[Mac and Cheese from Mirch Masala]

People got past the halfway point of the Hunger Challenge yesterday! Personally, I am ready to stop living off such a restrictive budget. It’s hard for me to switch from buying two cups of coffee a day and snacking whenever I please to having only a banana for breakfast!

Hunger Fact:

• United Way of King County really cares about the issue of hunger.  We look at the broad landscape of the emegency food system and strategically distribute funds donated by community members like you to make a big impact.  In the last year, we have doled out nearly $3 million to 40 different food programs in King County!

Blogger Recap:

• Mirch Masala felt the day-to-day grind get in the way of living on a tight budget when time limited her to going to Starbucks for lunch, saying, “[It] took a HUGE $3.20 from our budget which was not a smart thing to do, I agree.” However, she had leftovers to make up for it and made a delicous looking Mac and Cheese (pictured above).
• Back to Basics Cooking showed a great recipe for a 3-minute omelet with brown sugar, honey sausage, and cheddar cheese
• Cook Local shared information about shopping at farmers markets and about the fact that many Seattle farmers markets (including the U District Farmers Market and all of the markets in the Seattle Farmers Market organization).  Along with that, she shared a cheap and high-yielding chicken soup recipe.
• Savory Sweet Life made some huevos rancheros which she found to be “nutritious, delicious, easy to prepare, and budget friendly – the best kind of meal!”  Along with that, she shared some compelling hunger facts!
• Dianasaur Dishes shared a Chicken Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce recipe.  However, she had to change certain ingredients in order to keep it under budget.  Plus, she shared some great tips on shopping smartly.
• Eric Rivera’s Cooking Blog made his now-famous (it was his 4th time making it!) ?.L.T Sandwich.  He also was kind enough to urge his readers to donate to bring hunger relief in our community.  I concur.
• Salty Seattle recapped her day and talked about the challenge in trying to make a birthday dinner while sticking to the Hunger Challenge budget, noting that normally “I often buy goods based on freshness, beauty, rarity, local origin, and organic status.  I do not often buy based on economics.” However, with her skill, she madeItalian pasta and bean soup.
• The Hazel Bloom made Emerald Quinoa — something I had never heard of before.  She sings its praises, saying, “It’s just really such a super food. And it’s full of tummy-satisfying protein. And it’s healthy. And I love it.”
• Kitchensink Unplugged had a day of struggle, feeling “hungry, sleepy, irritable, unfocused, unmotivated and grumpy..”  Hopefully, the rest of the week will be better!
• The Murray Family gave good advice about reusing ingredients: “The other thing I focused on while shopping was being able to use ingredients multiple times.  I cooked the whole chicken in the soup on Monday and saved the breast meat to have tonight with peanut sauce, broccoli, and brown rice.”
• Brian Calvert shared a video of him making a pasta bake and gave a great insight on the working poor who have to try to stretch their budget: “Stretching dollars isn’t enough, you have to make time to plan meals, cook meals, and enjoy your meals. After the challenge ends, this will stay with me.”

Other Hunger Action Week Info:

• People continue to write about their experiences on our comments section and on our Facebook page! Check them out, show your support, and comment as well!
• Our Flickr page has tons of photos of people who are taking the challenge and showing what they’re eating!  Take a look and contribute!
• If you haven’t been following our round-ups, you can check out Day 1 and Day 2.