Cheap and healthy meal in 20 minute or less

Here's a cheap and healthy meal to throw together in less than 20 minutes for any day of the week.


RICE NOODLES WITH GREENS AND TOMATO SAUCE


INGREDIENTS:

1 package or box of rice noodles -$1.89-$3.99 for a package or box, use any kind you like. I used Rice Sticks which is like fettucini(you can buy them from any Asian grocery store or even the Asian section of any big box store will have them)

1 bunch of organic chard,chopped- $1.99 a bunch at Meijer in the organic section (you can use organic kale or organic spinach if you prefer)

1 package of organic mushrooms, sliced- on sale at Meijer for a $1.00 if you can catch it

1 onion sliced

4 cloves of garlic smashed

1 can of chick peas or if you prefer dried, soaked overnight, and then boiled till tender

1 can of organic tomato sauce or you can make your own if you prefer. For time restraints using canned or jarred is fine.

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil

1 tsp. oregano- add more to your liking

1 tsp. thyme- add more to your liking

salt and pepper to taste

Boil water for noodles and cook according to package instructions. Heat pan and add coconut oil. I use coconut oil as my cooking oil because it is 100% cholesterol free and one of the healthiest oils to use in your diet. It's used to treat many ailments naturally including altzheimer's. I suggest doing some research on the benefits of coconut oil so you can add it to your diet if you aren't already using it. Saute onions until tender and add garlic. Saute for a few minutes ,don't burn your garlic! Add mushrooms, chard and chick peas and saute with thyme and oregano. Add tomato sauce and water to loosen sauce or add more coconut oil. Saute all ingredients together and simmer with lid till chard is tender. Toss with noodles and add season with parmesan.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

I love Chipotle Mexican Grill, and maybe I'm preaching to the choir. But I have to throw it our there for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of going to a Chipotle yet. The company's focus is "Food With Integrity" and they go into great detail on their website. In a nutshell, they seek out the best ingredients using meats raised naturally(animals raised humanely, free roaming, never given antibiotics or added hormones and fed a vegetarian diet), source organic and locally grown produce when practical, and use dairy from cows raised without the use of synthetic hormones. This is a quite unusual concept for fast food and certainly for any dining out experience. I have found very few restaurants in the area that use such high quality ingredients. Some people think eating at a fine dining restaurant and spending $150 on a meal for two is "high quality", but I beg to differ. This company hand picks the farms the animals are raised on, as well as the farms the produce is grown. You just can't beat that! This blog is about getting the best for less and that is why I highly recommend you go to Chipotle Mexican Grill.
So here's what to expect when you walk into a Chipotle: You walk up to the counter and see all the ingredients laid out in front of you. You have the option of a burrito, bowl, taco or salad. I personally always get the bowl, I feel like you get more food that way, and it's easier to eat than a burrito. But, it is a matter of preference. First, a layer of cilantro lime rice, white or brown. Second on the list is black beans or pinto beans. Next is the meat, which is marinated and then grilled. Your choices are shredded beef, steak, chicken or pork. The next choice you have to make is what kind of salsa you would like. The four options are, tomato, tomatillo-red, tomatillo-green, and roasted chili corn. Finally, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and lettuce. Oh, and I almost forgot the grilled veggies(green peppers and onions). They assemble your burrito, bowl , taco or salad with all your toppings and viola! You now have a substantial, healthy, fast meal all for under $7.00! If you want more information on the company and it's menu, check out the website @ www.chipotle.com

If you live in the Metro-Detroit area there are 8 locations to choose from:

2611 Rochester Rd.
Rochester Hills
(248)853-2850

84 North Adams Rd.
Rochester Hills
(248)402-0047

3129 Crooks Rd.
Troy
(248)816-5103

28644 Telegraph Rd.
Southfield
(248)415-4301

32824 Woodward Ave.
Royal Oak
(248)658-3100

26147 Evergreen Rd.
Southfield
(248)353-3448

13975 Lakeside Circle
Sterling Heights
(586)532-1139

6753 Orchard Lake Rd.
W.Bloomfield
(248)539-1094

You must see the movie "Samsara"

We just rented the movie "Samsara" , which was released on DVD in January ,from our local library. This is the best way to see movies for free. They have new releases , as well as foreign films, documentaries and most of the previously released movies as well. I think the selection at the library is actually better than the video store. The best part is that it is FREE, as long as you return it when it is due. If not, you will pay a $1.00 fine and this is still better than renting from the video store.

"Samsara" is a movie with amazing and exciting cinematography, no dialogue and minimal music. The images speak for themselves. You feel like you are being teleported to the location of the videographer. To see places that you may never visit in your entire life gives you a sense of satisfaction. It's as if you have been let in on a secret and now you can move on. Yet, as you are visually stimulated ,frame after frame, you crave more.

This is what the official website says:

"Prepare yourself for an unparalleled sensory experience. SAMSARA reunites director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films BARAKA and CHRONOS were acclaimed for combining visual and musical artistry.

SAMSARA is a Sanskrit word that means “the ever turning wheel of life” and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, SAMSARA transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, SAMSARA subverts our expectations of a traditional documentary, instead encouraging our own inner interpretations inspired by images and music that infuses the ancient with the modern."

"SAMSARA explores the wonders of our world from the mundane to the miraculous, looking into the unfathomable reaches of man’s spirituality and the human experience. Neither a traditional documentary nor a travelogue, SAMSARA takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation. Through powerful images, the film illuminates the links between humanity and the rest of nature, showing how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet."

- http://barakasamsara.com/samsara/about

Check out the official website for more info