Staying in for Brunch

The Topic: Sunday brunch, by guest blogger Brooke Still

The Dish: I hate to say it, but I am without a doubt someone who lives for the weekends. And one of my absolute favorite things to do on my favorite days of the week is go out for brunch. There's nothing quite like sitting at a table, whether it be at a crowded diner or at a sidewalk café, and feasting on delicious tofu scrambles or amazing French toast as a server endlessly fills my coffee cup. Heaven. But, living in the city, what once was a simple Sunday morning treat can easily become an entire weekend's budget. And so when my boyfriend visited this past week, it seemed like the responsible thing to do was to eat brunch at home.

At first, eating brunch at home broke my heart just a little bit. Some of our best memories take place in our college town at a little hole-in-the-wall diner, nursing our headaches from too much, um, studying the night before. But with Savvy Abby's biscuit recipe and Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Brunch as my ammunition, I was determined to make our stay-in breakfasts just as amazing. Spoiler alert: They were. I won't give you a run-down of every single meal I prepared during my bf's stay, just the highlights. Of course, Savvy Abby's biscuits were amazing, especially mixed with chopped parsley and eaten with hot coffee right before we headed out to a San Francisco 49ers game. I also made some pumpkin mini-muffins from VegWeb that took about 30 seconds, and were absolutely delicious. But what rose to the top above any other brunch dish was Isa Chandra Moskowitz's A-MAZING East Coast Coffee Cake. This stuff literally melts in your mouth and I could not get enough. It really doesn't get any better than the buttery, crumbly, sweet coffee cake. We made ours with organic blueberries, though Isa has about 80 variations of the recipe. Isa was kind enough to share the East Coast Coffee Cake with us. Make it and you will not be sorry!

What You Need:

For the topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup canola oil, plus up to 2 tablespoons more if needed

For the cake:

3/4 cup nondairy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease an 8-inch round springform pan or 8-inch square pan (I used the square). In a small bowl, add milk for the cake and vinegar; set aside to curdle.

2. Make the topping: In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Drizzle in canola oil by the tablespoonful. Use your fingers to swish around the mixture until crumbs form. Alternate swishing and adding canola oil until all the oil is used and large crumbs have formed.

3. To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk mixture, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until smooth.

4. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle on the topping and pat it down just a bit. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted through the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving.

The Final Word: I can't tell you the exact amount of money we saved not eating brunch at restaurants all week, but at meals between $20 and $25 for the two of us, it was easily more than $100. Plus, because I love to bake, I already had most of the ingredients on hand! But the best part of it all was the quality time we spent every morning, slowly sipping coffee and eating delicious, homemade vegan treats. It really doesn't get better than that!

Free Friday

The Topic: Fancy Free

The Dish: After managing a Saturday in the Mission District for less than $25, I felt pretty good about my budgeting skills—if I could remember to actually budget once I was out. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away, and before I know it $25 looks more like $50, and the instant gratification of spending is replaced with regret. This past Friday, I decided to see if I could go the entire day on an even stricter budget: $0 from my pocket. Not to spoil the ending, but it was completely possible. Sure, I had a few lucky breaks, but those might not be luck as much as seeing new opportunities. I fall victim to a few money sucks, including vanity, food, and caffeine—here's how I satisfied all my needs for nothing.

Forget the Gym.

I'm constantly tempted to join a gym in the city. There's a huge range to choose from, price- and ammenities-wise, but when it comes down to it, they all cost money. Well, after I've checked them out with a free trial, that is. If a gym membership is at the top of your list of must-haves, then by all means, enjoy! For this girl, I have other uses for that $40 per month. Instead, I take the old-fashioned route of hitting the streets for a run. If you already have a pair of running shoes (and I do), then it costs nothing to just get moving. I don't need to pay someone to let me sweat.

In addition to getting a run in, there are all of the free yoga opportunities I've mentioned in the past. Since then, I've discovered two more free weekly community classes, meaning I could practice alongside fellow San Franciscans four days a week if I wanted.

On the House.

When you don't have cash to spend, barter is the next best (or even better) thing. A few exchanges on Twitter with my neighborhood deli, Morty's, lead to a promise of a free sandwich in return for a song on the ukulele (one of my hobbies). I popped in Friday to introduce myself, and was given an advance on my payment in the form of some seriously delicious farmers' market-fresh vegan gumbo. While the deli isn't entirely vegan, they're big on vegan options and are always open to requests. And they gave me free gumbo! Consider me in the songwriting process, as well as a loyal customer.

Caffeinate!

Another money suck for me is caffeine. After realizing I was completely out of coffee at home, I thought I'd settle for some Earl Grey tea and tough it out. Post-lunch gumbo, I was hit with a serious case of the naps and had to retaliate. My beacon of hope? The mail. Sure, it's a lucky break, but my amazing Nona sends me a letter every week, and sometimes there's a $5 bill tucked inside. Friday was letter day! Do you know how many awesome things you can buy for $5, including an incredibly strong espresso drink?

Stay In.

Okay so maybe nightlife doesn't fall into the "food" category, but it might be the worst of making my money disappear like magic. This Friday, I decided to take it easy with—you guessed it—Netflix and my dog Boo. I only spend $10 a month on Netflix, so I'm counting it as free for this night. For a break, I called and caught up with friends and family, who often get pushed to the back burner on busy days. Hey, everyone—call your family!

The Final Word: It takes a little maneuvering, but if you really need to tighten the pursestrings, you can do it. Steer clear of places too tempting to resist. For me, that includes bookstores and anything involving food. Find more creative ways to satisfy your needs, and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Now, I have a song to write and a free sandwich to collect!

Mint & Money Management

The Topic: Spending and Saving

The Dish: I like to think that all of the little things I do, whether it's making coffee at home, thrifting, or dining out less, have a positive impact on my bank account. A lot of my daily choices are more affordable than they could be, but is it really helping me save? Or am I just spending the extra dollars on frivolous purchases? A few weeks ago, I couldn't tell you for sure (although I have a sneaking suspicion that I was). Now, I'm singing the praises of Mint and changing my ways.

To prevent myself from overindulging, I signed up for the free, web-based, money-management software Mint. It's been all over my radar lately, from friends becoming dedicated users to blogs and newsletters featuring rave reviews. "Why not?" I thought. Once I felt comfortable with its security precautions (I mean, entering all of my bank information did feel a little risky), I gave it a try. First revelation: Over the course of eight months, taking out money for San Francisco's notorious cash-only restaurants and bars has cost me $50 in fees. FIFTY DOLLARS? Just because I'm too lazy to plan a trip to my bank ATM ahead of time? Ouch. I mean, vegan Thai fried rice is good, but not that good.

In addition to pointing out nasty hidden fees and late charges, Mint provides a helpful breakdown of my spending, tracking transactions into categories. I can also set goals—pay off that debt, take a veg vacation—and come up with a real strategy for reaching them. Mint also sends weekly email updates to warn me of upcoming bills, low account balances, and all sorts of other sobering grown-up information that I may not want, but certainly need to know.

The Final Word: There are tons of features to help control spending, build up savings, and stay financially afloat. It may not be for everyone, but when it comes to balancing my penchant for on-the-fly spending and weak justifications ("Well, I didn't buy Starbucks this morning so I'll get a happy-hour special"), it's just what I need.

Cheap Drinks: Iced Coffee

The Topic: Cheap Caffeine

The Dish: Coffee beans have always been a food group in my family, which has certainly carried over into my adult life. While I love going out and ordering an Americano or perhaps a fancy latte, nothing depletes my bank account in such a sneaky way as coffee houses. And while I have some friends who see no problem dropping $4 on foam-topped espresso twice a day—you know who you are—I can't swing that. Obviously the solution lies at home, but what's the best way to get great coffee without wasting your money?

I have a small, inexpensive coffee maker that generally does its job well, and with San Francisco's cold summers, it's been nice to have a hot cup of coffee in the AM. But for some reason (my constant tardiness, perhaps) I never have time to finish it before I'm out the door, and then down the drain it goes. I tried to save and reheat it, but couldn't stomach it. I hated pouring money down the drain, and wanted something delicious that wouldn't cost me as much as three batches of biscuits.

Yesterday I ventured outside without a heavy coat for the first time in weeks. Added to my boredom with black coffee, the sunshine reminded me of a forgotten but much-loved alternative: Toddy. Toddy, also known as cold-brew coffee, is a delicious, liquid-gold coffee concentrate you can brew at home (with just a little time commitment). It also lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator, eliminating the waste factor. Cold-brewing lowers the acidity of the coffee, too, making for a really freaking delicious iced coffee. In a tall glass with ice, add 1 part toddy, 3 parts cold water, and a splash of nondairy milk if you like. Mix well, sip it, and enjoy the best drink ever.

Making toddy at home is easy, and doesn't require the special Toddy machine, taking up counter space and stealing your dollars. If you already have a coffee maker, then you're all set. Here's how I do it.

True-Love Toddy

What You Need:

Coffee carafe
1 cup ground coffee

2 cups cold water

Filter basket
Filter

Tall glass or jar

What You Do:

1. In the carafe, add coffee, then slowly pour in water and stir thoroughly. Now the hard part: Let the mixture set for 12–24 hours.
2. Place filter basket with filter over a glass or jar it can sit on comfortably, and slowly pour mixture into it. The liquid will drain through into the jar, leaving just the grounds behind. Let it take its time, and add a little pressure with another filter on top if needed. Store Toddy covered in the refrigerator, and enjoy anytime!

The Final Word: A French press will also work for separating the grounds and concentrate, if that gadget is already in your kitchen. And of course, if your coffee maker has a reusable filter, then you get eco-friendly bonus points. Still craving something fancier? Invest in your favorite flavored syrup and go crazy. I'll take a shot of hazelnut in my cup, thanks.