Inspiration

"It is right to begin with the obligations of home, and, while these are overlooked and neglected, no other duties can
possibly be substituted for them." - Charles Dickens

How Do They Do That?

Would you look at her feet? I really don't understand how they do this comfortably!

Frugal Nutrition

Sometimes finding other peoples ideas, is the best form of inspiration when it comes to staying with a goal and not feeling deprived. I found this article about frugal, nutritious foods and thought I would share. It's a good reminder on how healthy we can be for a small price tag when we cook at home and from scratch.

"20 Healthy Foods for Under $1

By: Brie Cadman (View Profile)

Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for their cheap bites. But low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you. At the grocery store, getting the most nutrition for the least amount of money means hanging out on the peripheries—near the fruits and veggies, the meat and dairy, and the bulk grains—while avoiding the expensive packaged interior. By doing so, not only will your kitchen be stocked with excellent foods, your wallet won’t be empty.

1. Oats
High in fiber and complex carbohydrates, oats have also been shown to lower cholesterol. And they sure are cheap—a dollar will buy you more than a week’s worth of hearty breakfasts.

Serving suggestions: Sprinkle with nuts and fruit in the morning, make oatmeal cookies for dessert.

2. Eggs
You can get about a half dozen of eggs for a dollar, making them one of the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein. They are also a good source of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may ward off age-related eye problems.

Serving suggestions: Huevos rancheros for breakfast, egg salad sandwiches for lunch, and frittatas for dinner.

3. Kale
This dark, leafy green is loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium. Like most greens, it is usually a dollar a bunch.

Serving suggestions: Chop up some kale and add to your favorite stir-fry; try German-Style Kale or traditional Irish Colcannon.

4. Potatoes
Because we often see potatoes at their unhealthiest—as fries or chips—we don’t think of them as nutritious, but they definitely are. Eaten with the skin on, potatoes contain almost half a day’s worth of Vitamin C, and are a good source of potassium. If you opt for sweet potatoes or yams, you’ll also get a good wallop of beta carotene. Plus, they’re dirt cheap and have almost endless culinary possibilities.

Serving suggestions: In the a.m., try Easy Breakfast Potatoes; for lunch, make potato salad; for dinner, have them with sour cream and chives.

5. Apples
I’m fond of apples because they’re inexpensive, easy to find, come in portion-controlled packaging, and taste good. They are a good source of pectin—a fiber that may help reduce cholesterol—and they have the antioxidant Vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.

Serving suggestions: Plain; as applesauce; or in baked goods like Pumpkin-Apple Breakfast Bread.

6. Nuts
Though nuts have a high fat content, they’re packed with the good-for-you fats—unsaturated and monounsaturated. They’re also good sources of essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and protein. And because they’re so nutrient-dense, you only need to eat a little to get the nutritional benefits. Although some nuts, like pecans and macadamias, can be costly, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds, especially when bought in the shell, are low in cost.

Serving suggestions: Raw; roasted and salted; sprinkled in salads.

7. Bananas
At a local Trader Joe’s, I found bananas for about 19¢ apiece; a dollar gets you a banana a day for the workweek. High in potassium and fiber (9 grams for one), bananas are a no-brainer when it comes to eating your five a day quotient of fruits and veggies.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, by themselves, in cereal and yogurt.

8. Garbanzo Beans
With beans, you’re getting your money’s worth and then some. Not only are they a great source of protein and fiber, but ’bonzos are also high in fiber, iron, folate, and manganese, and may help reduce cholesterol levels. And if you don’t like one type, try another—black, lima, lentils … the varieties are endless. Though they require soaking and cooking, the most inexpensive way to purchase these beans is in dried form; a precooked can will still only run you around a buck.

Serving suggestions: In salads, curries, and Orange Hummus.

9. Broccoli
Broccoli contains tons of nice nutrients—calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and fiber. As if that isn’t enough, broccoli is also packed with phytonutrients, compounds that may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Plus, it’s low in calories and cost.

Serving suggestions: Throw it in salads, stir fries, or served as an accompaniment to meat in this Steamed Ginger Chicken with Asian Greens recipe.

10. Watermelon
Though you may not be able to buy an entire watermelon for a dollar, your per serving cost isn’t more than a few dimes. This summertime fruit is over 90 percent water, making it an easy way to hydrate, and gives a healthy does of Vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant that may ward off cancer.

Serving suggestions: Freeze chunks for popsicles; eat straight from the rind; squeeze to make watermelon margaritas (may negate the hydrating effect!).

11. Wild Rice
It won’t cost you much more than white rice, but wild rice is much better for you. Low in fat and high in protein and fiber, this gluten-free rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates. It packs a powerful potassium punch and is loaded with B vitamins. Plus, it has a nutty, robust flavor.

Serving suggestions: Mix with nuts and veggies for a cold rice salad; blend with brown rice for a side dish.

12. Beets
Beets are my kind of vegetable—their natural sugars make them sweet to the palate while their rich flavor and color make them nutritious for the body. They’re powerhouses of folate, iron, and antioxidants.

Serving suggestions: Shred into salads, slice with goat cheese. If you buy your beets with the greens on, you can braise them in olive oil like you would other greens.

13. Butternut Squash
This beautiful gourd swings both ways: sometimes savory, sometimes sweet. However you prepare the butternut, it will not only add color and texture, but also five grams of fiber per half cup and chunks and chunks of Vitamin A and C. When in season, butternut squash and related gourds are usually less than a dollar a pound.

Serving suggestions: Try Pear and Squash Bruschetta; cook and dot with butter and salt.

14. Whole Grain Pasta
In the days of Atkins, pasta was wrongly convicted, for there is nothing harmful about a complex carbohydrate source that is high in protein and B vitamins. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest staples you can buy.

Serving suggestions: Mix clams and white wine with linguine; top orzo with tomatoes and garlic; eat cold Farfalle Salad on a picnic.

15. Sardines
As a kid, I used to hate it when my dad would order sardines on our communal pizzas, but since then I’ve acquired a taste for them. Because not everyone has, you can still get a can of sardines for relatively cheap. And the little fish come with big benefits: calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. And, because they’re low on the food chain, they don’t accumulate mercury.

Serving suggestions: Mash them with parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil for a spread; eat them plain on crackers; enjoy as a pizza topping (adults only).

16. Spinach
Spinach is perhaps one of the best green leafies out there—it has lots of Vitamin C, iron, and trace minerals. Plus, you can usually find it year round for less than a dollar.

Serving suggestions: Sautéed with eggs, as a salad, or a Spinach Frittata.

17. Tofu
Not just for vegetarians anymore, tofu is an inexpensive protein source that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. It’s high in B vitamins and iron, but low in fat and sodium, making it a healthful addition to many dishes.

Serving suggestions: Use silken varieties in Tofu Cheesecake; add to smoothies for a protein boost; cube and marinate for barbecue kebobs.

18. Lowfat Milk
Yes, the price of a gallon of milk is rising, but per serving, it’s still under a dollar; single serving milk products, like yogurt, are usually less than a dollar, too. Plus, you’ll get a lot of benefit for a small investment. Milk is rich in protein, vitamins A and D, potassium, and niacin, and is one of the easiest ways to get bone-strengthening calcium.

Serving suggestions: In smoothies, hot chocolate, or coffee; milk products like low fat cottage cheese and yogurt.

19. Pumpkin Seeds
When it’s time to carve your pumpkin this October, don’t shovel those seeds into the trash—they’re a goldmine of magnesium, protein, and trace minerals. Plus, they come free with the purchase of a pumpkin.

Serving suggestions: Salt, roast, and eat plain; toss in salads.

20. Coffee
The old cup-o-joe has been thrown on the stands for many a corporeal crime—heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis—but exonerated on all counts. In fact, coffee, which is derived from a bean, contains beneficial antioxidants that protect against free radicals and may actually help thwart heart disease and cancer. While it’s not going to fill you up like the other items on this list, it might make you a lot perkier. When made at home, coffee runs less than 50¢ cents a cup.

Serving suggestions: Just drink it.

Although that bag of 99¢ Cheetos may look like a bargain, knowing that you’re not getting much in the way of nutrition or sustenance makes it seem less like a deal and more like a dupe. Choosing one of these twenty items, or the countless number of similarly nutritious ones, might just stretch that dollar from a snack into a meal."

First published July 2008

Hopefully all the links will still work, but if not, find this article at Divine Caroline.com.
Included in her site is a link to Libby's Pumpkin Website. It has some great recipe ideas as well, like this yummy sounding soup. I'm definitely trying this one soon!

"Vegged-Out" Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

Rated:

This vegetarian soup is hearty enough to eat as a meal. Pumpkin blends in with the vegetables, black beans and broth to add extra nutrition and delicious flavor which creates a nourishing dish the entire family will enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 green onions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced (slice dark parts and set aside for later)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (14 fl. oz.) vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

Directions

HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add white and light green parts of green onions, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in cumin and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add beans, pumpkin, tomatoes and juice, broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in salt and cayenne pepper. Top each serving with dark green onion tops.

Makes 8 servings, 1 cup each

Simple Woman's Daybook

From The Simple Woman's Daybook
FOR TODAY February 16th
Outside my window... night sky and noisy cars.
I am thinking...knitting.
I am thankful... for a few improvements, funded by the tax return.
From the learning rooms... not enough!
From the kitchen...lots of turkey sandwiches of late!
I am wearing...blue nightgown that I wore to birth both my girls.
I am creating...scarves and maybe Easter dresses.
I am going..keep getting in shape.
I am reading...nothing, unfortunately.
I am hoping...to find a new me.
I am hearing..a clock pendulum.
Around the house... new towels and pillows.
One of my favorite things...yellow.
A few plans for the rest of the week...driving safe with the borrowed Jimmy and restructuring LLL.
Here is picture thought I am sharing..time is so precious, and goes so fast!

A Weekend Flies By

The weekend just flew by with no computer time at all. V day was a lot of fun, we talked about a museum trip but the bug wouldn't hear of it. "Not on Valentines Day! We have to find a party!" So we postponed the dinosaurs again and focused on getting pink and red.
Somehow I have crossed over in my children's eyes, as my card had a picture of Sweetie Pie, or a close representation at least! No kitty cats or fluffy bunnies for me anymore, I am now a rat girl! LOL


We used an icing bag to pipe out pancakes for a late brunch. Dots of raspberries (a huge success) and cherry chips (a mistake) added even more festive flair.

We had quite a plate of options and with the almond extract and raspberries , they were really good. Mama did not stay low carb, that's for sure!

Speaking of that, the ravioli for dinner didn't help the carb thing either! This was much better tasting than the picture. I took the shrimp and sauteed them in coconut oil with garlic. I kept draining the liquid to keep them from just steaming, and I reserved it for later. Then I made a pan sauce by adding the liquid back into the empty pan and reducing it with a little sour cream. (It was the only creamy thing I had but ended up perfect, with a nice tangy contrast to the sweet shrimp.) At the end I added a touch of parmesan and poured it back over the shrimp and cheese raviolis.


The troops loved it...

A lot!

I loved the bottle of vino we served with it.

We got a visit from my parents that included some reading time with the Munchkin...

and the pirate bug.

Later, a trip to see my grandparents...

and a discussion on how to read this blog.

All in all a lovely day!
Sunday has no pictures since the camera is acting blurry (as I am sure you noticed!) and the munchkin got sick at Mass (all over both of us unfortunately!). Then I had a LLL communication skills class that took all afternoon, and the day was gone.

Inspiration

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task,
but it is my chief duty to accomplish small
tasks as if they were great and noble."
- Helen Keller


This sums up my life right now!

Frugal Inspiration

I am not a big make-up girl and I invariably have stuff go bad before I use it up. This lip gloss is a perfect example. It had gotten dried out and gloppy instead of smooth and glossy. I tried it again today and finally tossed it in the trash. Luckily my aim is not as good as my ...? Well my anything else, and I missed. A few minutes later I went to empty the trash and picked it up to throw it away again, when inspiration hit. Maybe I could water it down a bit? Even better, I could try adding some sort of oil! Coconut oil became the quick pick and I was seen stuffing solidified coconut oil into the opening with a toothpick. It paid off however. Now I have a wonderfully smooth gloss that tastes good and is actually beneficial to my skin. No need to spend money on another one or just do without either. Score one for the frugal inspiration team!

Rhubarb Bread

I wanted to make something pink for the upcoming holiday and needed something for LLL tonight as well. I have a few bags left of the fruit compote/ chutney I made last summer when the freezer failed and I had to use all the frozen fruits. So this is actually a rhubarb, blueberry, raspberry mango, strawberry and peach fruit bread. There was more rhubarb than anything else though and it was very raspberry colored, so it seemed an appropriate choice. I found this site with all things rhubarb and chose this bread recipe.

Rhubarb Bread

Here is a Rhubarb bread recipe that I like very much. Unfortunately, the rhubarb in my garden died, so I don't make it very often. This freezes very well.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c diced raw rhubarb
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2/3 c. oil
1 egg slightly beaten
1 c. sour milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
pinch Cinnamon

Procedure:

Topping- 1/3 c. granulated sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp. melted butter.

Mix brown sugar, oil, & egg together. Sift salt, soda, flour & cinnamon together. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to other mixture. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Fill 2 lightly greased loaf pans 2/3 full. Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

I did like I always do and only used for inspiration but it turned out to be a huge hit. Here are some of the modifications I made. (I loved that it was a simple ingredient recipe, therefore its even easier to modify.)
I used equal substitutions on olive oil, buttermilk for the oil and sour milk. I used turbinado sugar instead of brown and less than a cup of it.
I used half wheat and half unbleached flour.
The cinnamon, and nuts I did more than it called for (I don't know, just more)
The rhubarb was frozen not raw and had been allowed to thaw. This meant it had a lot of juice as well. I let that compensate for the wheat flour and the sugar substitution. I totally skipped the topping as well. (Mostly because I just forgot.)
It took about 1 1/2 hours to cook at this altitude.

All in all, it is very yummy and a huge hit at the meeting. Enough so that I had to promise three people to share the recipe. Promise fulfilled! LOL.

Growing Up

After yesterdays post noticing how much bigger The Bug seems, I have been really noticing how much they both have grown. Last night The Bug did an hour long fitness class with me and paid attention the entire time. This morning when I went to do dishes, they clamored in with chairs and towels, to dry and stack. They were actually a big help. After, they even laid the towels neatly over the chair backs to dry!


Yesterday The Bug made dinner almost entirely alone. (Simple though tuna casserole may be it is still an accomplishment!) The munchkin inspired her last week when she made dinner herself. (The microwaved casserole is still a big memory for her.) They set the table and clear as well. Though sometimes their continuous help has not been as time efficient, it has obviously paid off in the long run. They do about 99% of their own dressing. (It matches about that same percentage too!) This morning the Munchkin cuddled up with me and told me all about how to make purple pancakes for Valentines Day. It's easy to forget how much she is capable of with her bigger, louder sister right there. It was fun to take a moment to appreciate her gentle, wry humor and quick wit. While finishing my shirt yesterday The Bug looked at our weekly schedule of events, saw that it was cleaning day, and the two of them cleaned their room and the bathroom with out being asked! They came running in to say how I had to come see what they had done and were so proud of. Justifiably so! I have been heard to say how my children are always helpful, just not always useful. This week I am noticing more and more the useful piece emerging.

Dinosaurs

We are entering that classic childhood phase of Dino-mania. Lots of questions and play. Today I you tubed the few minutes of Jurassic Park that they could watch and now they are building dino enclosures. We are headed to the Denver Nature and Science Museum this weekend to see the prehistoric exhibit. That should either satisfy the curiosity (yeah right) or set off total mania (much more likely).

For Me

Using M5820 (at least for inspiration) I made this shirt for me. The material is a gauzy cotton and very cozy. I got it on clearance for $1 a yard and am seriously considering going back and getting the similar yellow too! I like the general silhouette of the pattern and it is comfortable but I would change a few things upon repetition. I already omitted the sleeve lining and just used a basic elastic sleeve and I like that just fine. Next, I would make the arm holes smaller. Like lots of larger sized items, it has arm holes cut half way down my side. Also the neck opening is wider than I would repeat. It tends to slide around if its not pinned. I could go a full inch smaller all the way around I think. Crochet lace makes me ridiculously happy and finishes it off in fun way too. All in all I am still pleased and will definitely get a lot of use out of it as the weather warms up.

Silly Smiles

Just for fun.

First Giveaway Finished With Flair

I put the finishing touches on these last night (and on an extra set for myself as well!)

Now they are ready to mail with a few Valentines thrown in for good measure.

While the girls were snuggling down with daddy I also made a matching apron just for fun.


Hope it arrives with all the love we included Auntie Jillian!

Bed Head

When I am posting pictures like these, these and these about the sweet fun of little girls and their hair, it's sometimes easy to forget the other side. The extra cuteness that comes from the munchkins curls, also contributes to a child with the most amazing bed head I have ever seen! While the Bug looks like this before I get her combed and fixed into cuteness, the munchkin looks like this.
Granted she added some 'decoration' but I can attest that it looked like this before the clips arrived on the scene!

Edited to include the amazement I feel about this picture of the Bug. I just popped it in and posted this. Now when I came back to review, I am stunned. She looks so very grown up! This does not look like the 5 year old baby I think of. I completely see the young lady she is becoming!

Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day

Celebrating the Liturgical Year. Even with the crud brewing around here I still managed to get a little celebrating in. We made some blueberry muffins (with a much more whole grain recipe than this one) and I attempted to freehand copy this coloring page. My printer is not working and the girls really wanted to color her anyway. At least their artistic discernment is still pretty undeveloped. They had fun and loved the fact that I made sure she had roses on her feet. I think we may still do a grotto or something as we keep talking about her. I had thought to borrow Grandmas copy of the Song of Bernadette but just remembered its a VHS. Oops on that accord. I hadn't really expected them to sit through the whole thing anyway.

A Fun Day

***********************************************************************************


Another day filled with fun moments and lots of laughs. One where I am reminded of many things. That I have always loved this park, that exploring nature is great fun and so is bike riding, that it's been over 6 years since I bought this bike carrier and how life has changed, that my youngest realllllly does need new pair of jeans, and that mis-quoting is persistent and laughable. ("Harr Harr La-Ties" is not proper pirate lingo not matter how many times we repeat it for every treasure found and presented.) So I took lots of pictures to capture the time and I succeeded in documenting the moment, that's about it though! The pictures are fun and do show a good time and for that, I must be content. There were a few better shots to cherish as well.