Saturday, February 23, 2013

Tilapia with coconut/almond crust


  (Modified from this recipe...  http://everydaypaleo.com/our-newest-team-member-cod-with-coconut-slaw-pico-de-gallo/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EverydayPaleo+%28Everyday+Paleo%29 )

Stealing shamelessly from Everyday Paleo, I am making Tilapia with a coating of coconut flakes and almond meal.  I paired it with a bed of seared cabbage.
 
5 tilapia fillets                                                                                      $2.75
1 1/2 C almond meal                                                                           $1.20
1/2 C coconut flakes                                                                           $  .60
1 egg                                                                                                  $  .15
                                                                                           Total =    $4.70

2 tbsp olive oil                                                                                    $  .20
Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder, onion powder                                         $  .20
1 head cabbage julienned                                                                    $1.29
                                                                                           Total =    $1.69

                                                                                 Total dinner =     $6.39


This is a 20 minute meal from beginning to end.
I started by putting my pan on the stove, and warming some olive oil in it.
Then, I started to pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
While those were warming, I got my cutting board out and started julienning the head of cabbage.
When I was done cutting, I dumped it into the pan.
Stir to coat all of the cabbage with the oil, then get the fish and egg out of the refrigerator.
Mix the almond meal and coconut flakes in a shallow tupperware container, then closed it a shook it to mix.
Crack the egg in a bowl and whisked it.
Then, stir the cabbage to keep it from burning on the bottom.
I rinsed my 5 tilapia fillets, then dredged them one at a time through the egg, then coated them in the almond/coconut mix before placing them on the cookie sheet lined with foil and rubbed with olive oil to make sure things did not stick.
 Put the coated fish into the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.
 Stir the cabbage occasionally while the fish cooks.
When the fish is done, the cabbage should also be done.
Plate a bed of cabbage, then put a tilapia fillet on it.
Enjoy!

t
 




Thursday, February 21, 2013

Chicken Cacciatore Paleo

I have mentioned before that I have a subscription to Paleo Nick's website.  Have I mentioned that it is the best 40 bucks I have spent in a long (very long) time?  It is.  Because I get recipes, complete with video, for some AMAZING meals!

I had heard of chicken cacciatore on TV, on restaurant menus, and various other places.  My understanding of it was that it was basically a chicken spaghetti.  Then, I saw this video on the Paleo Nick site... http://www.paleonick.com/articles/Chicken-Cacciatore  and I was inspired.

My "reduced for quick sale" tomatoes!!

I forgot to take a picture after the carrots were chopped. Oops...



6 chicken leg quarters (1/2 of one of my 6.99 bags)                                              3.50
Garlic 2 tsp                                                                                                            .20
Oregano                                                                                                                .15
Paprika                                                                                                                  .10
Salt & Pepper                                                                                                        .10
Olive Oil                                                                                                                 .20
2 onions                                                                                                                  .40
7 Roma Tomatoes  ($ .58 bag minus 2 tomatoes)                                                     .45
2 squash                                                                                                                  .98
2 zucchini                                                                                                                .85
Mushrooms (8oz clamshell)                                                                                    1.59
2 green bell peppers @  .50 each                                                                          1.00
3 medium carrots                                                                                                    .60
3 cans diced tomatoes, blended in the magic bullet @ .59 each                               1.77
2 cups red table wine                                                                                             1.00
                                                                                                          Total =     12.69

Chicken goes into a bowl, sprinkle with your seasonings, then  drizzle with oil and mix until coated.  Get your pan hot, then sear the chicken.  I seared hard for 5 minutes per side, then I took my chicken off to a plate on the side.  Reduce the heat of the pan, then start adding your vegetables.  I added my onion first and waited until some caramelization was going on, then added my carrots and peppers.  After a minute or so, I dumped in diced garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes.  I waited and stirred for between 5 and 10 minutes, so we will call it 7, although I was not looking at the clock.  When all the other vegetables went wilty, I dropped in my zucchini and squash.  I stirred again for about 5 minutes, then added the wine to de-glaze all the wonderful flavor off the bottom of the pan.

After that had a chance to simmer for a minute or two, I put the chicken back into the pan, and covered the whole mess with my diced tomatoes, which I had blended in a magic bullet.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.  We wound up with a rich stew that the entire family loved.  Yes, Thing2 went wild for it after her first bite.  Well, at least the chicken itself.  The vegetables she avoided, but she ate (get this) an ENTIRE LEG QUARTER!!!  Yes, it was an amazing thing.  Angels sang, heavenly lights shone down.  It was wonderful!

This time I was out of sausage, but next time I make Cacciatore, I will definitely be adding some sausage.  :-)

We ate it like a stew.  The weather was cold, so it was nice to tuck into a savory bowl of comfort food.  Mmmmm. 



 t
                                                                                                        

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

YAY! Poached fish!!

Seventh time is a charm for me and poaching fish.  I have tried 6 previous times, and have had everything from undercooked fish to fish that separated apart into little bits when I tried to lift it from the pan.

Tonight, with the mission of poaching in mind, I searched Youtube for yet another informative video to help me in my learning curve, and I found this one...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQMn9pRFyLs

I keep a bag of vegetable bits in the freezer to use for broths.  I grabbed some carrot pieces and celery ends from the bag and added them to the pot with some sprigs of Rosemary, slices of lemon, and crushed garlic cloves.

I think that the thing that helped me this time was to turn the water up to boiling in order to flavor it, then turn it down gradually to poaching temp from boiling.  I think it was mental, that I just could not get the water warm enough by bringing it strictly up from regular temperature.  Bringing it down from boiling helped me feel more in control, I think.  Weird, but it worked for me.

I floated 3 fillets per batch for 5 minutes per batch, and they were well cooked and tender.  Flaky to the fork.  I think that next time, I am going to put a sliver of butter on each portion as I take it from the water.

I served it with broccoli that had been steamed with water flavored with crushed red pepper and a salad with artisanal greens, spinach, and iceberg lettuce.

6 Tilapia Fillets - 1/2 bag @ 5.49 per bag                                                2.75

Broccoli     1/2 of a 2 crown pack @1.49                                                  .75
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper                                                                   .10
Spinach                                                                                                      .90
Artisanal Greens                                                                                       1.00
Iceberg Lettuce                                                                                          .55
Dried Cranberries                                                                                      .25
Grated Carrot                                                                                            .15
Diced Mushrooms                                                                                     .20
Diced Tomato                                                                                            .20
vinegar sprinkle                                                                                          .15
                                                                                   Dinner Total  =     7.00 for 4 meals

t                                                        



Monday, February 18, 2013

365 Day Spending Fast

For the year of 2013, I decided to try my hand at a 365 Day spending fast.  Towards the end of 2010, I happened upon an article about loosening up some money from your budget by going on a 21 Day Financial Fast, and it seemed like a fabulous challenge.  http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/01/31/312044/try-a-21-day-spending-fast.html

In the intervening 2 years, I have done a few 21 day fasts, some 60 day fasts, and two 90 day fasts.  Each time, I have "found" money that was gone through impulse buying at the grocers, convenience food for the kids from drive-thru's on the go, or meeting a friend of mine for a luncheon out.  Oh, and luncheon out means an inexpensive meal with water.  Always as close to 5 bucks as I could keep it.  Even though I have been working on being a frugal by nature person for years now, and it is almost second nature, each time I challenge myself to a spending fast; I always wind up having just a little more money that I otherwise have normally.

I began to wonder at the end of last year "what if".  What if I could do a spending fast for an entire year?  How much improvement could I see?  Would I have enough money to start some of the projects that I want to do?

I would like to make my own soap, salves, and compost.  I would like to start gardening, but when I price it out, it looks like starting a garden is not as easy as simply dropping seeds into a hole in the dirt.  It takes maintenance and stuff, and start up costs.  Beeswax is not the cheapest item in the world either.  It is not terribly expensive, but neither is it cheap.  I have has some trepidation about getting going on some small projects, since I do not want to waste ingredients during my learning curve.   But, with a spending fast, it frees up enough that I can incorporate a little waste into my life without any guilt.  Win/Win in a big way.

Plus, when I am doing projects, Thing1 and Thing2 can get in on the act, and it becomes a form of entertainment.

Word of advice: If you are going to attempt a year long spending fast, you need to have some more liberal ground rules than if you are attempting one for simply 30, 60, or 90 days.  A full year of only buying groceries, paying your normal bills, and maintaining your vehicle in good running order will not cut it.  You have to occasionally replenish your wardrobe basics - and I mean JUST basics. There are obligatory gifts throughout the year, and field trips cost money.  I will not make my kids miss out on things simply because Husband and I have made the decision to tighten the spending belt.  Neither does this mean that we will justify un-necessary expenses in the name of the children.  We have tried to think of all of the things that could come up this year, and have set some money aside for it in the monthly budget.

Since we have 2 children, obviously there will be growth spurts during the year.  Towards that end, $35 has been budgeted per month for clothing for the kids.  I have clothes in a range of sizes, so I should be good.  Unless Paleo works better that I ever could have expected, and I drop more than 10 dress sizes between now and the end of the year; I am good on clothes.  My only foreseeable clothing expense will be a bathing suit for the summer.  My old one is 3 years old, and with the weight loss that I have experienced so far, it really is ill fitting.  I could probably make it work, but I would be afraid of a boob popping out at an inopportune moment.

If one of the girls get asked to a birthday party, the limit on a gift is 20 dollars, including card and wrapping.  For me, though, wrapping means going out and grabbing a Thrifty Nickle and using the free ads as paper.  We have set aside 5 dollars per month for field trips through the school.  That should be more than adequate.

Entertainment costs have been the most surprising to me.  I had thought that the entertainment budget would hurt the most.  I set the line at $20.00 per month for the entertainment for the family, and thought I was being a hardass with that number.  I have been pleasantly surprised to find that $20.00 has been not only adequate so far, but has proved to be generous.  Since our Netflix and Hulu Plus fees come under the "monthly bills" portion of my budget, the 20 dollars is in addition to those expenditures.

We are lucky enough to live in an area of the country where there are loads of free things to do.  We have 2 free museums that are pretty amazing, loads of parks, and in the summer months, there are movies on the square on the first Friday of every month - they are all kid friendly, and they are free.  Bring some water, some home-made snacks, and a blanket to spread on the lawn, and we have a family friendly evening of entertainment once a month.  :-)

Our family also belongs to a gym owned by Husband's employer, and available at a nominal fee which Husband signed up to have taken from his check.  Our gym has indoor pools that Thing1 and Thing2 would love to hit after school every day of the week.  Unfortunately, we can only do it once, maybe twice, per week - but the option is there, and it is lovely to know that.

It has been fun looking these things up.  I started with my local parks and recreation department, and checking out some websites of the local radio stations for things to do for free, and came up with a fairly large number of options.  Try it for yourself, even if you are not planning a spending fast.  You could find fun in your own area that will not break the bank.:-)

The upside is that the money that I am freeing up can go towards paying off debt, buying higher quality foods, and feeling better overall because my body is healthier, and so is my pocketbook!

t

Friday, February 15, 2013

Paleo Stuffed Peppers

My old stuffed pepper recipe called for rice in the stuffing, so I have not been able to make it for months.  Finding the Paleo Cabbage Rolls on They've Gone Paleo ( http://theyvegonepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/03/cabbage-rolls.html ) inspired me to re-think the idea of tinkering with stuffed peppers.

Today is the day!  This evening, I brought out my dutch oven, and got to work.  I put a drizzle of olive oil in, then cut up some onions, diced celery, diced mushrooms, ground turkey, then some tomatoes. 

4 smallish/mediumesque onions                                                 .80
4 stalks of celery                                                                      .25
1/2 container of mushrooms                                                      .80                                              
2 cans diced tomatoes .59x2                                                   1.18
2 lbs ground turkey                                                                 3.38
1 tbsp diced garlic                                                                     .20
Salt, pepper, and onion powder                                                 .10
4 bell peppers, halved and gutted (50 cents each)                      2.00
2 eggs                                                                                       .30
Sprinkle of cheese over the top                                                  .50
                                                                            Total =       9.41

Sprinkle of cheese and sour cream optional.

After warming the aforementioned olive oil drizzle, I dumped in my onions and caramelized them.  In case you have noticed, I caramelize my onions all the time.  I have an allergy to an acid in onions that cooks out.  I could go and look it up, but I really do not want to get up right now.  Anyway, the acid cooks out of the onions, so then I can eat them.  In a horrible case of irony, I LOVE the smell and taste of onions.  Oh well.

Then, I added mushrooms, and celery.  Essentially, the celery took the "filler" place that rice used to occupy.  I cooked the veggies over a medium heat until they were nice and wilty, then I added the thawed ground turkey.  Once the turkey was cooked, I opened and dumped the two cans (14.5oz each) into the pot and stirred.  Turn the heat off, and take the pot off the burner, then stir in your eggs.  The resulting mix will be sort of a wet slurry.

Putting the halved and scooped bell peppers into a greased Pyrex dish, I topped them with the filler and popped them into e 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.


Next time, I think that I am going to drain the tomatoes before adding them.  The filling wound up being quite "soupy", which to my mind was a great thing going into the oven, but it remained soupy even through the baking.  Of course, without the extra liquid, the peppers might have become rubbery?  Still going to keep the extra juice out of the recipe next time.  I might add a packet of taco seasoning too.  I used to put that into the old recipe, but forgot about it until the peppers were in the oven this time.  The taste was great, so I might just forget about it.  :-)

 
t

Note: Cheese and sour cream are not paleo.  A friend of mine, who kindly proofreads my blog, teased me about that.  If you are going Paleo, and not Paleo-adjacent, then please leave off the dairy.  :-)

Beef Stew, Moroccan style. :-)

I like the frugal foodie site "Budget Bytes" http://www.budgetbytes.blogspot.com/

A couple of weeks ago, I came across her recipe for Moroccan Beef Stew, and it looked divine!  I had already done my big protein stock up for the month, so I put it on the list for this month's trip.  It has been years since I bought beef (we eat mostly chicken, eggs, turkey, fish and lamb) so I did have a bit of sticker shock at the price.  Stew meat, which is supposed to be a tougher cut of meat, and thus cheaper than a good quality piece of beef, was 4.39 per lb.

My 1.29 lbs of stew meat set me back 5.66 for this recipe.  Definitely worth it, though!  The original recipe, which she links to on her site, is made from lamb, so it is definitely on my list of "must try at some nebulous point in the future".  After Easter, when I stock up for the year on the post Easter lamb meat sales, I will definitely be trying it - especially since it is a crock potter, and I do love those.  Here is the recipe: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/08/moroccan-beef-stew-1297-recipe-216.html

2 tbsp Olive Oil                                                                .15
Stew Meat 1.29 lbs @ 4.39 lb                                        5.66
3 small yellow onions                                                        .60
2 inches fresh ginger                                                          .10
1 tbsp minced garlic                                                          .10
1 tbsp Jamaican allspice                                                    .05
1 tbsp cinnamon                                                                .05
6 oz tomato paste                                                              .39
2 tbsp honey                                                                      .20
2 cups red wine                                                               1.00
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper                                                .15
1 tsp salt                                                                            .10
1tsp pepper                                                                       .10
10 diced dried apricots (about half my 1.99bag)               1.00
1/2 cup raisins                                                                   .45
Spaghetti Squash                                                             5.58
                                                                     Total -      15.68

I doubled everything but the meat, since the spaghetti squash was a bit large, and I knew that I could possibly have leftovers. In retrospect, I am glad that I did, since the stew was quite meaty enough as I made it.

I also made a large salad with a few handfuls of baby spinach -1.00, some torn leaves from the artisan lettuces that I bought yesterday - .75, 2 tsp of capers - .20, some chopped mushrooms - .70, and a sprinkle of cheese - .40.  Salad total =  3.05

By the traditional standard of our household, that is an expensive meal.  15.68 + 3.05 = 18.73

$18.73 is still less than a meal at a fast food joint, and just read the volume of vegetables that were on our plates!  For once, Thing2 was not all about the new recipe.  She took a plate of spaghetti squash, sprinkled some shredded cheese over it, and called it dinner.  I am perfectly okay with that, since she got about 2-3 serving of vegetables in the large amount of squash that she piled on her plate. Thing1 ate plate of mushrooms and cheese, with some spinach leaves to top it off.  All in all, I thought it went well as far as meals go.  :-)

t

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Loving a busy life... (and groceries)

Thing1 went to the ortho this morning.  Dropped Thing2 off at school, went to orthodontist with Thing1, dropped her off at school, went to the store, waited in traffic while emergency vehicles cleared an accident from Hwy 102 on my way home.  Sent up prayers for anyone that might have been hurt. Made it to Thing2's school for her Valentine's Party by the skin of my teeth; mostly because I did not even try to get home to unload groceries.  Thank goodness for insulated re-usable grocery bags!  Especially because today was a protein stock up day.  I bought quite a bit of fish, because I have decided that I am going to master the art of poaching fish.

Poaching seems to be my Achilles heel in the world of kitchcraft.  I have tried on no fewer than 6 occasions to poach fish, and all of them have turned out badly.  However, I will not allow this to deter me!  Aldi had frozen Tilapia and frozen Swai Fillets on sale, $5.49 for 32 oz.  For that price, I can afford to have a failure, but am hoping to finally being successful in my poaching endeavors.

Part of my New Year's Resolution was to try 2 new recipes each week.  One of the things that I have worked towards in making it possible for us to be a Paleo (adjacent) family is to keep the meals from being boring and redundant.  Towards that end, I do not serve the same meal twice in a 2 week period, and I try not to make the same meal more than once a month.  There are exceptions, always.  I have made Frittata twice in a week before, at the beginning, and at the end, because it is a super-easy meal to throw together, and Husband is quite fond of it.  Plus, you can flavor up a frittata in many different ways.  I have whisked Sriracha into the eggs before for a little kick, and highly suggest that if you like Sriracha, you try it.

I am a little behind on this, because last week, I was dealing with being sick, and sick babies.  Mercifully, Husband was unscathed, and was very sweet in taking care of us all.  I am pretty sure that he would not have even wanted to eat anything made by my communicable self.

Day before yesterday, I was in a waiting room much of my day.  A close friend was having knee surgery, and she and her husband needed someone to watch my God-daughter so that her hubs could be back in recovery with her.  Plus, I got to keep him company for the two hours that my friend was in surgery.

Knowing that Tuesday was going to be spent in mostly idle pursuits away from home, I prepared.  I did a quick kitchen inventory on Monday, and brought a notebook and pen with me for meal planning and grocery list making.

I knew that I wanted to make Budget Byte's  Moroccan Beef Stew, but beyond that, I had no clear idea of what I wanted to make.  Some time alone with a blank piece of paper, my smart phone, and an ability to check out the weekly specials of Aldi and Harps electronically did wonders for my getting back into focus.  4.5 hours with free wi-fi later, I have a grid of meals for a month based on what I already had, and the specials at my local grocers.  :-)

I got out today and went by Aldi, and a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, which is on the way to Aldi's.  I picked up some fairly sizable spaghetti squashes at Neighborhood Market: 4 of them -
                                                                                                                                   $5.58
                                                                                                                                   $5.88
                                                                                                                                   $5.43
                                                                                                                                   $5.53 
                                                                                                                 Total =     $22.42
I also picked up some sweet potatoes @ .88 per lb - 9.34 lbs for $8.22

Neighborhood Market total = $30.64

I am sure that by now, you have figured out that I do my primary shopping at Aldi.  I tend to do my larger stock up trips there.

Ground Turkey 11 @ 1.69                                                                                      $18.59
Mushrooms 8oz clamshell @ 1.59 x 4                                                                      $  6.36
Celery 1.19 per pack x 2                                                                                         $  2.38
Spinach 3 bags (9oz bags) @ 1.69 per bag                                                              $  5.07
Artisan Lettuce 2 x 1.99                                                                                           $ 3.98
Iceberg Lettuce 3 x 1.09                                                                                          $  3.27
Broccoli Crowns  2 large crowns per pack x 2 packs @1.49each                             $ 2.98
Carrots 2lb bags - 2 bags @ .99                                                                               $ 1.98
Frozen Swai Fillet 32oz packs  x 3 packs @ 5.49 each                                             $16.47
Medium EZ Peel Raw Shrimp 3 packs @ 4.99 each                                                 $14.97
Tilapia Fillets 32 oz packs x 3 packs @ 5.49 each                                                    $16.47
Wild Caught Salmon 1lb packs @ 3.99 each x 3                                                      $11.97
Beef Stew Meat 2 packs @ 5.66 and 6.06                                                              $11.72
Bananas @ .19 per lb                                                                                              $  3.86
Sweet Onions 2lb bags x 3 @ 1.69 each                                                                  $  5.07
Sweet Potatoes 3lb bags x 3 @ 1.49 each                                                               $  4.47
Lemons 19 cents each x 30 lemons                                                                          $  5.70
Center cut bacon 3 x 3.69                                                                                       $11.07
Turkey Bacon 5 x 2.19                                                                                           $10.95
Shredded Cheddar x 4 @ 3.29                                                                               $13.16
Pepper Jack block 2 @ 1.79 each                                                                          $  3.58
Swiss Cheese block                                                                                                $  1.79
Mozzarella Cheese block                                                                                        $  1.79
Dried Apricots 2 @ 1.99                                                                                        $  3.98
Dried Cranberries    2 @ 1.39                                                                                $  2.78
Butter quarters 2 @ 2.29                                                                                        $  4.58
Diced Tomatoes 24 @ .59                                                                                      $14.16
Almond Milk 4 @ 2.49                                                                                           $  9.96
Honey Nut Oats (Yes, I still buy them.  For now...)  2 @ 1.69                                 $  3.38
Green pepper 3 packs x 2 @ 1.49                                                                           $  2.98
Multi colored pepper 3 pack                                                                                    $  2.49
Taco mix 3 x .35                                                                                                      $ 1.05
Pitted Prunes                                                                                                            $ 1.69
Olive Oil                                                                                                                   $ 2.79
Eggs 10 dozen @ 1.69                                                                                             $16.90
Chunk tuna in water 12 @ .69                                                                                  $ 8.28
Grape Jelly x2 @ 1.69                                                                                              $ 3.38
                                                                                                           Total =        $256.05

Total for the day... $30.64 + $256.05 =  $286.69

From these groceries, plus a few things purchased previously, and still in my cupboard or freezer, I will make the following entrees.  Sides will be decided upon a whim on the day of preparation, unless otherwise indicated.  I have enough to make a few of the meals twice, so I am not too worried about getting to the store again for almost a month.
Moroccan Beef Stew over Spaghetti Squash with salad (twice)
Chicken Cacciatore (twice)
Chicken Salad lettuce wraps
Meatloaf (twice)
Smoked Sausage and cabbage
Chicken curry (twice or more)
French Onion Soup with Frittata and side salad
Bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp salad
Cabbage rolls, Paleo style (twice)
Salmon (twice)
Tilapia (6 times)
Swai (6 times)
Albondigas Soup with Salad
Bolognese sauce over spaghetti Squash
Chili and Naan (twice)
Stuffed Peppers
Nicoise Salad

The tuna that I buy during each monthly protein trip goes almost exclusively into snacking, and quick meals.  Upend a drained can of tuna over a bed of spinach, and you have created a meal in less than a minute.  Add some mayo, mustard, capers, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to a drained can of tuna, and you have a fine dipper for some carrots or celery.  Or a snack all on it's own with a spoon.

 17 meals to choose from, and 26-34 complete meals at my fingertips.  These meals, plus the big pot of skinny soup that I am going to make tomorrow, and I feel fairly certain that I will not have to go for anything more than produce and almond milk for three weeks.  Good feeling. :-)

t

My day in the minivan...


Started on February 1st, 2013...  time has flown... ;-)

 Today, it seemed that I spent all of my day in the minivan, running errands.  First stop was dropping Thing2 off at school, then I got some gas, then headed over to the doctor for Thing1.  Strep test is negative - YAY!!

I went to Aldi's for some basics, then over to Cooks Natural Market for Coconut Flour, then back over to Aldi's for the butter that I forgot, then India Market.

At Aldi's... 
Almond Milk 3 @ 2.49                                                                              7.47
Chunk tuna in water 8 @ .69                                                                      5.52
Eggs 8dz @ 1.59 dz                                                                                 12.72
Celery 3 @ 1.19                                                                                        3.57
Carrots 3 @ .99                                                                                        2.97
Hot dogs 6 @ .75                                                                                      4.50
Cabbage 3 @ 1.29                                                                                    1.29
Ground Turkey 4 @ 1.69                                                                           6.76
Almonds 3 16 oz bags @ 3.99 per bag                                                     11.97
Sweet Onions 3 lb bags  3 @ 1.69                                                             5.07
Olive Oil                                                                                                    5.58
Raisins 15oz boxes 2 @ 2.49                                                                     4.98
Salsa                                                                                                          3.38
Then, back for Butter - 4 @ 2.29                                                               9.57
                                                                                                 Total  -   85.35

India Plaza is a new ethnic food market just down the road from me, and they have great prices on "coconut powder", which is finely shredded coconut flakes.  I like their texture in muffins, since I do not get a mouth full of large coconut shred.
1 bunch of Cliantro                                                            .60
Ginger .48 lbs @ 1.49 lb.                                                  .72
28 oz of coconut powder                                                 5.99
                                                                            Total-  7.31

Cooks Natural Market is the closest place to me that I have found for Coconut Flour, and for Sunbutter spread.  Much easier to get to than Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville.  There is a closer "Natural Foods" market to me in Pinnacle in Rogers, and I did try to find things at The Natural Market once, but each time I asked about something, they were like "They probably have that at Cooks.  Do you know where it is in Rogers?" So, I figured to go directly to the source.

Plus, The Natural Market at Pinnacle reminds me of the saying "An ounce of pretension is worth a pound of manure" if that is the case, than The Fresh Market is worth it's weight in crap.

Anywhoo, at Cook's, I got:
Coconut Flour  2.07 lbs @ 4.99 per lb                                                      10.33
Organic Sunflour Spread 2 @ 7.09                                                            14.18
                                                                                                Total -       24.51

Just figured out a pitfall to not completing a post when I start it.  You forget much of what you were going to say.  For instance, I do not remember specific recipes from 2 weeks ago, but I know that I made lots of food with these ingredients.  meals that my family liked - well, except for Thing2, who does not like much of anything. :-)

Note to self - try not to do that in the future...

t