The Urban Homemaker Blog

Category: Family

  • The Power of Motherhood

    PictureofTerryandIDebbieI love this quote to encourage weary mothers to keep on keeping on.

    “If only mothers might see how powerful for good or evil is their influence; how the affections and the mental powers may be molded by prayer and maternal love, and how the groundwork for the future of the child may be laid in its early training.”  Isabel C Byrum 1911”

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  • Battling the Grocery Gremlin

    By Laura Moll Coble  (Laura is also author of Value Meals for Busy Moms)

    I don’t know about you, but my most frustrating shopping experiences happen at the grocery store!  It never seems to fail that when I think I have about $50 worth of groceries in my basket, they add up to $100.  I really don’t think that the problem is with my addition skills, I am sure that there is an evil gremlin in the checkout register that adds a dollar to everything I purchase!  I love the savings cards that you get at stores like Safeway because when I swipe the card, I see the total price fall about $10.  That always makes me feel a little bit better about life; its my revenge on the gremlin.  Unfortunately the evil little gremlin always wins out, and the amount debited from my bank account is higher than it was supposed to be.  Grocery shopping is an endless frustration for me.

    However, I have found valuable help in the book America’s Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides that has helped make grocery shopping and grocery budgeting much easier.  This book has a very high standard, they calculate $50 a month per person.  By following the principles in this book, I am supposed to be able to feed Brandon and I on just $100 a month, and this includes eating meats and cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables.   I have not been able to bring my grocery budget down that much yet, but I am getting closer.  I thought I’d share some of the grocery shopping principles that I have learned, and if any of you struggle with sticking to a budget at a grocery store, or if you also would like to take revenge on the evil register gremlin, perhaps these methods will help you as well.

    1) Make a Menu Plan. Menu planning sounds rather overwhelming if you are a very busy person or just don’t enjoy planning, but a menu plan can take as little time as 10 or 15 minutes to simply jot down a few meals you’d like to make for the week.  Planning a menu doesn’t have to be an elaborate affair.  I usually plan to make 3 meals during the week.  By the time we’ve eaten those 3 meals, we usually have leftovers for another night and enough ingredients to make a 5th meal during the week (and after that we have a long list of friends, relatives, and distant relations we enjoy visiting on weekends).  By menu planning, your shopping will be more focused so that you don’t just randomly pick ingredients that look good at the moment, and then you will be able to save $ at the register!

    2) Shop as Infrequently as Possible. Every time you shop, you are tempted by impulse buys, so the less you shop, the less you will be tempted.  The Economides shop once a month, because they have a deep freeze and plenty of storage space.  Most of us do not have such luxuries, but you can try to cut down your trips.  If you have been shopping twice a week, try going just once.  Or if you go once a week, try going every other week.  This takes a little more planning, but out of all the tips in this book, this method has helped me save the most at the checkout (does this mean I am a very impulsive person or I am just easily tempted?).

    3) Check Sale Fliers. Your local grocery store, like Safeway or Krogers, will feature certain items at really low prices as an incentive to get people in the door.  Then make a menu plan based on the sales.  For example, last week chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks were on sale for 99 cents a pound.  So I bought about 5 pounds of chicken breasts and we will be enjoying Parmesan Chicken, Chicken Oreganato, and Honey Glazed Chicken (or at least that is the hope…the meals have yet to be made!).  Chuck Roast was also on sale for $2.00 a pound, so I also purchased several pounds of roast and divided it into several different meals.  I now have enough meat to feed Brandon and I for about two weeks of meals for just over $10. Watch for deals in other areas as well.  For example, the other week grapes were also on sale for 99 cents a pound, so we enjoyed grapes with our lunches for the next two weeks!  This week bacon was on sale for $1.99 for a one pound package, so I stocked up on that for breakfasts.

    The grocery gremlin still thwarts me at every chance he gets, somehow marking up prices by the time I get to the register, or sneaking extra items in my cart (I swear I didn’t put those Oreos in my basket!).  But I am learning and someday, I shall be victorious!

    Thank you for inspiring me to get a little more serious about grocery shopping!

    Please post your best grocery saving tips for a complimentary copy of my ebook Fast and Healthy Menus for Busy Moms

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  • Pumpkin is loaded with Nutrition

    Pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body with many essential health benefits.  It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C,  Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), B vitamins such as  Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and important minerals such as Iron, Copper, Magnesium and Phosphorus.

    So here is a great way to sneak some pumpkin into your kiddos along with other goodies like cod liver oil and they will never know.  I also have “snuck” (is that a word?) pumpkin in blender batter pancakes along with the pumpkin pie spices.

    Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

    1 Cup Raw milk, yogurt, or kefir

    ½ cup apple juice concentrate

    ½ cup canned pumpkin

    ¼ tsp vanilla

    dash of nutmeg

    1 frozen banana, broken up

    1-2 Tbsp cod liver oil, flaxseed oil, or coconut oil

    6 ice cubes

    Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust flavorings if necessary. Makes two servings.

    breakfastsforbusymomscover_1488_thumbHow are you sneaking good nutrition into your kiddos?  Post your original ideas and recipes  for a complimentary copy of Breakfasts for Busy Moms ebook.

  • Dehydrating – Food Preserving the Easy Way

    Why Dehydrate?dehydratingWe’re hooked on dehydrating! Most foods can easily and successfully be dried with very little preparation time. What’s more, they are even easier to use!

    With all the surplus apples at a good price, Stephen and I are going to get busy dehydrating later this week before he leaves for his officer training.  He can take a little taste of home along with him and no worries about spoilage.

    I love the round dehydrators with a fan because you can adjust the number of trays as needed, there is a thermostat, and plenty of power.  But any dehydrator will work.  It’s quick and easy.

    Advantages of Dried Foods:

  • Easily Stored – Dried foods take one-tenth or less the storage space of canned foods.
  • Naturally Good and Nutritious – Flavor and nutrition are kept in dried foods without adding preservatives, sugar, or salt. Dried fruits and some vegetables (such as seasoned zucchini chips) are great natural snacks.
  • Economical – Bottles, jars, lids, sugar, etc. are just some of the items you won’t have to buy when you dry food. Processing energy will also be lowered considerably. Overripe fruit needn’t be thrown away but can be converted into tasty fruit leathers.
  • Completely Safe – Dried foods (even vegetables and meats) are completely safe when dried according to directions. There is no danger of botulism because the moisture that is a breeding ground for organisms has been removed.
  • Versatile – Dried foods are easily reconstituted for use in many recipes; from main dishes to breads and desserts. Leftovers and peelings can be dried for flavoring soup stock.
  • Easily Prepared – For people in a hurry, drying is the ideal way to preserve food. Very little preparation is needed – no hot jars, canners, or boiling water to tend.

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  • Holiday Planning -List Week-Oct 3-8

    I believe the best way to avoid holiday stress is by starting your planning now.  It doesn’t need to be complicated, either.  This is the first week devoted to putting your thoughts and details down on the various forms provided or make your own.  Details follow.

    Weekone

    Week #1:  Items to Do (excerpted from the 12 Week Holiday Planner for Christian Families.

    Holiday Self-Evaluation! Complete the Holiday Self-Evaluation form
    provided.  Now is the time to really evaluate what your family’s goals are for
    the holidays.  Sit down together as a family and discuss what the Lord

    would want your family to do as far as activities, traditions, etc. this holiday season.  Keep this form in a place where you will frequently see it and be reminded of your goals for the holiday season.

    Make your lists of gift recipients – Using the Christmas Gift Shopping
    List and Gift Making Checklist provided, jot down people you will want to
    buy gifts for and/or make gifts for.  Don’t worry about specific gift ideas
    now…you will work on that next week.  For now, just jot down names!
    Once completed, file this list in your Christmas Gifts Checklists section
    in the back.

    Christmas Card List– Using the Christmas Card Checklist provided, fill
    in the names and addresses of family and friends you want to send cards to.
    Once the names and addresses are completed, slide into a sheet protector
    and file in the Christmas Card Checklists section in the back.  (Use a
    washable marker to fill out the checklist, marking on the sheet protector if
    you want to include a picture and when the card is mailed, so that you can
    wash off and reuse this list year after year!)

    Plan out menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – Fill out
    the Menu forms and Recipe Cards provided for each of these holidays and
    file them in the Holiday Menus & Recipes section for later use!  (See Our
    Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    List of baked goodies to share or to give away – Using the form provided,
    jot down a list of people you would like to bake for this holiday season!  Use
    the Holiday Baking Recipe Cards to fill in recipes you may want to use for
    these gifts.  File this under the Holiday Baking & Recipes section when

    your list is completed. (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    List of favorite meals to freeze for later – Using the form provided, make a
    list of some of your family’s favorite meals that you can make and freeze
    ahead of time!  You can also use the Freezer Meal Recipe Cards to fill in
    some recipes you want to use.  Having some meals in the freezer during the
    busy holiday season will be such a blessing!  Just make a list for now, the
    actual preparation of these meals will be done later.  Once you have
    compiled a list of meals, file this form under the Holiday Menus & Recipes
    section.  (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    Holiday Wardrobe Planner – Using the form provided, make a list of the
    holiday clothes each family member currently has.  Note any clothing items
    that need to be purchased and plan on getting those things soon.  It is very
    handy to have this thought through ahead of time.  When it comes time for
    your family picture, or a formal holiday dinner, you can quickly turn to this
    list and see what clothing items each family member should wear (so you
    can all match if you wish!).  Print out more than one page of this planner, if
    needed, to include every family member.

    You can download the entire 14 – page Holiday Planner Sampler for FREE.

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  • Healthy Snacks for Kids


    FreshfruitsandveggiesJunior High Students toured a local Organic Farm this week and treated to a bountiful harvest of healthy, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks.  Everything was locally produced.

    The healthy snack assortments of colorful produce inspired me to share a few simple ideas and recipes you can serve to your children.  Prepare an assortment of contrasting colored and crunchy veggies from the following suggestions:

    carrots. celery sticks, cauliflower, jicama, broccoli,  cherry tomatoes, radish,  red pepper slices, green onions,  green pepper slices,  kohlrabi.

    Serve with Easy Dill Dip or Hummus.  Recipes follow:

    Easy Dill Dip
    This dip works well with all veggies and can be made in a minute.

    1 cup sour cream
    1-2 tsp. dried dill weed
    1 tsp. dried parsley
    1/8 tsp. salt or to taste
    1 tbsp. dried onion powder or dry minced onion

    Mix together. Chill to blend flavors. Double, triple, quadruple as needed.

    Hummus for Veggie Dip
    Hummus is traditionally a creamy puree of seasoned chickpeas.
    An easy healthy snack for children.

    2 cloves roasted garlic (for best flavor) or raw—roughly chopped
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1/4 cup drained bean liquid to make it creamy (optional)
    14 oz. (400g) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)—rinsed
    and reserve drained liquid
    1/2 tsp. cumin or to taste

    2 tbsp. olive oil

    1/2 – 1 tsp. Real Salt

    Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with a variety of vegetables as suggested above.
    Variation:
    Spicier hummus: add a small red chili (chopped) or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

    Fruit in Season

    • Other seasonal healthy snack suggestions would be cut up nectarines, peaches, apples, pears, or grapes.  Great color and natural fruit sugar.  YUMMY!  Kids can’t resist the great colors of real food.
    • Fruit smoothies made with yogurt or kefir

    The above recipes come from Holiday Open House by Marilyn Moll (scroll down)

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    Obtain a Free Ebook:

    If you post a comment on my blog and like on Facebook  you will get a complimentary copy of Holiday Open House.

  • Busy Mom Strategies for Grocery Shopping

    dinnerPhoto courtesy of http://recipes.slides.kaboose.com

    Whether you are facing a difficult pregnancy, recovery from surgery, other long term illness, death of a loved one or other losses, or just a busy mom, there are times when we really need to simplify grocery shopping and menu planning drastically.

    Recently, I haven’t had the energy to do much cooking either.  What helps me the most to conquer, “Mom, what’s for dinner? dilemma” are some of the following ideas.

    • Taking a Saturday morning to cook 2-3 different dishes in bulk.
    • Start my dinner in the morning during breakfast preparation.
    • Purchase take-out barbecue and fill in with easy side dishes like cole slaw and cut up fruit.
    • Making large batches of the meal so I have plenty of leftovers for an extra meal or leftover night.
    • Baked Potato night with canned chili topping, shredded cheese, onion and sour cream
    • Lowering my standards a bit.
    • Relying on basics such as tacos, sloppy joes, meatloaf, and diced chicken breast pieces.
    • Don’t forget a huge Sunday Roast can make several other meals during the week- such as French Dip sandwiches, beef stew, or “goulash” (one pot meal of whatever is around”.
    • Make breakfast for dinner.

    Grocery Shopping when You Are Sick

    Tawra Kellam  is the author of Dining on a Dime Cookbook.  She has been disabled with Chronic Fatique Syndrome and Fibromyalgia for 22 years.  For her, dealing with food, groceries, buying it, and making it are a challenge she has addressed with a few simple strategies.

    Read Tawra Kellam’s complete article Grocery Shopping when You are Sick.  Please post some of your practical ideas for getting dinner and groceries done when you are not at full strength below

    Don’t forget the Real Foods for Teens course deadline is October 1

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  • Would you love a Bosch Mixer?

    AwesomeBoshBREAD_sm

    Nearly 25 years ago, my neighbor a mother of four, told me why she loved her Bosch mixer for making whole grain bread.  She said she had already burned out three food processors in bread making.

    Besides, she said, she was cleaning up her kitchen while the mixer did the kneading work, and her house was spotless!  This really got my attention.

    A Bosch Mixer can be used for the following everyday kitchen tasks and much more:

    • make up to six loaves of bread
    • make triple batches of cookie dough
    • Make your own healthy salad dressings
    • Puree tomatoes
    • Make cookies ( use batter whips, cookie paddles, or dough hook)
    • Mash potatoes
    • Puree cooked beans, lentils and split peas for soups, sauces, and dips.
    • Make bread crumbs
    • Crack Grain
    • Chop up nuts
    • Mix meat loaves (use batter whips or cookie paddles)
    • Prepare pesto
    • Prepare hummus
    • Prepare salsa
    • Mix cakes and quick breads
    • Whip cream fast and easy
    • Beat egg whites to the stiff peaks stage for meringues, etc. (Quick and easy)

    You can save $150 over retail if you act now while the Bosch with blender is on sale for $389.95.  A Bosch without Blender is $359.95.

  • FREE – Bonus Lesson for How to Cook Real Food!

    Bonus Lesson: Nuts & Seeds

    In this bonus lesson for How to Cook Real Food, the online cooking class hosted at Nourished Kitchen, you’ll receive a quick, sneak-peak into the cooking class through this brief video covering how to properly prepare nuts and seeds including recipes for a basic pesto sauce and a basic fruit and nut snack bar.  Please note that videos in the online cooking class will be more comprehensive than the brief look at nuts and seeds you see below here.

    In this video and using these downloadable print materials.

    Preparing Nuts and Seeds Traditionally

    Nuts and seeds can be a powerfully nutritive food: rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.  However, as is the case with many foods, nuts and seeds are also potent sources of antinutrients: particularly food phytate which binds up minerals preventing their full absorption and enzyme inhibitors which makes them difficult to digest.  Fortunately, the simple act of soaking nuts and seeds in slightly salty water overnight improves not only their digestibility but also the availability of minerals naturally found in these foods.

    Combining unrefined sea salt with warm, filtered water and pouring this salty mixture over your nuts or seeds provides optimal conditions to help mitigate the effects of these two antinutrients.  Leaving the nuts or seeds to soak overnight in warm, salty water, you’ll not only improve the nutrient profile of these foods, but also their texture.  They become softer and, for this reason, are well-suited to cooking and using in sauces like classic pesto, fruit and nut bars, breads and other dishes.  If you have a food dehydrator, you can even dry the nuts or seeds after soaking to make a delicious snack.

    In this Bonus Lesson, you’ll learn:

    • Why nuts and seeds prove valuable additions to a nourishing, healthy and wholesome diet.
    • How to prepare nuts and seeds to maximize nutrition and digestibility.
    • How to make a basic pesto using nuts or seeds, herbs and greens and an unrefined oil.
    • How to save money making a basic dried fruit and nut bar featuring dates, dried fruit and soaked nuts.

    Bonus Class Materials: Video & Printables

    nutsandseedsWatch the Nuts and Seeds Video Lesson Now!

    Enjoy your free lesson and downloadable material!   I can’t wait to try the nut and dried fruit recipe, because I won’t need an oven or stove top to prepare this yummy snack.

  • Ultimate Homeschool Expo On Line

    The Ultimate Homeschool Expo has been awesome for me today even though I don’t have daily homeschooling responsibilities anymore.   I loved speaker Kimberly Ehlers challenge today:

    “I will not compare myself to any other Mom; I will not compare my child to any other child; I will celebrate the God created specialness of my child.” I think this applies to all moms whether we homeschool or not!

    Here is tomorrow’s don’t miss schedule:

    10AM CT

    Welcome: Movie Makers

    Workshop: Power in Words: Encouraging Your Writer in the Art, Craft, and Ministry of Writing with Rachel Starr Thomson

    1PM CT

    Welcome: Sharon Jeffus from www.VisualManna.com

    Workshop: Getting Kids to Help: Your Part and Theirs with Stephanie Buckwalter from www.BusyHomeschooler.com

    3:30PM CT

    Welcome: Tara McClenahan from www.TaraMcClenahan.com

    Workshop: Spiritual Disciplines for Your Kids with Jane VanOsdol from www.OnlyByPrayer.com

    I’m really excited about the Spiritual Disciplines Workshop for ideas for teaching my daughter,for teaching my Sunday School Class and for my future grandkids, the first one is due in August.

    Take a peak at the rest of the week’s schedule you are sure to find some workshops that you won’t want to miss:

    Wednesday, May 5, 2010

    10AM CT

    Welcome: Kelly Thorne from www.iBloom.us

    Workshop: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in Review with Jenn Schwilling from www.MomsNoChaosZone.com

    1PM CT

    Welcome: Lois Graham from www.BuildingBlocks4Life.com

    Workshop: E-Learning: Making Video Part of Your School with Felice Gerwitz from www.MediaAngels.com

    3:30PM CT

    Welcome: Candace with www.Sonbeams.com

    Workshop: Catching the Foxes that Ruin the Vineyard with Christine Field from www.HomeFieldAdvantage.org

    Thursday, May 6, 2010

    10AM CT

    Welcome: Kate Estes from www.HandsandHeart.com

    Workshop: Teaching Art to Reinforce Understanding of Core Concepts for Visual and Kinesthetic Learners with Sharon Jeffus from www.VisualManna.com

    1PM CT

    Welcome: Movie Makers

    Workshop: Publishing Your Young Writer’s Work:  Tips for Getting Their Work in Print with Jane VanOsdol from www.OnlyByPrayer.com

    3:30PM CT

    Welcome: Elana Michelson from www.biblicallapbooks.com

    Workshop: Dad, Mom’s Eating Broccoli Again! with Angela Ramos from www.homeschoolfitnesscoach.com

    Friday, May 7, 2010

    10AM CT

    Welcome: Molly Evert from www.MyAudioSchool.com

    Workshop: Mother: YOU can Make a Difference in this World! with Karisa Rivera from www.KarisaRivera.com

    1PM CT

    Welcome: Anne Elliott from www.AnnesSchoolPlace.com

    Workshop: Teaching the Multi-Grade Homeschool with Terri Johnson from www.KnowledgeQuestMaps.com

    3:30PM CT

    Welcome: Denise Warnick from www.floatasoldier.org

    Workshop: Re-Charge Your Homeschool! with Cindy Rushton from www.CindyRushton.com

    Remember, everything is recorded, so you don’t have to attend a live event.

    Get your ticket for the Mommy Grab Bag of Goodies, Fabulous Freebies and Downloads, and all the other great resources.