Spilling the beans on saving

A few days this week, I decided I would cook with what I had in the kitchen.  Being a vegetarian means I have lots of staples, including beans.  What to do with beans, hmmm...used the dried navy beans Sunday to make baked beans...used the pinto beans Friday to make chili....still more beans, and lentils, and split peas, and some type of french green lentil.  Well, I finally decided I wanted to be a little lazy and I didn't have time to soak and cook the beans first, so it was off to the inventory of canned beans.  This is where I discovered the versatile garbanzo bean or chickpea.  I consulted my computer and  found a few recipes that used them and finally decided on Indian night.  I could use up almost all of my veggies with that.  Peas, potatoes, cauliflower, onions, as well as the kale that was two days beyond its best by date.  The results were great, and you can see my adapted recipe on the recipe tab. 

Purchasing dried beans is one of the most economical ways to replace meat in your dishes.  A one pound bag of beans is about $1.50 and makes about 10 servings.  A good thing to remember when and if you are questioning whether you can afford to go vegetarian.

It's all in the attitude

This morning I was awakened by the flapping ears of our chiweenie, Tok, and the quiet huffs of our Australian cattle dog, Aussie.  They wanted to go outside. They definitely thought it was time for me to get out of bed.  I glanced at the clock--4:30--yep, that's in the a.m.  So, I trudge downstairs and let them out.  While standing in the kitchen, I load a stray dish into the dishwasher...dogs still aren't done...walk to the laundry room and put the wet clothes in the dryer...thank goodness, the dogs are done.

Now what?  I could have gone to bed, but I really was past the point of going back to sleep.  You know what I mean.  You crawl back into the now cold bed and it takes you 30 minutes to fall back to sleep and you never feel quite right when you wake up. So, what did I do?  I figured I got an extra hour or two in my day and I was going to put it to good use.  I paged through a magazine, All You, and checked out all the great coupons and articles.  Then proceeded to do my morning devotionals.   If you want to know which ones I am doing, post a comment.  I will be glad to share. By then, it is 6.  I decide, what the heck, start a blog.  This is something I have wanted to do for awhile, but was a little computer user shy.  Well, I have taken the plunge.  It is now 7:30ish and I am proudly finishing my first post.  I accomplished something I was afraid to do or thought I didn't have the time to do. But, I did.

I hope to cover many things to help others do everything they want to do in a day, week or year.   My topics will include family, faith, food, finance, fitness and frugality, as well as, time management.  I couldn't think of an "f" for time management.  There went all the cool alliteration.

I guess it is time to come back to what really started this whole thing--attitude.  I could have been a grouch to my dogs, ugly towards my hubby, and in a bad mood the whole day, just because I was woke up or was awakened early.  Instead, I looked at it as a blessing and was able to accomplish more by 7:45 (I didn't mention the two loads of laundry already done and hung or folded ready to put away, plus the running dishwasher) then I would have done if I had held a grudge and plopped myself back in bed or in front of the television.  I have always told my kids, bad attitudes are contagious...I also think that a pleasant attitude will get you further.  It really works.  Try it at the store, with your kids, with your neighbors and, don't forget, your significant other. 

Choose to look at the bright side and have a wonderful day!