My Mom started making this punch a few years ago and it's always a hit.  Not only is it cheap to make, but the colour of the punch will add "punch" to your party table!  

I've adapted the recipe slightly so it's a little less sweet.  But if you have a major sweet tooth go ahead and up the sugar content.

STEP #1: MAKE GELATIN/JUICE MIXTURE
In a large pot on the stove, bring to a boil...
6 cups water
2 packages Jell-O (strawberry)
1 1/2 cups sugar

Turn off the heat and mix in...
1 can pineapple juice (46 oz)
1 cup lemon juice
3 cups orange juice

STEP #2: FREEZE.
Let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes.  Then pour it evenly into three freezer bags and/or freezer safe containers.  Freeze.

STEP #3: ASSEMBLE
When you're ready to party, put one slush brick into your punch bowl and top with 1 bottle club soda and 1 bottle ginger ale.  Add some fresh blueberries for an extra pop of colour.

**

Do you find the price of store-bought granola bars way too high?  I do.  

Instead of buying this convenient snack I thought it would be fun to make my own all-natural version.  

The result?  Tasty and cheap!  $3 to make 20—24.

As with all things homemade, it's nice to control and customize the ingredients.  This recipe is simple to whip up and is similar to my healthy cookie.

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple sauce
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Embellishments:
Raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Make well in centre, add wet ingredients.  Blend well.

Press the granola mixture into a 9X13 baking pan.
Form it to the thickness you want your bars to be — it helps to keep a bit of empty space around the edges.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  

I like my bars to be chewy so I pull them out sooner than later.  And, anyone who knows me knows I can't let an opportunity for drizzled chocolate pass me by!  

Cut this deliciousness into bars while still warm.

Store in an air-tight container (yes, you can freeze them too!) and enjoy are your leisure.

Whether you're getting ready for back-to-school season, or you're going back-to-work after some holidays, this is one go-to recipe that helps keep my belly full and my wallet fatter.

**

A few of my friends came over for dinner last night.
One in the group is a big fan of noodles made from vegetables.  If you haven't tried this yet, don't wait a minute longer!  It's a fun way to eat veggies.  

You can buy a super-deluxe gadget called the Spirooli to make the noodles and/or slice vegetables in a fancy way.  It retails for about $50.

Not a bad investment — but there is a more frugal way.  If you don't have the space or money for a Spirooli, do what I do, use a julienne peeler! 

The Pros
1. Look at how pretty the zucchini looks!
2. Easy to use
3. Cheaper and more compact than a Spirooli
4. Noodles are angel hair pasta consistency
5. Fun to use!

The Cons
1. Takes longer than a Spirooli
2. Noodles are angel hair pasta consistency

My Mom gave me this peeler as a three-piece set.
The set retails for about $15.

I stick a fork into the top of my zucchini to keep it from wobbling around.  Then I run my julienne peeler length wise, over and over in one spot, until I hit the seeds.  I remove the fork, rotate the zucc slightly to a clean strip, pierce again and start peeling again.  This works with carrots, apples, potatoes, and the list goes on!

And, here's the final dish I served to my friends.

So fun to eat!  And, yes — a regular peeler would work fine too but the shape and consistency of these noodles is more pleasing, IMO.

**

This recipe is a simpler, faster, and lighter version of my Mom's traditional red lentil dal.  It's super economical and oh-so-delicious.  The good news is that my version is also Mom approved!  

Eat it like soup, pour it on top of rice, dip pieces of bread into it, the possibilities are endless! Some people I know even pour it on top of nacho chips and treat it like a warm Indianized salsa.  Yummo.

Makes four servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red lentil dal
1 cup water
1 cup broth of your choice
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp oil, ghee, or butter

1 tsp grated ginger root
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/3 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli or spinach
1 T fresh lemon juice

Method:
Pour dal into a medium size saucepan.  Rinse and drain three times!  Put pot on medium-high heat. Add water, broth, spices and oil/butter.  Stir and bring to boil.  Add ginger, onion, and tomato.  Stir and let boil for 2 minutes.  

NOTE: Your dal may start to foam up at this point. This is perfectly normal.  Give it a couple good stirs and it will eventually become more cohesive.

Reduce heat to low, cover and let dal simmer for at least 5 minutes.  Remove lid and stir.  It should be the consistency of pea soup.  If it's too thick, add some more water or broth.

Take a taste! Be careful, it will be hot!  Add more salt to your liking. If the dal is still crunchy, keep it simmering on low for a while longer.  

When it tastes just soft enough, kill the heat and stir in the final ingredients.  Add cilantro, broccoli, and lemon juice.  Stir—taste test—make adjustments—remove from heat.

I like my dal to be a perfect balance of Indian flavours, with salt and lemony tartness.  Give this recipe a try.  It's very forgiving and you can jeuje it up in your own ways.  The dal will thicken up when it cools so you may need to add a touch more water when you reheat the leftovers.

**

Answer: Freeze!

Recently there was a kick-ass special on milk at a grocery store so I stocked up.  I thought it would be a great time to test out milk storage in the freezer. I was skeptical about this because there are many mixed reports online.  Some complain the milk taste changes, others say the milk separates and gets icky.  I didn't experience anything but success.

After transferring milk from its carton to a freeze-safe container, I put it in the freezer and let it hang out for about a week.  I did get a little worried when its solid state looked yellowish — I soldiered on.

The day before I ran out of milk, I put the frozen-milk container into my fridge and let it thaw.  It was back to liquid form in about 8 hours. 

After a vigorous shake, my frozen-now-thaw milk was ready for consumption.  It tasted completely normal. No side effects to report.  NOTE: I'm a skim milk drinker  and I understand results may be different for a fuller fat milk.  As far as I'm concerned, freezing milk is a great way to take advantage of milk sales that hit a grocery store near you. 

Here's my most favourite crispy chicken coating recipe.  Stop buying Shake 'N Bake!  Make your own coating instead.  Trust me, it's healthier, it's super-tasty, and it costs way less.

Crispy Chicken Coating
8 cups cornflake cereal
1 cup panko crumbs
3 tsp beef-bouillon powder
1 tbsp onion flakes
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parsley
2 tsp sage
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp ground pepper

To make the crispy chicken coating, put all ingredients into food processor and blitz until mixture is combination of coarse and fine. Pour into an airtight container and store in cupboard for up to one year. 

Crispy Chicken
4 bone-in chicken thighs*
3/4 cup homemade crispy chicken coating

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put crispy chicken coating into a large bowl or plastic sealable bag. Remove skin from chicken thighs but don't trim off too much of the fat. Rinse thighs in cool water and let drain in colander for a couple of minutes. Coat chicken with crispy coating and place onto baking sheet. Add any extra coating to the top of each chicken piece. Bake for 30-35 minutes (depending on the size of the thighs). Serve with your favourite sides (e.g. mashed potatos, green salad, broccoli, etc.).

*Works well with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, too. Cut each breast into thick strips. Rinse and let drain in colander. Coat with crispy coating and place onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

When I lived in Ottawa there were a few locals that had reached superstar status on the media lists. 

Janet and Greta Podleski were at the front of the cue.  These sisters turned their love for cooking, humour, and nutrition into an inspirational story of perseverance.  When they self-published their Looneyspoons cookbook it steadily won over the hearts of home cooks everywhere and became a 
#1 National Bestseller.

Today, they were in Toronto to present their updated Looneyspoons cookbook.  I can't belive it has been fifteen years since the last one came out!

While they shared the story of their highs and lows, they assembled a killer pizza.  I loved it so much I took a picture!

Aside from tasting delicious, this pizza would be surefire hit at a party!  It's vegetarian, easy to put together and tastes just as good cold as it does warm.  I won't take credit for the recipe...but I will take credit for giving you an appetizer idea for your next budget savvy soiree :)

BASIC OVERVIEW OF RECIPE
Slather hummus onto naan bread or a thick pita. Top with sauteed onions and mushrooms.  Add some diced tomato and sprinkle with a little bit of cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 
Slice into quarters and enjoy!  Double Yummo!

**

Not only is coconut oil an amazing thing to use in frying and baking, it's also a great base for a lot of other fun things.  It's frugalista-approved because you can stretch one bottle many different ways.  

Yup.  It's true.  Don't bother buying Magic Shell at the grocery store.  You can make your own delicious ice cream topping at home for a fraction of the cost.

1 Tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Put the coconut oil into a microwave-safe glass bowl and zap it for 15 seconds (until it has melted to a clear liquid).  Pour in the chocolate chips and stir until well mixed.  You may have to put the whole thing back in the microwave for a few seconds so the oil and chocolate incorporate fully.  

Drizzle the chocolate sauce over your favourite ice cream and watch it harden into a shell in front of your eyes!  Crack with a spoon and enjoy!

You can store any leftover chocolate shell in a glass container and melt it in the microwave the next time you want a treat.

Don't knock this until you try it!  You can make this toothpaste in a jiffy and it really, really, does clean your teeth.  It's definitely not as sweet as Crest & Co. but if you want a clean feeling (and smelling) mouth this does the trick.  There is NO fluoride in this recipe.

1/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil (solid form)
1/4 cup baking soda
1 T Stevia
15 drops of spearmint or peppermint essential oils

Mix all ingredients together to form a paste.  Store in a container and use as needed.  It's just that simple.  If the toothpaste starts to liquefy, just put it in your fridge/freezer for a minute and it will turn right again.

Yet another super simple treat you can make with a coconut oil base.  This makes a great gift!  The combinations are endless but here are my two faves.

BROWN SUGAR FOOT SCRUB

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (solid form)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Add coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in microwave (30 seconds max).  Mix in the brown sugar and lemon juice.  Ideally, you want to see a thin layer of coconut oil on top of your mixture once it's blended.  Store this scrub in a nice jar and use it before you hop into the shower or bath.

SWEET MINTY BODY SCRUB

1 cup white cane sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (solid form)
5 drops of peppermint essential oil
5 drops of lavender essential oil

Same process as above.  Melt oil, mix in sugar and oils, store and use.

Forget store-bought microwave popcorn bags. You can make your own popcorn in the microwave for pennies!

You'll need...

• Brown paper lunch bag
• Whole kernel popcorn
• Seasoning (salt, brown sugar, garam masala, etc.)
• Drizzle or spritz of olive oil
  

Here's how...

Put ¼ cup popcorn into a brown lunch bag. Spritz a little bit of olive oil into the bag. Sprinkle a dash of salt and brown sugar (or any other combination of seasoning). Shake. Remove air from bag and then fold the top of the brown bag twice and then fold a small section of the corner underneath. Pop the bag into the microwave for a couple of minutes. Carefully open the bag and pour your perfectly popped popcorn into a bowl and enjoy!

Each microwave acts differently.  You may need to experiment with a few batches before finding the best timing and setting.