9 Healthy Recipes on a Budget (“O, the Oprah Magazine”)

We came across nine recipes on Oprah.com that are supposed to be both inexpensive to make and good for you. From the post on Oprah.com:

Healthy eating can mean cutting back on fat and calories, but the other component of a healthful diet is cooking with wholesome ingredients, like whole grains, fresh vegetables, and unsaturated fats. This tempting collection of recipes from chefs featured in O, the Oprah Magazine (and one from Oprah herself!) will promote weight loss without feeling like a dreaded “diet.” And since saving money is on everyone’s minds, we chose recipes that feature inexpensive main ingredients and pantry staples that you’re likely to have on hand.

Each recipe is listed on its own page (via a slideshow), so to make it easier for you, we list the name of each recipe below and link directly to the recipe page on Delish.com (which hosts the Oprah recipes).

One note: While each recipe provides a callout with the heading “Nutritional Information”, only two of them provide figures next to each nutritional value. From what we can tell by looking at the ingredients for each of these recipes, they do appear to be pretty healthy overall. But without the actual data, we’ll just have to take Oprah’s word that they are all healthy recipes.

1. Oprah’s Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Herbs and Cheese – “Oprah uses thyme, oregano, or chives — whatever’s freshest in her herb garden — when cooking up scrambled eggs. She keeps the meal healthy by using mostly egg whites in the scramble.” (While not a knock against Oprah, we doubt she does much cooking — or gardening — these days, but it’s a good-looking recipe nonetheless…)

2. Sweet Corn Puree Soup – “Enhanced with leeks and one potato (for added creaminess), this smooth fresh-corn soup has just one tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup milk in the whole batch, resulting in a low-cal, low-fat first course or lunch item.”

3. Roasted Zucchini with Rosemary Yogurt and Zucchini Coulis – “Three simple ingredients create a zucchini dish with two distinct sauces (rosemary yogurt and zucchini coulis). If you don’t have rosemary olive oil on hand, you can infuse your own with little fuss by heating heart-healthy olive oil and rosemary over low heat for a few minutes.”

4. Three-Grain Pilaf – “Chewy whole grains offer a wonderfully nutty, complex layer of flavor — and a dose of healthy carbs to this side dish. Buying all three types of grains will run you about $10, but rice stays fresh when stored properly for up to two years.”

5. Double-Soy Ginger Tofu – “Let economical tofu shine as the main ingredient in this Asian-influenced main dish. With rice and a salad, or a fresh green vegetable, this makes a satisfying dinner.”

6. Cuban 24-Hour Roast Pork – “At $1.99 or less a pound, pork shoulder is an affordable option for the carnivores in your clan. This citrus-and-spice dish takes time to marinate, but after a day, you’re rewarded with a pork roast that is simply magnificent.”

7. Spaghetti al Forno – “Whole grain pasta adds a new level of health to a rustic Italian dish. If Parmesan cheese is too costly at your local market, you can also sprinkle the casserole with reduced-fat mozzarella or Italian shredded cheese mix.”

8. Caramelized Banana Raisin Bread Pudding – “Low-fat milk, thickened with two eggs, makes the creamy custard base of this sweet banana bread pudding.”

9. Yogurt “Cheesecake” with Strawberries and Pineapple Syrup – “The startling contrast of flavors, colors, and textures fools you into thinking you’re eating a rich slice of cheesecake, but thanks to the yogurt — you can use regular or low fat — this dessert is rich, creamy, and healthy.”

To view the full slideshow and all of the recipes listed in the article,
click the link below:
“Healthy Meals on a Budget from O, the Oprah Magazine” (on Delish.com)

Do you have any healthy and inexpensive recipes of your own? Tell us by posting a comment below or submitting a new tip here. And thanks for being a Tip Hero!