Bagel Sandwich Variations

Hello Everyone,

Bagel open face sandwiches make great snacks, as well as wonderful additions to school and work lunches. They are easy for children to make, and would also make a good breakfast addition.

Open face sandwiches require only a half of a bagel which, depending on the size, is likely an actual serving. One serving of peanut butter, if you choose to use it, is only 1 tablespoon. These open face sandwiches can be cut into fourths.

Bagel Sandwich Variations:

• peanut butter and dried fruit
• peanut butter and diced apple
• peanut butter and banana slices
• cream cheese and crushed pineapple
• cream cheese and strawberry slices

Do you have any other variation ideas? Please share them with us.

Shannon

• cream cheese and raspberries

Apricot Trail Mix

Trail mixes are very easy to make. You are pretty much just throwing a bunch of snack items together to make a single snack.

• These snacks are easily stored in snack sized plastic baggies or even canning jars.
• They make great school and work lunch additions.
• They are generally pretty healthy.
• They make great after school snacks.

Apricot Trail Mix:

dried apricots

honey oats cereal

mini M&M’s

raisins

 

Simply mix everything together in a mixing bowl.

Rice Add-Ons

Do you have an overabundance of rice in your home? Perhaps you find great deals on rice at the store, or maybe you get a lot at the food cupboard. However you get it, you likely have a lot.

You could eat rice every day this week, and never eat the same meal twice. This makes the food a very versatile choice.

I sometimes eat rice with butter, which is the ultimate cheapest way to eat it. I also sometimes eat the rice with a little sugar and some evaporated milk, which used to be a mega-cheap meal. Evaporated milk is no longer cheap, however, so we rarely every have it this way any more.

You can also top your rice with plain rice or pizza sauce, or by just a sprinkling of cheese with some butter.

No matter how you choose to top your rice, I would like to offer up some add-on options for your consideration. Keep in mind that I would never put any of these on rice and evaporated (can) milk with sugar.

Rice with butter and or cheese:

• corn
• peas
• carrots
• tomatoes

Rice with sauce:

• ground beef
• ground turkey
• ground chicken
• shredded cheese
• grated cheese
• tomatoes
• shredded cucumber
• shredded zucchini
• shredded spinach
• parsley
• oregano

If you have rice, but no sauce, you have another option. Food cupboards around here have plenty of cans of diced and chopped tomatoes. Simply cooking these in there own liquid makes a great rice sauce.

You can use white or brown rice. 

You can easily use leftovers as add-ons if you have any on hand.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Pasta Add-Ons

Do you have an overabundance of pasta in your home? Perhaps you find great deals on pasta at the store, or maybe you get a lot at the food cupboard. However you get it, you likely have a lot.

Did you know that you could eat pasta every day this week, and never eat the same meal twice.

I sometimes eat pasta with butter, which is the ultimate cheapest way to eat pasta. I also sometimes eat pasta with butter and evaporated milk, which used to be a mega-cheap meal. It is no longer cheap, however, so we rarely every have it this way any more.

You can also top your pasta with plain pasta or Alfredo sauce, or just a sprinkling of cheese with some butter.

No matter how you choose to top your pasta, I would like to offer up some add-on options for your consideration. Keep in mind that I would never put any of these on pasta and evaporated (can) milk.

Pasta with butter and or cheese:

• corn
• peas
• carrots
• tomatoes

Pasta with sauce:

• ground beef
• ground turkey
• ground chicken
• shredded cheese
• grated cheese
• tomatoes
• shredded cucumber
• shredded zucchini
• shredded spinach
• parsley
• oregano

If you have pasta, but no sauce, you have another option. Food cupboards around here have plenty of cans of diced and chopped tomatoes. Simply cooking these in there own liquid makes a great pasta sauce.

There are many types of pasta that you can use, made from many ingredients. Choose a variety of pastas to have on hand at all times.

You can easily use leftovers as add-ons if you have any on hand.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Lasagna Add-Ins

Lasagna is an easy recipe, and you can make it with just about any combination of vegetables and/or meats. You can get very creative here. Why not try a combination of different meats and vegetables:

• tomatoes
• zucchini
• cucumber
• green beans
• peas
• corn
• carrots
• celery
• ground beef
• ground turkey
• ground chicken
• tuna
• ham

You can also use different combinations of cheeses:

• mozzarella, mild cheddar, ricotta and cottage cheese
• Monterrey jack, cheddar and cottage cheese
• cheddar, ricotta and cottage  cheese

You can also use different types of sauces, depending on your tastes:

• pasta sauce
• pizza sauce
• Alfredo sauce
• thickened tomato soup

By using different combinations of foods, you can take advantage of sales and create new lasagna types. You can also use up leftovers by adding them to your lasagna.

Please share with us your favorite lasagna recipes in the comments.

Have a nice day!

Shannon

How to Use Up Snap Peas and Green Beans

Many people, in one way or another, are acquiring a plethora of peas and beans. Perhaps you have to many to deal with. Maybe you are looking for ways to use them up.

1. I like to wash and dry them, snap of the end and then snack on them as is. Just make sure they dry thoroughly so that they do not rust.
2. You can also add them to salads.
3. Putting them in sandwiches is very yummy.
4. You can freeze them in freezer bags for use during the winter.
5. You can add them to tacos, fajitas or tortillas.

How do you eat your peas and beans? Share your ideas with us in the comments.

Thank you.

Shannon

How to Use Up Cucumber

Is your garden giving you a plethora of cucumbers? Perhaps they are the best sale item this week? Maybe they are what the food cupboard sent you home with?

Whatever your reason for having a plethora of cucumbers, you might as well use them up. Here are some ways in which you can do that:

1. Slice or chop them and add them to your salads.
2. Slice and add them to your sandwiches.
3. Slice and eat them with a little salt.
4. Shred and add them to your fajitas, tortillas or tacos.
5. Shred and add to omelets.
6. Cut the ends off and give them to children for snacks.
7. Slice and add to your BLT.

Do you have any other ideas? Please share them with us in the comments.

Thank you,

Shannon

How to use up Fresh Spinach

If you have a lot of spinach, and are wondering what to do with it, then here is a list of possiblities for you to consider.

• Put some on your sandwich.
• Add it to your salad.
• Chop it up and add it to fajitas.
• Chop it up and add it to pasta dishes.
• Make rollups using them as the base. Add things like lettuce, pepperoni, cream cheese, thinly sliced cucumbers or tomatoes.

What ideas do you have?

Shannon

How to use up Blueberries

Maybe you went blueberry picking over the weekend. Maybe you purchased them at a great deal. Or someone gave them to you. Or you were lucky enough to come by them at the food cupboard. Maybe you have too many blueberries, and you can’t use them up fast enough.

Did you know that blueberries are very high ranking on the antioxidant scale, making them one of the healthiest foods around?

Here are some ideas to help you to use up all of those blueberries:

• Add a handful to your muffin or bread mix.
• Make blueberry pancakes.
• Mush them up and add them to your French toast.
• Add a handful to your smoothies.
• Add some to a cake batter.
• Make a berry salad.
• Use in place of strawberries in short cakes.
• Add to fruit salads.
• Put some into a vegetable salad.
• Top cereal, yogurt or oatmeal with a handful.
• Make blueberry jelly.
• Make a blueberry sauce.
• Make blueberry syrup.
• Top crepes with whipped topping and blueberries.

Do you have any other ideas?

Shannon