5 Ways to Save Money on Groceries!

Being a chef has it's ups and downs; I have all of these new dinner ideas in my head, but...I am not made of money and some ingredients are expensive!!  Since we are going to be living on one income shortly, I have been thinking of ways to save money.  Here are five ways to save money on groceries:

1) Buy whole chickens: Roast them off in the oven in the beginning of the week and use the meat for a variety of things, casseroles, enchiladas, etc.  Make stock for the week with the bones!! 

2) At the end of the week gather up all of the veggies that are almost goners and some of the stock you made with chicken bones and make soup!  Add leftover rice or grains from the week, or beans for some protein. 

3) Stay away from pre-cut and packaged items: they are WAY more expensive than buying the whole thing.  Think: Butternut squash cubes; it is so easy to cut a squash in half and roast it yourself at a fraction of the cost.

4) Use those weekly ads: Stock up on non-perishable items when they go on sale.  This requires some menu planning, you do not want to buy something just because.  Think: Pasta sauce (my fav is Muir Glen Organics), canned goods, pasta. 

5) Use your bulk bins: Henry's, Sprouts, and Baron's all have bulk items that are a fraction of the price of their packaged relatives.  Think: Steel Cut Oats, Rice, Lentils, Trail Mix! 

The key to saving money on food is planning, thinking about your weekly menu will help you take advantage of sales and you will be able to use leftovers to create new dishes!

My quest to buy grass-fed beef!

The most inspirational thing I took away from the film Food, Inc. was, "We can vote, three times a day." We choose products every time we go the grocery store and it is basic supply and demand.  If Organic, antibiotic free, grass-fed products are demanded; farmers will respond. 



My goal is to sometime in the next month or so, buy a whole or half of a grass-fed cow.  I feel like by spending a few extra dollars per month, I will be giving my family a healthier future.  I do not want Logan to grow up eating meats that have been tainted with antibiotics and raised in a feed lot.  Cows were supposed to be grazing the fields and eating...GRASS! 

There are some local options in Fallbrook and some even here in Temecula.  There is also a farm called Open Space Meats and they serve all of the local Sprouts markets. 

I encourage everyone to do a little research and learn about the foods we eat everyday, you might be suprised!!

Check back soon to see how everything goes!!!

Spicy White Chicken Soup

Hey Guys!

This is a recipe I modified.  I love White Chicken Chili but it is so heavy and fattening, hence the "white" part!  Here it is...this serves about 4. 

2 large chicken breasts, shredded
1 onion, diced
1 cup of corn
1 can cannelini beans
1 can of diced chiles
Jalapenos-to taste, I put 1 small one
2 tbsp oregano- dried or fresh
2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder, or 2 cloves fresh
1 carton (28oz) chicken stock
1/2 cup cheese (cheddar or monterey jack)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 to 1 cup of cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil or grill chicken separately, cool and shred.  Sweat onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of oil.  Add all ingredients except stock, saute for two minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil.  Let soup simmer for about 20 minutes, take off heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Then add 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cheese (cheddar, jack, or both!), and 1/2 to 1 cup of cream 

You do not have to strictly follow the amounts, if you love oregano, add another tablespoon!  These are just guidelines! 

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, and a sprig of parsley or cilantro!

Bon Appetit!

My Birth Experience

As some of you know, when I became pregnant I immersed myself in literature about pregnancy nutrition and natural childbirth.  I was fanatic about it; I bought chia seeds for their omega three fatty acids, I took an extra 200mg of DHA because doctors now recommend 400-600mg per day, and made sure I was getting enough protein.  I made up my mind in the first trimester that I wanted to try to have the baby naturally, without any drugs. 

As I read and learned I became very against induction which is mainly done through the use of Pitocin.  Pitocin dilates your cervix and speeds up labor, but this also makes your contractions more intense...who wants that?!  If your body is not ready for labor, Pitocin will just be the beginning of the interventions; cesarian, vacuum, etc. 

I found a great DVD called the Business of Being Born.  While there are some aspects of the movie that do not apply to me...I am not really into home birth, the overall message is really good "your body was meant to do this". 

I went into labor in the early evening on a Friday and on October 30th at 12:53am Logan arrived.  The labor was fast and my contractions were back to back with no rest.  I am not going to lie, there were times where I doubted my ability and I was seriously considering getting an epidural.  My Husband, Mom, and Sister were there to help me stay on course!

First post!

Hello All!

This is my first official post as a new blogger!  I thought I should get this first one done while the baby naps! 

I have been thinking about blogging for quite some time now but I never knew what to write about until now.  A little bundle of joy named Logan came into our lives and everything has changed!

This blog will be about motherhood and living a healthy, natural lifestyle. 

Of course, the most talked about subject will be Logan!  He is a little over five weeks old now and he rules the household already! 

Well he is starting to fuss...gotta go!