Monday, November 28, 2011

Rich Man's Meals

Chris and I are choosing to live on a tight budget now so that we can quickly pay off debt, save, invest, and be millionaires in a few decades.  We also value healthy eating, and are learning ways to get the best of both worlds of eating healthfully and cheaply.

We call these meals "Rich Man's Meals" because by eating "poor" now, we will be eating "rich" later!

The official poor man's meal:  In a pan heat some olive oil, when heated add a clove or two of minced garlic, and cook for about a minute.  Add 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, 1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed well), some chili powder and basil to taste.  Serve over warm rice (brown is healthier, but I like the taste of white better).



Bean Burritos:  In a bowl mix one can pinto beans (drained and rinsed well), and one can fat-free & preservative free refried beans.  When I say "preservative-free,"  look at the list of ingredients on the can.  If you know what all the ingredients are then buy it.  If you don't know what some of the ingredients are, then don't buy it.  Aldi's sells fat-free & preservative free refried beans.  Spread bean mixture in a tortilla and roll it up.  Top with cheese and microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds.  Top with salsa.

Eggs and toast.  Eggs are a great source of protein and are very healthy in moderation.  I don't pay more than $1.08 for a dozen eggs unless I'm desperate. Use 100% whole wheat toast.  Or eat with pancakes if you're feeling really rich!

All rich man's meals are served with a very generous side of steamed or fresh vegetables. These meals also take little time to prepare, so we usually eat these meals on busy nights.

Also calling them "Rich Man's Meals" really helps you happily and gratefully eat a poor man's meal and help you stay motivated in your choice to live cheap now.

What's your family's rich man's meal?

5 comments:

  1. you guys must be listening to Dave Ramsey too? maybe we can build our mansions on neighboring acreages someday?!

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  2. We love getting a bag of Aldi's frozen fish filets and baking them with a little lemon, garlic and black pepper. Served with rice and brocolli.

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  3. I used to have a really hard time working so hard to save money on food but at some point I chose to see it as a fun challenge and now I really enjoy trying to save on meals by being creative. Sometimes I stretch meals like chili by putting it on a potato the next day or use up extra ingredients (veggies, meat) and make a hashbrown/egg casserole. This post inspired me (whenever it was posted a while ago)to try beans...I used dry beans. I'm wanting to try 'lentil curry.' Thanks for writing these...I like to read them:)

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  4. Christine and Chris: I am so proud of u for how u are living ur life! U are so wise and such good parents! We miss u! The next time u are close, plz come visit so we can meet Ada. Love you! Sheryl Lewis 323.868.6160. Gs_lewis@msn.com

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  5. Your "official poor man's meal" is what I ate almost everyday for lunch when I was in grad school :) I used brown rice and salsa instead of tomatoes. To jazz it up, and add a little extra nutrition, I would sometimes add chopped bell pepper and/or frozen corn. Sometimes I would splurge and buy avocados (if they were on sale), and they really turned this into a delicious dish.

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