Chick Chick Chicken!

This is going to be a Frugal February at Freshly Rooted. Saving money is a resolution for many people, so we thought we'd give you a month full of thrifty ideas. Today is Monday, so I'm going to tell you how your chicken could be saving you money.

I'm blessed to be a part of a mom's group at my church (the Sanctuary Downtown) called the Well. We meet twice a month to pray, talk and gain some wisdom or expertise from the speakers that present to our group. When I told Whitney and my mom that we had learned to cut up chickens at the Well, they both sounded especially confused and asked me to explain exactly what the Well was again. Yes, yes...I learned how to cut up a whole chicken with a bunch of other moms at church. But, here's why: it really saves you money.

Red Bird Farms is a Colorado based company that sells natural, never frozen chicken. An interesting fact I learned about most chicken is that companies will take the meat down just below freezing in order to ship it, but they can still label it as fresh. A member of our church, who works at Red Bird Farms gave us a free demonstration of how to cut up a whole chicken in the most economical way and he gave us the meat for free! So, check into local companies and see if they have a "chicken educator" who will visit a group that you're a part of to do a little class, as well. Free is pretty frugal, right?

Secondly, learn how to cut up your own chicken. Just buying skinless, boneless chicken breasts is expensive--often two breasts cost the same as a whole chicken. But, they are actually quite easy to cut away from the chicken when it's raw. The video below shows a simple technique for your chicken chopping needs. Just make sure that you have a very sharp knife. The video is part of a demonstration for Pampered Chef cutlery, but the explanation is solid. Vegetarians, beware!

I learned a few other tips during our chicken education. Save the wings in a freezer bag. Each time you get a chicken, add the wings to the bag. After a while, you'll have enough to have a hot wings night. Use the leftover parts to make a chicken stock. Add some carrots and celery, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for several hours. Then, cool it in the fridge or on the porch and remove the fat. Of course, watch for sales. Talk to the people who work at your grocery and find out if there is a big sale coming up. You might just find that a certain day of the week is best for your shopping. Is Wednesday double coupon day? Is there a buy one, get one sale at the end of the month? Be educated and save.

Give!

We're giving to you! We are doing our first Freshly Rooted giveaway. In honor of the opening of our Etsy shop, we are going to host a giveaway each week of the month. This week we are giving you a snack bag. If you've been trying to pack more of your lunches, reduce your waste, or depend less on plastic containers, then you definitely need some snack bags.

If you want to be entered for giveaway, simply follow us on blogger. Then, leave a comment letting us know you've done so. If you're already following us, just leave the comment. It's so easy!

The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. A winner will be announced on Monday--stay tuned.

P.S. If you don't win, you could always just buy some snack bags in the shop.

Additional resolutions: play

There are so many ways to add more playfulness to your life.  I believe a little indulgence is necessary to function most efficiently, too.

If you're looking to add a little more fun to your week, try some of these options...

1. Explore the local shopping scene.  Make it a goal to support more locally owned stores. I always love it when people give me one of a kind gifts from their home town - aim to gift with a greater conscience.

2. Try more classes.  Whether it be a cooking class, wine tasting class, a craft class (a variety of them are offered at Michael's) or even a sips n strokes. In the process, you'll learn something new, support a local organization, and have an afternoon activity.

3. Add a new workout to your regimen. Consider trying yoga (my suggestion), pilates, a spinning class, or joining a running group.  Mixing it up will rejuvenate your fitness schedule, which can become especially dull during the winter.  And maybe you'll meet new friends in the process!

via j.crew

Additional Resolutions: Nest

I feel like there are so many areas in our home we could make improvements.  And probably so many areas I don't even realize we need to improve.

It can often feel overwhelming and easier to just do nothing than to try to make big changes.

- One area that has involved a big change, but has been well worth it was in deciding to use cloth diapers for our children.  There are so many wonderful articles written about cloth diapering and so many great reasons to do it.  But for us, the huge money savings, the drastic decrease in waste we put out into the environment and the benefits for our babies made it worth every bit of work.

These articles on the stereotypes of a cloth diapering family and the basics of cloth diapering by Simple Mom are very useful.  

We have personally had great success with MotherEase diapers.  They are no frills and very simple and have worked wonderfully for us.  We are on our second child with the same diapers and I am sure they are going to last through diapering all of our children!

- Another area I hope to improve upon is getting outside with my kids to play even during the cold months.
During the spring, summer and fall, we spend so much time outside daily.  But, once it gets cold, I am much more wimpy about bundling everyone up to play outside.  My kids' moods are so much better when we spend time daily outside and I love the fresh air.

Happy Nesting!

Additional resolutions: pray

I think it's so easy to get really overwhelmed by all the ways we want to improve upon our spirituality. It can be so daunting that we end up doing nothing, and feeling worse.

For me the best way to really feel like I'm advancing my relationship with Christ is to take on small, manageable tasks.

While my goal is to attend church more, this might not fit your needs.  Instead try one of these small steps...

1. Listen to worship music more.  I've started listening to The David Crowder Band while I cook dinner.  For some reason, it often doesn't entertain me enough while I'm in the car, but I really enjoy it when I'm cooking.  It's a nice way to unwind.

2. If you have a hard time reading the Bible, create small goals to ease yourself into it. If you tell yourself you're going to read the entire New Testament by the end of the month, you'll become overwhelmed. Instead plan to read a little bit each day, or memorize one verse each week.  In doing so, it will become part of your routine more easily.

3. Make a conscious effort to pray more. Whether it be at bedtime, before a meal, or at your desk before you start work each morning. In doing so, you'll have more fluid communication with God.

Additional Resolutions: Make

As I was surrounded by cloth napkins in various stages of creation the other day, my brother-in-law, who has seen me working on probably ten different projects over the last few months, asked me if I always have some kind of project going. I do. I just can't help myself. There are so many projects that would improve our lives, make our home cuter, or be the perfect gift. But, if you haven't felt inspired by Courtney, Whitney and my make resolutions over the last few weeks, here are a few more.

1. Try to make gifts instead of buying them in the new year. Not only could this be an opportunity to try making some projects you haven't before, but you could save money. Now, this can be tricky. Fabric can be expensive, so you can end up spending more than you intend. Make sure that the gift is more practical to make than to buy. Also, try to make something that the recipient would actually want. An embroidered onesie for your friend's new baby could be a sweet gift. (If you don't think you can embroider, go here...you can.) You probably shouldn't make a wedding gift instead of buying off the registry...unless you know the bride and groom exceptionally well.

2. Make something new each month. If you're trying to improve your sewing/crafting skills, giving yourself a monthly deadline could be just the motivation you need. There are so many great resources to inspire you. You could make a garden box in April. You could sew a sundress from a shirt in June. You could make some living room friendly beach balls in February. The possibilities are almost overwhelming. Choose wisely!

3. Commit to using recycled/repurposed materials for your creations. While lugging a bag of unwanted clothes to Goodwill is a noble act, you might be giving away some of your best project resources. When you look at an old t-shirt as a pair of little boy pants, rather than an ill-fitting shirt, your outlook changes. Perhaps that colorful skirt that was always a size too big could be make into a tote. Your boyfriend or husband's stained work shirt could be a set of snack bags. And, if you decide you really can't repurpose that oatmeal container you've been saving, just recycle it.

Additional Resolutions: Eat

As January is drawing closer to it's end, we thought we would give you a few additional ideas for ways to make small changes in your daily living over this year.

These are ideas that we have implemented in our home or that I hope to implement over the next few months!

- Commit to packing your lunch (or your husband or children's lunch) each week.
My husband has a small amount of money he is allotted to spend each month in the cafeteria at his work.  However, that money runs out quickly and the food that is available to him is often less than nutritious and definitely not very delicious.  So many of his co-workers eat out through the bulk of the week, but that ends up being so expensive and very unhealthy.  We made a (somewhat joking) deal that when I started to stay at home with our kids, I would pack him a lunch every day.  It has saved us so much money and I am able to provide him with healthy and satisfying meals.  It only takes me a few minutes each night and although it is a commitment, he is well worth it!

If you have a hard time coming up with good ideas for lunch foods, check out this post at Simple Bites that is full of great meals!

- Learn to can fruits and vegetables when you have a bumper crop.
I have long wished I was a canning expert.  Wouldn't it be lovely in the winter to have delicious peaches to put on ice cream?  My dad is an excellent canner and makes the best sweet pickles I have ever had.  I hope in this new year I will truly learn how to make his pickles and that this knowledge would transcend into canning other fruits and vegetables.  Wish me luck!

- Make your own baby food.
When Lily was born, I knew I wanted to make her baby food.  I knew it would cost us much less to feed her organic produce if we made it at home and did not buy the jars of food.  And I was thrilled with the thought of being able to control exactly what went into her food.
However, even though I knew I wanted to do this, I was overwhelmed by the prospect.  I thought it would be very time consuming and also very labor intensive.
And, while it was a labor of love, it was much easier than I ever expected!
I found that if I just cooked an extra batch of whatever fruit or vegetable we were eating and then put it into the food processor right away, I could easily make ice cube trays full of baby food to have on hand at any time.
For Lily, I used Ruth Yaron's book Super Baby Food as a great resource.  It tells you how to prepare and store almost any food for your baby and was great to have by  my side.

When Finn was born, I was a bit less uptight about the specifics and often fed him food that was close to what the rest of the family was eating, but just in a pureed form.
I felt confident that my kids were eating very healthy and nutritious meals and it was costing us a fraction of the money that buying the jars would have.
We would highly recommend making baby food when you have a little one.  How often do you see Gerber selling kale or beets in jars?  Not too often! :)

We hope that over this month, we have given you some ideas of ways you can make small changes in your kitchen in the upcoming year.  Even the smallest change can make a big difference!

Resolution: Play {week three}

Dates with my husband are the best. I get so excited when we have plans. We've had delicious dinners at some of Denver's tastiest restaurants. We've seen musicals and concerts. But, one of our family resolutions for this year is to keep to a budget. So, I want to find free or inexpensive date activities for Jose and I.

So far, I've found free days at the Denver Zoo, the Denver Art Museum, and the Botanic Gardens. We could also tour Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, walk along the First Fridays Art Tours, and wander through the Tattered Cover Bookstore. I am already yearning for those summer nights when we can have picnics at the park and hike before dinner. But, for now, I am on a quest to find indoor and winter activities that will be just as fun.

Most cities have free days at museums if you look on the right websites. The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District of Denver offers many of these days. Perhaps your city has something similar. Many neighborhoods also have festivals and events that are free to the public. I'm sure that Jose and I can have some excellent, inexpensive dates. Maybe the search will be half the fun.

Do you have a favorite inexpensive date idea?

Resolution: Nest {week three}

On the morning of New Year's Day, I felt an overwhelming urge to organize and simplify. Clean out the closet. Organize the laundry room. Make a big pile to take to Goodwill.

I have no problem giving away and sorting through material possessions that we no longer need. However, I have a confession to make. My husband has declared that I am a hoarder. A photograph hoarder. I have a stack of memory cards that are full. I have folders and folders of images on my computer. I just fear that I am going to delete that one image that I will miss.

My resolution is to delete images on my camera that I will never print or post. Then, they will never make their way onto my computer. I won't have to scroll through them. I won't have a loaded down memory card. While this may seem like a very minor change, I think that the little things can make a big difference. And, the smaller the resolution, the easier it will be to keep!

Do you have any little changes you hope to implement?

Resolution: Pray {week three}

My husband is Catholic. I am not. While we are on the same page for the basic beliefs of Christianity, we have not been able to find one church that we feel fulfills both our spiritual needs. We attend the Sanctuary Downtown one week and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary the next. I've learned to appreciate the traditions and history of the Catholic Church, but the weekly sermons don't quite inspire me in the same way that the sermons at the Sanctuary Downtown do. My spiritual resolution is to be more intentional about seeking out inspiration.

Luckily, in this technological age, I can access the weekly sermons on our church's website. Last weekend's sermon about the power of love really spoke to me. Take a listen, if you have time. Let me know what you think.

I've also been thinking about some of the books that I've read over the past year that have stuck with me spiritually. I read Crazy Love and the Irresistible Revolution this year. There are some similarities between the two books and they've certainly affected the way in which I envision my future. So, not only do I want to seek out the inspiration, but I want to really implement it in my life or at least make a conscious effort to do so. It would certainly change the way this new year would look.

Resolution: Make {week three}

Sewing is all about patterns. Pants, napkins, purses all can be made if you find the right system by which to do it. One of my favorite things about sewing is to figure out how something is put together and to determine how I can do it myself. Once I find that pattern, if I make that item successfully, I feel a great sense of success. Then, I move on. My resolution is to produce multiples of whatever I sew. Obviously, an etsy shop is going to require this.

For example, I made birthday presents for Courtney and Whitney this year. When I decided to make something for one of my friends for Christmas, I actually followed the same plan I used for Courtney's birthday present. And, believe it or not, it worked quite well!

To increase my skills and passion for sewing, I know that I need to create the same thing over and over again. I learn so much about what I can improve on when I try to repeat a project. Lately, I've been all about napkins. Kid napkins. Dinner napkins. Upcycled napkins. And, soon you'll see them all in our Etsy shop. So, keep your eyes peeled!

And, share! What have you been inspired to make recently?

Resolution: Eat {week three}

I love to cook. And, let's be honest, I love to eat good food. I am lucky to have a husband who appreciates the food that I whip up and is willing to do the clean up. At times, however, I feel like the cooking and clean up processes just take too long. Luckily, Courtney gave me a crock pot for Christmas. So, my resolution is to make faster, easier meals that are still quite tasty. And, yes, my crock pot is going to be my weapon of choice.

The other day I made an enchilada casserole in my crock pot (similar to my tamale pie). It turned out to be quite tasty. It's challenging for me to cook without tasting as I go. I didn't feel safe trusting that my crock pot would do its job, but it did. So, here's a recipe to toss into your crock pot. Let me know what you think if you try it!

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 chopped bell pepper (I used red)
1 cup frozen corn
3 tablespoons green chile (A vegetarian green chile is sold at costco. We use it in everything...eggs, bread, pasta sauce, tacos, etc.)
3 tablespoons salsa
A little salt

All of that goes into the crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded cheese
2 tablespoons green chile
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Enough chicken of vegetable stock to wet all of the dry mixture

Mix all of the corn bread ingredients together. It should be about the same texture as corn bread batter typically is. Spread the corn bread mixture over everything in the crock pot. Cook for one more hour.
Serve with salsa or sour cream if that's your thing.
Eat it up!

Resolution: play {week two}

This year, I'm really into making small, doable resolutions, with the hope that they'll become habits.  This summer and fall, I was drinking water constantly. However, since it's gotten cold, I'm having a hard time remembering to do it.

I have decided to take on the gallon challenge for two weeks.  For 14 days, I will drink a gallon of water everyday.

While I don't anticipate it becoming a habit in itself, I do expect it to reignite my desire to drink water. I began Wednesday and so far I've completed it both days (though Thursday required some late night chugging, which led to some all-night bathroom visits...).

I'll report back in 11 days!

Resolution: Nest {week two}

The fact that I'm completely, utterly in love with paper towels is making me very nervous about my nest resolution.

You see, I used to dry my hands with paper towel[s] after washing them.  I would use four of them to eat one banana with peanut butter in the morning. Then I'd clean the spoon with an additional paper towel prior to putting it in the dishwasher.

I seriously love them.

And although I've gotten much better and have learned that towels do, in fact, work just as efficiently, I still kind of love them.  I mean, they're so superior to napkins in thickness and absorption. And much easier in the long run than towels!

I digress.

It's time that I begin to put this love affair to an end.

They say you can make a habit in seven days. So this year, my nest resolution is to go one week living paper-free in my kitchen.  I am not resolving that I will continue to do it beyond a week. And I am not resolving that I will eventually no longer rely on paper products in my kitchen.  However, I am resolving to give it a try.

And, if you truly understood just how many paper towels I use, you'd be very excited about the fact that this really will impact the earth.  (Yes. That many.)

I haven't set the date yet - I'm still too anxiety ridden. But once I feel that my kitchen is adequately equipped to ease me in and out of this challenge, I'm going for it.

Wish me cloth napkin loving luck!

Resolution: Pray {week two}

Just as my quest for a yoga studio took some work, so did my quest for a church. However, I have officially found a church that I love, just in time for a resolution.  This year, I resolve to attend church more frequently.

So far, I'm one for two. And yes, I realize that in the academic world, 50 percent is actually an F.  But, the first Sunday completely snuck up on me because of how to holidays fell.  And, with 50 more weeks left this year, I firmly believe I can get my average up quite a bit.

And in case you need a little inspiration to get to church, too, check out Lily a long time ago in her Sunday best.  If it meant I got to see her each week, I'd be the first in the pews.

Resolution: Make {week two}

Since it turns out that even in my own apartment I'm not the DIY diva I expected myself to be, I've had to reassess my make-iness.

Instead of setting my goal to be to do more DIY projects - because I quickly learned that just leads to me spending money on random Sunday afternoon whims - I've made it my resolution that when I do DIY, I will try to use supplies I already have.

Fortunately, I was able to test this resolution right as 2011 began.  I needed to write thank you notes for all of the Christmas gifts I received (thank you, by the way).  I had extra holiday cards, so I took glitter and glue, and turned them into holiday thank you cards.

Other than the guilt that the mailman's bag is undoubtedly covered in gold glitter, I was very pleased with how they turned out.

To all you lovely gift givers: open with care! They are constantly shedding pretty sparkles.

The next step in my resolution is to make something for our Etsy shop.

I'm not going to say what I'm making because I want it to be a surprise. But I'm putting it out there, so I can be held accountable.

Fortunately Courtney and Ashley bought the supplies, which is kind of a loophole in the no purchasing rule, but I had to start somewhere.  The first step to me successfully making this product, though, is learning to sew.

Once I master that, I'll unveil my creation! Until then...

Resolution: Eat {week two}

When it comes to most things in life, you could say I'm habitual.  When it comes to my eating habits, you could say it, but it would be a vast understatement.

Last year, I ate a veggie burger with avocado, tomato, cheese, lettuce and pickles every night for dinner from January until July.  I just don't get bored with food (my wardrobe, on the other hand, is a completely different story).

However, this year, I've made it my goal to be more adventurous when it comes to cooking.  Since I got my own apartment, I've loved trying new recipes. I've tried quite a few new things with vegetables (i.e. spaghetti squash), but only once have I cracked open a cookbook.

In this new year, I'm going to get more creative with dinner, whether it be by trying a new meal entirely, or just incorporating one new item. Or even by cooking an old item a new way.

In the 10 days we've lived in 2011, I've already made some progress.

I learned how to blanch asparagus. I made sugar cookies with wheat flour instead of white. And, what I'm most proud of, is that I found a recipe on one of my favorite blogs for Ina Garten's Irish Soda Bread and made it the same day (from scratch!).

I even took creativity one step further and replaced the buttermilk with nonfat plain yogurt, and the currents for raisins. And it still tastes good!  I also removed the zest, but that was an executive decision based on the fact that I was running late, and didn't have any sort of tool to zest my clementines. And even still, it tastes good!

Beyond having yummy bread for breakfast (and dinner. Ok and for snacks), I experienced an unexpected added bonus of feeling so proud of myself. I've never even baked bread in a machine, let alone kneaded it on parchment paper!

This resolution is really off to a lovely start.

*Below are two photos of my bread. Probably not quite as pretty as Ina's but I'm taking this resolution one step at a time.

Resolution: Play

I love doing yoga.

It is something that seems so indulgent and so personal.  It is one of the few things as a mom that is just for me.  While I do love doing yoga in our living room with our kids (and being astonished by just how bendy they are with almost no effort!) it is such a treat to go to a studio and enjoy an hour of sweating and also being still.

I was generously gifted a package of yoga classes for Christmas, and I resolve to go to a yoga class weekly this year.  I love so many other types of exercise, but there is something about yoga that is so restorative and healing.  As my body changes through this pregnancy, I look forward to the ways in which yoga can prepare me for labor, strengthen me and center me.

What will you do this year that is fun?  Or that is just for you?  Make a resolution to play more!!

Resolution: Nest

Last summer, we started composting.

It was easy and simple and compost was created before our eyes!

However, I have a confession.  As the temperature has dropped, so has our motivation to carry food scraps to our backyard.  What laziness, right?

So, as a resolution, my husband and I are working to continue composting on a regular basis.  It takes almost no time, costs us no money at this point and as spring approaches, we will be thrilled to have such rich compost to put in our garden.

Please help hold me accountable to this pledge!  What type of resolution do you hope to make in your home this year?

Resolution: Pray

There are so many ways in which I could become more devoted and connected in my spiritual life.

It is hard to choose just one way in which I hope to make positive changes.  And it is also an area of change that I take very seriously.

Yet, I also know that all too often I pledge to make changes that are hard to maintain and I end up becoming frustrated.

This year, I resolve to spend much more time praying with my kids.

We spend a lot of time praying for our kids, but I realize what a huge and powerful impact praying with them will have.  Prior to each meal and before going to bed, we always pray with our children.  But, often in the middle of a stressful day, a big meltdown or even a happy time, I neglect to pray with my kids.

We always pray prior to traveling as we set out to leave town.  As we headed to the midwest this Christmas, my children and I prayed for safe travels and a good trip.  As I finished praying, Lily asked if we could pray for her Dada.  She wanted to pray that he would be ok without us for a few days and that he would make it safely to the midwest.  It meant so much to me that she wanted to pray for him and I realize that I need to give my kids more opportunities to pray for things that are on their minds.

It is a great way to connect with our children, to make them feel loved and secure, and to know the care and goodness of God.

I plan to be very intentional about setting aside time to pray with Lily and Finn this year.  And I resolve to be more open to praying together in the midst of chaos or busyness, when I all too often forget who is truly in charge and watching over us.

How do you plan to make changes in your spiritual life this year?

Resolution: Make

This year, Ashley, Whitney and I resolve to open an etsy shop together!

It is something we have hoped to do for a while now and we are preparing to take the leap together!

We look forward to creating together, connecting through our crafting successes and trials and working to use upcycled and sustainable materials to make new goods.

We each have very different talents and ideas in terms of the shop and we are excited to launch it at the end of the month.

So, stay tuned for giveaways, ideas and the opening of the shop!

What small change do you hope to make in terms of making and crafting this year?

Resolution Month

This month, Ashley, Whitney and I are each going to take a week to focus on things we hope to work on in the upcoming year.

I am not consistent in making New Year's Resolutions, but I never think it's bad to spend some time reflecting and evaluating your life.  So, we each plan to look a little more deeply into the areas of Eat, Make, Pray, Nest and Play and resolve to make even small changes to better our lives.

So without further ado...

Resolution: Eat

This year, I resolve to buy much more local produce.  

Sometimes it just seems so easy when I am making a big grocery store run to buy all the produce I need at once.  And while it is convenient, it is often genetically modified, covered in pesticides and has traveled thousands of miles across the country to reach my plate.  A little convenience for me, a whole lot of negative impact on our planet and bodies.

So, I really hope to buy much more produce that was produced in my backyard (relatively speaking) this year.  We have so many great ways to do so in our city...we have a farmer's market open from early spring until December.  There is a wonderful market that has very inexpensive and locally grown produce year round (and it is only a mile or two from my house!)  And we have participated in a Community Supported Agriculture over the last few years, and I definitely plan to do so again this spring.  

I hope to have better success this year with our garden in our own backyard, as well.  Last year, our garden yielded some peppers, tomatoes and basil, but the crop was not as fruitful as we had hoped.  I am optimistic that our success with be a bit greater this year! 

There are lots of great resources out there for finding locally grown produce in your area.  

A website we have used each year to choose the CSA most appropriate for our family is the local harvest site.  It is very user friendly and helps you to get a very in depth look at each CSA you are evaluating.

If you are interested in finding a farmer's market in your area, you can easily search for on in your area here.  It is so much fun to connect with the farmer who is supplying your food and you can get so much more than just produce at a farmer's market.

We recently watched No Impact Man and he spent an entire year living in a way that he hoped would make no impact on the earth.  If he could sustain himself and his family on food grown locally in New York through the winter, I am sure I can make steps to buy more locally throughout the year! 

What do you hope to resolve in regards to your eating habits in 2011?  

Happy New Year!