We’ve been playing around with our budget lately. We took a month to just kind of buy whatever groceries we wanted to buy. I still made a menu each week, but we didn’t hesitate to keep our pantry stocked with nuts and dried fruit  and peanut butter or our freezer stocked with frozen fruit for smoothies. For a few weeks we were having fresh, organic produce delivered (for free!) to our door on Tuesdays. The food we got in our box was fantastic, but we just couldn’t keep up with the cost.

Now, I’m back to trying to scrimp and save and stretch. We upped our grocery budget a little, but even so, I’ve had to resign myself to not buying many organic items in order to stay within the allotted weekly amount.

So! Without further adieu, here’s what cooking this week in the Frank Family household:

Breakfast
Raw keifer soaked oatmeal with berries and honey
Hot oatmeal with cinnamon, berries, and honey
Eggs, bagels, and green smoothies
Cold cereal with milk and fruit/cold cereal with yogurt and fruit (kind of like a parfait)

Lunch/Dinner
Curried red lentils with rice
Pasta with marinara sauce, broccoli, and salad
Black bean tostadas with cilantro yogurt spread
Homemade pizza
ALTs
PB&J sandwiches with quinoa black bean salad

Snacks
Greek yogurt with fruit and honey to taste
Green smoothies
Trail mix-nuts, dried fruit, seeds, chocolate chips

This week’s menu might not come to fruition because, not only does my oven not work and my range smell like rotting fish when the burners burn for too long, but also because my fucking kitchen shelves came crashing down at 1am today. It was a fucking mess. Two glass Ball jars smashed, leaving a ton of dried black beans and dried green lentils all over my floor. Not to mention a whole bunch of glass. To add to the mess, my blender carafe smashed, and my coffee grinder emptied itself of the ground coffee bean goodness it was storing. I’m pissed off. I can’t cook in my own home (though two friends in the building have given us keys to their apartments to come and cook when we need to… it’s really a big pain in the ass. Did I mention the elevator isn’t working and we live on the 4th floor?). My kitchen is a wreck. I can’t unpack anything because I have no where to store stuff, and what I did unpack is cluttering up every inch of counter space in the place.

Who wants to have us over for dinner this week?

Just checking.

Breakfast
Keifer-soaked raw oatmeal with frozen fruit and sweetened with real maple syrup
Hot oatmeal
Scrambled eggs and green smoothies

Lunch/Dinner
Curried cauliflower with dal and basmati rice
Homemade pizza (one with shredded mozzarella cheese, one with shredded Daiya mozarella ‘cheese’)
Homemade refried bean quesadillas and burritos on homemade flour tortillas
Pasta with homemade marinara sauce
Avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches
Breakfast for dinner-Scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes, a bagel, and a green smoothie
Split pea soup
Chili

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Oh Autumn, I love thee.

The weather has turned  bit cooler here in Chicago. I’ve spent the last three days in jeans and long-sleeved shirts. This is my favorite time of year for cooking. For me, nothing is as soothing as the smell of apples and cinnamon. I love eating hearty, hot soups and chili, and nothing beats throwing on a hoodie and enjoying a cup of coffee on my porch while breathing in the crisp Fall air.

There have been some, eh… changes in the Frank household as of late; some as a result of outside pressures and some internal. For example, Josh’s ministry job has been terminated, so the outside pressure of not having a steady income has resulted in us having to cut our food budget. On the other hand, the internal pressure of knowing that I can’t fit into a good number of my clothes has resulted in me giving up (or nearly giving up) dairy. I don’t eat cheese any more, and I only have a splash of cream in my coffee in the mornings. I do still eat keifer when I use it to make raw oatmeal, but I imagine I’ll find an alternative to that in time. Additionally, I’ve been cutting down on my sugar intake. I no longer sweeten my coffee, and I’ve been incredibly successful at not eating sweets since I began this journey (about three weeks ago).

As I was thinking about our new budget, I was wondering if anyone would have any interest in reading about my grocery shopping habits? What I’ve bought and for how much? In other words, are you interested in how I feed my family healthy, whole foods on a budget? Yesterday I went shopping at three different stores, and between the three, I spent less than $60. Some of the food I bought was conventional, but a fair bit was organic. The groceries I purchased yesterday should easily get us through the week food-wise, though I suppose I may need to run to the corner market near the end of the week for more fruit. That’s always a possibility. Anyway, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Here’s what’s cooking this week:

Breakfast
Eggs with chopped tomatoes and spinach
Keifer oatmeal
Hot oatmeal

Lunch/Dinner
Chili
ALTs
Curried channa
Eggplant and chickpea stew
Refried bean quesadillas/burritos
Pasta with marinara sauce and homemade focaccia bread

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On Thursday we’re heading to my in-laws’ house to celebrate my brother- and sister-in-law’s pregnancy and my nephew’s first birthday. I’m looking forward to getting away for a big. I’m looking forward to being with family.

Here’s what on our short menu this week:

Breakfast:
Keifer-soaked raw oatmeal
Oatmeal
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies and peanut butter toast

Lunch/Dinner:
ALT sandwiches
Minestrone soup
Breakfast for dinner: Eggs and bagles
Pasta with fresh basil and spinach pesto
Home made pizza
Linguine with sauteed squash, garlic, and fresh tomatoes

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Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll.

Annnndddd my weekly menu plan is back. Reader(s), I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for the most part these past few months. I have no excuse, just day to day life stuff getting in the way of writing. I can’t promise this time around will end any differently, but I promise I’ll try!

Our family is actively trying to cut back on our monthly expenses. We recently started sharing our internet connection with our upstairs neighbors, we’ve canceled our gym memberships, and I’ve taken to line-drying all of our laundry except for our bed sheets, which I simply don’t have the space to hang. Additionally, I’m doing my best to chip away at our grocery budget. I’m not sure how much lower I’ll be able to get it, but I figure every penny counts, right? So! Here’s what’s cooking this week:

Breakfast/Lunch
Keifer-soaked raw oatmeal
Oatmeal
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies and peanut butter toast

Lunch/Dinner
Homemade falafel with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, hummus, and tahini dressing in whole wheat pita pockets
Potato and fresh rosemary soup
Costa Rican rice and beans
Pasta with fresh basil pesto
Homemade pizza
Breakfast for dinner: Eggs, bagels, and fresh fruit/smoothie
ALTs

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Boo. My dear husband left today. He’s leading his youth group’s mission trip to Kentucky, and he won’t return until next Saturday evening. I am sad and a bit overwhelmed. While Jude and I had a lovely day together, I know it would have been even more lovely to have enjoyed it alongside my partner in crime.

This week, I’m eating simply. Some leftovers, lots of sandwiches, and a surprise dinner of enchiladas from my friend upstairs, Tracie! I have great friends, and I’m very, very grateful for them. Here’s what cooking (or reheating!) this week:

Breakfast:
Raw soaked oatmeal with hemp protein, chia seeds, hemp seeds, frozen fruit, and honey
Hot oatmeal with frozen fruit, cinnamon, flaxseed meal, and honey
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies

Lunch/Dinner:
Split-pea soup
Lentil soup
Enchiladas (thanks to our upstairs neighbor, Tracie!)
Avocado, lettuce, tomato, and cheese sandwiches (ALTs)
Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwiches
Breakfast for dinner! Eggs and toast and smoothies
Pasta with fresh basil pesto
Refried bean quesadillas on homemade flour tortillas
Homemade pizza

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll or I’m an Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday Blog Roll.

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I had a hard time planning this week’s menu. I don’t want to be stuck inside cooking everyday, but I also don’t want to eat sandwiches day after day. The two soups on my menu should come together pretty quickly, as long as I get the chopping/bean cooking done before hand. Any suggestions for yummy, quick, and nutritious vegetarian meals for these hot summer months?

Breakfast
Oatmeal with flax seed meal, cinnamon, frozen fruit, and honey
Eggs and fresh fruit/green smoothies
Cereal with fruit

Lunch/Dinner
Black bean and rice burritos on homemade flour tortillas
ALT (avocado, lettuce, and tomato) sandwiches
Breakfast for dinner:  Scrambled eggs, bagels, and fresh fruit
White bean soup with kale/cooking greens
Potato and mustard greens soup
Spinach Pesto Pasta

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll or I’m an Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday Blog Roll.

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Sorry for the lack of posting as of late. The past week and a half has been super busy with getting the house ready for company, hosting my mom and pop for a few days, having Josh’s mom and dad visit, and then finally, recuperating.

Josh, Jude, and I spent Friday night in the suburbs at our friend’s house visiting. We came home early Saturday morning, but because Jude refused to sleep all of Friday night, we took a nap during co-op/farmers’ market hours and missed shopping at either place. Luckily, I have a bag full of CSA goodies to help us get through the week. Here’s what on our menu:

Breakfast:
Cereal with milk and fresh fruit
Oatmeal with flaxseed meal, frozen fruit, cinnamon, and honey
Cottage cheese with green smoothies

Lunch/Dinner:
Leftover minestrone soup
Black bean and rice burritos on homemade flour tortillas
Pasta w/fresh basil pesto
Homemade veggie pizza (peppers, onions)
Black bean burgers w/baked potatoes and braised turnips w/ greens
Home made mac & cheese w/frozen peas and corn on the cob
Eggs and bagels w/fresh fruit and a green smoothies
Cheese and basil polenta with tomato basil sauce and a salad
Brown rice with red lentils, barley, almonds, and cranberries
ALTs (avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwhiches)

Snacks
Salads
Baba ghanous
Green smoothies
White bean, asparagus and basil hummus with chopped veggies

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll or I’m an Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday Blog Roll.

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I love the warm weather that accompanies Spring and Summer. Playing outside with Jude for hours on end is a fun and relaxing and easy! way to spend our days. The hard thing about nice-weather days (for me at least) is trying to find the time to cook. Too often I end up relying on sandwiches or cut up pieces of cheese and fruit and veggies to make up our meals. I haven’t been able to find a big chunk of time to do a lot of cooking at once, and I can’t seem to make myself be productive while Jude is napping. Sooner or later, I’m going to need to figure something out.

Early-ish this morning, Jude and I took a bike ride to The Harvest, our local food co-op, and to Downtown Evanston’s Farmers’s Market. I was really disappointed by the end of our shopping trip: the co-op was out of dried cranberries and bread, and the stand at the farmers’ market that we got our eggs from last week was sold out. The woman working the stand said all their eggs were gone by 9am. I could have gotten eggs from a different stand, but the only place that still had them for sale didn’t designate the eggs as being free-range or organic or pastured, so I didn’t want to buy them. I ended up buying two bags of spinach, some basil, cilantro, and cheese made from raw milk. I’m happy with what I bought, but I just didn’t leave with the sense of excitement that I left with last week. Anyway! Here’s what cooking this week.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with ground flax seeds and frozen berries
Cold cereal with milk and fruit
Green smoothies

Lunch/Dinner
Falafel w/tzatziki sauce
Pasta w/fresh basil, tomatoes, and Mozzarella cheese
Veggie burgers w/baked pots
Homemade refried bean quesadillas on homemade flour tortillas
Eggs and bagels and fruit
Homemade pizza
Minestrone soup
ALTS

Snacks
Fruit
Green smoothies
Salads

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Dear readers. Yesterday I made an important discovery: I like mushrooms.

Crazy, right? Early-ish yesterday morning, Josh, Jude, and I went to Downtown Evanston’s Farmers’ Market. As we perused the different farm stands, I lamented the fact that neither Josh nor I like mushrooms; they all looked so lovely in their little wooden display boxes, waiting patiently to be purchased. Josh suggested we give ‘em another try and quickly brainstormed a few different ways we could use them this week. After agreeing to take the plunge with him and after talking to one of the stand workers, we settled on a bag of assorted mushrooms. I’ve only tried on variety of the mushrooms so far, but since I like that variety, I’m going to consider this purchase a SUCCESS.

In addition to mushrooms, our farmers’ market bounty included
Spinach
Not-arugula salad greens that I can’t remember the name of
Basil
Parsley
Green garlic
Rhubarb
Eggs
Raw milk cheddar cheese
Popcorn on the cob!

I still have to do a bit more shopping at a grocery store (or two or three) before I’m set for the week, but I’m hoping to have that completed by the end of the day today. So, without further adieu, here’s what’s cooking this week:

Breakfast:
Pumpkin french toast sticks
Oatmeal with ground flaxseed and frozen berries
Eggs and bagels

Lunch/Dinner:
Pasta with fresh basil and parsley pesto
Veggie curry over basmati rice
Corn chowder
Homemade veggie pizza
Quesadilla on homemade flour tortillas with homemade refried beans
Veggie stir fry over basmati rice
Ginormous salads
ALTs
Pitas with hummus and raw, chopped veggies

Snacks:
Fresh rhubarb dipped in a bit of sugar
Green smoothies

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll!

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