Day 3 Groceries

I just spent 2 hours in the library and another 1 hour in the grocery store with a calculator and I officially figured out the first 2 week budget!! I am very much hoping that it won't take this long each time... stupid math.

Also I may be grocery shopping on a budget but there are three things I don't compromise on.
1. When shopping for eggs it goes first choice local small farm, second choice free range, third choice (when I'm feeling all fancy and lush) free range organic. Luckily my store sells cheap local eggs.
2. Then there's peanut butter. I always buy organic because of something scary someone told me once about using peanut plants to clean up toxic waste and then still using the first crop of peanuts for eating, yech.
3. I do my damndest to buy my meat products like my eggs.

The first part of my list is items that I won't use in two weeks but over the entire 13 week period so their cost will be divided by 6 and subtracted from the $25 bi-weekly allowance:

Mayonnaise $6.29/6 = $1.04
Grainy Mustard $2.49 = $0.42
Soya Sauce $2.28/6 = $0.38
Sesame Seeds $3.75/6 = $0.63
Organic Peanut Butter $3.87 = $0.64
Lemon Juice Concentrate $1.89 = $0.32

Total $3.43

Groceries

Lettuce $1.99
1 Yellow Pepper $1.76
1 Green Pepper $0.55
1 Large Zucchini $1
Celery $2.69
Yogurt Plain $2.99
Local Eggs $2.06
Local Chicken Sausages $3.78

1 Can Diced Tomatoes $0.99
1 Can Tomato Paste $0.66
1 Can Chickpeas $0.99
Flour $1
One Yeast Packet $0.66

Total $24.56

Awesome sauce.

And so this post isn't too horrifically boring (dolla' dolla' bills y'all) I also made hummus today.

Hummus

In a food processor combine:
1 large can Chickpeas - rinse them in a colander over the sink first
2-3 cloves of garlic - I don't own a garlic press and use finely chopping garlic as an excuse to practice my chopping skills.
1 teaspoon cummin
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Buzz this stuff a bit till it's kind of a course meal texture then gradually add some oil while it running until the hummus reaches the right consistency.

What is the right consistency, you might ask? Smooth not grainy but don't add so much oil that it seperates. Just add some, look at it, taste, add some more, whuge the food processor, maybe add some more, taste it again, adjust the seasoning, etc.

You could also put some cayenne in here if you want to turn up the heat or roast the garlic in the oven at 400 for a little more than 30 minutes in a piece of tinfoil with oil for an even fancier hummus experience.

Enjoy!!!