Fennel, fennel and more fennel. When fennel is on sale it means you need to get creative!
“Eating on a budget means shopping the sales and eating what is in season.”
When we started out we were spending nearly $1,000 per month on groceries for two people. I knew we had to make some changes, but I didn’t want to sacrifice the quality or even the quantity of food we were eating at home. Well, 2 years later I can happily say we’ve done just that. I’m always searching for ways to save, but as a whole I’m happy where we are. We have $550 per month for groceries and it is more than enough to get quality, mostly organic, food for our family.
Eating on a budget means shopping the sales and eating what is in season. This week I was surprised to see fresh bulbs of fennel on sale at our local grocery. At $1.50 for a bulb, I waivered from our “stick to the list” rule of budgeting. I didn’t have a plan for the fennel just yet, but I couldn’t resist that price!
The fennel sat in our produce drawer for a few days, me still trying to figure out what I was going to do with it. Then finally that lightbulb went off!! You see, I’m also trying to lose that last bit of baby weight. You know, those 10 pounds that just won’t seem to budge. So, the solution fit both my need to use the fennel and my search for something delicious but also super healthy.
I’m pretty sure I have heard of the dish somewhere else, but in my mind it was 100% original. So I gathered my ingredients and went for it.
Fennel & Apple Salad
Very few ingredients, low calorie but filling, easy and fast, light, refreshing and absolutely DELICIOUS! It was perfect. PLUS, I only used half the bulb of fennel leaving me room to get “creative” once again.
For this salad the only ingredients are fennel, an apple, lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper, and a splash of vinegar. At $1.50 per bulb for the fennel, the apples on sale for $1.29 per pound, lemons $2.99 for a bag, and the rest of the ingredients pantry staples, that puts the total for a big bowl of this salad at $1.60! I got about 4-5 servings, the size pictured, out of the bowl.
At less than $0.40 per serving this fancy looking little salad is a budget win in my book.
Oh, and did I mention that each serving is only 80 calories? One meal closer to getting rid of that baby weight!
Fennel and apples are surprisingly filling due to their high fiber and water content which makes them a perfect meal for a mom who is ALWAYS hungry.
The key is slicing both the fennel and the apples very thin. It creates the perfect texture and makes sure the licorice flavor that fennel can have doesn’t overpower everything.
The dressing can be adjusted to taste. I personally LOVE pepper so I went a little heavy. Adjust it to the flavor that you like. It doesn’t add any money or calories!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Bulb Fresh Fennel
- 1 Red Apple
- Juice from 2 Lemons
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Splash of Red Wine Vinegar (may substitute apple cider vinegar)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- THAT'S IT!
Instructions
- In medium bowl mix oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Slice apple and fennel thin, super thin and place in bowl
- Tear off the fennel frawns and add them to the salad too. They add color, flavor and makes the most of the budget.
- Toss everything together and eat!
Easy right?! I made it for lunch today. It took me less than 10 minutes and made me feel like I went to a fancy little café.
When you’re trying to eat on a budget or when you’re on a diet, it’s nice to present your food in a way that makes you WANT to eat it. Without spices, creativity, and a little bit of presentation, it’s possible for food to get very boring very quickly. BUT when your food looks and tastes delicious it doesn’t feel like you’re depriving yourself, because you’re not. You’re simply maximizing your budget and maximizing your calories and nutrients to make your money and your food work for you.
Stay tuned for more healthy recipes from Living Life Loving Us and check the recipes below for more inspiration!
- Fast, fresh salsa
- Quick and Easy Chimichurri
- Thai Kale Salad
- Meal Prep plan for when you have no time OR money
- Spinach Gnocchi with Homemade Pesto in LESS than 30 minutes
Yummm! This looks so good! I’m always looking for quick and simple recipes for my family. I’ll give this a try ?
Let me know how you like it! I’ve made it a few times now and it’s absolutely the easiest thing ever! Even the baby ate it 😉