my 5 favorite, EASY (and all under $5!) meals

top/pants: thrifted, blouse: bodyshop, belt: boutique in oklahoma, messy hair: hmm good question!

i didn't start cooking until about 3 years into our marriage. i blame it on the fact because i was in college & working etc. but really i just didn't know what i was doing. it's intimidating & i was worried it was too time consuming. well now i cook at least two meals a day, and i'm working, have my own business, have little sophie, husband, etc. and i still find the time to do the two a day. want to know my little secret? EASY MEALS!

usually easy meals = unhealthy meals. well i have found some things that i LOVE that are just incredibly easy & yummy.

Here's what we eat in a typical week:

1. Chicken
- bbq chicken: i cut the chicken in small pieces & cook it on the stove top. i add bbq sauce at the end.
- lemon chicken: i always just broil the chicken in the oven because for one it's easy to just throw it in there and only turn it once. for lemon chicken i buy a lemon and cut it in slices and squeeze it on the chicken.
- garlic chicken: broil it with garlic seasoning.
Sides with chicken:
- i LOVE cheap canned veggies: green beans & corn are my favorites.
- salad: we eat salad with almost every meal. I buy carrots, tomatoes, & ALWAYS croutons. I make a big salad on monday and then put the left overs in little zip lock baggies. Then each meal i empty a bag for our meal or for if i need a snack.
- brown rice. Brown rice is way better for you than white rice!

2. Potatoes
- seasoned potatoes: i use a steak seasoning or something & cut the potatoes in small pieces. (this is the best with red potatoes). I put them on a plate, season the whole thing. Then i put saran wrap over it and put it in the microwave for 10min. so easy!
- baked potatoes: yum!
- garlic potatoes with fat free ranch dressing. Cut the potatoes in small chunks, season with garlic, put them in the microwave. Put ranch on the top or on the side to dip them in.
--- I actually never eat potatoes as the main dish because of the carbs. We use them as a side dish with steak or chicken usually.

3. Viola Frozen Meals

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Yes i said FROZEN MEALS. These things are amazing. You can get them at sam's club & walmart & I'm sure a ton of other places.
our favorites are the garlic chicken & chicken Alfredo. These are only about $3-$4 and are so easy to make. You simply open the bag and put them on the stove and cover for about 10 min.
These frozen meals are real veggies, pasta, chicken, etc. they are just frozen.
I use these whenever i don't have a lot of time to cook but i still want a good meal.
These are also great ideas if you are bringing over meals for friends, people who are sick, just had a baby etc.
I love making a salad & french bread (wheat of course!) on the side.

4. Fish (well daman eats this)
I don't eat fish but my husband loves it. In the deli or meat area here at the Albertsons there is a little fridge with single servings of fish. These are the best! You can cook them in the microwave in 3 min.
Sides for fish-
- brown rice (with a little bit of garlic seasoning)
- green beans
- two slices of lemon
- garlic butter on the side

5.Whole Wheat Spaghetti
- I'm not a huge fan of red sauce so i love making spaghetti with alfredo sauce. I then steam veggies and mix it in with it. I love it with a fresh salad and some whole wheat french bread. It's good to add chicken with the pasta too!
- Daman DOES like the red sauce so i'll cook some meat, mix it in with the red sauce & then have the salad or veggies on the side.
(alfredo sauce & veggies is WAAAAY better in my opinion!!)

What easy meals do you make???