Category: No-Cook Recipes


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Apple Slaw

This crisp and refreshing apple slaw is the perfect easy side dish for weeknight meals or potlucks during the fall season.

The post Apple Slaw appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This light, crunchy, and refreshing Apple Slaw recipe takes just a few minutes to put together and makes a huge amount of slaw for well under a dollar a serving. It’s one of my favorite slaw recipes because it’s incredibly versatile and can be served as a main dish (I love it topped with Roasted Chicken) or as a side dish for a quick weeknight meal. It also travels really well, so it’s an excellent option for your next potluck. The best part? It holds up beautifully throughout the week. 

Overhead view of a bowl full of apple slaw with ingredients on the sides.

What Is Apple Slaw?

Apple Slaw is a cold chopped salad. Crunchy sliced apples, carrots, green onions, and shredded cabbage are tossed in a creamy dressing, creating the perfect addition to any weeknight meal or backyard BBQ.

Ingredients For Apple Slaw

  • Green Cabbage: Is the foundation of this slaw. Cabbage is hearty but loaded with water, so always taste your slaw before serving it and adjust the seasoning accordingly. You can substitute green cabbage with red cabbage or even kale.
  • Apples: I use Granny Smith, but if you really want to have fun with it, use a mixture of apples. My favorites to throw in are Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp (they’re affordable when they’re in season). Keep apples from turning brown by submerging them in water that has an acid added to it. For every cup of water, use 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of distilled or apple cider vinegar.
  • Carrots: Bring sweetness and crunch to the salad and a pop of color. If you don’t have carrots, substitute with raw butternut squash, parsnips, or add an extra cup of cabbage to the mix.
  • Green Onions: Lends a mild onion flavor to the salad. You can substitute them with chives or sweet onions. If you only have white or red onions, soak them in water for a minute or two to help decrease their pungency. 
  • Mayonnaise: Is the backbone of the dressing and adds a tangy creaminess. Substitute it with Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a peppery kick and a touch of color to the dressing. If you don’t have Dijon mustard, use brown or yellow mustard.
  • Honey: Creates a touch of sweetness in the dressing. If you don’t have honey, substitute it with one teaspoon of brown sugar. Just dissolve it well before adding the dressing to the salad.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a tangy note to the dressing and keeps the apples from browning. 

What To Serve With Apple Slaw

Serve this tangy slaw topped with roasted chicken for a light lunch. Or use it as topping on a Pulled Pork or Pulled Chicken sandwich. I also love it served as a side for BBQ Ribs paired with Corn On The Cobb.

How To Store Leftovers

Store Apple Slaw in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days. Do not freeze, as it will change the texture of the cabbage. Always mix the slaw a few times and taste for salt before serving.

Close up side view of a bowl of apple slaw.
Overhead view of a bowl full of apple slaw with the ingredients on the sides.
Print

Apple Slaw

This crisp and refreshing apple slaw is the perfect easy side dish for weeknight meals or potlucks during the fall season.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Total Cost $6.46 recipe / $0.65 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 10 (1 cup each)
Calories 109kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise $0.63
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard $0.05
  • 2 tsp honey $0.11
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.09
  • 1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste) $0.01
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper $0.01
  • 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced (about 5 cups) $2.23
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, julienned (about 2 cups)* $2.55
  • 2 carrots, julienned (about 2 cups)* $0.42
  • 3 green onions, sliced (about 1 cup)* $0.36

Instructions

  • Mix the mayonnaise, Dijon, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make a dressing.
  • Shred or thinly slice the cabbage into 2-inch by ¼-inch strips. Shred or slice the carrots into 2-inch by ⅛-inch strips. Peel and core the apples. Shred or slice them into 2-inch by ⅛-inch strips and keep them in water with lemon juice or vinegar added, so they don't brown.** Cut the green onions on the diagonal into 1/8-inch thick slices.
  • Mix the apples and vegetables with the dressing in a large bowl. If necessary, add more salt to taste.
  • Keep the salad refrigerated until ready to serve. Mix before serving, and add more salt to taste.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*If finely slicing vegetables is difficult for you, use the slicing or shredding attachment on a food processor, a mandoline, or a large-holed cheese grater.
**For every one cup of water add 2 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp distilled or apple cider vinegar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 139mg | Fiber: 4g

How to Make Apple Slaw – Step by Step Photos

Ingredients for dressing in a bowl, not mixed.

Mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp honey, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper to make a dressing.

Prepared vegetables on a cutting board.

Shred or slice one small cabbage into 2 by ⅛-inch strips. Shred or slice two carrots into 2 by ¼-inch strips. Peel and core two apples, then shred or slice them into 2 by ⅛-inch strips and keep them in water with lemon juice or vinegar added, so they don’t brown. Cut three green onions on the diagonal into 1/8-inch thick slices.

Dressing being poured over the bowl of shredded vegetables.

Mix the apples and vegetables with the dressing in a large bowl. If necessary, add more salt to taste.

Finished apple slaw in a bowl.

Keep the apple slaw refrigerated until ready to serve. Mix before serving, and add more salt to taste.

Close up side view of a bowl of apple slaw.

More Delicious Slaw Recipes

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How to Make Oat Milk

Learn how to make oat milk with just four simple ingredients and enjoy the creamiest, most refreshing oat milk for pennies on the dollar.

The post How to Make Oat Milk appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This one goes out to all of my lactose-intolerant friends out there! If you’re not already making your own homemade oat milk, promise me you’ll try this recipe. Because they’re charging waaaaay too much for it at the store, considering how simple it is to make. It literally takes about five minutes and it tastes SO GOOD. Like, I usually feel kind of “meh” about oat milk, but I wanted to guzzle the entire batch because it was so cool, creamy, and refreshing. So promise me you’ll bookmark this page and give it a try this weekend, K?

A jar of oat milk with a metal straw and ingredients in the background.

What’s in Oat milk?

When I tell you how simple this oat milk is, you might have a little heart attack when you realize how much you’ve been paying for it at the store. Oat milk is literally just oats, water, salt, vanilla (optional), and a sweetener (optional). That’s it. Five simple ingredients! Here’s a little more detail about what I used to make my homemade oat milk:

  • Oats – I tested both old-fashioned rolled oats and quick oats for this recipe and old-fashioned oats were the clear winner. Old-fashioned rolled oats break down just enough when blended to yield a creamy milk that is not too thick or slimy. Quick oats are so powdery to begin with that they completely disintegrated in the water and make a thick, sludge-like oat milk. #nothanks
  • Water – Make sure to use cold water to make your homemade oat milk so the starches in the oats don’t get too hydrated. That will lead to thick and slimy oat milk.
  • Salt – Just a pinch will do! Salt helps our tongues differentiate between flavors so you can taste the full dimensions of vanilla, sweet, and creamy.
  • Vanilla – I think adding a little vanilla really rounds out the flavor of the oat milk so it’s more interesting and enjoyable. You can skip it, but I really feel like the vanilla takes the oat milk from good to GREAT.
  • Sweetener – A little bit of sweetness goes a long way with oat milk. I used brown sugar because it offered a good balance between being budget-friendly and adding a slight caramel flavor from the molasses, but maple syrup is even more delicious (just more expensive). Other options are white sugar, honey, agave, stevia, monk fruit, or any other sweetener that dissolves easily in water.
Oat milk being poured into an iced coffee from a glass carafe.

What kind of Strainer to Use

Straining is one of the most important steps in the oat milk-making process because it can change the texture of the oat milk quite a bit. I tested a few different methods for straining so I could give you some options. Here’s what I found:

  • Nut Bags or Cheesecloth: These are great options if you plan to make a lot of oat milk because they’re inexpensive and most can be laundered and re-used (check the package for the cheesecloth because depending on the quality, some are not reusable). The key to using nut bags and cheesecloth is to NOT squeeze the liquid through the cloth. Squeezing allows too many starches through, making the oat milk thick and slimy.
  • Metal Strainers or Sieves: Metal strainers have quite a large weave and they allow a lot of the oat particulate through, which can result in a thick and powdery-flavored milk. Stacking two strainers on top of each other does help a lot, if this is your only option.
  • Lint-Free Dishcloth: The weave on a dishcloth is pretty tight, which makes it hard for the oat milk to flow through. I found this method to be pretty messy and I had to squeeze the oats to get the milk to pass through, which can lead to a slimy oat milk.
  • Metal Coffee Filter: Metal coffee filters were my favorite strainer for oat milk! It created just the right texture for the milk and was easy to clean and reuse. So if you happen to have one of these on hand, or want to make an investment for oat milk-making, this is the best option!

Can you Froth Homemade Oat milk?

I tried frothing this homemade oat milk with a handheld frother, and, unfortunately, it does not create a nice foam. Oats do not contain a lot of fat or protein, which is needed to create a stable foam, so store-bought oat milk usually has to have thickeners or stabilizers added to help it foam.

How to Enjoy Oat Milk

I’m not kidding when I say this oat milk was so good that I wanted to chug it straight from the jar. But keep in mind that homemade oat milk does not contain emulsifiers or stabilizers like store-bought oat milk, so you will need to shake it very well before you pour, every time.

Oat milk is great added to coffee or poured over a bowl of cereal (or maybe even oatmeal – how meta). I haven’t tested baking with this oat milk or using it as a substitute for dairy milk in recipes, so proceed with caution. Remember that oat milk does not contain as much fat or protein as dairy milk, which may cause it to react differently in recipes.

Tips for Making Homemade Oat Milk

  • Use rolled oats, not quick oats, for a creamy yet light and refreshing oat milk
  • Use cold water to prevent a slimy texture
  • Strain the oat milk well to keep the texture light, but DO NOT squeeze it through your strainer
  • For maximum deliciousness, let the oat milk chill completely in the refrigerator before serving
  • Shake the oat milk very well each time before enjoying
A jar of oat milk being stirred with a metal straw, as seen from above.
A jar of homemade oat milk with a metal straw and ingredients on the sides.
Print

Homemade Oat Milk

Learn how to make oat milk with just four simple ingredients and enjoy the creamiest, most refreshing oat milk for pennies on the dollar.
Course Beverage
Cuisine American
Total Cost $0.75 recipe / $0.19 serving
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 (1 cup each)
Calories
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cold water $0.00
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract $0.36
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.08
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (NOT quick oats) $0.29
  • 1/4 tsp salt $0.02

Instructions

  • Stir the vanilla and brown sugar into the cold water until dissolved.
  • Add the oats, salt, and water mixture to a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds.
  • Pour the blended oat mixture through a strainer like a nut bag, cheese cloth, metal coffee filter, or a double layer of metal sieves to filter out the oat pieces.
  • Chill the oat milk completely (preferably overnight), then shake very well before serving. Keep the oat milk refrigerated for up to four days.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*You can use any type of sweetener that dissolves easily in cold water.
**There is no nutritional information for this recipe because nutritional calculators can not account for the oats that are discarded in the straining process.

How to Make Oat Milk – Step by Step Photos

Oat milk ingredients laid out on a surface.

All you need to make your own oat milk is 4 cups cold water, 1 cup rolled oats (NOT quick oats), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and sweetener (I used 2 Tbsp brown sugar).

Maple water being poured into a blender with oats and salt.

Add 2 Tbsp brown sugar and ½ tsp vanilla to 4 cups cold water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rolled oats, salt, and water mixture to a blender. I used our big blender for a four-cup batch, but I also tested a half-cup batch in our mini blender and it worked fine.

Oats and water being blended in a blender.

Blend the oats and water for 30 seconds, no more! It’s a good idea to time this on your watch or phone so you don’t accidentally count too fast or too slow. Over-blending the mixture can make the oat milk too thick or slimy.

Oat milk poured into a nut bag over a strainer and bowl.

Immediately pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl. I’m showing the oat milk poured into a nut bag supported by a metal strainer over the bowl, but you can also use cheesecloth or metal coffee filters (see blog text above the recipe for details on each method).

Chilled oat milk in a plastic quart container.

Make sure to chill the oat milk completely (like, overnight) for the best flavor. Because this is homemade and doesn’t have added emulsifiers or stabilizers, it will separate like in the photo above. Just give it a good shake shake shake before enjoying it each time and it will be as right as rain!

Overhead view of a jar of oat milk being stirred.

The oat milk will keep in the refrigerator for about four days, so make a half batch if needed to make sure none goes to waste!

More Oat Recipes

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Green Goddess Salad

This creamy, crunchy, and tangy Green Goddess salad is as delicious as it is easy to make, plus it’s ridiculously budget-friendly.

The post Green Goddess Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This Green Goddess Salad recipe is so good every time I take a bite, I feel like screaming, “I can’t believe this is cabbage!”. If you’re looking for a delicious and refreshing salad that’s super easy to make and ridiculously budget-friendly (you will never pay for bagged salad again), then you need to try Green Goddess Salad. The creamy, herb-packed Green Goddess Dressing it’s made with is to die for.

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Salad in a white bowl.

What Is Green Goddess Salad?

Green Goddess Salad is believed to have been created in the 1920s in San Francisco as an homage to an actor in the play The Green Goddess. It’s usually a mixture of leafy greens and a zesty, herbaceous Green Goddess Dressing.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Salad

My recipe for Green Goddess Salad uses cabbage as the primary green, so this salad keeps well, making it a perfect choice for potlucks. Though I keep things simple to keep this recipe budget-friendly, this salad is often served with croutons and grilled shrimp or chicken. Here’s what you’ll need to make Green Goddess Salad:

  • Green Cabbage: is the base of our salad. It’s very budget-friendly and has a great shelf life. But if cabbage isn’t your thing, you can def sub this cabbage with about 8 cups of your favorite chopped greens.
  • Fennel Bulb: adds the traditional black licorice note that Green Goddess is known for. You can substitute the fennel with a cup of fresh tarragon leaves. make sure to reserve the fronds for an addition to the Green Goddess Dressing or to use as a garnish.
  • Green Onions: add pungency to the mix. If you don’t have green onions, sub with half a small white onion.
  • Italian Parsley: adds deep green color to the salad and grassy notes. You can substitute it with curly parsley if you wish or fresh basil.
  • Green Goddess Dressing: this herbaceous concoction is fantastic when prepared fresh (definitely check out our easy recipe!), but you can also get it pre-made at most major supermarkets.
Overhead shot of Green Goddess Salad being tossed in a white bowl.

How To Store Green Goddess Salad

This salad keeps really well. Though you can mix the dressing into the greens and refrigerate the salad for up to 5 days, the flavors mellow considerably. If you’re going to premix, I recommend giving it a good stir, tasting the greens, and adding a few pinches of salt and maybe a crack or two of black pepper before serving. I do not recommend freezing this salad, as the textures of the greens will change considerably as they thaw.

What To Serve With Green Goddess Salad

This is a perfect salad to bring to a get-together because it travels really well. Its herbaceous tangy notes make it a perfect pairing for lighter dishes like Easy Fish Tacos with Cumin Lime Slaw, Salmorejo, Tuna Patties, or Chicken Lettuce Wraps. But it is also hearty enough to pair with bolder flavors like BBQ Ribs, Sausage Kebabs, Roasted Chicken, and Classic Homemade Meatloaf.

Side shot of Green Goddess Salad in a white bowl.
Overhead shot of Green Goddess Salad in a white bowl.
Print

Green Goddess Salad

This creamy, crunchy, and tangy Green Goddess salad is as delicious as it is easy to make, plus it's ridiculously budget-friendly.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Total Cost ($13.69 recipe / $1.71 serving)
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 2-cup servings
Calories 110kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 fennel bulb $3.49
  • 4 green onions $0.45
  • 1 green cabbage (about 3 lbs) $2.23
  • 1 cup Italian parsley leaves $0.79
  • 2 cups Green Goddess Dressing $6.73

Instructions

  • Rinse the fennel bulb under cool water. Slice the fennel bulb in half from root to stem. Trim off the stem, reserving the fennel fronds to use in the Green Goddess Dressing. If you've purchased pre-made dressing, use the fennel fronds as garnish.
  • Slice around the triangle-shaped core of each fennel bulb half. Place each half in a bowl of water to prevent the fennel from browning. Then chop each fennel half into 1/4-inch thick slices. Finally, cut the fennel slices into 1/4-inch dice. Keep the diced fennel in the water until ready to use.
  • Remove the roots from the green onions and then slice in 1/8 inch slices on the diagonal. Rough chop the Italian Parsley leaves.
  • Slice the green cabbage in half, and cut around the core. Next, cut each cabbage half into 1/4-inch thick slices. Then cut each slice into 1/4-inch strips. Finally, cut each strip into 1/4-inch dice. You should have about 10 to 12 cups of chopped cabbage.
  • Place the cabbage, onions, Italian parsley, fennel fronds, and fennel in a large bowl. Top with the Green Goddess Dressing. Toss the greens in the dressing. 
  • Taste the greens about ten minutes after adding the dressing; if necessary, add salt and pepper. If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, give it a big stir before serving, and add salt and pepper if necessary.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 91mg | Fiber: 4g

How to Make Green Goddess Salad – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of a fennel bulb sliced in half on a wood cutting board.

Rinse 1 fennel bulb under cool water. Slice the fennel bulb in half from root to stem. Trim off the stem, reserving the fennel fronds to use in the Green Goddess Dressing. If you’ve purchased pre-made dressing, use the fennel fronds as garnish.

Overhead shot of a fennel bulb being sliced on a cutting board.

Slice around the triangle-shaped core of each fennel bulb half. Place each half in a bowl of water to prevent the fennel from browning. Then chop each fennel half into 1/4-inch thick slices. Finally, cut the fennel slices into 1/4-inch dice. (Squares of fennel slices that are 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch.) Keep the diced fennel in the water until ready to use.

Overhead shot of sliced green onions and parsley on a cutting board.

Remove the roots from 4 green onions and then slice in 1/8-inch slices on the diagonal. Rough chop 1 cup of Italian Parsley leaves.

Overhead shot of green cabbage being sliced on a cutting board.

Slice 1 green cabbage in half, and cut around the core. Next, cut each cabbage half into 1/4-inch thick slices. Then cut each slice into 1/4-inch strips. Finally, cut each strip into 1/4-inch dice. You should have about 10 to 12 cups of chopped cabbage.

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Dressing being added to chopped greens in a white bowl.

Place the cabbage, onions, Italian parsley, fennel fronds, and fennel in a large bowl. Top with 2 cups of Green Goddess Dressing. Toss the greens in the dressing.

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Salad in a white bowl.

The dressing will add loads of flavor to the greens, but it will also extract some of their water. So taste them about ten minutes after adding the dressing, and if necessary, add salt and pepper to taste. If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, give it a big stir before serving, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did! Beth and I both couldn’t stop eating it!

Side shot of Green Goddess Salad in a white bowl.

More Easy Salad Recipes

More Easy Salad Recipes

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Green Goddess Dressing

This creamy, herbaceous Green Goddess Dressing is perfect for hearty summer salads or as a tangy dip for fresh or roasted summer vegetables.

The post Green Goddess Dressing appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This creamy, herbaceous, and super velvety Green Goddess Dressing had everyone at the studio eating it straight out of the bowl! So versatile and easy to make, you can pair it with a simple side salad, mix it into a slaw, or serve it as a dip with a platter of snowpeas and baby carrots. PS It’s a touch more expensive than most homemade dressings, but it’s perfect if you have an herb garden or an abundance of herbs you need to do something with. Plus you know exactly what’s in it. (I can’t identify half of the ingredients in a name-brand Green Goddess dressing because so many are chemical preservatives.)

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Dressing in a wood bowl garnished with herbs.

What Is Green Goddess Dressing?

Bright and herbaceous, the original Green Goddess Dressing was created in 1923 in San Francisco as an homage to an actor in the play The Green Goddess. There are many variations of Green Goddess, but the basic ingredients remain the same. The original recipe used multiple fresh herbs, anchovies, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. My recipe keeps with tradition by mixing herbs but simplifies the original recipe significantly to keep it budget-friendly.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Dressing

This is such a lovely summer dressing for any salad, but pairs exceptionally well with a hearty slaw. It is also a great way to use up any fresh herbs that you have on hand, so feel free to play with this ingredient list. Just make sure to use tender herbs, and leave woodier herbs (like Rosemary) for different preparations. Here’s what you’ll need to make delicious Green Goddess Dressing:

  • Italian Parsley, Basil, and Fennel Fronds: are the green in our Green Goddess. The fennel fronds add a black licorice note and can be substituted with tarragon. Feel free to add other fresh herbs you want to use up, like mint or dill. The key to success with this Green Goddess dressing recipe is to use fresh herbs, so if you only have dried, try making a different dressing.
  • Sour Cream: Adds tangy creaminess to the dressing. If you don’t have sour cream, try Greek yogurt or mayonnaise. We also have an excellent tutorial for How To Make Sour Cream.
  • Green Onions: add a mild onion flavor and can be substituted with chives or, in a pinch, white onion or shallot. If you don’t like onions, just omit them.
  • Garlic: is used for pungency, though there’s not enough in the dressing to give it a garlicky top note. Feel free to add more than what my recipe calls for to adjust to your taste. If you’re not a garlic fan, just leave it out.
  • Lemon: the juice and zest lend citrus notes and help pull everything together. If you don’t have lemon, substitute it with additional vinegar, or try using a lime.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: adds a soft fruity acidity. You can use any other mild vinegar like rice wine or white wine. Deeply colored vinegars like balsamic and red wine, will muddy the color of the dressing, but if it’s all you have, they will still taste great.

What PairS With Green Goddess Dressing?

This velvety, tart dressing has grassy notes from all of the herbs it’s made with and pairs beautifully with any hearty salad, especially the Green Goddess Salad it was created for. Use it to dress a Simple Side Salad, or use it as substitute for the dressing in Easy Creamy Cole Slaw. This Green Goddess Salad Dressing recipe is also great as a dip for Vegetable Snack Packs and Roasted Summer Vegetables.

How To Store Green Goddess Dressing

Add any leftover dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. While some people do freeze their Green Goddess Dressing, it will dull the color and the flavor and you will have to blend it again, as the components tend to separate as they thaw. I prefer to refrigerate it.

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Dressing in a wood bowl garnished with herbs.
Side shot of Green Goddess Dressing in a wood bowl with a black spoon drizzling some in.
Print

Green Goddess Dressing

This creamy, herbaceous Green Goddess Dressing is perfect for hearty summer salads or as a tangy dip for fresh or roasted summer vegetables.
Course Dressing, Salad
Cuisine American
Total Cost ($6.73 recipe / $0.42 serving)
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 16 2 Tbsp servings
Calories 34kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basil leaves $2.99
  • 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves $0.24
  • 1/4 cup fennel fronds* $0.77
  • 4 green onions, roots removed $0.45
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested $0.79
  • 1 cup sour cream $1.25
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.06
  • 1/8 tsp salt, or more to taste $0.01
  • 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper, or more to taste $0.01

Instructions

  • Rough chop the basil leaves, Italian parsley leaves, fennel fronds, and green onions. Mince garlic. Zest and juice the lemon. Measure out the sour cream and the apple cider vinegar.
  • Add the sour cream to a blender. Top with the basil leaves, Italian parsley leaves, fennel fronds, green onions, garlic, lemon juice and zest, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Puree until smooth. If necessary, add more salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over your favorite salad and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Fennel fronds are the wispy, licorice flavored leaves on a fennel bulb. If you cannot source them, try using tarragon instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.4g

How to Make Green Goddess Salad Dressing – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Dressing ingredients on a wood cutting board.

Rough chop 1 cup basil leaves, 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, 1/4 cup fennel fronds, and 4 green onions. Mince 2 cloves garlic. Zest and juice 1 lemon.

Overhead shot of Green Goddess Dressing in a blender.

Add 1 cup of sour cream to a blender. Top with basil leaves, Italian parsley leaves, fresh fennel fronds, green onions, garlic, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1/8th teaspoon salt, and 1 pinch of black pepper. Puree until smooth. If necessary, add more salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over your favorite summer salad or use as a dip for summer veggies!

Side shot of Green Goddess Dressing in a wood bowl with a black spoon drizzling some in.

More Easy Salad Dressings

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Mayo Ketchup

Sweet and tangy Mayo Ketchup is a perfect dipping sauce for fried food and is also a fantastic sandwich spread, salad dressing, or marinade.

The post Mayo Ketchup appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Sweet and tangy Mayo Ketchup may be the perfect dipping sauce you’ve never heard of. This zesty blend of mayonnaise and ketchup is traditionally a dip for Tostones and other Puerto Rican delicacies. (Don’t you dare put fried food on a Puerto Rican table without Mayo Ketchup, homie!) But it’s also fabulous used as a sandwich spread, a salad dressing, or a marinade. Did I mention this mayo Ketchup recipe is ridiculously easy to make?

Overhead shot of Mayo ketchup in a small white bowl surrounded by tostones.

What Is Mayo Ketchup?

A staple of the Puerto Rican table, Mayo Ketchup is also a popular condiment in many different countries, where it can be known as fry sauce, salsa rosada, or pink sauce. The combination of mayonnaise and ketchup creates a rich and creamy dressing with slightly honeyed and tart notes. The two ingredients complement each other perfectly, creating a sauce that is surprisingly flavorful and versatile, like Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart.

Ingredients For Mayo Ketchup

You can now find this delicious concoction at many supermarkets, but making your own is much cheaper. Plus, you can doctor it up with a few extra ingredients to make it your own. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of adobo seasoning for depth and grate a fresh garlic clove to add pungency. Here’s what you’ll need to make a basic Mayo Ketchup:

  • Mayonnaise: adds richness and body to the sauce. Feel free to use vegan mayo here, if you’re plant-based.
  • Ketchup: provides sweetness and acidity. It also gives the sauce its signature salmon pink color.
  • Hot Sauce: adds a spicy kick. Use your favorite brand. Hot pepper brine is also fantastic. In a pinch, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

What TO PAIR With It

Mayo Ketchup is a perfect dip for anything fried, and Tostones are an uber-traditional pairing. You can also try it with Air Fryer Fried Chicken, Oven Baked Steak Fries, and Baked Zucchini Fries. PS I love it as a spread on Tomato Sandwiches(stand down, traditionalists!) or a Smash Burger.

Side shot of toston being dipped in Mayo Ketchup in a small white bowl.
Overhead shot of Mayo ketchup in a small white bowl surrounded by tostones.
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Mayo Ketchup

Sweet and tangy Mayo Ketchup is a perfect dipping sauce for fried food and is also a fantastic sandwich spread, salad dressing, or marinade.
Course Dip
Cuisine Latin
Total Cost ($0.64 recipe / $0.16 serving)
Prep Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
Servings 4 servings
Calories 103kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise $0.40
  • 2 Tbsp ketchup $0.10
  • 1 tsp hot sauce $0.14

Instructions

  • Add mayonnaise, ketchup, and hot sauce to a small bowl.
  • Mix ingredients until no white streaks remain. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 30 days.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 183mg | Fiber: 0.02g

How to Make Mayo Ketchup – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of Mayo Ketchup ingredients in a small white bowl surrounded by tostones.

To a small bowl add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce.

Overhead shot of sauce in a small white bowl.

Mix ingredients until thoroughly combined and no white streaks remain. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight for up to 30 days. Serve with your favorite crispy fried or oven-baked foods. Tostones are my favorite but the possibilities are endless!

Side shot of toston being dipped in Mayo Ketchup in a small white bowl.

More Easy Dipping Sauces

The post Mayo Ketchup appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Salmorejo

Salmorejo is a cold Spanish soup that’s delicious, creamy, easy to make, and a great way to use up summer tomatoes and day-old bread!

The post Salmorejo appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Salmorejo is a classic chilled Spanish soup that’s delicious, creamy, and a fabulous way to use up summer tomatoes and day-old bread! I had it for the first time in Barcelona and was hooked as soon as I tasted its tangy, velvety perfection. Because it’s an absolute breeze to put together and incredibly elegant, this Salmorejo recipe is often my first choice when throwing a summer dinner party, especially when I don’t want to spend loads of money or any time in a sweltering kitchen.

Overhead shot of a white bowl of Salmorejo garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crispy ham crumbles.

What Is Salmorejo?

Salmorejo is a traditional cold tomato soup from Spain. Traditionally, Salmorejo is garnished with a simple drizzle of olive oil but it can also be garnished with chopped hard-boiled eggs and ham. If you want to keep things plant-based, it’s also wonderful when garnished with diced strawberries, watermelon, and fresh summer basil. You can also garnish with chopped fresh zucchini and summer squash with Italian parsley.

What Is The Difference Between Gazpacho and Salmorejo?

Like Gazpacho, Salmorejo is made with ripe tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. The big difference is that the tomatoes are blended with day-old bread and then strained, giving this cold summer soup a velvety body and silky mouthfeel.

Ingredients For Salmorejo

It’s hilarious how excited I am to share this recipe with you! I love it so much I’m making 350 portions this coming week for a fancy food festival in Portland. Since the soup has just a few ingredients, you’ll want to make sure you get the best you can afford. Here’s what you’ll need to make Salmorejo:

  • Tomatoes – are the base of this cold summer soup. Any tomato will do as long as it is flavorful and ripe. To create depth, I often blend different types like grape, cherry, plum, heirloom, and beefsteak tomatoes. I don’t recommend making this recipe if you don’t like tomatoes.
  • Day-Old Crusty White Bread – adds body and texture to the soup. Use a Baguette, Ciabatta, Boule, or a Country Loaf. Don’t use sliced white or wheat bread, as the dough’s preservatives and stabilizers will make the soup gummy. If your bread is fresh, remove the crust, chop it into large cubes, put it in a sheet pan, and dry it in a 250°F oven for ten to fifteen minutes or until it hardens.
  • Olive Oil -helps flavor the soup and creates its signature velvety mouth feel. If you don’t like how your olive oil tastes by itself, don’t use it in this recipe. With so few ingredients, there won’t be any way to mask the flavor. You can get fabulous olive oil at the grocery store on a budget. Just know what to look for: cold-pressed, extra-virgin, and packaged in a dark glass container or, better yet, a metal container. California Olive Ranch, Trader Joe’s, 365, Simple Truth, and Bertolli are wonderful budget-friendly choices.
  • Vinegar – Adds a hit of acidity. Use rounder, softer vinegar like sherry, red wine, or apple cider. If your tomatoes are very tangy and acidic then skip the vinegar.
  • Garlic – Adds loads of intense flavor. If you don’t like garlic, you can skip it, though the soup will taste flat. Try blending a tablespoon of raw onion into the soup instead.
Side shot of a white bowl of Salmorejo garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crispy ham crumbles with a black spoon coming out of it.

Tips For Making Salmorejo

  1. Use ripe tomatoes. The riper the tomatoes, the sweeter and more flavorful the soup will be. Ripe tomatoes are fragrant, heavy for their size, and have firm flesh with a little give.
  2. Use day-old bread. Fresh bread will make your soup gummy, so dry it in a 250°F oven if necessary.
  3. Don’t over-blend the soup, which will make it gummy. 
  4. Experiment with different garnishes. While a simple drizzle of olive oil or hard-boiled eggs and chopped ham are traditional, try garnishing with other summer produce. Salmorejo pairs well with strawberries, watermelon, avocado, zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, and fresh herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, and thyme. Get creative and have fun!

What To Serve With Salmorejo

Salmorejo is incredible served with light summer salads like Creamy Cucumber Salad, Summer Sweet Corn Salad, and Panzanella. You can also serve it with heartier dishes like Tortellini Salad, Pasta Primavera, or Bruschetta Pasta.

How To Store Salmorejo

Store salmorejo in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze salmorejo, but it will dull the flavor a touch. While it will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer, the longer it’s frozen, the more flavor it loses. The components will separate during freezing, so blend again before serving. Do not heat the soup to thaw it. Leave it on the counter or thaw for no more than two hours or let it thaw overnight in the fridge.

Overhead shot of a white bowl of Salmorejo garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crispy ham crumbles.
Overhead shot of a white bowl of Salmorejo garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crispy ham crumbles.
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Salmorejo

Salmorejo is a cold Spanish soup that's delicious, creamy, easy to make, and a great way to use up summer tomatoes and day-old bread! On a hot summer day, it's pure tangy, velvety, perfection.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Spanish
Total Cost ($9.78 recipe / $1.22 serving)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Calories 216kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 lps tomatoes $6.57
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil $0.72
  • 1 lb crusty white bread $2.00
  • 3 cloves garlic $0.24
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.06
  • 1/2 cup water $0.00
  • 1/4 tsp salt $0.01
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional garnish) $0.18

Instructions

  • Core the tomatoes by cutting them in quarters and removing the hard white center. Then chop them roughly. Roughly chop the garlic cloves. Add the vinegar to the water. Remove the crust from the bread and cut into large cubes.
  • Place the water, tomatoes, garlic, and bread in a blender. Puree until smooth. Do not over-blend, as it will create a gummy texture. If working with a smaller blender, divide the ingredients in half and blend in batches.
  • With the blender on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then season with salt. Blend for a second or two and, if necessary, add more salt to taste. Cover and chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve before plating. Use the back of a ladle to make quick work of it. Discard solids in the sieve.
  • Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and get ready to enjoy your new favorite summer soup!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 415mg | Fiber: 1g

How to Make Salmorejo – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of Salmorejo's main ingredients: chopped fresh tomato, chopped day-old bread, and water, on a wood cutting board.

Core 3 pounds of tomatoes by cutting them in quarters and removing the hard white center. Then chop them roughly. Roughly chop 2 large garlic cloves. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1/2 cup of water. Remove the crust from the pound of crusty white bread and cut it into large cubes. If it’s fresh bread, toast the cubes in a 250°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until it hardens.

Overhead shot of Salmorejo ingredients topped with cubed bread in a blender jar.

Place the vinegar water, chopped tomatoes, chopped garlic, and cubed bread in a blender. Puree until smooth. Do not over-blend, as it will create a gummy texture. If working with a smaller blender, divide the ingredients in half and blend in batches.

Overhead shot of olive oil being drizzled into a blender jar full of pureed tomato and bread.

With the blender on low speed, slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil, then season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Blend for a second or two and, if necessary, add more salt to taste. Cover and chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Overhead shot of a hand using a gray ladle to push Salmorejo through a fine mesh sieve with a black handle into a white bowl.

Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve and into a large bowl before plating. Use the back of a ladle to make quick work of it. Discard the solids in the sieve.

Side shot of a white bowl of Salmorejo garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crispy ham crumbles with a black spoon coming out of it.

Finally, plate the Salmorejo, garnish with a drizzle of the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and get ready to enjoy your new favorite summer soup! It’s optional, but I love to also garnish my Salmorejo with a chopped, hard-boiled egg and sliced ham. You can also garnish with chopped fresh summer produce like bell peppers, zucchini, strawberries, watermelon, and fresh herbs like basil and Italian parsley.

More Easy Tomato Soup Recipes

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Classic Tomato Sandwiches

Tomato sandwiches are a summertime staple. With juicy ripe tomatoes, creamy mayonnaise, and soft bread, they’re a simple summer delight!

The post Classic Tomato Sandwiches appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This blog post is more of a love letter to my favorite summer meal than a “recipe.” Tomato sandwiches are one of the first foods I ever fell in love with, and I continue to look forward to summer every year just because of the tomato sandwiches. So it’s about time I formally celebrate their beautiful simplicity and share them with anyone who hasn’t yet had one. Tomato sandwiches are seriously my favorite thing. EVER.

Tomato Sandwiches being built on a wooden cutting board.

What’s on a Tomato Sandwich

There are so many different versions of tomato sandwiches out there, but I’m partial to the classic tomato sandwich consisting only of juicy, ripe tomatoes, creamy mayonnaise, soft white bread, and salt and pepper. That’s it!

The juice from the tomatoes combines with the creamy mayo, salt, and pepper to form a sort of dressing that kind of soaks into the bread and creates the most delicious combo of flavors and textures. It’s so divine that I literally can not eat just one. As soon as I pop that last bite I always make second one!

It’s all about the Tomatoes

This sandwich is all about enjoying the beautiful and delicious tomatoes of summer. If you can, buy tomatoes grown locally for the best flavor. Heirloom tomatoes are gorgeous and delicious, but they will probably increase the price of your sandwich a bit. If you can, hit up your local farmer’s markets or neighbors who might be growing tomatoes to grab a few of those fresh summer beauties!

What Kind of Bread to Use for Tomato Sandwiches

A lot of tomato sandwich lovers insist on soft white bread, but I’m a bit more flexible when it comes to the bread. I do like a little texture, so if my bread is very soft I’ll pop it in the toaster just to give it a little tan. I also like whole wheat bread for tomato sandwiches quite a bit, but I think I’m in the minority there. Most bread will work for tomato sandwiches, but I would try to avoid super crusty or chewy bread, like a baguette, because it will overpower the soft texture of the tomatoes inside.

Real Mayo Only, Please

Talk to any Southerner and they’re likely to have very strong feelings when it comes to their favorite mayonnaise, especially for tomato sandwiches. Dukes and Blue Plate are both popular choices, but a good ol’ classic Hellmann’s mayo is also good, IMHO! Bottom line, it’s got to be CREAMY.

Tomato Sandwich Variations

A couple of years ago I posted a video about my love for tomato sandwiches on social media and I asked YOU how you like to make your tomato sandwiches. I got some wonderful responses! Here are some other ingredients people love to put on tomato sandwiches:

  • Rub raw garlic on the bread before spreading on the mayo
  • Lettuce and bacon (BLT!)
  • Cucumber
  • Cheese (goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, or cheddar)
  • Fresh basil
  • Sweet onion
  • Cream cheese instead of mayo
  • Pesto
  • Hummus instead of mayo
  • Cavenders Greek seasoning
  • Everything bagel seasoning

What do you like to put on YOUR tomato sandwiches?? Let us know in the comments below!

Side view of a sliced and stacked tomato sandwich.
Side view of a sliced and stacked tomato sandwich.
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Tomato Sandwiches

Tomato sandwiches are a summertime staple. With juicy ripe tomatoes, creamy mayonnaise, and soft bread, they're a simple summer delight!
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $1.67 each
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 437kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 large tomato $0.77
  • 2 slices white bread $0.64
  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise $0.22
  • 1 pinch salt $0.02
  • 1 pinch pepper $0.02

Instructions

  • If you prefer your bread toasted, begin by toasting the bread. Slice the tomatoes into large rounds (horizontally around the equator of the tomato).
  • Spread a thick layer of mayonnaise over each slice of bread. Top one slice of bread with tomato slices, then sprinkle a generous pinch of salt and pepper over the tomatoes and second slice of bread.
  • Close the sandwich with the second slice of bread, cut the sandwich in half, and serve immediately.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Sodium: 549mg | Fiber: 2g

How to Make Tomato Sandwiches – Step by Step Photos

Tomatoes being sliced.

Slice your tomato first. I like to slice horizontally across the tomato to get the biggest slices possible. The thickness of the slices are up to you, but I like to do a medium-width. Not too thin so I don’t have to do too many layers, but not so thick that I can’t overlap them at all.

Mayonnaise being spread onto bread.

If you prefer to have toasted bread, make sure you’ve got that going while you’re slicing the tomatoes. Spread a nice layer of mayonnaise over each piece of bread (about 1.5 Tbsp per slice, depending on the size of your bread).

Tomato slices on the bread with salt and pepper.

Layer the tomatoes onto the bread, using as much as you’d like (this part is just personal preference). Top the tomatoes and the other slice of bread with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Sliced tomato sandwich held close to the camera.

Place the other slice of bread on top and slice the sandwich in half (horizontal or diagonal, you do you). Enjoy the sandwich immediately. …And then make a second one. ;)

Side view of a sliced and stacked tomato sandwich.

Seriously. My mouth is watering just looking at that. 🤤

More Easy Sandwich Recipes

The post Classic Tomato Sandwiches appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Limber

A limber is a refreshing and delicious Puerto Rican tropical fruit puree popsicle that’s the perfect budget-friendly option for cooling down on a hot day.

The post Limber appeared first on Budget Bytes.

No, this isn’t a recipe for how to warm up for exercise! A limber is a refreshing and delicious Puerto Rican frozen tropical fruit puree popsicle that you can make for next to nothing. Limbers are the perfect way to cool down on a sweltering hot day. And, trust me, island people know all about keeping things chill when temperatures hit the triple digits. This one will become a summer favorite!

Overhead shot of four mango limbers on a sheet pan filled with ice.

What Are Limbers?

Limbers are a popular frozen treat in always hot Puerto Rico. Tropical fruit purees or creamy milks are served in the small plastic cups they are frozen in. They’re named after the famous pilot Charles A. Lindbergh, who was obsessed with the icy fruit pops. My favorite flavor is mango, which is what we’re making today.

What Do You Need To Make Limbers?

This recipe is ridiculously easy and has an incredibly simple ingredient list. The hardest thing about it is waiting for the pops to freeze! Here’s what you need to make Mango Limbers:

  • Mango– preferably fresh. You can, of course, use frozen but you might need to up the amount of sugar you put in the mix, as it won’t be as flavorful as fresh. In a pinch, mango nectar or juice are good options too.
  • Sugar – helps sweeten the limber, as mango can sometimes be acidic, especially if they aren’t ripe. You can use your favorite sweetener here, to taste. Honey, agave nectar, brown sugar, and artificial sugars all work well.
  • Lime juice – this isn’t a must, but it’s nice to have that citrus note.
  • Ginger – fresh or powdered. Also not a must. But it adds a great pop of flavor.

How To Pick A Ripe Mango

When mangoes are ripe they should be aromatic and have some give when you press a finger into the skin. For limbers, I prefer to use small champagne mangoes, also known as Ataúlfo, Adaulfo, young, baby, yellow, or honey mangoes. They aren’t as fibrous as other mangoes and have a naturally deeply sweet flavor.

Side shot of hand holding a plastic cup with a mango limber poking out of it.

What DO You Freeze LimberS In?

Traditionally, limbers are frozen in small, usually 6-ounce, plastic cups. But single waste plastic isn’t our favorite at the Budget Bytes kitchen, so we used popsicle molds. You can use pretty much any squeezable freezer-safe container as your mold, and simply push the limber out once it;s frozen. If the limber is stuck in the container, just run warm water over the mold until the limber loosens.

Other Traditional Limber Flavors

If mango isn’t your thing, don’t miss out on this frozen treat! You can make it with almost any pureed fresh fruit or fruit juice and add sugar to taste. There are also creamy options. Try:

  • Coconut Milk with a little cinnamon
  • Tamarind Puree
  • Orange, Lemon, or Lime Juice
  • Pineapple
  • Condensed Milk with a little cinnamon
  • Guava Juice
  • Passion Fruit Juice
Overhead shot of four mango limbers on a sheet pan filled with ice.
Overhead shot of hand holding a mango limber with a white handle.
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Limbers

A limber is a refreshing and delicious Puerto Rican tropical fruit puree popsicle that's the perfect budget-friendly option for cooling down on a hot day.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Latin, Puerto Rican
Total Cost ($4.57 recipe / $0.76 serving)
Prep Time 10 minutes
Freezing Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 limbers
Calories 24kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 whole champagne mangoes, fresh $4.00
  • 1/2 cup water $0.01
  • 3 Tbsp sugar $0.05
  • 1 whole lime, juiced (optional) $0.50
  • 1/8 tsp powdered ginger (optional) $0.01

Instructions

  • Slice around the seed of the mangoes by making two cuts all the way through each mango, each just off-center.
  • Use a large spoon to scoop out the mango flesh from the mango halves. Rough chop the mango flesh.
  • Add the diced mango, water, and sugar to a blender. Hold the seed over the blender and run the spoon over the seed to extract any extra flesh and juice. Optional: Add lime juice and powdered ginger.
  • Blend until a smooth puree forms. It should have the consistency of ketchup. If necessary, add a touch more water to thin out the puree. You should have about 3 cups of puree.
  • Fill the ice pop molds, small freezer-safe glassware, or 6-ounce plastic cups, but not all the way up as the filling expands as it freezes.
  • Freeze for 6 hours. Make it easy to unmold by dipping them in warm water. And then all you have left to do is to enjoy the most refreshing thing you'll have all day!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1limber | Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.02g

How to Make Mango Limbers – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of one hand holding a mango while the other hand slices it on a wooden cutting board. There are other mango slices on the board.

Slice around the seeds of the 4 mangoes by making two cuts through each mango from the stem to the tip. Each cut should be just off-center.

Hand holding a mango half and scooping out the flesh with a spoon.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the mango flesh from each mango half. Rough chop the mango flesh.

Overhead shot of mango and other ingredients in a blender.

Add the chopped mango, 1/2 cup water, and 3 tablespoons of sugar to a blender. Hold the seeds over the blender and run the spoon over the seeds to extract any extra flesh and juice. Optional: Add the juice of 1 lime and 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger.

Overhead shot of blended limber in a blender.

Blend until a smooth puree forms. It should have the consistency of ketchup. If necessary, add a touch more water to thin out the puree. You should have about 3 cups of puree.

Overhead shot of mango puree being poured into popsicle molds.

Fill the ice pop molds, small freezer-safe glassware, or 6-ounce plastic cups, but not all the way up as the filling expands as it freezes.

Overhead shot of mango limber with a white handle.

Freeze for 6 hours. Make it easy to unmold by dipping them in warm water. And then enjoy the most refreshing thing you’ll have all day, guaranteed!

More Easy Frozen Treats

The post Limber appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Ensalada de Aguacate (Avocado Salad)

Ensalada de Aguacate, a Puerto Rican-style Avocado Salad, is a quick and easy summer salad you can make for about a dollar a serving.

The post Ensalada de Aguacate (Avocado Salad) appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Ensalada de Aguacate, a Puerto Rican-style Avocado Salad, is a quick and easy summer salad that’s so tasty and refreshing you’ll find yourself craving it on sweltering days. To bulk up the salad, I layer the creamy avocado with cooling slices of tomato. So technically, it’s an Ensalada de Aguacate y Tomate (Avocado and Tomato Salad), but who wants to type all of that out 150 times? Not this girl. Oh yeah- it comes in at under a dollar a serving! #win

Overhead shot of Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate.

What Is Ensalada De Aguacate?

This avocado salad is a very popular Latin dish, and every family has their own spin on it. It’s slices of creamy avocado, pungent onions, and in this case, tangy tomatoes dressed in a very simple mix of oil and vinegar. Some versions also include vegetables like bell peppers and radishes, fruit like mango and grapefruit, cheeses like Queso Fresco or Mozzarella, or proteins like chicken, walnuts, or sliced hard-boiled eggs.

What You’ll Need

This Avocado Salad makes for a beautifully composed salad, but you don’t have to go crazy with it as I did here. I love salad with a wow factor, and taking a few extra minutes to layer the components makes for a beautiful presentation. You can present the salad in a bowl, but do your best to mix it gently, or the avocado will fall apart faster than a reality show housewife. Here’s what you’ll need to make Ensalada de Aguacate:

  • Avocado: This fruit is the star of the show and adds creamy and slightly nutty notes to our salad, along with a creamy texture. I know someone, somewhere, will ask me what to substitute for the avocado in the avocado salad because they hate avocado. And to them, I say, just leave it out and enjoy a tasty tomato salad. (Editor’s note: Beth, please check out my lack of sarcasm and my extra-large serving of helpful advice. I’ve grown!)
  • Yellow Onion: This has an assertive spiciness that helps cut through the fatty avocado. You can sub it with any onion you have on hand, including green onion. If you use red onion, make sure to soak it for a minute in cold water to make it less pungent. If you’re not about that onion life, skip it.
  • Tomato: This fruit adds a sweet tartness to the salad and helps bulk it up to keep it budget-friendly. Use any ripe tomato you have on hand. If you’re not a fan of tomatoes, substitute them with cucumber, grapefruit, or mango.
  • Olive Oil: This is the fat in our simple dressing. In a pinch, substitute the olive oil with canola, sunflower, or any nut oil. Just be aware the flavor profile will change significantly.
  • Distilled White Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar: These are the acids in our dressing. I mix them to create deeper flavors but feel free to use either one on its own. You can also use any other clear or lightly-colored vinegar, though the punchier it is, the better.
Side shot of Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate.

How To Pick Avocados

  1. Look for blackish-dark-green skin, which signals that the avocado has ripened. Bright green skin means they aren’t ready.
  2. When you gently press a finger into the avocado skin, the flesh should give slightly. If it’s mushy, its time has passed.
  3. Flick off what’s left of the stem at the top of the avocado. If it loosens easily and reveals a lime green top, it’s ripe. If it doesn’t flick off, it’s not ripe. If it flicks off and the top is black, it’s too ripe for a salad but might work for guacamole.

How To Ripen Avocados

To help ripen an avocado quickly, place it in a paper bag with an apple or a banana. Close the bag and leave it at room temperature. The natural gases released by the apple or banana will help your avocado mature faster. Some Tik-Tok folks think you can use a microwave to ripen an avocado, but all you’re doing is cooking the avocado, which softens it but will still taste like an unripe avocado.

What To Serve With Avocado Salad

This Ensalada de Aguacate pairs beautifully with other Puerto Rican dishes like Puerto Rican Rice and Beans, Arroz Con Pollo, Chuletas Guisadas, or Pollo Guisado. However, you don’t have to have a Latin spread to enjoy it! Add it as a side at your next cookout. It pairs wonderfully with BBQ Ribs, Sausage Kebabs, Smash Burgers, or Marinated Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Overhead shot of Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate with a black fork and knife cutting into it.
Overhead shot of Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate.
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Ensalada De Aguacate (Avocado Salad)

Ensalada de Aguacate, a Puerto Rican-style Avocado Salad, is easy, ready in just ten minutes, and the kind of summer salad that's so refreshing and tasty you'll find yourself craving it on sweltering days.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine Latin
Total Cost $3.56 recipe / $0.89 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 cups
Calories 205kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

Dressing

Salad

  • 2 medium tomatoes $0.90
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion $0.38
  • 2 medium avocados $1.98
  • 3/8 tsp salt, divided $0.02

Instructions

  • Make the dressing. In a mason jar, add white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, finely chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper. Cover and give it a good shake.
  • Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds, then slice the rounds into halves. Slice the yellow onion into 1/4-inch thick half-moons. Slice the avocados into 1/4-inch thick half moons. If the avocados are large, then slice the half-moons in half.
  • Add half the tomato slices to a large dinner plate in one layer. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the dressing on the tomatoes and sprinkle with 1 pinch of salt.
  • Add half the onions in a single layer and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of dressing and a pinch of salt. Add half of the avocado slices in a single layer, and follow with 2 teaspoons of dressing and a pinch of salt.
  • Repeat the layering process with the remaining slices of tomatoes, onions, and avocados. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and serve.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 300mg | Fiber: 7g

How to Make Ensalada De Aguacate – Step by Step Photos

Overhead shot of dressing in a small mason jar.

Make the dressing. In a mason jar, add 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cover and give it a good shake.

Overhead shot of slice avocados, tomatoes, ad onions on a wood cutting board.

Slice two medium tomatoes into 1/4 inch rounds, then slice the rounds into halves. Then cut half a medium yellow onion into 1/4 inch into half moons. Finally, slice two medium avocados into 1/4-inch half moons. Add a touch of the dressing to the surface of the avocados to keep them from turning brown.

Overhead shot of tomatoes on a white plate with dressing being spooned over them.

Add half the tomato slices to a large dinner plate in one layer. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the dressing on the tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Overhead shot of the first layer of tomatoes, avocados, and onion in Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate.

Add half the onions in a single layer on top of the avocado and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of dressing and a pinch of salt. Next, add half of the avocado slices in a single layer on top of the sliced onion, and follow with 2 teaspoons of dressing and a pinch of salt.

Overhead shot of finished Ensalada de Aguacate on a white plate.

Repeat the layering process with the remaining tomato, onion, and avocado slices. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and serve. Guaranteed this will be one of the most refreshing summer salads you’ve ever had!

More Easy Summer Salads

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Homemade Burger Seasoning

Make the best hamburgers ever with this easy homemade burger seasoning recipe that will add flavor and depth to your burgers.

The post Homemade Burger Seasoning appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I know Memorial Day is still a couple of weeks away, but if you ask me, grilling season has BEGUN! And whether you’re cooking homemade burgers outside on a grill or inside on a griddle, the first step to making a knock-it-out-of-the-park burger is to season it properly. This super simple homemade burger seasoning takes seconds to make, uses spices that you probably already have on hand, and really does take a ground beef patty to the next level. Try it on your next burger and let me know what you think! (I think you’ll be going back for seconds.)

Overhead view of a bowl full of burger seasoning surrounded by burger toppings.

What’s in Burger Seasoning

Burger seasoning doesn’t have to be fancy to really add a lot of depth of flavor to your homemade hamburgers. For our simple burger seasoning mix we use paprika (smoked and sweet), onion powder, garlic powder, freshly cracked pepper, salt, and just a tiny pinch of cayenne. They’re all pretty basic spices but when they come together they elevate the flavor of the beef without overshadowing it, making the perfect homemade hamburger.

How to Season Burgers

The best way to use this burger seasoning is to sprinkle a light layer on the outside of your already-formed burger patties. When making hamburgers you want to avoid overworking the meat, which can make your burger dense and tough. So gently shape your burgers then lightly coat them in your burger seasoning for the ultimate juicy and flavorful burger!

How Much Burger Seasoning to Use

I suggest using about ¼ to ½ tsp of burger seasoning per side of a ¼ lb. burger patty, but you can add more or less to taste. The recipe below makes about 1 Tbsp of burger seasoning, so that should be enough for about four burger patties.

If you want to make more burger seasoning at a time, simply adjust the number of servings listed in the servings box in the recipe card below and the rest of the ingredients will auto adjust for you.

burger seasoning being sprinkled over hamburger patties.

P.S. This really basic seasoning blend is great on just about everything. Try it on steak fries, pork or beef roasts, or grilled steaks!

A bowl of burger seasoning surrounded by cooked burger patties and toppings.
Print

Burger Seasoning

Make the best hamburgers ever with this easy homemade burger seasoning recipe that will add flavor and depth to your burgers.
Course Seasoning
Cuisine American
Total Cost $0.33 recipe / $0.08 serving
Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings 4 (about ¾ tsp per burger)
Calories 5kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Use immediately or store in a an air-tight container, away from light and heat, until ready to use.
  • To use the burger seasoning, sprinkle about ¼ to ½ tsp of seasoning over each side of a burger patty before cooking.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 292mg | Fiber: 0.4g

How to Make burger seasoning – Step by Step Photos

Individual spices in a bowl before stirring.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, and ½ tsp salt.

Stirred burger seasoning in the bowl.

Stir the spices together and then they’re ready to use! Get ready for the juiciest, most flavorful burger ever!

You can also make this in larger batches and store it as you would any spice or seasoning blend – in an air-tight container, away from heat and light.

What’s your favorite burger add-in? Let us know in the comments below!

More Great Burger Recipes

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