Frugal Granola

56 Inspirations for Housebound Days

Beth — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:38:37 +0000

Post by Contributing Writer, Beth

The weather outside has been dreadfully cold where I live on the Canadian prairies. All this past week there has been a severe cold front hovering over the prairies, and it has been approximately minus forty (and worse) for about 5 days straight. Needless to say, we’ve been fairly housebound this week!

Because days like this are plentiful around here, I am always looking for good ways to keep the kids (and me!) from getting cabin fever. Here is a list of some of my favorite ideas. There is a good mix of parental hands-on stuff and kids-on-their-own stuff. I chose items with the toddler/preschooler crowd in mind, but many of these could easily apply to older kids too.

Tin Foil Exploration.
Coloring. (If your crayons are all in bits, try making some recycled crayons!)
Laundry. My three-year-old loves to help sort, throw the clothes in the machine, switch to the dryer, and then sort the clean things!
Dance party. Get some groovin’ tunes going, then start dancing!
Hide & Seek. Be sure to let them be both hider and seeker.
Try a new recipe, like Peanut Butter Popcorn.
Make/do something from your Pinterest boards.
Finger painting in the bathtub.
Reading stories. An obvious suggestion, but almost always a guaranteed success.
Crunching egg shells
Indoor Bubbles
Playdough. Never fails to entertain my kids for quite a long time. Even my 18-month-old has fun with it (and you don’t have to worry about them eating it if it’s homemade!).
Scissors and paper. My three-year-old has a total fascination with using a pair of safety scissors to cut a piece of paper into tiny little bits. It’s a bit messy, but he loves it! (A great use for old magazines or junk mail.)
Puzzles.
Legos.
Make a blanket fort with tables, chairs, etc. and bedsheets.
Make popcorn. My kids love watching the air popper!
Make a snack tray. Use it as an easy lunch.
Tickle fights. Pretend to be the tickle monster!
Make a ramp for toy cars out of cardboard, couch cushions, or whatever you can find!
Play board games – my three-year-old enjoys Uno Moo and Candyland.
Learn a Bible verse. We memorized Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another” by putting to the tune of “Frere Jacques” with a bit of a creative spin
Toilet paper madness
Water exploration. Fill a sink with water, bubbles, cups, ladles, etc. Pull a chair up to the sink, and prepare for wet clothes and lots of fun.

Take all the cushions off the couch and jump around, wrestling and giggling. Do the classic “pretend the floor is lava!”
Stay in PJ’s all day and have breakfast for supper. Have a (gentle) pillow fight.
Bring out a new toy that you’ve been saving. I sometimes tuck away a few of the kids’ birthday or Christmas gifts that they’ve received to bring out gradually over the next few months.
Give the kids a ball of old yarn from your stash to unravel and play with.
Make masking tape roads on your carpet for toy cars and trains.
Let them help clean – scrubbing the floor, vinegar spray, sweeping, vacuuming, wiping mirrors, cleaning the tub are all favorites of my kids. You may have to “finish” the job, but they will be entertained and staying out of mischief while you get some cleaning accomplished!
Sit down on the floor and roll a ball back and forth to each other. It’s amazing how much my kids love this simple activity.
Do a photo-documentary of your day, with help from the kids.
Build block towers, then roll a ball to knock them down.
Trace their bodies on easel paper, decorate, and put them up on the wall.
Look at digital photos on the computer.
Look at their baby books & show them your wedding photos.
Watch old home videos.
Ask your kid to tell you a story. My three-year-old’s vivid imagination has come up with some pretty crazy tales!
Snuggle up and listen to an audio book.
Have a tea party. Invite stuffed animals/cars/trains/dolls. You could even bake something special for the party together.
Have a fun lunch in the blanket fort. We have been known to serve popcorn with lots of butter and green smoothies for lunch on occasion.
Toilet paper roll bowling.
Write a letter/draw a picture for grandparents.
Cardboard boxes can provide hours of entertainment. Build forts with them, cut out windows and doors, color on them – the possibilities are endless!
If your toys seem to be taking over the house (again), go through them all and let the kids help you decide which ones to keep and which ones to donate.
Gak.
Try some geography. Show the kids a map of the world and let them ask questions. Follow their lead as to how interested they are.
Brave the outside, even if just for a few minutes! Even at minus forty, I can take the kids outside for a ten-minute ride in their new sled, as long as they are well bundled. Rain won’t hurt either. Even just a little bit of fresh air does wonders!
Have a puppet read a story to the kids. Don’t forget the silly voices!
Play with real kitchen tools & foods (think pots, wooden spoons, canned goods, etc).
Make rock pets.
Skype or phone call with grandparents.
Cloud Dough.
Throw balls/beanbags in a laundry basket.
Make pots and pans into drums and wooden spoons into drum sticks!
Plant a seed in a pot.

What are your favourite things to do on indoor days?

Beth is a natural redhead, wife to a pilot husband and mama to (almost) 3 little ones. She is passionate about missions, motherhood, and finding the beauty in everyday life. She blogs from the Canadian prairies about the art and soul of audacious homemaking at Red & Honey.

56 Inspirations for Housebound Days is a post from: Frugal Granola

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Menu Plan {1.29-2.4}

Michele — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:22:37 +0000

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Sun 1/29	Omelets, Toast	Finger Foods (Ham, Cheese, & Raw Veggies)	Split Pea Soup, Bread, Baked Apples
Mon 1/30	Oven Pancake (from Simply in Season), Homemade Yogurt	Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Apples	Sweet Potato Chicken Curry, Brown Rice, Cabbage Salad
Tue 1/31	Egg Drop Breakfast, Toast	Quesadillas, Oranges	Baked Fish, Ranch Potatoes (use homemade dressing), Cabbage Salad
Wed 2/1	Muffins, Eggs	Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Apples	Church Supper TBA
Thu 2/2	Pumpkin Waffles, Homemade Yogurt	Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Oranges	Fajitas, Brown Rice, Salad
Fri 2/3	Soaked Porridge (from Nourishing Traditions), Eggs	Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks	Apple Bacon Cheddar Frittata, Cabbage Salad, Millet
Sat 2/4	Apple Omelets, Toast	Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Oranges	Spiced Coconut Lentil Soup, Bread, Raw Veggies

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Four Simple Ways to Add Herbs to Your Daily Life

Stacy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:27:27 +0000

Post by Contributing Writer, Stacy

Herbs contain powerful properties that benefit the body in a variety of ways. With the abundance of information on the internet, and many DIY tutorials involving herbs, using them can seem complicated.

Today I’d like to share four simple ways to make herbs a part of your everyday life.

Drink Herbal Tea

Brewing a cup of tea is one of the easiest methods of administering herbs. Pouring warm water over a tea bag or a teaspoon of dried herbs, takes only a few minutes and results in a relaxing, nutritious drink that packs a medicinal punch.

Basic tea preparation when using dried or fresh herbs:

1 teaspoon of dried herb or 2 teaspoons of fresh herb per cup of water.
Pour warm water over herbs and let steep for 15 minutes.

For more detailed instructions see this post: How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

Cook with Herbs

Using herbs liberally in cooking and baking not only brings many health benefits, it makes food taste great!

One of the easiest ways to cook with herbs is to add them to soups and stews. Fresh garlic, sage, thyme, oregano, parsley, and basil are all excellent additions.

Some recipes to try:

Lavender cookies
Turkey Sausage
Salad Dressing with Thyme
Raw Milk Cheese with Chives
Cream and Chive Dip
Easy Marinara Sauce
Minestrone Soup
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Use Essential Oils

Essential Oils enable us to make herbal remedies in a hurry. They are also excellent for creating natural cleaning products.

Here are some examples of easy ways to use essential oils:

Add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a warm bath when sick to open up the nasal passages.
Add 2-3 drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil to a tissue and sniff throughout the day to promote calm (or add to a pillowcase at bedtime).
Make a disinfecting spray by adding 5 drops of tea tree essential oil to a 16-ounce bottle of vinegar.

Also see these posts for quick and simple (yet effective) ideas:

Make Ten Herbal Remedies with Eucalyptus Oil
Homemade Air Freshener
3-in-1 Household Cleaner
Quick Homemade Vapo Rub
The Many Uses of Peppermint Oil

My new ebook, Simple Scrubs to Make and Give, includes lots of body scrub recipes which use essential oils to create unique scents. An essential oil chart explains the benefits of each oil.

Take Supplements

Swallowing a capsule or taking a few drops of herbal tincture is an easy way to administer herbs.

My top picks:

Echinacea – Keep on hand to use at the first sign of illness.
Astragalus – Take regularly to strengthen the immune system.
Garlic Ear Oil – Excellent for treating ear infections.
Cayenne Pepper – Great for kicking a cold and improving circulation.

Many tinctures are easy to make, but there are some very good brands who create high quality supplements you can purchase (which makes adding herbs to your life even easier!). The following are some reputable brands to consider: Herb Pharm, Tri-Light, and Herbs for Kids.

What are your favorite ways to use herbs in daily life?

Top image credit

Stacy is wife to a preacher and mom to three busy children. She strives to live a healthy, happy life with God at the helm. Stacy writes about finding peace and joy at home, on her blog: Delighting in the Days.

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Treasures of Health Nutrition Book Giveaway

Michele — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:23:17 +0000

Source: Designed Healthy Living

With the start of the new year, did you make some nutritional goals?

Have you been considering a new approach to wellness with diet, exercise, or other life/home changes?

I received a timely review copy of the Treasures of Health Nutrition Manual from Designed Healthy Living a couple months ago, and it has been at our fingertips for browsing at the dining table. Multiple family members looked through the book during visits over the past weeks, appreciating the quick-read format and succinct reference information to answer nutritional questions.

Nutrition Manual from Designed Healthy Living

I found this book helpful in working through the question of whether or not to use supplements (based on eating a healthy, real food diet). The information provided helps provide reasons when they may be necessary, or offering food alternatives instead.

At one point, I appreciated the current research information on Vitamin D supplements. My midwife tested my blood vitamin D levels this winter. Even though I’ve consciously tried to add real foods rich in this vitamin to my diet, we found that my results were still very low, and needed supplementation during this season of pregnancy (and soon, nursing again).

I loved the analytical recommendations of nutrient-rich raw milk (with its naturally-occurring lactase for digestion), grass-fed/pastured meats, avoiding the “Daily Dozen” produce and GMOs, and using only natural sugars. (However, I would recommend pairing this book with Nourishing Traditions, as I prefer to avoid soy altogether and use “real fats” such as butter and coconut oil, for example.) The author is a bit more accepting of soy consumption than I am, and more cautious- but still encouraging- of the use of fats.

The biblical perspective of the Nutrition Manual is refreshing. If you’re in the midst of transitioning your food choices or embarking upon a new diet, it can be especially helpful to meditate upon the encouragement of Bible verses.

The Nutrition Manual is also a resource for lifestyle information, encouraging healthy exercise, biblical & medical perspectives on birth control, chemicals in the home, and even some healthy tips for pet care!

Designed Healthy Living offers a selection of materials, in addition to the Nutrition Manual book, including Bible studies for groups, a cookbook, DVDs, and more.

Source: Designed Healthy Living

They are offering to give away one copy of the Nutrition Manual to a Frugal Granola reader!

To enter the giveaway, visit the Designed Healthy Living website, and leave a comment on this blog post letting us know what product most interests you. You can also download free ebooks and preview book pages (on the left side). (I’m thinking the free “Daniel Fast” ebook may be helpful if you’re planning a fasting time during Lent this spring!)

For an optional, additional entry, let us know if you like the Designed Healthy Living page on Facebook.

Giveaway ends 1/30/12. Winner will be randomly selected by random.org. No purchase necessary. I received a sample review copy of the book, and this is a compensated post. However, all opinions are my own.

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Sausage & Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Michele — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:26:49 +0000

One of our favorite fall/winter meals is a simple stuffed squash. It’s also grain-free (although, it would be in a later stage of GAPS if you include the apple). Since squash and apples keep well in a cool basement, garage, or pantry for months, they’re a great stockpile food to rely on for stretching the grocery budget!

You could substitute another type of squash, if you prefer, such as butternut or delicata. (Use more or fewer squashes, depending on their size.) We often serve a green vegetable alongside this meal (such as kale), as well. If you do want a grain with this meal, it is good with some rice or a loaf of crusty bread.

Make sure to use organic apples and celery when possible, for best health benefits, since they’re usually right at the top of the “Dirty Dozen.”

Sausage & Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 large or 2 small Acorn Squash, cut in half & seeds removed

Approximately 3/4 – 1 lb. Homemade Breakfast Sausage, uncooked (egg can be omitted, if desired)

1 small Apple, diced

1/2 Cup chopped Sweet Onion (if you have not already added this to the sausage mixture)

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup diced Celery

2 Tbl. Coconut Oil or Butter

Place acorn squash halves in a large baking dish (with the “insides” facing down), along with about an inch of water poured into the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, until soft enough to poke in a fork through the peel, but not too mushy.

Near the end of the squash’s baking time, heat a saute pan on the stove. Melt the oil or butter, and saute the onions, garlic, and apples for a few minutes. Add the uncooked sausage mixture, and cook through.

Remove cooked squash from the oven, and discard any remaining water from the baking dish. Flip the squash over, so the “insides” are now facing up. Fill the squash halves with the cooked sausage/apple mixture. Return to the hot oven, and heat through about 5-10 minutes. Serves about 4.

Variations: Optional additions can include dried cranberries and sliced almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans.

{Photo Credit}

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Menu Plan {1.22-28}

Michele — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:29:46 +0000

I’ve been making double batches of some of our meals lately to put in the freezer, and I’ll continue with some of this week’s meals. We have a busy week scheduled for us, so I’m planning some simple slow cooker/soup-type meals.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Other
Sun 1/22	Cheese Omelets, Toast	Peanut Butter Popcorn, Apples, Milk	Salmon Chowder, Muffins	To Do: Soak Beans, Thaw Broth
Mon 1/23	Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs	Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Apples	White Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Carrot Sticks	To Do: Thaw Chicken
Tue 1/24	Egg Drop Breakfast, Toast	Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Apples	Crockpot Chicken & Veggies, Bread
Wed 1/25	Pumpkin Waffles, Eggs	Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Oranges	Church Supper TBA	To Do: Soak Beans
Thu 1/26	Soaked Porridge (from Nourishing Traditions), Eggs	Hummus & Tortillas, Apples	Taco Salad, Brown Rice
Fri 1/27	Idaho Sunrise	Salmon Melts, Apples	Three Cheese Pasta Bake, Cabbage Salad	To Do: Soak Beans
Sat 1/28	Smoothies, Omelets, Toast	Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Apples	Bean & Cheese Burritos, Brown Rice, Carrots

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Weekend Inspiration {1.21}

Michele — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:24:46 +0000

During our snowed-in days this past week, I was able to catch up on a bit of my library book stack, as well as tackle some more projects, and visit with friends. Here are some of my favorite links of the week:

{Food}

All-Natural Thin Mint Cookies @ Mother Nature Network… I’ve long been a fan of Kimi’s recipes, and am excited to try this one!

{Faith}

Here I Raise My Ebenezer @ A Deeper Story… What are you remembering

{Family}

It Won’t Always Be Like This @ Smockity Frocks… Sometimes you just need to hear that.

{Life}

New Slate, Anyone? @ Simply Vintagegirl… We still have a foundation!

{Home}

Household Project #2- Done & Dusted @ House on Hill Road… Some helpful tips on sewing a nice bed skirt.

{Crafts}

Learn to Crochet- The Basics (with Video!) @ Colorado Moms … Maybe I’ll actually learn how one of these days!

{Bookshelf}

The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons… The newest edition of simple living encouragement from one of my favorite authors.
Making Children’s Clothes… A few fun projects in there.
The Natural Pregnancy Book… Rereading one of my favorites; plus my husband loves the short, encouraging section for Dad.
This Momentary Marriage… A good one for a deep-thinking read.
Block Party– The Modern Quilting Bee… Lots of “wonky” takes on traditional quilting patterns.

{Window Shopping}

Miniature Rhino… Cute embroidery.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

{Photo Credit}

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Burlap & Branches: A Woodland Playroom

Michele — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:36:27 +0000

The “nesting” projects continue, as I finally put curtains up in our front room recently. It is mostly our children’s playroom, but also doubles as our family “hideaway”/living room when the rest of the house is full of guests.

This mysterious green-hued paint seems to change with the seasonal lighting of the surrounding windows. (It’s Mythic’s “Aged Gold 080-3″ and has become one of my favorites.) With the room’s early 1900’s dark wood trim and iron-work windows, we decided to transform it with a bit of a “treehouse/woodland” feel.

Calvin made us (free!) curtain rods from branches he collected from the woods behind our home. (Better Homes & Gardens has a painted version, but we left ours in their original mossy goodness.)

The brackets for the curtains were just pieces of forked branches, trimmed to size (inspired by the Aspen Hooks at Wise Craft). We love the whimsical look of the curved branches, rather than straight rods.

The curtains are a version of the “No-Sew Burlap Curtains” (although I did sew on some cream-colored grosgrain ribbon ties, rather than purchase clip-on curtain rings). I got the huge roll of ribbon off of freecycle years ago, and it has been a delightful addition to many projects.

There is a low shelf running underneath the window shown in the top photo, which holds baskets of toys on top and books lined up on the bottom. (It was originally a tall skinny bookshelf, but we laid it down sideways to be more easily accessed by little hands.)

We’ve had a bit of a “quiet corner” in there as well, for cuddling up listening to audio books and our homeschool music CDs, but it is still a work in progress. I’m hoping to finish up that part of the room soon.

Now, if we could just get around to actually hanging up pictures on the walls…

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Chili for a Crowd

Michele — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:45:53 +0000

This winter, my go-to recipe for a gathering of friends or a church supper has been a huge pot of chili. The meat is optional, so it has been helpful for feeding our vegetarian friends, as well as keeping it more frugal. We like it served with a gluten-free cornbread, and topped with grated cheese, sour cream or yogurt, and green onions.

You could use canned beans, but I always used dried beans. (I presoak them overnight, and cook them up the next day.)

Chili for a Crowd

2 lbs. dry kidney Beans (about 4 cups dry beans or 10 cups cooked beans)
2 lbs. Ground Beef, cooked (optional)
2 Tbl. Oil for sauteing (such as coconut oil)
1 Gallon + 1 Quart of Tomato Sauce (or a combination of canned diced tomatoes and sauce/juice)*
1 Sweet Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cup Sucanat or Dark Brown Sugar (more/less to taste)
2 1/2 tsp. Cumin
2 1/2 Tbl. dried Oregano
1 Tbl. dried Basil
1/4 Cup Mexican Seasoning (or more, if you like it spicier; we do!)
2 Tbl. Sea Salt (or to taste)
2 tsp. Pepper (or to taste)

Precook kidney beans and drain. In a very large stockpot, cook meat (if using); otherwise just saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Pour in the tomato sauce/juice, and stir in the cooked beans. Mix in the remaining seasonings and sugar.

Let simmer for a least a couple hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. If the chili seems to need more liquid, add a bit of water or broth during the cooking time. Serves about 30.

If you have a large slow cooker (or two) available, this is a wonderful recipe to add in the morning, and serve up at dinner time!

*In the summer, when I have a bunch of garden tomatoes or find a good deal on a box of tomatoes at the market, I like to puree a few pounds of tomatoes in my blender for fresh sauce, and add some extra water or broth. Otherwise, home-canned or glass-jarred tomatoes are healthier options than cans. Choose organic when possible.

Optional Nutritional Tip: Remember my suggestion for mixing in some blended-up, nutrient-dense liver/organ meats? You’ll never notice it in this recipe!

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Simple Homemade 3-in-1 Household Cleaner

Katie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:29:03 +0000

Post by Contributing Writer, Katie

Do you want to rid your home of toxic cleaners? Are you done paying high prices for natural/organic cleaners that might not be as natural as they claim? Are your cabinets overflowing with too many cleaning solutions? Then here is the answer for you: white vinegar.

You can make a simple household cleaner from white vinegar, liquid castile soap and essential oils that will meet almost all your cleaning needs.

White vinegar has become my favorite cleaner over the last couple years. It is inexpensive and non toxic, making it the perfect cleaner to keep around the house. I can buy a gallon for about $2.00 at the local market. It is safe to use around your kiddos, safe for you and for the environment.

White vinegar disinfects and deodorizers, killing 99 percent of bacteria, 80 percent of viruses (germs) and 82 percent of mold.

For an added antibacterial and cleaning power, I like to add essential oils. Some of my favorites to use are a combination of tea tree and lavender, both of which are antibacterial, or lemon which has disinfectant properties.

If you use essential oil be sure to exercise some caution around your children because the oils can be toxic if consumed.

I love the beauty of simplification. That’s why like I having one cleaner to accomplish many tasks. My cabinets aren’t crowded with spray bottles anymore; making them easier to organize and keep track of what I have.

Simple 3-in-1 Household Cleaner

Spray bottle
1 part White Vinegar
1 part Water
1 TBS liquid Castile Soap (optional)
30 drops Essential Oil

Combine everything in a spray bottle. Make a pretty label or write on the bottle to remember what it is. Shake before using.

How to Use:

1. All-Purpose Cleaner

I use it for cleaning in the kitchen, bathrooms and just about any where. It does wonders on grease build up in the oven. For a nitty-gritty job, like mold in grout, spray on and let sit for a few minutes. For a little extra cleaning power you can use it in combination with baking soda (get ready for the bubbles of a baking soda & vinegar reaction!).

If someone in your family or a visitor is ill, it is good for spraying on plastic toys, doorknobs and light switches, to prevent illness from spreading. If you spray on any toys that little ones might put in their mouths, rinse off after a few minutes.

You can also spray 3-in-1 Household Cleaner on cutting boards and knives after cutting raw meat. Be sure to rinse off if you use essential oils/soap.

2. Window/Mirror Cleaner

Spray on and wipe off with old newspaper or soft lint free rag. It removes all the little finger prints, water droplets and toothpaste splatters, leaving your windows and mirrors sparkling!

3. Air Freshener/Deodorizer

Spray into diaper pails to disinfect and remove unpleasant 0dor. Spray in the air to dissipate unpleasant smells. Or, for a couple other recipes check out Michele’s and my own versions of air fresheners. When using this cleaner as an air freshener, I like to use other essential oils to make fun scents like cinnamon, orange and mint.

Katie is a dorm “mama” to 12 amazing girls ages 8 to 18 at a home and school for the Deaf in Baja California, Mexico. She and her “hijas” can be frequently found in the kitchen, the garden or making friends with their new chickens. She loves to read, hike the hills near her home and spend time with her girls. In her spare time Katie blogs at Mexican Wildflower about nourishing foods, herbal remedies, simple living, raising her girls and encouraging other women in their walk with Christ.

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