I’m hoping to make more broth each week… I’d like to have a reliable supply on hand, and if I get into the habit of making whole chickens stretch as far week by week, I know that can happen.

And although I love delicious, rich, fancy recipes, deep down I know that I can feed and satisfy my family on much more basic (yet delicious!) meals. Why trouble myself going to a million different stores for a million different fancy ingredients?

I’m still keeping my hair long, after 2 years of purposefully growing it out. I’ve found that, like Aurelia above, I can now wash it every 3rd day and still have it look fine. Even if I take a shower on day 2, I don’t have to necessarily use shampoo/ conditioner. I find that it helps reduce dandruff dramatically too, especially in the winter when it seems to just erupt out of nowhere. Summer might require some more frequent washes, but for now I’m glad I can cut back with good results.

I am sometimes tempted to cut my hair, but I will only allow myself to do that once I am capable (have the guts?) to cut it myself. Haha! So down, down it grows

Yay for your yurt on some land! I am pulling for ya… I so want your dreams to come true!

Here’s to a thrifty and God-pleasing 2010!

Thanks for your sweet comment! Simplicity during Great Lent is such a wonderful, freeing concept. Not always so easy when you are cooking for children, however!!! But thankfully my clan loves lentils, and thank God for coconuts and avocados!!!

But yes, I will certainly share my soups! I’m already excited to introduce white bean chili, cheeseburger soup, and beef and cabbage soup as part of my regular rotation. And since I can get beef bones for $0.50/lb through a farmer, I can make them with high quality broth for pennies practically!

And if we could do gluten, I would totally make sourdough with one of Cultures for Health’s starters; that would be such a way to save on high quality bread!

That is a great question. And yes, grain free and thrifty is certainly a challenge. I could spend a lot less if I did grains (even healthy ones) for sure, but since that way of eating doesn’t really work with my family, we have to splurge a bit and scrimp in other places.

All that said: I try to use moderate protein, high fats, and lots of veggies. We bought 1/4 of a grassfed cow a while back (in early 2009) and I got the entire amount processed into hamburger (including the heart and liver added in!) and I feel like I have enough meet to last me well into early summer at the rate we eat it.

Nora Gedgaudas, author of _Primal Body, Primal Mind_ and fellow low-carber, talks about how we only really need about 2-3 oz. worth of animal flesh with each meal, and to focus on getting high quality fats into the diet. I find when I follow these principles, I can be satiated on much less. I will be sharing these thrifty, filling recipes!

I also must add that by eating low carb, I am not snacking throughout the day and I can often go some days simply eating two meals (breakfast and dinner) without being hungry. I try to remember to drink lots of water and to really pay attention to my hunger and not just eat to eat….so I think all of those things allow me to eat less, but much higher-quality food!

my question for you, as i am new to grain-free eating (my husband and kids still eats grains,mostly non-gluten ones, me and baby dont), is how will you provide nutritious meals with not much meat? do you kids eat a lot of good fats like butter, bacon, ect.? or is your food mostly veg?