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how are you going to be paying for this? this is a question that has come up once or twice lately as we have endeavored to buy products (food and cleaning) that are better for the body. shopping at wild oats and fresh market (opening in little rock on wednesday, may 16th!!!) are hardly the least expensive choices. in fact, healthy food is almost always more expensive, even at the regular grocery stores. this is a question i am attempting to answer at our house…at least until we get a trader joe’s closer than SIX HOURS AWAY! the reality is that i do spend a lot of money on food, but here are a couple of thoughts about how i am trying to keep costs down around the chino house.

1. we plan our meals out by week. i can’t do much further than that because of all the fresh ingredients. but if i plan by week, eat at home and finish what we fix (never throw food out), then we do save money.

2. fix things from scratch. it’s just a couple more steps. it’s healthier. and it’s good for your budget. we make our own treats, pancakes, waffles, muffins, pizza dough and……..salsa.

the kids and i made salsa tonight. my mom’s recipe, only slightly altered to include more garlic. there are so many great salsa recipes (whitney has a great one i would like for her to post because i can’t ever remember it) and i really love fresh salsas, with fresh tomatoes and cilantro. but this recipe uses a big (102 oz) can of tomatoes from sam’s wholesale, so it is super inexpensive to make.

when you make your salsa, you can also read this fun story (it has a salsa recipe too!), available now for half price at the amazing scholastic warehouse sale, which i went to today and spent all the money i am supposedly saving on groceries. we are stocked for summer reading and birthdays for the next two years. even though, mary polly has said to me more than once, “i don’t really think people like to get books for their birthdays. i mean, i really like books, mom, but when i take them to a party, people don’t seem that excited about them.” i throw bubble gum in with the books to make them seem a little more attractive, but i guess they’re not buying it. tant pis!

this recipe makes 3 quarts plus a bowl for now.salsa

mama’s salsa

1 big ol’ can of tomatoes (102 oz)

5 cloves garlic

1 large onion

6 jalepeno peppers (more if you like it hotter)

10 teaspoons vinegar

5 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

puree tomotoes, onion, garlic and peppers in food processor or blender.

put it in a stockpot with the vinegar, salt, cumin and coriander.

bring to a boil. turn down and simmer 15-20 minutes.

pour into jars and seal. (if you pour it in hot, the heat seals the lids without having to boil the jars)

enjoy!

ben and salsa