where i've been...

Bossa Nova [back] and Pablo, missing F-stop.

Apologies for my recent absence from the blogosphere. My sweet F-stop has been in the hospital for the past 3 weeks. So, as you can imagine, my mind is on things far more important than cooking and blogging. Please send F-stop healing vibes. I'll be back as soon as I can. xx

$25 vegan dollar store challenge :: part 2

A relatively healthy, abundant grocery haul that cost less than $25

I learned a lot by participating in the first $25 Vegan Dollar Store Challenge. The concept in a nutshell:  how healthily and frugally can you eat using a $25, shopping only at the dollar store?

Family Dollar Haul: Raisins, oats, almonds, lentils, navy beanbrown rice

Coincidentally, Melody and I purchased our items from Dollar Tree dollar stores. Realizing that not everyone actually has access to Dollar Tree stores – and wanting to prove a point about being able to eat healthier within a budget regardless of where you live – I decided to shop at another discount chain called Family Dollar. [Frugalistas take note, they occasionally offer coupons] Unlike Dollar Tree, prices vary in this store but they are generally cheaper than average – and I was surprised to find that many items were actually cheaper than at Dollar Tree. Canned veggies, for example, cost under $1, while other items, like oat and tortilla chips [my weakness, with salsa] cost a bit more than $1.

Tomato sauce [Spoiler alert: SO good!], salsa, diced tomatoes, japapeños, Italian seasoning

My shopping rules were simple: $25 or below, no preservatives, additives or artificial colorings; whole foods only. 

Yes you CAN eat better on a budget: Black beans x 2, corn, carrots, and 'shrooms (x2)

My main frugalista takeaways:

• Whether you shop at Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Whole Foods or online, you need to know your prices. Take note of the per pound or per unit price of items you usually buy. Empower yourself with knowledge.
• You may need to shop at several different stores to get the best price. This does not mean you need to run all over town to buy groceries. But try working various stores into your usual errand routes so save money and time.
• Buy in bulk, within reason. When you see a great deal, snag it. And store it, keeping in mind your own storage situation. We don't want to turn into hoarders, so buy only what you will use up in a few months.
• Some items purchased at discount stores taste as good as, or better than, those purchased at overpriced health food stores [Watch for specifics on upcoming posts. But – SPOILER ALERT, I am loving Family Dollar Tomato Sauce] 
• Reading labels is more important than ever. As optimistic as this challenge may appear, finding healthy dollar store foods is like looking for a needle in a haystack [hence the name "challenge"]. More than 90% of the food in discount stores is just plain nasty. Frankenfoods. Read labels and don't put crap in your body, regardless of your budget. Everyone deserves whole foods.

The details....not bad for $23.70

Here's what I bought. Keep in mind, it's not Whole Foods, so try not to be too critical, understanding that not everyone has access to fancy-pants markets. I'll share how I use these items in some upcoming posts, in combination with fresh vegetables and pantry staples.

• 1 container Quick Oats
• 1 small box raisins
• 1 bag brown rice
• 1 bag slices almonds
• 1 bag dried lentils
• 1 bag dried navy beans
• 1 can Family Dollar tomato sauce 
• 1 jar salsa
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 small container Italian seasoning
• 1 small can hot chiles [jalapeños]
• 2 cans black beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 can sliced carrots
• 2 small cans mushrooms
• 1 can sauerkraut
• 1 bag nachos
• 1 can spinach
• 1 bag gingersnaps

I'm happier if I enjoy occasional treats like these in moderation.
Healthy? Not exactly. But they are vegan and made from whole foods. 

What's your favorite, money-saving trick for healthy meals?

bobby flay stoneware lasagna pan review

Press sample for review

I received a gorgeous, stoneware Bobby Flay Lasagna Pan to review. It's a real eye-pleaser with its dark base and a deep sangria color. I also love the fact that the pan has handles on either end, although they look like they could break after some wear/tear and clumsiness. It's an oversized lasagna pan – 9.5 x 14.25 inches, as compared to the traditional 9 x 13 inch pan, which makes for generous servings.

"Love handles" on the Bobby Flay Lasagna Pan, I love them.

The label says the pan is safe up to 375°, which coincidentally happens to be the temperature at which you bake most lasagna recipes. It also says the pan is microwave and dishwasher safe. I don't know about you, but this would never fit in my tiny, city kitchen microwave [it barely holds my coffee cup!]. And because of the handles and this size of the pan, I would not feel comfortable placing it in the dishwasher.

I thought the burnt-on tomato sauce would make for a difficult clean up. I was wrong.

I tested out the pan by making my creamy-dream vegan Butternut Squash Lasgana. My lasagna baked evenly, and I enjoyed the depth of the dish. It made for quite a dramatic presentation – even though I was eating solo! After baking, quite a bit of my tomato sauce had baked onto the pan, as you can see in the photo, and I was certain cleaning it would be a pain. I filled the pan with dish soap and warm water and went for a run. When I came back, the crispy sauce stains came right off – a real plus in my eyes!

The pans retail at Kohl's for $44.99. Several cheery colors are available.

Pros: Aesthetically pleasing, classic design. Handles make for easy transport from oven to table. Dishwasher and microwave safe [caveat: I did not test using these appliances]. Affordable elegance. List price is $44.99 but it looks like a more costly Le Creuset pan. I just checked on the Kohl's web site and it looks like they are now on sale for $34.99, which sounds like an excellent price for such a swanky piece.

Cons: Excessive packaging. The Bobby Flay label enveloped the entire pan, which I really don't have a problem with; it's his line, after all. What irked me is that all of this packaging was glued to the bottom of the pan. Of course you expect to wash any new pan or or utensil. But removing that glue took quite a bit of elbow grease – not what I was expecting. Heaviness: it's a blessing in the looks department but a curse on the practicality side – quite heavy and cumbersome to remove from the oven.

The glue from the packaging was a pain to remove.

Would I buy this? Being cheap, if I had to purchase an actual lasagna pan, I would probably go for the more frugal, plain glass Pyrex 9 X 13. But I must say, after testing this pan out, I would definitely purchase other Bobby Flay bakeware items, especially when they're on sale. [And I am very happy to own this lasagna pan.]