*September* Home-Cooked Challenge!! - Page 5

[Leta]

9/4: Insanely busy... so much so that I'm just now posting on the 5th.

Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: PB&J, Carrots, Sunflower Seeds, Raisins
Snacks: Candy
Dinner: DH made something he calls Super Scramble. Potatoes, eggs, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, tofu, Braggs, tamari... served with toast. Sounds weird, but so good. Sooo good.

Today, we had brunch at our friends', and we're canning tomato products and freezing eggplant parm patties, so we'll probably have eggplant parmesan for dinner.

[beansmama]

Originally Posted by Leta

9/4: Insanely busy... so much so that I'm just now posting on the 5th.

Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: PB&J, Carrots, Sunflower Seeds, Raisins
Snacks: Candy
Dinner: DH made something he calls Super Scramble. Potatoes, eggs, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, tofu, Braggs, tamari... served with toast. Sounds weird, but so good. Sooo good.

Today, we had brunch at our friends', and we're canning tomato products and freezing eggplant parm patties, so we'll probably have eggplant parmesan for dinner.

I think super scramble sounds awesome! Now my stupid power bar breakfast seems oh so unimpressive, hah!

Awesome you didn't eat out despite the busy day...and I had candy for snack today too! Methinks dh is trying to sabatoge my weight loss

[CameronsMama]

Originally Posted by caiesmommy

For us it's ethnic food. I've gotten pretty good at the veggie indian curry BUT the little cheap family owned currry shop does it SOOO much better, not to mention way cheaper. Their vegetarian meal for ONE feeds both dh and I TWICE that's 4 meals for and it's 15.00. Which may seem like a lot but its 4 types of veg curry, rice, samosas, pakoras and nan(sp) so seriously theres no way I could cook/have the time to make that for 15 bucks...oh and tom yum thai noodle soup..we found a restaurant that makes theirs w/out fish sauce SOOOO even though I can make it it tastes so much better from there!


Can I have your dh? Mine just walked out to work w no lunch: Even though I'm bringing mine to work

Ok, for the ethnic foods, I totally agree. I have tried several times to make decent indian food, and I just haven't even gotten close so far. So we do go out to eat at a fabulous indian place, and that I don't feel guilty about. Eating out isn't always a bad thing, I'm thinking more along the lines of the fast food, or the Denny's/Shari's/Red Robin type places that are just greasier versions of what we could be making at home, where's the appeal there? I don't know, but I keep falling for it.

And dh took his lunch again today, without me reminding him again. (No, you can't have him...today...ask again in a couple of days though...there are days I'd be willing to ship him to anyone who wanted... For what's it's worth I've been telling him to pack a lunch for 10 years, and it's just now starting to sink in.)

[beansmama]

1) Dinner:Vegan Sloppy Joes, sweet potato fries and Salad.
2)Dinner:BBQ tofu, baked potatoes, green beans
3) Breakfast: whole wheat pancakes, melon. Dinner: potato and eggplant moussaka with salad.
4) Dinner: Jerk Seitan with bell peppers/onions, over rice.
5) Dinner: Tempeh with spicy peanut sauce over broccoli and rice
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[caiesmommy]

I'm in!
1-vegan vegetable soup with all veggies frm market/garden/leftover cut-up pasta/a jar of salsa on its way out
2-Vegan Tofu green curry on rice/cut up cukes/tomatoes from garden
3-Vegan stuffed zukes. Stuffed with a lentil/rice blend and vegies. Theres enough of the stuffing that I froze some to make a quick soup out of when needed. Roasted red potatoes and salad
4-Breakfast for me/Lunch for the boys-miso soup(ds ATE sesame seeds/hemp seeds in the soup!!) Lunch at work for me was leftovers and Kernals popcorn(bought frm a g/c) and dinner for us all was fried rice that dh made...great to come home to food, doesn't happen enough
5-Breakfast: peanut butter sandwiches(ds request), Lunch frozen soup, Dinner a thrown together stir-fry on rice...super close to getting take out after an insanely busy work day then dealing w the kids screaming/having to get the meal on the table so dh could eat before he had to leave for his gig...but I did it! BARELY..atleast it's done now
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[caiesmommy]

Originally Posted by CameronsMama

Ok, for the ethnic foods, I totally agree. I have tried several times to make decent indian food, and I just haven't even gotten close so far. So we do go out to eat at a fabulous indian place, and that I don't feel guilty about. Eating out isn't always a bad thing, I'm thinking more along the lines of the fast food, or the Denny's/Shari's/Red Robin type places that are just greasier versions of what we could be making at home, where's the appeal there? I don't know, but I keep falling for it.

And dh took his lunch again today, without me reminding him again. (No, you can't have him...today...ask again in a couple of days though...there are days I'd be willing to ship him to anyone who wanted... For what's it's worth I've been telling him to pack a lunch for 10 years, and it's just now starting to sink in.)

The Denny's/Wendy's things I really don't get either..even places like Outback/Montanas(we're vegetarian so we *really* don't eat there) I still dont really understand I SUPER DUPER don't understand Eastsides..sure the bread tastes great but you just paid 15 bucks for a plate of pasta!..meh

I'll keep my dh today! He packed his lunch..When I asked him if he spent any $ today he said he bought a coffee...when I asked him what he ate for lunch he said he took an egg sandwich/tomatoes/cukes! I was so proud:..Again I don't see it lasting

[mommyto4grits]

I just realized how much we spent on restaurants last month, so we are NOT eating out this month. "Cheap" date night once a week, and breakfast out once a week.

As another Mama mentioned, it seems like a convienence to get take out or go out to eat, but after the travel/waiting/screaming kids, it is so not worth it.

1st- homemade vegetable soup/grilled cheese
2nd- talapia/rice/salad/veggie
3rd-Chicken Cattatiore
4th- Pork Roast/potatoes/corn
5th- Baked Pasta/garlic bread/salad

[CameronsMama]

1. homemade mac n cheese
2. grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans
3. Travelling Tacos
4. Chicken over some pasta alfredo
5. Cheesy Potato Soup with whole wheat french bread

[Norasmomma]

We eat almost all of our meals at home, but I'm also making meals for after our baby is born to make things easier on us. Also I am trying to really make good use of what we have inour pantry and freezers, due to the fact that somethings need to get cleared out and rotated.

Last night we did go out to dinner, which for us is very rare. The last week has been super tough, DH has had drama with work, our 14 y/o dog had to be put down and it was just ultra emotional. I also am about 3 weeks from having a baby, yeah we deserved a dinner out.

Tonight though we had crockpot stew and homemade honey oat bread. I think I am going to get a chicken out and make baked chicken tomorrow, yummy. Then I'll make chicken stock and soup with the left-overs.

[ursusarctos]

Sept 1: Tuna salad on rye bread, roasted brussels sprouts with olive oil
Sept 2: Cream of carrot soup, homemade bread, organic cultured butter that we splurged on but hey it's still cheaper than eating out right?
Sept 3: Fried salmon in butter, garlic and parsley, roasted broccoli and beets with olive oil and sea salt, no knead bread made by me
Sept 4: Vegetarian pea soup with no knead bread/rye crispbread, cheese
Sept 5: Leftovers (though we bought overpriced chips for dinner to go with our movies that doesn't count as take-out does it?)
Sept 6: Butter bean, carrot, celery soup with parmesan, bread

[Pernillep]

Originally Posted by Pernillep

1. Grilled chicken with broccoli
2. BLTs on homemade bread and garden tomatoes
3-SepSpagetti with vodka sauce/Italian Sausage and Broccoli
4-SepTequila lime turkey with rice and beans
5-SepGrilled Pork Chops with oven roasted potatoes and green beans
6- Sep Beef stew over rice

So far so good

Slight change for today as our friends are not coming afterall so I need to come up with something. I picked up this great cooking salsa sauce from Frontera Grill on Friday which has a recipe for a beef stew on the back. We will try that with some steak we have in the freezer. So a small splurge on the sauce is allowing me to make dinner at home tonight rather than resort to takeout which I probably would have done otherwise.

And about the DH discussion. I am super lucky. Dh takes his lunch every day with out prompting. I am the offender in our house. Saving a ton of money with me being on maternity leave but the challenge will be to start taking my lunch once I go back to work in November. Maybe the way to resolve my struggle will be to freeze a few take to go meals like pasta or something over rice. I am more likely to eat that than a sandwich.

[Leta]

9/5: Brunch at friends' house, leftover super scramble for dinner, fruit for snacks.

9/6: Tortilla (the Spanish kind, not the Mexican kind) for breakfast, softboiled eggs for lunch, home cultured kefir with honey for snacks, and cereal for dinner.

Maybe we'll eggplant tomorrow...

[CameronsMama]

1. homemade mac n cheese
2. grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans
3. Travelling Tacos
4. Chicken over some pasta alfredo
5. Cheesy Potato Soup with whole wheat french bread
6. Lasagna Rolls

I made enough extra lasagna rolls to freeze for 2 more meals!! So now if I get tempted to eat out I can pull something out of the freezer instead!

[ursusarctos]

Originally Posted by CameronsMama

6. Lasagna Rolls

I made enough extra lasagna rolls to freeze for 2 more meals!! So now if I get tempted to eat out I can pull something out of the freezer instead!

What is a lasagna roll? The image it brings to mind makes me drool

[CameronsMama]

Originally Posted by ursusarctos

What is a lasagna roll? The image it brings to mind makes me drool

Lasagna rolls are pretty much the same as regular lasagna, but instead of layering it all in a pan, you cook the lasagna noodles, then lay them out flat and spread the cheese and stuff along the noodle, roll it up and put it in a casserole dish. Then you pour spaghetti (or alfredo) sauce on top and bake. They're very yummy.

[beansmama]

1) Dinner:Vegan Sloppy Joes, sweet potato fries and Salad.
2)Dinner:BBQ tofu, baked potatoes, green beans
3) Breakfast: whole wheat pancakes, melon. Dinner: potato and eggplant moussaka with salad.
4) Dinner: Jerk Seitan with bell peppers/onions, over rice.
5) Dinner: Tempeh with spicy peanut sauce over broccoli and rice
6) Lunch: pizza with roasted garlic, caramelized onions and kalamata olives. Dinner: A pint of ben and jerry's Gingersnap (99cents each! lol)
7) Breakfast: biscuits and mushroom gravy (trying to replicate a restaurant meal we love...turned out okay...). DINNER: soft tacos and corn
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[beansmama]

Originally Posted by CameronsMama

Ok, I'm going to go off an a bit of a vent here for sec, so feel free to ignore me. Does anyone else, in moments of sanity, sit and wonder why the heck we eat out so much? I'm usually pretty marketing savvy, but the restaurant industry must have me fooled. I'm very much aware that most restaurant food costs way more and doesn't taste as good as home cooked. My issue is I always buy into the convenience of it, but like many of us have said, it's really not that convenient. So why is it so hard to resist? They must put something in the food...

Well, I live in a neat little city that has a lot of great vegan food available. It's healthy, yummy, unique...we even have a bakery that makes vegan treats....ahhhhh! It was a lot easier to resist eating out temptation in my previous "what the heck is a vegetarian?!" town. And the taste...well, it's usually awesome, lol. But the prices ARE way higher than making my own. I typically feel the most guilt about this when I'm eating something like eggs, or pancakes...or popcorn at the movies...GEEZ. The prices are crazy. But if I get an organic bbq tempeh burrito for $6...not *so* bad - still overpriced, but not outrageously so.

[GuildJenn]

I'm in! Although we did eat out this weekend.

1. - grilled tofu dogs, corn, chickpea & tomato salad
2. - chickpea & tomato salad, grilled chicken, green beans
3. - chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans (our CSA is bursting with them)
4. - grilled steak (it was on sale and we had guests), green salad, garlic bread
5. - ate out! we were at the beach and we went to a local chinese restaurant that is a family tradition
6. - grilled burgers (veggie and meat depending on person), cucumber and tomato village salad, grilled veggie skewers
7. - leftover steak, potato, carrot, green pepper hash with... green beans.

8. Pasta al forno (leftover pasta from lunch yesterday), and yes, green beans. What can I say? But this time they will be with toasted almonds and balsamic vinegar.
9. Potato & bean enchiladas, corn, tomato salad.
10. Leftovers!

[ursusarctos]

Sept 1: Tuna salad on rye bread, roasted brussels sprouts with olive oil
Sept 2: Cream of carrot soup, homemade bread, organic cultured butter that we splurged on but hey it's still cheaper than eating out right?
Sept 3: Fried salmon in butter, garlic and parsley, roasted broccoli and beets with olive oil and sea salt, no knead bread made by me
Sept 4: Vegetarian pea soup with no knead bread/rye crispbread, cheese
Sept 5: Leftovers (though we bought overpriced chips for dinner to go with our movies that doesn't count as take-out does it?)
Sept 6: Butter bean, carrot, celery soup with parmesan, bread
Sept 7: Green salad with feta and tomatoes, sweet potatoes and butter

[caiesmommy]

I'm in!
1-vegan vegetable soup with all veggies frm market/garden/leftover cut-up pasta/a jar of salsa on its way out
2-Vegan Tofu green curry on rice/cut up cukes/tomatoes from garden
3-Vegan stuffed zukes. Stuffed with a lentil/rice blend and vegies. Theres enough of the stuffing that I froze some to make a quick soup out of when needed. Roasted red potatoes and salad
4-Breakfast for me/Lunch for the boys-miso soup(ds ATE sesame seeds/hemp seeds in the soup!!) Lunch at work for me was leftovers and Kernals popcorn(bought frm a g/c) and dinner for us all was fried rice that dh made...great to come home to food, doesn't happen enough
5-Breakfast: peanut butter sandwiches(ds request), Lunch frozen soup, Dinner a thrown together stir-fry on rice...super close to getting take out after an insanely busy work day then dealing w the kids screaming/having to get the meal on the table so dh could eat before he had to leave for his gig...but I did it! BARELY..atleast it's done now
6- We did ok. Since we had the family thing we ate breakfast before we left/packed snacks for the ride but by the time we we're back on the road ds was cranky/hungry so we went to the grocery store and bought a few things for a picnic...BUT atleast the food will last awhile here, and cheaper then take out
7 Thinking tonight is nachos w homemade vegan nutritional yeast cheese/lettuce/tomatoes/peppers/olives that need to be eaten..I just got home from the walk-in clinic and am way to tired and yucky feeling to slave cooking something!