Thursday, January 31, 2013

RECIPE: Ham & Cheese Skillet Quinoa


A couple of evenings ago I was once again reminded of how important it is to be able to cook without a recipe when you need to get dinner on the table fast and "Plan A" suddenly becomes untenable.

I had some leftover ham in the fridge that I wanted to use up. I was planning to make a ham and white bean casserole (a variation of this recipe), but right about the time I had the ham all nicely diced up, my hubby informed me he had an evening appointment at 7 p.m. (it was already after 5). Okay, not enough time to make a white sauce and bake a casserole before he has to leave. My next thought was that I'd make a ham and rice skillet dish which is much quicker to prepare. A couple minutes after that, I discovered we didn't have enough rice to make a casserole (I've been scouting out prices on organic rice in anticipation of stocking up). Oops. So now the clock is really ticking and I have to come up with a workable plan, fast!

And so this Ham & Cheese Skillet Quinoa came into being. Even though quinoa is quite a trendy food these days, I've been slow to warm up to it. Now that I've finally gotten the hang of cooking it properly, I have been experimenting with it a bit more and I have to say it's growing on me :)

So, even if you're not quite a die-hard quinoa lover yet, I think you'll like this recipe. It was enthusiastically gobbled up by all four members of my family (no leftovers!). Two key things to remember for quinoa cooking success: Rinse and drain it before cooking, and then cook until the little "tails" pop out (you'll know what I'm talking about once you see it happen).

Because I was cooking this on the fly, I didn't actually measure much of anything except the quinoa and liquid, so all measurements are approximate and flexible!

Ingredients:
 1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium to large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 carrot, grated
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
about 2 cups of chopped cooked ham
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions:
In a large frying pan, saute the onion in oil until tender. Add the quinoa, stock, water, carrots, peas, parsley, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat until most of liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender and the tails have popped out, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in ham, cheese and sour cream and cook for a few minutes longer until cheese is melted and ham is heated through.

Serves 4-5.

Do you have a favourite way to prepare quinoa?

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

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Monday, January 28, 2013

Weekly Menu Retrospective #95

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), Zucchini Raisin Bran Muffins (variation of the recipe on p. 102 ), Baked Oatmeal (p. 91), blueberry clafouti (variation of this recipe on p. 223)

Lunches: 
shrimp and pasta salad (shrimp left over from Tuesday's Pad Thai), scrambled eggs and toast, leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday: Turkey & Vegetable Coconut Curry (variation of this recipe on p. 136)

Tuesday: Pork and Apple Stew (p. 156)

Wednesday: Pad Thai with shrimp (I got a great deal on the shrimp!)

Thursday: Smothered Meatballs (p. 143), mashed potatoes, peas and carrots

Friday: Spicy Peanut and Tomato Soup (p. 163)

Saturday: Classic Beef Burgers (p.125) and Easy Oven Fries (p. 194); buns made from my Whole Wheat Refrigerator Bread Dough (p. 239)

Sunday: Chicken Enchiladas (p. 127), carrot sticks, Amish Oatmeal Pie (p. 221)

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

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), coconut milk, canola oil, raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, spelt bran, lemons, green onions, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cane sugar, mustard, tamari, parsley, paprika, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, zucchini, salsa (home-canned), ground beef, chicken and pork (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk, sour cream 

Local AND organic: peanut butter,
sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats (in granola), cornmeal, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar, popcorn, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour 

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

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

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Thursday, January 24, 2013

My Ever-Changing Food Landscape


As my reputation for being "that frugal food lady" has grown, so have the number of questions I get about where we buy our food, what products we buy, and how much we are paying for specific items. So many of the details of our food purchasing have changed in the last year since my book came out, it's a bit mind-boggling! I'm also getting questions about whether I can still get the same prices as the ones shown in the "Sample Monthly Food Purchases" section of my book, since they are from purchases made in 2010.

In response to that last question about what I'm currently paying, the short answer is that for most foods I'm still able to get the prices I've quoted in my book. For a few foods, I'm actually getting better prices now than I was in 2010. For example, I'm now paying around $1.60 a pound for grass fed ground beef from a family farm when I buy it on sale in a 30 pound box; I was paying $1.99 a pound for sale-priced grocery store ground beef. I've also started buying real "farm fresh" eggs (free range and organic fed) for $2.50 per dozen, just slightly more than the cost of sale-priced grocery store eggs (more details on that here). There are definitely some food items for which the price has increased significantly: I was able to get milk as low as $2.99 for 4 litres back in 2010, now the best price is usually $4.29. The "rock bottom" price for peanut butter was $1.99 per kilogram, now it's around $3.88 (I don't follow this price too closely any more as I've started buying locally produced organic peanut butter). Orange juice was 89 to 99 cents for a 355 mL can of frozen concentrate, now the best price is $1.50 for a 295 mL can - they increased the price *and* decreased the can size. Also, the cans of frozen concentrate used to always be a better deal than cartons of fresh juice. That has changed and now over 50% of the time we're getting a better deal on juice in the carton.

One thing is very clear - there are no cut-and-dried, static, "forever" solutions to buying good food at great prices. That is why I try to focus on teaching people the basic principles of how to approach buying food on a small budget, because the specific details of what that looks like will probably change over time. Also, because food costs vary so much from one region to another across North America, what's inexpensive for me might be outrageously priced for you! I've had some people tell me that they can't find deals anywhere close to what I have shown in my book, and others who can get much better prices on certain items. In general, food is significantly more expensive here in Canada than it is in the U.S., so my American readers can probably find better prices for many foods than I can.

Since the local food movement has gained so much steam in the past few years, in most towns and cities there will be new options emerging on a regular basis. That's why I recommend getting tuned in to the food scene in your area, whether that's through a food co-op or a "local food" or other similar group, so you can get the latest news on potential food sources.

As my own "food landscape" expands and changes, our family's food acquisition strategies look quite different than they did even a year ago. While I do post updates here on the blog about new ways we are buying food, I know it's nice to have information all in one place rather than trying to wade through a whole series of blog posts to find what you're looking for. To make it easier to find current information on what foods we're buying and where we're buying them, I'm developing a couple of resources that I hope will be helpful to you all:

A "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest. I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. To check it out, go HERE.

A supplemental e-book that will discuss in detail all the changes we've made in our approach to buying food over the past year since Cheap Appétit was published. This will be available for free to everyone who's purchased my book, and I'm aiming to have it ready to share by the anniversary of my book launch at the end of February. Don't worry, there will be a big announcement when it's available :)

Has the way you buy food changed a lot (or a little) in the past year?

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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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

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Starting an Egg Buying Group


Longtime readers of this blog (and those who've read my book) will know that two of the strategies I recommend for keeping your food costs down are buying in bulk and always keeping an eye out for new food sources.

As the local food movement continues to gain steam, there are an ever-increasing number of options for sourcing your food in many cities and towns across North America. This is exciting news, and it means that even if you've lived somewhere for a long time (as I have), there may be food purchasing possibilities of which you're not aware.

A couple of months ago I wrote about how excited I was to find a source of affordable, local free-range eggs. While these were wonderful eggs at a fantastic price, for a variety of reasons this source hasn't proved to be a viable option for regularly purchasing eggs.

About a week ago, a member of my ONFC buying club asked if anyone knew a good source for local free range eggs. I decided to take a quick peek on Kijiji to see what I could find and as it happened, a listing I had not seen before had just been posted less than half an hour before I checked!

This source seemed nearly perfect: free range chickens fed organic feed, a steady supply of eggs, and a fantastic price when eggs were purchased in bulk - only $2.50 a dozen when you buy more than 6 dozen! Eggs of similar quality sell for $6-7 a dozen around here when bought at grocery stores or even direct from some of the larger farms. The only problem was that this farm was a 35-40 minute drive from my house, making it impractical for purchasing eggs a couple of times a month.

I decided to ask members of my buying club, plus a few of my other local foodie friends if anyone would be interested in setting up a small egg buying group and within a couple days it was clear that this could be a viable possibility. After inquiring with the egg farmer, I was assured she could meet our needs for a large bulk pickup and she seemed thrilled to make a regular bulk purchase arrangement with our group.

My husband and I drove out to the farm this past weekend to pick up our first batch of eggs and it's looking like this will be a wonderful long-term arrangement for both the egg producer and our little group of egg buyers. While we're still getting ourselves organized, it looks like we will have somewhere between 8-12 families in our group, ordering in the neighbourhood of 16-20+ dozen eggs from this small-scale producer every 2 weeks. Forming a group makes it practical to buy from this source; because we will take turns picking up eggs at the farm, each family will only be responsible for making the drive out there 2-3 times per *year*! The eggs will be dropped off at a central location (right now it's my house) for everyone to come fetch. Since we all live in the same area of the city, it makes it very convenient and accessible for everyone.

This is just one example of how forming a buying group can make purchases both feasible and worthwhile that otherwise might be neither. In this case, the distance to the producer made it impractical for regular, individual twice-a-month purchases (if it was a more shelf-stable product, like grains, or something you could pack in the freezer, like meat, facilitating larger and less frequent purchases, the distance might not be an issue). We are also getting a better price per dozen by purchasing in bulk. In this case, the price was still great even without the discount ($3.00 per dozen). In some cases, buying large quantities at once can cut your costs by 50% or more.

While this setup is certainly not as simple as walking around the corner to the store to buy eggs, it should work out to be a fairly smooth and consistent way for us to purchase great eggs for a fantastic price while supporting a small-scale local producer. Investing a little time and creativity into finding a solution that worked will be well worth the effort as we enjoy these high-quality eggs on a regular basis!

Have you found any creative solutions to accessing more fresh, local foods on a small budget in your area?

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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Monday, January 14, 2013

Weekly Menu Retrospective #94

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), Zucchini Raisin Bran Muffins (variation of the recipe on p. 102 ), peanut butter toast

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday: I was out at a potluck, the rest of the family had Leftover Buffet

Tuesday: Lemon & Garlic Chicken (p. 184), Skillet Millet, Colourful Cabbage Salad (p. 207)

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce

Thursday: Apple and Sausage Saute (p. 137)

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

Saturday: Basic Bean Burritos (p. 130), leftover cabbage salad

Sunday: Chicken Paprika (p. 185), mashed potatoes, peas & carrots, Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding (p. 233)

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

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), canola oil, raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), red lentils, flax seeds, spelt bran, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cane sugar (in hot beverages and yogurt), mustard, tamari, parsley, paprikaFairytale tea, peppermint tea

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

Local AND organic: peanut butter,
sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats (in granola), millet, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar, popcorn, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.
  
Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Friday, January 11, 2013

Happy Birthday to My Book!


My book is now officially one year old! Technically, it was officially one year old back on December 6th, but I was too busy being sick and trying to prepare for the holidays to give it the fanfare it deserves :) And the "official launch" was in February so I'm splitting the difference in the middle and calling it good.


It's definitely been an interesting year full of ups and downs. Writing a book really is not for the faint of heart! Even though there have been a lot of challenges and frustrations along the way, it is seeing how the information in my book really has changed families' lives that makes it all worthwhile. When you're a writer, positive feedback can be the thing that keeps you keeping on when the going gets tough, and I have been honored to receive some fantastic comments from readers.

Here are some excerpts from my Amazon reviews:

"This book is a wonderful reference and starting point to feeding your family nourishing , tasty meals and trying to stick to a budget...My family found her lentil soup , zucchini muffins and pork and apple stew all very delicious . Of course we will still continue to eat some of our own family favorites , but our grocery bill will be a lot less , and we will probably eat better than ever. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to feed their family well, and still sticking to a budget."

"Using some of the multiple strategies mentioned, I saved $300 on groceries the first month for our family of five. And it's been fun! We've been enjoying the recipes as well, especially the fact that they use ingredients you're likely to have on hand and don't take hours to prepare: yummy family food that is easily adapted to our personal tastes. Chicken & Vegetable Coconut Curry, Chicken Paprika, and Cheesy Mac & Beef Skillet are already in our dinner rotation and we're looking forward to adding more as we work our way through the rest of the recipes."

"WOW!!! I was happily surprised when my copy of Cheap Appétit arrived. This is so much more than your average cookbook -- it's an organizational tool to aid in kitchen and pantry set-up, trips to the grocery store, and food budgets. The author details ways save at the grocery store, shop to replenish the pantry (not just buying food for the coming week), store food for longevity, and she gives alternatives to the grocery store, like growing your own food or having a co-op food swap. It's an entire change in the way we eat and shop for food, and one that many need to make given the current economic climate. And who doesn't want to eat better for for less??...There is a lot to this book for such a low price; you won't be disappointed!"

"I cannot tell you how many times I see a cookbook and think it will be great, only to receive it and wish I hadn't wasted the money. This cookbook is truly like no other I have ever owned...I had allowed my busy life style to impact my children's meals. I can honestly say the things we have cooked (yes WE as in me and my kids) take the same amount of time, if not less than the prepared meals I have been buying...The best part for me is, my son is a picky eater and he loves the recipes in this book!...I really didn't know we could eat better on less money. I thought the healthier you ate the more expensive it is. I am grateful to Karen McLaughlin for this book! The information is priceless!"

"This book is an amazing resource for any family, but most especially those families who want to get more organized in the kitchen, reduce their grocery budget (possibly DRASTICALLY!) and eat whole yummy foods!...I will be purchasing more copies of this book as gifts for friends. I do know so many who are really feel the pinch of the tight economy at this time and this book is such a concise and comprehensive guide for helping people out with all things food budget,organization, shopping and prep. related."

"We already make all our dinners from scratch, but with a monthly grocery bill of $800 or more for our family of four, I thought I would give this book a try. I am very pleased with it so far!...She has great sections on not just HOW to make things like bread, granola, yogurt or cooked beans yourself, but also WHY you should bother. The author tells you how much money she saves per item so you can decide if it would be worth it for your family. I enjoyed her analysis of different ways to save money, and overall she does a great and balanced job of analyzing different methods to cut your grocery bill from bakery outlets to pick your own produce."

"I don't like to cook dinner every day for our family of five, let alone plan and shop. I run out of ideas, get bored, or get overwhelmed. I find Karen's book to be a practical and expansive collection of recipes with the bonus of cooking, shopping and kitchen hints. I honestly have no idea how she came up with so many helpful recipes and hints. She makes me feel like I can improve my competence in meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking skills."

(By the way, if you happen to be the author of one of these reviews, please know how much I appreciate you taking the time to write it! They mean so much to me and certainly help improve sales, too.)

One thing I know for sure: the information in my book WORKS. It has helped families in many different kinds of situations rapidly cut their grocery bill by 40-60% - *without* couponing. Even my publisher, a super busy mom of 5, told me she has cut her grocery bill in half using the strategies in my book. A wide variety of families with different needs and lifestyles have had the chance to try out my system and confirm that it works for their families, too. I am more convinced than ever that this is not some unrealistic pie-in-the-sky approach, but one that is accessible and doable for everyone who wants or needs to cut their food budget drastically.

There are still SO many families out there who really need this information. Although I certainly do the best I can to promote my book, it's really word of mouth that helps the most. So please, won't you help me celebrate my book's first birthday by telling someone about it? It really CAN change people's lives for the better.

For more information about Cheap Appétit and where to purchase it, go HERE.

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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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

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

RECIPE: Coconut-Orange Millet Porridge


After the excesses of the holidays, I figured we could all use a simple and wholesome food idea. I really love millet and I've been meaning to experiment with it as a breakfast food.  I whipped up this millet porridge back in December and it did not disappoint!

If you like oatmeal porridge or cream of wheat, I'm sure you will love this. If you *don't* love oatmeal porridge or cream of wheat, you may still love this dish. It's got a bit more of a fluffy texture than other types of hot cereal, and the millet retains a hint of its chewiness. This porridge also reheats really well on the stove top, retaining its original texture (unlike oatmeal!). So, if you don't have much time for breakfast prep in the morning, you can make it in advance and reheat it quickly in the morning.

I buy Oak Manor brand organic millet through my Ontario Natural Food Co-op buying club. You should be able to find millet at health food or bulk food stores. I buy the dried orange peel (also organic) through Mountain Rose Herbs. If you don't have any on hand, you can use orange zest instead. I really like the tart little chunks of oranginess from the dried peel :)

The orange peel gives just a hint of orange taste to the porridge. If you want a stronger orange flavour, you could substitute orange juice for some or all of the water. If you need to make it non-dairy, I think just about any type of plain or vanilla flavoured non-dairy milk would work fine in place of the milk. In other words, feel free to adapt to your dietary needs! I think this recipe can accommodate everyone except the raw and grain-free folks :)

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked millet
14 oz can coconut milk
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ginger
1 tbsp dried orange peel
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until millet is tender and porridge is desired consistency (about 30 minutes).

To serve, drizzle with additional honey and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Makes 6 servings.

Do you have any new and interesting hot cereal recipes to share?

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

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Monday, January 7, 2013

Weekly Menu Retrospective #93

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.    

We cooked our turkey on New Year's Day (we had Christmas dinner at my dad's) so this week's menu features lots of leftover bird! 

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (p. 114), Upside Down Apple Oven Pancake (p. 95)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches

Dinners:

Monday: Black Bean Chili (p. 160) with tortilla chips

Tuesday: Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, gravy, assorted Christmas cookies

Wednesday: Leftovers from Tuesday

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner: scrambled eggs, bacon, toast

Friday: Southwestern Beef & Pasta Soup, p. 166

Saturday: Leftover Buffet

Sunday: Turkey & Vegetable Coconut Curry (variation of this recipe on p. 136)

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

Organic: coconut (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), coconut milk, canola oil, raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tortilla chips, cane sugar (in hot beverages and yogurt), mustard, parsley, orange peel, Fairytale tea

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

Local AND organic: peanut butter,
sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats (in granola), milk (used to make yogurt), apple cider vinegar, popcorn, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.
  
Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

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

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

Friday, January 4, 2013

A Quick Look Backwards and Forwards


As one year ends and a new one begins, it seems natural to take stock of how far we've come towards various goals, and where we plan to head over the next 12 months.

2012 will definitely be remembered in our household as a year where things just didn't seem to want to go as planned. Last January I shared that our "big" goal was to focus on doing a lot of upgrades to our nearly-century home. We started out well by kicking off the year with our front entranceway makeover (documented here, here, and here), then promptly stalled out. There is a long, long list of things we had planned to do that did not get done because of both time and financial restraints.

Of course, it's hard not to feel disappointed about not reaching our goals. The world certainly isn't going to end because we didn't get all these improvements done, but it kind of knocks the wind out of your sails when you didn't even come close to achieving your biggest goal for the year.

A lot of things happened this past year that threw us off our game. A few of the bigger contributing factors were:
-Our income was much lower than it was in 2011, even though we seemed busier than ever!
-My younger son decided to go to school for the first time in his life (he started 8th grade this fall after being homeschooled for his entire life).
-My husband decided to make some changes with his job, leaving the team he previously worked with and forming a partnership with a new colleague (that last change happened in the fall, and we're hopeful that will lead to a significant income improvement for 2013).

In a way, it's good that we didn't get to some of these projects after all, as we've rethought a couple of things and have made some major changes to our plans. I now have a totally different idea of the layout I want to do for the office (which will be more visually pleasing *and* easily allow two people to work in the office at the same time, providing a better space for doing homework than the dining room table which is currently serving that function). We are now also planning to repurpose most of the spaces on the second and third floors of the house. My 13 and 15 year old boys are going to move to a shared bedroom in the third floor attic, which is currently our bedroom. We will move down to the second floor (the original master bedroom, which is currently our 13 year old's room). The room that is currently my 15 year old's bedroom will become a den (the "TV room" of the house). Our basement is currently unfinished and I don't want a TV in the main floor living room, so currently there's no good space for us all to hang out and watch a movie together. This room will also have ample space to become the central game/puzzle/art supply storage hub thanks to the closet we're going to fit with a bunch of shelving.

I definitely managed to achieve a few other things in the past year:
-launched my book
-did an interview for CBC Hamilton (7 Ways to Eat Local on a Budget) and a guest blog post for Random Recycling (Eleven Tips for Eating More Local and Organic Food on a Small Food Budget)
-gave presentations based on my book at the Hamilton Public Library and for OPIRG McMaster
-sold 50 copies of my book to the local Public Health Unit for their Community Food Adviser program
-developed a course based on my book that I will be teaching through the Continuing Education department at Mohawk College in the spring semester (stay tuned for more details!)
-volunteered through Environment Hamilton packing Good Food Boxes
-became actively involved with the development of The Mustard Seed community grocery store as a member of their sourcing team (doors should be opening sometime in the first half of this year!)
-learned how to negotiate the public school system :)

Now that I look over that list, it seems I managed to accomplish more than I originally gave myself credit for!

My "big goal" for this year is to contribute more financially to our household, through both book-related activities such as classes and workshops, and developing other potential income streams (which may end up being through self-employment or one of those things known as a "regular job").

We do also plan to keep working away on the plans for the house, and I'll definitely keep you all fully updated on any and all progress we make.

What were your biggest accomplishments of 2012? What are your goals for 2013?
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