Big haul from Grocery Outlet

Tuesday morning I went to Grocery Outlet by myself and had to carry fifty million pounds of food back by my self. I also had to go to Jeremy's work to pick up the Grocery Outlet gift card we bought from Raise.com because he so thoughtlessly forgot to give it to me before leaving.

Grocery Outlet makes eating wheat and dairy free somewhat tolerable and much more doable on a budget. Sadly they did not have any GF pasta, which was one thing I was hoping for, because I am unwilling to pay $2.50 for a tiny box of something made out of fucking corn and rice. Those ingredients are cheap. Don't think I'm not onto your game, manufacturers of GF pasta.

They do however have a variety of GF and non dairy products, often for the same or similar prices as the wheaty and milky versions, which makes my life easier and happier. I might have to start making a point of buying more produce there as well, because damn it has gotten expensive at QFC. The only reason I don't is because it tends to be older and must be used more quickly.

Here's what I bought:

Family size box of Boo Berry cereal
2 jars of roasted red peppers
2 boxes of GF crackers
Bag of wheat free protein granola
2 lbs of turkey deli meat in cracked pepper and some other flavor
2 14 oz containers of spicy pepper hummus (I froze one)
2 loaves of Udi's GF country seed bread (frozen)
2 loaves of Udi's GF white bread (frozen)
6 plain bagels
2 lbs clementines
8 oz sliced mushrooms
Big bag of baby spinach
2 boxes of cappuccino flavored Soy Slender soy milk (Jeremy likes this)
2 P3 snack packs with chicken, cheese and peanuts
Blend of grated hard cheeses (the only kind I am supposed to have)
6 pack of chicken Ramen noodles
9 oz pecans
8 oz walnuts
12 oz honey
6 pack of assorted cereal bars
6 pack GF nut bars
10 oz dried dates
12 protein bars
16 oz mild green salsa
16 oz cashew butter
10 oz low sugar apricot preserves with no artificial sweetener
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 lbs quinoa and rice blend

I thought I had also bought a box of GF cinnamon cookies, but I cannot find them, so maybe I put them back because of the sugar?

Total spent after Raise discount was $78.The Udi's bread was only $1.49 a loaf!

When I got back, by the time I put away all the groceries it was late-ish and I made breakfast/lunch. I made two eggs fried in olive oil, a coconut milk, banana and strawberry smoothie, and I also ate a slice of the brown rice bread. It was not what I would call "good." Those who are in the know say to toast it, so next time I will do that.

I went in to work for a couple hours in the afternoon for a massage trade, and afterward I had to go meet Winter at the library because she had left her keys at home. Luckily we live about three blocks from the big downtown library. Winter got a library card and checked out three pirate novels. I also went to QFC and bought 5 Lara Bars, a Clif bar for Winter, and two avocados, which cost $8 exactly.

For dinner I made soup with mushrooms, carrots, celery, two turkey sausages (turkey is ok in moderation on the RAD diet, but since it is salty and processed I just used a small amount for flavor), quinoa and rice blend, some white wine, and I seasoned it with sage, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, dried onion, and a little salt. I also threw some tail ends of a couple bags of brown and white rice in there. I added a little corn starch to thicken it as well. Considering it had no chicken broth at all the flavors were well developed and good. We used up all the chicken bouillon and no one told me.

Breakfast/lunch: two eggs, banana strawberry and coconut milk smoothie, slice of bread
Dinner: turkey sausage, veggie, quinoa and rice soup
Snacks/desserts: cherry Lara Bar
Beverages: water, cocoa mint flavored coconut milk


Wednesday I went to work for a half day in the morning. Afterward I received my half of the trade, and got acupuncture after that. On the at home I stopped at someone's house in First Hill to pick up a half pack of college rule notebook paper which I got from the Buy Nothing group. Winter was needing some. No food was purchased.

Breakfast: Chex granola with strawberries, pecans, and nut milk
Lunch: leftover curried lentils, Clementine
Dinner: leftover turkey sausage, veggie, quinoa and rice soup
Snacks/desserts: strawberries, apple, and banana cut up in a bowl
Beverages: cocoa mint coconut milk, water

Replenishing the food stock

Yesterday I was battling a migraine most of the day. My schedule was empty in the morning, so I decided I might as well take the day off. For breakfast I made overnight oats with coconut milk. I added about a tsp of honey, a sliced banana, and six crushed macadamia nuts to it. I didn't mind it cold, but I may heat it up next time.

For dinner I cut up two of the bell peppers I bought the day before and sauteed them with about a pound of chicken breast, olive oil, chili powder and cayenne pepper. We ate it with brown rice and cilantro. Jeremy added cheese to his.

Jeremy and I went to QFC when he got home from work. We spent $40 and got:

3 Yukon gold potatoes
3 lbs small honeycrisp apples
3 red and yellow bell peppers
1 bunch cilantro
Chex gluten free granola
3 boxes wheat pasta
4 cans Campbell's Chunky Soup
6 pack of Blue Sky Zero Jamaican ginger ale (it is made with stevia, and was on sale, which doesn't happen often)
2 cups Kraft easy Mac
4 Lara bars
Rockstar energy drink
Brown rice gluten free bread
2 quarts of cocoa mint flavor coconut milk (RFQS)
1 box of almond cashew milk (RFQS)

Breakfast: overnight oats with coconut milk, honey, macadamia nuts and banana
Lunch: leftover curried lentils and carrots, sliced strawberries
Dinner: chicken and peppers with brown rice and cilantro
Snacks/desserts: split a lemon Lara Bar with Winter
Beverages: Jamaican ginger ale, water

Grocery Outlet

Jeremy and I went to Grocery Outlet on Monday to pick up a few more things.

peach flavored low fat yogurt 3/$1.00
chicken hot dogs $.44
2 single serve Campbell's cheeseburger soup cups ($.99 each) $1.98
Cream top chocolate yogurt $.50
4 pack of whole milk chocolate banana Greek yogurts $1.49
24 pack of strawberry pastry crisps $.97

Total $6.38

Yesterday I didn't really eat full meals aside from dinner. I mostly just snacked a lot.

Breakfast: orange mango flavored Mediterranean yogurt
Lunch: cereal with milk
Dinner: turkey sausage, frozen veggie blend, brown rice and pesto cheese sauce
Snacks/desserts: donut, lemon flavored muddy buddies, chocolate banana yogurt, strawberry pastry crisps
Beverages: water, Crystal Light

Today I will stop at QFC after work and pick up hot dog buns. We'll have hot dogs and salad for dinner tonight.

Potato broccoli and cheese soup recipe

10 plus 1/2 cups water
3 T sodium free chicken bouillon (if you use regular bouillon omit the salt)
1 T garlic
1 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t paprika
1 T salt
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 heads of broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup corn starch
2 cups half and half
6 oz shredded cheese (we used half smoked gouda and half hot pepper jack cheese)

Mix 10 cups water and all seasonings together in a large stock pot and cook on high heat until bouillon is well incorporated. Add potatoes and cook for about three to five minutes at a rolling boil. Mix the corn starch with the 1/2 cup of water and blend until smooth. Add mixture to pot and stir. Add broccoli and carrots. Reduce heat to medium high and simmer until the soup has thickened and the vegetables are tender. Turn off heat. Add half and half and stir. Add shredded cheese and stir until cheese is fully melted.

This recipe makes about 12 1.5 cup servings. Nutrition info is for one serving.

Fish chowder

Yesterday for dinner we thawed out the rest of the whiting and made fish chowder. I had to remove the skin from the little filets which proved to be a difficult and kind of nasty task. For the most part I just had to tear chunks of raw fish off the skin. This fish does not butcher easily. I managed to get just over a half pound of fish meat without skin by the end. I wish I could share a recipe, but we kind of made it up as we went along and figured out what to put in it through trial and error. We used sodium free chicken stock, cornstarch for thickener, two chopped potatoes, about a half pound of chopped carrots, some dried onion, black pepper, garlic, thyme, salt free seasoning blend, just enough salt to bring out the flavors, and added half and half at the end.

Whiting is pretty fishy, but the chowder didn't turn out TOO terribly fishy. We wound up with a lot of it. Like at least two quarts. We'll have it for dinner tonight as well. Winter doesn't like fish, so we needed to use it up since she gets here Monday.

Breakfast: oatmeal with half and half, berries from the freezer, and brown sugar
Lunch: tuna sandwich, banana
Dinner: fish chowder
Snacks/desserts: protein bar
Beverages: chocolate milk, water, sugar free cherry drink

Meal plans for the rest of the month and Jeremy's eye surgery

This is my tentative plan for dinners through the end of the month. It could change if I get better ideas. I will also make banana bread, which will be good for a few breakfasts. Lunches can be leftovers or sandwiches. I will probably pick up some bananas too once the cherries run out.

Saturday: salsa and sour cream chicken, rice (Jeremy's cooking)
Sunday: chicken salad and homemade bread
Monday: chicken soup with couscous
Tuesday: crock pot Italian pasta soup
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: chicken with broccoli, rice, and pepper jack sauce

Will need to buy: lettuce, bay leaves, thyme, zucchini, broccoli, corn starch, bananas


Jeremy had the laser surgery on his left eye today. It went well. There was no pain at all. His pupil was still dilated last time I saw it, so he couldn't read, but he said he could already see better than before. They won't be able to remove the cataract from his right eye until the end of October it looks like.

Slow cooker recipe for hearty bean and vegetable soup

sooooo many vitamins

This soup gets tons of flavor from fresh, dried, and canned veggies and beans, and is high in with lots of assorted micronutrients. I am tagging this recipe as vegetarian, because you can very easily replace the chicken bouillon with vegetable or mushroom bouillon. Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list. This is super fast to put together.

1/3 cup dried black beans
1/3 cup dried pinto beans
1/3 cup dried garbanzo beans
1/3 cup yellow split peas (if you can't find these, try brown lentils instead)
1/3 cup green split peas
5 cups water
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup dried onion
2 T sodium free chicken bouillon
14 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1/4 cup white wine
1 t oregano
dash of black pepper

Combine all dried beans and pulses with the five cups of water the night before and allow them to soak. The following day, combine all ingredients in a 2 qt or larger slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 6 or 7 hours until beans and split peas are tender. Makes 8 cups. Nutrition info is for 1 cup.

Slow cooker chicken sausage and bean soup recipe

This soup turned out really good. I would definitely have it again. Jeremy liked it also. I had about a cup and a half for dinner. Here's the recipe:

1 cup dried pinto beans
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 chicken sausages (I used chicken with apple and gouda) halved and sliced
3 T brown sugar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
3 T sodium free chicken bouillon (or 1-2 regular bouillon cubes)
1 t mustard powder
dash of black pepper
6 cups water

Start soaking the pinto beans the night before in 2 cups of water. The next morning add the remainder of the ingredients and cook on the low setting for 6 or 7 hours. Nutrition info is for 1 cup of soup.

Today's meals

This morning I made a smoothie in the blender with the frozen banana, a cup of milk, a tablespoon of cashew butter, and a tablespoon and a half of goat's milk caramel syrup. I was a little uncertain how it was going to turn out, but I liked it. It had a sweet/salty thing going on and I mostly tasted the caramel in it.

For lunch I will use up the rest of the turkey lunch meat, a slice of muenster, two slices of bread, some sweet hot mustard, and a couple pieces of lettuce on a sandwich. I'll also cut up a carrot and two radishes.

For dinner I am making soup in the crock pot with pinto beans, the two chicken apple gouda sausages, two carrots, sodium free chicken bouillon, and some seasonings. I will post the recipe when I get home, in case it turns out to need a bit more seasoning.

Once I figure out what we're having tomorrow I'll know if I need to pick anything up at the store tonight. Our spending goal for the remainder of the month is $180. Winter, my daughter, left for her dad's yesterday, so for the rest of the month it's just me and Jeremy. That is $10 a day for 18 days.