Thriftism

Oregano is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. I love that it creates an edible garden while also acting as a repellant against biting insects. It is also known as wild marjoram and grows similarly to marjoram.  Oregano has traditionally been used to reduce fevers and relieve cramps by taking as a tea. This herb has been said to also help with bronchitis, measles, mumps, upset stomach, anxiety, and irregular menstruation. Topically, oregano oil has been said to help with seizures when applied to neck, spine, chest, throat or temples. For tea, add 1 tsp dried oregano leaves to 1 pint boiling water and let steep for 30 minutes up to 3 times per day. As with all treatments, please check with your doctor before self administering. This herb contains Thymol, which can be an antiseptic. As we look to culinary uses, oregano has been using in cocktails as a bitter as well as multiple types of food. Known best for use in Italian dis...

Ingredients  1 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks about five large ones  4 large ribs celery sliced  4 medium carrots peeled and diced  2 large parsnip peeled and diced or 1 large potato 1 Large yellow onion diced  1/2 teaspoon black pepper  1 quart water + 1 teaspoon salt  Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions:  Place all of the ingredients in the pot, pouring in the chicken broth over top.  Cover the pot and set to “Soup” setting for 1 hr (up to 1hr 20 min for frozen chicken).  Allow to naturally depressurize for 10 minutes.  When pressure seal releases, remove the drumsticks and allow them to rest just until cool enough to handle or wear nitrile gloves to protect hands.  Remove the meat from the drumsticks, discarding the bones, skin, and cartilage.  Return the meat to the pot with the other ingredients. Embed

We visited Trelissick Garden on a May afternoon and lucked out with a sunny, semi-warm day that was clear and allowed us amazing views. From what we heard, the views are pretty spectacular year round. This is one of the National Trust properties so it is free to get in and park if you are a member or if you are a member of the Royal Oak Foundation (for US citizens). I highly recommend buying a membership if you will be in the UK for any amount of time as it saves a lot of money in the long run. If you aren't a member, I'd still recommend stopping here and paying the  £13 ( at time of publishing post).  This English garden seems to be where Lewis Carroll got a few of his ideas or at least where the animators of the film got theirs. We loved seeing the tree with the hole at the base and the rose trees and other fantastical sights. Was wonderful for our toddler to play around in the large grassy areas and as with many of the national trust sites, there is a lovely cafe, sho...

Thriftism visits St. Michael's Mount in the coastal town of Marazion in Cornwall, England. This is a tidal island that can be reached via the causeway during low tide or by boat in high tide. Plan ahead if you want to walk as we got a little wet walking back to the mainland. It is approximately 15 minutes to walk the causeway.  It is a National Trust property, meaning that if you're a member, you can visit for free! I highly recommend doing the Royal Oak foundation if a US citizen as you get entry to so many places and free parking as well. If not, it is still well worth the entrance fee to see. This includes visiting both the castle and the gardens. The castle dates back to ~1650 while other buildings can be dated to the 12th century. Saint Michael's Mount is a National Trust property, although thanks to a unique lease agreement the St Aubyn family still live here! St Michael's Mount island is one of 43 islands that one can walk to from Britain. Once a Benedictine mon...

This spicy mint chutney is really more of a creamy mint sauce than a traditional chutney. This being said, it goes great with rice (with or without meat) as well as crackers, bread or even veggies. Be sure to use thick greek yogurt or it will be even runnier than it already is. Feel free to sub a bell pepper or less spicy pepper in place of jalapenos if you're not a fan of any spice (it can have a bit of a kick). We loved being able to use up an abundance of mint from our garden this fall and hope it helps you switch up from the standard mint teas and mojitos.  Embed

This is a very simple recipe that is delicious and easy to make gluten free and dairy free if desired. It wouldn't be hard to transition to vegan as well (cut out chicken and cream cheese and replace with desired alternative. We loved this a a warm fall, budget friendly meal.  Embed

Thyme is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. If you let it flower, it will produce tiny white, pink, or purple flowers that add to the visual appeal of your garden, while not detracting too much from herb flavor. Plant up front as this is a short growing perennial.  Burning thyme can help reduce insects in house or yard.  Thyme has many medicinal uses. Thyme has been known as a natural antibiotic. Some use for gargling or tea to help treat cold sores, bad breath, allergies, and the common cold. It can be used external as a hot compress to help relief chest congestion, though I have not tried this myself. It has been said to help improve blood circulation as well as treating nail or foot fungus when used as a soak. Can be applied to cuts/scraps to help prevent infection or used in toothpaste. People have used for acne and rashes as well. Thyme may help relax tense muscles helping relieve headaches. Thyme oil can still be...

While rhubarb recipes are traditionally sweet or revolving around dessert, we decided to try taking rhubarb into the savory realm. Rhubarb adds a fun flavor to this healthy soup that can easily be made into a vegan meal (just switch vegetable stock for chicken stock). It is quick and easy to make and incredibly affordable, especially if you have any home grown garden produce. Scroll down for a printable recipe. Steps: Put all ingredients minus spices into stock pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add spices. Simmer additional 5-10 minutes. Eat and Enjoy! Embed

Sage is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. I love that it doubles as a flowering shrub while stilling creating an edible garden.  Sage can provide itch relief for insect bites. Do this by crushing leaves and mix with water or saliva and apply to bite area. This herb can also soothe sore throats and may help relieve mucus buildup when taken as a tea. Use caution as tea can be considered harmful to some.  NOTE: Sage can and likely will reduce milk production/flow if taken while breastfeeding. Some also noted that sage may reduce heart problems. It is also well known in rituals and spiritual purification.  As for cooking, sage pairs well in traditional thanksgiving dishes as well as with many meals. It is high in Vitamin K.  Growing sage is very easy. While you can plant either in the ground or in a container, I would recommend ground planting as it is more of a bush than other herbs. Sage is a perennial...

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We walked along the South West Coast Path today near Kynance Cove. This is an amazing spot to hike as well as enjoy a beach day out here. With tidal pools that the kids can play in to clear waters and white sands, this is a great beach spot. Watch the tide times as you can get cut off at high tide and cannot access the caves as the water returns up. There is a high tide path to access the cafe from the car park as well as the South West Coast Path without walking on the beach.  The car park is a National Trust lot meaning you get free parking with your national trust card or Royal Oak Foundation Parking permit. If not a member, I believe it is around 4 pounds to park. This is a quick sneak peak of the portion of the trail we hiked today.  The entire trail stretches over 630 miles across wide ranging terrain all with gorgeous sea views and many historic landmarks.  **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Download maps.me for offline map access and to view your location along with hiking ...

Mullion Cove We walked along the South West Coast Path today starting at Mullion Cover heading towards Gunwalloe. This is a quick sneak peak of the portion of the trail we hiked today. The entire trail stretches over 630 miles across wide ranging terrain all with gorgeous sea views and many historic landmarks.   Link to google map of today's hike: https://goo.gl/maps/HCRvwzMLtzjbe71N6    **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Download maps.me for offline map access and to view your location along with hiking trails. See our video on the app: https://youtu.be/kPcdiUMe1aA   For recommended routes visit: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk   Click on "walks" to search near your desired location. Also has option to search for food, lodging and things to do along the path near your chosen walk or hike.     Embed

Just because winter is here doesn't mean we can't enjoy summer favorites. Whether you buy fresh peaches or use canned, this gluten free peach cobbler is sure to be a new favorite. It is quick and simple to make and comes together in under an hour. We've made this with both fresh peaches and canned with great results. I might recommend canned as the flavor doesn't change too much and it saves time by not having to peel and slice the peaches. This can easily be made into a vegan cobbler as well by substituting almond milk and plant butter (we have tried this as well with great results).  Start by combining peaches, sugar, cinnamon and water in sauce pan. Boil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile melt butter into an 8x8 pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk until smooth. Pour over butter - DON'T MIX! Top with peach mixture. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or so.  Video Tutorial: Printable to letter size paper Embed

Follow along to learn how you can easily make your baby's cherry puree from your kitchen. You can choose to steam cherries, boil in a sauce pan or use an instapot.  Cherries are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Adjust the liquid content to suit your desired consistency for your baby. Cherries are great for making a puree that works well for introducing a single food or adding a touch of sweetness to your combined baby food purées. By making your own baby food, you know exactly what goes into it and can avoid preservatives. We are choosing to start adding in purees at 6 months, but talk to your doctor to decide when to introduce foods into your baby's diet.  For our homemade baby food, we are using organic produce to avoid any pesticides or other chemicals being added to our baby's puree. By buying fresh fruit when it is in season, you can save money on your baby food as well as getting the highest nutritional content. Frozen cherries and dehydrated cherri...

Strawberries are great for making a super quick puree that works well for introducing a single food or adding a touch of sweetness to your combined baby food purées. By making your own baby food, you know exactly what goes into it and can avoid preservatives. We are choosing to start adding in purees at 6 months, but talk to your doctor to decide when to introduce foods into your baby's diet. For our homemade baby food, we are using organic produce to avoid any pesticides or other chemicals being added to our baby's puree. Ideally, we would grow our own, but that adds a whole lot of work to this simple process. By buying fresh fruit when it is in season, you can save money on your baby food as well!  Start by rinsing well. If you're not using organic consider doing a short baking soda soak.  Cut off any bruised or overly ripe. You'll also cut off the greens and core the strawberries. Rough chop your strawberries.  Either boil (cook down) your strawberries without ad...

The currants are ready to harvest!  How to Prune: We are going to show two ways to harvest your currants as well as how to save time by pruning or trimming your blackcurrants at the same time as picking currents. We will aim to cut out a third of the growth (the oldest canes), trim any horizontal branches and clear the weakest currant canes. Pruning is necessary to allow space for new growth as well as creating a more productive plant. By cutting out old and weak growth you allow more air circulation and sun which will minimize disease and promote fruit ripening. Be sure to prune late summer through early spring at the latest before new growth appears. This will encourage higher fruit production. Your mature currant bush should have 9-12 canes after pruning is completed. Fruit is produced on canes 1-3 years old, anything older should be removed. Currants can be harvested by cutting from branches, removing single berries, or pruning the cane holding the currants.  When to...

Join us today as we make our own black currant cassis liquor, also know as Crème de Cassis. This is a simple recipe to create a lovely black currant brandy. It is great for using up extra currants or for those with smaller currant bushes that aren’t producing enough for larger recipes. Cassis goes great alone or in martinis and other cocktails. You can also use the brandy soaked berries for a boozy dessert later!  WHAT YOU NEED:   500g black currants (4 cups berries)  500mL brandy (~2 cups)  170 g Sugar (just under 1cup)  Quart jars or other glass storage  Muddler or spoon  Wash berries and remove stems, bugs, or other debris.   Place berries in jar or storage vessel of choice.   Mash with muddler, spoon or any other kitchen utensil.   Add sugar and brandy.   Stir until sugar is dissolved.   Cover and set in sun for 1-4 months.  Shake daily.   Strain fruit out and use in a boozy black cu...

Walmart was simple to redeem and was free, though didn't have a huge selection.  Let's jump into what's required, how to redeem, and what you actually get.  Requirements: Get a free welcome box after creating a registry.  How to Redeem:  After creating your baby registry at Walmart.com, go to the Register for Baby Box  website to request your box.   What's Included: Huggies Snug and Dry 3 - Size 1 Diapers  [$0.54] Gerber Baby Cereal Single Grain Oatmeal   [$0.14] Johnson & Johnson Cotton Touch Baby Wash [$1.92] Ziploc Mini 4 oz Container [$0.70] Aquaphor Healing Paste Baby Ointment [$0.28] Baby Milestone Cards [$8.99] TOTAL VALUE: $12.57 While this is much less value than the other freebies, it is worth getting as it is very simple to redeem and it's free! Walmart also offers free returns for up to a year and two day shipping with $35. To see more baby freebies, check out our  Baby Freebies  post that compares different regi...

I got Similac Formula, gift cards, and coupons for free! By signing up for Similac Strong Moms Rewards you can get free baby formula, coupons and more. This was a very simple freebie to sign up for. They will send you formula samples, coupons for formula, and a free shutterfly photo book. This is great for anyone who is considering bottle feeding as it can save you quite a bit on infant formula as well as allowing you to sample several types of baby formula before purchasing.  Requirements: Join Similac Strong Moms . How to Redeem: No steps required. After signup, Similac will mail you samples closer to your due date to ensure formula doesn't expire.  What's Included: Formula samples may vary. Below is what I received: Similac Pro-Advance (7.2 oz) [$8.09] Similac Pro- Total Comfort (7.2 oz) [$8.35] Coupons $15 off a $50 purchase from Safety 1st 20% off a $40 purchase from Carter's and Oshkosh  Free 8x10 print from JcPenny Portraits  10% off Hatch Rest or Rest+ 50...

I got $400 of Enfamil Formula and coupons for free! By signing up for Enfamil Family Beginnings you can get free baby formula, coupons and more. This was one of the easiest freebies to sign up for. They will send you formula samples, savings checks or coupons for formula, and you get to choose which formula will best fit your baby - premature, lactose intolerance, and breastmilk. This is great for anyone who is considering bottle feeding as it can save you quite a bit on infant formula as well as allowing you to sample several types of baby formula before purchasing.  Requirements: Join Enfamil Family Beginnings . How to Redeem: No steps required. After signup, Enfamil will mail you samples closer to your due date to ensure formula doesn't expire.  What's Included: Formula samples will vary based on the preferences you select when registering. Below is what I received, but you may be able to select Sensitive, Ensire, Nutramigen, or others. Enfamil A2 Formula (7.2 oz) [$13.66]...