Thriftism

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

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

I love candied almonds, so when I had to cut eggs out of my diet, I was a bit gutted to find out most candied almonds contain egg whites. Luckily, I discovered you can actually make these without eggs. Even better? When you make them without eggs, it actually becomes a much simpler and quicker recipe. I used 6 ingredients, but you could cut it down in theory if you didn't want the sugar or cinnamon coating.  What You Need 1.5 Cups Almonds (raw) 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (we used Bushwick Kitchen Vegan Syrup ) 1 tsp Oil (your choice of kind) 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 3 Tbsp Sugar 1/4 tsp Salt Start by heating oven to 350. Spread almonds out on cookie sheet or baking pan. Roas to 10 minutes or 5 minutes on each side (lightly toss at 5 minutes). Once almonds have browned and smell toasted, remove from oven. Mix maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and cinnamon in sauce pan. Add almonds. Stir constantly over medium heat until all liquid is gone.  Next combine salt and sugar in a bo...

Breakfast time can be hectic even if you are working from home. We started making these egg muffin bakes ahead of time and freezing for an easy meal prep and a quick and healthy start to the day. While we used sausage, you could always add in bacon, ham, peppers, or any other veggies that you typically like in a breakfast scramble or omelet. Besides being quick, these egg muffins are a keto friendly, low carb option that will fit into almost any diet.  What You Need: Muffin Tin 12 Eggs Oil Add-ins  Veggies Spices Meat  Embed

Rhubarb can be so versatile, but most people get stuck at rhubarb pie or rhubarb crisp. Today we are exploring a new dessert with a slightly more savory twist. These rhubarb breadstick twists are great standalones or even better with the cream cheese & strawberry rhubarb compote dip. Watch along as we make this breadstick alternative or get a printable recipe below.  Printable to letter size paper  Embed

Purrrfect for the cat lovers or Halloween or April Fool's Day or any other time - this cake comes together easily and makes quite the impression. It might look repulsive, but it tastes delicious.  It also acts as both the trick and the treat for Halloween parties. What You Need: Chocolate Cake Mix or Brownie Mix Tootsie Roll Midgees Graham Crackers Litter Box (optional) Pooper Scooper (Optional) Printable to letter size paper Embed

I have a friend that absolutely love cats. For her bachelorette party, we decided to throw a cat themed party. We made Kitty Litter Brownies, a Yarn Ball Piñata, worn cat ears and made up this tasty Black Cat Cheese Ball. Today we're going to give you the cheese ball recipe along with a few photos, but stay tuned for upcoming posts on the rest of the party foods.  Scroll down for printable recipe.  What You Need 16 oz Cream Cheese 8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 1 Tbsp Onion (shredded) 2 tsp Cumin 1 Tbsp Salsa Crushed Blue Corn Tortilla Chips Optional: Olives , Crackers , Vegetables Start by shredding your onion. Set aside 1-2 Tbsp Cream Cheese for eyes and whiskers. Combine cheeses, onion, cumin, and salsa. Mix well. Form into a ball before rolling in crushed tortilla chips. Pipe or roll eyes and whiskers. Use olive slices or crushed chips to form pupils and nose.  Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables.  Printable to letter size paper Embed

Buttermilk can bring a lot of great flavor to recipes from pancakes to dumplings to desserts, but for those of us who can't have dairy, it can pose a roadblock in cooking or baking. Whether you choose to be vegan or simply can't digest dairy, it can be hard to find substitutes sometimes. We found a super simple way to recreate buttermilk for baking/cooking needs. All you need is two ingredients. Watch how we make it or scroll down for a recipe.  Embed

Whether you are looking for ways to use up small onions or bulbils from walking onions, or you want to bring a fresh taste to your appetizers/cocktail hour, this simple recipe for pickled onions is for you. We used bulbils from our walking onions (green onions), but pearl onions are easily purchased from the store as well. One benefits of using store bought is that they will already be peeled, but will also be much more expensive than homegrown. While there are many flavor varieties to choose from with pickled onions, we went with a fennel and coriander theme with this batch.  Watch and learn or scroll down for a printable recipe. printable to letter size paper Learn to Plant Onions for Pickling Embed

Zucchini can grow like a weed for most of the summer, making it a great garden plant. Most people I know only think about zucchini bread as a use for zucchini and then get sick of it. The uses for zucchini are nearly endless and here is just another quick and simple recipe to use up your zucchinis.  Another great reason to enjoy zoodles (zucchini noodles)? They are keto friendly and low carb making them a great substitution for diabetics or others looking to cut down calories and carbs. They also don't seem too noticeably different to me from regular noodles.  We use a handheld spiralizer. You can get electric ones that are much fancier, but we found the simple and cheap LHS spiralizer does the trick just fine. In fact, feel free to simply cut thin strips of zucchini if you don't want to invest in the spiralizer. I'm a bit too lazy to do the extra cutting, but we have used a peeler to make lasagna style noodles with great results so I imagine you could cut or grate small n...

We love growing fresh herbs, but often end up with too much of a few and not enough of others. Dill happens to be one of the herbs that grows like crazy. Since it self seeds, we never seem to be able to use  it up. Enter the dill stir fry. This uses TONS of dill.  That is a gallon of dill... So, very effective at using up dill and it's tasty and healthy too! So let's get started. Scroll down for a printable recipe or watch the review here.  Click recipe for google pic printable to letter size paper Embed

There are only so many sliced cucumbers you can eat over one growing season (for some that number might be zero). That's why we started branching out into sauteed cucumbers, salads, pickles and now cucumber soup. This cream soup is great served cold or heated up. We serve cold on hot summer days, but also freeze quite a bit and heat in up for a warm fall meal. Watch as we make the recipe or scroll down for a printable recipe. Before blending After blending Printable to letter size paper - click photo recipe for google drive page Final product Embed

No artificial flavors here, just fresh strawberries and a ton of flavor. We used our Comfee juicer to blend the strawberries and reduce before adding to a simple butter cream frosting. This is sure to be a family favorite and it actually tastes like strawberries! For a printable frosting recipe, head over to the blog. This recipe cook also substitute in raspberries or any other fruit to make a real fruit buttercream frosting. Printable to Letter Size Paper Embed

Who doesn't love mojitos? Ok so this might be a tad different, but you can always add rum and club soda to get even closer to the real deal. Today we're focusing on the healthier side of the mojito and showing how delicious juicing can be. Plus it'll really help use up garden produce as summer progresses. printable to letter size paper Embed

Hot summer days spent soaking in the sun and enjoying refreshing beverages. Why not hydrate and reinvigorate the same old drinks by trying out this aqua fresca? This minty cucumber drink is reminiscent of the aguas frescas sold along the streets in Mexico which brings a vacation vibe to your summer. It also packs a punch of vitamins and hydration with the combination of cucumber juice, mint and citrus. This could easily be transformed into a cocktail by adding vodka, or can be enjoyed as is for a delightful mocktail. Be careful if adding alcohol as it can be hard to detect beneath this minty cucumber citrus combo drink. **BONUS - This will help use up the multitude of cucumbers in your garden. Printable to Letter Size Paper Embed

I hate having to cook before each meal. This is probably why I typically have one big meal prep day a week, followed by heating up leftovers from the prep day. I don't remember to start cooking soon enough and am left starving by the time I think of making something. That's why I love slow cooker meals. This is a super flavorful one that I was able to put on overnight to have ready in the morning, but you could also throw it on in the morning to be ready for supper. Printable to letter sized paper Check out the  Why Buy Dry Blog post: https://thriftism.blogspot.com/2014/02/why-buy-dry.html Embed

We continuing with our fall soup theme this week as we make a parsnip and cauliflower cream soup. This is another very filling and tasty soup that is packed with vegetables making it easy to get your daily servings without thinking about it. Plus it'll warm you right up! This simple soup is budget friendly and works in almost every diet. Scroll down for 2019 costs, nutritional information, and a printable recipe.  2019 Costs Embed

Embed Continue the fall with this twist on pumpkin spice. This is sure to be a new favorite with the whole family, offering a delicious creamy soup with a slight chili style kick. Stay warm and cozy and get your veggies in for the day. Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe, nutrition info and 2019 cost info.  2019 Costs