Holiday exercise
Well I had big plans to cycle this weekend, run, take a yoga class, yada yada. Instead I joined the hordes at 5 am Friday morning, mostly just to see what it was like. Thousands at some stores. Long lines. People bumping into each other, running through the aisles, while others stood by, sleepily observing and waiting. I ended up at Office Depot, where they most civilized Black Friday was happening. While we waited for the doors to open, a staff member took our orders, and gave us a piece of paper with our item and its stock number. All we had to do was walk in, get in line, and pay. Amazing! After coming home to feed my dog and take a shower (yes I ran out in the middle of the night wearing who knows what) and change clothes, I took my car to the shop. It was going to take about 4-5 hours, so I took a taxi to Friendly Center. And I shopped until I was ready to drop. By the time I got home, I was tired and aching, having given all my muscles a significant workout! Saturday, I decorated for the holidays, which involved hauling boxes from the basement, sorting, and some hammering. I got a tree early this year, because at the farmer's market last Wednesday, the fragrance of Frasier Firs was refreshing, uplifting, and almost intoxicating. I got my tree and wreath right then and there. Once again, though, another day passed without cycling, running, or yoga. Sunday was a gorgeous day--for blowing leaves & washing windows. Now, at the end of the day, every muscle in my body feels as if it has been worked, and the house looks great!
This week’s menu
This week should be easier for you if you're trying this. Just stick with the same meals for breakfast (week 1 and 2), and for lunch have minestrone soup with crackers, 2 oz. cheese, and a piece of fruit OR salad with at least 5 veggies and tuna, cheese, or chicken on top. Use lite dressing if you use any at all. Then dinners: Try making a stir fry this week, with chicken or shrimp, stir fry veggies (in frozen section), with a little soy sauce and Chinese seasoning. You can make a big batch so there's plenty left over. Make some brown rice to have with this. For dessert, have some orange slices or sliced kiwi. You can reheat this in a few days. Meanwhile, check the fish market for some white fish at a reasonable price. One night this week, try baking or broiling it with lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with some cooked greens (splash of vinegar), a baked sweet potato or carrots, and another green vegetable (green beans, snow peas, asparagus). Remember you are trying some new things and trying your hand at cooking. You'll probably surprise yourself. And have you counted up what you've saved so far?
What to do with the leftovers?
Well, after cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and indulging appropriately, I had some leftovers! Turkey, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and curried fruit can all be reheated. Thank goodness I'm home this weekend, because it's easier to reheat when you're home. I also was gifted some homemade mac n'cheese, made with 6 cheeses by my friend Donna. Yummy (: Compared to the first 30 days, I hardly think about food. Now I go to the pantry or frig and see what I can put together. Taking lunch to work requires some planning. So for the coming week, I put together some minestrone: white bean soup with tomatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, string beans, and spinach. It's perfect--light and full of veggies. Great with some crackers and cheese. To make it yourself, get some white beans (I like cannellini) and follow the instructions for soaking and cooking the beans. Then put the beans, some water, and the veggies in a crock pot and cook it all day. Come home to dinner already prepared! If you don't have a crock pot, now's a great time to get one at a great price.
This week’s meal plan
Well you probably noticed I left you without a plan for Monday and Tuesday. I hope you got creative by looking at what was leftover or planned your own nutritious week. Breakfast should be easy for you by now: oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and turkey bacon. Coffee or tea. For lunch and dinner, you can stick with stews and soups, or options like tuna on lettuce, veggie pizza, or cottage cheese with veggies. I prefer soups and stews so I made French chicken on Sunday. Chicken in a crock pot with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs de Provence, vegetable broth, and a little wine. It cooked all day and was so tender when I finally got to enjoy it for dinner. There was plenty to last for Monday and Tuesday nights. I added brussel sprouts for one meal, salad for another, and broccoli for the third meal. (Frozen veggies were on special last week and they are great options, since most are flash frozen.) I also made some pizza (cheese and spinach) for lunches. I added a few fresh tomatoes (chopped) to the pizza.
For this week (the rest of the week), here's the plan:
Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit and yogurt plus tea
Lunch: Tuna on salad, apple slices, 1 oz cheese
Dinner: Pasta with chicken sausage, peppers, spinach; pear slices
Snack: Carrots and hummus
Thursday:
Breakfast: yogurt with fruit, 1/2 English muffin, coffee
Lunch: Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, salad, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, cake or pie
Dinner: Leftovers with lots of salad
Snack: Are you kidding?
Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit, yogurt, tea
Lunch: Pasta with chicken sausage (leftover), salad
Dinner: Turkey, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce
Snack: Carrots and celery, hummus
Saturday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies, turkey bacon, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
Lunch: Lentil soup with veggies, 1/2 English muffin with 1-2 oz cheese, melted
Dinner: White fish, baked, with brown rice, green beans, squash
Snack: Orange, 2 oz cottage cheese
Sunday
Breakfast: Poached egg, turkey bacon, 1/2 English muffin with jam, coffee
Lunch: Lentil soup with veggies, pear slices, baked sweet potato
Dinner: Leftover pasta with chicken sausage, add spinach, squash, and more peppers; salad; sorbet
Snack: Baked apple with walnuts and cinnamon
Thanksgiving on a budget
I know I'm not alone this year; times are hard for a lot of people. Since my car is broken, I'm a Thanksgiving orphan and I've invited other orphans to join me. So to do Thanksgiving on a strict budget....stick with the basics. Since I don't know exactly how many I'm feeding,if any, I opted for a fresh turkey breast, sweet potatoes, fresh cranberry sauce, roasted butternut squash, brussel sprouts, salad, cornbread stuffing (Grandma's recipe), pumpkin pie and chocolate cake. I will baste the turkey with butter and sage from my garden. If others do join me, they can bring a vegetable or bread. All of these things are easy to cook, but require time in the kitchen, especially the basting and chopping ingredients for stuffing. So I will be watching the Macy's Parade (I absolutely love parades!) while chopping, stirring, tasting, seasoning, and licking chocolate batter off the spoons.
Do you have a special recipe you're using this year? If so, send it to me or post it in the comments section!
Whew! What a week….
Well, first I apologize fr being gone so long. It was one of those weeks...I'm sure you know. Computer crashed. Car broken. Dog not behaving. Too much work, not enough time. Leaves to rake. Visitors coming in. Ex not cooperating. You know. ANd those are the times when food takes a back seat. It's easier to eat out, get take out, or have popcorn for dinner. Still, most of the week I kept with the plan. On Tuesday I didn't plan well and had to choose between not eating before teaching or picking up something to go. I knew the students would not appreciate it if I was hungry (read grouchy) so I dropped by Azteca for pollo asado, which is grilled chicken, rice with veggies, tortillas, salad (with sour cream and guacamole). That was enough for 2-3 meals for around $10, but it doesn't keep well when you store it. Maybe there's something healthier on a Mexican menu?
If I really was on food stamps, eating out wouldn't be an option. I planned poorly and I would have gone to class hungry. Situations like this make it tempting to buy a soda or pack of nabs. And a couple of times this week I had to eat out due to work meetings over lunch. So how does someone using assistance manage this? What if work requires you to eat out? or take a client to lunch? And now I have another challenge: Thanksgiving.
Since my car is broken, my wonderful mechanic advised me against long trips, which means I have to pass up family Thanksgiving. As a Thanksgiving orphan, I decided to cook anyway and invite other orphans over. What will I cook? And hw much will it cost? That's the next challenge.
Week 2
What a beautiful day it is! Great day for raking leaves and walking in the park...which I'm going to do as soon as I post this week's menu plan for you. If you took stock yesterday, you have an idea of whether you need staples (milk, eggs, English muffins, turkey bacon) and what's leftover from last week. If you're solo, like me, you've got plenty, but if you are cooking for 2 or more, you may need to replenish. Leftover soup and chili can go in the freezer, and you might want to save time by chopping any leftover veggies (peppers, celery, carrots) for salads and snacks this week. This week we'll start with pasta, which is a good base for adding veggies, meats, beans, and cheese. Remember to drink water or unsweetened tea with most meals. So here's the plan for this week:
Monday
Breakfast: Coffee with 1 or 2% milk (if needed), Oatmeal with 1T plain yogurt, 1T nuts, and apples. Sprinkle some cinnamon.
Lunch: 3 oz tuna on lettuce with cucumber slices, tomatoes, carrots (lite vinaigrette if needed); orange; 3-4 multigrain crackers.
Dinner: Penne pasta with broccoli (use frozen if it's a better deal), peppers, white beans, carrots, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, plus Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese over the top; collards on the side with a little vinegar; baked apple.
Snack: boiled egg
Tuesday
Breakfast: 2 eggs (cooked your way), 1/2 English muffin with jam, tea, 1/2 grapefruit.
Lunch: Leftover pasta plus some walnut pieces; melon.
Dinner: Lentil veggie soup; baked sweet potato; side of collards.
Snack: apple plus 1T nut butter (peanut or almond)
Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1T yogurt and fruit (apples, pears, raisins, or berries), coffee with 1 or 2% milk (if needed)
Lunch: Salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese, cucumber slices, black olives, vinaigrette; 4-5 multigrain crackers
DInner: Leftover pasta plus chicken sausage, spinach, parmesan; side of kale; butternut squash soup; sorbet.
Snack: pear with 1-2 oz, cheese
Thursday
Breakfast: 1/2 English muffin with melted cheese and turkey bacon, melon; coffee or tea
Lunch: Lentil veggie soup; side salad; 1 oz cheese
Dinner: Seafood (shrimp or whitefish depending on price), herbed rice, kale, grilled mango slices with nutmeg
Snack: popcorn
Friday
Breakfast: 1 egg and 1-2 turkey bacon, coffee/tea, orange
Lunch: Leftover pasta plus spinach, tomatoes, cheese; side salad of lettuce, cucumbers, carrots with vinaigrette if needed
Dinner: Pizza with ground turkey, pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes; sorbet
Snack: trail mix
Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1T yogurt, berries or apples, nuts; coffee or tea
Lunch: Thaw leftover 3 bean chili or soup; baked apple; sweet potato slices, baked; side of collards
Dinner: Pinto beans, collards, cornbread, baked sweet potato with cinnamon
Sunday
Breakfast: Frittata with veggies; turkey bacon; 1/2 English muffin with jam
Lunch: Butternut squash soup, baked chicken with rosemary; herbed rice with spinach; string beans or asparagus; apple pie
Dinner: Chicken soup with mushrooms, celery, carrots, rice; broccoli with grated cheese or lemon; citrus salad
Planning for next week
If you are sticking with this, and I hope you are, then you need to take stock of your pantry and frig tomorrow. Can anything that's leftover be used another way, say added to soup, rice, or an omelet? You can always start a freezer bag of leftover vegetables to use later. If there's leftover fruit, can you combine it to make a fruit salad? Tomorrow I'll post my plan for next week, but you may want to modify it based on your leftovers and individual needs. If you head to a farmer's market, pick up greens, cabbage, sweet potatoes, squash (I like butternut), apples, and bell peppers. And if you've been hungry between meals this past week, add extra servings of veggies, water, and fiber (whole grains, popcorn, bran, cabbage). If you have a sweet tooth, try an orange or banana for a snack. Remember the basics: 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day, appropriate portions of protein and carbs, and minimal fat, and drink lots of water.
The first week so far…
Wow! It's been a whirlwind week. First taping TV most of Monday and Tuesday and then catching up in the office. The TV spots were great and I was excited to get the coverage. One of the reasons I'm doing this is to help people understand the barriers faced by those with reduced income. Yes, it's possible to eat healthy on a low budget, but it requires knowledge of nutrition, cooking skills, and a car, so you can get fresh, seasonal produce several times during the week.
So...I've eaten according to the plan for the most part. I substituted chicken for fish because it was much cheaper, and today I only had soup for lunch. By 5 o'clock I was very hungry. The most difficult thing, though, was going to the Sandy Ridge Farmer's Market and not being able to buy anything. (EBT cards can't be used there.) The peppers, apples, squash, sweet potatoes, and greens were beautiful and cost about 30-40% less than in the grocery stores I visited this week. Randy, from News 14 in Elon, got some great tape of the tables and bins covered with fresh, local produce. One of the farmer's (Shawn) gifted me a bag of Matsu apples, which I shared with Randy. The Matsu is a fantastic apple. It's a cross between a golden delicious and a Japanese apple (Nagu?) Very tasty. Thanks, Shawn!
Preparing myself mentally and emotionally for the next 30 days
This wasn't easy to do the first time. I did miss the ease and convenience of running to a grocery store to pick up a sandwich or salad for lunch, or picking up take-out on my way home instead of cooking. The thing that was hardest to get used to was washing all the dishes. The other things was giving up my favorite restauants and haunts for a month. So this past week, I made a point of having lunch at Finn Castle's, coffee at Green Bean with a vegan muffin from Spring Garden Bakery, dinner at Elizabeth's on W. Market, & lunch at Zaytoon. Today I'm headed to the Italian Festival downtown where there's sure to be some good food and entertainment.
