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Soup-er Birthday
My birthday is later this week, so I want to celebrate with you all by sharing three recipes this month! Soup recipes are my favorites to make and eat. I love making soups because they are flexible and I can usually put a soup together with ingredients I have on hand. I love eating soup because of the warm feeling it gives me. Below are my top three Spend Smart. Eat Smart. soup recipes.
Five Foods to Eat for Brain Health
We often connect what we eat to our physical health. Eating to reduce our risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Or eating to keep our bones and muscles strong as we age so we can keep doing the activities we enjoy. What we eat can also affect our brain health. No single food can guarantee a sharp mind as we age, but following a healthy eating pattern that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins, fish, and healthy fats can help your brain function at its best. The good news is that the best foods for your brain are also the ones that are good for your heart and blood vessels. Good blood flow is important to a healthy brain.
The Sleepy Side of Nutrition
When you think about nutrition, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, or lowering your risk of illness and disease. But have you ever considered how your food choices might affect your sleep?
Bread Recipes for Busy Seasons!
Homemade breads and sourdough recipes are making a big comeback. If you are like me, you’ve probably watched countless videos or read blogs from people sharing how easy it is to make bread from scratch.
Back to School Breakfast: Oatmeal Pancakes
My kids are starting their second week of school, so we are slowly getting back into a morning routine. It’s important to me that they start the day with a good breakfast to fuel them for learning and after-school activities. One of our go-to Spend Smart. Eat Smart recipes for breakfast is Oatmeal Pancakes. My kids, husband, and I all love these pancakes. They are made using a pancake mix that only requires the addition of water. It’s usually called ‘complete’ pancake mix. For this recipe, you will replace half of the pancake mix with uncooked oatmeal. The oatmeal adds a good source of fiber to the pancakes, which makes them filling and keeps my kids satisfied until lunch. I like to make these pancakes on the weekend and have leftovers for breakfast during the week. They also freeze well and can be reheated in the microwave or toaster when a quick breakfast is needed.
Black Beans – A Pantry Staple
Last week, Christine shared with you how she uses plant-based protein in her home cooking. This week I am doing the same with black beans. A can of black beans is a pantry staple in my home. I almost always have one on hand. With three busy kids, I need to be able to create a quick meal on the days our schedule is packed. Canned black beans allow me to do that. Here are three Spend Smart. Eat Smart. main dish recipes that use canned black beans for the protein.
Refreshing Summer Salsa
Now that school is out for the summer, my kids are constantly reaching for snacks during the day. My grocery list has grown quite long over the past several weeks! To stay on top of my grocery budget, I have been trying to buy less pre-packaged snack foods and opt for items that have more fiber and nutrients to keep my kids full while waiting for our next meal.
Recipe Round-Up: Flexible Ways to Use Produce
Vegetables here, vegetables there, vegetables everywhere! Gardens and farmers’ markets are bursting with produce. You may have some tried and true ways you like to use summer vegetables. If you’re looking for some new ideas, here is a round-up of some of our recipes that allow for flexibility in the vegetables that are used.
A Twist on Tacos
It’s been a month of food mashups here on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blog, and today I get to wrap up the series.
Cool Cucumber Salad
This time of year, you can find a cucumber almost anywhere you go – the farmers market, the grocery store, or the food pantry. They are also being harvested from home gardens. I have a cucumber plant in my garden that is growing nicely and I hope to pick and eat a cucumber from it soon. In a few weeks, I will give you an update on how my garden is growing and share some pictures. Today, I would like to share with you one of my favorite cucumber recipes.
Apple Crisp Bars
This week it is my turn to share a Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipe mashup. Christine and Katy shared main dish mashups, so I thought I would sweeten it up and share a dessert mashup. I used the base of our Cranberry Oatmeal Bars recipe to make, what I am calling, Apple Crisp Bars.
A Fun Twist on Two Favorite Dishes!
This month is all about Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipe mashups: we hope it encourages you to try something new! As a busy mom, I surprisingly enjoy meal planning because it gives me a sense of control for those extra busy weeks. Even though I enjoy it, every so often I find myself in a recipe rut.
