Soyrizo & Chili Bean Pasta (Vegetarian for a Month)

(left: kid version, right: soyrizo version)

(Serves 8, $0.34 & 330 calories per serving)

Vegetarian Challenge- Day 4, June 4th

Yep, you know how I said yesterday that day 3 and 4 are the hardest for wanting to grab fillers or the thing you were avoiding in your change in daily diet? Yep, I did that today. More just the filler part. I ate a lot of snacks in the afternoon. Popcorn, chocolate, yoghurt, the like. Surprisingly, this proves though, choose the right foods and it still will not ruin your caloric intake- although the toast, not so much.

Anyways. This was a honest in between for what the kids wanted, which was macaroni and cheese, (they love homemade), and wanting to pack protein into our dinner. So this was a perfect in between.

At first, I was a little worried because my daughter does not like to have tomato sauce. Apparently that is poison to her. Found out her Nanya is the opposite. Likes tomato sauce but not tomatoes. Go figure. Her uncle did not like tomato sauce either, so I guess it runs in the family. But I love me my tomatoes. Ode to the foods kids are picky about. But she ate it. Yay!

We are big eaters, so this made alot. And Ben took extras to work with him.
I can't lie- I kind of wanted to battle him to keep the leftovers because it was so good. But he got me good because he asked me when I was barely awake. That is ok. I made cookies! Yum!

Dinner:

Soyrizo and Chili Bean Pasta

Serves 8, about 330 Calories a serving

Ingredients:                                                 Cost:

1 pound Wegmans elbow pasta                    $0.94

2 oz Soyrizo                                                 $0.20

1/2 pound tomatoes                                      $0.50

1 medium onion                                           $0.15

1 15 oz  can chili beans                                $0.95

1 tbsp garlic                                                            

1 tbsp butter                                                            

                                                                      $2.74

Directions:

1. Boil noodles for 10 minutes

2. Cut your onions, tomatoes and put them in the cast iron pan to sautee

3. Add the garlic and drained chili beans

4. Put half the mix in a bowl, for kids

5. Add the 2 oz soyrizo to the other half in the pan and finish  sauteeing together

6. Put the chorizo mix in the other bowl

7. Drain noodles and add the butter

8. add 8-10 oz noodles (half) to the kids bowl and mix it all together

9. add the rest to the soyrizo bowl and mix

10. Serve

Spicy Mango Tofu (Vegetarian for a Month)

(Serves 4 @ $0.43 a serving)

So for day 3 (June 3rd) of my Vegetarian Challenge:

We did well. I feel like day 3 and 4 are the hard days when you want to go grab something that contradicts what you are trying to cut out- no matter if it is meat, sugar, wheat, etc.
 

The very big highlight, especially for my husband, was the Spicy Mango Tofu.

Dude was this spicy! It was like ordering from the Thai or Indian Restaurant menus when they mean it when they say super hot. (If you want less spice yourself, you can add less of the spices).
Best yet, there was 1/4 left to have Ben take to work the next day!

Now the shocker: my 2 year old ate it and liked it. He wanted over the rice. We sat back with our hands over our eyes and breathes held waiting for the wailing screams of him realising the heat of the dish. Nope, not this child. And this is a picky eater. Like sugar and rice and sweet and nice- that is Kai's diet. LOL.  So I am realising, tofu may be golden for our house!

Serves 4, $0.43 a serving (without rice)

Ingredients:                        Cost:

  1 Pound Tofu                        $0.75    

1/2 Pound Mango                 $1.00  

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper                    

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper                        

1/4 Tsp Sea Salt                                

1/4 Tsp Powdered Ginger                

                                                 $1. 75   

      

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

2. Oil the bottom of the dish (I used a pie dish)

3. Take 2 blocks of tofu, 1 pound, and slice then long ways in half

3. Cut the Mango any way you want it, long ways is best

4. In a separate bowl, add the spices over the mango and using your hands mix it together

5. Add the mango and spices over the tofu and with your hands marinade the tofu with the mango and spice mix.

6. Let the marinade sit for 15-30 minutes while your oven preheats

7. With the mango on top of the tofu, bake for 20-25 minutes

8. Serve over or with Rice

Vegetarian For a Month? Yes!

Congrats to our winners for our Spring Giveaway for Food Labels!

So, Vegetarian for a month?

Can I feed a family of 5, on a budget, nutritionally sound, and do it on a vegetarian diet?

Why, oh why would I do this you ask?

Well, first my husband and I have ALWAYS had squanders about buying meat. This is because of how the animals are treated in some businesses. 

And cost, oh the cost. I can spend so much more on meat than I do the rest of the food I buy and that is with buying meat scarcily and dividing it up into half pounds when I get home.

I look at it this way:

With the rise in food prices, and in the quest to be healthier, I think it has finally come to a head for us.

I wish with all my being  I could super coupon to save money on groceries- but let's be honest; I do not like to buy foods that are convential or pre-packaged food. Which alot of coupons cover. 

I generally try to buy foods I have to make. 

I even, (wait for it), buy the 50 lb bag of flour from Costco. Yes, I even bake myself. Unless I find a loaf for $1. 

But again, I predict I can save alot of money going vegeterian. Now, keep in mind, still buying milk, cheese, eggs and yoghurt.  

What is my protein source?

Tofu! Nuts! Eggs! Beans! Legumes! Dairy!

Ew, tofu- you say? 

Well, fret not. Tofu takes on the flavour of what you cook with it. 

And tofu is less than $1/lb. I buy 6 pounds of tofu for $4.50! 

Imagine if you bought red meat, beef. 

Beef right now for us, on sale, is $2.10 to $2.99 a pound. That is easily double the price at 6 pounds. It would be $12.60 to $17.94. I could buy 24 pounds plus of tofu for the price of 6 pounds of meat. Wowza!

This may put us vegeterians for life!

Every week  I will update you on what I and my family eat per day, with recipes, and how much I spent, without coupons, for the day. 

Happy First Week of June!