Fall Thrifting Extravaganza (and a mini fashion show!)

I think this is quite possibly the latest I've ever gotten around to posting about our Fall Thrifting Expedition, which we usually do in late August to stock up on all the fall and winter clothing our family needs for the coming months.

For one thing, we did our shopping in two stages this year: our usual late August trip to Value Village, plus a trip to Talize just a couple of weeks ago because my younger son still desperately needed to find pants!

As usual, we came away with a pretty good haul and a few really great finds. Here are some of the highlights and an update on our total clothing expenditures so far this year.

I didn't managed to snap a pic of every single item we brought home, as the boys have a tendency to run off with their treasures the moment they get them in the door.

Shown above:
1. A pair of Van's and a pair of sandals, both for my almost-16-year-old son Noah. The sandals were $2.00 and the Van's were $6.50 (I couldn't find an exact match online, but that brand generally runs $55 to 75+ a pair!)

2.  Tops for Noah - a Superman T-shirt ($3.50), Adidas hoodie ($2.00) and plaid flannel shirt ($3.50).

3. More tops for Noah: Patagonia hoodie ($4.50), Argyle sweater ($5.00) and striped sweater ($5.00). We were really excited about the hoodie, as Patagonia is a really good brand and it was in brand new condition!

4. Jeans for me: Jones & Co., Coupe Galbee "Curvy Fit" and Contrast, $5.00 each.

5. Nathan's haul: T-shirt ($2.50), plaid flannel shirt ($4.50), long sleeve gray knit top ($4.00) and jeans ($4.00)

All of those were from Value Village on 50% off day, and the last one is mine from Talize:

6. Mexx top ($4.99) (this had a pink tag, which was 50% off that day, otherwise it would have been $9.99)

More shoes:

From left to right:

A pair of Clark's for me ($9.00). This was a near-miraculous find - they fit my size 10 narrow feet *perfectly*, are in brand new condition, and cost over $70 new!

Faded Glory slip-ons ($4.99), also for me. They are super comfy for walking in!

Sneakers for Joe (hubby), $6.49.

Our total spent at Value Village with tax was $93.23 for 18 items of clothing, or an average of $5.18 an item. We spent another $97.52 at Talize for 11 items, or an average of $8.87 an item (I spent $20.00 on a coat there, which jacked up the average - more about that below!)

The boys came away with a good haul of American Eagle items (their favourite brand) and Nathan (13 yr old) found an Abercrombie hoodie which made him *very* happy!

Since clothes always look better on than in a pile, I did a little min-fashion show, and managed to convince Noah to let me snap a pic of him, too!

Outfit #1:

Hoodie, $9.99 at Talize (brand new condition), jeans $5.00 at Value Village, shoes $9.00 at Value Village, Gap T-shirt (under hoodie) bought a couple years ago for about $3.00, earrings (hard to see, but I am wearing some!) around 50 cents at a yard sale a couple years ago.
Total cost for outfit: Approximately $27.50

Outfit #2:

Gap turtleneck sweater, $6.99 at Talize, jeans $5.00 at Value Village, shoes $4.99 at Value Village, earrings homemade from a broken wooded bead necklace picked up at a rummage sale (?25 cents?)
Total cost for outfit: Approximately $17.23

Outfit #3 (Outerwear):

Coat, $19.99 at Talize (I'm not sure what it's made of as I can't find a care label, but it's really soft and fully lined), fleece hat, $1.00 at a yard sale a couple of years ago, fleece gloves free from a yard sale free pile last year, scarf hand knitted by me a few years ago (about $5.00 for the wool-silk blend yarn).
Total for outfit: Approximately $25.99


Outfit #4:

Patagonia hoodie, $4.50, jeans, approx. $5.00 from last year, T-shirt, approx $3.00 from a couple years ago, shoes, $6.50 at Talize (they were marked 50% off).
Total cost for outfit: $19.00

Annual clothing budget update:
After these last two thrifting trips, we are up to $419.09 for the year.  We generally aim for around $400 per year total for the four of us ($100 a person, although usually more of it goes to the boys as their clothes need replacing much more often!) We spent $455.86 last year, so we should come in somewhere in the same neighbourhood again (Nathan could still use a new pair of sneakers!) The last couple of years, with the boys fitting into men's size clothing, it's been more of a challenge to stick to the $400 annual budget, so I don't mind going a little bit over if necessary.

Have you found any great fashion deals this fall?
 

 
Love what you read here? Click HERE to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) 

 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

Weekly Menu Retrospective #119

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here. 
 
Breakfasts:
Chocolate Chai Granola, Zucchini Raisin Bran Muffins (sub zucchini for the carrots in the recipe on p 102), Upside-Down Apple Oven Pancake (p. 95)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday:  Lemon and Garlic Chicken (p.184), Broccoli, Bacon and Cheddar Salad (p. 204), Easy Oven Fries (p.194)

Tuesday: Cabbage & Beef Soup (p. 167), Pizza Breadsticks (variation of the recipe on p. 214)

Wednesday: Creamy Chicken Pasta with Peas and Carrots (sub poached & shredded chicken for tuna in the recipe on p. 146)

Thursday: Chickpeas with Potatoes and Peas (p.138), tossed salad

Friday: Ham & Cheese Skillet Quinoa
  
Saturday: Cheese Omelettes, hash brown potatoes, tossed salad

Sunday:  Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted carrots and onions, Amish Oatmeal Pie (p. 221)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, mustard, tamari, oregano, basil, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, apples, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), sour cream, milk

Local AND organic:  oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  whole wheat flour, cornmeal, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *green onions

*from our backyard veggie garden 

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com. 
  
 

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here. 

Love what you read here? Click HERE to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

RECIPE: Chocolate Chai Granola

You probably haven't know me long if you haven't heard me sing the praises of homemade granola! My whole family (plus all the people I've given it to as gifts) adore my standard granola recipe (made with raisins instead of dried cranberries during most of the year), but that's no reason not to change things up a little every once in a while.

My hubby's last trip to the bulk food store resulted in him buying about 4 times as much cardamom as I had intended - and since it's a pricey spice I want to make sure I use it up! One of my favourite winter teas is a Chocolate Chai blend, and I thought it would make a tasty granola flavour as well as making a dent in our cardamom supply. The warming spices of chai are certainly welcome at this time of year when the temperature starts dropping in earnest (I finally gave in and turned the furnace on the middle of last week!)

The fact that I had to tell people to stop eating this granola so I could take a picture of it is a pretty good indication that this was a successful experiment :) The chai flavour is fairly subtle, so you could ramp up the spices a bit if you want it stronger.

(Note: Although almonds are called for in the recipe, there are none in the batch in my photo as I'm allergic. So those with nut allergies can either leave them out or sub in sunflower or pumpkin seeds if you want the extra crunch and nutrition boost).

Ingredients:
5 cups oats (preferably old fashioned - don't use instant!)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut and almonds.

• In a small saucepan, combine the honey, coconut oil, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. Cook over medium-low heat until coconut oil is melted and mixture is smooth.

• Pour chocolate mixture over oat mixture, stirring until oats are evenly coated with chocolate mixture.

• Spread out on a large cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping.

Do you have a favourite granola recipe, or a great way to use cardamom? If so, leave a comment and share with us!

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

Weekly Menu Retrospective #118

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here. 
 
This was a really crazy week for us - those short weeks after a long weekend always seem to be really intense! Our schedule was totally packed with sports and volunteering squeezed into just about every spare minute, and I was even on TV on Thanksgiving Monday.  

Needless to say, we kept meals simple this week, but it just goes to show that you can still cook all your meals from scratch even when life gets beyond hectic : 

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), oatmeal, Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins (sub pumpkin for banana in this recipe, p. 96), French toast, Blueberry Clafouti (p. 223)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza, Toad-in-the-Hole (p. 180)

Dinners:

Monday:  "Turkey Overs" (Thanksgiving dinner leftovers)

Tuesday: Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry (sub chickpeas for chicken in this recipe, p. 136)

Wednesday: Western Omelette Wraps (p. 124), Creamy Cucumber Salad (p. 205)

Thursday: Taco Platters

Friday: Spicy Peanut and Tomato Soup  (p. 163), cornbread (p. 212)
  
Saturday: Alfredo Pasta with Spicy Pork and Peas

Sunday:   Black Bean Chili (p. 160), leftover cornbread

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), coconut milk, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, tortilla chips, blueberries, corn, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, mustard, tamari, oregano, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, squash, apples, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), sour cream, milk

Local AND organic:  cranberries, oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  whole wheat flour, cornmeal, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *green onions

*from our backyard veggie garden or produce cooperative

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.  

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

My "Afternoon Pick Me Up" Herbal Tea

I started a new daily ritual back in the spring that I somehow never got around to blogging about: my afternoon herbal tea! Now, that might not seem like anything special since many of us drink herbal teas on a regular basis (myself included). What's special about this one is that I purposely chose to make this blend more for its health benefits than its taste (although it is a very pleasant tasting tea).

My "special blend" is a teaspoon each of dried oatstraw and lemon balm, plus about a teaspoon of finely diced fresh ginger and a quarter of an organic lemon. I put this all in a pint sized Mason jar, then fill with boiling water, cover, and let it steep for about 20 minutes. I then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a large mug and sweeten it with a bit of local honey.

How did I arrive at this particular blend? 
Well, for starters, a friend of mine had recommended oatstraw as an herb with a lot of health benefits that she thought would be useful to me, so when I placed an order with Mountain Rose Herbs I added some to my cart even though I wasn't sure how I was going to use it! I was placing a large order that day and so I didn't notice that I'd accidentally ordered *two* 4 oz packages of oatstraw instead of one! Now I was even more motivated to find a way to use it on a regular basis.

I decided to try it in a tea blend with lemon balm, an herb that's known for its ability to relieve tension and anxiety while also perking you up (as opposed to some other relaxing herbs that sedate you!) In other words, it's just about perfect for providing an early afternoon boost to help me get through the rest of the day. I added the lemon and ginger for both taste and further therapeutic benefits and the combination tastes great while delivering some powerful health benefits:

Oatstraw:  This herb is considered a full-body tonic that can strengthen your immune system and boost your energy. It's also said to have antibiotic and antidepressant properties. Like lemon balm, it is good for relieving stress, tension and fatigue. In addition, oatstraw is packed full of nutrients, including vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium and selenium. 

Lemon Balm: Along with its tension-taming qualities, lemon balm is also antiviral and antibacterial (Caution: regular use of lemon balm is not advised if you have hypothyroidism)

Ginger: I have been a fan of ginger for a long time! It has warming properties, which is nice for people like me who are always cold :) It is also anti-inflammatory, which is useful if you have seasonal allergies or conditions like arthritis.

Lemon: In addition to giving the tea a flavour boost, lemons are antibacterial and help remove acid wastes from the body. I use organic lemons as conventional lemons have a lot of things on the outside of them that I don't want ending up in my tea!

Where to buy the ingredients:
You might be able to find the oatstraw and lemon balm at a local health food store that sells bulk herbs. I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs - their quality is fantastic!
It's not too hard to find ginger root or lemons :) I buy 2 lb bags of organic lemons at Fortinos, where they sell them for a reasonable price.

Note: I'm an (extremely) amateur herbalist, and I'm just writing about something that I've found beneficial for myself. I encourage you to do your own research and consult with your healthcare practitioner before using these or any other herbs. This post contains affiliate links to Mountain Rose Herbs and I will receive a small commission from any purchase you make when using those links.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

RECIPE: Slightly-Lighter Bacon and Broccoli Alfredo

I admit it - I've always loved Alfredo sauce (back when I was a kid and we'd go to Red Lobster, I'd almost always get the Lobster Alfredo). Even though I love it, a traditional Alfredo sauce uses heavy cream, which makes for a *really* rich dish.

My version of Alfredo sauce uses a combination of light cream and milk (plus a bit of flour to thicken it up). The bacon and broccoli are perfect flavour complements for the sauce. This dish comes together really quickly, so it's perfect for a busy weeknight meal. Serve it with a nice big salad on the side to round things out.

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti or fettucine noodles (you could also use a spiral pasta like rotini or fusilli)
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups light (10%) cream
1 1/2 cups milk (use whole milk if you have it on hand)
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch broccoli, chopped into bite-sized bits

Instructions:

• Cook pasta in boiling water until done; drain thoroughly and return to pot.

• Steam broccoli until tender-crisp and keep warm.

• While pasta cooks, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until flour is well combined with butter.

• Slowly whisk in the cream until mixture is smooth. Add the milk and salt and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

• Pour sauce over pasta, stirring to coat well. Add the bacon and broccoli and mix gently until well combined with pasta. 

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese for sprinkling, if desired.

Serves 4 as a main course.

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

About That Closet...

Right around (gulp) four and a half months ago, I gave a quick update on our (sloth-like) progress on our Great Room Reshuffle project and haven't shared anything about it since.

Between all the TV segments, cooking classes and demos I've been doing in the last few weeks, getting dinner on the table has been a lot more of a priority than getting anything done around the house (except keeping the bathroom down to a sub-toxic level).

At the rate we've progressed on this project so far, the boys may have moved out of the house before we get it done! Having a friend visit us from Albuquerque in the middle of August did at least light a bit of a fire under our bottoms to get another small piece of this huge project accomplished.

We got the closet in what is now Noah's (almost 16 yr old ds) room and slated to become our TV room/den stripped of wallpaper, repaired the walls and primed and painted them. Joe then built a shelving unit to try and maximize the storage space in there.

We have finally taken it from this:

to this:

 

Although it took us a lot longer to accomplish than we'd hoped, it was basically an "elbow-grease only" project that we didn't have to spend any money on to complete. We already had all the painting supplies, and Joe built most of the shelving out of an old bookcase that had seen a lot better days. Now all our games, puzzles, Lego bins, Nerf guns and assorted art supplies all have a new home.

I'm not sure what the next step in this plan is as the logistics are pretty complex when we are switching bedrooms of all 4 family members and each room still has plenty of work to be done in it before it's ready for its new use. At any rate, it's a safe bet that one or more of us will be sleeping on the (queen sized) air mattress in the exercise room/spare bedroom at various times throughout the rest of this DIY adventure!

We're scheduled to pick up some furniture (a couch, chair and "media centre" type unit) on Saturday from my dad, who is also doing some shifting around of the room layouts at his place. Hopefully this will give us a feeling of urgency to continue focusing on this project, as we're starting to accumulate donated furniture much faster than we've been able to get it into its designated spaces!

Anyone else out there have a DIY project that's taking WAAAY longer than you planned?

SOME EXCITING NEWS: I have a brand new website at cookwithkaren.com! Don't worry, the blog will still be here and I will still post on it regularly. If you're looking for more information on my book, menu planning service or classes & events, this will be the place for you to go. And I'll be sending out a Cooking with Karen newsletter once or twice a month as well (you can sign up for that on my homepage or just go HERE).

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking