TIPS FOR EATING WELL & PRICE MATCHING

"The body is like a piano, and happiness is like music. It is needful to have the instrument in good order." -H. Beecher

Lately, I have been terrible at eating. No, really. I have been so busy preparing for my upcoming job that I just forget to eat sometimes (I know, right?). And it is once my stomach starts speaking up (yelling), that I am on a mission to find food. Not to mention, I can get grumpsky if I don't eat...just ask Carson, the man who takes care of me when I forget. (I will forever be grateful for you, love.) It's so strange because all of my adolescence and onward, I ate like a growing teenage boy. I have grown up with health gurus as guardians and I know better. I care just as much for what goes in C's mouth as my own and so together we have come up with a plan to eat healthier, stay motivated, and be resourceful while doing it.

Good News Friends, we made a breakthrough! I thought I would dedicate a blog to things we have tried and liked in regards to eating healthy and being resourceful, in hopes that something will help some of you. 

Tips that have worked for us: 

*Plan out the week ahead of time. On Sunday, C and I go over our weekly schedules so we are on the same page. Now, we have also started planning meals for each day of the week ahead of time. This prevents me from making that hopeless, lost look as I stare in the fridge at 5:00pm wondering what I should make for dinner, while motivation is quickly escaping. I am (WAY) more motivated and excited to make dinner when the time comes when we plan ahead.

*Stay on top of what you have. When planning ahead, make sure to pick recipes with ingredients you have or have a plan to get. I can't count how many times I have gone to make something to realize I don't have one ingredient in the recipe or open the fridge a week later to see that X, Y have gone bad before I could use them. The worst. I know some like to use websites like: http://www.recipematcher.com to come up with recipes w/ the random assortment of ingredients you already have handy.

*Price Match. I know, I know the time, the effort...not worth it. BUT GUESS WHAT? [We are in luck.] I came across this website from Good Things Utah: http://www.pricematchwithrachel.com Someone has done the work for us.  Rachel (not me) compiled a list of countless items and some of the best prices one can get for them in numerous cities. I printed off parts of the list when Cars and I went to Walmart on Monday and we really SAVED money. Seriously. It is worth it. If I can do it, you can do it. Also, Rancho Markets is said to have some of the cheapest produce. If the website is not helpful bc of location, look through those ads to price match produce @ other grocery stores.

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For my wedding, my sweet mother and grandmother put together a recipe book for me of favorite recipes from dozens of women I love--including my Great Grandma and Great-Great Grandmother (written in their handwriting--> yeah amazing!) Anyway, I have cooked that book to death--> I needed some new recipes. I tried Pinterest...I rarely get on Pinterest...but it looks like I should bc I found some golden recipes and websites! 

Easy, Delicious Recipes we have tried this week!!!

(That salad I made (above) was phenomenal! Seriously. I am obsessed.)

It's even better w/ BRIANNAS HOME STYLE POPPY SEED DRESSING

Walnut-Power Salad

Credit & Full Recipe: Pinch of Yum

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

·       2 tablespoons butter

·       ½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced

·       2 cups seedless red grapes, washed and cut in half

·       2 cups edamame 

·       1 cup uncooked bulgur or other grain

·       ¾ cup walnuts

·       ¼ cup honey

·       ¼ cup water

·       fresh baby spinach

·       crumbled blue cheese

·       salt to taste

Black-Bean Corn Topped Potato

(This is fast, easy, filling for lunch) Credit: Recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 (6-ounce) baking potatoes

1/4 cup Cilantro, fresh

1 1/2 cups Corn, frozen whole kernel

1 tsp Cumin, ground

1 (15-ounce) can Eden black beans, no-salt-added

2 Garlic cloves

1/2 Onion

1 1/2 cups Salsa, fresh 

• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
•  
• Credit & Full Recipe: Pinch of Yum
• Prep time:  15 mins
• Cook time:  30 mins
  Total time:  45 mins
  Serves: 10-12
  
  
  
  
  INGREDIENTS
  ·       1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  ·       19 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) enchilada sauce
  ·       2 cups shredded cheese 
  ·       6-8 small flour tortillas
  ·       1 can refried beans 
  
  
  ***
• We've been given these amazing bodies and we need to take care of them the best way we know how!  
• If you have any great recipes or tricks, please, please share below!!!! We would love to try them! 
• Happy Thursday, Friends!

Juicers!

good news! we are juicing!

we have been budgeting and saving up many gift cards to buy... a Vitamix.

and we finally did!!!!

(you know when you get married and register, well if we could have selected only one thing, 

this is what Carson would have chosen.)

it is one way we have tried to stay healthy. after our morning workout, we mix our secret ingredients (random produce) and drink away. not going to lie, the first day--> it took me a few hours to drink it all down. (pathetic, I know but some combos are way better than others!)

but we love it! talk about more energy, a greater intake of our daily nutrients, and less produce rotting away in the fridge. in fact, we just bought a ton more! 

 ***

 this is how Carson feels about our newest purchase:

cheers to healthy living!