June 2014

Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style: Perfectly Portioned Meal Control!

Hello again, savvy savers! Today I am starting another new blog series, Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style! I will be focusing on ways to live a healthier, more active lifestyle while be able to afford clean, organic, obtainable foods! I believe this series can be worthwhile for many, who like myself, wish to get more in shape, not through crash-dieting but by small attainable lifestyle changes! All of the changes I propose will be free or affordable, and most meals and plans will contain couponed savings or deals! Fads are fancy, but coupons are a commitment! With that said, here is where I am currently: I have a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. I am looking to lose 60lbs., find affordable non-gym membership options for working out, and change the way I consume food; this includes meals, snacks, and splurges!

Today I am 31 years young, I am 5’6”, and weigh 201 lbs; I am down three pounds since last week. I walk my dogs but beyond this am not terribly active. My lifestyle causes sedentary behaviors; I work-from-home, blog, run two internet businesses, and perform advocacy work online as well. I am an internet-based excuser! Today this changes! Spring has sprung, and so shall I! I have taken up yoga, and have started working out with a pedometer on as well!

For my fourth post, I wanted to discuss a new measure I have implemented to help in my food portion control, measuring cups. This may sound very rudimentary, but I have found this very effective. I use a 1 and 2 cup pyrex measuring glass to measure out the portions of food I eat each meal at home. I purchased my cups, for free, on Amazon.com using survey-derived gift cards, but similar versions are available at the Dollar Tree.

Here is a guide I use in doing so:

1) Foods that should be served in 1 cup servings: Raw vegetables, cooked or raw fruit,

2) Food that should be served in 1/4 cup servings: Cooked vegetables, Dried Fruit, Waffles,

3) Foods that should be eaten in 1/2 cup servings: Whole Fruit, Canned Chicken or Tuna, Prepared Salads, Meats, Poultry, Eggs.

4) Foods that should be eaten in 2/3 cup servings: Fruit Juice, Yogurt, Milk, Potatoes, Cereal,

5) Foods that should be eaten in 1/8 cup servings: Cheese, Bread, Pretzels, Potato Chips,

6) Foods that should be eaten in 1/3 cup servings: Rice, Couscous, Quinoa, Cooked Pasta,

7) Foods that should be eaten in 1 teaspoon servings: Oil, Butter, and Spreads.

8) Foods that should be eaten in 1 tablespoon servings: Nuts.

Here’s to the Journey!

Making The Most Out Of Monday Meals: Freezing Summer Strawberries!

Hello again, savvy savers! For the second installment of my new Freezer and Crock Pot Cooking Series, Making the Most Out of Monday Meals, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite and easiest Freezer Cooking Projects, freezing summer strawberries! Why freeze berries, and summer berries in general? Well, aside from the larger variety this time of year, a lower cost, and the fact that in season berries are not sprayed and treated with the same amount of waxes and preservatives as their winter cousins are, making this the prime time of year for this method!

Cost: $6.00-$8.00, depending on season, location, etc.

Time: 2.5-3 Hours.

Instructions:

To begin, purchase good quality, organic strawberries; you can often save money by purchasing in bulk from a local farmer’s market or Wholefoods store. Next, pick through your berries and remove any leaves, stems, or hard bits of debris; and then remove the caps and halve berries. Once you have picked over transfer your berries to a colander and thoroughly rinse under cool water, and then shake to dry.

Next, add your sugar-substitute or agave syrup to berries, and toss to combine. Now, transfer berries to a lined baking sheet, making sure to arrange berries on an even scattered layered. Now freeze those berries; you will need to freeze your berries for 1-2 hours or until hard. Once frozen, transfer your berries to a ziplock baggie, pre-labeled; each bag should hold 1-2 cups, and will last 12 months in the freezer!

That’s it, easy peasy, huh? When you are ready to use the berries, thaw overnight in the fridge and you’re set! So, here’s to freezing berries! If you freeze berries, leave me a comment below and let me know about your berry freezer sessions!

Here’s to whole living,

3 Comments

DIY Calorie-Free Snow Cone Syrup!

Hello again, savvy savers! Today, I wanted to share with you one of my families favorite warm weather treats, my DIY Calorie-Free Snow Cone Syrup! With top selling brands of snow cone syrup from Jelly Belly selling at close at my local Walmart Supercenter for $4.98 for 12 ounces, I sought to make a better, more economical syrup. I make two versions, one with cane sugar, for $0.35 for 3 cups of syrup, or $0.85 for a sugar-free splenda version of the same. You will be able to save 90% over the average purchase price. What’s even better, is that this syrup can be stored in your refrigerator for a month at a time, or frozen in ice cubed form, for up to a year!

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

Filtered Water
Two Cups Sugar Alternative
3 Tablespoons Sugar-Free Kool Aid or Crystal Light
Storage Containers

Ingredients:

Filtered Water
Two Cups Cane Sugar, or Sugar Alternative
3 Tablespoons Sugar-Free Kool Aid or Crystal Light
Storage Containers

1) For each pint of syrup mix 1 cup filtered water, two cups either cane or splenda in a sauce pan or shallow frying pan, on medium low heat.

2) Let mixture sit in pan for 1 minute.

3) Add your flavoring.

4) Begin to whisk your syrup for one minute until well incorporated.

5) Let your syrup come to a low boil for an additional minute.

6) Next, remove your pan(s) from the heat and let sit for fix minutes; stir your mixture if needed.

7) While mixture is warm, but not boiling, transfer to heat-resident glass containers and then continue to cool for 1 hour.

8) Now for the fun part! I used my Jelly Belly Snow Cone Maker, but any form of crushed ice will due, in terms of making snow cones! Take your cooled syrup and transfer it to containers, preferably with pumps, to dispense over your snow cones. When filling your snow cone containers, fill with ice only half-way and then dispense 3-5 drops over the ice, and then fill the cones the rest of the way up with the shaved ice, and add an additional 3-5 drops over the top of the snow cones!

9) Enjoy!

6 Comments

Weekly Menu: Feeding A Family of 4, For Only $20.36 This Week!

Happy Mother’s Day, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a sunny, yet muggy and humid start here in Dixie. Thankfully, this weeks menu is going to be very straightforward, as I will be Spring Cleaning my deep freezer, and will be basing this weeks menu off of Cupboard Clearing ideas, so for me, aside from my Rebate Road Trip items, I will not be stepping out to the market is not necessary, including holiday fair. Without further ado, here is my weekly menu, for which was derived from couponing deals, freebies, and cupboard cooking; I will be feeding a family of four this week for only $20.36.

This week we will be having:

Monday
Breakfast: Baked Frittata Cups, Half A Pita Round Toasted, with Apple Juice.
Lunch: Grilled Cheese and Basil Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Chips, and Sun Tea.
Snack: Almonds, Grapes, and String Cheese.
Dinner: Grilled Kielbasa, Steamed Corn, Mini Macaroni and Cheese Cups, and Diet Cola.
Dessert: Homemade Turtle Brownies.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal of Choice, Milk, and Homemade Dehydrated Plum Slices
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Tuesdays!
Dessert: Homemade Turtle Brownie Sundaes.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Frozen Baked Pancakes, Maple Syrup, with milk and juice.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with Crystal light.
Snack: Grapes and Apple Slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Roast Pork, with New Potatoes, Steamed Corn, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Glazed.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal of choice, with fruit cup, and milk.
Lunch: Roast Pork Sliders, Crystal Light, and Sweet Potato Chips.
Snack: Hummus and Crackers, with Grapes.
Dinner: Grilled Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Deviled Eggs, with Crystal Light.
Dessert: Carrot Cake Trifle.

Friday
Breakfast: Turkey, Cheese, and Egg Quesadillas, with Apple Juice.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with walnuts, grapes, turkey, and homemade Greek Yogurt dressing.
Snack: Granola and fruit cup.
Dinner: Crockpot Barbeque Hawaiian Sliders, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Cherry slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Freezer Cooking Waffles, with Sausage, and Milk.
Lunch: Grilled Chicken sandwiches, with Sweet Potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Freezer Cooking Philly Cheesesteak Kit, with Curly Cheese Fries, and lemonade.
Dessert: Homemade Strawberry Pie.

Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and Egg Sliders, and Milk.
Lunch: Grilled Hot Smokes, with Sweet Potato Chips, and Sun Tea.
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Freezer Cooking Crockpot Chicken and Gravy, Homegrown Blanched Green Beans, Baked Leftover Cranberry Stuffing Mini Cups, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Leftover Strawberry Pie A La Mode Cups.

Enjoy the ideas!

Throwback Thursdays: Homemade Easy Bake Oven Chocolate Cake Mix & Frosting Kits, For Only $0.20!

Good evening, savvy savers! For this weeks Throwback Thursday, I wanted to bring you a recipe that was very near and dear to my heart as a child, and even now as an adult, my Homemade Easy Bake Oven Chocolate Cake Mix and Icing recipe! As a child of the early 1990′s, I was always torn between playing with my skip-it, togs, watching Full House reruns, or baking with my Easy Bake Oven, but the baking usually won out! What’s cool about this recipe is that you can make kits, storing the mix and icing in smaller snack-sized baggies, labeled, then placed into larger sandwich bags, frozen, and labeled for use later with the Easy Bake Oven! You will save 98% off retail price with this idea; my kits are priced under $0.20 a kit!

This recipe is super simple, easy on the budget, and takes awesome, if I do say so myself!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Easy Bake Chocolate Cake Mix Recipe:

Ingredients:

6 teaspoons flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa (for vanilla cake, use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla instead)
3/4 teaspoon shortening
1 Pinch salt
6 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

1) Mix all dry ingredients, slowly.
2) Add milk.
3) Pour batter into greased baking pan that
comes with the toy oven.
4) Bake as directed in children’s oven.

Easy Bake Oven Icing Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners sugar — sifted
3 tablespoons instant nonfat milk powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Instructions:

1) Combine all ingredients until mixture resembles crumbs.
2) Spoon about 1/3 cup of mixture into each of 9 small containers or ziplock bags and seal tightly.
3) Label with date and contents.
4) Store in a cool dry place. Use within 12 weeks. Makes 9 packages of Frosting.
5) Can also be frozen; up to 12 months, labeled.

1 Comment

Weekly Menu: Feeding A Family of 4, For Only $18.72 This Week!

Happy Monday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a balmy start here in Dixie. Thankfully, this weeks menu is going to be a breeze, and consists of Cupboard Clearing ideas, so stepping out to the market is not necessary! I am cooking and prepping solely from what is in my deep freeze pantry, and stockpile this week! Without further ado, here is my weekly menu, for which was derived from couponing deals, freebies, and cupboard cooking; I will be feeding a family of four this week for only $18.72!

This week we will be having:

Monday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt Smoothies, with Apple Juice.
Lunch: Pepperoni and Cheese Toasted sandwiches, sweet potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, Grapes, and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Mole, Green Beans, Steamed Corn, with Tortillas, and Diet Cola.
Dessert: Crockpot Dulce de Leche Topped Ice Cream Sundaes.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal of Choice, Milk, and Homemade Dehydrated Apple Slices
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Stuffed Peppers, crackers, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Tuesdays!
Dessert: Key Lime Cookies.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Baked Frittata Cups, with milk and juice.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with crystal light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Curry, steamed corn, and crystal light.
Dessert: Homemade brownies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal of choice, with fruit cup, and milk.
Lunch: Tossed Salad with Turkey, Crystal Light, and homemade mango chips.
Snack: Hummus and crackers, with grapes.
Dinner: Grilled Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Deviled Eggs, with Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies.

Friday
Breakfast: Turkey, Cheese, and Egg Quesadillas, with Apple Juice.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with walnuts, grapes, and homemade Greek Yogurt dressing.
Snack: Granola and fruit cup.
Dinner: Barbeque Pork and Mushroom Sliders, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Coca-Cola slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Bakes Pancakes, with sausage, and milk.
Lunch: Grilled Chicken sandwiches, with Sweet Potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Homemade Pizzas, with tossed salad, and lemonade.
Dessert: Carrot Cake Cupcakes, with homemade cream cheese icing.

Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and Egg Sliders, and milk.
Lunch: Taking Mom out for lunch!
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Crockpot Orange Chicken with Almonds, Steamed Snow Peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Day Red Velvet Cupcakes, with Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese Icing.

Enjoy the ideas!

Weekly Reflections: Highs And Lows From This Week & Weekly Goals For The Week Ahead, 6/15-6/22!

Hello again, savvy savers! I wanted to end my weekly posts by bring the week to a close with a post about the reflections on this past week.

The highs for the week:

Losing two pounds.
Trying to expand my family!
The ongoing repurposing of two rooms in my home.
Continuing a daily devotional.

My lows for the week:

Preparing for a family member leaving our home to live with relatives. Though this is a needed transition, change can be difficult, travel expensive, and feelings are still the hardest casualty of all!

My quote for the week:

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his. -Unknown

My inspiration for the week:

Being able to recycle 90% of my weekly trash!

My humor for the week:

Catching myself singing out loud, being caught doing so, and not even caring!

Goals For The Coming Week:

Lose 1 pound, organize my insurance records, organize my will, walk the dogs 1/2 mile a day, have all blog assignments done on time, finish four product and boxed subscription reviews, oil paint for a few hours, take one hour for myself each night, and sleep 7 hours nightly!

Happy Sunday!

Older Posts

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

search