What's up for this week...maybe

Well here we are, another week. Time is going by so fast and it's almost Christmas. I wanted to write today about grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping; we are a one income family now, so I have had to really pay attention to what I buy, how much and if we really eat it. I have done a lot of trimming in that department and now that I am vegetarian our meat purchases are significantly down. I do serve vegetarian dishes to the family about 3 times a week, and then the husband complains that he needs his meat.

I try to comparison shop, but sometimes going to one grocery store is more convenient then going to three to get a deal on bananas, but it must be done. A couple of things I have noticed is that Superstore, which everyone thinks is quite cheap, is not always the case. I add vital wheat gluten to my bread, at Superstore, Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten is $10.99, Safeway $9.99. Yes a $1.00, but when on a budget that makes a difference. I also don't mind spending more on my produce if I know it's going to last. I have found that Superstore produce does not last. Safeway and Sobey's produce lasts longer and is better quality. Numerous times I have bought produce at Superstore (the last thing grapes) only to have them go bad in a couple of days, maybe, maybe last a week. I also find their dairy even with an expiry date, doesn't always last as long.

One thing Superstore does have is a great natural food section and vegetarian choices. I have found numerous great vegetarian foods with their Blue Label product. They carry great tofu choices and I always buy their Blue Label Teriyaki Marinated Tofu, as well as it's the only place I can find deep fried tofu.


On the menu so far this week is, in no particular order as some nights when I plan on having one thing, if it's been a busy day I'll make something else that is quick and easy.

Mushroom Risotto with roasted vegetables

Pizza, this will probably be on Wednesday night as it's just the kids and I


Vegetable Lasagna, my new favourite dish, there are so many varieties.


I am also experimenting with some different home made breads. Will keep you updated on how they turn out. And waiting impatiently for my juicer.


Have a great day, any comments, suggestions or questions, fire away.

A little history of the why

Well today I am going to start with a little history of why I decided to become a vegetarian. I was always raise a meat and potatoes girl, my family had to have meat, potatoes and some sort of boiled to bits vegetable for dinner. For about the last two years the thought of cooking meat has made me sick, I remember opening a package of ground beef and being grossed out by the blood that was at the bottom of the tray. Then I started getting mental images of the cow it came from and that was that for beef, but I still ate chicken. Then one day I was making some sort of dish with chicken thighs and when I bit into it I hit a small piece of bone, gross, again. So that was it for chicken. Now all I had left was seafood, then I got a bad bit of shrimp and there goes the seafood. I still eat some dairy, real cream for my coffee, the odd bit of cheese, mostly Goat Cheese and some Brie. I don't eat eggs as well and that stems from cracking open an egg to find blood and other bits inside and I thought I was going to throw up right there and then. That is when I decided on being a veggie, I read alot of books as I knew this was going to be a major change to my life and families as well. We have a very picky 6 year old and if he doesn't eat meat he would get no protein, so for now I am keeping him a meat eater. My husband, doesn't like alot of meat, but occasionally likes his double cheese burgers or meatloaf, I actually make a pretty good meatloaf (which I will now have to show him how to make).
My favourite book is "Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis", the bible for me. I wanted to make sure I was going to get all my correct nutrients, protein, calcium, etc. and this book had it all. Then I started, I went to the grocery store, stocked up on what I thought I would eat and away I went. It has been a bit difficult in the sense that the rest of the family still eats meat, so I try to make dishes that I can substitute tofu for the meat or I'm cooking two separate meals. Not always fun. Also I am a mother of a 6 year old and a 18 month old, so I need fast and easy recipes, nothing fancy here. I have a few good cook books, but rely on the Internet for alot of recipes as well. But I am finding it difficult to find fast, easy and inexpensive recipes. So, here starts my journey of blogging what I eat, hopefully I can help others out there that need some meal plans.

Here is what I have going to have for dinner for the next couple of days, I thought I would start with dinners mostly, as breakfasts for me are pretty simple, I need to get a 6 year old off to school. I eat mostly cereal, oatmeal, waffles, fruit that sort of thing, so nothing special in the vegetarian world there.

Nov. 17, I am going to have the Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl that is in this month's Vegetarian Times, it looks super yummy and if my version looks half as good as the picture, it's going to be great.

Nov. 18 I have planned a Polenta and mushroom lasagna, another Vegetarian Times recipes.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10175?section this is the recipe for the Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl, tell me that doesn't look yummy.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9770?section= here is the polenta lasagna, yum.