Mug Brownie

Just a quick little winter warmer post today. This isn’t my usual kind of recipe because it is NOT healthy. However it’s delicious and sometimes you need a little chocolate.
Besides, I would rather make one of these than a whole batch of brownies that I’d end up eating all week!

The recipe for this is super easy and takes almost no time at all, which is why I love it.

Mug Brownie

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Small handful of choc chips (optional)

M E T H O D
1. Whisk together all the dry ingredients thoroughly.
2. Mix in the wet ingredients, making sure to really scrape the bottom so you don’t miss any mixture.
3. Add choc chips and mix. I like to sprinkle a few on top as well.
4. Pop in the microwave for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes depending on your microwave. If you’re not sure, put it in for a minute and then the extra 30 seconds if you need it.
5. Enjoy!!

This takes 3-5 minutes to make, and the only dishes it creates are the spoon and the mug. How awesome! You know how I hate dishes, haha!

This does make quite a large brownie though and it is quite rich so if you’re not a sweet tooth or you’re making this for a kid you might want to halve the recipe.

So go forth and eat chocolate!

Wallet Watching Wednesday – Top 10 Money Saving Tips

Welcome to our second Wallet Watching Wednesday! I’m so excited! Nat’s got some great tips and tricks coming up for this link up and the next, so definitely go and check out her blog. I’m hoping that as the weeks go by this little community we’re trying to create grows and encourages!

Link up with us below and check out the other posts!

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This week, I’m sharing my 10 best money saving tips!

1. Buy used, save the difference.
I got this saying off the show 19 Kids and Counting – it’s one of Jim Bob Duggar’s favourite sayings. (Not looking to start a debate on their beliefs or anything – but I KNOW I’m not the only one who watches it haha). The basic idea is that if you buy things second hand or from op shops, you save the difference between what you paid and the brand new price. Which sometimes turns out to be a huge difference! I wrote a post about getting more bang for your buck while Op Shopping – check it out here!

2. Shop smart, eat smart.
 I won’t waffle on about it again because I’ve said it time and time again, but a big place to save money is the grocery store. Go here for my 5 tips on saving money on groceries.

3. If you don’t need it, sell it.
Over the years, a combination of moving around a few times (and having to keep all my belongings in 1 bedroom) and having a minimal amount of money has caused me to only have what I need. If I don’t need it, if it’s excess, I get rid of it. One of the best ways I’ve found to do this is to sell things on Facebook! Sometimes things don’t sell and that’s fine, because giving things to op shops is a great way to support local charities, but for bigger items it’s great to be able to sell them!

4. Only take what you want to spend.
If you have a problem with spending more than you intend to each time you set foot in a shop, try using cash and only taking enough for what you need to buy. That way you avoid any impulse purchases, because you simply can’t buy anything extra!

5. “Do I need this?”
This question goes hand in hand with number three, and applies both to what you have and what you buy. I ask the question “do I really need this” whenever I’m sorting through things in our home and deciding what to keep and what to toss. I ask the question “do I want this or do I need this” when we’re out shopping. Especially when we’re grocery shopping. Sure, buy some snacks! Everyone needs snacks sometimes, don’t feel guilty about things like that! But factor those into your grocery list and leave it at those items. If you only go into stores with a purpose, you’re a little less likely to buy things you want but don’t need. (This doesn’t mean you don’t buy yourself the occasional treat – treating yourself occasionally is important).

6. Look after your belongings
When you look after things, they last! Maintaining cars keeps them running and keeps you from having to buy a new one! Teaching your kids to look after their toys keeps you from having to replace toys over and over and over. Obviously things wear out (especially when they’re around kids) and wear and tear is a normal part of family life, but sometimes it’s avoidable! My parents brought me up to take care of my toys like they were a liquid gold because they didn’t have a lot of money to buy me a lot of toys, and I really appreciate it in a lot of ways, because I feel like it makes me more aware of what I have, and more grateful.

7. Know your prices
Know what things cost, or shop around before you make purchases, especially large purchases. If you know the price of items you purchase regularly, you’ll know when you’re getting a good deal! 

8. Online initiatives
I’m not too sure about American sites (though I know they’re out there) but there are some great apps and sites in Australia that’ll help you save money. Check out OzSale (on iPhone, android and online) for sales on pretty much anything you could think of. Beauty products, clothes, homewares, gifts. You name it, they’ll eventually have it on sale! Another similar app is Catch of the Day (on iPhone, android and online) which also features food savings. Catch of the Day has 2 sister apps/sites called Mumgo, for everything a mum could ever need, and GroceryRun which is exclusively food. I have a friend who got me onto GroceryRun recently who makes a purchase about once a month to stock up, and ends up saving almost the same amount she spends. This is also great for buying in bulk.
It’s also worth searching ‘{brand name/store name} discount’ or ‘coupon’ when you’re shopping online, as sometimes you’ll find a random code to enter at the checkout that’ll get you 20% off or something similar.

9. Carry a water bottle
Carrying a water bottle around is great for your health, too! When you’re out and about, you’re not going to need to stop and buy a drink (which will most likely be extremely over-priced) if you’ve got water with you! It will also help you avoid soft drinks and other unhealthy options. It’s also worth carrying a museli bar or something similar as well, then you’re not going to be tempted to buy extra snacks while out. Again, good for your pocket and good for your health!

10. Grow your own!
This is something I’m yet to start, but it’s a work in progress! If you head over to Nat’s blog at Home Sweet Kitchen Garden you’ll see heaps of posts about her home harvest and it’s so inspiring! Fresh fruit and veggies can really add up and send your grocery bill through the roof. If you can make it or grow it instead of buying it, all power to you! Go you! Please, share your tips!

photo credit: Alan Cleaver via photopin cc

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Below you’ll find the link up for this week! Don’t be shy, share the knowledge!

TO LINK UP:
Follow me here (or here on Bloglovin’) and follow Nat at Home Sweet Kitchen Garden blog for more frugal finds!
Like Grace in the Little Things & Home Sweet Kitchen & Garden on Facebook for even MORE updates and handy tips!
Be kind and share the love and read some of the other great tips on how to save money and leave a comment on the blogs that you visit to let them know you were there!

Click the adorable little widget below to view other’s links and add your own!

 

Honey Joys!

Oh the joys of Honey Joys! I went back to my childhood with these today. It’s not really something my mum ever made, but they were at every single party ever back in the day. 

And you know what I realised (which probably should have occurred to me sooner)? They’re so dang easy to make! I was in shock! It barely felt like cooking!! 

Also, in the grand scheme of things, as far as a sweet dessert/treat/snack is concerned, you could definitely eat worse things. There’s only a little bit of sugar in them, the rest is honey which as a natural sugar source is much better for you and Cornflakes, from what I’ve found anyway, are actually incredibly low in sugar. Especially for a cereal! Anyway, on to the recipe! 

I almost feel like this is unnecessary but at the same time they’re SO easy that I feel like you should give them a go at least once.

(By the way, I realised I didn’t have any ‘normal’ patty pans, I only had Christmas ones – pictured below – but thankfully the spotted ones didn’t look too festive, haha!)

Moving on…

So! All you’re going to need utensils wise is a large mixing bowl and a microwavable jug/bowl, a spoon or two and a cupcake tin. Easy done!

I used Coles Cornflakes and they taste just as good as normal Cornflakes so if you can get a cheaper brand definitely go for it! They’re going to be covered in honey anyway! 

First off, line the cupcake tin/tray with patty pans

The recipe I found didn’t result in quite enough mixture (I only filled 10 out of 12 of the cupcake spots on the tray), so I’ll adjust the amounts for you. 

Put 4 cups of Cornflakes in a mixing bowl. 

In a microwavable bowl/jug, put 50 grams of butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 3 tablespoons of honey.

Put in the microwave for 30-40 seconds (depending on your microwave) until all the ingredients are melted. 

Mix them together until the butter and honey have combined. This may take a minute. 

Pour the mixture over the cornflakes and mix well until combined. Make sure you check the cornflakes at the bottom of the bowl because sometimes they can be super sneaky and not be covered in the delicious honey goodness. 

Divide the mixture evenly into the cups. 

(Please excuse our messy recycling pile, we’ve been cleaning out the spare room!)

Pop them in the oven on 160 degrees celcius (320F) for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool for 15 minutes (if you can resist!). 

Hey presto! You have super yummy, really easy to make delicious things. WOO!

Happy eating!

 

Also, it’s handy to note that you can make these together with your little kiddlet! Just assemble things a little before hand to prevent some mess.