Author: Philip

Lunch

We enjoyed some of the remaining Popeyes Fried Chicken cold with homemade Coleslaw.

• We will get four serves from the chicken at $5.10 per serve
• Coleslaw Mix adds 45c per serve
• Dressing ingredients add 40c per serve.

A quite tasty meal for $5.95 per serve.

Dinner

Although it was Forth of July, it was also Meatless Monday so we had a Quesadilla with Fried Eggs.

• The Sun-dried Tomato Wrap is $1.00 per serve
• Half a can of refried beans, shared across two halves is 26c per serve
• We used sliced Chipotle Cheddar at 86c per serve
• Eggs add 75c per serve (average)
• Salsa adds another 80c per serve.

Although it should have been good, the end result was a very stogy Quesadilla and we both left half on the plate, for $3.62 per serve.

Lunch

It had been a long time, but we decided on Popeye’s Fried Chicken for lunch. Surprisingly there was no special so we picked up an Eight Piece Pack that ended up with 13 pieces. Score!

The total of $25.68 with tax, included eight pieces and a Large Red Beans and rice.

• $5.26 of the Red Beans and Rice at this meal for $2.63 per serve
• We will get four serves from the chicken at $5.10 per serve.

A nice change for $7.73 per serve.

Dinner

Rack of Lamb dropped off our recipe rotation for some reason, but it’s back tonight with a Raspberry, Feta and Mint Salad.

• The Rack of Lamb was $27.69, but we split that into two meals of two each, or $6.92 per serve
• Raspberries were on special for $1.49 and we used ½ of the punnet, or 38c per serve
• The Mixed Greens were $1.49 and we used half, or 38c each
• Mint was from our garden
• The Feta adds 48c per serve
• Add 15c for Dressing ingredients.

The slightly higher sous vide temperature definitely gives the meat a firmer, less slippery texture that we prefer, and the extended sear provides color and renders some the fat away. The Salad is a great complement for $8.31 per serve.

Lunch

We had the last two Beef Rissoles on a Ciabatta Roll, Caramelized Onion Cheddar and Arugula.

• The Ciabatta Roll is 58c per serve
• Arugula adds 40c per serve
• We used about ½ of the $5.75 Caramelized Onion Cheddar, or $1.44 per serve
• A Rissole adds 91c per serve.

This was a tasty roll for $3.42 per serve.

Dinner

Foodie Greg built a Dashi Broth and prepared a very nice Ramen Bowl with Bob Choy, Pork Belly, and an Onsen Tomato, or Hot Spring Egg.

• The Dashi Broth adds 89c per serve
• The Pork Belly is $6.49 or $3.25 per serve
• The Ramen is $1.63 per serve
• Bok Choy adds another 48c per serve
• A Pastured Egg adds 48c
• Add 60c per serve for other ingredients.

A very tasty meal, helped a long way by the Pork Belly, for $7.33 per serve.

Lunch

Since we like Smoked Salmon Bagels, and we like Smoked Trout, we wondered if we could substitute Smoked Trout on a “Smoked Salmon” Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c per serve
• We shared a 3.5oz can of Smoked Trout at $3.49 or $1.75 per serve
• Neufchatel adds 15c per serve
• Add 30c for Shallot and Capers
• Moonblush Cherry Tomatoes add 40c per serve
• Add 10c for Lettuce.

We decided that the Smoked Trout does not have the same ‘cut through’ that Smoked Salmon does, and the sandwich was rather dull for $3.28 per serve.

Dinner

Being Fishy Friday we settled on Striped Bass, a Vinegar Coleslaw and oven bake Waffle Fries.

• The Striped Bass was $4.68 per serve
• Coleslaw mix adds 45c per serve
• Coleslaw Dressing ingredients add 40c per serve
• The Waffle Fries were $1.49, and we shared half or 38c per serve.

The Vinegar Coleslaw from chef Ann Burrell is a particularly good match for the Fish, almost creating a “Malt Vinegar with Fish and Chips” vibe popular in Australia. Overall a quite good meal for $5.91 per serve.

Apart from Foodie Philip taking a quick trip to Montreal to speak at a conference, June was a very quiet month. The first third of May was most atypical as we were vacationing in Italy.

The averages for this month were within our range of “normal”. We did have less lunch take-out than typical.

• Lunch prepared at home $2.50 ($2.36 in May 22)
• Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $11.30 ($12.11)
• Dinner eaten at home: $4.58 ($4.97)
• Dinner prepared in a restaurant $20.87 ($16.61)

The variation is usually small month to month and June was within our normal range.

Our most expensive meal of the month (again) was the Bento Box with Tuna Tataki for $22.86.

This month, lunches at home cost 22% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Our evening meals prepared in the home are 22% of the cost of take-out meals.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $339.00 per person in Jun. We actually spent $57.58 for lunches at home plus $45.19 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $102.77 per person in total. 

If every evening meal cost us the same as our average this month, the total for evening meals would be $626.10. We actually spent $114.55 for dinners at home and $41.73 for our two dinners from a restaurant, or $156.28 per person in totaL. 

We saved about $706 per person by preparing almost all our meals at home and we have a lot more control over what we eat.

Lunch

We had another attempt at a Ham Salad Wrap.

• The Sun-dried Tomato Wrap is $1.00 per serve
• Ham is 92c per serve
• Add 30c for Mayonnaise
• Add 40c for salad ingredients.

While slicing the Ham helps the wrap curl, overall we’ve decided we aren’t fond of wraps. This one was okay for $2.62. A Tortilla/Wrap is basically just bread with no crust or crumb, i.e. the reasons to eat bread!

Dinner

Having been inspired you our Tagliata – Sliced Italian Steak on Arugula with Shaved Parmesan – in Italy, we made our own version.

• Two NY Strip Steaks were $15.18 and we shared one, or $3.80 per serve
• The Parmesan was $6.82 and we shared ¼, or 85c per serve
• The Arugula adds 45c per serve
• Moonblush Cherry Tomatoes add 30c per serve
• Balsamic Vinegar adds 35c per serve.

A quite simple meal, but very tasty for $5.75 per serve.

Lunch

We heated the remaining Baguette, spread liberally with Duck Mousse Pate and topped with fresh Endive.

• The Aldi ‘Bake at Home’ Baguette was $1.89, but we shared half, or 48c
• Duck Mousse Pate adds $2.00 per serve
• We shared one Endive or 67c per serve.

The Endive provided the crunch and wetness that perfectly complemented the Duck Mousse Pate, for a rather excellent sandwich for $3.15 per serve.

Dinner

A return to one of our standards: Beef Rissoles with an Australian inspired Salad.

• Ground beef $5.99 or $2.00 per serve
• 8 oz Panko breadcrumbs are $2.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve
• A Pastured Egg is 38c or 13c per serve
• The onion is 8c per serve
• Pickled beets in vinaigrette are $1.69, of which we used about ⅓ or 28c per serve
• We used about ½ of the $3.95 Sharp Cheddar, or 66c per serve
• Add 40c for sugar free Ketchup.

A very tasty meal with a very good balance between meat and vegetable components, for $4.06 per serve.

Lunch

As we were at Home Depot near New York Chicken and Gyro we picked up a Lamb Gyro each at $8.17 with tax and tip.

Dinner

We used the last of the Cuban Roast Pork as a more classic Roast Pork and served with an Apple Endive Salad.

• We shared a full serve of the Pork or $1.60 per serve
• The Endive were $3.99 for three and we used two, or $1.33 per serve
• The Honeycrisp Apple was $1.68 and we used half, or 84c per serve
• Add 50c per serve for the Dressing Ingredients.

The Pork reheated well and worked together with the Salad to make an enjoyable meal for $4.27 per serve.