Trading Up Downtown

The final few days leading up to Christmas are so hectic, I’m usually scrambling to find something to bring to my Christmas Eve gathering. I barely have enough time to buy packaged cookies from the grocery store, so baking something from scratch is definitely out of the question! And, unfortunately, those store-bought cookies aren’t very healthy for you.

My No-Cook Peanut Butter Balls, however, are a relatively healthy, homemade treat that take very little time to prepare and require zero cooking. Plus, the recipe calls for just 5 somewhat common ingredients, so many of them are probably in your house already. Doesn’t that make life easy?

Makes approximately 12 peanut butter balls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats (NuVal score: 57)
• 1/2 cup Nature’s Path Hemp Plus Granola (NuVal score: 45)
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Honey (NuVal score: 1)
• 1/4 cup Teddie Creamy Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter (NuVal score: 49)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Mix well and roll batter into balls.* Place on wax paper.
• Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
• Serve cold.

* After rolling ingredients into balls, roll them in cocoa powder, cinnamon, or crushed pistachios for some added holiday cheer.

For dinner earlier this week, I made the most delicious Easy Greek Casserole using a recipe from Miss Conduct of the Boston Globe. I’ve always loved reading Miss Conduct’s witty advice in the Boston Globe Magazine, but who knew she turned out great recipes, too?

My Easy Greek Casserole turned out so well the other night. Even my husband liked it! It’s a great meal to have in my recipe arsenal, and  I’ll definitely make it again soon.

So, let me tell you why I love this recipe so much…

It’s tasty.

Check out this recipe’s all-star cast of ingredients: baby spinach, garlic, grape tomatoes, brown rice, olives, feta, tofu, and olive oil.  Doesn’t that combination sound delicious? Well, it was! Each bite was packed with flavor and the texture kept me guessing… in a good way! Mmmmm!

It’s easy.

I love casseroles– mostly because they are so easy to make, and considering the recipe name includes the word ‘easy,’ you can probably guess just how simple it was to make.  From start to finish (including cook time), the whole process probably took me about 45 minutes. Casseroles are also great because they provide a ton of leftovers for quick weeknight dinners.

It’s nutritious.

So, how did Miss Conduct’s Easy Greek Casserole score on the NuVal scale? Pretty darn good!

Check out the recipe’s scores (remember 100 is the highest):

• Baby Spinach: 100
• Garlic: 91
• Grape tomatoes: 96
• Brown rice: 82
• Eggland’s Best eggs: 33
• Kalamata olives: 10
• Athenos Mild Feta Cheese Crumbles: 24
• Olive oil: 11
• Tofu: NuVal hasn’t scored tofu quite yet, but we will! NuVal is scoring all products in grocery stores– we just haven’t finished tofu yet.

I’m sure you can tell by now that I am a big fan of this recipe. You should definitely bookmark this one!

What’s your favorite tasty, easy, nutritious recipe?

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered the very first giveaway on Trading Up Downtown! I loved hearing what new and interesting things you guys learned from NuVal website. Isn’t it a cool system?

Without further ado, here’s you random number: 113

I learned that sweet potatoes have a score of 96…how sweet that is

Congrats, Gabrielle! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your holiday-inspired prize.

We’re right smack in the middle of holiday spending, and as Christmas gets closer, it becomes more and more difficult to stay on budget.

Here are 5 of my favorite small-budget Christmas ideas to help stay on budget during the holidays:

• Set a holiday budget. Determine the total amount that you want to spend during the holidays then break it down into smaller categories– like decor, food, donations, and gifts. I divide the gift category even further into immediate and extended family and the come up with a ballpark budget of how much I will spend on each person. Having a rough idea where my money goes, helps me stay on budget.
• Shop with a plan. Before I even set foot in a store, I make a list of what I want to buy each person on my holiday shopping list. Sometimes, I have more than one item listed next to each name, but even just a few options within my budget helps me stay on track and not waste time wandering around the mall.
• Collect coupons. I start early with the coupon collecting. Any potential coupon/discount goes immediately into my wallet, so I have it with me whenever the opportunity to use it strikes. When I am making my shopping list, I keep these coupons in mind and try to use at least one for each person on my list. It’s not always possible, but when I do save, it’s definitely worth the effort! The key to this strategy, however, is not buying more just because I saved money.
• Pick a gift-giving theme. A couple of year ago, when my holiday budget was really tight, I decided to buy a book for everyone on my list. A book probably doesn’t sound like the most exciting gift, but I put a lot of thought into each person’s interests and personality to find them the perfect book. Sticking with a theme saved me money, time, and wrapping paper– I just tied each book with a piece of beautiful ribbon. Everyone on my list seemed really pleased with what I picked out for them.
• Use homemade wrapping paper. Last year, I wrapped all of my Christmas gifts in old shopping bags that I dressed up with beautiful ribbons and bows. Making your own wrapping paper is a lot more affordable than buying it and it’s an environmentally-friendly option for the holidays.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Visit the NuVal website and leave a comment about something you learn from the site.

I will randomly pick a winner tomorrow morning to receive a fun holiday-inspired prize, which may or may not include Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea.

**You can earn an extra entry by adding Trading Up Downtown to your blogroll and leaving a comment on this post saying that you did so.

Good luck!