FEED FOUR THREE WAYS!
by Nancy Dell'Aria

     Eating on a budget is not only good for your pocket, it can also be good for you.
Nutritionists agree that most of us eat too much protein in the form of high-fat,
high-price meat. Instead, they'd like us to eat more vegetables and carbohydrates, which
are naturally low in fat. With this in mind, I've come up with three recipes I'm sure
your family will love. Quick, easy and hearty enough to fill any hungry tummy, each
uses only half a pound of ground beef. The payoff: You slash your ground-beef bill and
load up on those veggies and carbos.



BARBECUED-BEEF POTATO TOPPER

Prep: 10 min Cook: 16 min
Cost per Serving: 99 cents

Serve this spicy medley over baked potatoes.

 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
 1 1/2 cups very coarsely chopped green bell pepper
 1 cup thinly sliced onion
 1 cup (8 ounces) ground beef
 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
 1/3 cup bottled barbecue sauce
 1 can (15 1/4 ounces) whole-kernel corn, drained

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Stir in green pepper and onion. Cook 2 to 3
minutes, stirring often, until onions are limp.

2. Add beef and cook 4 to 5 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon, until meat is no
longer pink.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes until
flavors are blended.

* Serves 4. Per serving: 324 cal, 14 g pro, 32 g car, 17 g fat, 48 mg chol, 1,125 mg sod.
Exchanges: 1 starch/bread, 1 fruit, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat, 2 fat



BEEF, NOODLE AND VEGETABLE SKILLET

Prep: 8 min Cook: 17 min
Cost per Serving: $1.24

The noodles cook right in the sauce. No mess. No fuss.

 1 cup (8 ounces) ground beef
 1 cup chopped onion
 3 cups water
 2 beef bouillon cubes
 1 jar (12 ounces) low-fat mushroom gravy
 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
 8 ounces (4 cups) medium-size egg noodles
 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (I like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
 1/2 cup nonfat sour cream

1. Cook beef and onions in a large nonstick skillet, 4 to 5 minutes until meat is no
longer pink.

2. Add water, bouillon cubes, gravy and thyme. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Stir in
noodles and frozen vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 8 to 10
minutes, stirring twice, until noodles are tender.

3. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

* Serves 4. Per serving: 489 cal, 24 g pro, 57 g car, 19 g fat, 106 mg chol, 912 mg sod.
Exchanges: 3 starch/bread, 2 vegetable, 1 3/4 lean meat, 2 1/2 fat



PUMPKIN-PATCH CHILI

Prep: 8 min Cook: 13 min
Cost per Serving: 90 cents

If you like the name, you'll love the chili. Serve it over corn bread or rice.

 1 cup (8 ounces) ground beef
 1 cup chopped onions (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
 1 tablespoon minced garlic
 2 tablespoons chili powder
 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
 1/2 cup water
 1 can (19 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (freeze remainder for another use)

1. Cook beef, onions and garlic in a large nonstick skillet, breaking up meat with a
spoon, 4 to 5 minutes until beef is no longer pink. 

2. Stir in remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes until
flavors are blended. Garnish with reserved chopped onion.

* Serves 4. Per serving: 354 cal, 20 g pro, 34 g car, 17 g fat, 48 mg chol, 892 mg sod.
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch/bread, 2 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat