Frugal Recipes Happenings ~ Spring 2018

Yesterday was the first day of spring, but you wouldn’t know it with all the snow and cold. I took out the trash this morning and there was no hint of spring in the air or on the ground. Brrrr.

But I know it will be here soon enough. The warmer days. The buds on the trees. The tulips starting to pop up from the ground. Soon.

With the onset of spring, I always start bringing back lighter food choices. I don’t want the heartier meals of fall and as winter much. I’d rather eat more salads and drink more healthy smoothies. All of this, of course, packs one heck of a nutritional punch each day. Are you noticing you are having different cravings? Are smoothies even affordable? If you make them yourself they are far more affordable that buying one when out and about. Be prepared: Bring one with you.

I’ve been reworking some of the older posts that used to populate this blog, making them healthier – testing them out – and I’ve started to put some of them back. I’ve also posted a couple of new ones. And I’m planning to experiment with a few new recipes. If they turn out well, I’ll be sharing them here on the blog.

I don’t have a lot planned for spring. Once the weather turns nice, I’ll be out and about more: Walking, taking pictures. I may picnic in the park once or twice this season. Maybe ask a few people to join me one time, and use the other to work on writing related things.

It’s also almost time to switch to iced mint tea when writing at Aroma Joe’s. I love my tea iced. I’m working on a new story series while there, about stalkers. I’ve published a few other stories this winter. If you care to check them out, I’m sharing them below.

Something my daughter did for her husband, both Harry Potter fans, was to create for him a Harry Potter themed birthday party. It took her days to prepare for it. She invited a couple of his friends. He and Little Man enjoyed it, as did his friends. My daughter, being pregnant with her second child, tired herself right out with it all, but she said it was worth it. She’d spent three days cooking for it, as well as working at her job.

If you haven’t seen these yet, this is what I’ve put on the blog recently:

Fruity Cocoa Goodness (Smoothie)

Quick Tip: Using Leftovers to Make Smoothies

I Bought Me Presents!

Quick Tip: Keep a Few Homemade Single Serve Meals on Hand

Invest n Containers for Meal Prep

Quick Tip: Plan Meals AFTER You Shop

I also wrote a short piece on the USDA Thrifty Food Plan for January 2018. Want to know how your family stacks up? Find out what you have to spend to be considered a thrifty shopper.

Enjoy the recipes, books, and articles in this newsletter. Again, I’m so happy to be writing Frugal Recipes Happenings back here on the site.

Here are the fiction books I indicated I’d share. If you like reading fiction, but don’t have a lot of time on your hands like so many these days, these are short stories that can be read quickly.