The Golden Tajine

Hi again! Well obviously I’ve got you hooked on the idea of cooking Moroccan, which is fabulous, and you’re back for more! The timing of this blog couldn’t be more appropriate considering I’m about to head to Europe in a just over a week, with a planned weekend trip to Marrakech. Nothing is set in stone, but I’ve had a hankering for some authentic Moroccan tajine for some time now. I’ve also been craving some fresh squeezed orange juice from the main square, and I could definitely use a fun little retail therapy in the souks. But while I was having cravings, I was remembering how much weight I packed on during my three weeks in Morocco. Moroccan food can be incredibly unhealthy, especially if you’re eating it in the kinds of quantities that I was! Perhaps this time around I should be running on a treadmill while I’m having a meal! But in all seriousness, Moroccan can be healthy, it just depends on what ingredients you’re incorporating into your dishes.

Chickpeas. Lucky for you, chick peas are not only a Moroccan staple, but incredibly healthy. They’re used in a multitude of Moroccan recipes and they’re an excellent source of protein. There is a bit of an art form to cooking chickpeas however. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be some fancy chef to get the method right, you just have to have a little patience. I always pre-soak the chickpeas before I use them, and when they get to be quite plump, I rinse them, and them bring them to a gentle boil. If I’m not using them right away, I’ll actually free them into different ziplock containers that way, when I’m cooking a Moroccan meal, I don’t have to worry about starting the lengthy process all over again. And if you don’t have copious amounts of time to be in the kitchen this is a great idea!

Cumin. I don’t just cumin in Moroccan cooking, it’s one of my favorite spices in the whole world. And if you’re not using cumin in your cooking, your going to now! Not only is cumin delicious, but it has a plethora of health options. In some of the outlying villages outside of places like Essouira, the locals told me that they often used cumin to help aid in digestion. And according to a few things that I read, it also acts as a powerful antiseptic. It’s also rich in iron and it’s a superb detoxifier. It’s almost like a super spice isn’t it! If you’re sitting down to dinner in a traditional Moroccan home, you’ll find cumin spice on the table at all times, and it’s used not only in the dishes that are prepared for you, but it’s also used as a seasoning. Delicious!

Cinnamon. You know how in North America when we think of cinnamon as being something found in baked sweets? Well, in places like Morocco, and among other Middle Eastern influenced cultures, cinnamon is used in savory dishes. Cinnamon actually has one of the highest antioxidant levels out of any other spic out there, did you know that? Bet you didn’t! Like cumin, it also aids in digestion and if you use it in one of your tajines, I guarantee you, your dinner guests are going to leave happy. You can also toss some cinnamon into a curry, yum! Or use it for a very simple, yet delicious Moroccan dessert, fresh sliced oranges with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a dash of homemade yogurt.

Alright, now that you’re a bit more familiar with some of the spices used in Moroccan cooking, and you see that they have healthy side effects, it’s time to get cooking!

If you have never had the pleasure of wandering through the souks of Marrakech, or traipsing across the desert on a camel with the Bedouins, or even wandering the empty Kasbahs of Ouarzazate (pronounced “Warzazat” if you’re trying to figure out how in the world to pronounce it!), you must add Morocco to your bucket list. It was a pit stop on a year long trip I took about two years ago, and it was a delightful highlight for me. Marrakech is a exotic blend of contemporary and ancient Arabic and French culture. Think Ali Baba & The Forty Thieves meets Paris cafe culture. It’s both dizzying and intoxicating and I am in love with everything Morocco, especially the food!

I think as North Americans we get stuck in our culinary ruts. We like our take-out Chinese, our Italian, and we looove our southern food, but Arabic and Middle Eastern food is always a cuisine that I have hard time finding when I travel throughout Canada and the United States. And having practically spent nearly every summer in Israel as a teenager, and developing a love affair with Middle Eastern and North African cuisine early on, I get  cravings on the regular, so I thought that starting up a blog dedicated to my favourite cuisine would be the perfect way to inspire my North American reader to not only get out there and try Moroccan, but to try cooking it!

When I’m learning about anything, especially cuisine, I like to start at the beginning and gain a little background. I can’t help it, I’m an anthropology student, and if you’ve ever wondered what can you do with an anthropology degree, studying the origins of food and how certain cuisines have evolved since ancient times is very sought area of my field. Moroccan food has a fascinating story and is heavily influenced by Arabic, Moorish and Berber traditions. Now, just to quick you a very brief history lesson because we couldn’t possible cover everything in one little blog post, let’s chat about what the these cultures were. The Moores were vaguely defined as people’s who were of Black African, Iberian and Arab descent. They weren’t actually one people, ‘Moors‘ were more of a general term used be western cultures to describe people of this region. The Berbers were an ethnic and indigenous group that were native to Northern Africa. They spoke Berber and had their own tribal dialects, but now, with heavy European influence, many of them speak French, Italian (in Libya), Spanish, and of course with Middle Eastern influence, Arabic. Today most Berbers who speak their native language live in Morocco and Algeria, and if you leave the big city and head towards the Atlas Mountains or into the desert, it is the Berbers who will take you on camel-back into the Sahara.

When it comes to the food, as I mentioned above, it is an exquisite blend of these unique cultures and I will be sharing with you different recipes and cooking techniques from the different regions. Unlike in North America, where dinner is the main meal of the day, in Morocco, it is actually the midday meal, or lunch as we call it, that is the most essential meal. The only exception to this is during the Islamic holy month, Ramadan. With some contemporary Moroccan families, they have chosen to follow European traditions and make the evening meal their most important meal. It really doesn’t matter whether lunch or dinner is your favourite meal of the day (personally I prefer lunch!), Moroccan is fantastic any time of day! After a few posts, I’ll have you serving up mint tea to your next house guests and chatting over a sumptuous chicken tajine! Mmmm!

So you’ve had a fun evening out. No, scratch that. You were completely beligerantly drunk. No, let’s make it more family friendly. You went to buy some coffee from your local Whole Foods, because two of your friends were moving, and they were at each others throats, and you figured they could use some cheering up. So you grab said coffee, but you’re on such a yoga high, that you either toss the card to the side when you get in your buddies filthy car, or you drop it when you get out of the car, or you lose it in all of their packing fervor. That’s totally a legit story. And I know exactly how legit it is, because I was the victim of this particular loss when I was trying to do a good deed for my grouchy moving friends.

I’ve been on the hunt to find it for a couple of days with no luck. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it probably wont be the last. But since I’ll be heading to my next travel destination in less than a week, I wont have time to get a new one shipped my way before I head out to further my yoga teaching career and learn how to farm organically. So I’m still holding out hope that it will be found. With that in mind, I’d have to issue a warning. This probably isn’t the best security advice, so don’t take it. I haven’t cancelled the card just yet. I just have a feeling that it’s going to turn up, because I only went to one place before I lost it. But if it’s gone for two more days, I’m going to report it.

My Lost Debit Card Plan

• I’m keeping a hawk eye on my bank account to see if anyone uses it, and so far that’s been free and clear.
• Keep looking… constantly.
• Have a buddy cash a check for the amount of cash I’ll need to tide me over until I can get a new debit card shipped from point A (my bank), to point B (my permanent address), to point C (the organic farm I’ll be living on for the summer). I’d try to go without cash, but mama needs her fancy organic vegan food and nutrient dense granola.
• Relax. Because it’s not the end of the world.

If you’re still unsure about what you’re going to do this summer, I’d like to suggest that you take a look at WWOOFing. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farming. WWOOFers are kind folks who travel from farm-to-farm, lending a hand and reaping in the benefits of free organic produce and housing for the summer.

If you choose to WWOOF, you can either pick a farm and stay put, or you can hop around, meeting farmers and other WWOOFers, while traveling the states, or the world at large. The benefits of WWOOFing are countless. You get to experience the new agricultural lifestyle, learn more about the way our food system works, and meet amazing human beings. Aside from that, WWOOFing can help you save money while traveling or floating this summer. Here are some of the financial benefits to WWOOFing:

Free Summer Lodging: Most farms provide their WWOOFers with free lodging. If you’re not expecting four star digs, you’ll be just fine. Most offer a room or a guest house if you’re lucky. But, you’re guaranteed a spot to camp at almost every farm that takes on WWOOFers. Even the cheapest camping will run you around $12/night. So at the very least, you’re saving $360/month.

Free Food: All farms (at least I haven’t come across one that doesn’t) provide their WWOOFers with free fresh organic food. Most offer their volunteers at least one home cooked meal a day.

Free Training: If you’re looking to grow your own organic garden or start your own organic farming, WWOOFing is the perfect way to gain experience for your future endeavor without having to shell out a dime.

Great For Your Resume: This is the kind of experience that colleges and future employers love to see on your resume. It shows them that you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty to help others. If it’s your summer before your senior year in high school, see if your parents will let you WWOOF for awhile. That way you can include the experience in your essay when applying for scholarships for high school seniors. Let them know how much you loved giving back. They don’t need to know that you were just in it for the free apples.

Do you WWOOF?

Diversification can be fun!

Oh man, the title to this post sounded so fiscal-y, it probably made you think that the writer of this blog had packed her bags, and finally moved to a commune, where she wouldn’t have to deal with financial obligations any longer. After looking at the post title, and considering my moderately long absence, you probably thought that I’d been replaced with someone who knows lots of things about finance, someone who might be able to turn you’re poor collegiate self into one rich biotch. You might have thought that you’d never have to read phrases like “rich biotch” again.

If you thought any of those things, then shame on you for jumping to conclusions. I’m back! I’m ready to get back to sharing tips about scrimping, saving and making more money! It’s time to get excited about being fiscally minded again! So let’s get right to it, shall we?

Financial Tip of the Day: Get some relevant training outside of your chosen field.

For the past month, I’ve been locked in a yoga studio for ten hours a day getting trained to become a Forrest Yoga instructor. As a writer,  savings enthusiast, and blogger, I could have gone to a writing workshop, surfed around to find an online accounting degree, or hit up a month long conference about search engine optimization to learn how to promote my fantastic vegan food blog. Instead, I decided to follow my heart and get trained in something that I love with all of my heart. Which, for me, happens to be yoga.

What I’ve found is that sometimes, following your heart pays. I found a roommate that will help share the bills when I move to Denver. I’ve uncovered a wealth of information that I can’t wait to share and write about. I’ve also tapped into something that has inspired me to become the type of writer I’ve always wanted to be. Not to mention that I spent a month learning how to focus on the task at hand (which is an invaluable and usually unatainable skill for writers).

I’m not implying that yoga training would be the perfect diversification training for everyone, but it certainly worked well to boost my writing skills. It would also benefit any college yogi who wanted to make some extra money, increase their study skills and diversify a resume.

But this concept can apply to anyone looking to become a “jack of all trades” or at least a “jack of a few trades”.

What kind of training would help you diversify your skill set?

Not About Her

Don’t let the title fool you, I am nowhere near qualified to give you advice on your stock portfolio or tell you what or how a Roth IRA is. I direct you to lady-loving financial guru Suze Orman if you want to know about all that shiz.

This is about you, and making the best investment you can; yourself. Even if you don’t have much money, you have time, and both are equally as valuable when you focus on things to improve your understanding of the world around you.

Vocational Training

This takes both time and money, but having an easy skill that you are qualified in can come in handy as you figure out exactly where you want to be.  Dental Assistant, Phlebotomist, Massage Therapist, these are all things you can fall back on while you achieve whatever your goals maybe, because everyone needs to eat and have a place to live.

Improve Your Balance and Coordination.

Learn to juggle or start playing catch with a friend, pratice balancing on one foot, take up pilates or yoga. There are so many ways to improve the way you carry yourself through the world.

Start Eating Better

This is probably the eaiset investment you can start making today. Being more conscious of what you put in your body and when can vastly improve your quality of life. There are so many resources on the internet to get you started. I suggest following an awesome food blog and finding your local co-op and becoming a member.

Remember To Put Yourself First

As I said before, the best way to future success is to focus as much time and energy you can on yourself. This way you can gain valuable experience and the necessary tools to have everything you want as you continue through your life.

If you’re tightening your belt, you’re probably beginning to realize that every single penny counts. That five dollar cab ride might be worth trading in for the fifteen minute walk. The extra avocado on your sandwich can probably take a hike. I mean, two dollars for a quarter of an avocado? That’s highway robbery. They’re making six bucks on every single avocado they buy. I totally understand profit margin and all of that, but that just seems greedy.
Even though it may seem like it, I’m not here to complain about the state of greed in the sandwich industry. I’m here to bring you another savings tip of the week. This week, let’s take a deeper look at our entertainment spending. Actually, let’s go even deeper than that, and take a look over your at-home entertainment spending. I’m talking cable, Hulu Plus, Netflix, sattelite, internet, etc. Whatever you have in your home that keeps you plugged in to the outside world.
Get Plugged In at The Library

As much as it may seem that these are necessary costs, most of them really aren’t. Even the internet, which is admittedly a necessity for students going to online schools, is usually a convenience in the home. Now, I’m not proposing that we should all unplug and go Amish for the rest of our lives, but I’m suggesting that we take a week to do a little experimenting.
Instead of going straight to Netflix to look for a movie or hopping on Amazon to buy something to read on the train, head to the public library to see what they have in store. Most libraries now have huge selections of films, TV shows, graphic novels and the ole at-home-entertainment standby… books. I’m not saying that you have go to it and cancel everything right away, but it might show you that the fifteen bucks a month you spend on Netflix, the eighty bucks you’re paying for satellite or cable, and the ten bucks a month you’re shelling out for Hulu Plus, could easily drop into your savings account. If you’re willing to make this simple lifestyle change, it could save you up to $1260 per year.
Tis The Season
Winter is an indoor entertainment season. You want everything to be convenient and accessible and you don’t want to leave your house. Since spring is coming up, make it a point to take your entertainment out of doors. Spend more time outside doing free stuff like walking, or playing a great spring sport like disc golf.
If You Don’t Pay For Cable
Now if you have free cable and Internet, see if you’re spending money on any other at home entertainment. Do you buy a crazy amount of board games? You might want to pare down that habit before you look at your bank account and have to holler Balderdash! Borrow games from friends, or meet up at a bar and be that group of cheap friends who drink water, and play risk for six hours.
What home entertainment are you cutting out this spring?

In lieu of last weeks post (the one where I alluded to spending my life savings), I’ll be making some huge changes in order to save as much money as possible. Hopefully I can quickly make up for said savings spending (alliterations make spending a ton of cash a little less painful and a little more playful). In an effort to do that, I’m spending a lot of time scouring the web for some radical money saving tips that will change the way I handle my money from here on out.

Today, I ran across this article about ten ways that turning off the TV saves you money. I’ll admit that some of them seem like a stretch (I’m not sure how a better sex life saves you money). But the list got me thinking.

I haven’t paid for cable or satellite in years, and I’ve been enjoying the use of free Netflix for the last few months. I figured I was saving as much money on TV as I possibly could. I mean, it’s not part of my budget, so it wasn’t costing me anything. Or was it?

Here are a few unexpected ways that TV might rob you of your hard earned cash:

• When you want to spend your evening relaxing, you don’t usually want to cook. TV and prepackaged/carry out meals seem to go hand and hand. Would you cook more if you didn’t watch TV?
• Do the images of people on TV make you want more? Does watching the Kardashians make you want to dress nicer? Does watching Modern Family make you crave a stocked kitchen? This might not be blatant, and you may not want to admit that TV changes your behavior. But really think about it. I was watching a show that starred a woman with beautiful hair. A few days later, I bought a box of hair dye. I’d like to think that it was a coincidence, but I can’t be sure.
• What else could you be doing with that time? You could be doing something relaxing, enjoyable and… profitable? You could be working at a hobby (like writing a recipe blog) that could eventually make some money. You could be out networking, otherwise known as meeting people. Meeting people often creates new financial opportunities. You could write a novel. Learn a new skill. You could apply for some easy scholarships. You could do a myriad of things that could eventually make you money. When was the last time watching TV opened up any opportunities for you?

I feel so empty...

The short answer to that question is… Nothing much. Your bank account doesn’t implode. Since it’s your savings, it’s not like you’re in any real trouble. There aren’t creditors knocking at your door and the grimm reaper isn’t looming over you. But if you’ve just spent your life savings on something, you know how terrifying and awful it feels.

Even if you were doing it for a good reason, spending your savings never feels good. So what if your college loans are paid off now? Who cares if you have a car to bring you back and forth to work? A down payment on a house can seem like a huge waste of mulah when you realize that you don’t have any cushion in your bank account anymore. It can be downright scary.

More than scary, it can seem extremely daunting. You know how long you’ve been saving for. If it’s your life savings, it’s your whole life’s worth of work, penny scrimping, budgeting, and going without. You might be thinking that it’s going to take you another lifetime worth of being a scrooge before you’ll ever make it back to where you were.

But once all of those crazy, irrational feelings pass, you have to realize that it’s time to start over again. No matter what you spent your life savings on, the money is gone. Why not use the opportunity to start off with a clean slate and tighten your belt a little more?

In order to allow your savings to grow quickly, reign in your spending as much as possible. If you have a schedule for saving, see if you can’t cut out cable, coffee and candy bars so you can double what you put in every few weeks.

After you have a little put away, you can invest. If you’re okay with some slow growth, you can put it in a CD or money market account and watch the interest slowly trickle in.

At any rate, don’t get out of the habit of saving.

Have you ever spent your life savings? What did you do to start over?

Bahama Mama

The Bahamas have become a popular spring break destination over the years because of their tropical local and low prices. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and sunny place to spend your spring break outside of the United States, Nassau is a spot worth checking out.

Easy on the Eyes, Easy on your Wallet

A flight to the Nassau in The Bahamas will only run you around $350 round trip. You can get a room at a hostel, like The Towne Hotel, for $28 bucks. The Towne Hotel is right on the famous Bay Street in Nassau. It’s just steps away from some of the best shopping, nightlife and historical sites in Nassau.

What Can You Do There?

Free Stuff: Obviously the beaches are the big free draw. You don’t have to spend a dime outside of food, lodging and your flight and you can still have a beautiful sun-and-fun-filled spring break. Here are five free things you can do during your spring break in Nassau:

1. Sunbathe on Paradise Beach
2. Visit the Gregory Arch
3. Tour the Versailles Gardens
4. Climb the Queen’s Staircase
5. Wander around Parliament Square

Splurge: Perhaps your dad just got promoted to senior software engineer and he’s feeling generous this spring. Say you have some spare change in your pocket, and a lot of love for pops. If you want to swim with the dolphins, you can check out Blue Lagoon Island for a dolphin encounter. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island. At Blue Lagoon, you can also encounter other sea creatures, like sea lions. It’s pretty spendy, but if it’s something you’ve always wanted to do, it’s worth it.

The Bottom Line

If you want a laid back, inexpensive travel getaway, Nassau could be the place for you.

A word of warning: keep in mind that even though you don’t need a passport to enter the Bahamas, you’ll need a passport to return to the United States. If you don’t have a passport, and aren’t looking to get one, this might not be the destination you’re looking for.

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about house sitting for spring break. I’d like to check back in on that topic and say that not only is it a great way to travel and stay somewhere for free, it’s probably the most amazing thing ever.

I’ve just started my first official house sit in Chicago and it’s amazing. Check this place out!

Booyah, right? It’s in a great neighborhood, and… Well, just look at it. If I were to stay at a hotel or hostel nearby, this would have run me almost one thousand dollars for the month. And that’s on the conservative side. For a place like with all of the perks to be free, well that’s just awesome. When I say perks, I mean perks. That means Netflix, internet, utilities, fresh organic produce delivered weekly, laundry, oh and did I mention that it’s in a great neighborhood. And have you seen it? Maybe you need another look. Check it out!

I hate to keep going because it’s starting to sound like bragging. But that fridge up there, well when I got here, it was filled with beer, all kinds of beer. That’s right. It was filled with all kinds of craft beer, local beer, tasty, awesome beer. It might be starting to dwindle a bit, but still, I’ll never forget opening that door to a plethora of free beer.

There’s a stand up desk, and huge windows, and I really could go on and on about this place.

In return for all of this awesomeness, I walk their awesome dog a few times a day.

Now this may be an extreme case in the amazingness of house sitting, but it’s definitely worth the fifty bucks I invested in that house sitting site.

Have you ever been an official house sitter before? How was your experience?

We’re going to put the spring break budget series on hold again this week to talk about something that’s a little more time sensitive. So hold on to your bikinis and Speedos boys and girls. We’ll get back to our discussion on planning your college-budget-friendly spring break next week.

Right now, we’re aware that many of you may be struggling after overspending this holiday season. And it’s hard to think about spring break when you’re thinking about how you’re going to make a loan or credit card payment this month. Don’t start kicking yourself for turning down that part time administrative assistant gig last month. There might be something you can do to buy yourself some time this month. We ran across a great article on bill forgiveness on an equally great college budget blog called Broke Buying.

Bill forgiveness can be a good option for you this month if you’re strapped for cash and you haven’t been able to recover from your holiday buying spree. Many companies offer bill forgiveness this time of year, and if you can’t come up with a payment this month, it may be a good idea to check with your lender to see if they offer bill forgiveness and if you qualify for the program.

Keep in mind that bill forgiveness will only delay your payment. You’re not getting a free ride, you’re just getting a free pass. Using the bill forgiveness option will increase the amount you eventually have to pay in interest down the road. It’s a good idea to quantify how it will weigh out. If the penalties you’d have to pay in being late this month outweigh what you’ll be paying in the long run, it may be a good option for you. If you won’t be able to get back on track to make your late payment for this month, any penalties, and your on time payment for next month, it may be one of your best options.

Check out the article from Broke Buying for more information.

Have you ever taken advantage of bill forgiveness? Did it help you or hurt you in the long run?

House sitting can be a great option for those of you looking for a budget spring break vacation. Getting involved in house sitting can be a good way for you to find free lodging for your trip, but there are a few things to ask yourself before deciding on the house sitting route.

1. Are you set on a destination? If you decide to house sit, you’ll have to be flexible on your destination. Even if you find a house sit in the city you’re looking to visit, it might be a few miles from the beach or far away from nightlife. If you’re looking to spend time in tourist areas, house sitting might not be for you.
2. Are your dates flexible? It can be difficult to find a house sit that jives completely with your schedule. Are you willing to take a shorter vacay or return to school a few days late?
3. Are you willing to put time and effort into finding a house sit? Searching for the right house sit can be time consuming, especially if you’re looking in a certain area for a certain date.

You don't have to spend a fortune to spend your spring break days at one of these...

Maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves on that last post. We’re talking about food before we talk about where you’ll be eating your affordable meals. Let’s start at the beginning, since it’s a very good place to start.

There are tons of places you can go for spring break. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s a mighty big world out there. So how do the folks here at FiscalU choose their spring break travel destinations?

That’s easy! If money talks, then it screams when it comes to picking a vacation spot. Some places in this world shout, “Who the eff do you think you are?! Jay Z?” Some places scream, “This trip won’t cost you anything, but you won’t be able to find drinking water in the entire country!” And then some places holler, “Dude! I’m a bargain! I’m paradise! I’m hella cheap because I’m in a developing nation!” Listen for the call.

This year, we’re suggesting central and south America for your spring break destinations. The flights are relatively inexpensive and the cost of lodging, food and entertainment are super low. If you’re thinking Cancun, think a little further south and you’ll get the same benefits at half the cost. Costa Rica, Belize, Guatamala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama are all culturally rich nations with a great spring break party scene and cheap hostels in tropical environments.

If you’re not a fan of Central America, we’ve heard endless praise for Columbia. We know what you’re thinking, “It’s so dangerous there!” Not so, fearful American. Sure there are places that you don’t want to go (Bogota) but there are places in the U.S. that you don’t want to go (Detroit). Check the FBI statistics for crime. It’s pretty comparable.

Shake your notion that central and south America are dangerous and it will save you a ton of money and open your eyes to a culturally rich part of the world.

Where do you want to go for spring break?