Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Salad

I'm not a fan of mayonnaise, or of dishes with mayo in them.  To me, eggs + vinegar = yucky!   In the summer, though, many picnic dishes like potato salad, chicken salad, egg salad and lots of dips rely on mayo as a key ingredient.  I am always on the lookout for tasty salads and sides that don't use mayo, and my friend Marie shared this one with me several years ago.  It's SO good, and very easy;  Use it as a salad, as a dip or salsa alternative, or put some in a wrap for a healthy, quick lunch. It has great flavor--try it!

Can't find quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah)?  I've bought it at Costco recently, and it is often found in the health food or organic section of grocery stores. You can definitely find it at stores like Whole Foods. It is a mild tasting small grain--smaller than rice--that is very versatile.  Quinoa contains all 8 amino acids making it very high in protein, and it's also high in fiber, vitamin B and iron.

Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons minced cilantro or parsley
2 cups corn (fresh/frozen is preferred, but canned is OK)
1/2 cup liquid from the corn (or use water, chicken broth or vegetable broth)
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 lb can black beans (sometimes in a 15 oz can)
1 medium tomato, diced
2 tablespoons red onion, minced

Directions:

1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together (lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cilantro/parsley) and set aside.  This is the dressing.
2. Bring the corn liquid to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add quinoa and cumin.  Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Stir together the corn, quinoa, beans, tomato and onion. Toss with the dressing, then cover and refrigerate.
4. Serve chilled.

24 Hour Giveaway: $25 Kroger Gift Card

From August 8 through the 21st, the Kroger family of stores will be having an "Add up the Savings" event.  When you buy 8 participating items from brands like General Mills, Yoplait, Cottonelle, Huggies, Kleenex, Pillsbury cookies, Betty Crocker brownies and more, you'll get $4 off your purchase.

Also, while you're doing your grocery shopping, don't forget to help your local school by collecting BoxTops.  Go to www.rewardyourschool.com on or after August 8 to register.  You'll get 5 Box Tops for signing up and you'll find bonus offers, too--buy 4 Box Tops products and get 10 bonus BoxTops,  Buy 8 Box Tops products and get 25 bonus Box Tops.  You don't even have to save or clip anything because you can just load the offers onto your Kroger card and when you purchase the qualifying items, the BoxTops will be transferred to your chosen school.  Schools can collect and redeem the Box Tops ($.10 each) to purchase much needed items like technology and gym equipment.

Don't have a Kroger nearby?  The Kroger family of stores also includes Ralph’s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

Kroger, Kimberly Clark and General Mills (through My Blog Spark) are giving one lucky reader a $25 gift card to the Kroger family of stores so you can "Add up the Savings"!  To enter to win, just fill in the form below.  The contest is open through 11:59 Eastern time Friday night 8/6.

For your first entry, just enter your name and email and submit the form.  For extra entries, do one of these and fill out the form again:

1. Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook
2. Email a friend about the giveaway (with a link to it so they can enter)
3. Subscribe to Frugal Catholic Mommy by RSS or Email Update
4. Tweet this:  24 hour giveaway for a $25 Kroger Gift Card.  Enter at http://bit.ly/9cCWWS

Disclosure:  The gift card and info pertaining to the Kroger and Box Tops promotions was provided to me by General Mills, Kimberly Clark and Kroger.  I received a $25 Kroger gift card.  No other compensation was received.

Action Alert -- Comedy Central

Comedy Central is creating a new series for the 2010-2011 season entitled JC, (Jesus Christ).  The Christ character will be--let's just say--very worldly.

Here's the premise of the show (from the NYPost website):

The cable network has announced that it's developing a series called "JC" -- a half-hour animated show about a dude named Jesus "JC" Christ who wants to escape his dad's (aka God) considerable shadow to chill in New York as a regular guy.

Things have changed on earth over the last 2,000 years and JC quickly discovers that he's a fish (and possibly a few loaves of bread) out of water. He gets little sympathy from a "powerful but apathetic" God, who prefers playing video games to listening to junior blabbering about life in the city.

Read an article about the show/controversy here.

Concerned?  Consider filling out the message of protest to the CEO of Comedy Central. 

Coupon: BOGO Pepsi Max

Turn your printer on, then print this coupon for a BOGO free 20 oz Pepsi Max.  For some reason, my computer won't print any Smartsource coupons--arghh!

Thanks, Coupon Cravings

Yoplait Whips Coupon--Free Yogurt?

If you are a Pssst member, check your email--there is a link to a $.55 printable coupon for Yoplait Whips.  Not a Pssst member?  Print the coupon here (Firefox) or here (IE).  Use the back arrow on your browser to print a second copy.

Although the coupon does state "Do not double or triple", many stores WILL automatically double the coupon because the bar code begins with a 5 (if it begins with a 9, the coupon will not double).  If it is doubled, you might get 4 yogurts for free or almost free!

Yolait yogurts are on sale at Kroger (Ohio) for $.50 each this week. 

Giveaway--Penguins of Madagascar Prize Pack

Has summer boredom struck your house? The kids can find entertainment right in their cereal box!


Specially marked boxes of General Mills cereals contain a figure of one of the Penguins of Madagascar by Dreamworks and Nickelodeon (Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, Private or King Julien) and a launcher to help the penguin complete his mission, found on the cereal box.


My kids had a blast flipping their penguins, trying to do these box suggested activities:

• Dive In, Soldier – Set an empty plastic cereal bowl on the table and try to pop your launcher into it. Wear a helmet or you’ll be squid bait.

• Longest Propulsion Launcher – Challenge your troops to see who can launch their character the furthest. Go long or go back to the zoo.

• Target Practice – Create a landing zone with a spoon and try to strategically drop your character into the sweet spot. Hit the target or go back to the drawing board.

• Clear the Wall – Do you have enough projectile pop to push your launcher over the top of the box? Proceed launchin’ troops, earn those wings!

Keep an eye out for the specially marked packages to get your penguins, launchers and missions.

Nickelodeon and General Mills, through My Blog Spark, will give one reader a fun Penguins of Madagascar Prize Pack including a box of Trix cereal, a penguin and launcher, and the new movie The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier. That should help entertain the kids for awhile! :)

To enter to win,  just fill in the form below.  One winner will be randomly chosen on August 10.

Disclosure:  The prize pack, images and info was obtained from Nickelodeon and General Mills through My Blog Spark.  I received a prize pack like the one above.  No other compensation was received.

Action Alert--Sears

My husband received this action alert this morning about Sears selling pornographic posters on its website.  Disgusting!  Just think of all the college-bound kids and parents who may stumble upon these while shopping online.  You can send a letter of protest to Sears HERE, though you'll have to change the form letter a bit.  Here is the email we received:

You won't believe what Sears is selling!

Sears is content to sell pornography. And, if you are offended, they don't seem to care!

August 3, 2010

Dear Friend,

We tried. In fact, we tried more than a half-dozen times to reach out to Sears quietly and professionally. Sears' public relations department has refused to return our calls and emails.

Sears is currently offering giant posters of total nud**y on its website. Sears knows they are selling smut. Technology allows Sears to remove and stop selling these posters within minutes, so why won't they?

I hope you will take my word for it, but if you must see the proof, they can be found here. (I removed the link) Warning: the posters are extremely graphic and offensive, although they have been edited by us.

These aren't just posters of scantily-clad women. Some of them depict groups of people, lesbians and others engaged in ***ual activities. Very little is left to the imagination.

Take Action

Unless Sears hears from you, they will continue to sell offensive posters. Please take a moment to email Sears' public relations director Larry Costello. We have left voice mails on Mr. Costello's cell phone numerous times. He has refused to return them.

It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.

Sincerely, Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association P.S. For your information, AFA has to use asterisks for some words in our e-mails to you because otherwise the words would trigger blocks by many filters.

Target Weekly Deals 8/1 - 8/7

Bagel Bites - $2.69
Use the $1.00 Target coupon
Use the $1.00 printable coupon
TOTAL = $.69

Buy any 4 Kellogg's, Morningstar Farms, Keebler or Sunshine Items, Get 1 FREE
Use the $1.00 off 3 Kellogg's cereals coupon
Use the $1.00 off 2 Kellogg's cereal coupon
Use the $1.00 off 2 Kellogg's Fiber Plus Bars

Fiber One, Nature Valley Bars - $2.39
Use $.50 Fiber One coupon
Or Use $.50 Nature Valley coupon
TOTAL = $1.89 each

Stride Gum, 14 pk - BOGO FREE w/ Target coupon

Health/Beauty/Drug Items
Gillette Fusion Pro Glide - $8.99
Get a FREE $5.00 Target Gift Card

Lap Desk - $9

Room Essentials Laundry Basket  - $1.99

20 Gallon Room Essentials Storage Tote - $5.44

Hanes Kids Socks, 7 pk - $3.79
Use the $1.00 off Hanes Apparel Item Target Coupon
TOTAL = $2.79

Expo Washable Dry Erase Markers, 6 ct. 
Use the $1.00 Target coupon (click on "school supplies" to find it fast)
AND use the $1.00 printable manufacturer coupon

NOTE:  Target has toys on clearance right now--it's a great time to pick up a few gifts.  At my local Target, the toys were not in one clearance area, but were scattered throughout the toy aisles.  I picked up several items to stash away for Christmas and each was 75% off (most things were less than $5).

School Supply Deals

Tis the season for back-to-school shopping and all the great deals on school supplies.  By spending a couple of hours and going to a few stores, you can get most of the basic school supplies for super cheap!

Stock up!  Folders, paper, glue and crayons are only this cheap at this time of the year so buy double--it comes in handy for last minute school projects, crafts, homeschooling, playing school, and even stocking stuffers (new crayons are always a hit at my house!)

Know of any more deals besides the ones listed below?  Leave a comment and share the info.   :)  The prices below may vary by region.

Toys R Us
Crayola Crayons, 24 ct. (must buy 4) - 4/$1
Crayola Washable Markers, 8 ct. - $2.00
Crayola Crayons, 64 ct. - $2.00

Staples
Avery 1" binder (through Wednesday only) - $.59
Avery insertable 5 tab dividers (through Wednesday only) - $.59
Rose Art Washable Markers, 10 ct. - 3/$5

Office Max
12" Wood Ruler - $.05
12 pk Office Max Just Basics pencils - $.10
10 pk Paper Mate blue or black pens - $.10
100 ct. paper, college or wide ruled - $.20
1" or 1.5" Schoolio Poly Binders - $.30

Walmart
Crayola Crayons, 24 ct - $.25
Elmer's Glue Sticks, 2 pk - $.55
Elmer's School Glue - $.25

Target
Paper portfolios - $.10
Rose Art colored pencils, 12 ct. - $.50 (get free 24 pk Rose Art crayons w/ purchase)
Plastic Ruler - $.20
Pencil Sharpener - $.20
Pink Erasers, 2 pk - $.20
Rose Art School Glue - $.20
Mead 90 page notebook - $.50
Oxford 100 ct. 4x6" Index Cards - $.50
Paper Mate Eagle 10 ct.  pens - $.50