Tuna Salad with Carrots and Sunflower Seeds, Bread, Apples

A light and easy dinner before trick-or-treating. Cheap, but not as nutritious as I'd like. And unfortunately not very filling. I was starving and scarfed down some cheese a few minutes ago. Guess I should have included cheese in the meal, as I considered. Would've helped my calcium grade. I meant to put cabbage in the tuna salad, which would have added Vitamin C, but forgot. I was very happy with the tuna salad though. I've been searching for a way to make tuna salad without the crunch and moisture of celery, which Trent dislikes, and this fit the bill. I'll have to make it again with the cabbage.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Chunk white albacore tuna canned in water	Protein (26 g), Iron (5%), Vitamin D (12%), Niacin (60%), Vitamin B6 (20%), Vitamin B12 (20%), Selenium (180%)	$1.50
Fresh organic baby carrots	Fiber (1%), Vitamin A (30%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and Manganese.	$0.25
Sunflower seeds	Fiber (1 g/5%), Protein (2 g), Calcium (1%), Iron (3%). Very good source of Vitamin E.	$0.33
Light mayonnaise made with olive oil	Vitamin A (1%)	$0.25
Homemade bread (with Eagle Mills’ blend of white and whole grain flour)	Fiber (2 g/8%), Protein (4 g), Iron (4%), Thiamin (6%), Riboflavin (2%), Niacin (4%), Folic acid (2%)	$0.27
Jonagold apples	Fiber (4 g/17%), Vitamin A (2%), Vitamin C (14%), Calcium (1%), Iron (1%).	$0.91
Total	Fiber (7 g/31%), Protein (32 g), Iron (29%), Calcium (2%), Vitamin A (33%), Vitamin C (14%).	$3.51

Cost per person: $1.40
Nutritional Goals: Good Vitamin A; Fair Fiber, Iron, and Vitamin C; Poor Calcium. One serving of whole grains. Fish as protein.

Potato Leek Soup, Bread, and Blueberry Apple Pie a la mode

It feels a little wrong to count the calcium and vitamins from the ice cream, but whatevs. I'll take my nutrition where I can get it. Notice that it is the greatest single source of protein in this meal ...

But what happened to my blueberries! Apparently freezing vitamin C causes much greater losses than for any other vitamin or mineral. So much for all those frozen blueberries I stockpiled.

After putting all the components of the soup together and tasting it I was not too happy, so I decided to steam some carrots and add them in. After sitting down to eat, I found I liked the soup more than my initial taste, and the carrots really didn't work. Oh well. They rescued my Vitamin A grade.

I think I will just avoid any recipe that requires peeling fruits and vegetables with edible peels. It really killed me on the fiber and iron here to lose the apple and potato peels. I often ignore that instruction, e.g. when making mashed potatoes, but I didn't think it would work in the soup or pie to leave the peel.

All in all this was a pretty lackluster meal nutritionally, and it ended up being over budget. On the other hand, my pie was delicious.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Russet potatoes (no peel)	Fiber (2 g/9%), Protein (3 g), Iron (3%), Vitamin C (33%), Calcium (1%). Good source of Vitamin B6, Potassium, and Copper.	$1.13
Leeks	Fiber (1 g/2%), Vitamin A (9%), Vitamin C (6%), Calcium (2%), Iron (3%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Folate, and Manganese.	$2.15
Organic chicken broth	Protein (1 g). Good source of Niacin, Vitamin B12, and Selenium.	$2.75
Fresh organic baby carrots	Fiber (2%), Vitamin C (1%), Vitamin A (61%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and Manganese.	$0.50
Homemade bread (with Eagle Mills’ blend of white and whole grain flour)	Fiber (2 g/8%), Protein (4 g), Iron (4%), Thiamin (6%), Riboflavin (2%), Niacin (4%), Folic acid (2%)	$0.55
Jonagold apples (no peel)	Fiber (1 g/5%), Vitamin A (1%), Vitamin C (7%), Calcium (1%).	$1.37
Frozen blueberries	Fiber (1 g/5%), Vitamin C (2%). Good source of Manganese; very good source of Vitamin K.	$2
Frozen pie crust	Protein (1 g), Iron (2%).	$0.77
Light vanilla ice cream	Protein (6 g), Vitamin A (8%), Vitamin C (4%), Calcium (20%)	$1.75
Total	Fiber (7 g/31%), Protein (15 g), Iron (12%), Calcium (24%), Vitamin A (79%), Vitamin C (53%).	Soup: $1.87/person Bread: $0.11/person Pie: $1.18/person

Cost per person: $3.16
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Vitamin A and C; Fair Fiber, Iron, and Calcium. One serving of whole grains. No major protein source.


Recipes:
Potato leek soup (I used a couple T of olive oil instead of the butter, and only 2 lb of potatoes as recommended by reviewers)
Artisan bread in five minutes a day (this site may change your life)
Apple blueberry pie: Mix 2 cups frozen blueberries, 3 peeled and chopped apples, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/4 c. cornstarch, 1 tsp. cinnamon, juice of 1 lemon, and 1/4 tsp. salt; pour into frozen pie crust; bake 35 minutes at 400 degrees; rest 1 hour.

Grilled Cheese, Succotash, and Oranges

"That grilled cheese was so good. Did you do something different?"
"I used butter."

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Frozen baby lima beans	Fiber (5 g/20%), Protein (6 g), Vitamin A (3%), Vitamin C (11%), Iron (10%), Calcium (3%). Very good source of Manganese.	$1
Frozen sweet corn	Fiber (2 g/4%), Protein (2 g), Vitamin A (2%), Vitamin C (6%), Iron (2%).	$1
Canned organic tomatoes	Fiber (1 g/4%), Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (20%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%), Selenium (50%), Folate (5%)	$0.96
Whole grain multigrain bread (Dave’s Killer)	Fiber (10 g/36%), Protein (12 g), Calcium (4%), Iron (14%), Thiamin (24%), Riboflavin (6%), Niacin (14%), Folic acid (6%), Vitamin B6 (7%), Vitamin K (2%), Zinc (10%), Manganese (90%), Copper (14%), Phosphorous (20%), Selenium (46%), Magnesium (18%), Pantothenic acid (4%)	$1.03
Aged extra sharp white cheddar (Tillamook)	Protein (21 g), Vitamin A (18%), Calcium (60%), Iron (6%).	$0.50
Fresh valencia oranges	Fiber (3 g/12%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (6%), Vitamin C (98%), Calcium (5%), Iron (1%). Good source of Thiamin, Folate and Potassium.	$1.57
Total	Fiber (21 g/76%), Protein (42 g), Iron (35%), Calcium (74%), Vitamin A (39%), Vitamin C (235%).	$6.06

Cost per person: $2.42
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Vitamin C, Fiber, and Calcium; Good Vitamin A and Iron. Two servings of whole grains. Beans as protein source. Vegetarian. 


Succotash recipe here (I use 2 or 3 T of olive oil instead of the butter)

p.s. Can you tell I bought a gigantic box of oranges at Costco? I think I won't do that again ...

Mediterranean Scramble and Oranges

I needed to use up that spinach I made that no one liked, and eggs seemed like the perfect vehicle. I made "hash browns" by chopping potatoes into skinny little pieces and sauteeing them in olive oil, and added the leftover spinach/feta/garlic/onion, a can of tomatoes, and some scrambled eggs. I would have added more feta while cooking but I was being nice to Trent. I just piled it on my own plate after the fact, and man was it good. Feta is the perfect addition to these flavors.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Russet potatoes (with skin, chopped and sauteed in olive oil)	Fiber (4 g/15%), Protein (4 g), Iron (10%), Vitamin C (28%), Calcium (3%). Good source of Vitamin B6, Potassium.	$0.38
Frozen spinach (sauteed in olive oil with garlic and feta)	Fiber (5 g/18%), Protein (6 g), Vitamin A (366%), Vitamin C (14%), Calcium (20%), Iron (16%). Very good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.	$0.50
Feta	Protein (7 g), Vitamin A (6%), Calcium (10%). Good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, and Phosphorus.	$0.70
Canned organic tomatoes	Fiber (1 g/4%), Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (20%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%), Selenium (50%), Folate (5%)	$0.96
Fresh organic eggs	Protein (17 g), Vitamin A (15%), Calcium (10%), Iron (10%). Good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, and Phosphorus; very good source of Selenium.	$1.56
Fresh valencia oranges	Fiber (3 g/12%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (6%), Vitamin C (98%), Calcium (5%), Iron (1%). Good source of Thiamin, Folate and Potassium.	$1.05
Total	Fiber (13 g/49%), Protein (42 g), Iron (39%), Calcium (40%), Vitamin A (397%), Vitamin C (160%).	$5.15

Cost per person: $2.06
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Vitamin A and Vitamin C; Good Fiber, Iron, and Calcium. No whole grains. Vegetarian.
I am sort of cheating by dividing the total cost of the ingredients by 2.5 because I didn't even bother serving this to Nugget. He is really down on eggs lately. Serving him his own meal goes against the feeding philosophy I've adopted, but I had a bunch of other leftovers and he's been sick and I knew there was no way he'd eat this but I wanted to make it for myself so ... Anyway, there was enough left over after Trent and I were satiated that he could have eaten, so I think dividing by 2.5 was justified. Especially since I fed the leftovers to the dog. Who has been acting like we starve her lately and was most appreciative.

Contentment

Turkey Carrot Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Spinach, Oranges

 Trent was pleased when I told him I'd be making meatloaf today. It's one of his favorite foods. I didn't mention that it would be turkey-carrot meatloaf. 

But as it turned out, he liked it. Or a least, he liked it more than the spinach. Poor Trent. I don't think he is as enthusiastic about my new nutritionist hobby as I am. And even I didn't care for the spinach. I sauteed it with a little olive oil, garlic, and feta, which sounded good in theory but the result was a little too ... spinachy.

Nugget ate virtually nothing. I planned the meal on the assumption that he'd eat the mashed potatoes and oranges, but he has been fickle about mashed potatoes lately, and tonight they were tantamount to monkey brains. On the other hand, he actually ate a few bites of meatloaf. Generously doused in ketchup, but still.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Lean ground turkey	Protein (22 g), Iron (10%). Good source of Niacin, very good source of Selenium.	$3
Fresh organic baby carrots	Fiber (2%), Vitamin C (1%), Vitamin A (61%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and Manganese.	$0.25
Fresh parsley	Fiber (1%), Vitamin A (17%), Vitamin C (22%), Calcium (1%), Iron (3%). Very good source of Vitamin K, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese.	$0.35
Fresh white onion	Vitamin C (3%).	$1.03
Potatoes (with skins) (mashed with butter, buttermilk)	Fiber (4 g/15%), Protein (4 g), Iron (10%), Vitamin C (28%), Calcium (3%). Good source of Vitamin B6, Potassium.	$1.13
Butter	Vitamin A (9%)	$0.59
Buttermilk	Protein (1 g), Vitamin C (1%), Calcium (4%). Very good source of Riboflavin. Good source of Vitamin B12, Phosphorous.	$0.60
Frozen spinach (sauteed with garlic and feta)	Fiber (5 g/18%), Protein (6 g), Vitamin A (366%), Vitamin C (14%), Calcium (20%), Iron (16%). Very good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.	$1
Feta	Protein (7 g), Vitamin A (6%), Calcium (10%). Good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, and Phosphorus.	$1.40
Fresh valencia oranges	Fiber (3 g/12%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (6%), Vitamin C (98%), Calcium (5%), Iron (1%). Good source of Thiamin, Folate and Potassium.	$3.04
Total	Fiber (13 g/48%), Protein (41 g), Iron (40%), Calcium (43%), Vitamin A (395%), Vitamin C (167%).	$12.39

Cost per person: $2.07
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Vitamin A and Vitamin C; Good Fiber, Calcium, and Iron. 

Turkey carrot meatloaf recipe here

Hummus & Feta Quesadillas, Carrots, and Smoothies

A quick and easy dinner designed to use up some of the perishables I had sitting around.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Whole wheat tortillas	Fiber (3 g/12%), Protein (4 g), Calcium (8%), Iron (6%)	$0.90
Hummus	Fiber (1 g/5%), Protein (2 g), Vitamin C (4%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%). Good source of Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Copper; very good source of Manganese.	$0.47
Feta	Protein (7 g), Vitamin A (6%), Calcium (10%). Good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, and Phosphorus.	$1.40
Canned organic tomatoes	Fiber (1 g/4%), Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (20%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%), Selenium (50%), Folate (5%)	$0.96
Fresh white onion	Vitamin C (3%).	$0.27
Fresh cilantro	Vitamin A (5%), Vitamin C (2%)	$0.69
Fresh lime juice	Vitamin C (1%)	$0.20
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
Bananas	Fiber (2 g/8%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (1%), Vitamin C (12%). Good source of Potassium and Manganese; very good source of Vitamin B6.	$0.26
Almond milk	Fiber (1 g/4%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (10%), Calcium (45%), Iron (4%), Vitamin D (25%), Vitamin E (50%), Riboflavin (2%), Phosphorous (2%), Magnesium (4%), Zinc (2%), Copper (4%), Manganese (6%)	$0.95
Canned pineapple juice, fortified	Fiber (1 g/2%), Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (120%), Vitamin E (10%), Iron (4%), Calcium (4%)	$1.10
Frozen strawberries	Fiber (3 g/13%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (1%), Vitamin C (102%), Calcium (2%), Iron (6%). Good source of Folate, Potassium. Very good source of Manganese.	$1
Total	Fiber (15 g/61%), Protein (17 g), Iron (25%), Calcium (75%), Vitamin A (310%), Vitamin C (269%).	$8.70

Cost per person: $2.90
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Fiber; Fair Iron. One serving of whole grains. Vegetarian. Beans as protein source. 

Hummus Quesadilla recipe here (scroll down to #25).

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry with Steamed Rice and Smoothies

Stir-fried chicken and bell peppers and/or broccoli with steamed rice has been a favorite easy meal for Trent and I for a long time. More recently, I've been making it with a sauce from Food Network's Paula Deen that vastly improved the taste. Trent says he could eat this every day.

My plan was to make it with some frozen bell peppers I bought a while back, but I found some giant fresh red bell peppers at Albertson's for 50 cents apiece. Love a good deal on fresh produce.

After I'd laid everything out ready to be cooked when I got home with Nugget, Trent called to see if I minded if he stayed at work for a dinner meeting. So after Nugget and I ate, I made some more rice and mixed it up with the leftovers to refrigerate overnight. Tomorrow I'll stir fry it in some oil and add a couple scrambled eggs, for chicken fried rice.

Ingredient	Nutrition	Cost
Boneless skinless chicken breasts	Protein (27 g), Iron (5%). Good source of Vitamin B6, Phosphorus. Very good source of Protein, Niacin, Selenium	$3
Fresh red bell peppers	Fiber (2 g/7%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (55%), Vitamin C (271%), Calcium (1%), Iron (3%)	$1
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 white onion	Vitamin C (3%)	$0.27
Canned water chestnuts	Fiber (1 g/3%), Vitamin C (2%). Good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.	$1
Chow mein noodles	Fiber (1 g/4%), Protein (3 g), Iron (4%). Good source of Manganese and Selenium.	$0.10
Jasmine rice	Good source of Manganese and Selenium.	$1.26
Toasted sesame seeds	Fiber (1%), Calcium (2%), Iron (2%). Very good source of Copper and Manganese	$0.40
Almond milk	Fiber (1 g/4%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (10%), Calcium (45%), Iron (4%), Vitamin D (25%), Vitamin E (50%), Riboflavin (2%), Phosphorous (2%), Magnesium (4%), Zinc (2%), Copper (4%), Manganese (6%)	$0.95
Canned pineapple juice, fortified	Fiber (1 g/2%), Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (120%), Vitamin E (10%), Iron (4%), Calcium (4%)	$1.10
Frozen strawberries	Fiber (3 g/13%), Protein (1 g), Vitamin A (1%), Vitamin C (102%), Calcium (2%), Iron (6%). Good source of Folate, Potassium. Very good source of Manganese.	$1
Total	Fiber (11 g/43%), Protein (34 g), Iron (21%), Calcium (56%), Vitamin A (342%), Vitamin C (383%).	$10.58

Cost per person: $2.27
Nutritional Goals: Excellent Calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C; Good Fiber; Fair Iron. No whole grains.


I’m really amazed that there was more protein in the vegetarian meal I made on Tuesday than in this chicken dish. And while I knew white rice was pretty empty nutritionally, I was still floored by just how little it added to the meal. I guess we are going to have to give brown rice a try, though I’ve never liked it much in the past. At least Nugget doesn’t even eat white rice at the moment, so it’s not like I’ll be giving up a source of calories for him. For the moment, though, I’ve got most of a 10 lb bag of Jasmine rice to plow through. 



Recipes

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry. Toasted sesame seeds are a tasty and nutritious addition. I recommend doubling the soy sauce (if you're not worried about sodium).
Smoothies:  2 c. almond milk, 1.5 c. pineapple juice, 2 c. frozen strawberries blended, yields 3 servings. Adding some bananas would make this even better, but I didn't have any. 

Excited about the smoothie, chow mein noodles, and carrots, which is all he ate