TJ's Chili Lime Chicken Lunch and a Green Protein

I have confessed my undying love for trader joes multiple times; but they have done it again, Their Chili lime chicken burgers. I obviously didn't just slap these bad boys on a bun, no - they deserve more than that.

Greatness

I ate mine open faced to cut down on the carbs, but made Mr. Kings' like a party melt. 

Wheat bread grilled with coconut oil, chicken patty, sautéed shallots, kale, chili corn, and mushrooms; homemade roasted peppers (yellow and orange), pineapple, provolone cheese and obviously Sriracha BBQ. 

Served with a side of snap peas and broccoli. This was an A + lunch. Easy, afordable and most of all, delicious.

 I love a good burger, like red meat almost mooing burger. I hate dry ones, and usually packaged chicken patties are tasteless and dry. These were the very opposite. Alone they were very flavorful. I almost didn't miss the red meat. 

I was going to make a nice roasted pepper pink vodka sauce for the hubs and I but he got called in on his night off. No pink vodka sauce tonight :(

So instead I went for a dinner smoothie and it was filling and so tasty .

Green Protein Smoothie 

Keep the green going strong. 

Spinach, mint, Banana, raspberries, coconut oats, chai seeds, hemp seeds, coconut milk, steeped Honey Chamomile Vanilla tea, cinnamon, nutmeg, half scoop vanilla protein and half chocolate protein. 

I am loving my daily green smoothies I can already tell, my nails are getting stronger and longer. (That's a big step for me I usually have nubs)

Cheers,

K

Going Green

An old friend of mine and fellow blogger wrote a post about 30 days of green smoothies. I was instantly inspired. 

Saturdays are for grocery shopping and I made sure to stock up on broccoli, kale, spinach, peas and mint for my green smoothies of the week. I love incorporating veggies into my smoothies, and commiting to 30 days just seemed right. Green also happens to be my favorite color, win - win!

Here are nine top benefits of drinking The green stuff.

http://www.smoothie-handbook.com/benefits-of-green-smoothies.html

I love smoothies and make them regularly. If your bulking them up with lots of veggies and fruits, drink them in place of a meal. On days that it's just H and I, we eat our heavier meals during the day and I make a chamomile tea smoothie for dinner. I almost always use tea in them, amazing added health benefits and the chamomile is a nice for calming a toddler.

I also prefer  smoothies to juicing because 

1- I'm too poor to afford one of those fancy $200 machines ($40 blender - came with a mini processor too- has done just fine for the past six years) 

2- When you juice, you loose a lot of the pulp which contains nutrients and fiber. 

3- save money! With all that discarded pulp is discarded dollars. 

I make smoothies like I cook- never the same twice but my go to staples for a nutritious delicious drink

Fruits- banana, pineapple, mango, raspberries, apples, watermelon, honey dew, cantaloupe, bing cherry, lemon, lime, and anything else that is looking good on shopping day ( I have a confession- I hate blueberry smoothies :/)

Veggies- carrots (I shred them first), spinach, kale, arugula, cucumbers, avocado, broccoli (florets only), peas- I tried for the first time today and it came out really good

Flavor and nutrition boost- Chai seeds, hemp seeds, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, mint leaves, and cayenne

The liquid- unsweetened coconut milk and a variety of teas, 100% juice is okay to use but don't use a juice blend- that's just added sugar

For sweetness- touch of organic maple syrup, honey or molasses. 

(I don't like yogurt in my smoothies) 

Day one Green smoothie 

Fresh and frozen Pineapple, Mango, Raspberry, Banana, Ginger, Carrots, Peas, Spinach, cayenne, turmeric, nutmeg, chai seeds, hemp seeds, mint, cloves, coconut milk, pineapple juice, honey vanilla chamomile tea (herbal) and lemon lime tea (herbal) 

Once I poured a cup for H, I added some vanilla protein powder to mine. It was delicious, nutritious and filling. 

(Check out my amazing flowers, my little lady picked them out for me when she was shopping with daddy) 

Here's to feeling better, glowing skin and going green.

Cheers!

-K

Smart Shopping, and Helpful Hints

I'm going to share a few tips on how I try to save money every month. I try to bulk shop. We obviously live on a budget, so I try and get the most out of every dollar.

Smart shopping tips,

Don't shop at just one store. I have four places I like to divide my grocery and pantry needs between.

Trader Joes is by far my favorite stop. You find tastey staples at very reasonable prices.

Go to items:

They always keep their produce rotating between seasons, which I love. Organic beets, arugula, apples, kale, sweet potatoes, pineapple, broccoli, rainbow carrots, any kind of melon, tomatoes, and shallots usually find their way into my cart. 

Next for canned goods and pantry items; Sriracha BBQ, coconut milk (unsweetened vanilla), 21 seasoning salute, taco spice, coconut oil (they have been out for months now I'm going crazy), beans, flax chips, salsa, coconut, chai seeds, hemp seeds, banana chips, blueberry bars, and trail mixes. I like to always have these things on hand. The BBQ, coconut milk and seasonings I buy two at a time insuring I don't run out. Which I failed miserably at and there is no more BBQ in my cupboard. 

(I save jars- so many uses so little time :))

Frozen section is another stock up; corn, edamame, peas, Brussels sprouts, and sliced bell peppers. I like having easily accessible veggies I can add a small amount to any meal without any fuss. Plus they last longer than fresh veggies. I also love their shredded hash brown potatoes, pineapple, seasonal fruit, veggie fried rice and I usually pick out one dinner. It's cheaper than ordering out and taste so good.

Last stop is the refrigerated section. Juice (pineapple or orange mango - H's choice), cream cheese, butter, yogurt, sour cream, a specialty cheese, eggs.

Basically I love their everything. They make eating healthy easier to do. I'm not 100% organic, but it helps when their organic choices don't cost you an arm and a leg. What I'm trying to say is if you have never been, go now. Our TJ's is rather small so your not going to find everything you need but their products are really amazing and worth every penny.

I don't usually buy meats from TJ's. What I have purchased I enjoyed, I just like fresh meat. For that- our local meat market. I love it, it's right down the street and everyone their is so friendly. Deli meat is half of what it cost at stop and shop and it is delicious. Basically anything you get is a win win. Their chicken sausage is amazing, they do it in house. Sandy Lane Meat market in Warwick. Don't let the outside fool you, step inside and see for yourself. I'm all about small and local businesses and this was a great find.

Stop and shop- this is a trap, you go in for a few things and spend way more than expected. I go here when the sales are really good, and I have a stack of coupons. I won't buy anything at full price when I go. When I go I always use the Scan it so I can keep track so I don't go over budget. I go through the produce, and find what is colorful and lively at a good price. (Try not to buy out of season, your paying more for a less satisfying product). Next meat section- now most meats I buy at the market, but there are some things worth buying- when family packs are on sale, or a good buy one get one free.

Refrigerated section-choboni flips yogurt, I'm super picky about yogurt and really love this one- make sure to stock up when is 10/10$. Pizza dough, cheese, basically this is when you shop sales. Good rule of thumb- out side perimeter and then go through the isles. When I reach my budget I stop. This is how I don't end up with a lot of junk food. I try to have healthy choices and dinner options before we get to treat ourselves. 

Aldi's - bulk pantry items; they have really good prices on produce and cheeses. Frozen fruit for smoothies, this is the best price that I could find for fruits (we drink lots of smoothies). They don't have a variety of things but everything I have tried I have enjoyed. The layout and process is a little different, but after the first time - cake walk. Worth the trip to stock up on staple items like baking needs, honey, beans, pastas and jelly. 

I only go to one store a week,(unless it's the meat market, I only but produce and meat from them) I just rotate which store it is depending on our stock up needs. I try to buy in bulk, and use up what I have every month. It's the best way to save money shopping, and not throwing as many dollars in the trash. I hate throwing out food. It happens, but I really try to use and eat everything we have. Food is the best way to nourish the body, everytime you eat is a chance to fuel your body. Shop what's fresh, on sale, organic when you can, and always check out your local markets. We have a great sea food market near by too, we just don't get that fancy often- but when we do local all the way.

I hope you find this helpful. I know shopping on a budget can be stressful. if you have a plan and a routine, your less likely to splurge on impulse buys.

BLT pizza gone Crazy

This blog has taken a back seat ever since I started that gym thang. By the time I get my little one to bed I'm pooped. I'm committed to this and I want to continue to write and share, just bare with me it won't be as frequent. 

I'm so happy I started going to the gym again. It's been forever since I've felt so motivated and healthy. I mean I'm not a crazy gym go-er or health nut. I believe eating what you love as long as it's in moderation. I just feel I can eat an extra few chocolates on my gym days. I really enjoy taking classes too, it's great motivation and you learn a lot of new ways to get your body leaner. I, however have terrible hand eye cordination so "left arm strait, right leg up " gets me every time. If I'm not doing a class it's usually a few miles of cardio and then strength training. I'm more of a lifter than a runner. I hate the tredmil. For real. 

After a few hours of gym time, I obviously deserve a giant pizza covered in bacon.

I'm not the biggest bacon fan, but my husband and little love it, so sometimes I have to suffer through. 

BLT was my motivation for this delicious pie

I sliced a giant tomato and roasted it at 425 with a little garlic, onion, and 21 salute. Roasting the tomato brings out all the sweetness, yumm.

For the dusting flour add chopped rosemary, thyme, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Mix it all together, add some to the counter where you will be stretching out your dough, sprinkle some on top of the dough, and the rolling pin.

Pizza dough is a learning process, be patient and gentile with it, you don't want to rip the dough and u want a even stretch of dough/ crust ratio. 

Once your stone is preheated and dough is stretched- have all your ingredients ready to go. When you pull your stone out of the oven you need to act quick, the stone starts loosing heat. 

Add stretched dough to hot stone, spread a few tablespoons of ranch on the raw dough (you don't want a lot, the bacon and avocado add greese so a light later will do fine) next pile on the spinach, sliced mushrooms, red bell peppers (I tossed the shrooms and peppers in a little olive oil and balsamic), roasted tomatoes, cooked bacon, avocado and pizza blend shredded cheese. 

Cook about 10-12 minutes at 425. 

When everyone has seconds, that's when I know it was a good pizza. This was definitely a win. 

Cheers! 

-K  

Stay hydrated

I'm going to switch it up a little tonight and write about my favorite drinks. 

I don't know why I didn't put fruit in my water sooner. This may have been a fun trick during my oh-so-terrible pregnancy, but I found it now. And I am totally in love. For a while I was putting frozen fruit in my fizzy water, but when I discovered my little chai seeds- I completely stepped up my water game. 

Hint- if your going to have your water all day don't use melon. Melon starts growing bacteria after four hours, most other fruits are okay. I keep my water all day and just keep adding fresh water on top of my mint/lemon/cucumber.. Etc,

I love drinking chai water, I like the texture, and it fills you up. You eat while you drink all day long what's better than that. 

I've still got this stinkin cold and sore throat. I can't kick it. So tonight I'm drinking a little Chai fresca with honey, ginger, lemon, lime and mint. It's so refreshing. Once I drink about half I fill it back up. The flavor gets weaker but it's still delicious to sip on.

Every morning I drink a glass of lemon water. I squeeze a whole lemon in my first drink of the day. I wake up stumble to the kitchen and get Hadley settled with her cereal and juice and I get my morning drinks ready. 

In addition to my lemon water, I get a protein shake and gym drink ready. 

Drink one: 

1 whole lemon squeezed in a 16 oz glass of water

Drink two:

2oz coconut milk 

2oz water

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

4 mint leaves 

Wisk together and enjoy

Gym water

2tbl of chai seeds

1 whole lemon 

1 whole lime 

Mint leaves

I always start with those, I really love -love lemon. I like to mix it up by adding blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cucumber, cherries, watermelon, raspberries, oranges, pineapple, pear, apple, honey

Switch it up; use fresh and frozen, herbs, citrus, vegetables. Really anything. It's a great way to get nutrients, and enjoy flavor for an extended period of time. It's satisfying and refreshing. 

This morning I added strawberries to my citrus-mint chai fresca. Strawberry-mintade. 

A really good tip, if the lemon is too hard pop it in the microwave for twenty seconds to loosen up those juices. 

 

I drink water like I cook- no two days are the same. Mix it up- switch it up. Use what's fresh. My ultimate staples are lemon, lime, and mint (and chai seeds)

Best part, H can enjoy all these delicous beverages. Extra special days we have fizzy water. She loves squeezing the fruit into her special cup. 

Cheers! 

-K

Perfect Steak Tips

My favorite kind of steak - tips, which I haven't made in forever. 

This was the perfect meal for my meat-eating husband. Not only did it include delicious tips, but also a pound of bacon.

I didn't even cover the bacon in sugar before cooking.

I stopped at my local meat market. I prefer their product over the chain store. I got steak tips, deli roast beef, cheese and fresh chicken sausage, all for a fraction of the cost. 

As soon as I got home I started to prepare dinner. I knew I wanted a simple marinade. 

Shallots, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. I chopped it all up on my cutting board to release flavor. Almost like a gremolata. Normally I would use fresh thyme and rosemary but the market was out so I had to go with dry. Once you have your salt and herb mix, rub it onto the meat. I had it marinading on the counter for about an hour. You want the meat to be room temperature to ensure its' tender. 

When it's time to cook the steak, get a cast iron or grill pan nice and hot. I added a little bacon fat and slab of butter to the hot pan. Grill about three minutes per side, the salt helps make a nice crust on the meat. When the meat is medium rare, pull off the pan and cover with foil. 

Make the gravy for the tips while the meat is resting. Heat a tablespoon of bacon fat and 1/2 a chopped onion to a hot skillet. Cook about three minutes, add garlic, thyme and rosemary until fragrant. Add 8oz sliced cremini mushrooms (baby Bella's) cook down for a few minutes and add a few gluggs (yes that's a measurement) of dry white wine and a splash of balsamic. While the sauce is simmering slice your meat into tips. I also added all the juice and drippings from the steak pan. Right before you add the tips back to the sauce add about a tablespoon of butter, it makes it "silky" to the tounge. 

This came out so good. The sauce complimented the meat perfectly, not to overwhelming. What goes better with steak than potatoes and brussel sprouts- my favorite.

I boiled red bliss and sweet potatoes with a few cloves of garlic, herbs and   Black pepper. (No salt needed because you add bacon drippings when you smash them)

I added bacon crumbles and a tablespoon of drippings, sour cream, goat cheese, Gorgonzola and horseradish to a bowl. Combine and add one spoonful of hot starchy water from the potatoes. I didn't whip these, they were a chunky smashed potatoes. I like texture, especially with steak. 

For the sprouts- I tossed with a little balsamic, bacon fat, 21 salute and pepper.  Roast 425 for 30 minutes. 

Make the sauce, sauté shallots and garlic add thyme. Deglaze the pan with a splash of balsamic and add a 1/4 cup of honey. Whisk into the hot pan. Once the sprouts are roasted toss with the sauce and add some crumbled bacon. Roast about 7-10 minutes. H even enjoyed them, she asked for seconds. 

Perfectly well balanced plate. For my little lady I of course added a side of applesauce. It's her ultimate dipping sauce. She even had seconds. 

I served our portions on a bed of arugula. The meat was so tender, and I absolutely love mushrooms. I added an extra sprinkle of Gorgonzola to the top of our warmed steak.

This is definitely one to try!

Enjoy,

K

Egg-dicted to Smoothies

Ever since I figured out how to make a poached egg, I've been on an egg kick. Eggs for breakfast, brunch and In my soup. I'm literally egg-dicted (get it?) I love puns. But seriously, it's a problem. H just says "no mommy eggs", she doesn't have the same love for poached as I do. 

Last night I had one of my favorite dinner guests over. What's better than A best friend for dinner? A best friend that loves all the same foods as you do (especially the ones my husband hates). Beets, spaghetti squash and eggs. (It turned out really beautiful and delicious, but I didn't get a photograph)

I love a girls night. H loves my girlfriends almost as much as I do. I never tell her when company is coming, I like the surprise. "Mom look my friends here!" She also thinks they are here strictly for her.

When my friend texted me in the morning, asking if I wanted a dinner guest- I instantly gleamed. Right from the start I knew I was going to make breakfast for dinner. So when I got into the kitchen, I knew exactly what I was going to put together. I also happend to read an article on the internet about a different approach to cooking spaghetti squash, it couldn't have been more perfect. 

To prepare- lay the squash on its side and slice in 3/4"-1" rings, spray a large sheet pan with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings of your choice, flip and season the other side. I roasted 425 degrees for maybe 40 minutes. We had a giant potty emergency right when I started so I turned the oven off, and left the squash in. When I came back I turned it on to finish cooking. Check at the half at half hour mark . You want it the "noodle" part to pull with a fork, and be al dente. Cook longer for softer noodles, the skin should peel right away when done. The cooking process is quicker than just slicing in half. The "noodles" are also longer because of how they pull.  I wish I got a picture of the process, next time.

I didn't get a picture of last nights dinner; but I did have some leftover squash for lunch, topped it with a poached egg and snapped this beauty

I call it Egg Salad brunch bowl

In the bottom of the bowl add some arugula, next the heated up squash, sautéed mushrooms, turkey (I buy deli meats at our local meat market, they prepare all their meats and they are a fraction of the cost than the chain stores), goat cheese, tomatoes, two poached eggs, Sriracha BBQ and hemp seeds. So delicious and filling. H even enjoyed a few bites. She always makes this face when I'm cooking, like she would never go near my meal. I made her a grilled ham and cheese with honey Dijon. She took a few bites of her sandwhich before admitting she really wanted mine. 

So yolkin good.

Tonight was quite a fiasco. H has been potty trained now for a while, every now and again she goes on poop streaks. Yup she decided to poop in the pants twice today. It's always right after she goes potty too. I try not to get mad but come on, twice in one day. Then we were having smoothies for dessert and splash chocolate cherry all over the floor. I couldn't even share mine because after I poured H's I added some whey protein to mine. I added a little coconut milk to her shake remnants and called it chocolate milk. 

Kale, banana, frozen cherries, raspberries, trader joes chocolate coconut frozen dessert, cinnamon, nutmeg, hemp seeds, chai seeds, whey chocolate protein and coconut milk (all from TJ's)

This was so good. Perfect when your craving something sweet. I have a confession, this is the first smoothie that I added kale to. I'm not gonna stop. Let's just hope he next one doesn't end up on the floor. 

Cheers!

-k

Sloppy Joes for Days

Sorry! I have been off my blog game for a few weeks now. Life has been crazy. It's like a revolving door of stress and sickness. Hasn't put me in the right mindset. But I'm back, or at least until I'm succumbed to my bed with a box of tissues and a good movie. If it's not me, it's my little lady or husband. It seems like we are never sick at the same time, just a revolving door of hot mess. Once one of us gets better, it's another's turn to feel like death. I guess that's life- I've been saying that a lot these days. Enough of that conversation, let's get on to something that I Love- FOOD. 

Friday night we had our favorite boys over for dinner. I made Sloppy joes, thinking every kid loves them. Nope, I was wrong. The adults dug in- what do the kids want? Peanut butter and jelly. Let me tell you- they missed out. 

(I also know H only didn't eat them because her cousin didn't want them- she dug in the following day)

These are another meal where you add a little of this- a lot of that. I will give you a generalization of the recipe. It was also great because I got two leftover meals so far with this delicious concoction.

I started with two large pans on the stove- one for meat mixture and one for the sauce. Start by browning two links of sweet sausage- casings removed. Once they are browned ( don't have to be fully cooked) add ground turkey to the pan. 

Get your sloppy sauce ready.

Add some olive oil in the pan- add chopped red onion and shallot. I shred my carrots so it is just less noticeable- you can chop if you like. I added shredded orange and purple carrots. Next, add chopped garlic, mushrooms, red and yellow bell pepper. Let those veggies get nice and tender. Chop two tablespoons of fresh rosemary and thyme, add to the pan. Next, half a can of tomato paste, you need to sauté that a little so it "wakes up". Add a can of diced tomatoes- I used fire roasted with garlic, basil and onion. I chopped a jar of roasted red peppers and added them to the mix, you can make your own if you like. Simmer and add homemade stock until the consistency is perfect. I threw in some basil, honey and sriracha BBQ- because, why not?  Once your sauce is perfect add to your drained meat mixture. Shake some Parmesan cheese in the mix and serve on your favorite roll. I enjoyed mine with fresh spinach and provolone. 

I don't have a picture of these beauties because they were devoured in about three minutes time.

The next morning I got out my sloppy mix, added extra mushrooms and spinach- topped it with poached eggs. So stinkin good.

Sundays have turned into pasta nights at our house. It was almost like chop seuy, which normally I don't like. When the sloppy joes were this good, I knew they would be perfect on pasta. 

In a large pot I sautéed the rest of my bell peppers, mushrooms, kale and the rest of the tomato paste. Next I threw in the sloppy mix and more stock. 

I have a pasta problem. I always think I'm not going to have enough, and end up with pasta to feed an army. I boiled pesto tortellini and some wheat elbows. (I always like to mix my pastas up)

Serve over fresh spinach and top with grated Parmesan. Pasta salad!

Love me some rollover meals, I'm thinking tonight I will add some cheese and bake it. That would be four meals with one sloppy slop starter. 

I hope you enjoy sloppy joes as much as I do.

-K

Coffee-spiced rubbed Bacon and Roasted Chicken

I love roasting a chicken. When you get a whole chicken for around seven bucks-it's a great deal. You can whip up three, maybe four rollover meals with one bird. 

I love to switch up my cooking method and flavor every time I cook one. I love testing new combinations, this time coffee. I don't know why I haven't thought of this, or tested it before. It was amazing. Tender and juicy, with a nice crust. 

I guess I should also talk about the bacon I rubbed the amazing brown sugar coffee spice mix. I make bacon the same every time. I am not a bacon fan. And I know the perfect way to be sure a whole pound of the greasy mess will be devoured. 

Add brown sugar spice mix all over- front and back. After the bacon has had it's rubdown; I place in a cold oven and roast 425, 15-18 minutes until nice and crispy. Delicious every time. 

For this spice blend I used equal parts brown sugar and really strong finely ground coffee. Cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, 21 salute, fresh thyme and sage.  You don't need to add salt because of the bacon. And the spice will be used as a rub for both meats. Then the bacon drippings are poured over the chicken. I know. Delicious. 

I not only added bacon to my roasting chicken, but to the cornbread too. I also made non-bacon corn muffins that were phenomenal. I know they are not the healthiest of choices, but I'd rather eat two corn muffins than a bowl of ice cream. 

For my muffins- I use one box of trader joes corn muffin mix, egg, milk, and equal parts coconut oil and butter. I have two secrets with corn muffins- melt honey into the melting butter/oil mix and, creamed corn.  I hate the word but these bad boys were moist. It is taking all my will power to not devour the entire batch. 

Enjoy!

-K