Sunday Soup

I am not always diligent about bringing lunch to work five days a week, even though it is admittedly much less expensive than spending $7.99 on a sandwich Downtown.

As a solution, I started making what I affectionately call, "Sunday Soup." The recipe changes weekly, but it is a basic homemade vegetable soup. It costs about $10-$14 per week to make a batch for 5 days.

Here is a typical Sunday Soup recipe:
-1 1/2 box of Nature's Promise vegetable broth (2 for $4).
-1 carton of pre-sliced fresh mushrooms ($1.99)
-1 onion (bag of 10 for $2)
-1 bag of fresh spinach ($1.99)
-can of petite diced tomatoes ($.75)
-can of chick peas ($.89)
-1 green zucchini (price varies per week)
-1-2 cubes (clove) of frozen Trader Joe's garlic
-pepper to taste.

On different occasions I have made variations with asparagus, lentils, pasta, broccoli, green beans, and peas.

Cooking the mushrooms, onion, and zucchini before adding the broth can add flavor, but I usually start with broth too keep the oil ingredient low. Keep the broth on medium heat and start with the harder vegetables first. Spinach goes in last, since it will weep very quickly.

I have found that this soup is very easy and can be done while cramming in some reading for school.

Introduction

Hi Team--

This blog is about how I do deliciousness on a budget. Okay, sometimes I am not good at sticking to my budget. BUT I love to eat. I mostly shop for groceries at a Stop and Shop or at Trader Joe's and spend under $50,($40 on a good day) per week.

I am a vegetarian, but I do eat fish (so I guess if you are a stickler, that's a pescetarian).

I never considered myself a cook, but I really love to eat. Choosing to be a vegetarian at age 11 taught me the essentials of cooking, but had I written a blog then, the main kitchen utensil would have been a microwave.

Since moving into an apartment with a big, open kitchen, while trying to limit the number of times a week I ate out, I have tried to become more creative with my "deliciousness." Working full time and taking a full graduate courseload, however, does not permit me with much time to make elaborate four course meals.

I basically grew up watching daytime cooking shows, begging my parents to change the channel because they seemed boring and unrelatable. Now the Food Network is one of my guilty pleasures but Paula Deane is not really my style, and it can be frustrating when the Barefoot Contessa's ingredients for one dish are more than 50% of my weekly grocery bill.

Sometimes I use published recipes, but mostly I pull pieces off the internet or make up my own concoction entirely. While my mother and grandmother have stacks of delicious family recipes and comfort food, I just could never get behind the pot roast. I am still not ready to own a Kitchen Aide stand mixer-- that still cuts a bit too deep.

Furthermore, I am not a baker, so do not expect beautifully designed cakes or muffins.

Since I love eating and dining out so much, I will also post about restaurant experiences. (That's the part where I go off budget.)

Please feel free to share your own experiences, recipes, coupons, and advice.