Waffles for breakfast

Today, instead of complaining that I can't go to Whole Foods with only $12, because it would cost more in gas than I have to spend there and it would take an extra three hours out of my day and blah blah blah, I'm going to see what interesting creations I can come up with with the food I have here (which, to be fair, is considerable--it's just not all neatly packaged in convenient, ready-to-eat portions. I have to cook it.)

Some options:
black bean and sweet potato tortilla casserole. I have no enchilada sauce, so I could just use nutritional yeast "cheese" sauce and a little Sriracha and be done with it, or I could figure something out with the can of diced tomatoes that has been sitting in my pantry for some time.

homemade gnocchi: There's a recipe around here somewhere for gnocchi that you can make with potato flakes. They're not bad.

brown rice: Steve Pavlina has some good cooking instructions on his website. He reminds us that we can just mix in some sesame seeds and tamari. Oh, yeah :)

baked tofu: very easy. Just mix up some tamari, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger, and a bit of olive oil. baste slices and bake for 45 minutes at...I forget what temperature. Probably doesn't matter. But it's good alone or in a salad. Or with the aforementioned brown rice.

white bean alfredo sauce and pasta: never made this before.

seitan: Should probably make this while I have enough tamari to do so. But which kind: oven baked, boiled, crock potted, or Veggieroni???

noodle salad: really and truly should have green onions for this. Should I bother without them?

pizza: I have a whole can of sauce. I have yeast. I could make a real pizza crust, or just cheat and use the English muffins from the freezer.

Okay, so there will be cooking today. Before I can do that, though, there must be dishes washed so I can find the kitchen. And the dish fairy has the day off. So I guess that's up to me now. Bugger.

another $12.96

2 noodle bowls: $5.96
1-60 pc thing of gum: $2.99
1/2 gal. plain Silk: $3.59
so up to $137.92

$12.08 left until 6/23. Hmm...and I was going to go to Whole Foods tomorrow. I was apparently delusional.

This is the point in the month where this game is no longer fun. I don't want to cook anymore, but I have 9 more days to go without really buying any more convenience foods.

I do, however, have plenty of food in the house. Por ejemplo:

--1 bag frozen edamame
--1 19 oz. pkg. firm tofu
--1 pkg udon noodles
--a half dozen onions
--the aforementioned soymilk
--rice papers
--rice noodles
--peanut butter
--tahini
--tamari soy sauce
--oatmeal
--raisins
--plenty of couscous
--lemon juice
--spaghetti sauce
--pasta in various shapes
--nutritional yeast
--spelt flour
--canned refried beans, white beans, black beans
--spaghetti squash
--garlic
--fresh rosemary outside
--frozen corn tortillas
--sweet potato
--Sriracha hot sauce
--frozen bananas
--Edy's frozen strawberry popsicles
--coconut milk

...Yeah; I need to suck it up and get cooking :)

More shopping

@ health food store:

Galaxy Vegan Cheddar slices: $3.99

11.75 oz agave nectar: $4.19

less than 1/2 lb. organic fruit sweetened jelly candy: $4.20

16 oz. Grapeseed oil Vegenaise (yum): $6.29

Total w/tax: $19.04

@ Asian market (and really; we should all be shopping there)

19 oz. firm tofu: $1.79

16 oz. rice noodles: $1.35

1 can vegetarian mock chicken: $1.49

1 can vegetarian mock duck: $1.49

1 pkg. small rice papers: not sure

1 17 oz. bottle Sriracha hot sauce: $2.59

Total w/tax: $10.74

so, $29.78 for today + $84.18= Running total: $113.96. Uh-oh. I've got two and a half weeks to go, and $31.04 left.

Total w/tax: $10.74

Unrelated spiritual stuff

I've been thinking that I need more structure in my life. Particularly, religious structure. I am not sure which direction I need to go in (hence the nice Unitarian-Universalist church going). I've been flirting with Buddhism and Taoism, and they do help me out with my mood and general trying not to freak out about absolutely everything...but that's not quite it. Or maybe it's because there are no temples around here, or because I grew up Christian...but now I'm thinking about attending Catholic services. The rituals may be calming, and I've always been interested by those ladies who post novenas in the newspaper. Just being able to say the same prayer for nine days straight, even if the whole thing seems like begging to me...those ladies have persistence.

I wish there were early morning masses at the churches around here, but alas, 9 AM is the precise time at which I start work.

Up to $85.16

So I'm at the halfway mark about a week and a half into it. Probably should not go to Whole Foods this weekend. I'd want to buy more stuff than my current budget will allow. Moving on...

rounded up to $48...

frozen Pad Thai

Nate's Italian Style Meatless Meatballs

So Delicious Neapolitan frozen dessert--1 qt.

Back to Nature chocolate mint sandwich cookies

Smart Dogs

Ezekiel English muffins

Follow Your Heart vegan cheddar

Lundberg Rice Chips

Amy's Samosa Wrap



$4.06

Zen something (with the panda) vanilla/chocolate pudding



(Yes, I was in a not-interested-in-cooking state last night)

The other day

2 Taco Bell bean burritos (no cheese and no onions): $2.11

Day something: more food purchasing

There was some lunch desperation involved in today's purchases.
Purchased:
3 Luna Bars: $3.06
Sun Chips (Hanover brand): $3.69
organic raisins: $2.79
organic banana: $0.33
Polaner All Fruit spread, strawberry: $2.59

Total, including tax (I'm not adding things, just going by memory): $12.62
total so far this month: not sure. I'll add them later.