Mmm...Turkey Chili...

Hello Frugal Friends!! Can you believe it?!?! My 28 days has almost come to end!! I must say...this week has been tough. Not physically tough...but mentally tough. I expected to be struggle with temptations in the form of food. But this week, temptations came in a whole new way. At my weigh in on Sunday, I had only lost 1.2 lbs. :( It was heartbreaking friends...and here is why.I know that I could lose 1.2 pounds while eating gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, sugar, etc. It was hard to swallow and really made me want to throw in the towel. I'm also struggling, because I haven't felt a shift in energy. I was really hoping that eating this clean would give me more energy. As the mother of 1 year old twins and a 4 year old girl....staying home full time....and working a successful and busy direct sales business....you can imagine that energy is something that is in short supply. Unfortunately...I'm just not seeing a change. I think that once the cleanse is over, it's time for me to check in with the old doctor to see what can be done to change up the energy factor.

Now...back to the cleanse. Meals have been pretty good. We're at the point where we are repeating a lot of meals. It's just easier. However, there was one meal this week that was AH-MA-ZING!! Last week....we had Turkey Chili and it blew me away! Here is how I made it:

 Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cups water

In a large pot, brown the turkey meat, drain & return to pan. Add the remaining ingredients and heat. I let mien cook for about 20-30 minutes just to let the flavors combine. Serve over brown rice & top with a few avocado slices.

Oh friends....this was so yummy!! I was a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy chili during summer time...but I was wrong! The best part is we ate on this pot for days!! It was super easy to make a quick batch of rice and heat up the chili for lunch. Definitely a repeat here!!


In other news....here is a quick savings tip!! One of my favorite frugal tools is the price match option at your local Walmart store. One item that many people don't realize that they can price match is Walmart's house brand, Great Value. If another store advertises a lower price on their house brand, you can price match it for Great Value brand items at Walmart!! This week...I would encourage you to do this for Milk. We drink a TON of milk....like to the tune of 3 gallons a week! Milk can add up quickly when you are going through it that quick. So...this deal saved our family over $5!

Blessings,

The 5 day review...

Whew!! Have you missed me?? It's been a crazy few days!! I can't believe it, but I haven't updated in 5 days!! Sorry friends...I know you've missed me.... ;)

The past five days have been pretty good. It's amazing how easy it has been. They say it takes 21 days to create a new habit. I am on day 17...and I can definitely see how this is true! It's already becoming apart of our daily lives.

So...how about the weight?? I am sure you are dying to know. :) Today was our bi weekly weigh in and I am excited to say that I am down a total of 11 pounds!! WOO HOO!! 11 pounds in 17 days....insane...right?? Ready to be really blown away...my husband has lost 21 pounds! I am so excited for Trace! He is doing so well and truly working hard at this. We recently earned a trip to Mexico this September through my amazing direct sales business with Thirty-One! He is so determined to do well and feel better before our trip! I am so proud of his hard work.

The past 5 days menu has been pretty boring. :/ We've been running around like crazy people so we've really just stuck with what we knew. We've done a lot of repeat meals and lots of quick salads and turkey wraps. So...instead of boring you with my daily menus, I decided I'll just go straight for my newest exciting option.

I found a recipe similar to this on Pinterest and tweaked it to fit our cleanse.

Hummus Crusted Chicken

It was very tasty!! Here is how I made it!

Ingredients:
2-4 chicken breasts (however many you'd like for your family)
1/4 cup of hummus
salt
pepper


That's IT!!! Here is what you do. Take the chicken breast and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. The cover the top with humus. Place it in a 400 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes.

That is it! Super easy and super tasty. I served it with roasted broccoli and brown rice. My favorite part about this recipe is the hummus. I love hummus! The best part is that you can get this at Aldi for $1.69 a container at Aldi!

Go out and try it...I promise you won't regret it! :) 

Blessings, 

Day 11 & 12......The Shopping Trip

Can you believe that I am already on day 12?? Insane, right?! I can't believe it! I am so excited to weigh in again on Sunday. Trace and I are cheaters....:) I used to weigh in every day. So...moving to once a week was a stretch. So, I decided that twice a week is a good compromise. :) So...as of Wednesday of this week (two days ago), I was down 9.6lbs!!

My shopping trip did NOT go as planned this week. As you can imagine, shopping with 3 kids under 5 is not the easiest thing in the world. Not to mention...with twins...we don't fit in most carts. So, normally....my grocery routine is for me to go....alone...on Tuesday nights after Mr. Wonderful gets home. However, this week, it just didn't work out. So...the grocery shopping took place in three stages over two different days.

Here are the totals:
-Sam's Club: $71.88
-Akins: $8.58
-Aldi: $34.28
-Walmart: $45.18

Grand Total: $159.92
This means the trip was $34.92 over budget. :(

Well...here is the thing. I think the main problem was I wasn't in my nitch. I had to do my shopping over two separate days and with kids. Plus....I bought diapers. So...that's $39 right there.

The good news is that I found some AWESOME finds at Aldi. Including this....

GRASS FEED BEEF.....at ALDI!!! The best thing is that it's only $5.49 a pound. Friends....this is amazing. I usually buy my beef at our local Farmer's Market or from a close family friend. It runs around $5. However, my friend has moved 2 hours south and the Farmer's Market is only open from May-October. So...this is good news.

Before I head out...here is a quick breakdown of what I've had for the last few days:

Day 11 (Thursday):
Breakfast: Green Goodness Smoothie
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Tortilla Soup with Beanitos & Avocado
Snack: Rice Cake with Almond Butter & Agave Nectar
Dinner: Cauliflower Alfredo with Sun Dried Tomato & Kale
Snack: Strawberry Snowcone

Okay...so....I have to tell you..this day had the first no!! Dinner was awful! I mean.... for real. The sauce was made from cauliflower, cannellini beans, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, and kale. It just did NOT work. I am so glad to say that in 12 days....this has only happened once. :)

Day 12 (Friday):
Breakfast: Green Goodness Smoothie
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Tomatoes, Avocado, Carrots & Hummus
Snack: Rice Cake
Dinner: Chicken Quesadillas with Guacamole
Snack: Almond Ice Cream

So...with Thursday night's dinner being such a flop....I have to say...tonight's was a WINNER! It was so easy. Here is what I did:

Chicken Quesadillas with Guacamole ( I made enough for 3 servings)
Ingredients:
3 Brown Rice Tortillas
2 Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Red Onion
Garlic
Handful of Spinach

I started by roasting my chicken in the oven. Here is how I do it: I take a chicken breast (1 full breast or 2 halves) and spread a little olive oil on the breast. Then, I sprinkle garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. I then bake it in a 350 degree oven for 45 mins. It always comes out flavorful and juicy.

I then caramelized the red onion with garlic and through in some spinach. I added that to the brown rice tortilla and grilled it up on the griddle.

OH MY GOODNESS....so good! I was really afraid of the Brown Rice Tortilla. I had heard a few bad reviews. These are stinkin' fantastic....at least when they are grilled.

It's hard to remember your on a cleanse when you are eating this good. :)

Blessings, 

Days 9&10....the shopping has commenced!

Hello Friends!! You'll have to forgive me for not updating the blog yesterday. It was a seriously crazy day. I've had a ton of things going on in my life, business, etc lately and it's left me running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Not to mention...my food has been pretty boring. Anyway...I will give you a quick run down. Here is what I've had:

Day 9 (Tuesday):
Breakfast: Morning Mocha Smoothie
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Turkey, Tomato, Hummus & Beanitos
Snack: Rice Cake with Almond Butter
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Salad
Snack: So Delicious Dairy Free Almond Milk Vanilla Frozen Treat (more to come on this later)

Day 10 (Wednesday):
Breakfast: Morning Mocha Smoothie
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Snack: Rice Cake, Almond Butter & Agave Nectar
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Salad
Snack: Almond Milk Vanilla Frozen Treat

Our lives have been insane. Yesterday was a rough day for me. Nothing to do with the diet...just crazy other things. So...that means food on the fly. I've learned a couple of things. First of all, I don't do morning snacks. By the time I finish my morning protein shake, it's 10am. The twins are up from nap at 11:30 and we are eating lunch by noon....so there really isn't any time. So...I've just come to terms with that not happening. :)

I've also learned that I have a new love. So...yesterday was a tough day. When I have a tough day, I would usually turn to something sweet. Last night, my husband went to grab some chicken at the Fresh Market. While there, he found my newest favorite treat. Check this out:

Um....delicious!! It is so good and so fits the criteria of the challenge. This was definitely a victory! 

I am super excited to tell all of you about our my grocery experience!! But....you're going to have to wait for tomorrow. :) For a little sneak peak...here are my three favorite buys from my Aldi trip today

Let's just talk some quick savings. If you've priced these items....they aren't cheap! Extra Virgin Olive Oil is out of control. It can run you anywhere between $5-$8 a bottle!! Here is what I paid: 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: $2.99

Organic Stevia: $2.49

Organic Agave Nectar: $2.49

Can I get a WOOP WOOP!! It's pretty exciting, friends. The savings keeps rolling in! :) Anyway...that's enough for now. Check back tomorrow for more savings excitement!

Blessings,

Day 8...the new week begins

Hello Friends!! Another Monday in the books and a successful day of the cleanse. I am definitely beginning to feel a difference.I have more energy and the weight loss has definitely given me the drive to do more! Hopefully that will keep up.

I am super excited about tomorrow. Tuesday is the night I go to the grocery store every week. This will be the first time I've gone on the cleanse while trying to keep the price down. I am also pretty excited to dig a little deeper into Aldi's Gluten Free and Organic lines. Check back later this week for an update on the savings.

Let's talk about today. Here is what I had today:

Breakfast: Mixed Berry Protein Shake
AM Snack: Skipped this one
Lunch: Turkey Lettuce Wrap and Beanito Chips with Hummus
Afternoon Snack: Rice Cakes with Almond Butter and strawberries
Dinner: Dirty Rice with Chicken
PM Snack: Homemade protein bar

Dinner was very yummy! I definitely think it will be a repeat!! Here is how I made it:

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp grape seed oil 

1/2 large zucchini 

1 medium onion

2 cups rice

Creole Seasoning:

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp chili powder 

3/4 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

Roasted Chicken (pre-cooked and cut into chunks)

In a large pot, saute the onions and zucchini in the grape seed oil. While this is cooking, make up the brown rice. In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients of the creole seasoning. Once everything is done, combine. 

Really...its that easy. And seriously tasty. Anyway....hope you enjoy it. See you tomorrow!

Blessings,

Day 7....it's weigh in day!

Hi Friends!! Well...the first week is in the books & what an amazing week it has been. Today was the BIG day...Weigh in Day. I am so excited to tell you that I lost 7.6 pounds in 7 days!! Seriously....how insane is that! Here is something even more insane...My husband lost 13 pounds!! I feel like we are on the biggest loser or something...haha!! Anyway...we are very excited. We know that this rate of loss won't stay consistent, but what a great way to end the first week!!

One of my favorite frugal tips is to have a left over day. The way this works is that on one day week, our family eats nothing but what we have already made. It's a great day because their is no cooking, no prep and super frugal because you don't have to buy anything new. Today was our Left over Day. Here was today's menu:

Breakfast: GF Oatmeal with Strawberries & Blueberries
AM Snack: We were at church...skipped this one
Lunch: Left over Porcupine Meatballs, Crackers w/Hummus
Afternoon Snack: Almond Candy bar I found at Akins (Eli's Earth Bars Celebrate Bar....um yum!!)
Dinner: Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Beanito Chips & Guacamole
PM Snack: Too full tonight

It was a great day! I am super excited about the weight loss. Here comes week two and tomorrow....is grocery shopping day!! Stay tuned....

Blessings,

Day 5 & 6...the yumminess continues!

Hello frugal friends!! Well...my first week of the Arbonne 28 day challenge is quickly coming to a close. What a week it has been!! First of all, the good news is that the detox has moved on! PRAISE THE LORD! I am finally feeling like a human being. I am growing more and more impressed with how easy it is for me to turn down things that used to be irresistible. Tonight...I took my 4 year to a dance recital. Those of you who know me know that my middle name might as well be Chocolate. My daughter asked and received a....and I quote...."brownie cookie." Did I have one bite? NOPE! I drank my water like a good girl. I'm telling you friends....this would have NEVER happened before. No matter what diet I was on. It's a good day!

So let's talk food. The food these past two days have been pretty tasty. Here is a recap of what I've had:

Friday (Day 5):
Breakfast: Chocolate Oat Protein Shake
AM Snack: Skipped this one
Lunch: Turkey Burger (Left over from Thursday)
Afternoon Snack: Homemade Protein Bar
Dinner: Zesty Tomato Sauce with Brown Rice Pasta
PM Snack: Green Apple with Almond Butter

Saturday (Day 6):
Breakfast: GF Oatmeal with Strawberries & Blueberries
AM Snack: Carrots w/ Hummus
Lunch: Zesty Tomato Sauce with Brown Rice Pasta (Friday leftover)
Afternoon Snack: Homemade Protein Bar
Dinner: Porcupine Meatballs with Cauliflower Mash
PM Snack: Chocolate Strawberry Shake

My favorite of the two days has to be dinner tonight.....Porcupine Meatballs with Cauliflower Mash. This was amazingly delicious and I really didn't feel like I had a missed a thing!

Here is how I made it:

Ingredients:
1 lbs grass feed beef
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 t. minced onion
1/2 t. garlic powder
salt
pepper
24 oz tomato sauce

Take the ground beef and place in a large bowl. Add rice, onion, garlic powder, salt & pepper a mix together. Form into meat ball. Place in a 9x13 pan. Cover in tomato sauce and cover in tin foil. Place in 350 degree oven for 1 hour (uncover for the last 15 minutes). Once they're done, serve on mashed cauliflower.

Seriously...how easy is that?!?! Plus...the cauliflower did NOT taste like cauliflower. I mean really....I even fooled the 4 year old!!

Anyway...it's been a great week!! I can't believe it's already over!! I'm hoping the next 3 weeks go just as fast. :) I can't wait to get on the scale in the morning and see the difference!! Stay tuned to the blog. I will be headed to the grocery store in the next few weeks!! The savings will be pouring in!

Blessings,