Category: Cooking

Are you on the hunt for the best air fryer?

Air fryers are a wonderful way to bring all those tasty foods you crave right into your kitchen. You can cook up crispy chicken wings, potatoes, and vegetables in the comfort of your home.

What’s more, air fryers are a healthy alternative to fried food, because they enable you to get your fry on without all that added oil!

Air fryers are feasible for any budget. In this post, we’ll take a look at the top air fryers on the market today!

1. Big Boss Oil-Less Fryer

Are you ready to ooh and ahh when you start frying food? Then you should check out this boss of all fryers.

Big Boss has an elegant, ergonomic design, operating on a hefty 1300 watts to fry your favorite foods without all that oil. You’ve got two cooking racks with this fryer, too, for maximum exposure.

We love this fryer because it’s energy efficient, using infrared technology to get your foods from frozen to sizzling in a matter of minutes. What’s more is that you can put anything in it, from toast to stir-fry vegetables.

The Big Boss comes with a recipe book for oil-less frying and a two-year limited warranty.

It’s affordable too, clocking in at $60-$70 at most department stores. Check out this Big Boss Oil-Less Fryer review.

2. French May Air Fryer

If you’re willing to spend a bit more on your fryer, check out this stylish creature from French May. Its sleek black design will look good on any counter — plus, it’s got a touchscreen control panel!

The French May comes with preset frying preferences, AirFlow technology, and a 3.7-quart capacity.

The best part about this fryer is that it’s dishwasher safe, so cleanup is always easy. It also comes with a recipe book for frying inspiration.

Find the French May on Amazon or in other department stores for just under $100.

3. The Dash Compact

If your frying needs aren’t massive and you’re on a tighter budget, check out this compact frying machine.

The Dash has a 1.2-liter capacity for frying, but don’t let that deter you. It’s highly energy-efficient — more so than your oven! — and has an easy slide-out drawer for fast afternoon frying.

It’s great for families, as The Dash has an auto shut-off mechanism for maximum safety. Like the others, it comes with a recipe book.

You can purchase The Dash in a lovely aqua, red, white, or black color. Find it online for around $50.

The Best Air Fryer for Your Budget

You can’t go wrong with any of these three fryers. We love them for their power and energy efficiency.

Choose The Dash for more compact frying needs. Larger families or spaces will find a true companion in any model by French May. The Big Boss Oil-Less Fryer is topping the charts when it comes to efficiency and frying capacity.

At Thrifty Momma Ramblings, we’re all about saving you money and helping you live the life you long for. Check out our blog posts on frugal, nutritious kitchen living here!

Do you think that your family eats nutritious meals?

You may think that you’re giving your kids the best foods possible, but a study on daily nutrition found that empty calories make up nearly 40% of the average kid’s diet.

Do you want your child to eat better and reduce their empty calorie intake? Give them more protein in their meals.

Meat is the go-to source for protein, but when you have to appease picky eaters meat may not be the best choice. Luckily, there are sources of protein other than meat your kids can eat.

Where To Find Sources of Protein Other Than Meat

Kids are notoriously picky eaters. Moms who may have tried low carb or paleo dishes at dinner time know how hard it can be to introduce new foods.

Finding meatless sources of protein can help your child’s overall diet. When you rely more on vegetables and grains in meals your kids can get more vitamins and minerals.

Curious about what things you should add to your diet? If you want to up your protein and reduce your meat consumption, try out some of these foods.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a grain that most people consider to be a superfood.

This wholesome grain has 8 grams of protein in a serving, but its high amount of protein isn’t the best part about this food.

Quinoa is also high in iron, magnesium, and fiber. It’s very versatile, and many people use it as a substitute for rice.

Tempeh

Tempeh is a vegetarian soy food that’s been eaten throughout Asia for hundreds of years, but it has recently become popular in the west.

Tempeh is very high in protein. One cup of it can have up to 31 grams of protein. It’s also an excellent source of calcium.

If your kids don’t like tofu, try introducing them to tempeh. Some people prefer its taste to tofu because of tempeh’s slightly nutty flavor.

Protein Powder

If you want sources of protein other than meat, protein powder is the ultimate meatless protein source.

Protein powder isn’t for people in need of a post-workout nutrition boost. It can also help add supplemental protein to your diet.

Do your kids love smoothies for breakfast? Add a scoop of protein powder to their smoothies or extra nutrition.

If you want more ideas on how to use protein powder and which brands are the best, check out The Ultimate Guide To Protein Powder.

Rice And Beans

Want something simple, delicious, and high in protein? Go for something classic like rice and beans.

When it comes to sources of protein other than meat, rice and beans can’t be beat. This utterly simple food can have 7 grams of protein in a serving. The meal is also full of important nutrients like methionine and lysine.

If you want to switch things up, substitute the beans for chickpeas or lentils for a tasty dinner with high protein.

Seitan

Do you want a go-to substitute for meat, but don’t want to use tofu?

Seitan has been taking the vegetarian and vegan worlds by storm. Because it’s created by mixing gluten with herbs, spices, and stock (or water), it’s much more flavorful than tofu.

This meat substitute has been in use for thousands of years, and a serving can have almost 21 grams of protein.

Peanut Butter

Want the ultimate kid-friendly source of protein? Look no further than peanut butter.

Go beyond pairing it with jelly if you want to give your kids something different. Spread it on waffles in the morning, or serve a big dollop of it with bananas and celery.

Your Turn

Now that you know what foods to use, it’s time to get to work!

If you’re not sure how to use some of proteins, check out the list of recipes on the Meatless Monday website. They have tons of recipes that don’t use meat, and plenty of them are kid-friendly.

If you’re interested in other nutritious meals, check out our post on healthy and tasty breakfasts you can make.

Don’t worry I’m not going to start this article talking about how important it is to eat breakfast in the morning. You already know that!

However, if you are like me you often end up eating the same thing every morning because of its convenience. And while fruit is a fantastic and healthy option, sometimes you just need a treat.

Here are five delicious treats that are better than fruit for breakfast.

1. Oats

Did you know oats have been proven to reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer? These super foods are incredibly rich in healthy compounds and great at eliminating the not-so-healthy ones.

Not all oats are created equal though.

If you want to maximize the good ingredient, avoid eating packaged and processed oats. Oftentimes these are filled with too much sugar and preservatives.

2. Eggs

The second food to keep your eye on for breakfast is eggs.

Not only are they packed with protein and essential vitamins, but they’re incredibly versatile as well. One day you could have a poached egg, and the next you could have them scrambled.

I love to make omelets. This allows me to get in some of those other essential vitamins and minerals through added vegetables.

This is a plate that you can get creative with and one that will be a healthy alternative to your classic fruit dish.

3. Waffles

Next is waffles, and yes I do mean it! Waffles and pancakes can be a delicious and healthy treat for breakfast, especially when made with whole grain.

One of the benefits of waffles is the variety of toppings you can add to it. Whether you’re craving something sweet or salty.

Another benefit is that they are so easy to make! Just pull out your bella waffle maker and whip them up with simple, everyday ingredients.

Within 5 minutes you’ll have a delicious and filling breakfast snack.

4. Crepes

Like waffles and pancakes, crepes are another delicious alternative with lots of topping options.

Entire businesses have been devoted to making great crepe recipes that are both sweet and savory. However, regardless of your taste palette, you can be sure that the crepes won’t add much sodium or cholesterol to your diet.

Bonus tip: Add peanut butter to get a little extra protein in your day.

5. Smoothies

If you are still craving fruit for breakfast, but you want to have a change in your routine, smoothies are a great alternative.

You can never go wrong with strawberry and banana blends. Add spinach or kale to get an extra dose of fiber and keep you fueled for the rest of the day.

Plus they are great for when you have to eat on the go!

Enjoy More than Just Fruit for Breakfast

Each of these options provides delicious and healthy alternatives that will keep you fueled until lunch.

As an added bonus, they’ll also leave more room for yummy desserts at the end of the day like my favorite triple-layer cracker toffee bars. Yum!

Speaking of which, I think I might have some cooking to do.

Do you have any special breakfast treats? Share them below in the comments!

Want more awesome tips? Check out our website!

It’s an unfortunate reality that many commercial soaps contain harsh dyes, fragrances, foaming agents, and other artificial chemicals that are harmful to our skin.

This is even true of soaps that are marketed as “natural.” Believe it or not, there is no regulation or quality standard for the use of that word. Beware of the marketing manipulation. The only way to truly know what goes into your soap is by making it at home.

Plus, making soap can be a fun and relaxing process. You can make soap for at home use, gifts, or even a business. All it takes is a little practice and some great natural soap recipes.

Read on to find our favorite natural soap recipes free of harmful chemicals that you can easily make at home.

4 Chemical-Free Natural Soap Recipes for Healthy Skin

Soap helps us wash away germs, bacteria, dirt, and all the products we put on our skin. Why would we want to use anything unnatural to achieve a clean slate?

Use these natural soap recipes to achieve healthy skin with soap that you can feel good about using.

1. Milk and Honey Soap

This moisturizing soap is great for your skin and smells delicious. You’ll need:

• 1 pound goat’s milk soap base
• 3 tablespoons organic raw honey
• (optional) a few drops of yellow soap color

Just melt the soap base, add the remaining ingredients, pour into a mold and allow to cool until firm.

2. Kratom Soap

Kratom is a tropical tree that grows in Southeast Asia. Its leaves have been recognized for their healing properties, providing relief from chronic pain, muscle aches, anxiety, and stress.

In this soap, its healing properties are absorbed by the skin as well as through aromatherapy as it mixes with steam.

To make kratom soap, you’ll need to source the leaves in the form of a powder from a reputable kratom strains supplier. After that, just follow the instructions below:

• 3 cups glycerin soap base
• 1/4 cup lemongrass leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil (or essential oil of your choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon seaweed oil
• 1 teaspoon kratom powder

Infuse the kratom powder and lemongrass leaves in water and simmer for 15 minutes.

Melt the glycerin soap base in a double boiler and add the infused lemongrass kratom mixture and the remaining ingredients.

Mix well, pour into silicone molds, and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

3. Lavender Oatmeal Soap

To make this soothing aromatic soap that gently exfoliates the skin, you’ll need:

• 1 pound goat’s milk soap base
• 2 tablespoons dried lavender
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil

Melt the soap base, add the dried lavender flowers, oats, and essential oil and mix well. Pour into molds and allow to cool.

4. Salt & Grapefruit Soap

This energizing soap is excellent for your skin with gentle exfoliation from both the grapefruit acid and the salt crystals. Here’s how to make it:

• 1 pound goat’s milk soap base
• 1/4 cut pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil

Melt the soap base, stir in the remaining ingredients, pour into molds and allow to cool.

Easy Peasy!

These soap recipes are fun, easy, and safe. Try making soaps for a fun activity with kids! All of these recipes are free of harsh chemicals, lye, or difficult to find ingredients.

Do you have a favorite soap recipe that we missed? Comment below!

Love this article? Check out our other great posts like this one on healthy eating!

Coffee drinkers love their brew and most have a typical routine. When they need coffee, they need coffee – so much so that the average coffee drinker has almost three cups per day.

Are you part of the coffee lover club? Maybe you’re shopping for a close friend who is obsessed with the brew?

Either way, perhaps it’s time to consider changing things up a little!

In this article, we’re getting down with some of the tastiest coffee flavors to help jumpstart your morning.

Ready for a deeper dive?

Great! Let’s take a closer look.

The Tastiest Coffee Flavors to Conquer Your Morning

Channel the Campfire and Drink it Too

Sweet, dessert-inspired coffee is a great option for your morning pick me up. And, the options are almost endless, ranging from basic French vanilla to coffee flavors like banana foster.

A popular trend of late is the S’mores flavored coffee. With this one, you get chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker goodness all with your daily caffeine jolt.

Positive vibes and nostalgic feelings about childhood anyone? Yes, please!

Other popular options here include caramel flavors, coconuts, and even delicious cookie dough.

Donut Inspired Coffee

Many brands offer donut inspired coffee flavors. Check these out if you want to feel like you’ve had a donut for breakfast, without the guilt!

Glazed donut flavor does exist, but if you want something a little less sweet, you can find blueberry flavored coffee too.

Chocolate Lover’s Dream

If you love coffee and chocolate (who doesn’t?), there are multiple options for you.

If you’re using a simple coffee with no flavors added, consider adding some cocoa powder to achieve a chocolatey deliciousness.

Looking for something a little more exciting?

Try experimenting with different flavors. Here, if you want to be right on trend, coffee flavors like German Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Hazelnut, or Mocha Chip are all the rage.

Kick Up Your Go-To Flavor

Your morning coffee has lots of health benefits, and if you’re a creature of habit, the idea of adding coffee flavors might scare you.

Shudder the thought!

If this is the case, don’t worry! Changing up how you prepare your coffee instead, can bring some excitement to your daily mug.

Maybe you can change to iced coffee for a day?

Pro tip alert! Use yesterday’s leftover cover to freeze into ice cubes. Then brew your coffee over these cubes. That way, you’re sure your coffee won’t get watered down.

This will also be helpful on those hot summer days where you still need your caffeine. You can even include cream and sugar before freezing the cubes.

Of course, another summer favorite treat is ice cream. Try a coffee flavored sugar-free ice cream recipe to change up your routine.

Upgrade Your Appliance

Typically use a traditional coffee pot for your early morning brew?

Consider testing out new methods like a French Press. For this, take a look at the best coffee grinder for French Press to make sure you have the best experience.

Adding Extra Spark to Your Morning

So, there you have it.

These are some of our favorite, sweet coffee flavors. Not only do they get us up and running in the mornings, they add a pep to our step as well.

Did we miss out on your favorite flavor? Got any ideas for our early morning coffee brew? Be sure to let us know!