Operation Cupboard Raid: Week Two Review

I made it through another week! In fact, I only have four days left of Operation Cupboard Raid! If you have no idea what I am talking about, see this post where I explain why and how I am only eating food that I have on hand in my cupboards or fridge for three weeks (until I get to go visit Stud in beautiful California). If you're curious as to how I did during the first week, see this post.

I am SO excited to be leaving for San Diego this Friday! Most of my excitement is obviously wrapped up in seeing my hubby and spending time with him in CA, but it couldn't come at a better time because I am RUNNING OUT OF FOOD. At the beginning of this operation, I had three different kinds of milk on hand: 1% regular milk, soy milk (that Stud likes) and almond milk. There wasn't very much of the soy milk so I used that up in the beginning, but I've stretched the almond and regular milk pretty much as far as I'm willing to go. The regular milk expired a week ago and I was willing to go a couple days after the date but I am usually really squeamish about expiration dates so, unfortunately, I couldn't finish the milk before I gave up on it. And technically the almond milk has about a two month shelf life in the fridge but I was reading the details last night and saw that once it's opened, it "stays fresh" for only 7-10 days. I'm not really sure what "stays fresh" means but I am well past the 7-10 days (think double) so I gave up on that too. This has left me in a bit of a dilemma because I was kind of counting on instant mashed potatoes to be a go-to side dish for the rest of the week (which requires milk). I know I gave myself some leeway to purchase perishable food items if absolutely necessary but I haven't stepped foot in a grocery store in over two weeks and I really want to just finish out the next four days. And that's just one example of the little dilemmas I'm running into at this point in the operation.

However, I have managed to eat pretty well all week minus a couple awkward meals (see lunch for Thursday and Friday on the chart below). To be honest, those horrible excuses for meals are a result of my lack of planning. What happens when you're getting ready for work in the morning and didn't do anything to prepare a meal for lunch? You have a lame meal. I am seriously out of pretty much all "quick" foods. I definitely learned my lesson, though. This morning I had to grill chicken before work, which seemed like an odd getting-ready-for-work activity but I am looking forward to lunch!

I have a few more yummy meals planned for this week which I will include with the next review so I'm really not worried. In fact, it really works out perfectly because I won't have any food to spoil while I am gone for five days. I'm also anxious to share my thoughts about this project and how I plan to celebrate when it's completed but I'm going to wait and share that with my final review. HA! Better check back.

Without further ado, here's my meal log for last week:

*food that was provided by outside source

And here's a look at some of the food I made this week:

My one meal eating out this week was sushi! Honestly, there is hardly a better choice if you only get to eat out once a week. My friend and I went to a place we had never tried called Koyi Sushi Too. See their website here.

 

We went a little crazy and split the Problem Solver roll and, boy, did it do its job! I also got the Spider Roll and we split some Edamame and Jazz puffs (cream cheese wontons).

It was delicious!

Highlights from Week Two: 

1. This week I had some incredible fellowship and we all know how food and fellowship go together. 

-Wednesday I got sushi with a friend and it was her turn to buy Inta Juice (now Berry Blendz smoothies)

-Thursday another friend came over for a spontaneous craft night and brought frozen pizza and rapsberry iced tea

-Friday morning is our "Caribou Day" at work and a few co-workers and I take turns buying Caribou

-Friday my brother came over after work and tolerated my meal of turkey tacos (with nothing to go in the tacos but the meat and salsa) and mashed potatoes...he was, however, 100% for the ice cream with chocolate syrup that came after

-Saturday I went to my cousin's baby shower at my aunt's house and we had yummy punch, cake and snacks

-Saturday night I went out to bike with my MS 150 teammates/captains and got stormed out so they provided pizza and cookies and an, uh, adult beverage during a few games of Clue!

-Sunday my church had a fellowship luncheon after the service (my mentor and I took too long talking so we missed pretty much everything but the hot dogs/hamburgers and the BIG dessert table!)

By the way, if you have been longing for a church where the Word of God is preached with extreme love and compassion but without hesitation or apology, please come visit Twin City Fellowship.  More about this welcoming, Christ-centered congregation in another post...

2. I tried a "unconventional" cake...didn't work out. 

3. I made biscotti (see recipe here)!

4. Stud was able to teach me over the phone how to make cappuccino just in time to have with my last two biscotti. It is sooo much easier than I thought it would be: You put water in the reservoir and push a button to warm it up. Then you pack the little thingy with ground coffee and attach it to the machine (I don't know the proper terms from here on out). When the water light turns green, you push a button to start the brew. When that light turns red, you push the button to stop it. Whoa! Cappuccino! Well, to make it drinkable there are a few other steps. You gotta heat up some milk, froth it and add it to the coffee. Then you have to add a lot of sugar. Then to make it pretty and even tastier, sprinkle some nutmeg or cinnamon on top. 

I love that little "A" cup but it didn't realize that it wouldn't leave a lot of space for milk and I need A LOT of milk in my cappuccino. The other pretty cup is almost like a soup cup...and the same lovely friend gave me both! Also, the milk in the frother is almond milk and it seems to not froth up as much as regular milk.

 And here is my morning company...as close to the table as she is allowed to get.

In closing, I have to share a difficult moment...passing this up at Michael's!

That's practically why I go to Michael's. Well, and the fact that I can't go more than two days without crafting.