Halle’s Any-Way Fajitas

Eating healthy: It doesn’t have to be intimidating

Hey everyone! We all like the idea of eating healthy right? But when I say the words “nutrient-dense” or “low-carb” what are your first thoughts? How about “nutritionally balanced” or even “Healthy”? If you are much like the rest of us, these words conjure ideas of expensive eat-right restaurants, or long, time consuming recipes that have too many ingredients or too many steps for an average college student. We have homework to do right? Well, I have a solution for you. With a little bit of knowledge and creativity, nutritious meals do not have to be bland, boring, expensive or time consuming. Here’s an example, a recipe that you can make for just a little bit more time and money than your average box of minute rice, with tons more nutrients and flavor.

Watch out! Your roommates might just come running to see what’s cooking, mine sure did!

Cost Breakdown

Here’s a quick breakdown for you:

Ingredient	Amount	Cost of Ingredients	Cost of Ingredients in Recipe
Bell Peppers	2 each	$1.38/each (yellow, red, or orange)	$2.76
Yellow Onion	1/2 each	$0.46/each	$0.23
Olive Oil	1 tsp	$2.48/8.5 oz (1 oz is about 2 Tbsp)	$0.05
Chicken	16 oz	$3.78/lb	$3.78
Fajita Seasoning	1 packet	$1.38/packet	$1.38
Water	1/2 cup	—-	—-
Salt and Pepper	To taste	—-	—-
Flour Tortillas	4 each	$3.72/10 count	$1.49
Total Recipe Cost			$9.69
Cost per Serving (4 servings)			$2.42

Possible toppings (optional):

Lettuce	4 oz	$1.88/8 oz	$0.94
Shredded Cheese	4 oz	$2.22/8 oz	$1.11
Sour Cream	4 oz	$1.00/8 oz	$0.50
Total Topping Cost			$2.55
Total with Recipe			$12.24
Cost per Serving			$3.06

Numbers and dollars might be boring, but they are important! And don’t fall asleep, the best part is yet to come!

Note: For the ingredients, there are many options (like different stores and brands) that change the cost. The ingredients are really easy to find, almost any grocery store is sure to have them. When pricing this out, I generally went with the ones that I, a college student, would buy, which are not always the best deals (like buying a smaller bag because it would fit in the fridge better when a larger bag has a better cost per ounce) All the information comes from the Walmart website, which is generally where I shop. Take the time to find what is right for you!

Tips for Making this Recipe Budget-friendly

1. Buy in bulk. Sometimes this can be daunting because of the seemingly larger prices, but calculate the cost per ounce when deciding how large of a bag to buy. Some ingredients, like the chicken, can be frozen for later use, or have a long shelf life, such as the seasonings and oil. Perishables, like the onions and bell peppers, if cheaper in bulk, can be used in a different recipe a few days later. Plan accordingly.
2. Buy store brands. The prices here do not always reflect the store brand, and different stores have different brands that vary in price. Shop around and try the store brands to see if they are a good fit for you, the taste or quality is not always the same but many are great options.
3. This recipe can be made many different ways (see modifications section). Price it out to see what is going to fit your budget. Want to dress it up for guests? Use Shrimp or steak instead of Chicken, and try topping with avocados. On a tight budget this month? Buy chicken breasts or skip the meat altogether, same with the tortillas. Change toppings to cheaper options, such as iceberg lettuce instead of romaine, or buy block cheese and grate some for toppings, save the rest for sandwiches or another recipe to reduce waste. Green bell peppers are cheaper than their colored counterparts, usually almost half the price. Vegetable oil can replace the olive oil in a pinch and is usually cheaper as well.
4. When I last checked, only Avocados (an optional topping not listed) were available at the USU SNAC food pantry. Their inventory is constantly changing however, and bell peppers, onions and chicken may sometimes be available, but these are high demand items.

Feeling a little intimidated already? No worries! Here’s a step-by-step guide of how it’s prepared, with a few tips and tricks!

First, gather all your ingredients together. In the culinary world this is called mise en place (pronounced mees en pl-ah-s). Or in other words, putting everything in its place. This makes for less stress once you get those burners on.

Let’s start by cutting our produce.

Next, we cut the meat. I like to trim the excess fat off since I’m using fattier chicken thighs here, as seen below. Then, cut into strips against the grain (the way the fibers go).

Now we grab our other ingredients and put it all together. Lucky for us, not much else requires measuring.

Time to cook! The thing that I struggle most with is knowing when things are done. Here’s a tip, for the vegetables, if the onions are starting to turn clear or golden, they are done. A quick stab with a fork will tell you if the bell peppers are tender, and just a glance at the pan can help you gauge when they are starting to get limp and soft. Chicken is a little trickier, I like to take a fork and pull a piece apart gently, if it comes apart easily and is not pink inside, its done. For this recipe, if it’s a little pink inside before adding that water that’s great! The chicken will keep cooking while it simmers and becomes more flavorful after adding the seasoning and water.

Try it out for yourself! What do you think? I love the flavor and attractive colors of the plate. I often cut down on cooking time by cutting my chicken while my veggies are cooking, but watch out! That’s an easy way to scorch your veggies if you are unfamiliar with the recipe. If I’m cooking for others, I often serve the fajitas by placing the skillet or sauté pan with the veggies on the table placing self-serve topping such as tortillas next to the skillet. Then, I let everyone put theirs together assembly-line style. Next time I’m going to make it with shrimp, why don’t you try something new next time too? Check out the modification suggestions in the notes section and have fun cooking!