let’s talk food. mixed with budgets & meal planning for the entire family, it can be a bit of a challenge. our family began meal planning & budgeting before luke & i got married when we began the discussion of sharing our money. i’ve had a little over four years to make mistakes, jump for joy in my successes, spend one week’s worth of food on thrift store finds (oops!) & eat only beans the next. sometimes i get really into meal planning & watching our dollar stretch; other times, we’re lucky to have spaghetti with store-bought sauce. i believe it’s all part of life’s rhythm, but i am trying to be more consistent for our health & our sanity.
we spend about $65 every week on food for the two of us. this includes every meal at home, any meal or side we may prepare for a potluck or party, our booze, & our household needs including cleaning supplies & toilet paper. this does not include date night, which we allow $40 for each month. we do have a few advantages- we have a surplus of meat from the farm, which i don’t utilize enough because i am so used to preparing vegetarian meals. we have a flock of chickens who provide our eggs & sweet potatoes to feed an army along with a handful of other vegetables fairly consistently. our $65 does not allow for a completely organic diet, although we do make many sacrifices to fit organic dairy & as many fruits & vegetables into our budget as possible.
with that said, it does take a lot of strategic planning to meet our $65 budget each week. i want to share with you a versatile recipe that has allowed me to make our budget work while providing a seasonal dinner & a lunch on-the-go option.
black bean sweet potato burritos
adapted from simply in season, winter chapter
makes 8 burritos
ingredients:
4 cups sweet potatoes, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 whole-wheat flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese
just a few tips: always prepare more beans than the recipe calls for. black beans are a great lunch starter or can be used for another meal idea such as friday night vegetarian taco salad. try to soak your beans overnight, although this step is not absolutely necessary. you can always do the quick boiling method or simply plop them in the pot to cook at the last minute. i prefer my beans soaked, but sometimes we forget. also, i cook my beans in a crockpot on high during the day when i am at work. when i get home, i have beans ready to go.
directions:
preheat oven to 350F.
saute your sweet potatoes & onions in the largest frying pan you can find in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender. this takes about 30 minutes. add water as needed to prevent sticking.
once potatoes are tender, add your cooked black beans, cumin, cinnamon, & salt. cook until all is heated, about five minutes.
lay out your flour tortillas & disperse shredded cheese. divide your sweet potato-bean mixture equally among the tortillas & roll up burrito style. place in a lightly oiled 9 x 13 inch baking pan. cover pan with foil & bake in oven for 20 minutes.
garnish with plain yogurt or sour cream & salsa. dinner’s ready!
with your leftovers, roll them up in tinfoil & freeze. these guys make PERFECT lunches. set them out the morning before your lunch hour to thaw. unwrap the aluminum foil & pop them in the microwave for a few minutes or keep the foil on & heat them in the oven for five minutes at 350F.
with this recipe, we can have one delicious dinner for two & 6 on-the-go lunches.
do you have any easy, affordable, whole recipes to share? & as always, let me know if you have any questions!
love,
natalie
just a quick hello & a happy little update of bookmarks in the shop! they are perfect for this winter season of cozy evenings spent sipping on tea & reading your favorite book. i’m currently using the canning bookmark to keep my place. on page 65, friends!
as a little thank you for all you do, i am offering 20% off all items in the shop until monday morning. just enter “BLOGHAPPY” at the checkout.
love,
natalie
p.s. when purchasing two or more items, your second purchase/+ is always shipped for free!
i want to share with you one of my favorite skin care recipes- lavender toner. i have issues with my skin & breakouts are a regular occurrence. i followed my dermatologist’s orders for several years, but my skin would continue to breakout with only a few days of clear skin.
i finally decided to shed myself of those old routines & fully immerse myself into affordable, natural skin care products. i visited with my friend, emma- a farmer & natural skin care extraordinaire – & with a barter of photography for skin care products, i began my new, all-natural regimen.
my skin has never been happier. i wake up with an even skin tone & breakout only a few days a month, which i credit to stress & lack of water intake.
of course, interested in this topic & all things homemade, i began to experiment with my own recipes & ingredients. i have yet to master the wonderful foamy-ness of emma’s face wash & i will continue to support her no matter the recipes i create, but i made a comparable lavender toner that i would like to share with you today!
lavender skin toner
perfect for oily & normal skin types
ingredients:
– 1 heaping tablespoon lavender buds
– 1 cup witch hazel
– 8 drops lavender essential oil
supplies:
– mason jar with lid
– bottle with cap, preferably dark for longer storage life
– funnel
– cheesecloth
combine ingredients in a mason jar & screw on lid tightly. label jar with contents & date along with ready date (two weeks from the day you made the recipe). store in a dark, cool place for two weeks to steep.
each day, shake your toner vigorously. it should look like the photo above with tiny bubbles & foam.
after two weeks have passed, strain your lavender toner. wrap your cheesecloth around the funnel & place securely on top of the bottle. empty the toner into the bottle, allowing the liquid to pour into the bottle & your lavender buds to stay in the cheesecloth.
label your creation & store in your bathroom for daily use. no refrigeration is required & toner will last for up to six months.
to apply: after washing your face with a gentle face wash, apply the toner (approximately 1/2 teaspoon or so) using a cotton ball on your entire face, chin area & neck.
enjoy!
love,
natalie