tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57685570065661872322024-03-15T21:09:49.635-04:00Abundance on a DimeKaren McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.comBlogger570125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-16831618136629815012015-01-21T08:30:00.000-05:002015-01-21T08:30:02.351-05:00Goals, Routines and Microresolutions: The Challenges of Behaviour Change, Part 1<br />
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<b><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_OOI6ma_Eck/VL6vrSeQ0lI/AAAAAAAACws/FahV_xdJF0I/s1600/meditation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_OOI6ma_Eck/VL6vrSeQ0lI/AAAAAAAACws/FahV_xdJF0I/s1600/meditation.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><i>Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net</i></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Last January I kicked off the year by announcing my (admittedly ambitious) plans for <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/01/this-years-big-goal-10-routines-for-2014.html" target="_blank">"10 Routines in 2014"</a> and although I gave you a brief update on <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/02/an-update-on-my-morning-routine.html" target="_blank">how I was doing with my morning routine</a> in late February, I never reported back on my progress after that! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Seeing as how it's <strike>the start of a new year</strike> still January I thought it would be a good idea to take stock of where I'm at and assess the areas where I still need to make some changes to meet my goals. It's actually been quite a while since I reviewed this full list of routines, which is probably not a good sign. Surprisingly, though, I did make significant accomplishments in most of these ten areas, even if I didn't get all the way to where I initially intended!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">So, here's an update on all ten routines, plus my insights learned along the way and ideas on how I might want to tweak things over the rest of this year.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>1. Morning routine:</b></span> I was doing really well with consistently <b>getting up at 7 a.m. </b>for a while, and then somewhere along the line things just fell apart. I'm still really struggling with this area. I just am NOT a morning person and dread getting out of bed in the morning! Interestingly enough, though, once I've actually gotten out of bed<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> I have been very consistent with doing a morning meditation</b></span>, which was<b> the one brand new thing</b> I added to my life at the beginning of 2014 (currently it's <b>15 minutes long</b> as that seems to be a length I can stick with over the long haul). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>2. Email routines:</b></span> <b>I set specific times to check my email during the day</b> (9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.) and also was hoping to <b>find the system that works best for me to help keep my inbox cleared out.</b> I have to admit that I still check my email too frequently (although less than I used to). I am much better about keeping things cleared out of my inbox, though, thanks to some aggressive unsubscribing from many different lists. My goal for this year is to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>keep email to an hour a day max </b></span>during the week (half an hour in the morning and half an hour between the 2 afternoon time slots). I may spend more time on Saturday reading email if I feel so inclined. I'd like to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>make Sundays cyber-free</b></span> as often as possible this year, too.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>3. Lunchtime routine:</b></span> <b>My goal was to consistently take an hour and a half break from 11:30 to 1 p.m.</b> This has definitely required some tweaking to figure out what works best. I was initially using this time to connect with my son (who comes home for lunch from 11:30 to 12:00), eat my lunch and go for a 30-40 minute walk. These days my son usually brings his girlfriend home for lunch :) so I get a very quick update on his day and that's about it! I've also found I really prefer my walk as part of my afternoon exercise routine, so I moved it there instead and now take about 20-30 minutes at lunchtime to do some restorative activities like <a href="http://www.acupressure.com/" target="_blank">acupressure</a> and <a href="http://thehealthylivinglounge.com/2009/06/16/12-great-reasons-to-start-alternate-nostril-breathing-today/" target="_blank">alternate-nostril breathing</a> so I feel refreshed for the afternoon.<b> </b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">4. Afternoon exercise routine:</span></b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>My goal was to get back to doing strength training consistently twice a week.</b> The plan was to go to a hot yoga class at 4 p.m. one afternoon a week, do strength training 2 days a week, and devote the remaining days to a home yoga practice. I fell off the bandwagon on this one and was NOT consistent at all with my strength training (or even yoga classes!) The good news is I reassessed my whole routine as it clearly wasn't working for me. A couple of months ago I discovered High Intensity Interval Training and both<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> hubby and I have committed to doing these 12-16 minute workouts 4 times a week</b></span> (plus one 90 minute hot yoga class a week on a non-HIIT day). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyZZme8BFA25EAmIgeMxfh7DFu37XZmF9" target="_blank">These are my favourite ones</a> because she gives lots of good ideas for modifications if you need them. I've also discovered<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ONHZmsFec" target="_blank"> a great shoulder rehab routine</a> that I've been adding on to the end of my workouts so I can finally get my shoulders 100% healthy again. I've been really consistent with my exercise routine so far this year, so it seems to be working out a lot better than last year's plan - hurray! My other fitness goal is <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>to do 25 pushups by the end of the year. </b></span>I'm currently struggling with less than half of that, so it's going to take some focus to get there, but I REALLY want my upper body strength back!</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">5. Bedtime routine:</span></span> <span style="font-size: small;">Getting to bed at a reasonable time has always been a challenge for our household full of night owls.</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"> My goal was for us all to start getting ready
for bed at 10 p.m. (including getting anything ready for the next day
like clothes, permission slips, etc) and all be in our beds by 10:30
p.m. That gives us all half an hour to read or have "quiet" time before
lights out at 11 p.m. I started out okay with this goal, got inconsistent again part way through the year, and have gotten a lot better again in the past couple of months (in Part 2 of this post I'll share one of the things that has really helped!) I actually adjusted the times back a bit, too, so now <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>the goal is to be in bed at 10 p.m. with lights out at 10:30.</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">6. Writing routines: </span>I intended to get better at scheduling in specific larger chunks of time for writing</b> as I was only getting done about one third of the writing I wanted to prior to the start of 2014. This goal largely went by the wayside, and it may well stay on the back burner for 2015, too! It looks like<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> I may schedule 2 half days a week for writing at this point</b></span> (I potentially have some big life changes coming up in the next couple of months - I can't share anything about them right now but as soon as I'm able to, I will!) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>7. Cleaning routines: </b></span><b>Oh dear. </b>That's about all I can say with regards to this one. Still trying to figure out how to make this easier and more streamlined! <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>My major goal this year is to hand over more of the household tasks to my two teenagers.</b></span> In addition, I'm thinking about assigning us all specific chores each day so they have a hope of getting done. I'm also on another decluttering rampage, because<b> the less stuff we have, the easier it is to keep the house clean.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">8. Business routines: </span></b>This was one of the big surprises for 2014; in February I decided to take a business development course with <a href="http://www.heartofbusiness.com/" target="_blank">Mark Silver</a> which ended up taking me off in different directions than I originally intended! It lasted several months and was very intense. This year I am<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> focusing on developing my leadership skills</b></span>; I'm currently working through <a href="http://ondemand.franklincovey.com/dailydeals/" target="_blank">FranklinCovey's Online Leadership courses</a> (purchased with a super awesome Groupon deal!) and will start a free course through Coursera.org called <a href="https://www.coursera.org/course/totalleadership" target="_blank">Better Leader, Richer Life</a> in a couple of weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">9. Financial routines:</span></b></span>
<b>We made the decision to go back to good old-fashioned paper, pencil and calculator to manage our finances in 2014.</b> After a couple of years of using Mint.com ineffectively, the simple paper plan worked out MUCH better for us. We had also planned to do the <a href="http://www.simplyfrugal.ca/how-to-save-1378-in-a-year/" target="_blank">52 Week Savings Challenge </a>to reboot our savings account. Part way through the year <b>we switched to a "Pay Yourself First" system</b> which was very successful for us (I'll be sharing more about this in a future post). I feel like we've got a pretty solid money management system going right now; <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>this was definitely one of our big successes for the year!</b></span> This year will be mostly about maintaining what we've got in place.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>10. Weekly planning routine:</b></span> <b> My final goal was to set time aside on Sunday evenings to plan out my entire week</b>. Alas, this ended up being very "hit or miss", more miss than hit unfortunately. When I do actually get the planning done on the weekend, the whole week goes SO much smoother, so this is another goal I have to figure out WHY I continue to struggle with, so I can get it accomplished much more consistently. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While there were obviously a few areas where I didn't come close to what I set out to do, I did make some solid progress in others. More importantly, I think, I got really interested in <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>WHY it's so hard to make behaviour changes</b></span> and ended up reading several books on this topic. There was one book in particular that I read in December that I found very insightful and useful. Since then, <b>I've already used it to make a couple of significant changes relatively effortlessly.</b> I'll be sharing more about that in Part 2 of this post next week!<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><br />
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com41Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-34008655568029216822014-12-03T15:24:00.000-05:002014-12-03T15:26:45.719-05:00Having Ourselves A(nother) Simple Little Christmas...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve4d7glJsBM/VH4rRcVR9HI/AAAAAAAACwQ/J2J6uxQ6YR0/s1600/christmas%2Btrees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve4d7glJsBM/VH4rRcVR9HI/AAAAAAAACwQ/J2J6uxQ6YR0/s1600/christmas%2Btrees.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net</i></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">It's three weeks 'til Christmas Eve and I haven't written a word about Christmas here on the blog yet this year - WHAAAT?!?</span></b></span> Yeah, things are a little behind schedule for someone who advocates <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/09/frugal-christmas-starts-now.html" target="_blank">starting to think about Christmas in September</a>. I don't even have an impressive excuse, other than that I needed to take a mental break from blogging for a while. That doesn't mean I haven't been busy <span style="font-size: small;">coming up with a gift-giving plan for this year...I'm just a little late in sharing it with you!</span><br />
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<b>Our Christmas plans this year are very modest</b> because, to be frank,<b> it's been a hugely challenging year for us financially. </b>This was one of my husband's slowest years in his business in recent memory, and we also had a huge car repair bill to deal with last month. This would be quite discouraging, except for the fact that, in looking back over the years, I'd have to say that <b>the majority of our Christmases that I'd rank as "highly satisfying" were the ones where we had to go light on the gifts and got a bit more creative in how we were going to celebrate the season.</b> So, while it would be nice to have a bit more cash on hand going into the holidays, we're just going to have to find other ways to celebrate that don't involve spending money (and that's really okay - since technically we COULD go out and spend more by putting it on a credit card, knowing that we're choosing NOT to do that is a GOOD feeling!)<br />
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So, here's a roundup of our plans so far: <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Holiday activities & entertainment</b></span></span><br />
We have a few fun things to look forward to this year; due to our tight budget I'm making sure to put in a bit more effort in this area (which is usually more fun than ripping open the gifts, anyway).<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>A Christmas Party!</b></span><br />
We've been meaning to do this for years, and have always come up with a reason why we "couldn't do it this year". Even though this would definitely be another year we could find lots of reasons NOT to have a party, we decided to challenge ourselves to just go for it, without expecting to throw an "over the top" extravaganza. We're holding an afternoon holiday open house this coming Sunday. We'll be keeping it pretty simple with light refreshments of cookies, chips and dip and fruit and veggie trays, with coffee, tea and cider (hot and cold) to drink. Our guests have been invited to help us decorate our tree (which is already ensconced in the corner of our living room) and <b>we're also going to be doing a Secondhand Santa gift exchange</b>. I'm not sure if anyone else has done this before, I made it up but I would think it's not a brand new idea. We've asked everyone to bring one gift wrapped secondhand item that they would like to pass on but that they think someone else would enjoy (so no extra tacky "gag gift" type items). All the gifts will be displayed on a table and everyone who brings one will get to pick out another to take home. So far everyone seems enthusiastic about the idea; we'll see how well it ends up going.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">HPO Christmas Concert at the HPL</span></b><br />
Joe & I will be attending the<a href="http://hpo.org/concert/free-holiday-concert-at-hamilton-public-library/" target="_blank"> Hamilton Philharmonic's free holiday concert</a> at the Central branch of the library this Friday at noon. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Living Advent Calendar</span></b><br />
Our neighbourhood's doing a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/934398306572195/936256369719722/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity" target="_blank">Living Advent Calendar</a> for the third year in a row. Apparently this is a Swiss tradition, but I'd never heard of it until it started here in my neck of the woods. <b>Starting Dec 1st, each day a different family in the neighbourhood unveils a holiday-themed window at their home.</b> The list of addresses is posted online so folks can stroll around the neighbourhood and enjoy the festive decorations. We're going to take a walk around and check out the first three windows tonight :)<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gifts:</b></span></span><br />
We'll be doing small individual gifts this year. <b>This is probably going to sound weird to most of you, but 3 of the 4 of us will be receiving socks by request! </b>My hubby and I both need new wool socks (a necessity in our cold Canadian winters!) and have a preference for <a href="https://www.wigwam.com/gear/socks" target="_blank">Wigwam brand</a>, which are good quality and made in North America (Wisconsin). <b>It's kind of funny that we end up paying more for socks than just about any other article of clothing </b>(since most of our clothes are purchased on 50% off day at Value Village!), but they are well worth it. Warm feet are happy feet!<b> My 15-year-old wants new basketball socks</b>, which are also crazy expensive for a pair of socks, but he gets tons of use out of them. SportChek's having <a href="http://www.sportchek.ca/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=basketball%20socks&origkw=basketball+socks&sr=1" target="_blank">a sock sale right now</a> so we're going to take advantage of it! <b>My 17-year-old would just like some cash</b>, so he'll be getting a conservative amount equivalent to what we spend on his brother.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stockings:</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>We all LOVE our stockings around here! </b>Now that the boys are well into their teenage years, their stocking stuffers are starting to get a bit predictable as they are now filled with food and gift cards rather than toys. It doesn't seem like they mind as they are happy to get some treats that we don't normally buy, plus some of our special homemade Christmas treats as well. </span></span></span><br />
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</b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">(By the way, for anyone looking for inspiration for their teenager's stocking, there is a great list of <a href="http://www.frugalupstate.com/christmas/97-stocking-stuffers-for-teens-or-tweens/" target="_blank">97 Stocking Stuffers for Teens or Tweens</a> over at Frugal Upstate that is handy for browsing through.).</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>For the boys:</b></span> <b>$5 gift cards for Tim Hortons</b> (we have one in our neighbourhood and they love to go there with their friends), a <b>box of Gingerbread Spice tea</b> (one of the holiday teas by Celestial Seasonings and a favourite with both of them, bought on sale 2 boxes for $5), <b>assorted candy</b> (mostly homemade), pepperettes, Nutella (they're both addicted and I don't normally buy it!) and <a href="http://pur-gum.com/index.html" target="_blank">Pur gum</a> (bought on sale, BOGO).</span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> It's a tradition in our family that <b>an apple and a couple of clementines </b>go in the very bottom of the stocking so that helps ensure it's packed nice and full :) </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">This year we'll probably add <b>some razors and deodorant</b> to the mix as they are going through more of both these days!</span><b></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>For hubby:</b></span> Again, pretty predictable, but will include all the special treats he looks forward to at Christmas. He'll receive <b>homemade candies</b> in his stocking, plus I'll be picking up some<b> chocolate covered coffee beans</b> from the <a href="http://mustardseed.coop/" target="_blank">Mustard Seed</a> co-op. I also snared a tin of cashews on sale for almost 50% off, so that will be tucked in there, too.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">I'll probably scope out a few more small items to add to everyone's stocking while I'm over at the co-op this Friday helping to pack <a href="http://mustardseed.coop/2014/11/18/making-it-simple-to-give-local-2/" target="_blank">Holiday Gift Bags</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">My <b style="color: #cc0000;">dad and his new wife (they were married in March), and my grandmother</b> will be receiving the traditional <b>gift baskets of baked goodies and canned goods </b>which
I have been giving them for
years and years, so this year will be no different in that regard.
The contents vary somewhat from year to year to keep things interesting;
this year's baskets - which are usually repurposed clementine orange
crates - will include <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cran-Raspberry-Jam" target="_blank">Cran-Raspberry Jam</a>, Tomato Date Jam, Zucchini Relish, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/2010/12/two-last-minute-gifts-from-kitchen.html" target="_blank">Candied Peanuts</a> and <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Christmas Granola</a>. Everyone will also be receiving some of <b>my most recent batch of homemade soap</b>. This year I decided on a grapefruit scent to keep it refreshing and unisex.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">I'm
sure there will probably be a few last-minute additions to this list,
as there usually are, but that gives you a good idea of what Christmas will look like around here this year.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>I thought I'd finish up with a few interesting holiday-related reads you might want to check out for additional inspiration:</b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/ten-ways-for-a-zero-dollar-christmas/" target="_blank">Ten Ways for a Zero Dollar Christmas</a> (The Nonconsumer Advocate)<br />
<a href="http://melissacamarawilkins.com/blog/one-new-question-reset-holiday-plans/" target="_blank">One Question to Reset Your Holiday Plans</a> (Melissa Camara Wilkins)<br />
<a href="http://www.theminimalists.com/holiday-shopping/" target="_blank">Holiday Shopping for Aspiring Minimalists</a> (Minimalists.org)<br />
<a href="http://baritessler.com/2013/12/how-to-change-your-holiday-money-story/" target="_blank">How to Change Your Holiday Money Story</a> (Bari Tessler Linden)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Need some frugal gift ideas?</b></span> Check out my<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/p/christmas-on-dime.html" target="_blank"><b> </b>Christmas on a Dime page</a> and my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/cookwithkaren/homemade-christmas/" target="_blank">Homemade Christmas board </a>on Pinterest. Starting today, I'll also be sharing one gift idea a day on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/abundanceonadime" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/cookwithkarenm" target="_blank">Twitter</a>...I'd love to hear your suggestions too!Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com19Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-67266846953992958992014-10-23T10:33:00.000-04:002014-10-23T10:35:11.168-04:00RECIPE: Pumpkin Granola<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wCcid_8pwbE/VEkJV8IDShI/AAAAAAAACwA/LA6oPWfd8HI/s1600/pumpkin%2Bgranola%2Bedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wCcid_8pwbE/VEkJV8IDShI/AAAAAAAACwA/LA6oPWfd8HI/s1600/pumpkin%2Bgranola%2Bedited.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with granola! </b></span></span><b>Homemade granola is the only "cold cereal" my family eats.</b> I've been know to go on rants about how ridiculously expensive (and lacking in nutrition) commercial cereals can be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While I'm routinely urging folks to go forth and make their own granola, I've noticed there seems to be some misconception that homemade granola is a seriously labour-intensive endeavour. Not so!<b> I can get a batch ready for the oven in under 5 minutes</b>. Either hubby or I routinely does this while we're cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, so we're already in there when it needs to be taken out and stirred in-process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seriously, <b>homemade granola is super easy to make, delicious, packed full of nutrients, and way less expensive than any boxed cereal you could buy. </b>So what are you waiting for?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This pumpkin granola has a nice spicy kick to it, while the pumpkin flavour is fairly subtle. This is a perfect way to<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/10/making-most-ofyour-jack-o-lantern.html" target="_blank"> make good use of that jack o' lantern</a> come Nov 1st!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span></span><br />
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>3½ cups rolled oats</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp cinnamon</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 tsp ginger</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ tsp cloves</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ tsp nutmeg</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ tsp allspice</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>3 tbsp brown sugar</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ cup honey</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ cup coconut oil</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
⅓ <b>cup pumpkin puree</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Instructions: </b></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In a large mixing
bowl, combine the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger,
cloves, nutmeg and allspice. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil and
pumpkin puree. Heat gently and stir until thoroughly combined.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pour pumpkin mixture over oat mixture and stir until oats are evenly
coated.Spread on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 300°F
for 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Let
cool, then store at room temperature.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Makes
about 6-10 servings</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Optional
add ins:</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you want to jazz up your granola even more, try adding any of the following:</span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2
tbsp cocoa <span id="goog_1973277595"></span><span id="goog_1973277596"></span>powder (for Chocolate Pumpkin Granola – add to honey
mixture)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">chopped
walnuts or pecans</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">dried
cranberries (add after granola is baked and cooled)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">dried
apple chunks (add after granola is baked and cooled)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Want even more granola options? Check out these recipes:</span></span></b></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/10/recipe-chocolate-chai-granola.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chocolate Chai Granola</span></span></a></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/06/recipe-chocolate-peanut-granola.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chocolate Peanut Granola</span></span></a></div>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christmas Granola </span></span></a></div>
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/p/cheap-appetit-my-book.html" target="_blank">Cheap
Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a
Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)</a></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? </span><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">Find out how you can help support this blog</a>.<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b></span>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> to like <span style="font-size: small;">Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com7Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-56723193117331955192014-10-09T08:00:00.000-04:002014-10-09T08:00:04.788-04:00QUICKIE RECIPE: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Scrambled Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2Z-JIGZJJM/VDWCShjljII/AAAAAAAACvw/T5hKLamyAJA/s1600/stir%2Bfried%2Bquinoa%2Bwith%2Boverlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2Z-JIGZJJM/VDWCShjljII/AAAAAAAACvw/T5hKLamyAJA/s1600/stir%2Bfried%2Bquinoa%2Bwith%2Boverlay.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Even with the best planning, we all have days where we need to produce a meal in next to no time. </b></span></span>Fortunately, it IS possible to make a decent meal very quickly, even from scratch!<br />
<br />
<b>This little number makes a frequent appearance at my house</b> when I want something hot for lunch and there are no leftovers to be had (and that's most of the time, with two teenage boys in residence!)<br />
<br />
<b>If you have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, you can be eating this in 10 minutes.</b> It's a surprisingly filling meal, and would work equally well for a quick weeknight dinner. (By the way, if you *don't* have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, it's a great staple to have on hand as this is just one of many things you can whip up with it in just a few minutes! You can always freeze it if you haven't used it all up after a few days).<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Here's what you've gotta do: </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Heat about <b>a tablespoon of your favourite cooking oil/fat</b> in a
nonstick pan (I love my cast iron!) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Toss in<b> half a chopped onion and
half a medium grated carrot</b> and saute for a minute or two until they
soften. Throw in about <b>1/4 cup of frozen peas and 3/4 cup cooked quinoa</b>;
cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the peas are heated
through.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Season with<b> salt and pepper</b> to <span class="text_exposed_show">taste (add about <b>2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley</b> if you have it on hand). </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
Turn this mixture out onto your serving plate, getting the pan as clean
as you can. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Put the pan back on the heat and add<b> a small chunk of
butter</b>. Beat <b>one or two eggs with a splash of milk</b>; once the butter is
melted and pan is hot, add eggs to pan and scramble to desired doneness.
Place on top of quinoa mixture. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Top with <b>a spoonful of sour cream and a
couple of sliced green onions</b>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
You're done!<br />
<br />
How easy was that?!?<br />
<br />
This makes one generous portion, and can easily be doubled/tripled/quadrupled to feed your desired amount of people (just adjust your pan size accordingly so you don't overfill the pan).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>What's your favourite super-quick meal? </b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/p/cheap-appetit-my-book.html" target="_blank">Cheap
Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a
Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)</a></b></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
<br />
Click <b><a href="http://eepurl.com/Fqrtj" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
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<br />
Click<b> <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/abundnceonadime" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to follow me on Twitter<br />
<br />
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<br />
Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span> <span>to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span></span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com3Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-45483190737148844262014-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:002014-10-06T13:04:17.118-04:00Weekly Menu Retrospective #133<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92) with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">homemade yogurt</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" target="_blank">Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins</a> (p. 96), Blueberry <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/07/recipe-peach-clafouti.html" target="_blank">Clafouti</a> (p. 223)<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lunches:</b></span> </span></span><br />
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span>, stir-fried quinoa with veggies and scrambled eggs </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dinners:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b> Beef & Mushroom Stew over mashed potatoes <br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/recipe-spicy-peanut-and-tomato-soup.html" target="_blank">Spicy Peanut & Tomato Soup</a> (p. 163) with Cornbread (p. 212)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Wednesday:<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/01/recipe-indian-spiced-honey-garlic.html" target="_blank"> </a></b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/01/recipe-indian-spiced-honey-garlic.html" target="_blank">Indian-Spiced Honey Garlic Chicken</a> (p. 188), Coconut Rice (p. 199) and roasted carrots</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>Classic Beef Burgers (p. 125) with homemade<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/10/make-it-from-scratch-fermented-or-not.html" target="_blank"> fermented ketchup & mustard</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-easy-oven-fries.html" target="_blank">Easy Oven Fries</a> (p. 194)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Friday: </b>Pizza Night: Sausage, Onion and Red Pepper Pizza (my homemade thin-crust pizza dough recipe is <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/02/recipe-everything-but-kitchen-sink.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/03/recipe-lemony-chicken-spinach-pasta.html" target="_blank">Lemony Chicken & Spinach Pasta</a> (p. 150)<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>Pan-fried pork chops with southwestern seasonings, sauteed zucchini, red pepper and onions, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/07/recipe-skillet-millet.html" target="_blank">Skillet Millet</a>, Chocolate Chip Squares</div>
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Organic</span>:</span> </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil, coconut milk, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, quinoa, fresh ginger, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: small;">Local</span>:</b></span> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, mushrooms, apples, pears, garlic, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), sausages, milk, buttermilk<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b></span> </span></span> </span>zucchini, oats, millet, cornmeal, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a>, green onions*, tomatoes*, red peppers, herbs*<br />
<br />
*from our backyard garden <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Tired
of figuring out what to make for dinner? I've completely overhauled my
budget menu planning service over the summer!</b></span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> Many of the
simple and affordable recipes are NEW and NOT on the blog or in the
book. </b></span></b> Plans include complete menu plans and grocery lists
featuring inexpensive, seasonally-focused ingredients. Click <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/menu-planning-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to find out more!</b></span></b>
<br />
</span><br />
</span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/10/menu-plan-monday-oct-614.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com1Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-67196534805065399322014-10-02T12:22:00.001-04:002014-10-08T22:34:26.176-04:00MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH: {Fermented or Not} Ketchup & Mustard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0cP8F-DRDqs/VC1sBR3va6I/AAAAAAAACvg/56H0zzP9z3k/s1600/ketchup%2B%26%2Bmustard%2Bedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0cP8F-DRDqs/VC1sBR3va6I/AAAAAAAACvg/56H0zzP9z3k/s1600/ketchup%2B%26%2Bmustard%2Bedited.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
You may have gotten the impression (from <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/09/probiotics-for-pennies.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, or maybe <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/04/water-kefir-my-familys-new-favourite.html" target="_blank">this one</a>) that <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>I've really gotten into fermenting things lately</b></span></span>, and if so, you'd be right!<br />
<br />
<b>After my initial abysmal fermenting failures, I forged on and kept trying different things until I had a success or two under my belt</b>, which gave me enough encouragement to experiment further. Since <b>kombucha's one of the things I've found to be the most forgiving</b>, and because my family really enjoys it. I've got a very steady supply of it on hand. So, of course, I'm always looking for new ways to use it!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>This ketchup and mustard are super easy to whip up</b></span></span><b> and a great way for beginners to give fermenting a try.</b> It's also a simple way to start introducing fermented foods to your family if you have kids (or spouses) who might balk at the sight of kombucha or sauerkraut. If you don't have your own supply of kombucha on hand, see if a friend's willing to part with a litre or so (maybe in exchange for some of your finished product!) or you could also purchase some kombucha (if you can find a plain, unflavoured raw one somewhere, which I'm guessing might be kind of expensive!) For those of you who are making your own kombucha, <b>this is a good way to use up a batch that's gotten a bit too vinegary for drinking straight up</b> - it's actually optimal to use a more vinegary kombucha for these recipes.<br />
<br />
<b>You can absolutely make these recipes *without* fermenting them if you wish,</b> although their shelf life will not be as long and you won't get the benefits of the probiotic bacteria.<b> Simply substitute apple cider vinegar where it calls for kombucha.</b> If you use a good quality, raw apple cider vinegar (I always have a bottle of <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/prdd_ap_cidervinegar.php" target="_blank">Filsinger's</a> on hand) you will still be getting some beneficial prebiotic bacteria in your condiments.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fermented {Or Not} Ketchup</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 onion, chopped</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>2 cloves garlic, rough chopped</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>½ cup raisins (use unsulphured if fermenting)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>½-1 cup water*</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>11 oz tomato paste (2 of the 5.5 oz tins)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ cup sugar</b></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¼ tsp dry mustard powder</b></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>⅛ tsp cinnamon</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>⅛ tsp cloves</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>⅛ tsp cayenne pepper</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>⅛ tsp black pepper</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>⅛ tsp allspice</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1-2 tsp sea salt </b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>about 1 cup kombucha or raw apple cider vinegar </b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Instructions:</span></b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>In a small saucepan, simmer the onion, garlic and raisins in the water for a few minutes until softened. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pureed raisin mixture with the tomato paste, sugar and seasonings. Let cool to room temperature (this is important as if it's too hot you'll kill the beneficial organisms in the kombucha or ACV).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Add kombucha or apple cider vinegar to desired consistency. If using ACV, store in fridge immediately. If fermenting with kombucha, transfer to clean Mason jars and cover with lids. Let ferment at room temperature for 3-5 days, then store in refrigerator.</li>
</ul>
*If you're fermenting your ketchup and using tap water, be sure to dechlorinate it by boiling for 15 minutes or letting it sit overnight.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Fermented {Or Not} Mustard</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>¾ cup whole mustard seeds (yellow, brown or a combination - brown are milder!)</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>2 cups kombucha (or 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup water)</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>2-4 tbsp honey or maple syrup</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>4 cloves garlic, rough chopped</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 tbsp sea salt </b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a clean quart jar, combine the mustard seeds and kombucha (or ACV and water). Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4-7 days, adding more kombucha as needed to keep seeds covered as they swell (if using ACV and water, refrigerate for 24-48 hours then proceed with remainder of recipe).</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pour soaked seeds into a blender and add honey, garlic and salt. Process until desired consistency, adding more honey or salt to taste. Refrigerate.</span>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both the ketchup and mustard will keep for months in the fridge if fermented (although I doubt they'll last that long if your house is anything like mine!) They will not keep as long if not fermented, but should be good for at least 2-3 weeks or so (you could freeze extra for longer storage).<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I shared this recipe at <a href="http://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/2014/10/full-plate-thursday-10-9-14.html" target="_blank">Full Plate Thursday</a>.</span></span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com6Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-53316142527780782282014-09-15T08:00:00.000-04:002014-09-15T09:23:51.138-04:00Weekly Menu Retrospective #132<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92) with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">homemade yogurt</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/06/recipe-rhubarb-muffins.html" target="_blank">Rhubarb Streusel Muffins</a> (p. 97), waffles<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lunches:</b></span> </span></span><br />
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dinners:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/06/recipe-thai-style-peanutty-pasta.html" target="_blank"> Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta</a> (p. 147)<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> Barbecued Steak, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/06/recipe-broccoli-bacon-cheddar-salad.html" target="_blank">Broccoli, Bacon & Cheddar Salad</a> (p. 204), corn on the cob</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b>Western Omelette Wraps (p. 124)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/07/recipe-curried-beef-sandwich-pockets.html" target="_blank">Curried Beef Sandwich Pockets</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-creamy-cucumber-salad.html" target="_blank">Creamy Cucumber Salad</a> (p. 205)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Friday: </b>Pizza Night: Sausage, Onion and Red Pepper Pizza (my homemade thin-crust pizza dough recipe is <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/02/recipe-everything-but-kitchen-sink.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/02/recipe-everything-but-kitchen-sink.html" target="_blank">Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup</a> (p. 162)<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato Vegetable & Meat Sauce, Peach Crisp</div>
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Organic</span>:</span> </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, fresh ginger, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local:</b></span> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, apples, cucumbers, red peppers, garlic, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), milk, buttermilk<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b> </span></span> </span>oats, cornmeal, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a>, green onions*, tomatoes*, herbs*<br />
<br />
*from our backyard garden <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Tired
of figuring out what to make for dinner? I've completely overhauled my
budget menu planning service over the summer!</b></span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> Many of the
simple and affordable recipes are NEW and NOT on the blog or in the
book. </b></span></b></span> Plans include complete menu plans and grocery lists
featuring inexpensive, seasonally-focused ingredients. Click <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/menu-planning-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to find out more!</b></span></b>
<br />
<br />
</span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/09/menu-plan-monday-sept-1514.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
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Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com11Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-49057820921739982512014-09-10T11:13:00.000-04:002014-09-10T20:47:36.043-04:00RECIPE: Apple, Bacon & Sage Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8aIlJhKNblg/VBBZykgDwiI/AAAAAAAACvQ/toIdk6nIppU/s1600/pizza%2B-%2Bapple%2Band%2Bsage%2Bedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8aIlJhKNblg/VBBZykgDwiI/AAAAAAAACvQ/toIdk6nIppU/s1600/pizza%2B-%2Bapple%2Band%2Bsage%2Bedited.jpg" height="203" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>It's a fact: teenagers love pizza. </b></span></span><b>And with two teenage boys in the house, there's a lot of pizza-eating capacity around here :) </b>Fortunately, I've gotten pretty darn good at whipping up a homemade pizza, and finally have a thinner-crust dough that meets with my family's approval (if you want a more thick, chewy dough, my <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/05/bread-solution-refrigerator-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough</a> works well!)<br />
<br />
<b>We've been experimenting with some more sophisticated pizza variations lately</b>. This <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Apple, Bacon & Sage Pizza</b> </span>won rave reviews from my whole family (my husband even gasped "I think this is the best pizza you've ever made" while wolfing down his share). We've all decided <b>we actually prefer a white sauce to the typical red sauce on our pizza</b>, so I've been using that a lot as the base. It somehow gives an air of decadence to just about any pizza you can throw together, and takes just a couple of minutes to whip together. And since I planted sage in my garden this year, I've been looking for more ways to use it. It pairs wonderfully with the apples and bacon...and as fresh local apples are just coming into season, <b>NOW is the perfect time to make this pizza!</b><br />
<br />
So, let's get right to it, shall we?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<b>Crust</b><br />
¾ cup warm water<br />
1 tsp dry active yeast<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tbsp melted butter<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 cups all-purpose flour (may use up to ½ cup whole wheat flour if desired)</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
cornmeal for sprinkling</div>
<br />
<b>Sauce</b><br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
6 sage leaves, cut crosswise into thin strips<br />
2 tbsp flour<br />
1 cup milk<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Toppings</b><br />
6 strips bacon <br />
2 apples, peeled and diced<br />
1 medium onion, sliced<br />
2-3 cups grated mozzarella cheese<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Instructions:</span></b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>In a medium mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast and sugar. Let stand for a few minutes until yeast starts to foam. Add the salt and butter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Gradually stir in the flour until mixture forms a ball of dough. Place dough on a floured surface and knead for several minutes, adding more flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Place dough in a clean bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about 45-60 minutes).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>While dough is rising, prepare the sauce and toppings: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for about 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add the flour, stirring to make sure it's completely coated with fat, then slowly whisk in the milk, stirring frequently until sauce thickens. Set aside.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the apples and onions and cook until tender and onions have browned slightly.</li>
</ul>
(<i>You're almost finished, hang in there!</i>)<br />
<ul>
<li>Grease a rimmed baking sheet, then sprinkle with a thin layer of cornmeal. Place the dough on top and start stretching it out with your fingers to fit the baking sheet. To get a really good thin crust, I find using a rolling pin or a round drinking glass to press down and roll it very firmly is helpful.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once the crust is in place, spread the sauce over top, leaving about ½" uncovered around the edges. Spread apple/onion mixture evenly over top, then sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Top with cheese.</li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting into squares.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><b>Serves 4</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I shared this recipe at <a href="http://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/2014/09/full-plate-thursday-9-11-14.html" target="_blank">Full Plate T</a><a href="http://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/2014/09/full-plate-thursday-9-11-14.html" target="_blank">hursday</a>.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">This is just one of the many simple, delicious and inexpensive new recipes that will be featured in my October menu plans. Go <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/menu-planning-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to find out more about them!</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></span>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com1Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-6518961511310715482014-09-04T12:36:00.000-04:002014-09-04T12:36:26.139-04:00Probiotics for Pennies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xXttnwb8XIo/VAdZYlK1-iI/AAAAAAAACvA/Q-JR3OVIISI/s1600/kombucha%2Bedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xXttnwb8XIo/VAdZYlK1-iI/AAAAAAAACvA/Q-JR3OVIISI/s1600/kombucha%2Bedited.jpg" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">My homebrewed kombucha in 3 flavours: strawberry, pineapple and grape (the bottles are from IKEA)</span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>It's back to school this week, and that means it's a perfect time for...probiotics.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
Wait, WHAT?!?! You thought I was going to say a good stiff drink, right? :)<br />
<br />
I'll admit the (alcoholic) drink sounds tempting, but there's another type of drink that will definitely have more long-term benefits than that bottle of wine you're eying. Better yet,<b> it's one you can easily make at home for just pennies: a delicious homemade probiotic beverage.</b><br />
<br />
Increasing your family's probiotic consumption at this time of year is particularly advantageous as<b> probiotics are beneficial to both the digestive and immune systems. </b>With the stress of the new school year (not to mention the exposure to a round of new germs in the classroom), probiotics can be a great support to help maintain optimal health for all your family members.<br />
<br />
There are definitely some pretty extreme health claims for probiotics on the internet; research *does* support that there are a variety of health benefits to consuming probiotic foods on a regular basis - the exact benefits depend on which particular organisms you're ingesting. I have personally noticed that <b>since I started brewing kombucha and drinking it nearly every day (starting early this spring), my seasonal allergies have improved dramatically this year </b>- I've been using <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/06/an-effective-cheap-and-natural-way-to.html" target="_blank">my homemade nettle tincture</a> FAR less than I did last year to treat allergy symptoms. Your own experience may be completely different depending on which types of probiotics you consume and your body's own personal affinity for particular organisms over others.<br />
<br />
While you can certainly purchase both probiotic supplements and prepared fermented foods,<b> it can be a big investment (it can easily cost you $1-2 or more per day for supplements per person!)</b> and you really have no way of knowing how active the supplement is when you take it (even if it came from a very reputable company, the way it's been stored and handled since production can adversely affect quality). The same goes for many fermented foods produced on an industrial scale. While there are certainly some quality products out there, they are going to be the pricier ones, and even paying a higher price is no guarantee of quality with so many companies jumping on the probiotic bandwagon just to make a quick buck.<br />
<br />
<b>The obvious solution is (as usual) to do it yourself! Making your own probiotic foods might sound intimidating,</b> but keep in mind that people have been fermenting foods for thousands of years! Some fermented foods are quite familiar to most of us (e.g. yogurt) and some might sound just plain weird, but there's plenty of opportunity to discover some tasty, interesting and probiotic-packed foods in the middle.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A (not at all comprehensive) list of fermented foods would include:</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dairy-based:</b></span><br />
Yogurt<br />
Kefir<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Non-dairy based:</b></span><br />
Kombucha<br />
Water kefir<br />
Ginger beer<br />
Lacto-fermented lemonade<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Fermented vegetables </b></span>(e.g. sauerkraut, kimchi)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Fermented condiments </b></span>(ketchup, mustard, salsa, barbecue sauce, chutneys, etc)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Getting started with fermenting:</b></span></span><br />
Based on my own personal experiences,<b> the two foods I've found the easiest to start with are yogurt and kombucha.</b> You don't need any special equipment to make either of them. You can find my basic yogurt making method <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I've since switched from putting the cultured milk in a Thermos to putting it directly into Mason jars and wrapping them with towels; that way I just pull them straight out of the cooler and put them in the fridge.<br />
<br />
<b>To start making kombucha, you will need a SCOBY</b> (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) - as home brewing of kombucha has gotten very popular, you shouldn't have too much trouble tracking one down if you start asking around. A new SCOBY forms with each fermentation, so most people who make kombucha regularly are more than happy to give some away :) Kombucha brewing has a nice rhythm to it, as it takes about a week to ferment, which is a nice manageable time frame to be switching out batches.<br />
<br />
One of the reasons I love kombucha is that <b>you can have a ton of fun experimenting with different flavours -</b> our favourite so far is definitely pineapple (which gets *very* fizzy); we've done strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, grape, peach and lemon as well and I'm looking forward to experimenting with apples and pears now that they've come into season!<br />
<br />
<b>My family also loves lemon-ginger water kefir</b>, which <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/04/water-kefir-my-familys-new-favourite.html" target="_blank">I wrote about earlier this year</a>. I was initially very excited about it, but over time I found out that the 2 day fermentation cycle was burning me out, plus the water kefir grains are a lot more temperamental than kombucha SCOBYs so I ended up passing my grains along to a friend who wanted to give them a shot. I plan to give lacto-fermented lemonade and gingerale a whirl to see how they compare taste and ease-of-making wise.<br />
<br />
<b>The nice thing about fermenting foods is there are SO many options</b>, so you can pick what works best for your family. Ideally, it's a good idea to eat a number of different types of fermented foods on a regular basis so you get exposed to a wider variety of beneficial organisms.<br />
<br />
I'm going to be fiddling around with <b>my fermented ketchup recipe this week</b>, so I'll share that soon. It's super easy if you have some kombucha on hand! The first batch I made met with huge approval from my family so it disappeared fast; I have some ideas of how to make it even better, though :)<br />
<br />
And since the <b>jalapeno peppers are one of the few things that we got a bumper crop of this season</b>, I'm going to be trying out <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/lacto-fermented-sliced-jalapenos-recipe" target="_blank">this recipe</a> very soon, too.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Intrigued enough to give it a go? Some helpful resources to get you started:</b></span><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abuonadim-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1931498237&asins=1931498237&linkId=4DQA7KPDX6BHURRK&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=abuonadim-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1626363927&asins=1626363927&linkId=WEV7QDEFQBG5D3CP&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/" target="_blank">Cultures for Health</a> website (great articles and instructional videos, plus you can order cultures from them if you can't find anyone to donate some to your cause!)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kombuchakamp.com/" target="_blank">Kombucha Kamp</a> - a great resource for all things kombucha-related.<br />
<br />
(<i>Yes, the usual disclaimers apply: Those are Amazon affiliate links for the books, and I am hardly an expert on fermented foods or gut health. I'm simply sharing my own experiences. You need to do your own research and make your own decisions about what is right for you and your family, and consult with a health professional if you have any concerns about why fermented foods might not be right for you.) </i><br />
<br />
<b>Are you already a seasoned fermenter, or just getting started? I'd love to hear your experiences with making your own fermented foods.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-4164351613645871132014-08-06T12:32:00.000-04:002014-08-07T08:00:53.014-04:00RECIPE: Green Beans with Bacon & Mushrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r9c94bIm-EQ/U-JQCk6P30I/AAAAAAAACuw/y8lb1whSp5c/s1600/green+beans+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r9c94bIm-EQ/U-JQCk6P30I/AAAAAAAACuw/y8lb1whSp5c/s1600/green+beans+edited.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fresh-from-the-garden green beans</b></span></span> <b>are hands-down, my favourite summer vegetable.</b> I even have a favourite variety (<a href="http://www.smartgardener.com/plants/367-bean-slenderette/overview" target="_blank">Slenderette</a>). Unfortunately, <b>this year I have the worst green bean crop I've had since I started growing green beans. </b>The critters really went to town on them and I lost a lot of my plants in the early going. Despite a replanting to try and help offset the damage, I still have a scanty supply in comparison to a typical year.<br />
<br />
<b>These are the types of situations where I'm glad I don't have to rely 100% (or anywhere close to it!) on the food I grow myself to feed my family.</b> While beans from the grocery store or farmers' market aren't going to compare to the ones from my garden, it's better than having none at all!<br />
<br />
As you might suspect, when green beans are in season, we take full advantage of it and eat a LOT of them. While they're wonderful simply boiled or steamed til tender-crisp and seasoned with a little salt, pepper and butter,<b> if you're looking to up the ante a little and put an impressive-looking side on the table with your midsummer meal, this is a delectable combination, indeed. </b>So good that there was *very* little left over of that generously full pan in the picture after the four of us had at it.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1
lb green beans, trimmed</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>4-6
strips of bacon</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1
onion, chopped</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2
cloves garlic</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>½
lb mushrooms, sliced</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>½
tsp salt</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>¼
tsp pepper</b></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cook the beans in
a saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes (they should still
be crisp). Drain and set aside.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Meanwhile, cook
the bacon in a medium frying pan until crisp; remove to a
paper-towel lined plate. If there is more than 2 tbsp of bacon fat
in the pan, drain some of the fat. Return the pan to medium heat and
saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in the bacon fat until tender;
season with the salt and pepper.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</li>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Add the green
beans to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes longer or until
beans are tender; crumble bacon over top and serve.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Serves
4</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
I shared this recipe at <a href="http://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/2014/08/full-plate-thursday-8-7-14.html" target="_blank">Full Plate Thursday</a>.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is just one of the many simple, delicious and inexpensive new recipes featured in my August menu plans. Go <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/menu-planning-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to find out more about them - more brand new tasty, family-friendly dishes are on the way for the September edition.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you a huge green bean fan, too? What is your favourite way to serve them?</span> </b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com1Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-76692614898967490332014-07-16T08:30:00.000-04:002014-08-06T12:42:37.356-04:00Healthy and Inexpensive Eats on the Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-riKcU5V37_k/U8W-uL3piEI/AAAAAAAACuk/uieq6hfSJk8/s1600/cooler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-riKcU5V37_k/U8W-uL3piEI/AAAAAAAACuk/uieq6hfSJk8/s1600/cooler.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #3399ff;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net</span></a></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #3399ff;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>Chances are, you're planning a road trip at least once this summer!</b></span></span></span></span> </span>I'm gearing up to leave on a family camping trip myself, that will involve several hours of driving to get to our destination. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With
two hungry teenage boys in the backseat, I know I need to be prepared
with lots of healthy, inexpensive snacks to dole out en route, or we're
headed for the dietary (and budgetary) disaster of a fast-food fix
somewhere along the way.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One
of the strategies I've developed over the years is to make sure to pack
some extra-tasty snacks so that they don't feel “deprived” without a
stop at McDonald's for lunch.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Two
of the best ways to make sure you don't get stuck spending a fortune
eating junky food at a greasy spoon on the way to your holiday
destination are:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>1. Planning ahead:</b></span>
You know you're going to need to eat along the way (and if you have
boys who are non-stop eating machines in tow, you know they will need to
eat a LOT along the way!) I aim to start tucking some homemade healthy
snacks into the freezer a week or two before our departure date, so I
just have to pull them out and pack them right before we leave.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>2. Packing a cooler:</b>
</span></b> Depending on your final destination, you'll want either a basic cooler
to fill with ice, or an electric cooler (one brand name is Koolatron).
If you're tent camping without access to electricity, a basic cooler
will do the trick. If you'll be staying at a bed and breakfast or hotel,
the electric cooler will allow you to easily maintain a stash of
healthy foods and drinks throughout your holiday without the
inconvenience of draining and refilling a basic cooler with ice every
day or two.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>What Snacks Should You Pack?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every
family seems to have their favourite “go-to” snacks; below are some
suggestions that are quick and easy (and/or make-ahead-and-freeze
friendly).</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/05/recipe-chocolate-power-balls.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/05/recipe-chocolate-power-balls.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Power Balls</a> (freezer friendly)</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/04/recipe-easy-blueberry-oatmeal-squares.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/04/recipe-easy-blueberry-oatmeal-squares.html" target="_blank">Oatmeal and Fruit Bars</a> (freezer friendly) - substitute raspberries or chopped peaches or plums for the blueberries in these delectable bars</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Muffins (freezer friendly) - <a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/07/recipe-chocolate-zucchini-muffins.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/07/recipe-chocolate-zucchini-muffins.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Zucchini</a> or <a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" target="_blank">Banana Chocolate Chip</a> will keep your resident chocoholics happy while being healthier than a donut fix.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/04/recipe-roasted-chickpeas.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/04/recipe-roasted-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">Roasted Chickpeas</a></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pocket Sandwiches (freezer friendly) - my boys love these <a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/07/recipe-curried-beef-sandwich-pockets.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/07/recipe-curried-beef-sandwich-pockets.html" target="_blank">Curried Bee</a><a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/07/recipe-curried-beef-sandwich-pockets.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/07/recipe-curried-beef-sandwich-pockets.html" target="_blank">f</a> and <a data-cke-saved-href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/08/recipe-spicy-pork-pocket-sandwiches.html" href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/08/recipe-spicy-pork-pocket-sandwiches.html" target="_blank">Spicy Pork</a>
pocket sandwiches! The fillings can also be tucked into pitas or wraps
if you don't want to wrestle with bread dough, although they're messier
and not as travel-friendly that way.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Popcorn (pack individual servings in ziptop bags)</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whole fruits and sliced vegetables (pack a container of hummus for extra hunger-pang-busting power!)</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">High protein finger foods: Trail mix, cheese cubes, hard boiled eggs and jerky.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nut butters and breads or crackers for spreading them on</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In
addition, we always pack a large Thermos jug with ice water so we can
stay well-hydrated in the heat (for a special holiday treat I also bring
along a bottle or two of <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.santacruzorganic.com/products/lemonades/lemonade" href="http://www.santacruzorganic.com/products/lemonades/lemonade" target="_blank">Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade</a>
for our roadside picnic – it goes on sale occasionally at Food Basics,
Fortinos and Metro for $1.99/960 mL bottle so I stock up then!)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While prepping food for a road trip does take some time and forethought,
that effort pays off hugely in the health of both your body and your
finances. I'm always glad I took the time to stock our cooler and picnic
basket with wholesome, homemade foods and I'm sure you will be, too!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Do you have a favourite healthy, inexpensive snack for toting on road trips?</b> Leave a comment and share it with us! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EPHCnLyCFy0/U71XCiUygxI/AAAAAAAACuQ/49zpIZOMJSg/s1600/curried+beef+pockets(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EPHCnLyCFy0/U71XCiUygxI/AAAAAAAACuQ/49zpIZOMJSg/s1600/curried+beef+pockets(1).jpg" height="400" width="245" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Summer meals should be relaxed and easy.</b></span></span> In my house, it's a good thing if they're "make it now, grab it whenever you're ready to eat" as the boys are often off on adventures with their friends and not necessarily around to eat when Joe and I do. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These pocket sandwiches, like my <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/08/recipe-spicy-pork-pocket-sandwiches.html" target="_blank">Spicy Pork Pocket Sandwiches</a>, are a huge hit with my teenage boys. <b>They are good to eat either hot or cold, so work well for a picnic or an on-the-road feast if you're travelling. </b>They also freeze well, so stashing a batch in the freezer makes for an easy-to-reheat snack or meal on a day you don't have the time or inclination to cook.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We really like these paired with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/04/recipe-build-cucumber-and-bean-salad.html" target="_blank">Cucumber & Bean Salad</a>; they will pair nicely with just about any kind of summer salad, though - <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/05/recipe-roundup-spring-summer-salads.html" target="_blank">this post</a> has a roundup of some of our favourites.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: </span></span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 tbsp olive oil</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>2 cloves garlic,
minced</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 onion, chopped</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 lb ground beef</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 carrot, grated</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 zucchini, grated</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>½ tsp ginger</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 tsp curry powder</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>½ tsp salt</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>½ tsp pepper</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 cup plain yogurt</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 tbsp flour</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>1 lb bread dough - I use my <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/05/bread-solution-refrigerator-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough</a> (or 4 pita breads,
halved)</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Instructions: </span></span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
a large frying pan, sauté garlic and onion in oil until they start
to soften.
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Add
ground beef, carrot and zucchini. Cook until no traces of pink
remain in beef.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Add
ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stir
flour into yogurt until smooth. Add to beef mixture and simmer over
medium-low heat until mixture thickens.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Divide the bread dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces (depending how big you
want the sandwiches - smaller ones work well for younger kids). Roll a
piece of dough out into a rectangle until it's about 1/4" thick. Spoon
filling onto one half of the rectangle; fold over and crimp edges to
seal. Repeat with remaining pieces of bread dough. Cut 2-3 slashes
diagonally across the top of each pocket to allow steam to escape.
Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean dish towel
and let rise 20-30 minutes (you can skip this step if you're in a real
hurry, the crust will just be thinner and not as fluffy). Bake at 375<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;">º</span>F
for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 6-8 sandwiches (If you don't want to wrestle with bread dough, spoon filling
into pita pockets instead). </div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="justify" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Serves
4</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I shared this recipe at <a href="http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.ca/2014/07/full-plate-thursday-7-10-14.html" target="_blank">Full Plate Thursday</a>.</span><b> </b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<center>
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Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com1Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-16555872900171513152014-07-03T11:22:00.000-04:002014-08-06T12:45:05.479-04:00A Belated Spring Yard Sale Report<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yes, it's the beginning of July - and I haven't posted a single Yard Sale Report for this year yet!</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<b>Fear not, I *have* been out on my usual yard saling adventures. </b>With the cold spring we had, I really didn't get started until the end of May. And despite the fact that I've hit a substantial number of sales this season, I haven't come home with much. These days I'm pretty picky about what I'll buy, even at yard sale prices, as the more I declutter, the less desire I have to bring something into the house that just ends up accumulating dust.<br />
<br />
<b>That being said, I do enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" enough to continue digging around in boxes of random stuff on people's driveways on the slight chance I will unearth something wonderful</b> (I still adore the <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/04/yard-sale-report-april-17th-2010.html" target="_blank">vintage glass candlesticks</a> I found wrapped in paper at the bottom of a box at an estate sale 4 years ago).<br />
<br />
My first find of the season was at a church rummage sale: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgG6mge5_O8/U7VrEkewqRI/AAAAAAAACts/yX5iEWV9nU0/s1600/1412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgG6mge5_O8/U7VrEkewqRI/AAAAAAAACts/yX5iEWV9nU0/s1600/1412.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>The final 3 Harry Potter books, in pristine hardcover, for $1 each</b>. This was perfect timing as my older son was just ready to start <i>Order of the Phoenix</i>. These put a big smile on his face!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At the same rummage sale, I also picked up these<b> in-brand-new-condition books</b> for <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/09/peek-inside-my-gift-cupboard.html" target="_blank">my gift cupboard </a>(<b>50 cents each!</b>):</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U36FGkaj4kU/U7VrFVGuInI/AAAAAAAACt0/Eyg6o_ry54c/s1600/1414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U36FGkaj4kU/U7VrFVGuInI/AAAAAAAACt0/Eyg6o_ry54c/s1600/1414.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
At the same sale, I also picked up a new-in-the-shrink-wrap <b>kids' DVD of magic tricks for $3</b> (not pictured - it's already been gifted!!) <br />
<br />
A few weeks later, I picked up this beautiful, <b>coffee-table-sized book on herb gardening for 75 cents</b>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBwHaOpt-hw/U7VrEigdM1I/AAAAAAAACt4/2FcrP7JrZQI/s1600/1413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBwHaOpt-hw/U7VrEigdM1I/AAAAAAAACt4/2FcrP7JrZQI/s1600/1413.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Since I am on a never-ending quest to expand the number of herbs growing in my garden, this is a welcome addition to my library (and I admit that I spent a significant portion of a Saturday afternoon leafing through it on my porch!)<br />
<br />
Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I scored all 3 of these items at a fundraiser yard sale: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5aDs-wnw5Jg/U7VrEyQI6PI/AAAAAAAACuE/vnuDvFy_NJ0/s1600/1405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5aDs-wnw5Jg/U7VrEyQI6PI/AAAAAAAACuE/vnuDvFy_NJ0/s1600/1405.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b>Handwoven basket</b> (to become the new trash can in my office),<b> 25 cents</b>; <b>beach mat $1</b> and <b>single-serving stainless steel Thermos $2.</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Grand total: $11 for 10 items, or $1.10 per item</b></span></span><br />
<br />
July's looking like it's going to be light on the yard sales for me; I have 2 Saturdays where I'm doing demos at the Farmers' Market, plus we'll be on vacation for part of the month, too. So it may be a while before my next yard sale report appears - rest assured that I'll be back eventually with another update!<br />
<br />
<b>Have you found anything great at a yard sale lately?</b><br />
<br />
<center>
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</div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92) with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">homemade yogurt</a>, Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins (p. 102), scrambled eggs with bacon and toast<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Lunches:</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span>, salads<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Dinners:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2007/02/frugal-food-friday-6-chickpeas-with.html" target="_blank"> Chickpeas with Potatoes and Peas</a> (p. 138) )<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas and Carrots (p. 146)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-sausage-and-apple-saute.html" target="_blank">Sausage & Apple Saute</a> (p. 137) served over rice</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>Chicken Breasts with Garlic & Herbs, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-easy-oven-fries.html" target="_blank">Easy Oven Fries</a> (p. 194), <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-creamy-cucumber-salad.html" target="_blank">Creamy Cucumber Salad</a> (p. 205)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Friday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/10/recipe-black-bean-chili.html" target="_blank">Black Bean Chili</a> (p. 160) and Cornbread (p. 212)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday: </b>Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato Vegetable & Meat Sauce<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>Roast Pork, Roasted Root Vegetables, Apple-Raspberry Crisp</div>
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Organic:</span> </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, fresh ginger, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local:</b></span> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, apples, cucumbers, red peppers, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), milk, buttermilk<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b> </span></span> </span>oats, cornmeal, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a>, arugula*, lettuce*, green onions*, herbs*<br />
<br />
*from our backyard garden <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Tired
of figuring out what to make for dinner? I've completely overhauled my budget menu planning service and the new monthly plans will be available starting in July. Plans include complete menu plans and grocery lists featuring inexpensive, seasonally-focused ingredients. Over 75% of the simple and affordable recipes are NEW and NOT on the blog or in the book. Click <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/menu-planning-service.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to find out more!</b></span></b></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/06/menu-plan-monday-june-2314-birthday-week.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<center>
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<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-15789637722718476002014-06-04T11:56:00.001-04:002014-08-06T12:46:03.001-04:00Celebrating Local Food Week: Five of My Favourite Local Food Deals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9MegmxEIlos/U48_lGzzK6I/AAAAAAAACss/fh3d8C0xpmQ/s1600/zucchini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9MegmxEIlos/U48_lGzzK6I/AAAAAAAACss/fh3d8C0xpmQ/s1600/zucchini.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net</span></i></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">It's the first official <a href="http://www.farms.com/ag-industry-news/ontario-s-local-food-week-june-2-8-2014-135.aspx" target="_blank">Local Food Week</a> here in Ontario!</span></b> To help celebrate, I figured this would be a great time to share some of my favourite local food deals here in the Hamilton area.<br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">1. Ground beef at VG Meats:</span></b> You can buy <b>a 30 lb box of their (frozen) regular ground beef for just $60!</b> This is a super awesome deal. Their meat is antibiotic and hormone free and they raise their animals humanely. We've been buying their beef for a couple of years now and anything else just isn't good enough anymore :) They regularly offer great specials on other meats as well, and have excellent freezer packages available if you're looking to buy a LOT of meat at once. <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/" target="_blank">Visit their site</a> to find out more.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2. Local, organic rolled oats from Grain Process:</span></b> <b>For under $25, you can buy a 10 kg bag of organic rolled oats</b> from <a href="http://www.yelp.ca/biz/grain-process-enterprises-ltd-scarborough" target="_blank">Grain Process</a>. A school in our neighbourhood purchases their products as a fundraiser so it's really convenient for us to order through them. They also have a retail outlet in Scarborough; it has weird hours though so make sure you check to see when it's open before you go! They have a pretty extensive range of products, both organic and conventionally grown. The prices do fluctuate up and down a bit but are generally very good. If you're wondering what on earth we do with all those oats, our routine consumption of homemade <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">granola</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/09/make-it-from-scratch-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">baked oatmeal</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" target="_blank">muffins</a> and cookies makes pretty short work of that big bag!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">3. Bulk honey from Dutchman's Gold Honey Shop:</span></b> If you bring your own jars to the <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/HoneyShop.htm" target="_blank">Honey Shop</a> up in Carlisle, you can purchase<b> bulk honey (either Wildflower or Summer Blossom) for $9.25/kg</b>. This is a fantastic price for local, unpasteurized honey. Their prices do fluctuate from season to season, but are always a good deal.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">4. Stirling Creamery butter from Vos Eggs:</span></b> You can buy locally produced <a href="http://www.stirlingcreamery.com/" target="_blank">Stirling butter</a> for <b>$4.45/lb</b> at the Vos Eggs stall in the Hamilton Farmers' Market, top level.<b> Stirling has been churning out world-renowned butter since 1925 </b>(Saveur magazine has called it "one of the world's 30 great butters". You can't say no to something that great for such a good price!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">5. Produce from smaller, local growers at the Mustard Seed Co-op: </span></b>The local growing season is just getting underway, and I've already found some<b> very good deals on fresh, local greens from small local producers </b><a href="http://mustardseed.coop/" target="_blank">at the co-op</a>. This is going to be my second stop (after<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/05/whats-new-in-my-garden-this-year-herbs.html" target="_blank"> my backyard garden</a>) for produce this year. Members will also be able to order bushels of produce as the season progresses (perfect for canning, can't wait for the tomatoes!) They're having <a href="http://mustardseed.coop/2014/06/03/celebrate-with-our-grand-opening/" target="_blank">their official grand opening this Saturday</a>, too, from noon-6 p.m., so it's a great time to stop by the store and check it out!<br />
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<b>Are there any other great local food deals I should know about? Please share them with us in the comments!</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vno7yWmknk/U4TE4Bjc-_I/AAAAAAAACr0/YNS9jNGUw-E/s1600/garden+2014-calendula+seedlings+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Vno7yWmknk/U4TE4Bjc-_I/AAAAAAAACr0/YNS9jNGUw-E/s1600/garden+2014-calendula+seedlings+edited.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Spring has FINALLY arrived here in Southern Ontario,</span></b></span> and the planting has begun!<br />
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<b>I have a surprising number of new additions to the garden this year</b> - it wasn't something I really planned on, it just kind of happened :) The photo above is <b>calendula seedlings</b> which I was thrilled to see coming up; <b>I was given a calendula plant by a local herbalist last summer</b> and it did very well for me. I was hoping it would reseed itself vigorously and it seems to have done just that! If most of them thrive, I may actually be able to give a couple away myself. <b>I dry the flowers all summer long to use for making salves and balms.</b><br />
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<b>You may recall that I tried 2 new food plants last year:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/05/two-new-to-me-food-plants-in-my-garden.html" target="_blank">sorrel and ground cherries</a>. While I loved the taste of the sorrel, it hasn't come back up this spring :( (it was a division from a friend last year). <b>The ground cherries were a bit of a bomb,</b> they didn't seem to ripen properly before the husks went all brown on me (they were probably in a less-than-ideally-sunny location, which may have contributed to the problem). They also took up a lot of space, and given that we didn't adore them, I don't think I'll grow them again.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Onwards to 2014 - here's a quick tour of what's new in my garden this spring:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lots of herbs!</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YGdqchPhrWU/U4TCiFyWzzI/AAAAAAAACro/jfvf_GFK0IE/s1600/garden+2014-herbs+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YGdqchPhrWU/U4TCiFyWzzI/AAAAAAAACro/jfvf_GFK0IE/s1600/garden+2014-herbs+collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
On the top row are <b>lavender and sage</b> and the bottom are <b>thyme and lemon mint </b>(which was subsequently planted in the clay pot before putting it in the ground so it doesn't take over the entire bed!). The sage and thyme I picked up at the <a href="http://mustardseed.coop/" target="_blank">Mustard Seed</a> seedling sale; the mint and lavender came from <a href="http://www.damseeds.ca/productcart/pc/home.asp" target="_blank">William Dam</a>.<br />
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The lavender, sage, and thyme are all planted in my front bed that gets plenty of sun so I've got fingers crossed that they all thrive there! And <b>I'm hoping these perennial herbs will finally fill out the bed along my front walk that's been looking a bit scruffy the past few years</b>. The calendula seedlings are in the same bed with all these herbs, so I'm looking forward to a robust and great smelling herb garden along my front walk as all these plants fill in.<br />
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<b>The lemon mint was selected by my 14 year old son</b> - he requested a few plants of his own to grow this year and fell in love with this mint when we were at William Dam. <b>He also picked out a few jalapeno pepper plants</b> which are now in one of our raised beds. He has committed to doing all the care for these plants - we'll see how long it takes for him to get tired of the weeding and watering routine :)<br />
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<b>I decided to give garlic a whirl last fall</b>, and while it looks like critters got at a lot of it, I have 3 plants coming up strong. I was also given some<b> lemon basil seeds</b> by my lovely friend <a href="http://www.rbodies.com/" target="_blank">Roseatta</a>, so a bunch of them have gone in the ground and I'm anxiously waiting to see how many of them germinate! The photo on the far right shows <b>some of the perennial onions we were given last year</b> by a colleague of my husband's. These are VERY robust - even after the brutal winter we had, they popped right back up in early spring and as you can see <b>they are already producing huge amounts of green onion tops for us</b> (which is good, because I put them in just about everything that isn't dessert).<br />
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For the first time ever, <b>I broke down and got some lettuce seedlings</b> so we could start enjoying our lettuce harvest a lot sooner. I picked these up at the Mustard Seed sale and<b> I believe the variety is "Red Flame"</b>, but don't quote me on that because I have a terrible memory for that sort of thing :)<b> I have direct sown some lettuce seed as well</b>, so if all goes according to plan we should have a steady lettuce harvest for quite a few weeks (of course, things seldom go entirely according to plan in my garden!)<br />
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<b>I was also gifted some strawberry plants</b>, so in the ground they have gone, and a welcome addition they were, too. I haven't been tending to my strawberry patch very well since I transplanted them to another raised bed a couple years back, and the plants are looking far from robust. <b>I am going to work on getting these guys back to good health this summer!</b><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>New Fertilizer Options</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HpPt00SLUAg/U4TFydabnFI/AAAAAAAACsQ/HrYMttMp_sM/s1600/garden+2014-new+fertilizers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HpPt00SLUAg/U4TFydabnFI/AAAAAAAACsQ/HrYMttMp_sM/s1600/garden+2014-new+fertilizers.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
The plants aren't the only new thing in my garden plans this year. <b>I'm going to be trying a few new ideas for fertilizing (something I've typically been not so great about).</b> I have three new options I'm going to use, two of which are free and the third extremely inexpensive.<br />
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First up is this <a href="http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/improving-garden-soil-with-milk-and-molasses/" target="_blank">milk and molasses plant food recipe</a> - super easy to whip up and something I might actually remember to do on a regular basis!<br />
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The next option is <b>Freebie Fertilizer #1</b> and I might add I was quite relieved to discover this tip! As many of you know, I have been brewing kombucha for a couple of months now, and<b> I am starting to get overrun with scobys </b>(that's my scoby hotel on the left in the photo above). Of course, I am happy to give them away to friends who want them, but there are only so many takers (especially when each person who takes one starts getting overrun with them too, and my whole circle of friends is swimming in scobys). You can imagine my excitement when I discovered that people have had great success <a href="http://www.realfoodrn.com/using-scobys-to-balance-garden-ph/" target="_blank">using them to fertilize their plants</a>. Here's hoping my strawberries, tomatoes, rhubarb and raspberries all benefit from a little "scoby" treatment. Apparently <b>many chickens go nuts for scobys</b>, so if you are also overrun with them and know someone who has chickens, that might be another great alternative. I may just offer some to <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/11/my-latest-food-find-affordable-local.html" target="_blank">our egg farmer</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mizOha4Tjog/U4XnZRRg5DI/AAAAAAAACsc/dAxvrAfv9QE/s1600/garden+2014-comfrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mizOha4Tjog/U4XnZRRg5DI/AAAAAAAACsc/dAxvrAfv9QE/s1600/garden+2014-comfrey.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.pd4pic.com/images/comfrey-russian-comfrey-herbs-medicinal-herbs.jpg" target="_blank"><i>Photo courtesy of pd4pic.com</i></a></span></div>
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<b>Freebie Fertilizer #2</b> is another one I just discovered after <b>being given a comfrey plant</b> (my plant is still looking a little worse for wear after being transplanted, so that's a stock photo). <b>Comfrey can be used for fertilizer in a variety of ways</b>; <a href="http://gardening.about.com/od/fertilizer/a/Comfrey-Plants-Make-Great-Free-Fertilizer.htm" target="_blank">here's a good summary</a>. I'm most likely going to go with the mulch option as it's the least involved and I am, after all, a pretty lazy gardener :)<br />
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I'll be sure to share how my fertilizer experiments work out later in the season! <br />
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<b>What new and exciting things are happening in your garden this year?</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rhQuqAu0Zug/U3OF3y47ozI/AAAAAAAACrY/hMsK75Ie7Lk/s1600/rhubarb+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rhQuqAu0Zug/U3OF3y47ozI/AAAAAAAACrY/hMsK75Ie7Lk/s1600/rhubarb+edited.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank">Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net</a></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I have a special place in my heart for rhubarb</b></span></span> - I think it's a very under-appreciated foodstuff! It's easy to grow yourself, and <b>if you don't have your own patch, you probably have a neighbour or friend eager to unload their excess - and free food is a good thing</b>. Rhubarb is also easy to freeze (simply chop and portion into freezer bags or containers) so you don't have to let any surplus go to waste.<br />
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Way back in 2011, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/06/recipe-roundup-rhubarb.html" target="_blank">I shared some of my favourite rhubarb recipes</a>, and I thought it was about time to share some more! <b>These are all recipes I have my eye on to try this growing season:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/lacto-fermented-rhubarb-chutney/" target="_blank">Lacto-fermented Rhubarb Chutney</a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/strawberry_rhubarb_sorbet.php" target="_blank">Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/rhubarb-smoothies-and-harvesting-rhubarb.html" target="_blank">Rhubarb Smoothies </a><br />
<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rhubarb-marmalade" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rhubarb-marmalade" target="_blank">Rhubarb Marmalade</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/food/pineapple_rhubarb_jam.php" target="_blank">Pineapple Rhubarb Jam </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/stovetop-cooking-method/pickled-rhubarb/" target="_blank">Pickled Rhubarb </a><br />
<a href="http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/roasted-rhubarb-salad" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/roasted-rhubarb-salad" target="_blank">Roasted Rhubarb Salad</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/stovetop-cooking-method/spring-salad-with-rhubarb-vinaigrette/" target="_blank">Spring Salad with Rhubarb Vinaigrette </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://localfoods.about.com/od/spring/r/RhubarbPork.htm" target="_blank">Caramelized Rhubarb Pork Stir-Fry </a><br />
<br />
You can also substitute rhubarb for half of the blueberries in my <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/04/recipe-easy-blueberry-oatmeal-squares.html" target="_blank">Easy Blueberry Oatmeal Squares</a> or use half rhubarb and half strawberries to make strawberry rhubarb squares instead. <br />
<br />
For a tangy breakfast treat, try adding about a cup of chopped rhubarb to my <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/09/make-it-from-scratch-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">Baked Oatmeal</a> recipe.<br />
<br />
And if you happen to have a copy of<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> my book</a>, definitely make the <b>Rhubarb Cinnamon Crunch Cake</b> - it's one of my family's favourites!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Do you have a favourite way to cook with rhubarb?</b>
</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BoZI8qafUzA/U2pnPenZitI/AAAAAAAACrI/3LqiKZTnD70/s1600/teens-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BoZI8qafUzA/U2pnPenZitI/AAAAAAAACrI/3LqiKZTnD70/s1600/teens-collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Images courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net</span></i></a><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I was chatting with a woman at a
networking event recently</span></span></b> when she happened to glance at the cover of
<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank">my book</a> and exclaim <b>“I spend $400 a *WEEK* on groceries – I have
two teenagers to feed!”</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now, <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/" target="_blank">when you do what I do for a living</a>, a lot of people confess their grocery bill to you :) and <b>this
is one of the largest grocery bills I've yet encountered in my neck
of the woods. </b>The thing is, I really got the feeling that she felt
there was no way she could do better than that. <b>I run into a lot of
moms who appear to accept without question the fact that their
grocery bills are going to be out of control during the years they're
feeding teenagers</b> (especially if they're blessed with boys!)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While <b>it certainly takes more focus to
keep your food budget under control during these years, </b>it's entirely
possible to do so without resorting to beans and rice every day! I
recently shared that our per-person food costs <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/03/rising-food-prices-dont-have-to-mean.html" target="_blank">are the same as they were 20 years ago</a>, and <b>I'm now feeding 14 and 16 year old boys
(a.k.a. perpetual eating machines).</b> All of the tips I provided in
that article apply to feeding teenagers, too.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Here are a few more thoughts on feeding
this budget-challenging age group:</b></span></span></div>
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</b></span></span>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>1. Junk food is a luxury, not a necessity!</b></span>
<b>Nothing runs up a grocery bill faster than piling tons of snack foods
into your cart. </b>I know the pressure can be on to keep the house
stocked with pop, chips, and other munchies (especially if there
tends to be a whole gaggle of boys hanging out at your house like
there is at my place!) I've made it clear throughout my boys' lives
that <b>we just don't buy those foods, except very occasionally for
birthday parties and the like (after all, not only are they expensive, they're not the healthiest choices, either!)</b> Now that they're teens, when they
complain that we don't have pop and chips, I remind them that they
are welcome to spend their OWN money on those items if they want them
that badly. We always have plenty of popcorn around for stove top
popping, and I will buy a bag or two of <a href="http://ca-en.quepasafoods.com/product/low-salt-tortilla-chips" target="_blank">my favourite good-quality organic tortilla chips</a> when they go on sale, so <b>there are always
inexpensive alternatives available to them.</b></div>
<b>
</b>
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</b></span>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>2. Keep beverage consumption under
control:</b></span> Teenage boys are thirsty critters and if you're not careful,
<b>they can guzzle away several dollars a day in juice, sports drinks,
pop, etc. </b>As mentioned above, we just don't buy pop except as an
occasional treat.<b> Teens do love fizzy drinks, and we now have two
inexpensive and healthful homemade options in our house:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2014/04/water-kefir-my-familys-new-favourite.html" target="_blank">water kefir</a> and
<a href="http://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-recipe" target="_blank">kombucha</a> (for those of you who are skeptical that your teens would go
for something this "alternative”, I offered a glass of lemon ginger
water kefir to a close friend of my boys the other day, and as I was
walking away I hear him say to them, “I wish my mom would make
stuff like this!”). We have a limit of a 4 ounce glass of juice
each per day, and 8 ounces of milk (we get tons of other dairy in our
meals). <b>I have trained my family to drink lots of water so when
they're thirsty it's the first thing they reach for</b>.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>3. Go easy on the meat portions:</b></span> Just
because they are “growing boys” (or girls), it doesn't mean they
need insanely-sized portions of meat. <b>Four ounce portions are about
the maximum I typically serve at a meal. </b>Yes, they will still get
enough protein!<b> Dietary surveys have shown that even teenage boys
easily meet their protein needs</b> (in fact, they typically get about
double the protein they require) so don't feel like you need to
provide massive meat portions to make sure they're adequately
nourished.</div>
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</b></span>
<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>4. Stock up on inexpensive, high protein
snacks:</b></span> While there's not much likelihood your teens will be
deficient in protein, <b>providing some lower-cost high protein snacks
will help them feel full longer so they won't eat everything in
sight. </b>Scrambled eggs or omelettes, toast with nut butters, sunflower
seeds, and <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/04/recipe-roasted-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">roasted chickpeas</a> are all great options that work well in
our home (and the last two are great portable snacks for teens on the
go). If you have a few minutes to whip together a batch of <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/05/recipe-chocolate-power-balls.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Powerballs</a>, your teens won't even realize they're having a
nutrient-rich snack, they'll just think they're enjoying a chocolatey
treat :) <b>This recipe is actually simple enough that your teens can
make them by themselves!</b></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>
</b></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>5. Get into the bread making habit:</b></span> We
typically go through a loaf of bread a day in my house these days,
and that can really put a dent in your grocery bill fast!<b> Even if
you're buying sale-priced bread, you can save over $40 a month by
making your own.</b> It's very simple and convenient to do so using my
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/05/bread-solution-refrigerator-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough</a> (seriously, I don't know what
I'd do without this recipe.) No bread maker required! <b>Added bonus: </b>You can use this dough for pizza crusts and to make homemade "pizza pockets", which will make your teens really happy while keeping your budget in check :)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>6. Make your own yogurt:</b></span> If you have a lot
of yogurt lovers in your house, it's well worth the modest effort to
make your own yogurt, too. <b>You absolutely don't need a yogurt maker
or any special equipment to do so</b> – I use<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank"> this method</a> and my
complete detailed instructions can be found in <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank">my book</a> (I've had MANY
people tell me they had success making yogurt using my method; they
are always so surprised by how easy it is!) </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>7. Granola is your friend:</b></span> I've heard many
horror stories about teenage boys polishing off an entire box of
cereal for a bedtime snack. <b>Boxed cereals are another budget-buster,
and aren't very nutrient-dense for the cost. </b>Homemade granola is much
more filling and nutritious – especially when paired with some
homemade yogurt and/or some fresh or frozen fruit, it's a very
satisfying snack. My <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">basic granola recipe</a> is so quick and easy, we
often get a batch in the oven while we're cleaning up the dinner
dishes.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hopefully, I've convinced you it's not necessary to just throw up your hands in despair and resign yourself to spending $350 a week on groceries during the last few years your kids are at home.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Do you have any great tips on feeding teens on a budget? Or maybe a challenge I haven't addressed? Let me know all about it in the comments!</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amm7it53NTg/U2FCTePxfII/AAAAAAAACq4/WKj-Ils_35s/s1600/games+-+collage+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amm7it53NTg/U2FCTePxfII/AAAAAAAACq4/WKj-Ils_35s/s1600/games+-+collage+edited.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net</span></i></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If there's one thing I've learned, it's that sometimes the simplest changes we choose to make can be some of the most rewarding.</b></span></span> Many moons ago when I still outweighed my boys by a considerable amount, <b>there used to be that natural evening rhythm of snuggling up with a lapful of freshly washed, footsy-sleepered boys</b> and reading them a story or three before tucking them into bed.<br />
<br />
As the boys went and got bigger, and we all got involved in more evening activities, that ritual fell by the wayside. As I feel the clock ticking ever louder towards the day when one or both of the boys will no longer be living with us full-time,<b> I realized I really missed how we used to all gather together at the end of the day. </b><br />
<br />
I wracked my brain trying to <b>figure out a way we could all reconnect at the end of the day in a way that felt easy, fun and not forced - something we would ALL look forward to.</b> Then one day I thoght about how much we all enjoy playing games together around the campfire on our family camping trips, and how seldom we seem to play games when we're NOT camping.<br />
<br />
Thus, <b>our new routine of spending 30-45 minutes playing games together was born!</b> We decided we'd commit to doing this Monday through Thursday, as on Friday and Saturday evenings the boys tend to spend time with their friends and Joe & I with ours (or each other) and Joe plays hockey on Sunday nights throughout much of the year.<br />
<br />
<b>We have a standing "appointment" at 9:30 p.m. for each of these four evenings, and each night a different person gets to pick the game</b>. We also agreed that ALL screens would go off for the night prior to our commencing game time, which has been good for all four of us (and given that late-night screen time is supposed to disrupt your sleep, we're probably all sleeping better because of it).<br />
<br />
<b>It's ended up being so relaxing and fun, and great "bonding" time </b>with some good (and usually very entertaining) conversation. We all look forward to this time together, and it just feels like the perfect way to wind down the day.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>So, what are we playing?</b> I'll admit we're a little short on good 4 player board games right now. Our favourites are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rummikub" target="_blank">tile rummy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uno_%28card_game%29" target="_blank">Uno</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_%28card_game%29" target="_blank">President</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoonu" target="_blank">Whoonu</a>, with the boys often requesting trivia games (we have a <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Trivia/dp/B00004VXM0" target="_blank">Harry Potter trivia game</a> and <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1297/trivial-pursuit-star-wars-classic-trilogy-collecto" target="_blank">Star Wars Trivial Pursuit</a>). We do have a Scrabble set, but no one else in the the house wants to play with me because I'm pretty much going to win :) I'm going to keep my eyes open this yard sale season to see if I can find some other good games, and we really need to learn more card games, too!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I can't believe how much this simple idea has enriched our family life</b> - and it didn't cost us a thing except the willingness to make this time commitment to one another.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Do you have a favourite family ritual you do with your older kids? Or do you have a good 4-player game to recommend?</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">While you're here, can I ask you a favour?</span> </b></span>I know many of my blog readers have been some of my book's biggest supporters, and I am so grateful for all of you that have purchased the book and helped spread the word about it. <b>If you do have a copy of the book (or even if you've read a friend's or a library copy) would you consider reviewing it for me on Amazon? </b>I'm doing a Book Review Campaign right now with the goal of adding 15 new reviews to the several wonderful ones that are already there. <b>You don't need to have purchased the book on Amazon in order to review it there!</b><br />
<br />
You can find more details on why this is so important to me, and how to do an effective review, by clicking <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/uploads/2/1/3/0/21303718/amazon_review_request_for_website.pdf" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> (this will open up a PDF file). Thanks to all of you who are willing to take this on (it should only take about 15-20 minutes of your time).<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92) with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">homemade yogurt</a>, Blueberry <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/07/recipe-peach-clafouti.html" target="_blank">Clafouti</a> (p. 223), <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" target="_blank">Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins </a>
(p. 96)<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lunches:</b></span> </span></span><br />
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dinners:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b> "Turkey overs" (leftovers from Easter dinner)<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> Spicy Pork Alfredo (I use the basic Alfredo sauce from <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/10/recipe-slightly-lighter-bacon-and.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, and add cubed pork that has been sauteed with onions, cumin, oregano, paprika and chili powder)<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/recipe-ham-cheese-skillet-quinoa.html" target="_blank">Ham & Cheese Skillet Quinoa</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/emergency-meals.html" target="_blank">Western Omelette Wraps</a> (p. 124) and tossed salad with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/07/make-it-from-scratch-three-easy-salad.html" target="_blank">Thousand Island dressing</a><br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-sausage-and-apple-saute.html" target="_blank">Sausage & Apple Saute</a> (p. 137) served over rice</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/recipe-spicy-peanut-and-tomato-soup.html" target="_blank">Spicy Peanut & Tomato Soup</a> (p. 163), cornbread (p. 212)<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<b>Sunday: </b>Beef Bourguignon (the recipe I use is pretty similar to <a href="http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/julia-childs-beef-bourguignon/f7e0a6c5-710d-4c83-89a6-2a4936fec81a/" target="_blank">this one,</a> scaled down to 1 lb beef and without the bacon; I add mushrooms as well) over mashed potatoes, <a href="http://patriciaandcarolyn.com/the-original-quinoa-chocolate-cake/" target="_blank">Chocolate Quinoa Cake</a><br />
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Organic:</span> </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil, coconut milk, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, quinoa, fresh ginger, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">lemon balm</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">oatstraw</a> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local:</b></span> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, mushrooms, apples, cucumbers, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">sausage and ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), milk<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b></span> </span></span> </span>oats, cornmeal, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them?</b> Check out my</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> <span style="font-size: small;">"What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.</span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>
</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>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 <a href="http://pinterest.com/abundnceonadime/what-s-in-my-pantry/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/05/menu-plan-monday-may-514.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b>
<br />
<center>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
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Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-44266369229619804122014-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:002014-04-24T08:00:04.311-04:00Water Kefir: My Family's New Favourite Drink!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FN39_mJs39Q/U1fUCbjP6VI/AAAAAAAACqo/DTuBrirpYH4/s1600/water+kefir+w+flowers+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FN39_mJs39Q/U1fUCbjP6VI/AAAAAAAACqo/DTuBrirpYH4/s1600/water+kefir+w+flowers+edited.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>It's been one of my goals for the last year or so to add more fermented/probiotic foods to my family's diet.</b></span></span> Of course, homemade yogurt (with all its beneficial bacteria) has been a regular part of our diet for many years. And I use a good-quality, raw, organic apple cider vinegar for all of our <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/07/make-it-from-scratch-three-easy-salad.html" target="_blank">salad dressings</a>.<br />
<br />
Given all the benefits of eating fermented foods, <b>I would really like us to be having 1-2 servings per day.</b> And of course, making them myself is a much cheaper option than buying ready-made ones! I'd tried my hand at <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/03/project-fermentation.html" target="_blank">fermented lemons and sauerkraut</a> last spring but that experiment didn't end well and I got frustrated and gave up for a while.<br />
<br />
Several months went by. Okay, okay, it was basically a year! And then all of a sudden <b>I started seeing a lot of references to water kefir popping up all over the place </b>and I got curious. I read a bit about it, but was feeling skeptical. Probiotic? Yes. Delicious? I thought not (my initial response to the concept was more along the lines of "eeew, that sounds gross!").<br />
<br />
Then one day <a href="http://anitakaiser.com/" target="_blank">my friend Anita </a>happened to mention that she was looking to rehome some of her water kefir grains as she was getting overrun with them and I thought "what the heck - I'll give it a whirl". Although I wasn't yet convinced I was going to actually enjoy it, <b>I thought I should at least give it a try because as far as fermented foods go, it's supposed to be one of the easiest to have success with, and it's also really inexpensive to make.</b><br />
<br />
As it turns out, water kefir's a lot more pleasant than I expected. The thing that really gives it great potential is that <b>after it has done its initial ferment for 48 hours or so, you can do a "second ferment" where you remove the kefir grains and add fruit or juice to the water kefir </b>(in the photo above, the jar on the left is in the middle of its second ferment, the jar on the right is doing its first ferment). When sealed with a tight lid, <b>you end up with a pleasantly fizzy beverage after another couple of days.</b><br />
<br />
I have been doing the second ferment with lemon juice and fresh, chopped ginger (juice of one lemon and about 1 tablespoon of ginger to a quart of water kefir). <b>I can't tell you how happily surprised I am by how fantastic it is! It tastes like a homemade lemony gingerale and is incredibly refreshing</b>. My whole family loves it to the point where there might be some arguing about who got more of a particular batch :) I'm so fond of it that I already get upset by the idea of not having some around, and I only started making it a couple of weeks ago!<br />
<br />
While there is a small amount of maintenance to making water kefir, it's a few minutes every 2-3 days and in my opinion <b>it's totally worth the effort.</b> Aside from the water kefir grains (which you can probably get by asking around to see if anyone in your area has some to spare), <b>the only other supplies you will need are white sugar and some quart Mason jars, plus whatever you want to add to flavour the water kefir for the second ferment.</b><br />
<br />
If you're interested in trying to make your own water kefir, I'd recommend checking out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdLl1i_GwXU" target="_blank">this video from Cultures for Health</a>, along with their instructions on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mcQ5XNUAa0" target="_blank">how to flavour water kefir</a>.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Have you tried water kefir? Do you have a favourite way to flavour it?<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b>
<br />
<br />
<center>
<a border="0" href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=129729&BID=682" target="_blank"><img alt="Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony c" border="0" src="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/affiliate/graphics/logo2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
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Click <b><a href="http://eepurl.com/Fqrtj" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
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Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com2Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-6163654976916993022014-03-31T08:00:00.000-04:002014-03-31T09:03:28.698-04:00Weekly Menu Retrospective #129<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92) with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">homemade yogurt</a>, Blueberry Streusel Muffins (sub blueberries for rhubarb in the recipe on p. 97), French toast, scrambled eggs and toast
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lunches:</b></span> </span></span><br />
leftovers, sandwiches<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">, <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Toad-in-the-Hole (p. 180)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dinners:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/02/recipe-everything-but-kitchen-sink.html" target="_blank">Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup</a> (p.162), cornbread (p.212)<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> Sausage & Vegetable Coconut Curry (variation of <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/07/recipe-taco-platters.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, p. 136)<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-lime-and-garlic-chicken.html" target="_blank">Lemon & Garlic Chicken</a> (p. 184), <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-easy-oven-fries.html" target="_blank">Easy Oven Fries</a> (p. 194), <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-creamy-cucumber-salad.html" target="_blank">Creamy Cucumber Salad</a> (p. 205)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>Spinach & Mozzarella Egg Puff<b> </b> (p. 181)
<br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/07/recipe-taco-platters.html" target="_blank">Taco Platters </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday:</b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span>Grilled cheese sandwiches, sliced veggies and fruit (we were at my Dad's wedding for the afternoon and not very hungry after everything we ate there!)</div>
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted carrots, <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/salted-peanut-butter-and-jelly-blondies" target="_blank">Peanut Butter & Jam Blondies</a><br />
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Organic:</span> </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil, coconut milk, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, tortilla chips, fresh ginger, garlic, lemons, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">lemon balm</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">oatstraw</a> <br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local:</b></span> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, apples, cucumbers, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">sausage and ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), milk<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b> </span></span> </span>oats, cornmeal, milk, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them?</b> Check out my</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> <span style="font-size: small;">"What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.</span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>
</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>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 <a href="http://pinterest.com/abundnceonadime/what-s-in-my-pantry/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/03/menu-plan-monday-march-3114.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b>
<br />
<center>
<a border="0" href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=129729&BID=682" target="_blank"><img alt="Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony c" border="0" src="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/affiliate/graphics/logo2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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Click <b><a href="http://eepurl.com/Fqrtj" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
Click<b> <a href="http://pinterest.com/abundnceonadime/" target="_blank">HERE</a> </b>to follow me on Pinterest <br />
<br />
Click<b> <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/abundnceonadime" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to follow me on Twitter<br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/abundanceonadime" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally<br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-62112732557997881112014-03-26T11:09:00.000-04:002014-03-26T11:09:27.073-04:00Rising Food Prices *DON'T* Have to Mean an Increase in Your Grocery Bill!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KF1zFJSm7fM/UyimUsF9GII/AAAAAAAACps/ifIP_NAwb5M/s1600/increasing+food+prices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KF1zFJSm7fM/UyimUsF9GII/AAAAAAAACps/ifIP_NAwb5M/s1600/increasing+food+prices.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net</i></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>In the last 3 years or so I have seen many, many articles in the newspapers and online discussing the rising costs of food. </b></span></span>Depending on which sources you look at, there are reports of staple food items like milk, bread and eggs increasing by up to 69% in the past two years alone.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Reading statistics like this can cause a lot of anxiety, if, like many of us these days, there's not a lot of flexibility in your food budget.</b> And most of these articles leave you feeling like there's little you can do to cope with rising food costs except try to funnel more of your monthly budget towards them. <b>Here's the interesting thing, though - the weekly cost per person to feed our family hasn't increased in 20 years.</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yes, you read that right. 20 years. </b></span></span></div>
<br />
Back when I was in graduate school<b> in the early-to-mid 90's, my husband and I spent on average about $50 per week on groceries for the 2 of us, or $25 per person.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Currently, we average right around $100 per week for our family of four, or, yes, *still* $25 per person.</b> And that's with 14 and 16 year old boys who are pretty much perpetual eating machines. Also, while we don't buy exclusively organic, we do regularly buy a number of organic foods, compared to 20 years ago when we didn't buy any at all.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>If food costs have gone up so much in just the past couple of years, how on earth is it possible that we're still spending the same amount per person as we did 20 years ago?!?</b></span><br />
<br />
There are a lot of reasons for this. One of them would be that while our food expenditures were certainly modest 20 years ago, we weren't the hard core uber-frugal food shoppers we are today.<br />
<br />
The other major reason that our average per-person cost hasn't changed in 20 years is that there are a LOT of things you can do to help decrease your food expenditures, and most of them have been routine for us for many years. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Grocery Bill From Rising</b></span></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1. Make sure you're buying foods on sale at their rock-bottom prices.</b><br />
While the *regular* prices of many foods has increased significantly, interestingly, the rock-bottom sale price has not risen nearly as much. Stockpiling foods when they go on sale at their rock-bottom prices has always been a big part of our savings strategy, and it's helped insulate us from rising costs.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>2. Ditch unnecessary (and mostly unhealthy) extras.</b><br />
If you're feeling really pinched, now is the time to stop buying pop, chips and other high-cost, low- nutrient foods. You may want to rethink cold cereals as well - in my opinion you're not getting very much nutrition for the high price (there are plenty of other things to eat for breakfast - try homemade <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">granola </a>or<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/02/recipe-aloha-muffins.html" target="_blank"> muffins</a>, toasted homemade <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/05/bread-solution-refrigerator-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">bread </a>with peanut butter, leftover cornbread, French toast, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/09/make-it-from-scratch-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">oatmeal</a> or eggs just to name a few!)<br />
<br />
<b>3. Decrease your food waste</b><br />
The average North American family throws out 25% of the food they buy. This is heartbreaking for many reasons, but when every food dollar counts you need to get this number as close to zero as possible. Eat leftovers as soon as possible, and regularly assess fresh foods so you can freeze them before they spoil if necessary. Store and rotate bulk-purchased foods properly so you'll use them up before they go bad.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Buy in bulk</b><br />
Buying staple foods in large quantities often leads to big savings (up to 50% or more). Some of the items we buy in 10-15 kg quantities are flours, oats, cornmeal, rice, coconut and raisins. We also buy 30 lb boxes of ground beef from a local supplier at an incredible price!<br />
<br />
<b>5. Seek out alternative food sources</b><br />
This one often happens naturally when starting to buy more bulk foods. If you're used to shopping at one or two stores for all your food needs, there's a good chance you can be getting much better prices on some things elsewhere. No one store (even a discount store) has the best prices on everything! Combining this strategy of purchasing food from a variety of sources plus the previous strategy of buying in bulk means you can achieve significant savings *without* having to spend more time grocery shopping.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>6. Make friends with low-cost, high-nutrient foods</b><br />
I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone that beans are at the top of that list, but they don't have to be considered a punishment :) There are plenty of delicious meals that star this frugal food staple; try <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2007/02/frugal-food-friday-6-chickpeas-with.html" target="_blank">Chickpeas with Potatoes & Peas</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/01/recipe-spicy-black-bean-bake.html" target="_blank">Spicy Black Bean Bake</a>, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/recipe-west-african-style-baked-beans.html" target="_blank">West African Style Baked Beans</a> or <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2007/01/frugal-food-friday-2-sausage-and-lentil.html" target="_blank">Sausage and Lentil Stew</a>, which stretches 2 sausages to feed 4 people! Carrots, green peas, eggs and sunflower seeds are a few other great examples of high-nutrient budget-stretching foods.<br />
<br />
<b>7. Build your skills</b><br />
Making as many foods from scratch as possible will shave lots of dollars off your food bill. Learn to make your own <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/05/bread-solution-refrigerator-bread-dough.html" target="_blank">bread</a> and <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/05/how-to-make-yogurt-without-yogurt-maker.html" target="_blank">yogurt </a>(no special equipment required!) or grow some of your own food (you can even <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/06/fresh-local-food-for-free-starting.html" target="_blank">swap some of it with your neighbours</a>). None of these is particularly difficult or time-consuming, especially once you've mastered the basics.<br />
<br />
Yes, <b>these are all basic principles of feeding your family well on a tight budget</b>. At a time when so many families are struggling with their food expenditures, more and more people need to learn these strategies. So,<b> if all of these suggestions are "old news" to you, please pass them on to someone else you know</b> who would be grateful to learn these concepts. And <b>if most of these ideas are new to you, you may find <a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank">my book</a>, <em>Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family
for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</em> to be a valuable resource!</b><br />
<center>
<a border="0" href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=129729&BID=682" target="_blank"><img alt="Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony c" border="0" src="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/affiliate/graphics/logo2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
<br />
Click <b><a href="http://eepurl.com/Fqrtj" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9fgLYP5CSk/Uxe258IVyxI/AAAAAAAACpc/g0uCQKt6j8c/s1600/green+pea+&+lettuce+soup+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9fgLYP5CSk/Uxe258IVyxI/AAAAAAAACpc/g0uCQKt6j8c/s1600/green+pea+&+lettuce+soup+edited.jpg" height="400" width="397" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Even though the temperatures are still well below zero, I'm starting to crave spring greens in a big way</span></b></span> - asparagus season just cannot get here soon enough as far as I'm concerned!<br />
<br />
While it's going to be a while yet before I'm biting into a satisfyingly crunchy stalk of sauteed asparagus, <b>I decided a green soup would be in order since it would both fulfill my craving for more greens *and* help keep me warm.</b><br />
<br />
This simple soup is <b>extremely quick and easy to make</b>, and has a pleasant, mild flavour that even the kids should love (if you can convince them to try a spoonful of very green liquid!)<br />
<br />
Serving <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lemon Oregano French Toast</b></span></span> on the side should help win over any reluctant family members. This was my first foray into a more savoury French toast and<b> now I can't believe I never tried it before</b> - it's wonderfully fragrant as it cooks up!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></b></span><br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
1 onion, chopped <br />
1 head mild leaf lettuce (such as Bibb or Boston), thoroughly washed and coarsely chopped<br />
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />
2 cups frozen peas<br />
¼ cup light cream<br />
1 tsp salt <br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ tsp pepper</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3 eggs</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3 tbsp milk</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
juice of ½ a lemon</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 tsp dried oregano (or use 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano if you have some on hand)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
a pinch of salt</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
6 thick slices of bread</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1-2 tbsp butter for frying</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add lettuce and cook just until wilted.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Add stock and peas and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Blend in small batches in blender until smooth (*carefully* as hot liquid has a tendency to spurt!)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Return to saucepan and add cream, salt and pepper. Heat over medium-low heat until hot.</li>
</ul>
<b>Now it's time to make the French toast sticks:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>In a wide, shallow bowl combine the eggs, milk, lemon juice, oregano and salt.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium heat; add about ½ tablespoon of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan as it melts.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cut each slice of bread into 3 "fingers"; dip each bread finger into egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly (don't dip more at one time than you can fit in your pan!). </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cook bread fingers for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown; if slices are thick enough turn them on their sides to cook briefly as well. Add more butter to pan as needed to prevent sticking when cooking subsequent batches of French toast sticks.</li>
</ul>
Serve soup with French toast sticks on the side for dipping. <br />
<br />
<b>Serves 4</b><br />
<center>
<a border="0" href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=129729&BID=682" target="_blank"><img alt="Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health and harmony c" border="0" src="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/affiliate/graphics/logo2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span></center>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;"> </b></span></span>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Love what you read here? Click <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/05/couple-of-changesand-request-for.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the ways you can help support this blog (many of them won't cost you a thing!) </span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Want to stay connected in between blog posts?</span></b> <br />
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Click <b><a href="http://eepurl.com/Fqrtj" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to sign up for my Cook with Karen newsletter (max 2 emails a month)<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b><br />
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Click<b> <a href="http://pinterest.com/abundnceonadime/" target="_blank">HERE</a> </b>to follow me on Pinterest <br />
<br />
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<br />
Click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cheapappetit" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">to like Cheap <span style="color: black;">Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking</span></span></span>Karen McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510602668460825298noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON L8S 3N2, Canada43.263394299999987 -79.89985380000001743.261948799999985 -79.902375300000017 43.26483979999999 -79.897332300000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768557006566187232.post-19546100793166123812014-03-03T08:30:00.000-05:002014-03-03T09:01:57.617-05:00Weekly Menu Retrospective #128<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s1600/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aSDgW2r81U/TCfnSv-yRKI/AAAAAAAABH4/7ny2jKsYX_0/s320/Menu+Plan+Monday+flowers.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<i>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!</i><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">
If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,</span></b><b> </b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>check out my book, <i>Cheap
Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding
Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month
(While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought
Possible)</i> on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324091584&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073502&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheap-Appetit-Karen-McLaughlin/dp/0982780397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326073671&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>) and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cheap-appetit-karen-mclaughlin/1108004995?ean=9780982780398&itm=1&usri=cheap+appetit" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>.
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,<a href="http://www.cookwithkaren.com/cookbook.html" target="_blank"> go here</a>.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Breakfasts:</span> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gifts-from-kitchen-christmas-granola.html" target="_blank">Granola</a> (p. 92), Banana Blueberry Muffins (sub blueberries for chocolate chips in<a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins.html" target="_blank"> this recipe</a>, p. 96), Blueberry <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/07/recipe-peach-clafouti.html" target="_blank">Clafouti </a>(p. 223)<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lunches:</b></span> </span></span><br />
leftovers, sandwiches, Meal-Sized Salads (built with random fruits,
veggies, leftover tidbits, cheese, seeds, dried fruits all tossed onto a
bed of greens)<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dinners:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<b>Monday:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/10/recipe-slightly-lighter-bacon-and.html" target="_blank">Broccoli & Bacon Alfredo</a>, tossed salad with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/07/make-it-from-scratch-three-easy-salad.html" target="_blank">honey mustard dressing</a><br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday:</b> <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2008/04/recipe-sausage-and-apple-saute.html" target="_blank">Sausage & Apple Saut<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">é</span></a> (p. 137)<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b>Spinach & Mozzarella Egg Puff<b> </b> (p. 181)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>Pork Chops with wine jelly glaze, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2012/07/recipe-skillet-millet.html" target="_blank">Skillet Millet</a>, peas and carrots<br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2011/05/recipe-chicken-enchiladas.html" target="_blank">Chicken Enchiladas</a> (p. 127)<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Saturday:</b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span>Pasta e Fagioli (p. 168)</div>
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b><a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2010/02/recipeturkey-pot-pie.html" target="_blank">Turkey Pot Pie</a> (p. 175), mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, chocolate chip squares<br />
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
In keeping with <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.com/search/label/local%20and%20organic%20challenge" target="_blank">my local and organic challenge</a>, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Organic: </b></span></span>coconut
(in granola), coconut oil (in granola), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax
seeds, green onions, fresh ginger, garlic, lemons, <a href="http://www.coffeecology.com/" target="_blank">coffee</a> (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, mustard, tamari, oregano, basil, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">parsley</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/">Fairytale tea</a>, <a href="http://mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">peppermint tea</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">lemon balm</a>, <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">oatstraw</a> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local:</b> </span>potatoes,
onions, carrots, apples, salsa (home-canned), <a href="http://www.dutchmansgold.com/" target="_blank">honey</a> (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, <a href="http://vgmeats.ca/a-very-good-story/our-farms.html" target="_blank">sausage and ground beef</a> (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured)<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">Local AND organic:</b></span> </span> </span>oats, milk (used to make yogurt), millet, <a href="http://abundanceonadime.blogspot.ca/2013/01/starting-egg-buying-group.html" target="_blank">eggs</a> (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), <a href="http://www.filsingersorganic.com/" target="_blank">apple cider vinegar</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them?</b> Check out my</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> <span style="font-size: small;">"What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.</span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>
</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>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 <a href="http://pinterest.com/abundnceonadime/what-s-in-my-pantry/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">For more great meal ideas, check out <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2014/03/menu-plan-monday-march-314.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a> at orgjunkie.com.</span></span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></b>
<br />
<center>
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