Last week, I was kind of busy, and I’ve mentioned before I think blogging is a little boring. In addition, I really love cooking and eating, and I actually enjoy working up a $25 low carb menu.
For those who are unfamiliar with my $25 menus, they are created to feed one person 3 low carb meals on a daily basis, plus snacks for a week. But, they do not accommodate any addictions you may have, such as coffee, diet soda, beer, an so on. They presume several things, like that you have salt and pepper in your pantry.
Last week, I headed to Aldi and did some browsing. It is a great store for a budget conscious shopper, and one would assume it would be very easy to work up a good menu for a week’s time and you can do it.
It is a fact that shopping at the Dollar Tree provides tons of great variety. Namely, you can get 25 individual items there. But, some other stores are a little more problematic since you have to buy the great package of certain ingredients, for instance, cheese.
Plus, there is something to remember about Aldi shopping. You actually pay per item price on produce, not per pound. When shopping there, look through the box for the greatest item when you are buying cabbages and cauliflower.
In addition, here is what I picked up this week:
– One pound of ground turkey
– Two dozen eggs
– One pound pack of bacon (pick the cheap stuff, we are recycling the fat as we couldn’t afford butter)
– One can of black olives
– One pound package of Fit N Active turkey hot dogs
– One bag of pork rinds
– Five pound package of chicken leg/thigh quarters or a package of five leg quarters
– A head of cauliflower
– A head of cabbage
– A head of lettuce
– One can of tomato paste
– 8 oz block of cheese
– 99 bag of onions (pick the one with small onions, instead of that containing a few big onions)
– 16 oz tub of sour cream
Remember, this menu is based on the presumption that you already have certain ingredients at home, such as salt and pepper, some basic spices, for example chili powder.
Start by putting 5 eggs on to boil for deviled eggs. In case you don’t have mayo, you can use some sour cream or a little bacon fat.
Afterwards, you should put three of the leg quarters on, poach them, put them in a pot and cover with water. You should bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and put a lid. Cook them in the water for about 15-25 minutes. Then, remove them with tongs, leave them to cool, take the meat off the bones and put it in a container in the fridge. Additionally, put the bones back into the water and simmer them all day. After a few hours, strain the soup broth and reserve it in the fridge.
The chicken skin should be salted and peppered, and cooked in a skillet until it becomes crispy. Consume it.
As your leg quarters are poaching, heat the oven to 425 and lay the bacon out on a sheet pan covered in foil. Then, bake till crispy, and reserve the fat.
Meanwhile, make a quart of tomato juice.
Furthermore, your breakfast per day will be two slices of bacon and two eggs cooked how you prefer them. Cook the 14 eggs all at once and keep them in the fridge.
Pork rinds, black olives, and deviled eggs will be your snacks.
Sunday night
Roast chicken and vegetables
Firstly, preheat the oven to 450.
Next, you should take 1/4 of the cabbage, a small onion, 1/3 of the cauliflower, cut them up and put them in a 9×13 baking dish. Then, drizzle with bacon fat, put two of the chicken quarters on top and salt and pepper it. This should be roasted uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.
After you’ve dipped your food as well as set aside your lunch, you should pour the pan juices into the container with your soup stock. Plus, set aside about half a cup of the roast veggies for later in the week.
Monday night
Chili dogs and slaw
First of all, brown the pound of ground turkey, divide it in half and store the second half in the fridge for later. Half of the hot dogs should be cut into penny slices and put in the skillet with the turkey. Afterwards, a cup of the tomato juice and a tbsp of chili powder should be added to it. If desired, you can also add a little onion, or garlic and heat it on low heat till it’s hot.
You should then take 1/4 of the cabbage, shred it, combine it with enough sour cream, for example about 1/4 cup to make it into slaw, salt and pepper.
Grate the cheese and put half of it in the fridge for later and divide the rest between your two meals.
Tuesday night
Un-stuffed cabbage rolls
Take 1/4 of the cabbage, half of the reserved poached chicken, and one onion. Chop the cabbage and onion roughly and place them in a pot along with a cup of the tomato juice, the chicken and S&P. Add some garlic and shake in some Worcestershire if you have it. Simmer it with a lid on till the cabbage becomes tender.
Wednesday night
Hot dog hash
Chop 1/3 of the cauliflower and a small onion. Then, slice the remaining 5 hot dogs and add them to a skillet with some hot bacon fat. Next, salt and pepper and cook these, stirring, until the veggies become tender and start getting brown color.
Thursday night
Cabbage stir fry
Take the remaining 1/4 of the cabbage and the reserved ground turkey plus 3 oz of onion. In addition, in a skillet containing hot bacon fat, cook them until the veggies become tender. After that, you should add some salt and pepper as well as any spices you have and some soy sauce.
Friday night
Loaded cauli soup
Firstly, take the remaining third of cauliflower, the quart of chicken stock, 3 oz of onion, the rest of the bacon, the rest of the cheese, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Cook the cauli and the onion in the stock until they become soft, next slowly add the cheese, stirring to melt it.
In a separate bowl, add about 1/4 cup of sour cream and a little of the soup juice, whisk it until the sour cream is fully mixed, then add it back in as well as stir it in the crumbled bacon. At least, serve it with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle some chopped wild onion if you have at home.
Saturday night
Chicken in tomato cream sauce plus a mini Fritatta
First of all, you should preheat the oven to 375.
Whisk together the last cup of tomato juice, half a cup of sour cream with a teaspoon of chili powder and some S&P. Then, put it in a small baking dish with the rest of the poached chicken and bake it for about 30 minutes until it is bubbly and hot.
Meanwhile, get out that bit of leftover veggie, plus the four eggs you have remaining. In a bowl, add a tablespoon of sour cream and whisk the daylights out of it with a drizzle of water until it is the consistency of cream. Next, you should add the eggs and whisk again. After that, heat an ovenproof skillet on the stove, add some bacon fat, and heat up the leftover veggies from the fridge. Just pour in the egg mixture and leave it cook over low heat for about a minute till the eggs start setting around the edges. When this happens, put it in the oven and bake it for another ten minutes. But, be careful not to overcook it.
Source www.healthteamadvisor.com