Anyway, now that you think I'm a huge nerd, I'll let you know what's been happening the past 24 hours or so.
Yesterday afternoon I needed a snack. Nothing big, but something. I saw popcorn kernels and thought, "Score!" and sat down to enjoy them...with fake dill powder.
So that's a lesson learned--don't just focus on one part of your snack!
For dinner yesterday I made a vegetarian dish--barley and roasted root vegetables. Except I didn't have any barley so I used spelt berries. It actually worked, thankfully! It was a very unique-tasting recipe, but I liked it, and shared it with a co-worker. And best of all, it wasn't really expensive, and would have been even cheaper if I'd had barley, since barley is really cheap. Just make sure you use pot barley NOT pearl barley--pearl barley has been processed.
After dinner I threw together a pot of Scottish oatmeal (only takes about 15 minutes total). I made enough to feed me for 3 or 4 days, for just pennies a day. I chopped up an apple and roasted it in the oven with cinnamon and a little bit of pure maple syrup, to put on my oatmeal this morning. It took about a minute to chop, so that's not exactly time or labour intensive! I also put some of the granola I made on the weekend, and some raw cacao nibs in a little container to add some crunch. This morning I just threw it in my bag and went to work! Tomorrow I'll do the same, since I still have more to eat. :)
I also made my morning tea at home, and brought it in a travel mug. That was a change from the norm for sure--I usually (well, I used to usually) get my breakfast (bagel and tea) from a coffee shop across the street from me, but that's obviously out right now, since I don't know what the bagel is made of, and also because I can't afford it on my 100 Days of Real Food On a Budget!
I also wanted to make a mushroom gravy...but I have no mushrooms! This is becoming a habit! Instead I made onion gravy, with my last onion. Must remember to buy mushrooms AND onions! I'd never made onion gravy before, though I have eaten it, and the recipe I made was pretty good. You can find that recipe at the end of this blog too!
One of the things that I find helpful, both for time and for cost, is to make enough food at dinner, for lunch the next day. Cook once, eat twice!
I'm pretty happy with how things are going so far. I really wanted a pumpkin latte today, which was kind of tough, but it will be there still next year, just like last year. OR I can try making a real food version of it this week (if I can afford to!) and share the recipe if it's good!
It's a new day people! Changes are a-happenin'!
Money left for the week: $51.85.
Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf (From Oh She Glows!)
Ingredients:- 1 cup dry
lentils
- 3 cups
vegetable broth
- 3 TBS
ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup
warm water
- 1 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic
cloves, minced
- 1 cup
sweet onion, diced
- 1 celery
stalk or green onion, chopped finely
- 1 medium
carrot, grated
- 1/3 of an
apple, peeled, grated (makes 1/3 cup grated apple)
- 1/4 cup
raisins
- 3/4 cup
toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp sea
salt
- Freshly
ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp
dried thyme
- 1/2 cup
regular oats, ground into a flour
- 1 tbsp
ground flax seed
- 3/4 cup
breadcrumbs
Directions:
Onion Gravy (my recipe)
1 large onion
Spritz olive oil
2 tbsp Bragg’s liquid amino’s/all purpose seasoning
Ground pepper
½ to 1 tsp ground thyme
½ to 1 tsp ground sage
2 cups water
· * Heat oil on medium heat, and sautee onions until
semi-cooked, about 5 minutes.
· * Add sage, thyme and black pepper, and sautee
about 1 minute.
· * Add bragg’s and water. Stir to combine thoroughly. There should still be lots of liquid. If not, add another ½ cup.
· * Lower heat to medium-low or low (depending on
oven) and cover. Simmer gently until
onions are translucent, about 20 minutes (keep an eye on it!)
