VeganMoFo IV: Open Late Nite

Let me give it to you straight: I have a love/hate relationship with Ralph's.  I inevitably end up pissed beyond belief while walking through the store.  Most of their prices are obscene.  This is not an exaggeration.  There are products in the store that are easily 3 or 4 dollars more than everywhere else.  I think it's completely bogus to charge people so much for food.  So, I mostly hate the place.

Then, it calls to me like a siren in the middle of the night.  Actually, last night it called to Era.  I went along because late night shopping is one of my favorite things to do.  Here's a budget tip: shop late night or early morning.  Here are a few reasons why:

1. Less people equals less traffic.
2. Less traffic equals more time to thoroughly look at items and see what's on sale.
3. These are often the times that new things are stocked and stuff gets added to clearance.  Score!

My love of grocery clearance is never changing.  Sometimes we hit the jackpot and get faux meats for cheap. Here's what remains from the haul we got last month:

yeah, boyee!

Last night, there was nothing in the way of veggie meats.  However, the freezer section was looking AWESOME!  There was a lot of 2 for $5 going on.  I think the pot pie was $2.50.  I know the eggplant stuff was for sure.  The vegan drumsticks...I just wanted those suckas.  I wrote my name on the eggplant stuff because Era got the vegetarian version and I didn't want him to accidentally take mine in the morning.  Hee hee.

with so much greatness in the freezy freeze, it's kinda nice being snoop d-o-double g

A quick review on the Yours Truly.  The chocolate shell and cookie crumbs are seriously good.  Really dark and not too, too sweet.  The vanilla ice cream is almost caramel-flavored.  Then, I got to the cone.  It's a soggy, chewy, hot mess!  C'mon, Tofutti!  I was totally feeling the vibe of being a middle schooler inhaling drumsticks on the daily when I got to that cone.  No crunch at all!  Even that last bit of cone with the chocolate is supposed to be the best part, but I was super underwhelmed.  I love the new direction veganism is going (and I'd still buy these), but I really hope they do something about the cone.  Next, I have to try the flower ice cream that I've heard so much about.

Back to the issue.  My favorite thing about clearance grocery shopping is the bread.  Wanna watch the price of artisinal bread drop by 66 percent?  Go visit the clearance of a store with a bakery.

sourdough bread, sweet baguette, sourdough baguette, and multi grain baguette

The sourdough bread was $2 marked down from $6!  The baguettes were only 99 cents!  The bread is at a perfect state for making French toast or using in dressing/stuffing.  And super great for toasting!  All it takes to find bread this cheap is a look through ingredients and a mean eye for that clearance cart.

And with all the money you save on deals, you might be able to try something completely new and different.  On the Ralph's trip we did last month I got some Kosher chips.  I really wasn't feeling them because they were too crunchy for my teeth and the flavor was lacking.  They were still pretty adorable though.

Hopefully, I've planted the seed to wander around stores in the wee hours of the night!  It's great fun, and you might even find a bargain or two!

Tomorrow...I will be veganizing an omni monstrosity of EPIC proportions.  Muahahahahaha.

VeganMoFo IV: Dollar Store Vegan

Alternate titles: Oooooone Dollaaaaaaar and Constanza Has Nothing on Me.

So, the only thing I love better than being vegan is finding super awesome cheap vegan deals.  DEALS, people!  MrsBadMouth did a marvelous blog on how to be a thrifty vegan earlier this week and she pretty much touched up on everything I'd ever say on the subject.  It got me really inspired to do something that most vegans would never think about doing: head to the dollar store.

Okay.  I first fell in love with the dollar store during the holidays.  I make gift baskets like a mothatrucka, and it is so much cheaper to drop a buck on baskets, cellophane, and ribbons than to buy a pre-made basket.  A little bit of money and a decent amount of time really makes for a happy and cheap holiday season.  Plus, a store like Dollar Tree or 99 Cents Only makes for decent holiday decor, a starting place for crafting, and cheap, non descript mugs.  You just have to know what to shop for and make sure to inspect the quality before leaving the store.

Also, discount stores are like a secret vegan playground.  When you get to reading ingredients, you find A LOT of vegan things.  Healthy and decadent.  Organic and filled with disgustingly awesome things.  I love discount stores.  Part of me doesn't want anybody to know about these deals, but since none of y'all live near me...it's cool.  Muahahahaha.  Here's what I scooped up last night (everything except for the Amy's soups which were on clearance at Ralph's)...

clockwise from middle: Westsoy low fat soymilk, Amy's soup, syrup pourer, organic pinto beans, creminis, pizza crust, dish towel, more creminis, more Amy's soup, big bag of Mexican oregano, organic black beans, and organic kidney beans

oregano

I usually get packs of Mexican oregano for 67 cents.  This bag was more than three times the amount I usually buy and only a dollar.  Cool beans.  Speaking of beans, we were stoked to see organic beans there.  Also found some other things I didn't feel like purchasing, but I managed to sneak a few pics inside the store on my crappy camera phone.

Mrs. Freshley's cookies

Mrs. Freshley's does have accidentally vegan treats (confirmed by email).  They definitely aren't healthy.  And they aren't some awesomely tasty treat.  But they are $1.

sugar in the raw

Other cool things I've found at 99 Cents Only: Earth Balance (buttery sticks and shortening), coconut cream, Switch carbonated fruit juice, Snackimals (large bag), and Boca products (chili and spicy chikn patties).  My sister recently found Tofu Pups and soyrizo.

Another cool place is Big Lots.  I love their cereal selection.  I think all the boxes are $2.50 at most.  Also found half gallon shelf stable Almond Breeze for $2.50!

The point is you can be vegan and find great deals even at the dollar store.  My advice?  Go on a little journey to your neighborhood dollar store.  Browse the grocery and refrigerated section and see what is vegan.  I'm certain you'll be surprised.

Happy Saturday, everybody!

Bargain Shopping, Insanity, and MoFo

Fellow vegans, I am still on a bargain high from my weekend of grocery shopping.  I think most of y'all know that few things thrill me more than an extremely good deal  If you know where and when to shop, groceries on clearance are your bestest friend!

On Sunday night, Era and I headed over to Ralph's (a local grocery store).  Era saw this Modern Marvels about cheese and felt he needed some.  I figured I'd go along because they are the closest store in my area that has Daiya.  We don't normally shop there because the prices are pretty high.  But two glorious things happened this trip.  First, they finally are stocking Tofurky Pizzas!  We were so stoked that we bought all three flavors.  Then, we realized that they had a whole selection of vegan soy/seitan products on sale.  Italian sausages for $1.25, Yves deli turkey for 99 cents, and Tofu Pups for $1.25!  We bought four of each and froze most of them.  It was a treat for us because we don't really buy convenience foods normally.

Sabra hummus!

Yesterday I started Insanity again, after having to stop due to an injury.  This program is seriously no joke.  But I absolute adore the intensity.  So more food journaling should be coming.  I pretty much took the summer off from working out and doing food journals.  Fall is here so I definitely have renewed energy.  Take a look at yesterday's lunch:

sourdough bread, Italian sausages in marinara, VT cheddar cheeze, olive medley, hummus, grapes

Vegetarian Times cheddar cheeze

I really like the cheddar cheeze.  I think it absolutely shines paired with mustard (especially brown deli mustard).  I had it in a grilled cheeze today on sourdough.  Awesome sauce!

Kittee testers (washing greens for gumbo, King Cake)

Lately, I've been cooking a lot.  This is what I love about Fall.  It's cool enough to spend hours cooking.  Above is a mosaic of some Kittee testers.  Mostly King Cake, but there is a sink full of greens for a gumbo I ate yesterday.  Very good stuff!

Speaking of testers, I revisited one of my favorite cookbooks to test for: Viva Vegan.  I made the arroz con seitan last week for the Britney episode of Glee last week!  No theme.  I just wanted good food to go with possibly the best episode EVER!  Seriously...love the steamed white seitan so much!

arroz con seitan

I also delved into 500 Vegan Recipes.  I've made recipes here and there for this book, but I almost never have ingredients for food that isn't Mexican or Indian.  True story.  I did end up making the white pizza last week.  Really good!

white pizza

I feel like this is the longest entry of all time, but I did want to remind everybody that Vegan MoFo is just around the corner.  If you haven't already done it, please sign up here.  Also blog, tweet, and facebook it!  This is the 4th edition, and it is going to OWN!  I've been collecting ideas all year, and I hope to do some things that I've been excited about for a while.  I'm going to organize my ideas tonight.  What about you?  What ideas do you have for MoFo themes?

Mission: Secret Santa

I have a fever, y'all, and the only cure is makin' gift baskets!  Seriously, it's a sickness.  I get it from my mama.  She kinda started the whole thing.  It's a cheap way to make things look like a million bucks.  I think you know by now that I don't believe in blowing money when I can take five minutes to really think about who a person is and try to encapsulate that in a basket.  Ha ha.  I'm mostly just a really, really cheap person.

I've done some form of gift basket every year since I was 23 or so.  It started super small.  Just throwing some books or something in a basket and getting that shrink wrap bag from the dollar store.  Then I started having these crazy sessions where I'd bake for two days straight and do an assembly line thing.  One year I made baskets for all 13 members of the comedy troupe I was in.  Another time, I made dessert and breakfast baskets for some coworkers.  As I type this, there is curling ribbon everywhere because I'm about to make some stuff for a fundraiser tomorrow.

Today's mission: find a suitable gift for a doctor I hadn't met before lunchtime today.  Price: $25.  I started by asking what kind of stuff he likes.  All I got from the ladies at my internship was that he likes books.  Dammit.  I'd have to get a gift card.  Those are so...impersonal.  But not if it's wrapped in a gift basket!

First I got some things from the dollar store (basket, curling ribbon, garland, cards, etc):

All of this was 8 bucks (exceptin' the gift cards), but I only used 5 bucks worth of stuff.  Then I decided to add some cuteness to it.  Check out this card!  The tree is eating the gift cards.  I took some tea I had in my house and wrapped them with ribbon.

Next, I thought long and hard about what to make.  I made the choc chip cookies, sugar cookies, and gingerbread biscotti from VCIYCJ.  I made Cheesy Quackers for the tin, but decided to keep them for myself.  Hee hee.  The doctor got pretzels instead!  I wrapped all of it up nice and purty like.

Then I put everything into the basket.  The basket includes 6 different types of tea, the aforementioned cookies and pretzels, and some chocolate peppermint coffee that I got from Target for $1.  Check that dollar section when you walk into the store.  You find some gems for sure!

This last pic is kinda crappy, but I was running late to my internship.  I couldn't find the shrink wrap bag and didn't feel like weaving through the people at the dollar store so I just got this gingerbead one instead.

And there you have it!  It's a fun and pretty easy way to personalize a gift card.  Just use your supreme baking or crafty skills and 5 bucks.  And nothing goes better with some books than gingerbread biscotti and English breakfast tea!

Vegan MoFo III: Indian Feast

From the first time aloo gobi ever touched my lips, I have had major love for Indian food.  It is tied with my beloved Tex Mex, which is saying a lot.  The thing I love most about it is that there is so much depth of flavor, and it is super inexpensive to make.  Many recipes make an insane amount of food for only a couple of dollars.

When I go to restaurants, I usually stick to the aloo gobi or aloo mattar.  Something about how tender the potatoes are makes me unable to stray from these dishes.  Oh, how I love them so!

When I'm cooking at home, however, there are three recipes that make it into every Indian meal.  I make Kittee's dakshini murgh (coriander roasted chikn) and spinach saag.  I also make some sort of dahl.  I really love the three bean dal in Vegan Planet.  Tonight I followed a recipe from a different cookbook and used a combo of red and green lentils.  All of this usually gets served with a simple jasmine rice that I throw cumin seeds in.

Most of the time I make seitan for the dakshini murgh, but went for tofu tonight.  It's pictured above.  It's not as creamy as usual because all I had was light coconut milk.  Still tasty, though.

You might have to add a little more to the prices listed below if you don't have the spices or rice on hand.  This meal easily serves 6, maybe more.

Price Breakdown*

Dakshini Murgh-$6.05

• tofu-$2.96
• onion-$0.71
• tomatoes-$1.72
• coconut milk-$0.50
• ginger-$0.06
• jalapeno-$0.04
• cilantro-$0.06

Saag-$3.57

• spinach-$2.94
• jalapeno-$0.04
• tomato-$0.25
• onion-$0.34

Dahl-$0.75

• tomato-$0.25
• onion-$0.34
• jalapeno-$0.07
• ginger-$0.09

Total spent on dinner-$10.37 or $1.73 per person!  Sure, it's the most expensive meal of the week but definitely yields the most food.

So we've reached the end of Budget Week.  Tomorrow begins holiday and fall foods week.  I am so excited about what I have planned!  Good night all.

*All price breakdowns are assuming you have basic things like flour, oil, non dairy milk, common spices, etc. Everything else will be factored in. Also, the price listed is based on the amount used in the recipe.

Vegan MoFo III: Seitan Veronique

Here's a story of some ugly food porn.  That was a-mocking me with its homely looks.  Seriously, why does something that tastes so good have to look so horrible?  Anyway, I do have a story for you.

Back when I first began cooking seitan, I was watching Food Network a lot and saw Ray Ray making chicken veronique.  I didn't know what it was, but the idea of tangy mustardy goodness and sweet 'n' juicy grapes intrigued me.  So I kinda just threw it together.  It was a very fond memory of that time.  It was the first house that Era and I lived in and I sorta miss that place.  He grew up in the house, so I'm sure he misses it more.

Since it's Food Network Friday and we're doing budget week, I thought I'd share this recipe with you.  Not as budget friendly as I'd like (damn grapes!), but super tasty.  If you are not a mustard lover, this probably won't be your cup of tea.

Seitan Veronique w/ Couscous and Roasted Asparagus

(Adapted from Rachael Ray's recipe)

1 1/2 pound asparagus

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, stripped from 6 to 7 sprigs
Coarse salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegan margarine, cut into pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for a slurry)*
1 batch seitan (enough to serve 4, about a pound)
1/2 cup white wine, eyeball it
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 cup thick, non-dairy milk
1/4 cup grainy, stone-ground mustard
1 1/2 cups, about 1/2 pound, seedless red grapes, halved
2 cups couscous

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Trim tough ends off asparagus. Place asparagus in a large bowl and toss with about 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Spread the asparagus out on a cookie sheet and roast 10 to 12 minutes until the asparagus is tender and crispy at the tips.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat; add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons margarine to the pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season with pepper then dredge the seitan in flour and add it to the pan. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until browned. Add wine and scrape up browned bits as wine cooks down and bubbles, 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup broth to skillet. Combine non-dairy milk and mustard and add to stock. Add grapes to the pan and turn seitan and grapes to coat and combine with the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat.  Season to taste.

Bring remaining 2 cups vegetable broth and remaining tablespoon of fresh thyme to a boil in a small pot. Add couscous. Put a tight fitting lid on pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

*IF THE SAUCE ISN'T THICK ENOUGH ONCE YOU ADD THE SEITAN IN, MAKE A SLURRY AND DRIZZLE IT IN A LITTLE AT A TIME UNTIL IT THICKENS TO YOUR LIKING.

Price Breakdown**
Seitan Veronique(serves 4)-$2.28

• vital wheat gluten-$0.67
• chickpea flour-$0.11
• red grapes-$1.50...Albertsons' grapes are crazy expensive

Couscous (serves 4 with leftovers)-$1.05
Asparagus (serves 4)-$1.78

Total Spent on a 30 Minute Meal-$5.56 or $1.39 per person!  Well, add a few cents for the fresh thyme and margarine but you get the picture.

**All price breakdowns are assuming you have basic things like flour, oil, non dairy milk, common spices, etc. Everything else will be factored in. Also, the price listed is based on the amount used in the recipe.

More to come tomorrow and I promise some photos.  But, for now, I only have this picture of my plantain bread.  It sunk so you can barely see the almond decor on top.  The stuff is seriously insanely good.  And filled with flax-y goodness.

Vegan MoFo III: Lights, Camera, Snacktion

Okay, okay.  I know I promised an entry filled with wonderful vegan goodies, but this will have to be a two parter.  In this part, I'll tell you why making your own snacks will save you money and what my favorites are.  Tomorrow, I'll have more stuff to share.

I used to live for convenience eating.  I'd buy a bunch of energy bars, dried soups, frozen burgers, and all that other good stuff.  It was so draining on my pocket.  I'm not going to lie and say that I make snacks all the time.  I've always been super envious of people with enough initiative to cook a bunch of stuff on one day.  Things always seem to get in the way when I try to do that...like the internet and television and my supreme procrastination.

But it seriously saves tons of money to make your own stuff.  Take a granola bar.  If you've got a decent price, you are paying a dollar for it.  Now, buy some oats in bulk, throw in some bulk fruits and nuts, and you probably paid less than a dollar for an entire pan of granola bars.  It speaks for itself.

Today I made some pesto white bean hummus and plantain bread (not pictured).  I love having hummus on hand because it's so completely versatile.  I can have it in a sandwich or use it in hot pasta, among other things.  The bread was a way to use up some overripe plantains.  It's got a different flavor than banana bread.  I like it!   I often keep muffins and breads on hand for a quick breakfast or an easy snack.  I hate waiting to cook something if I'm hungry.  Having access to snacks means that I won't feel the need for huge portions later.

Best Snacks to Make At Home

• granola and granola bars
• muffins
• bagels
• soups/broths
• seitan
• burgers
• sausages
• cutlets
• bread
• hummus/dips
• waffles/pancakes

Wow.  This list is making me want to spend Sunday stocking my already packed freezer!  More to come tomorrow.  Squee!  We're half way done!  I can't wait until next week.  It is going to be AWESOME!

Vegan MoFo III: Tof-u, Tof-migas

In an effort to use up some of the leftovers from this week, I am pushing back the snack action until tomorrow.  Okay.  Truthfully, it's also because I'm a huge procrastinator.  I planned to make stuff all week so all I'd have to do is upload photos, but the day is here and I have nothing to show for it.  Boo to that.

Instead I made tofu migas with ingredients I had on hand.  Ain't no party like a pantry raid party, cuz a pantry raid party don't stop!  Also...brinner!  I had potatoes from Sunday's brunch, beans from last night's dinner, and corn tortillas that I bought...honestly, I don't know how long ago.  Migas are pretty much a throw all the leftovers into one pot and make with the eating type of thing.  In Texas we traditionally have corn tortilla strips, jalapeno, onion, tomato, cilantro, and eggs.  Sometimes there's pico de gallo in place of the tomatoes and cilantro.  You can put whatever veggies you want in there, though.

For my tofu, I sauteed onion and corn tortilla strips in some oil.  When the tortillas were starting to brown and crisp, I threw in the tofu.  Then added garlic, black salt, sea salt, pepper, and cumin.  Finally, I put the tomatoes in to heat through and mixed in the cilantro.

I've never seen migas served alone.  Anytime I see them on a menu the plate usually contains refried beans, potatoes, and flour tortillas.  I am Texan to the core and I love me some flour tortillas!  Corn and whole wheat are all good and fine, but give me the unbleached AP flour kind.  Mmm.  Tortillas.  Sorry, I'm getting off topic.  So I made Eddie G's veganized version of his grandma's tortillas because I love those things.

My plate starting at 12 o'clock: tofu migas, flour tortillas, potatoes with ketchup and hot sauce (didn't have Tapatio so Crystal's had to do), refried beans with teese, and mashed avocado.

This was free because I had everything on hand.  If you had to purchase all the ingredients, it wouldn't be a big deal.  So this is definitely cheap eats!

Now it's SUPER HAPPY REVIEW TIME*!

World Market Chili and Lime Dark Chocolate Bar-For once, the lime flavor doesn't overwhelm.  It kinda underwhelms.  I could barely taste it.  It was subtle enough to make the bar taste a little like plastic.  I can't explain it.  The only way I'd be able to eat this is in a cookie and only if the flavor was deeply masked.
World Market Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar-I had my doubts, but this was so good!  The salt isn't just in the background.  It works equally with the chocolate.  It's like eating a chocolate covered pretzel...but without all that pretzel action getting in the way.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.
So Delicious Coconut Milk Original Flavor-It's super creamy, but it tastes...gummy...to me.  It's also so thick that it reminds me of real milk so I don't really like it.  I think it would make amazing ice cream and be great in place of cream, but I can't justify paying over 4 dollars for something that I couldn't just drink.
Whole Soy & Co Frozen Yogurt Vanilla Bean Flavor-I just happened upon this in the store the other day.  They make my favorite yogurt so I was very intrigued when I saw the ice cream.  It wasn't until I got it home that I realized it was frozen yogurt.  My initial impression was that it tasted too much like soy, but it grew on me.  It was like crack!  I blame the vanilla beans.  It doesn't firm up too much in the freezer either.  I'd definitely try it again with another flavor to see if I like it.

*Disclaimer: All reviewed items were purchased by myself with my own money.

Well, that's all I have.  I'm going to bed.  So tired.

Vegan MoFo III: 20 Bucks Til Payday

The day after my husband and I got married we quickly realized the honeymoon was over.  Actually, we didn't have a honeymoon until our first anniversary because we were so broke.  We were in debt and had to learn to make a dollar stretch to ridiculous proportions.  This is where my love of inexpensive things began.  It wasn't until I had no other choice that I realized how much money we wasted.  The three best things I learned: buy store brand, choose fresh frozen or dried instead of canned beans and vegetables, and use foods that are cheap and filling (potatoes, rice, pasta).  And just because I'm feeling super nice, here's a free one: check on the top and bottom shelves.  These are the best deals usually because they're out of your line of sight.  Also, the clearance shelf is your friend a lot of the time.

Broke Ass Menu

Fideo

Pinto Beans

Simple Salad w/ Green Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado

During that time in our lives we seriously only had $20 on food for two people.  That was a horrible time.  But I did love how much food I walked away with.  Often, I'd be way under budget.  A typical shopping trip would include a case of fideo ($1.69 for 9 boxes), some potatoes, tomato, avocado, cilantro, some fresh fruits, maybe a block or two of tofu.  I tried to get food that could easily be used in a variety of cuisines.  We'd do stirfries, pasta, bbq, etc.  Okay.  Enough about the past, here's how tonight's meal breaks down.

I made the fideo with 1/2 a small onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, salt, pepper, 1/2 of a large tomato, maybe a quarter cup of cilantro, and some cumin.  The beans were so simple.  My mother-in-law only adds salt to her beans so you can really taste the flavor of them.  Today I added some salt free spice blend and salt.  Season them however you want, though.  The salad was green lettuce, tomato, avocado, salt, pepper, and a squirt of lime juice.

Price Breakdown*

Fideo (serves 4)-$0.60

• fideo-$0.28
• tomato sauce-$0.07
• tomato-$0.19
• cilantro-$0.06 

Pinto Beans (serves 4)-I forgot to check how much it was in bulk so this is based on bagged beans.  $0.41

Salad (serves 4)-$1.04

• lettuce-$0.21
• tomato-$0.19
• lime-$0.15
• avocado-$0.49

Total Spent on Dinner-$2.05 or $0.51 per person with possible leftovers!

That is kinda shocking to me.  No wonder we had it so much.  Notice how that damn avocado is so expensive?!  But it's oh so very delicious.

Tomorrow, I'm making snacks because nothing says budget friendly more than making your own convenience meals.  Holler!

*All price breakdowns are assuming you have basic things like flour, oil, non dairy milk, common spices, etc. Everything else will be factored in. Also, the price listed is based on the amount used in the recipe.

Vegan MoFo III: Beatrix Are For Kids

Well, it's Monday.  Not just any Monday, but Movie Monday!  Since it's budget week, I really wanted to take it even further.  With the exception of three ingredients, this was a pantry raid!  Cue the flashing lights and pounding bass...and let's get this party started!  We don't need no water let the mothatrucka burn...

Today I watched a big movie and made a meal big on taste.  Just because this week is all about budgeting doesn't mean I can't have a fantastic experience.  The movie of the evening is a little known film called Kill Bill Vol 1.  I love this movie so hard!  One of my top ten favorite movies.  It's hilarious, has that Tarantino charm, and is so visually stimulating that you'll totally forget about the money crunch.

Kill Bill Vol 1 "PartyWagon" Menu

Black Mamba Lasagna Roll Ups

Vernita's Green Salad w/ Agave Mustard Dressing

Deadly Viper Assassination Punch

The lasagna roll ups were filled with cashew ricotta and a mushroom-onion layer flavored with fennel seed, sage, thyme, red paper flakes, and garlic.  Then they were covered in a creamy pumpkin sauce and topped with black olive tapenade.  The only things I had to buy were 4 lasagna noodles (bulk section, like what?) and 1 portobello mushroom.  Seriously, there is no shame in purchasing exactly what you need.

I didn't have to buy anything for the salad.  It was just green leaf lettuce, granny smith apple, pecans, and agave mustard dressing.

The punch is an adapted version of a Dark N Extra Stormy.  All I had to do was buy the gingerale and drink the thing!

Price Breakdown*

Black Mamba Lasagna Rollups-$2.08

• lasagna noodles-$0.30
• mushroom-$1.78

Vernita's Green Salad w/ Agave Mustard Dressing-FREE!!!

Deadly Viper Assassination Punch-$0.89

• gingerale-$0.89

Total spent on dinner and a movie-$2.97 or $1.49 per person (if it's 2, but this could totally feed 4).

Deadly Viper Assassination Punch

(makes 1 drink)

5 slices fresh ginger

½ a lime, quartered

1 oz. simple syrup (I just do agave to taste)

El Yucateco green chili habanero sauce (use a small amount for heat or leave it out)

1.5 oz. vodka

Gingerale

In a pint glass, muddle the ginger, lime, simple syrup or agave, and a dash of the chili sauce. Add vodka. Fill glass with ice, top with gingerale, and stir. Garnish with lime.

*All price breakdowns are assuming you have basic things like flour, oil, non dairy milk, common spices, etc. Everything else will be factored in. Also, the price listed is based on the amount used in the recipe.

Vegan MoFo III: Ode to Breakfast

My favorite meal has always been breakfast, but I almost never have it at breakfast time.  I much prefer brunch.  There is something about rolling out of bed at noon after a night of dancing or an underground hip hop show and eating a glorious feast of breakfast foods!  Not to be outdone, brinner is always a wonderful thing.  Have a hard day at work?  How about some pancakes at 7 in the PM?!  I love it.  I could eat breakfast at any time of the day.  In fact, I'm adding two more words/phrases to the English language: brupper and afternoon brea.  Breakfast is just that good, yo.

In keeping with the theme for this week, I did brunch on a budget.  I'm not gonna lie.  The photos I took were supremely lame, so I'll just give some tips on how to do a fabulous brunch on a budget.

1. Cheap, filling foods are a great foundation.  Think beans and potatoes...even tofu.  These are things that will fill people up fast and they are incredibly cheap.

2. Make stuff from scratch.  Most everybody has the ingredients for pancakes or muffins.  You can always buy some fruit to make a specific flavor, but making your own stuff really is a lot cheaper.  Plus, a lot of baked goods can be made ahead of time so it makes everything easier on the hosts.

3. Do it buffet style.  Some people will eat more and some people will eat less, but I find that buffet almost always means there will be enough food and it won't be wasted.

4. Use foods that stretch.  Tofu is a great example because you can add a bunch of cheap veggies to it and create a lot of food.  Potatoes are also great for this.

5. Pick one thing to splurge on.  Even when you have an inexpensive brunch, you can add a nice touch like a bunch of different salsas or booze to get your morning drank on!  Or a juice/tea bar for people who don't drink alcohol.  The possibilities are endless.

6. Seasonal produce.  I always have to have at least one fresh thing with my brunch.  Often times, it's a fruit salad.  Seasonal stuff is better quality and so much cheaper.

Today's Brunch Menu (sans fruit because I forgot it)

DEOTS Cinnamon Rolls

Denver Omelet from Vegan Brunch

Paprika, Cumin, and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes from Vegan Brunch

Price Breakdown*

DEOTS Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12 rolls)-$1.21

• margarine-$0.75
• canned pumpkin-$0.46 

Denver Omelet made with homemade seitan (serves 4)-$4.09-$5.07

• silken tofu-$1.98
• chickpea flour-$.30
• black salt-$.06
• onion-$0.29
• vegan cheese (I used Teese)-$0.98-$1.96, depending on how much you use
• green pepper-$0.48

Potatoes (serves 4)-$1.42

Total spent on brunch=$6.72-$7.70 or $1.68-$1.93 per person with leftovers!

That is cheap enough to buy fresh fruit and some champagne for mimosas!  And, honestly, this is more on the expensive side for me.  I usually do a tofu scramble instead of an omelet.  But my absolute favorite is a breakfast taco bar.  For non Texans: a breakfast taco is like a breakfast burrito only way freakin' better.  It doesn't have all that tortilla getting in the way of the awesome filling.  Just picture a basic flour tortilla that you'd use for tacos and stuff breakfast fillings in it.  My favorite combos are: bean and potato, nopales, bean and cheese, and tofu and bacn.  We usually make all the components to them and set them on the table with plenty of guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheeze, and tortillas.  Then everybody makes their favorite combo.  This is pretty much a tradition at my parents house during the holidays.

Well, I hope my supreme thriftiness has helped you.  George Constanza has nothing on me, baby!

Coming up this week: a very Tarantino Movie Monday, what to eat when you only have 20 bucks until payday, making your own snacks, dinner for two pantry raid, veganizing RayRay, and Indian on the cheap.

*All price breakdowns are assuming you have basic things like flour, oil, non dairy milk, common spices, etc.  Everything else will be factored in.  Also, the price listed is based on the amount used in the recipe.

Bargain Shopping

Growing up, my family was never one to skimp on the groceries. It is not an understatement to say that my parents were/are known for overdoing it. All the kids loved coming over for our snack cabinet alone. I realized how crazy my parents were once I moved out on my own. There was no way in hell that I could afford having a snack cabinet. In fact, there were definitely times in my marriage that we had to go 2 weeks or more on only $20 for food. We ate a whole bunch of fideo.

So I became pretty good at making my dollar stretch. I'd call myself cheap, but I totally don't mind splurging on stuff either. However, I refuse to pay $1 for one frickin cucumber.

On Sunday we went grocery shopping because I was changing my diet to primarily raw. One thing I wholeheartedly believe in is shopping for the best deals. Sometimes that means going to three different stores. I'm still trying to find my rotation here. Coachella is a small, small town and I live in a neighborhood that caters to Mexican cuisine (just like back home in Texas). There are limited vegan options unless I take a 15-30 minute drive.

This is how I discovered Clark's Nutrition. This will definitely be my new vegan mecca. It's about 20 minutes away and has everything I could ever want. And they don't charge 5 flippin dollars for a dollop of Vegenaise! I'm calling out Ralph's and Henry's for their overpriced stuff. I hate getting financially bitch slapped every time I walk in those stores...and, now, I'll never have to do it again! I was seriously excited. The store is extremely, EXTREMELY vegan friendly. They also have specially marked shelves for raw foodists and gluten free peeps. But the best part was that they have just about everything I've wanted to purchase online. Plus they have an all vegan cafe and sell prepackaged raw vegan food and cheesecake! I'm from the land of corn cups and barbacoa...so please excuse the previous foodgasm.

I stocked up on some stuff for the raw journey. And they had these really inexpensive raw snacks. A box of cacao beans for $2.19 and a nori snack (tastes like Japanese flavored jerky) for $1.99. Note to all: it is never a good idea to take a giant bite of a cacao bean if you've never had one before. You might just gag...and spit the chocolate flavored dirt in the sink. Blech!

My Top Five Rules for Thrifty Shopping

1.Always write a list and stick to it. It's really hard to spiral out of control when you have everything written down.

2. Eat before you shop. Don't shop to feed your hunger. I've walked out of the store with ridiculous impulse buys because I was starving and just needed some rice cakes...?

3. Buy in bulk. It really does add up. Sometimes I'll even check the prices of prepackaged stuff and compare it to the bulk bins. It's always cheaper. We spend a majority of our shopping time scooping stuff into bags.

4. Stick to produce. Most vegans know how much cheaper fresh fruits and vegetables are. Stuff like greens are always cheap. It's also better to buy seasonally and locally. It tastes so much better.

5. Don't be afraid to shop at more than one place. It is a rarity for one store to provide the best deals down the line. Generally, we shop at 3 places. Winco has the best bulk section and a reasonably priced high variety of produce. Fresh N Easy is right across the street from them and has KILLER sales. We go for their half off refrigerated section and their clearance rack. The other week they had all sorts of spaghetti at 15 cents for a pound. Finally, there's Food 4 Less which is good for stuff used in Mexican cuisine.

Overall, this new transition to raw has been great and fun. I've been doing a lot of freezing and dehydrating. Made some okra chips, which were just about the best thing ever! It's starting to get into the 100s over here so I will definitely be eating a lot of cucumber and watermelon. More to come soon...