Frugal-Foodie

Yellow poppy-seed cake smothered in brigadeiro. 

Brigadeiro is a popular Brazilian dessert. Made from sweetened condensed milk and powdered chocolate, it’s an inexpensive treat that can be eaten plain or in the form of a cake topping. I loved eating brigadeiro by the spoonful when I was a kid, so I decided to try pairing it with a light yellow cake today. 

YELLOW POPPY-SEED CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
1 box Golden Butter Cake Mix
3 tablespoons poppy seed
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil

First preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the sides of a pan. Blend the wet ingredients (sour cream, eggs and oil) together in a bowl. Use a hand-mixer to integrate the cake mix. Add the poppy-seeds.

Pour the mixture in a baking pan. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Test the cake with a toothpick to make sure it’s cooked all the way through. 

PRO-TIP: Ask for poppy-seeds at the Publix bakery counter. It’s much cheaper to purchase a custom weight of poppy-seeds from the bakery than it is to buy a jar of poppy-seeds from the spice aisle. 

BRIGADEIRO RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2-1/4 cup Nestle powdered chocolate 

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the condensed milk. Stir it for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is hot and well blended. Add the chocolate powder. Stir it for another 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture is thick. 

PRO-TIP: Just keep stirring! Don’t walk away from the stove when you prepare brigadeiro. It’s important to keep the fudge from sticking to the bottom or getting lumpy. 

When making this dessert, bake the cake before you start making the brigadeiro or the fudge will harden and be difficult to work with. Take the cake out of the oven and then start the brigadeiro. By the time the cake cools, the fudge will be ready to pour on top.

Enjoy this dessert with a dash of cinnamon and a cold glass of milk!

When a friend first introduced me to Ward’s Supermarket, I was blown away. The storefront is a sea of greenery. Aromatic herbs, blooming orchids, princely pumpkins and shapely bonsai trees fill every available space! The atmosphere was invigorating—I felt like I walked into a jungle of edible eats! Touted as Gainesville’s only locally-owned and operated grocery, Ward’s is frequented by area vegetarians, vegans and health-conscious shoppers alike. The family-owned business began as a humble roadside fruit stand in 1951; it has since expanded to an 100 employee operation on 515 NW 23rd Ave.   

The store’s sliding glass doors open directly into their fresh produce section. They offer an expansive array of straight-from-the-farm veggies! Their selection changes with the season, but you’re sure to find a delicious complement to any meal. Because most of the produce is grown here in Alachua County, the veggies don’t incur formidable transportation costs like conventional grocery products. 

The average dinner travels more than 1,500 miles from field to fork, according to Ward’s Supermarket’s website. That 1,500 mile commute translates to significant consumption of fossil fuels and contributes to pollution. The distance also requires the use of preservatives. By buying local food, you can mitigate your exposure to preservatives. By buying locally you support local farmers’ sustainable farming practices, keep money in the community and practice environmental responsibility! Plus fresher food has more flavor and more nutrients. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!

And Ward’s has more than just fresh fruits and vegetables! They also have an excellent variety of quality meats. Their meats are a tad bit pricier than traditional grocery stores, but the cuts are worth it if you have the cash. The supermarket also has delicious, European styled bread from The Flour Pot Bakery—a nearby bakery. The last time I bought bread there, the loaf was still warm from the oven! 

Ward’s has a limited selection of household goods like paper towels and non-perishables. They’re also more expensive! Be kind to your wallet and buy these items at Walmart or Publix instead. 

In short, Ward’s Supermarket is a great place to get high quality, inexpensive produce and breads. While their location is a little bit out of the way for most college students, I definitely encourage everyone to visit them at least once! Ward’s Supermarket supports more than 350 local producers. Think global and act local—support your community’s farmers. If anything, shaking up your grocery routine is a fun change of pace. 

Visit Ward’s. You won’t be disappointed!  

PRO-TIP: Save money by checking Ward’s Supermarket’s website for weekly specials and seasonal offerings! http://www.wardsgainesville.com/about-wards/

Sources:
http://www.wardsgainesville.com/local-difference/   

http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_2492a1b6-d2c8-11e0-9010-001cc4c03286.html  

Pineapple chicken tenders with buttered green beans, white rice and peach iced tea! 

 

I was searching for a new dinner dish when I stumbled upon this tropical chicken recipe online: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pineapple-chicken-tenders/

The sweet taste of pineapple perfectly complemented the seasoned chicken tenders! The original recipe calls for grilling the chicken tenders, but a frying pan works just as well.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins or strips  
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup pineapple rings or chunks
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce
Ginger (optional)

Stir pineapple juice, brown sugar and soy sauce together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from heat as soon as the mixture comes to a boil. Place the chicken tenders in a small bowl or pan. If using frozen chicken tenders, rinse with warm water to remove the ice layer and allow for maximum marinade absorption.

Cover the chicken tenders with about two-thirds of your pineapple marinade. (Pour the remaining marinade into a small bowl and refrigerate it separately for use as a dipping sauce.) Refrigerate the chicken tenders for at least 30 minutes. Drain the marinade. (Never reuse marinade that contained raw chicken, unless you boil it first!)

Set a frying pan to medium-high heat and cook the chicken tenders until the juices run clear. Use a spatula to cut the tenders into bite-sized pieces. Add the pineapple chunks and the marinade you put on reserve. You can also add a hint of ginger for an extra flavor kick.

Enjoy this dish with a side of greens and rice!

PRO-TIP: If you have time to plan this dish in advance, marinade the chicken overnight. The chicken tenderloins will be more flavorful and tender. It’s well worth the wait!

Some of the best recipes are born out of necessity, or limited ingredients. I was missing a few ingredients, so I modified a cookie recipe to develop a delicious muffin treat. Strawberries were on sale at Publix this weekend (three 16 ounce containers for only $5) so I decided to throw some of those in my recipe. Are you looking for a novel brunch, or a hearty dessert? Follow the recipe below!

INGREDIENTS:
2 sticks butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup fresh strawberries (chopped)

Set your oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Blend the butter, sugars, eggs, spices and vanilla extract. Mix the batter until it’s smooth and creamy.

Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until the batter is well blended. Stir in chopped strawberries and dried cranberries. Use spoons to drop the batter into cupcake liners.

Bake the muffins for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the centers are well done. Slather the muffins with Nutella when they’re cool. They taste great, especially with a cold glass of milk!

PRO-TIP: Invest in a set of silicone cupcake liners. I found some on sale a few months ago and it was a solid purchase. They’re very easy to clean and less wasteful than conventional paper liners. The liners are non-stick too, so your muffins or cupcakes will turn out beautifully.  

For the original cookie recipe I improvised from, please see: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/299/OatmealCranberryRaisinCooki62165.shtml

St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend! Celebrate your inner Irish by chowing down on some potato fare. Potato soup takes a little longer to cook, but it’s worth the wait!

INGREDIENTS:
6 russet potatoes 
2 squares chicken broth 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1-1.5 cups milk  
1.5-2 cups water 
3 stalks celery 
1 onion

Coat the bottom of your pot with olive oil. Set your stove top to medium heat. Chop the onion and celery into slivers. Add them to the pot. While the onion and celery bits are simmering, peel your potatoes and cut them into bite-sized portions. Once the onion slivers have turned a translucent color, add your diced potatoes to the pot. 

Next, add water and chicken bouillon squares. Let the mixture cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are halfway cooked. Then add enough milk to cover the potatoes. The milk measurement is a guesstimate, but I use at least a full cup and a half. Afterwards, cook the soup until the potatoes reach the desired softness. 

When the soup is ready, you can accentuate it with a hint of garlic salt and chopped parsley. I always eat potato soup with a hearty helping of cheddar cheese and crackers on the side. This recipe makes enough soup for about 6-8 servings. Refrigerate the leftovers—you won’t have to cook for the next few days!

NOTE: If you want to convert this recipe into a corn chowder, simply exchange the celery for frozen corn and fry small pieces of bacon to sprinkle on top.  

The clock reads 2 a.m. 

You squint at your flickering laptop screen and fumble to understand the jargon of words in front of you. It’s a struggle to stay awake—your brain is operating at the speed of chilled molasses. You’ve got less than 12 hours to finish that research paper you should have started days ago. Yup, it’s gonna be another all-nighter. 

Fighting the urge to sleep is extremely difficult. Concentrating is even harder. A nap would be optimal, but if you’re running short on time you’ll have to find another substitute.

Your stomach growls.

If you’re like me, you turn to the refrigerator to solve your problems. Simple study snacks can help you stay awake and more focused on the task at hand. 

Try to avoid energy drinks and foods with high grease or sugar content. While you may feel a burst of energy at first, that enthusiasm will be quickly supplanted with a sick, empty feeling in your stomach. Fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates are healthier for you than empty calories like candy and junk food are.  

QUICK FIXES:

-Tea and buttered baguette slices
An herbal tea with caffeine can help you stay awake. The bread will dilute the stress of high caffeine on an empty stomach. 

-Cold grapes, diced cheddar cheese and Saltine crackers
The cool refreshing taste of grapes paired with the saltiness of cheese and crackers is a life saver. 

-Pita sandwich with peanut butter spread and dried Cranrasins. 
Peanut butter and Cranrasins sounds like an eccentric combination, but the flavors do go very well together. 

-Yogurt Parfaits
Add some granola for that extra kick. Yogurt parfaits are the perfect blend of fruit and creamy goodness. With that kind of taste, studying suddenly becomes alot more bearable. 

-Carrots, Pretzels and Mozzarella cheese sticks 
Veggies and cheese make for a healthy combination. The crunch of carrot sticks will remind you to get to work on that essay—it’s crunch time! 

Bananas are the poor college student’s default grocery option. 69 cents for food on the go? What a bargain!

Bananas are incredibly good for you. They’re high in potassium, dietary fiber and vitamin B6. Bananas are especially good for maintaining healthy bones, nervous system and kidneys. For more awesome facts on bananas, check out: http://thetaoofgoodhealth.com/6-awesome-health-benefits-of-bananas-9/ 

If you’re in need of a sweet afternoon snack, experiment with banana quesadillas.  

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 bananas
2 Flour Tortillas
1 tablespoon of white sugar
2 teaspooons of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of butter   
Medium-sharp Cheddar cheese 

Lay a tortilla flat on a plate. Cover one side with a layer of cheese. Peel the bananas and cut them into thin slices. Place the banana slices on top of the cheese layer. 

Next, mix the the sugar and cinnamon in a small dish. Sprinkle the sugary blend on the sliced bananas. Add another layer of cheese and cover the quesadilla with the second tortilla. 

Butter the frying pan and then let the quesadilla simmer on medium-low heat. Flip it over until both sides are toasted a golden-brown color.  When the cheese looks melted and the bananas are soft, remove it from heat. Cut the quesadilla into triangles. It’s that easy! If you don’t go too crazy with the cheese and sugar blend, this can be a healthy treat!

PRO-TIP: Add a dash of vanilla and a hint of nutmeg. You can also fold the quesadilla in half when you prepare it so it’s less messy.

Do you want to cook without exerting much effort? Pasta salad is one of the simplest dishes ever. It’s quick and easy and doesn’t require that many ingredients. You can probably make it with whatever you have in your pantry right now. Any kind of noodle works fine but I’d recommend bowtie or penne noodles. Tricolored noodles can make your meal look classier if you have them on hand!

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz noodles
4 tablespoons Italian salad dressing 
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup carrots
10-12 green cocktail olives
1/8 cup diced yellow onion 
Chopped cilantro
Romaine lettuce (2-3 leaves)
Deli meat
Salt
Ice (optional)  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fill your pot with water. Bring it up to boil and add a dash of salt. Add a box of noodles. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. 

Use your colander to drain the pasta. If you’re starving, add a few handfuls of ice cubes to the bowl of noodles. The ice will melt quickly and bring the temperature down. If you have time, you can let the noodles chill in the fridge for a little while. This step is important—few things are less appealing than hot pasta salad. 

Next, add as many toppings as you’d like. Garnish your salad with fresh cilantro sprigs, julienned carrots, sliced olives, grated Parmesan cheese, lettuce leaves and maybe a few strips of deli meat (for protein.) Add a few tablespoons of Italian salad dressing to bring the whole plate together. 

Voilà! You’ve created a cheap and delicious meal in less than 30 minutes!

PRO-TIP: There was a buy-one-get-one-free sale on Wishbone salad dressings last week! Take advantage of that! 

I’ve put together some basic, money-saving ideas. Some of these suggestions are pretty obvious at first glance, but they can be tough to follow and easy to break!

RULE #1: Restaurants are not an option.
Dining out and ordering Chinese takeout add up faster than you think. If you’re going to be on-campus for most of the day, pack a lunch. Eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday can get boring really quickly, so try to diversify your lunch choices every few days. Some delicious and cheap brown-bag lunch ideas include: make-your-own salad, pita bread with Nutella spread and Cranraisens, deli wraps, sub sandwiches, tuna and crackers, etc.

RULE #2: Price comparison shopping is a girl’s best friend.
If you have a caffeine emergency and absolutely NEED to buy that energy drink, then buy it. But don’t buy it at the Graham Oasis or at the P.O.D. Market store. Try an on-campus vending machine. Surprisingly enough, the drinks sold inside the store can be more expensive that the ones we purchase from a machine. For instance, a vended Starbucks frappuchino costs one dollar less than the frappuchinos sold at the convenience store located a dozen feet away…

RULE #3: Build a First Aid Food Kit.
Carry a stash of emergency snack supplies to treat that sudden appetite! If you have to be in the library for longer than expected it’s always awesome to have an extra granola bar, trail mix, or goldfish in your backpack. This way you won’t be tempted to spend money you shouldn’t be spending. Fight the allure of vending machines and the delicious scents of the food court.

RULE #4: Take a Thermos.
Instead of blowing $6 on a Starbucks coffee, it’d be wiser to invest in a reusable tumbler and make your own coffee at home. If you’re not a big coffee drinker then you should use a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking water helps reduce appetite so if you’re trying to stick to a diet that’s another bonus. Water helps flush toxins and impurities out of your system. Your kidneys will thank you!

PRO-TIP: Add one part water and one part Sprite to keep your flowers fresh! This Scientific American article explains how and why it works: http://tiny.cc/f8wku

I’m a sophomore public relations major at the University of Florida, looking to get a double-concentration in entrepreneurship and business administration. When I’m not studying my life away at Library West, I enjoy cooking, baking and trying new things! 

Please visit my blog for fun and easy ways to eat on a college budget! I’ll also share some general lifestyle solutions if I come across them.

Any questions? Recipe Recommendations? Crafty household fixes? I’d love to hear from you!