Month: August 2018

Lunch

Since we had a tasty heirloom tomato we decided to go for the simple cheese and tomato toasted sandwich, which was good.

• The heirloom tomato was $1.57 and we used half on the sandwiches, or 40c  per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter and mayo.

A  good sandwich for $1.50 per serve.

Dinner

We’ve enjoyed several good jambalaya over the years, and recently a deconstructed version at the Yardhouse chain. While deconstructed this goes in a different direction. The rice gets the vegetable component in the pressure cooker, while the andouille sausage and shrimp were Sous Vide to perfection. The rice mix made four serves.

• The shrimp was $7.99 for the pack, and we used half, or $2.00 per serve
• The andouille sausage was $7.98 for the pack and we used half or $2.00 per serve
• Rice adds 33c per serve
• The celery was $1.69 and we used ¼ or 11c per serve
• Organic bell pepper was $1.17 or 29c per serve
• A can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes is $1.69 or 43c per serve
• Add 20c per serve for seasonings.

Keeping the shrimp separate allows us to cook it to its perfect temperature, which is a lot lower than if it sat in a boiling stew! The andouille was fine sous vide but we think we’ll fry it off Yardhouse-style next time. A great meal for $5.36 per serve.

Breakfast

Still in San Diego the Foodies had a working breakfast with Cirina Catania at Nutmeg Bakery Cafe.

Foodie Greg had the nutmeg scramble:

Local eggs, organic spinach, sun-dried tomatoes & home made sausage. Topped with goat cheese & served over home fries. Toast & fresh fruit.

Both were both great meals, cooked exactly as ordered. Our friend generously paid for our meal.

Dinner

While Thursday night is our steak/pork chop grill night, tonight we felt like having satay sauce, but had no appropriate steak in the freezer. Having done it once before, we decided to substitute marinated and grilled Japanese eggplant.

• Two eggplants were $1.35 or 68c per serve
• The peanut butter was $3.99 and we used about 1/8,  or 25c a serve
• Other seasonings in the satay sauce add 35c per serve
• Add 50c for marinade ingredients
• Bean sprouts were $1.49 but we used the remaining ⅓ or 25c per serve
• Carrot adds 10c per serve
• Mint came from our garden.

The eggplant ends up with a custardy, creamy center while being nicely caramelized from the sugars in the marinade, which also contributes to the crispy skin. Overall, way more flavor than even a great piece of top sirloin, but with a very different texture.

The peanut sauce, as usual was the star, while the bean sprout salad gave a wet, crunch balance to the spicy eggplant and satay sauce mouthful. A very satisfying meal for $2.13 per serve, about ⅓ of the equivalent steak meal!

Lunch

Our normal lunch of toasted sandwiches. Today we shared a tuna pouch with capers and Swiss, and a sandwich of elements of the Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Melange with Swiss. We used the panini press to defrost and heat the eggplant and bell pepper.

• The roast vegetables are about 5c per serve
• The tuna was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter, mayo and capers.

Both are decent sandwiches for $1.85 per serve.

Dinner

We returned to the  Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls, tonight with mung bean sprout and grated carrot that was drizzled with rice wine vinegar instead of rice

Again, we cut the sugar back from five, to two tablespoons.

• The ground pork was $8.35 and we’ll get four serves from that, or $2.09 per serve
• Add 40c for ginger, onion, garlic and chili, etc
• Bean sprouts were $1.49 but we used only 2/3 or 50c per serve
• Add 10c for grated carrot.

Dinner tonight was tasty for $3.09 per serve. It is yet another example of “pork and beans” although the beans are just sprouts!

Lunch

Today’s plans were disrupted so Foodie Philip finished the Ground Beef with Onion, Garlic and Spinach at $4.69 per serve.

Dinner

We’re reducing meat consumption by going for a meatless Monday (night). Tonight we prepared an Organic Apple Dijon Salad, but dropped the shredded cheese that comes with the salad, and adding some good cheddar instead.

• The salad kit was $4.49 or $2.25 per serve
• The cheddar was $3.99 or 50c per serve.

A decent salad for $2.75 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we took another three eggs and scrambled them. Toward the end we mixed in one serve of last night’s Ground Beef, Garlic, Spinach and Egg dish, which made a much more satisfying dish.

• The beef dish is $4.69 per full serve but we shared one, or $2.35 per serve
• Three eggs are $1.50 or 75c per serve.

This version was much more satisfying for $3.10 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we took the remaining shredded beef and put it on top of cauliflower gnocchi with a creamy blue cheese sauce.

• The shredded beef is $2.61 per serve
• The gnocchi was $2.69 or $1.35 per serve
• Blue cheese crumbles were $3.49 and we used half or 87c per serve
• Heavy cream is $3.29 per pint, but we used only ¼ or 42c per serve
• Organic frozen peas were $1.99 per pack or 50c per serve
• Add 30c for other ingredients.

A very tasty meal for $6.05 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we had our favorite sandwich: a Bahn Mi from our local Vietnamese restaurant. A great sandwich for $8.75 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

Tonight we tried a new recipe: Ground Beef with Garlic, Spinach and Eggs. The recipe makes four serves. We used fresh spinach instead of frozen.

• Dry aged ground beef is $8.99 or $2.25 per serve
• Eggs are 50c each or $1.00 per serve
• 1.5 packs of spinach at $3.29 per pack, or $1.24 per serve
• Add 20c per serve for garlic and seasoning.

We felt there could have been more flavor. It seemed a little bland and we thought it would be more “eggy”, which is why we added the hot sauce. Not a bad meal for $4.69 per serve.

Lunch

Back to the sweet and spicy tuna pouch, but still with shallot and Swiss and a return to a favorite: tomato, mayo and Swiss.

• Five kumato were $3.49 and we used one per sandwich, or 70c per serve
• The tuna was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter, mayo and shallot.

A pair of good sandwiches for $2.80 per serve.

Dinner

The hot weather continues to inspire salads, and being Friday (a fish meal in some Christian traditions) so we returned to our smoked salmon “Cobb” style salad. We dropped the bacon because, with smoked salmon, we didn’t want two salty elements in the dish. The burrata also replaced the salty cheese element.

• Smoked salmon is $5.99 for the 4oz pack or $3.00 a serve
• A pastured egg is 50c
• The cherry tomatoes were $3.49 and we used about half, or 88c per serve
• Add 20c for spinach
• The avocado was $1.49 or 75c per serve
• The burrata is $4.99, or $2.50 per serve.

This is a great variation on a Cobb for $7.33 per serve.

Lunch

A different tuna pouch, but still with capers and Swiss and a return to a favorite: tomato, mayo and Swiss.

• Five kumato were $3.49 and we used one per sandwich, or 70c per serve
• The tuna was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter, mayo and capers.

A pair of good sandwiches for $2.80 per serve.

Dinner

Thursday night grill night, and fortunately our Keller Crafted meat box arrived right on time with tonight’s rib eye! Served with a simple salad of balsamic drizzled beets, feta and pomegranate seeds, it was really good.

• The rib eye was $16.20 or $8.10 per serve
• The French feta is $9.99 for 10.5 oz and we shared 1/6 or 42c per serve
• The pomegranate seeds were $4.99 and we used half, or $1.25 per serve
• Peeled baby beets were $1.99 or $1.00 per serve.

At medium rare Foodie Philip slightly overcooked the steak but it was good anyway, and the salad had a great combination of earthiness, sweetness and acid from the balsamic drizzled beets all balanced with the slightly funky saltiness of the feta. Not a bad steak and salad for $10.77 per serve.

Lunch

Because we didn’t want to put the oven on, we did a pair of toasted sandwiches. On one we put the shredded chuck roast with a smear of BBQ sauce and Swiss; on the other we did a pouch of sweet and spicy tuna with capers and Swiss.

• The roast was $20.88 or $1.74 per serve for this meal
• The tuna was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter, BBQ sauce and capers.

Two decent sandwiches for $3.84 per serve.

Dinner

A new – and intriguing – recipe for Hot Beef Salad, which is a savory meat sauce over Romain lettuce.

We’ll get three full serves.

• The dry aged ground beef was $9.35 or $3.12 per serve
• Romain lettuce was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Add 75c for the other ingredients.

A surprisingly good meal for $4.87 per serve. We thought the meat sauce would be better over a bowl of bean sprouts!