pantry and freezer week - day 7

Officially our last day of this challenge. However, we've decided to extend this challenge another week.  Really, it hasn't been much of a challenge since we "shop the perimeter" of the grocery store most of the time anyway.  We only grab a few staples from the isles:

• canned beans
• canned tomatoes/tomato sauce
• bread
• crackers
• coffee - but remember, sneaking into the isles for coffee is not breaking any rules!
• oatmeal - thank goodness we are well stocked!  
• pasta
• condiments
• frozen veggies

Most of these things we can make from scratch (like the amazing loaf of bread I baked today) and have plans to re-create some of our favorite in the isles staples (wheat thins anyone?)

What happens when my beloved steel cut oats run out?? Well I never said we couldn't order things online! Seriously, today I did the math and we can order a 25 pound bag (yes 25 pounds!!) of steel cut oats directly from Bob's Red Mill and pay only $1.52 per pound and that is with taking the crazy charge for shipping into account! A one pound bag of steel cut oats from Hy-Vee is about $3.18. Our manager at Hy-Vee is going to see if he can order the 25 pound whopper for us which could potentially save another big chunk of money!

I never thought I would be so excited about oatmeal.  :)

After an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast - made by the lovely Nic (oh - and FOUR more cookies!), we hit up Hy-Vee to fill our fridge with some much needed produce. Check out our loot:

Fruit::


Bananas, honey crisp apples, blueberries and moro oranges. Have you heard of moro oranges ever? I haven't and picked these up on impulse. They are awesome - but not orange at all!  I'll snap a quick photo before I eat the second one.

Veggies::


Organic spinach, carrots, eggplant, mixed bell peppers, jalapeno, onion, and grape tomatoes.

Produce::


Local organic eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, almonds and a departure from the usual soy milk - almond milk.


Our total rang in just under $53.

I whipped up a quick smoothie and had a small bowl of kashi + almond milk before I went to the Y to work. I was home 20 minutes later because someone double booked the short Sunday shift and two of us showed up. I was ecstatic and and let her take the shift and headed home with an additional 3.5 hours in my day.

I decided to mix up some whole wheat oatmeal bread for Nic and made another quick run to Hy-Vee for some flours (yes - I totally shopped the isles...) when the call came. The gal who decided to work, was too sick and asked if I could come in and really work this time.

I had no excuses, plus it was only for 3 hours.

So I worked, and then came home to finish the bread and prepare dinner.

Dinner was a he picks, she cooks, they clean night. Nic had pesto pasta with veggies and steak in mind and I was happy to comply.

I roasted some eggplant, onions, green peppers, carrots and grape tomatoes in a little bit of olive oil, garlic powder, pepper and balsamic while the pasta cooked.  Nic prepared the steak (freezer item) that he had marinated in red wine and pepper.

The pasta and roasted veggies were tossed with some homemade pesto sauce that was stashed in the freezer.



Delicious and simple.

I decided to go steak free, but did steal two bites of Nic's - it too was delicious.

Oh yeah, the bread I made was done just in time for dinner! I don't know if anything is more comforting than fresh out of the oven bread smeared with a little butter.  This bread is going to be our go-to loaf from now on.  It was that good. Crunchy crust and a soft center.



I followed this recipe down to the gram. Literally.



So what do you think of our pantry and freezer week challenge? Should I keep blogging about it??

In running news today - I had psyched myself up for a run, but ultimately decided to give my knee one more day of rest. I will run tomorrow - I need to run tomorrow. Four days off is just crazy.