Grocery Game at Walgreens and CVS 3/6 - 3/12

I have a really awesome friend, Casey, who saves a TON of money each week at Walgreens and CVS. She always laughs about how they pay her to take stuff out of the store. She has graciously agreed to share her favorite finds of the week with us. There are a ton of deals at both stores each week but the deals listed below are exclusively what Casey, the coupon queen, feels are at a worthy stock-up price.

The only thing I would add to Casey's list is that honey is on sale this week at Walgreens. There is a coupon in the weekly flier allowing you to buy up to 3 32oz bottles of Walgreens pure honey for $3.99 each. This equals out to about $0.12 per ounce which is a pretty decent price for honey. Since we don't use white sugar in our house, we go through a lot of honey.  The weekly flier is the one that shows all of the items that are on sale for that week. It can be found at the front of the store or in the Sunday paper. 

Walgreens Deals
How to Shop Walgreens

It looks like a slow week at Walgreens but here are some of my favorite deals:

Pediacare Children or Infant $5 off
(At my store Children’s was priced at $7.49 and Infant’s was priced at $5.99)
-$3/2 Printable
As low as free to $.99 each

Coffeemate Creamer BOGO
(Price Varies Should be around $2.49)
-$0.75/1 Printable (you should be able to print two)

Select Aquafresh toothpaste $1.99
-$1.00/1 Printable (you should be able to print two)

Always Leakguard Pads or Dri-Liners Plus $2.99 With a $2 Register Reward Back
-$0.50/1 Coupons in the 2/27/2011 P and G Insert

There are lots of other deals at Walgreens this week but many are more than what I like to pay for these items. Here is my scenario for this week.

Transaction 1:
Buy 1 Always Leakguard Pads - $2.99
Use 1 $.50 off coupon (2/27 P&G or buy them online HERE)
Pay $2.49 + Tax OOP (Or use Register Rewards from Previous Week)
Get back 2 Register Rewards

Transaction 2:
Buy 2 Coffeemate Creamers BOGO - Projected Price of $2.49
Buy 2 Pediacare Children’s  - $4.98 or less
Use 2 $.75 off coupons
Use 1 $3.00 off coupon
Use 1 $5 off Pediacare Walgreens Coupon (found in the weekly ad at the front of the store)
Pay with Register Rewards from 1st transaction and you will pay around $1 with tax

Your total out of pocket will be around $3.50. Normally just one bottle of Pediacare is that! WHOOOHOOO!

Some things to keep in mind with register rewards.

1. They are treated like manufactures coupons. So lets just say you have three profusion razors and you hand your cashier three manfacturer's coupons for those items. You will not be able to use a register reward to pay the difference because you wouldn’t be able to use 4 manfacturer's coupons on three razors. So you need what we call a filler item. (I usually look to pencils or something else really cheap.)
2. Also register rewards will not roll on the same product. For instance, if you did the Always pad deal and then turned around and did it again and used that register reward to pay for it, IT WOULD NOT PRINT ANOTHER ONE. Which is like throwing money away. So if you wanted to do several of the pad deals or Pediacare deals you need to rotate. So Transaction 1 could be Pads, Transaction 2 Pediacare, Transaction 3 Pads,  Transaction 4 Pediacare.

CVS Deals:
How to Shop CVS

There is nothing decent at CVS this week! Seriously the only good deal is on Easter Candy and I don’t think that goes well with the THEME of your blog…LOL!

Thank you, Casey!!! You Rock!!!!

Clean Eating Crockpot Overnight Oatmeal

Makes 4 servings, 1 cup each
This will seem kind of silly written out as a recipe because it’s so simple but this oatmeal has changed my life. I felt like I was running around all day and never having enough time for anything. My Mom suggested I take a day to write down what I was doing every 10 minutes to see where I was really spending (and possibly wasting) most of my time.

I found out that it took me 55 minutes to microwave oatmeal for the boys and I for breakfast! It only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make each bowl but, with the 700 interruptions from the baby and toddler, it actually took that long from when I took the bowls out of the cupboard to when we were actually sitting at the table eating. With overnight oatmeal we all wake up to a delicious smell and it’s like someone’s gotten up early and made me breakfast.

Now it only takes me 4 minutes from cupboard to eating. Very cool. Especially if you consider the fact that we have oatmeal for breakfast at least 4 times a week year round. That's 173 1/3 hours or 7 days of work that I'm saving myself!

Made with Chocolate Soy Milk
(otherwise known as the morning I won Mom of the Year)

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats (or other whole grains like brown rice, millet, or quinoa)
• 1 cup almond milk (or whatever kind of milk you like)
• 3 ¼ cups water
• 1 tsp almond extract (optional)

ONE: Place a small baking dish into the center of your crockpot (I use a 1 ½ quart round corningware). This decreases the cooking area and stops the oatmeal from drying out. (If you have a 2 qt crockpot... like the one I got for Valentine's day specifically for making oatmeal hehehe... you can omit this step).

TWO: Dump the oats into the baking dish and add the almond milk and water (you can use any type of milk you like or replace the milk with an extra cup of water but the milk certainly makes it creamier).

THREE: Pour about a cup of water into the larger crock outside of the baking dish to make a water bath (this also helps to prevent the oatmeal from drying out). Cover the crock and cook on low overnight, about 8 hours.

Porridge with Dried Peaches added the night before
(taken BEFORE it was stirred... kinda gross looking, right?)

After it was stirred...yum :)
(and much more appetizing looking)

This makes a very thick oatmeal (or porridge as we call it in our house). I’m talking your-spoon-can-stand-up-in-it thick and it gets even thicker as it cools. The oatmeal will stick to the spoon, which is excellent if it’s being eaten by a toddler who insists on feeding themself. However, If you like your oatmeal more liquidy, I recommend stirring some extra milk or water into it while it’s still hot in the baking dish.

Look, Mom, no mess!!

And I’m not going to lie, it looks kind of gross in the morning because the very top dries out and makes a little bit of a crust. Once you stir it all together, though, all you’ll see is warm, creamy goodness. You can eat it as is or add your own favorite mix-ins. In our house we usually mix in 2 frozen banana cubes (from the freezer stash made using the small portions method) but we’ve also done berries, honey, agave nectar, and even peanut butter. You could also add 1 cup of dried fruit, such as raisins, to the raw steel cut oats and it will be plump and moist in the morning. Make it your own :)

You could certainly freeze this in 1-cup servings using the medium/large portions method but it is so easy to throw in the night before it would probably take less time to make it fresh than it would take to defrost it.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup Serving - 160 Calories (34 Calories from Fat), 3g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 45mg Sodium, 27g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 0g Sugars, 4g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 9% DV Calcium, 9% DV Iron
 AYV45HUF37NN

Grocery List with Coupon Matchups for MM 2/28

Produce
- 1 lb Strawberries (16oz pkg, 3/$5)
- 3 Red Bell Peppers
- 1 Large Sweet Potato
- Pineapple (Golden Ripe Pineapple, $2.99)
- Cilantro
- 16 oz Bag Baby Carrots plus 5 Medium Carrots (Publix Baby Cut & Peeled Carrots, 16 oz bag, 4/$5)
- Minced Garlic
- 5 large Onions
- Bag of Spinach
- 1 lb Potatoes (Idaho Potatoes, 5 lb bag, $2.99)
- 1 Head Cauliflower

Grocery
- Honey
     -$0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey, any bottle (printable)
     -$1/1 Burleson’s Pure Honey (printable)
- Olive oil
     -$1.00/1 Filippo Berio Olive Oil (printable)
     -$1.00/1 Goya Olive Oil (printable)
     -$1.00/1 Pompeian Olive Oil (printable)
- Sucanat
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking soda
     -$0.50/2 Arm & Hammer (printable)
- Rolled Oats
     -$3.00/3 Quaker Oatmeal (printable) 
     -$1.00/1 McCann’s Irish Oatmeal Product (printable)
- Pecans
- 3 32oz cartons Chicken Broth (College Inn Broth 32 oz, BOGO $2.49)
- 1 can Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk
- Lime Juice
- Lemon juice
- Balsamic Vinegar
     -Heinz coupon (printable)
     -$0.55/1 Pompeian Vinegar (printable)
- 3 cans Navy or Cannellini Beans
- Molasses
- Ketchup
- 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
- 1 14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- Brown Rice
     Uncle Ben’s Boil-in-Bag Rice 14 to 15.8 oz, BOGO $2.29
     -$1/1 Fresh Beef WYB Uncle Ben’s Product 2/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/10/2011)
     -$0.30/1 Uncle Ben’s Rice Rite Aid Video Values (exp 3/26/2011)
     -$0.75/1 Uncle Ben’s Plain White or Brown Rice 1/9/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/6/2011)
     -$1/1 Uncle Ben’s Plain White or Brown Rice 1/9/2011 RP Insert (exp 3/6/2011)
- Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
     Skippy Peanut Butter 15 to 16.3 oz jar, BOGO $2.49
     -$1/2 Skippy Peanut Butter Walgreens Coupon (printable)
- Peanuts

Spices
-$0.55/1 McCormick Spice – Healthy Beginnings Publix Booklet
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Extract
- Curry Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Mustard
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Garlic powder

Meat
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, $3.99/lb)
- 4 3oz Eye Round Steaks (Eye Round Steaks, $3.99/lb)
     ***Tip: Jenny over at Southern Savers pointed out that there are lots of roasts on sale this week and steaks mentioned from the same cut but they are charging more for the steaks. She suggests you grab the roast and ask the butcher to cut it into steaks for you. No charge!! You get the steaks without paying more for the same meat
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- ½ lb Deli Sliced Ham OR Italian Sausage OR Bacon (for Homemade Baked Beans)
     Publix Naturally Hickory Smoked Bacon, 16oz pkg, 2/$7 OR
     Publix Extra Thin-Sliced Lunch Meats, 9oz tub, 2/$6 OR
     Oscar Mayer Center Cut Sliced Bacon, 12oz pkg, 2/$8
     -$5/3 Shopping Spree Coupon Good Housekeeping March pg 127
     -$1/1 Oscar Mayer Bacon TARGET coupon Coupons.com (exp 4/15/2011) (printable)

Dairy
- Skim Milk
- 12 oz Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Frozen
- 1 cup broccoli or snap peas
- ½ cup Frozen Shelled Edamame or Green Peas

Grocery List without Coupon Matchups for MM 2/28

Produce
- 1 lb Strawberries
- 3 Red Bell Peppers
- 1 Large Sweet Potato
- Pineapple
- Cilantro
- 16 oz Bag Baby Carrots plus 5 Medium Carrots
- Minced Garlic
- 5 large Onions
- Bag of Spinach
- 1 lb Potatoes
- 1 Head Cauliflower

Grocery
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Sucanat
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking soda
- Rolled Oats
- Pecans
- 3 32oz cartons Chicken Broth
- 1 can Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk
- Lime Juice
- Lemon juice
- Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 cans Navy or Cannellini Beans
- Molasses
- Ketchup
- 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
- 1 14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- Brown Rice
- Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
- Peanuts

Spices
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Extract
- Curry Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Mustard
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Garlic powder

Meat
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
- 4 3oz Eye Round Steaks
     ***Tip: Jenny over at Southern Savers pointed out that there are lots of roasts on sale this week and steaks mentioned from the same cut but they are charging more for the steaks. She suggests you grab the roast and ask the butcher to cut it into steaks for you. No charge!! You get the steaks without paying more for the same meat
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- ½ lb Deli Sliced Ham OR Italian Sausage OR Bacon (for Homemade Baked Beans)

Dairy
- Skim Milk
- 12 oz Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Frozen
- 1 cup broccoli or snap peas
- ½ cup Frozen Shelled Edamame or Green Peas

Clean Eating Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Makes 4 servings, 2/3 cup each
This is not your Mama’s mashed potatoes. The cauliflower makes it light and luscious while adding a good dose of Vitamin C (200% of the Daily Value!!), fiber, and protein. Plus the addition of the yogurt boosts the calcium.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb potatoes
• 1 medium head cauliflower, coarsely chopped into florets
• 1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ½ tsp garlic powder

ONE: Place cauliflower florets and 2 Tbsp of water in a microwave safe dish with a lid (I use a corningware baking dish with a glass lid). Heat on high, 3 minutes. Stir and heat an additional 2 minutes until very tender.

TWO: Scrub potato skins well and pierce in several places with a fork. Place in the microwave on a double layer of paper towel and heat on high 5 minutes (if your potatoes are thicker on one end, put the thick end closer to the walls of the microwave and the thinner ends in the center). Flip over and heat an additional 5 minutes or until a fork pierces the potato easily. (Alternatively, bake in the oven at 400 for about an hour). Once potatoes are tender, cut in half and scoop the insides out.

THREE: Combine potatoes, cauliflower, yogurt, milk, and garlic powder in a bowl and mash well. Alternatively, throw everything into a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Freeze leftovers in 2/3 cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 2/3 cup serving - 158 Calories (6 Calories from Fat), 1g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 2mg Cholesterol, 92mg Sodium, 34g Total Carbohydrates, 8g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 8g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 200% DV Vitamin C, 13% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Makes 16 servings
This is a great recipe that tastes like a dessert but actually packs a lot of whole grains, protein, and vitamin C. At first glance, it will seem like this dish is high in fat but most of it is from the olive oil, which is actually high in essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6, otherwise known as “good fats”.

This is slighty gooier than yours will be since I read my OWN recipe
incorrectly and used a whole pound of strawberries instead of half, LOL

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of mashed strawberries
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp honey, divided
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup sucanat (can use brown/turbinado sugar)
• 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup pecans, chopped small
• ½ pound strawberries, sliced

ONE: Combine mashed strawberries with 1 Tbsp honey. Set aside.

TWO: Mix the olive oil with the sucanat, remaining 1/3 cup honey, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, rolled oats, and pecans until it resembles a coarse meal (I throw it all in my food processor and pulse it a few times).

THREE: Preheat oven to 350. Press 1 ¼ cups of the oat mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking pan. Spread the mashed strawberry mixture on top of the oat mixture followed by the sliced strawberries. Crumble the remaining oat mixture on top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and cut into 16 squares. (Seriously cool it completely or even refrigerate before slicing if you want bars... or eat it warm and it will taste divine but will be a bit crumbly.)

Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days and freeze fusing the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 174 Calories (59 Calories from Fat), 7g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 76mg Sodium, 26g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 4g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 20% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 7% DV Iron

Clean Eating Strawberry Bread

Makes 16 servings, 1 slice each
My boys LOVE strawberries and, at certain times of the year, I can buy them for next to nothing. When these sales roll around I get bushels of them, wash them, slice them, and freeze them to use the rest of the year. Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and we love eating them plain but they make for a great natural sweetener in baked goods as well. Plus I can just throw all the ingredients in my breadmaker.

This is ridiculously good!

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups finely chopped strawberries
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup sucanat
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

BREADMAKER: Dump the strawberries, water, olive oil, apple sauce and eggs into the breadmaker. Sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sucanat. Add the flour on top. Run the breadmaker on the quickbread setting. Sprinkle the pecans in (if using) during the last few minutes of mixing before the bread starts baking. See cooling and slicing instructions below.

Once you know how to use a chef's knife correctly it's the fastest way to dice ingredients.

I didn't have applesauce so I used pureed banana instead

As soon as my boys hear the breadmaker start, they sprint into the kitchen and
beg to watch it running. Apparently the breadmaker obsession is genetic, LOL.

Okay, I'll admit it... I actually just wanted to show off the beautiful flowers
my hubby got me :) But the bread looks good too, right?!

NON-BREADMAKER (OVEN) INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oil, apple sauce, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, sucanat, and flour. Fold in the pecans, strawberries, and ¼ cup of water. Pour into prepared pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the loaf from the pan. Remove the loaf and place it top side up on a wire rack. Cool completely (2 hours) before slicing. (I find it works best to slice the whole loaf in half the long way and then cut it into 16 fat narrow slices instead of cutting thin wide slices like sandwich bread. It crumbles less that way.)

Refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze using the flash freeze method. Reheat in the microwave or toaster or thaw in the fridge overnight.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 133 Calories (58 Calories from Fat), 7g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 26mg Cholesterol, 101mg Sodium, 17g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 1g Sugars, 3g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 14% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

Clean Eating Thai Chicken Curry with Pineapple (OAMC)

Makes 6 servings
One of my favorite things in the world is coconut so I LOVE Thai food. However, it’s usually pretty fattening and not all that good for you. Here’s a cleaned up recipe that will hopefully fulfill your Thai cravings without blowing your healthy eating habits. At first glance it may seem like this dish is still high in saturated fat but it's mainly from the coconut milk which is, believe it or not, good for you. Read more about it HERE.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into small chunks
• 1 cup chopped broccoli or sliced snap peas
• ½ cup red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 ½ cups skim milk
• ½ tsp coconut extract (if you’re not a big fan of coconut, omit this)
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 3 Tbsp sucanat (can use honey or brown/turbinado sugar)
• ½ cup frozen shelled edamame (can use green peas)
• 1 cup pineapple cut into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• Cilantro for garnish (optional)

ONE: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, broccoli/snap peas, and peppers and cook, stirring regularly, until veggies have softened slightly and chicken is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.

TWO: Add chicken broth, coconut milk, milk, coconut extract (if using), curry powder, and sucanat and bring to a simmer

THREE: Add edamame and simmer until chicken is cooked through and edamame is tender, about 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thick add a little extra chicken broth.

FOUR: Remove from heat and stir in pineapple and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat angel hair pasta garnished with cilantro.

Freeze leftovers using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash. For Once a Month Cooking this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving – 179 Calories (72 Calories from Fat), 8g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 8mg Cholesterol, 102mg Sodium, 18g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 7g Sugars, 10g Protein, 17% DV Vitamin A, 66% DV Vitamin C, 17% DV Calcium, 8% DV Iron

Clean Eating Honey Glazed Carrots

Makes 4 servings
I’m actually not a huge fan of carrots unless they are mixed into things. Shocking, I know, since we all know I LOVE vegetables. However, I am a huge fan of honey and ginger and so are my kids, so when I make these glazed carrots we all lick our plates clean. These are so ridiculously good that Matt and I secretly hope the boys don't want to finish all of theirs so that we can eat the leftovers, LOL. I never thought cooked carrots would become my favorite side dish of all time but these are seriously that delicious :)

Looks so simple yet tastes soooooo decadent :)

Ingredients:

• 1 16-oz. bag of baby carrots, cleaned and trimmed (or 4 big carrots, peeled and cut into baby-carrot-sized pieces)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1Tbsp lemon juice
• Dash of salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger

ONE: Place carrots and 2 Tbsp water in a microwave safe baking dish with lid (I use a small corningware dish with a glass lid). Microwave on high, 4 minutes. Stir and microwave on high an additional 3 minutes until carrots are fork tender but not mushy. (Alternatively you could steam them in one of those Ziploc Zip ‘n Steam Bags).

TWO: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat 2 minutes. Stir in honey, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until it has dissolved. Add the lemon juice, salt, and ginger and stir to combine.

THREE: Add the steamed carrots to the skillet and stir gently to coat. Increase the heat to medium and cook another 2 or 3 minutes until carrots are heated through.

Freeze leftovers using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 162 Calories (91 Calories from Fat), 10g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 113mg Sodium, 18g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 14g Sugars, 1g Protein, 309% DV Vitamin A, 7% DV Vitamin C, 4% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

Clean Eating Broiled Eye Round Steak

Makes 4 servings, 1 steak each
This is my first attempt at cooking steak so I thought I better go to a great source. This recipe comes straight from Clean Eating Magazine.

Ingredients:

• 4 3-oz eye round steaks
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 tsp)
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

ONE: Trim visible fat from steaks. In a gallon-size freezer bag, combine vinegar, pepper, garlic, onion and salt, and mix well. Plop steaks into the bag and massage marinade into the meat for 5 minutes before refrigerating it. Marinate meat in mixture overnight.

TWO: After marinating, preheat broiler. Broil meat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once.

Freeze leftovers using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 3 oz steak - 180 Calories, 3.5g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 50mg Cholesterol, 160mg Sodium, 8g Total Carbohydrates, 0g Dietary Fiber, 5g Sugars, 25g Protein

Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Baked Beans (OAMC)

Makes about 10 servings, ½ cup each
Matt LOVES baked beans but it’s just against my nature to buy the ones in the cans. Now I can make him a big pot every now and again and he can have them whenever he likes. The boys love these too but they call them candy beans. That’s fine with me as long as they eat them :) There are surprisingly no vegetables hidden in these… but if you put them on whole grain toast (a British tradition that Matt has happily adopted) the grains and beans together form a complete protein which makes for a very filling meal. This can easily be made into a vegetarian dish by using a non-meat product, like tofu bacon, in place of the meat

Ingredients:

• 3 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed (can substitute cannellini, white or kidney beans)
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ½ cup sucanat (can use brown/turbinado sugar)
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1/3 cup ketchup (read the label! not all ketchups are created equal)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp dried mustard
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ pound of natural savory meat sliced or diced (I’ve used all natural chicken and apple sausages, tofu “bacon”, cooked Italian turkey sausage, and even all natural ham deli meat)

ONE: Throw everything into the crockpot, cover, and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for about 4 until the beans are softened but not falling apart. Stir well and serve over toast (Matt made me put that toast part in).

Freeze leftovers in ½ cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per ½ cup serving - 221 Calories (21 Calories from Fat), 2g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 15mg Cholesterol, 905mg Sodium, 38g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 9g Sugars, 13g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 6% DV Vitamin C, 8% DV Calcium, 17% DV Iron

Clean Eating Sneaky Sloppy Joes (OAMC)

Makes 10 servings, ½ cup each
We never ate these when I was little (I’m British… we tend to avoid things with sloppy in the title) so my only experience with Sloppy Joes growing up was seeing them in the lunch line or watching the occasional Manwich commercial, both of which seemed pretty gross. But then I saw a few recipes here and there that actually looked kind of appetizing so I thought I’d give it a whirl and come up with my own. I am now a big, huge Sloppy Joe fan, as are the boys and Matt.


The first time I made these I put them on whole wheat buns with fresh spinach but Matt said that having to bite through the spinach got in the way of the “sloppiness” so he recommended I puree the spinach and just add it into the meat. He’s a smart man (and I’m still amazed that my meat and potatoes husband actually suggested I ADD pureed spinach to something he was going to eat). It makes for a kind of funny color (after I made Matt try a bite he said, “I’m not going to lie. When you approached me with the spoon my first reaction was to recoil.”) but you can’t taste the spinach at all and it actually helps to thicken the sauce a bit. I serve these with Baked Beans.

How I "healthified" it:

• The original recipe called for 1 lb of ground beef. I substituted lean ground turkey instead to decrease the amount of fat and saturated fat.
• The original recipe used brown sugar. I substituted sucanat because it is less processed.
• Finally, I added shredded carrots and spinach to boost the nutritional profile.
• The results - A decrease in calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium and an increase in Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 medium carrots, shredded
• ½ cup water
• 4 cups fresh spinach (or 4 big handfuls)
• 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 Tbsp sucanat (can use brown/turbinado sugar)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper

ONE: In a large saucepan, cook ground turkey over medium high heat until brown, stirring to break meat into pieces. Drain and discard any grease and return turkey to saucepan.

TWO: Add diced onion, shredded carrots, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes including juice. Puree spinach into ½ cup of water and add to saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.

THREE: Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thickened, about 12 minutes. Serve over whole grain buns.

Freeze in ½ cup portions using the medium/large portions method. For Once a Month Cooking this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

NUTRITION INFO:

Original Recipe - 189 Calories (84 Calories from Fat), 9g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 50mg Cholesterol, 455mg Sodium, 11g Total Carbohydrates, 0g Dietary Fiber, 10g Sugars, 15g Protein, 6% DV Vitamin A, 16% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 16% DV Iron

New "Healthified" Version - 118 Calories (32 Calories from Fat), 4g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 32mg Cholesterol, 309mg Sodium, 11g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 5g Sugars, 10g Protein, 99% DV Vitamin A, 23% DV Vitamin C, 7% DV Calcium, 13% DV Iron

Toddler Approved :)

Clean Eating Crockpot African Peanut Soup

Makes 12 servings, 1 cup each
I got the idea for this soup HERE and made a few modifications (you know I can never just follow a recipe LOL). The first time I made this it was for my friend, Martha. I made a double batch and canned it all using my pressure canner to bring to her as a Congrats-On-Your-New-Baby Present (yes I canned it even though it has peanuts in it and no they didn’t die of botulism). I was so focused on packing up meals for her that I totally forgot to save some for us and had to make a whole other batch the next day because it smelled like HEAVEN while it was cooking.

You could easily make this a vegetarian recipe by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It tastes even better the next day after it’s had more of a chance for the flavors to blend. My family is wimpy when it comes to heat so I used barely any chili powder. Adjust the heat according to your own family’s tolerance.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 large red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 2 medium carrots, shredded or diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes, with liquid
• 8 cups chicken broth (can use veggie broth)
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional, I used 1/8 tsp)
• 2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus extra for garnish
• Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
• Plain non-fat yogurt for garnish (optional)

ONE: Swirl the olive oil around the bottom of the crockpot. Dump in all of the veggies, garlic, tomatoes with juice, broth, brown rice, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours (high for 4 hours) or until veggies are tender.

TWO: Stir in peanut butter and fresh cilantro and cook on high an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with extra cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a dollop of yogurt.

THREE: To thicken the broth before serving, use an immersion blender (seriously the coolest tool ever!) and blend everything right in the crock for about a minute or until it’s how you like it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and CAREFULLY (because it will be really hot) puree it in a regular blender and then add it back to the soup.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add veggies and cook until lightly browned and tender. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, brown rice, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and fresh cilantro, cover, and simmer another 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve sprinkled with extra cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a dollop of yogurt. If desired, thicken according to instructions in step three above.

Look at all those brightly colored veggies :)

Freeze leftovers in 1 cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup serving (without garnishes) - 218 Calories (98 Calories from Fat), 11g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 153mg Sodium, 23g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugars, 10g Protein, 92% DV Vitamin A, 73% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

Clean Eating Low-Cost Meal Plan Monday 2/28

I have to admit, I’m sad to see the end of the Italian Days sale… though I doubt I could possibly fit any more canned products in my house right now. This week is the start of the Publix Stock Up Sale so we’ll see what great coupons get released once the sale starts. Once again, there aren’t any great sales on my old stand-by meat products, ground turkey and chicken. I included two recipes with them anyway but I’m getting adventurous this week and I’m going to attempt to cook steaks. Cross your fingers!

This is a bit of a bleak week in the produce department as well so I’m relying a little on my freezer stash of veggies, namely all those red peppers and frozen veggies I’ve been stocking up on. As you get more into couponing you’ll see that the sales are cyclic, which is why the stocking up is so key. Especially if you are trying to eat healthy, you might have two or three weeks where there aren’t any good deals on things that would work with your healthy eating habits. Those are the weeks when I rely on the pantry and the freezer to keep my grocery bill down.

Lastly, I’d like to point out that, for the first time, it is in fact Monday when I’m posting this. I hope you’re impressed hehehe :)

Step 1: Find out what meat and produce is on sale for the week
This week at Publix Eye Round Steaks and Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets are on sale. In the produce section pineapple, baby carrots, strawberries, and Idaho potatoes are on sale.

Step 2: Take an inventory of your pantry and freezer, check out what other items are on sale, and pick several recipes that use those ingredients.
There is a great sale on peanut butter this week and my pantry is overflowing with chicken broth and canned tomato products.

Step 3: Take a look at your calendar for the week and see which nights you’ll have more time to cook and which nights you won't and plan your menu accordingly.
This will be different for every family but, in general, I cook 3 or 4 nights a week and we eat something from our freezer stash the other nights.

Step 4: Get all of the recipes together and make a shopping list of what you’ll need.
African Peanut Soup
Sneaky Sloppy Joes and Homemade Baked Beans
Broiled Eye Round Steak with Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Honey Glazed Carrots
Thai Chicken Curry with Pineapple
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Also check out Strawberry Bread and Strawberry Breadmaker Jam… Did I mention strawberries were on sale?!?!

Here is a shopping list for the complete menu based on you having nothing in your pantry or freezer. You will obviously omit the items that you already have. Go HERE for an explanation of the couponing abbreviations. The top list has all of the coupon matchups. There is a second list at the bottom that just lists the items with no match-ups and is a little easier to read.

Coupon Mach-Up List:
Produce
- 1 lb Strawberries (16oz pkg, 3/$5)
- 3 Red Bell Peppers
- 1 Large Sweet Potato
- Pineapple (Golden Ripe Pineapple, $2.99)
- Cilantro
- 16 oz Bag Baby Carrots plus 5 Medium Carrots (Publix Baby Cut & Peeled Carrots, 16 oz bag, 4/$5)
- Minced Garlic
- 5 large Onions
- Bag of Spinach
- 1 lb Potatoes (Idaho Potatoes, 5 lb bag, $2.99)
- 1 Head Cauliflower

Grocery
- Honey
     -$0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey, any bottle (printable)
     -$1/1 Burleson’s Pure Honey (printable)
- Olive oil
     -$1.00/1 Filippo Berio Olive Oil (printable)
     -$1.00/1 Goya Olive Oil (printable)
     -$1.00/1 Pompeian Olive Oil (printable)
- Sucanat
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking soda
     -$0.50/2 Arm & Hammer (printable)
- Rolled Oats
     -$3.00/3 Quaker Oatmeal (printable) 
     -$1.00/1 McCann’s Irish Oatmeal Product (printable)
- Pecans
- 3 32oz cartons Chicken Broth (College Inn Broth 32 oz, BOGO $2.49)
- 1 can Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk
- Lime Juice
- Lemon juice
- Balsamic Vinegar
     -Heinz coupon (printable)
     -$0.55/1 Pompeian Vinegar (printable)
- 3 cans Navy or Cannellini Beans
- Molasses
- Ketchup
- 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
- 1 14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- Brown Rice
     Uncle Ben’s Boil-in-Bag Rice 14 to 15.8 oz, BOGO $2.29
     -$1/1 Fresh Beef WYB Uncle Ben’s Product 2/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/10/2011)
     -$0.30/1 Uncle Ben’s Rice Rite Aid Video Values (exp 3/26/2011)
     -$0.75/1 Uncle Ben’s Plain White or Brown Rice 1/9/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/6/2011)
     -$1/1 Uncle Ben’s Plain White or Brown Rice 1/9/2011 RP Insert (exp 3/6/2011)
- Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
     Skippy Peanut Butter 15 to 16.3 oz jar, BOGO $2.49
     -$1/2 Skippy Peanut Butter Walgreens Coupon (printable)
- Peanuts

Spices
-$0.55/1 McCormick Spice – Healthy Beginnings Publix Booklet
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Extract
- Curry Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Mustard
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Garlic powder

Meat
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, $3.99/lb)
- 4 3oz Eye Round Steaks (Eye Round Steaks, $3.99/lb)
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- ½ lb Deli Sliced Ham OR Italian Sausage OR Bacon (for Homemade Baked Beans)
     Publix Naturally Hickory Smoked Bacon, 16oz pkg, 2/$7 OR
     Publix Extra Thin-Sliced Lunch Meats, 9oz tub, 2/$6 OR
     Oscar Mayer Center Cut Sliced Bacon, 12oz pkg, 2/$8
     -$5/3 Shopping Spree Coupon Good Housekeeping March pg 127
     -$1/1 Oscar Mayer Bacon TARGET coupon Coupons.com (exp 4/15/2011) (printable)

Dairy
- Skim Milk
- 12 oz Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Frozen
- 1 cup broccoli or snap peas
- ½ cup Frozen Shelled Edamame or Green Peas

Non Coupon Match-Up List:
Produce
- 1 lb Strawberries
- 3 Red Bell Peppers
- 1 Large Sweet Potato
- Pineapple
- Cilantro
- 16 oz Bag Baby Carrots plus 5 Medium Carrots
- Minced Garlic
- 5 large Onions
- Bag of Spinach
- 1 lb Potatoes
- 1 Head Cauliflower

Grocery
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Sucanat
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking soda
- Rolled Oats
- Pecans
- 3 32oz cartons Chicken Broth
- 1 can Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk
- Lime Juice
- Lemon juice
- Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 cans Navy or Cannellini Beans
- Molasses
- Ketchup
- 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
- 1 14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- Brown Rice
- Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
- Peanuts

Spices
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Extract
- Curry Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Mustard
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Garlic powder

Meat
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
- 4 3oz Eye Round Steaks
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- ½ lb Deli Sliced Ham OR Italian Sausage OR Bacon (for Homemade Baked Beans)

Dairy
- Skim Milk
- 12 oz Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Frozen
- 1 cup broccoli or snap peas
- ½ cup Frozen Shelled Edamame or Green Peas

Super Stockpile 2/27

Another great week of Italian Days at Publix. I deliberately didn’t buy any 14.5 oz cans of tomatoes last week figuring they might be BOGO this week and I was totally right! Plus I LOVE the Green Giant Broccoli Steamers since I put broccoli in practically everything and the steamer packages are so easy to make. There were some great produce sales this week too. Here are some stock-up ideas:

Zucchini and Yellow Squash ($1.49/lb) – Shred and freeze it in 1 cup portions using the medium/large portion method. Cut it into slices or chunks and freeze using the flash freeze method.

Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell Peppers ($2.49/lb) – Slice or cut into chunks and freeze using the flash freeze method.

Strawberries (16oz pkg 3/$5 or $1.67 each!!) and Peaches ($1.99/lb) – Cut up or slice and freeze using the flash freeze method.

Grapes ($1.69/lb) – Rinse and let dry. Throw them all into a freezer bag and freeze.

Italian Days – Your best bets for taking advantage of the Italian Days sale this week are the 14.5 oz cans of tomatoes, tomato paste, and Green Giant Steamers

Scenario 1 -
Items Bought:
6 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers 11 to 12 oz, BOGO $2.39
8 Hunt's 100% Natural Tomatoes 14.5 oz can, BOGO $1.27
6 Hunt's Tomato Sauce 8 oz can, 6/$2
1 Multigrain baton (or other bakery item) $1.89

Coupons Used:
1 -$5/20 Italian Days Items Publix Coupon (printable)
4 -$0.50/1 Green Giant Vegetables (printable)
1 -$0.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (exp 3/5/2011) (printable)
2 -$1/4 Hunts Tomatoes 14.5 oz or larger Publix Coupon Italian Days Coupon Found in Stores
1 -$1.50 off Publix bakery bread wyb 6 Hunt’s tomato sauces or pastes Publix coupon Italian Days Coupon Found In Store

Price Before Coupons – $16.19
Price After Coupons - $2.69
Total Savings Including Sales – $26.29 or 91%

Scenario 2 –
Items Bought:
6 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers 11 to 12 oz, BOGO $2.39
8 Hunt’s 100% Natural Tomatoes, 14.5 oz can, BOGO $1.27
6 6oz cans Hunt's Tomato Paste, 3/$2
1 Multigrain Batons from the Bakery, $1.89

Coupons Used:
1 -$5/20 Italian Days Items Publix Coupon (printable)
4 -$0.50/1 Green Giant Vegetables (printable)
1 -$0.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (exp 3/5/2011) (printable)
2 -$1/4 Hunts Tomatoes 14.5 oz or larger Publix Coupon Italian Days Coupon Found in Stores
1 -$1.50 off Publix bakery bread wyb 6 Hunt’s tomato sauces or pastes Publix coupon Italian Days Coupon Found In Store

Price Before Coupons – $18.23
Price After Coupons - $4.73
Total Savings Including Sales – $26.29 or 85%

Scenario 3 -
Items Bought:
8 Hunt’s 100% Natural Tomatoes, 14.5 oz can, BOGO $1.27
6 Hunt's Tomato Paste 6oz, 3/$2
6 Hunt’s Tomato Sauce 8 oz can, 6/$2
2 Multigrain Batons from the Bakery, $1.89

Coupons Used:
1 -$5/20 Italian Days items Publix Coupon (printable)
2 -$1/4 Hunts Tomatoes 14.5 oz Italian Days Coupon (printable) Found in Store
2 -$1.50 off Publix bakery bread wyb 6 Hunt’s tomato sauces or pastes Publix coupon Italian Days Coupon Found In Store

Price Before Coupons – $14.90
Price After Coupons - $4.90
Total Savings Including Sales – $16.16 or 77%