A Sorting Machine

I realized Thursday as I was getting my dinner ready that I had not been out of the house in two days except to put the trash our or go to the recycling bin to make a deposit.  I did go out into the back yard to take a few photos, but otherwise that’s it.  I am…A Sorting Machine! 🙂

It’s hard to explain exactly what this project entails, but let me just say that we have a lot of “stuff” which needs to be sorted through, then determination needs to be made what to do with it, then if we’re keeping it, it needs to be packed, if we’re not keeping it, do we try to sell it or give it away.  That’s a lot of determining to be done, but I’m up for the challenge.  I’ve made quite a dent in it since I started last Thursday.  I intend to keep denting and keep sorting!  Stick with me! 😉

Fairly early on Thursday I decided to get myself something to eat.  I decided this because I think I waited until around 1pm to eat on Wednesday.  I have to get back on track with three meals a day.  It will keep me from thinking about snacks, especially the kind that Ralph likes to bring into the house. 😉

So breakfast was…

Honeycrisp and Almond Butter.  Thanks to those of you who explained to me that I’m supposed to mix the oil INTO the nut butter.  I still made a mess, but I did it.  First time for almond butter and it was very tasty.  I don’t think it tastes as distinctive as sunflower butter, but still very yummy.

I’m running out of fun ways to display the apple and nut butter.  I’ll have to keep trying or find some new dish options!  This is actually the fun part to me, setting up the food.  When we get to New Mexico, there will be more opportunities for fun food displays.  Hopefully by then I’ll have a better camera too!

Worked all throughout the day.  I stopped for some cottage cheese and sweet relish, but forgot to photograph it.  I should keep that in the fridge more often, it’s very satisfying and good for me.  Put it on the List!

Dinner was another quick and easy without much thinking involved.

Crock pot pinto beans, pre-made bulgur, frozen corn and store-bought salsa.

The bulgur was warmed up in the microwave with a little garlic powder sprinkled on top.  The salsa, corn and beans were heated together on the stove.

Topped with the last of the pecorino romano cheese.  Boy do I need to go Shopping!!  It was really delicious and kept me full without snacks all night. 

I have been on track all week, so I’m hoping for a good result at Weight Watchers on Saturday.  Of course, after the meeting on Saturday we have the second of our two October weddings.  Then on Sunday we have TWO birthday parties…neither one is mine… 😦

I got a few lovely Fall photos today.  The Fall colors always seem to stand out when it’s been raining.

I am enjoying Fall so much this year.  I do miss seeing all of the trees along the highway as I drove to work, but not enough to have to deal with the commute again.  I can just take a ride if I want to see trees.  We’ll get a lot of chances this weekend.

I haven’t really slept all night, so I think I’m going to head back there to see if I can get a little shut-eye.  I need my rest if I want to remain…A Sorting Machine!

Happy Friday!! 🙂

Hand Me Down Tofu And Salads And Salads

Never let it be said that I’m too proud to take something that someone else doesn’t want.  Have you seen my basement?!?  Well, that’s beside the point.  I’m talking about food here.  My best friend Gail is also vegetarian.  She’d never tried tofu and thought she try it.  Now that she’s tried it, she KNOWS she doesn’t like it.  And she’s the kind of person who can’t be swayed if she doesn’t like something.

Therefore…Hand Me Down Tofu.  Gail bought some and tried it and I wish I had a photo of her face when she described how she felt about it!  Not Good!

All seasoned up and ready to enjoy.  I got together a few salad-y things…

Sautéed up the tofu…

Chopped it up…and added it to my salad…

Very tasty and not bad for Hand Me Down Tofu!

Wednesday mid-day, because I hadn’t had the chance to get anything to eat, I was drawn to my latest obsession…

Sunflower butter and Honeycrisp apple!

So Good…mmm

While I worked on sorting and tossing…and I got a LOT accomplished 😉 I had a crock pot full of pinto beans crocking away.

Fresh beans mean…another Salad!

The usual suspects along with a fresh batch of bulgur.  I’m so happy that I found a good way to make it easily.  1 cup of bulgur, 1 and 3/4 cups of boiling water, cover and leave it alone.  I put it in the microwave just to keep it out of the way and I think being enclosed like that might keep the heat in and make it fluffier.  Anyway, it comes out perfectly every time now!

Chop, chop…

Cup o’ beans…Cup o’ bulgur…

Almost there…

Added in my wonderful Cabot 50% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese…and it was a perfect, delicious Salad…in my Big Purple Bowl, of course! 😉

Sadly, the LAST of my wonderful Cabot cheese…

All gone… 😦  I’ll have to head out today to get some more.  I really am impressed with this and can’t believe that I never found Cabot before.

My Birthday Flowers are still going strong after a week.  How nice to have that spark of color around the house.

Rainy Thursday…lots to do.  Ralph has a dentist appointment.  I’m hoping to stay home in order to continue my projects.  It feels so good to say I will accomplish something today.  I finally seem to be getting things done.  I LOVE IT!!

Happy Thursday!

I Hate To Be Bulgur, But…WIAW!!!

It’s Wednesday and by now we should all know what that means…What I Ate Wednesday under the direction of the lovely Jenn at Peas & Crayons!!  Head on over there to join in all of the fun!

Today’s post is brought to you by bulgur.  There’s a scary story from many years ago when I made my first attempt at making vegetarian chili.  It contained bulgur and it was not a happy outcome…we’ll leave it at that.

A few months ago I attempted to make bulgur again, not in a recipe, just to use along with a meal.  The recipe said to boil water and pour it over the bulgur.  Let it sit for 20 minutes and it would be ready.  Well at 20 minutes it was still quite watery.  I ended up putting it in the microwave and cooking it.  It worked but I just thought there was some other way to accomplish it. 

Last Friday, I decided to give it another try.  I took my 1 cup of bulgur, boiled the water and then added 1 3/4 cups of boiling water.  I stirred it covered it then put it in the microwave just to sit.  I thought the heat would stay in that way.  Then I forgot about it.  I pulled it out probably an hour later.  I opened the lid and it was fluffy and perfect!!  It had puffed up hugely and the pot was almost overflowing.

I used it first for a salad on Friday night.

1 cup of bulgur, 1 cup of my crock pot pinto beans, romaine lettuce, tomato and red bell pepper.

Added to it a mixture of lite balsamic vinaigrette and lite ranch.  I never let anything go to waste, when they start to run out, I mix them together!  Very tasty and filling.

Saturday dinner came around and I was on my own while Ralph was camping out with the boys.  I dug out my bulgur again.

I mixed a can of diced tomatoes, 1 cup of pinto beans again and 1 cup frozen green peas.  Cooked everything together in a pot.  I warmed up a cup of my bulgur in the microwave.  I poured the tomato/bean/pea mixture over it, sprinkled with romano cheese and a bit of Sriracha sauce.

It was delicious and took almost no time to prepare.

Sunday night, Ralph was still not back so once again I was fending for myself.  One more meal from the amazing bulgur.  Time to get wild and crazy.

Garlic, tomato and red bell pepper sautéed together.

Added the last of the bulgur and then about a 1/2 cup of FF cottage cheese.

Again, a little Sriracha sauce and I was all set.  It was SO tasty.

I think that this was pretty amazing coming from 1 cup of bulgur.  The bulgur cost $1.25 a pound, so 1 cup cost about 63 cents.  I got 3 meals out of it.  That along with the pinto beans I had cooked in the crock pot.  The beans cost $1 and I can’t remember how many meals came from them. 

I think as an experiment, I’m going to try to actually calculate what my meals cost.  We hear so often that eating healthy is more expensive than eating average American fare.  I think I can prove that theory to be wrong.  I think I’m going to be the Thrifty Vegetarian from now on.  It should be fun to see how well I can do.

So, kids, that’s What I Ate Wednesday around these parts.  Be sure to go over to Peas & Crayons to join in the fun.  Check out some of the fun links…make some comments and some new friends…be cool like the rest of us! 

I was out scouring the countryside for pretty pictures to share with you all again.  I won’t bore you with too many.  Here’s today’s picture…

Happy What I Ate Wednesday…Try not to be…bulgur!! 😉