my blog and I will show you how!

SLOW COOKER LEAN BBQ BEEF SANDWICHES

ok, now that the Holidays are over and we have had our share (and then some) of yummy, caloric food, it's time to get back on track!  The nights are still cold and we crave a warm, yummy, hot meal that will satisfy our taste buds.  Here is one of my favorite low cal/fat recipes that uses my all time favorite kitchen gadget....the SLOW COOKER!  This is the best gadget ever invented.....you just drop and forget it until dinnertime and the food always comes out juicy and tender!  This is so simple...try it out  tonight for dinner:
All you  have to do is place lean beef such as skirt or flank steak into slow cooker and mix with barbeque sauce and a splash of red wine, if desired, (I so desire...)cook on low for 5-8 hours.....take beef out of slow cooker and shred with fork.....place back in slow cooker and mix with sauce.....place in sandwich buns and maybe some pickle slices and enjoy!   So delicious and tender!

In my next post, I will have more of my favorite slow cooker recipes