These pumpkin pecan chocolate chip muffins are absolutely delicious — and perfect for anyone you know with a gluten or dairy allergy!
Guest post from Michelle.
There is very little introduction that I need to do for today’s pumpkin recipe, except one. “Oh my!”
Cooking gluten-free, particularly if you have to substitute other allergens, can be a lot of trial and error. But once you have some base recipes that work time and time again, you have a good hold on gluten-free baking.
I have finally reached that point and you can too!
These Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Muffins are winners!
We were so delighted at how these turned out and how similarly they taste to regular pumpkin muffins.
This recipe will be my go-to pumpkin muffin recipe from now on!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk (cow, almond, rice)
- 3 eggs or EnerG egg replacer (4 ½ tsp powder + 6 Tbsp water)
- ¾ cup oil (I used grapeseed oil)
- ½ cup raw sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup white rice flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ½ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup ground chia seed or flax meal
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Optional Mix-Ins
- ¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- ¾ cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is dairy, gluten, & nut free)
Streusel Topping (optional)
- ¼ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup raw sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy margarine or coconut oil
Chocolate Drizzle (optional)
- 1/4 c. chocolate chips
Ingredient Notes:
I use my own gluten-free flour blend because I find it cheaper than a pre-packaged blend. I buy many of my flours at an Asian grocer, like white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour.
I do splurge on Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Flour from Amazon. I resisted this higher priced flour for a long time, but it really is a great gluten-free staple flour.
If you’d rather use a pre-packaged flour blend, simply substitute 2 3/4 cups flour for all the flours listed in this recipe, except the chia meal.
This recipe is also made without other allergens – dairy and egg being the prominent ones. If you do not need to avoid those ingredients, just sub its “real” counterpart back into the recipe.
Pecans are listed as an ingredient, but they aren’t a necessity. If you have a treenut allergy or simply don’t like them, leave them out or use another ingredient like coconut or raisins.
How to Make these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
3. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until well combined.
5. Optionally add in pecans and/or chocolate chips.
6. Fill muffin cup to 2/3 full.
7. Add optional streusel topping (see directions below).
8. Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs.
9. Remove pans from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing muffins from pan to cool completely.
10. Once muffins have cooled, drizzle on melted chocolate if desired.
Directions for Optional Streusel Topping:
1. In a small bowl, mix together oat flour, raw sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Cut in margarine until crumbly.
3. Sprinkle evenly across muffins before baking.
4. Bake as directed.
Directions for Optional Chocolate Drizzle:
1. Put chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag.
2. Microwave the UNZIPPED bag for 15 seconds.
3. Flipped it over and microwaved for an additional 15 seconds.
4. Cut a slit in the corner and pipe onto each muffin.
I hope you give these easy muffins a try, and enjoy them over coffee with a friend.
You can even freeze them to enjoy another time!
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk cow, almond, rice
- 3 eggs or EnerG egg replacer (4 ½ tsp powder + 6 Tbsp water)
- ¾ cup oil I used grapeseed oil
- ½ cup raw sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup white rice flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ½ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup ground chia seed or flax meal
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Optional Mix-Ins
- ¾ cup chopped pecans optional
- ¾ cup chocolate chips Enjoy Life is dairy, gluten, & nut free
Streusel Topping (optional)
- ¼ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup raw sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp margarine or coconut oil
Chocolate Drizzle (optional)
- 1/4 c. chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
- In another bowl, combine dry ingredients
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until well combined.
- Optionally add in pecans and/or chocolate chips.
- Fill muffin cup to 2/3 full.
- Add optional streusel topping (see directions below).
- Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs.
- Remove pans from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing muffins from pan to cool completely.
- Once muffins have cooled, drizzle on melted chocolate if desired.
Directions for Optional Streusel Topping:
- In a small bowl, mix together oat flour, raw sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut in margarine until crumbly.
- Sprinkle evenly across muffins before baking.
- Bake as directed.
Directions for Optional Chocolate Drizzle:
- Put chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag.
- Microwave the UNZIPPED bag for 15 seconds.
- Flipped it over and microwaved for an additional 15 seconds.
- Cut a slit in the corner and pipe onto each muffin.
Notes
Nutrition
Love this recipe?
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
What are your favorite allergy-friendly recipes?
Michelle is blessed to stay home with her three children. She loves experimenting with allergy-friendly meals.
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Hoping to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom in the future? Here’s some advice…
Hoping to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom in the future? Here’s some advice…
I’ve come to the place where I really dislike “labels” — you know “stay-at-home mom” versus “working mom” and such. Honestly, I think that the so-called “Mommy Wars” really do nothing profitable and serve to just divide and frustrate women, rather than building up and encouraging women.
That said, I know some of you have written in recently asking about how to make the jump from work-outside-the-home mom to stay-at-home, homeschooling mom. So, I wanted to pass along this post I wrote in response to a question that my friend Tricia received recently on how to prepare financially to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom in the future. If this is a subject you’re currently considering, I thought you might find this post helpful:
Considering make the switch from a working woman to a stay-at-home homeschooling mom? While it might seem daunting, it can be done — if you’re willing to get creative, put forth some effort, and think outside the box:
1) Get on a Written Budget
This is vitally important. If you don’t tell your money where to go, it will just slip through your fingers like sand.
A written budget puts you in control. No longer is your money just slipping through your fingers like sand. Instead, you are telling it exactly where to go.
The beauty of a budget is that it gives you freedom. You don’t have to worry that by paying one bill, you’re not going to be able to pay another important bill. Why? Because you’ve already allotted enough money to cover both bills in your written budget.
If you’ve made the leap from working outside the home to staying home, I’d love to hear your advice and thoughts on this. Any words of encouragement or counsel for other moms considering making the switch? How have you pulled it off financially?
Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
I saw this recipe on Pinterest the other day and knew I had to try it. Two ingredients? Brownies? Sign me up!
In similar fashion as the Three Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins I made recently, they don’t exactly taste like their normal counterparts. But if you eat them without expecting a normal-tasting brownie, they are quite yummy. Not anything as good as a regular brownie, but I think if you served them with ice cream and chocolate syrup or frosted them, that would improve the flavor and yummy factor!
Mix ingredients (one can pumpkin & one box brownie mix) together. If you don’t have a brownie mix on hand, you can make your own homemade brownie mix.
Spread into a greased baking pan. I made them in a 9×13 pan, but I’d recommend putting them in a smaller pan since mine were a little (er, maybe a lot) on the flat side.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until set. Can frost with this simple frosting, if you like.
Recipe from Cookies and Cups.
10 Creative Sandwich Ideas
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Guest post from Brigette Shevy
If you’re looking for simple, lunch box-friendly, kid-approved sandwiches that require minimal prep time, this list is for you! Many of these sandwiches can be made in advance and frozen… and ALL of them can be eaten cold or at room temperature.
While there are many great sandwich ideas that involve peanut butter, I have purposely chosen to keep this list peanut-butter free (which wasn’t as easy to do as it sounds!).
Feel free to mix and match fillings with different types of bread. I’ve listed ones that pair well together, but the possibilities are endless. (Of course, a wet filling on absorbent bread can end up a soggy mess by lunchtime, so you do want to think through things like that!)
1. Fruit Pizza Bagel
 |
Mix cream cheese with honey and spread on both sides of a split bagel (mini bagels work great for kids!). Top with small slices of fruit like pineapple, kiwi, grapes, mandarin oranges, or whatever your child will eat (pat the fruit dry with a paper towel if necessary) and sprinkle with shredded coconut. |
2. English Muffin Pizzas
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Spread English muffin halves with pizza/tomato/spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with cheese (and top with chopped veggies, optional). Bake or broil (or even microwave if you are really short on time!) until cheese is melted. Serve open-faced. Freezable. |
3. Avocado Veggie Sandwich
 |
Combine mashed avocado with a splash of lemon juice and a dash of salt. Spread on both sides of a hearty roll and top with whatever sliced veggies your child will eat (lettuce, tomato, pickles, cucumbers, etc.).You can also add cheese or deli meat if desired. |
4. Pancake Sandwich
 |
Spread applesauce on a leftover pancake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped nuts (optional).Top with another pancake and cut into wedges. Freezable. |
5. Apple Nut Rice Cake
 |
Mix softened cream cheese with maple syrup, cinnamon and nuts.Spread on a rice cake and top with thinly sliced apple slices and additional chopped nuts. |
6. Pesto Mozzarella Melt
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Spread pesto on two pieces of french bread. Top each with sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese and a thin slice of tomato. Broil until cheese is melted.Serve open-faced if desired. You can also cook these in a skillet instead of broiling them. |
7. Cheesy Pita Wedges
 |
Fill pita bread halves with cheese and microwave until melted.Cut into wedges to serve. Freezable. |
8. Double Decker Cream Cheese and Jelly
 |
Spread one piece of cinnamon raisin bread with softened cream cheese. Top with another piece of raisin bread. Spread jelly on that piece. Top with another piece of bread.Cut into strips or wedges. Freezable. |
9. Hummus Veggie Bagels
 |
Spread bagel halves with hummus and top with whatever sliced veggie(s) your child will eat (such as colored peppers, sprout, tomato, or shredded carrots).Serve open-faced. |
10. Chocolate Banana Roll-Up
 |
Mix softened cream cheese with cocoa powder, sweetener to taste, and a little milk as necessary.Spread thinly on a tortilla. Top with sliced banana and roll up. |
What is your favorite “creative” sandwich?
Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy (ages 5, 3 and 1). She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.
10 Goals For This Week
Last week’s goals:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1. Read at least 8 chapters of A Way Through the Sea aloud to the kids.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.Personal Goals
3. Finish reading
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess(re-reading for a project I’m working on), Whose Voice the Waters Heard,The Husband Project,Mended,Shades of Morning, Now, Discover Your Strengths.
4. Listen to two chapters of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.
5. Exercise at least five times.Homemaking Goals
6. Finish 25 more rows of the scarf I’m working on knitting.
7. Make at least two new recipes.8. Go through our house for our garage sale next week.
Business Goals
9. Finish the Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series.
10. Finish book proposal for my next book & submit to my agent(Woot! So excited about the topic and contents planned for my next book!)
This week’s goals:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1. Read 3 chapters of The Stolen Necklace aloud to Kathrynne. Read 3 chapters of Still More Stories From Grandma’s Attic aloud to Kaitlynn. Read 10 picture books to Silas. Read at least 3 chapters of A Way Through the Sea aloud to the kids.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Have a playdate with friends.
Personal Goals
4. Finish reading Whose Voice the Waters Heard, Greater, Fully Alive, The Promise of a Mother’s Prayers, Return, and Now, Discover Your Strengths.
5. Finish listening to Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.
6. Exercise at least five times.
Homemaking Goals
7. Finish 25 more rows of the scarf I’m working on knitting.
8. Make at least two new recipes.
9. Have a garage sale.
Business Goals
10. Write three posts for other sites.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Do It Yourself: Homemade Mod Podge
StayAtHomeMadeMom.com shows you how to make homemade mod podge.
Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas: Jingit (Day 1)
Welcome to October’s series on 31 Ways to Earn Extra Cash Before Christmas. In this series, I’ll be highlighting simple and legitimate ways you can earn extra cash in the next three months for those of you who could use a little extra cash to help you pay for Christmas — or just for your living expenses if you’re in a tight spot right now.
Many of these will be things we’ve discussed here at one time or another, but I thought it would be good to have them all in one complete series. Plus, even if you’ve been reading here for a few years, it’s easy to forget posts that were published months ago!
Idea #1: Earn Money By Watching Videos on Jingit
Jingit is a newer income-earning program that pays you to watch ads online. You can also earn money for downloading the mobile app, scanning items at Walmart, and answering a couple of questions.
How Do You Sign Up?
To sign up, just go here and click on “sign up now.” You’ll need to create an account, input your phone number, and type in the verification number they text to you.
How Do You Earn Cash?
Once you’re signed up, you can begin watching videos or doing store check-ins. You should be offered at least a few videos you can watch right away. It looks like they add a few new videos each week.
Plus, if you have a smartphone, you can download the Jingit app and get paid to scan grocery UPC codes while you’re in store.
How Do You Get Paid?
To get paid, you just register for a Jingit Visa Debit Card (costs $3 from your Jingit balance to request it) and then add cash for your online Jingit balance to the Visa card.
How Much Can You Make?
There is an earning limit of $15 per week. When you initially join, you’ll have a lower earning limit but this can be raised to $15 by inviting friends to join.
It looks like most people are only making $3-$5 per week with it, but that’s only by spending a few minutes of time each day — or less. So it’s not a bad hourly wage!
Candi commented on my post about Jingit last week and said:
I have tried it and found that it is really very easy to make a couple of bucks. They videos you watch are super short, so it really doesn’t take too much time. I have also done the “check in” feature which has you scan in items Walmart and answer a couple of questions and you get money instantly! Fairly simple, but I have had it not scan a couple of items. I will only scan items in store if I need to be at Walmart anyway, you are only going to make a buck or two at a time so it is in no way worth the trip to the store for that. -Candi
(Note: The link in this post is my referral link. Read my disclosure policy here.)
Frugal Weirdos Unite
So, as I mentioned on Friday, I tend to be the kind of person who avoids spending money on myself. I have a few select things I splurge on, I love to buy things for other people, but when it comes to myself, I usually always talk myself out of it.
I’ll re-wear something over and over again until it has holes in it. I’ll make do with what I already have. Or, I’ll just find a way to do without.
But it’s rare that I go and spend money on myself — especially on the spur of the moment. However, after reading Love Does, I’ve been inspired to be a little more spontaneous.
Now remember, I’m the Type A gal who enjoys spontaneity only when it is carefully planned. For me to even be remotely spontaneous is a big deal. And it’s even a bigger deal when the spontaneity involves spending money, too.
So you can imagine Jesse’s surprise the other night when he walked in the door and I met him at the door beaming to tell him my surprise, “Honey, I bought something today. And it wasn’t something I needed and I didn’t even have it on my list.”
You should have seen his shocked expression. Like who are you and what have they done with my wife??
“Guess what it was?” I went on.
He had no idea — or maybe he was just still reeling from amazement at my wild side. 😉
I finally spilled the beans, “I bought a candle at Hobby Lobby!”
We both had a good laugh at me as I proceeded to tell him how I had stood there in the Hobby Lobby check out lane with my one item that I’d gone in to purchase and then I’d seen the fall candles on display. I love candles — especially fall candles — and they were on sale, too.
It was everything against my nature to even consider buying one when it wasn’t on the list. But I reminded myself that I had plenty of blow money and that it would make our house smell good. And I reminded myself of how I’ve been trying to not be so tight-fisted when it comes to occasionally spending money on little things that would make me happy.
After a lot of inner dialogue at the checkout lane, I finally talked myself into paying a whole $1.99 for that candle. Y’all I think I just might be getting a spontaneous streak or something. 😉
P.S. Please tell me I’m not the only one who agonizes over a $1.99 purchase that’s not on the list. I’ve always been like this and I think some of us might just be born Frugal Weirdos. And yes, the Spenders just don’t get us… but we sure help save them a lot of money! 🙂
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Looking for an easy yet hearty breakfast that will keep you full all morning while packing lots of delicious fall flavors? This Pumpkin Pie oatmeal is just what you need!
We loved this new-to-us Pumpkin Oatmeal recipe!
It was very simple to make — and it was very filling, too. Best of all, it is packed with lots of nutrition… the perfect way to start off a crisp fall morning!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
**Note, this recipe makes enough for one serving… but it can be easily adapted for a larger crowd by tripling, quadrupling it — or multiplying it by even more.
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup whole milk (can also use skim, almond, or rice milk)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
1. In a small saucepan, mix oats, milk, water, and spices together.
2. Bring mixture to slow simmer.
3. Stir in the pumpkin and cook until done (approximately 3-4 minutes).
4. Scoop into a bowl and sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with honey or maple syrup and serve warm with milk.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup whole milk can also use skim, almond, or rice milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon Brown sugar honey, or maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, mix oats, milk, water, and spices together.
- Bring mixture to slow simmer.
- Stir in the pumpkin and cook until done (approximately 3-4 minutes).
- Scoop into a bowl and sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with honey or maple syrup and serve warm with milk.
Notes
Nutrition
Love this recipe?
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
What are your favorite creative twists on regular oatmeal? I’d love to hear!
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Five Ways We Save Even With Dietary Restrictions
Guest post from Jenetta of Frugal Freebies and Deals
I started my gluten free journey four years ago. It was for health reasons. A couple years after I started eating GF we adopted two girls with special needs due to trauma. My doctor immediately recommended putting them on a GF which was no problem.
But about a year later, she recommended removing dairy and corn. Not corn! We live off corn, I thought, and it is in everything.
But I knew I could do it. I was good at the whole GF thing so I could be good at this, too.
If you are new to any dietary restriction I know where you are at. Just the diet change part makes you want to throw in the towel but adding in the “new budget” aspect is enough to make you want to go over the edge. I was there walking out of the health food store with the tiniest bag of groceries ever… and I paid $100 for it.
Plus, I knew I would need to come back and do it again in 3 days! Talk about frustration.
However, I have come up with some tricks to keep your budget in check. We keep our monthly budget for four (mind you the girls are just 6 and 7) at between $200-250 a month without a lot of coupons.
Here are some things that help us:
1. Change your perspective about the way you eat.
This will be different for everyone. For me, it took thinking about my food and what I really enjoy about it. Unless bread is really good I don’t care for it much, so I started eating burgers and sandwiches as more of a salad or lettuce wrap.
Stop trying to replace the food from your former diet with equal non-allergenic counterparts. Instead, start thinking outside the box for new, less expensive (and maybe more nutritious) foods.
2. Start shopping at new stores.
This sounds like a lot, but I have around 20 possible stores I shop at. Weekly, I try to shop at 3-4 of them.
The health food store might have markdowns on GF bread, non-dairy milks, and yogurt. Local grocery outlets have lots of cheap GF, dairy-free, and corn-free items. We have the $0.99 Only chain in our area and I routinely pick up organic produce and non-allergenic snacks for $0.99 (this store is on my weekly route). Local Asian markets sell GF pasta and flour for around $1.
This trick is going to be individual to you and your area. You need to remember that deals change often so you will have to be willing to buy what is available.
3. Stock up.
This is my biggest money-saver. You need to have money set aside for stock-ups.
If I find boxes of non-allergenic organic granola bars at the $.99 Only Store, I can purchase 20 boxes because I have stock-up money set aside. That deal is not going to last and it might be a while before such a good deal comes up again.
This goes for meats, flours, anything that you find at great price. Buy as much as you can use, afford, and store.
4. Buy online.
You don’t always get the best deal online, but there really are some finds. We try to eat a lot of grain-free meals, so we eat a good amount of nuts.
Recently I bought 30 pounds (yup) of pecans online because they were 1/3 of the price I can get them locally. They just went in the freezer and are already half gone. Vitacost, Amazon, and even Ebay are good sources for occasional great prices.
5. Make Your Own.
Don’t feel like you have to suffer. There are wonderful recipes online for GF and other dietary restrictions. You can even try making nut milks and then use the nut pulp for baking.
Those are the tricks I use to keep our allergy-free diet in line with our budget. You can use these ideas for any type of similar diet. I know you can do it.
Jenetta is a wife and mother of 2 daughters adopted from foster care. She blogs over at Frugal, Freebies and Deals as well as Thrifty Wifey.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
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This week’s menu
Breakfasts
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets, Cereal, Toast, Eggs, and/or Fruit
Lunches
Lunch at church function
Snack-y lunch, fresh carrot/orange juice
Mac & cheese, veggies, fruit
Cheese Quesadillas, oranges, carrot sticks
Corn Dog Muffins, veggies, fruit
Leftovers x 2Snacks
Fruit/Veggies
Cheese/Crackers
Pumpkin RecipesFreezer Cooking
Dinners
Dinner with extended family
Taco Soup, Bread Machine Buttery Rolls, fruit, veggies
Homemade Chicken Salsa Pockets, fruit, steamed veggies
Steak, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Steamed Veggies, Fruit
Keilbasa/Potatoes/Carrots/Onions in the Crockpot, Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls, fruit salad
Dinner with friends
Dinner with extended family
What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.
5 Ways to Save Money by Simplifying Birthdays
Guest post from Chelsea of Stay-At-Home{MADE} Mom
Planning a birthday bash every year for every child can be exhausting, hard on the budget, and leave us with cluttered boxes of party supplies and toys. So in order to simplify, my husband and I adopted the birthday tradition he grew up with. We have chosen to throw only four large birthday parties for each of our children – 1st, 5th, 10th, and 16th.
During the years that we don’t throw a large party, we will have a simple cake and ice cream celebration with family. We also plan to implement a couple more traditions (like their favorite dinner or breakfast in bed) to make their day more special.
So whether you choose to throw an extravagant party every year or not, here are five more ways you can save money and simplify.
1. Simplify the Theme:
Instead of buying princess everything, buy one princess product to branch off. For example, you can buy a princess cake, but choose to buy paper products in a solid pink. Or, buy princess plates, but make a simple cake at home and decorate it inexpensively.
2. Simplify the Decorations:
Make a birthday banner by hand with pictures you scored for pennies. Sprinkle color-coordinating confetti on plain table cloths. Blow up balloons that double as décor and a game. Save leftover decorations for future parties or donate them to a family who can’t afford their own.
3. Simplify the Guest List:
While it’s tempting to invite everyone you know, it’s best to have enough space and food for everyone. It’s important to figure out how many people you can realistically afford to host and stick to that number.
4. Simplify the Party Favors:
In my opinion, party favors aren’t even essential, but if you want to provide them, keep it simple! Kiddos don’t need an entire bag filled with trinkets and candy. Some of my favorite ideas are cellophane-wrapped chocolate-dipped Oreos, a boxed cupcake, or some fun pencils tied with a ribbon.
5. Simplify the Gifts:
If family members or close friends come to you for gift ideas, consider suggesting that they “go in” with you on a bigger gift. A new bike, zoo memberships, a telescope, or something else that you know would get a lot of use. I find that most people are very open to this idea since it saves them the hassle of finding and wrapping a gift.
However you decide to celebrate, when it comes down to it, there are only a few things a child truly wants on his or her birthday:
- To feel loved.
- To know that others are blessed by another year with them.
- Something fun — because it is their day.
If you accomplish those three things, whether frugally or elaborately, it will be a memorable day. Find what works best for your family, and enjoy celebrating one another!
Do you have any other ideas to save money on birthdays?
Chelsea is a blessed wife, mommy, and child of God. In her free time, she loves crafting, cooking, and blogging at Stay-At-Home{MADE} Mom about her budget-friendly creations.
Reader Tip: Save time and money by making shredded chicken in the crockpot
Reader Tip: Save time and money by making shredded chicken in the crockpot
Reader tip from Amanda who blogs at Simple Revelations:
I love my slow-cooker. Soups, casseroles, meats, bread, breakfast — what’s not to love about a contraption that can do it all, and save me time?
One of my favorite money-saving crockpot recipe is Shredded Chicken. It’s a lean, protein-rich basis for meals and it only requires around 10 minutes of active involvement to make.
Plus, depending on where you live, you’ll probably be able to find chicken breasts for around $2 a pound. Compare that to the typical $7 a pound for deli lunch meat, and you’re saving a bundle on sandwiches using chicken salad on your sandwiches instead of deli-bought ham or turkey.
How To Make Shredded Chicken in the Crockpot
- Purchase a large package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Put as many as you like (I’d do 10 or so) in your slow-cooker, cover with water (boiling water if they’re frozen, to get them cooking faster) and sprinkle with a few seasonings. I often use a dash each of lemon pepper and Montreal chicken seasoning
- Cook on high for 4 hours or so, or low for 6 hours or so, until they are cooked through and literally falling apart at the touch.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and put in a large pan.
- Shred with 2 forks.
- Let cool and store in the refrigerator for use all week long.
Variations: During cooking, substitute the water out for your favorite BBQ sauce or green salsa, and use the meat for BBQ chicken sandwiches/pizza, or a tender and flavorful fajita meat. This is great for dinner guests when you don’t have lots of time to prepare.
Ways to Use Shredded Chicken
Use your supply of shredded chicken for lunches and dinners throughout the week. Some favorite meals ideas are:
- Soups (chicken noodle, Matzo ball, coconut chicken, buffalo chicken soup)
- Waldorf Chicken Salad (to eat as salad, sandwich, or wrap)
- Chili
- Avocado-bound Chicken Salad
- Fajita/Enchilada/Taco meat
- Pizza topping
- Buffalo Chicken burgers (just mix the meat with a good dash of Frank’s Red Hot sauce, to taste)
- Salad topping
- Quesadilla filler
- Any other recipe that calls for cooked chicken
What’s your favorite way to use the slow-cooker?
Amanda Dykes is a historical romance author who aches to share God’s grace. She’s a spastic shutterbug, unabashed word nerd, and lover of truthful writing that resonates. She can be found scribbling words on her blog and her online Christian Fiction Book Club.
25 Free Fall Activities
Lunchbox Freezer Cooking: Allergen-Free Chocolate Crunch Bars (Day 10)
Lunchbox Freezer Cooking: Allergen-Free Chocolate Crunch Bars (Day 10)
Note from Crystal: Thanks so much for joining me for the Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series. It’s been a fun adventure! For the last post in this series, Michelle from The Willing Cooking is sharing an allergen-free recipe for those of you who have food allergies in your home.
Guest post from Michelle of The Willing Cook
A good friend of mine makes Peanut Butter Scotchies on occasion — a delicious and calorie-loaded recipe. I have had the pleasure of indulging myself in this treat a few times, and let me tell you, there is a reason why she doesn’t make them very often. 🙂
Since we have wheat, dairy, egg, soy, corn, and a few other allergies at house, I would be the only one who could eat Peanut Butter Scotchies if I made them. While I’m sure I can enjoy an entire pan of these bars, I certainly don’t need to. So, I embarked upon a mission to make an allergen-friendly (and a little healthier) version that my family can share with me.
My first attempt at these bars, while delicious, almost sent us on an emergency dentist trip because they were so hard. I couldn’t leave them alone though — the taste was amazing! After a bit more tinkering, I finally got the recipe down and I’m thrilled to share this recipe with you today.
Chocolate Nut Butter Crunch Bars
(makes a 9″x13″ pan of bars)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (I buy mine from Tropical Traditions.)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups allowed nut butter (you can use peanut/treenut-free Sunbutter, almond/cashew/other treenut butter, or peanut butter)
- 4 cups rice krispies (Kellogg’s gluten-free variety work great; add more, if needed)
- 2 cups allowed chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life: dairy, soy & nut-free)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
Directions:
- Add raw sugar, brown rice syrup, and water to a 5qt pot; whisk over medium-low heat until it starts to boil. Turn heat down to simmer and continue to whisk for 3-5 minutes, until you notice it start to thicken a little. (We are thinning out the brown rice syrup a little, but also burning most of the water off.)
- Remove pot from heat and whisk in nut butter. If it seems too thick, you can place the pot back on the turned off burner. When all is well combined, stir in the rice krispies 1 cup at a time, until completely incorporated. (If it is too runny, add a little extra rice krispies. I added about 1/4 cup more.)
- Grease a 9″x13″ glass baking dish (very important step!). Pour rice krispie mixture into the dish and press down evenly. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until it hardens somewhat.
- When the baking dish has been in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so, start making your chocolate topping. Using the same pot as before, make sure all the rice krispie remnants are removed. Over low heat, whisk together your chocolate chips and coconut oil. (Yes, you want the little bit of the nut butter mixture from earlier to mix in with the chocolate.) Continue to stir the chocolate until it melts and is smooth.
- Remove your baking dish from the refrigerator and spread your melted chocolate over the rice krispies evenly. Place the dish into the freezer (or refrigerator for longer time, but I couldn’t wait) for 20-30 minutes.
- Once the chocolate is solid, Slide a knife around the edges of the bars to loosen them from the sides of the baking dish. Lay out a piece of wax or parchment paper, roughly cut to a 9×13 size. Carefully flip the baking dish over on top of the paper so that the bars easily come loose and fall out (chocolate will be face side down). You may have to give the underside of the baking dish a few taps to get it out.
- Carefully flip the bars back over so the chocolate is on top (it may be easier to cut the rectangle in half first). Using a large, sharp knife, start cutting your bars into the desired size. Serve or freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.
These bars are so good, you’ll never guess they were allergen-free!
Michelle is blessed to stay home with her three children (ages 10, 7, and 4), while her husband works to provide. When she’s not experimenting with allergy-friendly meals, she’s blogging about it at The Willing Cook. Through the Willing Cook, her hope is that you gain peace of mind in your kitchen (and your pocket book) and are able to serve those you love who suffer with food allergies.
Are you joining us for Lunchbox Freezer Cooking? If you’ve blogged about a lunchbox recipes you’ve made for your freezer, leave a link to your post and recipe below. I can’t wait to see your yummy recipes and ideas!