Category: Budget Eating
Frugal Fridays: Writing My Way to Better Spending
When my friend whipped out a little notebook and started making a notation after blueberry picking last month, I quizzed her on what she was doing. Turns out, she had her own spending diet going on, and was keeping track of every cent she spent in that notebook. I was intrigued. She said that the [...]
Cooking for Kids: “Baked” Potatoes on the Grill
When I was a little kid, I dreaded having baked potatoes with dinner. It got to the point where I would audibly groan at the mention of them (how awful, right?). There was just nothing about them that I enjoyed. I’ve never been a fan of sour cream, and melty butter on semi-mashed potato doesn’t [...]
Frugal Fridays: Beach, Garden and a Confession
Thank goodness for Fridays … 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. [...]
Grilled Radish Packets Recipe
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 [...]
Frugal Fridays: Free Smoothies and Getting Back into the Swing
Happy Weekend! We have big plans for pickling cukes from the garden and picking tons of berries this weekend … what about you? But before we shove off to have fun, here’s how things went this week … and how you can save. My Spending Diet: Sigh. After weeks of not reporting my progress, it [...]
CSA Day: Caramelized Onion and Kale Salad and Other Great Ideas
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 [...]
Mustard Greens and Beet Greens Salad Recipe with Herb Vinaigrette
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, [...]
Cooking with Kids: Smoothies!
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 [...]
Frugal Fridays: The New Version of My Spending Diet
For much of this year, I’ve shared my journey of going from overspending to living on a budget (in case you missed the series, catch up on My Spending Diet here). The act of writing about my financial challenges, especially when it comes to budgeting for our food, has helped me save a lot and [...]
Homemade Ketchup Recipe
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 like ketchup, 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 [...]
