Grocery Budget Challenge for August

August is a hard month for the budget, a close runner up to December for spending.  August is the month of back-to-school shopping and registering for things - school, ballet, skating, holiday show, and so on.  So, in the spirit of keeping things light-hearted, I'm issuing a grocery budget challenge to myself and anyone else who wants to participate.  My grocery budget for the whole month is $500.  Now, as opposed to some folks, I don't include household items in my grocery budget - strictly food products.  So, there's that.  But still, this is not where our grocery budget generally sits and I will definitely be feeling it.  We already did our first grocery shopping for the month, so we've already burned through $132.99 of our $500 budget.  I'm praying that our garden starts producing more than herbs and jalapenos :)  (it's close - we've got lots of flowers on our squash, cucumber, and zucchini plants and several green tomatoes on our three tomato plants).  Feel free to share your favorite whole-food, inexpensive recipes here if you'd like.  And pray.  Pray for diligence and encouragment for me this month.  Sometimes the menu planning, shopping, and meal prep for a large family can be as daunting as you might imagine - it's easy to lose steam.

Recipe Share - Beef and Black Bean Chili

Oh.my.word - this was deeeelicious.  I know that people have their favorite chili recipes, but this one is worth breaking out of the box for.  It is "fancy" enough for guests (since it's not using ground beef) but easy enough for a quick weekday meal. I like it served over rice (it tastes yummy, and it brings your cost down a bit, per serving) and topped with a bit of sour cream, along with a side of Jalapeno Corn Bread. 

BEEF AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs beef stew meat
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp chili powder (I cut it in half for a kid-oriented meal, and double it for an adult meal)
3 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.  Transfer to Crock Pot.

2. Stir in pepper slices, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, and cumin.  Cover; cook on LOW 8 to 9 hours.

3. Turn off heat and stir in chocolate until melted.  Serve over hot white rice, and garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Recipe Share - Crock Pot Thai Chicken & Noodles

My Crock Pot is my best friend.  Okay, okay, not literally.  But it's a valued member of our household (or should I say members?  we have two, and we have used both at the same time).  The only thing about the crock pot is that it's easy to get in a roast or soup rut.  I love unusual crock pot recipes, and this one definitely fits the bill.

THAI CHICKEN & NOODLES

2 tsp olive oil
11/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 bottle (about 10 ounces) chili sauce
3 Tbsp peanut butter
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 can (@14 oz) chicken broth (I used 2 cups of homemade)
8 oz vermicelli noodles
1 cup shredded cabbage and carrot mix
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
     Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
     Chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned on all sides.  Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Stir together chili sauce, peanut butter and garlic in small bowl.  Pour over children.  Stir until chicken is well coated with sauce.  Add broth and stir well.  Cover; cook on LOW 2 hours.

3. Add noodles and cabbage mix.  Cover; cook 30 minutes or until noodles and cabbage are tender.  Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, and peanuts, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe Share - Lentil Soup (Vegetarian or Not!)

This recipe is from my sister-in-law, who's a connoisseur of healthy recipes and living.  I modified it a bit, because I didn't have the pork sausage, and it tasted fantastic, so you can make this dish meatless, or if you'd like to, you can skip the yellow squash and add one pound of pork sausage instead.  If you can't get any yellow squash, just do two zucchinis.  I was surprised that the kids actually really loved this recipe. Pair it with an easy-peasy drop biscuit, and you've got a healthy, filling, and super cheap meal.  It's not particularily pretty, so I wouldn't serve it for company, but it's a perfect busy weekday dinner.




Lentil Soup
1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
7 c chicken broth (use homemade, if you have it)
1 1/2 c dried lentils
1 1/2 c chopped roasted red peppers
4 1/2 tsp molasses
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
dash each of dried thyme, basil, and oregano

Pour broth and lentils into a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.  Meanwhile, chop zucchini and squash into large pieces and sautee them in a small amount of olive oil, until almost tender. Stir zucchini, squash, roasted red peppers, molasses, red wine vinegar, and spices into lentils.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serves 12

Recipe Share - Whole Wheat Maple Cashew Sesame Cookies

Necessity is the mother of invention!  Today I was low on all-purpose flour (an all-too common occurrence in this home because I still haven’t gotten on buying my 25lb flour bins for my pantry), but I had a bag full of whole wheat flour that had been open for the better part of a month without any use.  Whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour are definitely not interchangeable, though, so I was relieved to see an easy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe printed on the back of the bag.  But, I’m sans choco chips.  And, to be honest, I’m not really a fan of the brown stuff in kids’ snacks.  I have messy eaters who have a napkin/washcloth phobia.  So, using that recipe as a base, I created what I think is an improvement all-around.

Whole Wheat Maple Cashew Sesame Cookies
3/4 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped cashews
2 tbsp sesame seeds 

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In large bowl, cream sugars, butter, vanilla, maple flavoring, and egg.  Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in cashews and sesame seeds.
2. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft).  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Makes approximately 4 ½ dozen.

Fat Girl Running

A horrible title, no?  But it's true.  I don't like to think of myself as the "f" word.  But I can't hide from it any longer.  I've struggled with body image issues (imagined or real) since puberty.  I come from a long generation of self-loathing women.  It's no good, and it doesn't square with the contentment I know that I'm supposed to find with my Lord.  This summer, something finally clicked.  The Lord doesn't care if I'm slender or conventionally attractive.  But He does expect me to take some care of this earthly body that he gifted me with, and to show some discipline in that arena.  It's truly, truly not about my weight anymore.  You know how I know that?  Because I haven't lost a pound since starting my exercise regimen almost three months ago.  And yet, I'm still at it - FatGirlRunning.  Because it's not about what I see in the mirror.  It's about what I feel inside (and I don't mean that in a mushy-gushy New Age way, I mean literally, how I feel physically stronger).  And I can do things I never dreamed of doing a mere six months ago, like run for 20 minutes without stopping or run for 8 miles in a week.  I'm both proud of and utterly humbled by this experience.  I'm proud because I've finally stuck with something, even though I'm not getting the results I feel I "deserve" (am I the only one who has to constantly dial back her expectations because they bring little but frustration and heartache?).  And I'm humbled because I truly did not do it on my own.  I wouldn't have had the strength.  Plain and simple.  It was His doing.  And he's started a work in me that he will see to completion.  I don't know yet what that completion will look like.  Maybe someday I'll lose the excess weight.  Maybe not.  That's blessedly besides the point anymore.  My vow to the Lord, with the world as my witness, is that I will not allow my lack of discipline and my self-indulgence to obstruct His work any longer.
 

Myself and my "little" brothers on our recent trip to Hawaii, at the top of the Diamond Head climb.

Healthy Eating Success! (and recipes)

 So far we've done really well on our new healthy eating lifestyle.  We're three weeks in and I just did our second grocery store run last week and it was even more successful than last time!  I supplied all of our needs (not quite through the end of March, but only a few days short), my cart was almost exclusively bulk stuff and produce, and my total came to less than $80!  We've also DRASTICALLY reduced the amount of times we eat out - both fast food and sit-down dinners.  We've stopped at the drive-thru for lunch/dinner twice this month, and eaten out once.  One of our favorites was the Pesto Cream Green Beans with Almonds (making your own pesto is crazy easy!) - we had it two nights in a row, as a side, it was so good - once with "floppy joes" (faux sloppy joes - vegetarian) and once with Spicy Italian Pork Chops.

Basic Basil Pesto
  1 large clove garlic
5 loosely packed cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 tablespoons pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Put the garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped, about 10 seconds.  Add basil, cheese, and pine nuts.  Process until finely chopped, about 20 seconds.  With the processor on, pore the oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, processing until the mixture forms a loose paste, about 20 seconds.  Add the salt and pepper through the feed tube and process until blended.  Use immediately or freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 year.  Use a melon baller to scoop out frozen pesto as necessary.  (Makes 1 cup)

Pesto Cream Green Beans with Almonds
8 oz green beans
2 tablespoons Basic Basil Pesto
1 1/2 tablespoons half and half (or light or heavy cream)
1/8 teaspoon salt (again, I prefer kosher or sea salt)
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped almonds

Put the green beans in a steamer basket and set over a pan of simmering water.  Cover and steam over medium heat until the green beans are desired tenderness (my kids prefer a softer green bean, but older kids/adults might prefer them crisper).  Meanwhile, mix together the pesto, half and half (or cream), salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add the hot green beans and toss to coat.  Put in a serving bowl and sprinkle with the almonds.  (Serves 4 - I doubled it)

 

Spicy Italian Pork Chops
1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
4 pork loin chops
1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons mild pepper sauce (such as Frank's)

In a food processor, puree the sun-dried tomatoes with the Italian dressing; set aside.  Season the chops with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the chops and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Add the wine and bring to a simmer.  Pour the dressing mixture over the pork.  Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the pork reaches 160 degrees and the juices run clear (about 10 minutes).  Stir in the pepper sauce and return to a boil.  Serve the chops topped with sauce - garnish with basil or parsley if desired.  (serves 4 - I doubled it easily)

This is an awesome recipe that is super flavorful and easy.  I put it together in less than 10 minutes before a violin student came, and left it on the stovetop, on low, for an hour's worth of lessons and it was ready to go as soon as my students were out the door, which I love.  My family is hungry as soon as I get done teaching, and they don't really like to wait for me to make dinner, so I'm super fond of any recipes like this that are flexible enough to make ahead and "sit", if necessary.  I served it with the Pesto Cream Green Beans with Almonds, and my homemade bread.





Floppy Joes (they call them G.I. Joes, but my kids prefer Floppy Joes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I skip, but I know most people like onions)
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bag (12 oz) frozen meatless crumbles
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea)
6 soft Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion (if used), bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the crumbles and cook until heated through, another 5 minutes or so.  Stir in the crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili powder, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and salt.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thick enough to sit on a bum without running, about 20 minutes.  (Makes 6 servings - we doubled it)

My husband is very skeptical about meat substitutes, but he was won over by this one.  It's so flavorful that you don't feel like you are missing out on meat (my kids would hardly believe that it wasn't ground beef).  My mother-in-law cans, bless her heart, so, in doubling the recipe, I used 1 can of store-bought crushed tomatoes mixed with 1 jar of pureed whole tomatoes and it was a bit runnier than just store-bought crushed tomatoes, but yummy.  I baked my own rolls (I haven't found my "perfect" roll/bun recipe yet - I'm still experimenting with different ones, so if you have a go-to recipe, please share!) as an extra treat.

All recipes came from the book/cookbook Fresh Choices (although some are a bit modified)

Survival Tools

I have two main ingredients in my diet survival tool chest right now. I don't know that I need to get out and write any books about it, as I've only lost 10lbs so far this year, but when you find something that works you stick with it, am I right? My first is an old friend - Diet Coke. I love you, DC. You are my friend, out of a can or from a fountain. But never in a bottle, unless I'm desperate. I love how the picture makes it look like the cup has kind of a halo around it. That's SO how I feel about my Diet Coke. My second is a new find - Strawberry Shortcake flavored gum. I know, I know, it sounds gross. That was my first thought too. But I got bored standing in the Walmart checkout line one day and figured, why not? I tell you, the first bite of that gum stick is like a little slice of heaven. My brain can literally be tricked into thinking it just got to eat a big ol' helping of Strawberry Shortcake. For that, I thank you, odd little snack product.