Extreme Budget Haul (Vegan)

I made it to Sprouts and Trader Joe's yesterday. I was even able to make it early in the morning which is my favorite. My hauls are very, very tiny and basic. Once again my budget is very tight this week so no fun treats or splurges.

onion,lemons,frozen blueberries,celery,unsweetened vanilla almond milk,tofu

red pears, nectarines,avocado,Jasmine rice(bulk), baby cucumbers,red and yellow potatoes

The walk from Sprouts to Trader Joe's is one of my favorites. I actually would love to live in this neighborhood, there are all kinds of old houses and all the apartment buildings are older and look like they're probably so unique and maybe even have claw foot bathtubs.

A lot of the houses have kind of a meadow in their front yard instead of just short grass. I was reading about this trend in the spring and I have to say I am all for it. If I had a house I would most definitely have a meadow for a front yard!!

I didn't want to get too close getting this picture because for some reason I picture a person with mmm bacon as their license plate being a hostile Trumpist ready to pounce and attack. Even the license plate holder said I heart bacon. Subtle.

This was last night's dinner. Potato wedges, leftover pasta salad and some sliced baby cucumbers. This tasted like summer and it really hit the spot!

I've been reading this book, and it has been making me laugh out loud all over town! Like seriously cracking me up on the bus and everywhere. When I first saw the title and the chicken on the cover I assumed it was something to do with factory farming or something, but that's why you don't judge a book by it's cover Ha! It's actually a book of essays, so far about the trials and tribulations of being single, and dating and the weirdness and crap that goes with that. She is brutally honest about herself and it's just so funny and relatable. I really, really recommend this book, and she has two other books that I will definitely be looking for. I highly recommend this book!

Food Nerd

When I found Vegan on the Cheap at the library, there was one recipe I wanted to make right away. When I owned this book I made this all the time. It's the garden rotini chickpea salad with inner goddess dressing. It's a pasta salad with the most ahmazing homemade goddess dressing. I used to make the dressing alone just for salads and stuff. I swear it tastes just like Annie's!!
I made a few changes. I didn't have any chickpeas but I did have a package of smoked tofu so I used that, and sadly I had no cherry tomatoes so I left them out. The dressing also calls for some olive oil which I am out of so I omitted it and it was fine, I didn't even notice a difference. The dressing is made with cashews and tahini so i feel like it's already fatty and rich enough.

At the end of each recipe in this book she mentions a little splurge you can add to the recipe if your budget allows. She suggested adding a handful of Kalamata olives which I just happened to have some in my fridge. It was a great suggestion, they add a nice little salty flavor.

This is the tofu I used. I love it so much! I can only find it at Winco. It's a Canadian company. I watch a few YouTubers who live in Canada and they use this a lot. The first time I went to Winco and saw it, I was so incredibly excited!! I don't get excited over clothes or make-up, but food thrills me to no end!

Foods I've Been Eating

Summer is officially here in SLC. Unfortunately! I've always loved summer, and I've always loved the sun. But it gets so hot and dry here and once summer really hits the sun is no longer my friend. I'm very used to getting the winter blues, but I think I get more of the summer blues to be honest!
I got a little surge of kitchen inspiration last weekend, but this week it's kind of gone. I'm kind of back to my usual meals which is fine, I do enjoy them but I need to get out of this rut!

You know I can't go more than a wee without a curry! This is a red and green lentil and tofu curry. Super delicious as always!

Tofu and avocado rolls

This is the saddest japchae ever! I found a package of sweet potato glass noodles in my pantry so I knew what I wanted for dinner, but I didn't have a ton of veggies. So I baked some tofu and made the most basic of basic dishes!

I've still been drinking celery juice. This is celery and watermelon juice. It might sound weird, but it's actually pretty tasty!!

I call this the summertime pose! This is what I usually walk home to. Five lazy girls showing their floof! I thought this was a perfect summertime pose because she's using my flip flop as a pillow!!
Yes, we have a return of the packing paper! They have it almost completely shredded, but they love it so much I don't have the heart to get rid of it yet!

Dry Vegan Sausage and Books!!

I picked these up last week at Sprouts. They were on sale for two something and I decided to give them a try. Hilary's veggie burgers are one of my least favorite veggie burgers so I didn't have the highest hopes. But I guess the word spicy grabbed me. I don't really eat or even like breakfast food that much so I wasn't sure what to even do with them. Well, yesterday I ran some errands and went to the library. I did a lot of walking and by the time I got home I was HANGRY!!! So I decided to pop one in the oven for a quick snack, and to see how they are.

Well, like the veggie burgers, I'm not too much of a fan. It's the really dry, crumbly, mushy texture I don't like about the burgers and these sausages. And it almost seems like the millet is uncooked. Very strange. I know Hilary's burgers are kind of loved in the community, and I just can't join the club.

They have an okay flavor, although I definitely wouldn't call them spicy. I cooked this in the oven, I wonder if cooking it in a pan with a little oil would maybe help with the texture? These things desperately need a little fat, or some kind of moisture.

Here's my library haul. Vegan on the Cheap was the first vegan cookbook I ever owned. I was so proud to be a vegan cookbook owner! I lost it of course, but luckily thanks to the library I can revisit it! There is a recipe for a pasta salad that is dressed with a homemade goddess dressing and it is to die for , so I will definitely be making that soon! And yes, there are three self help books. I am always a work in progress!

The Utah art festival is this weekend, and most outdoor festivals like the artfest and also vegfest are held right around the library. They have fencing around while they build stages and whatever else, and the pigeons were snoopervising!

Making Tofu Even Better!

                       
                                                                                                                                                                       
I've been wanting to try this for so long, but I seem to always forget to get medium firm tofu at the store. And I have my staple way of preparing tofu so I guess it's easy to forget! Well, the other day I watched one of Mary's what I ate in a day videos and she froze, thawed and refroze the tofu, but instead of breading it she made a marinade similar to Nashville hot chicken and then baked it. It looked so good that I knew I had to try and make something similar!
I froze, thawed and refroze some medium tofu and decided to go Asian in flavor. I baked the tofu first with no sauce, and then I put it in a baking dish and poured over a little sauce made with all kinds of Asian style condiments I have in my fridge!

Freezing tofu really does give the texture so much more oomph! It's worth the extra time to be honest. I would definitely prepare tofu this way for people who swear they hate the texture of tofu!

It's been unseasonably cool the last couple of days. Like only in the sixties!! So weird and scary. The girls love the extra cuddle time though, and I caught these two holding paws which always makes me squee!! And the ugly ink sweater love is still incredibly strong!!

Back in the Kitchen

I had the day off yesterday so I spent some time in the kitchen which felt really nice, and I walked around the lake at Liberty Park. It was only maybe sixty five degrees yesterday which is so strange for mid June in SLC! I wore jeans and a hoodie for my walk which is insane.

I started my day with this chia and hemp seed pudding. I used unsweetened vanilla coconut milk and some frozen blueberries. I ate a lot of this during my vegan keto experiment and I enjoyed it. I've noticed when I eat chia, flax seed or walnuts I feel a little lift in my depression so lately I've been trying to get at least one of the three in a day.

I made this peanut hummus. I wanted to share the recipe, but I need to perfect it. I used the usual suspects found in peanut sauce, tamari, sesame oil, peanut butter, lime juice and chili paste. I used a mixture of tahini and peanut sauce, and I think I need to make it again with all peanut butter. It's still really tasty and I don't mind eating the results of my experiment!

I also tried making the mysterious sesame cheese!!! I used this recipe. It tastes great, but I have to work on texture. I didn't gring the sesame seeds enough so it's a not as smooth as I would want. It still tastes great and I'm going to eat it. I have lots of agar agar left so I will keep trying! Sesame seeds are a lot cheaper than nuts so this could be a very economical cheese to have around.

A quiet walk around a lake and some vitamin D to cure the blues!

I had some mushrooms in my fridge that I needed to use. I bought them for a meal that I didn't want anymore! This is why I don't meal plan, as soon as I plan it I don't want it! So I just made a mushroom and tofu stir fry and it turned out delish! I used ginger and garlic, and then made a little stir fry sauce with tamari, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. I don't make stir fry very often and I see now that I should add it in the rotation!

What I'm Going To Be Eating

I picked up a few groceries yesterday since I won't be able to today, and I try to avoid shopping on Saturday if I can! I went to Sprouts and Natural Grocers. I wanted to get a few things at Trader Joe's, but it was past ten a.m. so I decided to look out for myself and stay away. Trader Joe's is going to be even worse for the next few months because school is out!!

Hillary's spicy breakfast sausage, Tuscan bouquet bath salts, coconut lime chapstick, clearance yellow rice

The Hillary's spicy sausages were on sale for two something and I impulsively grabbed them. I hope I don't regret it because Hillary's burgers are definitely not my favorite. I don't even eat traditional breakfast foods so I don't even know what I will do with them!!

I saw these new to me vegan dips at Sprouts! I've tried the Good Karma flaxmilk yogurt and really, really was not a fan. I almost grabbed the French Onion dip, but the tub is pretty big and I just don't trust that I'll like it. Has anyone else heard of this or tried it??

Garlic,sweet potato,herbal tea,mushrooms,green onion, cilantro,green and red grapes,tofu, kombucha,Vegan Rob's cheese puffs,Opal apples,lemon, lime, hemp seeds, agar agar powder, medium tofu,red pepper,coconut milk and coconut cream

Sprouts has had the Vegan Rob's puffs on sale for two dollars for a couple of weeks now and I love it!! They're definitely in my top three favorite snacks! They also have Kevita booch buy one get one free so that was a great deal too!
I am super excited because I have some recipes I'm going to be trying in the next few days! One of the recipes I'm going to try is inspired by Susan's blog! She has had a lot of dishes with sesame cheese which I had never heard of, and I definitely haven't seen it anywhere in the states! The agar agar powder in my haul is for the cheese. I used to love making vegan cheese so I'm happy to get back to it!

When it's too warm to cuddle, but you still need that connection to your sister!! Holding back paws is almost cuter than front paws!!

Lemongrass Tofu

I found this new to spice rub the other day and couldn't resist the sweet lemongrass packet!
They have three flavors of the spice rub, lemongrass, five spice and garlic something. All three are vegan, and have very nice and normal ingredients, no weird mystery words. Each packet is $1.99. As a bonus, the company is owned by women!!!

So much green, I love it!

The package says to mix the rub with some oil and then mix that with the tofu. I just cubed some tofu, stirred in a little tamari and then sprinkled in a little of the rub. I only used about a tablespoon or so. I'll probably get two or three uses out of the packet. It also suggests grilling which I don't do so I just baked my tofu. I had it in a rice bowl with some veggies and peanut sauce. I want to get some fresh chilis and lemongrass and make a little marinade with the rub. It's good, but it needs a little fresh something.

I saw these on the clearance shelf at Smith's and I am totally weirded out! They're mechanical companion animals for seniors? I guess seniors who don't like actual animals? Am I wrong for thinking this is a little weird? I mean, they're on clearance so that tells me they weren't flying off the shelves!

Sorry it's so dark, but I had to post this hilarious picture of Joan! She's taken to napping in one of the cubbies! I guess she figures no one can try and force a cuddle on her in there!!

Just Another Random Monday

A couple of nights ago I made my first recipe from 1,000 Vegan Recipes. I made the Thai coconut soup. It's very simple, and I actually thought it might be a little bland or boring, but it was the opposite. It was full of flavor and exciting!

It's just onion and ginger simmered in veg stock or water( I used water), soy sauce and some chili paste. It also has coconut milk and tofu. It's super simple. I added some rice noodles to make it a bit more hefty. This really was full of flavor and it took under fifteen minutes to make. I will definitely make again!!

I saw this at Smith's the other day. It's rice made with red lentil and I think chickpea flour. It's basically bean pasta in rice form. No thank you! Like bean pasta, the bag is half the size and triple the price. Knowing how just uugh and dense bean pasta is, I can't imagine this being anything like fluffy rice!!

I've been loving the cactus fruit I picked up the other day! Look at that gorgeous color! The texture is kind of like a cross between watermelon and jicima. It does have seeds which are edible. It tastes melon adjacent, very refreshing!

Celery, romaine, pineapple and cucumber juice

Last night I tried my own version of Bianca's version of a dish from a restaurant. The dish is called The OG Bowl from a restaurant called The Wild Cow. I've seen it on her blog a few times over the years and it looks so simple and delicious. It's brown rice, garlicky kale, pinto beans, tofu and a garlic aioli. I don't remember where I bought my pinto beans, but I was sold some old ones because I soaked my dried beans for over twelve hours, and even after cooking for two hours they were still hard. So my version is brown rice, super garlicky kale, tofu and a garlic tahini sauce. This was everything I've always wanted it to be. Healthy comfort food!

Trader Joe's Vegan Haul!

I wanted to go to Sprouts and Trader Joe's yesterday, but because of situations out of my control I couldn't make it to Sprouts. Even though I made it to Trader Joe's about forty five minutes after they opened, it was still pretty damn busy. The Saturday before Father's Day, I should have known!

Green and white tea, sweet potato crackers, tahini, vitamin E oil, rose hydrating facial spray

Dill pickle popcorn, Persian cucumbers, Romaine, ginger, bananas, lime, coconut milk, garbanzo beans,coconut oil, lemons

Celery, carrots, tofu, vegetable fried rice, coconut milk caramel latte(!!!!), mango kombucha, mushrooms, butter lettuce

I told you guys I was craving salad! As soon as I got home yesterday I made a huge salad with leftover quinoa, butter lettuce and cucumbers. It was so freaking good!!
If you like popcorn and pickles I cannot recommend the dill pickle ppcorn enough. I think they only have it in the summer and it is OUT OF THIS WORLD! I don't know how they make popcorn taste like pickles!!!!

I'm really excited to try this! I saw this on Instagram a few weeks ago and the last time I was at Trader Joe's they were sold out. They have two flavors, original latte and caramel spice. I can't resist caramel so the choice was obvious for me. Trader Joe's has always been pretty vegan friendly, but lately it seems like every week there are new vegan products! Obviously demand is way up and that makes my little grey heart happy!

Rancho Market Produce Haul!

I have a little haul from a new to me store today! I went to a new to me store called Rancho Market! It's a Mexican market with some AMAZING deals on produce! I've heard people at work talk about this store but it's always in regards to their amazing meat section so I never really thought of it as a place for me. But I noticed a flyer the other day and was amazed at the fruit and veg prices. So yesterday I decided to check it out. I am the dork of the universe and forgot my phone so I couldn't take any pictures in the store, but I will definitely be going back! I didn't really check out the whole store, I just kind of stayed in the produce section. They have stuff I've never seen at a regular grocery, even Sprouts which has a pretty huge produce section! I got some cactus fruit and tiny little baby guavas that smell so incredible I can't even handle it!! Why have I never seen a guava scented candle?

Watermelon, bamboo shoots,red onion, tostadas, pineapple, green onion, cilantro, pasilla pepper, jalapenos, avocado,oranges,apples,tomatillos,iceberg lettuce,baby guava, cactus fruit,lemon, fresh turmeric, ataulfo mangoes, nectarines

I also got some delicious red grapes that didn't make it in the picture. I got all of this delicious fresh produce for thirty dollars!! I'm grateful to have stores like this and Sprouts so I can have a lot of fresh produce at a very affordable price. Fruits and vegetables should always be cheaper than junk food and it's sad that it isn't.

This was my simple and really, really delicious dinner. Quinoa, tofu, avocado and lettuce cups with a spicy peanut sauce. I have to say that I really enjoy messy, dipping meals like this with lots of textures. And while I do still love lentils, it was incredible to have something other than lentils!!

Lentils All Day Every Day

Tomorrow is grocery day, thank gourd! I've done pretty well on the twenty dollars I spent last week at Sprouts and stuff I had in my pantry and fridge, but at the same time I am definitely ready for a little more variety. This is going to sound like the most vegan thing I've ever said in my life, but I am really craving a HUGE salad! Ha!
I've been eating a lot of lentils these past few days and tonight I'll be having them too. Lentils are always my go to when things are TIGHT.

The other day I marinated some lentils in BBQ sauce, and then when I got home I seasoned some cubed potatoes with salt, pepper and garlic powder, roasted them up and then topped them with the lentils and some vegan cheddar. Really simple and really satisfying.

I had some leftover cooked lentils, so I added them to the batter of a chickpea pancake. This was super filling, kept me full all day actually! I made a little spicy mayo for dipping.

I had a bag of cauliflower gnocchi in my freezer, so last night I had those with you guessed it, lentils in some tomato basil sauce. I sauteed the gnocchi in a little olive oil, and added garlic powder and crushed red pepper. And lots of nooch at the end.
All in all I have no complaints, I've been well fed and even though my diet has been very lentil forward, I've still had variety. But I still am so ready for that salad!

Cheap and Cheerful

Being on a tight budget can be annoying, frustrating, and depressing. I definitely spend a fair amount of time feeling those negative emotions, but because I like balance I try to think of the positives of being on a budget.
In the kitchen being on a tight budget has made me become much more creative and flexible in the kitchen. When I was first learning to cook, if I was following a recipe I would freak out if I didn't have an ingredient, I knew nothing about substitutions or what were important ingredients and what could be safely left out. That's why I didn't enjoy cooking at first, it was stressful!! Now, all these years later I rarely follow a recipe without changing something!
I felt sad the other night when I was craving a rice bowl with peanut sauce and didn't have peanut butter. But I remembered that I had some raw cashews in the freezer so I made a spicy cashew sauce! I just blended the cashews with the usual peanut sauce ingredients and it turned out great!

Nothing fancy, but it sure did taste great! I used up the last of the bamboo rice. The texture grew on me, but honestly I can only eat it with a very strong flavored sauce because it definitely has a very green, earthy flavor.

Last night I made a sweet potato red lentil soup. I used curry and some dried chili to flavor it, and I threw in a handful of cashews to add creaminess. I don't like the texture of sweet potatoes at all in their whole form, but I love how velvety they are when blended.
This has been a really tight week for me, but so far I feel like I've still been eating tasty and healthy food. I guess I'm lucky that most of my favorite meals are naturally cheap! Another plus for budget life!!

Joan has those days when she just can't handle being cuddled! So relatable! But she's also kind of a dork and can't quite hide right! Also so relatable!