How To Turn a $50 Grocery Haul into a Five-Part Holiday Dinner

Groceries are so expensive right now and hosting for the holidays can make that feel even more stressful. That problem is exactly how this idea to do a $50 dinner party that serves four people came to life. I knew it was possible to make a delicious, plant-forward dinner without spending hundreds!

This is the full post that will show you how to take a $50 grocery trip and turn it into a five-part dinner holiday party, which was a collaboration from me and my friend Jasmin – check out her blog here! My grocery series were inspired by my frustration with the rising prices and my desire to continue to eat healthy meals while still operating within a tight budget. You can find all six of those series I’ve done on my website and social media channels.

You can find all of the videos for the series on my Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Be sure to follow me there for more videos like this! You can also check out my features on Good Morning America, BuzzFeed, NBC10 Boston, & Yahoo!.

Grocery List:

• 1 lb ground turkey (omit for plant based)
• 6 total dried figs
• 16oz ginger kombucha
• 6oz orange juice (can sub for an orange)
• 8oz pomegranate juice
• 14oz dry pasta (use gluten free for GF)
• 32oz chicken broth (sub veggie for plant based)
• 2 15oz whole artichoke heart cans
• 13.5oz canned coconut milk
• 2 pears
• 2 lemons
• 1 shallot
• 1 head of garlic
• 10oz sliced white mushrooms
• 1 pomegranate
• 1oz fresh rosemary
• 1oz fresh dill
• 1oz fresh cilantro
• 10oz tuscan kale
• 2 beets (can use raw or precooked)
• 16oz greek yogurt (use dairy free for DF)

Pantry staples to have on hand:

• olive oil
• apple cider vinegar
• ghee or butter
• salt & black pepper
• oregano
• garlic powder
• cinnamon
• maple syrup
• brown sugar or coconut sugar
• oats

All 5 of the recipes are below – each one serves 4 people!

Orange Pomegranate Mocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice 
• 1/2 cup ginger kombucha 
• Rosemary sprig to garnish
• Pomegranate arils to garnish

Instructions:

1. Mix ingredients: grab a glass of choice and add in ice. Pour in the pomegranate juice, orange juice, and ginger kombucha. Gently mix with a spoon.
2. Garnish: garnish with rosemary and pomegranate arils. Enjoy!

Winter Kale Salad with Beets & Pomegranate

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 beets, raw or precooked, finely chopped 
• 4 cups Tuscan kale, finely chopped, stems removed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon 
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• Dash of salt 
• 6 dried figs, chopped into quarters
• 2/3 cup pomegranate arils 

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp pomegranate juice 
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 
• Juice of 1/2 lemon 
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Cook the beets: if you grabbed raw beets, rinse them well. Add them to a pot of water and allow them to cook on the stove top for 1 hour (or until you can pierce a fork through them). Once cooked, peel back the skin. 
2. Prep the kale: grab a mixing bowl or Pyrex bowl and add in the kale. Massage the kale with lemon, olive oil, and salt. Massage with your hands until you cannot hear the crunch of the kale anymore. 
3. Prep the rest: add the prepared beets, figs, and pomegranate arils into the mixing bowl. 
4. Prep the vinaigrette: in a separate small bowl, add in the ingredients of the pomegranate vinaigrette and mix well. Pour the dressing onto the kale, beets, figs, and pomegranate arils. Mix the vinaigrette in well until salad is evenly coated.
5. Serve: grab a serving bowl of choice and use tongs to add the mixed salad into this new bowl. Serve and enjoy!

Crispy Artichokes with Greek Yogurt Herb Dip

Crispy Artichoke Ingredients:

• 2 15oz cans artichokes, drained 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, black pepper, garlic powder to taste

Greek Yogurt Herb Dip Ingredients:

• 16oz plain Greek yogurt 
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh dill
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Bake the artichokes: preheat the oven to 400. Once artichokes are drained, pat dry them with a paper towel and chop them into halves. Add them to a baking sheet and drizzle on olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Bake until crispy, about 35-45 minutes. 
2. Blend the dip: grab a food processor and add all ingredients in. Puree until you reach even and thick consistency. Add more olive oil if too dry. Taste test for salt. Add if needed. Blend again. 
3. Serve: grab a small bowl and serving plate. Add the dip into the small bowl and the baked artichokes onto the plate. Plate them as seen in the photo above. Garnish with fresh dill if you like. Enjoy!

Creamy Turkey Pasta with Kale & Mushroom

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 lb ground turkey + 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, & 1 tsp dried oregano for seasoning
• 1 shallot, finely chopped 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• ½ tsp black pepper 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 32oz chicken broth
• 12 oz pasta of choice 
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk 
• 2 cups chopped Tuscan kale
• 10oz sliced baby bella mushrooms + 1 tbsp olive oil, salt & black pepper to season

Instructions:

1. Brown ground turkey: grab a large frying pan and pour in olive oil on medium high heat. Add turkey breast and cook until brown. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Set aside when done cooking. 
2. Sauté aromatics: sauté shallot and garlic cloves until light brown. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
3. Add uncooked pasta: add uncooked pasta and chicken broth with shallot and garlic cloves. Cover and cook pasta until al dente.
4. Roast mushrooms: preheat oven to 375. Add mushrooms to baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and add salt and black pepper to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp.
5. Add coconut milk and kale: once the pasta is done cooking, mix in the coconut milk, kale, and add back ground turkey. Once kale is wilted, remove from heat.
6. Top with mushrooms: add the baked mushrooms to the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Oven Baked Stuffed Pears

Ingredients:

• 2 pears, chopped into halves vertically 
• 1/2 cup GF oats 
• 1/4 cup ghee or butter, melted 
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 375. Half the pears. 
2. Prep the pears: grab a mixing bowl or pyrex bowl. Gently remove the insides of the pears and add them to the mixing bowl. 
3. Add the rest: add the oats, ghee/butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup to the bowl. Mix the contents well. If you’d like them to be sweeter, add more maple syrup. Set aside. 
4. Bake: add the pears to a baking sheet. Fill each pear half with the oat mixture. Evenly distribute. Bake in the oven until the pears are soft and the oats are crispy, about 30 minutes. 
5. Serve: gently remove the pears from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Serve on a plate and feel free to pair with Greek yogurt or ice cream on top. Enjoy!

As always, I really enjoyed putting this series together! If you have any feedback, my DMs are open!

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