yes, we’re still eating

someone asked.  😉

dinner:

m.  grapes + crackers and cheese (we had a late lunch out with daddy)

t.  crispy quinoa and mole sweet potato tacos 

w.  tadoori grilled tofu with cauliflower curry and cucumber raita + lemon blueberry cake + company!

thrs.  white bean, avocado, and lime soup + homemade corn chips + chocolate truffles

f.  tofu tikka masala + indian fried green beans

lunch:

m.  costco

t.  simple spaghetti with kale, lemon, and garlic

w.  avocado sammiches

thrs.  spaghetti with spinach, garlic, and lemon + cucumbers and fresh dill in greek yogurt

f.  “almost chipotle” beans and rice + sauteed zucchini with garden dill

breakfast:

m.  cereal + yogurt and honey + egg cups

t.  biscuits and mushroom gravy + orange juice

w.  fresh blueberry pancakes + oj

thrs.  baked spinach and eggs + toast + tea

f.  pancakes + (fake) sausage + eggs

and no, we still haven’t fixed the camera.

happy eating

for once in my life my winco bill wasn’t over $100.  i was wondering if it had anything to the fact that there were only four things on my list that weren’t produce, bulk (i.e. nuts, coconut, dates, etc.), or dairy.  like, what the heck are the rest of the aisles for anyways?  in the end, i was very much pleased to have a fun, healthy menu and it wasn’t terribly expensive.  strawberries were on sale even.  ($1.50 for two pounds, i bought 8.)  let’s cook this.

dinner:

m.  homemade mushroom soup + french bread + fresh strawberries and cream

t.  crunchy cashew thai quinoa salad with ginger peanut dressing + sweet potato fries + chocolate dipped strawberries

w.  west african peanut soup + rice + garlic rubbed cabbage steaks + strawberry shortcake

thrs.  chickpea fritters with courgette salad + paleo coconut bread

fri.  deer burgers + chips + grilled onions

lunch:

m.  del taco (my new favorite taco), $12

t. fried egg avocado sandwich + strawberries!

w.  skinny black bean quesadillas + apples

thrs.  brown rice and beans + ginger chile salsa

fri.  broccoli quinoa casserole  + homemade bread

breakfast:

m.  cinnamon quinoa + tea

t.  cereal + egg cups

w.  buttermilk strawberry breakfast cake + egg cups

thrs.  poached eggs on toast + tea + strawberries

fri.  baked apple oatmeal + yogurt

weekend, a.k.a. bountiful basket, $16

total = $124

keepers:

i know you’re going to find this hard to believe – but it was all good.  we’ll be coming back for round two.

more eating

dinner:

m.  spaghetti + garlic bread + salad

t.  mexican lime soup + corn chips + avocados + coconut buttermilk pound cake

w.  chile rellenos + brown rice + chocolate coconut pudding

thrs.  cornbread + beans + asparagus

fri.  brown rice and beans + ginger chile salsa

lunch:

m.  macaroni + trees

t.  hot dogs + potato chaat

w.  quinoa burger + tzatziki sauce + potato chips

thrs.  peanut butter + honey sandwiches + apples

fri.  black bean, avocado, lime salad + nachos + homemade salsa

breakfast:

m.  blackberry parfaits

t.  oatmeal + melon

w.  eggs on homemade bread+ avocados + tea

thrs.  cereal + egg cups

fri.  baked apple oatmeal + yogurt

weekend basket, $16

total = $135

repeats:

mexican lime soup is already in the running.  mostly for being easy.  (i make mine with tofu.)  the other thing i learned this week is that homemade tzatziki rocks.

sorta food

my husband gave me $100 for my household budget this week.  i looked at him and said, “what am i supposed to do with that?”  exactly.  he’s getting wise.  suffice to say i didn’t scroll around on pinterest saying, “ooo, i want to eat that…and that, and that.”  instead, i made boring food.

dinner:

m.  spaghetti + french bread + salad + ginger ale

t.  homemade pizza

w.  cornbread + beans + salad

thrs.  spiced black beans and tumeric rice + coconut chocolate mousse

fri.  indian food + naan + company

lunch:

m.  taco time, $15

t.  macaroni and cheese + salad

w.  avocado and arugula sandwiches + cottage cheese

thrs.  tacos

fri.  pb & j + apples + cottage cheese

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal + oj

t.  raisin bran + egg cups

w.  baked spinach eggs + british bread + tea

thrs.  baked apple oatmeal + yogurt

fri.  smoothies + toast

weekend, a la bountiful basket, $16

total = $111

and look at that, there’s like a $10 difference between that and real food.  see if i ever try to save money again.

how’s that for exciting

i bet you wonder if i get tired of this.

i do.

but the week before last (i was gone last week) i tried being sloppy and put the recipes vaguely together on their own pinterest board.  it was terrible, and i ended up scrambling the whole week.  i find it’s just better to bite the bullet and put them up here monday, and not think about them again.

dinner:

m.  tuscan pasta with tomato-basil cream + french bread

t.  cauliflower and chickpea curry + rice

w.  cannibal corpse crock pot + oven baked french fries + lemon cupcakes

thrs.  black beans and yellow rice

fri.  crock pot tortellini + salad + butterscotch spiral coffee cake + company

lunch:

m.  taco time, $10

t.  orange sesame tofu and broccoli + rice

w.  vegetable and chickpea ragout + homemade bread

thrs.  spaghetti with spinach garlic and lemon + gardettos

fri.  quionoa patties + carrot sticks

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal + orange juice

t.  fried mushrooms + british bread + tea

w.  cereal + egg cups

thrs.  baked apple oatmeal

fri.  smoothies + toast

the weekend, a.k.a. bountiful basket, $15

total = $128

there, now i can thank me later.

food, woman

that’s the name of the new board my husband made on pinterest.  apparently one can eat tofu for only so long.

dinner:

m.  tuscan pasta with tomato-basil cream + french bread

t.  cauliflower fettuccine alfredo + balsamic roasted brussel sprouts

w.  cheesy roasted broccoli patties + cornbread + black beans

thrs.  tofu tikka masala + rice

f.  vegetarian nut loaf + salad + homemade bread + ginger ale + lemon blossoms (jael’s bake day) + company

sat.  dal makhani + rice

sun.  15-minute white bean soup  + homemade artisan bread

lunch:

m.  spaghetti with spinach, garlic, and lemon

t.  avocado black bean tacos

w.  greek lentil casserole

thrs.  spicy roasted vegetable macaroni and cheese

breakfast:

m.  cereal + egg cups + smoothies

t.  breakfast cookies + yogurt and honey

w.  british bread bread and jam + tea + egg cups

thrs.  baked oatmeal + applesauce

total = $140

yep, read it and weep.  the good news is that i’m getting a pantry this summer and i’m going to spend billions at costco.  then i won’t have to make these embarrassing confessions to you.  it will all be on the sly.  ahha.

keepers:

i think i will keep making tuscan pasta because it is such a cheater meal.  the lemon spaghetti is headed for some repeats as well.  but what really stole the show was boy’s dal makhani and spice fried kale.  holy cow, yum.  the veggie mac and cheese was good too, but i’m not really in the cheese market.

fooooooooooooood!

and i’m back.

dinner:

m.  cauliflower and chickpea curry + rice + sweet potatoes

t.  thai coconut curry soup + brussels sprouts + rice

w.  british fish and chips

thrs.  spicy szechuan tofu and eggplant + rice

lunch:

m.  taco time, $15

t.  avocado sandwiches + gardettos (on sale!)

w.  avocado-lime black bean salad + chips and cheese

thrs.  hummus + chips + carrot sticks

fri.  chili + cornbread + apples

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal + grapefruit

t.  mini-(fake) bacon egg cups + british bread + tea

w.  smoothies + toast

thrs.  cereal + egg cups

fri.  pancakes + eggs

total = $151

and that doesn’t even include the weekend.  the shame of it.  now if only people would post more millet and oat recipes on pinterest, then i wouldn’t get in so much trouble.  help a sister out.

keepers:

the tofu and eggplant was good.  i didn’t realize it, but eggplant soaks up lots of flavor.  the eggplant bits were the best bits.  slimy as they were.  and the black bean salad was an easy recipe to fake for an easy side.  the bacon things need some work.  they poofed up so much they were hollow inside.  i think next time i will try not whipping the eggs and dump them in whole.

food

it’s always a good sign.  when i’m not making menus you can pretty much bet that i’ve just thrown my family under the bus and am up to no good.  and it’s not that i’ve repented or anything, it’s just that i’m done now.  finished a few projects, over multiple sicknesses, laid off the road trips, and am trying to settle into some smooth sailing before baby gets here.  and smooth sailing happens to necessitate cake.  if there is no cake, there is no love for life.  just the incessant, desperate clambering out of the cold, slimy pit of “getting by.”  which is no way to live.

so meet the coolest cookbook ever.  i don’t even have to cook anything out of it.  it’s just fun to read.  take it from your library.  never give it back.

dinner:

m.  taco soup + french bread

t.  amy c’s minestrone + homemade bread

w.  enchiladas + brown sugar pound cake

thrs.  curry

fri.  tacos + homemade salsa and spiced kale

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal + pears

t.  cereal + bananas

w.  swiss eggs on toast + pineapple

thrs.  fried mushrooms on toast + apples + tea

fri.  oatmeal + peanut butter and jelly + orange juice

and don’t ask me what’s for lunch.  i’m trying not to think about it.  i also didn’t include the weekend because i have high hopes of going into labor by then.  and you know what that means….

sushi!

oh, and you thought i was going to say baby.  no, that wasn’t what i was thinking, but good point.

because someone always wants to be fed

we were a little on the fly today.  like, all day.  i put this menu together when it was a flippin’ 100 degrees, while babysitting three children for an hour and a half, on a putting green.  i’m pretty sure when people come to relax at their golf course, enjoying their retirement, they don’t like to be greeted by three heathens running around with the flag markers and chucking golf balls.  i did my best to explain to the small ottos involved that this was neither the the time nor the place.  even though it was so obviously both.  🙂

dinner:

m.  cashew/spinach vegan pesto with w.w. noodles + ginger glazed carrots + salad + mangos

t.  malai bhindi (okra) + potato chaat + rice

w.  chicken (or rather, soy curl) chinese salad (i toss a bag of spring greens in with mine)+ bread

thrs.  w.w. linguine with creamy zucchini sauce + couscous salad + chocolate chunk cookies

fri.  special k/walnut loaf + roast cabbage + bread

sat.  general tao’s tofu + rice

sun.  bountiful basket = $16

lunch:

m.  large veggie lovers at pizza hut = $10

t.  tanzanian spincach and peanut butter curry + mangos

w.  taco bell at the water park (all day fun day)

thrs.  costa rican rice and beans

fri.  tacos!

sat.  indian

sun.  bountiful basket

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal with dried fruit + nuts + peaches

t.  eggs baked in mini bed of pizza dough

w.  eggs cooked in cream and tarragon over toast

thrs.  blueberry muffins + bananas + tea

fri.  cereal + egg cup + honey and yogurt

sat.  waffles + peaches

sun.  pancakes + eggs

total = $ 148

way to use the whole weekly budget on food mavis.  (only i don’t think she really cared.  she just wanted those last two dollars left for a latte.)  it’s all good.

where’s the cheese?

a while ago i invited a lady, who had authored a vegan cookbook, over to school me in all that was holy.  or mostly cheap.  and that is what healthy cooking is, lest anyone has ever told you otherwise.  i’m kind of suspiciously eyeing the day when i can’t spend $150 on groceries a week and i have to keep my bulk millet in a bucket.  although this week, i was only thinking i wanted to have some money leftover for copyright infringement and wall art.  (fyi, staples told me no.)  suffice to say, we will be eating things that are good for us with nothing cool to show for it.

p.s.  i already have the blood pressure of a corpse and my husband looks like he was recently released from an internment facility.  someone buy me a deep fryer for christmas.

dinner:

m.  tomato/almond butter macaroni casserole + kale chips + rhubarb pie

t.  fettuccini made with kale and cashews + homemade bread + salad

w.  millet stuffing + cottage cheese + salad + homemade nutty tomato dressing +  “cartwheels” (jael’s bake day)

thrs.   oatmeal loaf + kale slaw

fri.  w.w. pasta with cashew cheese + kale chips + peach raspberry crisp sweetened with white grape juice concentrate

sat.  bountiful basket, $16

sun.  thai curry

lunch:

m.  a slew of bean and cheese burritos at taco bell, $13.00

t.  homemade pretzels with cheese sauce + olives and cherry tomatoes

w.  peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on homemade bread + grapes

thrs.  tacos!

fri.  zucchini casserole + bread

sat.  daddy boy cooks indian

sun.  bountiful basket

breakfast:

m.  cereal

t.  blueberry parfaits with greek yogurt + egg cups

w.  10 grain cereal + melon

thrs.  eggs on toast + tea

fri.  blueberry/oatmeal muffins + egg cups + yogurt

sat.  waffles + peaches

sun.  baked oatmeal + blackberries

total = $118

stupid copyright laws.