Homemade Granola

The past few weeks have been quiet and for that I apologize. We've been very busy looking at houses and going to loan appointments which is very exciting but also cuts into blog writing time. I'm back for now and during this new post I would love to talk about our newest obsession; HOMEMADE GRANOLA!

I love store bought, don't get me wrong, but it's pretty expensive for the small amount you get. I also find many varieties have way more sugar than I feel comfortable consuming in a food that's supposed to be "healthy".  By buying the ingredients and making it myself I end up making a whole boatload of granola for a pretty small price as well as being able to control the amount of sugar and the like. I'm warning you now if you're a new follower or reader that I am awful with recipes. I never follow them and I never write any because I NEVER measure! I just go by what looks about right and of course, what tastes right.

To start gather up rolled oats, nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, cinnamon and oil. Seriously, that's it. I used Maine grown organic oats I picked up at my favorite health food store, raw peanuts, golden raisins, and canola oil. I usually throw in some flax seeds too. You could use another sweetener like agave nectar or honey as well and really any nut or fruit you have around. I tend to stick with canola but you could definitely try another oil although I wouldn't recommend olive because of it's strong taste.

Get a mixing bowl and add (these are all approximations, add a little more or less)
2 cups of oats
3/4 cup of your nuts
1/2 cup of your sweetener
1 tsp of cinnamon (go crazy and add cloves and nutmeg too!)
3 tb oil
Optional, 1/4 cup flax seeds

Preheat your oven to 325. After you mix all your ingredients spread the mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stir, and then bake for another 20 minutes. I usually find that the granola is still a little too "wet" for my liking so I turn the oven off and let it sit in there another 10 minutes. Once the granola comes out of the oven add your dried fruit. Again I don't measure the dried fruit I just add until the fruit to oats ratio seems right to me. Once it's cool put it in your storage container (or dive right in).

This recipe makes quite a bit although I'm not sure how many "servings" it is. My favorite way to munch it is to grab a jelly size canning jar, put in about a 1/2 cup of yogurt (local! handmade!), a handful of organic blueberries, a shake of flax meal, and a handful of granola. I throw on a screw on top and bring it to work as my mid-day snack. You could also eat it with milk as a cereal or alone as a trail mix type deal. This is just a very bare bones basic recipe you can definitely experiment to your heart's desire! I hope you enjoy it!

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie

It's too dang hot!

Phew, I have never realized how much of a New Englander I am until the last couple GRUELING hot days. Secretly I'm daydreaming of Maine snowstorms and woodstoves (it's totally sick, I know).  Anyway, with the temperatures so high the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven. So yesterday I cooked up some sesame noodles for my husband and made myself a tomato salad. I thought I'd post the recipes since it's hard to come up with good, healthy things to make on a hot day.

Sesame Noodles (loosely based off of this recipe)
2 bundles of lo mein noodles (you can use any kind of thin noodle, this is just what I had in my cabinet)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tblsp. brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1/2 a medium onion, diced
thumb size piece of ginger, diced
1 tblsp. red pepper flakes (adjust to taste, we like it spicy 'round these parts)
2 tblsp. rice vinegar
2 tblsp. sesame oil
2 tblsp. vegetable or canola oil
sesame seeds, for garnish

Cook your noodles according to package directions, drain and run under cold water. Then mix up all your other ingredients and combine with noodles. Enjoy immediately or chill for an hour or so to let the sauce get soaked into the noodles and for the seasoning to meld. Don't forget to sprinkle on some sesame seeds right before diving in!

Tomato Salad
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
one huge ol' handful of basil, torn
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (If you haven't had this stuff before, you haven't truly lived. Do yourself and invest in a bottle of the good stuff. You will NOT be disappointed!)
1/2 cup of mozzarella, shredded (use the pre-shredded kind, shred the block stuff, shred the fresh stuff, totally up to you)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a bowl. Enjoy immediately! If you want to let it chill in the fridge for a while, that's fine too but don't add the cheese until just before eating. It can get a little slimy or break down...you get the idea.

I definitely liked the sesame noodles but I am not a big fan of sesame oil so I gobbled up all the tomato salad and left the noodles for my husband to enjoy on duty. What about you guys? What's your favorite thing to whip up on a sweltering summer day?

Until next time (and stay cool!),

xoxo Stacie

Week Two

Unfortunately, week two was not nearly as successful as week one. I came in over budget by spending $60.74 at the commissary (although I did use 14 coupons which came to a savings of $9.35) and $10 at the farmer's market. I probably bought more than I would've without coupons but I got some really good deals. Also, this week my husband is on leave so I bought a lot more things for him to snack on and make for lunch while he's home. From now on I'll be sure to shop the farmer's market first then make my meal plan and shop at the commissary. That's my usual game plan but this Friday we were scraping the barrel with bare cupboards and a slim refrigerator. I definitely think that will save a bit and allow me more to spend on local, fresh foods.

But I digress, our meal plan is as follows;

Sunday - American Chop Suey
This is one of my family favorites! We use ground turkey instead of ground beef to lower the fat.

Monday - Lemon Ginger Chicken Thighs (with a veggie)
This week I went through my old magazines hunting for new recipes and found this in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It looks simple and bone in chicken thighs are one of the cheapest proteins you can find at the grocery store.

Tuesday - Indian Samosa Casserole
This is another recipe I found in an old issue of Vegetarian Times. Around here we love samosas and to think of a casserole with the same flavors...mmm...

Wednesday - Mushroom and Onion Omelettes
I figured I'd serve these with toast or french toast (depending on the state of our bread).

Thursday - Bean and Rice Burritos
Mr. Marine requested more rice and bean dishes, so here it is! It's something easy to throw together and I'm going to totally wing it with the recipe.

Friday - Grilled Potatoes, Veggie Kabobs, and Minute Steak.
I'm not a big fan of red meat but Mr. Marine loves it so when I found a pack of minute steaks for $.90 I picked them up to pan sear while he grilled the rest of dinner.

Saturday - Pizza with Green Olives and Feta
Pizza is our weekly Saturday thing. I try to switch up toppings almost every week but feta is one of our very favorites.

So there we are! Hopefully next week turns out better. Mr. Marine encouraged me to think that as with everything, keeping a budget gets easier with practice!

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie

"If you don't have anything nice to say....

...don't say anything at all." That's how I've felt the last couple weeks hence my blogging sabbatical. Things around this crazy household are at a fever pitch with Mr. Marine's EAS date fast approaching. There are some things I am thankful for learning in my time as a marine wife but mostly it's made me want to pull my hair out. With the end in sight we're excited but at the same time scared and stressed with the unknown.

One very good thing that has come out of all of this crazy unknown business is that we are trying harder than ever to save money. During my husband's two deployments I saved like CRAZY (I am a penny pinching cheapskate frugal kinda gal) and we have an amazingly good chunk of savings. With the end of a steady paycheck looming we have more reason than ever to save every single penny we can. With neither of us being big spenders the only place I can find to scrimp is in our food budget.

I am already saving tons in that department by avoiding convenience foods and cooking from scratch whenever possible. Still I think we buy too many extras and end up wasting some food. I sometimes spend up to 100$ a week (that also includes toiletries cleaning items) for two people. That is so unacceptable!

So, to curb all this crazy food spending I am giving myself the very lofty goal of spending only 50$ per week on groceries, toiletries, and cleaning products. To reach this goal I am going to have to embrace all my creativity and meal planning skills. I'll have to shop sales and use coupons when available. I'm going to try to make most of those foods we love (popsicles, bread, popcorn) from scratch. Most importantly, we are going to have to learn to go without! Each week I am going to post my meal list and whether or not we stuck to our budget (or even came in under budget).

My meal list for this week;

Monday - Pasta Primavera
Also a "pantry buster" for that random veggie soup packet hanging around in the back of the spice cupboard.

Tuesday - Classic Tomato Spaghetti
From Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" cookbook. Seriously, if you don't already have this cookbook go out RIGHT NOW and buy it. I have never owned a cookbook where I wanted to try every single recipe. Plus, the pictures are amazing.

Wednesday - Butternut Lasagna
I found this on an amazing blog and have been dying to try it. I picked up a butternut squash at the farmer's market just for this recipe.

Thursday - Ground Turkey Tacos
Using this amazing taco seasoning instead of the overpriced and over salted packet stuff.

Friday - Taco Salad
For this taco salad I am tricking my husband by using veggie crumbles instead of the fatty meat counterpart. Just don't tell him....

Saturday - Homemade Cheese Pizza
With a homemade whole wheat crust. My mouth is watering already.

I've just written out my grocery list and I'm heading to the store shortly. Let's see if I can make it through week one on my new budget!

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie

Bok Choy LOVE

I was a vegetarian for 5 years then got married to the biggest carnivore on the planet and sold my soul to make cooking easier. Honestly, my body was never made for eating large quantities of meat. When my husband is deployed I maybe eat meat once to twice a month and that's only because I have a huge hankering for it that I believe is my body's way of telling me it needs some protein.

So lately for both our health and our grocery budget I've been cooking meat far less frequently. Going to the farmer's market has helped tremendously because it's much cheaper than the commissary and offers many unique veggies and fruits. This week I picked up a big head of bok choy just because I love bok choy so much. I usually make a meal plan but I've been winging it a lot lately because I'm never totally sure what will be there in the stalls on Saturday morning.

Today after a long day at the beach and a few errands both Mr. Marine and I were pooped but totally ravenous. I was going to make spaghetti and meatballs but the meat hadn't defrosted so I poked around in the fridge and saw that beautiful bok choy and knew I had to make it. After a little bit of chopping and a tad bit of stir frying we had a delicious and easy meal on the table that satisfied us both (even the carnivore). So of course, I thought I'd share the recipe so you all can enjoy bok choy just as much as we do!


Stacie's Fantabulous Stir-Fried Bok Choy 
 Ingredients
1 large head of bok choy, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on your taste)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp powdered ginger or a piece of fresh ginger (I was fresh out of ginger root so I used powder)
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
a "glug" of vegetable or canola oil

Dice garlic and onions and place in a large skillet with veggie oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Once the onions start to turn translucent add in sesame oil, five spice powder, cornstarch, and soy sauce. When the spices start to get fragrant add bok choy and cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems still remain slightly crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Yum! I've also used bok choy in meat based stir fries but I feel it stands well on it's own. A great meal to eat in the heat of summer too since it doesn't use the oven. Next time I post a recipe I promise to take a picture before it gets devoured. We were just too hungry tonight!

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie



 

Baked Apples

I don't know about you guys, but I am a big fan of what is called the "pitch and throw" method of cooking. There is hardly a recipe I have followed to the T. Today I'm feeling a little under the weather because of allergies so I wanted something sweet and comforting. So I fired up the oven on this eighty degree day (because I'm insane) to turn some granny smith apples that have been sitting on my counter into something magical.

First of all, get out your small (8x8) casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350. Core your apples (I made three apples because that's what I had but I could have stretched the filling for four), leaving the bottoms intact. I used a paring knife to remove the stem and top of the core then dug in with a spoon to remove the seeds. Now in a small bowl go crazy with the filling! I had a tablespoon or so left of the real deal maple syrup so I threw that in. Then I found about a 1/4 a cup of walnuts I had lying around that I then chopped and added. Then add a few dashes of your favorite spices. I used cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Now get out your brown sugar and add about a 1/2 cup. Mix and then stuff the apples, pressing down with a spoon to really pack in that brown sugar mixture. Now put a small pat of butter on top of each apple, and put about a cup of water in the casserole dish. You can cover the dish in foil if you want, but I didn't. Now just let them bake (about 30 minutes to 45 minutes) until the apples are soft but not mushy. Enjoy warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Or eat them unadorned like I do!

The mixture can easily be changed to incorporate your nut of choice and you can add raisins if you're so inclined. I looked up a few recipes to make baked apples online and I didn't have some of the ingredients so I made it up as I went along. It's definitely a much healthier way to get the warm apple-y spicey gooodness of an apple pie. Yum!

Are you a fan of the "pitch and throw"? Or are you a stickler to the recipe rules?

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie

Pickle, pickle, who's got the pickle?

This summer while my husband was in Afghanistan I went a little canning crazy. Bread and butter pickles, pickled beets, jams, and fruit butters now fill my cabinets. The problem is I didn't realize my husbands insane and illogical pickle obsession and after making two batches of bread and butter pickles (roughly 14-16 jars) I only have two jars left! I am also a pickle fiend and the thought of my husband polishing off the last of the pickles with cucumber season so far from sight makes me a little depressed. So, I thought to myself, maybe he'll like my Asian quick pickles and leave the others alone. I think I got this recipe from an old issue of Energy Times, but I'm not sure.

Asian Quick Pickles
1-2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
(if you're using English cukes, feel free to just give 'em a scrub and use them peel and all)
fresh ginger, a piece about the size of your thumb, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
a pinch of salt and pepper

Find yourself an old pickle jar and wash it thoroughly. Throw in all your ingredients and let sit in the fridge 4-6 hours. Technically, you can eat them immediately but the longer you let them sit the more the flavors mate together. I usually give the jar a shake every time I open the fridge just to keep everything mixed. All of the ingredients are a rough estimate and can be changed to your taste.

If you've never tried rice wine vinegar before you're missing out! It has a subtle sweetness that works great in marinades and salad dressings. I found my husband eating them out of the jar as a midnight snack so thankfully the last of my precious bread and butter pickles and safe and sound. You may find yourself addicted to these as well!

Until next time,
xoxo Stacie