Save Your Money- Buy Our Groceries: Vol. 29

2 people, 5 days, 70 bucks or less

For more info on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

Breakfast

• BLT-E

Lunch

• Black Bean Salad with Carrot Jalapeno Soup

Dinner

• Shredded Cuban Beef with Rice and Avocado

Snack

• Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad

THE GROCERY LIST  (for 2 people)

• 12 english muffins
• lettuce for BLT-E
• 3 bags baby greens
• cilantro
• mint
• 1 bag of carrots
• celery
• 4 tomatoes
• 3 lbs. flank steak, chuck roast or shoulder roast
• turkey bacon
• 1 watermelon
• 2 jalapeno chiles
• 1 sweet onion
• 3 yellow onions
• 1 red onion
• garlic
• 4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers (or a mix)
• 3 avocados
• sharp cheddar
• crumbled feta
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas
• 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• long grain white rice
• small heavy cream
• dozen eggs

WHAT WE ALREADY HAD AT HOME

• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• cooking spray
• cumin
• crushed red pepper flakes
• red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• dried oregano
• Tabasco
• mayonnaise

PREP ON SUNDAY

Black Eyed Peas

• 2 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Mix everything up in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Store covered in the fridge for the week.

Onion and Watermelon for the snack

• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 watermelon, cut into 1- 1 1/2 inch cubes

Store chopped melon and onion in containers in the fridge for the week.

Carrot Jalapeno Soup

• 3 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 bag of carrots, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon in a heavy pot or dutch oven over medium high heat until crisp.  Add carrots, onion and celery and cook until onion is softened.  Add jalapeno, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook an additional 3 minutes.  Add broth, scrape bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot or blend in small batches until smooth and return to the pot.  Stir in cheese and stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat, stir in salt, pepper and cream.  Store in the fridge for the week.

Shredded Cuban Beef

• 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 4 bell peppers, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
• 2 onions, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• 3 lbs. beef (whatever you bought)

Put everything in a slow cooker, evenly spreading the vegetables over and under the meat.  Salt and pepper everything (about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper).  Cook on low, covered for 8 hours.  using two forks, shred the beef and mix into the cooking liquid.  Store in the fridge for the week.

BREAKFAST- 10 minutes

BLT-E

• 2 eggs
• 2 english muffins
• 1 slice turkey bacon
• lettuce
• 2 slices of tomato
• mayonnaise

Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat for about 1 minute per side or until crisp.  While that cooks, toast both muffins.  Remove bacon from pan and cut in half.  Spray the hot pan with cooking spray or throw in a pat of butter.  Crack both eggs into the pan.   Cook about 1 minute per side or until desired done-ness.  Lay one egg on the bottom of each muffin.  Top with bacon, then lettuce and then tomato.  Spread a little mayo on the top half of the english muffin and finish off both sandwiches.  Eat!

LUNCH- 5 minutes

Black Bean Salad with Carrot Jalapeno Soup

• 2 heaping handfuls baby greens
• 1/5th of the black beans from Sunday, divided in half
• 1/5th of the carrot soup, divided between 2 bowls and reheated
• 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped

Divide the greens between two plates, top with the beans and lightly toss to combine.  Top the reheated soup with cilantro and serve with the salad.

DINNER- 35 minutes

Shredded Cuban Beef with Rice and Avocado

• 1/5 of the beef, reheated
• 1/2 of an avocado, peeled and sliced thinly
• chopped cilantro for sprinkling
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup rice
• Tabasco
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Salt
  

Heat 2 cups of water in a small saucepan to boiling over high heat.  Stir in the rice, cumin, a sprinkle of salt and a couple of dashes of Tabasco.  Bring back to a boil, lower heat to very low and cover.  Cook 18-30 minutes depending on the package directions.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and divide half of it between two plates.  Store the other half in the fridge for the next day.   Top the rice with half of the beef and avocado per plate.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

SNACK-  2 minutes

Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad

• 1/5th of the watermelon cubes
• 1/5th of the sliced sweet onion
• 1/4 cup feta
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• red wine vinegar

In a bowl, mix the watermelon with the onion and mint.  Sprinkle with feta and drizzle with a little vinegar.  Toss to combine and divide between two bowls.