Life has been hectic to say the least. The divorce, and Thing1 and Thing2's reaction to it, derailed us as a whole. To balance this, I took a step back and dis-engaged from all non-essential activity; so I could focus my attention on listening to, and engaging with, my kids. Life is more even and calm now, with the occasional down moment. I thought I would take one of them, and share this with you...
I saw this recipe while looking for paleo friendly freezer meals, and this is definitely Paleo adaptable! I used sweet potatoes, but Yukon Gold also work, and are Paleo too. I have used ghee, and coconut oil. Ghee works best. If you do not want to use the Italian Dressing packet, an Italian blend spice mix works too. It is not as flavorful, but it does give the same taste profile...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x61TTKiCLJw
Chicken thighs are on sale at Aldi for 89 cents per lb
Chicken thighs 3 lbs at .89 per lb $ 2.67
4 Sweet Potatoes $ 1.00
Frozen Broccoli $ 1.00
Frozen Green Beans $ .85
Butter $ .50
Italian Dressing Packet $ .47
TOTAL $ 6.49
This makes a full dinner, and 2 servings for lunches for me to take to work, so 6 servings for $6.49, or $1.08 per serving, and it is a pretty well balanced meal. So, roughly $1.00, and it is better than anything on any dollar menu out there! :-)
I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!
t
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Re-calculations and organizing...
This summer was a crazy one. Dealing with Husband leaving in order to set up housekeeping with his girlfriend was a weird experience to be sure. A saving grace was the outpouring of love and support from my family. My Mom called to check in on me often, and she took my kids one at a time for a week. It was nice, and it helped me to cope with the new situation.
Of the 11 weeks of summer, I think we were home for 4 of them, all 3 of us. I had booked a cruise some time ago, and the girls and I went with my aunt on a 5 day cruise to Mexico (YAY Carnival Cruise Lines!!!) and we went to Branson 3 times, and to Dallas 2 times. In between visits, I was submitting my resume and filling out applications like crazy. The Monday and Tuesday before we left for the cruise, I had 5 interviews. There was a week when it was just Thing1 and me, and then we switched with Mom so that it was Thing2 and me. The lovely thing about this is that, while I was staying with family, everybody knew of my new circumstances, and nobody let me pay for my food. I would guess that I may have spent $600.00 for food over the course of the entire summer. Much of that food is still in my deep freezer, to be used in the near future. :-)
Still looking for a job. I am just grateful that my hobby has been saving money and tightening my belt for the last few years, because now that Husband is Ex-Husband, I am living on child support and alimony, along with a small retirement account that I cashed in at the beginning of the divorce proceedings. Luckily, I can pinch a penny until it screams.
I did not keep up with my receipts, because I knew I was not going to post for some time. When I sat at the computer, I could not justify taking an hour or two in order to create a post when that time could be spent searching for the job that I desperately need. Today, I plan to inventory my freezer, so I guess I am in "Paleo On The Cheap" mode already, so it made sense to go ahead and pound out my ideas and get them in a post.
So, the new grocery budget numbers... I used the handy dandy chart from the USDA http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/usda_food_plans_cost_of_food/CostofFoodJun2014.pdf to figure out how much the girls and I would get if we were on SNAP.
Thing1 $169.10
Me $166.60
Thing2 $157.00
TOTAL $492.70
I am supremely confident that I can stay within those limitations, and still feed myself and the girls healthfully. In reality, my personal goal is to stay under that number, and try to consistently stay under the USDA recommended amount for a family of 2 - $389.10. I do not think I will have a problem hanging around the $389.10 number, and will often be under it, I am sure.
I need to do an inventory of my freezers. Out of habit, I have been tracking sales on the weeks that I have been home, and I have loads of chicken thighs because my local HARP'S store had bone in leg quarters for $ .79 per lb. I have 30 lbs of those in the deep freezer. I also have frozen Swai fillets (I think 3 bags) that I bought at $3.99 (regular price is $4.99, I think) and several other items in my freezers and pantry that can be combined for at least a few weeks worth of meals. I will have to do some augmentation with trips to the grocers, but not too much.
Long story short, (too late?) I will be shopping the main components of my meals from my own freezers. I will be creating some freezer meals after church today from this video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XucK6aE5UYM ) I will be making the Honey Sesame Chicken with coconut aminos, so that it really is Paleo. Also, I will be making "The World's Best Chicken". I am debating on whether or not to make the Cafe Rio Crockpot Chicken, because I have all of the ingredients, but I am not sold on how it will taste. We shall see. :-)
In addition to the shopping from my own pantry, I will be doing a 21 day spending fast ( http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/01/31/312044/try-a-21-day-spending-fast.html ) in order to reign in some of the "convenience" spending that I have been doing. I am out of the habit of tracking my spending, and I know that I have indulged a little bit, when I really should not be doing that. Not huge indulgences, but I really cannot afford even little indulgences.
t
Of the 11 weeks of summer, I think we were home for 4 of them, all 3 of us. I had booked a cruise some time ago, and the girls and I went with my aunt on a 5 day cruise to Mexico (YAY Carnival Cruise Lines!!!) and we went to Branson 3 times, and to Dallas 2 times. In between visits, I was submitting my resume and filling out applications like crazy. The Monday and Tuesday before we left for the cruise, I had 5 interviews. There was a week when it was just Thing1 and me, and then we switched with Mom so that it was Thing2 and me. The lovely thing about this is that, while I was staying with family, everybody knew of my new circumstances, and nobody let me pay for my food. I would guess that I may have spent $600.00 for food over the course of the entire summer. Much of that food is still in my deep freezer, to be used in the near future. :-)
Still looking for a job. I am just grateful that my hobby has been saving money and tightening my belt for the last few years, because now that Husband is Ex-Husband, I am living on child support and alimony, along with a small retirement account that I cashed in at the beginning of the divorce proceedings. Luckily, I can pinch a penny until it screams.
I did not keep up with my receipts, because I knew I was not going to post for some time. When I sat at the computer, I could not justify taking an hour or two in order to create a post when that time could be spent searching for the job that I desperately need. Today, I plan to inventory my freezer, so I guess I am in "Paleo On The Cheap" mode already, so it made sense to go ahead and pound out my ideas and get them in a post.
So, the new grocery budget numbers... I used the handy dandy chart from the USDA http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/usda_food_plans_cost_of_food/CostofFoodJun2014.pdf to figure out how much the girls and I would get if we were on SNAP.
Thing1 $169.10
Me $166.60
Thing2 $157.00
TOTAL $492.70
I am supremely confident that I can stay within those limitations, and still feed myself and the girls healthfully. In reality, my personal goal is to stay under that number, and try to consistently stay under the USDA recommended amount for a family of 2 - $389.10. I do not think I will have a problem hanging around the $389.10 number, and will often be under it, I am sure.
I need to do an inventory of my freezers. Out of habit, I have been tracking sales on the weeks that I have been home, and I have loads of chicken thighs because my local HARP'S store had bone in leg quarters for $ .79 per lb. I have 30 lbs of those in the deep freezer. I also have frozen Swai fillets (I think 3 bags) that I bought at $3.99 (regular price is $4.99, I think) and several other items in my freezers and pantry that can be combined for at least a few weeks worth of meals. I will have to do some augmentation with trips to the grocers, but not too much.
Long story short, (too late?) I will be shopping the main components of my meals from my own freezers. I will be creating some freezer meals after church today from this video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XucK6aE5UYM ) I will be making the Honey Sesame Chicken with coconut aminos, so that it really is Paleo. Also, I will be making "The World's Best Chicken". I am debating on whether or not to make the Cafe Rio Crockpot Chicken, because I have all of the ingredients, but I am not sold on how it will taste. We shall see. :-)
In addition to the shopping from my own pantry, I will be doing a 21 day spending fast ( http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/01/31/312044/try-a-21-day-spending-fast.html ) in order to reign in some of the "convenience" spending that I have been doing. I am out of the habit of tracking my spending, and I know that I have indulged a little bit, when I really should not be doing that. Not huge indulgences, but I really cannot afford even little indulgences.
t
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
A long lag....
It has been some months since I posted. I am getting a divorce. It takes a lot of energy to live with someone that you know does not love you, that you know has chosen your replacement and is planning his life with her via phone calls, e-mails and text. Husband and I chose to wait until school was out before telling Thing1 and Thing2, so it is a stress that I chose to take upon myself. It was not easy, but I believe it was the best choice for us. The downside is that it apparently takes a lot of energy to be in proximity to someone that you love that does not love you back.
I have been eating crappy foods. I wonder why we call them "comfort foods" when the reality is that they make us feel worse physically. Sometimes, it really felt like I was punishing myself in some way for some reason by eating food that I knew would make me feel sluggish and bloated.
I am on day #3 of adding smoothies to my daily regimen in order to get my body back to some semblance of healthy. I feel crappy, and I brought it on myself. So, I will be working to fix everything physically with me so that I may better support my children emotionally.
So.... sorry for the lag, life has been shifting, and I had to reserve my energies. I will shortly be shopping, cooking, and posting. :-)
t
I have been eating crappy foods. I wonder why we call them "comfort foods" when the reality is that they make us feel worse physically. Sometimes, it really felt like I was punishing myself in some way for some reason by eating food that I knew would make me feel sluggish and bloated.
I am on day #3 of adding smoothies to my daily regimen in order to get my body back to some semblance of healthy. I feel crappy, and I brought it on myself. So, I will be working to fix everything physically with me so that I may better support my children emotionally.
So.... sorry for the lag, life has been shifting, and I had to reserve my energies. I will shortly be shopping, cooking, and posting. :-)
t
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Green Smoothie experiment - Days 7-10
I woke up each day and made my smoothies with bananas, strawberries, kale, blueberries, and cucumbers.
My daily average was $6.80 per day. Sorry for not doing a breakdown of each day, but I have been taking care of a sick child, and a brief blurb while she naps is about what I have time for today.
Through the 10 day Green Smoothie Experiment, I noticed an increase in energy, and an almost total lack of bloating. It has been lovely. So, it begs the question as to why I ate a piece of pizza the other day. It was nice to have the pizza, do not get me wrong. It was not even paleo pizza, so I do nt know what I was thinking at all. I was laid low for 2 days with tummy upset and bathroom habits that I will not bore/gross you out with. It goes without saying that it was a stupid move, and I regret having done it. Kind of. What I do not regret is find out out what would happen if I ate a slice of Little Caesars pizza. Now I know, and the mystery of "what if" is gone forever.
The other benefit of green smoothing for me has been losing 6 pounds in 10 days. I had been reading of the benefits to be had in juicing versus the benefits to be had in smoothing, and was prepared for a lesser weight loss than if I had been straight juicing. I was a little surprised to have had the results that I did have. A little over half a pound a day is none too shabby!!
All in all, it went well, I decided to do another 10 days. :-)
t
My daily average was $6.80 per day. Sorry for not doing a breakdown of each day, but I have been taking care of a sick child, and a brief blurb while she naps is about what I have time for today.
Through the 10 day Green Smoothie Experiment, I noticed an increase in energy, and an almost total lack of bloating. It has been lovely. So, it begs the question as to why I ate a piece of pizza the other day. It was nice to have the pizza, do not get me wrong. It was not even paleo pizza, so I do nt know what I was thinking at all. I was laid low for 2 days with tummy upset and bathroom habits that I will not bore/gross you out with. It goes without saying that it was a stupid move, and I regret having done it. Kind of. What I do not regret is find out out what would happen if I ate a slice of Little Caesars pizza. Now I know, and the mystery of "what if" is gone forever.
The other benefit of green smoothing for me has been losing 6 pounds in 10 days. I had been reading of the benefits to be had in juicing versus the benefits to be had in smoothing, and was prepared for a lesser weight loss than if I had been straight juicing. I was a little surprised to have had the results that I did have. A little over half a pound a day is none too shabby!!
All in all, it went well, I decided to do another 10 days. :-)
t
Monday, February 24, 2014
So, I have been hitting Youtube a little bit...
I have been perusing Youtube for paleo-friendly ideas for freezer meals. I have been been impressed by "debtisdum"'s videos, because so many of their ideas can be transitioned to paleo so easily, plus I just love how adorable they are. This is one of my favorites of theirs, and it goes through a brief explanation of how they eat all of their dinners for $22.00 per week. Please excuse the kiddo-s in the background. I like them, because I totally know how kids can act up when the video cameras come out; but when I sent it to a friend, she said that she could not watch it all the way through because the kids were so distracting. Oh well, I like it, so I am sharing it. :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdL6cYpBw1k I made the recipe featured in this video lat night, and it turned out great! I used Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin as my thickening agent. ( http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Unflavored-Gelatin-16-Ounce/dp/B0008D6WBA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393260139&sr=8-2&keywords=great+lakes+gelatin )
One of the side links on that page was to the "Thrifty Farmer"'s youtube page, and I clicked on it. A man and his wife made the decision to see if they could live off the amounts offered by the USDA's "Thrifty Plan". I had never heard of such. In all of my looking up for the SNAP challenge, I somehow did not find this helpful chart that lays out the four levels of plan set out by the USDA. I have to say that I was kind of pleasantly surprised to find that I have never gone over the "Liberal Plan" that the USDA sets forth for our family of 4.
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/usda_food_plans_cost_of_food/CostofFoodJun2014.pdf
If you want to look at other months, here is a grid that covers the 4 levels from 1994 to 2013: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodCost-Home.htm As always, I found it interesting to click on different months to see how the prices have changed over time.
The Thrifty Farmer's video for Day #7 included an overview of how their week on the Thrifty Plan as set forth by the USDA (which, but the way, happens to be the same amount of the SNAF benefit - so no difference at all to what I have already been doing) and he had a couple of reflections that folks (read:lawmakers) seem to be missing.
He said that his goal was not to prove that you can eat healthfully on the SNAP budget (although all of their meals did look to be healthy - Weston A Price approved, actually - if I am understanding him correctly) but to see if he and his family could just do it, and they did. He did bring up the fact that they are lucky in the fact that they can get to a fully stocked store. By "fully stocked" I am talking about his point of seeing if there are vegetables that you can buy, not even thinking about organic - can you buy produce? Some people live in food deserts, and do not have the most basic of produce available to them.
Oh, and he and his wife work on Polyface Farms! The Paleo Parents first introduced me to the fact that Polyface Farms was an entity out there, and then I started seeing Joel Salatin on documentaries that I was watching, so it was kind of cool to see that random tie in. :-) Well, here is the Day #7 video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8F31MhOdCg&feature=c4-overview&list=UUQGYBeA2CMgzxK7XHPl3knA I hope you enjoyed it like I did.
I read the blogs associated with the one week experiment, and was surprised to find out that seeds are included on SNAP, as well as the ingredients for canning. Sadly, mason jars, lids, and such are not included, but hopefully people can eek out enough money in their budget for the things they need if they do want to start canning or gardening - even if it is container gardening by the window in their home. Check out the FB page for The Container Gardening Alliance if you are interested in getting some containers going for yourself... https://www.facebook.com/willemvancotthem
This year, as I buy produce, I am keeping some of the seeds. I already have a plethora of green pepper seeds, and I have the seeds from a single butternut squash. As I process my produce, I plan on keeping the seeds to see if I can grow my own without having to buy seeds at the store, thereby making my produce this summer "free". I will let you know how it goes. :-)
t
One of the side links on that page was to the "Thrifty Farmer"'s youtube page, and I clicked on it. A man and his wife made the decision to see if they could live off the amounts offered by the USDA's "Thrifty Plan". I had never heard of such. In all of my looking up for the SNAP challenge, I somehow did not find this helpful chart that lays out the four levels of plan set out by the USDA. I have to say that I was kind of pleasantly surprised to find that I have never gone over the "Liberal Plan" that the USDA sets forth for our family of 4.
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/usda_food_plans_cost_of_food/CostofFoodJun2014.pdf
If you want to look at other months, here is a grid that covers the 4 levels from 1994 to 2013: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodCost-Home.htm As always, I found it interesting to click on different months to see how the prices have changed over time.
The Thrifty Farmer's video for Day #7 included an overview of how their week on the Thrifty Plan as set forth by the USDA (which, but the way, happens to be the same amount of the SNAF benefit - so no difference at all to what I have already been doing) and he had a couple of reflections that folks (read:lawmakers) seem to be missing.
He said that his goal was not to prove that you can eat healthfully on the SNAP budget (although all of their meals did look to be healthy - Weston A Price approved, actually - if I am understanding him correctly) but to see if he and his family could just do it, and they did. He did bring up the fact that they are lucky in the fact that they can get to a fully stocked store. By "fully stocked" I am talking about his point of seeing if there are vegetables that you can buy, not even thinking about organic - can you buy produce? Some people live in food deserts, and do not have the most basic of produce available to them.
Oh, and he and his wife work on Polyface Farms! The Paleo Parents first introduced me to the fact that Polyface Farms was an entity out there, and then I started seeing Joel Salatin on documentaries that I was watching, so it was kind of cool to see that random tie in. :-) Well, here is the Day #7 video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8F31MhOdCg&feature=c4-overview&list=UUQGYBeA2CMgzxK7XHPl3knA I hope you enjoyed it like I did.
I read the blogs associated with the one week experiment, and was surprised to find out that seeds are included on SNAP, as well as the ingredients for canning. Sadly, mason jars, lids, and such are not included, but hopefully people can eek out enough money in their budget for the things they need if they do want to start canning or gardening - even if it is container gardening by the window in their home. Check out the FB page for The Container Gardening Alliance if you are interested in getting some containers going for yourself... https://www.facebook.com/willemvancotthem
This year, as I buy produce, I am keeping some of the seeds. I already have a plethora of green pepper seeds, and I have the seeds from a single butternut squash. As I process my produce, I plan on keeping the seeds to see if I can grow my own without having to buy seeds at the store, thereby making my produce this summer "free". I will let you know how it goes. :-)
t
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
A life of attrition right now.
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of Attrition is:
n] Show IPA
Right now, I am living a life of deliberate attrition. I am not looking for grand gains (or losses) in the immediate. I hope that my body is changing incrementally with the small things that I am doing. I am giving my body the kinds of fuel that I have been starving it of for years, and my issues will not change overnight, so I am looking at taking on the long game - attrition. I am wearing away at my ill health, and most notably the physical manifestation of that ill health - my weight - every day. Today, I am giving my body vitamins and minerals in amounts that it has not see in years, and I think my cells are starting to wake up.
I feel sharper. It might be totally psychosomatic, a placebo effect, but even if it is just that, I will take it!
t
at·tri·tion
[uh-trish-uhn] Show IPA
noun
1.
a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength: Our club has had a high rate of attrition because somany members have moved away.
2.
a wearing down or weakening of resistance, especially as a result of continuous pressure orharassment: The enemy surrounded the town and conducted a war of attrition.
3.
a gradual reduction in work force without firing of personnel, as when workers resign or retire and arenot replaced.
4.
the act of rubbing against something; friction.
5.
a wearing down or away by friction; abrasion.
Right now, I am living a life of deliberate attrition. I am not looking for grand gains (or losses) in the immediate. I hope that my body is changing incrementally with the small things that I am doing. I am giving my body the kinds of fuel that I have been starving it of for years, and my issues will not change overnight, so I am looking at taking on the long game - attrition. I am wearing away at my ill health, and most notably the physical manifestation of that ill health - my weight - every day. Today, I am giving my body vitamins and minerals in amounts that it has not see in years, and I think my cells are starting to wake up.
I feel sharper. It might be totally psychosomatic, a placebo effect, but even if it is just that, I will take it!
t
Green Smoothie Experiment Day #6
I made some Pork / Kale / Butternut Squash soup for dinner, and I did not use the entire butternut squash. I probably had about half a pound of butternut squash left that I did not put into the soup. So, at $1.18 per lb, I had 59 cents worth of butternut squash to toss into my smoothies for today.
4 bananas $ .80
1/2 lb butternut squash $ .59
1 cup blueberries $ 2.00
12 asparagus $ .65
12 strawberries $ 1.20
4 fists full kale $ 2.60
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL $ 7.84
The butternut squash was a nice addition. It gave some sweetness and bulk that was nice and made me feel full, almost to the point of overly full.
Again, I am always surprised by the fullness that I feel on the green smoothies.
t
4 bananas $ .80
1/2 lb butternut squash $ .59
1 cup blueberries $ 2.00
12 asparagus $ .65
12 strawberries $ 1.20
4 fists full kale $ 2.60
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL $ 7.84
The butternut squash was a nice addition. It gave some sweetness and bulk that was nice and made me feel full, almost to the point of overly full.
Again, I am always surprised by the fullness that I feel on the green smoothies.
t
Green Smoothie day #5
I had 2.5 mason jars of smoothie today, so I only loaded up the Nutribullet once and made another 32 ounce mason jar's worth of green smoothie.
1 babana $ .20
1/4 cup blueberries $ .50
4 strawberries $ .35
5 spears asparagus $ .25
1 fistful kale $ .65
TOTAL = $ 1.95 for today
My energy levels are pretty steady, and have been throughout this entire experiment. I have not had a "carb flue" issue, and I have not felt a flagging in my ability to keep up with my day. Twice, I have looked around at about 8 and said "Okay, I want to go to bed", but I have not been tired and lackadaisical throughout my day. I hope that makes sense.
I feel like I am sleeping better, because I am more alert when I wake up. I have not historically been on to take a long time to wake up, but now I sit up and am pretty much alert right off the bat. No longer need about 5 minutes to orient myself. It's nice. Husband might not agree, since he is on the 30 minute wake up plan on most days. :-)
t
1 babana $ .20
1/4 cup blueberries $ .50
4 strawberries $ .35
5 spears asparagus $ .25
1 fistful kale $ .65
TOTAL = $ 1.95 for today
My energy levels are pretty steady, and have been throughout this entire experiment. I have not had a "carb flue" issue, and I have not felt a flagging in my ability to keep up with my day. Twice, I have looked around at about 8 and said "Okay, I want to go to bed", but I have not been tired and lackadaisical throughout my day. I hope that makes sense.
I feel like I am sleeping better, because I am more alert when I wake up. I have not historically been on to take a long time to wake up, but now I sit up and am pretty much alert right off the bat. No longer need about 5 minutes to orient myself. It's nice. Husband might not agree, since he is on the 30 minute wake up plan on most days. :-)
t
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Groceries 2/11/14
I absolutely needed some more ingredients for my green smoothies, so off to Aldi and Wal-Mart I go!
Aldi -
Granny Smith Apples 3 lb bag 2 @ 2.99 $ 5.98
Frozen Strawberries 2 @ 2.29 $ 4.58
Frozen blueberries 3 @ 2.29 $ 6.87
Green Grapes 2 lb clamshel $ 3.38
Bananas 17.23 lbs @ .29 per lb $ 5.00
TOTAL = $ 25.81
Wal-Mart -
2 bags kale @ 2.78 $ 5.56
t
Aldi -
Granny Smith Apples 3 lb bag 2 @ 2.99 $ 5.98
Frozen Strawberries 2 @ 2.29 $ 4.58
Frozen blueberries 3 @ 2.29 $ 6.87
Green Grapes 2 lb clamshel $ 3.38
Bananas 17.23 lbs @ .29 per lb $ 5.00
TOTAL = $ 25.81
Wal-Mart -
2 bags kale @ 2.78 $ 5.56
t
Green Smoothie Day #4 (Oh, and TMI - sorry in advance)
1 cucumber $ .35
3 bananas $ .60
3 fists full of kale $ 1.95
9 large strawberries $ .90
3/4 cup blueberries $ 1.50
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL = $ 5.30
Now, THAT'S more like it! Plus, I had some left over from yesterday, so I wound up having 2 rollover containers from yesterday, added to the 3 from today, and I should have a rollover mason jar for tomorrow.
I like doing my green smoothie experiment so far. I am feeling better, more clear headed, and it only took 2 or 3 days to stop feeling bloated all of the time. I am kind of intrigued by the thought of what this experiment would have been like if I had gone from a standard American diet directly to the green juicing. I am fairly certain that it would not have gone as well as transitioning from Paleo to Green Smoothing has. I have had a few headaches, but I have not felt absolutely awful, or had to take to my bed with any stomach or intestinal issues during a transitional phase; while my system was getting used to processing "good for me" things.
I am also surprised by the fact that my system seems to really love what I am giving it. I would have thought that by drinking only smoothies, I would have ....um.... fluid bowel movements. I am surprised by the robustness of my production - and the amount! I swear I come off the toilet lighter than I am when I sit just about every time!
I feel comfortable that what I am doing is working for me, because I feel really good. If I start feeling bad, I will change what I am doing, but for now, I like it. Oh, and because a friend of mine asked - I did go to my doctor and clear this with him. I let him know that I am doing this as an alternative to a serious look at weight loss surgery, and he is cool with my plan.
10 days. 10 days to start, and 10 day increments after that. Each 10 days, I will weight myself, and see if doing all of this has been worth it. I will evaluate how I am feeling; how is my energy, is my hair falling out, how is the health of my skin, how are my bowel movements, and do I feel like it is worthwhile to keep going? So, in 6 days, I will evaluate where I am.
t
3 bananas $ .60
3 fists full of kale $ 1.95
9 large strawberries $ .90
3/4 cup blueberries $ 1.50
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL = $ 5.30
Now, THAT'S more like it! Plus, I had some left over from yesterday, so I wound up having 2 rollover containers from yesterday, added to the 3 from today, and I should have a rollover mason jar for tomorrow.
I like doing my green smoothie experiment so far. I am feeling better, more clear headed, and it only took 2 or 3 days to stop feeling bloated all of the time. I am kind of intrigued by the thought of what this experiment would have been like if I had gone from a standard American diet directly to the green juicing. I am fairly certain that it would not have gone as well as transitioning from Paleo to Green Smoothing has. I have had a few headaches, but I have not felt absolutely awful, or had to take to my bed with any stomach or intestinal issues during a transitional phase; while my system was getting used to processing "good for me" things.
I am also surprised by the fact that my system seems to really love what I am giving it. I would have thought that by drinking only smoothies, I would have ....um.... fluid bowel movements. I am surprised by the robustness of my production - and the amount! I swear I come off the toilet lighter than I am when I sit just about every time!
I feel comfortable that what I am doing is working for me, because I feel really good. If I start feeling bad, I will change what I am doing, but for now, I like it. Oh, and because a friend of mine asked - I did go to my doctor and clear this with him. I let him know that I am doing this as an alternative to a serious look at weight loss surgery, and he is cool with my plan.
10 days. 10 days to start, and 10 day increments after that. Each 10 days, I will weight myself, and see if doing all of this has been worth it. I will evaluate how I am feeling; how is my energy, is my hair falling out, how is the health of my skin, how are my bowel movements, and do I feel like it is worthwhile to keep going? So, in 6 days, I will evaluate where I am.
t
Green Smoothie Day #3
For the entire day, I blended...
16 spears asparagus $ 1.60
1 cup frozen blueberries $ 1.10
4 fists full of kale $ 2.60
6 bananas $ 1.20
12 large strawberries $ 1.20
olive oil drizzle $ .40
1 cup 100% Aloe Vera Juice $ 2.00
TOTAL = $ 10.50
Okay, so I went a little crazy today with the ingredients. I wound up making almost 5 containers of green smoothie, so I have some of tomorrow's juice too.
I added the Aloe Vera Juice because I had it on hand. I purchased it in order to make a facial acne spot treatment for my daughter. I bought the exact same Aloe Vera Juice that is in the video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRCI-16C7R4
I do not think I will be doing that again, since the amount that I used added 2 bucks to my day!
The flavor of today's batch of smoothies was great!
16 spears asparagus $ 1.60
1 cup frozen blueberries $ 1.10
4 fists full of kale $ 2.60
6 bananas $ 1.20
12 large strawberries $ 1.20
olive oil drizzle $ .40
1 cup 100% Aloe Vera Juice $ 2.00
TOTAL = $ 10.50
Okay, so I went a little crazy today with the ingredients. I wound up making almost 5 containers of green smoothie, so I have some of tomorrow's juice too.
I added the Aloe Vera Juice because I had it on hand. I purchased it in order to make a facial acne spot treatment for my daughter. I bought the exact same Aloe Vera Juice that is in the video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRCI-16C7R4
I do not think I will be doing that again, since the amount that I used added 2 bucks to my day!
The flavor of today's batch of smoothies was great!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
This body made by fillers....
The more I learn about the food (or food like products) that I have eaten for the vast majority of my life, the more I am kind of surprised that I am not fatter. Do not get me wrong, I am a larger woman. Obese. Some days I feel downright gelatinous. Especially at water aerobics. I love my classes, and am getting back into them after 8 months away, but when I am jogging underwater, I feel like my body is loose, like gelatin. But, I am getting off topic.
Going Paleo helped to alleviate the bloated feeling that I had lived with for so long that I did not even realize it was there. Doing this green smoothie experiment, I felt even less of a bloated feeling after three days. It might all be mental, I am not sure. It might be a placebo effect, but I will take it. I feel mildly leaner, and non-bloated.
Filler are everywhere. I used to use fillers daily - pastas and rices in order to make my meals last longer, to make them more economical. I stopped doing that, and now am seeking the fillers present in any processed foods that I purchase. I am now much more careful about which spaghetti sauces I will buy. The cost is going up, but I feel better about what I am feeding to my daughters. I want to point them in the right direction where nutrition is concerned, so that they will, I pray, never feel gelatinous.
t
Going Paleo helped to alleviate the bloated feeling that I had lived with for so long that I did not even realize it was there. Doing this green smoothie experiment, I felt even less of a bloated feeling after three days. It might all be mental, I am not sure. It might be a placebo effect, but I will take it. I feel mildly leaner, and non-bloated.
Filler are everywhere. I used to use fillers daily - pastas and rices in order to make my meals last longer, to make them more economical. I stopped doing that, and now am seeking the fillers present in any processed foods that I purchase. I am now much more careful about which spaghetti sauces I will buy. The cost is going up, but I feel better about what I am feeding to my daughters. I want to point them in the right direction where nutrition is concerned, so that they will, I pray, never feel gelatinous.
t
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Dinner for the family tonight...
I have been looking for slow cooker friendly recipes that are also Paleo, and I seem to have found a treasure trove of them at www.lovingmynest.com
I am going to try this one tonight... http://www.lovingmynest.com/food-love/chunky-chili-with-veggies/
As I was reading it, it occurred to me that I have everything I need to make it tonight. I am going a little lean on the meat. I have a couple of minute steaks that I am going to be cubing myself, and I think I will be adding only 1.5 lbs between the two of them, and not 2.5 lbs.
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce $ .50
16 oz mushrooms 2 8oz clamshells @ .99 each from freezer $ 1.98
Spices $ 1.00
TOTAL = $ 14.78
A little on the expensive side, but I hope to get quite some leftovers from the recipe so that the per-meal cost is less than 2 dollars per generous serving.
t
I am going to try this one tonight... http://www.lovingmynest.com/food-love/chunky-chili-with-veggies/
As I was reading it, it occurred to me that I have everything I need to make it tonight. I am going a little lean on the meat. I have a couple of minute steaks that I am going to be cubing myself, and I think I will be adding only 1.5 lbs between the two of them, and not 2.5 lbs.
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 bell peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans diced roasted tomatoes with green chilies 14oz
Half jar of spaghetti sauce
8oz mushrooms
½ tbsp. chili powder
½ tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 bell peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans diced roasted tomatoes with green chilies 14oz
Half jar of spaghetti sauce
8oz mushrooms
½ tbsp. chili powder
½ tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
Add all ingredients to two gallon zip lock bags, freeze flat (or you can omit the cans of diced tomatoes and add them on the day of cooking and it should all fit into 1 bag). This makes a lot! Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Serves 7-9 people.
Serves 7-9 people.
I do not think that the lack of meat will be that big of a deal. It has plenty of other things that will make this a good cold-weather "stuck to your ribs" meal for the family.
Meat 2 "minute" steaks @ 2.20 each $ 4.40
3 carrots - diced $ .40
1 bag diced and frozen zucchini $ .75
3 carrots - diced $ .40
1 bag diced and frozen zucchini $ .75
2 Medium onions $ .70
6 large stalks celery $ .60
3 Bell peppers $ 1.99
3 tsp minced garlic $ .20
2 small cans tomato paste @ .39 each $ .78
2 cans diced tomatoes @ .59 each $ 1.18
1 cup green enchilada sauce $ .301/2 jar spaghetti sauce $ .50
16 oz mushrooms 2 8oz clamshells @ .99 each from freezer $ 1.98
Spices $ 1.00
TOTAL = $ 14.78
A little on the expensive side, but I hope to get quite some leftovers from the recipe so that the per-meal cost is less than 2 dollars per generous serving.
t
Green Smoothie Day #2 - redux!
I am going to combine all of the ingredients that I have used to make today's smoothies. I wound up making 4 smoothies. I filled 3 different 32 ounce wide mouthed mason jars, filled my 22 ounce White Water travel cup, and topped off the mason jars to beyond their 32 ounce lines, so I believe that I am close to a full gallon of smoothie for today. I am also working on increasing my water intake. I am working on developing the habit of finishing my smoothie, then filling my cup with water That way, I get the last little bit of my smoothie; and all of the nutrients therein. Win/win - I get green flavored water, all the nutrition, and my water intake goes up to almost a gallon, so that my body can more readily process all of the stuff it is dumping back into my system that has been stored for quite some time.
4 bananas $ .80
2 kiwi fruits $ .70
5 fists full of kale $ 3.25
17 strawberries $ 1.36
2 cucumbers $ .70
4 drizzled olive oil $ .40
cucumber water to fill line $ .80
TOTAL = $ 8.01
Yikes, a little expensive today! I knew that I was kind of tossing in everything but the kitchen sink, but I had not realized that I had gone quite that crazy. :-)
It is interesting the perspective that I get from these monetary experiments. I think of 8 dollars as extravagant for an entire day, based on my SNAP thinking. In Arkansas, the Allocation for SNAP is 189.00 for a single person, or 6 bucks a day. It is in the back of my mind, and it is a bar to which I often compare food pricings and meals. Knowing that is my perspective, I keep in mind that it is not unusual for families to regularly spend that much on a child's meal several times a week dining out, not to mention the cost of the adult meals out.
The other week, Husband took me out for dinner for my birthday. We went to Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe. It was extraordinarily good! I had chargrilled lamb with greek salad and cucumber salad. It was $11.49. For one meal. For the two of us, dinner was something like 30 dollars, since Husband and I shared an appetizer of Spicy Pimento Cheese and another of stuffed grape leaves @ $4.99 each, in addition to our meals. It was a FABULOUS meal, and well worth the splurge. :-)
And, now I am back to my smoothies and really liking them. Yesterday, I ended the day with a bit of a headache, so I took a tablespoon full of coconut oil, thinking that my body was craving fat above and beyond what I am providing in olive oil. I think my theory was right, because my headache went away.
t
4 bananas $ .80
2 kiwi fruits $ .70
5 fists full of kale $ 3.25
17 strawberries $ 1.36
2 cucumbers $ .70
4 drizzled olive oil $ .40
cucumber water to fill line $ .80
TOTAL = $ 8.01
Yikes, a little expensive today! I knew that I was kind of tossing in everything but the kitchen sink, but I had not realized that I had gone quite that crazy. :-)
It is interesting the perspective that I get from these monetary experiments. I think of 8 dollars as extravagant for an entire day, based on my SNAP thinking. In Arkansas, the Allocation for SNAP is 189.00 for a single person, or 6 bucks a day. It is in the back of my mind, and it is a bar to which I often compare food pricings and meals. Knowing that is my perspective, I keep in mind that it is not unusual for families to regularly spend that much on a child's meal several times a week dining out, not to mention the cost of the adult meals out.
The other week, Husband took me out for dinner for my birthday. We went to Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe. It was extraordinarily good! I had chargrilled lamb with greek salad and cucumber salad. It was $11.49. For one meal. For the two of us, dinner was something like 30 dollars, since Husband and I shared an appetizer of Spicy Pimento Cheese and another of stuffed grape leaves @ $4.99 each, in addition to our meals. It was a FABULOUS meal, and well worth the splurge. :-)
And, now I am back to my smoothies and really liking them. Yesterday, I ended the day with a bit of a headache, so I took a tablespoon full of coconut oil, thinking that my body was craving fat above and beyond what I am providing in olive oil. I think my theory was right, because my headache went away.
t
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Green Smoothies - Day #1 - again!
So, thanks to snowmageddon, I was off my green smoothies for three days. I still stayed Paleo, so it is not like I was not doing healthy stuff, but I surely missed my green smoothies. It is funny how quickly I got used to my smoothie kick. That is not to say that while smoothing, I do not have the impulse to also eat other things, I just appreciate the way that my smoothies make me feel. Hopefully, once I get on track and have been doing only green smoothies for several days, I will be able to put aside cravings.
I want this to be a healthful detox of my system, which I have been abusing for years and years. I want a systemic reset to get to a place of health, so that I can live a better life. I want to be a good role model of health for my daughters. I want to minimize the food issues that they may have in the future. Society will do all that they can in order to teach my daughters that they are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, that unless they have 4 gold medals, teach physics at MIT, and also happen to be a swimsuit model in their spare time, there is no way that they will ever be living a "fully optimized" life.
There will be so many unrealistic expectations thrown at them for all of their lives, that I want to teach them a healthy way to deal, one that does not include eating away their pain on cream puffs.
Towards those goals, I have made my green smoothies for the day already. I forgot to buy frozen blueberries, so I will not be adding them until my next run for smoothie goodies is made. Or, I might break down and get a large bag sometime in the coming week. Who knows. Anywhoo, this is what is fueling me today...
2 bananas $ .40
1 fistful kale $ ..65
drizzle olive oil $ .10
1/2 cucumber $ .15 (back to regular prices - no more 20 cent cucumbers :-( )
6 strawberries $ .50
cucumber water to fill line $ .20
TOTAL = $ 2.00 x 3 for a daily total of $ 6.00
The day is not done, but I believe that I am ready for it!
t
I want this to be a healthful detox of my system, which I have been abusing for years and years. I want a systemic reset to get to a place of health, so that I can live a better life. I want to be a good role model of health for my daughters. I want to minimize the food issues that they may have in the future. Society will do all that they can in order to teach my daughters that they are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, that unless they have 4 gold medals, teach physics at MIT, and also happen to be a swimsuit model in their spare time, there is no way that they will ever be living a "fully optimized" life.
There will be so many unrealistic expectations thrown at them for all of their lives, that I want to teach them a healthy way to deal, one that does not include eating away their pain on cream puffs.
Towards those goals, I have made my green smoothies for the day already. I forgot to buy frozen blueberries, so I will not be adding them until my next run for smoothie goodies is made. Or, I might break down and get a large bag sometime in the coming week. Who knows. Anywhoo, this is what is fueling me today...
2 bananas $ .40
1 fistful kale $ ..65
drizzle olive oil $ .10
1/2 cucumber $ .15 (back to regular prices - no more 20 cent cucumbers :-( )
6 strawberries $ .50
cucumber water to fill line $ .20
TOTAL = $ 2.00 x 3 for a daily total of $ 6.00
The day is not done, but I believe that I am ready for it!
t
Cucumber water
A few months ago, I was at a friend house, and she offered me cucumber water. I had heard of it before, and was happy to try it. It tastes really good! I add a sprinkle of pepper to my glass, because it gives it an added dimension, and increases my feeling of satiety. I have made it a few times, but not as often as I really should have. It increases the nutritive value of my water, and gives a flavor punch that I like. Of course, I also really like cucumbers, and eat them often sprinkled with pepper. Sometimes mixed with tomatoes. Mmmm.
So, the way that I make my cucumber water:
2 quarts of water
1/2 a good sized cucumber sliced thinly
It is totally up to you as to whether or not you peel your cucumber. Sometimes, I get one that has been so thoroughly waxed that even a brief soak in vinegar water will not take it off. I peel those. Otherwise, a good vinegar wash and dry off will do the trick and let me keep the peel on.
Slice your cucumber thin, drop 1/2 the sliced cucumber into your 2 quart pitcher, and add water. The cucumber slices will float to the top. When they sink to the bottom - that is when the nutrients have been leeched out, and your water is ready to drink.
I plan to start using my cucumber water in my green smoothies. I like the idea of more nutrients in my smoothie, and not just the regular minerals to be found in filtered water.
t
So, the way that I make my cucumber water:
2 quarts of water
1/2 a good sized cucumber sliced thinly
It is totally up to you as to whether or not you peel your cucumber. Sometimes, I get one that has been so thoroughly waxed that even a brief soak in vinegar water will not take it off. I peel those. Otherwise, a good vinegar wash and dry off will do the trick and let me keep the peel on.
Slice your cucumber thin, drop 1/2 the sliced cucumber into your 2 quart pitcher, and add water. The cucumber slices will float to the top. When they sink to the bottom - that is when the nutrients have been leeched out, and your water is ready to drink.
I plan to start using my cucumber water in my green smoothies. I like the idea of more nutrients in my smoothie, and not just the regular minerals to be found in filtered water.
t
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Groceries 2/6/14
Aldi - Bananas were 29 cents per pound, and I stumbled on 1 pound bags of mini sweet peppers for $1.50 each, marked down from $2.49. I have recently seen a youtube video of stuffed bacon wrapped jalapeño peppers, and thought that testing out the recipe with sweet peppers was worth a go. I am very glad that I did! They are tasty!
Bananas 14.71 lbs @ .29 per lb $ 4.27
Mini Sweet Peppers 1 lb @ 1.50 x 2 $ 3.00
Shark Gummies $ 1.39
Blueberry cereal bars 2@ 1.89 $ 3.78
Diced Tomatoes 6 @ .59 $ 3.54
Tomato Paste 4 @ .39 $ 1.56
Infuse 32 oz drinks 3 @ .71 $ 2.13
Sour Cream 2 @ 1.29 $ 2.58
Almond Milk 3 @ 2.49 $ 7.47
Cream Cheese $ 1.29
Premium Bacon 3 @ 3.89 $ 11.67
Sliced Bacon $ 3.69
Carrots 2lb bag $ .99
Shredded Cheddar $ 3.49
Feta Crumbles $ 1.99
Guacamole 3 @ 2.99 $ 8.97
TOTAL = $ 61.81
Harps
Best Choice Brand Frozen Okra 2 @ 1.75 $ 3.50
Andouille $ 3.89
Best Choice Thyme $ 1.00
Spaghetti Sauce 6 @ 1.00 $ 6.00
TOTAL = $ 14.39
Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market
Reading over the receipt from WMNM, it does not state the price per lb on the sweet potatoes. Juat a line item for the total. I got 5 large sweet potatoes. Lemon Juice is going to be used in order to make dishwasher tablets. I price matched cantaloupe at WMNM because I forgot to grab them at Aldi. There was something simply labeled "C" on my receipt. Whatever it was, it cost $1.98, and I will assume it is food, so I will add it to the list...
Sweet Potatoes $ 3.51
Great Value Lemon Juice 2 @ 2.28 $ 4.56
C $ 1.98
Kiwi 5 @ .35 $ 1.75
2 Kale Bags @ 2.78 $ 5.56
Cantaloupe 2 @ 1.59 $ 3.18
Butternut Squash 2.22 lbs @ 1.18 per lb $ 2.62
Tomato 3 large - 1.44 lbs @ 1.74 per lb $ 2.51
TOTAL = $ 25.67
Total for the day... 101.87
So much for shopping from my own pantry. Will try to do better. Ugh...
t
Paleo freezer meals...
A lot of people do once a month meal preparations, and I have done it myself in the past as way to save both time and money. You assemble crock pot friendly meals in gallon sized freezer bags, stow them in the freezer, and when you are ready to use them, take them out the night before, put into the refrigerator overnight to thaw, and dump them in your slow cooker in the morning.
A lot of these recipes incorporate beans, and other non-paleo foods. I miss the convenience of being able to do that, so I am making it a mission to gather together more paleo-friendly crock pot meals. I have been watching youtube videos about saving money on food. A lot of rice and pasta dishes in these, but I have stumbled on a vlog that I like. This family is not Paleo, by any stretch of the imagination, but a lot of their recipes - if you take out the rice or pasta, are easily converted to Paleo. They also have a FB page (debtisdum) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiLbQqVodII
Their vlog on youtube had a link to another page www.lovingmynest.com , where they got a lot of the recipes they utilize, meal plans, and grocery lists. I followed her link, and found this recipe... (I really hope that I do not offend the sweet lady at www.lovingmynest.com by cutting and pasting her recipes here. - Keep your fingers crossed!)
A lot of these recipes incorporate beans, and other non-paleo foods. I miss the convenience of being able to do that, so I am making it a mission to gather together more paleo-friendly crock pot meals. I have been watching youtube videos about saving money on food. A lot of rice and pasta dishes in these, but I have stumbled on a vlog that I like. This family is not Paleo, by any stretch of the imagination, but a lot of their recipes - if you take out the rice or pasta, are easily converted to Paleo. They also have a FB page (debtisdum) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiLbQqVodII
Their vlog on youtube had a link to another page www.lovingmynest.com , where they got a lot of the recipes they utilize, meal plans, and grocery lists. I followed her link, and found this recipe... (I really hope that I do not offend the sweet lady at www.lovingmynest.com by cutting and pasting her recipes here. - Keep your fingers crossed!)
Meat Stew
2 lbs Meat (beef, pork, whatever is on sale), cubed
2 Onions, chopped
5 Carrots, sliced
3 Zucchini, sliced
2 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped
2 tsp Salt
.5 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 14 oz can Canned Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Sauce
2 Onions, chopped
5 Carrots, sliced
3 Zucchini, sliced
2 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped
2 tsp Salt
.5 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 14 oz can Canned Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Sauce
Put all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and freeze. Thaw bag and add contents to slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. Stir occassionally.
Serve with warm cornbread. Serves approx 5-6 people.
Serve with warm cornbread. Serves approx 5-6 people.
Forget the cornbread, and this is a good, solid, Paleo meal! :-) I also got the following recipe from www.lovingmynest.com
Pork and Veggies
1 lb Pork Roast, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
4 Carrots, sliced
½ pound Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
1.5 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
4 Carrots, sliced
½ pound Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
1.5 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Combine ingredients in a large ziptop bag, freeze. Thaw contents of bag and place in a slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve over hot rice. Serves approx. 5-6 people.
DO NOT serve over rice, and still enjoy! :-)
The great potato debate of 2013 (as Sarah Ballantyne has called it - how CUTE is that??) has shown that some potatoes are perfectly acceptable on a Paleo plate. Right now, Husband and I are in the weight loss mode, so Sweet Potatoes are the only ones we are allowing ourselves right now. So, make the following recipe ( www.lovingmynest.com ) and add extra carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes.
Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
1 can (28 ounces) whole stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
1 can (28 ounces) whole stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Combine ingredients minus broth and add to gallon Ziploc bag. Freeze. Thaw add broth and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over hot rice. Serves 6-8 people.
OKAY - THIS ONE sounds REALLY GOOD! I plan on leaving out the corn and the green peas, but everything else sounds SO YUMMY!!!!
Creamy Farmhouse Chicken and Garden Soup
1/2 package (16 ounces) frozen pepper stir-fry vegetable mix
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup half-and-half (or non-dairy milk for dairy allergies)
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 can (14 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup half-and-half (or non-dairy milk for dairy allergies)
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 can (14 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
Put all ingredients in a Ziploc bag except chicken broth and milk. Freeze. Thaw and put in slow cooker and add chicken broth and milk. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in 3 cups prepared noodles. Serves 7-8 people.
Also, I will not be serving over noodles ;-)
Another one that I will be trying is Chicken Curry with Cabbage and Peppers. This brings me to 5 crock pot recipes that I can make Paleo friendly with very few problems.
2 cups of milk (use a dairy free option if needed)
2 tsp curry powder
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
Add all ingredients except milk to a gallon zip lock bag. Freeze flat. On day of cooking add milk and cook on low for about 4 hours or until done.
I will definitely be checking out www.lovingmynest.com repeatedly to find recipes that I want to try.
I will be making posts about freezer meals for the slow cooker as I make them. I am also doing my green smoothie stuff. Starting again as of today, as a matter of fact.
t
I will definitely be checking out www.lovingmynest.com repeatedly to find recipes that I want to try.
I will be making posts about freezer meals for the slow cooker as I make them. I am also doing my green smoothie stuff. Starting again as of today, as a matter of fact.
t
Snowmageddon and Smoothies did not mix....
Day #6 tripped tripped me up fairly badly. I was iced in my house (and had been for some days) and ran out of fruit. I still had enough kale for 2 or 3 days, but with nothing to put into the smoothies with it, those smoothies would have been bitter indeed.
I finally got to the store again today, and have re-loaded with bananas and strawberries to go with my Kale. Starting again in the morning. My day count will start at #1 again, and I would like to apologize in advance for any confusion this may cause in the future.
t
I finally got to the store again today, and have re-loaded with bananas and strawberries to go with my Kale. Starting again in the morning. My day count will start at #1 again, and I would like to apologize in advance for any confusion this may cause in the future.
t
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Green Smoothie experiment - Day #4
Woke up this morning thinking about how I get to try asparagus in my smoothies today.
Also, I was talking about my Green Smoothie adventure to a friend of mine. She is allergic to bananas, so it is my mission this morning to make a green smoothie sans banana to bring to church with me for her to try. I LOVE experimentation!!!
This is what I came up with for her...
4 spears asparagus
1/3 of a cucumber
1/2 a zucchini
3 pitted prunes
handful kale
1/4 cup blueberries
4 large strawberries
1 tbsp sunbutter
water to the fill line
I hope that she likes it.
For my own green smoothies, I blended
1 fist kale $ .65
5 large strawberries $ .50
1/4 cups blueberries $ .50
1/2 cucumber $ .10
6 asparagus $ .30
1 banana $ .20
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL = $ 2.25 x 3 = $ 6.75 for my green smoothies for the day. :-)
I had a salad when my last mason jar of green smoothie ran out today. Lettuce, some raisins, and red wine vinegar. I figure that eating the exact things I would put into a smoothie are not verboten, so if I absolutely have to have some "chew" in my day, I think that I will grab an apple, a carrot, or a salad exactly like the one described above.
I do not want green smoothing to become yet another tricky food situation. Food is my addiction, you do not get to be obese without having some food "issues", and I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of thought that I give to food daily. I make my smoothies first thing in the morning, fill my mason jars, and nurse them all day long. When I finish a glass of green smoothie, I fill it with water, so that I drink as much water as I do juice. I plan meals for the family, and I cook for them, but it is with less pressure. Not sure exactly why that is, but I am sure that I will make some mental connections that will make it make more sense at some point.
I have talked to friends before about food issues, and have said "If I were addicted to drugs, or alcohol, it would be possible to simply not partake. You cannot *not* eat." I think that this is as close as you can go to quitting food "cold turkey".
I have to admit... I am liking the convenience, the taste, and the ease of green smoothing. It is a little disconcerting, this thing that is happening on the other end of the digestive tract, but it was not anything that I had not already read about, and was prepared for, as much as can be prepared for.
t
Also, I was talking about my Green Smoothie adventure to a friend of mine. She is allergic to bananas, so it is my mission this morning to make a green smoothie sans banana to bring to church with me for her to try. I LOVE experimentation!!!
This is what I came up with for her...
4 spears asparagus
1/3 of a cucumber
1/2 a zucchini
3 pitted prunes
handful kale
1/4 cup blueberries
4 large strawberries
1 tbsp sunbutter
water to the fill line
I hope that she likes it.
For my own green smoothies, I blended
1 fist kale $ .65
5 large strawberries $ .50
1/4 cups blueberries $ .50
1/2 cucumber $ .10
6 asparagus $ .30
1 banana $ .20
water to fill line FREE
TOTAL = $ 2.25 x 3 = $ 6.75 for my green smoothies for the day. :-)
I do not want green smoothing to become yet another tricky food situation. Food is my addiction, you do not get to be obese without having some food "issues", and I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of thought that I give to food daily. I make my smoothies first thing in the morning, fill my mason jars, and nurse them all day long. When I finish a glass of green smoothie, I fill it with water, so that I drink as much water as I do juice. I plan meals for the family, and I cook for them, but it is with less pressure. Not sure exactly why that is, but I am sure that I will make some mental connections that will make it make more sense at some point.
I have talked to friends before about food issues, and have said "If I were addicted to drugs, or alcohol, it would be possible to simply not partake. You cannot *not* eat." I think that this is as close as you can go to quitting food "cold turkey".
I have to admit... I am liking the convenience, the taste, and the ease of green smoothing. It is a little disconcerting, this thing that is happening on the other end of the digestive tract, but it was not anything that I had not already read about, and was prepared for, as much as can be prepared for.
t
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