I initially had decided to fold this post into the weekly Sunday one, but over the last month I received so many likes on these posts that I decided it was worth keeping as a regular Monday feature.
We are slowly moving toward eating more prepared foods as our goal the next two months is to use up as much as possible so very little has to be thrown away when we move out of apartment. Our pantry grows more empty every day, and we’re slowly using up the many condiments in our refrigerator. There will obviously be things that we won’t be able to finish (like a jar of hot peppers or a jar of YaYu’s spicy chili crisp that she left behind), but we’re going to try our best. Anyway, vegan entrees and such are filling in a lot of slots in our menu these days and will continue to do so until we leave.
We had lots of tasty dinners this week. The California roll salad helped us almost finish our remaining rice (once it’s gone we’re going to use Japanese microwave cooked rice). I used quinoa this past week to make fried “rice” which used up the remainders of a bag of quinoa, and our chicken patty sandwiches used up some barbecue sauce (and we ate the last of some corn chips that we had gotten for the girls and then forgotten about – they were “refreshed” in the microwave). There were of course mini pizzas one evening – we have two jars of pizza sauce to use up – and otherwise meals were made from items in the freezer or the pantry.
Sunday: Vegan chick’n pot pie (with added black pepper)
Monday: California roll salad
Tuesday: Chick’n patty sandwiches with barbecue sauce; corn chips
Wednesday: Shrimp fried quinoa
Thursday: Roasted poblano enchiladas; cilantro rice; cucumber spears
Friday: Cheese mini pizzas with pepper and onion
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner (pancakes; plant-based sausage patties; fresh blueberry syrup; vegan sausage patties)
Desserts this past week were either Girl Scout cookies (four Thin Mints and two Samoas, our favorites), a quarter piece of one of Costco’s jumbo fudge cupcakes, or two pieces of mochi ice cream. This week we’ll segue into Costco’s red velvet cupcakes, Pepperidge Farm coconut cake, and a little more mochi ice cream. Having a tiny dessert and sharing a cup of coffee after dinner has become one of our favorite rituals and keeps us away from sweets the rest of the day.
Next week’s menu will continue to include prepared foods or convenience items, like the chili shrimp sauce and tofu burger mix. I’m not cooking much at all these days.
- Macaroni & cheese
- Margherita pizza
- Fried chick’n with mashed potatoes & country gravy
- Corn dogs
- Chili shrimp
- Mini pizzas
- Tofu burgers
There are so many fascinating rocks and rock formations out on the Maha’ulepu Trail, from volcanic basalt to lava rocks to sandstone with everything in between. Sometimes it feels like we’re walking on the moon. I would be in heaven if I were a geologist.
The good weather we’ve been having means more beach days which means fewer days for walking, but we still aim to get in a minimum of four days per week. The Maha’ulepu Trail is our hiking venue these days, but the trailhead sits right next to Shipwreck Beach, so if we go there to the beach Brett will take a solo hike while I stay back on the beach with our stuff. The trail has all sorts of different paths and detours coming off of it, and it took me almost all of last month to figure out and remember our route without getting lost. We always stop along the way for a few moment to watch if we spot whales or other sea creatures (sea turtles and giant manta rays!), or if the waves are crashing particularly high against the cliffs, but mostly we just walk out and back and enjoy the views along the way.
The Occasional Nomads 
That one formation looks like a sleeping cat with its claws outstretched. Really cool
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I see what you mean! There are so many cool rocks and formations. One of the pictures I took is of a rock I call “the dinosaur’s spine.” Another rock we walk over looks like the back of a giant turtle. It’s never boring.
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The poblano enchiladas caught my eye. Costco? If so, I imagine we don’t have them. We haven’t opened our Girl Scout cookies yet. Sadly, no Samoas around here–supply chain issues.
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The enchiladas are by Amy’s – I got them at Walmart! Walmart here has a fabulous vegan/vegetarian section, much better than Costco and with low prices.
One of our neighbors is selling GS cookies – she had all the varieties, a surprise as we have been hit hard here by supply chain issues. She’s selling until the end of the month and we’re planning to buy more. Besides the Thin Mints I also love their peanut butter sandwich cookies and both their lemon varieties (but they are dangerous – I could eat the entire boxes of them in a sitting).
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These photos are amazing! Doing business paperwork in Illinois on a Monday afternoon and took a little break… and was transported to a tropical island mountain, to see evidence that our planet has existed for millennia in different forms from now…now thinking big deep thoughts…
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The rocks are amazing and we never fail to spot something new. They’re all very random as well and different types show up in different places. I plan to get some pictures of the roots on the trail this week – they are also amazing. Some look like snakes moving through the sand, and some form stair steps and ladders. They’re very sturdy too.
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I once stayed at Poipu Shores with a balcony overlooking the rugged shore. It was amazing to see the giant turtles swimming in the very rough water, avoiding the jagged rocks so easily. Here’s an idea for your pizza sauce. Crumble extra firm tofu with a fork and brown in oil. Add mushrooms and/or onions, a bit of pizza sauce and dilute with some water to the right consistency. Voila! Vegan pasta sauce.
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We always look for turtles every time we’re out on the Maha’ulepu Trail – they’re usually hanging out somewhere, avoiding those jagged rocks some how. It looks like the whales have finally departed the area and are on their way back to Alaska.
The pasta sauce sounds tasty!
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