Hey Guys! I’m back with a fun and easy meal idea! This was a total salvage use-up, with wrinkly tomatoes I stole from my mum that were headed to the garbage and some fennel she had laying around! With some other bits and bobs it became a perfect bit of sauce for penne. I love fennel, it has this flavor profile that reminds me of the spice blend in mild Italian sausage, just without the meat! The natural sweetness comes out as you cook it down. This dish is naturally vegetarian, and vegan if you omit or swap out the parmesan cheese, so this is a perfect dish for when you don’t know all of the food preferences of a guest. Tomato- Fennel Penne $5.32 for 4 or $1.33 per serving (but really… 59 cents a serving if those tomatoes were going in the trash) ~15 wrinkled tomatoes (salvaged from…
Well, I made it around a month. Not my best but… there were 3$ pints of strawberries that I just couldn’t deny myself. I also really wanted fresh dairy. So after thirty days of not buying groceries, I bought a few things. This no-buy isn’t firmly over, I’m still trying to work out of the meals and proteins I have frozen and my shelf stable items, but I’m running out of things like eggs and in my house… that just won’t do. March was a pretty easy month to not be buying groceries. I had a hospitality suite at work for three days and lots of invites out to my family’s place. I also did a cooking class that sent me home with three+ days’ worth of food. I think as I go forward my “no buy” will just be modified- if I need eggs or a fresh item,…
This post is probably well overdue. If you’ve been following me for a while then you probably remember that I did a 35 day no-buy stint from May-July last year and truth be told, I am on a food no-buy right now as well. Yep. It’s been seven days since I last bought food, and no signs of buying anything soon. I actually had started about five days before that, but there was a wiiiiicked sale on sirloin beef that I just couldn’t pass up. I bought them using Airmiles, but I believe in transparency. I bought the beef (and potatoes!). I’m planning on not buying any food for at least another month and here’s why: a. Life is expensive b. I owe tax money (damnit) c. It’s a great way to make sure you’re investigating what’s lurking in your freezer and cupboards and not wasting through expiration or freezer burn (food…
Hey guys! I have to start this post apologizing for the shoddy quality of these pictures- I try to only post things if the pictures are at least decent, and these were taken when my phone was on its last legs. That being said, I REALLY wanted to share this post because it is such an easy way to stretch a buck and make amazing comfort food at the same time. Great idea+bad pictures= kindof ok to post, right? These enchiladas are far from traditional, but they are yummy and perfect to tuck into after freezing outside for the day. Even better, there’s only 1/4 cup of taco beef (yes, seriously) in this recipe, with the rest of the filling being black beans and rice! That keeps this recipe nice and affordable. This is also my new favorite way to use up slightly dry wraps, because you can’t tell when…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF7eeiTSkYg] Hey guys! I know, I know… another stupidly late favorites post. Already we’re almost a month into 2017 (HOW) and I still haven’t posted this… shame on me ;). These were my standby favorites for 2016! Beauty: Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick • $26 Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon • $24 Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ECLAT LE TEINT Radiance Awakening Foundation SPF 22 • Saint Laurent • $58 BECCA Backlight Priming Filter • Becca • $38 TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter & Shimmer Compact • TheBalm • $24 Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact • Laura Mercier • $42 Stila ‘Stay All Day’ Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner – Alloy • Stila • $22 Practical Items: Bodum Brazil 3-Cup French Press – Red • Bodum • Bonjour Riviera Borosilicate Glass French Coffee Press • Bonjour • Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Square Dish • Le Creuset • Le Creuset Signature…
Hello! Tomatoes are easily one of my favorite things! I love fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato salads, soups and sauces! Recently uncooked tomatoes have been giving me some sort of weird heartburn, so I have been cooking my tomatoes in different ways so I still get my “fix”. Since I also love pasta, an easy roasted tomato marinara seemed like just what I needed to make. This is a super affordable post which is surprising given that we’re using ten fresh tomatoes, and while you can definitely buy cans of tomato sauce for cheaper, but honestly this was so delicious that it felt fully worth the extra money. I also used a can of tomato sauce to make my roasted tomatoes go further so keep that option in mind as well! Roasted Tomato Marinara and Spaghetti $0.92 per serving or $5.50 for six Ten tomatoes (five romas and 5 vine ripened)…
Hey guys! I wanted to do a quick post about how I make my chicken stock for zero dollars! This sounds crazy, I know, but I take rotisserie chicken carcasses from family members and friends, herbs from mine and my mum’s herb gardens, the ends of my veggies (I freeze them when I chop them up) and regular pantry staples. Even if you don’t have access to free chicken carcasses or herbs, keep in mind that chicken carcasses are food waste you’d throw out otherwise. A rotisserie chicken is often cheaper than a roaster chicken! Not only do you get 4 meals (or so) from it, you can make stock which can be the base of other meals as well. I like to make my stock in my crock pot. I love that I can turn it on and (mostly) forget about it. I put it on high for 4-6 hours…
Hello! This post is an example of how to turn a few strips of leftover steak into an amazing meal that feels both light and satisfying. In the summer I just love salads, meal salads, and will take any excuse to make one! I’m currently trying to grow lettuce outside my front door, but I’m not having too much luck sadly. That said, you can grab 6 heads of lettuce right now for $4.98 and go wild! That’s what I had done when I made this salad. Yes, this meal is just 47 cents off of what I try to eat for on a daily basis, but every now and again a (still affordable) treat should be had. And sometimes those steak leftovers languish and never really live again in an exciting way, so this is an awesome option to do justice by them. Steak and Goat Cheese Salad Serves one…
Hey all! This post is about one of my favorite recipes for the freezer to date- bacon and cheese egg wraps! Honestly, making up a bunch of these and freezing them for myself is one of the nicest things I’ve done for myself in a long, long time! It’s an awesome way to have a quick and easy breakfast that really satisfies you if you have a long morning of meetings or running errands. If you are a non-pork eater, you can easily substitute a turkey bacon alternative. I have even heard of vegan friends making tofu and veggie scramble and a non-lard tortilla (yes, a lot of traditional tortillas are made with lard but not so much for store bought). The trick to executing this well and not having soggy tortillas is to cook everything and then cool it down to room temperature before assembling your wraps. This is also…
Hi! Today’s post is a quick and easy vegetarian dinner option that is so, so delicious and super healthful. This recipe is pretty close to my spaghetti squash with tomatoes and zucchini, but it’s a bit more indulgent and not gluten free. The combination of tomatoes, tomato paste, kale, minced onions and garlic, italian herbs and fresh basil is simmered with parmesan rind and then topped with grated parmesan and fresh basil. If you follow me on Instagram then you know this photo is one of my most liked, and it’s of this recipe! Burst Tomato Penne with Kale $0.80 per serving, $4.81 for 6 1/4 onion- $0.06 ~one pint of grape tomatoes -$2.47 1/2 a can of tomato paste- $0.33 previously frozen kale- $1.28 basil leaves- $0.67 Pantry items: parmesan rind (ask for it at the cheese counters, sometimes it’s free), salt, pepper, garlic, italian seasoning Start by chopping your…