June Challenge Update

Can you believe it is almost the end of June?! Wow, did this month go by quickly! I was hoping I would be able to detail more about my June Challenge on the blog and achieve some of the things I wanted to get done in terms of Green Kitchen Home Improvements, but here's a summary so far.

Before - In the months prior to this "challenge," I ordered take out or went out to eat probably 2-3 times a week, not including the times I picked a coffee up from a local shop. (I use the term "challenge" loosely here for several reasons. Is the ability to not order take out really that significant of a lifestyle practice? No!)

Results - This entire month, I've brought my lunch to work each day. While I didn't make a near perfect record, nor did I achieve some of the green kitchen improvements I wanted to this month (they are still in the works). I'm continuing with no take-out rule. "21 Days Makes a Habit" seems to be my motto/motivation. I ate out five times during this month - Rib Fest, Lisa's Celebratory Return to the USA, Father's Day, Gino's with my dad, and that one time in the midst of apartment hunting when I desperately needed a Starbucks-Pick-Me-Up. 

Technology Asset - With the Pepperplate App (and online site), you can automatically import recipes from your favorite websites and blogs (no need to manually enter them). You can also format your meal planner and make shopping lists based off of your favorite websites. I love the fact that it is compatible on all three of my devices - computer, tablet, and phone. You can use all of the features on whatever device you use, but I use certain devices for specific things - computer (finding recipes, organizing shopping lists, and meal planning), mobile (for when I'm actually shopping), and tablet (for the cooking).

Meal Planning - Everyone has different ways how they plan meals, I don't think I've figured it out completely, but I definitely have something that is much more efficient than anything that I did before this challenge. Towards the end of the week (Thursday or Friday), I will plan the meals for the rest of the week starting with Saturday (afternoon or dinner depending on where we are with food). Lunch is typically leftovers, but I will rotate and store them properly so it doesn't seem redundant. Breakfast changes from week to week, but there isn't too much variation within the week. Each week I tried to make one meal that I could prepare on Sunday and freeze (casseroles, soups, baked things) and one grain/vegetable salad that I could use for lunches and sides.

Grocery Shopping - Each week, we spent about $60-90 on groceries. A ate out for lunch Monday thru Friday (not fighting on that too much), but that $60-90 included breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the weekend, plus all dinners, my lunches, and breakfasts during the week. It included meat, which is probably the most expensive thing. If we were vegetarians, that average could easily be dropped in half. I mixed up grocery shopping between farmer's markets, Jewel, and Whole Foods. I had bought $60 worth of grains - quinoa, rice, and gluten-free cereal in bulk around mid-May. We used all of those grains (still a bit left over).

Conclusions & Next Steps - Since I'm preparing everything that I've been making, I feel extremely healthy lately (other factors might also impact that feeling), but I've felt overall very healthy, which I haven't in a very long time. With the reduction of trash, setting up the compost pile, the overall good feeling, and the savings. I'm continuing this tradition on. My goal for July is to make the entire month without any exceptions, but I will be building on my June challenge with a new one for July.

The SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge

The SNAP Challenge gives participants a view of the struggle to obtain adequate food that is faced by millions of low-income Americans. For one week, participants take the challenge to live on about $4 per day worth of food – the average food stamp benefit. On June 17, I participated in the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge to shop for food choices on a limited budget, learn how difficult it is to avoid hunger, and afford nutrition foods and stay healthy.

To make my dollars stretch, I created my own concoction for dinner: Cajun Shrimp and Green Bean Sauté. I was able to stay within my budget, while feeding three others. Hence, if I did not have a garden (which really stretched my dollars) and could only feed myself, I would have had difficulty preparing recipes just for one. You could eat the same dinner four nights of the week, and if you like a little kick to your meals, you will be more than willing to eat leftovers!

Cajun Shrimp and Green Bean Sauté (4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups green beans, trimmed ($.42)
• 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil, divided ($.35)
• 1 medium onion, chopped ($.33)
• 2 tsp salt-free Cajun spice (or Southwest) ($.04)
• ½ lb medium cooked shrimp ($2.50)
• ½ cup rainbow chard, finely chopped (from my garden - $.05 for seed) (try chopped parsley if you do not have rainbow chard inexpensively available)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste ($.01)
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked ($.66)

Total Cost of recipe/4 servings:  $1.11

Directions:

1. Heat 1 ½ tsp olive oil in a medium skillet. Add green beans with 1/8 cup water. Sauté until tender-crisp, about 4-6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and Cajun seasoning, stirring constantly until onions soften (about 3 minutes). Add shrimp.

3. Add rainbow chard. Stir occasionally until heated through, about 2 minutes.

4. Place beans over cooked brown rice. Top beans with shrimp mixture and freshly ground pepper.