Sans Meat

Groceries can be quite expensive. Even with my secret weapon known as Pine Hill, it's tough to keep our grocery bill under $200 a month. Meat seems to be our greatest grocery expense. As a guideline, I don't pay more than $2 per pound of any kind of meat. It helps that I'm not a very big meat eater; Kb, on the other hand, strongly believes that no meal is complete without a healthy dose of meat.

As of late, it's been my personal mission to sneak in a meal here and there that does not include any meat. The reviews have been mixed.

Last weekend, I made corn and black bean taquitos for our evening meal to accompany football watching. The oven-crisped shell really sets these taquitos apart from your average taco. I left out the fancy stuff (like jalapenos and lime juice) and added some leftover brown rice to make them even more filling.  They definitely achieved "make again" status. I don't think Kb even notice the lack of meat!

Today, on the other hand, was a different story. I made broccoli cheddar soup. I am not a big fan of broccoli or most vegetables, but I need to get over it, and this is a step. I knew this was going to be a stretch for Kb too because there is no hiding the lack of meat. So I paired the soup with a whole wheat baguette that I scored from Pine Hill. I mean it's practically like eating at Panera! Evidently, it didn't make a difference. As I was filling Kb's bowl, he asked,

"So what are we gonna EAT after we have THAT?"

Oops.

It really didn't turn out that well. No worries. I redeemed myself with a different sort of cheesy dish.

Yum. These cheese balls are quite scrumptious. Kb agrees. They also have great redemptive qualities.
 And guess what? They have no meat!