DIY Silhouettes // $10

I’ve been slowly transforming our house through cleaning and decor to make it a calmer place to spend time. After all, this is my home and my office, so I spend a ridiculous number of hours under this roof. We’ve always been clean (wiped down counters, scrubbed toilets, steamed floors) . . . but definitely messy (mountains of clean laundry on the floor, toys everywhere, piles of mail).

With all the stuff we’ve been going through, I’ve found cleaning and decluttering to be this weird therapy of sorts. Like, I’d rather spend a couple hours cleaning than reading or watching TV. I even skipped working out on Thursday last week and cleaned for a couple hours instead. And the other night I took a good half hours to wipe down the washer + dryer that were honestly not left in the best condition from our previous owners over a year ago.

Do you think I’m crazy? Maybe I am.

Our decor is making a shift, too. I want cohesiveness. I want simplicity. Neutrals. Country and rustic to remind me of my hometown. Corner by corner, we’ve been doing little projects to make our home a place that feels really cozy and lovely. But as the fall and holidays seasons are approaching, we’ve stopped any heavy lifting (I so badly want to add beams to our living room!) to focus on the light stuff, like art and textiles.

Here’s a fun DIY art project you can make in a weekend for less than $10. There are lots of tutorials you can find online, but it’s a pretty intuitive process. In fact, my second grade teacher made silhouettes of all my classmates way back in the day by shining light on our heads and tracing the outline with pencil. This is that project, just kicked up a notch + improved with some technology.

Here’s my inspiration:

STEP 1: Take Your Photo

Take a selfie or have someone else take a photo of your profile on a plain background. You can use a wall or even fabric backdrop. Some tutorials I came across even suggested using a window, but I found the light made it tricky to get all the right detail.

STEP 2: Edit + Order

Convert your image to black and white and up the contrast using a photo editing site like Pic Monkey. There’s no right or wrong. You just want to make sure you’re clearly able to outline your features. Oh, I took our photos in square cropping, so I had to overlay them onto a 4x6 backdrop with black so they would print out well. Does that make sense?

Then order prints at a place like Walmart. I got a couple in 4x6 and 5x7 because I wasn’t sure which size I wanted. (And they were super cheap per print, so it wasn’t a big deal to have a couple extras.) For our silhouettes, I ended up using the 5x7 of my photo and Stephen’s. We used the 4x6 of Ada so she’d be a bit smaller.

STEP 3: Cut it Out

You can use sharp scissors or an X-Acto knife, but go slowly! Get the divot where your bangs hit your forehead. Keep that stray piece of hair. Don’t chop off where your glasses hit your nose. Basically, cut as closely to the photo as humanly possible because the more little details you get -- the more it will actually look like you.

STEP 4: Spray It Black 

Again, a lot of tutorials had different instructions for making your silhouettes black (or whatever color you want!). I decided to use some matte spray paint we had hanging around in the basement -- and it was SO EASY this way.

Just a few spritzes, dry time, and they were done with an extremely smooth, flat finish.

STEP 5: Mount on Paper

So, you’ll need frames for this next part. Cut out a piece of paper (I used plain white and some paper bag paper) to the size of your frame. Use a bit of glue and stick the photo onto the paper. You can write your name, the date, or anything else, or just leave it plain.

STEP 6: Frame

Stick your artwork in your frame and admire your project! I love the look of oval frames for silhouettes, but I couldn’t find any for instant gratification. So, I ended up picking up a mixed lot of frames because I want to add to our collection in the future, but I don’t want to be limited by the type of frame so they would all match.

The frames I got were around $7 a piece, the paint was free because we already had it, and the prints were like less than a quarter. So, you can easily do this project for $10 or less, depending on what frames you use.


This isn’t how I plan to have them displayed in the long run (see my inspiration, above!). I want them on the wall, but I want to add a bunch more first. So, I’ve put them on the ledge for the time being. I need to mix in some more dark frames, too. But I’d love to do the cats and maybe some full-length silhouettes. We shall see.

Have you tried this project before? 

Please let me know if you do!

Psst: For more cheap DIY decor, check out the 5-Minute Fall Wreath.

More fall essentials:


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DIY // 5-Minute Fall Wreath

I’ve taken our fall decorating to the extreme this year. Between the Indian corn, decorative gourds, pumpkins, and mums . . . I think we’ve covered. I’ve always had this vision of hanging some indoor wreaths in our living room, so I went to Michael’s yesterday to check out prices.

Whoa, nelly! Even with a 50 percent off promotion, they were like $20 to $35 per wreath. And I need TWO. So, I decided to take a trek and see what I might find to DIY. Here’s what I came up with for just $10 and five minutes of my time!

DIY FALL WREATH

What you’ll need . . . 

• 16 inch grapevine wreath ($4.99)*
• Bundle of blooms ($4.99)
• Chalkboard tag ($1.99)
• Yarn or twine
• Chalk

* ALWAYS take a coupon to stores like Michael’s, A.C. Moore, etc. You can find coupons right on the website. I got 40 percent off the wreath, bringing my project cost to just $10.

Method . . . 

1. First and foremost, there’s no right or wrong way to do this project. 
2. I found that blooms with longer stems worked well because I didn’t need to glue them into place. I just poked the stems through the wreath and tucked in the leftovers. If you don’t like how it looks, take it out and start again. I arranged all the blooms on the bottom of the wreath, but you can do whatever you like.
3. You can also hot glue acorns, pine cones, and other free stuff from nature onto your wreath. Go wild.
4. Then wrap some yarn on the top and loop your tag through a few times to secure.
5. Tie of off in the back and then add another small segment of yarn to create a hanger.
6. Draw something fun on the tag. A heart is really unoriginal, but I like it.
7. And you’re done!

Thanks for weighing in about our painted piano situation. As a musician, I understand some of the concerns with regard to the instrument’s timbre, etc. But honestly? It’s not the best sounding piano, it’s actually got a wood veneer on it versus solid wood, and from what I’m read -- any impact would be minimal. I was going to try chalk paint but have decided to just use chalkboard paint instead (you have to use wax every few months on the chalk paint -- ehhhh).

I’ll be back soon with some thoughts on sibling age gaps and more musings.

More fall essentials:


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5-Minute Homemade Deodorant + Review

Over the last several years, I've tried a number of natural deodorants from rolls to sticks to powders and beyond. I decided to go the natural route when I was nursing Ada. Something about having her so close to all the chemicals and scents didn't sit well with me. And after doing a little research, I decided that I didn't want to rub that stuff into my skin anymore either.

I've had OK-ish results with the products I've tried, though some of the sticks actually burned my armpits. No joke. A rash with peeling and burning, which I would have never expected from a natural product. Of all of them, I've had the best success with Lush's powders, including The Greench and The Guv'ner.

I ran out of powder recently + thought: What about making my own? Well, the following "recipe" takes less than 5 minutes to make + uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. It also works pretty well, just see my review below!

HOMEMADE COOLING DEODORANT
The essential oils keep your pits smelling fresh + feeling cool.

You need . . . 

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder*
• 2 to 3 tablespoons baking soda
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Instructions . . .

1. Combine the arrowroot powder and baking soda in a small bowl. If your skin is especially sensitive, consider using only 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot powder and baking soda.
2. Pour in the melted coconut oil and mix until well combined + no lumps.
3. Drop in your essential oils and keep stirring. Then pour into a glass container and store in your refrigerator.
4. To use: Remove from the fridge and break away a little piece. Rub into your armpit and return container to the fridge.

// REVIEW

The recipe above is similar to most all the natural deodorant recipes you will find on the web. The only downfall in my opinion is that you need to keep it in the fridge so it stays firm. I did come across this variation using beeswax that is basically the same, but is stabilized and can stand on your shelf without melting. It's not THAT big a deal to me, and keeping it in the fridge increases its cooling effect.

Now, I'm not going to lie. This deodorant doesn't keep your armpits 100% completely fresh all day long on the hottest days of the year. But it DOES work as well -- if not better -- than the natural products I've bought at the store. No joke -- and especially better than the stick brands I've purchased, as it doesn't irritate my armpits (no burns) and costs way, way less.

I recommend applying it 3 to 4 times a day for the best results. The asterisk next to arrowroot powder above means you can also use cornstarch if you wish. I've read that some people experience yeast infections using cornstarch while others do not -- just be aware of that possibility. My choice to use peppermint extract is my favorite part of the whole thing because it feels -- well -- fantastic.

After a couple weeks of using this deodorant, my armpits are soft, I haven't had any bad skin reactions, and I have a ton of the jar still left over. So, I'd estimate the cost of maybe 2 to 3 months of deodorant at $1 (if that much)! So, it's at least worth a try, especially considering you may have most of these ingredients on hand.

Have you tried natural deodorant -- whether homemade or store-bought? What's your experience? Or what's your favorite recipe? And don't forget to check out all the ways we use castile soap for our home + body cleaning!

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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6 Quick + Easy Vegetarian Weeknight Dinners

I've been meaning to share more recipes, but actually haven't been making anything remarkable to share. We've packed away at lot of our kitchen to "stage" our house for sale (whenever that happens), we've been in/out depending on evening showings, and I've also lost the charger to my Nikon, making good photos almost impossible to capture.

So, I thought instead I'd give you guys 6 of our current favorite meals that get us through the busy weeknights. These dishes earn points for being relatively inexpensive, quick to prepare, and a breeze to clean.

#1. EGGS + TOAST

Breakfast for dinner is actually one of my all-time favorite meals. I fry up a few eggs in coconut oil, toast some thick slices of bread, and spread with mashed avocado. We can go quite overboard, often making our own sweet potato hash browns, adding salsa, and using whatever else we have on hand to bulk up this simple meal.

#2. FREEZER STIR-FRY

If we're really pressed for time, we cube up + fry some tofu and then toss it with whatever veggies we have in the freezer (we have a few Asian mixes we bought in the winter at Wegmans). Sort of like my Lazy Woman's Stir-Fry, just easier. Sometimes we'll just mix together some sesame oil and soy sauce for flavor. Other times, I'll make a simple peanut sauce or red curry or green curry to accompany.

#3. VEGGIE-TOPPED PIZZA

If we know we're going to be busy on any given night, I'll try to think ahead and mix together a pizza dough. I roast vegetables at the beginning of each week -- so all that's left to do is bake the pizza with the veggies, cheese, and canned tomato sauce on top. It takes 20 minutes tops.

#4. PASTA

I think I've covered before that I actually sort of hate pasta, but wow is it convenient and fast. I like easy dishes, like this $5 Family Meal. And now that I've discovered that delicious Pesto + Avocado Sauce, I don't mind eating noodles so much anymore. Oh, and I also tend to top my pasta with eggs. I am freaking obsessed with eggs.

#5. VEGGIE BURGERS

Thank goodness I was so into freezer cooking last fall and into the winter. We have quite a stock of veggie burgers in our freezer that cook up in a flash. Our most recent creations include these delicious (gluten-free) Zucchini Burgers and these nutrient-dense Lentil + Quinoa Burgers. If you'd like more ideas, head over to our burger/sandwich recipes.

#6. QUESADILLAS

On Cinco De Mayo, I was figured I got a free pass for skipping Mexican food because we've eaten our Veggie-Loaded Quesadillas, like, 20 times in the past month. We definitely had our fill, so this item won't be on our tables soon again . . . but it has certainly served us well (and for such little money!).

// RELATED

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Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup

Thanks for all your enthusiasm about my Aldi posts. I'm feeling really good about finding a less expensive food source for my family. One of the most requested additions to this series has been recipes -- so I thought I'd start posting some of the foods I'm making that use Aldi ingredients entirely.

I make at least two soups/stews a week in the crock pot. One is usually a crazy mix of whatever veggies and beans we have left over. I make it before heading to the grocery store + it helps me get a handle on exactly what I need to put on my list that week. The other is usually something a little more creative or experimental.

Like this lightened-up Cheesy Potato Soup!

CHEESY POTATO SOUP
a lighter, veggie-filled option for this old favorite

What you'll need . . .

• 3-4 large potatoes (sweet potatoes would work, too!), peeled + cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10-12 white mushrooms, chopped + stems removed
• 8 ounces cheese of choice, cubed -- I used mostly Colby-Jack
• 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1-1/2 cups almond milk (or substitute)
• 4-5 cups water, whatever fills up the pot
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• I also think smoked paprika would taste great!

Method . . .

1. Toss all solid ingredients in your crock pot and then pour in the Greek yogurt, almond milk, water, and spices.
2. Mix to incorporate everything fully, then set on HIGH for about 4 hours. Soup is "done" when potatoes are softened. 
3. Simply let cool a bit and then transfer into your blender (we use a our Ninja) and blend until smooth.

And after you blend . . .


A crockpot full of this soup is enough for a hearty lunch-side for two people all week or at least several good-sized dinners. I love sneaking in extra veggies for both flavor and nutrition -- all on the cheap. To read more of my Aldi posts (which are totally #notsponsored), click here.

I'll be back next week with our favorite Aldi meal -- loaded quesadillas. Don't forget to check out my Whole Wheat Naan recipe + cooking video. And if you have kids, today I wrote some tips for how I keep up with Ada.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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Grocery Budget: $60 Average Continues

As I wrote in my last grocery budget post, we've started shopping at Aldi to save some major money on our grocery bill each week. By now, we've decided this isn't some short-term experiment or novelty that we'll grow out of when the next fad hits. We're pretty much sure we're switching stores for good.

Here's our latest receipt.

If you look closely, you'll notice that we have DOUBLE a lot of items. That's because this $70 total is a good portion of groceries for two, yes, TWO weeks combined with what we still have left at home. We'll have to go back to get some items like bananas, fresh fruits + veggies, and bread next week, but I don't see that being over $25-$30.

You'll also notice we have a bag charge. I have no idea how we forgot to bring our bags. Live and learn, I guess. Also, you guys have helped me settle on the classic canvas bags versus the mesh totes. You're right that the durability and washability trump pretty colors!

// THE DOLLARS AND CENTS

Basically, we've been averaging out around $60 a week if you count the added canned goods + few items (tofu, Earth Balance, whole wheat flour) we use otherwise. This is at least $30 less than we had been averaging per week when we were shopping at Wegmans. And if I'm being totally honest, we were seeing $100-$110/week for a while.

. . . so, for us, we're talking a monthly savings of up to $200!


I owe our saving $$$ to:

• Less selection, but all the necessities are covered.
• Lower cost in general of all the foods b/c they are store brand.
• Less temptation, so I can stay on task.
• Fewer aisles, so shopping is fast and efficient.
• Less expensive toddler convenience foods -- big help in our house.
• Motivation from seeing a lower price tag = invaluable.
• Fewer ingredients mean simpler meal planning (see meals below).
• Continuing to make most meals at home, from scratch.

I guess I've been most surprised and impressed by the quality of the food. Traditionally, I thought of Aldi as a store with expired foods or ones that were discarded. I think there's some perception that discount equals this sort of thing, but all our food from Aldi has been fresh, tasty, and all well within date limits.

This past week, we had to stock up on quite a few items. Our cart was so full, I was absolutely convinced our total was going to be outrageous. We had even snuck into the cart some "extras," like steel-cut oats, a frozen stir-fry mix, and several 85% dark chocolate bars.

As always, I feel it's important to mention a.) That this post isn't sponsored in any way -- I have no affiliation with Aldi, b.) Our toiletries and house items go in a different "household" budget and c.) Our weekend fund is around $50, which we mostly use to go to a movie ($20) and then out to eat or buy special foods to make some weekend meals.


// WHAT WE'RE EATING FOR DINNER

Another concern of mine was that we'd be eating boring, bland dinners. That just hasn't been the case. My produce selection, yes, is a bit leaner than I'm used to, but we just sent in our paperwork for our CSA share (which is around $24/week, if I remember correctly). So, that should soon be covered, though with some local offerings popping up in our store -- I wonder how produce selection changes seasonally at Aldi.

Otherwise, I'm finding some great staples to cook with and learning to love others. Combined with a solid spice collection (which, I have discovered I'll be able to stock up again on a lot of them at Aldi), we've made anything from basic pizzas to more complicated Indian dishes.

Cheese + Bean Quesadillas

Tortilla Shells, Shredded Cheese, Canned Black Beans, Organic Salsa, Greek Yogurt, Avocado

Slow Cooker Soup -- following these handy tips!

Vegetable Broth, Zucchini, Onion, Canned Tomatoes, Canned Beans

Veggie Pizza

Tomato Sauce, Shredded Cheese, Roasted Onion, Green Pepper + Mushrooms, Homemade Crust

Spinach + Avocado Pesto Pasta

Spinach, Garlic, Parmesan, Avocado, Pasta Shells (from this post) -- Salsa and Egg, too.

Chana Masala w/ Roasted Cauliflower

We had spices, but Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Tomatoes, Onion, Garlic, Bell Pepper

Basic Veggie Burgers

Whatever veggies are on hand, Beans, Oats, Seasonings, Toast

// RELATED POSTS:

Shopping at Aldi: Our New Secret Weapon
Shop For TWO Weeks, Save Money
Ongoing Grocery Saga + YOUR Tips
10 Favorite (Cheap!) Grocery Staples
How Low can we Go?
$60 Sweet Spot
Eating Well Need Not Cost a Fortune
Grocery Bills: Progress
Grocery Bills: Even More Progress
Grocery Bills: What's Up Now?
Slashing Grocery Bills: We're Going Strong
Grocery Bills: Major Fail!
How to Store Bulk Foods
Cooking and Baking on a Budget: How To
How to Bake It Vegan: Common Substitutions

// WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Some of you said you'd been meaning to try Aldi.

Did you check it out this weekend? I'd love to hear your experiences!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Grocery Budget: The Dollars and Cents

I recently shared with you guys my favorite, cheap winter grocery staples for this year. What I haven't talked about in quite a while is our actual food budget. Of course, there's good reason for it: We hadn't been able to stick to one until recently.

Sigh.

When it was just the two of us, hitting around $50-$60 a week was so relatively easy. We cook most of our meals from scratch and we're vegetarian, but don't eat a lot of packaged extras. And then came Ada. She breastfed for over a year with bits of food mixed in here and there, and after those first 365 days -- her appetite increased (that tends to happen with kids -- they grow!).

Obviously, adding another mouth to feed is going to cost some money, but with a picky palate, we fell into some bad habits with buying Ada separate foods to match her moods and relied on some convenience snacks to get by. Add to that the great cloth diaper disaster of 2013, and our weekly bills were creeping higher and higher.

As much as I try to gloss over it, we also spent the bulk of the last year dealing with various medical procedures and (too much) stress to do detailed meal plans all the time. I'd say we were spending around $100 each week up to higher totals, depending. I had gotten into a great rhythm and loved doing our Vegetarian Freezer Month experiment in October, but then we fell into this funk.


Now that things are looking up for us again, we're doing a reset on our financial handles. We're looking into buying a different house, we have tried living with one car and it's not working (so, we need car #2), we'd like to put Ada in a couple mornings of preschool in the fall, etc. Basically, we need to find room in the budget for all this stuff, along with savings and emergency funds.

It's possible, but it'll take some finagling. Food is one of those variable costs that we can play around with, as most of our budget is fixed with the mortgage, both our student loans, car payments, utilities bills, and so on. Entertainment is also taking a cut, not that it was significant to begin with, but -- and as I've done in the past -- also a shift. I'll share more once we get it all ironed out.

// MY NOT-SO SECRET WEAPON

Not surprisingly, I was motivated to visit Aldi after the explosion of sponsored posts recently splashed across blogs and websites I frequent. We have three stores in the area, all around equal distance from our house, but the last time I had shopped there was over 5 years ago, and I wasn't too impressed.

I had been toying with going again, but didn't feel too optimistic. The lines are long. You have to bag everything yourself. You have to pay cash or debit. Little selection. Yeah. Food, at least back then, was definitely hit or MISS. Etc. But I also wasn't looking at it in the same way.

So . . .


Thing is, I'm glad for the social media boom because the last three weeks, we've done the bulk of our shopping at Aldi, visiting Wegmans only to pick up the occasional block of tofu, a single tub of Earth Balance, or bag of whole wheat flour. And with our CSA kicking in during the spring -- I could see us shopping exclusively there.

Here's why:


Basically, our groceries cost us $100 for the last two weeks (not including that $10 package of toilet paper, which goes in our household budget and I stocked up on chocolate to share with my mom)! I would have included our first receipt, but I can't find it -- that trip was also just over $50.

Granted we have some staples in the house already (beans, oats, yeast, to name a few), but without temptation to get all sorts of other things, I am able to stay on task with my shopping and will likely not increase an insane amount to stock up on the staples. The prices and unit prices are clearly marked. They have most of the basics, and you guys know I enjoy making great meals with few, extremely un-exotic ingredients.

I got a nice loaf of sliced bread for just over a dollar that doesn't have tons of added ingredients. The dairy is incredibly less expensive: 3 cups of cheese for the price that 2 is at our usual store. Greek yogurt that is a steal. Yet, they also have some amazing stuff like super dark chocolate that is to die for.

// WHY I'M HAPPY

I have absolutely no affiliation with Aldi and have had no contact with the store in any form. Still, I wanted to share my piece because I'm a real person who tries to eat well on a real (tight) budget and have been really impressed. Enough to finish off our month's shopping there this Saturday, when I'll likely need to stock up on some staples. I'll continue shopping there if the price at the checkout continues to be so good (and the food continues to be so fresh/tasty).

For once, I like making a simple, no-real-brainpower-required shift that's enabled us to lean out the budget. It meant simply switching stores and writing out our meal plans again and getting smarter about using my ingredients before they spoil (which I'll get to in another post -- soon). But as I've learned in the past, we'll still need to keep on our toes.


*** Oh, and I also like that I HAVE to bring my own bags. 

I can't as conveniently forget them -- though we did have to buy a plastic one on our first trip. But I'm looking to upgrade since mine have a lot of holes and broken handles -- do you guys like classic canvas bags or these pretty mesh totes? They're around the same price, and I see the merits of each (like canvas being sturdy, but mesh being really portable).

// RELATED POSTS:

Shop For TWO Weeks, Save Money
Ongoing Grocery Saga + YOUR Tips
10 Favorite (Cheap!) Grocery Staples
How Low can we Go?
$60 Sweet Spot
Eating Well Need Not Cost a Fortune
Grocery Bills: Progress
Grocery Bills: Even More Progress
Grocery Bills: What's Up Now?
Slashing Grocery Bills: We're Going Strong
Grocery Bills: Major Fail!
How to Store Bulk Foods
Cooking and Baking on a Budget: How To
How to Bake It Vegan: Common Substitutions

// WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you shop at discount grocery stores? 

I know Trader Joe's is related to this store -- quite literally -- but we don't have those anywhere near here for me to compare. (Are the prices good? Is it considered a discount store like Aldi?) There are obviously some positives and negatives, which I could cover in another post. But when the bottom line is in the mix, I have to go with what makes cents for us.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Cheap Protein: Eat Beans! Meals For The Whole Week

I gave you guys 12 quick, recipe-lute breakfasts this week that are not only high in protein (15 grams or more), but also relatively inexpensive to make. Now I'm tackling the other meals, at least a little at a time. I'd like to focus on different ingredients, like beans, that are not only cheap, but also lend themselves to a variety of recipes from soups to burgers, and more.

A singe cup of beans, as I covered in my more comprehensive Food for Runners post, provides nearly 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein. This outstanding protein-fiber combination that isn't found easily anywhere else in the vegetarian/vegan diet.

Here's how to eat beans (dinner + dessert!) all week without getting bored:

// MONDAY

Try simmering up a delicious, basic Pumpkin Chili recipe. Or if pumpkin isn't your scene, you can easily substitute in more vegetable brother or some other nutritious puree to your liking. This recipe makes a good amount, so you can easily repurpose leftovers for lunch.

Serve with some Olive Oil Skillet Cornbread for a perfect pairing.

// TUESDAY 

Get some spice with a hearty Smoked Chipotle Bean Burger. Unlike yesterday's Lentil + Quinoa Burgers, these guys are baked, not fried. And they include a nice dose of healthy quinoa, along with lots of flavorings to keep even the most discerning palate excited.

If you don't need all 12 burgers for a single dinner, consider freezing them (here's how-to!) for future use -- or eating again later in the week.

// WEDNESDAY

I don't remember much about normal meatloaf, but this tasty Bean "Meat"Loaf is surely the definition of vegan comfort food. The addition of walnuts to the mix adds even more protein. And the seasonings are really just suggestions -- you can use whatever you like or have on hand.

You could even use leftovers to make faux meatloaf sandwiches!

// THURSDAY

Another soup on the menu, but this one has a trick up its sleeve. This Black Bean Bisque is delightful on its own. But that's just part I. For part II: You can incorporate the leftovers (we had around 2-1/2 cups) into a warm Quinoa Salad for lunch the next day.

The addition of kale makes the second time around even more packed with superfood goodness.

// FRIDAY

This one always sounds a little strange, but I assure you -- it's a winner. Friday is time for celebration of a week gone by and time together as a family. We like this Black Bean + Tequila Crust Pizza that's teeming with vegetables and -- my favorite -- avocados.

The beans are hidden in the crust, but you can always add more on top as well.

// SATURDAY

Sometimes by Saturday I realize I haven't eaten enough greens for the week. That's where these Black Bean + Spinach Burgers come in. They pack 2 heaping handfuls of spinach into them -- along with rolled oats for bulk.

Plus, they're green. Who doesn't love the novelty in that?

// SUNDAY

This is my cooking day, and I always make something in our slow cooker. Today, mix up something to your own tastes using these 10 Tips for Slow Cooker Soup Perfection. Beans are usually the main event in my soups and stews, and for good reason.

If you need something on the side, try Stephen's Garbanzo Garlic Knots -- they're something else.

// BONUS: DESSERTS

And if you have extra time on the weekend, consider baking up Red Velvet Black Bean Brownies or trying out this Black Bean + Avocado Pudding recipe. Oh, and this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe get protein from garbanzos.

Yeah. Beans work well in desserts, too ;)

// DON'T FORGET

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• 20 Ideas for Make-Ahead Meals
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$2.50 Chocolate-Coconut Peanut Butter

When I first came upon Ashley's nut butter recipes, I fell in love with making peanut butter at home. But I've been lazy during my pregnancy -- often dropping up to $6 on store-bought varieties. (And I HATE over-spending on grocery items.)

So, I bought some dry-roasted peanuts and blended them up with chocolate. I proceeded to eat it -- ALL of it -- almost immediately, which isn't a pregnancy thing. It's just a ME thing. I have no control with anything chocolate-peanut butter. In fact, Stephen and I were talking about our Halloween candy habits as kids -- and I divulged how I would eat each and every Reece's peanut butter cup immediately upon returning home from trick-or-treating.

What can I say? The stomach likes what it likes.

What did I do the minute I got home this evening? That's right -- I made MORE peanut butter to fill the empty jar hole in my heart. Hopefully I can contain myself better this time around and make it last.

If not, I have four more cups of peanuts in our pantry.


$2.50 CHOCOLATE-COCONUT PEANUT BUTTER

What you'll need . . .

• 2 cups dry roasted peanuts (they have to be dry roasted or they won't turn into PB)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (mini ones work best, but see below)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional, but highly recommended)

Method . . .

1. Toss peanuts and 1 teaspoon of salt in your food processor and blend until they turn into peanut butter. Really, it WILL happen. You may need to scrape down the sides a bit to make sure all peanuts get blended evenly . . . but just be patient. It takes about 2-3 minutes.
2. Toss in the coconut oil and chocolate. I wrote that mini-chocolate chips work best because they quickly melt into the peanut butter. If you are using larger chips . . . you may wish to pulse them before you start to make them smaller. I used semi-sweet chips -- not vegan ones. But you can use whatever kind you like.
3. Keep blending until smooth and uniform. You may wish to add more salt, depending on your tastes. I love salt. So, I added more.

Then store in a sealed jar (I used a pint glass jar topped with some plastic wrap held by that metal screw top). I don't know technically how long the peanut butter stays "good" because it never lasts me more than a few days. I imagine at least a week or two. Also, I arrived at the $2.50 cost because about 4 cups of peanuts costs less than $4.00 at our Wegmans. So, 2 cups: $2.00. The other ingredients are used in such small amounts . . . it's an educated guess-timate.

Still, way better than dropping over double that. Cheap(er), custom, drippy goodness . . .


Stephen enjoys his on apple slices. I eat it straight off the spoon. I bet it'd be great in baking, too!


Today on (never home)maker, baby! I wrote all about week 36 of my pregnancy. Wild. 4-ish weeks to go. And in my belly shots, you can totally see where Baby A likes to hang out in my uterus. TMI? Maybe. There's no shame at this point.

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Pad Thai for Two (Three?)

Hey. Stephen here again. I don't know if you can tell, but I've been helping out more lately. Around the house. On the blog. In the kitchen. Today I want to share with you a quick dinner we've developed a regular craving for. It's one that's simple enough for me to prepare easily by myself.

Easy on the wallet, too. Each serving (two huge ones) comes in at around $2.50.

What you'll need . . .

• 1 box of A Taste of Thai Pad Thai for 2 (no, this is not a sponsored post, we really just like this stuff and want to make you aware of it!)
• 1/2 block firm tofu
• Bunch of green onions
• 1-2 carrots
• Unsalted peanuts
• Fresh basil

I always start by frying the tofu. Our best method?

1. Cut the tofu block in half. Store half in the fridge in a plastic bag. Some people choose to store tofu in water. We never do that.
2. Drain the other half by first placing it onto a plate and sopping up a bit of moisture with a couple paper towels. Then, put another plate on top and something weighty on that (like a tea kettle with some water in it). Let press for a few minutes. Drain excess moisture.
3. Then cut into large or small cubes -- whatever you like best.
4. Use a large, flat pan over medium-high (you want it hot, but not burning) heat with a few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil in it. Let the oil heat up. I always toss on a small piece of tofu to see when it's "ready" to cook. The tofu entering the pan should make the oil sizzle, but -- again -- not burn.
5. Once the oil is ready, put all the tofu into the pan. Cook until browned on one side, then flip each piece and try to get all sides browned. (Sometimes I'm lazy and just brown 2 sides.)
6. When done, put tofu atop a paper towel on a plate to soak up excess oil. Then set aside while you prepare the rest of the meal.

• The box instructs on how to cook the noodles, so I won't cover that. But you'll want your green onions chopped and your carrots sliced very thinly.
• After you've cooked the noodles, you can toss them into that pan you fried the tofu inside -- hopefully there's still some oil left in it. If not, add more.
• Add the green onions and carrots. Cook until everything is nicely heated -- veggies should still be a tad crisp, definitely not over-done and soft.
• You'll add the sauce that came with the meal, too. Cook so everything is heated.

At this point, you'll add the tofu to the meal. And after that, you'll divide into two generous servings and garnish with chopped peanuts and basil leaves.


It's that simple.

We used to live where there were at least five Thai restaurants within five or ten minutes of our apartment. Now, not so much. We miss it. But we're glad we tried this grocery store find (which -- happily -- is now lower in sodium AND gluten-free) because it's relatively authentic tasting and cheap.

(And if it saves me from driving over an hour to satisfy my wife's cravings for Thai food during pregnancy, you KNOW it's a keeper!)


Pssst: Be sure to check out Ashley's 31-Week belly shots today on (never home)maker, baby!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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