Cheap & Tasty Holiday Brew

Hi my favorite readers! It's that time of year when thoughts of pumpkins, spices and all good nices come to mind. It's also the time when food manufacturers bomboard our marketplace shelves with a variety of tasty goodies. One of those goodies is pumpkin spice coffee and beverages. Instead of spending big bucks on any of these manufactured brews....make your own. It's cheap, easy and oh..so tasty.

When preparing your morning coffee brew, or espresso, place a pinch of spices on the top of the coffee. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg – these are the traditional holiday spices. Use any variety of spices to please your palate. Make certain to use less amounts of ginger, cloves and nutmeg since they are much more powerful than the cinnamon. I find using more cinnamon always works out best. You may find otherwise.

Simply brew your coffee as usual. The smell of coffee is always appealing. Adding the spices will add an additional pleasant aroma to the surrounding air. Who doesn't like that?

Go for it. Have fun and explore! Not only will your taste buds thank you, your pocketbook will be smiling. :)

Find interesting? Kindly share...

<!-- AddThis Button END →

Quick & Easy Veggie Soup

We're all pressed for time. Many times it's too easy to choose a processed meal. Instead, make your own batch of veggie soup. It's quick, easy and oh so cheap...

Cut up your favorite veggies. Include broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes and a clove or two of fresh garlic. If you don't have fresh garlic, use bottled minced or garlic powder. Mix up all the veggies. Lightly coat with olive oil. Mix thoroughly to coat all veggies.

Place veggies into roasting pan. Lightly sprinkle with Italian seasoning or basil, rosemary, thyme. 

Place container into 350 oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until you can easily poke a fork in to the veggies. Refrigerate leftovers for future use....like the below veggie soup.

Either open a can of prepared veggie broth. Or, use your homemade variety. Add some roasted veggies. VIOLA! There you have a quick, easy and budget-friendly way to enjoy a healthy meal.

Serve with wholegrain crackers, bread or noodles.

Find interesting? Kindly share.. 

<!-- AddThis Button END →

Pass The Quinoa!!

Quinoa is an old-world grain that has been around for centuries. My students always love seeing how it's used in dishes. It makes for a great side dish, a morning cereal, a main ingredient in stir frys and a variety of other delights. Plus, you can bake with the flour.

Quinoa contains numerous beneficial nutrients. Nutrients include fiber which aids cardiovascular and digestive health. It provides a natural appetite suppressant, to fill you up and cause you to eat less. Who can't use that?

Other nutrients include:

• Calcium helps maintain bone strength and density.
• Copper, which helps your body absorb iron.
• Zinc, which supports a healthy immune system. Do you take zinc supplements when you feel a cold coming on? Or take a hit when you have a cold to lessen symptoms? If not, you're missing out on a treasured nutrient.
• Iron, to keep your blood healthy and nourished

Quinoa contains rich amounts of potassium, the mineral needed to help regulate heart beats, maintain a healthy blood pressure level, lower anxiety levels, prevent muscle spasms and contractions, protect against stroke – wow. Who knew all this could come out of a grain?

Experiment with quinoa. When cooked, it resembles Saturn. You know, the planet with a ring around it? The texture is pleasant, also.

Go quinoa! Enjoy!

Find interesting? Kindly share...

<!-- AddThis Button END →