i am not that cool.

day two

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:04:17 -0400

things are going pretty well. i’m often tempted to go get a soda from the vending machine downstairs, but at $1.25 a pop, there’s no way that’s going to happen. here’s what i’m munching today:

breakfast: poached egg on whole wheat toast, vanilla yogurt, apple, tea. total cost is .$79 with the apple being most expensive at $.33.

lunch: salad, carrot sticks, melon slices, and leftover beans & rice. apple for afternoon snack. total cost is $1.25 with salad coming in at a whopping $.66 per serving!

dinner: i’m planning some leftover tofu casserole with a boiled potato and 1/2 avocado on toast. the blackberry bushes behind our house have provided tons of delicious fruit for free! i might even make some oatmeal blackberry cookies tonight if i have time after Zumba.

week 1: groceries

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:37:31 -0400

i cheated before i even began this week. i went to the farmer’s market and spent $4 on 1/2 lb mixed salad greens before i went to the grocery. my parents also gave me a bunch of food when i stopped by for Father’s Day. here’s what i’ve already got in my fridge/pantry:

- large can of diced tomatoes
- small can of tomato paste
- can of Amy’s organic cheese raviolo
- 1/2 lb of lentils
- whole wheat spaghetti and lasagna noodles
- 1 package of mushroom “ramen” noodles (vegan)
- 1/2lb salad mixed greens from the Dangling Carrot farm!
- onions and garlic
- a vegan tofu/veggie casserole my parents made (froze half of it immediately)
- bruschetta topping leftovers
- peanut butter
- potatoes
- nutritional yeast
- soy milk (3/4 of a carton; this will last forever)
- oatmeal, flour, spices, and baking supplies

here’s what i picked up at Aldi on Saturday (price in parenthesis):

12 Grain Bread (1.69)
Carrots (1.29)
Roma tomatoes (1.49)
Honeydew melon (1.99)
Red delicious apples (2.99)
Green tea (1.19)
Macaroni & cheese (.39)
Parmesan cheese (2.39)
Plums (.49)
Avocados (1.15)
Large tub of vanilla yogurt (1.79)
Pinto beans- dried (1.49)
Canned mushrooms (.59)
Dozen eggs (1.19)
Canned peas-small (.79)

Grand total: 20.91

With the stuff I have and the stuff I bought, I should only need to buy fresh produce and a few things next week. The bag of beans is giant and will definitely carry over. The parmesan cheese is the grated stuff in a plastic can, so it will last for many weeks. up soon: what i ate today! cool!

food budget challenge! 2k11

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:50:15 -0400

it’s been a lean couple of months, and as a result, i’ve racked up some debt on the old CCs. now that i’m working full-time, however, i’m ready to start seriously budgeting and being frugal! my challenge: for the next 1-2 months, i’m sticking to a super-strict budget, focusing (here online) on my food/grocery/drinking portion.

i have spent as much as $60 a month on groceries in the past year, on MYSELF ONLY. wow that’s crazy! it’s easy to do when shopping for crazy vegan recipes at places like Whole Foods. my new goal is to spend no more than $90 a month on groceries for me. additionally, i’m budgeting myself $20 a week for a dinner out, alcohol, the bar, etc. the $20 doesn’t roll over week-to-week, but my groceries are monthly, so spending $15 one week and $25 the next is acceptable. my discretionary twenty bucks also has some rules: one meal at a restaurant and one trip to the bar max. i can also chose to spend that $10ish alcohol money on a nice bottle of wine. eating at the home of friends/family is acceptable and people can give me food. and food from my garden doesn’t count.

so actually, it’s not that hard. this guy has done it with a lot more rules and restrictions, and there’s a cool list here of ways to save cash on food. i would like to try this as a challenge to myself and to try to get in a frugal mindset. coming soon: grocery list for the week, what i’m making, and what i’ve eaten!

oops.

Tue, 10 May 2011 23:55:48 -0400

i’m having one of the most stressful weeks of my life. therefore, i’ve been eating a lot of Kashi and Tofurkey. and Pizza Primo tonight whilst watching Glee. i’ll be back to being a healthy, sane person in 32 days (hopefully).

food costs - lentil lasagna

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:00:06 -0400

I am pretty poor right now as I finish up my undergraduate degree. I spend most of my money on school, then rent, then food. I don’t think a lot of people really take the time to budget their food or analyze how it’s being spent. I go to multiple types of stores to maximize my savings while introducing diversity to the foods I buy. For tofu, soy milk, noodles, and frozen junk food, I like to hit up the Asian markets. For canned goods and baking supplies, I go to Aldi. For bulk dried items, specialty vegan foods, and general “hippie nonsense” staples, I go to Whole Foods or the lovely Market District in UA. And for everything else, I make a weekly trip to my local Giant Eagle, coupons and reusable bags in hand. It seems like a lot of running around, but I never shop more than once or twice a week, and the savings I gain seem to outweigh the inconvenience.

In an effort to start budgeting my money and nutrition more thoroughly, I’ve started calculating food costs for some new and favorite recipes. Keep in mind, I am living in Central Ohio, where the cost of living is pretty low. These figures might be helpful for others to understand how much money they are spending on food and the value received from it nutritionally!

First up is this recipe for Creamy Lentil Lasagna (via VegWeb). I have a large quantity of dried lentils kicking around my pantry and I thought this would be a good place to use them. I ate a slice of this the night I made it, then put a few individual portions in tupperware for lunch and froze the rest. I’m a single lady, so 12+ servings of lasagna is going to last me a very, very long time.

You can find the recipe here, and here’s the cost breakdown:

*whole wheat lasagna noodles: $2.50 @ .75 box (1.875)
mushrooms $1.50 @ .5 container (.75)
sauce $1.39 one jar (1.39)
green peppers (2) $2.23 @ .75 (1.67)
*earth balance margarine $4.49 @ 3/34 (.39)
*soy milk $2.89 @ .25 (.75)
*nutritional yeast $.10
*herbs $.25
flour $.10
*lentils $1

TOTAL:
$9.29

$10/12 = $.83 per serving

Even rounding up, $.83 per serving is pretty good. Paired with a slice of nice bread (free, because my bartender roomie brings it home after close) and a glass of wine or water, you have a very economical dinner. A slice for lunch with a small spinach salad is also very satisfying and filling. Specialty vegan items like Earth Balance and whole wheat noodles add up, but when paired with relatively inexpensive ingredients, it doesn’t inflate your price too much. I make an effort to buy organic ingredients (designated by the star*) but when I compared $4 pasta sauce to $1.30 pasta sauce, I had to go cheapo. Next week, I’ll be comparing the price for enchilada casserole!

benwyattfacialexpressions: No one wants to visualize Ron &...

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:58:35 -0400

benwyattfacialexpressions:

No one wants to visualize Ron & Tammy…

NO ONE!!

intense garlicy POW spinach hummus.

Tue, 03 May 2011 17:59:10 -0400

i love garlic! i put tons of it in everything! my housemates/boyfriend are always nervous about this, but everything always turns out just fine. after i made this hummus, i gave a taste to a guest and he said “WOW, that is intensely garlicy. pow!” A lot of people try to make hummus without the tahini. My advice is, don’t do it. It adds a rich quality and it really doesn’t take that much for a big bowl of hummus. I like adding spinach because it adds a pop of iron, so you’re getting iron plus protein plus extra yummy garlic goodness in your dip. Be warned: you can literally sweat garlic, so don’t eat a bunch of this before a big date.

Ingredients:
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
pinch of cayenne
1 cup spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Put the chickpeas, garlic, and tahini in a food processor. Pulse until there are no whole chickpeas (you can pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds to speed up the process if you like). Slowly add in the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and cayenne while pulsing until it achieves a smooth, creamy consistency. You may have to drizzle in a tiny bit of water, but don’t add too much! Add in the spinach and pulse until it is chopped and mixed in, but not completely pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste and eat away!

NGL, i love the hell out of Leslie and Ben.

Sun, 01 May 2011 15:39:42 -0400

NGL, i love the hell out of Leslie and Ben.

“He was kind of a shit show. He had really bad hair and...

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:00:17 -0400

“He was kind of a shit show. He had really bad hair and always smelled like B.O.”

-my roommate on an ex

brunch

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:45:33 -0400

a friend unexpectedly came into town on friday night, so i made brunch for us all on saturday morning. unfortunately, i had way too much fun at Bernie’s watching my friends’ bands play and drinking $1 rum & cokes. this made brunch preparation a bit challenging, but don’t worry, it was good! our spread included oven roasted red potatoes, vegetable fritata scramble, and rolled oat blender waffles. plus Kahlua that Logan brought over and a bunch of coffee and orange juice. next time you’re supposed to cook something and feel a bit hungover, whip up a batch of these guys and everyone will think you’re a genius.

BLENDER WAFFLES! (adapted from vegweb)

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Add water if necessary.

2. Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron.

3. Cook, according to directions.

Slice up some strawberries, bananas, walnuts, or pecans and enjoy! Or add some jam, peanut butter, maple syrup… the possibilities really are endless.

Serves: 6 waffles, Preparation time: 5 minutes

yucca it up

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:49:00 -0400

sometimes i like to eat the food of a five-year old! i was pretty beat the other night and decided to take it really low key. not pictured is the root beer i had with my sophisticated dinner. my dad bought me a yucca root, so i made yucca fries. the meat-looking chunks are actually Vegan Dad’s veggie lunch meat, but cut into chunks and baked. they take sort of like chicken nuggets and i like to dip them in mustard. the ketchup is actually Heinz mixed with Frank’s Red Hot. i like it spicy! here’s how i made the yucca fries:

Baked Yucca Fries

1 large yucca root
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
about 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
about 1 teaspoon sea salt
about 1/2 teaspoon paprika

preheat oven to 350 degrees. peel your yucca root and cut it into quarters. now cut each piece into long strands. cut those in half. they should look like french fries!

put them in a bowl with other ingredients. toss well and coat evenly with oil & spices. spread mixture on a baking pan (i like to cover it with foil for easier cleanup). bake for 10 minutes at 350. flip, toss, move around, etc, and bake another 10 minutes. eat!

ilovecolumbus: Sometimes you just need a donut and a coffee…and...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:33:46 -0400

ilovecolumbus:

Sometimes you just need a donut and a coffee…and a whistling young man behind the counter to inform you that the cream-filled maple you’ve been eyeing is super-good. Simple. Buckeye Donuts, High St., North Campus, Cols. OH.

veggie taco pizza

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:46:00 -0400

ahh, Jiffy pizza crust mix. you are as ubiquitous in my childhood diet as your cousin, corn muffin mix, diet vernor’s, and tuna helper. my dad loves to buy you for as little as $.40 a box on sale at Meijer and stockpile you in the cupboard. i recently found a box of you in my pantry on Friday evening while i hunted for food and wine. because your expiration date was marked 4/2009, i was a little suspicious of how you might taste, but i dressed you up with all of the fixings and enjoyed this delightful taco pizza along with half a bottle of Catawba White and Anchorman.

Ingredients:

crust:
1 box Jiffy pizza crust mix
hot water for the Jiffy
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes

toppings: (use at your own discretion)
1 cup refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
sour cream

Prepare the pizza crust as per instructions. This should involve adding hot water, stirring, and letting to sit for a while. Then knead the dough on a lightly floured board. Knead in the cornmeal, basic, and pepper flakes. Flatten the dough on a pizza pan and bake for 4 minutes @ 425. Remove from oven.

Mix the salsa and refried beans together in a bowl. Mix them well. I added a few shots of hot sauce at this point. Spread the bean mixture onto the crust. Now sprinkle on the cheese. Add toppings in a pleasing visual array. Pop it into the oven for 20 minutes @ 425 F. Remove, slice, add some sour cream as desired, eat. I recommend eating this delicious taco pizza while hanging out in your living room watching dumb movies with your roommate.

Sorry I don’t have a picture, I ate it all too fast. ‘Twas tasty, though, trust me.

what a girl wants

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 11:24:18 -0400

no one really looks at my tumblr, so i don’t feel bad posting a laundry list of things i’d be overjoyed to receive as graduation presents. greed!

i saw a girl wearing giant retro pink headphones at the train station in Frankfurt and she looked like a total badass. i’ve wanted some ever since.

i think this dress would be extremely flattering and i want a cute dress to wear under my cap + gown at graduation. plus, it’s going to be hotter than hell. so cute!

i’m pretty sure that when you get a real job, you have to stop using tattered pleather clutches and free give away canvas totes to carry your crap around in. i think i would look rather snazzy climbing on the bus with all of my important businessy papers inside this bag.

shit ton of Copic markers? yes please.

totes. obvs. totes obvs.

my week: architecture, scheduling confusion, potluck, presents,...

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 23:52:08 -0400

my week: architecture, scheduling confusion, potluck, presents, Kesh$a!!1 sing-along, wine, broken window, taco pizza, cherry pie.

I have a professional event tomorrow and I HATE wearing a suit. I always wear crazy earrings and everyone says “oh you look so nice, except for those earrings!” blah, i say!

girl you orange

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:52:12 -0400

girl you orange

also, i just want to say that i spent multiple hours and trips...

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:24:06 -0400

also, i just want to say that i spent multiple hours and trips to grocery stores making these vegan vanilla bean with chocolate maple ganache cupcakes to share with my lovely boyfriend on our third anniversary, and the fuckingggg dog ate all of them and the wrappers. fuck!

uh, yeah, things got a little crazy and i have been away from...

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:18:33 -0400

uh, yeah, things got a little crazy and i have been away from the computer quite a bit. don’t worry, though, the new quarter has started (the last one of my undergraduate career!!) and i’m back on the Tumblr and the fashion blogs and the smarmy news websites.

i really love this little bag. how cute are these paper dolls? i think though, as i always do, “oh wow, i could totally make that myself.”

(via TMOD)

nutella meringues. YUM.

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:00:07 -0500

i can’t wait to try making these delicious treats. i wonder if there’s a way to veganize something that’s basically egg whites & sugar?

(via Cream Puffs in Venice)

azn market

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:48:11 -0500

there are three asian groceries within four blocks of my house, and another half-dozen or so in town within 270. i like to visit them around this time, close to finals week, to stock up on easy meals and snacks i can quickly heat up while i’m staying awake for three straight days in studio. i found some awesome vegetarian, if not vegan, treats to fill my tummy while i’m busting out the last work of the quarter!

these are some tasty vegetable rice rolls that heat up in about 2 minutes and at 70 calories a pop, are not a bad snack. i put some siracha on top and OH YUM, how tasty! here’s my list of veggie stuff i like to buy at the asian grocery when i’m there:

dirt cheap tofu
buns filled with bean paste
every kind of miso
dried beans and rice, cheap
cheap, fresh soymilk
veggie rice/spring rolls
noodles (buckwheat, rice, vermicelli)
sweet bakery rolls
chinese/korean candy
rice cookies, sweet rolls, wafers
coconut milk
apple soda, lemon tea
mock meat (can be really good or really bad)
chili sauce/hot sauce/ siracha
canned bamboo shoots and mushrooms
veggie ramen in every flavor
nori for sushi rolls
bok choy, chinese spinach, eggplant
lychees and fresh fruit/produce
tea-flavored cakes and other delicious pastries
dairy-free “ice cream” treats

if you’re lucky like me and have an oriental grocery near you, go take a peek. i actually save money buying my rice, soymilk, and tofu there and i always find interesting surprises!