Friday, April 8, 2011

New Coupons on Coupons.com

Coupons.com has released a TON of new coupons including some for Easter Candy. As you know, we follow a very healthy diet but, if I am going to give my kids the occasional treat, like on Easter morning for example, you better believe I want it to be free or almost free :) Here are the new coupons:

Food & Beverage:

Buy 1 Get 1 Free Power Bar Harvest Bar, any variety
$2.00 OFF 1 Kentucky Legend Ham or Turkey Breast, or our NEW Premium Bacon
$1.50 OFF 1 Nestle Butterfinger 9.2oz Fun Size Bag
$1.50 OFF 1 Kahiki product 24 oz. or larger
$1.00 OFF 2 Mars Easter Products
$1.00 OFF 2 Land O Lakes Margarine
$1.00 OFF 2 Hanover Gold and Silver Line Frozen Vegetables
$1.00 OFF 1 Newman's Own Thin & Crispy Pizza
$1.00 OFF any 1 lb. of Land O Lakes Deli Cheese
$1.00 OFF 1 Kahiki product 13 oz. or smaller
$1.00 OFF 1 McCann's Irish Oatmeal product
$1.00 OFF 1 Hidden Valley Salad Kit
$1.00 OFF Power of Fruit Frozen All-Fruit Bars
$1.00 OFF 1 Truvia Sweetener
$1.00 OFF 1 Weight Watchers Frozen Novelty Carton
$1.00 OFF 5 Totino's Crisp Crust Party Pizza Products
$0.75 OFF 2 any flavor Yoplait Kids Yogurt
$0.75 OFF 1 Kix, Berry Berry Kix, or Honey Kix
$0.75 OFF 1 Chex Cereal
$0.75 OFF 1 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal
$0.75 OFF 1 Kraft 2% Milk Singles Cheese product
$0.75 OFF 1 Roman Meal Bread
$0.75 OFF 2 Frozen Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits
$0.60 OFF 2 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Pastries
$0.55 OFF 1 Nestle NestEggs (8oz or 10oz Varieties)
$0.55 OFF 1 Wonka Jelly Beans
$0.55 OFF 1 loaf of Wonder Smartwheat
$0.55 OFF 1 Original Cheerios cereal
$0.50 OFF 1 Hanover Frozen Soft Pretzels
$0.50 OFF 1 Newman's Own Product
$0.50 OFF 2 Pillsbury Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crusts
$0.50 OFF 1 any flavor 8 OZ. or larger Gardetto's Snack Mix
$0.50 OFF 1 package of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
$0.50 OFF 1 can of Diamond Crystal Sea Salt
$0.40 OFF Totinos Rolls Snacks
$0.30 OFF 1 can of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
$0.30 OFF 1 French's Classic Yellow Mustard
1 Free bottle of Ujuice when you buy Two (2) Bottles of Ujuice
$1.00 OFF 1 So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (64oz. or 32oz. )

Personal Care:

$3.00 OFF 1 HerbaShine Color Creme with Bamboo Extract Haircolor
$3.00 OFF 1 L'Oreal Paris Sublime Mousse by Healthy Look
$2.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Visine Product
$2.00 OFF 1 AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion (7.9 oz/225 g bottle)
$2.00 OFF 1 Purpose Skin Care Product (excluding trial sizes)
$2.00 OFF any 1 Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector Kit
$2.00 OFF 1 Renu fresh or Renu sensitive multi-purpose solution (8 oz or larger)
$1.25 OFF 2 Degree Men or Degree Women Deodorant/Anti-Perspirants
$1.00 OFF 2 Suave Body Wash Products
$1.00 OFF 1 Kiss Artificial Nail Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Broadway Artificial Nail Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Kiss Premium Eyelash Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Triple Paste
$1.00 OFF 1 Garnier Fructis Shampoo or Conditioner
$1.00 OFF 1 Garnier The Brusher Clenser
$1.00 OFF 1 Garnier Fructis Style Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Sally Hansen Beauty Tool $2 or more

Pet Care:

$3.00 OFF 1 bag ProPlan Select Dog Food
$3.00 OFF 1 bag Hill's Science Diet Light (dog or cat)
$2.00 OFF 1 Wardley Advanced Nutrition Product
$1.50 OFF 1 Nutramax Pet Cosequin Product for Your Pet's Joints
$1.50 OFF 1 Nutramax Pet Dermaquin Product for Your Pet's Skin and Coat

Health Care:

$5.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product
$4.00 OFF 1 Cosamin ASU Joint Health Supplement
$3.00 OFF 1 Cosamin DS Joint Health Supplement
$3.00 OFF 1 Senokot Tablets or Senokot-S Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Colace Capsules or Peri-Colace Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Flex-a-min Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Children's Claritin
$3.00 OFF 1 Monistat Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Prevacid 24hr Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Miralax Product
$2.00 OFF any 1 Nasalcrom allergy product
$2.00 OFF 1 Aleve 40ct or larger
$2.00 OFF 1 Nature's Bounty Your Life Multi's Vitamin
$1.50 OFF 1 Bottle of Emetrol for Nausea
$1.00 OFF 1 tube of StaphAseptic, 1 oz. or 2 oz. size
$1.00 OFF 1 OmegaMint Heart Health Supplement
$1.00 OFF any 1 Citracal
$1.00 OFF 1 Phillips' Laxative Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Alka Seltzer Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Cortaid Product

Household:

$10.00 Off Bissell Big Green Deep Cleaner Rental at Lowe's
$4.00 OFF 1 Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra Starter Kit
$3.00 OFF 1 package of Huggies Diapers (60 ct. or higher)
$2.00 OFF 1 Air Wick Freshmatic Compact Starter Kit
$2.00 OFF 1 Depend Absorbent Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Depend Underwear in Prints & Colors
$2.00 OFF 1 Depend Guards for Men
$3.00 OFF 1 Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner Starter Kit
$2.00 OFF 1 Woolite Rug Stick
$2.00 OFF 1 Combat product
$2.00 OFF 1 any package of Huggies Diapers
$1.50 OFF 1 Seventh Generation Natural Liquid Laundry Detergent
$1.50 OFF Three Glade PlugIns® Scented Gel products
$1.00 OFF 2 Comet Mold & Mildew Stain Removers
$1.00 OFF 2 Comet Bathroom Spray or Comet Cream products
$1.00 OFF 2 Joe Boxer 3-pack socks
$1.00 OFF 1 Air Wick Double Fresh Warmer Unit
$1.00 OFF 1 Air Wick Scented Oil Twin Refill or 2 (two) Single Refills
$1.00 OFF 1 Air Wick Candle
$1.00 OFF 1 bottle of Woolite Heavy Traffic Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Seventh Generation Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Tilex Grout Pen or Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover or Tilex Mildew Root Penetrator and Remover
$0.75 OFF 1 Glade Fabric & Air Odor Eliminator
$0.50 OFF 1 Glade Carpet & Room Odor Eliminator
$0.25 OFF 1 Comet Powder product

Home Entertainment:

$3.00 OFF 1 Because of Winn-Dixie on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 Anastasia on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 Dr. Dolittle on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 Flicka on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 Marley & Me on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 Robots on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 The Sandlot on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 The Sound of Music on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 The Bible on Blu-ray
$3.00 OFF 1 The Robe on Blu-ray

Toys and Games:

$5.00 OFF any Vtech Toy ($19.99 or higher)

:)

Clean Eating Cucumber Tomato Bruschetta

Makes 8 servings
According to Wikipedi, "Bruschetta is an appetizer from central Italy whose origin dates to at least the 15th century. It consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Variations may include toppings of spicy red pepper, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, and/or cheese; the most popular recipe outside of Italy involves basil, fresh tomato, garlic and onion or mozzarella. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetizer.” In our house, Bruschetta means my kids will eat raw veggies because they have a vinegary sauce on them and they’re served on little pieces of bread :) Whatever it means to you, this version is delicious and you should try it.

Did you notice I snuck a little chopped kale in there? It blends right in with the basil and oregano and you can't taste it because the other flavors are so strong. But it helps this "snack" pack a whopping 20% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin A and 15% of Vitamin C.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes cut into quarters (or other chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 cup chopped cucumber
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped kale
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into shreds
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Whole grain baguette, crackers, or pita bread
ONE: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the bread/crackers. Toss well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

TWO: Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour but no longer than 3 hours. Serve over slices of toasted baguette, crackers, or pita bread triangles.

Raw tomatoes become mushy once frozen but you can still freeze the leftovers in half cup portions using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash. Use the thawed tomato mixture in a dish where the mushier texture won't matter. I serve it as a salsa-type topping for chicken, mixed into some brown rice for a little kick, or inside an omelet.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (not including bread) - 44 Calories (31 Calories from Fat), 3.5g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 3g Total Carbohydrates, 0.6g Dietary Fiber, 1.6g Sugars, 0.6g Protein, 20% DV Vitamin A, 15% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 2% DV Iron

:)

Great Deal on Silicone Bakeware!! Act Fast!!

You all know I love baking and I generally make some type of healthy baked treat every week. I've heard a lot of great things about silicone bakeware so I thought I'd share this awesome deal with you.


This is the 5-Piece Smartware Basic Silicone Bakeware Set. This set usually retails for $29.99 but is on sale on Tanga for $9.99 plus $4.99 shipping. That's a savings of $20 or 66%!! The set includes a 9 inch Bundt Pan, a 9 inch Loaf Pan, 2 9 inch Round Pans, and a Recipe Book. They are designed to withstand temperatures from 58°F below to 428° Fahrenheit—without warping, melting or flaking. The high gloss, non-stick finish will not retain odors or flavors. Silicone is also great for even heat distribution and quick and even cooling. Plus they are flexible so it's easier to get the baked goods out. Finally, they're oven, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe.

Act fast because this sale ends on 4/8 at 9:00 PM Central Time!!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Clean Eating Grape Zucchini Bread

Makes 16 servings
I know what you’re thinking… do grapes and zucchinis really go together? I’m here to tell you they do and the result is lovely. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you know I have a big crush on quick breads. Part of the reason is that my breadmaker has a quick bread setting so I just dump everything into the pan, push a button, and an hour and a half later it magically becomes bread. But even if you don’t have a bread maker, quick breads are easy to throw together. I also like them because you can put all kinds of different things in them but they’re usually slightly sweet which makes my boys think they’re getting a special treat when really they’re getting a good dose of whole grains. Plus they freeze really well. What more could you ask for?!

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • ¼ cup sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won’t be “clean”)
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat)
BREADMAKER: Dump everything into the breadmaker, adding the flour last. Run the breadmaker on the quick bread setting (I take a rubber spatula and run it around the edges after it's been mixing for a little while to make sure there's no pockets of unmixed flour). Remove from the bread pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

OVEN:
ONE: In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sunflower seeds.Beat together egg, oil, honey, sucanat, and almond extract.

TWO: Add zucchini and grapes to egg mixture; gently stir in flour mixture. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.

THREE: Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to a wire rack. Slice and serve.

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

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 147 Calories (51 Calories from Fat), 5.7g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 12mg Cholesterol, 400mg Sodium, 22.7g Total Carbohydrates, 0.6g Dietary Fiber, 13g Sugars, 2g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 3% DV Vitamin C, 1% DV Calcium, 4% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Coconut Brown Rice (OAMC)

Makes 8 servings, ¾ cups each
I love coconut and I love brown rice so you know Coconut Brown Rice is right up my alley :) This a a supremely delectable side dish that is not overpoweringly coconut. It makes for a nice change from regular brown rice (although if you make your brown rice like THIS it’s certainly not just regular!) but is just as easy to cook.

The idea for this recipe came from THIS post from the fabulous Gluten Free Girl but she made hers in a rice maker and I don’t have one of those. I know, you can’t believe there’s a kitchen appliance I don’t own since I’m ALL ABOUT my kitchen appliances doing the work for me. If you are lucky enough to have a rice maker, follow her instructions. If not, here’s how you can rock some pretty tasty whole grains using the oven method :)

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups brown rice (Gluten Free Girl uses basmati)
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (1/4 tsp regular salt)
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper (I use 1/2 tsp because I’m wimpy and I think pepper is spicy)
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • Juice of 1 medium-sized lime (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 cups water
ONE: Preheat oven to 375. Combine rice with curry powder, ginger, salt and pepper; spread in a medium sized baking dish (I use my big oval Corningware). Stir in lime juice.


TWO: In a small saucepan, combine water, coconut milk, and coconut oil and bring to a boil.

THREE: Pour water mixture over rice (don’t stir!) and cover baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil (I use the glass lid that came with my Corningware so I can skip the foil). Bake 1 hour or until rice is tender.


FOUR: Remove dish from oven and fluff rice with a fork. Cover with a dish towel and let stand 5 minutes. Uncover and let stand another 5 minutes before serving

Freeze leftovers in ¾ cup portions using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per ¾ cup serving - 273 Calories (107 Calories from Fat), 11.9g Fat, 9.5g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 154mg Sodium, 38.5g Total Carbohydrates, 2.4g Dietary Fiber, 1.1g Sugars, 4.3g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 3% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 8% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa

Makes 4 servings, 1 fillet each
This recipe is modified from one that my super great friend, Martha, sent me forever ago. I’ve made it using pecans and almonds and it’s totally divine. My boys really love almonds so they prefer this version. Any recipe that leads to my husband and toddlers willingly eating fish is a winner in my book but this is so easy it’s like a double winner :) It’s really simple but fancy enough to serve to company. We like it over a spinach salad or with Coconut Brown Rice. Martha likes hers with Pineapple Salsa (see below).

Ingredients:
  • 4 4oz Mahi Mahi fillets (or another white fish like Tilapia or Cod)
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup of oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed (can use an extra 2 Tbsp oats if you don’t have flaxseed)
  • 1 egg white mixed with 2 Tbsp lite coconut milk (or water)
  • Dash of salt and pepper
ONE: In a food processor or blender, combine the almonds, oats, coconut, flaxseed, and salt and pepper. Process until well combined and in small pieces

TWO: Rinse the Mahi Mahi fillets in running water and dry them off with a paper towel. Spread the almond mixture on a plate. Dip the fillets into the egg white mixture and then coat well with almond mixture.

STOVETOP: Heat 2 tsp olive oil to medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add fish and cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes until fish is white throughout and flakes easily.
-OR-
OVEN: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish and cook for about 10-13 minutes or until it is white all the way through and lightly toasted on the top.

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

Pineapple Salsa
  • 1 cup of finely chopped pineapple (small cubes)
  • ½ cup of finely chopped red onion
  • ½ cup of minced cilantro
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • Juice and zest of one lime
  • Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors mix well.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (just fish) - 246 Calories (110 Calories from Fat), 12.2g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 98mg Cholesterol, 201mg Sodium, 8.3g Total Carbohydrates, 3.5g Dietary Fiber, 1.2g Sugars, 26.5g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 17% DV Iron

:)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Great Printable Coupons for Organic and Natural Products!!


Make sure to go HERE to check out the Mambo Sprouts Spring Messenger for some awesome information on organic and natural products. On the last page there are links to printable coupons for over $35 in savings!!

Coupons include:
- $1.25/2 Equal Exchange Fairly Traded Coffee
- $1.00/2 32 oz. or larger Blue Diamond Shelf-stable Almond Breeze Almondmilk
- $5.00/1 Garden of Life Raw Probiotics Product
- $1.00/1 Kashi Cereal
- $0.75/1 bag of Lundberg Family Farms Rice Chips
- $1.00/1 Country Choice Organic Product
- $3.00/1 Country Life Omega Surge
- $1.00/1 32 oz. or 64 oz. Naked Juice Smoothie
- $0.75/1 box of Stash Tea
- BOGO American Flatbread
- $0.50/1 Luna Protein Bar
- $1.00/2 32 oz. Lifeway Lowfat Kefirs
- $1.00/1 Organic Valley Omega-3 1/2 Gallon Milk

:)

Clean Eating Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Pancakes (OAMC)

Makes 10 servings, 2 pancakes each
I based this recipe on my friend Martha’s mom, Danette’s, Honey Oatmeal Pancakes. Pretty much everything Danette makes ends up delicious but these are seriously awesome. The only thing that could make them better would be if Danette came to my house and cooked them for me. But no, she wants to spend all of her free time seeing her own daughter and grandkids. The nerve ;-) Thankfully, these freeze ridiculously well so I can pull them out any old time and have delicious homemade pancakes without having to even look at the griddle. (But Danette, if you decided to come visit and wanted to make me some pancakes I certainly wouldn't stop you!)

My boys chow them down without syrup or anything. I quadruple the recipe and make 4 batches at once. I’m not going to lie, it takes a while. But most of the time is just waiting around for them to cook instead of doing anything hands on. I’ll make the first batch and we’ll eat them as we go and then, for the rest of them, I’ll set a timer and do other stuff while they’re cooking.


In the end we have 80-90 totally awesome pancakes which means lots of super fast, easy, and healthy breakfasts that the boys will feed themselves relatively quickly (why do toddlers eat so slowly?!?!?!). This is my go-to breakfast to give them when we need to get out of the house quickly in the morning and I’m rushing around getting all of our stuff ready. For the boys I pop them into the microwave or toaster oven quickly but Matt literally eats them frozen in the car on the way to work. He says it’s like a big, cold cookie. Better than stopping for donuts, right?

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup honey/sucanat/agave
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup oil (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil)
  • 1 egg (could do 2 egg whites)
  • Chocolate Chips (I guess technically chocolate chips aren't Clean since they tend to have white sugar in them. You could use carob chips or blueberries or bananas or something instead. I'm okay with the little bit of sugar from the chocolate since the rest of the pancake is so healthy and my boys think it's a really special treat. But I'm kind of obsessed with chocolate so I'm a little biased)
ONE: Combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips in large bowl. Mix well.

TWO: Pour batter by the 1/4 cupful onto hot griddle (I have an electric griddle and I set it to 350. Regardless of what type of griddle/pan you use, a good rule of thumb is that it's preheated when you flick a drop of water onto the surface and it imediately sizzles and dances around).

THREE: Drop 6 or 8 chocolate chips on each pancake in a circle with one in the middle. (I do it this way instead of mixing them into the batter because then I can space them out so each bite has just enough chocolate to seem indulgent. Plus everyone’s pancake has the same number of chocolate chips and no one fights for a particularly chocolatey one… Matt.)

FOUR: When the top is bubbly and almost set, flip and cook another minute or so until both sides are golden brown. (I could NOT make pancakes until after I had kids because I was never patient enough to wait for the bottom to be set before trying to flip them. Same thing with omelets. Apparently having two kids has made me more patient. Go figure.)

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

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving (2 pancakes) -  267 Calories (109 Calories from Fat) 12g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 23mg Cholesterol, 210mg Sodium, 34g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 16g Sugar, 6g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 14% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Classic Vegetarian Tacos (OAMC)

Makes 4 Servings, 3 Tacos Each
I'm not kidding when I say this is one of the top 5 things I have EVER eaten. I first tried this recipe when I was recipe testing it for Clean Eating Magazine. You can find it in the April/May 2011 edition with a quote from yours truly on page 58 :) I made it again a few months ago for some other moms at my MOMS Club's Fit and Frugal Meeting. All the moms loved it but the best part was that literally every child there ate it happily and asked for more. It's almost completely vegetables and they all scarfed it down!

The first time I made it for Matt and the boys, Matt had already finished his second one when he asked me what type of meat I used since it was so moist and tender. I wish I could have taken a picture of his face when he found out it was mushrooms and cauliflower, two of his least favorite foods. Priceless.

The other absolutely phenomenal thing about this recipe is how well it freezes. I triple or quadruple the recipe and freeze it in individual portions (3 tacos worth). It is so quick to heat some corn tortillas in a dry skillet for a few seconds while microwaving the filling. SOOOO GOOOOD!!


INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced small (1½ cups)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, roughly chopped into small pieces (I use Portabella)
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets, roughly chopped into small pieces
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp chile powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • 5 large Romaine lettuce leaves, sliced into ¼-inch strips
  • ½ avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup low-fat sour cream
ONE: In a large, high-sided skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.


TWO: Add mushrooms and cauliflower and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until vegetables start to release water and shrink. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are about half their original size and cauliflower is fork tender, about 15 minutes.


THREE: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together tomato paste, ¼ cup water, chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add to mushroom mixture along with corn. Stir to combine, then cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.



FOUR: Warm tortillas over the flame of a gas stove or in a warm oven (I plop them in a dry skillet over medium high heat and warm them for about 20 seconds a side one by one). To assemble tacos, fill each tortilla with ¼ cup mushroom filling. Top with lettuce, avocado, cheese and sour cream, dividing evenly.



Freeze leftover filling in 3/4 cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving, 3 tacos each including garnishes - 379 Calories, 12g Total Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 58g Total Carbohydrates, 10g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 15g Protein, 394mg Sodium, 11mg Cholesterol, 37% Vitamin C, 45% Riboflavin

:)

Clean Eating Sweet and Savory Turkey Cheddar Meatballs in the Crockpot (OAMC)

Makes approx 35 meatballs
My mouth is watering right now just thinking about these. They are my personal favorite. They are so good that I want to make them and go door to door to share them with everyone in a ten mile radius, LOL :) Not only are they delicious but they combine a lean protein with a green veggie AND an orange veggie. What more could a mother want?! Plus my kids get really excited because they have raisins in them and they feel like dinner involving raisins is just the coolest thing ever. I got the idea for these meatballs from THIS totally awesome crockpot blog.


These are one of my top go-to items for a quick and easy dinner. I serve them crumbled into a bowl of brown rice and they are so moist and tender that you don’t need any type of sauce. I scoop a cup of rice from my freezer stash, plop 3 or 4 meatballs on top, microwave for a minute and a half and presto, a complete meal :)

Ingredients: (Can be doubled... which I do every time because otherwise I am immediately bummed that we've eaten half of them. I like seeing a big bag of meatballs in the freezer.)
  • 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 tsp kosher salt OR ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
  • 1 ½ cups pureed broccoli *
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup raisins
*If you are making a small batch of pureed broccoli for this recipe and you are using a blender instead of a food processor (especially if your blender isn’t very good…Mom), you can add one or two egg whites to the broccoli for easier pureeing. Broccoli is sometimes hard to puree without adding liquid but adding water will make the meatball mixture very sloppy. The egg whites will make for a slightly wetter and stickier “batter” but will not negatively affect the firmness and cohesiveness of the finished meatballs. It will work best if you put the egg whites into the blender first and then add the broccoli in a little at a time, pureeing as you go.

ONE: In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix VERY well (I use my hands… which I HATE doing but it really does do the best job).

TWO: Scoop out a level 1/8 cup and use your hands to roll it into a ball.

CROCKPOT: Place formed meatballs into your crockpot, stacking them gently on top of each other once the bottom is covered (like a bucket of golf balls). Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-7 hours.

OVEN: Place formed meatballs in rows on a cooking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. (I’ve cooked a batch in the crockpot but kept just enough out for dinner and baked them in the toaster oven before. They came out great!)

Remove from the crockpot or baking tray and cool on a wire rack over a double layer of paper towels (to catch the drips). Freeze using the flash freeze method.

TIP: When cooking them in the crockpot, don’t worry that they don’t look brown at first. I promise you that they will eventually brown and you will be able to gently separate them when they’re cooked. The bottom ones will be slightly moister and mushier than the top ones but we mash them into brown rice anyway so that doesn’t bother us. If you want them firmer you can use a turkey baster to remove the juices from the bottom of the crock halfway through cooking. You may need to increase the cooking time if you do this due to heat loss from uncovering the crock.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (4 meatballs) -  236 Calories (88 Calories from Fat), 10g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 75mg Cholesterol, 348mg Sodium, 17g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 21g Protein, 107% Vitamin A, 51% Vitamin C, 18% Calcium, 10% Iron.

:)

Clean Eating Low Cost Weekly Meal Plan 4/4

Summer has officially started at our house. Not according to the weather (it was only 69 degrees today which is really cold for us in Florida, LOL) but Monday was the start of my season for teaching Survival Swim Lessons. You would think I’d be used to it by now but each year I just get so choked up during the first week of lessons watching what these kids can do in the water :) Theron was barely a year old at the start of my season last year and before he could walk he could swim the entire width of our pool. Plus he had the survival skills necessary to save himself if, God forbid, all of our layers of protection between him and our pool failed and he somehow reached the water on his own. So what does this have to do with meal planning? I’m going to be an EVEN busier lady from now until October so you will be seeing my best fast-and-easy-to-throw-together-and-my-kids-will-eat-it-without-coercion recipes.

I literally jumped for joy when I saw that Portabella mushrooms, raisins, frozen broccoli, shredded cheese, honey, and chocolate chips were on sale. Sound weird? Don’t worry, they’re not all in the same recipe. But trust me, once you try the Vegetarian Tacos this week, you will do the happy dance when mushrooms go on sale too. Definitely one of the 5 best things I’ve EVER cooked. Plus, they are made with mushrooms and cauliflower, two things that Matt detests (like I mentioned in THIS post) but he INHALED these and regularly asks for them.

The raisins, broccoli, and shredded cheese go together to make the most amazing meatballs you will ever eat in your life. Ever. EVER EVER EVER! These are hands down my boys’ favorite dinner. I would say they might actually have to think about it if I gave them a choice between my famous homemade granola bars and these meatballs. And if you’ve ever tried the granola bars, you know that’s saying something :)

Finally the honey and chocolate chips make absolutely scrumptious Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Pancakes. We actually ran out this past week (horror of horrors in our house) so this is great timing for me to replenish my stash.

Oh my goodness gracious!!! There are going to be some very happy boys (all three of them) in my house this week. EEEEeeee!! (Is it weird that I get this excited over healthy food?)

Make sure you also check out the Giveaway HERE this week too because it ends on 4/9!!

Step 1: Find out what meat and produce is on sale for the week
This week at Publix Pork Ribs, Italian Sausage, and Mahi Mahi are on sale. In the produce section asparagus, grape tomatoes, Portabella mushrooms, zucchini, grapes, cucumbers, pears, and cantaloupe 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 pasta, diced tomatoes, frozen broccoli, pita bread, almonds, cheese, Greek yogurt, chocolate chips, brown rice, honey, and raisins.

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-
Sweet and Savory Turkey Cheddar Meatballs over Perfect Brown Rice
Pork Ragout over Whole Wheat Pasta
BEST EVER Vegetarian Tacos
Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi with Grilled Asparagus and Coconut Brown Rice

Healthy Breakfasts/Snacks/Desserts-
Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Cucumber Tomato Bruschetta on pita bread
Grape Zucchini Bread
Hot Artichoke Dip with Sun Chips

If you haven't already, make sure to try the Pear Oatmeal Cookies, Cantaloupe Bread, and 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 Matchup List

Produce
- 3 Onions
- Sweet potato
- Spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb Portabella mushrooms (or cremini) ( Baby Portabella Mushrooms, $1.69)
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 5 large Romaine lettuce leaves (Publix Romaine Hearts, 2/$5)
- Avocado
- 1 bunch asparagus ($2.99/lb)
- 1 medium-sized lime (or 2 Tbsp lime juice)

Grocery
- ½ cup raisins (Sun-Maid Raisins 24 oz, 2/$5)
- Olive oil
     Pompeian Olive Oil 32 oz, BOGO $12.09
     $1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil, Any
- Whole wheat flour
- 1 ¼ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
     $1/1 Wolfgang Puck Soup or Broth Kroger eCoupon (exp 5/4/2011)
     $1/2 Swanson Broth Rolling
     $1/1 Imagine Broth, Stock, Soup or Gravy 1/30/2011 SS Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
- 1 ¼ cups Zinfandel or other dry red wine (Sutter Home Wine 750 ml, $5.29)
- 3 15oz cans no salt added diced tomatoes (Del Monte Tomatoes 14.5 oz, BOGO $1.39)
- Tomato paste
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
     Sunkist Almond Accents, 3.5 or 3.75 oz, BOGO $2.99
     $1/1 Almond Accents Rolling
     $0.75/2 All Natural Almond Accents 1/9/2011 SS Insert (exp 5/31/2011)
     $0.50/1 All Natural Almond Accents 1/9/2011 SS Insert (exp 5/31/2011)
- Oats
     $1/1 Quaker Instant Oatmeal or Oats 1/2/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Ground flax seed
- Brown rice
     Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice 8.5 to 8.8 oz pouch, 3/$4
     $0.30/1 Uncle Ben’s Rice Rite Aid Video Values (exp 5/28/2011)
     $0.75/1 Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Product 2/20/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/17/2011)
     $1/1 Fresh Beef WYB Uncle Ben’s Product 2/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/10/2011)
     OR
     $0.50/1 Mahatma or Water Maid Rice 1/23/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
- 1 can light coconut milk
- Coconut oil
- Whole wheat pasta
     Mueller’s Pasta 12 to 16 oz, BOGO $1.39
     $1/2 Mueller’s Products, any – 3/272011 SS Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
     $0.55/1 Mueller’s Pasta, Any – Sign Up Required

Spices
     $1/1 McCormick Product 3/13/2011 RP Insert (exp 4/24/2011)
     $1/1 Frontier Bottled Spice or Baking Extract (exp 8/30/2011)
     $0.50/1 Simply Organic Mini Spice (exp 6/30/2011)
     $1/2 Simply Organic Glass Bottle Spices (exp 6/30/2011)
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Chile powder
- Cumin
- Curry powder
- Ginger
- Kosher salt

Meat/Fish
- 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 ½ pounds boned pork loin (I use pork loin country style ribs) (Boneless Pork Loin Country Ribs, $3.49/lb)
- 2 - 4oz links mild Italian sausage
     Johnsonville Italian Sausage, 19.76 oz pkg, 2/$7
     $1/1 Johnsonville Italian Sausage Rolling
- 4 4oz Mahi Mahi fillets (or another white fish like Tilapia or Cod) (Publix Mahi Fillets, 12 oz, $6.99)

Dairy
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
     Sargento Shredded Cheese, 5 to 8 oz, 2/$4 OR
     Kraft Cracker Barrel Cheese 7 to 10 oz pkg, 2/$6
- Low-fat sour cream
     Friendship Sour Cream, 16 oz, 4/$5
     $0.55/1 Friendship Sour Cream Or Cottage Cheese
- 1 egg white
     Egg Beaters 15 to 16 oz carton, 3/$5
     $1/1 Egg Beaters (15 or or larger) – All You, April 2011

Frozen
- 2 12oz packages frozen broccoli
     Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers 11 to 12 oz, BOGO $2.39
     $0.50/1 Green Giant Vegetables Rolling
     $0.50/2 Green Giant Veggies
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
Cascadian Farm Organic Potatoes or Vegetables 7.4 to 16 oz, 2/$4
     $1/1 Cascadian Farm Organic Frozen Fruits or Veggies 7.4 to 16oz packages Publix Coupon Gentle on the Earth booklet
     $0.75/1 Cascadian Farm Product Coupons.com 4/1/2011 (exp 5/2/2011)

*SNACKS*
If you are making the breakfast/snacks/desserts, here are the sale items:
Pancakes-
- Honey
     Sue Bee Honey 12 oz, 2/$5
     $0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey Rolling
     $.50/1 Sue Bee peelie (no exp)
- Chocolate Chips
     Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips 11 to 12 oz, 2/$4
     $1/2 Ghirardelli Baking Products (IE) Rolling Printable (FF) (no prints left, check your coupon stash)

Cucumber Tomato Bruschetta
- Grape tomatoes (Florida Grape Tomatoes, 1 pk, $1.99/lb)
- Cucumber (Florida Cucumbers, 2/$1.29
- Pita Bread (Toufayan Pita Bread 12 oz, BOGO Surprising Low Price)

Grape Zucchini Bread
- Grapes (Red or White Seedless Grapes, $1.69/lb)
- Zucchini ($1.29/lb)
- Honey
     Sue Bee Honey 12 oz, 2/$5
     $0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey Rolling 
     $.50/1 Sue Bee peelie (no exp)

Hot Artichoke Dip
- Greek yogurt
     Stonyfield Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt 4 pk 4 oz, 2/$7
     $0.50/1 Stonyfield Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt Rolling
- Sun Chips
     Frito Lay Baked! Snacks or Sunchips 8.75 to 11.5 oz, 2/$6
     $1/1 Sun Chips, Lay’s Kettle Cooked Chips, or Rold Gold Pretzels Rite Aid Video Values (exp 5/2/2011)
     $1/1 SunChips Publix Yellow Flyer, Spring Into Savings 3/26/2011 (exp 4/15/2011)
     $1/1 Sunchips Publix Coupon Spring 2011 GreenWise Flyer
     $1/1 Sunchips Multigrain Snacks assorted var 10.5 oz bag Publix Coupon Gentle on the Earth booklet

Non Coupon Matchup List

Produce
- 3 Onions
- Sweet potato
- Spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb Portabella mushrooms (or cremini)
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 5 large Romaine lettuce leaves
- Avocado
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 medium-sized lime (or 2 Tbsp lime juice)

Grocery
- ½ cup raisins
- Olive oil
- Whole wheat flour
- 1 ¼ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ¼ cups Zinfandel or other dry red wine
- 3 15oz cans no salt added diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- Oats
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Ground flax seed
- Brown rice
- 1 can light coconut milk
- Coconut oil
- Whole wheat pasta

Spices
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Chile powder
- Cumin
- Curry powder
- Ginger
- Kosher salt

Meat/Fish
- 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 ½ pounds boned pork loin (I use pork loin country style ribs)
- 2 - 4oz links mild Italian sausage
- 4 4oz Mahi Mahi fillets (or another white fish like Tilapia or Cod)

Dairy
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Low-fat sour cream
- 1 egg white

Frozen
- 2 12oz packages frozen broccoli
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels

:)

Great Deal on Mixing and Prep Bowls!! Act Fast!!

If you're going to change your eating habits, it's pretty much guaranteed that you're going to need to do a bit of cooking. And if you're going to be doing some cooking, you're going to need some tools to help you out. Tools that I use often are my mixing and prep bowls. Check out these ones that are on sale on Tanga.


This is the Grand Chef 10-Piece Mixing/Prep Bowl & Storage Set w/Lids. The bowls are stainless steel with airtight lids. The set includes a 3.9", 4.7", 5.5", 6.3" and 7.1" bowl. They are also refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher safe!

This set usually retails for $19.95 but they are on sale for $5.99 plus $4.99 shipping. (Note: In the description on Tanga it says $3.99 shipping) This is a savings of $13.96 or 69% Off! Not too shabby for some pretty great prep/storage bowls. My prep bowls have lids and I can't tell you how useful it is. It really helps when I'm mixing something up and want to save it for the next day... like a quadruple batch of chocolate chip oatmeal pancakes that I mix on Saturday night to cook for the boys on Sunday :)

Act fast, though, because this sale ends at 9:00 Central Time on Wednesday, 4/6. For more great savings, check out this month's giveaway HERE!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Kids Eat Free at Chili's Tonight!!

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 April 5th and you can get up to two free kid's meals for each adult entree purchased. This is the fourth Tuesday in a row for this promotion so I'm thinking Tuesdays are Kids Eat Free night at chili's from now on. But they're pretty smart for making it a coupon thing :) There's just something so great about printing off a little piece of paper at home and turning it into 2 free meals. 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!!

P.S. For some more great coupons make sure you check out the current Giveaway HERE!

:)

Monday, April 4, 2011

Clean Eating Magazine on sale for ONLY $5.99!!


UPDATE: This deal is gone :( ... But I still recommend the magazine and it's totally worth paying full price for, which you know I never say about ANYTHING.

I almost died of excitement when I saw this!!! Tanga has a one-year subscription to Clean Eating for only $5.99 when you use the coupon code EATING. You can buy up to two years at this price.

$5.99 is a great price for this magazine, which is currently $24.97 over on Amazon. Clean Eating combined with Couponing, EEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeee!!!! Kind of like this blog, LOL.

I've personally never seen a big discount on this magazine so this is very exciting for me. If you get a 2 year subscription (which you totally should because it's the best magazine EVER) you save almost $38!!! Plus, if you go through UPromise you earn 2% of your purchase. That's like a coupon on top of a coupon!! I might pass out from excitement :)

P.S. If you have the most recent issue (April/May 2011) check out pg. 58 where yours truly is quoted :)


:)