I was so good at adulting today.
Seriously. I’m sticking to a budget. A fucking budget.
Part of my new-found financial responsibility is not going to the grocery store every time I think of one thing I need. Because we all know what happens when you go to the store just to pick up mushrooms… you grab 10 other things and end up spending at least fifty dollars. Every. Fucking. Time. So now I’m only allowed to go to the store with a well thought out list, and only once every 8-10 days.
Two weeks ago I was making pizza, and forgot the fucking mushrooms. Who forgets mushrooms?! They’re the best part of every fucking meal! But I had onions, peppers, and bok choy, so I made due. I did NOT give in to my frivolous nature.
My favorite Hawaiian sent me a budget spreadsheet. I feel like this sounds really impressive. She’s adulting so hard over there. So I’m looking at this blank spread sheet, and thinking to myself… fuck. I’m a disaster that spends all her money on pillows and donuts. And yoga… omg, the yoga is out of control. Do I really need an extra $50/month class in addition to the $100/month I’m already spending? Especially considering that before that additional class, I was still going to 6-8 classes a week. But, fuck, I really want to learn how to do inversions. And yoga is good for me, so that’s fine, right? I guess I have to cut out the donuts. Fuck.
All of this leads up to the fact that I thought I didn’t have enough food to make a meal today. But it hasn’t been long enough since my last grocery store visit, so I had to get creative. Turns out, I had plenty. Here’s what I found:
Not pictured: chicken thighs and parmesan
I had forgotten about the leftover pasta noodles, so that was a happy surprise. Obviously, I didn’t forget the mushrooms this week. However, I already ate all my mushrooms. These ones were donated (along with the spinach) by one of my lovely cat sitting clients. Free food is the best.
So! I challenge you to skip the grocery store for a few extra days beyond what is normal for you. You’ll be surprised at what you can throw together. And you’ll save some money, which you can spend on donuts later.
Chicken Mushroom Pasta
1/2 pound chicken thighs, cut into cubes
4-6 large mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 to 1/2 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
A large handful of spinach
1 cup pasta of your choice
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
It should be noted that this only makes about 2 servings, simply because that is all the pasta I had in my apartment. You can obviously double this recipe to feed more people.
Boil pasta in salt water until al dente. Drain and rinse. In a large skillet, add olive oil and chicken over medium-high heat. Cook for a minute or two, then add onions and mushrooms. Saute for another 2-4 minutes, and add another tablespoon of oil and all the butter. Throw in the garlic, plus salt and pepper, and mix everything together. Saute until chicken is cooked through, and onions are translucent. Taste. Add salt and pepper, if needed. Finally, add the spinach. Once spinach is wilted, scoop some over a plate of pasta. Get excited because you realize you have leftover parmesan, and add a bit on top. Be proud of yourself for adulting so well today. Try not to buy donuts to help celebrate.
Tiny Ass Kitchen 