Danielle - Modern Housewife

Simple Truth Products Review

2013-02-20T13:58:00.001-08:00

<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/simpleTruth.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=9409655513&Campaign=5946155625&Uid=1319985&token=16002551a20ae5e28cff441d7537d11d" alt=""/>

I received some coupons and a soda from the SimpleTruth line, available exclusively at Kroger. I sampled their line, and here's what I've got to say!

"Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic are open, honest and affordable foods that represent the joy of eating closer to the way nature intended. Making better food choices just got a whole lot simpler with clean packaging and easy-to-understand ingredient statements that take the chore out of selecting organic, “free from 101” and natural foods.

All items are free from 101 artificial preservatives and ingredients so you can feel better about the delicious food you serve your loved ones. With a full line of products from meat and produce to dairy and canned goods, you’ll find Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic exclusively at the Kroger Family of Grocery Stores."

I love that the products are free from 101 artificial preservatives and ingredients. This is EXACTLY what clean eating is ALL about! I sampled all flavors of their sodas, and they were all delicious. The only thing I did not like was the high sugar content of each soda- so I would split one soda with a friend, and water it down- it was still delicious!

They also had some great meal replacement bars. Philip tried one that had graham crackers and chocolate in it- like a smore! He raved about it.

I'll be honest, I was hesitant to try any of the products, because you know how picky I am about my ingredients! I was sure that I would find SOME suspicious ingredient or preservative. I was wrong- not one to be found.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the line of Simple Truth products. You can trust them, and they are exactly what we clean-eaters should be consuming.

**I received free coupons and product samples in from the Simple Truth brand in exchange for my honest feedback. Other than that, I am not affiliated with the Simple Truth brand in any way.

Fitness Evaluation Results... Ouch.

2012-11-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

I joined a new gym. I was a member of one of those 24 hour gym facilities, but let's be honest- after spending the entire day caring for a 2 year old and a 7 month old, the last thing I want to do is head to the gym when I've finally got a chance to sit down. And Taco Bell is SO much more tempting at 10:30 or 11 at night. Especially when I can say, "I just burned like 300 calories... I've earned taco bell, right?"

If you are thinking, "Hey, that sounds like me...", consider joining a fitness facility like the one I joined. I checked out a few local ones in my area, and finally decided on Christus Schumpert Wellness South. Here are a few things I looked for:

Childcare (What better incentive to get up and go to the gym every morning, than to have a break from your children? I love them, but mommy needs to be alone sometimes.)
Shower facilities (Now I can shower without a 2 year old audience asking my about all of my body parts! And I can pee alone! Every mother's dream!)

Classes

Included in my membership was a fitness evaluation. Here is what you can expect at a fitness evaluation:

A cardio test

A measurement of the fat on your body

A sit-ups test

A push-ups test

So, after 4 months of eating clean, I was curious to know how I would do. And I figured, it would be nice to have a complete record of where I was in the beginning (or close to it.)

Results

Resting heart rate - 78 BPM - Average
For this, I have a legitimate excuse- I had just carried 1 carseat, 1 two year old, a diaper bag, and a gym bag into childcare. That was practically a workout in itself. However, I'd like to see this get lower.

Resting Blood Pressure- 110/70 - Optimal

Target Heart Rate- 155-175 BPM

Aerobic Capacity- 44.77 (ml/kg/min-1) - 89th percentile ranking/Above Average

Girth Measurements

Forearm- 10 in
Upper Arm- 11.5 in

Chest- 39.75 in

Waist- 33.75 in

Hips- 41 in

Thigh- 24 in

Calf- 14.75 in

Total- 174.75

And here is the part I really didn't like... I have 27% body fat. Ugh. And at first I thought, "Well... I'm sure that's pretty average for women my age..." until the trainer so kindly informed me that I was in the 10th percentile. Oh. Well. That sucks. I rank well below average. Meaning my body fat percentage? Well above average.

So, THAT, my friends, is where I have found renewed motivation and determination. BMI can be such an inaccurate assessment of health. Just google "body fat percentage", and you can see how someone with the same BMI and a different body fat percentage can look completely different.

September Clean Eating Update

2012-09-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

I honestly cannot believe I'm still eating clean. I mean, I can believe it, because it's not that hard, but I can't believe it because I usually find it really hard to stick to "diets". I don't really consider this a diet, because its really an entire change in the way I look at food.

I feel so much better now! I don't eat to the point that I am miserably full. I actually think about what I put into my body, and I have learned ways to satisfy cravings (Krispy Kreme doughnuts, anyone?) without eating those bad things. (I substitute a chocolate protein shake for chocolate doughnuts.)

My weight is staying at 173, which is okay with me, because I really just need to kick my exercise a notch (or 50. ha.) I joined a local gym with childcare this week (YAY) so now I can go during the day when staying home with the kids is proving to be too much for me. I get to workout, have some mommy time, and shower without a 2 year old audience yelling at me, and the kids get to play with other kids (Ok, Lily gets to. Kingston gets to watch.)

Black-eyed Pea Stew

2012-09-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I realized I had a bag full of black-eyed peas that was just sitting in my cabinet, and as much as I hate the things, my husband LOVES them. So I did some searching and found this recipe for Spicy Black-eyed Pea and Tomato Stew from "Keep It Simple Foods".

I modified it a bit to use what I had in my kitchen, and it actually turned out reallllly good. I don't even like black eyed peas, but I liked this. It was so good, I can't wait to make it during the wintertime- it will be perfect to warm us up! Here is my modified recipe:

Black-eyed Pea Stew

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (if using dry beans, cook fully before adding them to the stew)

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 small sliced squash (Any vegetables can be used- I just had 3 squash that I needed to use. I hardly even noticed them in the stew.)

1 cup of corn (I used frozen.)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 small can of tomato paste

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon of Tabasco sauce

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil, onions and garlic on medium heat. Cook until onions are slightly browned.

2. Add squash and tomatoes, cook for 3-5 more minutes. The squash do not have to be fully cooked yet as they will finish cooking when we add the remaining ingredients.

3. Add remaining ingredients (corn, black eyed peas, water, tomato paste, spices, Tabasco sauce). Stir, bring to a boil, and cook about 3-5 minutes, or until corn and squash are done. If you want your stew thicker, cook for longer.

My very picky husband really liked this. I suggested that we could serve it over rice (he loves rice too, haha), but he had finished his bowl before I could even get the rice out. I served ours with a size of Ezekiel 4:20 bread. I don't even like black-eyed peas, but I loved this. Can't wait to eat our leftovers!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

I'm out of fruit... Nooooo... But I weigh...

2012-08-02T12:33:00.001-07:00

I'm in the midst of a dilemma. I'm out of apples, grapes, and strawberries. And I'm on my 3rd banana for today.

Do you have a favorite fruit that you can't get enough of? That's apples and grapes for me. I love strawberries, but the rate at which the grow mold disturbs me. (Not that I ever waste perfectly good strawberries by forgetting them in the fridge and letting them grow mold for weeks..... o.O)

I'm still eating clean! However... I went to Baton Rouge Saturday for a Pampered Chef show with my dear friends Laura and Meredith, and although I did pretty well on Saturday, I had some sushi (that was most definitely cooked- I don't do raw fish) on Saturday night. And on the drive home on Sunday I treated myself to some Burger King.
It's not a big deal to me though, because I've been trying to eat clean 100% of the time, and most people only do it 80/20 or 70/30. I just can't be an 80/20er. I'll end up being a 20/80er if I tried. :D

The scale is reading 174.5! ('m excited about that. I weighed between 168 and 173 when I went to the beach about 5 years ago, before I met my husband, got married, and had kiddos. So my initial goal weight is 173. Although Phil says I'm "bikini-worthy". Let's give him the stretch marks and excess skin that two carrying two adorable children blesses you with, and see how "bikini-worthy" he feels. Not very? Yeah. That's what I thought. :D

Anyway, that's all I've got for right now. I'll share a recipe for clean eating enchilada casserole tonight- I've been cooking a lot of chicken breasts and veggies lately and haven't been feeling experimental. I need to go scrounge up some more good recipes.

Got Questions? Post them in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!!

I'm still here!

2012-07-20T16:02:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm STILL here though, and I'm still eating clean!

I confess, I ate one unclean meal. My husband took me to the Village for dinner, and I started with a clean salad, but then it progressed to the steak on a bed of mashed potatoes covered with mushroom cream sauce. And then it was followed with a mini dessert. Which I hardly could eat.
On the way home from dinner I just felt yucky. Not necessarily sick to my stomach, not necessarily like I ate too much, but just yucky. Like my body could already tell this food was different than what it has been eating for the past few weeks.

But, that was the only time! :)

Philip has quickly hopped off the clean-eating bandwagon, but has agreed to eat clean at home, and to not bring any tempting goodies into the house. He eats what he wants at lunch, and doesn't ask for McDonald's at 11pm anymore. :D

I've found some really good recipes (some are sweets... YUM...) that I've been making. I'll share them soon- they are delicious!

Haven't gotten a chance to weigh yet. :( I will soon though! And I will update y'all on it! :)

1 week in!

2012-07-10T08:56:00.001-07:00

Well, I weighed in yesterday at....

176.5!

I lost 4 pounds last week (I'm kinda shocked!) and did not cheat once! So proud of myself for my commitment!

The more I eat clean, the more I find myself wanting to learn more about how to take better care of my body. It's pretty neat.

Before I started eating clean, I had fast food at LEAST 3 times a week (probably normally 5-6 times a week). I actually craved fast food. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized I haven't had fast food in a week! That's quite an accomplishment for this family.

I am eating allll the time. Never hungry. Cooking a lot more, which I enjoy more than I thought I would. I've also found I'm spending more time with my husband cooking and less time with my husband watching tv or playing on the computer.

My biggest challenges this first week were when we went out to eat- I got a salad- and when I had a cooking show. I am a Pampered Chef Independent Consultant, and my hostess wanted us to prepare Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup and fresh Salsa. That soup is GOOD. But not clean. So I passed on it. I tried the salsa (with no chips, lol) and it was good. Clean too!

All in all, I can say I actually ENJOYED my first week of eating clean. :)

Cheater!!

2012-07-06T19:21:00.001-07:00

I'm going to tattle tell on my husband. But its more as a helpful tip for you guys.

Don't cheat when you are eating clean. I mean, if you have a bite or two of something "unclean", you will probably be fine. Do not do what my husband did yesterday.

So, a family member was in the hospital, and we went out of town to see him. After the visit, we took the family out to eat. They picked a seafood restaurant- I was pretty nervous about my first time dining out while eating clean. I ordered a skinny chicken salad, and tried to keep myself occupied with feeding the 3 month old so that I wouldn't eat one of those delicious smelling pile of onion rings that they ordered for an appetizer. I swear that glorious pile was a foot high. I was seriously debating eating one. Oh my goodness. But I didn't.

Philip, on the other hand, dug right in. Despite my warnings, he ate lots of onions rings, then ordered a catfish dinner with french fries. "I'm going to cheat, I might as well do it big!" he rationalized. 30 minutes after we left the restaurant, we had to stop and get some Extra Strength Tums- he was miserable. Then he uttered the words every woman loves to hear.

"You were right."

Yeah... I don't foresee any clean-eating cheating anytime soon in our future.

And if you're like me, and are craving a pastry (I'm noticing I'm a nighttime craver. And I love sweets...), try the cinnamon raisin Ezekiel Bread. It's good.

Chips and Guacamole! Ole!

2012-07-04T20:35:00.004-07:00

So Phil and I were watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians (I'm sure he really appreciates me disclosing that...), and Kourtney said, "Let's go get some chips and guacamole!" And Phil said, "Oooooh. Chips and guacamole... that sounds good..." So I said, "Let's make some!"

And, once again, I turned to The Gracious Pantry for the recipe. I halved the recipe, and used lime juice in the chips and the guacamole. I cooked my chips for 12 minutes instead of 15. Next time, I'd generously sprinkle the garlic powder and salt mixture on the chips. I did it sparingly because I didn't want to go overboard, but it was good and would have been even better with more. Enjoy. :)

Clean Eating Chips And Guacamole’
(Makes 6 servings)

Guacamole’

Ingredients
4 ripe avocados
1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Step 1 – Remove skins, and place avocados in a large mixing bowl, along with all other ingredients.
Step 2 – Mash all ingredients together until you reach your desired consistency.

Tortilla Chips

Ingredients
1 package corn tortillas (I use Traders Joe’s Corn Tortillas – the cleanest I’ve found so far)
1/2 salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
Lemon juice
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions
Step 1 – Take one bag of small corn tortillas and cut them into 4ths or 8ths. (Please check the ingredients on the tortillas you buy. Not all tortillas are created equal!)

Step 2 – Cover a cookie sheet with a VERY light spray of olive oil.

Step 3 – Lay out your tortilla pieces so that none of them cover each other.

Step 4 – Spray your tortilla pieces with a VERY light spray of olive oil.

Step 5 – Sprinkle with lemon (or lime) juice, garlic and salt.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F. until crispy (About 15-25 minutes, depending on your oven).

Enjoy!

Pancakes and Stir Fry!

2012-07-04T20:30:00.002-07:00

Philip LOVES getting hotcakes from McDonald's on Saturday mornings. Well, he had the day off (Happy Independence Day!), and I thought he might like a hotcake alternative. Thus, I made these clean Whole Wheat Pancakes from the Gracious Pantry.

They tasted a little eggy. Like french toast, sorta. BUT they were good. Lily even ate some! We used a little bit of 100% pure Maple Syrup on them. You could also top them with strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon, bananas-- be creative! :)

Clean Eating Whole Wheat Pancakes
(The amount of pancakes made varies greatly based on their size)

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
1/2 cup low-fat or non fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla (omit if you will be making extra for pancake soup)
1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

Step 1 – Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2 – Ladle the batter on to a non stick pan without any oil. Keep the heat at medium to medium high. Using high heat will burn the pancakes before they are cooked through.

Step 3 – Cook until they are cooked through and serve, topped with your favorite toppings. Cottage cheese is a great addition for protein

We didn't end up eating an actual lunch. Sometimes that happens when you have two kids. I'm working on it.

This evening, Phil insisted we go to the grocery store to get some milk. Keep in mind, we have a 2 year old, and a 3 month old. ((Clearly, he never goes grocery shopping with them.)) I tried to get him to wait until they went to bed, but he just really wanted some freaking milk.

10 minutes into our shopping trip, the baby was screaming and sucking on his hand furiously, as if I hadn't fed him all week, and the two year old no longer wanted to ride in the car on the buggy, or in the buggy. He now understands why I go to the grocery store between the hours of 8pm and 2 am. (THANK GOODNESS for grocery stores open late!!!)

It was SOOOOO tempting to stop at one of the bajillion fast food restaurants that we pass by on the way to the grocery store- but I was DETERMINED to stick to this clean diet! (So many excuses- it's too late to cook, its bedtime and it will wake the kids, I'm too tired... ) So by the time we got home and got the kids in bed, it was 8 o'clock- but I still cooked dinner! Yay me!

I just threw together some brown rice, frozen mixed veggies, cooked chicken breast, and some Pampered Chef Teriyaki Sauce with Honey. It was -delicious-. Phil gave it an 8.5 out of 10. (He never really goes above 8. So I was shocked.)

All this cooking is starting to grow on me- Phil and I are spending more time together in the kitchen. :)

Peanut Butter Cookies!

2012-07-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Remember those peanut butter cookies that I made when I was having a "something sweet" craving?

Here is the recipe I promised, which I got from The Gracious Pantry.

Clean Eating Peanut Butter Cookies
(Makes approximately 18 cookies)

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)

Directions

Step 1 – Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Step 2 – Using two teaspoons, scoop and drop the cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Step 3 – Bake at 350 F. for 12-14 minutes. You may need to experiment with the timing on these because the thicker they are, the longer they take. 12 minutes is about right if you make them no thicker than 1/2 inch. These cookies will bake up exactly as they are on the cookie sheet. No spreading.

Step 4 – Remove from oven and cool.

Eat and enjoy!

The Great Cabinet Cleanup

2012-07-04T08:15:00.001-07:00

I forgot to tell y'all about my little surprise for Philip when he got home from work Monday. (He doesn't care for my surprises. Haha.)

I spent the day getting all of the processed unclean foods out of our cabinets and fridge. Let me tell you, I was SHOCKED at all of the things I ate everyday that just were NO good for me. The thing that was most alarming was that every single barbecue sauce I had had partially hydrogenated oil in it! And we eat a LOT of barbecue.

I even packed up all of my beloved Lean Cuisines, Smart Ones, and Healthy Choice meals (and desserts! Ahh!) and loaded them in the car.

I gave the food to my mom and sister, who kept asking, "Um... are you sure you don't want me to just hold onto this for you? What if you change your mind?"

The most difficult thing for me to part with that day was my dear Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soup. Let's all have a moment of silence for them.

Ok.

Phil didn't even notice at first when I proudly opened the pantry door to display my work. (can you tell who does all the cooking in this house?) I had to tell him. His response, in a word, was, "Noooooooooooo!"

Haha.

He isn't complaining now though. I've been cooking more, and he has lost 4 lbs.

2 days in...

2012-07-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

I'm doing well so far! I weighed in yesterday (Monday is my weekly weigh in day), and I lost 2 lbs last week. So that will make my official clean-eating starting weight 180.5. (Are you shocked I'm giving away my actual weight?! I am. Haha. Before you judge my weight, keep in mind, I'm 6 feet tall.)
Philmo weighed, and after two days of (mostly) sticking to clean eating (Tortilla chips are his weakness), he has lost 1.5 lbs.

Before you get too excited for him, remember that processed foods are high in sodium, which cause us to retain water, so during the first week of clean eating, you will lose a lot of water weight. Since I'm being really honest, I'll go ahead and say that I thought I'd be running back and forth to the bathroom all the time these first couple of days. I mean, we're eating a lot of fruit and veggies. I was wrong.

I'm already starting to feel more energized, and less obsessed with food. This morning and yesterday morning, it wasn't as difficult to drag myself out of bed. (Keep in mind that this is quite an accomplishment, considering Baby still wakes up for 4 am feedings.)

Phil and I are big fans of the FourthMeal (Darn you, Taco Bell!), so it's been a bit of a challenge in the evenings to not run to the nearest fast food joint and pick up some delicious but oh-so-horrible for you burgers or tacos or chicken. (I hate when people mention bad foods on their blogs, because then I think, OMG THAT SOUNDS SO DELICIOUS RIGHT NOW...) Well, last night I had had enough of my cravings for a giant something with bread and sugar. So what do you do when you think you may cheat because you want something SOOO badly?

You google.

Yay for the internets! I found a recipe for clean peanut butter cookies from The Gracious Pantry (will share on next post). You should have SEEN Phil's face when I asked him if he wanted to make some peanut butter cookies. You would have thought I just told him that we just won the lottery. Seriously. The cookies were good. Not GREAT. But good enough to nip my crazy cravings in the bud.

So, in conclusion, I'm proud of myself for not cheating and for finding a way around my cravings. :D

Is it Monday yet? I'm ready to weigh in...

That Mint Smoothie Recipe

2012-06-30T21:58:00.003-07:00

Philip loves mint-chocolate anything.

Hence, I got some dark chocolate chips (yes, they are clean! yay!), and some peppermint extract, so he could make this smoothie recipe, which I got from Rabbit Food for My Bunny Teeth.

Thin Mint Protein Smoothie
Serves 1

1 cup frozen spinach (or 2 cups fresh)
1 cup almond milk
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
Toppings:
1 Tbsp walnuts
1 Tbsp 70% dark chocolate chips
Combine the almond milk, spinach, protein powder, rolled oats, and peppermint extract in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a glass and top with walnuts and chocolate chips and enjoy with a spoon!
Note: If your blender has a hard time blending certain things, start by blending the milk and frozen spinach first and then add in the oats, followed by protein powder and peppermint extract.

I don't know if I'd consider protein powder clean, but I've got to pick my battles with Phil. At least he's doing this thing with me!

Clean Grocery Shopping

2012-06-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

After enjoying my last "dirty" meal, I made a grocery list, found out which grocery store had the biggest organic selection, and headed there!

I tried to stay on the outer aisles of the store, and felt a little weird putting SO many fruits and veggies in my buggy. I was sure someone was going to think I was a hippie treehugging vegan. (Not that all vegans are treehugging hippies. But I was sure they would think I was. There was THAT much produce in my cart. ((... speaking of carts, do only southerners call their grocery carts buggies? Maybe I should just say cart from now on..)))

Here's the produce I got:

Lemons (for tea)
Oranges
Apples
Celery (I found a clean peanut butter! More on that later...)
Bananas
Potatoes
Blueberries
Strawberries
Apples
Carrots
Grapes
Romaine Lettuce (much more nutritious than iceberg- apparently iceberg is just blah when it comes to nutrition)
Onions
Spinach
Tomatoes
Bell Peppers (I bought all the pretty colored ones; red, yellow, orange, green. I have no clue what the difference is. I guess I'm going to find out...)
Mangos (or is it Mangoes???)
Kiwis
Avocados
Watermelon
I told you I looked like a hippie.

I also bought some frozen veggies. And nuts. (Are those considered produce?? Uh....)

Pecans
Almonds
Peanuts
Spinach
Corn
Green Beans

And then the dairy and egg aisle...

Fat Free Greek Yogurt (It sounds awful to me... but not if I add blueberries!! :) )
Eggs (going to eat minimal yolks- mostly egg whites)
Almond Milk (For a mint chocolate chip protein shake recipe Philip found... Will share.)

I am avoiding beef and pork, and trying to stick to leaner meats like chicken, fish, and turkey. If you've never tried ground turkey, you should. Your husband and kids won't notice unless you tell them. (I speak from experience. :D ) So I just bought some Jennie-O Ground Turkey. I've got tons of chicken and tilapia at home.

So, you know how you're supposed to stay out of the middle aisles of the store? There are a FEW okay things. Just make sure when you go down those middle aisles, that you focus on what you are getting. (Whose idea was it to put cookies on the same aisle as the oatmeal?!) Here's the clean things from the middle aisle:

Salsa (I figured Philip could dump this on anything he thought was too bland. Salt is evil.)
Corn Tortillas (I promised him we could have some. I didn't find some that I was sure were clean, but the ingredient list was minimal and didn't have partially hydrogenated anything. All of the "healthy" and "whole grain" and "natural" labeled ones were FULL of partially hydrogenated oils! I was SHOCKED!)
Unsweeted Applesauce
Whole-grain pasta
Green Tea
100% pure and natural maple syrup (okay to use occasionally. Just don't use a lot.)
Steel-cut oatmeal
Peanut Butter (The ingredients list just said: Peanuts. SCORE! So proud of myself.)
Long Grain Brown Rice (Philip LOVES Rice. Double score.)

My apologies for the upside-down picture. I'm too lazy to turn it around.

I will admit it. I was SUPER nervous to go to the checkout. I kept formulating plans on how I was going to put things back without embarrassing myself if I went over my grocery budget. Is it just me, or wouldn't you think this would cost at least $275+? I mean, when I think organic, natural, clean foods, I think exPENsive!

$158.09. That was my total. Woot!!! Go me.

Any questions or comments on what is or isn't ok to buy? Post them below and I'll answer! :)

Time for a Change: Clean Eating

2012-06-30T21:14:00.002-07:00

Well, last I updated, I announced that I was having another baby. Here is the sweet fella:

During my pregnancy, I gained 33 lbs. I quickly lost 23 with WeightWatchers PointsPlus Program, and have been struggling with the last 10. I love weight watchers; don't get me wrong. It's a great starting point to teach people how to make better choices about what they eat, and it encourages healthier eating.

But I'm ready to be even healthier. On WeightWatchers, I was still eating a lot of processed foods, full of trans fats, preservatives, and lots of things added in that just aren't natural. So, via Pinterest, I discovered the method of eating Clean. I did a bit of internet research, and although there are some variations, these are the main points I'll be following with the clean eating diet:

Shop on the outer aisles of the grocery store. i.e., fruits, veggies, fresh meat, milk, eggs, plain yogurt, etc.
Read the ingredients on everything you buy. (I thought this part would be super hard, but when deciding if I want to buy something I look for a short ingredient list ((4-5 ingredients)) that does not include partially hydrogenated anything ((partially hydrogenated = trans fats)) and that does not include lots of oils and butters.
Try to only eat things that are as close to their natural form as possible- i.e., minimally processed.
Drink water or tea.

Did I mention I ~~conned~~ talked my husband into doing this with me? (We enjoyed a farewell to processed food meal tonight: Sonic. Y-U-M.)

So, in an effort to hold ourselves accountable, and so that we will stick to this thing, I'm posting our before pictures.

Don't judge me.

Philip (my husband) told me to slouch and look unhappy. Apparently, that's how you're supposed to take "before" photos.

And here is Philip. Don't judge him either. (I also had to ~~con~~ talk him into allowing me to share his pictures.)

Our goals are to pay more attention to what we put into our bodies (with me especially, since I'm nursing), get healthier, and lose weight.

Wish us luck!

Baby #2 makes four!!

2011-09-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that my husband and I are expecting our second child! He or she is due April 4th!

Since finding out, I have already started buying diapers whenever I can get a good deal on them. Yes, I realize this is a little crazy, but I figure that it is soooo much easier to buy a 4 months worth of diapers over 10 months while I can get good deals- as opposed to waiting until baby comes and having to run to the store two or three times a week to buy diapers. (I don't know about you, but when we have new kids, we never end up just buying diapers. I sent my husband to the store for a breast pump when Lily was a week old, and he spent $200 on random baby stuff- and no, that doesn't include the breast pump...)

So Baby and Lily will be 22 months apart! Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can expect during that first year? Or advice for me? Please comment below! :)

Repurposed Baby Wipes Container!

2011-09-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

So today, I finished a wipes container. I didn't want to throw it away, and my 1 year old doesn't use crayons yet. I wanted to use it in the kitchen. So I decided to use it to store my seasoning mixes!

It's the -perfect- size for seasoning mixes, and now they aren't scattered all over my shelves!!

I was so thrilled with myself. What do you use old baby wipes containers for?

Saving Money through Everyday Activities

2011-08-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, my husband and I have been looking for ways to save money by changing some of our daily habits. With a bit of thought, we've found ways to save money every month by changing a few of habits, as well as eliminating some unnecessary luxuries in our lives. Here's a list of the changes we have made- and once I find out how much it has saved us, I'll let you know!

Don't turn on the dishwasher unless it is completely full.
Okay, this may seem obvious, but we never did this! We always turned the dishwasher on whenever we were running low on bottles or sippy cups, but now that baby is out of bottles and has more sippy cups, we can stop. We've gone from running the dishwasher at least twice a day to running it once every other day!
Similarly, we've made sure to move the laundry to the dryer in a timely manner. There is no sense in having to wash the same load of clothes 3 times because you never got around to moving it to the dryer. Wasting money!

Limit showers to 15 minutes or less.

I don't know about your husband, but mine tends to take showers of at least 30 minutes. That, to me, is absurd. Just wash your hair, bathe, and get out!!! When you just stand there and relax in the shower it is wasting money! - At least, that's what I want to tell him. Anyway, we've decided to limit showers to 15 minutes or less. If I can get husband to stick to this rule, we can save (15x7=105) 105 minutes of running water each week! That's 420 minutes of water a month!

Find a temperature that you can live with, and agree not to set your thermostat below it.

We tend to keep the thermostat set at 69. We are crazy. We know. We live in Louisiana where it is a humid 104 on a normal summer day. Sooooo... we decided that we could live with agreeing not to set the thermostat under 72. (I didn't actually think we would be able to stick to this rule- but we have!! Yay!) Sometimes I get all crazy and turn it all the way up to 75! Look at me, living the wild life! (Hardy har har.) In the winter, we agreed to not set the thermostat above 69. (Normally we probably would have set it at 73- maybe up to 75.)

Evaluate subscriptions and decide what you use and what can be eliminated.

In our home, we had 2 movie service subscriptions, and frequently rented movies on our PS3 (at $3.99 a movie!! Geez!!). We cancelled one subscription, and reduced the other one. We've agreed not to rent anymore movies off of the PS3 (or at least not 2 or 3 a week like we were before.
We also had a home phone subscription which I had INSISTED upon getting when we moved into this house. "I don't want to be a pregnant woman whose cell phone won't work when she goes into labor or has an emergency!" Well, I got over it and decided to cancel our home phone. Haha. I decided, we have 2 cell phones and live within an hour of nearly all of our loved ones. We will be fine.

I'm still looking for more ways to cut costs. What do you do to make ends meet each month? Please, let me know!

Easiest Way to Clean Your Microwave- and Without Dangerous Chemicals!

2011-05-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning my microwave today and was reminded that I should share with you all the way that I do it that is SO easy! It's so easy, you probably won't believe it until you try it. :D

Fill a medium size microwave-safe container 3/4 full with water, and add about 3 tablespoons or so of lemon juice. You may need more lemon juice if your microwave is very dirty. Place the dish in the microwave and heat it for 12 minutes. After the timer goes off, let the water sit in the microwave for 5-8 minutes. This part is very important, because the steam from the lemon-water mixture will fill the microwave and coat the walls, starting to work on the buildup. Then, simply wipe your microwave clean with a rag. If you have a stubborn stain, dip the end of your rag in the lemon-water mix (be careful, its very hot!) and wipe the stain with a bit of the lemon-water mix.

Sometimes my turntable has buildup on it that won't come off with a wipe or a good scrub. In that case, I let some of the lemon water mixture sit on the turntable for 5-10 minutes and then wipe it clean with no problems!

Try it out for yourself, and let me know how it works for you! :)

Albertson's Soda Sale!

2011-05-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

While getting my grocery list together last night I found that Albertson's also has sodas on sale this week.

Coke, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero 12-pk. – 4 for $10.88 -no in ad store coupon necessary (I went to the Southfield store this morning! :))

7Up, Squirt, Sunkist, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Pepsi Max, fridge packs- 4 for $10.00
Must buy 4

Happy Shopping! :)

Where to Buy Sodas

2011-05-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

This week, CVS has a deal on coca-cola product 12 packs. They are 3 for $10, and you get your fourth one free! This makes them $2.50 each when you buy 4! The last day to take advantage of this deal is Saturday, May 28!
Starting tomorrow and running until Tuesday, May 31, you can buy the Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper 12 packs for 4 for $10 ($2.50 each) at Brookshires and Super One Foods. Remember, if you take your print ad to Wal-mart, they will also honor the prices!

Dinner- Sloppy Joes!

2011-05-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Here is what I am making for dinner tonight! What are you making?

Taken from : http://www.food.com/recipe/different-sloppy-joes-149945

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 ounce dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup pickle juice
1 tablespoon flour (heaping)
1/2 cup water

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

1 Brown hamburger, then drain.
2 Stir in flour and soup mix.
3 Add water and pickle juice.
4 Simmer until mixture thickens.
5 Remove from heat and serve with dill pickles on small buns.

Couponing- again! :)

2011-05-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple people approaching me telling me that they are having trouble finding deals or understanding how to make the most of their couponing. I thought I'd share with y'all what I've shared with them. :)

http://www.southernsavers.com/learn This is where I learned to coupon. it was the easiest explanation for me to understand.

http://thefrugalfind.com/online-coupon-class/introduction/
If you learn better by seeing someone and hearing them explain it, here is a video series. :)

One of the best tips I can give you is not to cut out every single coupon you get. Save the newspaper inserts and mark the date on the front of them so that when you are looking for a certain coupon you can find it more quickly. I check websites for coupon matchups before going to the store to find out what the deals are. If I don't see anything I really need/want that week that is a great deal, I usually don't go shopping. The websites I check every week for my coupon matchups are www.frugalday.com , www.thefrugalgirls.com, southernsavers.com, and thecouponposse.com .

If I didn't answer any questions, PLEASE let me know! Thanks!!

What would you like to see more of?

2011-05-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am debating whether or not to include more coupon and freebie deals on my blog. I come across a lot of them regularly. What would you like to see more of? Do you want me to post more couponing and freebie deals? Let me know by commenting below please! Thanks!