Guest Post: Couponing.com

I have a guest post today for you. Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get back on track with our budgets. If you stuck to one through the holidays, good for you! Rock on. If not, this post is for you. And for those continuing on a budget.

Cooking During (or after) the Holidays on a Budget

This guest post was written by James Lander of the couponing site, Couponing. The site focuses on providing couponing techniques and tips, alongside top retailer coupons.

The holidays are a time to indulge, a short and precious period when it feels right letting yourself get what you want, do what you want, and eat what you want. But indulging isn’t cheap—in fact, with all the wild spending that goes on during the holiday season, sometimes it can be hard to lose track of your expenses and go a little overboard. You’re bank account might be depleted but the holidays continue on. Here are some tips for maintaining control and cooking on a budget for the rest of the holiday season.

Expand your pantry for less! – With these eight ingredients (together under $25) you can seriously expand the baking possibilities of your kitchen and add a little nutritional value to your recipes (average prices):

Walnuts $4.49

Pecans $2.99

Oatmeal $2.65

Flaked sweetened coconut $2.19

Unsweetened baking chocolate $2.39

Semisweet chocolate baking chips $1.79

Unsweetened cocoa powder $2.79

Seedless raspberry jam $4.99

Total: $24.28

Try a fun and easy recipe like these oatmeal, chocolate chip, and pecan cookies, and find more recipes on cookinglight.com:

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)
• 1 cup regular oats
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini-chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside.
3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and mini-chips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Keep it simple—but don’t be afraid to get creative! – Holiday cooking can be as easy as opening a few jars and putting the contents together, provided you know which jars to open. Try this recipe for pumpkin mousse, a low-fat and low-cost alternative to pumpkin pie:

Ingredients
· 1 package of sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix
· 1 can of pumpkin
Preparation
1. Combine pudding mix and pumpkin with a splash of milk to create desired consistency. Layer with low-fat whipped topping in clear glass bowl for presentation.
Or go for some super-simple, kid-friendly snacks like these edible snowmen:
Ingredients
· 1 box Ritz crackers
· 1 container low-fat cream cheese
· Tiny slices of carrots, apples
· 1 box raisins
Preparation
1. Each child should get 3 Ritz crackers, approximately 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, and a small pile of sliced fruits, veggies and raisins.
2. Spread cream cheese over all 3 crackers. Decorate using available foods.

Make healthy substitutions – Modify your budget baking with these healthier replacements—cut down on expenses and the notorious sugars and fats of holiday cooking!
· Use whole wheat flour—if you’ve never baked with it before, start by replacing half the all-purpose flour called for in the recipe with whole wheat
· Cut down on sugar, add more fruit (but don’t drop below half the amount of sugar called for)
· Replace saturated fats (butter, shortening) with unsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil)
· Substitute applesauce for oil at a ratio of 1/3 cup for ½ cup—good for muffins and breads, not as effective in cookies

In general, don’t be afraid of switching out ingredients for lighter or more cost-effective alternatives—take control and have a healthy and affordable new year!