Oh my goodness you guys, the Young Living Black Friday deals this year are absolutely INSANE, and they will be available this entire week, all the way through November 18th!!  Items are available while supplies last.

There really are too many deals this year to list, so check them all out HERE!

If this is your FIRST time to place an order through Young Living, then add the coupon code SHAREYL to get an EXTRA 10% off your order!

Click here to look through the items on sale! (There might be a queue if traffic is heavy).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My life has been completely CHANGED since getting started using Young Living Essential Oils almost ten years ago.

I was actually introduced to Young Living seventeen years ago when a drop of lavender essential oil helped my inconsolable 1 year old go to sleep within a minute! But back then I thought that all essential oils were equal so I just bought a couple from my local health food store. I didn’t really know what to do with them, and the lavender from the store just didn’t have the same effect on my little guy as the Young Living lavender did.

But ten years ago I decided to get a Young Living starter kit. I knew after the research I had done that Young Living was the brand I wanted to use for our family and I’ve been in love ever since!

What God created through plants is POWERFUL and created to work perfectly with our bodies. It’s funny that the media talks about essential oils like they’re a “new trend” when people have been using essential oils for thousands of years!

We now use, and teach others how to use, essential oils to support ALL of the systems in our bodies… the digestive system, respiratory system, immune system, etc. They help support a healthy thyroid, support healthy weight management, support normal cellular growth, and so much more! Have you heard the saying “there’s an oil for that”? There really seems to be!!

Young Living has a WIDE variety of essential oil products that are completely free of harmful chemicals and can help with things like:

• A restful night’s sleep
• Arthritis pain
• Inflammation
• Digestive support
• Weight loss
• Minor muscle and joint aches
• Support for the respiratory system
• Bruises and sprains
• Coughs & Sore Throats
• Supporting a healthy immune system (AND our kids!)
• Support for healthy blood pressure and healthy blood sugar (already in a healthy range)
• Cognitive support and focus
• Supporting normal cellular growth
• And SO MUCH more!

I’m so THRILLED that I found Young Living and get to share with others. I SO WISH that I could tell you guys all of the stories that Surviving The Stores readers have told me over the past three years of how their health was supported in INCREDIBLE ways through Young Living essential oils and supplements!

If you’re interested in getting a starter kit for yourself of the essential oils that everyone needs in their home and joining our SUPER FUN OIL Nation essential oils education group, then KEEP READING!

The world of essential oils can be very confusing, so I’m using the commission money that I make from this kit to give you back freebies that will be a HUGE help in your oily journey!

If you get any of the Young Living starter kits below (which is, on their own, are AMAZING deals) then I will ALSO mail you a package of awesome Essential Oils educational materials AND just for Black Friday, give you $25 BACK as either a product credit, Amazon gift card, OR Paypal deposit (your choice!)

If you are ready to buy a starter kit, then be sure to sign up as a wholesale member (with one of the premium starter kits) through the instructions below to take advantage of these freebies!

You can also send me an email at theoilnation@gmail.com and I can help you get started or answer any questions you may have!

{Scroll down for several frequently asked questions!}

*Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.

Am I required to make a minimum purchase each month?

There are absolutely NO minimum monthly purchase requirements. To remain a wholesale member, you have to make $50 worth of purchases per year to keep your membership. But if there’s a year that you don’t make a $50 purchase, you can reinstate your wholesale membership discount by just placing a $50 order.

If you do find yourself making regular purchases each month, then Young Living has a rewards program (called Loyalty Rewards) where you can make a nice percentage back in product credit each month on all of your purchases. So that’s a neat program to join if you find that you *want* to purchase regularly (but it’s not a requirement for being a wholesale member).

Why should I buy from Young Living instead of other essential oils companies?

It does seem like a new essential oils company pops up every day, doesn’t it?

I can’t speak to the quality of other companies, but I can say that Young Living was the only company in my research of essential oil companies that could answer all of my questions about purity in a way that was satisfactory to me.

Young Living was the only company that has their own farms (in the regions where the plants should be grown), could absolutely guarantee that no pesticides or herbicides were used in the growing of any of their oils (they do all of the weeding by hand and do not spray ANY chemicals on the plant – even the chemicals approved for use in organic farming), has their own testing equipment (they do both in-house and 3rd party testing, and use many different testing methods not just GC/MS which only tests for certain chemicals, not whether those chemicals are synthetic or not), and only uses the first distillation of oils instead of adding chemicals to get more out of the plant.

I love that Young Living is a full-disclosure company. ANYONE can visit the farms, participate in the harvesting and distillation, view the Young Living labs, and see the entire process. That’s not an option with any other company.

How will I know how to use my oils?

One of the benefits of getting a starter kit through this promotion is that you also get to join our private Facebook group that’s specifically for questions about essential oils!

The educational materials that I’m giving away as part of this promotion are also a HUGE resource. You can look up lots of things in it and see which essential oils and supplements may be helpful.

Does Young Living only sell essential oils?

The answer to this one was surprising to me when I first got my starter kit! Young Living actually has an entire line of personal care products, supplements, meal replacements, energy drinks, and more! Almost every product incorporates essential oils (for example, frankincense is absolutely wonderful in facial products), but there’s a wide variety of products available.

What if I live outside of the United States?

For those who live in Canada, we will mail the book and labels, but will need to either reduce or remove the gift card to cover the extra shipping charge.

International orders of 100 PV or more will receive a $25 Amazon or Paypal gift card. Many times the only kit that is offered to those that reside outside of the US doesn’t have a PV at all. To receive the gift card, you will need to have a minimum of 100 PV in your final order.

What about overseas US military?

If you are military with an APO/FPO address, you can still receive the same promotion as those in the United States since the address is here in the US.

Please let me know if you have any other questions at all and I will do my best to answer them!

The post Young Living Black Friday Essential Oil Deals!! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

The BEST Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

One of my favorite things to make in the fall is pumpkin pie. I’ve tried the store-bought versions and they really just don’t hold a candle to homemade. AT ALL.

When I was newly married and wanted to make it myself, I asked my mom for the secret recipe, assuming that anything that tasted that amazing had to be a family secret. And can you guess what she told me? (Probably the same thing that many of our mothers said). “The recipe is on the back of the Libby’s canned pumpkin can.”

Really? THE best pumpkin pie that I have ever tasted comes from a recipe on the back of a can?!

I have modified it a tad (added extra spice) and added in how to make this recipe by using fresh pumpkin instead of canned (it’s still easy and just takes a few extra steps)!

***If  you still have some shopping to do this holiday season be sure to check out the best deals available today on Amazon Black Friday Countdown for great gift ideas on toys, electronics, clothing, outdoor, and more!***

My youngest has a milk allergy, so I use coconut milk instead of the evaporated milk that the recipe calls for. And even Ryan, who swears that he HATES coconut, loved it with the coconut milk! I’ve put both options in the recipe below, so just use whatever works for your family.

Now that we are grain-free we have our pumpkin pie without a crust, but it still tastes just as great!

5.0 from 1 reviews

The BEST Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Rachel @ Surviving The Stores

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 can Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin OR 2 cups of cooked pureed fresh pumpkin
• ⅔ - ¾ cup sugar or Succanat® Sugar (I like it a little less sweet with the ⅔ cup, but the official Libby's recipe calls for ¾ cup)
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I add about another ½ tsp. to it)
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 2-3 eggs (the official recipe calls for 2 eggs, but I like the extra protein of adding more)
• 1 can (12 fl oz) Evaporated Milk OR 1½ cups of whole coconut (or other nut) milk
• 1 unbaked deep-dish pie shell (although I love it without a crust too)

Instructions

1. Preheat the over to 425ºF.
2. Mix the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, salt, and spices in a large bowl or mixer until well-blended.
3. Slowly stir in the evaporated milk or milk substitute.
4. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
6. Without opening the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake another 40-50. If you think it's done, insert a knife into the center and if it comes out clean then it's done!
7. Cool on a rack for a couple of hours and serve or cover and refrigerate. Be sure the pie plate has completely cooled before putting it into the refrigerator!

3.2.2807

Other recipes you might like:

Homemade Cornbread Stuffing/Dressing

Homemade & Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole with Crumb Topping

How To Cook A Whole Pumpkin In The Oven

Top 20 Most Amazing Pumpkin Recipes!

The post My Favorite Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

One of my FAVORITE things about the Christmas season was just released… the Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies Schedule!!

Hallmark is celebrating their 10th anniversary of Countdown to Christmas this year and has FORTY NEW HALLMARK CHRISTMAS MOVIES to be released!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Are you a Hallmark Christmas Movies fan?? Let us know in the comments! And if there’s one from previous years that we all just absolutely MUST see, please tell us!

Unfortunately, we are a house divided. Half of us like Hallmark Christmas movies, and half will sit through them only if they can make sarcastic comments {insert eyeroll}. So that half of the house is banned from watching with those of us who LOVE them!!

Are you ready?? Here are all the details for the FORTY new Countdown To Christams Movies on The Hallmark Channel!!

Saturday, October 26th – 8pm/7c
Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses
with Jill Wager and Matthew Davis

Saturday, November 2nd – 8pm/7c
Merry & Bright
with Jodie Sweetin and Andrew Walker

Sunday, November 3rd – 8pm/7c
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
with Kim Shaw and Kevin McGarry

Saturday, November 9th – 8pm/7c
A Christams Duet
with Chaley Rose and Rome Flynn

Sunday, November 10th – 8pm/7c
The Mistletoe Secret
with Kellie Pickler and Tyler Hynes

Saturday, November 16th – 8pm/7c
Double Holiday
with Carly Pope and Kristoffer Polaha

Sunday, November 17th – 8pm/7c
The Christmas Club
with Elizabeth Mitchell and Cameron Mathison

Saturday, November 23rd – 8pm/7c
Picture A Perfect Christmas
with Merritt Patterson and Jon Cor

Sunday, November 24th – 8pm/7c
Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays
with Kaitlin Doubleday, Priscilla Presley, Adrian Grenier, and Chase Bryant

Monday, November 25th – 8pm/7c
Check Inn to Christmas
with Rachel Boston and Wes Brown

Tuesday, November 26th – 8pm/7c
A Gift to Remember 2
with Ali Liebert and Peter Porte

Wednesday, November 27th – 8pm/7c
Sense, Sensibility, & Snowmen
with Erin Krakow and Luke Macfarlane

Thursday, November 28th – 8pm/7c
Write Before Christams
with Torry DeVitto and Chad Michael Murray

Friday, November 29th – 8pm/7c
Christmas at the Plaza
with Elizabeth Henstridge and Ryan Paevey

Saturday, November 30th – 8pm/7c
Christmas in Rome
with Lacey Chabert and Same Page

Sunday, December 1st – 8pm/7c
Christmas Town
with Candace Cameron Bure and Tim Rozon

Saturday, December 7th – 8pm/7c
Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Christmas Love Story
with Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf

Sunday, December 8th – 8pm/7c
Christmas at Dollywood
with Danica McKellar, Niall Matter, and Dolly Parton

Saturday, December 14th – 8pm/7c
Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy
with Maggie Lawson and Paul Greene

Sunday, December 15th – 8pm/7c
Alice in Christamsland

Saturday, December 21 – 8pm/7c
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
with Eric Mabius

Sunday, December 22 – 8pm/7c
Holiday Date
with Brittany Bristow and Matt Cohen

Wednesday, December 25th – 8pm/7c
When Calls the Heart Christmas
with Erin Krakow, Pascale Hutton, Jack Wagner, Kavan Smith, Kevin McGarry, Paul Greene, Chris McNally, Martin Cummins, and Andrea Brooks

Saturday, December 28th – 8pm/7c
New Year, New Me

You can also download the Hallmark Channel Movie Checklist app to get reminders for all of the movies!

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will also have the following NEW Christmas movies this year!

Friday, October 25
A Merry Christmas Match
with Ashley Newbrough and Kyle Dean Massey

Thursday, October 31
Nostalgic Christmas
with Brooke D’Orsay and Trevor Donovan

Friday, November 1
Two Turtle Doves
with Nikki DeLoach and Michael Rady

Thursday, November 7
A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas
with Rachael Leigh Cook and Benjamin Ayres

Friday, November 8
Holiday For Heroes
with Melissa Claire Egan and Marc Blucas

Thursday, November 14
A Christmas Miracle
with Tamera Mowry-Housely, Brooks Darnell, and Barry Bostwick

Friday, November 15
A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love
with Kathie Lee Gifford, Cindy Busby, and Ben Hollingsworth

Thursday, November 21
Our Christmas Love Song
with Alicia Witt

Friday, November 22
Christmas Under the Stars
with Jesse Metcalfe, Autumn Reeser, and Clarke Peters

Friday, November 29
The Christmas Wish
with Ashley Williams and Paul Campbell

Friday, December 6
This Time of Year
with Laura Osnes, Stephen Huszar

Time For You to Come Home for Christmas
with Blake Shelton

Thursday, December 12
Christmas in Montana

Friday, December 13
Angel Falls: A Novel Holiday
with Jen Lilley and Carlo Marks

Thursday, December 19
An Unforgettable Christmas
with Ashley Greene

Friday, December 20
A Family Christmas Gift
with Holly Robinson Peete, Patti LaBelle, and Dion Johnstone

The post Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies – 2019 Line-up Announced! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

To make my own completely homemade mosquito repellent I would use a little bit of vegetable glycerine, witch hazel or vodka, and then Citronella, Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Tea Tree (melaleuca alternifolia). I’d put it all in a spray bottle and spray it on myself, my kids, and our dog without worry!

But honestly, I’m not a huge DIYer (at all!) and I’d MUCH rather use something that’s already made!

I have FALLEN IN LOVE with Young Living products and their Insect Repellent is hands-down THE BEST deet-free insect repellent I’ve ever used!

But, because it’s in a squirt bottle, you have to get it on your hands and rub it onto your skin. Which is not an issue… unless you don’t have a place to wash them after applying and don’t want oil on your hands.

I saw these spray bottles on Amazon and immediately ordered a couple to see if they would work with the insect repellent. OH MY GOODNESS I’m in love! It works SO well (better than I had hoped for) and sprays an even spray all over.

I just filled the 5 oz bottle up halfway with the insect repellent and then filled the other half with Vodka! I always have cheap vodka on hand for making homemade perfumes, room/clothing sprays, and homemade vanilla extract!

The label from the Young Living insect repellent bottle peels right off too and attaches to the spray bottle!

The mist is very fine and even my super-picky kid that dislikes certain textures said that it felt amazing going on! #win

The insect repellent is only $38.95 wholesale, and even with very regular use I don’t use up the whole bottle in one season (and that’s here in Texas where the mosquitos are NUTS). Now with the spray bottle I’m only using half of the bottle so it’ll last even longer!

You can get a wholesale Young Living membership (like a Costco or Sams Club membership, but even better!) right here!

You don’t have to sell anything ever, but a wholesale membership means that you don’t have to pay retail prices! Woohoo!!

You can get just a membership with a basic starter kit for $45 which gives you the discounts (just like you pay a fee to join Costco or Sams Club to get discounts) plus a bottle of Stress Away and a few other goodies…

OR, what most people do, is get a Premium Starter Kit so that they get an essential oils diffuser and 12 different ESSENTIAL essential oils for a HUGE discount! The kit retails for over $400 but you can get it when you get a wholesale membership for only $165 (and the wholesale membership is included in the price!)

It’s totally up to you, and you get the discounts either way, but most people end up getting the premium starter kit anyway because it’s such an incredible deal, so you might as well start off with it!

Once you have a membership, you can buy the insect repellent at the wholesale discount!

Also, if you’ve had a Young Living membership before through this blog, but haven’t ordered within the past year, no worries! Just text “Reactivate” to 281-410-1488 and I’ll step you through how to reactivate again so that you can grab the insect repellent!

Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

The post Homemade Mosquito Repellent – Deet-Free Spray that WORKS! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

You guys probably know by now that I am a HUGE fan of Coconut Oil. I use it in my homemade tortillas, as a deodorant, to pop popcorn, in baking, and as a moisturizer.

For those who may not be familiar with coconut oil, it changes consistency based on the temperature. So if the temp in the house (or the pantry) is BELOW 76 degrees then the coconut oil will remain solid. If it’s HIGHER than 76 degrees it starts to turn into a liquid. Even here in Texas our coconut oil is fine most of the year. We keep the temperature during the fall, winter, and spring in our house at a place where my coconut oil is either completely hard, or just soft enough to be able to scoop it out easily (when it’s hard you can just put it in some warm water for a minute or so).

Follow me on Pinterest!

But then summer comes around. And it is HOT here in Texas. First off, we don’t want our electricity bill to be through the roof, so we don’t turn the air way down during the day (it stays on 78). And secondly, even if we did turn it down it probably wouldn’t get down below 77 in the house because it is just SO HOT OUTSIDE and the air conditioner would be running constantly just to get it down below 78!

And what happens? My nice white jar of coconut oil turns into a pool of liquid. Which is actually great for baking, but not so great for using it as a skin moisturizer. I mean… it WORKS as a moisturizer when it’s a liquid, but it’s just a lot easier to put on your skin when it’s in a firmer state.

So, what should us southerners do?

Whip it!! You know, the same way that you would make whipped cream? Just like cream stays at a better consistency to spread when it’s whipped – SO DOES COCONUT OIL! Who knew?!

NOTE: This will likely NOT work with the Louanna brand of coconut oil.  This is the brand we typically use and have had good results with it.  The oil also needs to be solid for it to whip.

Coconut Oil Body Butter

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

1 from 1 review

• Author: Surviving The Stores

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Make homemade WHIPPED body butter with just two ingredients!

---

Ingredients

Coconut oil (*not* the runny kind)

Essential oils

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Put the hardened coconut oil in your mixer with the whipping attachment.

Mix at the highest setting for about 10 minutes (or until it is whipped very very well).

Towards the end of the process, add in your 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils.

That’s it!

Now keep in mind that your skin is typically 98.6 degrees.  So as soon as that coconut oil comes into contact with your skin (no matter what state it’s in) it will turn to liquid very quickly.  But this process makes it SO much easier to put on in the summer.  And you still get the benefit of using a moisturizer where you know every single ingredient that goes into it!  

It has been WONDERFUL for my dry & cracked heels on my feet (anyone else get dry heels during the summer?) I just apply this every night before bed and my heels are nice and smooth again.  I’ve also just started putting it every night on my knees to get rid of those darker/rougher patches and they have already started to clear up.

I just have the mixture in a little mason jar by my bed and it stays perfectly creamy and smooth all the time.

Join Us On Pinterest & Facebook For More Natural Remedies & Healthy Living Tips!

Follow Rachel Holland SurvivingTheStores.com’s board Natural Remedies & Healthy Living! on Pinterest.

Related Articles:

• Homemade Mosquito Repellant
• Homemade Carpet Cleaner Shampoo
• Homemade Non-Toxic Cleaners

Follow my Essential Oils Pinterest board below!

Follow Rachel @ SurvivingTheStores.com’s board How To Use Essential Oils! on Pinterest.

The post Homemade Coconut Oil Body Butter Recipe! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

But it didn’t occur to me for the longest time to use my [easyazon_link identifier=”B004P2NG0K” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]crockpot[/easyazon_link] for that other time when I am out of the kitchen – night time! Yep, breakfast cooking while I sleep seems like a serious mama win!

I like to use this Egg Casserole recipe for mornings when we have to get up and out really early. Everyone gets a solid breakfast and I have one less thing to do in the mad rush to get us all ready to go.

As I created this recipe, I made sure to keep it low carb and gluten free so that everyone in the family could enjoy it! Crockpot Egg Casserole is very flavorful thanks to the sausage and multiple cheeses. Be aware that eggs do cook a little differently in the crockpot, more smooth and almost custard-like.

I think you will like waking up to a hot breakfast just as much as I do!

THM-FRIENDLY: For those who are following the Trim Healthy Mama plan, this recipe would be classified as an “S”

Crockpot Egg Casserole Recipe - Gluten-Free!

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 20 mins

 

Throw this delicious egg casserole into the crockpot at night and wake up to breakfast ready to go! This recipe works great for those on gluten free, low carb and Trim Healthy Mama diets!

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Crockpot

Cuisine: Breakfast

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground breakfast sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1¼ cups cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 12 eggs
• ¼ cup cream
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 c mozzarella

Instructions

1. Sautee sausage with onion, pepper and garlic until the meat is browned.
2. Combine meat/peppers with all other ingredients except mozzarella.
3. Lightly grease crockpot insert.
4. Pour egg mixture into crockpot.
5. Sprinkle mozzarella over top.
6. Cook on low for 6 hours (may take longer in older crockpots)

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Crockpot Egg Casserole Recipe – Gluten-Free! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

One of my favorite things about Chicken Taco Meat is how flexible a dish it is. I sometimes serve it with tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese for chicken tacos. Other times I serve it on lettuce (with the fixings!) for a delicious chicken taco salad. I have even included it in casseroles.

For fix-your-own tacos and salads, I like to put out:

• shredded Chicken Taco Meat
• lettuce (cut large for salads or shredded for tacos)
• chopped tomatoes
• chopped avocado
• diced onions
• shredded cheese
• chopped cilantro
• sour cream
• salsa
• tortillas (for tacos!)

I like to bake my Chicken Taco Meat in the oven, because I think the flavors are more intense, but I have also made it in the [easyazon_link identifier=”B004P2NG0K” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]crockpot[/easyazon_link]. If you prefer to use a crockpot, just cook it for four hours on high, then shred the meat.

Gluten Free Chicken Taco Meat Recipe - Low Carb & Grain Free!

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Chicken Taco Meat is gluten free, low carb and grain free! Tastes amazing on a big salad - add to lettuce along with tomatoes, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Or put out tortillas and make chicken tacos!

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 chicken breasts
• ½ cup chicken stock
• (optional: use 3 T pre-made taco seasoning instead of above spices)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Combine all spices in a small bowl.
3. Place chicken breasts on baking pan.
4. Sprinkle most of the spices on the chicken breasts.
5. Pour chicken stock gently over spiced meat.
6. Sprinkle remaining spices on chicken breasts.
7. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until meat reaches 165°
8. Shred meat with two forks and serve with taco fixings.

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Gluten Free Chicken Taco Meat Recipe – Low Carb & Grain Free! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

In addition to the regular sale cycles of everyday items, there are a few items that go majorly on sale during certain months of the year.

What’s On Sale In March

Here’s what’s likely going to be on sale for SUPER low prices this month:

• Frozen Foods – It’s frozen foods month and most grocery stores will have great deals on frozen foods!  If it’s frozen, it’s likely going on sale this month!

• Spring Cleaning Items (there will be lots of deals on household cleaners, or you can beat even the sales prices by making your own cleaners with just 4 items!) 

• Spring Flowers

• Anything St. Patrick’s Day related (like corned beef & cabbage, and then decorations will be on clearance afterwards)

• Party food for March Madness (like chips, sodas, dips, party trays, etc.)

• Winter clothing! Now’s a great time to buy for next winter.

In-Season Produce For March:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus 
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower (have you tried Roasted Cauliflower – it’s SO GOOD!!)
• Celery
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Lemons (lemons have so many great uses!)
• Lettuce
• Limes
• Mangos
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Pineapples
• Rhubarb
• Spinach
• Strawberries (see how to freeze strawberries here!)

To see the list of what’s on sale throughout the year, plus an explanation of how sales cycles work, check out my post on Grocery Store Sales Cycles! Like Surviving The Stores on Facebook & Pinterest for more great frugal tips!

Follow Me On Pinterest!

The post What’s On Sale In March? first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Because I am trying to stick to a healthy diet ([easyazon_link identifier=”0988775115″ locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Trim Healthy Mama[/easyazon_link] is amazing!) I use [easyazon_link identifier=”B000Z978SS” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]erythritol[/easyazon_link] with a sprinkle of [easyazon_link identifier=”B000MGWEZQ” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]stevia[/easyazon_link] as my sweetener. Other low carb options include [easyazon_link identifier=”B007729RBC” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]xylitol[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B004LSGEXY” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Truvia[/easyazon_link] or [easyazon_link identifier=”B00Q4OL47O” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Sweet Blend[/easyazon_link]. You can use any sweetener you like of course, including sugar if you prefer.

Unlike baked cheesecake, which uses eggs to help the cheesecake mixture set up, this recipe uses [easyazon_link identifier=”B007Y3HM5C” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]gelatin[/easyazon_link]. The recipe is simple and quick to mix up – just be sure to leave time for your jars to chill in the fridge.

Strawberry cheesecake jars are great to have on hand for when you are on the go too! I love being able to pop a little cheesecake jar in my lunch cooler on days we are running around. It helps me resist those pretty but not-so-good-for-me baked treats at the store!

THM-FRIENDLY: For those who are doing the Trim Healthy Mama plan, this recipe works very well with THM. This recipe would be classified as an “S”

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe in a Jar! Low Carb & THM!

 

Print

Prep time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours

 

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe in Mason Jars - DELICIOUS and easy to make and take! Low Carb and Trim Healthy Mama "S" friendly!

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• .25 oz envelope unflavored gelatin
• ½ cup sweetener (I use erythritol with a little stevia added)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 8 oz packages low fat cream cheese (softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 lb strawberries
• optional sweetener for strawberries

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir together gelatin and sweetener.
2. Add boiling water and stir well until gelatin and sweetener are dissolved.
3. Beat cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy and smooth.
4. Slowly add gelatin liquid while continuing to beat.
5. Put bowl in refrigerator and set timer for 15 minutes.
6. Stir well at 15 minutes, and reset timer for another 15 minutes.
7. Repeat one more time for a total of 45 minutes of chilling and three stirrings.
8. Spoon cheesecake mixture into eight 4 oz Mason jars.
9. Put lids on jars and chill in refrigerator for three hours.
10. While cheesecake jars are chilling, wash and chop strawberries (16 - about 2 per jar)
11. (optional) If strawberries aren't sweet enough, put chopped berries in a bowl, sprinkle with a little sweetener and stir.
12. After three hours, top cheesecake in each jar with chopped strawberries and serve!

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe in a Jar! Low Carb & THM! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Several years ago we had a friend who was gluten-free. I remember asking her, “what in the world do you eat??” And when people find out that Ryan and I are grain-free, that’s always the first question that they ask us as well.

We eat, and we eat plenty! I laugh every time I think about my question to my friend. Were grains really *that* big of a part of our diet??

So I thought I’d share some (10 to be exact) of my favorite places to find amazing grain-free and/or Paleo recipes.

Grain-Free

A grain-free diet would exclude all of the following:

Wheat, Rye, Barley, Bran, Bulgur, Couscous, Farina, Kamut, Orzo, Semolina, Sorghum, Spelt, Corn, Rice, Oats, Millet, Beer

Paleo

A “Paleo” diet excludes all of the following:

All grains listed in a grain-free diet, dairy, refined sugars, legumes (beans, peas, and peanuts), and potatoes

Ryan and I are somewhere in between these two. We are both completely grain-free and we both don’t eat regular white potatoes. Ryan would align more with the Paleo diet (very very minimal dairy, no refined sugar at all, and no sweet potatoes) but he still eats legumes (and so do I).

Whether you’re grain-free, paleo, or somewhere in between, hopefully these resources can help you as much as they’ve helped us!

1. Against All Grain Cookbook

Woah, I can have crepes!? Pies!? Scones!? Chips!?!? Pretty much all of the things that I thought I would be giving up forever can be made for grain-free or Paleo lifestyles. There’s a reason this book is a New York Times Bestseller. Every recipe I’ve tried is incredible and the pictures are phenomenal (and there’s a huge full-page photo for EVERY recipe). Danielle Walker completely changed her life and healed an autoimmune disease through her grain-free lifestyle.

2. Against All Grain Blog

In addition to her book, Danielle also has a blog with more great photos and recipes! I also highly recommend reading her before and after story!

3. The Paleo Mom

The Paleo Mom is the author of The Paleo Approach and is a huge online resource not only for Paleo recipes but also for lots of different Paleo resources like paleo ingredients to always have on hand, how to eat Paleo with kids, Paleo struggles, and more! Sarah also has a huge section for how to treat Autoimmune diseases with a Paleo diet.

4. Trim Healthy Mama

It’s not often that I spend $35 on a book. In fact, I don’t know if I had EVER spent $35 on a book until I finally was convinced to buy this one. And it has been worth every penny. Not only have I lost a lot of weight that I thought was unlosable (that’s a word, right?) by using the principles in the book, but I now have a great collection of recipes that go along with my grain-free lifestyle (the book is half a recipe book, and half understanding-how-our-bodies-work book). Trim Healthy Mama isn’t specifically grain-free or Paleo (they incorporate a few sprouted grains) but a majority of their recipes are grain-free.

5. Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

While Lynn’s focus is primarily gluten-free living, she has a ton of great recipes that are also grain-free or that could be adapted to be grain-free.

6. Nourishing Traditions

Sally Fallon’s book of traditional cooking is one of my favorites! It’s not a “grain-free” or “paleo” cookbook, but so many of the recipes and cooking traditions covered in this book are helpful to know for general healthy living. There aren’t many cookbooks that I think are must-haves, but this one and Against All Grain are the two that I think should be in every kitchen.

7. Paleo On A Budget

I recently ran across the Paleo On A Budget blog and just love the heart and message behind it! Liz shares her weekly menu plans and shopping trips to show that living a Paleo lifestyle doesn’t have to break the bank.

8. Kalyn’s Kitchen

Kalyn’s Kitchen is another blog that isn’t necessarily grain-free, but she focuses heavily on low-glycemic foods which ends up being a lot of great grain-free recipes! A lot of her recipes are geared towards difference phases of the South Beach Diet Phase 1 (which would exclude most grains).

9. Elana’s Pantry

Elana’s website is a huge resource of recipes for breakfast, bread, snacks, soup, salads, dinner, veggies, condiments, desserts and more! She also has a Paleo cookbook that looks great and has great reviews too!

Follow Rachel Holland SurvivingTheStores.com’s board Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, OR Paleo Recipes! on Pinterest.

10. Our Grain-Free/Paleo/Gluten-Free Pinterest Board

We have a wonderful group of bloggers who contribute to our Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, and/or Paleo Recipes Pinterest Board! Just click on the board above to follow it!

**If you are a blogger who would like to contribute your recipes to our Pinterest board, feel free to send me an email through our contact form with your Pinterest email address. **

If you want more healthy living tips, recipes, & natural remedies, you can sign up for our FREE Healthy Living newsletter here!

For those of you who are also grain-free or Paleo, what are your favorite resources? Feel free to share your favorite online resources or books that you think are must-haves!

The post Top 10 Places To Find Paleo & Grain-Free Recipes!! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

While I love to make elaborate meals, I have three children who keep me running. There are plenty of nights when I need to keep dinner very simple! Those are the nights I often put casseroles on my menu plan.

I have been trying (roughly) to follow the [easyazon_link identifier=”0988775115″ locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Trim Healthy Mama[/easyazon_link] eating plan. This recipe for Mexican Turkey Spinach Casserole was created when I decided to adapt another recipe to be “E” meal friendly (low fat, high protein, moderate carbs.)

The cream cheese and taco seasoning combine with spinach and tomatoes to make a nice sauce for the turkey. I like to steam brown rice in a [easyazon_link identifier=”B007WQ9YNO” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]rice cooker[/easyazon_link] to serve with Mexican Turkey Spinach Casserole. A sprinkle of cilantro on top adds the perfect final touch!

Mexican Turkey Spinach Casserole Recipe - Gluten-Free!

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Mexican Turkey Spinach Casserole is low fat and full of protein! This recipe is gluten free, and would work as an "E" dish on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• ½ cup onion
• 1 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese (softened)
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles (drained)
• coconut oil spray
• cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Saute turkey and onion in pan until meat is cooked.
3. In large bowl, combine cooked turkey, drained spinach, softened cream cheese, taco seasoning and tomatoes. Stir well.
4. Lightly spray a 2½ qt casserole dish with coconut oil.
5. Pour turkey mixture into dish and cover with foil.
6. Bake until heated through and bubbling, about 40 minutes.
7. Serve with cilantro sprinkled on top.
8. Delicious served over brown rice!

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Mexican Turkey Spinach Casserole Recipe – Gluten-Free! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

The answer is very simple – don’t overcook it! I saute my zucchini noodles over very high heat, very quickly – basically stir frying them.

These zucchini noodles are a great alternative to pasta for those who are eating gluten free or low carb. When cooked al dente (cooked but still firm,) zucchini noodles hold up well enough to even handle sauce.

I love to eat zucchini noodles fresh out of the pan, with no addition other than parmesan. My kids eat them happily and even fight over who gets to use our spiralizer. If you don’t have a [easyazon_link identifier=”B0007Y9WHQ” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]spiralizer[/easyazon_link], you might want to look into a [easyazon_link identifier=”B00JVSVMJU” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]mandoline[/easyazon_link]. Our spiralizer has been well worth the investment.

THM-FRIENDLY: For those who are doing the [easyazon_link identifier=”0988775115″ locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Trim Healthy Mama[/easyazon_link] plan, this recipe works very well with THM. This recipe would be classified as an “S.”

Gluten-Free Zucchini Noodles Recipe - Grain-Free, Low Carb, & THM!

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

11 mins

 

This Gluten-Free Zucchini Noodles Recipe is grain-free, low carb, & Trim Healthy Mama (S) friendly! Great substitute for pasta, cooks up in just one minute!

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Side Dish

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, peeled crushed or minced

Instructions

1. Wash zucchini and slice off ends.
2. Create zucchini strands with spiralizer or mandoline.
3. Preheat pan on high and melt butter to cover bottom of pan.
4. Working quickly, place crushed garlic and zucchini in very hot pan.
5. Stir continuously for about 1 minute.
6. Remove from pan immediately and place on plate.
7. Do not overcook! Zucchini should be al dente.
8. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese or your favorite sauce.

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Gluten-Free Zucchini Noodles Recipe – Grain-Free, Low Carb, & THM! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

My friend Erin has created a complete plan with everything that you need to make 20 gluten-free meals in your crock-pot for under $150. And you can get all of the ingredients at your local Costco store!

Keep in mind that the Costco prices included in the plan are the prices here in Texas, so they might vary a little by region.  You can see a full list of current Costco prices on our Costco price list page!

All you need to assemble all of the freezer cooking bags is 2 hours on the weekend. In that two hours you can put together EVERYTHING that you need for a month’s worth of weekday dinners. Then each day throughout the month, just take out the freezer bag that you already prepared and dump it into the crockpot in the morning! Super easy!

Here’s what it ends up looking like!

I’ve actually been looking for a new slow cooker (mine finally bit the dust this year), so I’m looking at getting this one here that Erin highly recommends.

Erin has made the whole process super easy and has put everything you need together in a downloadable package!

Here’s everything that comes in the package:

(1) Printable Assembly Instructions – step by step guide to pulling all these meals together and into the freezer

(2) Printable Assembly Cards – so you don’t forget any ingredients in each bag

(3) Printable Labels – you can print these out onto Avery #6874 label paper and stick them to your plastic baggies or containers.

(4) Exclusive Access to the 3 Instructional Assembly Videos – Erin takes you through ALL two hours of assembling your meals!

(5) Recipe List & Grocery List!

The recipes included sound amazing too!

Recipe List

Each pack in this plan is DOUBLED. The ten meals in the meal plan make 20 packs total and each pack serves a family of 4.

• Slow Cooker Chicken with Apples & Rosemary
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples & Sweet Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Curry
• Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken & Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Sausage, Peppers, Onions
• Slow Cooker Italian Stew Roast
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken & Sausage Stew

You get ALL of this (all of the videos, cards, labels, plan, price sheet, shopping list, and more) for just $5!

And this plan will save you a lot more than $5!

If you just want the recipe and grocery list, then you can get those for just $2.49 here, but you miss out on the assembly instructions, videos, labels, and all of the other benefits of the full package!

The post 20 Gluten-Free Crock-Pot Freezer Meals At Costco For Under $150! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

In our house everyone’s day starts better when we have some protein for breakfast. I like knowing what I am putting into our bodies, so I prefer to make sausage from scratch instead of buying it at the store. Cooking from scratch can be a real money saver too!

In fact, I first learned how to make breakfast sausage because we were blessed with a mother’s budgeting dream – free meat! We live out in the country, and in our area the wild hog population is dangerously high (hogs are very destructive!) One day a friend brought us some hog meat, and my sausage making career was begun.

With some ground pork and a few [easyazon_link identifier=”B004165MWA” locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]spices[/easyazon_link], in no time you will have sausage too!

I make my breakfast sausage into patties if I want to fry it up in a [easyazon_link identifier=”B00G2XGC88″ locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]pan[/easyazon_link] and serve it with eggs or fruit. Sometimes I just brown the sausage crumbles to add to an egg casserole or omelet. You could even put it on pizza! If you like your breakfast sausage a bit sweet just add the optional sweetener.

THM-FRIENDLY: For those who are doing the [easyazon_link identifier=”0988775115″ locale=”US” tag=”survthestor-20″]Trim Healthy Mama[/easyazon_link] plan, this recipe works very well with THM. Breakfast sausage would be classified as an “S.”

Gluten-Free Breakfast Sausage Patties Recipe - Paleo, Low Carb, & THM!

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Gluten-Free Breakfast Sausage Patties are Paleo, Low Carb, & THM friendly! This simple recipe is better than store bought and will save you money!

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground pork (uncooked)
• 2 teaspoons sage
• ¼ teaspoon marjoram
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• (optional: 1 tablespoon brown sugar or sweetener)

Instructions

1. Combine sage, marjoram, cloves, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pork and spices (using your hands is easiest.)
3. Shape the pork into patties (about ¼ cup meat makes a nice sized patty.)
4. Cook in a pan over medium heat, flipping so both sides are cooked well, until internal heat is 165°F.

3.2.2925

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Gluten-Free Breakfast Sausage Patties Recipe – Paleo, KETO, Low Carb, & THM! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Each month of the year I share which products to watch for rock-bottom prices!

Here are the food items to watch for price drops on in February: 

**Be sure to download the Favado App to see all of the sale items at your local grocery and drug stores from your smart phone or tablet!**

• Valentine’s Day candy & chocolate (after Feb 14th!)
• Canned Foods (it’s National Canned Foods Month so watch for sales on canned fruits, veggies, & meats!)
• Hot Breakfast Foods (including hot cereals, oatmeal, grits, etc)
• Frozen breakfast foods (including waffles and pancakes, refrigerated biscuits, frozen breakfast sandwiches, etc)
• Snack Foods (think Super Bowl foods like dips, chips, etc)
• Aspirin and heart-healthy supplements (it’s Heart Health Month)
• Chinese food like soy sauce, stir fry, ramen noodles (Chinese New Year!)

In-season fruits and vegetables:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Grapefruit (it’s national grapefruit month!)
Kiwi
Lemons (did you know these 20 ways to use a lemon?)
Oranges
Papayas
Pears
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes

To see the full list of what’s on sale throughout the year, plus an explanation of how sales cycles work, check out my post on Grocery Store Sales Cycles!

The post What’s On Sale In February? first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Skinny coleslaw is a savory coleslaw that is perfect for a low carb diet. It is not as sweet as most coleslaw recipes, and you’ll get a zesty kick from the fresh garlic and cayenne pepper.

A major ingredient in this recipe is mayonnaise. I try to avoid soy most of the time, and I have noticed that commercial mayonnaise is almost always made with soybean oil. You can skip the soy by making your own mayonnaise, or by buying a soy-free mayonnaise (my newest discovery is that Trader Joe’s mayo is soy free!)

Coleslaw is generally chilled for at least an hour to allow the flavors to mingle, and this recipe is no exception. But let’s be honest – sometimes last minute coleslaw is what you have to make, and I’m happy to tell you that this recipe is delicious even when you need to serve it right away. That’s what I usually do!

Coleslaw complements main dishes like fish, ribs, or baked chicken. You can also use it in your menu to replace a green salad.

Skinny Coleslaw

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Our skinny coleslaw will be the perfect accompaniment to your next low carb meal. The touch of cayenne and fresh garlic give it a spicy kick.

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Side Dish

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage, shredded (about 10 cups)
• 3 carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• ⅔ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Core cabbage and shred it in a food processor, or make very fine vertical slices to shred by hand. Place cabbage in large bowl.
2. Add shredded carrots and chopped green onions to cabbage and stir well.
3. In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, cayenne pepper, celery seed and salt.
4. Pour dressing over cabbage and carrots and combine well.
5. If you have time, let the coleslaw rest (covered) in the fridge for an hour before serving. But if you are in a hurry it will still be delicious!

3.2.2807

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Zesty Skinny Coleslaw Recipe! {Low Carb & Tastes GREAT} first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Gluten-Free Flour Recipe

When transitioning to eating gluten free, many people hope to find a way to continue making their favorite recipes. It is handy to keep a gluten free flour substitute on hand that you can use as a replacement in those old standby recipes. And we have just the gluten free flour mix for you!

This simple gluten free flour mix recipe has just five ingredients. You can use this flour mix in a one to one ratio in your recipes – for every cup of flour called for in the original recipe, use 1 cup of gluten free flour.

If you are avoiding dairy, you can omit the milk powder. Milk proteins help to bind bake goods together, and help them brown better. So if you leave it out, you may find your end result is a little more crumbly and not as browned as you are used to.

Gluten Free Flour Recipe

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

A basic recipe for gluten free flour.

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Serves: A little over 8 cups or 3 lbs

Ingredients

• 5 cups superfine brown rice flour
• 2 cups potato starch (not flour!)
• ½ cup tapioca flour/starch (they are the same)
• ¾ cup non-fat powdered milk
• 2 tablespoons xantham gum

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Stir well.
3. Use 1 cup gluten free flour mix to substitute for each 1 cup of wheat flour.
4. Store in an airtight container.
5. Note: Powdered milk can be removed for dairy-free alternative. Baked goods may be more crumbly and not brown as well without milk powder.

3.2.2925

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house!Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post Gluten Free Flour Recipe – How to Make Gluten-Free Flour! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

But before I tell you what it is, I have a confession to make. I force myself to eat Greek yogurt because I know that it’s good for me, but I really just don’t like it that much. I try to like it. I really do. I know they say it can be an acquired taste for some, but I just don’t think it’s possible for me to acquire it.

But have you heard of Aussie style yogurt?

I was asked to try a new brand of Australian-inspired yogurt called Yulu. It is packed with protein (9 grams per serving), and completely free of artificial ingredients! Now, it does have a fair amount of sugar per container (14-17 g), so I decided to divide a container up among the kids by making frozen yogurt bites. These are SO good, and they will definitely be something that we have on hand as a fun, and articifial-ingredient-free dessert.

Plus, it’s so much less messy than eating yogurt out of a bowl!

All you have to do to make the yogurt bites is scoop the yogurt into a quart-size baggie and cut a little bit off the corner. Lay parchment paper down on a cookie sheet (the parchment paper is SUPER important!) and squeeze out small “drops” of the yogurt.

Freeze for around 30 minutes to an hour!

The kids think that it’s ice cream, it’s filled with probiotics, AND it doesn’t make a mess!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yulu. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Easy Homemade Yogurt Bites! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

What’s on Sale in January?

In addition to the regular sale cycles of everyday items, there are a few items that go majorly on sale during certain months of the year.

Here’s what’s likely going to be on sale in January:

Be sure to download the Favado App to see all of the sale items at your local grocery and drug stores from your smart phone or tablet!

Oatmeal
Soup
Tea
Granola Bars
Bread
Diet Foods
Eggs
Peanut Butter
Snack Foods (think about anything you would buy for the Super Bowl!)
Over-the-counter medications
Exercise Equipment
Organizational items

In season fruits & veggies:

Avocados
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwi
Leeks
Lemons
Oranges/Citrus
Papayas
Spinach

To see the full list of what’s on sale throughout the year, plus an explanation of how sales cycles work, check out my post on Grocery Store Sales Cycles!

The post What’s On Sale In January? first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Essential oils are a big deal right now, and I can almost guarantee that at least someone on your gift list this year has jumped on board the EO bandwagon.

I told Ryan that he could tell anyone that wanted to get me a gift this year that all I wanted was more essential oil diffusers.  Yep, that’s it.  I can’t think of anything else that I’d rather have!

Before I list out the different essential oil gift ideas, here are a couple of tips for gift-giving to an essential oils fanatic:

Tip 1: Many essential oil users are pretty attached to the company that they buy from.  On those {pretty rare} occasions that I get a professional massage (it’s usually what I request for Mother’s Day!), I bring in my own essential oils because I only want oils that I trust penetrating my cells.  So, as a general rule, when you’re giving to an essential oils fanantic, stay away from gifts that are made with essential oils (like lotions, lip balms, sugar scrubs, etc.) unless they are made with the brand that the recipient uses.

Tip 2: If the number of gift options below seems overwhelming, you really can’t go wrong giving someone a diffuser.  I can’t think of a single essential oils fanatic I know (and I know a lot of them!) who would say, “You know, I think I’m good on diffusers.  I don’t need another one.”  We always always need another diffuser!

So are you ready?  Here’s the list!

1. Essential Oil Diffuser

Have I mentioned that an essential oils fanatic always wants another diffuser?

This one (the one pictured) is my favorite, but there are several to choose from here!  Just make sure that it says “ultrasonic” on it and that you read through the reviews before buying.

2. SewNowWat EO cases

I visited my friend Shellie this past summer and she had one of these that she highly recommended.

I bought one as soon as I got home and now it goes with me everywhere!

These cases are gorgeous, extremely well-made, AND will fit either 5 ml or 15 ml bottles!

3. Mini Keychain Case

What about those times that you just take your keys and wallet with you and leave your purse at home?  You don’t want to be without your oils then, right?

I love my keychain case, and always keep my 8 most-used essential oils in there (those 8 would be: Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, Purification, Thieves, Di-Gize, Stress Away, and Peace & Calming)

The case comes with 8 empty essential oil vials so the recipient can fill them with whatever oils they want to have with them at all times.

4. Diffuser necklace

These are so many options out there for diffuser necklaces, but here are my three favorites:

1. Diffusing Mamas has several very well-made diffuser necklaces in both silver and silver/gold combo. I have one of these necklaces and it gorgeous and very good quality.

2.  Sacred Arrow jewelry makes absolutely gorgeous diffuser necklaces.  PLUS, a portion of all of their earnings goes towards donating bottles of Sacred Frankincense!

3. Oil Wear  I got one of the Oil Wear necklaces this past summer and LOVE IT!  They are much less expensive than the stainless steel ones from Sacred Arrow, but I’ve been really impressed with the quality (and I love all of the colors!)

5. Baubles & Bracelets Thirty-One Bag

This bag from Thirty-One Gifts was designed to hold jewelry, but it actually works perfectly as an at-home essential oils case!

Keep in mind that there won’t be any padding with this case, so it might not be good for major traveling, but it works very well as an every day case.

Thirty-One distributors aren’t allowed to post links to their Thirty-One page publicly online, so the best thing to do if you want one of these is to ask on Facebook if any of your friends are Thirty-One distributors.  I can almost guarantee you’ll get a few private messages from friends who are more than willing to help you get one!  

6. USB/Fan Diffuser

I’m not sure which of these USB diffusers to recommend since I don’t have one yet.  But hopefully I will be able to come back and update this post at the beginning of next year! 

All of the USB diffusers can connect to your USB port in your computer or in your car (if you have a newer car with USB ports) so that you can have your favorite essential oil smells with you whereever you go!

There was even a picture on Facebook of Natalie Grant using a portable fan diffuser on an airplane!  Can I diffuse Peace & Calming so that everyone on the plane goes to sleep?

7. Leather diffuser bracelet

Again, I highly recommend Sacred Arrow Jewelry! They have GORGEOUS essential oil jewelry products and use a portion of their profits to give Sacred Frankincense as donations.

8. Glass spray bottles

Did you know that you shouldn’t put essential oils, especially citrus essential oils, in plastic?  If your friend or family member is an essential oils fanatic, then they will definitely be needing some glass spray bottles so that they can make their own air freshener, homemade cleaners, and mosquito spray.

9. Car Diffuser

If you live in the dark ages like me, and your car doesn’t have a USB port yet, you can get a diffuser that plugs directly into the cigarette lighter.  {Is it still called a cigarette lighter??}

10. Glass water bottle

Essential oils and plastic don’t mix, so please don’t ever put essential oils into a plastic water bottle or a styrofoam cup.  There are different opinions on ingesting essential oils, and this isn’t the place to get into that. But for those who feel comfortable adding a drop or two of an essential oil brand that they trust to a water bottle, a glass water bottle with a silicone sleeve is a must-have!

I got a 2-pack earlier this year at Costco, but you can also get glass water bottles online here.

11. Roll-on bottles or rollerball fitments

You can look through all of the different options for rollerballs here.  Just be sure to get one that’s darker in color and NOT clear.

Most essential oil fanatics love making their own blends (for example, a blend of Vetiver, Cedarwood, and Lavender is a wonderful blend to help with “focus”) so having rollerballs, or roller ball fitments that they can add to their existing bottles of essential oils are wonderful to have on hand!

12. Stainless steel straws

Have I mentioned to keep essential oils away from plastic?  That includes plastic drinking straws!!

Sipping on an ice-cold glass of lemon EO water through a straw during the hot Texas summer is one of my favorite things, but just make sure that the straw is made of stainless steel or glass!

13. Essential Oil Organizers

There are so many different options here!

I use a clear nail polish counter display, but if you’re giving this as a gift, you’ll probably want to give something a little cuter.

Here are two options that I think would be great:

1.  Chalkboard Essential Oils rack – this is much smaller than the one above, but so cute!  I love that it has the chalkboard on the back to write on.

2.  Hanging Bronze Nail Polish organizer – this is the one that I want!  Check out what my friend Alyssa did with TWO of these…

14. Essential Oil Accessory Packages

The Oily Store has a wonderful gift box that you can send to someone with all of the accessories they would need to make lots of great items with essential oils!

You can check out The Oily Store!

15. Carrier Oils & Lotion Ingredients

The essential oils fanatic is likely going to be making a lot of their own body products and beauty products, so here are a few items that you could get them to help with that!

Shea Butter
Organic Vegetable Glycerin
Vitamin E Oil
Beeswax (adds firmness to body products like lip balm, lotions, soaps, etc)
Organic Jojoba Oil (works great as a carrier oil)
Organic Coconut Oil (it works wonderfully, especially during the colder months, to make whipped body butter!)

There are so many options for the essential oil fanatics in your life!

And for those of you who aren’t fanatics yet, and don’t know anyone who is, then check out the essential oils special that I’m running just in November!  Who knows, you might turn into an essential oils fanatic too before this time next year!  

Want more ideas for essential oils?

Follow my Essential Oils Pinterest board below!

Follow Rachel @ SurvivingTheStores.com’s board How To Use Essential Oils! on Pinterest.

The post Essential Oil Gifts For The Essential Oils Fanatic! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

It is so incredibly easy to make your own pumpkin puree instead of buying it in cans at the store.

Just buy a pie pumpkin (one of the smaller ones) and cook it using your preferred method.  I prefer cooking my pumpkins whole in the oven.

Once your pumpkin is cooked through, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds (put them to the side to make roasted pumpkin seeds later!), scoop out the remaining pumpkin pulp, and then use a food processor or Vitamix to puree the pulp.

I’m a fairly lazy cook, so I just use my pumpkin puree as is and use less of other liquids in the recipe.  But if you would prefer the consistency to be more like canned pumpkin, then just place a cheesecloth over a mesh strainer, and pour the pumpkin puree in the cheesecloth.  Allow the puree to sit for about an hour, and then use it like you would use puree from the can.

A 3 lb. pie pumpkin should give you around 2 cups of puree, which is just a tad more than the 15 ounces in a can.

So now what do you do with this pumpkin puree?

I turned to my favorite recipe search engine, PINTEREST, to find lots of amazing recipes using pumpkin puree!

I tried to have a mix of dessert and non-dessert recipes, but it *might* be a little dessert heavy.

Just click on the pin below to go to the blog or website for all of the directions!

1. Baked Pumpkin Donuts

2. Pumpkin Pie Tortilla Rolls

3. Pumpkin Upside Down Cake</strong<

4. Pumpkin Hummus Dip

5. Pumpkin Custard

6. Curried Vegetable Stew

7. Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

8. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

9. Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

10. Pumpkin Cobbler

11. Pumpkin Waffles

12. Pumpkin Spices Latte Cake

13. Pumpkin Churro Cake

14. GLUTEN-FREE Pumpkin Donut Holes

15. Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi

16. Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread

17. Pumpkin Pie Larabars

18. Pumpkin Fudge Balls

19. Pumpkin Spice Glazed Loaf

20. Paleo Pumpkin Tortillas

Ok, who else is hungry now?!

Want more recipe ideas? Follow me on Pinterest below!

The post Top 20 Most Amazing Pumpkin Recipes + How To Make Pumpkin Puree! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Several of you have downloaded the ALDI meal plan that has 25 meals for under $150 and the ALDI GLUTEN-FREE Meal Plan for under $150, but now there’s an entire ALDI meal plan for an entire holiday feast!! (Plus, easy meals to eat before and after the holidays so that you’re not stuck in the kitchen more than you need to be!)

The holidays definitely can be a budget-buster, so this menu plan is such a life-saver!

My friend Lauren has made recipe cards, shopping lists, and a calendar for 20 meals that your holiday cooking can be accomplished on a budget!

And the recipes are GOOD!!

Here’s a list of the meals included:

• Pork Chops with Apples
• Sausage and Kale Soup
• Bolognese Sauce over Pasta
• Easy Greek Roasted Chicken
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cincinnati Chili
• Slow-cooker Chicken Cacciatore
• Korean Beef with Fried Rice
• Baked Ravioli
• Turkey Dinner, including: (For 8-10 people)
  • Easy Roast Turkey
  • Perfect Mashed Potatoes
  • Perfect Stuffing
  • Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Perfect Gravy
  • Green Bean Casserole
• Leftover Turkey Casserole
• Leftover Turkey Soup with Rice

YUM!

Lauren has done all of the prep work for you! Just print your list, buy the food, and follow the included calendar to have almost a month’s worth of meals completely taken care of!

The planning pack comes with all of the following:

(1) Printable Shopping list – it even tells you which aisle to go to for each item!

(2) Printable Recipe Cards – and they include the picture of what the recipe is supposed to look like, which I always think it super helpful!

(3) A monthly calendar scheduled out so that you can use the more time-sensitive ingredients at the beginning of the month (she really thought of everything!)

Here’s a picture of what your shopping trip will look like with the plan!

Most meal planning services are a *minimum* of $5 per month, but right now you can get this entire ALDI holiday meal planning set for just $1.97!

Just click the button below to be able to download it immediately.

The post HOLIDAY EDITION: 20 Meals From ALDI For Under $150!! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

I was surprised at how well it turned out (so impressed that I might even try doing mine!) and my daughter loves it.

I posted the after picture to Instagram and to my personal Facebook page, and I had a few friends say to be careful when dyeing BLONDE hair with Kool-Aid because it can take forever to wash out.

Let us know how it turns out if you try it!

These are the instructions for dyeing the tips of the hair, but I’m sure you could do your whole head, or longer highlights if desired.

How To Dye Hair With Kool-Aid

Step 1: Put three packets of UNSWEETENED Kool-Aid in a bowl. DO NOT get sweetened kool-aid or your hair will end up sticky.

Step 2: Add a blob of conditioner. I didn’t actually measure it, but I don’t think it really matters exactly how much. You can see how much I used in the image below.

Step 3: Mix the unsweetened Kool-Aid and conditioner until it makes a paste.

Step 4: Add 1 teaspoon of water and blend more.

Step 5: Brush hair out really well and put on an old t-shirt.

Step 6: Separate out a small section of hair and place it on a piece of foil.

Step 7: Using a paint brush, brush the Kool-Aid mixture over the piece of hair.

Step 8: Fold up the foil piece so that the dyed section of hair is completely covered. I also folded over the sides to help the foil stay more securely (not shown).

Step 9: Continue around the head with the same technique used in steps 6-8.

Step 10: Wrap the hair, including the foil sections, in saran wrap so that no dye will get on your pillow while you sleep (sorry everyone, my daughter wouldn’t let me take a picture of this step in the process!)

Step 11: Sleep with the Kool-Aid mixture in your hair. Shampoo WELL as soon as you wake up the next morning and style like usual!

Ta-da!

Ok, who’s going to try it? I can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!

FEBRUARY UPDATE: I dyed the tips of her hair at the end of October and the dye definitely faded a lot within a month or two. In the light you can still see a *tiny* bit of red on the tips, but it’s not anything that’s noticeable. I would definitely only do this with a color that I was comfortable having in my hair for several months (like a red), and NOT a color like green or blue.

I also would NOT use this as a dye for the whole head of hair unless you want your hairdresser to be really really frustrated. This is a fun thing for kids to do to dye their tips, but you probably will want to leave YOUR hair to the professionals!

Follow me on Pinterest for more fun ideas!

The post How To Dye Hair With Kool-Aid! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

And especially for those of you who are like me and have the “love language” of gift-giving. If I see something that I know that someone I love wants, it is SO HARD for me to resist buying it for them. And I love my kiddos. A lot.

So I really have to be careful with what I spend during the holidays on them… and THANKFULLY I have my financial-whiz husband who totally keeps up with our budget each month!

So what do you do about kid gifts? How can you still give them things they will love and not have to take out a second mortgage?

Here are a few ideas that I hope are helpful for all of us:

1. Stick to a well-defined budget.

I’ve created a super simple holiday budgeting spreadsheet to help you do this! Just open up the spreadsheet, click on “File” then “Make A Copy” to be able to edit it.

First, figure out exactly how much you can spend TOTAL on gifts.

Then, write down the name of each person you need to buy for, and how much of that budget can go towards each of them. When you are done, the number in “How much room you have left in your budget” should be $0.

As you buy presents, put down what you bought in the correct spaces, and then put how much you paid for it. Everything will add up and you’ll see if you went over budget, met your budget, or were UNDER budget (which would be awesome!)

It’s truly amazing how quickly buying gifts here and there add up, so if we can see exactly where the money is being spent, it really helps.

2. Watch the deal sites (like Surviving The Stores) THROUGHOUT the year!

Don’t wait until a few weeks before Christmas to purchase! Keep your eyes open for awesome deals throughout the year and grab things when the prices are low. I see deals like the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals all throughout the year (although not ALL AT ONE TIME like on BF & CM) and I post about the best ones here on STS!  Be sure to subscribe for email updates and follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with what’s going on in the deal world!

Just remember to write everything you buy down because it’s super easy to forget what you have already purchased and how much you have spent.

3. When buying for your own kids, let them know their budget!

It’s so much easier when they understand how much things cost and can really weigh their decisions based off of prices (definitely a valuable lesson to learn!) Obviously, this wouldn’t work for younger children, but it’s much easier to stay frugal with younger children (in my experience), than with older children.

So let’s say that your budget for each child is $100. Each child can write down as many gifts on their wish list that they want, as long as it adds up to $100. They can either choose that 1 American Girl doll that they want, or a few less expensive presents.

I would also recommend giving them a budget that is LESS than what your “real” budget is so that you are able to find some fun surprises that you know they will love.  

4. Pare down your gift-giving.

One of the pins I’ve been seeing going around Pinterest is this one:

I LOVE this idea!! Basically how it works is that each child gets something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read!

Such a great way to keep things focused away from just “what am *I* getting”.

5. Focus on reaching out.

One of the things that we love to do with our kids each year is pick out a gift to give to a family in need from the Gospel For Asia gift catalogue. You can give rabbits, oxen, water wells, all kinds of things! The kids have a blast figuring out what to give and they see that the holidays aren’t just about what THEY can get.

6. Utilize garage sales.

Whether it’s HAVING a garage sale with old toys to pay for new toys, or GOING to garage sales to look for toys, garage sales are BIG helps in saving money on kid gifts during the holidays! We’ve found lots of great items at garage sales that just needed a little TLC… and even some brand new in-the-box items that we were able to regift! Don’t forget about the consignment shops like Once Upon A Child and the Just Between Friends sales too!

7. Shop clearance throughout the year.

Especially the Target 75% off Toy Clearance that comes around each January and July! This is where I get about 90% of the presents for my younger kids, and usually end up spending around $50 TOTAL for $200 worth of gifts! Toys and clothes go on clearance all the time, ESPECIALLY after the holidays, so consider leaving some room in your budget this year to grab things for NEXT year!

8. Check the pawn shops and Craigslist.

These are great money-savers for budgeting for the older kids who likely have more expensive tastes (like drum sets, XBOXes, and cameras). And, contrary to the stigma, pawn shops are NOT just places that have stolen items (actually, that’s likely more common on Craigslist now). Pawn shops make sure that an item hasn’t been reported stolen before putting it out to sell.

9. Sign up for the Daily Deal websites

There are lots of great websites that have new deals every day, or every week.  You can find deals on *almost* anything through the sites!

The sites that I’ve listed below are the ones that I’ve personally used and would recommend.  You can click on each link to sign up for that website so that you can get their emails letting you know what’s on sale.

RACHEL’S DAILY DEALS TIP: I highly recommend getting a “deals-only” email address for signing up for these company newsletters.  For example, I could get racheldailydeals@gmail.com so that all of my “deals” emails go there and don’t get mixed up in my personal inbox.  Then I can check that separate email address when I need to.

• Groupon
• Living Social
• Amazon Local
• Zulily
• Gilt
• RueLaLa
• One King’s Lane (plus you get $15 off $30 when you sign up!)

What about you? What are your best tips for saving money on kids gifts?

The post How To Save Your CASH When Buying Gifts For Kids! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

1. Halloween Themed Spin Tops – 12.5¢ per top

We were at Trader Joe’s a couple of weeks ago and the prize for finding the stuffed turtle around the store (does every Trader Joe’s do the turtle thing?) was that the kids got to pick a colored spin top from the treasure chest. I thought to myself, “oh, they’re going to be so disappointed” but they played with those things all afternoon!

2. Regular Spin Tops – 12.5¢ per top

If you head over to the party favors section, they have regular spin tops too!

3. Halloween Sticker Boxes – 5.6¢ per sticker box

4. Pumpkin Straws – 20¢ per straw

I don’t know what it is about straws, but my kids get so excited when they find straws in the pantry!

5. Glow Bracelets – 14.3¢ per bracelet (if you get the one with 7 instead of 5)

Not only do kids love anything that glows, but it has the added benefit of helping to keep them save as they walk through the neighborhood.

6. Halloween Erasers – 8.3¢ per eraser

7. Halloween Pencils – 8.3¢ per pencil

Chances are that most parents didn’t stock up on school supplies when the prices were super low in August (maybe you should let them know about Surviving The Stores! ) so extra school supplies will be appreciated!

8. Girl Princess Bracelets – 8.3¢ per bracelet

These were by all of the Halloween costumes at the front of the store and I thought they would be perfect to add to a grab bag or treasure chest! I know my 5 year old girl would be thrilled to get one of these.

9. Play Dough – 12.5¢ per can

10. Mardi Gras Beads – 12.5¢ each necklace

I found these over by the party favors and my kids love them! This probably wouldn’t be as fun of a treat for those in Louisiana, but for all of the other states it’s a little bit more of a novelty.

11. Grow Capsules – 5.6¢ per capsule

I’m not quite sure how to divide these up… maybe cut them out in groups of 3? My 8 year old boy thinks these are the greatest things ever.

12. Bloonies – 25¢ each

These are a little more expensive than the other options, but so much fun!!

13. Foam Stickers – 1¢ each sticker

14. Plastic Cups – 25¢ each cup

15. Spider Rings – 2¢ each ring

These would also be great to add to a grab bag or treasure box. I’m always surprised at how often my kids pick little things like this over what I would consider to be a nicer toy.

Other posts you might like:

Top 20 DIY Costumes

20 Ways To Decorate With Pumpkins

How To Make The Best Pumpkin Pie EVER

For all of the latest hot deals, printable grocery coupons, store deals, restaurant & retail coupons, freebies, samples, and a lot more be sure to sign up for the Surviving The Stores Email Newsletter, Like STS on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter & Pinterest!

The post 15 Halloween Candy Alternatives From The Dollar Store! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

They were offering samples, and OH MY!! Yes, they did taste as good as they smelled.

“Um, how much did you say it was for one of the small cone-shaped bags? $5? For one small bag?  No, thanks. Maybe later.”

How I wish that I would’ve known that I could make the same goodness at home with just a few ingredients! On second thought, it probably was good that I didn’t know because I would’ve eaten this stuff by the BUCKETS.

Candied nuts are super easy to make, everyone is happy to get them as a gift for the holidays, AND you can even “paleoify” them for your Paleo friends! (Paleoify is a word, right? If not, it should be!)

You can also play around with the amount of sugar and cinnamon in the recipe below. Some people prefer the coating to be lighter, and some prefer it to be heavier.

Cinnamon Candied Nuts

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Rachel @ Surviving The Stores

Ingredients

• 4 cups of your favorite nuts
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp. water
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, OR raw honey
• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ - ¾ tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F
2. Put the egg white and water in a large glass bown and beat until frothy
3. Add the nuts and coat well with the egg white mixture
4. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt
5. Add the sugar mixture to the nuts and egg white mixture and stir well to coat evenly
6. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, and spray with choice of cooking spray
7. Transfer the nut mixture into a single even layer on the cookie sheets
8. Bake for around 60 - 80 minutes, stirring EVERY 15 minutes!
9. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and transfer the nuts to another bowl or cookie sheet so that they don't stick to the parchment paper
10. ENJOY!

3.2.2807

Here are some great jars if you want to give this as a gift this year! Just tie a cute ribbon around the top and everyone will love it!

For more great ideas, follow me on Pinterest!

Visit Rachel @ SurvivingTheStores.com’s profile on Pinterest.

The post How To Make Candied Pecans (or any nut!) first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Autumn brings apple and squash aplenty and this is the time of year when you’ll see great sales on these items!

That means that Autumn Butternut Squash Apple Soup, with its hint of spice, is an ideal fall recipe to enjoy as the evenings turn chilly!

My family is not usually very enthusiastic about winter squash, but they loved this soup and asked for more. The real test of kid-pleaser status came when I made this Butternut Squash Apple Soup for our two year old niece and her parents. At first she didn’t want to try it (it’s orange!) but once she got some in her mouth she kept asking for more. I ended up sending all the leftovers home with her mom and dad!

You might think the apples would make this a sweet soup but they don’t. And the hint of ginger really makes the flavor pop, so don’t leave that out!

Special bonus: not only is this soup yummy, it is also good for you – butternut squash is chock full of good nutrients, especially vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (with a Vitamix!)

Creamy Butternut Apple Soup

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Creamy Butternut Apple Soup is a delicious treat on a crisp autumn evening. This savory soup has a hint of spice and can be served as a first course, or with bread and salad for a rustic supper.

Author: Patti @ Blossoms and Posies

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 large apples (about ¾ lb) peeled, cored, and quartered
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 stick cinnamon
• ½ cup cream
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger

Instructions

1. Place broth in a large pot, then add squash, apples and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the squash is tender (25 minutes.)
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and carefully blend the hot broth, squash and apples in a Vitamix (or use an immersion blender in the pot)
4. Pour soup from Vitamix back into the pot, then add water, cream, butter, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Stir well.
5. Cook on low, until heated through. Serve immediately.

3.2.2807

Visit Rachel @ SurvivingTheStores.com’s profile on Pinterest.

Patti Brown is a wife and mom who loves to play in the kitchen. Her three children and husband are usually happy to try her inventions, and even join the fun. Their kitchen is the busiest room in the house! Patti and her daughter write about cooking, handcrafts and their latest home arts projects at their blog Blossoms And Posies. Read more about Patti here! >>

The post The Best Butternut Squash and Apple Soup You’ll Ever Have! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

I have some yummy recipes using essential oils in the works to post (tonight I made gluten-free pumpkin brownies with clove and cinnamon!) so be sure to come back regularly (or just follow me on Pinterest or Facebook) to see when I post a new essential oils recipe!

This applesauce recipe below is absolutely amazing. The lemon helps to keep it from turning brown, and the drop of cinnamon adds such a nice flavor!

Homemade Apple Sauce With Essential Oils!

 

Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Young Living Essential Oils

Cuisine: Snack

Serves: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 4 pounds of apples
• 1 cup of water
• 2-4 drops of Lemon Essential Oil (or more to taste)
• 1 drop of Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil (or more to taste)

Instructions

1. Peel and core your apples (this handy tool here makes it super easy!)
2. Chop the apples into about 8 large chunks per apple
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pow and bring to a low simmer.
4. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes
5. Let cool, then mash with a potato masher or puree with an immersion blender

3.2.2807

Cinnamon is thought to promote healthy cardiovascular and immune function!

And lemon has all kinds of other great uses too! Here are some fun facts about lemon essential oil!

• It takes approximately 75 LEMONS to make one 15 ml bottle of Lemon Essential Oil.
• Lemon Essential Oil contains the naturally occurring constituent LIMONENE.
• Lemon Essential Oils is COLD-PRESSED from the rinds of Citrus x limon fruit.
• The Lemon Tree is an EVERGREEN tree and grow to be about 20 feet tall.
• The Lemon Tree likely ORIGINATED in China or Northeast India.
• Lemon Essential Oil is a MUST-HAVE for every kitchen!
• Lemon EO can be substituted in any RECIPE that calls for lemon juice, lemon extract, or lemon zest.
• Lemon is incompatible with most plastics and all styrofoam containers, so if you decide to add lemon essential oil to a drink, ALWAYS use a GLASS or STAINLESS-STEEL container.
• Lemon BLENDS well with other citrus oils as well as Rosemary, Basil, and Ginger. When you use stronger essential oils in cooking (like Basil and Ginger), don’t even use a full drop. Just stick a toothpick into the bottle of oil and use that amount instead.
• Lemon Essential Oil may support healthy circulatory and respiratory systems.*

Follow my Essential Oils Pinterest board below!

Follow Rachel @ SurvivingTheStores.com’s board How To Use Essential Oils! on Pinterest.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The post Homemade Apple Sauce With Essential Oils! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

It’s usually around this time of year that many of us watch our list of people to buy gifts for grow and grow…and we wish that we had a creative, meaningful, handmade gift idea that people would love without making a huge dent in our wallets!  I am always impressed by gifts in a jar- they are unique, personal, pretty and useful at the same time

Here are 20 of my favorite gifts in a jar ideas with my top 5 unique ideas at the top!

Just click on any of the images below to repin them to your Pinterest account! And don’t forget to…

1.  Pamper Yourself Gift Jars– These adorable jars filled with bath and body items are perfect for so many people…and they are filled with items that we often can buy for FREE or deeply discounted with coupons!  What woman wouldn’t love this gift, and how much fun would they be just to put together?!?

2.  Apron in a Jar– Do you have a recipe that you are known for or want to flaunt?  Turn it into a shabby chic gift super easy by printing it out on a cute note card and placing it in a jar with a sassy apron!  The recipient will love it and it couldn’t possibly be easier!

3.  Play Dough Snowman Jars– Do you have any children on your lists whose parents swear up and down they do not have room in the house for one more toy?  This idea is perfect and can be used to keep kids busy on a snowy day at home!  The recipe for the playdough is simple, and decorating the jars can be a fun craft that your own kids can help out with!

4.  Sewing Kit in a Jar- If you have a crafty person on your list, this is a great gift idea!  It’s just so pretty to look at…I would have to use it as a decoration because I would feel bad taking  anything out of it!

5.  Homemade Pancakes in a Jar– Edible gifts in a jar are really popular, and your options are endless!  You can put anything from dry ingredients for cookies, cocoa, soups, breads, or in this example pancakes, along with instructions in a cute jar with embellishments and you are set!  It’s such a great way to give a handmade gift that people will actually use…and it won’t set you back more than a few dollars and a little bit of your time

6. Cinnamon Honey Butter In A Jar

7. Cowgirl Cookies In A Jar

8. Curried Lentil Soup In A Jar

9.  Dulce De Leche In A Jar

10. 365 Hugs In A Jar

11. Butterscotch Pecan Cookie Mix In A Jar

12. White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge In A Jar

13. Double Chocolate Brownies In A Jar

14. Hot Fudge In A Jar

15. Sugar Scrub In A Jar

16. Homemade Salsa In A Jar

17. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quick Bread In A Jar (and I love that they used a milk jug!)

18. Spiced Pecans In A Jar

19. Homemade BBQ Sauce In A Jar

20. Caramel Bourbon Vanilla Sauce In A Jar

Find gifts in a jar labels here!

For all of the latest hot deals, printable grocery coupons, store deals, restaurant & retail coupons, freebies, samples, and a lot more be sure to sign up for the Surviving The Stores Email Newsletter, Like STS on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter! Be sure to also follow our recipes and other DIY finds on the STS Pinterest Page!

The post 20 Unique Ideas For Gifts in a Jar! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.

Doesn’t it look amazing?!

The frittata is an egg dish – delicious for breakfast but well suited for lunch or dinner as well. It is flexible in that you can use a wide variety of cheeses, meats and vegetables… whatever you have on hand. Broccoli and mushrooms are my particular favorite.

Frittatas are more firm than quiche, which make them very well suited for a gluten-free diet. While I enjoy crustless quiche, I find that frittatas seem to hold together better – you can even eat a slice of frittata with your hand, like a pizza!

Broccoli Frittata

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

The frittata is an egg dish - delicious for breakfast but well suited for lunch or dinner as well. This recipe highlights broccoli, but you can use any vegetable you like!

Author: Patti Brown

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• ¾ cups chopped mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 8 eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Melt butter in 10 inch cast iron skillet on medium heat.
3. Add broccoli, mushrooms and garlic, and saute until vegetables are cooked (about 5 minutes).
4. Remove from heat and spread veggies evenly over the bottom of the pan.
5. Beat together eggs, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and salt.
6. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the veggies in the hot skillet.
7. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until center is set. If you'd like to brown the top a little, you can stick it under a broiler, but watch carefully.

3.2.2807

The post Easy Gluten-Free Broccoli Frittata Recipe! first appeared on Surviving The Stores™.