2010 pantry challenge

Pantry Challenge Update

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5 Suggestions on How to Make a Pantry Challenge Successful:

  1. The first thing you need to do is figure out why you want to have a pantry challenge, how much money you will need to spend on produce to make it successful and how long you think you will be able to do it.  Also, don’t get so caught up in how long you do the pantry challenge because you might get a week and half in like I have and decide that you don’t have enough stocked in the pantry to go any further.
  2. Check out the weekly circulars for your local grocery stores before heading out to shop.  This is a great way to find out what is on sale and you can use this to your advantage when planning your menu/outline of meals for the week.
  3. Look at recipes before you go shopping whether it’s online, in cookbooks or asking friends for advice on what to use with the items already in your pantry. Having an outline as to what you are going to make for the week will help to keep you on track and help to calm any frustration that might occur.
  4. Visit your local farmers market! Many times these are the places where you are going to get the best deals on produce and it’s local and many times organic which are two great bonuses! If you are like me and live in a northern climate farmers markets in the late fall/winter/early spring months are limited and don’t carry a vast amount of produce but are still worth checking out.
  5. Lastly, have fun! Get in the kitchen and just enjoy cooking and using those products that you have been stocking up.  It’s spring cleaning for your cupboards!

Pantry Challenge Update

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So I started the pantry challenge this week and so far we have been going strong making some yummy dishes.  Last night was our eat out night we went to Angeleno’s for veggie pizza, salad and Badger Mountain Organic Reisling. 

Click to Visit Website

 

I was sent this great baking book a little while back and have been baking a ton from it.  I made the dinner biscuits for Thanksgiving and just this week I made the raspberry bars and the cinnamon bread.  All the recipes in this book are dairy, egg and nut free and although it is not officially vegan it just happens to all be vegan.  

I love how this book has photographs for the all the recipes it makes baking easier when you know what the final result should look like.  I honestly am not the greatest baker it’s more my husbands forte but with this book I seem to be able to do a great job baking anything (well that’s in it).

Raspberry Bars from The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book

 

Other things I have been making:

Spicy Hoisin Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

 

Servings: 1 large serving or 2 small serving

Ingredients:

  • 1 t canola oil
  • 1 cup Chickpeas, drained
  • 8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced 
  • 1/2 T hoisin suace
  • 1 t sirracha
  • 1 t sambel oelek 
  • 1/4 t onion powder
  • 1/4 t garlic powder
  • pepper
  • 1/2 t arrowroot

 

6 Boston Lettuce or Romaine leaves for serving

Directions:

Heat canola oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes until softened.  Add all other ingredients EXCEPT the arrowroot.  Stir everything together and let saute for 3-4 minutes until bubbly and caramelized.  Sprinkle on the arrowroot and stir together.  

To Serve:

Fill the lettuce leaves with the chickpea mixture; fold like a taco and ENJOY!

 

Hazelnut Coffee & Oats with stevia, almond butter and banana

 

Oh and Don’t forget about my NibMor Chocolate giveaway- click here to enter

Blogger Disclosure:  Cooking For A Vegan Lover received this book at no cost from the company for review.

Pantry Challenge 2010

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I have decided that it is time for a pantry challenge.  Basically I will only be allowed to buy $30 of fresh produce a week and non-dairy milk for the remainder of the month, we have a CSA that comes every 2 weeks so we will have this produce on top of the purchased. Also minimal going out to eat, this means only going out to eat once a week. I have a packed pantry but I always seem to be buying more.   This challenge will help me do a number of things:

1. create new recipes 

2. save money 

3. ensures not wasting food

I’m excited to see how well I do, while still eating healthy. Have you ever tried a pantry challenge? How well did it go for you?