This blog got its start with a comment from Luis. He is Type O, a little older than my son, living alone, weight training, and trying to make the Blood Type Diet work. He said two things that caught my interest because my son will be facing the same challenges when he goes back to college in the fall.

Luis wrote, "What kind of recipes would you recommend; do you know any quick ones?" and "I also find it very expensive to eat right. I know it helps in the end but ruins my budget." I know there are others trying to make the Blood Type Diet work in a simple and inexpensive way. Here is my answer to Luis, a little better organized and with a few additions. I plan to print a copy for my son and put it in the box with his skillet and silverware.

The easiest way to shop and cook is to emphasize single meats, fruits, and vegetables, minimally processed, the way God made them.

I roast or bake lamb, cod, beef, salmon etc. They are delicious just with seasoned salt. I get fresh salmon, but cod is almost always frozen. Leg of lamb, brisket, and eye of round roast are economical. When I roast beef or lamb I set the oven temperature at 425 F. for about 30 minutes, then I turn it back to 325 and let the meat cook until a meat thermometer says it is medium well. When I buy ground beef I go for 90% lean 10% fat. That seems like a good balance between price and quality. Ground beef patties or ground beef sprinkled over vegetables are both good. Canned tuna, salmon and sardines are quick, inexpensive meats. Eggs are good for any meal.

I steam a lot of vegetables (broccoli, parsnips, asparagus) and eat them with olive oil or butter and salt. I bake sweet potatoes. My son and I find them very filling and cheap. I can find collard greens, turnip greens and spinach in the frozen food section at my grocery store. They are inexpensive and easy to fix with just a little water and butter. Black eyed peas, English peas, and okra are also available frozen. Fresh squash is good and inexpensive. Zucchini and yellow squash I cook lightly with a little butter and water in a skillet. Acorn and butternut squash I bake in the oven. I often sauté an onion in butter and add it to vegetables, especially to yellow squash, collards and turnip greens.

Salad greens and raw carrots go well with any meat. Instead of salad dressing I use olive oil and a few shakes of seasoned salt. For lunch I often throw lettuce, leftover vegetables, and leftover meat in a bowl, and top it with olive oil. I buy fresh fruit in season and frozen berries year round. Fruit is a great salad, dessert, or breakfast mixed with nuts.

If you try to buy bread without avoids, that can get expensive. But rice crackers and rye crackers are low priced. Rice and oatmeal are easy to cook and very inexpensive. Os don't need much grain anyway.

While I like to cook sauces, casseroles, breads, and desserts, I could get along quite happily and healthily with the basic foods described here.