Saturday, March 26, 2011

NEX coupons to use at Publix!

Recently my Publix posted a sign advertising that they now accept military coupons. Lo and behold, there was a coupon booklet with over $100 in coupons in the most recent NEX flier that I received in the mail. For all you military families out there, check your NEX fliers and see if you got one too! Here are the coupons (match-ups coming soon):

Coupon Booklet found in the NEX home mailed sales flier for March 30th – April 3rd
All coupons are valid March 30th through April 30th
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Ponds towelette 30 ct. or Pnds cream 3.9 oz. or 6.1 oz.
  • Save $10 when you purchase one Olay Pro-X skincare product
  • Save $5 when you purchase one Olay Total Effects skin care
  • Save $5 when you purchase one Olay Regenerist skin care
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Olay body wash 8.4 – 23.6 oz.
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Old Spice or Gilette body wash
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Nair product
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Lever 2000 bodywash 18 oz.
  • Save $10 when you purchase one Crest 3D white 2 hour Express White Strips 4ct.
  • Save $2 when you purchase one Oral B Pulsar 3D White Advanced Vivid toothbrush (soft)
  • Save $1.50 when you purchase any one Crest 3D Vivid Toothpaste
  • Save $2 when you purchase one Crest 3D Whitening Rinse 946 ml
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Axe deodorant, body spray, hair care or styling aid
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Old Spice Fresh Collection or Secret Sheer Mineral deodorant
  • Save $5 when you purchase one Aquafresh White Trays 14 ct.
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste 4.6 oz. or Colgate Max Fresh toothbrush
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Head & Shoulders 13.5 – 14.2 oz.
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Frizz Ease shampoo, conditioner or styler
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one Organix hair care product
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Playtex 36 ct. tampon
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one Flinstones vitamins 150 ct.
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one One-A-Day vitamins 50 ct. or 100 ct.
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Excedrin 20ct., 24 ct., 50 ct., 100 ct. or 250 ct.
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one Claritin 10 ct., or larger
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Headblade item
  • FREE 7 oz. Skintimate or Edge Shave Gel when you purchase one Schick Quattro or Schick Hydro razor
  • Save $3 when you purchase any one Gilette Fusion Pro-Glide manual or Power cartridges 4 ct.
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Bic men’s Comfort 3 Advance, Bic 3 8 pack, Flex 4 or women’s Silky Touch
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Slimfast item
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Nature Made fish oil
  • Save $3 when you purchase any one Green Tea Fat Burner 30 ct. or Natural Fat Burner
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one 6 ct. Balance Bar
  • Save $1.50 when you purchase any one Breathe Right 30 ct. nasal strips
  • Save $0.50 when you purchase any one Glade 4 oz. candle
  • Save $5 when you purchase one Omron blood pressure monitor
  • Save $0.50 when you purchase any one Ziploc storage bags, Ziploc storage containers or Saran Wrap
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Glad tall kitchen, Glad outdoor trash, or Forceflex trash bags
  • Save $0.50 when you purchase any one Clorox disinfecting wipes 35 ct.
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Scotch Brite heavy duty or multi-purpose 3 pack sponge
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Scotch Brite 56 sheet lint roller
  • Save $1.50 when you purchase any one Wisk laundry detergent 100 oz.
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Woolite laundry detergent 50 oz.
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Tide laundry detergent 100 oz. or larger
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Bounty paper towels 6 rolls or larger
  • Save $1 when you purchase any one Kleenex facial tissue 3 pk. 100 ct.-260 ct.
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Palmolive 20 oz. Aroma Sensations or Pure & Caring dish detergent
  • Save $1 when you purchase one Charmin bath tissue 12 roll or larger
  • Save $0.75 when you purchase any one Palmolive auto dish detergent 45 oz.
  • Save $0.50 when you purchase any one 3M Command item
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one GE halogen light bulb
  • Save $0.50 when you purchase any one 8 oz. WD40
  • Save $2 when you purchase any one pack of Energizer E2 Lithium AA & AAA 4 pack batteries

Friday, March 25, 2011

Grocery Game at Walgreens and CVS 3/20 - 3/26

Back by popular demand, Casey, who saves a TON of money each week at Walgreens and CVS, has her top picks of the week for us. She always laughs about how they pay her to take stuff out of the store. Now you can follow in her footsteps and laugh right along with her :) 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.

Sorry this is SOOOO ridiculously late this week!! I've been slammed with work because my swim season is about to start. I'll do better next week ;) If you want some really awesome coupons for cleaning products, make sure you enter the Giveaway HERE.

Walgreen Deals 
How to Shop Walgreens 101
Full Ad with Match-Ups
Register Reward Rolling Scenario


Casey's Picks for the Week - 

Plak Flossers $2 Receive $2 in Register rewards
Free after Register Rewards :)


Reach Toothbrushes $.99 with in ad coupons Buy 4 and receive $4 in Register Rewards
Use the in Ad coupon first which makes it $0.99.
Use $1 off 1 coupon HERE
Makes it FREE!


Theraflu $4.99 Receive $1 Register Rewards
Use $2 off 1 coupon HERE
Or this $2 off 1 coupon HERE

CVS Deals
How to Shop CVS
Full Ad with Match-Ups
ECBs Rolling Scenario

Casey's Picks for the Week -

Allegra Allergy (5 Count Box) $6.99 Receive $6.99 ECBs
$2 off Coupon HERE
$2/1 Allegra Products 3/6/2011 SS
Makes it free plus a $2 MONEYMAKER!

Crest or Oral B Toothpaste $3.49 Receive $2.50 in ECB’s
Use the $1 off from the 2/27 P and G insert
Makes it free after ECBs

Zantac (Look at ad several different ones shown) $8.99 Receive $3 ECBs
Use $5 off 1 coupon HERE
Makes it $0.99

Reach Floss and Toothbrushes $1
Use $1 off coupon HERE
Makes it FREE!! 

Thanks again, Casey! You Rock!! 
:)

Clean Eating Oatmeal Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Makes 12 servings, 1 muffin each
I love, love, LOVE peanut butter and jelly. This is one thing about me that’s very American. We don’t really do peanut butter in England and my British family members think we’re weird that we like it so much. I never really thought about how central to my life peanut butter was until we took the boys over to visit our family in England. We literally flew over there in the cargo hold of a military plane and it took us DAYS to actually get to my family’s house. It sounds awful but it was free and most of the time it was actually pretty fun. However, when we finally got there, the boys had been on a crazy schedule for three days and had switched several time zones.


When we finally made it to the base in England, the first thing we did was run to the convenience store for a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. We made a whole pile of sandwiches to take with us for the last leg of our trip the following day. We thoroughly enjoyed them on the numerous bus rides and still had a few left when we finally arrived at my family’s home.


At dinner that first night, Colwynn fell asleep in his plate. They always joke about people doing that on TV and stuff and I never thought it could really happen. Well it can… and it’s hysterical. Theron stayed awake but refused to eat anything but peanut butter sandwiches… for 2 days. The first night I was like, “Whatever, I don’t care as long as you’re eating something so I can put you to bed.” But by the end of the second day it was a bit ridiculous. Meanwhile, my family is thinking, “Wow. Americans really do live on peanut butter.” LOL!! Throughout the rest of our visit we had peanut butter other times as well. Not an abnormal amount or anything, just the odd piece of toast or sandwich here and there, but because it was an alien food to my family, it really made me notice how often we eat it.


This doesn’t really have anything to do with muffins except that it’s one more wonderfully delicious way you can enjoy your peanut butter :)


Ingredients:
  • 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sucanat (can use brown/turbinado sugar but they won’t be “clean”)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cups skim milk
  • 1 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 12 tsp all natural, no sugar added fruit jam (I used homemade peach jam… that I made in my breadmaker… from peaches that I got at the Farmer’s market last summer for almost free… and then I canned the jam myself… woohoo)
ONE: Pour the lemon juice into the milk and set aside; don’t stir. Let stand 5 minutes.

TWO: In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sucanat.


THREE: In a small bowl, beat the egg and add the oil, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla.

FOUR: Stir the lemon-milk mixture and add to the flour mixture along with the other liquid ingredients; stir until just combined.


FIVE: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups. Fill each one half full and plop a teaspoon of jam on top of the batter. Cover jam with another scoop of batter so that muffin cup is 3/4 of the way full.


SIX: Bake 18-20 minutes until tops are lightly browned and spring back when touched. Cool on a wire rack.


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

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 251 Calories (86 from Fat), 10g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 18mg Cholesterol, 119mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 10g Sugars, 8g Protein, 4% Vitamin A, 1% Vitamin C, 7% Calcium, 10% Iron

Clean Eating Cauliflower Pizza Crust (and Cauliflower Bread Sticks!)

Makes 4 servings, 1 slice each
When I first saw this recipe HERE I thought, “No way! How could that possibly work?” But it totally did and let me just tell you it is AWESOME. I think this might be the ultimate veggie sneak :) Matt hates cauliflower. He calls it albino broccoli. But he loves pizza so he now loves something primarily involving cauliflower (insert evil cackle… and then remember that Matt reads this blog every day to find out what we’re having for dinner so he now knows that his pizza crust is made of albino broccoli… oops). Whatever, Matt, you know you’ll still eat it anyway.

This is seriously a bread stick made out of cauliflower!!! How cool is that?!
Ingredients:
  • ½ a head of cauliflower
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 tsp fennel
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp parsley (you can use Italian seasoning or garlic or any spice combination you like instead of these three)
ONE: Wash cauliflower and remove leaves. Grate it until it is the size of rice. I use the shredder blade on my food processor but you could use a hand grater or a chef knife as long as you chop it VERY finely.

I literally took a bag of frozen cauliflower, shoved it into the top of my food
processor fitted with the shredding/grating blade, and turned it on.
TWO: Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe dish and cover. DO NOT ADD WATER because the cauliflower will absorb it all and turn to mush. Microwave on high 4-5 minutes until tender but not mushy.

THREE: Preheat oven to 450. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Scoop out one cup of the cooked cauliflower rice and mix with the egg and mozzarella.

FOUR: Press evenly onto the pan in a pizza dough shape and sprinkle with spices. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (15-20 minutes if you double the recipe).

TO USE IMMEDIATELY: Spread pizza dough with a little bit of sauce and sprinkle with toppings and some mozzarella cheese. Place under the broiler on high heat and grill just until the cheese is melted.

TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers or whole plain pizza crusts using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

TO MAKE BREAD STICKS:
ONE: Double the recipe. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a cookie tray. Take that same piece of parchment paper and line an 8x8 baking dish with it. Don’t cut it. (Or use a single batch and put it in a loaf pan... but it doesn't make as many breadsticks and I PROMISE you you'll want more... immediately)

Single batch in a loaf pan
TWO: Spread the unbaked “dough” into the baking dish, pressing down with a spatula to cover the bottom evenly. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 20-25 minutes until dough is set, just starting to brown around the edges and not wet on top.


THREE: Remove pan from oven and increase temp to 450. Transfer the parchment and set dough to the baking sheet. Cut the dough into strips and separate carefully. Sprinkle with garlic powder and a little parmesan or shredded cheese if desired (I did).


FOUR: Bake another 15 minutes in 450 degree oven until top is slightly browned and bottoms are crispy. Cool on a wire rack.


NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (1/4 of the recipe) - 121 Calories (62 Calories from Fat), 7g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 62mg Cholesterol, 188mg Sodium, 5g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugar, 10g Protein, 6% DV Vitamin A, 60% DV Vitamin C, 24% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating OAMC Honey Lime Dump Chicken (and Honey Lime Chicken Pizza!)

Makes 4 – 6 servings
This comes from my friend, Ashley, who originally got it from one of her favorite cookbooks, Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer, Vol. 2. Ashley is a definite Once a Month Cooking pro. She’s a home schooling mother of three so she doesn’t have a whole lot of free time to mess around in the kitchen. I first tried this recipe at my other very good friend, Ariana’s, house. It’s called a dump chicken recipe because you just dump a bunch of ingredients into a bag with the chicken and freeze. Then Ariana literally pulled it out of the fridge and dumped it all in a baking dish.

Ariana, Ashley, and my other friend, Crystal (I guess I have a lot of friends, lol) get together regularly and do a marathon cooking day. They always include a recipe like this one because it’s so fast to throw together and you can do it while something else is cooking. Ashley suggests serving this over a salad (like this Strawberry Salad) or in a wrap. I serve it over brown rice and we’ve even made it into a pizza.

If there's a good sale on chicken, you could definitely tripl or quadruple this recipe and make a whole bunch all at once. I recommend freezing them in individual batches in their own freezer bags, though.

Ingredients:
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp jalapeno pepper (optional, I don't use this because I'm wimpy)
ONE: Mix together lime juice, olive oil, honey, cilantro, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Place chicken breasts in a gallon sized freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken breasts. Label and freeze. (I dump all of the marinade ingredients into the bag, seal it, and shake it really well to combine. Then I throw the chicken breasts in. Saves me having to wash a bowl)

TWO: On serving day, thaw completely. Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear. (I bake it covered at 350 for 30 minutes [60 minutes if frozen] or throw it into the crockpot [usually frozen solid because you know I never thaw anything] and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4)

TO MAKE A PIZZA:
Ingredients:
  • 1 prepared pizza dough (like this whole wheat one or this cauliflower one)
  • 1 cooked batch of Honey Lime Chicken
  • 1 Roma tomato, sliced
  • 1/2 cup kale, finely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
ONE: Preheat the oven to 450. Spread 1/4 cup of the cooked Honey Lime glaze from the chicken evenly over the pizza crust.

TWO: Sprinkle the kale over the sauce and top with the cheese, sliced tomatoes, and cooked chicken.

THREE: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown on the edges. Slice and serve.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (1/6 of recipe) - 304 Calories (179 Calories from Fat), 20g Total Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 49mg Cholesterol, 42mg Sodium, 14g Carbohydrates, 12g Sugar, 19g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 11% DV Vitamin C, 1% DV Calcium, 4% DV Iron

:)

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Free Cleaning Products & a Giveaway!

You want to know the hardest thing about writing this blog? Finding a clean enough space on my kitchen counter to take a picture of the finished products after I’ve cooked them, LOL. I don’t know about you but I am a super messy cook. And I feel like EVERY day I’m fighting a constant battle against my kitchen. Part of the problem is that I do a lot of cooking so I’m always in the kitchen. Also, with two little ones I don’t always get to clean up the mess right away and it multiplies.

What my kitchen looked like after making Strawberry Bread this morning
I would love to say it’s just my kitchen that gets messy but that wouldn’t be completely true :) I have to admit, if it’s a choice between reading my boys a book when they ask or picking up the living room, I’m going to choose the boys every time. One thing I’ve found that has actually helped me clean less and play more is Stephanie O’Dea’s Daily Seven on her site Totally Together Journal (her other site is the crockpot blog that I LOVE) Whew… that was a lot of links all in one go.

Once you get your cleaning routine down, you’re going to need some cleaning products to help you along the way. There are usually sales and coupons for different cleaning products each week but you want to know what’s even better than a great sale? Getting a bunch of free full sized cleaning products shipped to you!! I’m a member of a word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing network called BzzAgent where I get to try new products and spread word of mouth. As a BzzAgent, I join a BzzCampaign to try new products and services from some of the biggest companies around. Then I share my honest opinions through reviews, Facebook posts, video testimonials, blog posts…however I want.


The contents of my goody box from SC Johnson...
did I mention this was all free and was delivered to my house?!?!
If I find something I really like (like these Granola Bars, LOL), I always share it with my friends anyway. Now I get to enjoy free products while doing it :) If you would like to be a BzzAgent too, click HERE. I love, love, LOVE SC Johnson products and I'm an especially big fan of scrubbing bubbles so you know I was doing my happy dance when this box showed up.

Since I got a whole stash of free products, I thought I’d share some of the savings with one of you. Also included in my box of goodies was a booklet with over $58 in savings on SC Johnson products. These are high value coupons on things like Pledge, Glade, and Scrubbing Bubbles.

One lucky Freeze Your Way Fit reader will win the whole booklet. Entry is simple! You just need to answer the question below by leaving a comment on this site! You can gain up to 3 bonus entries for doing each additional item listed (just make sure that you leave one entry for each one — up to a total of 4 comments.) As a reminder, comments left on Facebook, Twitter or other posts will not be included. I will choose a winner on Sunday 4/9 around 11pm.

REQUIRED ENTRY:

1. What is your #1 tip for keeping your house or kitchen clean? - 1 entry

BONUS ENTRIES:

2. Follow Freeze Your Way Fit on Facebook or Twitter and comment on this post that you did (or already do) - 1 entry

3. Subscribe to Freeze Your Way Fit HERE or follow by e-mail HERE and comment on this post that you did (or already do) - 1 entry

4. Leave a comment on any other post and mention it here - 1 entry

:)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Clean Eating Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Grape Sauce

Makes 4 Servings
This is adapted from a recipe I found in Eating Well magazine. I love pork tenderloin and my boys love grapes so everyone is happy. And I've always thought that pork and fruit went really well together. I've always cooked this in the oven but I'm going to try throwing it all into the crockpot to see how it comes out. I'll let you know if it's successful :)

Ingredients
  • 4 cups red and/or green grapes
  • 1-1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/2 cup Madeira (a fortified sweet wine similar to Sherry, can use grape juice) or white wine
  • 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons water
ONE: Preheat oven to 425 and place racks in the middle and lower third. Place grapes on a baking sheet and roast on the lower rack, stirring occasionally, until they are shriveled, 25 to 30 minutes.

TWO: Rub pork with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large oven safe skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the pork and brown it on one side. Then turn it over and place the skillet into the oven on the middle rack (you can do this while the grapes are roasting).

THREE: Roast the pork until just barely pink in the center, about 12 to 14 minutes or until internal temp reaches 145. Remove it from the oven and let it sit a few minutes before slicing.

FOUR: Very carefully (because the handle will be hot) place the skillet back on the stove top over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add Madeira (or juice) and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the broth, thyme and mustard and bring to a simmer.

FIVE: Scoop out 1/2 a cup of the liquid mixture and puree half of the grapes into it (be careful because the liquid will be hot!). Stir it back into the pan sauce and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining grapes. Serve the sliced pork with the grape sauce over cooked whole grains or mashed potatoes.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 286 Calories (69 Calories from Fat), 8g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 83mg Cholesterol, 482mg Sodium, 16g Carbohydrates, 31g Protein, 3% DV Vitamin A, 2% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 14% DV Iron

:)

Perfect Barley (OAMC)

Makes 12 servings, about 1/2 cup each
This recipe is very similar to the Perfect Brown Rice. I LOVE brown rice but every now and again I want something different. Barley has a nice texture and a slightly nutty flavor. It's really great in salads too because it soaks up all of the dressing but is big enough to not get mushy or lost in the rest of the dish. 

To really save yourself some time, make a batch and freeze it in 1 cup portions. Once they’re frozen, put them all together in a big gallon-size freezer bag, break the chunks up (sometimes it helps to let them defrost a little bit first), and throw the bag back into the freezer. This will leave you with a big bag of individual cooked barley grains. That way, if you need a cup as a side dish or to throw into a soup or something, you can just scoop it right out of the bag with a measuring cup. Throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds or a minute and it's ready to eat.




Ingredients:
  • 2 cups hulled barley (can use pearled but it is not whole grain, the bran has been removed)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 cups boiling water
ONE: Preheat oven to 375. Spread barley in a 9x13 baking dish or large ceramic baking dish with lid. Boil water and, once boiling, stir in oil and salt. Pour over barley and cover baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil (or skip the foil and use the lid of the dish if it has one). Bake 1 hour or until barley is tender.

TWO: Remove dish from oven and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately. 

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving: 128 Calories, 3g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 23g Total Carbohydrates, 198mg Sodium, 5g Dietary Fiber, 4g Protein, 0% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 1% Calcium, 6% Iron

Clean Eating Shrimp Jambalaya

Makes 4 servings of soup, 1 cup each
This recipe was one of the very first recipes I made from Clean Eating Magazine. It's so fast and easy to throw together and is totally delicious. In fact, the first time I made it, I was babysitting my friend Nicole's little boy. He was really into "cooking" at the time and we all know how slow going it can be when a toddler helps you cook. But this recipe was so easy that he actually could help and it was still done quickly.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper
  • dash pepper
  • 1 lb deshelled shrimp
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • Olive oil cooking spray
ONE: Spray a saucepan with cooking spray and cook onion, pepper and garlic until tender.

TWO: Stir in stewed tomatoes, water, bay leaves, thyme, basil, red pepper, shrimp, and cooked rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir frequently.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving - 310 Calories (26 Calories from Fat), 3g Total Fat, 223mg Cholesterol, 266mg Sodium, 43g Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugar, 29g Protein, 20% DV Vitamin A, 42% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 28% DV Iron

:)

Flatout Parmesan Bread Sticks

Makes 10 servings of Bread Sticks, 2 each
These are quick and easy to make and go great with a hearty soup as a fast and satisfying lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:
  • 2 100% Whole Wheat Flatout Wraps
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Shredded Parmesan Cheese
ONE: Preheat oven to 375F. Brush olive oil onto flat bread and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

TWO: Cut length-wise into 5 pieces and bake until crisp, about 8 minutes

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving - 50 Calories (31 Calories from Fat), 3g Total Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 85mg Sodium, 4g Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 1g Sugar, 2g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 2% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 18 servings (3 pies with 6 slices each)
This is definitely one of my signature dishes. I usually have one or two slices stashed away in the freezer to pull out if a friend comes over and is having a rough day :) I'm not going to lie, this dish is a labor of love. I promise you it's COMPLETELY worth it, though. My sister, Anthea, is probably the pickiest eater on the planet and doesn't really like any vegetables. But for her birthday this year, she asked me to make her these chicken pot pies for her freezer instead of getting her a present, LOL. Plus this yields 3 pies so, even though it takes a little extra time and effort on the front end, you'll be able to enjoy the results for weeks to come. I usually omit the wine when I’m cooking but it really adds something special to this dish. UPDATE: Check out the new instructions on how to make the filling in the slowcooker to speed up the overall cooking time!!

If it looks this good, imagine how great it tastes and smells :)
Ingredients:
Pie Crust (for each pie plate) -
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (total of 3 cups)
  • 1 tsp sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won't be "clean") (total of 3 tsp)
  • ¾ tsp salt (total of 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (total of 3/4 cups)
  • 2 Tbsp milk (total of 6 Tbsp)
Pie Filling -
  • 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 2 small celery ribs, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 1 medium onion, chopped fine
  • 1 bunch asparagus, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 5 medium)
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup frozen beans (butter beans work well)
Biscuits -
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup milk
Prepare 3 9-inch pie plates with crust:
ONE: Into the pie plate stir together flour, sucanat, and salt.


TWO: With a fork, whip together oil and milk; pour over flour mixture. Mix with fork until all flour is dampened.



THREE: Press dough evenly against bottom and sides of plate.


FOUR: Preheat oven to 400. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil. Bake in oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil, bake for 4-5 minutes more until pastry is set and dry.

I only had two pie plates so I used a cake pan. It worked :)
  Pie Filling and Biscuit Topping:
ONE: Combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, asparagus, oil, and ½ tsp salt in a large pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until veggies have softened, about 8-10 minutes.

TWO: Sprinkle flour over the veggies, stir well, and let cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth and wine and bring to a simmer.

THREE: Nestle chicken breasts into sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10-12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

FOUR: Return sauce to simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Off the heat stir in beans and season with salt and pepper.

FIVE: Shred chicken or cut into bite-sized pieces, stir into sauce. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into each pie plate.

CROCKPOT INSTRUCTIONS: Throw all of the filling ingredients except for the beans into the crockpot and cook on high 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Remove the lid and continue cooking while you assemble the pie crusts (this gives the filling a chance to thicken). While the pie crusts are baking, use a slotted spoon to scoop the chicken out of the sauce into a bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken and then add it back to the pot. Finally add the frozen beans and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into each pie plate. Do a little happy dance because you saved so much time assembling this dish and the chicken was so tender and easy to shred. Kiss your crockpot.

SIX: Whisk together dry biscuit ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a large bowl. Whisk the oil and milk together and stir into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined and no pockets of flour remain.

SEVEN: Pinch off small pieces of biscuit dough and sprinkle over pies.


EIGHT: Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.



Let cool completely in the fridge over night. Cut into slices and freeze using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash. Reheat in the microwave or thaw and reheat in the oven.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 290 Calories (119 Calories from Fat), 13g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 5mg Cholesterol, 544mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 3g Sugar, 10g Protein, 75% Vitamin A, 8% Vitamin C, 10% Calcium, 15% Iron

:)

Clean Eating Low Cost Weekly Meal Plan 3/21

Can a girl get a ground turkey sale?!?! Come on! No ground turkey sale again this week but that’s okay. I’ve had a real craving for chicken pot pie anyway :) Plus there’s a great sale on cantaloupe which will make my boys very happy. This week I will literally buy 4 cantaloupes and the boys will eat one all in one go while I’m cutting the others up. I’m okay with that because cantaloupe is a great source of Vitamins A and C.

Make sure you check out the Giveaway HERE this week, too!!

Step 1: Find out what meat and produce is on sale for the week
This week at Publix Pork Tenderloin, Chicken Breast, and Shrimp are on sale. In the produce section cantaloupe, asparagus, white seedless grapes, salad, and pears are also 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 are good prices for peanut butter, canned tomatoes, flatout bread, and jam. I have oatmeal, honey, and chicken broth in my pantry.

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. To learn how to build your own freezer stash go HERE.

Step 4: Get all of the recipes together and make a shopping list of what you’ll need.
Meals-
Chicken Pot Pie
Honey Lime Chicken Pizza on Cauliflower Pizza Crust 
Shrimp Jambalaya with Parmesan Bread Sticks
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Grape Sauce over Perfect Oven Barley with Grilled Asparagus

Healthy Snacks/Desserts-
Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Muffins
Cantaloupe Bread
Cantaloupe Crunch Bars

Here is a shopping list for the complete list of meals (not including snacks and desserts) 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 Match-Up List 
Produce
- 6 medium carrots
- 2 small celery ribs
- 2 medium onions
- 2 bunches of asparagus ($2.99/lb)
- 5 medium garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp jalapeno pepper (optional)
- ½ a head of cauliflower (Apio Eat Smart Vegetables, 10 to 12 oz pkg, 3/$5)
- 1 green pepper
- 4 cups red and/or green grapes (White Seedless Grapes, $1.69/lb)
- shallots

Grocery
- whole wheat pastry flour (4 cups)
- whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
- sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won't be "clean")
- olive oil
     $1/1 Filippo Berio Olive Oil (exp 4/2/2011) (printable)
     $1/1 Filippo Berio Olive Oil Rolling (printable)
     $1/1 Filippo Berio Olive Oil (IE) Rolling Printable (FF) (printable)
     $1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil (exp 4/2/2011) (printable)
     $0.75/1 Crisco Olive Oil 2/6/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
     $1/1 Goya Olive Oil Rolling (printable)
- 32 oz carton low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup red wine
- baking powder
     $0.30/1 Argo Corn Starch or Baking Powder 11/7/2010 or 12/5/2010 SS Insert
- baking soda
     $0.50/2 Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Product Rolling (Printable)
- lime juice (or limes to make 1/2 cup fresh juice)
- honey
     $0.75/1 Golden Blossom Honey Rolling (printable)
- 1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
     Hunt’s 100% Natural Tomatoes, 14.5 oz can, BOGO $1.27
     $1/3 Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes All You Jan 2011 (exp 3/27/2011)
     Slam Dunk Savings MIR Eligible
- brown rice
     $1/2 Success Rice Product 3/27/2011 RP Insert (exp 5/31/2011)
     $1/2 Minute Ready to Serve Rice Products (exp 4/2/2011) (printable)
     $1/2 Minute Ready to Serve Rice Products 3/20/2011 RP Insert (exp 6/11/2011)
     $0.75/1 Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice Product 3/20/2011 RP Insert (exp 5/15/2011)
     $0.75/1 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice Product 2/20/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/17/2011)
- olive oil cooking spray
     Smart Balance Spray 8 oz bot (Excluding Organic), BOGO $3.59
     $0.75/1 Smart Balance Cooking Oil or Spray 3/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 4/20/2011)
     OR
     Pam Cooking Spray eligible for $10/$30 Conagra Products Rebate Publix Booklet, Slam Dunk Savings 3/23/2011 (exp 4/16/2011)
     $1/1 Bestlife Buttery Spread, Spray or Sticks 1/30/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/31/2011)
- 2 100% Whole Wheat Flatout Wraps (Flatout Bread, 11.2 oz bag, BOGO $2.89)
- parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup Madeira (a fortified sweet wine similar to Sherry, can use grape juice or white wine)
- Dijon mustard
     $0.50/1 French’s HERE or 1/23 SS
     $0.55/1 Gulden's Mustard Publix Booklet, Slam Dunk Savings 3/23/2011 (exp 4/16/2011)
     $10/$30 Conagra Products Rebate Publix Booklet, Slam Dunk Savings 3/23/2011 (exp 4/16/2011)
- 2 cups hulled barley (can use pearled but it is not whole grain)

Spices
     $1/1 McCormick Product 3/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/24/2011)
     $1.50/2 Gourmet Garden Herb and Spice Tubes 1/1/2011
     $1/1 Frontier Bottled Spice or Baking Extract (exp 8/30/2011) (printable)
     $0.50/1 Simply Organic Mini Spice (exp 6/30/2011) (printable)
     $1/2 Simply Organic Glass Bottle Spices (exp 6/30/2011) - thyme
- fennel (optional)
- oregano (optional)
- parsley (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- basil
- red pepper

Meat
- 9 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 lbs) (Perdue Fit & Easy Chicken Breast, $2.99/lb)
- 1 lb deshelled shrimp (Large White Shrimp, 26 to 30 ct, $8.99/lb)
- 1-1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin (Whole or Half Boneless Pork Loin, $1.99/lb)

Dairy
- skim milk
Organic Valley Organic Milk, half gallon carton, 2/$7
     $1/1 Organic Valley Soy Milk (exp 4/30/2011) (printable) 
     $1/2 Organic Valley Milk Rolling (printable)
     $1/1 Organic Valley Milk Gallon or Half Gallon Rolling (printable)
- 1 egg
     $1/1 Great Day All Natural or Omega-3 Eggs Rolling (printable)
     $0.35/1 4 Grain Eggs 2/13/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)
     $0.55/1 Land O Lakes Eggs 2/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 4/2/2011)
     $0.50/1 Eggland's Best Cage Free Dozen or Organic Dozen Eggs 1/30/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)
     $1/1 Eggs WYB Kikkoman Product 1/23/2011 RP Insert (exp 7/31/2011)
     $1/1 Organic Valley Eggs Rolling (printable)
- 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
     $1.50/2 Kraft Block or Shredded Cheese TARGET coupon Target.com (exp 4/9/2011) (printable)
     $1/2 Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese 3/13/2011 SS Insert (exp 4/24/2011)
     $1/2 Market Pantry Block or Shredded Cheese TARGET Target.com (exp 3/26/2011) (printable)
     (can use on Publix Brand Cheese)
     $1/1 Sorrento Mozzarella Cheese 2/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 5/6/2011)
     $1/1 Organic Valley Cheese Rolling (printable)

Frozen
- 1 cup frozen beans (butter beans work well)
     $1/2 Birds Eye Products Publix Yellow Flyer, Savings for the Lucky 3/5/2011 (exp 3/25/2011)
     $1/3 Birds Eye Steamfresh 1/23/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/31/2011)
     $1/3 Birds-Eye or Steamfresh Varieties (IE) (exp 3/31/2011) Printable (FF)
     $0.50/1 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables Rolling (printable)
     $0.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables (exp 4/2/2011) (printable)
     $0.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables 2/13/2011 GM Insert (exp 4/9/2011)
     $1/4 Market Pantry or Arch Farms Frozen Vegetables Target.com (exp 3/26/2011)
     (Can use on Publix Brand frozen veggies)

Non Coupon Match-Up List
Produce
  • 6 medium carrots
  • 2 small celery ribs
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 bunches of asparagus
  • 5 medium garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 tsp jalapeno pepper (optional)
  • ½ a head of cauliflower
  • 1 green pepper
  • 4 cups red and/or green grapes
  • shallots
Grocery
  • whole wheat pastry flour (4 cups)
  • whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
  • sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won't be "clean")
  • olive oil
  • 32 oz carton low sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • lime juice (or limes to make 1/2 cup fresh)
  • honey
  • 1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
  • brown rice
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 100% Whole Wheat Flatout Wraps
  • parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Madeira (a fortified sweet wine similar to Sherry, can use grape juice) or white wine
  • Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups hulled barley (can use pearled but it is not whole grain)
Spices
  • thyme
  • fennel (optional)
  • oregano (optional)
  • parsley (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • basil
  • red pepper
Meat
  • 9 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 4 lbs)
  • 1 lb deshelled shrimp
  • 1-1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin
Dairy
  • skim milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Frozen
  • 1 cup frozen beans (butter beans work well)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Kids Eat Free at Chili's again March 22nd!!

It's back!! Another coupon for a free Kid's Meal at Chili's! If you missed this last time, here's your chance to cash in. This is only good for March 22nd. Here are my thoughts on Chili's:

Over the past few years, Chili's has made some changes to their menu, mainly with the addition of the Guiltless Grill items. It's now one of the few places that we can go for dinner and I actually feel good about what we ate and don't have to bring a meal for my kids. As long as you order something sensible, you could easily have a dinner out here that doesn't blow your Clean Eating lifestyle.

I always order my kids the grilled chicken sandwich from the kid's menu with a side of steamed broccoli or fresh pineapple. I have them put it on a whole grain bun and make the broccoli without any seasoning. I usually get one with broccoli and one with pineapple and chop them both up together so each boy gets  a pineapple broccoli mixture. I love the Grilled Salmon with Garlic and Herbs. They even have a vegetarian menu, you just have to ask.

If tonight was one of your night's off in your weekly meal plan you should definitely give Chili's a try. Make sure you bring THIS coupon with you so your kid's eat free. Enjoy!!