Pasta with Chicken, Carrots, & Green Beans

 

Menu/Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Enriched pasta	Fiber (2 g/8%), Protein (7 g), Iron (10%), Thiamine (35%), Riboflavin (15%), Niacin (20%), Folic acid (35%)	$1
Parmesan	Protein (11 g), Vitamin A (4%), Calcium (35%), Iron (1%).	$0.35
Boneless skinless chicken breasts	Protein (27 g), Iron (5%). Good source of Vitamin B6, Phosphorus. Very good source of Protein, Niacin, Selenium	$3
Frozen green beans	Fiber (2 g/8%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (2%), Vitamin C (6%), Iron (2%), Calcium (4%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Manganese. Good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Magnesium, and Potassium.	$0.50
Fresh organic baby carrots	Vitamin A (266%), Fiber (2 g/9%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin C (5%), Iron (1%), Calcium (2%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and Manganese; good source of good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, and Potassium.	$0.50
Fresh Bartlett pears	Fiber (7 g/29%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (1%), Vitamin C (16%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%)	$1.28
Total	Fiber (13 g/54%), Protein (54 g), Iron (21%), Calcium (43%), Vitamin A (273%), Vitamin C (27%).	$6.63

Cost per person: $1.89
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Fiber and Vitamin A. Good Calcium. Fair Iron and Vitamin C. No whole grains. Recommended protein source.

Trent is out of town, so I aimed for an easy and non-confrontational dinner. It was easy to make, but there was still plenty of confrontation -- although every element was something that Nugget likes. Budget-wise it was a great meal. In terms of nutrition, I would have been better off using whole grain pasta. I knew that, and I had some, but I didn't do it. The Barilla whole grain pasta we have -- because my husband bought like 8 boxes of it at Costco -- just isn't very good. I'm willing to give another brand a try once we get through what we have. Which could be never, since I avoid using it and keep buying Garofalo white pasta. At Costco. But the Garofalo is enriched! 

Update: When I reheated the leftover pasta I added corn and more green beans--the corn at Nugget's request, and the green beans because I thought the proportions were off: too much pasta. 

I added the parmesan while heating everything on the range, and the result was delicious. A huge step up from the somewhat bland dish I'd originally served. Unfortunately sweet corn doesn't add a whole lot of nutrition. But still. Serve over whole grain pasta with some sliced oranges, and you have a perfect meal: cheap, tasty, and nutritiously balanced.

Recipe: Saute 2 diced chicken breasts in 2 T olive oil over medium-high heat until opaque. Add 1 c. diced carrots, 1 c. cut green beans, 1 c. sweet corn kernels, 1 T water, 1 T white wine vinegar, and salt; cover and simmer until cooked through. Stir in 3 c. cooked pasta, 1 T olive oil, and 1/2 c. shredded parmesan, and cook on medium-low heat another 5 to 10 minutes. Based on a recipe in this book.