Category Archives: Food

Cost-Effective Recipes for Special Family Occasions

Cost-Effective Recipes for Special Family Occasions

Whether you’re celebrating a child’s birthday party or getting together for Christmas dinner, it can be quite difficult to whip up meals for your loved ones & guests when you’re short on funds. That doesn’t mean you should forego the celebration altogether, however, as there are still ways you can entertain guests without necessarily breaking the bank.

When special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, and Halloween come around, you can buy wholesale seasonal occasions & gifts for the kids without thinking about the costs. But what about when you sit down for meals with your family or guests? 

Don’t worry as we’ve compiled a list of of sumptuous recipes that are easy on the budget:

1. Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Nobody can resist a slab of moist pork tenderloin, especially one that has been slowly and carefully grilled. The one thing that makes this dish special is its marinade, a special spice blend that consists of a blend of salt, chicken seasoning, onion power, garlic powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.

2. Puff Pastry Chicken Potpie

Chicken potpie is considered comfort food just as much as chicken soup, and it’s just as easy to make too! Because it’s meat-based, this dish is the type to “stick to your ribs,” so to speak. It also delivers a savoury flavour that’s satisfying to the soul.

3. Best Lasagna

You can never go wrong with lasagna! If you’re getting together with your close friends or family members for a casual holiday meal, this dish should be part of your menu. Here’s a tip when cooking this: make sure you drain your noodles properly before you layer them to avoid ending up with watery lasagna. Also, this dish is best enjoyed alongside a simple salad and some garlic bread. 

4. Buttery Grilled Shrimp

This dish is not only delicious but also quite easy to make! You can whip this up in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients: butter, lemon juice, chili powder, ground ginger, salt, and shrimp. Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl into a mixture. Then, thread the shrimps first into wooden skewers and grill for a few minutes on each side, basting each side with the mixture you made. 

5. Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon

This thick, creamy soup is best enjoyed during the fall season as its warmth and tangy flavour is a wonderful contrast to the chilly weather. Your family can enjoy this soup together after your usual Halloween party traditions. The main ingredients for this dish are butternut squash, vegetable broth, ginger root, and cinnamon. 

6. Baked Parmesan Broccoli 

Who said it was impossible to make your kids eat their green leafy vegetables? This broccoli dish is all about making kids’ most commonly hated vegetable more appealing to their taste buds by adding a few other ingredients such as butter, milk, and Parmesan cheese. This requires a preparation time of 30 minutes and a baking time of 15 minutes.

7. Sunday Pot Roast

What’s a family get-together without a pot roast? This is quite easy to prepare; it just requires around 10 minutes to get all the ingredients together. However, it takes over 8 hours to cook, so you’ll have to prepare this dish at least 12 hours or so before the guests come over. After you’re done cooking it, don’t forget to serve it with lots of gravy and a side dish of vegetables.

 

Tips for Organising a Vegan-Friendly Birthday

For many people, birthdays are a time to celebrate with people they love. That includes vegans. While it is easy enough to organise standard party fare for parties where there are no special dietary requirements you need to be aware of, with how popular veganism is and the fact that more people are aware of allergies etc., the logistics of throwing a successful birthday bash are made all the more difficult.

As you are likely to be catering to a mixed crowd (unless you really want to just have a vegans-only party), then you need to make sure the food and other goodies appeal to everyone in attendance – that means the carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and those who are lactose intolerant or avoid gluten. Don’t worry or fret, though, as we are here to make things a little easier for you with some sure-fire tips for a successful vegan-friendly birthday do that everyone can enjoy.

Iron Out all the Details

All parties require a lot of planning, but even more so when you are trying to work on a selection of food, treats, snacks and cake that is going to be edible for all in attendance, so no one feels left out or marginalised. During these trying times, it’s likely you will only be having a small gathering if any at all, but looking ahead to a time when restrictions are lifted, you need to work out the type of event it is going to be,

Will it be a buffet-style, help yourself spread of food or a proper sit-down meal? As you are likely to be making a list of all those who are due to attend, take a note at the same time of any important dietary requirements. That way you can calculate how many people are going to have a problem with sausage rolls and ham sandwiches.

Look At Alternative Cake Options

In the past, the idea of having a birthday cake that appealed to vegans and those with strict dietary requirements may have been more difficult. Nowadays, fortunately, in response to the high demand for those considerations to be made it is quite easy to find birthday cakes that will not cause problems for vegans or those who have problems with gluten.

Supply Drinks or Make it BYOB?

This is a conundrum that many people face when organising parties – do you supply the drinks or make it BYOB or bring your own bottle. That really depends on the type of people who are going to be attending and what the drinks requirements are. A mixture of both is often a good way to go, then you are not blowing your entire budget for the party of beverages. The most important thing, when it is a party that people of all ages will be attending, though, is to ensure there is a selection of fizzy, diluted, alcoholic and hot drinks available so that everyone can have something.

Vegan Finger Food

Whoever said vegan food was boring food, has not really tried good vegan food. There is no reason why you can’t have flavoursome finger food that is vegan-friendly for your party. Look for recipes online and go to the vegan and free from sections of your local supermarket for some great options.

 

Tips for Amazing Barbecues This Summer

Summer’s just around the corner and with all that (potentially) nice weather, comes plenty of chances to enjoy a BBQ or two. However, there’s a big difference between throwing a barbecue and throwing a great barbecue. A lot of it comes down to practice. Practice and our handy set of tips, that will instantly elevate your BBQ game.

If you don’t have a BBQ or are looking for a new one, you might find these guides to the best pellet grills and best apartment balcony grills, useful. If you’ve got a BBQ and just want to crack on, let’s move along.

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for the Job

Although every BBQ legend’s setup is different, there are a few items and tools that every self-respecting grill master should have at his or her disposal. That includes:

Long-handled tongs – Rather than just settling for a cheap and cheerful pair of small tongs, invest in a good-quality pair of long-handled tongs. This will make it easier, and safer to move those heavier pieces of meat and poultry. The long handles ensure that your hands and arms are far away from the coals and the grill, preventing you from avoidable burns.

Temperature Probe – Temperature probes are ideal, because although you may want to cook your beef cuts rare, there are other meats and poultry that you need to get the cooking spot-on. You also must take into consideration that you’re cooking for more than just yourself.

Barbecue Gloves – Another safety measure, barbecue gloves are important as they are made from heat-resistant fabric and material that gives your hands then protection they need from those flames, when you must move food, pans and occasionally rearrange the coals.

Plan and Prepare

While it often feels as if the best BBQs are the ones that seem to have little to no planning at all, that’s not how it works. Planning and preparation are vital. Especially when it comes to deciding how much meat you need to buy and cook. First, figure out how many people will be in attendance and then allow for one of each item (including any kebab skewers) per person. This will ensure your guests don’t go hungry and if someone doesn’t like a meat or item, it just means there is more to go around everyone else.

Don’t worry if you have too much because you can always use the remains for leftovers.

Marinate Your Meat

If you’ve ever watched some of those Pitmaster and BBQ programmes, you’ll know that all good pit masters marinate their meat. It’s the best way to ensure those cuts of meat are moist and crucially, have flavour. Overnight marinating is best, but even a few hours before cooking will give your meat that extra touch of class and taste that will have your guests licking their fingers with delight.

Don’t Take Meat and Fish Directly from the Fridge to the Fire

If you are keeping your raw fish and meat in a fridge, you need to take them out at around 20 minutes before you intend on cooking them to give them a chance to reach room temperature. When you try to cook meat that’s too cold, it could burn the outside way too quickly.

The Importance of Diet During the IVF Process

IVF treatments are advancing at a rapid rate and there are now many different fertility treatments available. However, even the best surgery can have limited results if a rigorous diet is not adopted.

Your diet can have an impact on the success of fertility treatments. There have been numerous studies in recent years that have explored the impact of diet and there is now a plethora of information available on the best types of food to eat and those to avoid.

For example, there was a recent report from Harvard which found that have avocados can have a massive impact on the potential for success. Avocados have shown to triple the chances of success in some cases. It’s therefore definitely worth it to add avocados to your daily diet as the results are conclusive.

The Harvard report also found that nuts and olives can also impact fertility.  These 3 types of foods can be called ‘the holy trinity’ when it comes to getting pregnant and any woman trying to get pregnant should have avocados, nuts and olives on a daily basis.

There are also some foods to avoid. Any saturated fats should be eliminated from the diet, especially red meat and butter. Fizzy drinks and sugars are also not recommended.

Coffee is another drink which should be avoided. There was a report back in 2012 which found that a woman who drinks 5 cups of coffee or more a day significantly lessens her chances of IVF success. So either eliminate it completely or limit it to a maximum of 2 cups a day.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is also recommended, so make sure you get your 5-a-day. Greens are also important and things like broccoli and cabbage are also good foods to eat.

Drinking plenty of water to help keep you dehydrated can also have an indirect impact on the success of IVF. If need be, it’s better to get advice from a fertility expert on what types of foods and exercise need to be undertaken to increase the chances of success.

Also avoid junk food as this can lead to you putting on weight which can significantly impact the chances of IVF treatment.

A good way to measure your current state is by finding out your BMI. Overweight women are also less likely to have successful treatments thus it’s important to be in good physical shape prior to treatment. The healthier you are the more chance of success you will have with the treatment.

Most of the suggestions in this article will be common knowledge to most people and we all know what foods are healthy and those that are not. A balanced diet is key to success and you should consult a medical expert if you need more advice about this.

Make Your Life Easier with Silicone Molds

There are many fun pastimes you can get involved in that don’t cost a lot of money, and some can even yield more benefits – such as providing something to eat! The fun in baking cakes, for example, can’t be beaten if you like being in the kitchen. The same can be said of making sweets, fondants and chocolates – and you probably like to make them in interesting shapes.

The way to do this best is to use molds, into which you pour or pack the mix for your cake, fondant or chocolate and then wait for it to harden. If you go back not too many years, you will find that cooks – and chocolatiers and those who produced confectionary – might have used copper molds. You can still find vintage examples and they look great, but we wouldn’t advise using them!

What we are going to talk about today are modern, easy to use and affordable silicone cake molds and silicone fondant molds, which really will make your products far more successful!

Easy To Use

Why are we suggesting you use silicone molds? First, how many times do you go through the motions of making your chocolates – for example – put them in the mold and then, when you come to take them out of the mold, they break or are misshapen? It happens all the time, and it can be very frustrating!

Silicone molds are far easier to use, and you simply peel away the silicone outer with ease, and have the perfect sweet within. It’s the same with cakes, with fondants, and there are even silicone soap molds which are great for making fun-shaped soap, to entice the kids to enjoy having a bath!

If you’re looking for silicone molds we suggest you check out LVDGE.com, a supplier of wholesale silicone molds – and more – for a wide variety of uses, at very impressive prices, and with a reputation for excellent products and service.

Choosing Silicone Molds

The sheer choice of designs is bewildering, and you will find everything from smiling faces to flowers, through stars, birds, butterflies and more – indeed, you can even request a custom mold for your brand or personal design – and they are all made to the same high quality using food-grade silicone and are fully certified as safe for use.

Buying online is simple: you select your choices, put them in your cart, and then when you’re ready you head to the payment portal, where you will find a safe and secure way of paying with many different payment methods.

If you have yet to use silicone molds you will most certainly find them to be the most convenient and easy to use method of forming your chosen items, and they are also great fun for kids to use, too. Why not check out the full range now – you will be amazed at the new products that come on-line all the time – and get yourself some new molds for those fun times in the kitchen!

A Practical Guide To Choosing Your Next Breast Milk Warmer Wisely

What features should you look for in a bottle warmer to heat breast milk safely? Is speed the most important factor? Let’s take a minute and discuss what is important, and what is not.

Making a wise choice for a breast milk warmer means choosing one that warms the milk without damaging the nutrients in it. You want a warmer that gently heats the milk to approximately body temperature level, but avoids getting the milk too hot and dangerous to drink. It needs to heat the milk evenly in the bottle without overheating some parts of the milk and leaving other parts cold.

A Few Things To Consider:

Let’s discuss each of those questions briefly:

1. How fast does it warm the milk?

A good bottle warmer for breast milk should be able to heat a pouch, or bottle, of breast milk in about 2 to 4 minutes. Frozen breast milk will take longer. You should try to plan ahead and let frozen milk thaw in your refrigerator before use when possible.

2. Is it easy to clean?

Keeping a bottle warmer clean is essential since the bottle and milk will be going from the warmer straight to your baby’s mouth. Check to see if the bottle warmer can be disassembled for cleaning. We recommend reading the cleaning instructions before buying the warmer.

3. Can you take it on the road with you?

Are you wanting to take the warmer on the road with you? You will want a compact bottle warmer that is easy to pack in a diaper bag and does not make a mess. Some bottle warmers come complete with auto power plugs so you can use it in your car.

4. How much counter space does it need?

Take a look at the space where you are planning to use your bottle warmer. Bottle warmers vary in size. You can find very small warmers like the Beaba, or much larger units like the Tommie Tipper. Keep in mind, smaller is not always better. Make sure the warmer can still do everything you want. Some of the larger units allow you to heat two bottles at the same time, or to heat a bottle and a jar of baby food.

5. Does it shut off automatically?

This is one feature we feel is under appreciated. Automatic shutoff is a blessing. Check to see if the breast milk warmer has an automatic shutoff for when the milk reaches a certain temperature, or at a minimum, a timer to shut off the warmer. Imagine starting to warm the bottle when you are sleepy. You are holding your baby in your arms sitting in the rocking chair. The next thing you know an hour has slipped away and the bottle is still in the warmer. An auto-shutoff is something mothers quickly learn to appreciate.

5. Pricing

Did you think we forgot about pricing? We are going to ignore bottle warmers with less than a four-star rating. Great quality bottle warmers range in price from $14.99 up to around $59.99. The more expensive warmers usually heat multiple items at the same time. Take a little time to research your breast milk warmer using the topics we discussed and you will make a wise purchase.

Tricks for Dealing with Fussy Eaters

 

 

It’s hard enough for you to eat your own vegetables let alone getting your kids to do it. Kids would be perfectly happy eating chicken nuggets, cereal, and pizza every day. Everyone can use many more servings of veggies and fruits in their day, especially young children who need the nutrients for proper development.

Unfortunately, kids can be fussy eaters with any type of food, even the ones you think they would like! Here are a few tips and tricks for convincing (or downright tricking) kids into eating what you need them to.

Before we get to fussy eating and drinking behaviours, one special category is taking medication. It’s difficult and uncomfortable for many kids to ingest a pill whole. Vitamins come in easy to chew and flavourful formats, but regular prescriptions from their doctor can be hard to swallow. Pharmaceutical compounding is a service provided by some pharmacies that customizes medications by creating specific doses, formulations, formats, and flavours to make them easier to take. Pills could be chewable or transformed into a liquid, given an appealing taste, or turned into a topical application. You can learn what a compounding pharmacy can do for you here.

Hide & Eat – Try sneaking foods into things that they like, like peas and carrots into mashed potatoes, or more fresh berries into a yogurt snack. Serve a smoothie or a 100% fruit pop instead of a salty snack. Cook up some vegetable fritters instead of French fries. Pureeing vegetables and fruits is another good way to sneak extra nutrients into another recipe you’re making. Changing the texture can make things more palatable as well.

Bargaining – Yes, it’s one of the stages of grief, and it can work for getting your stubborn little one to eat at least some of their healthy side dish. Make a deal that if they take x-number of bites they can stop. Or they’ll get to enjoy another food they prefer if they finish that small pile of grilled vegetables first. Try to avoid doing this frequently with desserts, but if all else fails, a cookie is a powerful motivator.

Mix it Up – Provide variety on their plate of multiple kinds of vegetables rather than forcing them to eat a giant glob of spinach or pile of broccoli. Learn if they prefer a raw or cooked version. Veggies can be more palatable with a healthy dipping sauce or dressing. Cooked veggies can also be with a bit of extra flavouring. Remember that juices are not nearly as healthy as the real thing, especially when it comes to fruit juice, which is essentially sugar water.

Share your Plate – Kids always seem to have their eyes on your plate instead of theirs. Put some of the things you wish they were eating on it and offer to share.

Realize the Benefits – Encourage eating through talking about the benefits of healthy foods. Relate these qualities to a familiar character from a book or TV show they like. ‘If you eat all your carrots and broccoli, you’ll grow to be as strong as Batman, you know.’

Cut Down on Snacks – A good point for adults to remember, too. Eating too much in-between meals will spoil an appetite, and calorie requirements are being met by less desirable foods instead.

Let them Help – Kids will be more excited to eat something that they helped prepare. Plus, it’ll give you a fun activity to do together and a chance to teach them about recipes and nutrition.

How to Budget for Meals and Food

 

 

Ever gone into a grocery store hungry? It’s one of the most important things to avoid when trying to save money and when trying to avoid impulse buys. When you’re hungry in a grocery store you’re likely tired, agitated, and attracted to all sorts of foods that you didn’t plan on buying. When it comes to the amount of money you spend on food, some simple budgeting techniques can go a long way.

How Much Are We Spending?

According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household spends about $214 per person per month on food, excluding going out to eat. For those who are single or live in remote parts of the country or cities with high living costs, that number can be even higher. Some financial advisors recommend that consumers budget between $200 to $250 per person for grocery money each month. If you also get your toiletries and household items at the grocery store, you should bump that number up a little bit.

How Much Can You Spend?

When the holidays and special occasions come around, we typically spend a little more on food. If you want to know how to budget for holidays, click here to learn more about how to spend wisely during that busy time of year.

Aside from the times when we tend to spend a little more, there are professionals out there who suggest that a family of four can comfortably aim to spend only $125 per person per month on groceries — that adds up to over $2,000 in annual savings. Being able to plan for those kinds of savings can be a real lifesaver in any emergency financial situation.

When money’s tight and something comes up, not having an emergency fund can cause undue stress. The good news is that resources like online payday loans from GoDay can give you that extra cash before your next payday comes around. Knowing that there’s options, however, doesn’t mean you should forego healthy grocery budgeting.

Use Rewards Programs

Rewards credit cards that offer cashback and loyalty programs can really take some of the edge off of your grocery budget. Learn the rules of your rewards system inside out so you don’t get caught with any unexpected fees or surprises and so that you can maximize your benefits.

Look for things like sign-up bonuses but don’t get carried away— overspending and getting caught in debt is not a positive step towards financial planning. Also, be wary of coupon madness. While some bargains might seem too good to pass up, if you don’t actually need the food, then it’s not a bargain. Be smart with your points and spend strategically using the right credit cards when budgeting for your groceries.

Plan in Advance

One of the most impactful things you can do to shrink your grocery budget by up to 25% is to plan out your meals and go to the grocery store with a plan in mind. Plan to eat vegetarian every once in a while: produce is cheap, healthy, and can go a long way if you know what to do with it. Lay out a plan and stick to it and you’ll be amazed by how much you can save by spending smart on food.

Christmas Is Coming – Early Gift Ideas!

The summer is in its late stages now, and fall is nearly here. After that, what do we have? Christmas! That time of year everybody loves, and everybody panics about in equal measure! The pressure of getting gifts for loved ones, family and friends can make what should be a wonderful, enjoyable time of year a stressful one. Why not take some of that stress away, and get your gifts bought and out of the way early – even now! It makes sense, as then you can concentrate on what you are going to do to enjoy yourself, and relax!

It’s not just buying the gifts that can be stressful, but choosing them too. There are so many people to shop for with so many different tastes, and while online shopping does take some of the strain away, looking amongst all of those different suppliers is always going to be a chore, so where do you start? You could be lucky enough to find a great online store offering a range of fantastic products that cover pretty much all the bases – or you could be lucky enough for us to tell you about one!

Quality Christmas Gift Baskets

Sometimes a gift needs to be that little bit special, and we reckon that the selection of truly excellent Christmas gift ideas from Broadway Basketeers is a fantastic way of getting gifts for just about everybody. These are not your everyday gift baskets, yet you’ll be surprised to find they come to you at everyday prices. You can get pretty much everything you want in one go at what is an excellent shop, and you’ll find they have covered the range when it comes to men, women and every type of gift you could need.

Now, bear in mind this is all about quality baskets and stuff that you eat, but some of these also double as an additional gift when the job is done. For example, the traditional wicker basket gift box is among the most popular, and there are several options. Once the recipient has enjoyed the contents, they can happily use the basket for storage, to put flowers in, or for one of many other potential uses.

If you want something more innovative, you can even get a gift box that doubles as a photo frame, and there are those that are designed to be used as a desk stand once empty, and many more original and worthwhile ideas. There’s plenty of choice, and all at excellent prices, and there’s much more there besides Christmas gifts, too.

The Perfect Christmas Gift

The problem with finding the perfect Christmas gift is that there is so much to choose from and that’s why we like the idea of Broadway Basketeers. There are lists online that can also help you find a variety of gift ideas, and these are certainly worth looking at. The beauty of gift baskets is that someone has gone to the trouble of designing the gift for you and created a varied and interesting product, so you have only half the work left to do.

There is something very satisfying about finding and giving a gift to someone that they really appreciate, and when it comes to these rather wonderful gift baskets there are choices for men and women that are equally impressive. It’s certainly worth checking out in detail, so why not have a look now and see what’s there that might be of interest? You’ll be amazed at the simply excellent prices of the best gift baskets we’ve seen, and you’ll be able to get all your Christmas gifts in one go!

New Ideas For Using Left Over Taco, Fajita or Burrito Fillings!

Mexican-style dinners using things like tacos, fajitas, and burritos can be a great way to eat a meal with the family and enjoy some delicious spicy flavours. While taco fillings are very easy to make, you may not be making the most out of just how convenient they can be. Next time you are preparing to make burritos, tacos or fajitas, why not make a large bulk of the filling, freeze some of it, and use it to create some of these other great dishes at a later date? These different ways of using Mexican-style fillings are also ideal if you have made too much and have some leftovers after the meal is finished.

Put them on a Pizza!

You can make a great Italian Mexican fusion dish by putting your taco filling on a pizza base. A lot of the big name pizza companies create Mexican-style pizza toppings, and there is no reason you cannot recreate this at home by sprinkling some of your leftover fajita or taco mix over a pizza topped with Mexican cheese. You can make your Mexican inspired pizza look and taste even better by adding some jalapeno or even some dollops of guacamole to it when it is finished cooking. You can even provide sour cream or salsa as a dip for the pizza crusts.

Stuff Some Peppers!

Another excellent use of taco mix is to hollow out large bell peppers and stuff them with the meat mixture. You can then bake the stuffed peppers and make a delicious Mexican-style dish from your leftovers. You can also try stuffing the outer layers of a large onion. Stuffing an onion with your taco mix can be a good way to still enjoy the flavour of tacos and fajitas if you are trying to avoid wheat or carbs. Click here for a site with some great taco meat recipes, including stuffed bell peppers.

Add Them To A Mexican Style Soup

A third way to use your meat mixes is to stir them into a pre-made or homemade Mexican Bean style soup. This will thicken up your soup and give it a meaty component, as well as adding to the existing range of spices. This type of Mexican inspired soup can be a great side dish for other Mexican dishes, or as a starter.

Mix into a Salad

Possibly the easiest way to use up any remaining fajita or taco mix is to simply sprinkle it over a green garden salad. This can be the simplest way to add some protein to a green salad and also give it some exciting spicy flavour.

These are ideas you can use to get the most out of pre-made mixes for things like fajitas. Whether you use them to avoid waste when you have leftovers, or you deliberately make bulk batches of the meat mixers to use for quick weekday dinners, you should find all of these ideas can lead to some tasty and satisfying – as well as convenient – dishes.