Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to let you know I'm taking this blog to YouTube in the form of a video blog. I'm going to highlight a lot of the points that I write about as well as eventually cook to give everyone better visuals. Search for carynwinnipeg on youtube to check out my channel!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
But I don't want to throw it out!
Do you ever get caught in the kitchen conundrum of whether or not to throw your food out? I have a tendency to do my best to keep all of my food, unless its expired, and find a use for it. Heres some suggestions for what to do with those odds and ends in your cupboards and fridge.
What do I do with the odds and ends of crackers, they're all broken, and going stale?
- Grind up your crackers, mix with salt and pepper to taste and some parmesean cheese. Put on chicken as a baked breading! I highly recommend using vegetable crackers.
My leftover cookies aren't looking so hot.
-Mix them with ice cream! My favourite is leftover golden oreos with vanilla ice cream.
My veggies are getting too soft but I don't have enough for a salad.
-add the veggies to chicken stock to add some extra flavor
-add the good pieces of veggies to your eggs or a quiche (check the recipe in a previous blog!)
-cook them and freeze if you don't want to cook them right away.
My yogurt and/or milk is going to expire.
-make foods that require a lot of milk or dairy
*french toast, cake mixes, eggs etc.
-make a homemade pudding or custard!
What do I do with the odds and ends of crackers, they're all broken, and going stale?
- Grind up your crackers, mix with salt and pepper to taste and some parmesean cheese. Put on chicken as a baked breading! I highly recommend using vegetable crackers.
My leftover cookies aren't looking so hot.
-Mix them with ice cream! My favourite is leftover golden oreos with vanilla ice cream.
My veggies are getting too soft but I don't have enough for a salad.
-add the veggies to chicken stock to add some extra flavor
-add the good pieces of veggies to your eggs or a quiche (check the recipe in a previous blog!)
-cook them and freeze if you don't want to cook them right away.
My yogurt and/or milk is going to expire.
-make foods that require a lot of milk or dairy
*french toast, cake mixes, eggs etc.
-make a homemade pudding or custard!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Cookies that are cheaper than Oreos!
What is your favourite thing to take as a snack for lunch? Mine is definately cookies! But boxes for cookies can be pricey and seldomly go on sale.
I have found a great cookie recipe that is not only better for you but is cheap to make. Here it is!
Three ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Mix all three, form into balls, bake until the bottom is brown at 350.
I've added chocolate chips, my favourite are milk chocolate, as an added flavor. I also really enjoy adding half crunchy peanut butter and half smooth!
The bonus with these cookies is they are healthy. If you use sugar free sugar, the kind that measures cup for cup, the cookies are less than 5 calories each and virtually carbohydrate free!
I have found a great cookie recipe that is not only better for you but is cheap to make. Here it is!
Three ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Mix all three, form into balls, bake until the bottom is brown at 350.
I've added chocolate chips, my favourite are milk chocolate, as an added flavor. I also really enjoy adding half crunchy peanut butter and half smooth!
The bonus with these cookies is they are healthy. If you use sugar free sugar, the kind that measures cup for cup, the cookies are less than 5 calories each and virtually carbohydrate free!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Budget Friendly Chili!
I made a great chili recipe today for my lunches and since its very budget friendly, about $1 per bowl, I thought I'd share it with you!
Here's what you'll need (keep in mind this makes a huge pot, reduce it as needed)
1.5-2lbs of extra lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 peppers, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, sliced
1.5 cups of button mushrooms, sliced
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of white beans
1 can of mixed beans
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chipotle powder
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a large pot put in 1-2 tbsp of oil, beef, onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Let cook down until beef is fully cooked. Add beans, cans of tomatoes, mushrooms and spices. Let cook down on low for approx 30 mins.
Here's what you'll need (keep in mind this makes a huge pot, reduce it as needed)
1.5-2lbs of extra lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 peppers, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, sliced
1.5 cups of button mushrooms, sliced
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of white beans
1 can of mixed beans
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chipotle powder
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a large pot put in 1-2 tbsp of oil, beef, onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Let cook down until beef is fully cooked. Add beans, cans of tomatoes, mushrooms and spices. Let cook down on low for approx 30 mins.
A new budgeting challenge
Last week I was faced with a new food/budgeting challenge. My stove and oven went so I had to find healthy, budget friendly food that I didn't really have to cook.
This was a huge challenge for me because cooking is something I really enjoy, and preparing meals ahead of time has always been very important to me. I had to put all of that aside for the week and find microwave food. Here's what I found.
First of all, I found that it is virtually impossible to find healthy food that has already been prepared that is budget friendly. I ended up getting a PC Brand prepared quesadilla, Prepared curry, some noodles, sandwich fixen's and some fresh veggies for salads and snacks.
The week is now over and all I can say from this experience is IF YOU SUDDENLY HAVE NO WAY TO COOK YOUR FOOD, STAY AT A FRIENDS!!
Budget wise this week's food bill came to close to $100. I included the times I had to get take-away because there were times I could not cook. Thats over 4 times what I normally spend and the food was anything but health conscious. I also found that since I eat very healthy normally the food I had to eat did not make me feel very good at all... :(
I just wanted to update my readers on what I currently do budget wise as well! Hope you enjoyed!
This was a huge challenge for me because cooking is something I really enjoy, and preparing meals ahead of time has always been very important to me. I had to put all of that aside for the week and find microwave food. Here's what I found.
First of all, I found that it is virtually impossible to find healthy food that has already been prepared that is budget friendly. I ended up getting a PC Brand prepared quesadilla, Prepared curry, some noodles, sandwich fixen's and some fresh veggies for salads and snacks.
The week is now over and all I can say from this experience is IF YOU SUDDENLY HAVE NO WAY TO COOK YOUR FOOD, STAY AT A FRIENDS!!
Budget wise this week's food bill came to close to $100. I included the times I had to get take-away because there were times I could not cook. Thats over 4 times what I normally spend and the food was anything but health conscious. I also found that since I eat very healthy normally the food I had to eat did not make me feel very good at all... :(
I just wanted to update my readers on what I currently do budget wise as well! Hope you enjoyed!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Entertaining on a budget.
I'm assuming by now that you've got the basics of budgeting for one or two people but what happens when people are coming for dinner?
Entertaining can be a time where budgeting goes out the window. Hosts like to consider the dietary options and preferences of all the guests, want to be unique and original and have good quality food on the table. Is it even possible to do this on a budget?! Of course!
Here's some tips:
-Firstly theres nothing wrong with asking people to bring a course. If you think a potluck is boring why not create a menu and ask your guests to bring an ingredient for that meal. For example, if you're making a barbequed salmon why not ask one guest to bring a homemade marinade, another to bring lettuce or a salad green, etc. The best thing about something like this is you're not going to get 5 casseroles like when you host a potluck, and most people will pay more for better quality products.
-Plan your budget and menu before you buy. It is very possible to have great quality parties where a guests plate is under $5.
-Shop for your veggies, fruit, and meat at local markets. When I'm in BC I frequent Granville Island Public Market. Not only do I like the atmosphere but everything is very inexpensive compared to what you can find in the supermarket. The quality is usually better too.
-If you're planning a part that is far away (eg. Christmas). Start buying things and pantry items when you have extra budget money. That way when the day comes you're spending less because you have atleast the basics there already.
In my following posts I am going to post some reviews on entertaining cookbooks and feature some of the recipes that are unique, tasty and budget friendly.
Entertaining can be a time where budgeting goes out the window. Hosts like to consider the dietary options and preferences of all the guests, want to be unique and original and have good quality food on the table. Is it even possible to do this on a budget?! Of course!
Here's some tips:
-Firstly theres nothing wrong with asking people to bring a course. If you think a potluck is boring why not create a menu and ask your guests to bring an ingredient for that meal. For example, if you're making a barbequed salmon why not ask one guest to bring a homemade marinade, another to bring lettuce or a salad green, etc. The best thing about something like this is you're not going to get 5 casseroles like when you host a potluck, and most people will pay more for better quality products.
-Plan your budget and menu before you buy. It is very possible to have great quality parties where a guests plate is under $5.
-Shop for your veggies, fruit, and meat at local markets. When I'm in BC I frequent Granville Island Public Market. Not only do I like the atmosphere but everything is very inexpensive compared to what you can find in the supermarket. The quality is usually better too.
-If you're planning a part that is far away (eg. Christmas). Start buying things and pantry items when you have extra budget money. That way when the day comes you're spending less because you have atleast the basics there already.
In my following posts I am going to post some reviews on entertaining cookbooks and feature some of the recipes that are unique, tasty and budget friendly.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Book Review! "Cooking for Less: Chicken"
As I was looking through my cookbook cupboard today I decided to start writing reviews on my cookbooks, partly to see how the books fit into a budget, but also because I don't read my cookbooks enough.
"Cooking for Le$$: Chicken", is from a series of cookbooks published by the people that bring you Favorite BrandName Recipes. This book was made to teach people how to make their favorite Chicken dishes on a budget. The first section of the book goes through the basics of learning to budget. Their main points include planning your meals before going grocery shopping, being aware of sale scams, flavor on a budget and not wasting. A lot of the points mentioned are things that I believe in myself and things that I have blogged about aswell. I did disagree with one point though. The book states that eating fruits and vegetables is very inexpensive. In Canada, I have noticed that fruits and vegetables can be the priciest things at the supermarket, and since these foods are seasonal their prices are never predictable.
The recipes in the book looked very good. Most recipes were ones that people order from restaurants but may not know how to make at home. I enjoyed that the meals were well balanced, although almost all of the meals had some form of complex carbohydrate in them like rice, or pastas. I personally love carbs but know that I can't eat complex carbs at every meal without my body feeling it. I am assuming that the book used carbs in most of their meals because foods like pasta and rice and inexpensive foods to cook.
The book does seem to assume that people have many different types of food in their cupboards. Some of these foods include okra, and udon noodles. In Canadian grocery stores these types of foods are not consistently found, but these are foods that are hard to replace with other foods. Because of this there are many meals in the book that will need to be prepared or thought about ahead of time, which doesn't always work for a chef on the go.
As a whole I thought the book was a good beginners reference book for cooking and budgeting. Most of the meals are ones everyone has heard of which does take the element of creativity out, but for some that is what is necessary when starting budgeting. I would have liked to see a rough estimate of the price of each meal that was in the book. For people new to budgeting it is important to learn how much meals cost.
I also would have liked to have seen recipes that are more recipes that are more adaptable. For example, eventhough this is a chicken recipe book, I would've liked to have seen recipes that would've tasted good with beef, turkey or pork as well as chicken can be one of the more expensive meats out there.
As a person who has been budgeting my grocery bill for over a year now I didn't take much from this book. I do think beginning budgeters would learn a lot from it though, especially with the help from some outside resources. For example, knowledge on buying locally and supporting local buisnesses. I preach this gospel a lot because of the positive effect on community as well as the product you are recieving.
Soup thats Cheap like Borscht, but not Borscht!
On a cold day there's nothing better than a nice bowl of soup! One of my favourites, that happens to be cheap and simple to make is a Greek soup called Avgolemono . Avgolemono is a chicken broth based soup with rice a light lemon taste. Here's the recipe:
You Will Need:
-1 cup of uncooked rice (preferably whole grain, not white)
-2 cartons of chicken broth, low sodium. Set one carton aside for the rice, and one for the soup
-1-2 lemons worth of fresh juice. Fresh is better but if you are using store bought lemon juice lower the amount to about 1/4 cup
-2-3 eggs
-salt and pepper to taste
Method:
-Begin by cooking your rice. I like to cook my rice in 2 cups of broth with some salt and pepper to taste. If you want to reduce costs and or sodium cook rice in water.
-While the rice is cooking simmer the remaining broth.
-After the rice is finished cooking add to the simmering broth.
-in a bowl mix eggs and lemon juice together
-Add in about 2 tbsp of simmering broth to the eggs to brings up the eggs temperature so they won't scramble when added to the soup.
-Slowly add the eggs into the soup stirring constantly for about one minute.
-Serve
Notes and Variations:
- If you want more protein in the soup try adding some shredded chicken or turkey meat
-when you mix the lemon and eggs it creates a creamy texture in the soup without the addition of milk or cream. If you want more of an 'egg drop' consistency add the lemon with the simmering broth and the eggs separately at the end.
-this soup is not a good soup for leftovers. When put in the fridge or if left for a while the rice will absorb the remaining broth. Only make what you are going to eat. If you have left overs, make sure you have some extra chicken broth around to add.
You Will Need:
-1 cup of uncooked rice (preferably whole grain, not white)
-2 cartons of chicken broth, low sodium. Set one carton aside for the rice, and one for the soup
-1-2 lemons worth of fresh juice. Fresh is better but if you are using store bought lemon juice lower the amount to about 1/4 cup
-2-3 eggs
-salt and pepper to taste
Method:
-Begin by cooking your rice. I like to cook my rice in 2 cups of broth with some salt and pepper to taste. If you want to reduce costs and or sodium cook rice in water.
-While the rice is cooking simmer the remaining broth.
-After the rice is finished cooking add to the simmering broth.
-in a bowl mix eggs and lemon juice together
-Add in about 2 tbsp of simmering broth to the eggs to brings up the eggs temperature so they won't scramble when added to the soup.
-Slowly add the eggs into the soup stirring constantly for about one minute.
-Serve
Notes and Variations:
- If you want more protein in the soup try adding some shredded chicken or turkey meat
-when you mix the lemon and eggs it creates a creamy texture in the soup without the addition of milk or cream. If you want more of an 'egg drop' consistency add the lemon with the simmering broth and the eggs separately at the end.
-this soup is not a good soup for leftovers. When put in the fridge or if left for a while the rice will absorb the remaining broth. Only make what you are going to eat. If you have left overs, make sure you have some extra chicken broth around to add.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
