Big news.

(Skip my big news. I dare you. … Wait! Come back!)

I went two days without buying anything. Ok, whatever, I got a pedicure. But that doesn’t count. That pedicure is granted asylum because the pedicure I had before then was mood-ruining bad. Two words: Gothy Sparkles. Asylum.

But mostly I was able to stay out of grocery stores, bodegas, bakeries, bars, clothing stores, Seamless, and make-your-own-salad lunch spots. This is huge. Among 1000 other things, I have a serious problem with a) buying too much food that there is not enough time in the world to eat, b) forgetting about that food, c) going out for lunch because I have done “a” which led to “b” and I am occasionally hungry sometimes every now and then. Weird, I know.

But not for 2 days! I brought my lunch to work even on a Seamless discount day! I casually didn’t even attempt to make the – albeit strictly out of pretense – moves to offer to pay for my drinks at a bar! (By the way, sorry! I swear I’m not that girl!) I didn’t even buy tights! None!

Then I woke up Wednesday morning.

And Baba Ganoush was on my mind.

And I don’t just have an extra eggplant lying around. Probably.

So, I buckled.

So, I Whole Foods-ed.

And it was good. I bought all the things.

I really love Baba Ganoush and if that’s what’s going to break me free from my mini hiatus from spending, you know what? It’s sort of worth it. It’s also ridiculously easy to make. And it’s ridiculously cute in these appetizer spoons I have. Also, I have appetizer spoons. Do you see what I mean about the frivolous spending problem?

Yeah, me neither.

These appetizer spoons are sick.

BABA GANOUSH

makes 10 servings, 2 tablespoons (28g) each

ingredients:

1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons tahini

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

dash of cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of olive oil

extra salt and pepper to taste

During those 2 money saving days, I also bought a soda with the quarters I found in my bedroom:

Preheat your oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set the eggplant halves flesh side down. Prick the skin several times with a fork. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit.

In a food processor, chop up your garlic. Add the tahini and lemon juice and pulse. Scoop out the cooled eggplant meat and dump it in the food processor along with the lemon, cayenne, cumin and salt. Process process process until you’re at a consistency you’re a face of. I like my baba ganoush like I like my sweaters, kinda chunky. Adjust the spices levels to your taste.

Put it all in a bowl and slowly mix in the olive oil. Refrigerate for a few hours. Feast.

NUTRITION