Hunger Challenge; day 5

I was awoken abruptly at 6am this morning to the indisputable sound of the peanut butter panda puffs hitting an empty cereal bowl. "But it couldn't be!", I thought, we still have one more day of the hunger challenge. DH couldn't be sneaking sweet, crunchy cereal into his repertoire, or could he?
My sinking suspicions were confirmed at the sequential sounds of chomping. When he came to kiss me good bye, I asked him about the cereal incident. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Emily" very quickly dissolved into, "aren't we done with the Hunger Challenge yet??"
Silly boy.
After reading the day 4's entry once more, I could see how one would think that was the last day. It did have a sense of conclusion to it.
Oh well.
I ate my cinnamon oatmeal and the rest of the chana dal rice for breakfast and lunch respectively but when our weekend house guests graciously offered to take us out to dinner at our favorite local restaurant, Pizzaiolo, I caved. The thought of fire-crusted pizzas, house made pastas and ice cold beers was almost too much to bare.
Yes, we are weak people.
We cave on greater goals to peanut butter panda puffs and pizza. There's no getting around the facts.
I definitely plan to do the Hunger Challenge next year, far more prepared than this year. I learned a lot about myself and the food stamp system as a whole through the process. And anyway, the pizza was completely worth it!

Hunger Challenge; day 4

Chana Dal Rice

Day four, I turned a corner. An amazing morning yoga class and some time in the sauna finally eliminated the headache that had been looming since Tuesday. 

I am definitely ready to be done with eating beans or oatmeal at every meal but I do feel like I've reached a new level of understanding with this Hunger Challenge.

Even meals I've long thought of as dirt cheap- $5 burritos, $3 pizza slices, $6 falafel sandwiches- are beyond the reach of those on the tight $4.72 budget of the California food stamp system. In the Bay Area, we are blessed with some of the best farmer's markets, restaurants and grocery stores in the state and yet I wonder how much those less fortunate are able to take advantage of the bounties of the Bay.
Upon informing my mom of the Hunger Challenge DH and I were doing this week, she half-jokingly advised me it would be a lot easier if we hit up the Dollar Menu at McDonald's. That was the opposite of my goal at the onset of this but I can say now I see how it can come to that. Most of those on food stamps do not have the luxury of time to cook multiple meals from scratch at home. There is an incredible dearth of fast AND inexpensive options on the market today. 

When it comes time to eat without such a restrictive budget, I can say undoubtedly I will appreciate every foam-art adorned latte or fire-crusted pizza or burnt caramel ice cream cone for the true indulgence it is.

Hunger Challenge; day 3

L to R: black beans, chana dal, dark kidney beans soaking

Awoke this morning with better spirits than yesterday. No headache initially, but I did have a morning appointment at the DMV looming over me.

Day 3, breakfast: cinnamon oatmeal
With a bowlful of the trusty cinnamon oatmeal in my belly, I was armed and ready to face the Department of Motor Vehicles. But when I arrived to the check-in desk, they had no record of my scheduled appointment and of course, their computer system was down, so there was no way to confirm the reservation...here comes headache!
All my good spirits were absorbed into the bad florescent lighting and all the awful shades of grey and that is the DMV. It only occurred to me later that it must be equally bureaucratic and spirit-draining to get food stamps. 
Why must government agencies be so painful?
Two hours later, my no. wass finally called. After paying my license renewal fee, I was informed I'd need to take a new ID photo today. Fabulous! I can only imagine just how flattering that pict will be. ugh.

 Day 3, lunch: vegan mashed potatoes, curried chickpea salad and a hard boiled egg.
Exercise is extremely difficult on this Hunger Challenge. Yesterday, I attempted a strenuous core-conditioning class at the gym and almost passed out in the first 5 minutes. I powered through but the thought of running or climbing makes me nauseous!

Day 3, snack: carrots
Desperately Seeking Peanut Butter! 
It's not even that I'm a big peanut butter person. I eat it only occasionally and can go months at a time without having any in the house. Of course this week however, I happen to have 3 FULL JARS of the buttery, salty, nutty spread taunting me in the pantry, none of which I included in the H.C. budget. Peanut butter would have been so perfect in the oatmeal, or spread on celery or dipped in carrots or eaten by the spoonful. A spoonful of peanut butter would do wonders for my morale right about now.

Day 3, dinner; Spicy Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Not as disgusting as it looks but mos def not my best work.