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December 4, 2005
Eggplant Eggwhite Ricotta Frittatta
One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
Is the people eater purple and flying, or does the flying people eater only eat purple people? In any event, I fear to wear purple.
Tonight I wanted to get rid of the giant eggplant I served last night as eggplant medallions, and the tatta as the most likely protein delivery vehicle. So I made an eggplant frittatta with fat free ricotta, since we somehow managed to misplace or just not buy the fat free plain yogurt. It was pretty good, according to MR, but would have been better had the eggplant been steamed before folding it into the tatta. I served it with asparagus steamed lightly with a bit of fresh lemon juice and flax oil, plus mixed berries topped with hazelnut oil and 3 grams of hazelnuts. MR had a cup of TJ's marinara to mix into his tatta as well as a teaspoon of olive oil.
As to the question re: shopping: my pre-MR quotidian diet was VERY cheap. Eggwhites, flax oil (just two teaspoons per day), kale, nonfat plain yogurt, olive oil, frozen mixed cruciferous veggies, brewers yeast, veggie broth. Cottage cheese sometimes. What could be cheaper? I spend less on food now than I did pre-CR, but a lot of that, as Aaron (my fellow CR'd Three Hundred member!) says, is not going out to eat as much. I am a very cheap date now -- I get slightly buzzed on half a glass of wine! And I don't need an appetizer, entree and dessert: splitting an appetizer with a friend and eating a salad is enough for me when I go out, though I will frequently split a dessert three ways or order a crabcake (an old favorite) on my "eating out day" of the week. My quotidian calorie intake is low enough at 1200 that I can sample some higher calorie dishes without doing serious damage to my CR, as long as it doesn't become a regular thing. Splitting dishes certainly makes for cheaper going out events!
When MR first moved in, we were spending a lot on food. But as time went on we stocked up on staples and spices and I learned how to cook more cheaply. Eggwhites are our chicken -- we eat them several times a week, and they blend into recipes, taking on the flavor of whatever we pair them with.
MR spends quite a bit on organic greens, and I enjoy my lunch salads so much that I can't quibble with the expense... especially when he doesn't complain about how much money I spend on my hair and nails!
Overall, I'd say CR can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. It's always cheaper to cook in than to eat out, so if CR makes you make your own food more often, you're going to save cash. Lowering your calories and getting good nutrition is more important than organics. Start simple: eggwhites in a carton, scrambled with veggies. You'll be amazed at how much less food you need to feel satisfied. A bottle of flax oil goes a long way (just keep it in the freezer!), and I've made a six month long project out of a bag of organic hazelnuts. Of all the strange things I've ever done, CR is the cheapest.
Welcome aboard... and thanks for reading!!!
Posted by april at December 4, 2005 7:33 PM
Comments
Don't fear it: you'll wear purple. Oh yes, you'll be wearing purple soon enough.
Posted by: Josh H. Pille at December 6, 2005 3:10 PM