Homemade granola is easy, inexpensive, and endlessly customizable. Use your favorite mix of nuts, seeds, and spices to make it your own.
Beth - Budget Bytes
For the past thirteen years, Beth has been dishing out healthy, inexpensive recipes and teaching kitchen basics through her popular blog, cookbook, and app. She loves getting creative in the kitchen and hopes to show others just how fun and rewarding cooking can be.
Baked Zucchini Fries make a delicious snack or side dish and are the perfect way to use up that extra bumper crop of summer zucchini.
Tomato rice is an easy yet flavorful side dish that uses only a few simple ingredients, and it's sure to liven up any dinner plate!
Sheet Pan Portobello Fajitas are an easy and flavorful vegetarian dinner idea that all cooks on one pan for easy cleanup!
Use those fresh, juicy summer peaches to make this sweet and spicy Chipotle Peach Salsa! Goes great with chips, chicken, fish, and more!
This Chicken Alfredo features pasta drenched in an ultra-rich and creamy sauce and topped with juicy strips of seared chicken.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies are slightly sweet, super creamy, deliciously filling, and make a fast and easy snack or breakfast!
Parsley Pesto Potato Salad is an inexpensive, filling, and vibrantly flavored side dish that's perfect for any summer meal.
Colorful summer vegetables simmered in a red sauce and spooned over warm polenta make a hearty and inexpensive summer meal.
This Big Kale Pasta Salad is the perfect fast and filling summer lunch, packed with flavors, textures, and colors. Great for meal prep!
Peanut butter banana quesadillas are a quick and easy single-serving dessert that you can make in minutes with pantry staples!
Ground beef in a tangy sauce piled onto a soft bun, homemade Sloppy Joes are an easy, classic American weeknight dinner.
Breakfast nachos are a fun and easy way to change up your breakfast or brunch routine. Plus, the topping options are endless!
Air fryer chickpeas are extra crispy, take only minutes to make, are a deliciously crunchy, high-fiber snack!
This hearty and delicious chicken and rice combines rich and flavorful rice with well seasoned chicken or an easy one pot meal.
This savory coconut rice features fragrant jasmine rice, rich coconut milk, and savory garlic for a simple yet delicious side dish.
This Herby Potato Salad has tender baby potatoes, a bright and zesty lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, and a healthy dose of fresh herbs.
These easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are a simple hands-off way to get that smoky-sweet flavor of traditional griddle fajitas.
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta is quick and easy to prepare, but feels extra special and luxurious. It's the perfect dish for special occasions!
Take your grilled cheese sandwich to the next level with this gourmet Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese! An easy and flavorful lunch idea.
These easy homemade meatballs are freezer-friendly and versatile. Keep a batch in the freezer for quick weeknight dinners later!
This homemade hot chocolate is extra rich and delicious, has two types of chocolate, and you can add other flavor add-ins for fun!
This simple mushroom rice combines earthy mushrooms, savory garlic, rich butter, and flavorful vegetable broth for a simple yet flavorful side dish.
I’m a big fan of savory breakfast dishes, and this Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche might be my new favorite! It’s very filling, full of vegetables, and doesn’t leave me with a carb hangover...
This pumpkin smoothie was one of my first experiments with pumpkin purée TEN years ago. I had a little bit of pumpkin leftover from another recipe and thought, “Hey, can I put this in...
These loaded smashed potatoes are boiled until tender and fluffy, baked until golden and crispy, and piled high with toppings!
Use what you have on hand to build the best vegetarian sandwich packed with color, flavor, and texture. Eat the rainbow!
If you think a salad can’t fill you up, think again. This awesomely crunchy and flavorful Kale and Chicken Salad is chock full of juicy chicken breast, almonds, celery, and lots of fiberlicious kale...
Fresh and juicy summer sweet corn makes the best corn salsa for topping tacos, salads, bowl meals, or dipping with your favorite chips.
This Chocolate Coffee Breakfast Smoothie is a dessert-worthy treat and a sneaky way to add an extra dose of vegetables to your day.
People take their potato salad very seriously here in the south. I learned that quickly after moving to southern Louisiana twenty years ago (omg, how has it been that long??). I was never a...
Pizza melts are like a cross between your two favorite comfort foods: pizza and grilled cheese. They're fast, easy, and the perfect quick meal!
This rich and creamy smoothie has a natural and subtle sweetness, a creamy texture, and tons of protein and plant fiber to keep you full.
I like to add vegetables into whatever I'm eating, whenever I can, and this Spinach Rice with Feta is such a great way to do that. The spinach adds just a little bit of...
I’m a true believer that side dishes should be as simple as possible. Save your time and energy for that amazing main dish and don’t let the sides overshadow its glory. ;) The magic...
If you're not a fan of broccoli, it might just be because you haven't tried it roasted yet. Roasted broccoli is my go-to side dish for any dinner because it's A) easy and B)...
French Onion Soup is one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant. I usually reserve this bowl of warm comfort for restaurants because it's a soup that takes time and patience to...
If ever there was a meal-worthy soup, it would be Broccoli Cheddar! This bowl full of colorful, chunky vegetables and a super thick cheesy “broth” is sure to leave you warm, happy, and satisfied....
Fresh sweet corn is one of my favorite things about summer. It’s so sweet and juicy when it’s fresh, and the smell of the husks as you peel them back from the cob brings...
This Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese is totally indulgent. It’s like your favorite restaurant appetizer turned into a meal (because you were going to eat that spinach artichoke dip as your meal anyway, right?). I’ve...
It’s almost Friday and it’s this part of the week when my cravings for comfort food really start kicking in. It doesn’t help that it’s been dark and rainy non-stop for like, the last...
As soon as the weather turns cool, I grab the cozy sweaters and start cooking the comfort food, like this Classic Baked Ziti. It’s rich and gooey with its layers of pasta, homemade red...
This One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta was inspired by those little packets of powdered pasta sauce mix I always see in the grocery store. While those little packets are probably great for camping,...
If you haven’t noticed, I make this Easy Homemade Vinaigrette with a lot of my salad recipes. It’s pretty much my go-to when I’m not making a lemon tahini dressing. But anyway, it’s so...
Do you love garlic bread as much I as do? Like, do you keep it on hand in your freezer at all times? Then you’re going to love this Garlic Butter Baked Cod recipe....
I went all Splurgy McSpurgison on this Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich, but you know what? It was so worth it. And still a fraction of what it would cost to buy a fancy schmancy...
With as many beans as I eat, it’s about time I started using putting the aquafaba to good use. I’ve been playing around with aquafaba for the past couple of months and I think...
Fresh corn is one of the highlights of summer. When it’s in season it’s sweet, juicy, and super affordable, so I love to take advantage! For this salad I paired fresh sweet corn with...
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a “one pot” recipe, but I’m really excited about this one. This One Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice is incredibly easy, requires very little chopping, and is one...
Oh my goulash, you guys. It’s not often that I use wine in my cooking because it can be pretty pricey, but something magical happens when you add red wine to beef, and it’s...
What do you do for self care? I think most people avoid cooking themselves a good meal as part of their self care routine because it sounds like a lot of work, but recipes like...
Now that it’s officially fall, I think we could all use a good primer on how to make a basic pot of homemade chili. I have several chili recipes on this website, but this basic...
Another day, another salad! I try to make some sort of salad each week that I can build meals on or just eat as a quick meal on its own when I’m on the...
This quick and comforting Creamy Tuna Pasta recipe is a fast and easy weeknight dinner that only requires a few simple ingredients.
I’ve made a lot of variations of pasta sauce over my nine years of blogging, but I think this latest version wins the title of The Best Weeknight Pasta Sauce. Why? Because it’s incredibly...
This recipe is totally out of season, but when I see asparagus on sale I have to just go for it. It’s usually so expensive that it stays on my “no” list, but I...
Okay, so this little gem really deserves a post of its own, rather than being hidden in the Chili Lime Shrimp Bowls recipe post. This easy pineapple salsa is SO good that I could...
It’s Monday and I’m throwing caution to the wind. Sometimes you have to start the week out with a bang to make the weight of the long week ahead a little more bearable, you...
What would life be like without salsa? I don’t know and I don’t care to imagine it that way. I’m a salsa lover through and through. I could eat it straight with spoon, I...
“Plus? What is this ‘plus’ business?” … I can hear it now. Well, the “plus” is LENTILS! *crowd cheers* Yes, these easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Plus have lentils for added fiber and to bulk them...
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m having fun exploring the new Trader Joe’s in New Orleans. I asked everyone on Instagram to share their favorite products with me so I could sample...
I’m trying to stock my fridge with some healthy options for the week ahead because I didn’t do so well last week. So, this morning I threw together some of my favorite flavors (garlic,...
I love using just a small amount of bacon to add BIG flavor to a recipe. The tangy mustard vinaigrette in this German Potato Salad is the perfect example. The bacon fat adds body...
I look at the photo of these Italian Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats and I’m all like, “Oooh, that looks delicious. …but are probably complicated and a million ingredients.” But no, my friends, no. It’s...
Canned salmon is a great shelf-stable way to get your inexpensive way to work a little more fish into your diet. I love the convenience of canned fish. No cooking necessary, it’s there when...
When I want to change up my morning oats routine, I like to make a batch of homemade granola. Instead of a warm bowl in the morning, I eat the crunchy granola atop a...
I made this Cilantro Lime Rice as a side dish for the Shrimp Tacos that I made last weekend (my apologies for taking so long to post it). This rice is very simple and...
I’m a sucker for crunchy homemade granola, but I always wish there was a way to make it without loading in the oil and sugar. Well, when I made a batch of Pumpkin Spice Granola last...
Pumpkin season! YAYAYAY! (October is my favorite month.) Now that the SNAP Challenge is over and I’m all settled in my new place, I couldn’t wait to start cooking in my new kitchen. While...
If there’s one thing I knew right away starting the SNAP Challenge, it was that I was going to have to bulk out my meals considerably with inexpensive beans and grains to stay under...
Oh, this one is so much fun! (and delicious!) I really wanted to do some sort of peanut butter baked oatmeal, but I couldn’t figure out what to put with it… until I thought...
This recipe comes courtesy of my dear friend, Ashley. She was looking for something to cook for dinner one night and decided to type the ingredients she had on hand into google (I think...
Believe it or not, in the 2.5 year history of this blog, I have never made a basic chicken noodle soup. Well, I almost made it this weekend until I went perusing through my...
Okay, this is a pretty big statement to make, but… This Yellow Jasmine Rice is the best rice I’ve ever had. Yep. The flavor is simply out of this world. The aroma as it...
Last week, when I made my Lasagna Roll Ups, I had a tough time deciding what sides to go with them. A salad is classic, but I also needed something with more substance. I definitely...
There’s still a whole week until payday and you just blew the rest of your food budget on last night’s take-out, which has only left you feeling bloated and groggy in return (thanks, lo...
