I’ve reached the end of another week and I once again feel like I’ve over indulged and need some vegetables in my life, so I reached into my archives and decided to revive my...
Cost Per Serving
It’s so interesting how different the grocery prices are here in Nashville compared to my previous home in New Orleans. Most notably, canned beans are about half the price and grape tomatoes are so much...
Last weekend my mind drifted to my 5-Ingredient Freezer Biscuits, as it often does on lazy Sunday mornings, and that got me thinking about breakfast sandwiches. It was only a split second before I...
Hey guys! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! I got back from a short trip to Seattle a couple of days ago, but wanted to hop right back on the meal prep wagon...
Bratwurst is something I only eat once in a blue moon but when I have it, OMG it’s soooo good. When my bratwurst craving came back this time I decided to try a little...
I’m totally getting my autumn-vibes on this weekend with these Streuseled Sweet Potatoes. They’re a super simple dessert that is almost like a deconstructed sweet potato casserole. Because it’s so simple you can have...
It’s funny that I’m calling this Sausage and Tortelloni Soup when the motivation behind making it was all the vegetables that I packed into the pot. I was craving vegetables, but didn’t feel like...
It’s been a long time since I’ve baked bread, but this week I needed the therapeutic ritual to help slow my mind. I decided to make a variation on basic dinner rolls because turkey...
Hey guys! I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend so far and have saved a little time to do some meal prep for the week! I didn’t have a lot of time in the...
Ooooh, I ate good for lunch today! 🤤 I whipped up this really easy Skillet Pineapple BBQ Chicken, spooned it over some rice, and fixed a little broccoli for the side. I absolutely love...
As usual I let the leftover ingredients in my fridge and pantry dictate what my next recipes would be. I had some leftover corn tortillas from my Green Chile Migas, an extra can of...
Y’all know I love eggs. And a while back I discovered that I really like green chiles with eggs. So today I made this Green Chile Migas, which is basically a scrambled egg dish...
Would you believe it if I told you that this recipe for Cinnamon Pita Crisps started out as a kale salad? 😂 Yeah, I’m serious. I made a kale salad the other day and...
Two weeks ago we had a cold spell and I was all like, “I’M READY FOR PUMPKIN!” I bought mini pumpkins to decorate my kitchen, I bought some fall scented candles, and watched pumpkin...
Okay, I’m back to comfort food this week with these Pesto Stuffed Shells Meal Prep. It’s a classic pasta dish that I paired with Homemade Garlic Bread. I had planned on making it an...
Who doesn’t love cute little pasta bundles?? These Pesto Stuffed Shells remind me of little baby lasagnas that have yet to grow into their adult form. They have all the same goodies as a...
It’s been fooooorever since I’ve made baked oatmeal! I’ve been craving that peanut butter and chocolate lately, so instead of making a full blown dessert, I decided to work those flavors into a breakfast-worthy...
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...
Hey guys! Time for Sunday meal prep again! This week I wanted to prepare a lunch that didn’t need reheating, so I thought it was a great time to revisit one of my favorite...
I’m already experiencing temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s here in Nashville and it’s got me in FULL BLOWN fall-mode. I’m ready for cozy sweaters, campfires, and SOUP. Creamy mushroom soup has been on...
I was taking stock of my fridge the other day and noticed a half jar of pesto that I bought a couple weeks ago at Aldi. I didn’t want that pesto to go to...
Okay guys, I thought I’d do something a little more all-American, comfort food style for this week’s meal prep. This Garden Vegetable Turkey Loaf Meal prep contains my veggie-packed Mini Garden Vegetable Turkey Loaves,...
Hey guys, I’ve got a “cheat” recipes for you today. This Easy Cheesy Broccoli rice is what I make when I’m too impatient to make a full blown Broccoli Cheddar Casserole. This is what...
I got a really strong craving for my One Pan Roasted Kielbasa and Cabbage Dinner the other day, but instead of making it the exact same way, I decided to change it up and...
Have you guys heard of golden milk or turmeric tea? It was the hottest food trend last year, picking up where chai left off years ago. It’s an earthy, slightly savory spiced milk drink full...
Earlier this week I had a total recipe fail and I was a bit discouraged since I haven’t had much time in the kitchen lately, but then I took a step back and realized...
Hi! Guys, I’m seriously so excited to be back in the kitchen. It feels sooooo good. I’m still trying to find the “good light” in my new house for food photos, but we’ll figure...
I’m a huge fan of “refrigerator salads.” Or salads that hold up well in the fridge so you can make them in the beginning of the week and have something wholesome to eat from...
Welcome back! Okay, I thought last week’s meal prep was the last I was going to cook in my kitchen before moving, but I was wrong. Mid-week I decided to use up the last...
This week has been super crazy, but I’m proud of myself for still getting my weekly meal prep in order. Even though I’m only prepping four days worth of one dish, it’s still been...
Hey guys! It’s been a little quiet around the blog this week because of chaos elsewhere and the fact that I lost my internet connection for a couple of days (my worst nightmare). BUT...
Y’all know how much I love slow cooked meat, right? It’s always so tender and full of flavor, yet nearly effortless. While I usually opt for a southwest blend of spices, a couple of...
In case you missed it last week, I’m starting a new “Sunday Meal Prep” series where I pair old recipes together and show how to prep them ahead for a few days worth of...
Life is pretty chaotic right now and my eating habits have totally gone down the tubes, so it’s time to start meal prepping. In addition to my new Sunday Meal Prep series, this week...
Need a main dish that’s full of flavor but only requires a few ingredients? I’ve got you covered. This Chicken Piccata is simple and flavorful, yet elegant enough to impress a date or your...
Summer calls for a lighter, fresher, more vibrant pizza. Earlier this week I splurged on some fresh mozzarella for my Kale Pesto Pasta and I wanted to make sure the rest of that delicious...
“Meal prepping,” as it has now come to be known in fitness circles, has always been a huge part of my budget eating strategy. Cooking your meals ahead of time and having them pre-packed...
You guys, I can’t stop with cold pasta dishes this summer! It’s all I want to eat! I had a half bunch of kale leftover from another recipe this week, so I decided to...
Every year about this time I start to see beautiful photos of rustic galettes pop up across the digital food world. Their simple, unassuming yet elegant form is the perfect way to highlight the...
Last week fellow Budget Byter Becky sent me a link to this awesome recipe for Enfrijoladas from MexicanPlease.com. I was immediately intrigued by this dish, which seemed to me to be just like enchiladas...
I’ve learned a lot over the past eight years of cooking and my palate has definitely become more refined, so today I’m using that new knowledge to give one of the first recipes I...
OMG yum yum yum! This recipe is an instant new favorite! I’ve been all about the skillet and one-pot meals lately because I’m super busy, so today I made this Greek Turkey and Rice...
When I took stock of my refrigerator the other day I noticed I had quite a bit of miscellaneous cheese hanging out waiting to be eaten (does this happen to anyone else??). I don’t...
Years ago I tried my hand at Chicken Shawarma and the marinade that I made was so tasty that I swore I’d use it as a dip some day. Soooo, I finally did it. These...
Whew, life has been hectic lately, y’all! But it’s a good hectic. In addition to launching the new Budget Bytes app (p.s. the Android app is officially coming!), I’m in the process of selling my...
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my story the other day where I was trying to figure out what to do with a pound of ground beef that I had...
I’m declaring chimichurri the sauce of the summer. It’s so bright and vibrant, and as I’ve mentioned before it’s good on pretty much everything! This week I made this scrumptious one-pot Chimichurri Chicken and...
The last apartment I lived in was on a super cute street in Mid-City New Orleans. I had the best group of neighbors and our entire block would often hold impromptu cookouts on the weekends....
One of my first “viral” recipes back was Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce back in 2010. I was about to remake that recipe and give it the beautiful photographs that it deserves (and...
I had half a pound of frozen shrimp (30/40 count) in my freezer leftover from making Blackened Shrimp Pasta, so I decided to try Blackened Shrimp a new way—Blacked Shrimp Tacos! Because tacos are always...
If you know me, you know that I’m obsessed with cornbread. It’s one of those super simple recipes that only takes a few minutes to whip up, uses only pantry staples, goes with just...
I’m trying to work my way through a large tub of spinach this week before it gets wilted, so today I threw a bunch of it into a really simple salad with orzo, sun dried...
Okay, I know this Mango Coconut Chia Pudding is a little out of the ordinary for me, since I don’t usually hop on to health food trends, but let me explain. I have this...
So I was sitting around last night watching the newest season of Master of None when I should have been figuring out what I was going to cook this week. But then inspiration hit when a...
Ever since making my 5 Minute Microwave French Toast Mug a couple of weeks ago, I’ve wanted to try a savory version (because I’m alllll about savory breakfast). I’m about to go out of...
Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope your weekend is off to a good start. I wanted to take a few moments to share a salad I made this week with some of the leftovers in...
A little bit of naughty, a little bit of nice, and a lot of portion control. That’s my approach to food. 😂 So when I decided to make some mac and cheese and put bacon...
I feel like I’ve stumbled upon gold with this recipe, guys. This Roasted Broccoli Salad with Almonds uses almost all ingredients that I keep on hand, and is so good that I was literally...
A few weeks ago I made a pasta dish that quickly became my favorite, One Pot Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta. I was craving it again and had a few sun dried tomatoes...
I’ve been making a lot of homemade bread lately, thanks to a new cookbook that I got, Bread Toast Crumbs, and even though homemade bread is super inexpensive, I hate seeing any of it...
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...
Bread lovers beware! These Buttermilk Pull-Apart Rolls are dangerously delicious and slightly addictive. These rolls come to you courtesy of my friend Alexandra Stafford of Alexandra’s Kitchen and her new book, Bread Toast Crumbs. I...
Someone emailed me recently and said that they use white beans in place of chicken in recipes and I was like, “Wait, whoa, why haven’t I done that?” I use black beans and lentils...
I had a very “Louisiana” day yesterday. I made a big pot of red beans during the day and then went to a crawfish boil at night. :P I was craving red beans, so I...
You guys. I didn’t know if anything could ever top my Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas, but we now have a very strong contender! These Ultimate BBQ Chicken Quesadillas are packed with tender chicken pieces, creamy...
Sometimes you just need things ASAP—that is, as SIMPLE as possible. ;) That’s when I pull out recipes like these Simple Mushroom Broccoli Stir Fry Noodles. The sauce is incredible simple, but hits all...
Looking around my kitchen the other day I took note of a few leftovers that I had from the last few recipes. I had a couple chorizo links in the freezer left over from...
I have something really fun (and delicious) for you today!! I’m so excited about this, guys. My friend, Daniel Shumski, released his second book yesterday and it’s a gem! The book is called Will It Skillet? (a...
I know it’s still only February, but I am SO ready for Cinco de Mayo. So, in the spirit of yummy margaritas and Mexican food, I whipped up these incredible Chorizo and Sweet Potato...
This dish is total comfort. Potatoes, cabbage, smoked sausage, and a tangy homemade mustard vinaigrette. I’m in love! This One Pan Roasted Kielbasa and Cabbage Dinner is so incredibly easy and gives me everything I...
The aroma from this salad is the most deliciously fresh aroma of cucumbers, parsley, and crunchy green peppers, and it’s beyond delightful. The only thing better than the aroma is the flavor. In short,...
Two things that are always in my refrigerator and freezer are eggs and frozen spinach. I haven’t had creamed spinach in quite some time, so when I decided to make some the other day I...
Yes, this cabbage is burned. But we’ll just call it “blackened cabbage” because it sounds nicer, good? No matter what you call it, I promise it is deeeeeeelicious. Let me just give you a...
Stop everything and listen closely. I’ve been making new recipes every week for over seven years and can honestly say this One Pot Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is one of the best things...
“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...
Y’all know I’m obsessed with eggs. You may also know about my undying love for sriracha (I don’t care if it’s been over done, I still love it!!). So it’s only natural that I make...
I’ve avoided cauliflower for a while because it’s been really expensive. Apparently we went through a shortage at the exact same time that cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, and cauliflower “alfredo” sauces hit their peak...
My boyfriend brought home a container of those super soft and tiny two-bite scones from the grocery store the other day (yeah, he’s an enabler) and as I was enjoying one I noted just...
Split chicken breasts were on sale at Whole Foods this past week, so I couldn’t resist the chance to make some more low and slow roasted chicken (because that Herb Roasted Chicken Breast that...
Okay, this might be the best thing I’ve ever made in my slow cooker. No joke. The combination of the subtle spices, orange essence, and richness of the slowly cooked pork is absolutely to die for....
Okay, I’ll admit I just made this salad as a vehicle for the lime crema. It’s all about the crema. This stuff is seriously life changing and I haven’t been able to stop making...
Today’s post isn’t as much a recipe as it is a meal idea or example of how I build meals on the fly based on what I have in the refrigerator. I’ve posted about my...
OMG you guyyyysssss… Orange chicken has been on my list for-ev-er and I finally got around to making it today and now I’m kicking myself for not making it sooner because this Easy Orange Chicken is...
If you haven’t started making your own homemade hummus, you’re totally missing out. It only takes about five minutes, you can adjust the taste to be juuuuuust the way you like it, and you can...
I had a completely different plan for cooking today, but you know what? In the end I decided I just wanted some comfort food. This Cheesy Rigatoni Skillet is just another version of my favorite easy...
Have you ever gotten flavor overload? Like if you eat too much and the next day all you want to eat is something really simple? Okay, maybe that’s just me or because I work...
I get SO MANY awesome ideas from the wonderfully creative minds of my readers. You offer so much inspiration, expertise, and ideas, which makes blogging so much fun. :) One reader shared with me recently...
I’m alllll about the casseroles in winter. They’re warm, filling, and comforting. This week I took my favorite Broccoli Cheddar Casserole and beefed it up a bit. …Er, chickened it up a bit. I...
When my body is tired and achey, or I’m feeling a bit under the weather, I always throw together a pot of this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. The aroma that fills my house as...
I’ll admit it, I’m not a wing girl, but slather them in this rich Raspberry Balsamic Sauce and I can’t get enough. These Raspberry Balsamic Baked Chicken Wings are sweet, tangy, and deliciously rich. And...
I’ve been making these Cumin Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes since long before Budget Bytes was started. Why? Because sweet potatoes are delicious and inexpensive, and this particular recipe is easy to prepare and has bright, bold...
Salads aren’t just for the warm weather months, but when I get my vegetable cravings in the winter I change up my salads with heartier vegetables and ingredients that have warm, smoky flavors, like roasted vegetables...
A good pan sauce is so simple to make and squeezes every last drop of flavor out of your meat. This week I made a creamy garlic pan sauce for some chicken thighs that...
So apparently the Super Bowl is coming up soon? I dunno. I don’t follow football, but I know a lot of you do, so I wanted to give you some budget-y options for football eats!...
The other day I got a message on Facebook from Tiffany exclaiming how much she liked my Easy Oven Fajitas and Oven Roasted Greek Stuffed Pitas and she asked if I could create a similar...
At the local coffee shop that my boyfriend frequents there’s a large case full of homemade biscotti near the cash register. Every time I’m in there with him my eyes are drawn to the big apricot...
While checking the sale flyers for my grocery stores last week I noticed that Whole Foods had beef stew meat on sale for $3.99/lb. and I was ALL OVER that. I was finally able to...
You guys know that I love my bowl meals, right?? They have everything you need in one bowl, with more flavor, texture, and color than you can shake a stick at. But the more...
Hey guys! Sorry it’s been a minute since I posted a new recipe, but I went through a few days of creative block (I think the unusual below freezing temperatures in New Orleans also froze...
I really like having pre-cooked chicken in the fridge that I can use to quickly whip up a sandwich or wrap, or add protein to a bowl of pasta, salad, or one of my...
