Frugal Living

Preparing for a Food Shortage the Vintage Way

May 22, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 9 Comments

When preparing for a food shortage, it isn’t a bad idea to revive the vintage skills that sustained our ancestors through many a tough season. They knew what to do when times got tough and so can you. Self-sufficiency is everything!

ARE WE IN FOR HARD TIMES?

I don’t want to be an alarmist, but we may be in for some tough times. At the time of writing this, there are signs that the food supply chain is breaking down. There are fast food joints that can’t make everything on the menu because of supply issues.

In Canada, there are now “flexitarian” burgers up for sale that mix ground beef with veggie ground round to stretch the supply. The price of meat is shooting up so fast that it’s leaving people dizzy.

Believe it or not, I wrote this article a year ago, and the headlines are still telling the same story .

These are uncertain times, there’s no doubt about that. Instead of getting worked up, let’s prepare ourselves.

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Cracking Open a Coconut (and what to do with it!)

April 21, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Cracking open a coconut for the first time is quite the experience. If you have a coconut sitting on your kitchen counter that you don’t know what to do with, let me walk you through it!

“I GOT YOU A COCONUT”

This is not what I was expecting to hear when my husband came home from doing errands while I was filming.

Normally he surprises and delights me with chocolate, kombucha and cinnamon rolls from the local bakery, but a coconut? I wasn’t expecting that one.

What was I going to do with it? Throw it?

My little boy did. He thought it was a ball.

It can be intimidating, being presented with something new.

I mean, I adore coconut, but it’s usually already flaked, shredded, or creamed, so I don’t need to do anything.

If I want coconut water, I go to the store and buy it.

Instead, “I got you a coconut”.

The coconut sat on my counter for a week, patiently waiting for me to come around.

I didn’t want to give it the time of day, but then when I was filming my videos for perfect scrambled eggs and pesto tuna melts, my husband suggested I crack open the coconut on camera.

Well, okay. Here’s what I did.

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Old-Fashioned Skills We Should Reclaim

February 18, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

Here are 15 old-fashioned skills worth keeping alive to start saving money and become more self-sufficient. How many are you proficient at?

harvesting herbs practicing old-fashioned skills

OLD-FASHIONED SKILLS FOR ENRICHING YOUR LIFE

I don’t know about you, but I’m a strong advocate for simple living.

While there’s nothing simple about simple living, it does come with a reward.

Simple, old-fashioned living is about self-sufficiency, gratitude, and connection.

Here are 15 old-fashioned skills we should learn to live more simply and abundantly.

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How do I Quarter a Chicken?

February 14, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Buying and quartering a whole chicken is a lot more economical than picking up a couple of chicken breasts. When you make the switch from purchasing pieces to a whole bird, the question needs to be asked: How do I quarter a chicken?

kefir brined chicken on carrots and onions

READY, SET, QUARTER

So you went to the grocery store and bought a whole chicken, now what?

First off, look at you, you savvy shopper! Buying a whole chicken is a much more economical option in the long run because you can get three or four meals out of it and you won’t need to buy chicken broth if you make your own.

There are so many options when you bring home a whole chicken.

One route to go is throwing it in a roaster with some veggies, herbs, and salt and pepper, like my paprika roast chicken recipe.

Another is to quarter up the bird for more meal variety and more flavourful stock. Let’s take a look at what we will need to get started.

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Cleaning an Oven Naturally without Toxic Cleaners

January 7, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Say goodbye to harsh chemical oven cleaners! Swap them out with something that’s gentle, yet powerful. Similar to using commercial cleaners, cleaning an oven naturally calls for time and a little bit of elbow grease without all the nasty toxins.

CLEANING AN OVEN NATURALLY

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I’ve met a single person who enjoys cleaning their oven.

Like cleaning the fridge, scrubbing down that hardworking oven isn’t high up on anyone’s list of favourite afternoon activities.

It’s one of those chores that is often put off until it can’t be ignored any longer.

I know my oven is due for a cleaning when every time I turn it on, it smells like smoke from that pile of burned melted cheese that oozed from a frozen pizza.

That’s a clear sign that it’s time to put on the pink rubber gloves and get to it.

Forget about the chemicals or the self-clean option, though. There’s a better way that won’t have you coughing up a storm or fearing for your skin.

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Making Pumpkin Puree from Scratch and Roasting Seeds

October 4, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

Making pumpkin puree at home doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s easier than you might think. Preheat your oven, gut your pumpkins, and get ready to cozy up to fall with these minimal waste pumpkin practices…

Making pumpkin puree is one of my favourite ways to ring in autumn.

The days are cooler. Green leaves adopt the colours of fire before falling to cold concrete sidewalks and pavement, blanketing lawns with a cozy comforter for the winter season.

The nights are cold and I can see my breath in the brisk morning air, my car windows weeping with condensation.

I don’t dare go outside without a jacket anymore.

My yearnings for gallons of old-fashioned lemonade and ice cream sandwiches are now cravings for tea, spicy baked goods, and everything pumpkin.

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