Craving a Hot-n-Ready from Little Ceasers? Tempted by the frozen bread sticks in the HD lighting in the freezers at the grocery store? Ready to go buy a whole boxed cake to satisfy your sweet tooth? Have no fear, more cheap, easy, and healthy Pinterest recipes are here.
Dinner
“Homemade Crunchwraps” – Yep, like the ones at Taco Bell, and it’s enough for leftovers! And the best part is, you can put on as much of any ingredient as you want. But, if you want to make this like a crunchwrap, make sure you don’t overload your tortilla, or otherwise you’ll end up with a crispy, glorified burrito without the cool shape.
One large flour tortilla
Crunchy tortilla chips, Fritos, or crispy corn tortilla
Lettuce
Cheddar cheese/queso sauce
Sour cream
Salsa
Chopped green peppers
Tomatoes (optional)
1 pack of ground beef
1 pack of McCormick taco seasoning
Other toppings your soul may desire
Put the ground beef into a frying pan and cook until well browned, so there is no red meat. Drain the fat from the pan, and add the taco seasoning and half a cup of water. Cook until the seasoning has been absorbed by the meat, and there is no water left over. Once the meat is done, leave on low heat to keep it warm. As it cooks, chop up your veggies and grate your cheese. Once the veggies and beef are ready, grab your large flour tortilla and cover a small circle in the middle with sour cream, salsa, and cheese. Next, cover this coating with your crunchy layer—chips, a corn tortilla, or Fritos. Then, put your meat on top of the chips/corn tortilla/Fritos, and sprinkle your veggies on top.
The trickiest part is cooking the tortilla with all this wrapped inside without it falling apart. The most important step is to make sure that your frying pan is hot enough—turn it on to medium-high or high heat, and don’t put the crunchwrap on until water will sizzle from the pan.
If you can’t fold your tortilla closed on top, rip off a section of another tortilla to cover the hole between the folds. Then, quickly flip the crunchwrap upside down so the folds are on the frying pan. Press down on the crunchwrap gently with a spatula, and check the bottom periodically before flipping over to heat the other side. It’s like Taco Bell, but healthier and without the drive-thru!
Desserts
“Vegan Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Bread” – Relatively healthy on the sugar spectrum, and high in fiber. Also good for the end of summer when your garden (or your friends’ gardens) are overflowing with zucchini.
1 1/2 cups shredded raw zucchini (one medium)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large banana
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Shred one medium zucchini in a food processor or with a hand grater. Set aside.
Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a separate bowl and set that aside. Mash the banana with the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Fold in the grated zucchini. Stir in the dry ingredients and then mix in the dried cranberries at the end. Pour the batter into a lightly greased bread loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
“Edible Cookie Dough” – Yes, it’s true; cookie dough made just for eating, not for baking. Instant gratification!
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
Pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour, salt, and chocolate chips until well blended. Chill in the refrigerator.