Fabulous Healthy Foods. On The Cheap.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is eating healthier...fabulous.  Seeing as though we are still mucking through this Great Recession...might as well make it cheap and fabulous.

Here are my top 9 under $9 food choices that is friendly to both your wallet and your waistline:

1. Steel Cut Oatmeal (also called Irish Oats)

Steel-cut oats are cheap, delicious, and sooooo good for you.  'Steel-cut' means they are in their raw form, basically just cut off the stalk.  Steel Cut Oats will still have all their fiber, protein, and B-vitamins.

Let them soak in water overnight, or cook up a large batch at once (they cook for 30 minutes so uber annoying if you only do one serving at a time).  Add a some cinnamon and almond milk for delicious, filling breakkie, or add it with some protein powder and water in a blender for a great post-workout shake.

You will be full for hours. Trust.

2. Frozen Vegetables

How easy are these?! All the cutting, de-stalking and cleaning is already done for you....*and* it is usually cheaper than fresh because you are buying bulk *and* they last longer than fresh veg does.

Cheap, prepped, easy. Done.

3. Brown Rice

Rice is one of the highest consumed food stuffs in the entire world.  Brown rice is full of fiber, and good starchy carbs that will keep you feeling full for a long time.  Pair it some frozen vegetables for a complete meal. Or...add water and poof! Soup.

4. Sweet Potatoes (also called Yams)

*puts on best Coffee Talk with Linda Richman voice*
Sweet Potatoes are not really sweet.  Not really potatoes.  Discuss.

Piled to the brim with beta carotene (the precursor to Vitamin A), fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C and iron, these are a great healthy, cheap food staple.  Pop 'em in the oven for 30 minutes with some cinnamon and enjoy.

5.  Peanut Butter

When you are budget conscious and you need a healthy cheap (not to mention quick) snack - peanut butter is your best bet.  They are high in good fats that are heart healthy, make your skin, hair and nails look gorge, and are rich in niacin, folate, magnesium, and vitamin E.

Pair with a fruit like green apple (the best snack imo), or with some honey on a slice of whole grain or kamut toast.

6. Lentils

Lentils are so inexpensive but such an essential healthy pantry staple.  They are stocked with protein, and essential amino acids (meaning we can't make these amino acids and need to find them in our diet) like isoleucine and lysine.  Some sprouted lentils also contain your new favorite hangover amino acid...cysteine.

Lentils are great because they also have piles and piles of iron...which so many women have trouble maintaining adequate levels of.

I love lentils with some green onions, and a light drizzle of Mark McEwan's Parmegiano Oil.

7. Chick Peas (also called Garbanzo beans)

Chick peas are a cheap source of protein (and great alternative to meat), loaded with fiber, and pretty low in fat.

Chuck in them in salads, or blend with some garlic and yoghurt for an amazing hummus spread. 

8. Canned Goods

Canned anything, really.  Canned black beans, canned beets, canned carrots, canned corn. Cheap and all the prep work is done! 

9. Quinoa

Quinoa is a pseudograin, and is one of the few non-animal complete sources of protein.  Add some dried cranberries, broccoli and sunflower seeds to quinoa for a salad loaded with antioxidants and cancer-fighting properties.

You can buy quinoa in bulk and it stores for eons.