I recently was told about The Fresh 20 program, and within 2 days of asking around about it, somehow convinced a half dozen friends to sign up!

So what IS the Fresh 20?

Here’s an overview:

SHOP – The Fresh 2o provides shopping lists and recipes for the week (actually 5 days, assuming you’ll go off-plan a few times a week)  In addition to staple pantry items you likely already have on hand, you buy 20 fresh  ingredients (local and organic when possible) each week. Most subscribers say it takes less than 20 minutes to complete their shopping. NOTHING is processed or frozen, making sure everything is preservative free. Good meals for your family.

PREP – Fresh 20 gives you a step by step guide to prep the entire week’s meals. It is supposed to take about an hour at the start of your week and save you valuable time during busy weeknights.

COOK – Each complete meal takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and features simple recipes that the whole family can create together.  No more boxed mac-n-cheese or canned soup casseroles.

The Fresh 20 offers three different menu plans:  Classic, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free.  They also give back a portion of each subscription’s profits to charities and encourages members to participate in choosing new charities.

I personally have yet to sign up, but all I’ve been hearing is rave feedback!  Here’s a taste (excuse the pun):

• “We’ve been doing the Fresh 20 plan for about six months now.  I have not had any repeats yet except for a side dish of roasted zucchini. We really love the plan. It’s so healthy and we’ve maybe had 2 dishes we weren’t fond of.”

• “Tonight wasthe chicken verde chili…. OMG. I’m full but I think I’m going to eat the rest of the pot anyway. OMG.”

•  ”Our first week on fresh 20 was really affordable and the kids liked it. My husband is pumped that we eat ALL the food in the fridge every week and there is not as much wastage. I am starting week two now.’

• “Day 2 = another success! And another kiss and ‘thank you’! A girl could get used to this! And because I cooked the rice ahead of time like the plan said to, it literally only took me 20 minutes to make an awesome dinner! ME, a girl who can’t and doesn’t cook! (But apparently can and does!) I’m loving this so far!”

• “ The whole week was a total success! I did all 5 recipes this week, and was AMAZED that it all worked. I’m someone who does not cook, and does not enjoy cooking in the slightest. Something normally goes wrong, and my cooking generally doesn’t work, or doesn’t taste good. Every single recipe was easy enough for me to cook, each one took less than half an hour or so to prepare, and I was totally able to prepare it even with 2 busy kids. I did the rice prep ahead of time, and sometimes cut veg a couple hours before while my son was in his room, but other than that, all prep was done during cooking time. The recipes were also really tasty.  My son ate most of the meals too, so that is FANTASTIC. I subbed some ingredients for things that I like better, but I tried to stick to the ingredients listed, as it ensured that I ate things that I’ve either never tried before, or things that I generally avoid but are good for me.   I’m totally going to continue with the whole shebang. It worked very well, tasted good, didn’t take too much time, wasn’t that expensive, etc. This is exactly the kind of thing I needed.”

• and a love letter from a friend of mine to The Fresh 20:

So I’m sure you get hundreds of emails like mine, but I have to tell you how much my family is loving The Fresh 20. We have been on the plan for 3 weeks now and it has changed our daily life in the most wonderful way. Before The Fresh 20 my husband and I made panicked calls to each other at 4pm about what we’d make for dinner. We often ended up just throwing a steak on the BBQ or having takeout. We were those parents dragging two tired kids through the grocery store at 5:15pm. Not anymore. In addition to the delicious food, the fresh and healthful ingredients, the lack of food waste due to careful planning, any one of which would justify the paltry $5 monthly fee on its own, the biggest gift is that of reduced anxiety. The plight of the working mother is always her fear that she’s not doing right by one or more parts of her life – her children, her work, her own health. The Fresh 20 has truly changed that for me, and put me back in the driver’s seat. Everyone wins when mama’s happy, and this mama is truly happy.

 These really are all comments and reviews from PEOPLE I KNOW.  I really haven’t heard much negative feedback at all.  I’m curious to sign on myself as soon as possible!

Here’s a recipe from the plan that was comes highly recommended.  I can’t wait to try it!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICK PEA PITAS WITH QUINOA SALAD

SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK’S MENU IMMEDIATELY!

 Note:  Yes, this post does contain affiliate links, but only because I requested one because everyone kept asking me about this program!  But if you do sign up through my link, you’ll do your part to help keep Green Penny Pincher going. 

I’ve been working on this post for a while, trying to get something new up, but – ironically – I’ve been coming down with something and can’t seem to shake it. Thanks to the wonderful Pinterest (and Pinners) for helping me make my life a little easier today.

Basic rules of staying well:
Dress appropriately – scarves are “in” every fall,
Get enough sleep,
Get some fresh air every day,
Drink enough water, and
Eat your rainbow.

Most of the time, this will do the job. But sometimes it just isn’t enough, and you just get sick. Here are a few DIY/natural hints and remedies to get you through this change in season. How many have you already tried? What did you think? Do you have some that aren’t on this list to share with the class?

(If you’re not sick yet, consider yourself lucky, and read this over while you’re still well enough to prepare some of these concoctions that take some time to make/brew!)

Once again, I found myself with too many frozen/overripe bananas.  Last time I attempted a new recipe, Toddler Muffins, with some success – they were good, but not so wonderful that I just HAD to make them again.  Even though in actuality it probably takes the same amount of time and effort, I just wasn’t “feeling” baking bread in this weather.  I came across this recipe for Banana Cookies and stumbled upon a suggestion of biscotti in the comments.

BISCOTTI.  Long adored, never made.   I am an expert at eating it; surely it couldn’t be that hard to make, right?

Chocolate Banana Coconut Almond Biscotti

I followed the posted recipe for the most part, but added in about 3/4 c. (too much) sweetened, flaked coconut, and sliced almonds for the nuts.  The additional of the coconut made the dough – already very stiff – too dry, so I tossed in a few ounces of apple juice, as that was the first thing I saw when I opened the fridge.

For those of you who are not familiar, baking biscotti is a 2-part process:  you bake the loaf, slice it, then re-bake the slices so they are hard and well-equipped to stand up to a dunking in coffee or tea or what-have-you.  Having completed the first step, I proceeded to “frost” the top of the loaf with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips (and a smidge of oil to make it spreadable.) and let it harden.

And then I looked at my beautifully frosted loaf and thought, “Boy, am I dumb.” HOW was I going to RE-BAKE the slices if they already were frosted?

The answer was: very carefully.  If I had used anything softer than the semi-sweets and that smidge of oil to frost them, this would NOT have worked, but as it was they held up fairly well to being re-baked, aside from landslides of almond slices which I shimmied back on while they were still warm.

Verdict?  Yummy, but kind of disappointing in that they were missing the moist delectability of fresh-baked banana bread.  I foresee another venture into biscotti-making in my future – maybe for the holidays – but I think next time I have to use up the bananas, I’m just going to bake some stinkin’ bread.

You asked for it, and you got it! This is my first post of a new “column” on Green Penny Pincher called…

Many of you are, like me, completely hooked on Pinterest, feverishly pinning this, that, and everything else, for future research… which may or may not ever happen, especially as your pin count jumps into the hundreds, then thousands!

Looking through Pinterest is like looking for gold nuggets in a bin full of fools’ gold, especially now that it has gotten huge, and, in my opinion, slightly abused and spammy.   It’s really the least I can do to test some of these pins out and share them with you, right?

PinterTest #1:  DIY Fabric Softener

I’ve been trying to cut back/out on fabric softener for years, ever since learning of the very dangerous ingredients store-bought softeners contain.  It hasn’t been easy, though, with very hard water and lots and lots of static cling in our house. For the most part I stuck with adding white vinegar to a Downy ball in my wash, but certain seasons and fabrics still required something more.  I did swear off dryer sheets many years ago, after slipping on one too many that had fallen on the floor and seeing my life flash before my eyes, but I always had the liquid on-hand.

This recipe adds a key ingredient to the vinegar idea:  hair conditioner.  And it makes all the difference! (more…)

I found myself with over a dozen eggs in the fridge this morning and they were taking up a lot of room.  In addition, I’m tired of washing the frying pan every time I  (or Mr. GPP or Adventure-Boy) want eggs.  So this morning I whipped up this super-easy, much-loved recipe from my mom for an egg casserole and thought I’d share.  It tastes great, is versatile (mix in whatever you like!) and freezes well.  Did I mention easy? This is Mom’s recipe – my changes (of the day) follow:

Egg & Cheese Casserole

• 2 c. Seasoned croutons (any kind)
• 8 oz. Shredded cheddar
• 2 oz. Bacon bits or chopped cooked bacon
• 8-10 Eggs, beaten, with
• 2 cups milk
• Garlic powder
• Onion flakes
• 1 can Sliced stewed tomatoes, well drainedItalian seasoning

Spread croutons in an even layer across bottom of pan. Spread cheese evenly on top. Sprinkle bacon bits. Pour egg mixture over all. You can add more eggs to make more servings. Place stewed tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Delish!

I had about 1/2 bag of Trader Joe’s frozen asparagus in my freezer, so I defrosted that and chopped it up (if I wasn’t trying to hide it from Adventure-Boy, I would have left it in long pieces).  I also had about 1/4 of a ham-steak that I chopped up instead of bacon. (I’ve made this without any meat for vegetarians and it is GREAT).  I use a little less cheese to keep it light, and I always use a sharp cheddar to make up for that.  I used 2% milk because that is what we have, but I have made it with skim milk no problem.  (Not sure about soy milk but it should be fine.) Every time I make this, it’s a little different, depending on what I have on-hand. In my opinion, though, the stewed tomatoes are a necessity, and when I have enough I actually prefer two cans. This is super-filling, super-easy, and, I think, tastier than a quiche.  The croutons on the bottom of the pan make their own crust. It’s rainy and chilly out today, so active garden work is put on hold but those seeds are out there sprouting as we speak!  Can’t wait for summer to make my own stewed tomatoes!

Read more about eggs, including history, trivia, nutritional/safety info, and recipes at  IncredibleEgg.org and eggnutritioncenter.org.

Baby Adventure (who I shouldn’t call “Baby” anymore – he is TWO now!) had another bad week last week with a painful ear infection. If you have a child of your own who has had such infections, or if you are prone to them yourself, then you know they are painful and make even the sweetest kid turn into an sick demon-child.  Aside from being supremely moody, Adventure, who is normally a super-good eater,  suddenly didn’t want to eat anything aside from pretzels or crackers… or the sweet coffee cake my mom sent home with us last week.

Desperate to get something resembling healthy food into him, I went through the cupboards then popped over to allrecipes.com and found this recipe for “Toddler Muffins” for which I had almost all the ingredients.   (Mr. Penny Pincher:  ”Are they made from real toddlers?”)

The muffins were a big hit, far better (IMO) than last week’s granola bars (which Adventure also liked.)  Here is the recipe as I made it, with my changes highlighted.  Feel free to refer to the link above for the original recipe, and to see more reviews.

"Toddler Muffins"

TODDLER MUFFINS   (Original Recipe by Lori via allrecipes.com)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste
2 large bananas, mashed*
1 (4.5 ounce) jar baby food squash**
2 carrots, grated***
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick-cook (uncooked) oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 apple, cut into slices about 1/8 inch thick, then roughly chopped

Directions:  Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 to 18 standard muffin cups.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, coconut oil and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots, and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, raisins and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze.

* I always have overripe bananas on hand – whenever they start going too brown to eat, I chuck them in the freezer!

** I imagine that equal parts applesauce would work just as well.

*** I used a coarse hand-grater for the carrots (because I was too lazy to lug out the food processor for two measly carrots!)  If you want to make mini-muffins, I would suggest grating the carrots more finely to allow for the shorter cooking time – nothing like crunchy raw carrot shreds in your breakfast muffin!

Next time I might add…  grated zucchini, a scoop of protein powder, nuts or seeds.

My husband and son eat granola bars like it’s their job!  My son eats at least one every morning, and my husband eats at least one or two during the day or in the middle of the night.  Even if I buy them on sale or with coupons, they’re still expensive, and the ones that are the best bargain seem to have the most sugar (or, more likely, high-fructose corn syrup), not to mention preservatives and other unpronounceable ingredients.  I’ve been working up to making some of my own bars for over a week now, going through my cabinets to make sure I had all the ingredients, and then just trying to find the TIME… finally got to it today!

I started with this recipe from allrecipes.com as a guideline, since its author and reviewers all said it lends itself nicely to modifications.

Dry Ingredients:  I wanted to jam-pack these bars with lots of protein and dried fruit, so that they were as healthy as I could make them.  Pictured above are the dry ingredients in the large bowl, which include raisins, goji berries, dried cranberries, dried cherries, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped peanuts, wheat germ and chopped pecans.  I used about 1/2 cup (instead of the 3/4 cup listed) of brown sugar.  The “flour” portion of my version is a mix of whole wheat flour, white flour, ground blanched almonds, and ground flax seed.  You could make these gluten-free by using oat flour or another gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flour – I’m sure it would be great!  

Wet Ingredients:  I stuck to the recipe but changed the 1/2 cup oil to 1/4 cup oil and about 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce.  I also diced up 3 strawberries that were “on the edge” and tossed them in the wet mixture.

Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix until combined, then press into a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper lightly sprayed with vegetable oil.

Make sure to take your time pressing it down well into the pan, because this will keep the bars from becoming crumbly after they are baked.

I used a pizza cutter to score the pan into 18 (3×6) bars while they were still warm, then let them cool before cutting.

Storage:   I’m going to individually wrap these in waxed paper, then put them in a bag in the freezer, leaving a few in the fridge for immediate consumption.  Don’t forget these have NO PRESERVATIVES, so they are not shelf-stable!

Verdict:  my guys love them!  I personally would like them a little sweeter and crunchier, but I didn’t make them for me, so I call it a win!

What I’d Do Differently Next Time:  I’d like to add some more crunch when I make them again, perhaps some sort of cereal like corn flakes or Kashi, just for more texture.  I think I would also add back the oil to its original amount, which wasn’t that much, because I think it, along with the cereal, would give it more crunch.  I would also probably make them in a bigger pan, as they were on the thick side (about 1/2 inch; I’d prefer closer to 1/4 inch thickness) and I could have made about 24 thin ones instead of 18 thick ones.  I’m also kicking myself because I used the vegetable oil as specified before I thought, hey, I could totally use coconut oil and add some flavor and make these even healthier!

I  might also add some flaked coconut in the next go-round, and some mashed ripe banana.  I can see this recipe working nicely with banana, peanuts, and maybe a little maple syrup in place of some (not all)  of the honey.  This batch was a great cupboard-cleaner, but a bit expensive to make all the time with so many ingredients!  Nevertheless, it was worth the cost to

*** I’m headed out for the weekend to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world – my best college friends – so I probably won’t be back until next week.  Have a FAN TASTIC weekend and do something fun outdoors to celebrate Earth Day! ***

Quinoa (“Keen-wah”) is an ancient food – technically, a seed, not a grain – which has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C.  but has just recently become recognized in modern Western culture.  The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain” and revered it as a sacred and staple food.

There are over 120 species of quinoa, but three main varieties: white, red, and black quinoa.  Quinoa seeds are flat with a pointed oval shape.  As they cook, the outer germ twists open, creating a spiral.

Quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron, as well as  vitamin E and some B vitamins. It is also a great source of amino acids, including lysine, cystine and methionine – amino acids typically low in other grains.  Quinoa is considered to be a complete protein containing all 8 essential amino acids.  Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein!  About 1/2-cup of quinoa is enough to provide the required protein for a child for an entire day.  Quinoa also contains albumen, normally  found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues, and can be a great addition to a vegan diet (or any diet!)  Quinoa is GLUTEN-FREE.

Quinoa must be rinsed before preparing in order to remove the saponin, which makes it taste bitter and sudsy (don’t throw away this water – read on through the article to find out about its uses!)

The texture of cooked quinoa is soft but crunchy, and the flavor is mild and slightly nutty.  It easily absorbs and mingles with other flavors in many recipes.  The leaves are also edible, though I have never had the pleasure of eating a quinoa leaf salad.  Cooked quinoa is excellent prepared as you would a grain, either in hot soups and stews, or casserole dishes, or cold in salads similar to tabbouleh.  Quinoa cooks quickly, in about 15 minutes.  It can be toasted, and made into cereal or flour, and from there has many applications.

Store quinoa in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a year.

In South America the saponin which is removed from the quinoa is used as detergent for washing clothes and as an antiseptic to promote healing of skin injuries.  And Crunchy Betty has an AWESOME suggestion for that rinse-water!

Read more about this wonder-seed, or read on for my favorite way to eat quinoa, passed down from a friend of a mom of a friend….

Quinoa and Pecan with dried Cranberry Salad

Add 1 ½ cups of quinoa to 3 ½ boiling water, lower heat and simmer covered for about 25 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Cool.

Put in large bowl and add:

• 2 bunches of green onions finely sliced
• 1 cup of dried cranberries diced
• 2/3 cup cilantro finely chopped  (If making ahead,  don’t put this in until close to serving)
• 1 ½ cups celery finely diced
• 1 ½ pecans coarsely chopped

Toss and then add dressing made with:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinigar
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

I like the taste of this dressing and often make/add extra.

Convenience mixes are so… convenient.  They are so ubiquitous these days that most people don’t give some of them a second thought, let alone know how to make, say, Italian dressing, without a packet of Good Seasons.  We’ve come a long way since our grandparents’ cupboards!  Unfortunately, along with convenience come preservatives and other less desirable (and often unpronouncable) ingredients.  For those of you who have the time and the inclination to DIY these mixes ahead of time, you can have that same convenience PLUS the comfort of knowing every single ingredient you are putting in your food.

The first post in this series is on DIY salad dressings.  Once you make your own salad dressing and see how cheap, easy, and tasty it is, I can almost guarantee you won’t ever want to go back to the bottled varieties.  And now that spring is here, try using fresh herbs instead of dried for outstanding flavor, especially in vinaigrettes!  The rule of thumb for fresh vs. dried herbs is 1 Tablespoon of fresh = 1 teaspoon dried.

Salads, By Anil Wadghule via Flickr

Vinaigrette Dressing Mix from Budget 101

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped dried chives
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• dash ground red pepper
• dash fine-ground black (table) pepper

Combine ingredients in a ziploc bag or airtight container.  To make dressing, add contents plus approximately 1/4 c. vinegar and 1 c. oil (I personally prefer more vinegar, less oil) in a cruet and mix well.  Let sit at least 30 minutes before serving.

What You’re Missing Out On: Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix from copycatrecipeguide.com

• 15 saltine crackers *
• 2 Tablespoons dried dill weed
• 2 c. dried parsley flakes, minced
• 1/2 c. dried minced onion
• 1 c. dried buttermilk powder
• 1/4 c. onion salt**
• 1/4 c. garlic salt**
• 1/4 c. onion powder
• 1/4 c. garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper

* to make this recipe gluten-free, substitute Rice chex for Saltines.

** to make this recipe low-sodium, omit onion salt and garlic salt and use 1/2 c. each onion powder and garlic powder, and use unsalted crackers.

In a blender or food processor, pulse saltines to a fine powder.  Add parsley, buttermilk, onions, and dill weed and pulse again until all ingredients are blended to a powder.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Transfer to an airtight container and store up to one year.

To make dressing:  mix 1 Tablespoon of powdered mix, 1 c. mayonnaise, and 1 c. buttermilk.  For a lowfat version, substitute fat-free sour cream or plain yogurt for mayonnaise, and/or skim milk for buttermilk.  Makes 1 pint.

What You’re Missing Out On: MSG, Modified Food Starch, Guar Gum, Maltodextrin, Calcium Stearate, Soy

Image by trustypics via flickr

Copycat Version of Panera’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad Dressing from sparkpeople.com

And finally, I found this dead-end pin on Pinterest, and was unable to find its source even by using Google Search by Image.  If anyone knows where it came from, PLEASE let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.  I am guessing perhaps it was scanned from a print magazine?

More Salad Dressing Mix Recipes from Budget 101

This week was my son’s first Valentine’s Day party.  His (2-year olds) daycare group and one of the older groups combined forces and had a party together.  Parents were asked to bring in food for the party.  By the time I got in to sign up (he only attends 2 days/week), there were already volunteers for all kinds of sweets and snacks.  I didn’t see them needing any more of either, so I volunteered to bring some sandwiches.

I decided to make two varieties:  PB&J (actually, soy nut butter as there is one kid there with a peanut allergy), and ham & cheese.  I used this as an opportunity to try out Wonder Whole Grain White Bread, since I wasn’t sure all the kids there would go for whole wheat (my son does, but that’s what he is used to).  And because I’m crafty like that, and because it was his first party, I took the time to cut all the sandwiches into hearts:

20+ sandwiches later, I was left with a lot of crusts and a glazed-over look in my eyes.  I stuck all the ham & cheese crusts in one bag, and all the PB&J crusts in another, and threw them in the fridge.

Today, the ham & cheese crusts played a major role in a delicious Savory Ham & Cheese Bread Pudding.  I fiddled with the recipe a little (used up some American, cheddar, and Parmesan cheese, threw in some leftover peas and some chopped frozen collard greens) but for the most part followed it closer than I follow most recipes!  We had it for weekend brunch today and it received two thumbs up from my husband and my son – the dog even ate what my son left on his plate!

I felt a little silly cutting out those hearts, especially since I never cut the crusts off my son’s sandwiches, but hopefully they were a hit at the party and I feel better having done something with them… you know those kids would have picked off the crusts anyway!

Now to figure out what to make with the PB&J crusts…

p.s. The bread tasted like a bland wheat bread and looked/felt like a slightly stale white bread.  We don’t eat white bread in our house but if I had picky kids around, I would definitely get this instead of regular white bread!