Grocery Store Beauty Products: All Natural Toners

A few months ago I made a wonderful discovery.  I had been struggling for a few months to find an affordable toner at the drugstore that still made my skin feel great. My oily-combination skin really needs something soothing and balancing - not too drying, and with anti-aging benefits too.

I had tried Burts Bee's Radiance Toner with Royal Jelly and I really liked it, but I found it hard to find and it was more than $20 a bottle, so I began searching for something cheaper.  I tried a few common drugstore brands but I found it nearly impossible to find anything that was paraben and sulphate free, as well as being alcohol free.  Any toner that contained alcohol (pretty much all of them) left my skin dry and patchy in some places and extra oily in my t-zone because my skin was overcompensating for the drying quality of the alcohol.

Then I discovered Rose Water and Orange Blossom water.  I have to give credit to Youtuber Lisa Pullano as it was watching her videos that inspired me to try using these products as toners.  I have kept these two items in my pantry for years as ingredients I used occasionally in recipes (try stirring a bit of rosewater and honey into some yogurt and drizzling over roasted figs, YUM!).  These two products smell so amazing and are less than $5 a bottle at the grocery store!! (check the international items aisle).  The only ingredients are rose petals/oranges and water.

I noticed a difference in my skin immediately.  Using orange blossom water in the morning and rose water in the evening, the dry patches on my face disappeared and the oiliness of my t-zone decreased dramatically.  I have since even learned that flower waters (aka hydrosols) have anti-aging benefits such as being packed with anti-oxidants that make them anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial as well as antiseptic. They also contains small amounts of hydrating essential oils. They are said to help with acne and redness and to prevent and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles.  They are gentle enough to use even around the delicate eye area.  Best of all, they smell amazing.  I find the rose water very soothing which makes it perfect for before bed.  The orange blossom water is the perfect natural, subtle and exotic perfume.  It is even said that the scent can reduce stress and anxiety, which makes it a perfect start to the day.  Since I began using these products, I have received so many compliments to the beauty of my skin and I believe these are the products that have made the difference.

A few other things you can do with these products:

• put a few drops into cake batter or frosting to give a subtle aroma
• Pour a few teaspoons into your bath water for a soothing soak
• Put it into a spray bottle to use as a makeup setting spray or hydrating spray throughout the day
• Pour a few teaspoons into a pot of simmering water to create a natural air freshener

New Series!: Garden and Farmer"s Market Recipes

Of late, my cooking inspiration has come from the bounty of fresh summer fruits and veggies that I have had on hand.  My garden is full of cherry tomatoes, lettuce, kale, leeks, swiss chard, cucumbers and herbs.  My sister's massive garden provides beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, turnips, summer squash, beans and peas: enough to feed four families! In addition to that, we are members of the local CSA (community supported agriculture) with The Green Ranch (thegreenranch.ca) from which we get weekly delivieries of fresh organic vegetables.  This abundance of fresh delicious produce has been inspiring us to eat such healthy meals.  It is easy to make vegetables taste fantastic when they are fresh from the dirt!

I have tired of my Frugal Friday series, and I have decided to begin this new series, inspired by seasonal produce that is available in Saskatchewan this time of year. If you don't have a garden at home, consider joining a CSA near you, or shop at your local farmer's market

A harvest from my sister's garden.  I sauteed these in butter with some chopped shallots, then sprinkled them with paremsan cheese.  

This week, the recipe is Roasted Root Vegetable Chips.  These are quick and tasty, and great for using up those smaller vegetables that are too much work to peel before using (golf ball size is perfect.  Don't use smaller vegetables for this or the chips will be tiny!)  To see the recipe, click on the title, or find the link above among all of my recipe links!

I chose to remove these from the oven before they were too crispy, and I drizzled them with greek yogurt to serve.

June favourites!

Here are my favourite things from the month of June!

Beauty:

My number one favourite new product this month is my Loreal Majic Nude Foundation.  I had been putting off buying it because it is quite expensive ($19-$20 Canadian) for a drugstore foundation, and I just didn't need a new one.  When London Drugs had all Loreal foundations for $11.99 I took advantage and picked this up.  I loved it instantly.  It is a very thin consistency so it blends out really quickly and easily, but it also provides a really good medium coverage that looks really natural.  It tranforms into a powder finish when it sets so it gives a really beautiful finish to the skin.  It gives the coverage of a liquid with the lightweight feel and look of a powder.  Perfect for spring and summer!  I only wish it had SPF protection (that would make it worth the almost $20 price tag!)

My other beauty favourites have all been lipsticks, so watch for a post all about my most loved and hated lip products soon!

Parenting:

This month I have to write about something that has been one of my favourite parenting, beauty, and food products for quite a while, but I use it so often and in so many different ways that I always forget about it!  This miracle multi-purpose product is Cold-pressed Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.  I get mine in a huge tub from costco which stays in my kitchen.  Then I scoop some of it into containers that I keep in my own room and in P's room.  I use this stuff numerous times a day.  I'll stick to its parenting purposes for today, but it also has so many health benefits when used in cooking or as a beauty product.  Google it people!!

P sucks her thumb as she falls asleep, so she often gets sores on her lips and thumbs from this habit.  I apply coconut oil to her lips and thumbs a few times a day and the sores clear right up.  This stuff is perfect because it doesn't matter  if she ends up ingesting it .  For that reason I cant use polysporin or anything like that as it is being applied to spots that will inevitably end up in her mouth.

Once I started using coconut oil for that specific purpose and seeing how well it worked, I started trying it for other things as well.  Low and behold, it works great on cuts and scrapes before you put on a band-aid because of its anti-bacterial and anti-fingal properties. It is great for bug bites for the same reason, and it even soothes and heals diaper rash!  It is perfect as an all-over moisturizer for dry skin (which D suffers from terrribly).

I also use it a ton in baking and cooking because of its health benefits, but I'll write more about that in a future post.  If you don't already have some of this miracle oil in your house, you should consider getting some as soon as possible.  I just keep on discovering its wonderful qualities and uses!  

Cooking and Food:

Cooking: This month I have been inspired by a tall stack of cookbooks that I picked up at my local library.  I love food reading, and I am always interested in cookbooks written by celebrity chefs or cookbooks all about a certain country I am interested in at any given time.  My local library has a ton of cookbooks, and I bet yours does too.  For free!!  Check it out if you're a frugal food lover like me.

Food: This month I stopped drinking coffee to see if it would help me feel better, since I had been ill.  It didn't :( but I did find that I started sleeping better and those terrible headaches I'd been getting went away (the ones that used to start a few hours after I forgot to drink my coffee...).  So, I didn't start up again.  Instead I started making a cup of herbal tea in the morning, and my favourite is the Presidents Choice brand Chocolatey Chai herbal tea.  It smells so good, and with a little splash of milk it satisfies my craving for something hot in the morning.  Also satisfies my craving for something dessert-ish in the evening. Ok, the stuff is delicious any time of day. Its cheap too. Bonus!

Random Stuff:

I have, of course, been watching TV and reading books this month.  I have not, unfortunately, come across anything so wonderful that I feel the need to recommend it here today.  If I'm gonna call it a favourite, it has to be pretty great. 

Frugal Friday: Quick and Easy Frozen Snacks

Here are some of my favourite things to make and have ready in the freezer for P and D all summer long.  They are quick and easy, cool and refreshing, and most importantly: super healthy! If you don't already own a Popsicle Mould, then you need to get one! It is one of my most used summer items, and my kids LOVE all sorts of healthy creations I freeze in them.  You could also use shot glasses and Popsicle sticks in a pinch.  Alternatively, the banana coconut lollipops need nothing but a few coffee stir sticks.

Banana Blueberry Yogurt Pops:  

I make these often because The ingredients are staples that I always have in my house. 

In a large bowl, mash one ripe banana.  Stir in one cup of plain yogurt (you can use flavoured yogurt, but then don't use the honey), one heaped spoonful of almond butter, one tablespoon of honey. Stir vigorously until smooth, then fold in a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries.  Spoon into Popsicle moulds, add the sticks and pop into the freezer for at least 3 hours.  Run the mould under hot water for a few seconds to loosen the pops and make them easy to remove from the mould.

Mango Lime Fruit Pops:  

I make these when cases of mangoes go on sale.  In order to use them all while they are still delicious, I have had to get creative!

Peel 2 ripe mangoes and remove the pits.  Place the flesh of the mangoes into a blender with the zest and juice of one lime and a few leaves of mint.  Taste and add a little honey if you want, though it's not really necessary if you're using good mangoes.  Pour the purée into Popsicle moulds and freeze for at least 3 hours.  Run the mould under hot water for a few seconds to loosen the pops and make them easy to remove from the mould.

Banana Coconut Lollipops:  

These are just so easy and again, I always have all of the ingredients on hand.  P and D literally cannot get enough of these!

Slice 1-2 bananas into thick-ish rounds (about 1.5 cm).  Stick each slice with a coffee stir stick through the rounded (uncut) side.  Place on a sheet of parchement paper on a pan, then place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.  Fill two small, shallow dishes: one with plain or flavoured yogurt, and one with unsweetened desiccated shredded coconut.  Remove the frozen banana sticks from the freezer and dip both sides into the yogurt, then quickly into the coconut.  Eat immediately, or place back on the pan and into the freezer until you're ready to serve them.  

Bonus tip: these lollipops can be made using infinite substitutions or combinations.  Try substituting melted peanut butter or (for a real treat) Nutella for the yogurt.  The coconut can be replaced with chopped peanuts, almonds or any nut, or crunchy cereal.  Use whatever you have on hand that your kids love!

Frugal Friday: Another Garden Update

A few weeks ago Suneil and I finally manages to get all of our plants into the ground.  They had been taking up space and making a mess in my house for months, so when the weather finally seemed to be turning, Suneil and I got out there and planted our first family garden!

Admittedly, by the time we got all of the plants outside there were a few that were a little worse for wear.  The beans in particular were planted much too early. I will know for next year NOT to follow the package instructions.  I will plant indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost rather than the instructed 6-8 weeks.  Most of my okra plants died as well, I think due to lack of sunlight.  They got very spindly reaching for the light and eventually just gave up.  Two okra plants survived, and I planted them along with some seed which is sprouting now, so hopefully I will still get at least one okra harvest before fall.

The rest of the plants seem to be adjusting well and I am very excited to watch my garden grow and reap the benefits all summer long!!  This weeks project (for my dad!) is to rig up some sprinklers so that the garden will still get watered while we are away on vacation.

Here are a few pictures!

Our little plot

This pallet holds lettuce and herbs

This pallet is filled with radishes, chard, spinach and romaine lettuce

I wanted my peas and beans to grow up our chain link fence, so I am trying to grow them in these window boxes

Frugal Friday: Perfect Vegetable Recipes for Smmer

My family eats vegetarian one night per week in order to save money, be healthier and be earth friendly.  These are a few recipes we have enjoyed so far this spring.  These dishes use seasonal ingredients and hot-weather friendly grill cooking.  Click on the title to find the recipe, or find it in my list of recipes at the top of my blog page.

My Grilled Ratatouille recipe is extremely versatile.  The combination of tender eggplant and zucchini with sweet tomato and onion is addictive.  It makes a wonderful main course served with bread, quinoa or pasta.  It would be wonderful on top of a baked potato, or as a side dish with any protein.  It could also be used as a condiment to accompany a cheese platter, to top grilled bread or bruschetta, or to spread on a sandwich or wrap.  It is wonderful hot, cold or at room temperature.  The key is to season it carefully until it is perfectly balanced with a touch of salt, pepper and vinegar.

The Green Spring Pizza is a refreshing twist on a traditional pizza.  I love minty peas, and paired with the fresh zucchini, asparagus, and tangy lemon-scented goat's cheese, it is sublime.  Everything about this recipe is light, fresh and summery.  Since my kids love pizza, it was easy to sell them on all these green veggies!

Frugal Friday: My Whole Wheat Bread

Making bread at home can save a lot of money, and it is not as difficult or time consuming as you might think.  If you have a good and simple recipe, then the more you make it, the better and faster it will get.

 It has taken me a long time to test and perfect my whole wheat bread recipe. Recently I tweaked a few things and found my recipe turned out perfectly.  My recipe takes 3 hours total, but only about 30 minutes of hands-on work.  It makes 3 loaves of bread that are delicious fresh or from the freezer.  I have included every detail for making this bread turn out tender and delicious.  Click Here for the recipe!

Frugal Friday: 3 Breakfasts with Oats

What is cheaper and healthier than oats? Nothing!! Oats are so nutritious and delicious and these three recipes are simple and budget friendly.  Click on the recipe title to find out more and Enjoy!

Creamy Cinnamon Porridge with Hemp, Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds
This recipe has been tested until perfect by my father-in-law, Harry.  P and D devour it every chance they get and I love having a big batch ready in the fridge for weekday mornings when we are in a rush but need something filling and packed with health benefits.

Homemade Healthy Granola
This is my somewhat famous recipe for granola.  It is perfect sprinkled over some Homemade Yogurt, or even with some milk poured over top.  Some of the ingredients are not the cheapest, but I buy them in bulk to save money, and I have provided cheaper (though less nutritious) options in the recipe.

Whole wheat and Oat Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas
This recipe is a family treasure.  The technique for studding the pancakes with golden caramelized bananas comes from my sister.  My dad's pancake recipe has been health-ified with whole grains and healthy fat. Top these with fresh fruit, creamy yogurt and maple syrup and they are to die for.

Frugal Friday: Weekend Away

As our twins get older we begin to imagine ways to get away as a family without spending too much money.  For the first few years of their lives we stuck pretty close to home. We really only ventured out to fairly predictable locations and we usually took a ton of gear with us.  Now that they are growing up and are able to tolerate more of a break from their routine we want a family vacation that is super fun, educational and affordable.

Suneil and I both have fond childhood memories of camping and road-trips with our parents and siblings and we really wanted to recreate some of those memories with our own children.   Recently we invested in a camper-trailer to make camping a more convenient experience for us all.  When P and D turned two, our opportunity to fly with them for free was over, and since one set of their grandparents live in British Columbia the camper was seemed like a particularly good investment for us as we plan to drive out to BC once a year or so.  We have big dreams to take our minivan and camper all over North America with the kids, but this past weekend we took it out for the first time.

We had originally planned on using it for the first time one week later, but we just couldn't wait. For me, one of the biggest draws of a trailer like this was that once we had it all set up and stocked with all the necessities, we would be able to go away for a weekend with little more than a quickly packed suitcase and a few groceries.  This turned out to be exactly the case.  When I called Suneil at work with the idea that we should forego yard work and go camping for the weekend instead, he thought it was a great idea.  twenty-four hours later we were on the road with everything we needed!

We chose a provincial park about 1.5 hours away from home and the weekend cost us under $150.  That includes the camp fees, part of our season pass for the parks, and fuel for the van.  I didn't count groceries because we would have needed those anyway.

As you know, I am pretty particular about what my kids eat.  I avoid preservatives, artificial flavourings, excessive or unnatural sugars and colouring in their foods.  However going camping is a whole other situation.  Certain long-standing family traditions (from Suneil and I's childhoods) needed to be maintained.  Camp foods, for us, include hot dogs, marshmallows, smores, potato chips, and even fruit loops!  Some of these things went over better than others.  Buns were discarded and hot dogs devoured almost whole, but to my surprise they would not finish their fruit loops.  I guess some things really are just too sweet (not for me though! I can still down a bowl of fruit loops once in a while!).

Aside from a few minor issues, the weekend was a great success.  The first time hitching the trailer to the van was not 100% successful but after a few pull-overs to make adjustments and then a few more out of sheer paranoia we were finally on our way and made it to the campground without a hitch (well, figuratively if not literally haha).  By the end of the weekend we were all pretty exhausted but very happy with how it all turned out.  The kids had a blast playing in the dirt, exploring in the brush to find rocks and plants, and seeing wild animals including some crows who had built a nest in our campsite, a pheasant who liked to sleep in a tree beside our camper, and even a few garter snakes!

Our goal of beginning to create happy childhood memories of fun and adventurous family vacations has been reached, and we will continue to gather more and more this summer and in the years to come.

Here are a few fun pictures from our weekend!

Snuggling by the campfire

Mmmmm ... hotdogs

Their first s'mores ... finger licking good!

Frugal Friday: Making Yogurt

My family eats a TON of yogurt, and making it myself saves me money.  I learned the technique from my mother and father in law.  It takes a bit of practise and a bit of time but it is not labour intensive.  You need just 3 ingredients, a few key kitchen tools and some patience. Here I will outline the steps and directions for making your own yogurt, as well as a few big mistakes to avoid. We like Greek style yogurt, which is much more expensive than milk.  But since I can turn a lot of milk into yogurt using just a bit of supermarket yogurt, it is very economical to make it myself.  It is also extremely delicious!

What you will need:

Ingredients:

• Fresh milk : I use whole milk but any milk will work: 2%, 1% or skim.  The amount of yogurt you want determines the amount of milk you use.  I make 4 litres at a time because it keeps in the fridge for a few weeks, but you could make as little or as much as you like.
• Powdered Milk: 1/2 cup per litre (4 cups) of milk
• Plain (unflavoured and unsweetened) yogurt: a heaping tablespoon full per litre of milk.  This is what is called your starter.  When your milk is at the correct temperature, the bacteria from the existing yogurt spreads and turns all of it into yogurt! I use the Kirkland brand 0% plain Greek yogurt from Costco.  If you can't get your hands on this then you will have to test different brands to find one you really like.  I suggest finding one that has no gelatin or guar gum.  Look for a list of ingredients that includes only milk and bacterial cultures, nothing else.  The flavour and texture of your yogurt will mimic the starter, so choose a yogurt with a consistency and level of acidity that you like.  Once you make your yogurt, then you can save a bit and use it as a starter for the next batch.  I usually buy a fresh starter every second time I make it.  

Tools:

• a heavy saucepan or dutch oven
• a whisk
• a thermometer
• a wire/mesh strainer
• a small insulated cooler lined with a thick towel (like a bath towel)

Directions:

1. Remove the yogurt starter from the fridge.  It needs to be at room temperature when you stir it into the warm milk.  Stirring it in while it is cold could ruin your yogurt.
2. In a large heavy bottom saucepan or dutch oven, combine the milk and the powdered milk, stirring with a whisk until the powder dissolves.  I use powdered milk for two reasons.  The first is that I like to enrich my yogurt for my children.  Adding powdered milk increases the amount of calcium, vitamin D and protein in my yogurt.  It also helps to create a rich, thick and creamy consistency.  When I use this method, my yogurt always sets perfectly and tastes delicious. Since our favourite is Greek yogurt, this method gives my homemade yogurt that same thick and creamy texture. 
3.  Heat the milk over medium heat.  The time this takes will depend how much milk you are heating, but there are a few signs to watch for so that you will know when it is ready.  You do not want the milk to boil, just come to the point where it is about to simmer.  The milk will begin to get frothy when it is almost ready.  I use a large spoon to push the foam out of the way (no need to remove it) and watch for tiny bubbles raising to the top of the pan.  Once you see those bubbles, the milk is warm enough. I don't use my thermometer for this step, but if you choose to use it, the temperature you are aiming for is 198-200 F.  If your milk does come to a boil, it is not the end of the world.  It will just take longer to cool down to the right temperature, and it may make a huge mess on your stove.  Keep your eye on it!  
   
   
4. Remove the milk from the stove and set it aside to cool.  Again, the time this takes will depend on the volume of milk.  This is where your thermometer comes in.  You are aiming for 45-55 C, or 115-125 F. I usually check it every 10 minutes until it gets close to the right temperature, then every five minutes.  If I am distracted or trying to do a few things at once, I set my timer so I will not forget and come back to find cold milk and have to start again.
5. Stir in the yogurt starter.  Once the milk comes to temperature, use a whisk to stir in the ROOM TEMPERATURE yogurt.  Find some lidded containers for your yogurt.  Make sure that they will fit inside of your cooler.
6. Strain the yogurt and leave it to set.  I like to place the containers in my sink to avoid a mess.  Place the sieve on top of the container and pour the yogurt through the sieve and into the container.  Put the lids on the containers and place them into the cooler.  Tuck the towel all around them and then close the cooler and set it somewhere that it will not be disturbed.  Set a timer for 8 hours and walk away!  Try not to move the cooler for at least a few hours after you close it, and don't open it until the eight hours are up.  The yogurt needs to stay at that same warm temperature in order for the bacterial cultures to grow and set the yogurt.  I don't like my yogurt too tangy, but if you do like tangy yogurt, you can let it set for up to 12 hours.  I have even forgotten to set a timer and realized after 16 hours that my yogurt was still waiting.  It still worked out fine.  The longer you leave it, the thicker and tangier it will become.  
7. Place yogurt in the fridge.  Once your yogurt is as thick and tangy as you want it, place it in the fridge to cool overnight.  Once it is cold, enjoy it however you like!  Our favourite way is drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with hemp seeds.  Breakfast of champions!! (Or at least future champions ... of something that is yet to be determined)

Frugal Friday: getting organized

One of the most important ways that I save money for my family is by getting myself organized.  By planning ahead and using good time management, I am able to do a lot of seemingly small things that add up to saving a lot of money.  

My most complicated organizational task is always making my meal plan and planning my groceries.  In order to make the most of coupons, sales and my well stocked pantry I follow a 3 step process.

Step One: Saving Inspiration

• I clip coupons and save them in a small wallet that I keep in my purse.  In that same wallet I keep a recipe card that lists what coupons are there and when they expire.  I only keep coupons that I know will be useful to me, on products that I use often in my house.  It is important to pay attention because sometimes I find a coupon for a new cleaning product or food product and set is aside, only to find that the product I already use is cheaper, even without a coupon.  
• I make note of recipes that inspire me by putting sticky tabs in cookbooks and magazines, saving websites on my IPad, and bookmarking magazines in my Zinio app.  I also keep a kitchen journal where I record recipes that my family really enjoys along with any changes I have made to the recipe to suit my tastes and needs.  This provides me with another source of inspiration for tested recipes that are all in one place.  

Step 2: Taking Stock and Making a Plan

• First I check my fridge, pantry and freezer to see what I have and what I think should be used up.  I keep quite a large variety of food in my pantry so there are many things that I know I always have (because if I use it up I add it immediately to my grocery list).  In addition, if any item that I usually keep stocked in my pantry goes on sale, I will stock up on it and store it until I can use it.  There are always items in my pantry that are not my usual items, but that I have bought on sale knowing that I can work them into my meal plans.   I also buy meat in bulk and then package it in portions for my family and freeze it.  In spring and summer when produce is in season and I can buy it cheap, I will often freeze some for future use as well.  I usually use plastic zip-top freezer bags and label them with the date as well as what the item is and how much is in the bag.  Also in my freezer will always be heat-and-eat meals that I have frozen for a day when I don't have time to cook.   However, none of this stocking up does me any good if I don't keep it organized and make sure I use it up before it goes bad, so I have to check it regularly and keep it very organized so that I can always see what I have.  

My upright deep freeze, organized according to food type
with each item clearly visible.

My pantry organized so each item is visible

• Next I will go back through my recipe inspirations and choose according to what I have and want to use up.  My weekly meal plans follow a regular pattern: One vegetarian meal, one egg based meal, One meal of fish or seafood, 2 meals of chicken or pork, and 2 meals of beef or lamb.  So for a two week period I know exactly what kind of meals I am looking for.  I also take leftovers into consideration.  If I am making a beef pot roast or a whole roast chicken, I know these will feed my family for at least 2 meals so I plan accordingly, using recipes for leftover beef or chicken.  I also check my calendar for dates when we will have house guests to feed or special occasions to consider. There are also nights when we will be extra busy or when we will not be home.  These things all get taken into consideration.
• I use an app called Corkulous on my IPad to organize all of my daily, weekly and monthly tasks, as well as my meal plans.  I slot my meals into my plan boards so that  we have a well rounded plan for the week, and all special considerations are accounted for.  

Here is my board for next week. Each item can be moved around, so tasks can be moved from day to day and meals can be slotted into place as needed.  On the bottom I keep tasks that I do weekly or biweekly so that I can just move them into the area for the day when I will complete them.  I also note P and D's play groups here, as well as any appointments or personal activities for the day or week.  As I complete tasks I either delete them or move them to the bottom.  At the end of the week I have an empty template that can be filled up again for a future week.

Step 3: Making the Grocery List

• When I make my grocery list, I list all of the ingredients that I will need for the two week period I am planning.  I check all of the recipes that I will be using and note all of the ingredients that I don't already have.  If I know I will use up all of something in my pantry, I add that to the list too.  I consider any kitchen projects that I want to complete like baking or making yogurt and make sure all the things I need are on my list. Then I add the basics like milk, yogurt, butter and snacks as well as items for breakfasts and lunches (which I don't plan out) like cereal, fruit, cheese sticks etc.  Lastly, I sort them out in a number of different ways (I use an IPhone app called Anylist).  I usually sort them into two lists. 
•  The first list is of things I can do on a major grocery haul to one of the big stores, like Costco or Superstore.  On this list I put all of the items for the first week of groceries, plus all of the ingredients that I know will keep for the full two weeks.  I also place on this list all of the items that I know I need to get at the shopping location (at Costco that means things that I buy in bulk and get the best price available, and at Superstore its the things I know I won't find at the smaller grocery stores, like specialty international items or store brand favourites).  This will be my grocery stop for week one and it is usually where I spend the bulk of my budget.
• The second list includes items that I need to buy fresh for week two of my meal plan, as well as things that are on special at the store I am going to (usually one of the smaller stores, like Sobey's or Safeway). This list is usually quite short so it means just a quick trip to the store for myself or Suneil.  
• If there are any items that I want to pick up from a specialty store I will put them into lists accordingly and also make a note in my weekly plan to make that stop.  For example, I will often by Italian sausage or deli items from the specialty Italian shop, or Indian spices and ingredients from the Indian grocery store. 
• Lastly, when the grocery fliers come out, I check them all to see if there are any deals that I can't pass up, and if there are I will add those items to the relevant list.  I also go through my coupons and decide if I will use any of them.  Then I make a note on the item in my grocery list so that I will not forget to pull out the coupon at the store.  

Because I have a system for noting recipes I want to try and meals I want to make, and because I keep my pantry and freezer well organized, I am usually able to complete Steps one and two in a few hours while watching TV in the background.  I always leave myself a free afternoon to get this done.  

Frugal Friday: Planting my Garden

Another fun way that I love to save money during the summer is by growing vegetables in my garden.  This is totally new to me this year so I am sure I will have many failures and hopefully some successes too.  Last year I saw Michael Symon make a pallet garden on The Chew and  I managed to get my hands on two pallets so I started small with those.  It worked out really well and it inspired me to take it further and find more space in my yard!  We removed a few unattractive trees in our back yard and it left us a great sunny spot to try out this year. I am so looking forward to it.  Having fresh lettuce, greens and other veggies right in our back yard encouraged us to eat so healthy last summer, and it is also a wonderful learning experience for P and D to see where food comes from (other than the supermarket!).

My sister has a HUGE garden (literally the size of my entire back yard) and she plants enough of some basics like carrots, potatoes, onions and zucchini for the whole family.  That means I don't need to plant any of those things in my small plot, and I can experiment with some different things

I will plant my pallets again with things that were successful last year, like lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, lots of fresh herbs and probably some radishes.  In my bigger backyard space I will plant some tomatoes, cucumber, green onions and beans.  Just out of curiosity, I am also going to try some of my favourite veggies: eggplant, okra, kale, and leeks.  I also found seeds for ground cherries.  I love these things so I'm going to test them out too.  I have no idea if these things are going to grow in our Saskatchewan climate but I bought them at a local greenhouse so I'm gonna follow the directions on the packages and see what happens.

In addition to those few spaces, I am going to do some planting in containers.  I will do a few hanging baskets with red and yellow cherry tomatoes.  I am also going to try planting beans and snow peas in containers and let them grow and vine up my fence.  I am not sure how this will work, but I'm gonna find out!

Last year I started my seeds in a starter tray with peat pellets.  It worked perfectly and made it so easy to transplant when the time came.  This year I bought two more of them and last weekend I planted all of the seeds that need to be started 6-8 weeks before the last frost.  Wish me luck with this project and stay posted for updates on how all of my experiments are going.

On Saturday I got everything organized and started planting

I use masking tape to label what I planted in each row

On Tuesday, some of the seeds were sprouting already, yay!

Frugal Friday: bread making

Who can save you $40 a month? Saskatchemom can!

Before I had my children, making bread was something that I had tried a few times before and failed at miserably.  I would get a craving for my grandmother's homemade buns and try to make them.  The result, however, was always a disappointment.  They would be too yeasty, too dry, or come out of the oven hard as rocks.  While I loved cooking and could whip up just about anything without a recipe, baking was not my strong suit, most likely because I had to follow a recipe and measure stuff (Boring!).  
After P and D started eating solid food, and I started trying to save money wherever I could, I decided to try it again.  At the grocery store, I was getting more and more frustrated because I was determined to feed my children natural foods with as few preservatives and artificial ingredients as possible.  If you've ever read the ingredients on a loaf of grocery store bread, you know that there are way too many ingredients that are unidentifiable as food products. I also knew I could make it myself for a fraction of the cost.  I was determined to learn the skill of breading making.  

I dug out an old cook book about baking and began reading up on how to make good bread.  This was helpful because I learned what temperature my liquid should be to bloom my yeast and how to know when my dough has been kneaded enough.  I found a recipe for whole wheat bread.  I had to make it many times before I perfected my technique and tweaked the recipe to suit me.  I also got my moms recipe and I use that often as well, although it uses only 50% whole wheat flour so it is more of a treat.  I will include that recipe today, since its the one I used this week.  Stay posted for other bread recipes in the future!

Moms buns 

(Her signature baked good, not the body part!)

Step 1:

2 tbsp active dry yeast 
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water

I heat my water in the microwave for 1 minute, but it depends on your microwave.  To be sure, use a thermometer to test the water temperature.  It should be between 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit.  Once the water is warm, stir in the sugar and yeast and set aside to allow the yeast to bloom.  It will start to bubble up and smell yeasty.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Make sure your yeast is fresh!

Step 2:

2 eggs
3/4 cup oil
2 tsp salt 
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cold milk
1 cup sugar 
6 cups all purpose unbleached flour
5.5 cups whole wheat flour

I use my stand mixer for this dough, but if you're strong enough to do it by hand, go for it (I just don't have the muscles!).  In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, oil, salt, boiling water, cold milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are all well combined: . Add 2 cups of all purpose flour and beat again until well blended. Add the yeast mixture and beat again. Then add 2 cups whole wheat flour and beat again. Next add 2 cups all purpose flour and beat again until combined.  Switch your paddle attachment to your dough hook, and continue adding flour, first 2 cups whole wheat, then 2 cups all purpose, and lastly 1.5 cups whole wheat to add up the total 11.5 cups.  This recipe makes a  very large batch, and it is almost too much for my mixer.  It gets a little messy at the end (as you can see in the picture), but it is worth it for me to not have to do all the work of kneading.  If you have a bigger mixer, it will work great.  You do need a pretty strong, heavy duty mixer, mine is a Kitchen-aid.  The dough is quite sticky and soft. Remove it from the mixer and knead it for just a few minutes on the counter, just until it all comes together into a smooth ball.  Use a bit of flour on your hands and the counter top if necessary, but use as little as possible.  This dough needs only a little kneading if it's been beaten well at each stage in the mixer. You'll know it's ready because if you poke it with your finger, it will bounce back and not show a dimple.

Step 3:

Place the dough in a large oiled bowl. I divide mine in half and place it into 2 large bowls because I don't have a bowl large enough for this recipe. Cover with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel.  Set aside in a warm spot and let it rise to double, about 1.5 hours.  Punch the dough down and let it rise again for 1.5 hours, or until doubled.  I place my dough below my under cabinet lights and leave them on for 15 minutes or so to get the spot nice and warm and get the dough rising.  Then I shut them off so that the dough doesn't rise too quickly.  If the dough rises to quickly it wont have time to develop the flavour that is so good in fresh bread.  

Step 4:

Using a little softened  butter on your hands, as well as a little bit of flour (no more than 1 cup)  on the counter to prevent too much sticking, form the dough into buns, loaves or rolls.  Place them on pans, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again to double.  Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

I used this batch of dough to make 3 loaves of bread, 12 dinner rolls, and 16 orange sweet rolls.  Since I let my dough rise in two bowls, it was already divided in half.  I used one bowl for the 3 loaves of bread.  To form the loaves, I use my bench scraper to divide the dough in 3.  Then I use my hands to flatten each peice into a rectangle.  Next, I roll up the rectangle and pinch the edge into the roll, then tuck in the ends and pinch them together.  I place the loaf into the loaf pan and push it down to fill the corners.

The other bowl was for the buns.  I formed the dinner rolls first and then rolled out the rest of the dough for the sweet rolls.  To make the dinner rolls I cut small pieces of dough from the bowl using a sharp knife.  I pinch and roll into into a ball, and then I like to push it through the space between my pointer finger and thumb to get a really smooth, round bun.  This also helps me to make the buns all a uniform size.  When I push the dough through my fingers, I can see if it is too small or big.  If it is too big, I can pinch off a little of the dough from the bottom of the bun.  If the bun is too small I can push a tiny piece of dough up into the middle of the bun to make it the right size.  My buns were small enough that I fit 12 into a 9 inch cake pan (see picture below).

Next, I took the rest of the dough and rolled it into a large rectangle about the same size as my small cookie sheet (you could also use a 9 x 11 baking dish for this.  
I used a knife to spread 1/2 cup of softened butter evenly over the dough.  Next, in a small bowl I combined 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and the zest of 2 oranges.  You could also add 1 tsp of cinnamon here, though I did not.  I used my hands to sprinkle and spread this over the sheet of dough, then I rolled it up as tightly as possible and pinched the edge together in much the same way I had finished the other loaves.  I sliced it into 16 pieces and placed it into a greased pan that was also lined with parchment paper.  Then I covered all of the formed dough with kitchen towels and set it aside to rise again for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. The loaves will rise up above the side of the pans, and the buns will begin to grow into each other and form one mass of dough.   Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Formed dough before it has risen

The risen dough in the oven

Bake at 350 15-20 min.  Then remove the buns from the oven and allow the loaves to bake for another 10 minutes.  Once the baked goods are removed from the oven, take them out of the pans and set them on cooking racks to come to room temperature.  

One roll is missing, we ate it straight from the oven

P and D enjoyed the beaters from the frosting

I topped my orange sweet rolls with a cream cheese glaze I made by beating together 1/2 cup softened cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, the juice of one orange, and 1/2 cup icing sugar.

Frugal Friday: Top 5 ways that I save money for my family

When my maternity leave ended and I decided not to return to work, I knew that my new job (in addition to taking care of my children of course!) would be to save my family as much money as possible so that we could begin living off of just one income.

Here are the top five things I do to save my family over $800 a month:

1. Clean my own house (Boo!).
When I was working full time before we had children, we decided to hire a housekeeper so that we could enjoy our weekends and focus on larger projects like home renovations and yard work. Around the time P and D turned one, she told me she was pregnant and would not be able to clean for us once her daughter was born.  This was good timing for us, as it has saved us $220-$330 monthly, and now that the twins are older, I find it easier to find the time to do it myself.

2.Get Organized
The largest part of our monthly spending that I could actually exert some control over was our grocery bill.  At $1200-$1500 a month, I knew I could do better.  I began planning out our meals two weeks in advance and making very specific grocery lists.  This was helpful for two reasons.  Firstly, we are rarely tempted to order take-out or go out for supper, because there is never a moment of "I don't know what to make for dinner and there's nothing in the fridge!".  I always know what I'm making, and the ingredients are always in the fridge well in advance.  Secondly, I never buy ingredients I don't need or won't use up, and I can take the best advantage of sales and coupons.   Now, our grocery bill is in the range of $700-$1000.  This saves us a whopping $500 a month!  In addition, instead of eating out once a week, we eat out only once a month, as a treat.  This saves us at least $100 a month.  Check out my post about getting organized

3. Make my own bread

I had been unsatisfied with the quality of bread at the supermarket, and the bread I was willing to buy was almost $4 a loaf, but the flavour did not compare to the homemade bread of my childhood.  My family eats about 2 loaves of bread a week, plus specialty items such as buns, baguette, bagels or cinnamon rolls (and these will run at about $5 at the grocery store).  I can make all of these things for under $1 a loaf (or batch of buns, bagels etc.)  This contributes to the decrease in our grocery bill, and it saves us about $40 a month.
Check out my bread recipe

4. Make my own yogurt

When P and D started eating solid foods, yogurt was one of their instant favourites.  By the time they were one, they could go through three 500 mL containers of yogurt a week!  Plain Greek yogurt was what I liked to feed them, sweetened with maple syrup or honey, and topped with a spoon full of hemp seeds.  At $9 for a 3 pack of yogurt at Costco, this was costing us $40 a month! Not only that, but I knew I could pack it with even more nutritional value if I made it at home.  I started doing that(using my in-laws' recipe with a few tweaks), and it saves us about $25 a month. Check out my yogurt recipe.

5.  Eat less meat
One of the most expensive items on our grocery bill is always meat.  In order to save money, I knew we needed to eat less of it.  I also knew that eating less meat is better for the environment and better for our health.  What it means for our family is that we skip meat two nights a week.  On one of those nights, I prepare an egg based meal, and on the other night, it is strictly vegetarian.   This has contributed to the decrease in our grocery bill, so I wont count it twice, but i suspect it makes a difference of $50-$70 a month.
Check out my favourite egg recipes

I hope you've found this helpful and that it has inspired you to save money for your family too!  Stay posted for more specifics on how Saskatchemom can save so much money, including more details on what I've discussed today, and tons of recipes too!