The Grocery Game: Day 9

I feel despondent.

Almost.

Would you like to know why?

It's because of HIM:

Yes, him ~ Ruby the Chicken turned Rooster.

You see, I let my chickens out today to enjoy the fresh fall air - and they came to visit me on the front porch!  I was so excited.  They gingerly stepped up each stair, and came running when they saw me outside.  So enamored was I that I reached for my camera and began clicking away.

Then the camera stopped.

Flummoxed, I discovered I'd filled my memory card to the brim.

Therefore, I set out to remove a few of the shots already stored on my hard drive.

Which led to my current [almost] despondent place.

I've discarded my beautiful photos of my beautiful breakfast . . . my beautiful oatmeal!!!

:wah:

(Alright.  I think I'm over it now.)




With all that excitement done, I returned to the kitchen where, finally, a beautiful stir fry was in the works!

Can you believe it?  I'd already pulled the broccoli, the baby bok choy, the spinach, the celery, the onion, the garlic . . . all kinds of goodies from the mouth of the refrigerator.

I set about chopping and dicing, getting all the veggies in a state of readiness ~ because when you are making a stir fry, one can't go about preparing while cooking.  Things happen fast around that skillet, and ya have to be at the ready.

Tonight's medley would include two left over breasts from the other day - the Honey Soy Chicken to be exact.

That is one beautiful thing about a stir fry, it can blend and meld and be whatever it wants to be, each and every time you make it . . . so ya never get bored of it!  :)

Here are a few photos of tonight's concoction:

It was heavy on the green ~ but that's quite alright!  Any and all vegetables you can pour into your system - as close to the harvest as you can get - are excellent for you.  They aid in digestion, the fuel the body with healthy carbohydrates, they are extremely low in calories, and chock full of trace minerals and vitamins.

Veggies, veggies, veggies . . . it's what's for supper.  Lunch.  And heck, breakfast too if ya want!  :)

Here is a previous stir fry I've made:

This one was filled with lots of color - another excellent vegetable rule.  Each veggie color group provides different types of mineral/vitamin benefits.  Here is a listing of fruits and vegetables by color.  How many of these to you buy and utilize regularly?

As I've already stated, breakfast this morning was a delicious oatmeal with almonds and coconut.  Lunch was a hodgepodge of snacking.  One peanut butter cookie (couldn't resist!) and lots of fresh picked green beans from the garden.  I almost ate the whole harvest from today - RAW!  Yummy!

While I was at the garden, I took a good look at my baby bok choy . . . it won't be long before I'm harvesting my own, and will not need to purchase at the store!  WOOT!  Isn't it gorgeous?

In addition to the green beans and baby bok choy, I've also turnips, carrots, beets, lettuce, squash and broccoli/cabbage and red cabbage growing.  In the next couple of days I'll be planting garlic.  I'm so excited!

But, I'm getting slightly off topic, what with all this talk about my chickens and my garden and all . . . you've come here because you want to know how I manage to feed the fam on a $300 a month grocery budget.

:cough:  Yer lookin' at it!  Go fresh - as close to the harvest as you can get - on every purchase.  The health benefits will be at your beck and call; the price tag will lower because you aren't buying processed, packaged, and puree'd.  Be willing to do a small amount of prep work for future moments when you are short on time.



Tonight's supper cost the price of a McDonald's meal:

The two chicken breast:  .86 each
broccoli sprig:  2.28
baby bok choy 1.48
onion  .33
celery  .33

$6.14

The beautiful things about this stir fry is that it can be extended to feed a crowd when served over rice.

This morning's oatmeal?  Pennies to fix.

Are you ready for some delicious yumminess?  Here ya go:

Oatmeal with Coconut and Almonds, Chicken Stir Fry  The Grocery Game:  Day 9

What will it be tomorrow?  A minestrone soup?  Or perhaps those yummy quinoa patties???

Stay tuned!  ;D