Goal : $70
Actual: $86.45
I don't know what to think about this week. Our CSA needed to be renewed, but I didn't really feel like dealing with SXSW crowds to go pick it up, and we need to get our taxes back before we drop $300 on a 10 week share. Part of me wanted it to be well under budget, but then there was this other part of me that wanted to go over budget, just to say to myself, "Aha! having a CSA share really does save money!!" So, just be aware that there could have been some level of sabotage in this weeks budget. I did go to the grocery 3 times this week. Which added about $8.36 in little extras. I could have definitely said no to my daughter about a z-bar, and 4 pack biokiefer.... Ok, Ok looking over the receipt it looks like had I not bought random quick snack bars, then we would have been right in line with our standard. The CSA may not save us money, but it definitely gives us a bigger variety, and healthier whole foods. Without it I leaned pretty heavily on frozen. Every time I dumped frozen veggies into a pot it made me cringe. I think I have come to love the (time consuming) ritual of cutting whole veggies for dinner.
Some of the meals we ate include this delicious kale and white bean pasta penne from http://veggieburgher.blogspot.com/.
Edamame, peas with blue cheese on a bed of quinoa
And this completely amazing whole wheat banana bread
As much as I love our CSA and lamented it all week. I don't think we are renewing it. This is only due to my newest dinner time development. Co-op Cooking!!! I am really excited about this, and you will get to read all about it on Thursday's post!!
Edamame, peas with blue cheese on a bed of quinoa
8 oz frozen edamame (soy beans)
8 oz frozen peas
1 small red onion
2 gloves garlic
1/4 cup Braggs (or soy sauce/tamari)
3/4 cup water
Blue cheese crumbled to top (amount varies for preference)
1 cup quino
2 cups water
Wash quino well. It is known to be quite sandy otherwise. Place quino and two cups of water in a small pan and cook on med to low heat until all the water is absorbed and quino has expanded and looks like a spiral. Meanwhile, combine other ingredients (leaving the blue cheese aside and refrigerated) in a pressure cooker. Stir well and cook per pressure cooker's directions. The quino and edamame mixture shoudl be done roughly the same time (usually within 15 mins.) Make a bed of quino on the plate, top with edamame mixture and crumble the blue cheese over both to complete.
8 oz frozen peas
1 small red onion
2 gloves garlic
1/4 cup Braggs (or soy sauce/tamari)
3/4 cup water
Blue cheese crumbled to top (amount varies for preference)
1 cup quino
2 cups water
Wash quino well. It is known to be quite sandy otherwise. Place quino and two cups of water in a small pan and cook on med to low heat until all the water is absorbed and quino has expanded and looks like a spiral. Meanwhile, combine other ingredients (leaving the blue cheese aside and refrigerated) in a pressure cooker. Stir well and cook per pressure cooker's directions. The quino and edamame mixture shoudl be done roughly the same time (usually within 15 mins.) Make a bed of quino on the plate, top with edamame mixture and crumble the blue cheese over both to complete.
i love your insights about this week. if nothing else, this process is making you think about your spending. and that's always a good thing!
ReplyDeletei'm interested to hear about the co-op cooking!
"So, just be aware that there could have been some level of sabotage in this weeks budget." I love these games we play with ourselves. :) I do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteWe almost camped down there (Enchanted Rock or Pedernales are a couple of our faves), but then I remembered it was SXSW and said, "Uh, let's go North instead!"
I'm about to do some personal challenging of my processed food habits. It felt really good this week to walk about with so much organic, fresh stuff and less boxes and cartons... I think you do great in that area.