Roasted Chick Peas

I am always on the look out for healthy snacks that are filling and not too costly for the Fish Sticks.  It seems that crackers, chips and store-bought granola bars are the easy thing to throw their way but processed is not the direction I want to go too often.

I saw on someone's blog (totally forgot where) to roast chick peas/garbanzo beans.  I bought a gallon of them dried because dried is the cheapest way to get them.  Canned would work also and be quicker.  I soaked them overnight in my crock pot.  Filled it with water in the morning and cooked them on low until they were soft.  I drained them well, blotted them with a towel and drizzled olive oil on them lightly to coat.  I then spread them on a cookie sheet (single layer) that had been sprayed with cooking spray.  I sprinkled them with sea salt (although you could mix it up by using other seasonings like paprika, seasoned salt, cayenne, cumin, garlic salt, etc.) and put them in the oven on 450.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, keeping an eye on them and stirring them up a bit so the bottoms get crunchy too, but don't burn.  Cool and store in an air tight container.

The Fish Sticks loved them and they were a great snack to throw in the car and take to a ball game or practice!

My New Favorite Recipe

I used to work at Mrs. Winner's Chicken and Biscuit back when I was 16.  For a time they had an all-you-can-eat bar and I used to be the one to man the bar.  I would set the bowls of salad trimmings into ice and surround it with thick, large leaves of curly kale.  That was the only kale I knew.  I thought kale was a decorative leaf, not something to eat.

Last year my mom planted kale and shared some with us.  Around the same time Faithful Provisions, my favorite couponing site, had posted a Kale Chip recipe.  I tried it out and you would have thought it was chocolate covered strawberries the way the Fish Sticks devoured it.  I ran to the Farmer's Co-op and bought a pack of seeds.  We enjoyed Kale Chips all throughout the fall last year.  I had to start making 2 cookie sheets at a time and My Man had to divvy it up so no Fish Stick was too greedy with them.

Kale is a power food - one of those that are on the top 5 most nutritious foods - packed with vitamins and minerals.  Then this year Broccoli Cupcake posted a recipe about Garlic Kale that Whole Foods makes.  I've never had the Whole Foods one but I love garlic (and know how awesome it is for you nutritionally) and I love kale.  I will say that the raw garlic gives it quite a punch so for the Fish Sticks, I half the garlic.  I could eat 3 cups of this at a time, it's THAT good.

Garlic Kale

2 bunches kale, wash and cut into thin strips

2 cloves crushed garlic 

2 Tb. sesame oil (or tahini)

2 Tb. Bragg's Amino Acids (healthy alternative to soy sauce)

2 Tb. fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)

2 Tb. water

4 Tb. nutritional yeast

black pepper

Cut the kale and massage with your hands.  This is crucial as it releases the flavor of the kale and also assists in allowing the marinate to soak in.  Mix all the other ingredients in a separate bowl.  I actually waited on the nutritional yeast and then sprinkled that over the top and tossed.  Get your hands a bit messy and mix it up by hand, squeezing as you go.  The longer it marinates, the better it is.  So delicious and so healthy!

Puff Baby

 My SIL introduced me to this great breakfast recipe about 11 years ago.  It's a big favorite around here.  I have tweeked the recipe just a little to suite us better.

Put 1/4 a stick of butter (about 2-3 TB) in a pie pan.  Place in a cool oven and begin preheating on 400.

As the butter is melting in the pan, mix 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 milk and 2 eggs.  It will be lumpy.

When the butter is melted (about the time the oven is 400), pour the mixture into the pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Slice and sift powdered sugar on the top.  Delicious and so easy!

Vadalia "Candy"

 Last week Aldi had Vidalia onions for 49 cents a bag.  In my family growing up, Vadalia onions are something to be loved.  My Man said we thought they were candy.  Maybe not candy, but close.  They are so yummy.  I hooked My Man up to seeing the love of Vadalias years ago when I started roasting them in the oven.  You start by slicing them a little like a Bloomin' Onion.  Make pie cuts but don't go all the way down.

 Put a pat of butter on the top and fold up in foil.  Place on the rack in the oven that is preheated for 350.  Bake until soft.  My home oven took about 30 minutes but the lake house oven took longer.  Make sure they are good and soft when you eat them.  Crunchy isn't as good.

The Fish Sticks were very apprehensive about eating an onion.  Being a good Mama, I FORCED them to each take one bite.  Let's just say that 4 whole onions wasn't near enough for this crew.  Next time, I made 8 and it was perfect.  Even if you aren't an onion fan, try it.  You might be surprised at how much it tastes like candy...or just a really good side dish  :)

Last Week's Shopping

I hesitate telling you what I bought last week because if you didn't grab the sales, then it's probably too late.  But since I took the photo, I'll post it.

I combined them because there wasn't a ton.

CVS I got 4 bottles of Pantene for free.  They were $3.49 each and I got a $1 ECB if I bought 2.  There was a BIGI coupon and a $3 off 2 coupon.  So using 2 BIGI coupons and one of the other plus the ECB, they were all FREE!
The Tone soap was $1.88 and I got $1 ECB so it was 88 cents.

Walgreens had Starbucks Refresher drink for 99 cents with a 99 cent RR and I had a coupon to try one for free.  I made 99 cents to drink it and it was pretty good.  Sorry I threw the can away so you can't see it in the photo.

Mid Nite for Menopause was $5.99 with a $5 RR.  I had a coupon for $1 off so it was FREE.  (I'll save it or give it away.  Not there yet.)

U Kotex was $3.99 with $3 RR so it was only 99 cents.

Kroger had Pure Protein bars for $1.00 each and there is a coupon in RP 5/6 for $1 off of 2 or $1 off the protein powder (which works for the bars) so I got 9 bars and paid only $3.

Excuses

 I can't believe I haven't posted since May 8.  Here's my big excuse(s):  lots of adoption paperwork to fill out, adoption home study meetings, cooking and volunteering at my kids' school, family birthday, weekend at the lake, parties, sewing projects, a talent show, a 24 hour stomach bug, field day and a trip to the ER for a concussion.

All of that equals little-to-no time to blog.  Oh yea....and a messy house.  My counter top has remained the catch-all of junk.

 My mud room benches would become the 2nd favorite catch-all of junk.

 My sewing room floor is covered with begun-but-not-finished projects.

And my sewing machine...well, it keeps screaming my name because I signed up to be a pattern tester and haven't had the time to sit down and actually sew the outfit and I think the deadline is about....TOMORROW!!!

I decided not to photograph the scum in the toilets or the dog hair balls on the floor.  Am I the only one?  Please tell me you can relate sometimes!

Wednesday is the last day of school but honestly, these next 3 days are "fun" days.  Pool party Tuesday and 2nd Grade end-of-the-year party at OUR house Wednesday.  Are you tired from reading this?  I'm tired recapping it.

So there you have it.  All my excuses.  Hang with me and I'll be back soon.

Weekly Deals

Did you notice I didn't coupon last week?  

I've been busy with adoption paperwork and the sales didn't entice me too much.

I didn't get a ton of things at CVS but what they had were all good deals.  Since My Man is now using Children's Allegra regularly to control his awful allergies, I was so happy to see that everyone seems to have it on sale and there was a big coupon for $5 off in the Sunday paper.

**I got the Allegra for $9.99 with $4.99 ECB and a $5 off coupon so it was FREE!

**U Kotex was $3.99 with $3 ECB so they were only $1.

**Mars candy bars were 75 cents with 75 cents back in ECB so it was FREE (and hit the spot as an after-church snack for my man)

**Good N Natural protein bars were 99 cents each with a coupon for try-one-for-FREE in Sunday's paper.  I had 2 papers so they were both FREE

CVS total:  $1

 

**Walgreens had contact solution for $7.99 with $8 RR back so it was FREE!

**I got witch hazel for $4 with $4 in RR making it FREE (I was so happy to see this because witch hazel is a great antiseptic for your face that is natural, not to mention it's great for cuts and scrapes.  I have never seen it go on sale, so was so happy to get it for free this week.)

**Lanacane Maximum Strength was $5 with $5 in RR so it was FREE!

**Children's Allegra was $9.99 and you could get $4 RR when you buy 2.  I only had 2 of the $5 off coupons and I used one at CVS so my total was $11 for 2 of them which was still a good deal.

**Renew 14 day Cleanse was $18 but I filled out a mail-in-rebate for $18 making it FREE (If you have never done a MIR for Walgreens, you should.  They have made it so easy.  Just grab their monthly coupon booklet at the front door and you can just go on line, punch in your rebate from your receipt and voila!  No cutting out UPC codes and mailing it in with original receipts.  So easy!)

**Kettle Chips were $1.99 and I used a $1 off coupon from 3/18.  I had 3 of them so each bag was $1.

**Pepsi was $1 using a coupon from their ad and I doubled it with a coupon for $1/2 from 4/29 so they were only 50 cents each.  (We are not soda drinkers but we get them for a treat every so often.)

Total (not including tax): $16 (and $11 of that was Allegra)

Go grab some!