My Spending Diet: No one ever wants to have to admit that they aren’t doing well. But folks, I haven’t been doing well with My Spending Diet. I took last week as a fluke … I was rusty. But this week? There was no mistaking that I’ve slipped. A lot. I’ve been spending without thinking, using the cash as a reason to spend. As a result, I have been running out of cash early in the week and using my debit card to make up the difference.

This is not the way I want to be.

I mean, seriously, who wants to overspend like this? It’s not like I’ve been out of control, but I have been spending more than I should be. And frankly, considering that I have a weekly CSA, I should be spending less now.

So, what’s the problem? For one, I’ve been getting take out from new places. It’s been so long since I could do that, so it’s felt good … except for the overspending part. Another reason? I have been purchasing more specialty items that I wouldn’t normally buy. Why? Because I had a little extra padding in the budget and took that a little too far.

The solution is obvious. I need to adhere to my budget. That means making a concise weekly shopping list, budgeting for a little take out and cutting back there. Furthermore, I need to be rigid in my spending. If I don’t have it, then I can’t spend it. That’s that.

How are you doing with your spending?

This Week’s Tips, Tricks and Deals

• Got eggshells? If you are really into gardening, then you will love this tip. Crushed eggshells are really good for your garden. They have valuable nutrients that will help your garden grow better. Learn more at Mama’s Health.
• Beach fun. Sure, it might be hard to find beach toys in stores now. But don’t worry. A great alternative is to hit up the kitchen section of your local dollar store for funnels, spoons and more. The kids will have a blast — and you won’t spend a bundle. (Thanks, dear cousin, for that tip!)

Photo credit: greenfinger from morguefile.com

Growing up, I always picked radishes out of salads. To me, they were a garnish that shouldn’t be consumed ever. The fierce peppery-ness just didn’t appeal to me at all. But then, a few years ago, I tried Balsamic Sauteed Radishes and it was a complete revelation. The peppery taste of the little, hard, red roots was completely tamed by cooking and the balsamic added this fabulous sweetness to them.

For the past year or so, I have been looking for another way to cook radishes in a way that tames them but makes them flavorful too. This, these grilled radishes with dill, white wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, are the result. The subtle flavor is slightly sweet, totally dilly and wonderful. They are tender bits of radish goodness that go great with fish, chicken, salads and more …

If you haven’t had radishes cooked, then you need to try them. It’s amazing. It’s beyond amazing — it’s craveworthy goodness. Try it.

My Spending Diet: Sigh. After weeks of not reporting my progress, it was a change to be so focused on what I was doing (spending-wise) this week. In a few circumstances, I had to force myself to pay cash, but I did it. In the end, the results weren’t terrible.

My spending this week was ok … but I didn’t totally stick to the plan. Gas went onto my debit card because it was easier than running in to pay (especially with the kids in the car). But overall, I kept very close to my $200/week spending limit.

Next week, I am going to focus on eating from our fridge since we really need to clear some space for the food we’re putting up. We’ve already got freezer pickles, pesto and grated zucchini in there.

This Week’s Tips, Tricks and Deals

• Free Smoothies! McDonald’s recently introduced two smoothies into their lineup and they want you to try them. So, between July 22-24, get a free sample of the flavors and see what you think. UPDATE: This promo has been canceled. There is also a $1 off coupon for the smoothies and McDonald’s Frappes available on their website too.
• Sign Up! Have you heard of Daily Worth? It’s a free personal finance newsletter for women that goes out daily with great tips and information. Always a good read.
• Go to the Museums. This weekend, Target is sponsoring the Arts + Wonder event at select museums and performing arts institutions around the country. Families get free or reduced admission to the 2,200 events and 120 museums. Sounds like a great weekend day trip.

Welcome customers of Shortt’s Farm CSA! Scroll down for a delicious Caramelized Onion and Kale Salad recipe and other fabulous recipes to use today’s produce.

Last summer, on a clear August evening, my cousin popped over to my house and dropped off a container of a delicious, refreshing curly kale salad made with whisper-thin red onion slices and a light lemony flavor. I wasn’t expecting to finish it in one sitting, but it was so good that I did.

The salad was amazing. Kale, which is usually rough and bitter, was softer and milder than I’d ever known it to be. The slivers of onion added a nice crunch and hint of sweetness. All together, it was delish.

So, when kale appeared in my CSA box last week, I knew I wanted to make a kale salad. But rather than head to the store for ingredients that we didn’t have (read: pretty much everything other than the kale), I used what we had on hand: a vidalia onion, balsamic vinegar and some little bits of beet.

It was mouthwatering. The kale was softened by the salt, tamed by the balsamic vinegar and given a great lift by the super sweet caramelized onions. The beets add that perfect bit of crunch …

Oh, it’s good. Very good. I could have eaten the whole bowl (and I wasn’t alone in that sentiment!).

Looking for more ideas for your farmshare?

In the box this week:

• Basil – Creamy Gorgonzola and Shrimp Pasta
• Mustard Greens – Mustard Greens and Beet Greens Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
• Squash – Grilled Sausage and Summer Squash with Herbs, Capers, Kalamata Olives and Lemon @ Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Napa Cabbage – Guy Fieri’s Waka Waka Salad @ Sweetnicks
• Peaches – Grilled Peaches @ Cheap Healthy Good
• Corn – Mexican Grilled Corn @Food Blogga

When mustard greens appeared in my CSA box last week, I didn’t even have a chance to groan before my beloved farmer told me to just try them. My farmer knows me well — anything with the word ‘mustard’ in it is sure to send me packing.

However, I do believe in trying everything once, so I immediately ripped a leaf off and took a nibble. Turns out the course green has a pleasant taste with a touch of peppery-ness. Better yet, it doesn’t taste like mustard. At all. Color me a convert.

Immediately, I started planning this salad. Sweet-ish beet greens with the peppery mustard greens and a light but flavorful homemade vinaigrette. Add in a bit of salty feta, sweet raw beets and fresh tomatoes … oh yea. It was destined to be good. And guess what? It was.

When serving this, I did something that I normally don’t do: I didn’t reveal exactly what the salad was made of. Generally, I am a firm believer in disclosure so that everyone knows and willingly eats what’s on the table. But I knew the mention of mustard greens — something that I was hesitant about –  would be a deterrent. So, I kept quiet until everyone — all seven of us — had eaten some. And guess what? I wasn’t the only one to enjoy it. So there.

Maybe sometimes it’s okay to be a little deceptive in the name of trying new things. What do you think?

Mustard Greens and Beet Greens Salad
serves 8

1 bunch mustard greens, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 bunch beet greens, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium beet, quartered and sliced (or 6-8 baby beets, quartered)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Herb Vinagrette (recipe follows), to taste

In a large salad bowl, combine the mustard greens, beet greens, beets, tomatoes and feta. Toss. Add Herb Vinaigrette to taste and toss again.

Serve immediately — this is great with grilled chicken or shrimp.

If there is one thing my kids love, it’s options. So, when I suggested that we make our own smoothies this afternoon, they were both totally psyched. We were in the grocery store when I mentioned it and Will’s reaction was priceless. “Smoothies? Really?!? Yay!” Then, when they saw the array of ingredients spread out on the counter, they were beyond delighted.

I started out by asking each of them if they wanted a creamy or an icy smoothie. They both choose creamy, so we started with a half cup of plain yogurt each. Then, they choose their fruit (strawberries and pineapple for Paige and banana and strawberry for Will). Finally, we topped it off with a 1/4 cup of milk and blended it all to perfection.

They loved that they got to dictate the flavors and also blend the drinks themselves. I love seeing the sense of accomplishment when they do things like this. It makes every spill and drip 100 percent worth it.

They both loved their creations. Paige’s was lightly sweet with a flavor that made her say “Oh! Yum!” Honestly though, I wasn’t as big a fan of her combination (no matter — it only really mattered that she liked it). And Will sucked his Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie down in record time. Yes, he loved it.

For my part, I made a Banana Pineapple Smoothie … a light, chilly, refreshing drink with coconut water, banana, pineapple and ice. It was A-MAZING. Totally a must-make.

What’s your favorite smoothie combination?

P.S. Cate and I joke about being on the same wavelength … so you’ll imagine my surprise when I checked her blog tonight. This was a total coincidence. But head over to Sweetnicks for a Pineapple Orange Smoothie Recipe.

But after 13 weeks and about a month off, I am ready to take My Spending Diet to the next level. Enter Frugal Fridays.

What is Frugal Fridays? Like My Spending Diet, I will share how my spending was for the prior week — including the challenges and slip-ups. But this isn’t ust about me or my family; it’s about all of us. So I will also share tips, tricks and deals for the coming week too.

This Week’s Tips, Tricks and Deals

• Reduce, reuse … Tired of trying to find just the right container for making big quantities of drinks like iced tea? Do what my husband does and buy one good, solid, premade tea and reuse the container (the one he uses is 58 oz.) for mixing and storage. All you need is a funnel to make filling easier.
• Slurpee Day! Tap into that childhood glee this weekend at 7-11 by picking up a FREE Slurpee on Sunday, July 11. Get the detes of the offer here.
• Love Starbucks? The company is running their Starbucks Treat Receipt promo again through October 4. If you buy a beverage in the AM and return after 2 p.m. with your receipt (same day only!), you can get any Grande iced drink for $2 (plus tax).

Have a great weekend!

That’s ketchup. Homemade ketchup! Yum.

A few years ago, when I first started to rid my house of processed foods, I pondered making my own condiments, but that seemed like too, too much when there were acceptable organic versions available in most stores. Of course, we soon learned that some of those organic versions left something to be desired in the taste category. Still, we found one we liked and stuck with it.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when one of my editors and I were talking about creative toppings for the barbecue. The idea of homemade ketchup came up, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. So, I started working on it, finding the right combination of seasonings to create a ketchup that my family would love.

Once I set to making it, I discovered that tomato puree worked as a perfect base since it could be combined with seasonings and reduced pretty easily — no blending necessary. Just whisk it together, and occasionally whisk it a bit to keep from burning or anything. But mostly, you just let it boil down (with a splatter guard, of course!). It’s super easy.

Also, be warned, it’s best to remove the pan from the heat and wait a few seconds to remove the splatter guard for whisking … this boils rapidly and that will help you avoid getting burned. Return to the heat when you are ready to cook again.

The result is a fragrant, well-seasoned ketchup that is great on fries, hot dogs, burgers and more. Just spoon a little on and go. You’ll never want to go back.

I couldn’t bring myself to cook yesterday. When I opened the door to see how it was outside, it was like stepping into a sauna. The air was thick with humidity and it was so hot, despite a late afternoon rain shower. Thank goodness for air conditioners and take out.

Today is milder, less humid. Tomorrow is supposed to be even more so. It’s a relief. I’ve lived a lifetime of New England summers where days go from pleasantly mild to intolerably hot and humid overnight. I’m used to experiencing the old saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” Yesterday was a prime example of that with the fast and furious rainstorm that rolled in and exited so quickly that I blinked and it was sunny again. That’s how summer life is here. That doesn’t mean I enjoy it.

Hot, humid days don’t exactly inspire me to spend time doing anything. Yesterday afternoon, Paige took an extended nap while Will did puzzles and I read The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch (great book – I finished it in a day and loved it). When dinnertime rolled around, I briefly considered cooking. Very briefly. Then I phoned our local Italian restaurant for a pizza, garlic bread and salad.

That said, I don’t always eschew cooking on hot days. Sometimes I have the foresight to prepare a ready-to-eat meal like this salad, which is great to begin with and only gets better with sitting. It’s hearty, but light. It’s fresh and flavorful, but requires little effort. Perfect for those sauna-like days.

The lime and cilantro dressing on this really bring the peppers, pineapple, pomegranate and black beans together. It’s a lovely harmony of flavors that cools and satisfies while you eat … and it’s also perfect for picnics on those not-as-hot days.

What do you do when it’s too hot too cook and too hot to grill?

It was only earlier this year that I tried making orzo for the first time, and I quickly discovered that I (and my kids) adore it. The tiny bits of pasta make a fabulous side dish.

This particular orzo is made with caramelized onions, giving it a wonderful sweetness that gets savory boosts from freshly grated parmesan, a little white wine and salt. It’s perfect for eating with a great grilled dinner.

Do you like orzo?