August 12, 2012

by Lisa Viger · Published August 13, 2012 · Updated October 3, 2019

Breakfast

Melon

serves 2 ~ $1.84 per serving

1 cantaloupe ($1.50)

2 cups watermelon ($1.00)

1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)

1 tablespoon coconut nectar or other liquid sweetener ($.18)

This
is an easy and fresh way to start the day. Just cut the cantaloupe and
watermelon into chunks. Top with chopped walnuts and a small drizzle of
coconut nectar.

Coconut
nectar is delicious. It has a pretty distinct flavor, almost like
caramel. I keep it in the fridge so it stays thick and gooey and use it
like a syrup, although it can be used in the place of any liquid
sweetener.

 

calories: 304

fat: 10 gr

carbs: 53 gr

protein: 7 gr

Lunch 

Mango Watermelon Soup

serves 4 ~ $1.95 per serving

8 cups watermelon, chopped ($2.50)

2 mangoes, chopped ($3.00)

1 large cucumber, chopped ($.50)

1 jalapeno pepper, minced ($.10)

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ($1.00)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)

juice of 1 lime ($.60)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

crushed pepper flakes (see below for how-to)

It’s
just not summer without some kind of fruit soup, and watermelon soup is
one of my favorites. I make it several time or more in a summer. I
wanted to change it up just a bit but still keep the watermelon in there
and this is what happened.

Chop
five cups of the watermelon into small, bite sized pieces. Chop and
mince the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red bell pepper, and onion and add
to a large bowl.

Put
the remaining three cups of watermelon in a blender with the olive oil,
salt, and pepper. Blend well for a few minutes. The oil will combined
with the watermelon and make a nice, creamy base for the soup. Once
blended, pour over the chopped ingredients and stir. 

Serve
with a squeeze of lime juice and some crushed pepper flakes (use
purchased crushed red pepper flakes or see below to make your own). A
small drizzle of olive oil goes well, too.

This
soup can also be served in the shell of the watermelon, as shown below.
Just take care when getting the flesh out. Use a spoon to scrape the
inside of the shell to get most of the watermelon out .. although it
doesn’t have to be perfect by any means. Cut a small flat part on the
bottom so it will stand up right, and wrap with a dish towel at the base
if you need more stability.

 

calories: 357

fat: 11 gr

carbs: 68 gr

protein: 5 gr

 Crushed Pepper Flakes

It’s simple to make crushed pepper flakes of your own like I’ve done here with some extra Jalapenos from the garden.

Just
select your favorite pepper or mix of peppers. Cut off the stem end.
Dry in the dehydrator for about 24 hours. Once entirely dry and brittle,
put the peppers in a bag and crush with a rolling pin or something
similar. These can be used in the same way as crushed red pepper flakes,
although they will look just a bit different and usually be hotter. I
like using just a pinch sprinkled on … well, on just about anything.

The flakes can be stored in a bag or jar and will remain fresh for several months or more if kept cool and very dry.

Make sure to protect your hands if they’re sensitive. And never touch or rub your face or eyes after working with peppers.

 

Dinner

Zucchini Pasta with Marinara Sauce

serves 2 ~ $1.79 per serving

2 ripe tomatoes ($1.00)

6 pieces sun dried tomatoes (see below for how) ($1.50)

1 small onion

1/2 red bell pepper ($.50)

 1 tablespoon coconut nectar ($.18)

2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)

1 teaspoon dried basil ($.10)

1 teaspoon dried oregano ($.10)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 medium zucchini, noodled and marinated ($1.00)

This
marinara sauce tastes just like I remember Spaghetti-Os tasting. I
haven’t eaten them in many years, so excuse me if my memory isn’t
totally accurate. A little bit of sweetness is the trick, I think.

Puree
the sauce ingredients in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Let
process for a few minutes until very creamy (or don’t process as long
if you like it more chunky, but it won’t be like Spaghetti-Os!).

Make
noodles in your usual way from the zucchini. I marinated mine for about
an hour in a tablespoon of the basil and oregano flavored olive oil
from last week, with a bit of salt. Serve with the marinara sauce and a
dash of basil and oregano.

 

calories: 286

fat: 15 gr

carbs: 62 gr

protein: 7 gr

Sun Dried Tomatoes

It’s so easy to make your own “sun dried” tomatoes, and they taste so much better than what you’ll find in the store.

Just
cut tomatoes in half and place on a dehydrator sheet with the skin side
down. Dehydrate for about 24 hours until leathery and deep red … they
need to be dry but still slightly pliable.

 

Because
they’re not entirely dry, for maximum freshness these are best stored
in zip lock type bags with as much air as possible removed, in the
refrigerator. The tomatoes will keep for several weeks. Check for
condensation and if there is any, pop them back into the dehydrator to
dry them a bit more.

 

Dessert

Fruit Punch Pops

serves 1 ~ $1.85

1/4 watermelon, cut into chunks ($1.25)

juice of 1 lime ($.60)

1 dropper stevia (optional)

This tastes just like fruit punch to me.

In a blender or food processor,
puree the watermelon chunks. Add the lime juice and a bit of stevia and
pulse a few times. Stevia’s are different as far as how sweet they are,
so you’ll have to experiment to find the right flavor for you.

I
like this just as it is … for a drink. But it can be frozen into
popsicles for some cold treats. Just use a popsicle mold and pour in and
freeze. To unmold, run the sides of the mold under hot water for a few
seconds and they’ll pop right out.

Also,
a quarter of a watermelon will make several popsicles. I count this as
one serving because I can eat a big pile of them. It’s really convenient
to have them in the freezer to snack on through the day.

 

calories: 294

fat: 2 gr

carbs: 74 gr

protein: 6 gr

Total cost for the day: $7.43

total calories: 1,241

total fat: 39 gr

total carb: 257 gr
total protein: 25 gr

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