By: Stephanie5 Comments
One of the biggest drawbacks of trying to feed an entire family healthy food is that it can get very expensive very quickly. Since we pay about $8 a gallon for milk from pastured cows, and shell out a pretty penny for produce from local farmers for our CSA membership, we try to trim the food budget however we can. One of the easiest ways is to eat less meat, but my husband isn’t a fan of that option. So I’ve been trying to stretch the meat we do buy so that it last for a few meals.
This healthy version of orange chicken-our favorite Chinese take-out item-is an example of stretching our meat. This week the kids have VBS (Vacation Bible School) every night so we have been looking for quick and easy dinner options. At the beginning of the week Eddie picked up a rotisserie chicken and a watermelon from the grocery store. (We eat A LOT of rotisserie chicken. It’s just as easy as take out, but it’s healthier and it’s about half the price of a trip to a fast food place to feed our family of five.) I shred the left over meat. The next day I used it to make whole wheat quesadillas for lunch and the day after that I made this orange chicken. Sometimes I also use the bones to make chicken stock, so one chicken can feed us up to four times.
It might seem like a long list of ingredients for this meal, but you probably already have most (if not all) of them in your refrigerator or pantry. Best of all, it only takes about 15-20 minutes to go from this…
to this…
Healthy Orange Chicken
2014-06-14 12:22:56
Serves 4
a great alternative to take-out
Ingredients
- Brown Rice
- Orange Juice
- Honey
- Garlic (minced, fresh, or dried)
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Sea Salt
- Ketchup
- Coconut or Olive Oil
- Water
- cooked, shredded chicken
For Rice
- 1. Mix 1/2 cup Orange Juice and 1 cup of water.
- 2. Boil juice and water mixture
- 3. Add 1 cup of brown rice and continue cooking according to directions on box
For Orange Chicken
- 1. Melt 1 tbs coconut oil (or olive oil) over medium high heat.
- 2. Add 1 cup of cooked, shredded chicken
- 3. Mix 1/4 cup of orange juice, 2 tbs honey, dash of sea salt, 1/4 tsp red pepper flake, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tbs ketchup, and 1/2 cup of water and add to pan with chicken.
- 4. Reduce heat and allow sauce to thicken. If necessary, add 1 tsp of whole wheat flour to help thicken sauce.
By Binkies and Briefcases
Binkies and Briefcases http://binkiesandbriefcases.com/
Comments
-
Holly Waterfall says
This looks great! I completely understand trying to stretch that dollar to feed your family… its too bad hubby won’t go for the no-meat situation because that has helped a ton! Regardless, rotisserie is the way to make a chicken stretch as far as possible.
Reply
-
This looks really good and healthy. I wonder if I could add a vegetable too. Maybe broccoli?
Reply
-
Stephanie says
I bet that would be great! We usually serve our vegetables on the side, but it would be even easier to just toss them right in.
Reply
-
-
Meredith says
I am pinning this and going to actually make too! 😉 It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing, Steph!
Reply
Trackbacks
-
[…] I use it in my fake out orange chicken recipe […]
Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Welcome! I’m Steph.
This is a little corner of the internet we like to fill with honesty, heart, and humor. Read More…
19,978
Binkies and Briefcases with Stephanie Giese
That work/life balance must be hiding here somewhere, between the binkies and the briefcases.
4 days ago
Middle-aged rant ahead: So, do stores just, like, not sell white refrigerators anymore?
Our garage refrigerator died a few weeks ago and, since I have never loved the one in our kitchen, we thought we would move our current fridge to the garage and splurge on a new one for the kitchen. I was excited. One of the things I don’t love about our current fridge is that it is stainless steel, which is not my favorite. Remember when every fridge was white, then a few years later each model came in white, black, or stainless steel? I was just hoping for a plain ol’ classic white fridge. The kind in your aunt’s kitchen. Doesn’t even have to be fancy, although I do also like the newer white and gold ones.
I guess regular white refrigerators are not a thing? The few models that did come in white online cost hundreds of dollars more for that color. When did that change? The white model used to be the cheapest one you could get.
Folks, we searched for weeks and could not find a regular full-sized refrigerator. I wanted them to take my money. But call me old-fashioned, I would like to see and touch something in person before I drop thousands of dollars on it. I wasn’t going to buy something that big and awkward that needs a special delivery if I couldn’t see it first.
We went to several different stores. I talked to associates. They weren’t sure which models came in regular white (as opposed to a mirrored futuristic version of a white fridge with no handles. THAT they do have), because I guess that’s just not a thing anyone wants anymore? Sometimes there is a QR code sticker that you can scan yourself to see if they sell a different version online. Not always, though. And you still can’t see the other colors in person. Why am I in the store if I still have to shop online?
We ended up giving up the search and buying a smaller apartment-sized fridge for the garage instead. I mean, I saved like a thousand dollars, so it’s cool with me, but I’m still over here like ???? ... See MoreSee Less
5 days ago
I can't believe it has been over a year since the last time I posted on this page! I miss this community. I love this group, made of mostly moms, and the way we have helped each other through big ups and downs over the years. As my kids have gotten older, they have not wanted me to write about them as much. When I started hearing "You can take my picture, but please don't post it," I respected their wishes and I stopped. But man, I sure miss the camaraderie of sharing our everyday moments with other families who are in a similar stage.
So, let's check in. What is going on with your families now?
My kids are well into their teens now (except Penny, who will turn 13 later this year). We have three high-schoolers and one more who will head that way at the end of next month. A house full of five kids, ages 13-17, makes for A LOT of hormones. We are navigating the delicate balance of school, and part-time jobs, and extra curriculars. We're applying for driving permits and putting down hefty down payments for school trips so they can travel the world and learn to be citizens of it without us.
I am still here, quietly writing, and I am excited to share what is coming. Although, if I'm honest, it probably won't be ready to show you for a while.
I have always been a writer, and I still do it every day. But I do miss the old days of blogging, when this space was our water cooler and we were all sharing our stories together.
So please tell me your stories, and although it will be in a brand-new way, I promise that I will be back again to tell you one, too. ... See MoreSee Less