Having Ourselves A(nother) Simple Little Christmas...

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

It's three weeks 'til Christmas Eve and I haven't written a word about Christmas here on the blog yet this year - WHAAAT?!? Yeah, things are a little behind schedule for someone who advocates starting to think about Christmas in September. 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 coming up with a gift-giving plan for this year...I'm just a little late in sharing it with you!

Our Christmas plans this year are very modest because, to be frank, it's been a hugely challenging year for us financially. 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 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. 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!)

So, here's a roundup of our plans so far:

Holiday activities & entertainment
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).

A Christmas Party!
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 we're also going to be doing a Secondhand Santa gift exchange. 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.

HPO Christmas Concert at the HPL
Joe & I will be attending the Hamilton Philharmonic's free holiday concert at the Central branch of the library this Friday at noon.

Living Advent Calendar
Our neighbourhood's doing a Living Advent Calendar 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. Starting Dec 1st, each day a different family in the neighbourhood unveils a holiday-themed window at their home. 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 :)

Gifts:
We'll be doing small individual gifts this year. This is probably going to sound weird to most of you, but 3 of the 4 of us will be receiving socks by request! My hubby and I both need new wool socks (a necessity in our cold Canadian winters!) and have a preference for Wigwam brand, which are good quality and made in North America (Wisconsin). It's kind of funny that we end up paying more for socks than just about any other article of clothing (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! My 15-year-old wants new basketball socks, which are also crazy expensive for a pair of socks, but he gets tons of use out of them. SportChek's having a sock sale right now so we're going to take advantage of it!  My 17-year-old would just like some cash, so he'll be getting a conservative amount equivalent to what we spend on his brother.

Stockings:  
We all LOVE our stockings around here! 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.

(By the way, for anyone looking for inspiration for their teenager's stocking, there is a great list of 97 Stocking Stuffers for Teens or Tweens over at Frugal Upstate that is handy for browsing through.).

For the boys: $5 gift cards for Tim Hortons (we have one in our neighbourhood and they love to go there with their friends), a box of Gingerbread Spice tea (one of the holiday teas by Celestial Seasonings and a favourite with both of them, bought on sale 2 boxes for $5), assorted candy (mostly homemade), pepperettes, Nutella (they're both addicted and I don't normally buy it!) and Pur gum (bought on sale, BOGO). It's a tradition in our family that an apple and a couple of clementines go in the very bottom of the stocking so that helps ensure it's packed nice and full :)

This year we'll probably add some razors and deodorant to the mix as they are going through more of both these days!

For hubby: Again, pretty predictable, but will include all the special treats he looks forward to at Christmas. He'll receive homemade candies in his stocking, plus I'll be picking up some chocolate covered coffee beans from the Mustard Seed co-op. I also snared a tin of cashews on sale for almost 50% off, so that will be tucked in there, too.

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 Holiday Gift Bags.

My dad and his new wife (they were married in March), and my grandmother will be receiving the traditional gift baskets of baked goodies and canned goods 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 Cran-Raspberry Jam, Tomato Date Jam, Zucchini Relish, Candied Peanuts and Christmas Granola. Everyone will also be receiving some of my most recent batch of homemade soap. This year I decided on a grapefruit scent to keep it refreshing and unisex.
 
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. 

I thought I'd finish up with a few interesting holiday-related reads you might want to check out for additional inspiration:
Ten Ways for a Zero Dollar Christmas (The Nonconsumer Advocate)
One Question to Reset Your Holiday Plans (Melissa Camara Wilkins)
Holiday Shopping for Aspiring Minimalists (Minimalists.org)
How to Change Your Holiday Money Story (Bari Tessler Linden)

Need some frugal gift ideas? Check out my Christmas on a Dime page and my Homemade Christmas board on Pinterest. Starting today, I'll also be sharing one gift idea a day on Facebook and Twitter...I'd love to hear your suggestions too!

RECIPE: Pumpkin Granola

Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with granola! Homemade granola is the only "cold cereal" my family eats. I've been know to go on rants about how ridiculously expensive (and lacking in nutrition) commercial cereals can be.

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! I can get a batch ready for the oven in under 5 minutes. 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.

Seriously, homemade granola is super easy to make, delicious, packed full of nutrients, and way less expensive than any boxed cereal you could buy. So what are you waiting for?

This pumpkin granola has a nice spicy kick to it, while the pumpkin flavour is fairly subtle. This is a perfect way to make good use of that jack o' lantern come Nov 1st!

Ingredients:

3½ cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

¼ tsp cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

3 tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup coconut oil

⅓ cup pumpkin puree

Instructions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. 
• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil and pumpkin puree. Heat gently and stir until thoroughly combined.
• 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.

Makes about 6-10 servings

Optional add ins:

If you want to jazz up your granola even more, try adding any of the following:

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (for Chocolate Pumpkin Granola – add to honey mixture)

• chopped walnuts or pecans

• dried cranberries (add after granola is baked and cooled)

• dried apple chunks (add after granola is baked and cooled)

Want even more granola options? Check out these recipes:

Chocolate Chai Granola

Chocolate Peanut Granola

Christmas Granola

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

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

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QUICKIE RECIPE: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Scrambled Eggs

Even with the best planning, we all have days where we need to produce a meal in next to no time. Fortunately, it IS possible to make a decent meal very quickly, even from scratch!

This little number makes a frequent appearance at my house 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!)

If you have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, you can be eating this in 10 minutes. 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).

Here's what you've gotta do:

• Heat about a tablespoon of your favourite cooking oil/fat in a nonstick pan (I love my cast iron!) 

• Toss in half a chopped onion and half a medium grated carrot and saute for a minute or two until they soften. Throw in about 1/4 cup of frozen peas and 3/4 cup cooked quinoa; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the peas are heated through.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste (add about 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if you have it on hand).

• Turn this mixture out onto your serving plate, getting the pan as clean as you can. 

• Put the pan back on the heat and add a small chunk of butter. Beat one or two eggs with a splash of milk; once the butter is melted and pan is hot, add eggs to pan and scramble to desired doneness. Place on top of quinoa mixture. 

• Top with a spoonful of sour cream and a couple of sliced green onions.

You're done!

How easy was that?!?

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).

What's your favourite super-quick meal?

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

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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Weekly Menu Retrospective #133

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

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here. 
 
Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92) with homemade yogurt, Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins (p. 96), Blueberry Clafouti (p. 223)

Lunches: 
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches, stir-fried quinoa with veggies and scrambled eggs

Dinners:
Monday: Beef & Mushroom Stew over mashed potatoes

Tuesday: Spicy Peanut & Tomato Soup (p. 163) with Cornbread (p. 212)

Wednesday: Indian-Spiced Honey Garlic Chicken (p. 188), Coconut Rice (p. 199) and roasted carrots

Thursday: Classic Beef Burgers (p. 125) with homemade fermented ketchup & mustard, Easy Oven Fries (p. 194)

Friday: Pizza Night: Sausage, Onion and Red Pepper Pizza (my homemade thin-crust pizza dough recipe is HERE)

  
Saturday: Lemony Chicken & Spinach Pasta (p. 150)

Sunday: Pan-fried pork chops with southwestern seasonings, sauteed zucchini, red pepper and onions, Skillet Millet, Chocolate Chip Squares

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

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil, coconut milk, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, quinoa, fresh ginger,  coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea
 
Local: potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, apples, pears, garlic, salsa (home-canned), honey (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, ground beef (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), sausages, milk, buttermilk
 
Local AND organic:  zucchini, oats, millet, cornmeal, eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar, green onions*, tomatoes*, red peppers, herbs*

*from our backyard garden

Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? I've completely overhauled my budget menu planning service over the summer! Many of the simple and affordable recipes are NEW and NOT on the blog or in the book. Plans include complete menu plans and grocery lists featuring inexpensive, seasonally-focused ingredients. Click HERE to find out more!

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

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH: {Fermented or Not} Ketchup & Mustard

You may have gotten the impression (from this post, or maybe this one) that I've really gotten into fermenting things lately, and if so, you'd be right!

After my initial abysmal fermenting failures, I forged on and kept trying different things until I had a success or two under my belt, which gave me enough encouragement to experiment further. Since kombucha's one of the things I've found to be the most forgiving, 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!

This ketchup and mustard are super easy to whip up and a great way for beginners to give fermenting a try. 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, this is a good way to use up a batch that's gotten a bit too vinegary for drinking straight up - it's actually optimal to use a more vinegary kombucha for these recipes.

You can absolutely make these recipes *without* fermenting them if you wish, although their shelf life will not be as long and you won't get the benefits of the probiotic bacteria. Simply substitute apple cider vinegar where it calls for kombucha. If you use a good quality, raw apple cider vinegar (I always have a bottle of Filsinger's on hand) you will still be getting some beneficial prebiotic bacteria in your condiments.

Fermented {Or Not} Ketchup

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
½ cup raisins (use unsulphured if fermenting)
½-1 cup water*
11 oz tomato paste (2 of the 5.5 oz tins)
¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp dry mustard powder

⅛ tsp cinnamon

⅛ tsp cloves

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

⅛ tsp black pepper

⅛ tsp allspice

1-2 tsp sea salt

about 1 cup kombucha or raw apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

• 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.

• 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).

• 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.

*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.

Fermented {Or Not} Mustard

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole mustard seeds (yellow, brown or a combination - brown are milder!)

2 cups kombucha (or 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup water)

2-4 tbsp honey or maple syrup

4 cloves garlic, rough chopped

1 tbsp sea salt 

Instructions: 

• 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).

• Pour soaked seeds into a blender and add honey, garlic and salt. Process until desired consistency, adding more honey or salt to taste. Refrigerate.

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). 

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday.

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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Weekly Menu Retrospective #132

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

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here. 
 
Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92) with homemade yogurt, Rhubarb Streusel Muffins (p. 97), waffles

Lunches: 
leftovers, grilled cheese, sandwiches 

Dinners:
Monday: Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta (p. 147)

Tuesday: Barbecued Steak, Broccoli, Bacon & Cheddar Salad (p. 204), corn on the cob

Wednesday: Western Omelette Wraps (p. 124)

Thursday: Curried Beef Sandwich Pockets, Creamy Cucumber Salad (p. 205)

Friday: Pizza Night: Sausage, Onion and Red Pepper Pizza (my homemade thin-crust pizza dough recipe is HERE)

  
Saturday: Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup (p. 162)

Sunday: Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato Vegetable & Meat Sauce, Peach Crisp

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

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, fresh ginger,  coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tamari, oregano, basil, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea
 
Local: potatoes, onions, carrots, apples, cucumbers, red peppers, garlic, salsa (home-canned), honey (unpasteurized), sour cream, whole wheat flour, ground beef (antibiotic and hormone free, pastured), milk, buttermilk
 
Local AND organic:  oats, cornmeal, eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar, green onions*, tomatoes*, herbs*

*from our backyard garden

Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? I've completely overhauled my budget menu planning service over the summer! Many of the simple and affordable recipes are NEW and NOT on the blog or in the book. Plans include complete menu plans and grocery lists featuring inexpensive, seasonally-focused ingredients. Click HERE to find out more!

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

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

RECIPE: Apple, Bacon & Sage Pizza

It's a fact: teenagers love pizza. And with two teenage boys in the house, there's a lot of pizza-eating capacity around here :) 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 Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough works well!)

We've been experimenting with some more sophisticated pizza variations lately. This Apple, Bacon & Sage Pizza 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 we actually prefer a white sauce to the typical red sauce on our pizza, 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, NOW is the perfect time to make this pizza!

So, let's get right to it, shall we?

Ingredients:
Crust
¾ cup warm water
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp melted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour (may use up to ½ cup whole wheat flour if desired)

cornmeal for sprinkling

Sauce
2 tbsp butter
6 sage leaves, cut crosswise into thin strips
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk 

Toppings
6 strips bacon
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, sliced
2-3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• 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.

• 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.

• Place dough in a clean bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about 45-60 minutes).

• 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.

• In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble.

• 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.

 (You're almost finished, hang in there!)

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Serves 4

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday. 

This is just one of the many simple, delicious and inexpensive new recipes that will be featured in my October menu plans. Go HERE to find out more about them! 

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Probiotics for Pennies

My homebrewed kombucha in 3 flavours: strawberry, pineapple and grape (the bottles are from IKEA)

It's back to school this week, and that means it's a perfect time for...probiotics.

Wait, WHAT?!?! You thought I was going to say a good stiff drink, right? :)

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, it's one you can easily make at home for just pennies: a delicious homemade probiotic beverage.

Increasing your family's probiotic consumption at this time of year is particularly advantageous as probiotics are beneficial to both the digestive and immune systems. 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.

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 since I started brewing kombucha and drinking it nearly every day (starting early this spring), my seasonal allergies have improved dramatically this year - I've been using my homemade nettle tincture 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.

While you can certainly purchase both probiotic supplements and prepared fermented foods, it can be a big investment (it can easily cost you $1-2 or more per day for supplements per person!) 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.

The obvious solution is (as usual) to do it yourself! Making your own probiotic foods might sound intimidating, 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.

A (not at all comprehensive) list of fermented foods would include:

Dairy-based:
Yogurt
Kefir

Non-dairy based:
Kombucha
Water kefir
Ginger beer
Lacto-fermented lemonade

Fermented vegetables (e.g. sauerkraut, kimchi)

Fermented condiments (ketchup, mustard, salsa, barbecue sauce, chutneys, etc)

Getting started with fermenting:
Based on my own personal experiences, the two foods I've found the easiest to start with are yogurt and kombucha. You don't need any special equipment to make either of them. You can find my basic yogurt making method HERE. 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.

To start making kombucha, you will need a SCOBY (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.

One of the reasons I love kombucha is that you can have a ton of fun experimenting with different flavours - 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!

My family also loves lemon-ginger water kefir, which I wrote about earlier this year. 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.

The nice thing about fermenting foods is there are SO many options, 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.

I'm going to be fiddling around with my fermented ketchup recipe this week, 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 :)

And since the jalapeno peppers are one of the few things that we got a bumper crop of this season, I'm going to be trying out this recipe very soon, too.

 Intrigued enough to give it a go? Some helpful resources to get you started:





The Cultures for Health 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!)

Kombucha Kamp - a great resource for all things kombucha-related.

(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.)

Are you already a seasoned fermenter, or just getting started? I'd love to hear your experiences with making your own fermented foods.

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RECIPE: Green Beans with Bacon & Mushrooms

Fresh-from-the-garden green beans are hands-down, my favourite summer vegetable. I even have a favourite variety (Slenderette). Unfortunately, this year I have the worst green bean crop I've had since I started growing green beans. 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.

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. 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!

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, 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. 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.

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans, trimmed

4-6 strips of bacon

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Instructions:

• Cook the beans in a saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes (they should still be crisp). Drain and set aside.

• 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.
  
  
• 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.

Serves 4

I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursday.

This is just one of the many simple, delicious and inexpensive new recipes featured in my August menu plans. Go HERE to find out more about them - more brand new tasty, family-friendly dishes are on the way for the September edition.

Are you a huge green bean fan, too? What is your favourite way to serve them?

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Healthy and Inexpensive Eats on the Road

 Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chances are, you're planning a road trip at least once this summer! I'm gearing up to leave on a family camping trip myself, that will involve several hours of driving to get to our destination. 

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.

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.

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:

1. Planning ahead: 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.

2. Packing a cooler: 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.

What Snacks Should You Pack?

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).

• Chocolate Power Balls (freezer friendly)

• Oatmeal and Fruit Bars (freezer friendly) - substitute raspberries or chopped peaches or plums for the blueberries in these delectable bars

• Muffins (freezer friendly) - Chocolate Zucchini or Banana Chocolate Chip will keep your resident chocoholics happy while being healthier than a donut fix.

• Roasted Chickpeas

• Pocket Sandwiches (freezer friendly) - my boys love these Curried Beef and Spicy Pork 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.

• Popcorn (pack individual servings in ziptop bags)

• Whole fruits and sliced vegetables (pack a container of hummus for extra hunger-pang-busting power!)

• High protein finger foods: Trail mix, cheese cubes, hard boiled eggs and jerky.

• Nut butters and breads or crackers for spreading them on

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 Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade 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!)

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!

Do you have a favourite healthy, inexpensive snack for toting on road trips? Leave a comment and share it with us!  
  

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