Budget-friendly Delicious

like everything else, the cost of food has risen and continues to rise. What this means is that we find ourselves paying more for the same quantity and quality of product. Budgets are strained and stretched. Shopping lists serve not only as reminders of what to pick up, but also to keep us in check.

Luckily for us, creating healthy meals does not cost a fortune. There are still many items we can purchase, to create feasts, not just for our family, but friends too.

These “healthy foods” recipes all have one thing in common—the way a main ingredient is already prepared for sale: minced. Minced meat, whether beef, lamb, chicken or turkey, makes for excellent meals. These meats stretch, and bulk up when added to other ingredients, and never disappoint.

Minced meat is versatile; it can be made into sauces, loaves, balls, kebabs, curries, stews, patties, burgers, casseroles, pies, or sausages. The flavour profiles can be as varied to suit various palettes. I challenge and encourage you to have another look at minced meat of all varieties on your next grocery trip. Pick up a pack or two and create meals that would have your family and friends asking for seconds or thirds.

Meat Balls

Yield: 20 medium balls (10 large, 40 small)

Ingredients

1 ¾ pounds minced beef (80:20 ratio)
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (white or brown), sodden with milk
4 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (thyme, basil, mint, cilantro, tarragon)
1 head roasted garlic pulp, optional
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup minced onions
2 eggs, room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for shallow frying

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to large bowl and mix lightly with your fingers until incorporated.
2. Heat oil in pan over medium heat (the oil should be no more than ¼-inch deep in the pan).
3. Take about 2 teaspoons full of mixture and form into ball. Fry ball and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary. Form mixture into balls, rolling lightly between your hands. Assemble on oiled baking sheet.
4. Fry in batches turning meatballs on both sides and sideways if possible. Total cooking time 5.4 - 6 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs. Serve.

Moussaka (with Plantains)

Yield: 1 (9 x 13”) Dish/Pan

Ingredients

4 lbs ripe plantains (or 3 lbs large eggplants, sliced, ¼-inch thick)
3 large bell/sweet peppers, deseeded and sautéed, or fire-roasted and chopped fine (optional)
2 ½ lbs ground beef (80% lean 20% fat) Substitute with ground lamb
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground all spice
Olive Oil
1 cup chopped onions
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅓ cup currants
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
½ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel sauce (recipe follows)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk (or 1 ½ cups whole milk and 1 ½ cups full-fat yogurt)
⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 heaped cup grated cheddar cheese plus extra to sprinkle on top

Assembling

• Arrange one layer of plantains at the bottom of the baking dish (or eggplants if using).
  
• Spread an even layer of sautéed or roasted bell peppers.
• Add a layer of the meat sauce
• Repeat the layering – plantains, peppers and meat sauce.

Béchamel Sauce

1. Add butter to saucepot and place on medium heat. When butter melts and just begins to froth, add flour and keep stirring. Lower heat if necessary because you do not want the roux (butter-flour mixture) to gain a colour.
2. Add milk (or milk and yogurt if using), and keep stirring until there are no lumps. Turn the heat to medium (if you had turned it down).
3. Mix in nutmeg and let mixture come to a boil until it cooks and thickens.
4. Remove saucepot from heat. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Pour sauce over assembled dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 45 minutes, or until the Moussaka is bubbly and golden brown.
6. Remove Moussaka and let rest for at least ½ hour before serving.

Directions

1. Remove the top and bottom tips of plantains. Add plantains to a large pot. Add water to cover plantains, and bring to a boil. Let boil until the skin splits. Drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel plantains and slice lengthways. Set aside.
2. If using eggplants, pan-fry the slices gently without letting them cook through (you just want to make them pliable). If you like, brush the slices with olive oil and grill. Set aside.
3. Add mince to a large bowl and season with cinnamon and all spice.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large pan until hot, and sauté onions until translucent. Add pepper flakes along with mince and cook, stirring a few times until the meat is no longer pink.
5. Add currants, tomato sauce and water (pour the water into the drained can to pick up any residue). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
7. Line a baking sheet with foil. Brush a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Place dish on top of lined baking sheet and set aside.

Corned Beef & Pasta

Yield: Serves 5 - 6

Ingredients

1 lb pasta (I use bucatini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons grated garlic
1 (12 oz) can corned beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped parsley or thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts)

Directions

1. Boil pasta according to package instructions.
2. Add oil and garlic to a large pan and place on low heat – you want the oil to be infused with the garlic. Let cook gently for 1 – 2 minutes.
3. Add corned beef and raise heat to medium; using the back of a large spoon, mash and mix corned beef with garlic infused oil. Cook corned beef until it turns deep to dark pink.
4. Add drained pasta to the pan with corned beef and toss to mix thoroughly. Add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
5. Stir in parsley or green onions.
6. Serve as is or with a salad.

Cynthia Nelson is the author of Tastes Like Home – My Caribbean Cookbook (Randle 2010). She blogs at: www.tasteslikehome.org