Black Bean Brownies

Looking for a healthy, but sweet and delicious alternative to your typical dessert?  Check out this fantastic recipe for black bean brownies.  Oh, and of course, inexpensive!! :)

I've been making these for over a year now, and they really are good!  My kids and husband all approve of these brownies, which if you know my family, this means a lot! :) 

It's so great not to feel guilty giving your kids a dessert before bed.  These brownies are packed full of protein with no refined sugar!  My only tip is to cook them a little longer then the recipe calls for.  I cook them for 22 minutes, and they come out perfect every time!!

Here's the full recipe:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/

DIY Teacher Gift

It's that time of year again!  Summer is coming, school is ending, and it's time to thank those teachers for spending all year teaching our kids.  I wanted to come up with a gift that was practical, something the kids could help with, and frugal at the same time.  So here it is, a Pen Planter!

 

This is really simple, but I think really cute.  Here's what you need:

1 Empty can
26 Pens (plus or minus depending on the size of your can)
Ribon
1 Plant (any plant will be fine!)
Optional:  Measuring tape and marker


All you need to do is line the can with the pens.  Place the tabs of the pens inside the can, so they are secure.

I had purchased three 10 packs of pens at the Dollar Tree, and used 26 on the can.

Then carefully plant your flower inside the can.  You can rinse off any excess dirt with some water.  And finish it off with a pretty bow!  (Optional: You can also draw ruler marks on your ribbon to make it look like a tape measure, which would be really cute!  But, when I tried this with my ribbon the maker ran.)

And there you have it!  A practical teachers gift for under $10!  I know any teacher would be proud to display this on his or her desk!! :)

Big Y Run Today

I took a quick run to Big Y today, and so glad I did!!  Since I took the two kids with me, this ended up being a very quick trip! :)

I had heard from some friends that Big Y had their diapers on clearance for $5.  Every Big Y has different items on clearance at different times, but I've heard that many Big Y's have their Pampers and Huggies on clearance for $5, in various sizes.

Here's what was available at the Big Y in Cheshire, CT:

They had Pampers Baby Dry in sizes 1 and 2, Huggies Slip-On size 4 and Pull Ups on clearance for $5.

They also had a great deal on Friskies canned cat food - 20 for $8.

So here's what I got, and a breakdown below:

24 cans of Friskies canned cat food - on sale for 20 for $8.  I used 4 $.75/6 coupons from 5/3 RP.  making them $.15 each!!

2 packs of Huggies Slip-On diapers - on clearance for $5.  I used 2 $2.50/1 coupons from Huggies Coupons.  Making them $2.50 each!!


Thank you to livingrichwithcoupons.com for Friskies deal!!

Dollar Tree Wall Decor

 

Sprucing up a room will new pictures can be expensive.  With our family being on such a tight budget, every purchase matters!  That's why instead of purchasing expensive new pictures, I checked out The Dollar Tree.  With a little imagination and a DIY attitude almost anything is possible at The Dollar Tree!

Check out my DIY set of 4 picture frames for $6 (plus tax)!

I wanted some black and white art work for my bathroom, so I wondered around The Dollar Tree and found some black picture frames and then found black and white place mats.

I cut out the place mats to fit the frames, and was able to fit 2 place mats per frame.

 

 

And there you have it.  A quick, inexpensive, pretty update to my bathroom!  Hope I have inspired you to do some DIY Dollar Tree art work as well!!