Tag Archives: easy

Sweet ‘n’ Salty Trail Mix Recipe

Sweet and salty trail mixIn preparation of our Florida road trip (we leave Friday!) I’ve been gathering snacks like a mama bear preparing for winter. One of the ways I hope to save money on this trip is by eating our own food for two out of three meals per day. George and I also like a night-time snack, so I’m preparing all kinds of treats to take with us on the road.

Healthy Trail MixThis weekend I made a giant bag of trail mix. I’m never satisfied with the trail mixes you can find in the store. Those mixes are often full of added sugar. Why do people feel the need to make fruit sweeter? It’s sweet enough on it’s own, people.

Ingredients
1 cup of pecans
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of dehydrated fruit
3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

For this trail mix, I toasted up 1 cup of cashews and 1 cup of pecans in butter on a low stove top for about 10 minutes. I used unsalted nuts, so I also salted them. I had been drying out strawberries and bananas in our dehydrator, so I threw about a cup of those in the mix. For George, I also threw in 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, after the nuts had cooled, of course. The man complains like a baby if there is no chocolate in trail mix.

The best thing about trail mix is that you can throw in the things that you like or have on hand and boom, you’ve got trail mix! I’ll do a total snack breakdown later this week. I am so pumped for this trip, ya’ll.

What’s your favorite way to do trail mix? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

14 Easy Ways to Save Money

Photo c/o Getty Images CC.

Photo c/o Getty Images CC.

The going has been tough for this girl. It’s almost the end of the spring semester and my head is spinning with projects, conferences and classes. During these insanely busy times, it’s so much easier to just stop and pick up something to eat or buy something just to make myself feel better. But I don’t want to fall off the savings bandwagon, I want to keep savings toward my goal of travel and eventually retirement. Lately I’ve been looking for easy ways to save money during these oh so busy times. Here’s a few of the easiest ways I’ve found to save a little dough.

  1. Automatic draft
    This is by far my favorite tip for saving money. Set up an automatic draft to pull money from your checking account into your savings account each month. It’s automatic so you have no excuse not to do it. Think of it as a bill you pay yourself!

  1. Cancel subscriptions you don’t use
    Subscription services are becoming a huge industry. Subscriptions, like Netflix or Barkbox can be fun, but remember they charge your credit card each month. Check your monthly bank statement and cancel any subscriptions you don’t use.

  1. Keep your tires inflated & change your air filter
    Keeping your tires inflated can save you about 5 percent in gas mileage and keeping your car’s air filter fresh can save you about 7 percent in gas mileage! Just keeping up with your car’s maintenance and could save you hundreds each year.

  1. Reusable water bottle
    Ok, I admit it, I used to go through at least two plastic water bottles a day. The costs of those little suckers can add up– especially if you are purchasing them from a vending machine. Two bottles of water at $1.25 a pop over the course of a year adds up to almost $1,000!  I’ve made the eco-conscious and money-conscious switch to a reusable bottle and never looked back. I’ve been drinking more water since I don’t have to pay for it and

  1. Keep snacks in your desk at work
    Do you see a theme here? Avoid the vending machine! By keeping snacks in your desk at work, you won’t be lured by the glow of the office vending machine. My workplace also has a coffee shop nearby, so to avoid that temptation I keep instant coffee at my desk. Some of my favorite snacks to keep at my desk are apples and peanut butter, tea, instant coffee (of course) and individual packs of nuts.

  1. Generic version
    The generic version of everything is cheaper than the name brand. I love to save on beauty products by buying the generic version. I recently bought some over-the-counter medicine and I was shocked at how much I saved purchasing the generic version. Think about the savings that will accrue over the course of your life by always simply buying generic!

  1. Unplug
    Phantom power is a thing, ya’ll. Even devices that have been turned off can draw power (phantomly!) and up your power bill. Scary, huh? By unplugging the power suckers you’ll decrease your power bill and save yourself some change. I’ve been unplugging my laptop and cellphone charger when not in use and I was surprised at how easy it was to form the habit.

  1. Negotiate your cable, phone and Internet bills
    This is one of those big wins that can save you thousands over a lifetime. By simply calling your Internet, phone and cable provider and asking for a discount, you may be able to obtain one. Ask and ye shall receive!

  1. Wait to purchase
    Since I’ve been on my journey to saving money, I’ve noticed that I have a tendency to impulse buy. Instead of buying the item I want right away, I’ll pin it to my Pinterest board or promise myself to come back to the store tomorrow. Nine times out of ten by the next day, I won’t even want the thing anymore!

  1. Pay off your credit cards immediately
    I don’t think credit cards are evil like some people will lead you to believe. Credit cards just have to be used wisely. Don’t put purchases on your card that you can’t pay off right away. And don’t let interest accrue on your purchases. By paying off your cards right away, you’ll avoid paying any interest and you’ll strengthen the health of your credit score.

  1. Avoid ATM fees
    ATM fees are ridiculous. ATM fees are just one of those things that I refuse to pay, eve if the fee is only a couple of bucks. There’s so many ways to avoid those pesky fees. You can bank with a bank that doesn’t charge ATM fees, use a large bank who has branches all over the country and you can get cash back during purchases. I’ve bought a pack of gum before just to get cash back and avoid a fee. Afterall, I’d rather have a $2 pack of gum than a $2 ATM fee.

  1. Use the library!
    Libraries have a variety of goods and services available to their patrons for free! Your library probably offers more than you think. For more ways the library can save you money check out this post.

  1. Price check
    One of the best things about smart phones is that now you have the instant ability to price check stuff while out and about on your phone. Before I’m about to make a purchase over $20, I’ll whip out my smartphone and do a little price checking. If I can get it for less online, I’ll wait to purchase it. The delay in purchasing also helps with impulse buys. f you don’t have a smart phone, that’s ok too. Just write down the price and when you get home (or to the closest Internet connection) check out the price from other retailers.

  1. Make frugal friends
    I love my frugal friends. They’ve taught me so much about money, deals and saving. They aren’t afraid to stay at home and just hang out to save money. They invite me to yard sales and I invite them to the flea market. Frugal friends don’t put pressure on you to spend extra money or to go out to eat because they’re happy making a meal together at home. Making friends with frugal people is life-changing. Don’t have any frugal friends? Feel free to email me or leave me a comment and we can chat. Virtual frugal friends are better than no frugal friends!

    What easy ways have you saved money? Let me know in the comments!

    love,
    melanie

Knotted Bracelet

Knotted braceletSome days it seems silly in the middle of whatever else I have going on to stop and do some sort of small craft or make a slightly more difficult meal. But sometimes it’s just what I need. Sometimes that small craft is a small win for my sanity. This bracelet was just that. I was struggling with making the itty bitty ring I posted a while back. So, I put it aside and started working on this bracelet.

The supplies came in my January For the Makers box. It was originally supposed to be a necklace, but I don’t wear necklaces as much as other jewelry. Although this kit was purchased for me, the supplies could easily be purchased on their own.

Knotted Bracelet DIYTo make this piece, I watched this video on how to create a double figure 8 knot. Then I placed the cord connectors on both ends and placed a bead in the middle of each. I tightened the connectors with pliers to ensure the bead wouldn’t come loose. Finally I finished it off by placing  super glue in each end cap and pressing the rope into the cap. Let dry and you’re finished.

Knots can be so pretty, don’t you think?

Here’s to easy projects and easy wins. Sometimes we need ’em.

love,
melanie

Chewy Breakfast Cookies

gluten free oatmeal breakfast cookiesOne day I’ll have time for long, luxurious breakfasts where I can lounge in my matching PJs on my wrap-around porch and actually eat breakfast with a fork. But today is not that day. And tomorrow doesn’t look good either. That’s why I’ve been trying my hand at more portable breakfasts. As much as I love my crustless quiche, sometimes I barely have time to make coffee in the morning. And let’s be real, coffee takes precedence above pretty much everything. But the lure of cookies and coffee?! That’ll get me out of bed.

breakfast cookiesThese are admittedly healthier than your everyday cookies. You gotta start your day right. These cookies are sweet, but not overly so and packed with plenty of natural energy to power through even the Monday-iest of Mondays.

Ingredients
1/4 cup of salted butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of sunbutter (peanut or almond butter would work too)
3 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of chopped cashews
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sea salt for sprinkling

easy gluten free breakfast barsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter and honey in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat again. Add sunbutter and mix. Finally, stir in the oats, walnuts and cashews. To keep these cookies solid, I baked them in muffin tins. I greased the tin, then filled the tins half full and lightly pressed down the dough. These cookies can also be made into bars! To make into bars, press into a greased cake pan. Cookies bake for approximately 18-20 minutes. Bars bake for approximately 25 minutes. Oats will brown when cookies and bars are finished.  Let muffins cool on a rack, let the bars cool in the cake pan. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle (or spread!) over cookies (or bars!). Sprinkle with sea salt.

Let’s tackle tough mornings together!

love,
melanie

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup

slow cooker mexican chicken soupThere are days when even simple meals seem like a chore. I’ve had a rough day, there are still blog posts to write and the sink is already full of dirty dishes. On those days I rely on the easiest slow cooker recipe on the planet. Ok, I admit it, all slow cooker recipes are easy. But this one, my friends is extra easy because you only need 5 ingredients.

slow cooker chicken soup, mexican style!Ingredients
2 chicken breasts (frozen or fresh)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
1 bag of frozen, diced peppers or 3 large multicolored peppers, diced
2 tbsp. of taco seasoning

Throw all ingredients into the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. If your chicken is frozen, throw it in first. I turn on the slow cooker and then go to sleep, when I awake the magical slow cooker has produced a delicious, filling soup. By the morn’ the chicken is falling apart, just shred it a bit with a fork and add a few toppings– my favorite are sour cream, cheese and avocado. A complete and easy meal that used only a handful brain cells.

Do you have any easy, slow cooker recipes? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

12 Ways to Eat More Meals at Home and Save Some Dough!

eat more at homeThe old me used to eat out every couple of days and think nothing of it. “Oh piddle dee dee, I thought, I spend a lot of money on dining out. But it’s just a fact of life, I suppose!” In my head, I’m apparently an old British woman. But then I moved to a tiny town and the dining options were few and far between. We ate out less because there were less choices. I unintentionally saved money on food, I unintentionally learned how to cook more meals, and I unintentionally got into the habit of eating at home. It was an unintentional blessing.

Here’s how I’ve learned how to eat more meals at home.

1. Cut back on your eating out gradually
If you are eating out every day, you won’t go from being besties with the cashier at Chipotle to becoming Julia Child. You have to work your way up to it. Set a realistic goal for the week and work towards it. Your goal could be to learn one new dish or only eat out every other day. Set a reachable goal and give yourself a small treat when you reach your goal. Giving yourself small rewards creates habits.

2. If you are a beginner, learn the basics
One of the hardest parts of just starting out in the kitchen is starting out. Learn how to do simple things like sautéing vegetables, scrambling an egg and boiling rice. Once you learn those things, you’ll have the base for all kinds of meals!

3. If you are an intermediate cook, expand your repertoire
Cooking can get tiresome. Cooking is a project with no end because we need to eat every day. The way I fight the cooking drudgery is expanding my repertoire. I love perusing Pinterest recipes that make me excited to cook again. Just check out my recipe board for proof!

4. Make meals in advance
We are all stupid-busy. We don’t always have time to cook up a four course meal. Let’s be honest, I never have time to cook up a four course meal. I make most of my meals in advance. I’ll cook up a big batch of crustless quiche on Sunday night and crank up my slow cooker.

5. Automate your meals
I’d love all my food to be interesting and beautiful, but that’s just not a priority. Getting something warm and filling in my belly is a priority. My weekday meals are on auto-pilot. For breakfast I have eggs, my lunch is leftovers and dinner is usually something from the crock pot. Not always super exciting, but I can live up my culinary fantasies on the weekend when I have more time.

6. Put your slow cooker to work!
I love my slow cooker. I don’t know how I ever cooked without her. Her name is Sue, btw. Slow cooking is so easy. You can crank it on low, throw just about any meat and veggie in there with a little salt and pepper and you have a meal when you get home from work or when you wake up in the morning!

7. Leftovers are your friend
If you are going go through all the effort to cook, you might as well make enough for yourself and a small army. There’s so many ways to use up leftovers. For tips on reusing leftovers click here!

8. Cook with a buddy
Cooking all alone can be a lonely job. Enlist your husband or wife and kids to help out in the kitchen. Or at least sit with you and keep you company in the kitchen. You could also invite friends over for a freezer meal cooking spree. Sounds like a good time to me.

9. Make it enjoyable
Cooking can be stressful. Turn on some tunes, pour yourself a glass of wine and slow down. Dinner isn’t a life or death experience. It’s just dinner. Enjoy it.

10. Use paper plates
One of the worst parts of cooking is the clean up. Sometimes I’d go out to eat just so I wouldn’t have to do the dishes. To curtail this thinking, I mostly use paper plates and minimize my clean up. Worried about the environmental impact? Me too. That’s why I use compostable plates.

11. Host a dinner party
Hate cooking for one? Need to spice things up a bit? Dying for the company of a restaurant? Host a dinner party! Dinner parties don’t have to be a one woman (or man) show. Ask your friends to bring a dish and serve it up family style!

12. Keep frozen foods on hand
And if all else fails, keep food in the freezer for those times when you are too tired or hungry or just plain don’t want to cook. Frozen leftovers are culinary gold. But a couple of chicken breasts, a bag of frozen veggies and some soy sauce will do just fine in a pinch. Instant stir fry. Instant dinner.

What tricks do you have for eating more meals at home? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

Twine Knit Kitchen Scrubbie

twine scrubbieI use S.O.S. scrubbies like they are going out of style. I love how they get all the gunk off my cast iron pans, but I don’t love that I use them once or twice and they’re done. It’s such a waste of money and so not environmentally-friendly. I’ve seen people knit with twine and I knew that the roughness of twine would make the perfect DIY scrubbie.

Airstream SinkTo make the twine scrubbie all you need is some knitting needles and twine. I used size 15 needles, but you could go with smaller needles if you want a tighter knit. I cast on 5 times and created 6 rows. The scrubbie will end up the size of a kitchen sponge.

I love the way the knit scrubbie looks and it’s a nice little money saver. It almost makes me want to do dishes. Almost.

love,
melanie

How to Make Doughnuts from Canned Biscuits!

Canned Biscuit Doughnuts with Powdered SugarShopping with my mom is always an adventure. She’s a couponer, so the excursion always involves a lot of math and ends in exhaustion. By the end of the trip, I’m a certified shopping sherpa. Last time we went shopping with my mom, George spotted a doughnut maker that with a coupon was a whopping $5. It was a steal, but we have no room for a doughnut maker the size of a George Foreman Grill. To pry George away from the doughnut maker, I had to promise to make real, glutenous doughnuts.

Biscuit DoughnutsI could have baked up the doughnuts from scratch, but sometimes you just need to take the easy way out. And believe it or not, this is the way my grandma used to make doughnuts, homemade, straight from the can.

Canned Biscuit DoughnutsIngredients:
1 can of pop and bake biscuits
Vegetable oil or the oil of your choice
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of milk

Heat approximately 1/2 inch of oil on medium-low in a cast iron pan. Pop the can of biscuits. Separate the biscuits from each other and each biscuit top from the bottom. This creates a thinner doughnut that will fry easier. At this point you can cut a hole in the middle of the doughnut or leave it au natural. George insisted that they weren’t real doughnuts without the hole.

Once the oil is bubbling slightly around the edges, drop the doughnuts gently into the oil. When they puff up and start turning golden brown, flip them over and cook the other side.

When both sides are cooked, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel. While the doughnuts are cooling, mix up the glaze. Simply add the milk and vanilla to the powdered sugar and mix! Then dip the doughnuts in the glaze. If you really want to guild the lily, finish with more powdered sugar.

What are your favorite recipe hacks? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gifts

I, just like every human on earth, am guilty of waiting until the last minute to do things. There’s  something about that last minute pressure that really puts the heat on. This year I actually purchased George’s Valentine’s Day present early and had it shipped to the house. And he opened it before I got home! It was an honest mistake, but I was so mad! I can’t ever surprise that dude. Anyway, now I’m rushing to make something small to give him so he actually has something to open tomorrow.

Here’s a couple ideas for those last minute Valentine’s Day gifts:

rp_Nuts-about-you-1024x616.jpgThis Valentine’s Day printable is super-cute. You don’t even have to make the nuts recipe if you don’t have time. You can just attach it to a bag of nuts! Click here for the printable.

how to make vanilla extractIf you’ve got a honey that loves to cook, homemade vanilla extract would be a great gift. Maybe they’ll get the hint to make you those cookies you’ve been wanting. Click here for the how to.

infused liquorsInfused liquors are so easy to make and instantly elevate a drink. I’d let the liquor infuse for a few days, but it’s a gift that you both could enjoy this weekend. Click here for the tutorial.

gifts for male teachersIf your darling isn’t a drinker, then a personalized mug filled with coffee or chocolates would make a cute gift. Just make sure you don’t put it in the dishwasher! Click here for the details.

Here’s to homemade Valentine’s gifts! And waiting until the last minute!

love,
melanie

 

DIY Leather Clutch

DIY Leather Pouch ClutchI have the worst time trying to keep a purse clean. My purse is generally filled with crumbs, random medications and crumpled papers. And it seems that I never carry exactly what I need. Why is that?! Rules of physics?

After cleaning out my purse and accidentally throwing one of my favorite earrings away, I decided I need to get organized. Not only will this help me in my time of need, but it will help me to save money. I won’t buy 50 bottles of eyedrops because I have it on hand when I need it.

Here’s how I created this cute clutch to store band-aids, eyedrops and alcohol wipes for life’s little ouchies.

Here’s what you’ll need:
A piece of leather or faux leather (mine was 16 inches in length and 7.5 in width)
A threaded sewing machine or a thread and needle
A piece of chalk
Scissors
An alternate color leather
Fabric glue
A leather snap and a hammer

Cut your leather to size. Fold the leather up to create the pouch. I made my pouch 6 inches in length. Sew each side together, leaving the flap on top open on the sides. I then sewed the top edge to make a neater line. Take the chalk and trace an outline for the letters on the alternate color leather. Cut out each letter. Glue the letters to the bag. Let dry. Cut a hole for the snap in the middle of the bag using a pair of scissors or a knife. Hammer the leather snap into the leather on each side of the flap.

Instant purse organization! I feel like Wonder Woman some days.

love,
melanie