Sunday, October 27, 2019

Sprouts Haul and The Stew!!!

Hello!!! I've been thinking about making a new post, and have typed and deleted several posts. I picked up some groceries from Sprouts yesterday and made a really delicious internet famous recipe, so I figured I'd share. First, I'll share my haul. You'll see it's pretty much my usual items.
Oranges, turmeric, bananas, power vitamin c packs, vegan gravy, Mary's Gone Crackers, hummus, potatoes, celery, kombucha,onion, avocado,tofu, pineapple, sweet potato
Bulk rice, opal apples,kale, oatmilk creamer, strawberries,ginger,lemons,live kombucha,coconut cream and milk, clearance Korean BBQ spice rub
I'm still keeping it cheap and simple. This haul was forty five dollars, but I had a coupon so it was forty dollars. Sprouts has a reputation for being super pricey, which it can be, but they have the best sales on produce, and have fair prices on staples like tofu. Like anyplace, it's when you get into the specialty vegan items that prices skyrocket.
I'll do a little cat palate cleanser and update before I move on to the famous recipe I tried. There has been a little progress in the Bubba/ Kiki saga. Sometimes, if Kiki is in the right mood they can be in the same room, and even on the same couch with no problems. Or, as you can see by Kiki's glare only small problems! But she still randomly attacks him, and he is still totally scared of her. He won't even walk by her unless I'm in the middle as a buffer!!
A few weeks ago a video popped up on YouTube titled spiced chickpea stew. I didn't pay attention to it at first for who knows what reason. But the video wouldn't leave me alone, it just kept being suggested to me. I finally caved and watched it, and decided I needed to try it. It's made by a non vegan, and it's so popular that if you Google "The Stew" it's the first result!!!
The stew is very simple, I had to stop myself from doctoring it because I thought it might be bland. Silly me, it is bursting with flavor and is one of the tastiest things I've put in my mouth recently!! Here is the recipe. The only two things I did differently was use cilantro as a garnish instead of mint, and I only had one can of chickpeas so I used that plus two smallish potatoes.
I served mine with rice and a dollop of coconut cream. This recipe deserves all the love and attention plus so much more. I ten out of ten recommend this, and I will be making this ALOT! It's rich and creamy with a very warming flavor. It's not spicy at all, in fact in the end I did add more crushed red pepper and of course some sambal but I'm a spicy kind of gal, so you could use less crushed red pepper if you're sensitive. I would definitely serve this to non vegans because it's just so good and satisfying that it just stands on it's own. Nothing is missing from this dish. And the ingredients are easy to find and very inexpensive. You could easily feed three of four hungry people for very little money!! Seriously cannot recommend enough!!!


Sunday, October 6, 2019

An Update on the Update

I wanted to hop on here and give a little update on my update. It's more of an update on me, not the blog since I still don't know what I want to do on that front. But, back to me! I've been job searching on and off for quite some time. Sometimes I go really hard, and then after some rejection and hating all my options I'll give up for awhile. Well, last week I ran into Natural Grocers for something, and they had a sign hiring for a produce assistant so I applied. Unfortunately someone else got that position, but I got hired as a cashier! I will be getting paid one dollar more an hour, and they give other perks which will help out. First of all, a discount on everything, including vitamins and supplements, and they give employees a dollar credit for every hour worked which you can use anytime you want on groceries or whatever. So, even though I'm still stuck cashiering, it's got more perks and it's for a better company. It all happened so fast, and I start on Monday morning!!! It's funny how life can change in an instant. I'm grateful my change was a good one!
I'm still not sure what this means for this blog. I know even though it's not going to be a huge change in income, the environment is going to be so much nicer and I know I'll feel better mentally. But my budget is still going to be shoestring, and I'm probably going to continue to eat simple, basic foods. But I already feel like blue skies are coming, so I'm hopeful I'll feel a little lighter.


This is what I was picking up at Natural Grocers when I saw the job posting. It was on sale and I had been wanting to try it for awhile. I actually like this better than GT's kombucha!! It has a light pineapple flavor with a touch of peach. It's like a lightly flavored, very lightly fizzy water with a bit of that fermented tartness. Highly recommend!!!
Bubba is still loving life and avoiding Kiki. Kiki is still stalking and pouncing. I've started calling her thug life. I never would have guessed she had such a side to her!
Ha, Afro yawned just as I was taking this picture. I love it because it looks like she's cracking up at the most hilarious joke!!!
I start my new job tomorrow and I'm just so excited. Hopefully this is the start of a whole new chapter.


Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Kind of an Update

I've written and deleted this post a gazzillion times over the last few days. I'm going to try and just go, and let this one go out there to the webz, otherwise it's going to be 2020 and I'm still going to be typing and deleting.
I've always been on a tight budget, but in the last few months I've had some increases in my cost of living, and not much of an increase in income. So I have been eating some real basic ass food. And I just don't feel like talking about food. Honestly I've barely been reading blogs because it's just kind of like pouring salt in the wound.
I just know things have gotten stale. How many times can I show some variation of a curry, and a tofu, rice and veggie bowl?? And my hauls are just always the same thing. I've loved blogging since I started this, but lately I haven't loved it. It feels like a homework assignment I just can't figure out. And so it's not fun.
I'll get through this spell, I've always lived on a shoestring budget, but in the past when it's been this bad I wasn't trying to blog or have Instagram. It was a more peaceful time.
Because I'm a commitment phobe and can be impulsive, I don't want to say I'll never blog again. But I also don't want to commit to anything. I was thinking maybe I'll try posting once a week, like what I ate that week and cat updates or something.
So, I'm sorry this update doesn't give a whole lot of answers. I am just trying to get through day by day. I haven't been taking pictures of any food, and it's been so freaking nice! But I'll try to take some pictures if I eat anything nice just so if I feel like posting I have some stuff. And the kitties are always being cute so lots to take there.