Hey Girl, let's eat vegetarian tonight.

Can I just take a second to shout out to my main man, Danny??

This guy works his tail off.  From 6am to who-knows-when late into the night, he is getting.it.done.  He works full time (which in his field, is definitely more than 40 hours a week.  btw does anyone out there work only 40 hours a week anymore?), AND he is working on his PhD.  Full time.  Oh yeah, he's taking NINE HOURS this semester on top of all that work, and being a super awesome dad and husband. 

I made this "Hey Girl" meme for him on Valentine's Day.

Because really, he DOES take all my phone calls and texts and always (almost always) listens with a sympathetic ear. 

He works this hard so I can stay home, which is a gift I'll never be able to repay.  Incredible.  He also does all our money management, bill paying, etc. because I am seriously mentally lacking in the area of financial understanding.

You might be starting to think, Um... what exactly do YOU do to contribute to this family, punk?  And that would be a very reasonable question.

One tiny way is with the food budget, and I'm always trying to cut corners where I can.   Here is another meme I sent him on V-Day because my food-rationing side can get a bit extreme.  But hey, if we're really sticking to a budget... then no you may not have more than 15 M&Ms in your snack baggie.  And bring that baggie back tonight to be reused tomorrow, mister.

Food is expensive, so I've been trying to do more meatless meals, and this week we've actually had multiple veg. meals.  Last night's was really adventurous (for all of us) because it used an ingredient I couldn't even pronounce - Tempeh.  While Danny admits that the texture threw him off, I think he'll agree that the flavor was good, and the meal was filling.  I loved it and found myself craving it today.  A great mix of flavors.  And the best part?!  Addison devoured it for lunch today.  I actually had to slow her down from stuffing too much in her mouth, which happens, oh - NEVER - when she's eating.  So a meatless meal that's delicious, filling, and my survives-on-air toddler licks her plate? Bring it ON.

From Cooking Light - Tempeh Fajitas (original link here)

 

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package five-grain tempeh
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) vertically sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) slices green bell pepper 
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1/4 cup chipotle salsa (such as Frontera)

Preparation

1. Cut tempeh in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 strips. Place tempeh in a shallow dish. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, lime juice, cumin, oil, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour pineapple juice mixture over tempeh. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
2. Prepare grill.
3. Lightly coat onion and bell pepper with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange onion mixture in a wire grilling basket coated with cooking spray. Place grilling basket on grill rack; grill 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Remove the tempeh from marinade, reserving marinade. Place tempeh on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.
4. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 3 tempeh pieces, 1/2 cup onion mixture, and 1 tablespoon salsa down center of each tortilla; roll up.

Not sure what's up with my lighting in these, but if you try the fajitas and give them to a child, I hope this is your scene, too:

She approves.  Happy budget-following to all you thrifty people out there!