DRUM ROLL PLEASE.................................

JANUARY MONTH END STATS!!!!!!!!!!

SPENT $543.48 ON GROCERIES (656.00 LESS THAN LAST MONTH!)

RAN 19 DAYS, 123 MILES AND LOST 6 LBS

GOALS MET....100%


We All Have A Special Roll We were meant to Play in this Lifetime. In Order to Realize Your True Purpose, You Must Embrace Your True Self By Letting Your Light Shine Forth, No Matter the Consequences!

Peace!

IF YOU LOOK WITH AN OPEN, CREATIVE MIND YOU WILL FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED!

As the cupboards become more bare the creative wheels in my brain are spinning full speed ....I have to admit it's a roll of the dice what may happen.....for example, what I failed to mention and was a little embarrassed to admit was, when I served that amazing Venison the other day...I served it with freeze dried potatoes that I found in the cupboard...I must have had it for a year and got it on sale and thought I'd try it.....well, at least I tried, that's all I can say positive about that because it was pretty disgusting....we didn't even want to feed it to the dog. However, with every mistake comes a lesson and sometimes a laugh, so, it's All Good! Yesterday however, was a success. While digging through the cupboard I found 2 boxes of Matzo ball mix! I had 4 lbs of "store manager special" chicken thighs on sale for 2.86 in my freezer! Added all the fixings for homemade chicken stock and you guessed it the BEST Matzo Ball Chicken Soup! It was seriously so good. So, start getting creative, with the boxes and packages and the condiments because you could have a hearty, delicious, complete meal just begging to get served:) This Meal was about $6.00!!


Here's how it's done:

Buy a box or 2 of Matzo ball mix of your choice and follow the instructions. Leave in the pot until the chicken stock boils

Approx of 2 to lbs of Chicken....I had thighs, use what ever is on sale w/ the bones!
Put in a large pot w/ approx 8 quarts of water.
1 1/2 c celery
1 med onion
4 cloves of garlic diced (or however much you like)
1 c carrots
sea sale and pepper to taste
simmer until it boils then take out the chicken and shred or cut off all the meat.
Toss the bones, put the meat back in the pot and add the Matzo balls! Serve Mmmmmm!

CREATIVLY SPEAKING.......

The title says it all! I'm going to have to get pretty Creative the next few days because...I'm due for a trip to the grocery store but, I'm holding strong to my Budget goals and I'm determined to stretch the Dollar in order to come through with flying colors, bells and whistles!! I cant wait to tell you what I have spent so far!! Dont be surprised if you see a lot of variations of rice in the next few days!

Speaking of goals......the Running is going Awesome! Up to 7 miles each day. I Highly suggest getting a running partner to run w/ or work out with...makes the time go by so fast and it's extra motivation! Thanks Leslie! Waking up early has definately broken my bad pattern of putting it off until I have time. However, although I KNOW there are No Such Things as Unrealistic Goals, Only UNREALISTIC Expectations..........well, guess what??I'm just a little impatient!! I want it and I want it now:) Meaning, I Really want to fit in the cute jeans NOW although I know I AM in better shape...

So, Here's my plan to help w/ that and I'm going to share with you... a link to a website that has helped me track my calorie intake...because clearly, More Calories are going IN then Energy going OUT in my case! here it is: www.livestrong.com it's Awesome!!

Finally, here's a few tips I got that I have taken advantage of!! Coupons.com Awesome savings! download and print at home before you go grocery shopping!Thanks MOM! And did you know that you could go on some grocery store websites and register your club card to DIGITALLY download coupons onto your card?? Yup, I did it..so easy! Thanks Lynne!

Again, Nothing Is Possible without an Attitude of Gratitude! The Universe does not hold back...Everything You desire is out there for YOU!


Thanks for Reading:)

GAME ON PART 2.......AND FOR APPROX $2.00!

Unbelievable, the recipe was a hit! My kids reaction to the Venison Meatloaf was pretty similar to Christmas Morning! They raved about it, ate seconds and I was looking pretty good in the "Mom's a good Cook" category!! Here is what I did...

2 eggs
8oz tomato sauce
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup bread crumbs
1-1/2lbs ground venison
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, tomato sauce, onion, bread crumbs.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add venison and mix well.
Press mixture into ungreased loaf pan.
Combine brown sugar, mustard and vinegar.
Poke a few holes (I use a wooden spoon handle for this) into loaf and pour mustard mixture over loaf.
Bake uncovered @ 350 for approx 60 minutes

****THE SECRET...NEVER TELL ANYONE WHAT IT IS!! IT IS SO MENTAL...NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS..IT'S SO HARD TO DO WHEN YOU KNOW!!

ALSO, I GOT THIS RECIPE FROM GROUPRECIPES.COM

THANKS FOR READING:)

GAME ON!

Literally! Yes, my father in Law went Hunting.....need I say more? My thoughts on Hunting...Well, Let's not go there...I think that is an entirely different blog. Sooooo, with that being said, I have been on the hunt(no pun intended!) for a Venison Recipe....remember, the blog is inexpensive meals.so when someone is giving you food..Take It:) And figure out any details later! Funny, I was a vegetarian for many years and now I'm cooking Venison...Nothing Lasts forever and Change IS Good:) Alright...so the meal is cooking...AND.........

To BE CONTINUED..............................

Chicken Broccoli Casserole! EASY, FILLING, AND APPROX $5.00!

I have always Loved this. However, when I heard what the ingredients were, I never wanted to eat it again MAYONNAISE!! I later learned that there are many variations to this but, not before I changed it up myself:)

You Will Need~

2 14 oz. cans of Reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (or broccoli, or chicken)
1 1/2 cups white or brown rice (or more if you prefer)
1lb chicken breast or tenderloins cut in 1/2 inch cubes
approx 1 cup shredded LIGHT cheese of your preference ...I like cheddar
1 bag frozen broccoli
salt and pepper to taste

What to Do~
cook the rice as indicated on package
boil chicken until pink is gone but, not longer
layer the broccoli on the bottom of baking dish 9 X 12
then the chicken and then cover with entire contents of 1 can of soup
then layer the rice and cover the rice with the second can of soup
finally top with cheese Mmmmmmmm
bake on 350 for approx 35 to 40 minutes!

***You could use less soup but, I tried and think it's Tooooooo Dry! Everyone Likes this in my family and I feel great because it is low calorie and VERY INEXPENSIVE:):) xo

Family Dinner & A Fresh Perspective! And A LOT of RAMBLING ON!

Yesterday had to be one of the most fun dinners we have had as a family in a while! I'll admit, I have said many times before "I'm going to serve dinner in the dining room and we will eat together as a family" However, the bar in the kitchen w/ all the chairs around is just sooo much easier! Unfortunately, when I serve everyone there...no one really talks much and there is a sense of disconnect...However, lately, I'm happy to say that in the past 3 weeks we have done a much better job of it! Last night was so fun. I decided I was going to ask everyone to share something about their day or something that is going on in their world. I had planned that I was going to share about my blog and invite them to give me recipe ideas of what they would want to see me cook! Yeah, Success! Everyone seemed to really like the idea, I could really see more and more how important it is to sit down together. I'm not saying It will happen every night but, I aiming for at least 3 nights a week...with the teens, sports, etc...
My Fresh Perspective .......Lately, things are really falling into place for me. I wish I knew exactly what it is but, I do know what has changed that could contribute to it. I have always had a Very Optimistic Positive Attitude..however, I also have had a strong Fear of Failing and Disappointing Myself or Other's...So, I often would stay in a safe place as an Observer. To Sum it up.....I Faced the Fears! I'm Blogging to ANYONE who wishes to read it And, I was probably one of the Most Private people I knew! I'm Running w/ my friend and have given Up My "I Run SOLO Attitude" And It has been the Best change I could have made. Also, I have always said to myself " I'm supposed to do something Bigger, I'm just not sure what it is" Well, I have had so much Positive, Supportive, Inspiring, comments, questions, feedback and Thank you's for this blog AND for my Positive words of encouragement... I have decided maybe it could be a step in the right direction to the "Bigger" thing I'm supposed to be doing...Do I think these recipes are anything special ...not really and I know you could research and get them online yourself(except for the one's I make up)...However, what I do think is that people want to identify with someone who is not perfect, someone trying to change for the better, make positive changes and who is facing a lot of the similar challenges life brings along the way YET, finds a way through Positive Attitude and Love and Support to Make each Day the Best. So, what is the fresh Perspective?? It is that I am Learning just how much we all need eachother and nothing can Really, Happily be Accomplished Alone. I think my first thought about this blog was "I'm Giving something to You, the Reader" But, the Reality is that By reading, You are giving Something to me... Motivation, Encouragement, Support and Positive Energy which helps me to continue reaching my goals and the desire to Challenge myself and to make more goals. I'm sure you have heard before "We are all in this together...I believe we truly are connected and there are no coincidences...So, I'm Rollin' with it! This is pretty therapeutic..you should try it!

"HIGH AND MIGHTY" JAMBALAYAH FOR APPROX. $15.00

I once worked with a guy from Alabama. I remember sitting in the break room, I was approx. 6 mos. pregnant with my daughter, I splurged and ordered an amazing lunch from The Cheesecake Factory. Well, when Greg, (the guy from Alabama) walked in the break room and saw my meal he stopped and said(in his adorable Southern accent) " OoooH My, You sure are eatin' High and Mighty today, Mmmmm, Mmmm!" Then he proceeded to tell me that was how his mother spoke about "Fine Dining". I thought it was adorable and from time to time I would repeat that line and attempt to say it in my best Southern accent. Well, after all these simple, low cost meals I have been making, I decided to splurge and serve a "High and Mighty" meal to the family. I went from 4 and 5 dollar meals to a whoppin' $15.00 Jambalayah (still for a family of 6 2.50 per. person is not bad)!! Yes, I still bought on sale and cut a few corners with the ingredients but, it tasted amazing and it was extra delicious the next day(my husband ate it ALL). It is on the spicy side so if your cookin' for little ones maybe go easier on the seasoning. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and I did make my own modifications...I added scallops and got the idea for Worcestershire sauce from a different recipe. I hope you like it and enjoy yourself a fine High and Mighty meal !

Here is what you will need~

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (look for LEAN, and I could have used 1/2 lb, it's up top you)
  
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails
• 1/2 lb scallops (you can also add crab meat, I think I'm going to next time)
• 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce OR BB-Q sauce!! (I'm trying that next)
  

How It's Done:)

1. In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
2. Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp and scallops or crab during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

It's so fragrant and looks so good you'll feel like a Gourmet Chef:):) Good Luck!

*****BTW......ONLY ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH....CAN YOU GUESS HOW MUCH I HAVE SPENT IN GROCERIES????? I THINK EVERYONE WILL BE SHOCKED!!!!!!!

Just when You Think it's going to be Bad...It turns Out to be Great!! STEEL CUT OATMEAL FOR APPROX. $3.00!

So, The title of today's blog really has nothing to do with the Steel cut oatmeal recipe I'm going to post. However, it is part of the reason I wrote that title. Truthfully, I woke up in a terrible funky, funk! I had been on a roll with my working out and this morning I just couldn't talk myself into doing it at the normal 5:30 or 6am. Which caused me to be hard on myself and a bit depressed. I also was mad at myself for indulging in that vino last night in which caused me to go for the extra serving of dinner!!!Ugh, I felt like I took 5 steps backwards. Just when I was ready to feel sorry for myself I got an e-mail from my friend asking if I wanted to go running...!!The day began to start looking a bit Brighter! YES, I was out the door in 5 minutes, it was just the Motivation I Needed! Today's run was even longer..a nice unexpected challenge to top it off and I'm feeling Good. Now, as I have been cooking more often there is still a small fear that lingers over me that my family will not like what I have made...and that You may not like it...However, to my Surprise, when I walked in the door after my run, my 3 1/2 year old, Grayson was eating the oatmeal and he finished it all! My husband Loved it and had 2 big bowls and my older son Loved it also!(The other 2 kids weren't home to try it yet) A big sigh of Relief came over me! What makes this oatmeal so great is that it is unlike the instant oatmeal that has so much sugar. Also, steel cut oatmeal has a lower Glycemic Index then rolled oats. AND just in case you dont know what that is(I didn't for a long time) This is the measure of effect the carbohydrates have on blood sugar. ..carbs that have a high GI release glucose faster into the blood stream and vise versa for carbs that have a lower GI. If your watching you blood sugar or if your diabetic...that is good to know:) The day seemed to continue getting better, I also received a supportive e-mail from another friend that made me feel Great! My day had completely Turned from Bad to Great with the help from my friends and family. So, whenever your feeling bad call a friend or look to your family for support, chances are you will get all that you need as long as your willing to open your mind and heart to it and Accept it because YOU DESERVE IT!!

***********THE CONVENIENCE OF THIS RECIPE IS THE BEAUTY OF IT!
*****THIS RECIPE IS BEST DONE LATE IN THE EVENING SO IT WILL BE READY FOR BREAKFAST! IT TAKES APPROX 8 HOURS! AND YOU GET TO SLEEP THROUGH IT ALL:)

***I got the idea for this recipe on the food network website but, I tweaked it of course:)

1 c steel cut oats
4 c water
1 c orange cranberries
1 c figs, dates or raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla
HONEY to sweeten once its done and a splash of milk if you like:)

*** I added some of my homemade granola on top also***

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to low heat. Cover and let cook approx 8 hrs. Stir and serve Mmmmmmmmmm Good:)

Healthy Granola for $5.00, and A Lot of Good Stuff I'm Learning

Well, I have to say, some really good things are coming from this blog....some things I expected and some I did not. I did expect to cut the food budget and I did expect that the pressure of not having enough recipes would keep me consistent in continuing to cook so I would have something to post...because how embarrassing to start a blog then have nothing to share. However, I have noticed that cooking is bringing the family closer and some Memories are being made. Wow! Last night Madeline finished making the Spaghetti dinner as I was preparing the Granola (working TOGETHER in the Kitchen) and through the evening the house smelled like a bakery and everyone was anticipating the outcome of the granola. This morning as I packed the lunches and put the granola in baggies the kids sampled the granola and even said they wanted it for dinner! I think there is a good feeling for everyone when the food they eat is homemade, special, and it is for them. Also, I'm doing much more research and I am learning so much. Here is what I learned ...So, the granola was 5.00....I know you can buy a bag of granola for less. However, my recipe was probably double the size you would buy in the store and even more important.....it is MUCH HEALTHIER! Why? Because the ones packaged in the store are USUALLY made with high fructose syrup and other things like SUGAR And Partially Hydrogenated OILS! YUCK! If you were to buy one that did not contain that it would be the more costly bags in the store. So, making it homemade makes the house smell delicious, creates memories, and is so good for you! I hope you like this recipe, the great thing is if you dont you can use the main idea and add your own ingredients..that's what I do :) This is a great gift idea...cute decorated bag with a nice bow and gift tag...The possibilities are endless. Have an Amazing Day xo

**I found this recipe in a site called associated content and it was submitted by Missy Dodrill...However, I did change a few things.....I LOVE that the ONLY sweetner is Honey!

INGREDIENT LIST
3 cups of rolled oats, instant or regular oats
1 cup of shredded coconut
½ cup of shelled sunflower seeds
½ cup of almonds( I used slivered)
½ cup of cashews( I used halves)
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
2/3 cup of honey
¼ cup of vegetable oil (Im not a fan of veggie oil...I used olive oil, I bet a nut oil would be great!)
**********For the dried fruits...I used orange/cranberries and dates!

Mix all the above ingredients together and cook on low setting in the crock pot. Make sure to keep the lid slightly off to vent. Stir every half an hour and cook for 4 hours. When it is finished cooking, after 4 hours, it will be soft. It will harden after it sits for a little bit.

After the granola is done cooking, now is the time to add dried fruits, cranberries, and raisins. If these items are added during the cooking process, they will get hard. Use 1 ½ cups (more or less, depending on your liking) of all combined fruit you want to add.

I LOVE COOKING AND.....BEEF BARLEY STEW FOR 8.00!!

Why Do I LOVE to Cook?? I LOVE Knowing Exactly what is In My food! I Love knowing that the fooD I eat is serving a purpose....to Nourish, and Fuel My Body! I Love Knowing that the Ingredients are Fresh, and Healthy and Low In fat and Calories and LOADED with Flavor! We Have a Choice In Everything We do...Attitude,Responsibility,Love,Kindness,Exercise etc...etc... and FOOD! I Love teaching My Kids about the Benefits of Eating Healthy AND I Love that My Kids CHOOSE to Eat Healthy! Don't Get Me wrong...I Do LOVE Desserts but, In small doses:)

Sooooo, With All that being said....Yes, I did make Beef Barley Stew for 8.00 And this was a Challenge because I don't buy red meat very often...meaning I really have NO CLUE how to cook it:) So with a little research, I learned that the best thing to do is to Brown the cubes of beef in a skillet first BEFORE putting it in the Slow Cooker. So, That's what I did! Everything else was Slow Cookin' All the Way!

Here is what you need~


1 pound lean beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 tablespoons flour (I like it a bit thicker)
black pepper to taste!!
sea salt to taste!!
2 tablespoons oil (to brown the beef cubes in first)
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 large stalk celery, sliced
A Lot of Garlic!!! I Used 4 Cloves chopped:)
3 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 bay leaves
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes w/ juice
1/2 can tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp dried Basil
2 cans Beef Stock (NO MSG)

* Place all ingredients in Crock Pot except the broth! Add the beef on top after browning all sides in a skillet. Add the beef broth. If the beef is not covered w/ broth, add water to cover. I cooked on HIGH approx 6 hours and served with French Bread!
************ENJOY and Always Be Proud Of Yourself for Cooking! It IS A simple Gift you can give Every Day!! Thanks for Reading My Blog:)

SPLIT PEA SOUP in the Crock Pot......Mmmmm

The most expensive ingredient in this recipe was the bacon that I bought on Sale(Of Course) for about 2.50! The peas were 79 cents! And less than that for the potatoes and celery! Making the Approx total for this complete meal around $5.00!! AND, The Great thing about this soup is that even if you don't like peas.... chances are You will Love this soup! I Know this because My Husband has serious PEA Radar...he can find a pea in any meal and pick it out however,I'm pretty sure he had seconds of this meal:) I searched online to find a very likable, simple, but, delicious recipe that the entire family would enjoy. I found this one on About.com and it was submitted by: Diana Rattray. I'm not sure of all the facts about posting someones else's recipe so I'm basically just Trying to Cover My A** here! I did change it a bit of course to make it a little more Michelle style:) I hope you like it. BTW, the Jambalaya I made last night was Awesome flavor but, something was missing and I need to re-make it to figure out what it is but, as soon as I master it It's gonna be Amazing! Have a Beautiful Day filled with Love, Opportunity, and Potential.

Ingredients:

* 8 slices bacon, diced...............(I used Turkey Bacon to cut some fat)
* 1/2 cup chopped onion...............(I used a cup, yellow onion)
* 2 ribs celery, chopped..............(I used 3)
* 8 cups boiling water
* 1 pound split dried peas
* 3 sprigs parsley
* 1 tsp. thyme
* 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed.........( I wanted it thicker, so I used 4)
* 1 tsp. salt .........................( I used more...maybe a tablespoon!)
**********************I ADDED PEPPER!!!! AND LOTS OF IT!!)
**********************AND, I almost forgot...You Can never add too much GARLIC <3

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Before serving mash ingredients carefully with potato masher, until as thick as you like; stir well. Makes 12 servings.

**********THIS SERIOUSLY WONT LOOK DONE UNTIL THE LAST 1/2 HOUR AND YOU WONT EVEN NEED THE POTATO MASHER MUCH!)

****Add some Love and Your Done!

16 Bean Soup......and a little rambling too:)

While running this morning I thought entirely about how I was going to introduce these recipes which are the reason for this blog in the first place. I know it sounds like a no brainer...Just write down the ingredients already! but, I was feeling the need once again to explain a few things. First of all, if you don't know me it might be a good thing to know that I'm not as domestic as it may seem being that I'm writing a blog about Healthy,Easy Inexpensive recipes. I know that could sound pretty impressive to some...like I really got it together but, I'm really just winging it and hoping you like it as much as my family has. I'm not a gourmet chef or a professional in the cooking field in anyway! I often will modify recipes I have seen on the internet to make them healthier or to suite to tastes of my family. I am on the more healthy conscious side so I wont use a lot of ingredients that add un necessary fat, sugar, MSG,calories etc... I also make stuff up and hope for the best...so, sometimes If I have not written down the recipe, I may never remember to make it again. Truthfully, I have been the complete opposite of Domestic most my life! I overcooked spaghetti and burned brownies! I did not start cooking until I got married in 2004...and even then I became more of someone who PREPARED food. Thanks to Trader Joe's and Costco I was a pro at buying the pre cooked bags of Teriyaki Chicken and the pre cooked frozen bags of rice and heating it up and there I had it, instant PREPARED dinner! To feed my family of 6 it would take about 3 bags of Chicken and 2 boxes of rice and a whole bag or 2 of edamame ...approx 20.00 a meal(I have 3 teenagers, 2 of them boys and a 3 1/2 year old boy). I know, not bad, way better then eating out every night but, there's still 6 more dinners left in the week, that is a lot of groceries and a lot of grocery shopping and there's no left over's. I discovered soup and stews are easy,healthy and filling. I got very acquainted with my crock pot and started searching on the internet for recipes AND I got better at cooking and developed a LOVE for cooking...mostly the re-creating a recipe part:) Since my goal is to cut the grocery bill in 1/2 obviously paying very close attention to the cost of ingredients and the total cost of the meal became a sorta hobby. It's exciting to see how little you can make meals for! So, as I post the recipes, I'll add the approx. cost of the meal...Keep in mind, I Always buy food on SALE!! To me there is no reason not to and why pay full price? Most times the meals are decided by what I found on sale at the store! So, feel free to help me out with any recipes, you'll be sure to get full credit:) Thanks for listening to me ramble on again....I just had a HUGE cup of coffee!!


16 Bean Soup in a Crock Pot!(I made this for approx $5.00)

INGREDIENTS
1 package 16 Bean Soup (it's just a pre-made bag of beans!)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon crushed oregano
2 cans no-fat chicken stock(make sure NO MSG!)
Additional water to cover
3 stalks celery chopped
3 carrots diced
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 pound turkey Italian sausage sliced( I found ON SALE Very lean!)
2 cans stewed (or diced) tomatoes
(I also added Lean Ham!)

DIRECTIONS
Combine first 5 ingredients (liquid should cover mixture by 1"-2") in Crock Pot Cook on high for 2 hours Add remaining ingredients and shift cooker to low and cook for additional 3 hours If your makin' it Spicy... add cayenne or crushed red pepper. And, I'm Never afraid to add Garlic to almost EVERYTHING:) Salt/pepper to taste.
***Obviously if your crock pot is smaller just guess at taking out some carrots, celery etc...

****Here is my trick for enough leftovers for everyone: Once the 1st meal is served see what is leftover in the pot.....add a cup of cooked rice, some more sausage(cooked) and some more broth and there you have another serving of leftovers!!! It becomes 16 bean soup with rice!!

Commitment!

It's 7AM and this is the first morning in 8 days(since I started my New running routine)that I canceled my early morning run. I woke up so tired and it's very wet from the rain. I don't like running in Rain. However, I made a Commitment recently to run Everyday for an Hour So, I WILL be going to the club later to run and make up for it. I know this does not have anything to do with Recipes but, In my crazy head I do have a reason that this all fit's in.And of course I feel the need to share it with you:) It's The word Commitment. I think it's important to go back to the part in the 1st blog entry where I Promised myself I would make grocery lists, etc...etc..etc...Because if I did what I said I would do there would Not have been MORE months of grocery bills over 1,000. However,It kept happening because I did Not make a Commitment to Cooking more meals and so I followed the same PREPARING routine of meals with the occasional Awesome breakfast burrito AND Healthy Cookies:) while I Said I WANT to cut the Grocery bill in 1/2. Why am I boring you with this?? Well, because I know I'm not the only one who has Said they Want to Have something, Or Want to Accomplish something or Do something different and then they Never end up doing it Or they are STILL Saying the Same thing 2 years later (like me and losing weight).Yes, I Know, I'm Not Fat...I just want to fit in the clothes I used to fit in 6 years ago... Then I went on a nice walk with my husband one day and I began once again my routine conversation telling him how I was going to get Back to the weight I was when I met him 6 years earlier and wear those cute jeans, remember? blah,blah,blah! He always listens to this Same story and offers the right amount of support but, this time was different...He calmly said to me "Are you sure that's what you want?" I was shocked!! Of course that's what i want, Why wouldn't I want to be 15 lbs lighter?? Then he said, "Maybe you just WANT to Want to." "If you REALLY wanted to lose 15 lbs. you would." OUCH! Big OUCH!I couldn't believe what I was hearing but,after some practice in Calming the Mind and Thinking before I speak and deciding I didn't want to start a fight I admitted to myself and to him, He Was Right...I didn't know what to do though. It was true, I wanted to wake up one morning and be the way I used to be but, with no effort on my part. I wanted to want it...but, I just got stuck in my Patterns. So,Progress was made, after the seeds of this journey have been planted over and over I was finally closer to knowing that Something Was really going to change but, I still needed that push. I typically get inspired by something profound that I read in a self help book, or quotes from amazing people and My Friends and this time it came in an e-mail from a website called Motivation in a Minute. I don't even know how I got on the list but, I watched 212 the Movie that was e-mailed to me and there it was in BIG letters "YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE" Duh, I knew this but, then it read "IF YOU WANT TO GET WHAT YOU'VE NEVER HAD YOU MUST DO WHAT YOU'VE NEVER DONE" I know it is nothing New, We Know this stuff Right? However, in a time when your..Searching, When Your Mind Is OPEN, Sometimes that One message that is presented at the Right Time , in the Right Way is the One that can changes your life! It Changed Mine. I couldn't wait to take control again. I knew all along that sometimes we just need to look within ourselves for the answers because they are all there. I just needed to be reminded. It also helped that this video, 212 Movie, had a powerful presentation which made me feel a little guilty for doing Nothing for So Long. I Got a Powerful Message from the movie. My COMMITMENT to running and weight loss AND Cutting the food budget has started and is moving in Full Force.Below is the link to the video in case you have not seen it before. I hope it reminds You how Powerful You Are like it did for me. Oh, and I swear, Recipes are coming very sooooon, I think it's important that you knew what helped me get to this point...Or maybe Im writing a Suspense Blog.....hmmmmm.
Remember, there IS something Positive In Every Situation and if we have a Positive approach to looking at things WE can find it:)

http://www.212movie.com/miami/land.php

Cutting the Food Budget in Half!

About 4 months ago I was shopping at Costco. I put the normal items in the cart that I would use to PREPARE meals for my family of 6. I also added the items that my 3 teenage kids could HEAT UP and PREPARE all by them self. When the woman gave me my total it was just over 500.00...GASP! I pretended like that was what I intended to spend and with an expressionless face I handed her my debit card. My heart began to beat faster when all the other bills left to pay on my desk at home were flashing in my mind. Then I got serious, seriously stressed out. It had only been 2 weeks since I had been to Costco and spent 400.00! Wait...Oh Yes, it gets better...I had also made random stops to Trader Joes, Henry's, Jimbo's and Albertson's. When I got home I got online to my online banking account and realized I had already spent 1200.00! So, being the Positive person that I focus on being, I quickly tried to find the positive in this situation.....And I smiled as I said to myself " Well, at least there's only one week left in the month and we wont need to go back to the store next week!" So, the month ended with 1200.00 towards FOOD! I promised myself I would make grocery lists, make fewer trips to the store, buy on sale, eat the leftovers, etc...etc...etc...So, I'm sure you can guess what happens next. Right! Nothing happened. I did look for items on sale more often and when I went to the grocery store I spent less but, I just ended up going more often so the $$ added up and the next few months were the same...grocery's for the month averaging over 1,000.00!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010! My Goals for the New Year...lose 10 to 15 lbs AND get in great Shape AND....Yup, You Guessed it....Cut Our Monthly Grocery Bill in 1/2!!!!
In my attempt to revamp the grocery list I needed to see what was wrong and this is where I go back the the capitalized "PREPARE"! I needed to STOP preparing food and Start COOKING Meals! So, I went to the grocery store for the 1st time in January and spent a 54.00! I made my 1st meal for under 5.oo!!! I posted it on facebook and this is where things started to unfold. It seems that a lot of people are interested in finding out HOW to not only SAVE money on food but, HOW to cook EASY, DELICIOUS meals that appeal to many people AND serve A Lot of People AND are good as Leftovers. My Husband first mentioned I should start a blog. I said "No Way". Then My running friend suggested it and I think I actually thought about it for a moment but, quickly thought to myself, "No Way" THEN, I watched the movie Julie & Julia....and here I am. Hope you come back to see read the First Recipe that I made for under $5.00:)