chinese broccoli and seitan

Asian Night

Last week was difficult, regarding meals. I did not plan my menu for the week, so we wound up having sandwiches, cereal and even the dreaded 'take out.' As the saying goes: 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.'

No arguments here!

Luckily, we have planned this week's meals and hopefully, even with it being back-to-school, we should be successful.

Tonight's meal was another one from Bryanna's Chinese Cookbook, and again, it was quite a success. I made it with my Firm Seitan, posted on the Seitan Page, and it was fantastic. Everyone loved it, but I think, even more importantly, they were all glad that mom cooked again.

I had my Lit Club today, so the meal needed to be fast and filling. Both were accomplished with this recipe because I had prepared the seitan last night, which is easy to do while you are doing other things.

Cost Breakdown:

broccoli: $3

seitan: $1.50

onion, garlic, ginger: $.75

brown bean sauce: $.50

rice: $.50

Total to feed a family of 5:

$6.25

creamy spinach and artichoke dip

Our homeschool group had our Not-Back-To-School potluck picnic today. I brought my Spinach and Artichoke Dip and it was a hit! One mom even called it "her dessert." It's great to have pleased a nice bunch of moms with something as easy as this.

I will be posting the recipe soon, so hang on. This has spinach, artichokes, Better Than Cream Cheese, veganaise, lemon, and roasted garlic. I've been making this for potlucks for years, always bringing home an empty dish.

A little about the cost.

I had to buy the artichokes from a Safeway store because Whole Foods was not open yet, and I paid $4 for a bottle of artichokes that I pay $2 for at Whole Foods. If you are fortunate enough to live near one and are not shopping there for the 'specialy' items, Whole Foods is a bargain. Their strict buying practices are a bonus as they do not sell anything of questionable ingredients; in fact, it was as a Whole Foods clerk was pulling  Willow brand margarine off the shelves that I learned the hazards of hydrogenated vegetable oil. Whole Foods does not deserve their 'whole paycheck' nickname if you shop for wholesome, great groceries.

Cost Breakdown:

spinach: $2

artichoke: $4

panko: $1

lemon: $.50

bread/cracker: $3

garlic, olive oil: :$.75

veganaise, Better than Cream Cheese: $3

Total to feed 15 people apps:

$14.25