Groceries. Groceries. Groceries.

I skipped a grocery post last week because, since having so many leftovers from the holidays, I only needed to spend about $25 to get us through the weekend. I made a quick stop to Trader Joe’s and this is what I picked up:

Organic Kale and broccoli

coconut milk and raw, grass-fed cheddar

Organic Ketchup, enchilada sauce, and organic navy beans

Organic eggs (a splurge at TJ’s for $4/carton), pastured chicken breast and chicken drumsticks (another splurge).

I also bought a bag of organic apples, organic frozen raspberries, and organic bananas. I bought the other items with the intention of making Chicken Enchilada soup (I added kale to the bowl before adding the soup…delicious/nutritious addition) for Thursday and Friday of last week. We ordered a pizza Saturday night, since we were under budget on groceries, and Sunday we ate dinner at my Dad’s (FREE FOOD!). The ketchup will obviously be used for various future meals, coconut milk is used in our morning breakfast and in the soup, and half the cheddar was used for the Enchilada soup (the other half will be used in potato soup later THIS week.). And the broccoli was just used last night when we ate chicken drumsticks, roasted potatoes, and broccoli!!!

This week I went shopping on Monday and went over-budget. Well. Not actually, but technically, I did. As I have said, I have $50 to spend on FOOD each week and an extra $25 to spend on extras (diapers, cat food, paper towels, and other toiletries). This week, I had to tap in to the toiletries fund because we ran out of a few staples; peanut butter, coconut oil, cereal, flour, potatoes, coconut milk, herbs, etc. Things I cannot live without.

I had to return something to Walmart and picked up a few staples while I was there…a little cheaper than my usual grocery stops.

Even though these products last quite awhile, they still cost money when you eventually run out. Bummer. A couple things I had to sacrifice? Expensive herbs. Yes, I went to Walmart and bought Great Value brand and 5th Season basil and parsley. I wish I would have waited until I made it to Mustard Seed Market to hit the bulk bins, but oh well. Using cheap dried herbs every now and then isn’t going to make or break my health. I don’t use them THAT much.

The things I got from Mustard Seed Market include the following (I spent $43 here and $20 at Walmart = $63 for the week).

Organic: spinach, swiss chard, romaine, potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and red cabbage.

2 things of coconut milk (they were on sale for $3.50/piece…I couldn’t pass them up!)

Organic bananas, natural peanut butter, parmesan cheese, albacore tuna, whole wheat pasta shells.

As a result of going over budget on staples, that means we will be eating pretty boring meals this week. Here’s what our week looks like from the foods pictured above:

Monday: BBQ chicken drumsticks ($3.50 for 6 medium free-range, organic, chicken drumsticks), steamed broccoli, and roasted potatoes.
Tuesday: Tuna patties over greens, roasted potatoes.
Wednesday: Leftover Tuna patty over greens (eating for one that night)
Thursday: Loaded Baked Potato Soup, homemade bread, and salad
Friday: Soup, salad, bread leftovers.
Saturday: Up in the air. Most likely something with eggs.
Sunday: Back to the grocery store…haven’t planned this one yet!
For breakfast: The usual oatmeal concoctions and cereal for Brandon.
For lunches: Lots of loaded salads; greens, raisins, egg, beans, cabbage, celery, carrot, pecans…anything I’ve got laying around!

Even though I went over-budget this week (food-wise), we have been doing EXCELLENT! I’ve managed to slash our monthly food expense from upwards of $600-700 a month in HALF! I’m feeling pretty good about that, especially since a certain accountant thought I was crazy to even propose $50 a week. He just didn’t have faith in his wife. Little did he know!

RECIPE

OH and some of you asked for more ways to include RAW, crushed garlic.This is one of my staples:

Onion, Greens, and Egg SAUTE:

Directions:

Saute onion in about a teaspoon of coconut or olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Once browned to your liking, add fresh greens (I like kale and spinach best) until withered. Once onion and greens are combined and softened, crack eggs right over top and cover until whites have hardened but yolks are still soft. Plate the egg mix and top with parmesan cheese (or blue cheese tastes WONDERFUL), pepper, and 1-2 RAW, crushed garlic cloves. To eat, sop up the greens and onion with the yolks as if it were bread. SO SO good. I swear I eat this meal at LEAST 3 times a week! YUM!