Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip

There is a bagel chain near my house that has a pumpkin cream cheese spread that I used to crave. One day it occurred to me to look up a recipe to make my own, and for weeks on end I ate pumpkin cream cheese spread on everything I could. I have experimented with the recipe a couple times this fall trying to eliminate the sugar my original recipe had. A few nights ago I had a chance to try out the sugarless recipe on friends and they liked it. My kids are loving this dip, and continually asking for more "pumpkin frosting" for their apples. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip (or Spread)

Ingredients

1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

¼ cup of honey
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

- In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, honey, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add pumpkin and spices until well mixed.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Serve with apples, pretzels, or gingersnaps for dipping. You could also use this as a spread on bagels.

Cost:

Organic Cream Cheese (Sprouts): $1.75

Pumpkin (Target): $.60

Honey (local from co-op): $.50

Spices (Vitacost): $.15

Total: $3.00 (plus cost of whatever you serve the dip with)

Grain-Free Granola

A sweet friend shared this recipe with me when I first started learning about the Paleo lifestyle. There needs to be a warning on this recipe! My children love it, and while the servings are small this is a snack that packs a big nutritional punch. It is addicting, but oh so good for you!

Grain-Free Granola
(Makes 28 (1/4) cup servings)

- 5 cups nuts and seeds (I used slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, and sunflower seeds; you can use whatever you want, but slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds help to give it the same consistency as the granola you may be used to)
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup Paleo-friendly oil (I use coconut oil)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

- Mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Let it cool.
- Toss nuts and seeds in mixture to get everything covered.
- Mix in raisins and coconut, and enjoy!

This recipe is very versatile. I have added cocoa nibs, raisins, craisins, other dried fruits, pumpkin pie spices, and many other things. Don’t be afraid to change it up!

Here comes what could be scary for many....

Cost:

Almonds (slivered, bought at Costco): $1.25
Raw & Organic Pumpkin Seeds (Kroger $2.39/lb): $1.20
Raw & Organic Sunflower Seeds (Kroger $1.79/lb): $.90
Pecans: $1.50
Walnuts: $1.50
Honey: $1
Coconut oil: $1.25
Unsweetened, Organic Coconut (Sprouts during gluten-free sale) $1.00

Total: $9.60 ($.34/serving)

…... but don’t let the cost scare you! Compare what you pay for those supposedly good for you granola bars from the store. Many of those have high fructose corn syrup, added sugar, and aren’t packed with organic nuts, seeds and coconut oil. The cost isn’t that different, but the health benefits are.

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Legs

There is pure excitement and enjoyment over dinner when sweet & spicy chicken is served. There are a ton of recipes on the net to make similar dishes, but I really had to mess with the recipes to find one that Brandon and I liked and wasn't too spicy for the kids. I have mastered it, and this meal rotates through our dinner menu whenever chicken legs go on sale.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 8 chicken legs (or thighs, tenders, etc)
• Spay Olive Oil (I will write about this soon )
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of mustard

Directions:

Oven -

Preheat broiler.

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.
• Combine honey, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.
• OR (!!!!!)

Grill -

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Put on grill, and grill using an indirect heating method. Cook until internal temp is 80 degrees (using a meat thermometer), and then turn the meat over and cook until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees.

• Combine honey, vinegar, and mustard, stirring well. Once chicken reaches 160 degrees, spread sauce over chicken. Allow the chicken to cook until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

Serve with sweet potatoes (or sweet potato fries), a salad, a broccoli slaw, veggies, etc.

Cost of Chicken

3 lbs organic chicken legs (Sale at Sprouts): $1.89/lb - $5.67

Local Honey: $.50

Spices (buy in bulk from Vitacost): ~$.15

Total: $6.32 for about 12-13 legs

(We always have leftovers, and use it to make chicken salads for the adults the next day)

Breakfast Meatballs!

I made a huge batch of these meatballs last weekend to have for this week and to freeze. They turned out delicious, and the kids are inhaling them. We serve them with eggs, cut fruit, and a cup of milk. They also tasted delicious on top of Paleo/SCD muffins and covered in gravy. (Recipes soon to come!)

Ingredients

2 lbs of grass-fed ground beef
1 lb of ground pork (or 1 lb ground liver, turkey, or another lb of beef)
10-15 baby carrots chopped
1 cup of chopped onion
4 large eggs
fresh sage
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
maple syrup - optional (drizzle if you choose to use not figured into calories)

Directions

If cooking in over pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. If cooking in a crockpot you will stack the meatballs in the crockpot, and cook 8 hours on low.

Directions:

- Put veggies and sage in food processor to chop
- Put veggies and all other ingredients in bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Form balls or make patties.

These freeze well, my three kids love them, and it's an easy recipe to change. For use with spaghetti sauce use Italian herbs. If you like maple syrup add 2 tablespoons. The possibilities are endless.

Number of Servings: 56

Cost:

3 lbs beef (local butcher): $12

Organic Carrots (Costco $5/5lb): $.25

Fresh Sage: $.25

4 Organic Eggs (Costco): $1

Onion: $.25

Almond Meal (make my own): $.75

Total: $14.5

(This seems like a bit much for the Frugalista in me, but broken down the batch will give our family of (5) 5.5 meals. That's $2.50 worth of meat per meal, and a lot of protein without fillers)

Taco-Tuesday-on-Monday Night

Our family likes tacos, but my 6-year-old loves tacos. We have a friend who grew up having tacos every Tuesday, and the idea intrigued me. It sounded great and easy, but I was unsure if the fam would go for it. Well, I made the decision for us; however, Tuesdays didn't work out with our schedule. So each Monday my oldest child starts salivating around 4:30 p.m., and I owe a huge part of that to this recipe.

Taco Seasoning (no MSG, Gluten, or other unknown ingredients)

1/2 cup chili powder
1/3 cup cumin
1 T paprika

2 T sea salt (or to taste)

2 T black pepper

2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Pour all ingredients into a jar and shake! Use 3 tablespoons per pound of meat, and it lasts through 9-10 Taco-Tuesday-on-Monday Nights.

I also use this on vegetables and popcorn popped in coconut oil. The recipe is easily reduced down if you want to try it before committing to so many spices. A friend and I split bulk Starwest spices from Vitacost to help cut costs in our grocery budget while still using organic ingredients.

Yogurt in the Crockpot!

I seriously cannot believe it - I made yogurt in the crockpot! Monday I attempted almond milk yogurt, and it didn't solidify, but my kids have been enjoying honey almond milk all week. Determined to make a go of homemade yogurt, I tried again with cow's milk yesterday and it worked!

I followed A Year of Crockpotting's blog post about how to make the yogurt, and then added Funky Food Allergies' idea of tapioca starch when I added the starter container of yogurt. It is incredibly easy, and had maybe 5 minutes of hands on prep.

Ingredients:

- 64 ounces (1/2 Gallon) of whole milk (I used Horizons Organic)
*I will try almond milk again!
- 1 starter container of yogurt, 4 oz w/live cultures (I used Stonyfield Organic)
- Optional thickeners: 1/4 cup tapioca starch (can be bought at any Asian market), or 1/4 dry powdered milk
- Fruit to flavor
- Can also add honey and vanilla to taste
- Large Bath Towel

Directions:

- Plug in crockpot and turn to "Low." Add an entire half gallon of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

- Unplug crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 more hours.

- When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt, and 1/4 tapioca starch. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

-Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation.

-Go to bed, or let it sit for an additional 8 hours.

- In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.

- Blend in batches with your favorite fruit. I used bananas and blueberry. Bubbles will form, but will settle

- Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

Benefits:

- Cost! (Check out the chart on Year of Crockpotting's blog comparing Yobaby and the homemade)
- No hidden ingredients! You know exactly what is going in it!!!

Servings: (16) 1/2 cup servings, 1/2 Gallon of Yogurt

Cost:

1/2 Gal Organic Milk on sale: $1.50
Starter yogurt (one time cost): $.75
1/4 Tapioca Starch: $.15
Fresh banana: $.10
Fresh blueberries: $.45

Total for 1st Batch: $2.95
Total for Following Batches: $2.20

Homemade Granola Bars

I have passed this recipe onto many friends, and I'm continually tweaking it. These are very healthy, easy to make, and the entire family loves them!

Ingredients

- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or 1 teaspoon powdered stevia
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 3/4 cup raisins, slivered almonds, walnuts, craisins (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup of apple sauce (I use my carrot applesauce. Saves money and includes carrots)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*I am always changing this recipe, because it keeps my children eating them. I often replace part of the flour, or wheat germ, with ground flax. You can add pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, and fresh fruit instead of the dried. It's a great recipe to get creative!*

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats,stevia (or brown sugar), wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, apple sauce and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be to hard to cut.

Servings: 18-24 granola bars depending on how they're cut
Prep time: 5-7 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Cost:

Oats: $.24
Stevia: $.05 or Brown Sugar: $.15
Wheat Germ: $.25
Wheat Flour:$.15
Dried Fruit/Nuts: $.50
Honey: $.35
1 Egg: $.16
Applesauce: .$15
Vanilla/Cinnamon/Salt:$.10

Total: $2.05 (you get 2-3 times the amount of granola bars for $2 than what you could buy in the supermarket!!)

Carrot Applesauce

Getting my toddler sons to eat carrots has been one of my biggest dietary goals and challenges. I found a crockpot applesauce recipe at 365 Crockpot and started to modify it. My boys and my husband love this applesauce, and my boys have never noticed the carrots! It makes quite a bit, but it quickly disappears.

Ingredients:

8 large apples, skinned ,cored, and sliced into 6-8 pieces
1 pound of carrots, skinned, and cut in 1" pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp of real vanilla
1/4 tsp of powdered stevia
1/2 cup of water

Directions:

Prep apples and carrots according to ingredient list, and place them in the crockpot. Add the water, vanilla, stevia and cinnamon.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or use a hand mixer to blend. Store in an airtight container, or recycle older applesauce jars from the store.

Serves: 8 larger portions, 14-16 toddler sized portions

*Note: I've slowly been increasing the amount of carrots from 1 lb to 1.5 lbs and still no complaints!

Cost:

1.5 lbs of apples on sale: $1.00
1 lb of carrots: $.50
Stevia, vanilla, & cinnamon (generous estimate): $.10

Total: $1.60