Couponing Part One- HOW TO

Finally, a blog about couponing as promised, although late.

Here we go:
First, you need to check your local grocery store sales flier. Here is a local one for me, Giant Eagle

http://www.gianteagle.com/Specials/WeeklySpecialsView.aspx

As you can see, there are many "loss leader" deals.  This is your local grocery store's way to get you to shop there.  They occasionally will put items up for sale that is at a price lower than what they can supply it for.  Look for good deals on the front page, and throughout the circular in larger print and pictures. 

When you find deals you are interested in, then begin a search for coupons to match the item on sale.  You can get coupons by subscribing to the paper, asking friends, family and co-workers to save the inserts for you, by dumpster diving in paper recycling bins, by ordering coupons online, and printing online coupons.

If you go to the Giant Eagle flier I posted up above. If you go to page 2, on the upper left corner is a sale for Betty Crocker cake mix.  The price is .89 cents. If you get the paper, you would have a Betty Crocker coupon for .50 cents off a box.  If you don't have this coupon, you can buy it online at MANY coupon clipping service websites.  (I would choose one close to where you live to cut down shipping time).  Here is a Betty Crocker coupon available to buy online:

http://www.collectablecoupons.com/product-p/q%20212.htm

Most online coupon clipping services have VERY reasonable shipping rates.  Some apply a .50 handling fee, then ship in a normal .44 cent envelope.  So, for about 50 coupons or less, you pay about a dollar shipping and handling. If we bought 20 Betty Crocker cake coupons online, you would pay about .05 cents per coupon= $1.00 for all 20 coupons.  Add in the $1.00 fee for shipping and handling, your total is now $2.00.  This $2.00 can buy you 20 boxes of cake mix (if your store doubles coupons, which mine does), PLUS an .11 cent "overage" if your store allows.  So, you now have .11 overage per box of cake mix X 20 boxes=  $2.20.  What does this mean?  This means you buy MORE items in your grocery order in this coupon trip, and many times, the cash register will carry over your overages to other items.  So, you could buy a loaf of bread for $2.50 plus your 20 boxes of cake mix, and your total charge is only .30 cents!  Cool, huh?  AND, you only paid $2.00 for the coupons. Or they are free of you don't' have to buy online.

Here is an idea of some ways to get coupons online:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/coupons-promotions/coupons/default

I suggest using a "junk" e-mail account, like a gmail or something, because some sites require you to subscribe, which can clog your inbox.   There are a TON of online printable coupons.  Just search for them.  Often times, the online printables are better values than the paper insert ones.  BUT, there are limits to how many times you can print them- AND check with your store to be sure they accept internet printables.  

Some suggestions:

Our local sales fliers come out Tuesdays, both in the mail and online.  My local sales begin Thursdays. I look at the ads on Tuesdays, and order coupons on Tuesdays as well.  "Hot" coupons go quickly. Mine arrive in about 2 business days, so I can start shopping the first day of the sale, before items run out.

If you are going to buy a good deal, and your store is out of stock of the item you want, get a rain check!  Many times I have gotten a rain check, only to have a better coupon come out for that item! 

My next blog post will be about making a system that works for you- coupon/sales flier organization, and how to incorporate it into your weekly menu plan.

Life Lessons and Camping

If you know me, REALLY know me, you will know I LOVE camping, nature, the great outdoors. I think getting out and away, camping- truly strengthens your inner self, and the bonds of the family. It's all about discovery (photos from our May camping trip to Keystone) :

Great things can be created with teamwork, and a helping hand

Take pride in your work, no matter the scale of significance

Try to see things from all perspectives, without judgment

It's good to get dirty sometimes

Feeling the water and sand...

and grass under your feet

Choose your companions wisely. Without even realizing it, their habits, words, mannerisms will sometimes seep into your own.

Competition can be a positive thing, as long as the motivations and reasons are worth it, and everyone plays fair. Always.

Accept defeat

Pay attention. If you miss it the first time...

Assure yourself you will be more determined and ready the next time

Life will ALWAYS throw something at you.

Be ready

Sometimes, it will be a curve ball
Observe your surroundings

You might find beautiful things

Look closer

You may get a glimpse of another family, and their daily happenings. Observe them, surround yourself with interesting, positive companions.
Move slowly through life. Enjoy every moment.
Bask in the sun.
Refuel often

Treat yourself
Be patient. Wait for the good things to come.
But enjoy the process.

Attraction. Allure. Appeal.
Be careful of what catches your eye, your heart, your interest.
Things are not always what they seem.
Surround yourself with things you love, and love your surroundings


(It's hard to tell in this photo, but this man paddled back and forth on the lake meditating and praying- for hours)


Let loose and have fun

Homesteading Beginnings....

We have been working on being more self sufficient, here in our little house, yard and town. In the past year, we've built a pretty good emergency food supply, natural first aid "medication" (tinctures, salves, herbal concoctions, homeopathic remedies, etc) and other supplies.

Slowly, we are cutting down some shade trees in hopes to have enough sunlight for gardens. So far, we have a 100 square foot patch of garden dug, and plans for several hanging buckets for upside down tomato, pepper, and eggplant plants. I have several garden seeds indoors, growing quickly under my areogarden.

Also, we are looking into a pump for an old natural spring well we discovered in our patch of woods. It surely runs well, in fact, it floods the street behind our home. Small steps...

One of the bigger steps we recently took is starting a small flock of chickens! :) For now, we only want the hens for pets and for their eggs.


I've been doing "backyard chicken" research for about a year, but finally decided to take the plunge now that chicks are more readily available, and I feel more confident after reading up on the breeds, temperaments, needs, costs involved and laying abilities.

After months of surfing Craigslist for coops or sheds to convert, I found a great little small home made coop for a steal. It was built by a small town Mayor who hoped to hatch eggs for his son's, but was unsuccessful. With the help of friends who loaned us a truck (many thanks, Christy and Matt!), and friends who loaned us a dolly (thanks, Krista and Chas!), we were able to get it home and into place (not pictured in it's place)

There is a locking upper and lower level. This will need modified.

It is even shingled! We will need to better insulate and cover it.

Much of the chicken wire will be covered by "shutters" and the wire will also need reinforced with welded wire to keep the raccoons out.
We also will need to build nesting boxes.

I am counting on Bryan's skills to make something like this:

I would like to be able to access the eggs from outside of the coop.

After some construction and paint, it will soon be ready for these cuties:

Pictured LEFT is "Peanut" she is a Golden Comet. Pictured RIGHT is "Goldie" who is an Amber Link...not much info on her breed.... but owners say they are docile, friendly layers. So far she's at the top of the pecking order. She's very bossy.

We took a long, country drive today (thanks Becky for accompanying and navigating!) to complete our small flock. The all black chick on the bottom right is a Black Sex Link. Rylan named her "Lincoln" because he kept mistakenly referring to her as a "Sex Lincoln" ha ha.. Next to her, the dark brown chick to the left is an Araucana. Also known as Americana, or an Easter Egger. She was sold to me as an Araucana, but with my limited chicken experience, I think she's an Easter Egger. The chick behind her, with the light and dark brown is also the same breed. They will lay blue, green and pinkish eggs. The yolk is a very deep orange.

Finally, the chick closest to the water, black with some cream color, is an Australorp.

I am happy with my selections so far, although as I pulled away with the last 4 chicks today, I did second guess myself and wished I would have bought two Black Sex Links. If I can find a Barred Rock, I might get one. :)

Bryan is in the process of building a 10 X 10 dog run around the coop. We will need to line the chain link with better wire to keep it predator proof. Pictures of it soon.

My short term goal is to have enough eggs to feed our family, the neighbors for putting up with them :)

EDIT: For some reason, my hyperlink color will not change. If you move your cursor over the chicken breed names, I linked info about them.

Happy Easter everyone!

Health Topic: "Sourdough"

Time to move onto 'edible living creature in my kitchen' #2: Sourdough Starter.
I am new at this, but have learned a lot through trial and error and taste testing!

The first recorded use of sourdough was by the Ancient Egyptians around 1500 BC.

Traditionally, sourdough starter was thought to be essential in the pioneering times, when fresh baking yeast was always readily available. Because sourdough starter is a live active culture, it is often handed down generation to generation. It does not die (when cared for), and gets better with age.

Why Sourdough?
Well, it is fermented. We talked about fermentation in my kefir post. There have been studies about Sourdough breads being nutritionally superior over other breads, including whole grain even- particularly because the fermentation changes the starches in the bread, keeping your body's glucose levels in check.

How To Start?
THIS is the best tutorial I have come across, you'd do better reading it than looking at my pictures. But, just for fun, here are mine:

My starter took about 28 days to make and fully mature. See all the bubbles?

Once it began "growing" quickly, I transferred it into a loosely covered jar. In a couple short hours, I came into the kitchen to find it had "crawled" out of the jar, onto the counter and all over the floor! It was a MESS! No, I did not take pictures. I was too annoyed and tired (it was 11pm). I have had a couple refrigerator escapes as well. Tight lids are your friend.

What Can You Do With Starter?
*Always remember to reserve some of your starter, and keep it fed! It will last FOREVER if properly cared for.

(A lot of these recipes and methods come from my friend Tacyia, they have been in her family for more than 200 years)

You need to activate your starter. This is sort of what bakers refer to as a "sponge":
1 C Starter
4C Flour
1/3 C sugar or honey
enough warm water to make a batter

Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl (glass or ceramic is best) and mix til smooth. Let rise in a warm area covered loosely for 6-12 hours (overnight is best). If I need to rise it in the cold months, I place the bowl in the warm base of my yogurt maker, you can also use a heating pad if you have a cold house like me :)

To make pancake or waffle batter:
Add to the activated starter (or sponge)-
3 eggs (or equivalent replacement)
3T Oil (I use coconut)
1/2 tsp salt (sea salt is the best)

Beat until smooth with a wooden spoon

add 1/2 tsp Baking Soda to 1/2 C warm water till dissolved, stir gently and let rest until bubbly.

Makes a TON of pancakes!!
*you can freeze prepared pancakes and waffles for another day.

To bake Bread:

Follow pancake recipe
Can add 1/4 C honey or brown sugar (or rapadura) to make a 'sweeter' bread
Add enough extra flour to make a pliable dough
Knead until smooth, 5-6 minutes
place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled
Punch down and form 2-4 loaves (depending on if you used the batter for pancakes or waffles before making bread)
Let rise 30 min
Bake at 325 for 25-30 min, until they sound hollow when tapped

*you can also make dinner rolls by baking in muffin cups, just remember to adjust the baking time.

To Make Cinnamon Rolls:
Follow bread recipe

add 1/4C brown sugar (or rapadura) to batter

After the first rise, roll out dough into a rectangular shape, brush on melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (again- rapadura is better). Jelly roll, and cut into 1" sections. Place in greased round pan.

Let rise 30 min, or until doubled.
Bake at 325 for 20-25 min, until golden brown.

For more recipes such as English Muffins, ciabatta, bagels, pizza crusts, etc, click HERE.

*When starting or feeding your starter, if your instructions say to discard 50% please consider giving that portion away instead of wasting it.

Enjoy!

I'll blog about sprouting next.

Health Topic: "Kefir"

So we already covered raw milk, kefir naturally comes next.

What is kefir?
In my life, kefir is an essential component to health as well as an intriguing "science experiment". Kefir is a live food. Easily digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, vitamins and minerals, and complete proteins. Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from many illness and ailments.

Some health benefits of milk kefir:
Milk kefir exhibits anti-bacterial [inhibiting the growth of unwanted bacteria], anti-mycotic [inhibiting the growth of unwanted molds or fungi], anti-neoplastic [inhibiting or preventing the growth or development of malignant cells] and immunomodulatory [an immunological adjuster, regulator or potentiator] effects, including a recent study of the anti-inflammatory activity of milk kefir, especially so for kefiran, which milk kefir-grains consist of and exude into the kefir during fermentation of milk. Apart from the anti-inflammatory effect, the former four activities may be shared by water kefir-cultures. Milk kefir also contains a powerful antioxidant, [1] existing as charged molecules. [2] The former research has shown it to be more powerful than vitamin E in protecting body cells against oxidative damage. The latter research concluded that the pH and heat resistant powerful antioxidant of milk kefir, whether made from dairy milk, rice milk or soymilk, has the potential to prevent pathogenesis of the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ischemia from stroke, Huntington’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and amyotrohic lateral sclerosis. There has yet been similar studies to evaluate antioxidants of water kefir that I am aware of at this point. Milk kefir also has the ability to correct high blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

More info here.
The above site is very detailed, and includes more recipes.

Why Kefir and not just yogurt?
They both contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.

It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.

Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, the elderly and people experiencing chronic fatigue and digestive disorders.

Ok, sounds good. Where do I get it and how do I make it?
The great thing about kefir is that it GROWS. The grains multiply when "fed" correctly, and are under the right conditions. I have extra grains about every other week or so. Otherwise, you can buy them online. Kefir Lady has been a good proven source. I would buy fresh shipped grains, not frozen or freeze dried like you can find elsewhere.

Once you have your grains, the fun begins.
You will need a clean glass jar, lid and good milk. Raw milk is best in my opinion, but store bought milk with do (ultrapasturized doesn't culture as well) and you can also use goat milk, soy milk, rice milk or nut milk.

Place your kefir grains into your glass jar. It's not a science, it's an art- there is no magic recipe for amount of kefir grains to milk ratio. The more the grains, the quicker the milk with culture into kefir.

Pour your milk into the jar, and cover the jar LOOSELY (fermentation can cause gas and you need to leave room to expand, and a loose lid just in case.)
Sit at room temperature.

After awhile (usually 12-48 hours) the kefir will be ready. You can tell that it is ready when the milk thickens a little (like runny yogurt) and you can see it begin to coagulate in the jar.


Next you pour the contents into a strainer over a bowl to separate the grains from the kefir. I use a large pyrex measuring cup.
I leave it sit a few minutes if it's thick, and give it a little shake to help it along.

Beautiful grains left, ready for more milk

Here's the finished kefir.
I store my finished kefir in a glass container. Its needs to be refrigerated at this point.
This batch of kefir is a bit thick, normally it is a bit thinner.

What to do with it now? You can drink it plain, but I use it in smoothies. For breakfast, I make a smoothie out of one banana, ice, 1 cup or so of kefir and a tablespoon or so of peanut or almond butter, and some ground flax seed. You can also make it into a strawberry or chocolate peanut butter smoothie- whatever. Its very versatile.

Enjoy!