Sunday, October 28, 2012

Week 41

Week 41
10/28/12

Cream cheese 1.29
Bananas, 5 1.80
Lettuce, green leaf 1.49
Black beans, bulk 1.14
Lentils 1.89
Apples, 4 2.54
Milk 1.99
Avocado 1.99
Half and half 1.89
Bufalo Chipotle sauce 1.19
Sugar, bulk 3.36
Tax 1.23
Total 21.80

I think I may have made a personal discovery with beans as a sandwich filling - I am about to make the black beans into some kind of filling. I am so impressed with garbanzos that I am quite sure any bean would be great with the right seasoning. Possibly some chipotle sauce...maybe??

I've made a big batch of lentils for lunches - with brown rice, carrots, potatoes and onions. I used to add a bullion cube to this but have not in the past few months, too salty. Just had a big bowl...I love, love, love lentils. The lentils in the bulk section are the French small dark green variety, which, I like but am partial to the flat green ones - the ugly ones - I just prefer the texture.

I did not buy meat this week: I'll be seeing my son at the end of the week and he has a freezer full of fish - a really good thing for him - I am hoping I'll bring some home.

The sugar thing: a few weeks ago, I broke a jar full of sugar, so, last week I got as much that was left in the bulk bin. This week,  I was able to get a decent amount.

For the week:
Breakfast - hb eggs, toast (bread rising at the moment), bananas. There are other options - oatmeal, wheat hot cereal.
Lunches - Lentil soup, apple.
Dinners - Salad with an omelet. Pasta with a salad. Tuna (noticed I had a couple of cans) salad.
Misc. - Walnuts, sunflower seeds and chocolate chips, peanut butter.

This week looks good with plenty of healthy, filling meals!
Have a great week!
~Julie

Week 40, 2nd Trip

Week 40, 2nd Trip

I made a quick stop on Friday - potatoes were on sale!

Spaghetti .99
Whole wheat flour 1.42
Falafel mix 2.81
Cucumber .59
Potatoes, 10# 1.69
Tax .48
Total 7.98

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Falafels? A trip to LA nearly two years ago was the last time I had one! I have seen this falafel mix in the bulk section many times and wondered about it. I looked at garbanzo flour, which was not much more but required many other ingredients. This mix had all the spices and you just mix with water. Well, I tried it and it was awesome! The ingredients are all real and it was super easy. I mixed some yogurt with cucumbers for dressing, and served with lettuce and tomatoes. I was very, very pleased with dinner last night. Also, I have enough for about three more servings.

The flour was on sale for .89 a pound, and since I have all that yeast, this is a very good buy.

~Julie

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Cooking To Call Your Own

Rediscovering simple ingredients - there is originality in seeing the old, familiar thing as something new.

There are boundless resources for cooking - literally, hundreds of cooking sites full of recipes at our fingertips. I use the internet all the time for cooking; I look up something I want to make and there are usually dozens of different recipes for what I want to make. Flavor combinations, ideas for cooking vegetables in different ways, ideas for cooking grains. Some sites offer recipes for the amount of servings you want, which, I liken to buying in the bulk section: you make what you want instead of a large batch of something with tons of leftovers - especially good for baking.

The inspirations are out there. You don't always have to follow the recipe because you may not have all of the ingredients, but, the thing is you can still make a wonderful dish with just a few of the flavors and ingredients a recipe calls for. Recipes can simply be a jumping off point and you can still make a wonderful dish from the inspiration.

Old recipe books, magazines, heirloom family recipes can all be inspiration to call your cooking your own. Collect your own: alter recipes and write them down. I tend to like to cook using only a few ingredients to keep it simple and I can taste the ingredients separately and together; where they enhance the flavors of one another yet keep their own flavor at the same time.

This is one of the simple, yet, empowering benefits of home cooking. Nothing old fashioned about cooking from scratch - just simple, straight forward cooking.

Week 40

Week 40
10/21/12

Onions .63
Cane sugar, bulk .71
Cranberries 1.99
Pears, 4 2.91
Garbanzo beans, 2 cans 2.38
Yeast, 1 lb 3.49
Zucchini 1.99
Apples, 4 .98
Carrots 1.19
Broccoli 1.13
Bananas 1.41
Avocado 2.49
Milk 1.99
Chicken breasts, 2  3.15
Total 26.44

I have a loaf of bread rising, an apple crisp about ready to come out of the oven and chicken breasts roasting. Oh, and fresh cranberry jam to go with the chicken. The chicken will go into approx. 5 meals.

The yeast is a lot, and I hope to not let any go to waste - because, there was only .80 difference from three packets to one pound; this time of year I hope to use it! And why, why, why am I buying canned garbanzo beans? Beans are a favorite of mine and I do really well with dry beans, however, not so much with garbanzo's. The ones I cook do not seem to come out as soft as the canned. I love them - lately, I've made sandwiches with mashed avocado and mashed garbanzo beans, lettuce and tomato -  these sandwiches are amazing and on homemade bread! I am partial to the taste of garbanzo's but I am going to try mashed black and red beans as sandwich fillings.

I've written before about the fact that I am not a vegetarian, I love meat - I just don't require meat at every meal. Stretching meat by using grains is economical, but, what may be even better is that it's good to eat this way. Incorporating grains with meat is incredibly filling, tasty and very good for you.

From last week's produce, I still have half an eggplant, lettuce, 4 tomatoes ( I was given 4 small tomatoes from someone at work - had to eat them first), 2 apples, which, I just used.

For lunches, I will make the sandwiches for for 2 or 3 of the days. Then maybe egg salad or omelette's. Bananas and pears. Lunch is covered.

Dinner's will be salads, with maybe a quesadilla with beans, chicken and cheese. There are broccoli, carrots and zucchini to have with rice or other grain, maybe some cheese. This might be good for a veggie pizza later in the week with some garlic and onions.

Looks like a good, nutritious week ahead!

~Julie

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Week 39

Week 39
10/14/12

Red leaf lettuce .99
Cauliflower 1.29
Bananas .98
Apples (4) 2.24
Eggplant .99
Tomatoes (4) 1.16
Carrots, loose (5) 1.11
Half and half 1.89
Eggs (18) 1.99
Pork chops 3.37
Avocado (1) 1.50
Brown rice, bulk 1.29
Sunflower seeds, bulk 1.56
Walnuts, bulk 1.98
Onions 1.87
Total 24.21

Last night I made lentils with some of the sausage I had from last week. This, with a sweet potato is an amazing meal, a nice contrast with the sweet potato and spicy sausage, so I have this for a few lunches this week.

I just made banana bread with apple to have with a little coconut oil - a delicious breakfast. A few days ago I made zucchini bread with what was left from my garden. It did not last long, I've been having it for breakfast -  it came out really good. Also, I have carrots and onions roasting in the oven. Breakfast and lunches are covered! Sunflower seeds mixed with chocolate chips and apples all ready for lunches. Lettuce has been washed and spun and ready for salad. Some brown rice is also made to have as a side with dinner or add to anything (I like to add to salad).

I was kind of tired of eggplant, but a huge one was only .99 so I got one. I think I might roast this and serve with brown rice and some cheese over the top with the carrots and cook the pork chops. Last week, Thursday and Friday I had an omelet for lunch with cheese and avocado.

I made a very large pasta penne bake last Sunday, I had it for dinner and Mon, Tues and Wed for lunch. There were three servings left which I froze. This has been my habit when I make a large dish to portion it out for lunches and freeze some for days when there is not enough time (it happens), it's an easy go-to meal.

Time spent in the kitchen after shopping: 1.5 hours. Worth every minute as most foods are cooked for the week. The house smells amazing after banana bread baking and carrots/onions roasting! Any more time will be limited to quick cooking and clean-up.

Have a great week!
~Julie

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Taking the Time After You Shop

I cannot stress enough how Taking the Time is so important to getting the most out of your budget. Good home cooking is all about time.With kids and work schedules it's important to be able to have that time to prepare and allow food to cook. Adjustments can be made that can make your life easier - and I know because I use them as much as possible, myself.

The time after you shop is so, so important. I call this my prep time. I come back with all my good stuff to my shiny little kitchen (LOL, I know the dishes are clean) and take everything out of the bags and put everything into its proper place.

I know I'll be using the produce I've just bought, so I chop onions, slice or grate carrots or whatever's in the bag. Wash all fruits and vegetables and divide into containers for work. Cut up broccoli and chop the stems. Slice squash or melon in half and scoop the seeds out. In other words have foods ready to eat or ready for the oven or the pot for weeknights when your life will be filled with family and other activities. Or, do as I like to do and cook for the week while the oven is on baking bread or potatoes, or a pasta dish -  in one fell swoop!

Taking the time after you shop is almost a guarantee that nothing will be going bad. To make food ready to go and look appetizing is just as important as shopping well and can literally make or break your food budget. And you have to be disciplined about this after every time you shop - trust me on this one! Get into the habit and you're set to start the week off right. Do it and then forget about it once and you'll be sure to find out just how important it is in your life.

Another thing, keep your containers - all of them! I keep all the tubs from cottage cheese and yogurt, etc. and I use them for prepped veggies and leftovers. Utilize what you have - all that you have - to make your life easier without a lot of expense.

~Julie

Week 38

Week 38
10/7/12

Sweet potatoes 2.30
Yellow bell pepper .45
Potatoes 1.61
Bananas 1.12
Produce 1.31
Avocados 2 for 3.00
Oatmeal .46
Red bell pepper 1.08
Half and half 1.89
Pasta penne 1.49
Milk 1.99
Flour tortillas 2.29
Italian sausage 3.17
Ground beef 3.63
Diced tomatoes, cans (2) 1.98
Tomato paste 1.39
Garbanzo beans .89
Butter 2.50

Total 32.55
Coconut oil 4.77
Grand Total 37.32

Also, I bought a jar of coconut oil which I split in half. Adding 4.77. This may seem like a lot, but half  of this jar I will use on toast and in oatmeal on sweet potatoes and a variety of other things  and it will last me a long time. About a quarter of the jar, I usually keep in the bathroom and use as a night moisturizer and absolutely love it. Recently, I started giving my dog about a teaspoon daily (the last quarter of the jar), which he gobbles up - it is supposed to be good for dogs with diabetes as it regulates and balances insulin levels. So this amount is a trial and if it seems to be a good thing for him I will buy him his own jar. Eventually, I will start using it more, this brand I just bought is Dr. Bronner's and the taste is by far the most flavorful of all the ones I've tried - but for now I will use it sparingly.

You may have noticed I haven't been going to the food co-op lately. I highly recommend it and will continue to go, but this time of year is fantastic for fresh produce, some local and some not - but it's  nice to be able to choose the variety and how much, for now.

I picked the only zucchini - two extra large ones, and two spaghetti squash - two kind of small ones. I love zucchini and can be very creative and love every bite of whatever happens. I made a quesadilla with sauteed zucchini and garlic, with the remainder going into a pot of pasta sauce. So, my garden was not a big success nor was it a complete flop - it was so-so and I learned a lot. Nothing to freeze or can, I enjoyed every bite, though not a whole lot. Every year I will learn more and become more successful, with hopes of, eventually, filling up my freezer.

~Julie






Week 37, 2nd Trip

Week 37, 2nd Trip

Bagel .99
Yogurt .89
Bananas .99
Total 2.87
Tax .17
Total 3.04

Made a quick stop for a few things - I didn't bring enough lunch to satisfy me so I added the bagel and the yogurt - chocolate yogurt - and it hit the spot. It was one of those days when I ate my lunch by 10AM. Even with a few odds and ends that I have picked up, I am below budget, so this won't affect my budget either way. I always buy plain yogurt in a large tub, so this was a real treat.

~Julie

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Week 37

Week 37
9/30/12

Eggplant 1.99
Tomatoes .94
Garlic .49
Chocolate chips, bulk 3.02
Lettuce .99
Bananas 1.25
Apples 1.36
Half and half 1.89
Chocolate syrup 2.19
Cottage cheese 1.29
Evaporated milk 2% 1.59
Pork chops 2.95
Stew meat 3.23
Total 23.18

I scaled back a little this week, and, although I have chocolate in my cart, I've been making an effort to eat healthier. Eating healthy to me also, means eating a meal at the right time and drinking more water.

This week I've made:

Ratatouille - A vegetable stew which is full of flavor and amazing as a side topped with cheese or with fried eggs. I made a huge amount overnight in the crockpot on low.

1 large eggplant, diced with skin
1 large onion, diced
5 or 6 garlic, minced
4 large tomatoes, diced
2 T oil

This is all I added this time - however, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms added are all great.
It seems like a lot, but it cooks down into a wonderful, delicious stew.

The first day, I made a grilled cheese and added it - totally amazing!
The next day, I cooked the stew meat with onions, garlic and Worcestershire sauce, about a half cup of orzo pasta and added this to about half of what was left. Absolutely perfect for lunch the past two days! For lunch I try and have a medium portion of a filling and hearty meal, since I usually don't get to eat again until I get home.

Sunday, I made Irish soda bread, one of my easy go-to recipes which is on my recipe tab. To this I added half a cup of raisins and a teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary - Wow, different and so delicious. The rosemary came from my garden of course! I toasted it for breakfast the past few days - yum...some cottage cheese, a banana.

I'll need to pick my zucchini and spaghetti squash, not much of anything else. I was hoping to hit the zucchini jackpot, but, not happening. Although, they are large, just not massive. I will have quite a bunch and I do love zucchini in just about anything!

Hope you're all having a wonderful week! Fall is in the air in Idaho and the nights are getting much cooler - going to see how long it takes me to turn the heat on...LOL, we'll see about that, Thursday and Friday it's dropping into the 20's at night, eek!

~Julie