20 Meals in 20 Minutes

Posted in Healthy Dinners in 15 Minutes, Homemade Meals by

Let’s talk about how busy life is for a second.  Life is busy.  There’s my second.

But seriously, between working full time, taking care of a house, poopy diapers, grocery shopping, cleaning, filling up the gas, giving the kids a bath, feeding the kids, tending to the yard…who in the world has time to cook let alone meal prep? Below I’m going to provide you with a list of 20 meals, their recipes, and the grocery list you need to make them!  **Note my grocery lists also includes items I purchase for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks**

Well Part I of this 3 part budgeting series we are talking about how to reduce that $1,000 some of you households of 2-5 spend monthly down to $300-$500. All by simply meal planning.

I’ve created TWO AWESOME Google Docs you can view, print, and use.  This will allow you to budget, grocery shop, and make those meals I post to my blog!!  You can add or take away what ever you like.  So I’ve done all of the hard work for you! Created a meal plan & created a grocery list (you may need more or less depending on what you have in stock).

We like to eat organic when we can but always gluten free. However, I have several recipes that are not gluten free that we do like to indulge in once or twice a month!  And we LOVE to do Waffles on Saturday mornings 🙂 Sometimes we make bananas/sweet potato waffles but other days we just use bisquick! Because let’s be honest…sometimes you just need some good wholesome flour to make fluffy waffles ❤

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Meal Planning: 

So, I have two different shopping lists monthly and weekly.  I even outline on my spreadsheet things I only need bi weekly or bi monthly.  Once you start meal planning you’ll get the hang of what you do and do not need weekly.  Some people don’t use cheese as often so they do not need to purchase cheese as frequently.

Here is how you start meal planning and I mean REALLY MEAL PLANNING.

  1. Start by making a list of every meal you are making. Then next to those meals write down all of the ingredients you’ll need to make that meal (see Google Doc as reference)  ***I start with 20 meals we love and rotate them out for other meals monthly.
  2. Next check off what you have and write down what you need (see Google Spreadsheet)
  3. With that make your grocery list!
  4. ***IMPORTANT*** do not forget lunch, breakfast, and snacks.

Here is an example of lunch: Turkey Wrap ( I buy whole wheat wraps from Costco) with avocado, mayo, lettuce, tomato with a side of hummus and peppers.

Here is an example of breakfast: English Muffin with Avocado, Poached Egg, and butter + Coffee + Creamer

Here are examples of snacks: 1. crackers & hummus 2. Veggies & Hummus 3. Cheese & Meat 4. Fruit

 HOW YOU DO IT:

I’m giving you 20 meals, ALL of the ingredients, all of the recipes, and my shopping list!!  Everything I buy (including breakfast and lunch) costs me less than $400/month. I usually start by doing a large Costco shopping trip mid month and then spend about $60-$80/week restocking fruits, veggies, and other meats and produce.

Meal Plan:SPREADSHEET

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yaYTuR9bBtcVxSMdWzuS6agSzRgJy21NEBEPlAe7THE/edit#gid=0

Grocery List:

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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12gNrVF9lFuL_Dee8_3SI1up0PtecxdNZrb_CAQdsNJU/edit#gid=0

COST

We used to spend almost $1,000-$1,8000/month on food alone. That included about $800-$1,200 in groceries and $500 going out to dinner whether it was sit down or chipotle

Now I spend $150 at Costco in the middle of the month & $60-$80/week at grocery stores on restocks (like I said I usually use the grocery store on base OR Sprouts. A local farmers market).

Which means I NOW SPEND Less than $500/month on food alone including dining out!

The best part about meal planning, besides saving money, is that you don’t waste food. Which is awesome. I truly abhore when I see moldly or expired food in my fridge. I hate being wasteful.  This is one of the dozens of reasons I love to meal plan!! You save money and waste less.

Please enjoy the Google Docs I’ve listed above!  Also, if you are not familiar with Google Drive please note that in some of the box they have hyperlinks to those specific recipes on my Blog or another Pinterest blog.  There are also “notes” attached to specific boxes on each document containing more information. Please click on those to see the extra info! It may contain a tip, recipe, or a special note from me 🙂

Here they are again just in case you missed them 

Below I have provided 20 meals & their recipes.  I have also given you my monthly and weekly grocery lists (some bi monthly items and some bi weekly items *see notes).  Please enjoy!

Meal Plan:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yaYTuR9bBtcVxSMdWzuS6agSzRgJy21NEBEPlAe7THE/edit#gid=0

Grocery List:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12gNrVF9lFuL_Dee8_3SI1up0PtecxdNZrb_CAQdsNJU/edit#gid=0

Family Portraits

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I loved our family photo shoot done by Jessica Miriam Photography. Jess is a long time friend of our family.  I’ve known her for 5+ years.  For a long season of life we were roommates and then both got married and now it’s a joy to watch our families grow!

I love how she captured the love we have for our tiny human 🙂 Go check out her blog Jessica Miriam Photography and book her for your family, wedding, or newborn photo shoots!

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Your Darkest Hour

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It’s probably one in the morning.  But I don’t want to look at my phone because if it is 1am it will just remind me that I’m still awake and not sleeping.  My mind is on. My heart pounds quickly. “I just want to sleep” I think to myself as my husband sleeps soundly.  How? How can I sleep when there is always a constant movement of worry and anxiety in my mind.  An endless to do list that never goes away and somehow never gets done.

My husband is home safe, check. My daughter is happy, healthy, and a great sleeper, check check.  I have a wonderful job, check.  I have a great start to this writing gig, check. The support I feel from my friends is unexplainable, check.  I’m not in debt, check. So what is it?

Do you ever find yourself lying awake at night with every worry of the day running through your mind?  Things you should have done differently. People you think you may have offended.  Words you want to say but cannot? Words you have said and wish you could take back? Exhale.

I think of our wedding song:

“In your darkest hour | I’ll love you still | I have and I always will”

Your darkest hour.  My darkest hour is now. My life has been a whirlwind the past year. Transitions. Marriage. Birth of a child. Deployment. Return from deployment. Two moves.

Exhale & inhale….don’t forget to breath.

I inhale so deep that I can’t inhale anymore. Hold my breath. Let it go.

Deployment took a toll on me in a weird way.  I’ve heard other wives express that it takes some adjusting when your husband returns from deployment, however, I was so exhausted from being a single parent I couldn’t imagine feeling that way.  But here I am.  Feeling that way.  Luckily, my husband, and our marriage, is based on mutual trust and respect so I’ve never felt bad about expressing how I feel and my husband has always been completely understanding. Even when I don’t express things in love he has always shown me grace.  Grace, such a powerful thing. With out it I’m not sure how a marriage could work. 

Who would have thought I would have to express how annoyed I was that he loaded the dishwasher a weird way?  And you may think that’s dumb but after you’re used to doing everything on your own for 1/2 of a year and someone steps in to help you…you’d be surprised that the first thing you notice is not that he has helped you but that he has helped you wrong.  Doesn’t make sense does it?  Yeah, when I say it out loud it sounds ridiculous. But it’s my truth.

It’s hard to “air your dirty laundry” and with social media out there there is a lie looming about us that a good marriage means a perfect marriage.  Well all you married people who have good marriages know that’s not true.  So I feel okay telling you this. About my struggle with anxiety and these new adjustments we have to face as a family.  But the greatest part of this season of life is that in my darkest hour my husband has shown me the most grace. 

It’s freeing to let people know you’re struggling.  What a weird season of life to be in, right? It’s like a first date all over again but 1000000000 times more serious 😉

Deployment also did something really good for my soul.  It gave my husband and I a really tight bond.  It grew my trust in him in ways I cannot express.  Before he left I always had doubts in my head. As a military wife you see some pretty unbelievable things and you just hope and pray that you don’t end up that way.  For some reason deployment made me trust my husband 10 times more than I ever have before.

I’m no marriage expert and Chase and I have had our share of difficult times whether it be addictions, honesty, or difficultly with communication. But I do know this: Jesus tells us to “Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin” 1 Peter 4:8

So when we do hurt each other or when we feel disappointed we remind ourselves of grace. Because we will fall short. We will sin. We will disappoint our spouse. And the grace that has been freely given to us is the grace we ought to give one another.  I’ve failed a thousand times and I know there will be many more to come. So I’m thankful for grace.

Deployment also made me appreciate the man he is. He stands for something and he’s never shied away from that.

What I’ve taken away from my first year of marriage, our first child, and our first deployment is grace.  Grace does something to a person.  When another person shows you grace you feel lighter somehow.

It’s been the craziest year of my life. It’s been the hardest year of my life. I’ve had more transitions & adjustments in one year then I’ve ever experienced in my 28 years on this Earth.  Luckily, I’ve found a partner who will stand by my side, close by my side, and walk me through every dark hour I meet. My husband is definitely the better half of me and has shown me how to love someone even when they are in their darkest season of life.  Love you boo.

J xoxo

Shop Small for Mother’s Day

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Mother’s Day is quickly approaching and I’ve already given my husband “the talk”.  Please don’t buy me anything from Target for mother’s day unless it’s a bottle of wine and skittles. Ladies, we have high expectations of our guys, don’t we?  And I know you see on Facebook and Instagram that your friend’s boyfriend or husband swept them away to Bora Bora for a romantic getaway and planned it all by himself to surprise her with every thing she ever wanted and she never had to even drop a hint (rolling eyes emoji) #perfect #lovehim #soulmate #hegetsme #bestboyfriendintheworld #iwin #allmine #pleaseshutup… I mean what?

But if you’re like the rest of the population you typically have to state your expectations to men in order to get what you’re expecting.  Sound familiar?  Haha, I say this with a kind & loving heart for my man.  My husband has surprised me a multitude of times but I think as women we have these expectations that he should “just know” what to do for us or what to get us.  Don’t place that expectation on your man.  If you want something specific it’s time to speak up!

So whether your husband wakes you up on Mother’s Day with breakfast in bed, taking you to brunch, homemade gift by the kids, or an iTunes gift card (yup that happened to me ;)) he probably doesn’t know what you really want or desire until you say it. Out loud. Not in code. Or in your head ladies…help a brother out 🙂 you know who you are!

So I’ve made a list of Shop Small Etsy gift ideas for you and your family!! All of these stores are either non for profit or run/owned by some kick ass mama bears 🙂

I love Target but when it comes to gift giving or buying organic, I tend to shop small and local.  When it comes to household items I shop at Target if I cannot make it myself.

Top 10 Shop Small Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

  1. Little Free Spirit Shop: they have awesome head bands for you and your little one.  BUT on Mother’s Day this should just be for you. This is Isla and I in our Little Free Spirit Shop headbands 🙂 We love them. Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 8.51.39 PM Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 8.51.46 PM
  2. Bebe DeLux (photo taken from website): I found this woman on IG through a Giveaway I was doing and we’ve remained social media friends.  She sent me several samples of her amazing homemade, organic, vegan, non-GMO coconut & milk oat bath for our daughter but truth be told I used the whole entire second bag for myself.  Shhh don’t tell.  If you have a wife, sister, mother who loves to take long baths to unwind you need to purchase this amazing coconut & oat milk bath for her. Image of Moyen (300 g / 10.58 oz)
  3. Layered and Long (photo taken from website): this women make beautiful personalized jewelry that is very fashionable and affordable. I love my Isla Jane necklace! 
  4. Ly Etsy: if you live in the cold, first of all I am sorry, but not so sorry because you can always wear these amazing homemade scarfs by my girl Lindsay 🙂 go check out her shop on etsy!
  5. Mommy & Me shirts: Isla and I have these and I love them 🙂 Go check out their Etsy shop!
  6. Essential Oils:Essential oils are a must have around our house.  We use them for everything. Prevention of illness, ease of illnesses (cough, stuffy nose etc. But we still use medication when needed), therapeutic
     purposes, anxiety, stress, cleaning, cooking, smell, etc.  You name is.  Having PURE Therapeutic grade essential oils are the best kind of oils. They actually work! I would suggest getting the special mom in your life the Young Living Essential Oils starter kit with the diffuser.  It’s changed our life at home! (click on PDF to see a better picture of image below!)  PREMIUM STARTER KIT v 2.0 PDFPREMIUM STARTER KIT v 2.0 (1)
  7. Massage & Spa Day: Anywhere around your home! If there is a local hotel & spa check out their rates on massages. Typically, a hotel & spa is the best place for a massage/spa day.  If you purchase a massage you also get access to the spa’s amenities.  Which makes for a perfect relaxing day of massage therapy, wine, steam room, and pool side lounging.
  8. 31 Bits: This is an amazing business located here in CA.  They are an amazing company that creates jobs around the world through their jewlery.  Go check out their website for some fabulous Jewelry for the special mama in your life.
  9. Madres Jewelry (photo taken from website): I love this company 🙂 educating and giving women around the world work.  What more could you ask for? Click on the link and go to their website to read more about this amazing company.  Pick out some amazing one of a kind pieces and support what they are doing world wide 🙂 (photo cred)Coffee Bean Earrings
  10. The Olive Tree Design (photo taken from website) : They have super cute Christian themed coffee mugs! Which I love because I love coffee and I NEED Jesus! So why not mix the two?  It’s just a perfect gift for the mama that loves coffee. Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 8.56.59 PM

A Beet Blend

Posted in Baby, Organic Baby Food by

To make this delicious blend that IJ loved it’s really simple!

Rice Cereal + Beets + Squash and on the side some chicken we had with dinner!

{I’ve been told that rice cereal is no longer the first food choice of doctors, however, IJ is very allergic to any type of oatmeal we give her.  She handles rice cereal much better and we’ve done our research on what is the best, healthiest, and most organic form of rice cereal to give her.  She is happy and we are happy}

Since Isla is 8 months we are starting to introduce different proteins like chicken, lamb, eggs yolks, beans, and lentils!

To make beets : wash | cut off stalk | wrap individually in foil | bake at 425 for 45 minutes or until tender | cut | blend | add to ice cube trays and freeze for 6 hours | remove from trays and place in freezer safe bags 

To prepare : use your Lily Pots 🙂  We don’t use a microwave for our daughter’s food and rarely for our own food!! Neither should you 🙂 A quick Google search can tell you why it’s better to cook it in the oven!

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These are beautiful and so inexpensive.  Simply cut off their stalk and wash them WELL.

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These stalks can actually be USED for the parent’s meal!  I cut the leafy green lettuce looking stuff off 😉 and I sautee it with Olive Oil and minced garlic like I would Kale! PACKED with vitamins and a great addition to what ever you are making for dinner that night.

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Wrap in tinfoil and bake for up to an hour {or until very tender}

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Chop up {should be mooooooshy} and then place into your blender! I had to add 1/4 cup water in order to get it right! However, I still left it a little chunky because our 8 month old is ready for MORE texture!

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This is the face of a satisfied customer. Can you tell? No? That’s okay. IJ LOVED her

Beets + Squash + Rice Cereal + Chicken {sautéed and on the side}

I served her chicken we ate as a family last night.  I made sure to cook it very well in olive oil and water.  So it got extra tender for her.  I shredded it up and cut it into very small pieces.  She chews like a champ and she loves meat! I also pureed some meat and we will see ALL the amazing proteins we introduce around this time in the next blog!

Enjoy!

Love,

Jen xo

Chili Rub Pork Roast

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This is my husbands favorite meal.  If you cook it right the pork is extremely tender and juicy.  Before I started making this pork roast my husband would always put BBQ sauce on pork roast because he thought it was too dry. Not after introducing this recipe to him! This pork roast is amazing and the chili rub we use is a fabulous rub for pork or chicken!

Here is what you need:

  1. 1 Pound of Pork Roast
    1. I actually buy an 8 pound pork roast from Costco because it is only $18! 1 pound of pork roast from the grocery store is about $6-$8.  So if you do the math you can see that purchasing an 8 pound pork roast is much cheaper! I cut it into 6 large piece and freeze it!! Lasts me 2 WHOLE MONTHS!
  2. Pork Rub Seasonings: chili powder | garlic powder | salt | pepper | cumin | basil
  3. I typically use sweet potatoes
    1. For sweet potatoes cube | Preheat oven to 425 | Melt 3 TBS of butter | Coat sweet potatoes in melted butter | Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar | 1 teaspoon of cumin | salt + pepper | dash of garlic salt | Shake sweet potatoes in a bowl to completely cover sweet potato | Bake for 35-45 minutes or until tender {BEST SWEET POTATO RECIPE YOU’LL EVER HAVE} in nonstick pan. 
  4. Vegetables: I use any fresh vegetable I have on hand.  Which is typically brussels sprouts or broccoli.  Steam or bake and season with salt + pepper + garlic

{PORK} Here is how you do it:

  1. Pork: preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Seasoning: 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper + 1 teaspoon of cumin and a dash of basil { you can double or triple this depending on how much meat you are making} 
    1. I place all of my seasonings in a rubbermaid and place the pork in it. Close the lid and shake, shake, shake.  That way the pork gets completely covered with the chili rub. You can also use a gallon zip lock bag.
  3. Place pork in non stick baking dish (not cookie sheet) I used our William Sonoma casserole dish that has a lid. 
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the core internal temp of the pork is 145 and/or not pink {do not use a lid during baking only after}
  5. After your pork is done baking cover it with anything. I use the lid of the baking dish we have. Allow to sit covered for several minutes after you remove the pork from the oven to allow juices to work their magic 🙂

Cut, serve, & enjoy 🙂

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Please leave any questions or comments below!

Love,

Jen

Organic Blends For Your 7-10 Month Old

Posted in Baby, Organic Baby Food by

I love making Isla Jane’s baby food.  Something about it just makes me feel like I’m doing something great for her.  Not to mention it’s organic {awesome} and it saves us about $100/month on traditional baby food {double awesome}.

At this age {IJ is 8 months} she is eating three 4 ounce servings of solids a day + rice cereal.

A 4 ounce can of baby food at the store is roughly $1.19.

$1.19 x 3(servings) x 30 days (a month) = $107/month x 2 months = $214

For two months worth of organic produce I spent roughy $28 at Sprouts Farmers Market.

So now that we’ve done the math you now homemaking your baby food is not only BETTER for your baby {you never have to worry about recalls} it also saves you almost $200/month.  They will eat purees for about 4-5 months of their lives.  So you are saving almost $1,000??

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Apples + Pears + Kale

This is really easy to make. Steam together for 10 minutes | Puree for 1 minute | DO NOT ADD WATER | Put in ice cube trays | Freeze for 6 hours | Place in freezer safe Zip Lock.

I add Kale and Spinach to fruits for all the super food qualities.  Spinach and Kale are awesome.  Packed with vitamin K, rich in folate, and other B vitamins.  It’s a great starter super food for your baby.

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Sweet Potato

Peel | Bake at 425 for 60 minutes | Puree with 1/4 Cup of water | Add 1Teaspoon of cinnamon {great for the immune system} | Puree again | Add to ice cube trays | Freeze for 6 hours | After frozen place in Ziplock bag.

Sweet Potatoes are a perfect and plentiful source of vitamin A and C.  Giving your baby the perfect blend of vitamins to boost their immune system and help develop their motor skills.

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Zucchini + Squash

Steam for 10 minutes | Puree | DO NOT ADD WATER | Add to ice cube trays | Freeze for 6 hours | After frozen place in Ziplock bag

It’s widely known that substances from organic plants help fight diseases and boost your baby’s immune system.  Check out “The Baby and Toddler Cookbook” for more tips and facts on homemade baby food.

How To Prepare Homemade Baby Food?

We use only what is safe and healthiest for our baby 🙂 I’m sure you do as well.  We would highly recommend a Lily Pot.  Takes about 5 minutes to warm your homemade baby food.  And it’s worth every extra second knowing that all the nutrients in the organic produce is making it to my baby’s body.   Click Here to purchase.  Enjoy!

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Budgeting : Items You Need To Stop Buying

Posted in Essential Oils, Homemade Cleaners by

Goodness we buy so so so many household products weekly & monthly and just waste our money.  In this post I am going to be discussing 10+ items I stopped buying which started saving our family over $100/month in the long run.  Initially it may be an investment if you don’t have some of these items but if you look at it for years to come you will save tons of money.

So I’m giving you my two lists below! The first list itemizing things I no longer buy and the second list provides you all the ingredients you’ll need to create all your homemade items and STOP wasting money every year on store-bought items that are also unhealthy for your family.

  1. Starbucks: Now it’s okay breathe. Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale.  I still get Starbucks once in a while but I stopped my morning routine after I had my kid. $2.5/cup of coffee + $3/scone = $5.5/day which equals roughly $123/month and $1,400/year!!  Now multiply that by TWO if you and your partner BOTH do that. Yikes.  Only going once in a while SAVES YOU ALMOST $1,000/YEAR
  2. K Cups: Again, breathe deeply for me.  K Cups were costing us about $40-50/month!! I now buy a LARGE 4 pound bag of awesome fair trade coffee and it lasts us a whole month. And it’s only $12.99. Yearly K Cups: $600 | Yearly Ground Coffee: $144.  YOU SAVE $456/YEAR
  3. Paper Towels.  I stopped buying paper towels and instead I bought a large bag of car rags from Costco. They cost me $14 for 52 rags.  You can also use old towels and just cut them up.  I keep them in a drawer in the kitchen ready for use.  When ever I need a paper towel BAM I just use a towel. You’re welcome Earth. Stop buying paper towels and you save $160/year!
  4. Laundry detergent:  I know I know…but it is SO easy to make your own laundry detergent.  It last 10x longer than liquid detergent AND all the ingredients you have to buy will easily last you longer than a year. {Click Here for a Recipe on how to make laundry detergent} I used to buy laundry soap 6 -8 times/year from Costco. It cost me roughly $80/year.  Making your own laundry soap you need 1. Borax 2. Organic Soap 3. Washing Soda.  All of which will cost you $12 and the whole lot will last a year.  You save $65-$70/year.
  5. House hold cleaners: Throw them all away. Yuck.  Bleach, chemicals, GMOs…bye bye. I use Thieves Oil Household Cleaner.  Thieves oil is an all natural disinfectant and antiviral without all the yucky extras you get in other cleaners.  Thieves can literally clean anything.  One bottle of Thieves household cleaner (28 oz) will make 120 bottles of cleaner…so it lasts forever? Maybe. It can be used to clean anything and it costs about $28/bottle.  No more glass cleaner, 409, bleach, all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner, carpet cleaner! Thieves Oil Household cleaner is an ALL IN ONE and it disinfect AND is safe for your family.  No brainer.   So for $28 you get roughly 28 oz. Use 1oz (a cap full) of the cleaner to 30oz of water (a traditional cleaner bottle size).  That way this one bottle will last you over a year AND it cleans everything from the floor in the bathroom to the carpet in the living room and your windows 🙂 If you want to buy it click here or email me at homemadehandbook@gmail.com all in all I stopped buying everything 409, Windex, Resolve (carpet cleaner because I have a dog), all purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, shower cleaner! It’s all gone. I replaced it with an organic natural plant-based cleaner and I couldn’t be happier!! Not to mention it gives me piece of mind that my daughter doesn’t have a chance to ingest unhealthy chemicals

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    Thieves replaces all these AND more!

  6. Hand sanitizer:  Antibacterial should be a thing of the past in your home.  Google it! You should research the negative effects of using antibacterial hand soaps.  An all natural alternative is a couple drops of thieves oil, water, and salt mixed together in a small 2-4oz spray bottle.  Carry that with you to sanitizer your hands 🙂
  7. Water bottles:  STOP buying them. They are terrible for our Earth. Did you know last year alone we purchased enough water bottles to wrap around the Earth like a thousand times.  I use hyperbole but still. Yuck. Buy our own reusable water bottle!! Guess what? Water is FREE.
  8. Hand soap: I still buy soap but only by the bar.  I purchase Mrs. Meyers Basil bar soap and I boil it into a gallon of water, with 2 Tablespoons of glycerin, and use a cheese grater to grate the bar of soap.  Click Here for the directions!
  9. MEAL PLANNING! Stop going out to dinner because you are too tired to cook!! In the long run this could potentially save you $500-$1,000/month!  Instead meal plan. Meal planning allows you to schedule your meals and purchase only groceries needed to cook. That way you waste zero food and save money! Win Win!  Click HERE to view my meal planning. I’ve done all the hard work for you! So start saving today. ALL of the meals I provide you with take less than 20 minutes to get on the table.
  10. Reusable items: To go coffee mugs | Lunch bags | Plastic sandwich bags
    1. I stopped using paper to go coffee mugs I bought at Costco (which may seem like common sense but it was easy and I didn’t care)
    2. I stopped using paper lunch bags and bought my own HUGE lunch bag ( I eat a lot ). Better for the environment & I save money 🙂
    3. Plastic bags for snacks and sandwiches.  I stopped buying those to save a small amount weekly. Instead I simply purchased different sizes of Tupperware and I use those.  Better for the environment & saves me a lot of money 🙂

I could really go on but these are just a few things we’ve stopped purchasing monthly and have cut our expenses down about $124 dollars/month. Which is awesome. That money can be used to pay back debt and if you don’t have debt you can save it!

Here is your second list of things to buy in order to start making your own homemade household items 🙂

  1. Washing Soda —-> bought mine at target for around $4
  2. 20 Mule Borax —-> also purchased this at target for around the same price
  3. Ivory soap —> Costs around $3 for 8 bars and it will last you all year-long
  4. Essential Oils —> I use essential oils in every thing I homemake for my house.  I only use therapeutic grade.  I suggest if you want to start using essential oils in your home that you do the same.  A quick google search will show you why.  Unless essential oils are therapeutic grade you should not be inhaling or placing them topically on your skin or your children.

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That’s all 🙂 I hope this is helpful for your homemade ventures.  Please feel free to email me at homemadehandbook@gmail.com for any questions or comment below and I’d love to chat!

Love,

Jen

Salmon & Kale with Garbanzo Beans

Posted in Healthy Dinners in 15 Minutes, Homemade Meals by

This recipe is simple so this blog post will be as well.

Here is what you need: 

  1. Salmon Steaks
  2. Apricot Jam
  3. Rice
  4. Kale
  5. Garlic
  6. Salt
  7. Lemon Juice
  8. Garbanzo Beans

Here is what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425
  2. Boil water for rice.
  3. Add rice (may take 5-40 minutes to cook depending on the type of rice you make)
  4. Season the salmon steaks with lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper
  5. Bake for 15 minutes
  6. Saute kale with 2 tablespoons of garlic and add salt and pepper.
  7. Once kale is soft add garbanzo beans (drain them first please :))

Take your apricot jam and whip it until it isn’t chunky any more (I use a simple fork).

Put it all together 🙂

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Enjoy,

Jen

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Posted in Uncategorized by

I adapted this recipe from My Kitchen Escapes 🙂 and it’s fabulous.

This meal took me 25 minutes from prep to table and it was so delicious I didn’t want to stop eating it.  Seriously, I had 4 servings.

If you need a quick week night meal with minimal clean up this recipe is where it’s at!!

Here is what you need: 

  1. 3 boneless chicken breasts (or how ever many people you are making this for)
  2. 1 Cup of Mayo (I use “Real Mayo” because I don’t believe in fat free etc.  Usually fat free means added chemicals or sugar.  REAL MAYO has only a couple simple ingredients.  I chose calories over chemicals 100% of the time)
  3. 1/2 C of Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  4. 1/2 TBS Salt, Pepper, and a mixed cheese spice I got from Brady ST in WI
  5. 1/2 – 1 TBS of Garlic powder (depending on how much you like garlic :))
  6. a little extra parm to top off the chicken

DISCLAIMER : if you are making MORE than 3 pieces of chicken DOUBLE the mayo, cheese, spice mixture 🙂 

I got this REAL MAYO at Costco.  2 jars for $4.99!! SO CHEAP AND SO YUMMY

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Here is what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. In a bowl mix: mayo + cheese + spices
  3. Place chicken in a pan and spread the mayo, cheese, spices blend on top of all the chicken
    1. Disclaimer: I only used 3 pieces of chicken with the ABOVE amounts of ingredients so I would double the mayo, cheese and spices for 6 pieces of chicken)
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes
  5. During this time make your fav green veg. We made broccoli & a salad!!
  6. When chicken is done allow it to cool.

Another alteration of this recipe would be to double or triple the Mayo + Cheese + Spices amount and serve over rice.  The mayo melts and turns into this fabulous cream sauce (probably because I used “Real Mayo” instead of fake food).  Next time I make this I’m going to triple the mayo + cheese + spices and serve over brown rice or brown rice noodles!

This meal is so fast, so good, and packed with protein and good fats (if you buy the Real Mayo) I cannot say the same for other types of mayo or greek yogurt 🙂

I hope you ENJOY

Love,

Jen