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(Oops…I spelled Caesar wrong on my label! Hope nobody notices)

I must admit, I was way behind on making my own dressings…over the last few weeks we have been using balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dressing, because the frig was bare of any dressings at all. This is a good alternative if you don’t have any on hand…but then I wanted to post on the topic of dressings today in continuation of the Make it Yourself section of the Natural Living on A Budget series, so I rushed down into the kitchen and threw my favorite recipes together! That’s the truth. Just for you! Save on your food budget by making your own yummy dressings! Store bought dressings are steeply priced and often have added unnecessary preservatives and lots of sugar.

Today…Teriyaki Marinade, Ranch, Italian, Ceasar & Poppyseed Dressings!

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This is the season for cabbage! And cabbage gallore! I have been receiving a large head of cabbage each week in my produce bin, and thus the need to be used. My sister-in-law Autumn suggested we get together and make sauerkraut yesterday. I honestly would not have thought of the idea! Thanks dear SIL! It is oh so easy! Continue Reading →

In my quest to learn to be able to excel still more in combining herbs and spices in my cooking for the best overall flavor and variety, I have wanted to explore more in detail this fine art. My question has always been: what combines well with this spice? What spice would go well with this meat, vegetable, etc? And the list goes on. I recently came across this list of herbs and their uses and wanted to share it with you. I am printing this out and taping it inside my spice cupboard. I hope it helps you out as well! Let’s explore more thoroughly the joys of creating dishes without so much dependency on a recipe!

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We are jumping in again at the beginning of our monthly menu plan this week, so I thought I would share our plan over the next four weeks (on Mondays) along with the recipes. Here are the recipes from week 1 of my monthly menu plan.

WEEK 1 DINNERS

Monday – Vietnam Fried Rice (with vegetables)
Tuesday – Chili & Cornbread (add rice or grain), raw vegetables
Wednesday – Parmesan Chicken, quinoa, baked vegi
Thursday -Shepherd’s Pie with grain
Friday – Homemade Pizza, fresh salad
Saturday – Leftovers or Spaghetti
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Here is my winter monthly menu plan! It works great to post it on the fridge, so it is easily viewable. It helps me to look it over each morning so I can get a head start on dinner preparations. I don’t always stick strictly to it, as flexibility is always needed as plans change, but it is a helpful guideline to have. From my monthly menu plan, I made a monthly shopping list of ingredients needed for the recipes. So I have one menu plan and one shopping list. Have you realized by now how much I love simplicity!

For pointers on making a monthly menu plan, visit here.

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I am all about getting multiple uses with one product! Not only does it typically save money, but it keeps my house more simplified!

Recently, I have incorporated the wonderful natural ingredients of Dr. Bronner’s organic castile soap in my kitchen cleaning routine! This product contains: Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm and Organic Olive Oils (with Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Salt, Citric Acid, Vitamin E. I use it for washing dishes, and spraying down and disinfecting the counter tops at the end of the day. I am also using it for other household cleaning as well.

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More nutritious desserts that won’t kill you! I wish I had pictures, but alas, you will just have to take my word for it, these are good! Don’t you love the thought of making good wholesome desserts? I sure do…that is why I am always experimenting with recipes and tweaking them to make them healthy!

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