From Garbage to Gourmet: Prevent Food Waste and Create Delicious Food

American households throw away 25% of the food that we purchase - and it's not just bread heels and moldy leftovers. There's a whole host of edible things that we automatically throw away that can be used to make delicious food! 

How much money could we save if we were eating that 25%, instead of tossing it in the garbage?

From Garbage to Gourmet eBook features over 80 recipes for using things like broccoli stalks, potato peels, carrot ends, herb stems, onion peels, and more. And these aren't just "throw it in a soup and call it good" recipes, there's:

• Asian Broccoli Slaw
• Poor Man's Apple Cider
• Corn Cob Chowder
• Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
• Magic Hot Fudge Cake
• to name a few.

This ebook will challenge and inspire you to do more than you ever thought possible with food. You'll learn principles and strategies for preventing and reducing food waste, along with over 80 recipes.

From Garbage to Gourmet is one of the most beautiful ebooks I've read. There are 115 colorful pages of tips for reducing food waste and creating delicious food out of things you normally throw away. This eBook is $4.99 today through Thursday, 3/7 at midnight PST.

(This is an eBook, the below picture is a visual representation of a digital product.)



Click here to purchase From Garbage to Gourmet

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I received a complimentary copy of this eBook for review. Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.

20 Different Ways to Use Original Dawn Blue

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Did you know Original Blue Dawn isn't just a dish washing liquid?  I've been using Dawn for years to wash my dishes and also to clean our windows and mirrors (for just pennies), but what I didn't realize was that Dawn can also be used to control dog fleas, clean soap scum in your bathroom,  remove spots on your laundry, and make amazing bubbles. And that's just a few of its uses.

And bonus, these new uses will also cost much less than the store bought version.

20 Ways to Use Original Blue DAWN

(Note: I have not personally tested all of these recipes for their effectiveness.)

1. Wash Your Windows for just pennies

2. Clean Your Make-Up Brushes

3. Control Fleas on your Dog

4. Tub & Shower Cleaner and a great storage/dispenser tip

5. Remove Permanent Ink

6. Clean Your Car Mats

7. Yellow Armpit Stain Remover

8. Spot Remover

9. DIY Ice Pack

10. Stinky Dog Shampoo

11. Weed Killer

12. DIY Laminate Floor Cleaner

13. De-Icer for Steps and Sidewalks

14. Deer & Rabbit Repellent

15. Non-Toxic Lubricant for Doors and Windows

16. Remove Cooking Stains from Clothing

17. Remove Paint & Grease from Hands

18. Homemade Bubbles

19. Ant Repellent

20. No-Grate Homemade Laundry Soap

Apparently, there is a difference in effectiveness between the non-concentrated Dawn blue (in the picture above) and the Ultra blue version (in the picture below)? I didn't even realize there were two variations until I read the comments of one of these posts and a reader claimed that the non-concentrated version works better than the Ultra.  Personally, I don't know. Unknowingly, I've been buying the Ultra version and it's worked just fine on my dishes and windows. I did go searching for the non-concentrated version and the only store that carried it was Walmart. It is much cheaper per ounce than the Ultra, 6 cents per fluid ounce vs. 11 cents per fluid ounce, but whether it is any better, I'll have to test it out.

Are you an Original Blue Dawn fan? What have you used it for? Let us know in the comments.

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This post is linked to Saturday Sharefest.

5 Frugal Living eBooks for Just $7.40

Are you looking for ways to stretch your budget, increase your income and save money on a variety of household expenses? Then this week's ebook bundle might be for you!

This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 70%)!


Become a Frugali$ta in 30 Days by Susan Heid
In Become a Frugali$ta in 30 Days, Susan shares 30 practical money-saving secrets to help family managers keep to their budget and earn extra money while saving on everything from entertainment and dining out to groceries and household expenses.

Your Grocery Budget Toolbox by Anne Simpson
Your Grocery Budget Toolbox is a basic handbook for any family who wants to eat well on a budget. She shares tips for setting a practical budget, shopping once a month, using price lists and price caps, utilizing the Internet to save on groceries, finding healthy food on a budget and much more!

Advanced Penny Pinching by Tabitha Philen
Tabitha takes you beyond standard money-saving tips with her Advanced Penny Pinching ebook, which walks you through building a stockpile that actually saves you money, spotting the marketing tricks that get you to overspend, using loyalty and rewards programs to boost your budget and customizing any money-saving plan for your family's likes and dislikes!

From Debtor to Better by Barry Myers
As a former debt collector turned financial counselor, Barry Myers is passionate about helping people get out of debt as quickly and safely as possible. Barry brings a unique perspective to debt counseling, and in From Debtor to Better, he provides a simple, easy-to-follow system to help you climb your way out of debt and take control of your finances.

Coupon Quick Start Guide by Angela Newsom
In the Coupon Quick Start Guide, Angela shows you how to use coupons and other strategies to cut your grocery bill by 50-70% or more without spending hours clipping coupons or preparing for shopping trips. This handbook will take you through your first shopping trips from start to finish to show you just how easy saving can be!

The Frugal Living bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 3/11. Get yours today:


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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.

Turkey & Black Bean Chili | Slow Cooker Recipe

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Turkey & Black Bean Chili is so easy to throw together in the morning and a perfect meal for those hectic, crazy weeknights. Serve with corn bread, fresh fruit and salad.

This recipe is very easy to alter. Spice it up with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes or tomatoes with zesty green chilies--the varieties now seem endless. I'm the only person in my family who likes heat, so I have to use regular diced tomatoes or the dish will go uneaten.

You can also substitute the cooked ground turkey for other forms of cooked meat, like sausage and chicken. However, if you choose to use uncooked ground meat, your cooking time will be 7-8 hours on low. Personally, I do not like to cook ground meat in a slow cooker. It doesn’t have as much flavor as ground meat that has been browned on the stove top. That’s why I’m in favor of batch browning ground meat or sausage and freezing portions for dishes just like this one.

Turkey & Black Bean Chili in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen cooked ground turkey
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 (15.5 oz) cans black beans, rinsed
• 1 bell pepper, chopped or 1 cup frozen chopped peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chili
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• your favorite shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. At 5 ½ hours, stir well and cook for another half hour.

Top with shredded cheese when serving.

This makes a big batch of chili. Some ideas for the leftovers:

• Use it as a topping for nachos.
• Make a wrap and add your favorite toppings, like salsa, avocado, sour cream.
• Make Stuffed Peppers.
• Freeze for later use.

Print recipe for Turkey & Black Bean Chili in the Slow Cooker.

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Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

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Every week between now and early May, I will be charting my progress as I train for my next half marathon in Pittsburgh. I'll post everything about my training from the actual distances to what I wear to how I stay hydrated, nourished and entertained while running.

I'm following a training plan that I found years ago in Runner's World magazine. The training plan is just 4 runs a week, which is very doable with my work/spouse/parent schedule.

Along with completing my fourth half marathon in May, I gave myself a goal of running the distance in less than 2 hours. My best time to date is 2:03, so breaking the 2 hour mark will take some training and I've been a bit of a slacker all winter. I am not a good treadmill runner and it's been a cold and rainy winter. I've enjoyed the break, but I'm also ready to get my tail outside on the asphalt.

This past week marked the first week of my 10 week training and quite honestly, I'm off to a slow start. I only laced up my kicks 3 times. In order to get all 4 runs in during the week, I'll need to get back into my 6 AM running routine at least 3 days during the week and leave my long run for the weekend. This works well with my husband's schedule, since he doesn't leave for work those mornings until 8. I'm usually back by 7, just in time for the kids' wake up call to get ready for school.

My Week 1 Workouts

• Tuesday: 3 miles on the treadmill
• Friday: 1 hour of yoga at the Y. The teacher focused on stretching most of the hour which helps my tight hamstrings.
• Saturday: 3 miles outside at an easy pace. It was a chilly, but thankfully sunny afternoon.
• Sunday: 5 miles outside at an easy pace. A chilly, cloudy day, but I felt good during the run.

I kept to a 10 minute pace for all three runs. I'll need to increase my pace as I work through the next 9 weeks, but for my first week, I'm just trying to get my running legs back after my winter break.

My Training Plan for upcoming week 2:

• Monday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Wednesday: 4 mile run, easy pace
• Thursday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Friday: 1 hour of yoga at the Y
• Saturday: 5 mile run, run at conversational pace

Read more about My Road to Half Marathons.

A note about my training plan: The half marathon training plan that I follow is designed for beginners. Although, it is advised that you do not start using the 10 week training plan until you are able to run 6 miles. If you are new to running, start by training for a 5k. There is plenty of information online to help you with 5k training.

Are you a runner? Are you training for a race? Let us know in the comments.

This post is linked to Motivation Monday at A Life in Balance.

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.