GOURMET MEALS FOR $5 OR UNDER: MEAL 5 OF 25

BUTTERNUT SQUASH FETTUCCINE 
W/ MUSHROOMS & LEEKS

Total Cost: $2.52/serving

Total Preparation Time: 30 min

Today, I had an epiphany. My son's recently naughty behaviour is really a marvelous opportunity for me to get out of the house more. Inactivity has never felt like home in our household, but with the amount of chores that have to be done on the weekly basis it became easier to justify staying in. 

So this morning, when the air still felt crisp, I gathered my crew and went out for an hour-long stroll in the park. Adventures like that are a rare chance to compress fresh air, exercise and time to think into one activity. And since the amount of quiet is limited to Marcus' two daily naps- when I busy myself with cleaning dishes, scrubbing floors, doing laundry and cooking- an extra hour to reflect is a God-send!

Later in the day, once the piggy bank of creative ideas to entertain went bankrupt, the thought of a workout at the local gym presented itself as the spark of genius. Within a minute of it entering my mind, I was by the front door putting on gym shoes. Ten minutes in my Jeep- and there he was flirting with female staff in the daycare room, thick blond hair and big blue eyes always at service to the little rascal. And I was once again alone with dumbbells and my thoughts...

Freshly exercised and showered, I was ready to cook. And tonight, it was the turn of butternut squash fettuccine with mushrooms, leeks and parmesan. First, I prepared the sauce by roasting butternut squash with onion, yellow pepper, garlic and spices and blending everything with a quarter of a cup of half-and-half cream (10%) and half a teaspoon of buckwheat honey.

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
N/A	130	Butternut squash	1.46/kg	0.19
¼	53	Onion	1.97/3lb	0.08
1	4	Garlic, cloves	2.99/pack of 3	0.08
½	25	Yellow mini pepper	6.48/1.5lb	0.24
N/A	29	Half-and-half cream	1.59/500ml	0.09
1 tsp	9	Organic coconut oil	10.99/15oz	0.23
1 tsp	7	Buckwheat honey	25.00/lb	0.39
		Salt & spices		0.10*
TOTAL				1.40	1.40

*Cost approximation

Separately, I roasted sliced mushrooms and leeks and while they were simmering in coconut oil, fettuccine were cooking in a separate pot. 

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
N/A	80	Fettuccine	2.49/375g	0.31
½ cup	28	White mushrooms	6.57/2.2lb	0.18
N/A	29	Leeks	2.98/bunch (400g)	0.22
1 tsp	9	Organic coconut oil	10.99/15oz	0.23
N/A	9	Parmesan	4.78/237g	0.18
TOTAL				1.12	1.12

I have to mention here that only natural ingredients are used. None of cheeses utilized in my recipes have any preservatives or modified milk ingredients in them. That is precisely why they are significantly more expensive. Had I not been able to find all-natural cheese on any given day, I would forego it altogether, because even the best of ingredients can make an affordable meal.

	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
GRAND TOTAL	2.52	2.52

Based on the bottom line, one should now be able to see that foregoing meat makes a dish DIRT CHEAP. And let me tell you something- this pasta was delicious and very filling!