We all know the great reasons to eat at home rather than eating out or ordering in: It saves money It’s generally healthier, because you can control your ingredients and choose healthier foods And you can wear sweatpants for a greater percentage of the evening. You might think this also means that you have to cook a complete meal from scratch every single night, thereby spending an hour or more
EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT: Rosy Blu’s first ebook launch!
That’s right, I’ve broken out the unprecedented ALL-CAPS title because today, my friends, I have a crazy-awesome announcement, and am literally jumping up and down because I don’t know what else to do. And since I can’t convey *jumping up and down* via a headline, I just have to shout it. Not to be rude, of course, but to convey my feelings. You understand. My new ebook: I Don’t Buy
My healthy twist on a classic PBJ
This isn’t your typical “healthy twist” recipe. In fact, the twist isn’t immediately visible, but to me, it makes an incredible difference. This post was inspired by my husband. Yesterday evening Jon wanted something to snack on, so he made himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Before he took his first bite, he said, “Hey! This whole sandwich is made from scratch.” And he was totally right. I’d made
The incremental secret to making a huge household shift
Over the last five years, my buying habits have changed considerably when it comes to household, body care and cleaning products. I used to buy nearly everything at the store. I disposed of all of the excess packaging for each product, over and over. I didn’t question the ingredients. I’d look at my Target receipt with a twinge of guilt at having spent more than I had budgeted for…but felt
Lemon drop sugar scrub (another 3-ingredient DIY using only pantry staples)
Those of you who liked my DIY vanilla sugar scrub are going to love this body care recipe. Yet again, it uses just three ingredients—pantry staples only!—and comes together in about 30 seconds. It still packs a double punch by exfoliating and moisturizing in one fell swoop, but this time, it’s lemony-fresh. I make this one in smaller quantities, since the lemon juice is perishable; I shoot for making an
DIY mulled cider spice bags (gift idea!)
I have a lovely autumn and winter gift idea for you today! I started making these several years ago after seeing a recipe in Real Simple magazine for warm mulled cider. I made it, and LOVED it, and immediately started brainstorming ways to make this delicious hot beverage an ongoing part of my life. I’m happy to report that I have found success, and my consumption of this delicious, aromatic
DIY taco seasoning
I used to buy taco seasoning packets just like everybody else. Never again, my friends. This is just too easy. The recipe below is the result of picking and choosing favorite flavors from half a dozen different recipes for taco seasoning. Lots of onion and chili powder, some smoky cumin, extra red pepper flakes because me and Jon like some heat in our tacos…garlic powder, because I can never have
DIY stir fry veggies for the freezer
We haven’t been staying on top of our CSA produce lately, due to not being at home so much, being busy and being downright lazy, to be quite honest. Remember my post with tips about getting the most out of your CSA? Well, I took my own advice last night and chopped up a bunch of those veggies for the freezer. This time, it’s in the form of mixed vegetables
Canning Equipment 101: The tools you need to start canning
I learned to can two years ago this fall. With a bit of experience under my belt, I feel the need to tell people who’ve never canned, but want to…it’s not that hard! It’s like regular cooking, but it takes longer and you have to be a little more careful of cleanliness. But way, way doable. And I LOVE it. Eating food you preserved yourself is so rewarding, delicious and
How to make homemade pumpkin puree
Pumpkin puree is a staple in my house. I especially enjoy homemade pumpkin puree–no preservatives or extra ingredients, just pure, unadulterated pumpkin. Bonus points if it’s from my own garden. This year is good for pumpkins in my garden. I harvested six bright orange ones by the middle of August, which is super early. So I got an early start on preparing pumpkin puree to freeze for later in the
No more canned beans
I’ve converted! Inspired by this post on Annie’s Eats, I bought some dried black beans and kidney beans. I had tried dried beans once before. I soaked chick peas overnight, and tried to make hummus with them. It was awful. It did not work, and I didn’t know why. Then I read Annie’s post and realized you’re also supposed to BOIL them after you soak them. Uncooked beans will not
This is what garden vegetable cream cheese should look like
Cream cheese, full of actual vegetables from the garden! I harvested the first batch of the radishes in my garden last week, and they are a superstar in this recipe. Add in some scallions and parsley, and a little bit of feta if you’re feeling sassy…the store-bought stuff doesn’t hold a candle to this garden vegetable cream cheese! Vegetable cream cheese recipe Recipe courtesy of Farmgirl Fare, via Herbal Turtle