Homemade Peanut Butter - You'll never eat store bought again!

Several months ago, I gave it a try making my own peanut butter at home and I tell ya I will never eat store bought PB again!  The taste is no phenominally better and the health benefits so high I would be crazy to not continue to make this. So I really wanted to share this with you.  It really is so easy that you will wonder why you have not done this sooner (like I did).

RECIPE

1) Peanuts - most recipes use roasted but I have used blanched with equally good results.

2) Coconut Oil - if you don't already have this in your home buy it and google coconut oil for cooking, hair and skin moisturizing (some say it helps with weight loss too).  You will be glad this recipe encouraged its purchase.

3) Agave Nectar - again another great item you may not have but should. It's a plant derived sweetener and healthier substitute for honey. I actually first heard of it on the Dr.Oz show and really love it (I use it on my oatmeal too).

Sugar or Splenda - optional
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Alot of the process is 'eye-balling' it and taste testing to get the desired results you personally like most. 

Important Note:  ALOT of online recipes and how-to's for homemade peanut butter omit telling the reader one important point :  DO NOT add the coconut oil nor agave nectar till the very end or else your peanuts won't blend down properly.  This I have learned from experience lol.

Fill your food processor 1/2 - 3/4 full of peanuts and blend away.  Be patient this step can take a good 4-5 minutes depending on your machines strength. 

In the meantime microwave 1 tbs of coconut oil (naturally a solid oil that melts to liquid form when heated).

Add 1 tbs of coconut oil and 2 tbs of agave nectar and blend again for 1 minute.

Taste test

If you would like to add a little more coconut oil or agave nectar to sweeten it up now is the time.  I have actually in the past sprinkled a little pinch of sugar or splenda.  Remember a little at a time for any additions.

Blend to the consistancy you like.

You will be shocked how much better this is to store bought and it is minus all those funky ingredients they contain.  Remember, if you won't be eating this quickly it is best to keep it refrigerated.  I divide my batch in 3 small jars, keep one on the counter and 2 in the refrigerator.  They don't last long in my house and I don't think it will in your house either...you can thank me later :).

Top 10 Tips for Building a Stockpile

In my opinion every house needs a stockpile…without question and it is easy to accomplish a little at a time.  Not only does it greatly impact your budget but let’s face it, in case of an emergency it is in your best interest to have a backup supply of foods and other essentials. Also having a stockpile eliminates the need to rush out and purchase an item for full price, and also using your time and gas to do that too!

I have a stockpile that is a work in progress but I have set aside an area in my home to store my items and I try to add a little to it every week. Remember building a stockpile will take you time! You can’t have this surplus overnight and purchasing it all at once would probably mean you went over your grocery budget to achieve that, which is against the premise of stockpiling to begin with. Remember also you don’t need to be a “couponer” to have a stockpile – coupons are not easily available in my area and I still have a stockpile!

Top 10 Stockpiling Tips

1.  Eagle eye the flyers each week.  Watch for the sales! You will get to know prices and the value of an item and if it is worth buying multiples.

2.  Have a designated stockpile area set up so you can stay organized and also know how much you can comfortably store.

3.  Set aside a designated amount for multiple purchases each week.

4.  Check beyond the kitchen for toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and toilet paper are great money saving stockpile items.

5.  Write a list of your 10-20 most used non-perishable items.  You can build beyond the list but it gives you a guided start on what to look for.

6.  Don’t fill your pantry with items that aren’t on sale; wait for markdowns or apply a coupon.

7.  Buy in bulk: If you have six coupons for Cheerios and they’re on sale, making the cereal 50 cents per box, buy all six boxes. The initial cash outlay will be higher, but you won’t have to buy cereal again for six weeks or longer.

8.  Take-it easy and make sure not to overbuy a particular item beyond your need.

9.  Watch expiry dates.  Gage how much you use per year and judge how many to purchase based on use over time and the items expiry date.

10.  Enjoy the process and be proud of yourself for being a savvy shopper.

 
 Happy Stockpiling!

DIY Microwave Popcorn - 85% cheaper!

I am assuming at one time or another we've all bought our standard grocery store microwave bags of popcorn for its cooking convenience but have you ever really thought about how much that convenience is costing you?

Kerry at SquawkFox.com did the math and figured microwave popcorn costs around $22.65 for 12 boxes with 3 packets per box (source Amazon) — that’s $3.53 per pound! Compare that to the .50 cents a pound you pay for popcorn purchased in bulk! It’s so easy and healthier made at home once you start you won’t go back to Mr. Orville anytime soon.

It is such an incredible waste of money and like so many foods on the market it has a list unknown ingredients that are simply not good for you. For those of you watching your waistline home popcorn is a fab snack.

• Get a brown paper bag. (Dollar stores are a great source for cheap bags)
• Add a 1/2 cup scoop of popcorn kernels to bag.
• Fold the bag over twice.
• Stick the bag in the microwave.
• Set it for 3 minutes on high.....however it is important to stay nearby and listen to the popping. Once it slows to 1 to 2 pops per second take it out.
• Add topping of choice.

Think outside of the box for your toppings.  From Italian, curry, caramel, cinnamon, to nacho there are so many recipes for popcorn toppings that are really delicious.  Click Here for Topping Ideas.

So there you go oil free super easy popcorn. Stop buying grocery store prepackaged popcorn for the sake of your health and your wallet.

 

 

Happy Popping,

 

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day

I am always looking for new ways to reduce my grocery bill and feed my family healthier foods. I came across this recipe online and I just had to try it. For some reason making bread always intimidated me but the simplicity of this method made it so I could not resist at least an attempt. 

In my household we eat alot of bread. With school lunchs alone we can go through a loaf in a day or two. I normally purchase a two pack of bread and this week it ran me $6.29 and I had to buy two packs. With this recipe the cost is approximately .50 cents a loaf. The savings and health benefits are undeniable! One tip a maker of this bread mentioned is taking the loaf and making buns to freeze for sandwiches which I just may try.

The concept is simple: you take a few minutes to mix up some ingredients. You don’t knead the bread and instead let it rest for at least a few hours and then you can refrigerate it for up to two weeks to have fresh Artisan Bread with less than five minutes’ worth of work at any given time. Being a family of six I just used the whole mixture to make 2 larger loafs. It really was easy and delicious and the options of additional ingredients to jazz it up is endless!

Recipe for Homemade Artisan Bread

Makes 3 loaves

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other course salt (Not regular table salt)

6 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose

flourcornmeal for pizza peel (optional)

I personally used a baking sheet for my bread as that is all I had and it worked just fine.

So whether for school lunches or aiming to impress your dinner guests this recipe is sure to please.

Happy Bread Making,

Source:  Artisan Bread 5 Minutes a Day

Specialty Coffee at Home on Budget

Did you try that pumpkin pie flavored coffee that was so popular around Thanksgiving and fall in love with it? Or the Holiday inspired lattes? Delish,right? Well, you can continue (or start!) to enjoy those special coffee flavors without breaking your budget right from home.

 

 For the pumpkin pie spice coffee, just add about a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to your dry coffee grounds when you make coffee. Over time you can adjust spice amounts based on your desired flavor strength – better to start with less and add more as you go along.

As for the peppermint mocha, add peppermint candy. Stir you hot coffee with a left-over candy cane. Or, crush a couple candy canes or other hard peppermint candies and add then to the dry coffee grounds. The hot water will melt them.  Combine coffee with half a cup of hot chocolate for a great café mocha at home. A little sprinkle of cinnamon on freshly brewed coffee is a real treat.

Often you can find coffee flavor syrups at Home Sense or Winners which retail for approx. $10.00 a bottle which add a great kick of flavor to your java.

So don’t feel like the outrageously priced Starbucks, Second Cup or any other coffee houses are your only options to get your specialty coffee fix. Do a google search also and you will find other at-home recipes to inspire you.  Experiment with other spices, candies, and flavoring extracts to come up with some new favorites your taste buds and monthly budget will thank you.

Happy Brewin',

Meatless Monday - Great for your Pocketbook!

Can substituting the meat you eat just one day a week really have a significant impact on your monthly budgets?   You bet your pork chops it can!

A one-time World War I effort used to ration the production and consumption of meat, “Meatless Monday” households of today started a resurge of popularity as the realization came to more people of the financial, health and environmental benefits of having one day a week completely meat free.

According to Meatless Monday.com going meat-free just one day a week can save the average household 10-20% or more off of their weekly grocery bill.  Do the math for your household and you will see what a monthly savings this can be for you.  For our family this is an average savings of approximately $30-$40 a week!  Looking online for meatless Monday recipes will provide you with tons of inspirational, easy and delicious meals and I will also be spotlighting family tested meatless Monday recipes on this blog.

Meatless Meals for Meat Eaters: Over 150 Delicious Recipes

Environmentally also the impact is massive. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.

The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health also promotes the health benefits of a meat free day. Just one day a week without meat can reduce your saturated fat consumption by 15% and in turn can lower reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

So the benefits are clear – the change is easy….so why don’t you go meatless this coming Monday – save your pocketbook, your health and the environment!