gluten-free

Alternative Vaccination Schedule: Is There a Safe Way?

October 21, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 112 Comments

Like many of you, I have been torn with the burning question of if I should vaccinate my children or if I shouldn’t. I mean this conversation has started arguments with my husband, my friends, and been the topic of heated debate for years and years. It seems that there is so much information on both sides of the argument. What is a mother to do when she has a baby in her arms and wants to protect her baby but doesn’t know the right answer? I know we are told that a woman’s instinct is powerful and knows the right thing to do, but not always. Not when it comes to something so complex as vaccinating. I have been torn with questioning the current CDC schedule and wondering if there is an alternative vaccination schedule I could follow.

This is not a pro-vaccination article. This is not an article against vaccination. This is an article about finding a balance between the two. This is about finding a solution that YOU as a mother, a father, can live with. I don’t believe that it has to be ALL OR NOTHING with vaccines. I believe there can be a safer alternative. I believe there can be an alternative vaccination schedule.

After much heated debate and then heated prayer, my husband and I have decided that we would vaccinate our children, but we would do it very carefully and very slowly. I want to make sure I say that I fully support a family that does not vaccinate their children. There are many times where I questioned if we were doing the right thing by doing this delay/select method that we created. But at the end of the day, I felt in my gut that we made the wisest decision we could for our children.

The current CDC vaccination schedule is mind-blowing. After looking at the schedule that was handed to me when I was pregnant with my first child, I knew I didn’t want to follow the CDC schedule.

I had issues with many of the vaccinations on the right hand side of this infograph. It was TOO FAST and TOO MANY. So, my husband and I went through and talked about each vaccine and how important it was or if it wasn’t truly necessary.

I would HIGHLY suggest you get The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears. It is a very good resource about each vaccine, the side effects, and what the vaccine is for. I would also suggest you not give into anything that promotes mass fear. More important than fear is immunity. A healthy immune system will prevent illness or keep an illness at a level where immunity is created to that disease state without significant harm to the host. This is what vaccines are supposed to do – to create immunity and help the host not get sick when confronted with that germ.

The intent is helpful. The actuality is not quite so beneficial. By giving too many vaccines at once to a young and immature immune system, we may actually be creating dysfunction and a weaker immune system rather than strengthening it. We may have set the stage for more chronic illness.

Some children with very sensitive immune systems do not tolerate vaccines and can suffer long‐term health issues after vaccination. The challenge is that we do not know who they are before the vaccine is given. The best way to determine if your child may have a sensitive immune system, is to take a look at you and your partner’s family history. Did any relatives have a bad reaction to immunizations in the past? Is there a history of autoimmune disease?

Twenty years ago children received 18 vaccines between 2 months and 5 years (DPT, OPV, HIB, MMR, and HBV). Now they receive 49 total vaccine doses between 2 months and 5 years and during this same twenty-year time frame (as we have increased the number of vaccines) we have seen a huge increase in autism, ADD/ADHD, allergies, asthma, and chronic illness that cannot be explained on environmental factors alone. Many call it coincidence. It is not.

It’s, also, important to understand what the ingredients of vaccines are. They contain ingredients like aluminum (a KNOWN neurotoxin, formaldehyde (a known preservative) MSG (a common allergen), and other ingredients that can be toxic to a body as well.

So what’s the answer if you WANT to vaccinate but you want to do it cautiously?

Vaccinate slowly – one shot at a time
Eat as organic as possible
Avoid GMO foods (they are known to cause intestinal problems)
Make sure the child is getting adequate vitamin D
Give Fermented Cod Liver Oil before, during, and after a vaccination (especially the MMR) – the MMR depletes the Vitamin A stores in the body and Fermented Cod Liver oil is loaded with Vitamin A.
Giveprobiotics to help keep their immune system up.
Find a provider whose vaccines do not contain Thimerasol
If giving a booster- test the blood for titers. If titers are positive then immunity is present and the booster is not even necessary. This is what we have done with our oldest child. She didn’t have to get any boosters at age 4 because she had titers present.

If you choose to vaccinate your children, I suggest, once again, that you do it very slowly. Listen very closely, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VACCINATE YOUR KIDS SLOWLY. We don’t do the flu shot or the chickenpox and I won’t be going near Guardasil for my daughter. You can start at whatever time you feel it is safe. We chose to start at 9 months but the time you start is completely dependent upon all the risk factors I mentioned above (family history, immune sensitivity) but the schedule starts at 6 months. This is the alternative vaccination schedule that is recommended by our vaccine-friendly Pediatrician.

Alternative Vaccination Schedule (Select/Delay)

6 months DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis)
9 months DTaP
12 months DtaP
15 months HIB (Haemophilus influenzae b)
18 months IPV (inactivated polio vaccine)
24 months IPV or Prevnar
27 months IPV or Prevnar
36 months MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
48 months DTaP booster and IPV booster
5 years Whatever was not done at age 4.

This is not set in stone, but it is just something that we feel is best for our children. It looked a little bit different for my daughter because we hadn’t yet come up with this alternative schedule. She got many of the vaccinations too early, but instead of being filled with regret, I choose to be proactive in making sure my son receives vaccinations on the safest schedule.

This is also the schedule that our Pediatrician encouraged. There are many Pediatricians who might discourage this schedule and try to put fear into you. I recommend you finding a vaccine-friendly Pediatrician. You can look here for vaccine-friendly pediatricians near you.

I hope this encourages all of you who are torn…stuck…and about to just give in to the CDC schedule. You have choices. You have right to speak up and say no.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/
https://www.whale.to/a/megson5.html
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/05/gardasil-vaccine-is-a-flop-for-good-reasons.aspx
https://drcorneliafranz.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8

The Paleo Slow Cooker and Preview Recipe

October 17, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 4 Comments

As a homesteader and mother by day and a blogger by night, I have a hard time keeping up with everything. GASP! Oh yes, my life can be in shambles at times. However, for two years I have managed to cook 98% Paleo meals at home. I believe in the 80/20 rule and most the 20% non-Paleo foods we consume is when we eat out. Despite my inaquacies and my lack of time, I feel it is important to give my family the healthiest food possible. This is the job I took on when I held my first child to my breast and promised to nourish her and grow her with proper nutrition. From that day, it has been my desire to give my kids the best I can. And sometimes I fail. But, thank God for grace. It covers me when my shortcomings get the best of me. All this to say – – this would not have been possible without my slow cooker.

Oh yes, you heard me right, my beautiful, incredibly talented slow cooker. It puts out delicious meals while I clean up chicken poop from my daughter’s hair and try to fold my endless pile of laundry. It works it’s magic while I sit here on the computer typing about my love for it…oh yes, it’s working it’s magic right now. The best part about my slow cooker is that it takes me 5-10 minutes max to throw together a healthy, Paleo meal for my family. Seriously, I’m not sure if I would be Paleo without it!

Now to find good Paleo slow cooker meals…well, that’s been another challenge. In walks my favorite slow cooker cookbook ever – the Paleo Slow Cooker: Healthy Gluten-Free Meals the Easy Way. This deliciously made book was created by Arsy Vartanian of Rubies & Radishes, a top Paleo blogger in my book! There’s lots of great Paleo bloggers that I absolutely adore, and Arsy tops the list…along with Melissa Joulwan of The Clothes Make the Girl (who has a new cookbook coming out real soon!). These girls put out incredibly tasteful recipes. It’s not your same old boring salt and pepper ingredients. Oh no, it’s ingredients with an ethnic flare that open up your tastebuds and make you think, “Oh wow, this is what I have been missing.”

The Paleo Slow Cooker is loaded with recipes that do this to you. Not only are these recipes easy and simple to throw into a slow cooker, but there 125 recipes from appetizers to desserts that only require the ease of a slow cooker. My personal favorite, so far, is the Apple Cider Pork with Rosemary. Arsy gave me permission to share this delicious recipe with you. Isn’t she the best?!

Apple Cider Pork with Rosemary – The Paleo Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

3lbs of pork roast
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups of hard apple cider
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper just before serving

Cooking Instructions:

Brown the pork in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Turn the heat down to medium and saute the onion in the remaining coconut oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and apples, cook for another 3 minutes, and then transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
Add all the other ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Servings: 6

If you would like to purchase this book, you can find it on Amazon for only $19.29 (it’s nearly 30% off!)! This is a steal for a hardback cookbook! You can, also, buy it on Kindle for $9.49!

**Buy The Paleo Slow Cooker Hardcopy – click here**

**Buy The Paleo Slow Cooker on Kindle – click here**

Please go visit Arsy on her blog, Rubies & Radishes to find more delicious recipes that she is creating!

Want to read more Book Love posts? Click here for all my favorite books I’ve been reading!

Protecting Your Health While FDA Food Inspections are SHUT DOWN

October 14, 2013 by Jackie Ritz Leave a Comment

The government has been shut down for nearly 2 weeks now. However, with all the hype and news of this current shutdown, I see one major issue not being talked about much. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has furloughed HALF of their employees…which means half the work is being done on inspecting our food. Let’s be honest, even when the FDA is operating in full capacity, there are still many, many food problems that still happen. This is scary. And until Congress get their act together – the FDA has suspended food safety inspections.

What is and isn’t being inspected right now?

“There are 626 total FDA investigators excepted and reporting to work, and 976 who are furloughed,” Steven Immergut, the FDA’s assistant commissioner for public affairs, said in an email on Tuesday. “These investigators work across the agency portfolio, not just on food products.”
“During the lapse in appropriations, FDA will not be conducting routine domestic or international inspections of food facilities,” Immergut said in the email. This means that those inspectors who normally will do in-plant inspections, both domestically and abroad have stopped.
There are 700 employees who are regulating 300 ports of entry in the United States – those inspections are still going on.
Meat, poultry, and egg inspections will continue, but according to a Department of Health and Human Services memo, the majority of FDA food inspectors have been deemed nonessential.

UMMM, are you worried yet?

Which foods are the biggest concern?

The biggest concern right now is IMPORTS. Since there are currently no foreign food inspections going on, this poses a HUGE health risk for foodborne illnesses. However, you can still protect yourself. The Center for Science has a great article on the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA. Now would be a GREAT time to learn which ones those are and avoid them.

10 Riskiest Foods and Their History of Outbreaks:

Leafy Greens – 363 outbreaks, 13,568 reported illnesses
Eggs – 352 outbreaks, 11,163 reported illnesses
Tuna – 268 outbreaks, 2,341 reported illnesses
Oysters – 132 outbreaks, 3,409 reported illnesses
Potatoes – 108 outbreaks, 3,659 reported illnesses
Cheese – 83 outbreaks, 2,761 reported illnesses
Ice Cream – 74 outbreaks, 2,594 reported illnesses
Tomatoes – 31 outbreaks, 3,292 reported illnesses
Sprouts – 31 outbreaks, 2,022 reported illnesses
Berries – 25 outbreaks, 3,397 reported illnesses

What should I eat right now?

Local Food from Local Farms – search for local meat from local farmers. Search for free-range eggs and poultry. Don’t eat any fruits or vegetables that are from another country. I wouldn’t trust much else right now…even organic labeled foods aren’t being inspected properly. Go to Farmer’s Markets near you. Look up sources for local food on Local Harvest or Eat Wild. Look on Craigslist for local farmers…research!

Wild Caught Seafood – The percentage of imported seafood is…brace yourselves…91%! Hello…91% of all our seafood is imported! That is un-friggin-believable. DO NOT EAT ANY SEAFOOD that is imported right now! NONE. Look in your grocer for WILD-CAUGHT seafood and check your canned tuna/salmon for it’s origin…as well as frozen seafood.

NOTHING from the 10 Riskiest Foods list unless you have grown it yourself or purchased it from a trustworthy source. Oh, and FYI – these were the 10 riskiest foods BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN! Can you imagine how terrible they could get right now?

NOTHING imported PERIOD.

Even though meat, poultry, and eggs are being inspected, they are still threats to our health. Kirkland Rotisserie Chicken had a Salmonella outbreak 2 days ago! Foster Farms had a Salmonella outbreak last week! The workload of inspections on the functioning FDA workers that aren’t furloughed is enormous. They cannot keep up. I would not even buy storebought chicken, meat, or eggs right now.

Conclusion:

It’s a hard road ahead of us, but I do believe, that this may be good for Americans. We need to be more aware of what we are eating and I think this is a wake-up call. Most Americans don’t care where our food comes from…as long as it’s at the store when we need it. Our health is at risk, friends, and it’s time for us to wake up.

Grow some food. Raise some livestock.

Buy local.

Look at the source.

And then hug your local farmer who is giving you peace of mind during this government shutdown.

Sources:

https://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/08/20873175-routine-fda-inspections-of-food-facilities-suspended-due-to-government-shutdown?lite
https://www.dailyfinance.com/on/10-riskiest-foods-avoid-while-fda-inspections-shut-down/#!slide=1263992
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/fda-shutdown_n_4086299.html
https://www.fishwatch.gov/farmed_seafood/outside_the_us.htm

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How Are You Protecting Your Children from Predators?

October 14, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 23 Comments

Sixty-seven percent of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies were juveniles (under the age of 18) 34% of all victims were under age 12.
One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement were under age 6.
Convicted rape and sexual assault offenders serving time in State prisons report that two-thirds of their victims were under the age of 18, and 58% of those–or nearly 4 in 10 imprisoned violent sex offenders–said their victims were aged 12 or younger.
80% of inmates serving time in State Prison for intimate violence had injured or killed their victim.” (Criminal Offenders Statistics)
“The median age of the victims of imprisoned sexual offenders was less than 13 years old.” (Bureau of Justice Standards.)
“96% of female rape victims in 1991, younger than 12 years old, knew their attackers. 20% were victimized by their fathers or step-fathers.” (US Department of Justice)
3 in 4 child victims of violence were female.
4 in 10 child victims of violence suffered either a forcible rape or another injury

Do you have a pit in your stomach like I do? I could keep going with these scary statistics…I haven’t even mentioned child pornography which is rampant.

The truth is, we all have known someone who has been sexually molested or raped. And the possibility that even one of us has been molested or raped is 50%. That’s sick. It just makes my skin crawl. It makes me want to live off the grid somewhere and shelter my children from any harm. Why aren’t there more people talking about this? I am always the odd-ball when I say that my 4 year old already understands this stuff. No, I’m not teaching her about sex and things people can do to her. I’m teaching her how to be a little lady. I’m teaching her about secrets. I’m teaching her about how to understand danger.

It is never too early to teach your kids about “good touch, bad touch.” I think we, as parents, need to stop shying away from things that make US uncomfortable. This isn’t about us. This is about protecting our children. This is about saving them from years of hurt, confusion, and anger. This is about saving them from going down a dangerous path of drug addition, of being so hungry for love that they will sleep with anyone to find it. This is about rescuing our children.

Our children need us. They need us to be that superhero for them. All little girls want a hero, and if they aren’t getting it from us (from dads), then they are going to look for it elsewhere. As girls, we fantasize about this…why do you think all fairy tales involved a princess and a savior? Who is her savior?

Let’s not wait for something to happen to save them. Let’s start now.

How can we protect them NOW?

I stumbled upon Pattie Fitzgerald website while watching the news a while back who teaches “Tricky People” not “Stranger Danger,” because a tricky person could be someone that your child knows. Here are some things that I have learned from her Prevention tips and a few other things that I suggest:

First we need to realize that from the statistics, most of the abusers, or “Tricky People” come from close relationships with the family. With child molestation, not only are the children being duped into keeping quiet and believing whatever lies the abuser is saying, but the parents are being duped to. As parents and protectors of our young, we need to stand up when we are uncomfortable and say no.
Second, we need to be willing to be uncomfortable…willing to possibly offend another adult. My daughter has a good friend. Her friend’s dad wanted to take the two girls out for ice cream one day. I remember when the question was asked to me. At first, I felt it. I felt the uneasieness and I didn’t want to say no because I was going to be uncomforable saying no to someone. Yes, maybe, he was just trying to do something nice. But, guess what?! I don’t know him from sin. So, I worked through those feelings of uneasiness and I, politely, declined. It’s better to feel uncomfortable than to live with a burden of guilt.
Third, we need to teach our kids that IT’S OK TO SAY NO TO ADULTS. I think we, too often, in trying to teach our children to respect their elders, we teach them that an adult is always right. WRONG! Don’t teach them this. Teach them that if something doesn’t feel right, then to come to you. We need to create a level of respect and trust among our kids. And if you are teaching them that they should do whatever an “adult” says, then there is so much risk in that. Teach them that adults are human too and if an adult wants something from them, then they need to come to you and ask.
Fourth, we need to stop forcing our kids to hug and kiss someone. Don’t make your child do something that they don’t want to do. How are we teaching them to be cautious of pedophiles if we are just going to force them to be affectionate with someone that they don’t want to? Isn’t that the same thing that pedophiles do?
We need to talk to them. My daughter is only 4, but I am, already, trying to create confidence in our relationship. I don’t want subjects of sex and touch and affection to be awkward. I want to be able to talk, openly, with her about sex, about healthy touch, about relationships with the opposite sex. How many of us learned what sex was from friends, internet, or TV? Thankfully, I had a mother who I, oh so vividly, remember teaching me about sex. In fact, the image of her drawing it out is forever branded in my mind. But, I learned from someone I TRUSTED what it was. I learned what healthy sex was. I learned that it was something that I could talk about with my parents.
Listen to your child. If they don’t want to be around a particular person, a babysitter, a family member…this may be a red flag. Don’t force them to do things they don’t want to do.
Look up local predators on your state’s database. All states post predators and where they live. You can select a 1 mile radius and see how many live around you in that area.

Let’s do this better. Let’s do it better together. Let’s be more alert. Let’s be willing to be uncomfortable. We can’t save everyone, but we can do our best to be the hero that our kids need. Let’s do it now!

There are some great children books that we can read to our kids that teach them different aspects of understanding danger:

What measures do you take to make sure your kids are safe from predators?

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream in 5 Minutes!

October 8, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 41 Comments

It is PUMPKIN season here! Yesterday I posted a Pumpkin Oatmeal recipe. Today I’m posting a Pumpkin Ice Cream recipe. Some other favorite pumpkin recipes on my blog are Pumpkin Pie in 2 Minutes Flat, Pumpkin Pie in a Cup Smoothie, and a No Bean Pumpkin Hummus. This recipe is awesome…I have to say, I am impressed with myself. In fact, I was going to post this recipe next week…but here ya go. Make it NOW. It’s delicious! It is dairy and sugar free…as most of my recipes are. The bananas sweeten this ice cream perfectly! Oh and did I mention it’s only 4 ingredients and NO ICE CREAM MAKER NEEDED?!?!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream in 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

3 frozen bananas

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/8 cup full fat coconut milk or raw/heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Toppings: coconut butter, pecans, and maple syrup

Directions:

1. Put the pumpkin, coconut milk, and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor.

2. Pull out the frozen bananas from the freezer and slice them in chunks.

3. Process all the ingredients until the mix is smooth like ice cream.

4. Add your desired toppings and DEVOUR!

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30 Cheap Main Dish Paleo Meals

October 4, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 42 Comments

Paleo is too expensive.

My grocery bill is TOO much since eating this way.

I can’t afford to do this anymore so I’m done.

Sound familiar? I know. I’ve been there. Paleo CAN be expensive, but so can the SAD (standard American diet). ANY diet or lifestyle can be expensive.

The USDA uses national food intake data and grocery price information to calculate different costs for a healthy diet at home. The latest numbers for a four-member family: a thrifty food plan, $146 a week; a low-cost food plan, $191 a week; a moderate-cost plan, $239; a liberal plan, $289 a week. Some food waste is built into these costs (source).

So, let’s be realistic. Look at those numbers. ALL food has gone up…not just Paleo. What category does your family fall into? Are you wanting to eat in the thrifty plan, low-cost, moderate-cost, or liberal plan? Which one can you afford?

Most Americans may only be able to afford the low-cost budget. I know that’s where I fall. My budget for my Paleo family is $200 per week, so I am always looking for low-cost Paleo family meals to make the most out of our budget.

So…here are some of my favorite budget-friendly Paleo meals for a family!

30 Cheap Main Dish Paleo Meals

Beef

beef

Spaghetti Squash Goulash – this recipe makes 8 servings! So cut it in half if you don’t want that many. We freeze it though!

Grain Free Nacho Pot Pie – Mexican twist to a Chicken Pot Pie!!!

Ground Beef Stroganoff – very frugal meal and is, absolutely, delicious.

Bacon and BBQ Burger Salad from – leave the bacon out for an even cheaper meal

Slow Cooker Paleo Pot Roast – throw it in the crockpot and go! So simple!

Healthy Butternut Squash Shepherds Pie – Shepherds Pie has always been one of the most nourishing, yet frugal meals to make!

Deconstructed Hamburgers (Hamburger Salad) – what an awesome idea to do for family night with the kids!

Crockpot Swiss Steak – I love me some Swiss steak! Use arrowroot if you are avoiding potatoes!

Mexican Breakfast – whip this baby up in minutes, especially if you already have ground beef already in the fridge!

Poultry

chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken – 20 Minute Meal!

Buffalo Chicken Muffins – 2 chicken breasts and 5 eggs make 12 HEARTY muffins!

Loaded Mexican Nachos – you won’t even miss the corn chips!

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps – a healthy version of PF Changs Lettuce Wraps!

Duck Pate – an overseen power food that is EXTREMELY frugal and deeply nutritious!

Grain Free Chicken Parmesan – this looks delicious and you can fry it in my favorite coconut oil if you don’t have an animal fat.

Pork

pork

Italian Sausage with Winter Squash – One Pot Meal!

Slow Cooker Pork Shanks – you can usually find pork shanks for $2-$2.50 per lb!

Grain Free Breakfast Shepherd’s Pie – A grain free, primal , low carb, egg and bacon mini pie with a coconut flour and veggie crust.

Easy Sweet Curry Pork with Acorn Squash – very frugal meal using leftover (or not) pork chops with a delicious coconut milk curry!

Seafood

fish

Tomato Basil Mussels – Mussels are VERY cheap. You can get a entire lb for $4!

Salmon and Broccoli Omelette – eggs are EXTREMELY frugal which allows you to splurge on the salmon (I like this Salmon).

Paleo Fish Tacos – white fish is very budget-friendly, so don’t skip the fish because you think it’s not in your budget!

Fishy Bites – use canned salmon (or tuna for cheaper cost) to make this kid-friendly meal that even adults will love!

Thai Shrimp Salad – Shrimp is the ground beef of the seafood world! It’s very cheap and easy to cook!

Salmon Patties – these are a staple in my house! When you can’t afford fresh salmon get a good canned salmon!

Soups

soup

Creamy Fire Roasted Tomato Soup – one of my favorite soups in the whole world! Sub full fat coconut milk for dairy free!

Easy Taco Soup – this soup is AMAZING! I eat like 3 bowls when we have it!

Creamy Chicken Tomato Crockpot Soup – another delicious and SIMPLE crockpot recipe!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – chicken stock adds a great protein to this dish (here’s how I make my chicken stock). Pair it with this Almond Bread!

Spicy Sausage and Squash Soup – tis the season for all things squash. Use a butternut squash if you can’t find buttercup!

Please come back and tell me you enjoyed some of these delicious, yet very frugal recipes!!

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