Best Yummy Food

Serving Size  : 8     Preparation Time :0:25

Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–      ————    ——————————–
  1              teaspoon  salt
     1/4      teaspoon  ground thyme
     1/4      teaspoon  ground sage
     1/4      teaspoon  paprika
     1/4      teaspoon  pepper
  2             pounds  American Lamb leg — boned, rolled and tied (2 to 2 1/2)
  4                     whole wheat pita bread rounds — split
  2                     tomatoes — sliced
  2                     cups  spinach leaves
                        Yogurt Topping

Combine salt, thyme, sage, paprika and pepper. Rub spice mixture into
roast.

Place roast on rack in roasting pan. Roast in 325ºF oven for 1 hour or to
desired degree of doneness: 145ºF for medium-rare, 160ºF for medium or 170ºF for well. Remove from oven; cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Internal temperature will rise approximately 10 degrees.

Line pita pockets with spinach leaves and tomato slices. Thinly slice lamb and fill pitas. Dollop generously with yogurt topping.

Source:
  Recipe provided by the American Lamb Board 

Start to Finish Time:
  “1:30″
                                    – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 324 Calories; 17g Fat (46.2%
calories from fat); 21g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 64mg Cholesterol; 519mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat.

Cost for Family of Four:  $12.88

Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–      ————  ——————————–
  1                   cup  plain low-fat yogurt — (8 ounces)
     1/2           cup  chopped cucumber
     1/4           cup  chopped green onion
     1/4           cup  chopped seeded tomato
  2                   tablespoons  fresh oregano or cilantro — snipped
  1                   tablespoon  chopped fresh mint or 3/4 teaspoons dried
                        mint — crushed
     1/4           teaspoon  ground cumin
     1/4           teaspoon  black pepper

In bowl combine all ingredients. Cover and chill until serving time. If
desired, topping may be prepared for 6 to 8 hours ahead and chilled until
serving time.

Source:
  Recipe provided by the American Lamb Board  

                                    – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 189 Calories; 4g Fat (19.9%
calories from fat); 14g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 15mg
Cholesterol; 184mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1
Vegetable; 1 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat.

Cost Per Family of Four: $9.92
(note: this is for the entire recipe – you will use much less than this as a condiment)

When we talk about yummy delicious grains, two very important words must be spoken:“whole grain”. For the most quality and nutritional bang for the buck, whenever you are working with a grain product, try to get as much whole grain into the recipe as possible.

What is a whole grain? There are basically three parts of a grain: bran, germ and endosperm. A grain is said to be refined when the bran and germ are removed during milling. It is considered to be whole grain when all three parts of the grain kernel are intact.

When purchasing a whole grain product, look for the word “whole” on the package and in the ingredient list. You want the first items in the ingredient list to be the whole grain you are purchasing. Also, while you are looking at that nutritional label, it is best if you can get 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving from the product.
Here’s a list of some very yummy whole grains:

• Whole grain barley
• Brown rice
• Buckwheat
• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Millet
• Oatmeal
• Popcorn
• Whole-wheat bread, pasta, crackers, sandwich buns and rolls, tortillas, and cereal flakes (ready-to-eat breakfast cereal)
• Wild rice
• Whole-wheat flour
• Whole cornmeal
• Muesli (ready-to-eat breakfast cereal)
• Whole grain cornmeal
• Whole rye
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Sorghum
• Triticale

When you think of trying to add more grains into the diet, give these a try.  The nutritional value will be well worth a few pennies more.

Welcome to Best Yummy Food.  Let’s take a journey together.  We’re going to find out if it is possible to prepare yummy delicious quality food on a budget.  The premise for this site is fairly simple.  All things have  a triple constraint and in our case we are considering cost, time and quality as the triple constraint.  You can have two of the three.

Which means if we are seeking quality food at low cost, then it will require time from us.  Time to research, time to prepare, and time to noodle over whether this is working or not.  We will explore these options through recipes, menus, discussions about food quality, and cost comparisons based on a family of four.

When we talk about quality of our food, we are talking about yumminess as a factor, which is entirely subjective.  We will also be talking about degrees of excellence and what distinguishes one kind of food over another.  Nutritional value will certainly be a part of the discussion.

When we talk about cost, for a family of four we are budgeting $800 per month for food.  If we can get it down to $650 we will have accomplished a lot. 

Finally, to accomplish this feat will mean preparation on your part.  You’ll have to shop for bargains, shop seasonally, and prepare a lot of meals at home.  No fast food or 30 minute meals on this website unless it is by accident.  Sorry, but that is how the triple constraint works.

Ready to give it a try?  I hope you’ll come back often to find new ideas for you and your family.  In the mean time, thanks for stopping by and go out and have something yummy delicious today.