We hear it all the time when talking about cooking, shopping and frugality: eat seasonally. But what if you don't know how to cook seasonally. You can't eat seasonally if you don't know how to cook seasonal vegetables. Winter vegetables: sweet potatoes, potatoes, broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, turnips and winter squash like acorn, butternut … [Read more...]
Overnight Slow Cooker Baked Oatmeal
I really wasn't sure if this was going to work. I've been wanting to try it for some time. I read on my friend Stephanie's blog that she made it and it worked. I read her advice and tips and decided to go for the 'overnight' concept. Because I wanted it nice and warm in the morning for my boys! It worked. Totally worked. Didn't burn on the edges. Was completely cooked … [Read more...]
Chicken Spaghetti with Spinach
One dish dinners. They scream simplicity. They scream ease. And they scream quick. 5 ingredients. Most of which you likely already have in your pantry and freezer. 20-ish minutes. Or however long it takes you to cook the spaghetti and then toss it with the other ingredients. You could serve it with a side of bread, or simple side salad - but it really … [Read more...]
Spicy Quinoa with Kidney Beans, Corn and Lime
Have you ever cooked quinoa before?! Are you intimidated because it's a funny looking word and a funny looking grain?! Are you afraid of how it will taste, or if your family will like it?! I'd love a second to speak to these concerns! Cooking Quinoa It's very similar to cooking white rice, takes about the same amount of time and uses the same cooking method. Bring … [Read more...]
Four Bean Salad with Quinoa
Light. Easy. Summer. Salad. The quinoa cooks on the stove top in just a few minutes. If you really don't want to have any heat in your kitchen, cook the quinoa in a rice cooker out on your patio. Once the quinoa is cooked, the rest is dump and stir. A refreshing light salad - perfect for the dog days of summer! Four Bean Salad with Quinoa Light and … [Read more...]
Fiesta Beans and Rice
Rice and beans will always be a $5 Dinner. Unless, of course, you go all sorts of crazy and add in expensive spices like saffron or cardamom (2 of the more expensive spices). Rice is crazy cheap - especially if you buy in bulk. And beans might be even cheaper when you buy dried beans and cook them yourself. (They are really easy to cook - if you haven't tried it, you should. … [Read more...]
Lentil Minestrone Soup
Ever since becoming a mom, I've felt like life just keeps getting faster and faster. And faster. We have a gazillion things happening in each of our days, but that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice important things like a healthy dinner. Or our sanity. I wanted to share this Lentil Minestrone Soup with you guys because it is very low maintenance (as most soups are) saute … [Read more...]
Shrimp Mango Curry
Shrimp reeks expensive. And it certainly can be expensive. But it doesn't have to be. Shrimp can be bought in a number of different varieties - cooked, raw, fresh, frozen, tailless, by count, from mini to jumbo prawn. It's often on unadvertised sales, and can be found for less at non-chain grocery stores. The next most expensive ingredient in many curries is the … [Read more...]
Sausage Pizza Kebabs
Alright friends. I'll never look at kebabs the same again. And I'll never make them again without a side of grilled garlic bread. When you do the garlic bread on the grill, you don't dirty another dish. You don't have to turn on the oven. And you can butter it as you slap it on the grill. Little fuss. Little mess. Big. Big flavor. Full. Full tummies! Sausage … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Mango Chicken
Colorful. I love colorful food. Tasteful. I love tasteful food. (Who doesn't right?!) What you see above is what came straight out of the slow cooker. No styling, no color editing, what you see is what you get. I think this is slow cooker food at its finest! Oh and the #2 reason that I love slow cooking it's usually dump and run. This is one such recipe and I love that … [Read more...]