Curried Carrot Soup: A Cozy Start to September

Starting September off with a sultry soup for Sunday!

Both recipes combined should take:
25 minutes Cook Time
10 minutes Prep Time
Will Feed 4-6 People

Remember that astronomically large bag of carrots I told you to buy for dirt cheap!? Well if you didn’t buy it, you won’t be enjoying a lovely, soul-carressing soup on Sunday (unless you are awesome, and have carrots growing in your garden)... regardless, if you are ill-prepared, take a looksy and decide for yourself whether it’s worth your while to put on your next menu!

To start the meal off right, we need some stick-to-your-bones rice. Yummmm! Of the coconut variety! Double Yummmm! For Sunday evening, we will be enjoying white Jasmine Rice. I feel it’s necessary to clarify on this one, because I have not tried making coconut rice with brown or basmati, and though I imagine it would still taste delicious, I cannot vouch for it, so for quality control purposes, I recommend white with this soup!

I have a rice cooker, a thrifty little find whilest I was poppin’ tags at my local thrift store, but you can make this dish in a regular pot on the stove.

For this recipe you will need:

• 3 cups rice
• 3 cups water (after rinsing)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup Sugar (optional)

To start, put your rice in your cooking pot, then rinse 3 or 4 times by filling the pot up to cover the rice, then dumping the cloudy water down the sink, being careful not to pour out the rice along with the dirty water. After rinsing, you will notice that your rice has become waterlogged, which is plenty fine, even desirable, so don’t even try to get all the water out!

 

Next, add a measured 2 cups of water, the coconut milk, and sugar if you like your rice on the sweet side. I usually do, but have found it’s not absolutely necessary when eating with our soup of choice today! But I digress, add it if you like...I’m going to!

The next step finishes your rice up! Put it in your rice cooker and click go! Or if you have a standard stove pot, put it on a burner on high, allow it to come to a boil, then put the lid on and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Voilà!

Now for the Curried Carrot Soup!

For this you will need:

• 3 lbs of carrots, chopped into discs
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 Small Onion, Chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Curry Powder
• 6 cups water + 6 teaspoons Veggie Base,
  or 6 cups Vegetable Stock

Saute the chopped onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent, stirring often so that the garlic doesn’t burn! Add the carrots and curry powder, stirring to coat. Add water and bouillon granules (Veggie Base), or stock, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Transfer HALF of the carrots and broth to a blender and puree until smooth, then recombine with the rest of the pot. You can puree the whole soup, however I find people enjoy this soup better with meaty chunks of carrots to chow down on!

How’s that for simple, satisfying and quick?! Quick is a feat for Vegan meals, but I will gladly hand over my arsenal! Enjoy!

Almond Milk! Liquid Gold…

Per your Master Grocery List, I recommended you purchase soy milk, which is quick and convenient, plus it’s only 1.25 per 32 ounce box! I have also found that Almond milk at Fred Meyer works out to 1.25 per 32 ounces, in the refrigerated section...so we like to pick up a couple jugs of the chocolate kind for coffee and for the girls so that they have another source of nutrients, variety means more health benefits!

You also have the option of purchasing from Amazon.com, for a slightly higher price, but you won't have to pay for gas...You will have to do the math on that one! There is also a three-nut blend that is even less per box, but still a bit more than our 1.25, however it is the cheapest online version, and I know new members (And I'm pretty sure AmazonMoms) get free shipping! Subscribing for routine deliveries will also save you money per box. OR you can snag that little Nut Milk Bag for making your own, as I'm about to show you, however I do just use a kitchen towel!

I have not been able to find non-dairy milk cheaper than this, if you have, please enlighten me!!! However, I have found a cheat to making your own Almond Milk! You must purchase the raw, unsalted, unroasted kind, which is not the highlighted one from Costco on your Food Chart, but rather the Winco bulk version for about $3.80 per pound.

If you purchase one pound, you will be able to make THREE 32 ounce jars of Almond Milk, bringing the price to $1.25 per 32 ounces. I know, that sounds like the same price as just buying it in the store! BUT WAIT! At the end of the process you will also have gorgeous Almond MEAL that is very expensive to purchase in store, but you will just have as a byproduct of your valiant efforts! The almond meal can then be tastefully added to your granola, instead of buying another nut for that, which will save you at least $2 if you only intended to put peanuts in there, more if you intended on almonds or cashews!

Now, to start this wonderful process!

“Cook” Time: 8 hours
Prep Time: 3 minutes

Makes 32 ounces

For this recipe you will need a blender or food processor and:

• 1 cup Almonds (equivalent to ⅓ pound)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons Agave (or Honey if you are not a strict Vegan)
• 4 cups water, plus more for soaking

First step is to soak your almonds overnight, for at least 8 hours. When they are finished soaking, discard the soaking water. Soaking helps the awesome enzymes in the almonds awaken and provide added health benefits to you! Otherwise the nutrients aren’t readily absorbed by your body, curse of the tannin inhibitor, but we will unlock the nutrients, namely Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids for our bodies to enjoy!

Now toss those lovelies into your blender! The Ninja version is a knockout for nuts! Add your water, agave, and vanilla, then puree on high for 1 minute.

Transfer your almond soup into a cloth lined bowl. I use a clean dishcloth, any finely woven fabric or cheesecloth will do! Use the cloth to strain the almond sediments out of the milk, squeeze every succulent drop out! 

You are left with golden delicious almond meal, which should be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge until you are ready to use it, if you are not making granola right away. 

Same goes for your ready to drink Almond Milk! It will store for 7 to 10 days, but remember to shake slightly before pouring, as it continually separates.

Presto! Delish non-dairy milk, and your new nut to add to your granola! Soaked for nutritional perfection! Enjoy!

You’d Better Pay For That!

Don’t be shy to return things for the sake of a better 
deal! 

So my sweet little girls are signed up for ballet! And yes, I shopped around for months and months, both for a cheap deal and a class that would host the both of them since they are only a year apart. I did finally find a solution to my ballet dilemma, Elegance Dance in Everett! I really hit the jackpot with this studio, as it’s 7 minutes away from my house, takes my 1 ½ and 2 ½ year old toddlers, annnnnnd is 30 dollars a month each! And no Registration Fee! What a steal! Thank you LivingSocial (plus if you buy your groupons on days that they have 10 dollar off deals, it brings the price down to 25 for that first month!), granted the price will go up to 40 a month eventually, but that’s still cheaper than everywhere else I’ve encountered!

What I didn’t take into consideration when I was shopping around was how quickly I would now need 2 leotards, 2 pairs of pink tights, and 2 pairs of ballet shoes! So then came crunch time! I scurried around my local consignment stores searching for the items in question, and I was able to acquire one leotard for $3...but just that, only one. So then I hunted at JC Pennies for tights, because I recalled that they always carry them for $2 a pair, but they were sold out! I scouted Amazon.com and eBay for deals on ballet uniforms, but to little more avail than a price to beat! I shopped at Target, Fred Meyer, Sears...and on...finally I stopped by Petticoat Junction, the official dance supplier in my area, and alas, they had the items I needed in stock, and for a couple dollars cheaper than anywhere else.

The problem was after everything was said and done, the total came to 68 dollars! I just couldn’t stomach that setback, that is a wardrobe in our house! So I happened to be at the mall, playing at the free playplace (I love mall fieldtrips!) when I noticed that Payless was having a BOGO (Buy One Get One…) Half Off Sale!!! Annnnnd, I always have Payless Coupons, because I am a member (and you should be too! It’s worth it!). So we stopped in! We were able to get two pairs of ballet shoes for $24!!! Our previous price on shoes was 20 a pair! We saved 16 dollars! They also had tights there for $4 a piece, but BOGO brings that down to $3 a pair if you buy one for each girl right then.

Then I checked out Target’s online clearance...which I do from time to time, and lo and behold they had a lovely leotard! (And still do! Check it out here!) It is half the price I was looking at for a leotard from Petticoat Junction! Plus, if you’re a REDCard holder, a debit card only usable at Target that links directly to your bank account, you get 5% off and free shipping! Because the thing is, even though we checked the physical Target location by our house, they don’t always have the same clearance items there as they do online.

Now that we are coming up to the new ballet season, Amazon and eBay have new listings that should make your ballet uniform CHEAP!

Check out these used slippers! More Sizes From This Seller!!! Cheapest I've found for slippers, obviously, an even better steal than what I was able to scrounge up! Sizes 7, 8, and 9!

So our new grand total:  41 dollars for alllllllll of it!

Happy with my savings, I trudged back to Petticoat Junction for the return. Normally I do a “walk of shame” up to the cash register, because I feel guilty that I can’t afford the products I just bought. But this time was different, I saved a whole 27 buying thriftily! THAT is something to be proud of! Sure, a little more time would have yielded even better results from my lovely consignment stores, but this savings was nothing to be ashamed of! You should never be shy to return things for the sake of a better deal, even if it’s only a couple dollars! Sure it would be more gracious to do the tremendously thrifty shopping ahead of time, but hey, we are all human!

A Vegan Monthly Meal Calendar

Now it’s time for the MENU that is supported by all the groceries you just bought! However, I usually recommend making your menu and then purchasing items accordingly, that way you can plan your return trips for produce if you don’t grow it yourself!

To get the printable version, click the link above!

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1:Curried Carrot Soup and Coconut Rice	2: Burritos	3: Shepherds Pie	4: Mashed Potatoes with Miso Gravy and Chips with Pea Puree	5: Pasta with Red Peppers and Cream Sauce	6: Classic Burgers with Tots	7: Stir Fry
8: Thai Coconut Soup and Anise Rice	9: Chimichangas	10: Tator Tot Casserole	11: Simple Sesame Noodles and Rustic Roasted Veggies	12: Spaghetti with Foccacia Bread	13: Burgers with Avocado Aioli and Green Beans	14: Creamy Curried Veggies on Rice
15: Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup and Biscuits	16: Tostadas	17: Red Beans and Rice	18: Potatoes Au Gratin and Sweet Steamed Carrots	19:Macaroni and Cheez with Peas	20: Balsamic Burgers with Tots	21: Pizza
22:Homemade Pho (Or vegetable stew)	23: Taquitos	24: Mulligatawny (Very Thick Potato Pepper "Soup"-eat alone or with rice)	25: Baked Potatoes and Chips with Onion and Cheez Aioli	26: Coconut Cream Sauce Pasta with Zucchini	27: Roasted Veggie Burgers with Baked Beans	28: Paninis
29: Mushroom and Barley Soup with Fancy Biscuits	30:Taco Salad in Mini Tortilla Bowls	1: Zucchini Delight (Casserole made from leftover Baked Beans, Potatoes and Zucchini)	2: Steamed Veggies and Garlic Roasted Potatoes with Hollandaise	3: Bean Balls with Marinara over Noodles	4: Mushroom Loaded Burger with Tots	5: Peanut Sauce on Steamed Veggies and Rice

Please keep the list of acidic and alkaline foods in mind while you make your menu, and then your grocery list. I am including this step for the more advanced foodies for a little challenge! The body’s blood performs best at a slightly alkaline state, warding off illness and disease, yet the foods our country is most likely to consume are acidic...even as I type this, I’m drinking my morning coffee, very acidic.

For those of you who want to try out a vegan diet for a month, don’t worry about acidic or alkaline foods, you are already making a wonderful step towards having a healthy body! Check out Forks Over Knives for inspiration! 

(Or buy the movie and cookbook for future reference!) Remember, you don’t have to be a strict vegan to achieve the health benefits, you could be a dietary vegan (like myself) or a flexitarian that eats around 90% vegan foods, but has no qualms with some meat or dairy once in awhile (much like our first generation agrarian ancestors), this was our family in the beginning. I am providing links to the best prices I've found, (the middle one is to rent it) however, the movie is available on Netflix if you have that service!

As a general rule of thumb, to make meal planning run more smoothly, we have administered “Soupy Sunday,” “Mexican Monday,” “Tuesday Two Casseroles,” “Potato Wednesday,” “Pasta Thursday,” “Friday Burger Night,” and “Super Awesome Saturday.” Tuesday Two Casseroles is dedicated to making a double batch of casseroles, because sometimes you run into a dinner crisis, sometimes an event comes up and you need to bring food, sometimes you have guests over and you need to feed a crowd, and sometimes you know someone in need who could use a quick, reheatable meal! Super Awesome Saturday is host to those wonderful meals that always take a little longer, or require a little bit more expensive ingredients if you have a couple dollars left!

For Breakfasts you will make: Granola, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sandwiches, and batches of Pancakes and Waffles for the weekends!

For Lunches you will eat: Leftovers and Salads, you should have plenty of carrots, cucumber, beans, and salad dressing for some delish salads...toss in some crumbled tortilla chips or make bread, let half of it go stale, then bake it into croutons!

For snacks you have the tools to make hummus dip for carrots, dips for chips, super awesome and amazingly healthy for you double chocolate cookies, banana and zucchini breads, toast, and chocolate pudding!

Don’t fret just yet, recipes are coming! Most of the items on your menu you can look up and go for it, but for the sake of utilizing your food stores wisely, I intend to provide you with all the tools you need to keep your budget!