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If I weren’t in medical school, I’d likely be living in a shoe.  Or, more poignantly, a shelter made of old Bon Appetit issues.  With some of my larger cookbooks being used as support beams.

(Writing that is strangely calming, actually.  At least now I know I have a plan.  And an excuse to keep all of those old issues that are skewed all over my bedroom floor and are likely in the midst of plotting some sort of mutiny.

Dear Bon Appetit mags.  You keep up this kind of volatile behavior and you are going to be the rain gutter in my makeshift hut on Madison Avenue.  Seriously.)

My point being that the cost of living in New York is high.  And, I think we can all agree, food blogging is not an inexpensive hobby.  And so if I did not have subsidized housing along with a nice little stipend from the NIH that they’ve so kindly agreed to give me in exchange for the next 7-8 years of my life and my sanity.  I’d be screwed (excuse my French).

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This week’s Eat.Live.Be. is about how we budget for healthy food.

I had to look up the word “budget” in the dictionary.

I wish I were joking.

Okay, I am joking.  A little.  While I definitely think about ways in which I can cut costs, I don’t let it govern my life or my supermarket purchases.  The Eats Well With Others kitchen is all organic, all the time.  It’s all wild-caught fish, all the time.  And, when it had meat in it, it was all cage-free, grass-fed, etc. (at least to the best of my knowledge.  Although, I’ve heard rumors that “cage-free” and “grass-fed” may mean different things to Whole Foods than it does to the rest of us…which is why it does not appear in my kitchen any longer.)

So how do I do this while not spending an obscene amount of money on groceries every week?

(1) I try to buy the bulk of my produce at the farmer’s market.  Certain items are always cheaper there – potatoes, root veggies, winter squash, apples – and are of better quality!

(2) Try to plan my meals around what produce or fish is on sale at Whole Foods.  Admittedly, this doesn’t always happen but it’s easier now that items such as asparagus have been on sale for weeks. Love that.

(3) Eat beans for protein.  Beans are insanely cheap.  And delicious.  And filling.  Especially when you buy dried beans from a bulk bin and then make them from scratch.

(4) Know when it’s worth it to splurge.  There are some things that I am just not willing to cut out of my life just because they’re a bit more expensive.  Good cheese, for instance.  I’d rather have less of a good brie than more pre-shredded plastic-y mozzarella.  It keeps me happy and makes me more willing to cut corners elsewhere.

So how do you guys keep your grocery bills in check?  Leave a message in the comments or write a post about it!  And be sure to check out the posts from these other Eat.Live.Be.-ers!

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Wild-caught salmon is an example of one of my splurge foods.  My secret is to buy it frozen, which makes it a tad bit less expensive. And just as delicious.  The good thing about salmon this tasty is that it doesn’t need much to adorn it.  Simple preparations are best, as they allow the natural flavor of the fish to shine through.  A hint of lemon, some pesto and green beans are really all you need, as evidenced by this Jamie Oliver dish which is so laughably easy and so wonderfully tasty that you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of it yourself.

I meant to make this for last week’s IHCC but time got away from me, so I’m hoping the ladies will let me submit it for this one even though the theme is pasta!  Personally, I’d think it would be lovely served over some couscous!

Salmon Baked in a Foil Parcel with Green Beans and Pesto
Serves 2, adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

2 handfuls green beans (I like to take LARGE handfuls of my veggies!)
2 lemons
2 (7 oz) chunky salmon fillets, skin on
2 heaped tbsp green pesto (I used homemade pesto from my freezer!)
2 tsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 400.  Trim the beans by cutting off the stalk ends and leaving the wispy tips on.  Halve both of the lemons.

2. Pull out a sheet of aluminum foil, about a yard long, and fold it in half to give two layers.  Put a handful of green beans in the middle of the foil.  Lay a salmon fillet, skin side down, across the beans and spoon over a good tbsp of green pesto.  Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil.  Squeeze over juice from one of the lemons, and season with salt and pepper.  Pull the aluminum foil edges together and scrunch them up to seal the parcel.  Repeat these steps to make the second parcel.  Place both foil parcels on a sheet pan.

3. Put the baking sheet into your oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let it stand for a minute before carefully unwrapping it.  Either serve the parcels on plates as they are or carefully unwrap them before serving.

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You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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109 Responses to Salmon Baked in a Foil Parcel with Green Beans and Pesto…Eat.Live.Be.!

  1. OohLookBel says:

    yummo! It’s hard to find good-quality ‘budget’ salmon, so it’s one thing that I’d splurge on (sustainably produced, of course). I’ll have to see if I can find some frozen.

  2. bellini says:

    My daughter is living in Vancouver going to university so that is how I keep my grocery bill low.wink. I am shopping only for me. I don’t buy in bulk and don’t own a Costco card. When I but sungle portions of fish it saves a bundle. Meat freezes well so there’s a bulk purchase.

  3. Johanna GGG says:

    I like to believe that being vegetarian helps keep my costs low – though I am blissfully unaware of meat costs. I think that buying lots of fresh veg and cooking at home helps – in fact I have been horrified lately at the cost of a few takeaway meals now that we have one extra mouth to feed with sylvia.

  4. Simply Life says:

    Great tips! We definitely go for beans, soups and homemade breads that are filling, healthy and CHEAP!

  5. Caylee says:

    Oh, how I laughed at the thought of living under a Bon Appetit shelter. I could see myself there, too. This is such a simple, yet flavoursome recipe. Salmon is rich on its own and so the basic-ness of the green beans and pesto fits it perfecty. I’ll be making this SOON.

  6. Johanna GGG says:

    PS I meant to say that also justify the money I spend on food by thinking it is still much cheaper than a habit of buying shoes or handbags for example

  7. Ruth Daniels says:

    funny post, as usual…droolingly delicious photos, as usual…perfect dish, as usual!

    Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us and making me smile on a rainy morning. Now how would we get Bon Appetit magazines to be waterproof?

  8. girlichef says:

    I’m thinkin’ you could pretend those long, gorgeous beans were pasta 😉 Submit away! I’m with ya…purchase wisely and splurge when necessary! This is a killer meal…want it!

  9. Ah budget food shopping… I do my best but definitely am not great at it. The thing is, I just spend all of my money on food instead of clothes and other shopping! This looks like a perfect meal!

  10. Humm.. At last! It worked! I have always seen it done and I tried it a long time ago when I didn’t really know what I was doing and the result was not fabulous. However, I trust your culinary talents and if you say it was delicious in a packet of foil then it was delicious and I can’t wait to try it given that is probably one of the easiest ways to cook a piece of seafood and it makes for a great presentation! Thanks for giving me my hope back that it does work!

  11. Baking fish in foil is wonderful, always so tender and flaky, the salmon sounds terrific paired with pesto.

  12. I needed a laugh so the first thing I did was read the recipe instructions:) And then read the rest of your blog!

    “Food blogging is not inexpensive” – I suppose you are factoring in time spent since direct monetary costs can be nil/negligible

    Agree with your budget approach. Other additions – make own bread, invite yourself to your friends/family often for meals and don’t be shy to take away

  13. I am always looking for new and interesting ways to prepare salmon!

    Good advice too…I follow all those steps above too. Food blogging (and yes esp. in NYC) can get $$$ but so much fun right!? XO

  14. janet says:

    Yum!

    I feel that eating vegan is definitely a way to keep food costs down – the expensive grocery items are meat and dairy! Beans, grains, etc are relatively cheap. Beans – dirt cheap. My splurge items are high quality spices, where a little goes a long way. 🙂

  15. Joanne says:

    As appetizing as this looks, and as good as I know salmon is for us, I just don’t like eating fish 🙁

  16. Dawn says:

    I love your tips! And the fact that you share that you are eating organic whole foods. I need to try more fish in parcels!

  17. For some reason I adore things baked in foil. It just seems like such easy cleanup and the salmon I’ve made in foil several times is too delicious to pass up. This doesn’t look like an exception. Simple salmon dishes are typically what I order when we eat out. It feels fancy to eat it at home.

    PS I’m back from China. And I had many an angry email from residency wondering why I haven’t done this and that. Oops.

  18. sofia says:

    oh geeze, i am the worst with budgeting my money for food. i always have something specific i need and could seriously spend $40 at whole foods on a near-daily basis (cooking for two). it’s nuts. i too try to buy fish on sale after that $40 chilean sea bass experiment. that was fun. or not.

    anyway, this looks simple and delicious. especially with frozen pesto hangin’ around.

  19. Barbara says:

    Organic cooking is the healthy way to go, but it IS expensive and a lot of people don’t have access to farmer’s markets. NYC is a very expensive place to live and even their farmer’s markets probably charge more than ours. I don’t envy you!
    I do love the colors of this dish, Joanne. I eat salmon quite a bit, but usually poach it in OJ and red wine. Will definitely try baking it in foil. Looks nice and moist.

  20. MM says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  21. MM says:

    Great tips. I also plan the week’s meals based on sales and what I have on hand.

    I don’t like salmon (understatement), but have to admit this looks good!

  22. Joanne, I am like you – I don’t obsess over food budget but I have a few practices that help. I serve bean based meals at least 2-3 times a week. I shop as much as I can at the market. And I grow my own herbs. (Would love to grow all my own stuff, but unfortunately my thumbs are not at all green. The only thing I can grow is herbs in containers.)

  23. Faith says:

    I am always looking for new ways to make salmon so I was thrilled to see this! I love the idea of baking it in foil, I bet it’s super moist…and the pesto is a great addition!

  24. I LOVE salmon! I’ll buy frozen fish sometimes too to save a little $$… Your photos make this dish look even more appetizing than I already think it is based on the recipe!

  25. I don’t know why I didn’t think of pesto before to use on salmon. I love the colors, it looks wonderful.
    I would budget in other areas before I would skimp on good quality food. I have a small family and we are not big eater so it makes it a little easier. I also try to do what my mom did when we were kids….she would buy a meat and get enough to make a few meals from it or freeze some (of course always checking the sales)!!

  26. Shawnda says:

    The salmon sounds wonderful!

    We’ve wrangled our grocery bill substantially over the last few months: I cook 1-2 pots of pinto beans a week for lunches for me & the kiddo. It’s literally *pennies* for protein at lunch. We buy our meat in bulk from a local farm – it’s cheaper to get grass-fed organic from them than it is from any store (and we know that their practices are humane and sustainable). We have a decent-sized veggie garden and several citrus trees. We eat seafood once a week and I try to get what’s on sale. I think that’s about it!

  27. Danielle says:

    This looks great. The biggest money saving tip I can give is to definitely plan your meals in advance and try to limit your trips to the grocery store (b/c I can never just run in for ONE thing.)

  28. Amy says:

    That intro…laughed out loud. I’m horrible at food budgeting. Horrible. Even when Paul was unemployed, I really struggled with it. My mom has the gift of making a $1 at the market go so far. I do not have this gift. Costco. Costco is my saving grace. Although it takes me forever to get there, so the money is gasoline is probably a wash. Oh Salmon, how I love thee.

  29. Mo Diva says:

    this is gorgeous!
    I 2nd the budgetting tips. I eat veggie heavy dishes because they are more affordable.
    no shame in my game.
    and salmon can do no wrong in my eyes- any way you prep it- is delicious!

  30. I love pesto with salmon. They are perfect companion. Yours looks fabulous and nutritious serving with green.

  31. Nicole, RD says:

    My husband complains about food blogging costs all the time. And it’s not the hosting fees and all that…it’s the food. O:-) Hey, he’s not complaining when he’s eating it! I ahve everything to make this recipe…except the green beans. I have to get the hook up on those, but otherwise, I’m golden. Yay for homemade pesto being in my freezer, too 🙂

  32. Megan says:

    I think I have found my next salmon recipe!

    Budget — geez, that’s a word I need a lesson on when it comes to grocery shopping. I’m pretty good with other things… I don’t buy outrageously expensive clothes or shoes, but when it comes to food, I want the good stuff, and I hate admitting that sometimes I don’t even pay attention to the price.

  33. Tasha says:

    Right now, I know so many people who are in a couponing craze, saving half of their grocery bill. But the kind of stuff coupons are for- mostly processed crap- isn’t what I buy. I spend way more on food than I’d like but eating well is worth it. Plus I can justify eating expensive wild caught fish one night if I eat beans the next two. We’ve been eating a lot of salmon lately, so I will have to give this a try!

  34. Kim says:

    I just looked at this recipe for salmon yesterday but didn’t have any pesto, or fresh basil, so I had to go with something else. It looks absolutely amazing though.

    I do try to cut corners on some things and do use quite a bit of coupons, but I never cut corners with fish or produce. Some things you just have to splurge on.

  35. That Girl says:

    the problem with many if these advanced degree professions is you have to learn to live on a budget for a while because of those pesky student loans!

  36. nico. says:

    bulk bins are so where its at! Beans, grains, even flour and baking powder! And they look so pretty all lined up on the counter in jars. I didn’t realize that your new pescetarian lifestyle was in part due to ambiguous “natural” terms, but that is really admirable. I also try to keep everything organic, but not everything at the meat counter is organic, even at natural food stores, and a lot of those labels you mention are very loosely controlled by the FDA. I definitely want to move in the pescetarian direction, eating meat as an occasional treat when it is truly organic, from the farmer’s market. This is a cool post because it deals with what I consider to be my highest priorities in the kitchen 🙂

  37. Shanon says:

    i actually don’t keep my grocery bill low. it is a problem. but i do try to do a lot of things you do. of course, less meat, more other protein. buy what is in season and on sale. if i have to buy more of one ingredient than what i need for a recipe, then i plan other meals that will use it. and my indoor herb garden has definitely helped cut costs.

  38. Shannon says:

    i do alot of the same things, except beans from scratch… haven’t felt like it’s worth it yet 😉 lovely salmon dish! i keep meaning to try the parchment method…

  39. Comfy Cook says:

    The pesto on the salmon adds a new dimension. I will add this one to my long list of salmon recipes. Thanks.

  40. What a great preparation for salmon. Do you have a favorite pesto recipe? I would love to know. Your dish looks so beautiful and appealing…I wish I could have it for lunch today. To save money, I go to Trader Joes for my fish and mostly buy it frozen as well. I agree that Farmers’ markets are the way to go for organic locally grown produce. My local market hikes up organic so much that it is almost unaffordable.

  41. I love your tips, Joanne! I do similar things and, like you, I can’t skimp on good cheese. It simply can’t be done. 🙂 Love this dish. Mmm.

  42. I agree about the cheese–I’d prefer to have a nice but modest hunk of blue cheese and spend a little more than go without (though I did *gulp* buy a bag of preshredded mozzarella over the weekend so that my husband could make himself and easy pizza on the nights I’m not around to feed him . . .). My grocery budget has definitely been climbing little by little over the years, but I try to keep it around $80/week (for 2 people, including stuff like shampoo, detergent, Draino for our derelict old drains, etc.)

  43. Nina says:

    Joanne, your salmon is gorgeous! Well, you and I shop the same way…farmer’s market and organic all the way! I do NOT cut corners on organic fruit/produce. No way! Everyone should read Rodale’s book “Organic Manifesto” (after “The China Study”)…Have you seen the film “Forks over knives”?

  44. I try to buy organic whenever possible too. It makes me feel so much better when I put it in my mouth.

    What a beautiful plate of salmon and beans. The pesto topping is perfect!

  45. Ooh I am craving some wild salmon right now. 😉 This looks delicious–we are pretty loose over at IHCC so I think it will pass for pasta lol. 😉

  46. Juliana says:

    Joanne, great idea, salmon and pesto…lucky you for having homemade in the freezer…I’ll have to the content with the Trade Joe’s one…have a wonderful week ahead 🙂

  47. vanillasugar says:

    lemons and salmon are made for each other. just like dill and salmon.
    i think you are the only person that makes green beans look GOOD!

  48. Corina says:

    This is just gorgeous! It looks so delicious.

  49. cookingbride says:

    I love salmon. And pesto. So this is perfect.
    Since it’s just my husband and myself (little man has no teeth as of yet!) I try to plan a menu that will allow me to get at least two meals it. Like last Sunday, I made chicken and dumplings and we are having it again tonight. I’ve been looking forward to it all day!

  50. I think that even my non-fish eating daughter would try that, it looks so good!

  51. That looks so healthy! The color so salmon and string beans is a feat to the eye as well.

  52. Kalyn says:

    Oh honey, I think you hit a home run with this one. I could eat that right this minute. (I suck at sticking to my food budget too, so you’re in food company imho!)

  53. Pam says:

    I agree with you on everything. I buy my meat and pork from a local farm, instead of whole foods.

  54. Deborah says:

    The sad thing is that when you cut corners on food, you definitely cut quality. And eating is not worth it if the food is not good! This salmon, though – looks amazing!

  55. Mary says:

    What a gorgeous meal. The colors look like they’ve come right from an artist’s palate. I would love to have this for my supper. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary

  56. Love salmon! Unfortunately salmon is more of a luxury here in Oz as its pretty expensive. I try and shop in bulk with our meat and veg and that way its a bit cheaper.
    We def need a bigger freezer though lol

  57. OMG..this can be as healthy as it is.Fish and beans..that combo sounds new and good.I can eat this in one go..w/o looking up.Love the bright pink flesh of salmom on a green bed.
    I recently started keeping a track of how much I spend on the blog [food apart],I mean props, background, equipment etc..I was literally surprised with how 10 bucks here and $6 there count up to a whopping amount.I have put off my plans of buying a DSLR by few months 🙁

  58. I hate the word budget. HATE it. Ugh. But I’m with you and always try to plan my meals around protein and produce on sale that week. Meal planning is tough for me though and tends to take SO much time.

    This dish looks fabulous. I wish I could put pesto on everything in the world.

    Sues

  59. Swathi says:

    Buying organic vegetables are out of question for me as they are expensive. I buy vegetables that in sale and low price. farmer’s market is to far from where I live, so only local grocers is my help. By the way fish and beans looks awesome.

  60. Pam says:

    I love the idea of pesto on salmon – what a great combination.

  61. Nelly says:

    It’s the last day of my effectively-vegan first week of a 21-day cleanse, and I am jonesing for some animal protein like you would. not. BELIEVE. So this looks even more incredible than it would otherwise! 🙂

    I am a little obsessive about budgets in general, and especially food (because it’s the one variable that enormously affects how I feel, but I’m still a penny pincher). I’ve taken to buying only meat and a few treats now and then (macadamia nuts, dates, organic chocolate) from WF or someplace similar, then getting eggs (free-range), fruit, veg, herbs&spices and all other staples from the cheapest place I can find (but preferably still organic). It’s still the most expensive slice of my budget pie (not counting rent) but so worth it!

  62. I’m with you – I would rather have less of something really good than compromise on the quality. We don’t do a lot of meat in our house, partly because I’m really not very interested in it, but when we have it I only buy free-range organic and that is affordable by only having it occasionally rather than every night of the week.

    Love the combination of salmon and green beans – never would have thought of the pesto though – great idea – must try.

    Sue 🙂

  63. marla says:

    I could eat this every night for the rest of my life. Salmon is my all time favorite protein and I eat way more of it then is probably legal. Thank you for this gorgeous recipe Joanne! xo

  64. Marjie says:

    I love cooking in foil packets. It’s so much fun to get a meal personalized just for me! I might have to try it with salmon after seeing this.

  65. Lori says:

    If you get to the point where you have to make a choice, go with the magazine house. 🙂 Love all your points here and I completely agree. First of all that food blogging isn’t cheap. It got worse for me when I got interested in the photography. Now it’s not just food, but lenses too!

    I second all these tips and I also buy all my grains in the bulk bin. Alternative grains like quinoa and amarantha are expensive in their fancy packages, but become so affordable in bulk and you can only buy what you need.

  66. La Liz says:

    Fortunately, I enjoy legumes and pasta; that keeps the New York-style food expenses from getting out of hand. Foil cooking is something I vow to do more often; your salmon and veggies are brilliant!

  67. Miriam says:

    I buy in bulk too, when I can. Also, I have a deep freezer, so I always make extra and freeze the rest for a future meal or treat. Your meal looks great :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

  68. Maria says:

    I love it! I’ve cooked salmon with pesto before and it worked really well! I don’t really think about how much I spend on food because there is only two of us eating. My best tip is to buy what’s in season – not only it’s cheaper, it’s also tastier.

  69. Vivienne says:

    i wish i live closer to farmers markets and shops like whole foods – would make things easier for sure! i think i’m better at splurging than to budgeting for sure 😉 thanks for the great tips…im gonna….eat more beans! 😀

  70. This is one of my go to weeknight dinners, sans the green beans. I am posting it next week on an orzo salad! I love it!

  71. Never tried this combo but yours looks tempting and yummy!

  72. I try to go organic and natural as far as possible and buy seasonal produce which helps tremendously. I love fish and wild caught fish is always a splurge, especially when you have to buy a few portions to feed the entire family. Your salmon baked in foil looks so healthy and delicious. I should make this soon as I do have some salmon in the freezer.

  73. Reeni says:

    I haven’t yet tried cooking in packets but I love the look of this! It’s like a one-dish meal and clean up must be easy with a big, delicious pay-off. Budget? I don’t have one for food but I buy double when they have sales on things I use a lot and my freezer is full of chicken and meat from a sale.

  74. Salmon is my favorite fish, and I love simple preparations like this. I don’t think I’ve had it with green beans yet, but the combo – especially with pesto – sounds yummy!

  75. That looks INCREDIBLE! Can you believe I’ve never tried pesto?
    PS. I agree…food blogging is expensive
    PPS. Just thought you should know that you called me “Lora” last time you commented on my blog. Are you cheating on me?! 😛

  76. Peggy says:

    A friend of ours works for a Food-Service company here in town, so we’re very lucky – any time we want to buy anything in bulk, say, 13 lbs. of Atlantic Salmon – we call up our guy and we get his discount (it ended up being 80 bucks – which was a hell of a steal!)

  77. I have been wanting to try brie forever and even have a little baker to warm it with Brie written all over it but have never seen it till date.
    When when i visit France some day or NY before that:-)
    Im a pesto freak these days and am eating pesto over everything (read healthy), when i begin working out i automatically eat healthy and dat sure includes some white chocolate cookies u were talking about a bit back.
    Love baking in little foil packets , reminds me of baking in hay and wood fire’s in banana leaf packets well secured with a strip of the same.
    I love all sorts of beans too and since sunday we have a pot of feijoada with lods of beans (jus pretend there are no sausages in there) and i eat a little every day and actually look out for beans.

    U have come up with an amazing meal as usual and am totally enjoyn ur Eat.live.be posts.

    And i know exactly what u say about the mags , we are 2 of those at home here , and both of us like different kinds of mags so u can imagine the pile after a few months if they arent disposed.

  78. I’m with you – shopping based on what’s on sale is big for me, too…plus finding creative uses for leftovers. This dish will definitely be added to our meal plan – we love salmon and pesto here!

  79. Kristen says:

    I wish salmon lived in Arizona. I wish that seeing them in the grocery store here didn’t remind me of how cheap they were in Seattle. Your dish looks wonderful.

  80. Nadji says:

    J’adore le saumon. Cette recette est pour moi.
    See soon.

  81. kankana says:

    so true !! Food blogging is sure one high maintenance hobby 🙂 This is such a easy recipe and I love pesto so I am going to enjoy it without any doubt!

  82. Lea Ann says:

    How do I save money? I send my husband to the grocery store with a list of items for the week. He purchases exactly what’s on the list. Me???? If I have three items on the list, I come out with a grocery cart full of food.

  83. What a fabulous salmon recipe that I am can’t wait to try.

  84. Beautiful and simple and delicious. And lots of green! I’m glad farmer’s markets are doing so well there, gives me hope for here. I seem to be in a no-man’s-land. Too far from the city, too close to the country. Our farmer’s markets seem to cost about 10x the price of grocery stores, and have suspicious items such as lemons…in Canada. I have hope for the future. ?

  85. And of course I am all about the dried beans! A thrifty stand-by if there ever was one.

  86. It’s always good to remind people how they can eat well, live well and not be broke. Because it’s hard to be happy when you’re broke and can’t buy the foods that you’d like to have! Good tip about building a meal around the foods that are on sale. That would come in handy for anyone.

  87. Julie says:

    do you think your med program would also give me a living stipend for nyc without being a student? id really like to live there and never will haha

  88. Esi says:

    Looks great. I love that it is so fresh.

  89. Ohhh I am very partial to anything wrapped in paper and baked. Lovely!

  90. Angela says:

    That looks lovely. You are right, cooking is not a cheap hobby. I try to save by sticking to the fruits and veggies for snacks instead of buying prepackaged foods.

  91. Carolyn Jung says:

    Wild-caught King salmon is one of my splurges, too. Nothing beats it grilled on a plank in summer with a little brown sugar or maple syrup glaze. One can’t afford to eat it every week, but it’s worth the wait and the cost to do it every now and then.

  92. Jessica says:

    This sounds fabulous! I love the vibrancy of that pesto! Yum!

  93. Salmon is the best and my family’s favorite as well. Yours look amazing Joanne.

  94. Kevin says:

    Salmon with pesto is so perfect for spring!

  95. Wild caught salmon…I am drooling here…that’s a piece of heaven on plate!

  96. Big Dude says:

    I learned this method of cooking oh so many years ago in scoutung and still use and enjoy it today – my son even did it in the dishwasher with salmon. One of Bev’s all time favorite restaurant meals was salmon and stuff baked in parchment – same thing, but it sounds better than foil. Your dish looks delicious and I’ll have to break out the box of foil.

  97. megi says:

    I really enjoyed your post Joanne. I try to buy mostly organic, for some things I make no exception like spices, eggs, oils, beans, chicken, flours, oh and of course veggies. I lived in Vancouver for years and was very spoiled with fresh wild-caught salmon, now that we are in the East coast, I buy good quality frozen salmon. I have some thawing in the fridge as I was planning to make it en papillote but I’ll try in foil with pesto for dinner tonight!

  98. You’re so right – food blogs are not the most inexpensive thing in the world, especially if you use quality ingredients. It’s so worth it though, isn’t it?

    I love this recipe for so many reasons – the pesto, the green beans, the foil packet. Awesome.

  99. you said it: food blogging is no cheap passion! kudos for you for all the ways that you trim the costs while going to med school . . . you’re amazing! This sounds so good, oh how I love salmon. and as always, your photos are just perfect, as if the food is right in front of me and not on my computer screen!

  100. Chris says:

    “baked in foil parcel” huh? Fancy! We always called them “hobo packs” (ha ha).

    How do I save money on our food budget? Mainly by going shopping with my wife. I used to send her to get stuff so I didn’t see the bottom line, lol.

  101. Kerstin says:

    I buy it frozen too – at Costco! I also have a habit of visiting 5-6 different stores to get the best prices, not all at once, but I hit each one about once a month.

    Gorgeous salmon – definitely crave worthy!

  102. Tammy Lou says:

    This is a great post, your tips are great and I will definitely have to try this salmon recipe!

    Budgeting is always a struggle for me at the grocery store. I try to do simple recipes without a ton of special/expensive ingredients and lean on cheap staples like beans, rice, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes etc. Watching sales and coupons has been helpful and surprisingly fun.

  103. these are SUCH good tips. I’ve started buying my fruit from the fruit stands which, can’t be the most hygienic thing… but it’s saving me money, so until I find a worm, I’m going to keep going for it.

  104. Cara says:

    Whoo hoo! I have more reason to convince Ben that we absolutely need to keep the ginormous bin of Bon Appetit’s in our living room.

    and, um, can I have a lesson in cooking dry beans? I need one after this weekend!

  105. YUM salmon. This looks delicious, I love pouch meals. Easy and usually WAY healthier.

    Wendy’s chili is $1, that’s our budget. Haha, I’m so not joking.

  106. Stephanie says:

    This salmon is just lovely! And believe me girl, you are so not the only one with budgeting issues! It’s impossible to budget when you have good taste! 🙂

  107. I can just imagine how great salmon and pesto are together. What a great, healthy meal girl!

  108. Karenlock says:

    This is extremely delicious but the recipe as is the beans are too raw. Before you put the beans in the packets, put them in a brine for about 5 minutes and boil. It makes a world of difference.

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