December Challenge: Cutting our Grocery Bill...Results

Well I said that I would post with how I did with our December challenge to cut our grocery bill by a further $130 and I just finished tallying our receipts. And the result? We beat our goal and cut $170 of our grocery bills (both food and other grocery items)! That means that since we started this endeavor to trim our grocery costs we have cut a total of $639.39. The best part about this challenge has been that we are still eating food that is healthy and tasty. 

The single biggest contributor to this drastic cost cutting has been more effective meal planning, and I can't emphasis its importance enough. It requires some time up front but cuts down costs, waste, and stress... plus it's a great creative brainstorming exercise. I am so pleased with how things went this month and we have the freezer and cupboards packed to give us a great start to January. 


Happy New Year to Everyone!

Whole Grain Broccoli Biscuits

 I had a little broccoli left in the fridge and decided to make biscuits with them. These turned out well and Luc is going to have them tonight with some leftover beef stew. 

 














Whole Grain Broccoli Biscuits

- 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped small
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 6 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium nonstick skillet heat olive oil over med heat. Add broccoli and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute until broccoli is bright green and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Transfer to a mini food processor or chopper and process until finely chopped. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry knife or forks until well combined and the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Add broccoli mixture and cheese and then slowly add milk until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl. (You may not need all the milk)


Roll dough out to 3/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface and use a round cookie cutter to shape into biscuits (you could try making drop biscuits and skip this step if you prefer). Place on a baking sheet and back for about 12 minutes until golden, turning once halfway through. 


Makes about 1 dozen.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese

It was a very busy holiday long weekend and that craziness coupled with some cooking misses, means that I haven't posted anything in quite a few days. I'm tinkering with a couple recipes that aren't quite there yet, but until I get them up to par I thought I would post a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese from Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes, that has been one of Luc's favourite flavour combinations since he was 9 months old (it isn't recommended for babies under that age). When he was younger he ate it as a baby puree and now it works well as a tasty spread and a dip for the whole family. 

 









  

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 1/2 oz fresh pasteurized goat cheese (eyeball it)

Preheat the broiler. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place the whole pepper on the pan and roast, turning every 3 minutes or so until evenly charred and blackened all over, about 15 minutes. (I usually roast a couple at once and then use some for pasta, grain salad, etc)

Remove from oven and place in a covered container or bowl with wrap on top so that the trapped steam with loosen the skin. Leave until the pepper has cooled enough to handle. 

Using your fingers, peel off the skin and then cut the pepper lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds. Slice the halves in half again and puree until smooth (a mini food processor is great for this). Spoon in the goat cheese and process with the pepper puree until it is blended and creamy. 

Makes about 1 cup


Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and it actually freezes well for up to a month.

Sunshine Smoothie

This is another oatmeal smoothie recipe that I've adapted from the Frugal Foodie Cookbook. I've been trying to incorporate cantaloupe into Luc and mine's diet (my husband however hates melons) since I learned that they are apparently another superfood. This fruit has concentrated levels of beta-carotene, folic acid, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium as well as some B vitamins and is antioxidant rich. This smoothie makes me think of summer...that lovely season where snowsuits don't have to be wrangled onto little squirming bodies. 

  
Sunshine Smoothie

- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground into a fine powder in a coffee grinder or food processor
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup cantaloupe, diced
- 1/2 cup ice

Throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth and yummy. If it is a little too thick, thin with a little water or pineapple juice. Sweeten to taste if needed. 

Makes two largish smoothies

* p.s. Luc started cry after he finished his smoothie this morning because it was all gone!

Curried Chicken and Cheese Balls

These are super quick and easy when you have cooked chicken on hand (for instance, if you poached a whole chicken) as they require no cooking besides that. And, isn't everything more appealing for kids when it's in the form of a ball? These are great toddler eats, but would also be fantastic in a lunch box for an older child. 

Curried Chicken and Cheese Balls

1/2 cup cubed or shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tsp minced onion
1/8 tsp curry powder
tiny pinch sea salt, optional
3 tbsp wheat germ

Put all the ingredients, except the wheat germ, in a small food processor or blender and blend until you have a uniform crumbly texture. Try rolling into a ball, if it is too dry, add 1 tsp water. Form into small balls and roll gently in the wheat germ spread on a plate. Chill and serve.

Makes about 10 balls

Tofu, Peanut Butter, and Banana Spread

This easy no-cook, super healthy spread is soooo delicious! I used really soft silken tofu because that's what I had, but if you could find a semi-soft silken tofu that would work better, so that it wouldn't be quite so runny for a spread. I rolled some up in a whole wheat tortilla for Luc today and it was quite a mess, but was eaten in record time! This would also make a great dip for waffle strips, a topping for pancakes, or a pudding on its own (I ate some as a pudding). Due to the inclusion of peanut butter and honey, this spread is suitable for babies over 1 year. It will turn a little darker in the fridge, but it will still taste just the same.

   
Tofu, Peanut Butter, and Banana Spread

- 1/2 package soft (or semi-soft)tofu
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter (unsalted)
- 2 tsp lemon juice


Puree in a blender or food processor until ingredients are fully incorporated and it is nice and smooth.

Makes about 1 cup

Pizza Muffins

When I saw this recipe for Pizza Muffins over at Happy Healthy Mama, I knew I had to try them. Not only are they healthy but they seem really appealing to both toddlers and big kids. They turned out pretty well and Luc seems to like them too. Next time, I will cook them at 350 degrees fahrenheit instead 400 and I think I will add some chopped black olives because Luc loves them. Thank you to Maryea at Happy Healthy Mama for this great meal on the go recipe! Be sure to check out the recipe here.