Heart & Home

2013-04-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

How to Cut Back Without Sacrificing Nutrition
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Dear Friends,

According to the USDA, the average American family of four is spending $80 a month more on groceries than they did a mere 3 years ago. For a lot of families, the upturn in grocery spending does not reflect an upturn on family income. Clearly something has got to give!
We’ve all noticed how much food has gone up–I can’t think of one thing that hasn’t. And while I cannot control food prices, I can control my own budget and as it becomes necessary, cut back to keep my food expenses in line. Here are 10 ways to cut back without sacrificing nutrition:

1) Eat vegetarian one night a week (rice and beans is a favorite with my kids).
2) Eat breakfast for dinner one night a week (pancakes and eggs are way cheap). Light candles and serve juice in wine glasses for fun.
3) Eat greens and beans one night a week (I use frozen collards, turnip greens etc. on sale to keep the cost down). Give your big guys Tabasco sauce to bump it up!
4) Eat homemade soup one night a week (try the one below!).
5) Cook with your crockpot one night a week (utilizing inexpensive cuts of meat and poultry).
6) Only buy meat and produce on sale and/or marked down.
7) Eat from your freezer one night a week (you’d be surprised at how many meals are in there just waiting to be thrown together!).
8) Buy dried beans and make your own instead of buying canned (instructions on how to cook them are right on the bag).
9) Make your own chicken broth from your leftover roast chicken (throw the carcass, an onion, carrots and celery into a pot, cover with water, simmer for an hour or so).
10) Pack PB & J’s, some carrot sticks and waters for dinner the night you’re all running all over the place (nixing the drive thru). No one will die from not having a “proper meal”.

This is all easy stuff and doesn’t require a lot of thought. Eating vegetarian for example, could be combined with eating greens and beans for dinner or eating soup, or breakfast for dinner. The point is the thought process of cutting back, making do and using up what you have. You can live on less than you think, that includes food.
Try some of these suggestions. Go shopping in your freezer and fridge before you even begin to plan your menu this week. Likewise, check out that pantry for anything that might turn into dinner this week. Keeping clutter at bay requires cutting back on unnecessary purchases. This includes food!

Leanne Ely is a New York Times best-selling author and the author of the https://www.secureinfossl.com/affProgram/Saving-Dinner-Affiliate-Program/74910 Saving Dinner series</a>. According to Woman’s Day Magazine, she is the expert on family cooking. Her media experience includes multi-city book tours, satellite media tours, QVC several times as well as guesting on several national television shows, including HGTV’s Simple Solutions, ABC Family’s Living the Life, Ivanhoe’s Smart Woman, Small Talk for Parents and Talk of the Town. She has guest chef-ed on the cooking show, Carolina Cooks and has taught cooking classes all over the country for Bloomingdale’s.

2013-04-04T16:03:00.003-07:00

How the Right Foods Help You Focus
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

One thing I’ve noticed that so many people have in common is scattered thinking. Some of us call it ADD while some of us try to put a little shine on it and call it “multi-tasking”. Whatever you want to call it, this is one way of never really getting things done the way we want them. Yes, we think we can do things this way, but in the end, it never really works out, does it?

The funny thing is we want it all done and we want it done NOW. It’s a microwave mentality, really. What we need in order to get things done is a crock pot mentality–we need to warm up, stay consistent and keep the heat on!

Well, in my research, I’ve discovered that there is a way foodwise, to help us stay focused! Yes indeed, you can fuel your brain to think better! I love that personally, because I have so many things I write about each week. When I’m “multi-tasking” in all my scattered glory, I can really make a mess of it all and take forever to get something done. I’ve sometimes had up as many as 5 or 6 screens up on my computer, writing on this, writing on that and ended up being frustrated and not getting my work done like I need to.

Obviously, I need to stop behavior that isn’t benefiting me (this is the definition of SANITY–doing something different if the old way wasn’t working!) and do something else. So I did. I’ve also become aware of foods that help me focus and it’s really making a difference. Here are some foods you might want to try:

*Raisins, apples and nuts. I eat raw almonds nearly everyday (just about 10), one or two apples and sometimes a handful of raisins go in my steel cut oats in the morning. Boron is the main component to these three and boron has been shown to help folks do better in memory and attention tests. Sign me up, right?

*Eggs and kefir. I eat eggs several times a week and put kefir in my smoothies. Choline, which is rich in eggs and dairy products, helps your brain to store and recall information. I need all the help I can get!

*Coffee or tea. Caffeine isn’t the enemy unless you go overboard. Caffeine actually helps your attention improve and gives you better problem solving skills–isn’t that great? One cup of coffee in the morning and a cup of tea in the afternoon does the trick for me when I’m under deadlines. Give it a try yourself!

I don’t know about you, but I feel sometimes like I’m being squeezed from all angles with my time. Being able to stay focused and get one task at a time done keeps me from multi-tasking perfectionism which in the end, both frustrates me and makes me feel guilty!

Let’s stay focused this week and eat foods that will feed our brains!

Leanne Ely is a New York Times best-selling author and the author of the Saving Dinner series.. According to Woman’s Day Magazine, she is the expert on family cooking. Her media experience includes multi-city book tours, satellite media tours, QVC several times as well as guesting on several national television shows, including HGTV’s Simple Solutions, ABC Family’s Living the Life, Ivanhoe’s Smart Woman, Small Talk for Parents and Talk of the Town. She has guest chef-ed on the cooking show, Carolina Cooks and has taught cooking classes all over the country for Bloomingdale’s.

2013-03-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

With Saving Dinner menu planning that is easy. I am so lovin this. Great for working parents, single moms, everyone! You get the menu, recipes, grocery list and so much more! Check it out!

Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2011-12-04T05:48:00.000-08:00

Ghirardelli Chocolate

I have used Ghirardelli chocolate chips in my cookie recipe and they are wonderful. But, did you know you can order fresh baked brownies and chocolate chip cookies from Ghirardelli? This is a wonderful option for those who don't bake or don't have time to bake.

They offer Christmas gifts, ornaments, business gifts, fundraising opportunities for your organization, beautiful favor boxes for your wedding or special event.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Turkey In The NuWave Oven

2011-12-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

I cooked a turkey in the NuWave Oven. It was moist, tender and delicious. I seasoned it with salt and pepper and followed the instructions on the cooking chart that came with the NuWave. I will definately be using it to cook the meats for Christmas. You can use oven bags in the NuWave or anything you can use in a conventional oven as long as it fits.

Nuwave Oven

2011-11-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

I ordered the Nuwave oven this week. I have been wanting one for some time, so I finally ordered it as an early Christmas present to me and the family. We are trying to eat healthier. I am hoping it will arrive before Thanksgiving so I can fix a turkey or ham in it and maybe the whole meal! (I did order the extender ring set.) They also have a Mini Nuwave available that would be great for dorm rooms, small apartments, etc. If you own a Nuwave oven and would like to share tips, recipes, or reviews, I would love to hear from you! Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

Chocolate Caramel Popcorn

2011-11-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Wrap this up for Christmas to give as gifts. This is a delightful treat that everyone loves.

3 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound dipping milk chocolate (or dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place the popcorn in a big roasting pan (I like to use the aluminum roasting pans you can pick up at the grocery store). Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add soda and stir. Pour caramel over popcorn and mix well. Bake popcorn one hour, stirring every 10-15 minute with a wooden spoon. Remove from oven and cool completely. Melt half of chocolate per package directions, melt more later if you need to. You can drizzle the chocolate over the caramel corn or you can dip popcorn pieces in the chocolate and place the chocolate-covered popcorn on wax paper to cool.

Christmas is just around the corner!

2011-11-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

It's time to start Christmas shopping! I am going to shop online this year and not stress over the shopping list. That will leave plenty of time for family and friends.

Shop Amazon's Holiday Toy List

Shop for iPod, iPad, and Kindle Fire.

Heavenly Hash Recipe

2011-10-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

This makes a wonderful fast and easy dessert to fix for church suppers, family dinners, etc. Just mix it up and place it in your favorite stoneware dish. When I take this dessert to a potluck, I always bring home an empty bowl.

1 large can chunk pineapple, well drained
12 oz. wipped topping, thawed
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 jar maraschino cherries, well drained
1 can mandarin oranges, well drained

Combine ingredients and mix until blended. Chill at least one hour before serving.

To make this recipe healthier you can reduce the calories and fat in this recipe by using fat free sour cream and lite wipped topping.

Hearty Baked Beans

2011-10-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

These baked beans are so hearty you can have them as the main dish and just add rolls.

10 slices bacon, crisp from the microwave, broken into pieces
55 oz can Bush's Original Baked Beans
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onions (can use 3 tablespoons dehydrated onions)
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup Heinz Thick and Rich Hickory Smoke BBQ Sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 pound browned ground beef

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
This also makes a good Crockpot meal.

Slow Cooking - Crockpot Recipe

2011-09-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

Southern Chicken & Dumplings

This is a very easy recipe. Just put in the slow cooker in the morning and have heart meal waiting for you when you get home from work.

3 -10 3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
1 -10 3/4 oz. can chicken broth
1/4 cup onion, diced
water
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 tubes jumbo refrigerated biscuits, cut in quarters
salt and pepper, to taste

Place soup, broth, onion, salt, pepper and chicken in the slow cooker.
Pour enough water in to cover the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving, put slow cooker on high and drop biscuits in. Do not stir.
Cover and cook about 30 minutes more or until biscuits are done.
Stir and serve. Makes 6 servings or more depending on the amount of biscuits you use.

To make this healthier you can use low fat cream of chicken soup and low fat biscuits.

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Better'n Peanut Butter- Low Weight Watchers Points Plus alternative to Peanut Butter

2011-07-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

I was looking for an low fat alternative to peanut butter and found Better'n Peanut Butter. Reviews I read online varied greatly. When I first opened the jar, the aroma reminded me of Nutter Butter cookies. The consistency is a little like the inside of a peanut butter cup but a little moister. I cannot wait to try this in my preacher cookie recipe.

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