STEAMED ARTICHOKE
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 slice Lemon
1 sprig Rosemary (or you can do 1 bay leaf)
1 Artichoke, rinsed
Dip of Choice

Directions:*Fill steam pan with 2 inches of water, and then add in garlic, lemon and rosemary.*Place your steamer over the top and turn on medium high and steam for 40 min.*For the dip I took a little light mayo, added some chinese hotsauce and stirred.Tip: If you have never cleaned an artichoke - you simply remove the outer smaller petals. Then clip the spines off.

BAKED COCONUT SHRIMP

Ingredients:
3 egg whites, beaten
1/3 cup CornStarch
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 cups Unsweetened Coconut (you can use sweetened but I have sugar issues)
1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails OFF

Directions:*Mix salt, corn starch and cayenne in one bowl.*Eggs in another bowl*Coconut in yet, another bowl*Coat shrimp in dry bowl, then into egg wash, and then roll around in coconut until coated. Place onto a sprayed baking rack.*In a preheated oven (400), place shrimp in center rack and cook until coconut is browned and shrimp no longer translucent in center.TIP: You don't need to dip these at all - but since I didn't go sweet, I decided to dip mine in a little Raspberry Chipoltle sauce. These are kind of spicy - so I don't suggest this unless you love your heat!
BEETS THAT TASTE LIKE DESSERT

Ingredients:
1 can Beets, drained
1 (8oz) Pineapple Tidbits in own juice (undrained)
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Corn Starch
2 tbsp Butter

Directions:*In sauce pan, add cornstarch, brown sugar, salt and pineapples. Bring to boil stirring constantly until thickened (around 2 min).*Add beets and cook all together stirring constantly about 5 min.TIP: Reserve Beet juice for dying easter eggs!My daughter even loved this - and this child eats NOTHING. I swear it! It is so sweet and generally healthy. Give it a try and let me know what you think!And of course - you can serve the whole deal up with a wine cooler or Bicardi!
 
Sometimes as a mother, the school night just gets incredibly hectic, especially when there are a couple of stops on the way home, and then homework. So tonight was a "cheat night" where we still were able to eat healthy, but quickly and relatively cheap. This likely will not be the "cheap" option for larger families, but I will help you out with that in a moment. 

Ingredients: 

Boneless Beef Sirloin
Green Giant "Create-a-Meal" Stir-fry (they have several flavors and I'm sure there are other brands that are similar)

Directions:

*Brown your meat, and then throw the ingredients together as it says on the package, and you are done in about 10 minutes. 
You can serve this over rice if you like, and I would have if I had some brown rice available but I didn't. My favorite is to put this over Quinoa which is high fiber, high protein goodness!

If you have a large family - a cheaper way to do this would be getting your frozen veggies on sale. Often times, you can get a 12-16oz bag of the individual veggies used in this (see pic of bag) for $.88/each. And a can of water chestnuts (or you can sub in bean sprouts) for less than $1. Then use a cheaper cut of meat. My meat was very cheap as I got it on Reduced for Quick Sale (usually about 60-70% off. 
 

I made roast chicken rubbed in EVOO, Salt, Pepper, Rosemary and Garlic! And then for good measure I poured some white wine into the cavity!:) It was super juicy, with a delicious crisp skin! Hubby loved it!
Then I added some yummy collard greens, and corn. 
 
Ingredients:
1 medium Yellow Squash, quartered1 medium Zuchinni, quarteredHandful of Carrots (I used baby carrots)1 Turkey Fillet Mignon (got ours from HEB, see more below about that)Mrs. Dash Seasonings of your choice

Directions:

*Place Turkey Fillet Mignon in baking pan in a 375 oven for roughly 40 minutes or until it reaches 180 internally, AFTER seasoning to your liking with Mrs. Dash seasoning.
*Marinate your veggies in marinade of your choice, Italian Dressing (lite) works great!
*Place veggies in your steamer, or you can stir fry them, which I did.
*When all are done, arrange on plate and serve!

***Fillet Mignon is never cheap, but if you learn how your super market marks down their meat, then you have learned a good tip, indeed! We rarely buy meat at whole price (except my boneless skinless chicken thighs). Our local HEB will mark down their meats for "Quick Sale" the day before the expiration date. So if you keep an eye out on the cuts you like, and see when most will expire, you can head to the grocer first thing in the morning on the day that is before and get them, throw them in your freezer and then you have the tenderest meat for 50-70% off!