Green Pancakes

You asked for them, and here they are: The bona fide kid- and adult-pleasing spinach breakfast pancakes made famous by my food-stamp challenge article. Given that I seem to have given birth to the one kid on earth who doesn’t like smoothies, ensuring adequate vegetable consumption has been a years-long process of trial-and-error, with these being the most successful result. They don’t taste like spinach in the slightest despite being quite obviously packed with it, and the fact they’re whole wheat is barely perceptible. We always have a freezer stash of these individually wrapped and ready to just pop in the toaster (or microwave) on busy school mornings. I promise they’re cheaper and healthier than anything you could find in the grocery-store freezer aisle.

Baked bean, apple & sausage strata: $1.13/serving

Because I don’t like eggs by themselves (scrambled, fried, deviled…they all taste overwhelmingly of farts to me), brunch can be a frustrating meal. If a non-egg option even exists on the menu, which it often doesn’t, it’s either something disgustingly sweet, like powdered sugar with a side of French toast, or gut-bombingly fatty, like biscuits and gravy. (Nothing against biscuits and gravy, mind you—I would probably eat this happily every day, right up until I had to buy a new pair of pants.) This strata is a great solution for people like me: a brunch dish that’s egg-free yet flavorful, inexpensive, and a little easier on the waistline. It’s also great for dinner, or as a side dish at barbecues or potlucks.

Carrot cake muffins: 5 cents each

A few months ago, we purchased a Breville juicer with all the money we saved from not drinking this year (we did slip up a couple times in February, but we’re over the hump now). Not only is it a tangible reward for our efforts, but it’s another great way to clean out the crisper, since pretty much anything can be juiced, from lettuce and cabbage to carrots, ginger, and fruit, to make an inexpensive liquid snack. Of course, with carrots being so inexpensive (especially at Costco), that’s what we find ourselves juicing most often. This is my first time owning a juicer, and I have to admit I was surprised by now much fiber was left behind. Two cups of carrot juice can yield almost two cups of desiccated orange fluff. I started accumulating the fluff in the freezer, knowing I’d come up with a use for it eventually, and this week I finally did: these muffins. B. has declared them to be the best muffins he’s ever had, and I have to agree they’re shockingly good. I don’t know if it’s the fine texture of the carrot fluff or the amount of sugar that veers them dangerously close to unfrosted-cupcake territory, but if you have a juicer, they’re a must-try. (If you don’t have a juicer, you can probably substitute grated carrot.)

Millet muffins: 29 cents each

As you may have surmised from the title, These are New Year’s resolution muffins. Not mine, necessarily, but they’re great for anyone looking to eat healthier and incorporate more whole grains into his or her diet. Millet is packed with protein and vitamins and provides a pleasant crunch, while whole-wheat pastry flour packs a wallop of fiber while keeping the final product light and fluffy. They’re not too sweet, with just a hint of lemon—a virtue that makes for a great breakfast or snack for adults, but not necessarily one for people whose idea of “whole grains” consists of the non-marshmallow pieces in a bowl of Lucky Charms, if you get my drift.

Cranberry-orange relish muffins: 24 cents each

So, The Great Thanksgiving Fail of 2011 was my completely forgetting to put out the cranberry sauce. (My husband, who has clearly lived with me a long time, waited nearly 24 hours to divulge this information.) Because it has to sit overnight, it had gotten pushed to the very back of the fridge, its presence obscured by the sight of more urgent projects, such as two turkeys.

Not only did this leave me with an entire bowl of cranberry sauce to find a home for, but it kept me from being able to technically count it as leftovers. Thankfully, I managed to pack the majority of it in these muffins. I hate baking muffins, but these ones are particularly good, bursting with sweet-tart bits of cranberry and orange, and each one will be individually wrapped and frozen to eat for breakfasts this week. (Just microwave for 30 seconds and voilà! Fresh-out-of-the-oven taste.)

Money Saver: bulk coffee: 6 cents/cup

Life is livable without a great many things, but coffee is not one of them. Despite the fact we live in Portland, we’re pretty flexible on coffee quality. One issue we have trouble with, though, is buying pre-ground coffee that’s been properly ground in a burr grinder versus whole beans that are fresher but un-properly ground in our cheap Mr. Coffee blade grinder.

Hot oatmeal “granola” with blueberries and walnuts: 42 cents/serving

For my money, this is the best breakfast you can make for under 50 cents (and I am of the mind that breakfast should never cost more than 50 cents, including coffee).  It’s got it all—fiber, protein, antioxidants—and it’s extremely filling. Try it and your instant eye-rolling at the mention of oatmeal (that is, if you’re one of those people, which is OK, because I used to be) may be in jeopardy.