Simple Frugal Living Tips There are times when we just kill it in the frugality department. We spend less, save more, and have no expensive surprises. High five and pat your frugal self on the back. Then the following month, your house needs a new water heater, your car needs new tires, and your kid needs new shoes. That's probably the month you blow the grocery budget, too. Hang head and kick your good intentions to the curb. The frugal life definitely has its ups and downs. Some months are better than others, but it's a constant learning process. Here are 5 simple tips that have been tumbling around in my brain lately. These are no Chinese Keep Reading

Layered Raspberry & Cream Dessert (recipe) Most of the time I try to feature recipes that focus on whole foods and fresh ingredients. This is not one of those times. But what this recipe lacks in nutritional value, it makes up for with its good looks and quirky personality: a salty pretzel crust + fluffy cream cheese + sweet jiggly Jello. Yes, yes, and yes. That has holiday party written all over it. I first ate this 12 years ago at a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by my sister-in-law, where it was actually served as a side dish. On a holiday where sweet potatoes are topped with mini marshmallows and leftover pumpkin pie is eaten for breakfast Keep Reading

It doesn't get much better than summertime in the Pacific Northwest. One of my favorite perks: u-pick fields are in full swing! Strawberries, raspberries, plums, apricots, and cherries. Blueberries and marionberries, oh my! Even if you haven't made it out to the fields yet, don't despair! Blackberries, tomatoes, and peaches will be ripe in August, followed by apples, prunes, and pears in September and October. Even if you can't make it out to the fields at all, don't despair! There are tons of great options that deliver fresh-picked produce from the fields to a parking lot or farm stand near you. Here are nine tips for a better u-pick experience. Keep Reading

Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing recipe I keep a bottle of store bought salad dressing in my refrigerator for last-minute dinners, but there are few recipes that come together as quickly and easily as homemade vinaigrette. Once you learn the four simple steps, you can make salad dressing from scratch in one jar and five minutes. Pretty soon, you won't even bother pulling out the measuring cups. Just chop, add, shake. Start with this basic recipe, then play around with different flavor combinations. As long as you keep the ratios roughly the same, you can create endless vinaigrette variations. Make enough to dress one salad or last for several Keep Reading

Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free) Both of my kids have sensitivities to cows' milk so I try to avoid dairy products when convenient, which is... almost never. Milk is in pretty much everything. Especially ice cream. I'm not interested in paying $4-6/carton for a dairy-free treat, but I still wanted to create something for the munchkins while my husband and I had the real deal. While rambling about this major life dilemma to a friend one day, she scribbled down this simple recipe for Paleo coconut milk "ice cream" on a piece of paper and sent me on my way. Since then, I've simplified it even further and made it dozens of times. Keep Reading