Paper Towel Tube Napkin Rings

I’ve seen this craft rolling around Pinterest for a while. It’s a super cheap and easy way to get expensive looking rings for almost nothing. It’s also extremely versatile. You can add accents for the holidays, or use yarn in place of the twine.

Mug Cakes in a Jar

Mug cakes are all the rage. They’re quick, satisfy your sweet tooth, and don’t burden you with a full cake calling your name in the kitchen.

Baby food jars are just the right size for gifting someone a single serving of deliciousness.

How to Remove Jar Labels

My little guy is eating baby food. You know what that means:

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

We’ve tried multiple whole wheat pancake recipes, but most of them tend to be super dense. These ones, however, are extremely fluffy and have just the right amount of sweetness. Pair them with peanut butter and strawberries and you’ve got yourself a deliciously healthy breakfast!

Leaf (and Flower) Printing

Not an artist? Not a problem! You can achieve a gorgeous watercolor effect with only leaves or flowers, cardstock, a paper towel, and a hammer. These beautiful prints look great on stationary and cards, and larger prints can even be used as room decor!

Slow Cooker Refried Beans

I know this is the 3rd bean post in a row, but these easy homemade refried beans are so good! I’ve always been a fan of refried beans from the can, but now that we’re doing this exercise program, canned refried beans just have too much fat.

Technically, these aren’t “refried” beans since they do not get fried at any point. I used this recipe from 100 days of Real Food as a base and started playing. My pintos were already cooked, so I halved the water used and reduced the cooking time. We also love spicy foods in our house, so I added cayenne pepper, cumin, and a very small amount of taco seasoning for added flavor. We’re pretty big fans of the result!

Black Bean Burgers

Several years ago, I got invited to a dinner. The hostess served black bean burgers, which I was a little leery of until I bit into one. They were delicious with a strong spicy flavor. I have always regretted not getting her recipe.

Pinterest is amazing, though, and this recipe captures the spiciness I loved so much. These burgers are also pretty guiltless, being so high in fiber and low in calories. Healthy never tasted so good!

How to Cook Dried Beans

Dried beans are super cheap, and they look so nice sitting in jars on your counter. If you’re like me, that’s all they do. Recently, I made a goal to learn to cook beans, and I am loving the results. They have a fresher taste when you make them at home, and the process is pretty simple.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

These pancakes from Creme de la Crumb are moist and filling due to the added protein power of greek yogurt. They’re easy to make, and a great start to a day!