WOW!  I spent last week in Jamaica and I can honestly say that it was amazing!  The weather and resort was nothing short of phenomenal.  Even though I had to work during the day I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I did run into a couple of issues on the technical side which made my zesty time limited.  The internet was very slow to the point where it was useless.  It was nice to take a break at the same time as I had all the posts scheduled before I left.

I arrived home yesterday and I am somewhat relaxed but tired at the same time. Today’s post is not about food as much as it is about my recap of last week including pictures of the resort along with some restaurant pictures.

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Can we eat healthy and not break the bank?  Recently I wrote an article about grocery prices going out of control and I still believe that is the case.  However, there are still some great foods that will not break the bank and offer you lots of nutrition.  I compiled a list of my top 7 and I would love for you to add other ones you may think of just in the comments section.

Foods under $1 Per Serving

1.  Oats

High in fiber and complex carbohydrates, oats have also been shown to lower cholesterol. And they sure are cheap—a dollar will buy you more than a week’s worth of hearty breakfasts.

Serving suggestions: Sprinkle with nuts and fruit in the morning, make oatmeal cookies for dessert.

2.  Eggs

You can get about a half dozen of eggs for a dollar, making them one of the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein.

Serving suggestions: Poached Eggs for breakfast, egg salad sandwiches for lunch, and frittatas for dinner.

3.  Kale

This dark, leafy green is loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium. Like most greens, it is usually a dollar a bunch.

Serving suggestions: Chop up some kale and add to your favorite stir-fry or pasta dish.

4.  Potatoes

Because we often see potatoes at their unhealthiest—as fries or chips—we don’t think of them as nutritious, but they definitely are. Eaten with the skin on, potatoes contain almost half a day’s worth of Vitamin C, and are a good source of potassium. If you opt for sweet potatoes or yams, you’ll also get a good wallop of beta carotene. Plus, they’re dirt cheap and have almost endless culinary possibilities.

Serving suggestions: Try Easy Breakfast Potatoes; sweet potato fries for dinner, or stuffed baked potatoes.

5.  Apples

I’m fond of apples because they’re inexpensive, easy to find, come in portion-controlled packaging, and taste good. They are a good source of pectin—a fiber that may help reduce cholesterol—and they have the antioxidant Vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.

Serving suggestions: Plain; as applesauce; or in baked goods like Apple Granola Muffins.

6.  Bananas

At a local grocery store, I found bananas for about 19¢ apiece; a dollar gets you a banana a day for the workweek. High in potassium and fiber (9 grams for one), bananas are a no-brainer when it comes to eating your five a day quotient of fruits and veggies.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, by themselves, in cereal and yogurt.

7.  Beans

With beans, you’re getting your money’s worth and then some. Not only are they a great source of protein and fiber, but ’bonzos are also high in fiber, iron, folate, and manganese, and may help reduce cholesterol levels. And if you don’t like one type, try another—black, lima, lentils … the varieties are endless. Though they require soaking and cooking, the most inexpensive way to purchase these beans is in dried form; a precooked can will still only run you around a buck.

Serving suggestions: In salads, by themselves, or even in dips.

Let me know your thoughts on this as I really think it a a valuable post just to reiterate to you that we can still eat healthy and cut costs.  Have a great day and add your comments and tell me some other food items.

Take care

zesty

Another week has passed… and it is time for another installment of Zesty’s favorites of the week.  For this week I am doing a few return picks as well as a few new blogs that I have been checking out.  I think you will enjoy the line-up for this week.

I find this weeks selections have a lot of variety in both personality and style. Let me know what you think by dropping a comment and checking out these great blogs.

1. EzraPoundCake - If you love great recipes and a great blog… in addition to stunning photography, this one is a must see.  Simply Amazing!  Check out the sauce on these muffins.
2. Eating Bender - As a self-described “Lazy Chef,” Jenn of eating bender works to balance a crazy college schedule with the desire to create fast, easy and delicious recipes. You can see how Jenn gets in the culinary mood for fall by checking out this link.
3. Katheats - If you didn’t already know, Kath is a huge lover of Oatmeal… check this bowl out, it will knock your socks off!
4. VeggieGirl - Overall, a great blog with great veggie recipes. Talk about a cool post…. check out how to multi task.
5. Creative Confectionary - All I can say is WOW.  This blog is something else.  Witty and funny writing style, complimented by great recipes and a fun atmosphere.  Jennifer really has the whole package.  For some great Candy Corn Halloween Cupcakes visit today!
6. Carrots and Cake - Soon to have a feature post on Zesty…. I just love this blog.  Any leftover apples aching to be baked.  Check out this sweet little treat.
7. Care to Eat - A great duo of Andrea and Erin.  Talk about fun and exciting to read.  I suggest everyone follow this blog, you will not be disappointed!  Simple ideas, great philosophy  - truly a must see.
8. Megans Munchies - full of a variety of recipes, food finds, and food blog fun. Megan loves to be creative and come up with unique flavor and texture combinations when playing in the kitchen. As an added bonus, she tries to make all her recipes as healthy as possible!  Be sure to check out this special treat
9. Kitchen Table Medicine - Did you know that squash was a ’super food’
   
10. Southern Plate - Check out some old fashion American Macaroni and Cheese

Zesty Tip: When using Herbs - remember dried herbs should cook for a long period of time to maximize the flavor and fresh herbs should be used at the very end of the cooking process.

I hope everybody has a safe and happy Halloween in addition to a generic Happy Friday.  I look forward to another fun and exciting week… until next week.

Take care

Zesty

Happy Friday everyone! Well folks another week has passed and more food has been consumed. How is everybody doing?  As you know, I started a ritual last week where every Friday I would feature some excellent food blogs and display some of the great content around the world.

Before we get started, I have to first say a special thank you. I received the “Premio Arte Pico was given to me by: Jo@KitchengirlJo@blogspot.com

This is an interesting one that originates from Uruguay and is called the Premio Arte Pico from a blogger who makes dolls. You can visit her site here.

The acceptance of Premio Arte Pico has some rules:

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Hey folks… It’s Friday!!! I wanted to switch things up a bit and share some great blogger friends with all of you as well as pass on an award that was graciously given to me earlier this week.  I am planning on doing one of these posts each week and feature a number of fun and exciting food blogs.  Let me know if you think this is valuable as we share each others ideas.

Excellence Award

I was very fortunate and excited to receive the Excellent blog award from Natasha over at Healthy and Gourmet.  Thank you Natasha!

So now I would like to take this time to pass it on to three great blogs. For these winners if you would be so kind and choose three of your favorite blogs and keep this award moving along.

And the lucky winners are:

1. Carrots and Cake - Tina over at Carrots and Cake will show you a great way to find a healthy balance in your everyday lifestyle.  Go check her out - you will be very glad you dropped in.  Her blog is very professional and easy to find the information you are looking for right away.  Keep up the good work Tina.
2. Krista’s Kravings - Krista will show you a great attitude and fun and exciting ideas on how to create a healthy lifestyle and be accountable for what you eat.  Krista always come off as very optimistic in her writing and is full of energy  - you will be happy you stopped by and make sure you bookmark for great meal ideas.
3. Southern Plate - Christy will definitely show you some killer recipes from the South.  Head on over to Southern Plate and I promise you will have meal ideas for many days to come.  I am really impressed with the quality of recipes as well as the simplicity of them.  Great job Christy!

Zesty’s picks of the week

VeggieGirl - Ever want some healthy eating ideas?  How about a passion for nutritional cooking or just want to look at some great pictures?  If you answered yes to any of these - i suggest stopping by VeggieGirl you will be happy you did!

The Hungry Mouse - Over at Jessie’s blog you will definitely find innovative food ideas… exceptional photography, not too mention fresh new content daily.  Witty comments and a great writing style is defintely in store at The Hungry Mouse.

Megan’s Munchies - One of my first food blogger buddies - Megan is sure to serve up some outstanding recipes.  Whether they are quick meal ideas for a busy lifestyle or home baked cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth you will definitely find something to your liking.  If you like Pumpkin - this is the blog for you.  Keep up the great work Megan.

Katheats - I happen to bump into kath’s blog about 4 weeks ago.  All I can say is wow.  This blog is a great read.  Kath’s writing style is very interesting and for me motivational.  She is very up beat and positive and has a great outlook on life.  Stop by Kath’s internet haven for great healthy food recipes  - you will be very happy you did!

PinkPeppercorn -  Great recipes… stunning pictures… and an amazing reader experience.  You will find yourself reading through all her posts.  How about kicking it up at PinkPeppercorn?

Thinkinsidetheicebox - This spot has it all…. great pictures, great recipes and you can tella huge passion for food.  I also found great tips and tricks in the kitchen.  be sure to check out this one… you may learn something.