Before I begin this post, I just want to send all sorts of love and appreciation your way after hearing and reading your responses from my post on Friday. I cannot thank you enough!
Another weekend has come and gone too quickly. This past weekend I did a whole ‘lotta relaxing, Lifetime movie watching, weight lifting, blogging, Spring cleaning (that will make Spring happen, right?), grocery shopping, and good eating! My favorite part of the weekend was definitely Friday night when I went out for drinks, dinner, and dessert with Erin, Joanna, and our friend Molly (she does not have a blog, but she should totally start one!). We ate dinner at Mark’s Bistro– a new-to-me and very veg-friendly restaurant in Omaha- and finished the evening off with dessert at eCreamery.
I kept it classy 😉 by starting off with a Michelob Ultra. Everyone else got wine or fancy drinks. I am just not a wine person. I am more of a beer girl.
Pre-dinner included a seriously delicious slice of bread with butter. And yes, I took this picture after several bites. I was a bit eager, to say the least.
Dinner included a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing…
…and the star of the show: the Tempeh Reuben sandwich. Dark pumpernickel bread, tempeh, cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. This was uhhhhmazing. I ate every last bite. Oh, and I cannot forget the giant dill pickle spear that came alongside it. You know how I love my pickles!
And there is that ice cream. Well, gelato actually. Whopper (the candy) gelato. It was so, SO good. Normally, after a big meal I would have foregone dessert. But after last week’s post and my determination to enjoy more and feel less guilt, I went for it. No regrets here.
Thanks to Molly for her photography skills and to Erin for the picture!
While a great weekend comes to an end, a new week is beginning. Let’s take a look at my planned eats for the week:
Weekly Meal Plan: April 7 to April 13, 2014
Lunches
Monday: Lemony Ginger Red Lentils over Cauliflower “Rice”
Tuesday: Lemony Ginger Red Lentils over Cauliflower “Rice”
Wednesday: leftover Minestrone Soup from the freezer
Thursday: Salad with veggies + veggie wrap
Friday: Salad with veggies + veggie wrap
Saturday: Curry Egg Salad sandwich
Sunday: Tofu Ricotta Cheese and Vegetable Enchiladas (recipe coming soon)
Dinners
Monday: Chickpea Tostadas (recipe coming soon)
Tuesday: leftover White Bean and Kale Veggie Stew from the freezer
Wednesday: Leftover Italian White Bean Loaf from the freezer (recipe coming soon)
Thursday: German Nachos (recipe coming soon)
Friday: Whole Foods salad bar with friends
Saturday: Tofu Ricotta Cheese and Vegetable Enchiladas
Sunday: a Carrot “Hot Dog” and a Parsnip “Hot Dog” (recipe coming soon)
So, back to the weekend part. If we keep talking about it then it won’t be over. That’s how it works, right?
What’s in My Grocery Bags (Whole Foods)
The Whole Foods in Omaha is a good 15 to 20 minute drive from where I live, so I generally only make it there on the weekends. This is probably a good thing, otherwise I have a feeling I would be there multiple times a week and would be spending a whole lot more moolah. What can I say? Whole Foods is my jam.
I get asked somewhat frequently where I shop for my groceries and what I buy. After seeing Carly’s post about what is in her Trader Joe’s shopping bag, I thought it would be fun to do my own post- with a focus on Whole Foods instead of Trader Joe’s (don’t worry, I also love TJ’s). Let’s dive right in! Well, not literally. That sounds dangerous 😉
Let’s start out with the produce. Whenever I find produce on sale at Whole Foods, I always buy it. Their produce is very fresh and sometimes I can even find the organic versions very reasonably and comparably priced. This haul included sweet potatoes, a zucchini, peppers, green cabbage, and asparagus. I am so excited that it is asparagus season again!
Next up: weekly staples! Almond milk, Ezekiel sprouted tortillas (love these!), corn/quinoa/sesame cakes (I always have either these or rice cakes on hand), and whole wheat English muffins. I have been on a major muffin kick lately.
Ahh, Vega One. How I love thee! And oh, how my credit card does not. I bought both the original nutritional shake in french vanilla and the smoothie protein powder in choc-a-lot. It is seriously depressing to see how high my bill is when I buy it, but right now it is the only brand that I truly love (for its ingredient list and its taste). I also bought tomatoes (I had 2 coupons for these so I was able to get organic!), beans, and pasta sauce. The 365 brand is fantastic and even the organic versions are priced in a way that is very comparable to other grocery stores.
And finally, a few randoms: Boom Chicka Pop (my favorite popcorn), cacao powder (for overnight oats, baking, hot cocoa, etc.), and hummus. The chipotle flavor is new and I am very excited to try it!
There you have it. A little look into my Whole Foods shopping bag. I do not buy all of my groceries at Whole Foods- both Trader Joe’s and Hy-Vee have my heart, too- but I shop there whenever I can, especially when I am in need of products that I can only find there and when the coupons/sales are good.
Do you like the “What’s in My Grocery Bag” posts? Should I include more in the future?
What are your Whole Foods staples?
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I had such a fun time at dinner! We definitely need to do that more often. I’m excited for Whole Foods this Friday!
Yes, we definitely do!! I always have such a fun time with you guys!
I love all posts revealing what’s inside grocery bags and purses. US Weekly does a purse one and it is so fun to see what people buy and carry on a regular basis!
Isn’t it weird how we can be fascinated by such weird things..I am the SAME way!
I really like the what’s in my bag part of this post! And apparently we have similar taste when it comes to Whole Foods purchases! lol I love their 365 brand!
Isn’t it awesome?? When I first started buying it I was so surprised by how affordable it is!
OMG how come my whole foods doesn’t sell that 365 brand unsweetened vanilla almond milk?? Or those whole wheat english muffins? Wahhhhh. There’s a brand of organic whole wheat english muffins from WF that I adore, and they’re only $2.69. I’ll have to tell you the brand when I think of it! I’ve been loving Mary’s Gone Crackers twigs and sticks pretzels lately, too. The curry flavor is bomb!!
That is honestly the best unsweetened vanilla almond milk I have EVER tried. I am so glad that I bought it! And the English muffins are awesome, but pricey, so yes please tell me the brand you buy if you think of it! And thanks for the heads up on the crackers and pretzels. I LOVE anything curry!
I saw that Boom Chicka Pop stuff in Marshall’s the other day, but I didn’t pick it up – now I’m kicking myself over that a little bit! It’s probably a good thing (for my wallet, at least) that I don’t have a WF anywhere near me…I think the closest one is about an hour and a half away?
Ooo you totally should have! I love it. It is very simple, but there is something so nice about that 🙂
I’m so jealous you live near a TJs and a Whole Foods! I have to rely on my small town grocery store (which does notttt have many awesome vegetarian products or much organic anything), a very small organic market, and the internet. don’t know how I would’ve eaten pre-internet!
I totally understand how that is. Before I moved hear a year and a half ago, I lived in a town of about 10,000 people with VERY little of the foods that I buy now. I feel really lucky to have what I have.
Hi! This is my first time to your blog…I love it!
I am also a beer girl, although I like my wine too lol! I love when bloggers do “What’s in my grocery bag” I am thinking of doing a blog post like that too, it gives readers an inside look! fun!
Thanks so much to a fellow beer lover! You are smart girl 😉 And you should totally to a “What’s In My Bag” post. It is SO fun to take a peek into what others buy at the grocery store.
Thanks for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger! 🙂
I love seeing what other people pick up at the grocery store! I love that Vega One too – but hate that it is so spendy. And I have to get some asparagus ASAP. It always reminds me of Easter dinner. 🙂
That is so funny that asparagus reminds you of Easter dinner. That is a first for me 😉 Maybe I need to make sure that I am eating some on Easter Sunday, too! Any excuse to eat some is alright for me!
I love this grocery bag post. I’m always looking for new foods to try. I want to try those Thin Cakes for a change up!
They are fantastic! I had been looking for them for awhile now and when I FINALLY saw them at my Whole Foods I practically did a little dance in the aisle 😉
I need to go to Whole Foods! I’ve only been there once and just in and out quickly. It looks like you got great things! 🙂
Yes, you need to!!! But don’t say I didn’t warn you about how addicting it is! 😉
I think I must have tried ALL of the wrong Vega One stuff because I didn’t like it. It tasted earthy if that makes sense… like not plants but dirt… I’m also really dramatic so maybe it wasn’t that bad.
Now beer and gelato? I dig those. haha
Haha, you crack me up! You are not the first person who has told me they did not like it..so I don’t think it is just you! Must just be a personal preference thing. I am so glad that we are on the same page with the beer and gelato though…the important things, right? 😉
It’s been so long since I’ve been to Omaha, I’m glad to hear they have a Whole Foods! Ours is a short walk from our apartment, so it can be a bit dangerous having it so close! I always go for the fresh produce, coconut milk, and pantry staples. And sometimes splurge on some wild salmon or something, if I’m feeling fancy.
Yes, thank goodness Omaha has one. Is it bad that I actually looked that up while I was applying for the job I currently hold? 😉
Gotta have priorities 🙂
OMG that sandwich. I want.
Yes, I love these posts. Keep them coming.
Good! I am glad. I LOVE seeing what other people buy for groceries, so I guess it makes sense that others do too. I am glad to hear I am not the only “weird” one 😉
Looks like you had a fun weekend! I’m obsessed with pickles too. My boyfriend hates them which is perfect because it means I always get the pickle spear that comes with his meal!! I loved seeing what was in your grocery bag. I stumbled upon a post the other day about what the world eats and found it completely fascinating. Might have to do a post like this myself!
Isn’t it super fascinating? I have no idea why, but it is! You should definitely do a post about it. Everyone seems to enjoy them! And speaking of enjoyment..pickles are definitely a must. I LOVE when I eat out with people who hate them so that I can eat theirs 🙂
Ah! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that theres another blogger out there whose not a fan of wine & would rather have a beer.
yes, keep doing these type of posts (if you want of course) – I loved seeing what you purchased 🙂
YES! Cheers to you, Jessie! Beer all the way 🙂
And I have been getting good feedback from this post, so you can definitely expect more What’s In My Grocery Bag? posts!
I prefer beer to wine also! It’s a new thing for me though. My tastes changed 🙂 Nothing wrong with that and it’s cheaper too! 🙂
My changed, as well. When I first started college I HATED the taste of beer and only drink wine coolers. Now I can’t even stomach those. They are WAY too sweet. And you are right…cheaper does not hurt at all 😉