Hey! I got laid off; good cheap recipes?

[ozymandias]

My disease has forced me to miss days at work, and I was very unexpectedly terminated today. My symptoms seem to be exacerbated by stress, so I'm working hard on staying positive and finding ways to get through this.

Now, with extra time, I can cook a bit more, and I'd like to find a few recipes that are: (1) relatively easy to make (I'm a novice at cooking), (2) cheap, (3) won't interact negatively with my stomach.

My individual sensitivities include most diary products, most raw vegetables, and anything over "mild" on a spicy scale.

Taste isn't a large consideration. At this point, I'll eat anything, as long as it doesn't upset my intestines. I've lost 50 lbs (195->145) in the past year, mostly because I just can't find the appetite. Maybe you can help me change that .

 

[Tuff]

I'm short on cash myself at the moment, and have been googling cheap recipes. I'm vegetarian though. You can try substituting rice or soy milk for dairy products in some recipes if dairy bothers you. Here's one site I found: http://www.recipelion.com/Budget-Friendly-Recipes/25-Poor-Man-Cheap-Meals-and-Frugal-Recipes

For breakfast, I do oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs, or toast. Lunch is usually leftovers. Dinners consist of soups, casseroles, pasta, fried rice and spring rolls, perogies, occasional homemade pizza or lasagna. I buy frozen vegetables and use them in everything. Potatoes are cheap and filling. To gain weight have snacks several times a day. Peanut butter on crackers. Hard cheese if you can digest it. Canned fruit. Vegetable oil and margarine are over 100 calories per tablespoon. Good luck.

 

[autumn_rose]

Sorry to hear that you're having such difficulties!

I'm also on a tight budget, and my meals are made very simple. This is not only due to a tight budget, but also because I try to stick to whole foods. So I usually have a smoothie once a day (I vary the variety- check my youtube channel in my signature for a cherry-berry smoothie that is very good), because I can buy frozen fruit and veggies from the Dollar Tree (store where everything is a dollar, I don't know if you have them, but smoothies are still a cheap, yet nourishing, meal sub), then for my main meal I have primarily lean protein (chicken, or whatever is on sale for cheapest) that I buy in bulk packs and portion into ziplock bags for freezing individual portions. Along side the protein, I have one or two cooked veggies. My favorites are cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, or green beans. The simpler the recipe, the cheaper the meal ;-) Oh, there's a little video on my favorite way to cook chicken on my channel as well. I hope this at least gives you some ideas! Take care, and hang in there.
-Autumn

 

[lenny]

Lentils are extremely cheap and my son does fine with the red ones. You can use them to make loaves, soups, hummus..

 

[SmellyMelly]

I have missed some work too. It is hard to balance work and illness.

Bone Broths are very cheap. And healing. I will post my exact recipe later for you. I am actually a vegetarian, so to start on the bone broths has been challenging. But they help so much, that I have just accepted the change and gone with the flow.

Otherwise smoothies are very cheap and filling. You just need a blender. I have a Vitamix, but you can easily pick up cheaper blenders from garage sales. Start off with something soothing like blended ripe paw paw and water, and add spinach later once you adjust to the fiber.

http://www.healthysmoothiehq.com/digestive-issues-smoothies-rescue

Healing nourishing homemade soups are your best bet for a cheap meal that is easy to digest.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/blogs/real-food.aspx

 

[SmellyMelly]

Here is my Bone Broth Recipe:

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=70314

* It is very cheap to make and you can get several drinks out of it - or use it as a base for homemade soup which is also very cheap.

* Although I use organic produce - so I make it more expensive.

If you start to struggle financially, I suggest buying: HARD TIMES HANDBOOK by Keith & Irene Smith

OR signing up to the Mother Earth newsletter: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food.aspx

Both have helped me in times of unemployment / financial stresses.

Otherwise lentils, dahl, chickpeas, pulses and dried beans are extremely cheap - although some C&UC sufferers have to be careful with these. If you soak the dried versions for 6 - 12 hours prior before cooking - they are easier to digest and you will produce less wind

Old fashioned oat groats are cheap and nutritious way to make porridge.

Potatoes can easily be grown in a bag on a balcony or patio, if you don't have a garden:

http://www.gardensonline.com.au/GardenShed/Articles/Show_48.aspx

And you can make loads of things with potatoes - baked chips (french fries), mashed, boiled, baked in jacket, soup, or fritters when mixed with egg.....all cheap and filling.

If you can handle rice, one of the cheapest and nicest plain recipes is: boiled rice with a little real butter and a touch of salt and pepper. Add some wilted kale for extra nutrition.

 

[teddytutu2017]

Scrambled eggs and mashed pumpkin, either separately or together. Cheap and filling. And gentle on digestion.

 

[Chrohn's Patient]

I have Crohn's and have been on the low fodmap diet for 3 years now. I have a website I use to share my recipes. They're are all easy, cheap, and will help your GI health. Check it out: www[dot]fodmaponthefly[dot]com

 

[Bufford]

For breakfast I like having one boiled egg along with a piece of toast and a banana. Lunch is small usually just a bit of meat left over from supper, or lunch meat and fresh fruit and some pasta salad.

For supper try cooking up a roast chicken. It will provide for several meals and for making lunch. I enjoy a cold drumstick for lunch. One can use the left over carcass for soup.

 

[Botros]

Infusing your dish with magic truffles/mushroom will certainly give you a different kind of satisfaction. But not everyone can be that adventurous and has guts to experiment specially when it comes on something they eat. I came across this article about a very common dish infuse with mushroom trufflemagic.com/blog/magic-mushroom-risotto-recipes/

 

[TK83]

If you e got a slow cooker there are loads of recipes online and it's really easy to use. You can substitute things you know set your tummy off and bulk things out with lentils or beans. You can cook in bulk and freeze the rest making it cheaper

 

[Bufford]

Buy whole chicken when its on sale, or if possible buy live from the farm and process them yourself as we have that option in the rural areas. Heating with wood keeps the oil delivery truck away. There are many ways to save money, but back to that chicken;

Chicken is versatile, it will provide for a good hot meal on the first day and then provide plenty of options for lunches and suppers. Cold chicken is good on its own or to make for a good sandwich.
I'll take left overs and add some mayonnaise and make a cold lunch sandwich, or a hot chicken sandwich for supper with gravy on bread.
The left over carcass will make good soup. Add in vegetable such as carrots and onions, and simmer for hours. Add in some seasonings to taste, a little extra chicken bouillon to liven up flavor.