What to Feed Your Baby (Besides Breastmilk!)
You want to feed your baby the best. We all do. As they grow older and begin to eat solids, how can we give them the best start possible with whole foods? If we take a look at what babies around the world, in traditional cultures are fed, we find that nutrient density is key. If we take a look at what is for sale on the “baby food” aisle of the grocery store, we see that sugar, white flour, and cheap processed foods abound. This is conventional wisdom, but is this the best start for babies? Read the rest of this entry »
Organic Thrifty Shops Costco
When one thinks of Costco, one often conjures up images of party packs of Pizzas, insanely huge cakes, and industrial-size bags of cheetos. But can Costco be a healthy, even Organic and Thrifty place to shop?
Functional Hypothyroidsim and What to Eat
Functional hypothyroidism is on the rise, and it effects more of us than we realize. While a traditional thyroid panel may not reveal it, there are many, many people who go undiagnosed with hypothyroidism yet still have all of the symptoms. There are many, many reasons for decreased thyroid function, and they are beyond the scope of this article. However, the goal of this article is to simply share some thoughts on how to eat if you are struggling with symptoms of a sluggish thyroid. Read the rest of this entry »
Coffee Alternatives
Have you seen the new “eco-cup”? It’s awesome! I was able to bargain for one for free at Office Depot (it’s a long story) not too long ago and I love it! Now that autumn is becoming a reality, it’s time to think back on the hot beverages that sustain us through the winter. Although I know I’m in the minority, it seems like we Americans have got to get a grip on our collective coffee additction. Fortunately the stuff makes me feel awful, so I naturally avoid it, but for so many others (and I know you’re out there) it’s a habit, a fix—an addiction? Read the rest of this entry »
Thrifty Fasting (Grain-Free!)
We have come past the middle-mark of Lent, the days are getting longer. Spring is certanly in the air and all around us. The world is renewing; apple blossoms and tulips open forth and the old, dead leaves and branches of winter are suddenly transfigured in green. I love spring. Lent can often be thought of as a time of depravation, especially at this point in the fast…and perhaps, if you’re like me, you’ve slipped up a little bit and had a bite or two of meat (or whatever it was you were fasting from!).
Well, there are a little over 2 weeks left, and if you’re tired of spending gobs of money on shrimp and scallops (oh, the irony!) to try and stay low-carb and nutrient dense, then I have some ideas for keeping the fast in a thrify, ultra-simple way: Read the rest of this entry »
Real Food Couponing
As I’ve mentioned here before, I’ve been really getting more serious about finding deals using coupons, and several people have asked me to try to “demystify” the whole couponing process. There are many, many amazing coupon tutorials out there, and so I wanted to give my personal twist on finding the best deals for Real Food. Read the rest of this entry »
All About Adrenals: An Interview with Dr. Daniel Chong
This week we have the great honor of hearing from my amazing Naturopathic Physician here in Portland, Dr. Daniel Chong. Dr. Chong practices medicine using a foundational, nutritional approach and recommends a diet in line with the Weston A. Price Foundation and utilizes dietary protocols in helping patients heal from a variety of ailments. Today I’ve asked Dr. Chong to answer a series of questions on an often-ignored, but crucial part of the body called the adrenal glands. Read on to see how adrenal health may be the underlying cause to many chronic disorders. Also, coming up later on this week I’ll be sharing Part 1 of Celeste’s Story, a personal journey of a mother of two young childen whose life changed overnight as a result of her adrenal health. Now, here’s Dr. Chong: Read the rest of this entry »
The Organic & Thrifty Pantry and Shopping Guide
Finally, I’ve done it. In an effort to simplify and streamline meal planning and spending in 2010, I’ve made a comprehensive list of all of the foods we buy and eat regularly and have organized them by store, where I find the best deals. I am going to make this into a 1 page document with checkboxes to help me stay focused on what we need week by week rather than whimsical wants. Of course, sales and deals are always allowed, and can be great substitutes for other things on my list. And since I’m “living off the pantry” this month, I decided to really quantify what were the essentials. Read the rest of this entry »
Homemade Bone Broth: Maximum Nutrition for Pennies
Day 2 of the Fridge and Pantry Cleanout was pretty minimal, as we were away all day receiving the hospitality of my dear in-laws who graciously served us lunch and dinner. Breakfast was grain-free granola (a perfect “clean the pantry” kind of breakfast!) with raw milk.
Yesterday, however, I was so excited to “harvest” 10 quarts of bone broth made from 100% grassfed cow bones. After 72 hours simmering on the stove, it was finally time. I always like to have an amply supply of ready-made beef bone or chicken broth on tap for making soups and sauces.
Why Broth?
According to Sally Fallon’s article called Broth is Beautiful:
Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.
Many of us are mineral-deficient, and the mineral supplements we take are not very bio-available. Broth is not only super nutritious, it’s so cheap and simple to make! It’s amazing what a difference in flavor cooking in broth produces!
Bone broth also contains gelatin, which Sally Fallon further expounds on in her article:
“Although gelatin is not a complete protein, containing only the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts, it acts as a protein sparer, helping the poor stretch a few morsels of meat into a complete meal. During the siege of Paris, when vegetables and meat were scarce, a doctor named Guerard put his patients on gelatin bouillon with some added fat and they survived in good health.”
To read the rest of the article, go here.
As for the price breakdown, I have a source for beef bones locally and can get them for $0.50 per lb!!! I use 1-2 lbs of bones at a time, along with the “ends” of the celery hearts (you know, the part you always throw away), a few carrots, and 2 large onions. Oh, and I always throw in a sheet of kelp (the see vegetable) which they say adds lots of additional trace minerals. I put it all into an 8 gallon stock pot and simmer for about 3 days.
Upon harvest, I estimate that I easily obtained about 3 gallons of beef broth, and I spent maybe $1.50 at the most for 3 gallonsof broth! This is mineral-rich, flavor-rich broth adds so much bioavailable nutrition, and enables me to stretch my meals endlessly almost. What better way to utilize some unappealing leftovers then to mix them with delicious bone broth? Better yet, is there any more inspiring way to clean out the pantry than to create your own soup?
Here are a few tips for making Thrifty Bone Broth:
1) Find a source of grass-fed beef, preferably farm direct, and ask about bones. Often butchers just throw these big bones away, so you might score a really good deal! You’re looking for large femur and knuckle bones.
2) Ask your butcher at Whole Foods or other health food store if they can order bones for you. These often come at a very fair price.
3) Save any ribs or bones from steaks that you eat in the freezer. Continue to add meat scraps until you have enough to make broth. This goes for chicken bones as well (note: I never by boneless chicken anymore; not only is it more expensive, but you don’t get the double-bonus of bones to make into broth at the end!)
4) Same with veggies; start saving the “butts” of your celery, carrot shavings/tops, and random pieces of veggies that can become a “stock kit” in your freezer.
5) When cooking your broth, assemble all ingredients in a pot with water. Add 1-2 TBS of vinegar and let it sit, unheated, for 30 minutes to an hour. The vinegar, being acidic, acts to draw the minerals out of the bones so that they are released into the broth and bioavailale!
6) Once you begin cooking, you will see “scum” form at the top of the broth. Gently skim this off. These are the impurities rising from the cooking process.
So, for Day 2 of my Fridge and Pantry Cleanout I essentially filled my fridge and freezer even more with a stash of bone broth…..but I utilized a bunch of veggies that were going bad for the broth, as well as some onions from the pantry, as well as a couple pounds of bones. I still have a huge box of bones in my freezer….I estimate these will get me through half the year at least, but we’ll see!
Tune in tomorrow to see what the menu plan for the week is, as I plan to cook from only what’s in the fridge, pantry, and freezer this week!
New Year Fridge and Pantry Cleanout, No Spend January
Happy New Year! For some reason, this New Years more than any other I feel like I have some real resolve to make some positive changes in the way our family spends money. Don’t get me wrong, we live pretty simply and there are really not a lot of extras around here. But I think the past several months I’ve taken that for granted, and thus been a bit lax about going beyond my budget for certain expenditures and justifying it one way or another.
Honestly, this year has been a bit tougher financially as I’ve cut back many of my tutoring hours since I’m going back to school, and that loss of income, though small, can be felt. On the bright side, I’ve started up a little cottage industry selling Fermented Vegetables in my local co-op, and surprisingly that’s taken off to a good start. Hopefully that can bring in a bit of extra income.
I started to realize that I have complete control over what I spend. Thankfully, we are not in debt (except for our mortgage) and so therefore I really have the power to choose wisely when it comes to spending my husband’s hard-earned cash.
We’ve stripped our life down to the bare essentials (in my opinon). We own a small, affordable condo. We own one car. My husband has a great job, closeby, that provides for our needs and has amazing insurance coverage (thank God!). We homeschool and utilize the local community center for a few affordable classes for the kids, we keep our driving down to a minimum, I stay the heck away from the mall. We clothe our children with hand-me-downs or cheap finds at second hand stores. I make most all of our meals. I try to make my husband’s lunch. We don’t buy expensive conveniece foods. We don’ have cable, home phones (only cells), dish network, magazine subscriptions, etc. Our insurance is low and affordable.
So what is the problem? Well, for some reason we’re still not able to save much money every month, and that really bothers me. I know I go a little lavish on my food budget because I’m a food snob. I have a problem restraining myself from exotic ingredients. Well, this year I’m challenging myself to do what this blog is all about: be truly Organic and Thrifty!
Here is my resolution for 2010:
Work to get our costs down to below my husband’s net income so we don’t have to rely on my odd jobs or pull from savings to balance the budget.
…. and ultimately save for my dream home: a yurt on 1/4 acre with southern exposure so I can have my suburban homestead! That might not be my husband’s exact dream…..we’ll see.
Action Steps:
- Grow my hair long again. Save $40 every six weeks on a designer haircut and don’t worry about vanity so much!
- Starting in January, I’m giving myself a personal “fridge and pantry cleanout” challenge to use every last item in the fridge, freezer(s), pantry, and storage shed until I can see the back of them. I’m going to blog regularly (hopefully daily) about what I’ve made with what I had on hand. I am excited to see how long I can make the food last, and also will be eager to see how much we save in the process!
- I’m declaring January a “No Spend Month” (as originally inspired by Shannon of Nourishing Days) other than absolute essentials (toilet paper, etc.).
- Learn the art of rationing: use bacon sparingly, make almond flour treats once a week only, plan a use for everything, but when it’s gone it’s gone. Learn to live in feast or famine. (No worries, I won’t let my kids starve).
- Simplify menu planning further by creating a month-long menu plan all at once. Or, just repeat the same theme week after week for a month, and then rotate. I think I’m going to try both ideas and see which one works best.
- To optimize nutrition while saving on ingredients, I’m going to be making lots of soups with bone broth, veggies, and a small amount of meat. These are real budget-savers, and a couple of soups a week can really make the budget stretch without sacrificing nutrition.
- My new goal is to create as many nourishing, grain-free $5 meals as possible each night. I will post the meals that are worth sharing!
- I’m going to begin making my own coconut milk using dried coconut and hot water. I mostly use coconut milk for soups anyway, so I’m hoping that this process will save a bit of money.
- Ask every dollar “Who are you, and where do you think you’re going?” before spending it (thanks, Dave Ramsey!).
I’m really excited about sharing my journey and getting back to blogging more about food budgeting while eating real food. Like I said before, my major motivation right now is to really try to get into a saving pattern so that within the next year or two we really can upgrade and afford to significantly increase our mortgage and purchase a house on 1/4 -1/2 an acre so that I can really work towards more self-sustainability. This has been a desire of my heart for a while now, but I know that God is teaching me some great lessons here on my little condo “farm”. I’m excited to graduate to chickens and goats in the near future, and to possibly have more space in my kitchen for culturing more kombucha and such in order to expand my tiny little fermented veggie business.
As always, dear readers, thank you for reading this blog and for your continued support!
Happy New Year!
