Pick pick pick pick pick

When it comes to sustenance, I'm much more a grazer than anything. I would love nothing more than to just nibble all day rather than eating normal meals. Salsa and tortilla chips, pita chips and feta dip, ciliegini, hummus, curried chicken salad on crackers, port wine spread on crackers (okay, actually, almost anything you can put on a cracker), fruit salad... all part of my nibbly repertoire. Of course there are times where I'd love to be in my mother's kitchen, eating stuffed peppers or her legendary roast beef and mashed potatoes, or even my own tomato alfredo ziti. But by and large, just give me stuff to nibble on. To that end, there is no bigger budget buster for me than the glory that is Whole Foods - or as I (and so many others) like to call it, Whole Paycheck.

Today found Uxorious Husband and I in search of some nice wine and cheese to bring to dinner at a friend's house tomorrow night. Mistake #1 was thinking we could go to Whole Paycheck and just get said wine and cheese. Mistake #2 was us both saying "you know, we're both gonna need lunch and dinner today." Let's just say we spent a lot more than either of us had anticipated. We managed to stay in the vicinity of our wine and cheese budget, but went completely over the top with other stuff.

But now I get to spend a wonderfully sunny afternoon picking at yummy delights from the cheese, deli and bakery sections, and that makes me happy.

Oh, and seriously? Even if you're not vegan, if you have a Whole Paycheck anywhere near you, try the vegan chocolate mousse. I was in a pudding mood, but didn't see any single serving puddings in the dessert section, so I figured a light, airy mousse would suffice. Light and airy, my arse - I could have frosted a cake with this stuff (and would consider it, if I baked with any regularity). Its ingredient list is blissfully short: silken tofu, dark chocolate and brown rice syrup. It's rich, dense and sinfully chocolaty. I'm not anywhere near the chocolate fiend as the majority of women in my demographic, but on the very rare occasions where I must have chocolate now, this would be perfect.