Pantry Challenge: Day 2

Puzzle Boy went back to school today so our morning was the typical drive into the city to his school. He eats GF cereal on the way in, he's not a morning eater really. After I dropped him off, Mini Me and I hopped over to Whole Foods (my favorite store) to grab some gallons of organic milk and a few other missing items from the menu. I still need to go again for some basic things I have run out of (kosher salt anyone?). Here is what I bought today:

2 gallons of lowfat organic milk- $11.98
1/2 gallon of orange juice- $3.19
2 Odwalla smoothies (2/$5.00)- $5.00 + $.10 bottle deposit
1 cabbage (@ $1.29/lb)- $3.13
1 large bunch of celery- $2.49
1 package whole wheat burger buns (8)- $3.29

Total: $29.18

I drank one of the smoothies for breakfast and the other one will be tomorrows breakfast. I am not a morning person, ok? And I have given up coffee, my favorite thing. After tomorrow I will be making my own smoothies, today I fell victim to a sale and a twist top.

For lunch I had a sandwich with leftover ham and PB had GF pretzels with a clementine and cheese stick. Mini had a baby yogurt. The kids lunch items are staples in this house, I will be restocking by week 2 or 3.

For dinner it's lentil and ham bone soup. We had a ham bone in the freezer from my grandmother's Christmas party that needed to evacuate. I immediately thought of pea soup, a family fav, but alas I was out of dry split peas! I thought, out I will just grab some at the store tomorrow! Then my mom said, "No!" so I said "Lentils!". Let the innovation begin!

Lentil and Ham Bone Soup

1 meaty ham bone
1 lb green lentils
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small heart or 2 lg ribs of celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
salt to taste
6-8 cups of water (to cover by 1 inch)

Dump it all in your crock pot on low for about 6-8 hours until the lentils thicken the soup. Remove the bone and meat, chop up the meat and add it back. Remove the bay leaves, they might hurt your throat. Or leave them in, I hear it's good luck to the one who gets one in their bowl! Just don't eat them, I beg you.

Chop your veggies.

Add bay leaves.

And thyme.

Aaannd red pepper flakes.

Ready for the cover. It will be delicious!

Along with the soup I will be making bacon cornbread! YUM.





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