100 DOLLARS A WEEK PT.2 - Day 18 (Monday)...

Struggling on my fourth post of the day, misspelling words I never misspell, and forgetting even the most basic idioms (Do we kick or beat dead horses???), I realize the next few months are going to be an exercise in compromise.

I get my energy back, I lose brain cells.

There have been times - many, many times actually - when I would push aside the hand that my mind and body were putting in my face to try to tell me to just give it a rest.

Tonight I think I'll listen for the most part and just make this last one a real quick and dirty.

And on Monday...

BREAKFAST

was the rest of those apple turnovers and some coffee.

I do love me some flaky pastry...

2 apple turnovers $0.25
+ 2 cups of coffee $0.40

= $0.60 FOR BREAKFAST FOR 2

LUNCH

was a most delightfully hit the spot sort of turkey, tomato, and avo on croissant sandwich with a couple of healthy schmears of that Best Foods mayo I've been craving so much.

2 croissants $0.75
+ some turkey $1.00
+ 1 avocado $0.25
+ 1 tomato $0.25
+ some mayo and pickled peppers $0.25

= $2.50 FOR LUNCH FOR 2

SNACK

was a couple of those oranges I bought on Saturday. Here's the thing: I know better than to buy super early crops.

I don't know if you've ever noticed, but sometimes, markets will advertise that something is the *FIRST CROP!!!!!!* as if that's a good thing. In my experience, the first crop or two of a season typically yields unripe or immature fruit. I'm sure there's a scientific explanation for it, but it's almost like the first crop is a tree's practice run before it spits out the really good fruit.

And these oranges sure tasted like the first crop. >.<

Which means the rest are getting made into juice (with sugar in it) or marmalade.

2 oranges $0.20

= $0.20 FOR SNACK

DINNER

was that Vietnamese sweet and sour fish soup (called canh chua ca) made with some tomatoes, onion, leeks, garlic, pineapple, ginger, and catfish. Even with a few substitutions, it hit all the notes I was looking for in this cold weather.

Close-up of that moist, flaky, deliciously fatty catfish... :)

And can I just say how very loverly it is to be able to enjoy every last thing I make with the Man? That he digs into each new dish with a sense of gusto and adventure is such a gift.

a whole catfish $5.15
+ a third of the pineapple $0.35
+ 4 tomatoes $0.80
+ 1 leek $1.50
+ an onion scrap, some garlic cloves, and a few slices of ginger $0.20
+ 1 chayote $0.40
+ 1 cup of jasmine rice $0.50

= $8.90 FOR DINNER (4 servings)

DESSERT

was a shared scoop of strawberry ice cream with a ribbon of honey.

= $0.40 FOR DESSERT

$12.60 spent on Monday.

Friday 12/02 - $6.75
Saturday 12/03 - $15.80
Sunday 12/04 - $14.60
Monday 12/05 - $12.60

$49.75 spent with three days left to go in the week.

Off to watch the rest of this epi of Top Chef in Texas, and I think I'm done for the day.

shinae