A favorite from a previous blog- freezer meal prep for crockpot!

This post is originally from January 2014!  We lived in Indiana and I was a busy mom of 2 (one with many food allergies) in Grad School and working full time!  This helped me stay sane and feed my family!

"So this morning Ella and I took off with the shopping lists and made a huge trip to Walmart in the snow!
After the prep- here's what we have! 22 meals in freezer bags for the crockpot on the busiest days!

Here's the lists again- one Eli friendly and one not necessarily!  But the cilantro lime chicken is doubled up- we just made 4 because I didn't notice!  :)  Left for the store at 8:45, done with everything by noon.  Not too shabby!

Here's the two lists.

Eli Friendly Freezer Meals (no dairy, beef, wheat, or nuts)

Black Bean Taco Soup – Brown meat and onion, let cool and divide into two bags.  Cook high 1-2 hours or low 2-3.5 hours.  Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

·      1 lb lean ground beef (we used turkey beef)

·      1 medium onion, chopped

·      1 package mild taco seasoning mix

·      1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn

·      1 (16 oz) can black beans drained and rinse

·      1 (14 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

·      1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

·      1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis

Cilantro Lime Chicken- makes 2 bags, cook on low for 8 hours, shred meat and serve on tortillas.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         4 tablespoons of lime juice

·         1 bunch of cilantro chopped

·         2 – 16 oz bags of corn

·         4 cloves of garlic- minced

·         1 red onion chopped

·         2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

·         2 tsp cumin

·         Salt and pepper.

Honey Rosemary Chicken- makes 2 bags.  Cook low for 6-8 hours.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

·         2/3 cup honey

·         2/3 cup olive oil

·         6 tablespoons rosemary, chopped

·         2 teaspoons salt

BBQ chicken- makes 2 bags, cook low for 6-8 hours.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         1 12 oz bottle of BBQ sauce

·         1 cup brown sugar

·         ½ cup vinegar

·         ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

·         2 teaspoon garlic powder

Chicken Fajitas- makes 2 bags, cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with tortillas or rice.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         Variety of bell peppers, sliced (about 5)

·         2 large onions sliced

·         Lime juice

·         Chili powder

·         Salt and pepper

Southwestern 2 Bean Chicken- makes 2 bags, cook on low for 5-7 hours, serve with tortillas or over rice

·         6 chicken breasts

·         2 cans (15 oz) pinto beans rinsed and drained

·         2 cans (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained

·         2 cans (28 oz) diced tomatoes in juice

·         2 pounds frozen corn

·         2 jars (12 oz) of salsa

Tips:

·         Look over your pantry to see what you have/need.

·         Write instructions (how long to cook) on freezer bag and what is in it to make meal planning easy.

·         If you use potatoes that are NOT frozen boil first for a few minutes or they will turn black in the freezer.

·         Can buy slow cooker liners to save on dishes- they kind of cost a lot but then you don’t have to scrub the crock pot every night to use it the next day!

Shopping List:

Fresh:

·         3 onions

·         5 bell peppers, variety of colors

·         Rosemary

·         1 Red onion

·         Cilantro

·         Garlic- preminced or 4 cloves

Meat-

·         Chicken breasts- 30 breasts total

·         1 pound ground beef or turkey

Canned/Pantry-

·         2-15 oz cans pinto beans

·         5-15 oz cans black beans

·         2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes

·         2-12 oz jars salsa

·         Lime juice

·         Chili powder

·         Salt and pepper

·         1-12 oz bottle of BBQ sauce

·         Brown sugar

·         Vinegar

·         Cayenne pepper

·         Garlic powder

·         Balsamic vinegar

·         Honey

·         Olive Oil

·         Cumin

·         1-4 oz can diced green chilis

·         1-8 oz can tomato sauce

·         1-14 oz can stewed tomatoes

·         Package of taco seasoning

Frozen-

·         5 bags of Frozen Corn

Freezer Meals!

Teriyaki Chicken-

   Divide into two freezer bags.  Thaw overnight and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8.  Serve with rice.

·         1 bag of Baby carrots chopped into bite sized pieces

·         1/2 red onion in large chunks

·         20 oz can pineapple undrained

·         1 garlic clove chopped

·         6 Chicken breasts

·         1/2 bottle Teriyaki Sauce

·         2 cups broccoli

Sweet Barbecue Hawaiian Chicken- Divide into two bags. Cook on low for 8 hours

·         6 chicken breasts

·         2/3  cup of BBQ sauce

·         20 oz can of Pineapple chunks, undrained

·         2/3  cup soy sauce

·         ½ cup brown sugar

·         2 TBS corn starch

Salsa chicken- makes 2 bags.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stir in ½ cup sour cream at end and serve over rice.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         2 cups salsa

·         2 packages taco seasoning

·         2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

Cilantro lime chicken- makes 2 bags- cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred meat and serve on tortillas.

·         6 chicken breasts

·         4 tablespoons of lime juice

·         1 bunch of cilantro chopped

·         2 – 16 oz bags of corn

·         4 cloves of garlic- minced

·         1 red onion chopped

·         2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

·         2 tsp cumin

·         Salt and pepper.

Pot Roast- make 2 bags- cook on low for 8 hours.

·         2 small hunks of beef roast or pork roast

·         Red potatoes- chopped

·         1 bag of baby Carrots- chopped

·         1 Yellow Onion- chopped

·         Celery- chopped

·         2 cans of beef broth

Shopping List:

Fresh veggies:

·         Bag of red potatoes (or can buy frozen potatoes)

·         2 red onions

·         1 yellow onion

·         Hearts of celery

·         2 bags of baby carrots

·         1 bunch of broccoli (or can buy frozen)

·         Cilantro

·         Garlic- 5 cloves or pre-minced

Meat-

·         2 small beef or pork roasts or 1 large to divide

·         About 24 chicken breasts

Canned/Pantry-

·         Lime juice

·         2 cans of black beans

·         Salsa

·         2 packages of taco seasoning

·         2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

·         Soy sauce

·         Teriyaki sauce

·         BBQ sauce

·         2 cans of pineapple chunks

·         Brown Sugar

·         Corn Starch

·         Cumin

·         2 cans of beef broth

·         Large Freezer Ziplock bags- at least package of 10 for these recipes

Frozen-

·         2 bags of corn

·         Broccoli (if not fresh)

·         Potatoes (if not fresh)

Dairy-

·         Sour Cream

Tips:

·         Look over your pantry to see what you have/need.

·         Write instructions (how long to cook) on freezer bag and what is in it to make meal planning easy.

·         If you use potatoes that are NOT frozen boil first for a few minutes or they will turn black in the freezer.

·         Can buy slow cooker liners to save on dishes- they kind of cost a lot but then you don’t have to scrub the crock pot every night to use it the next day!

I hope you all enjoyed this FLASHBACK!  

Blessings in Health and Happiness!

Insulin and Sugar Balance

The other day something came to me.  It wasn’t a new scientific discovery or anything life altering.  It was one of those the dots that were there connected in a new way and it turned on the light bulb above my head.  Ever have those moments?  No? 

So I was thinking about all the different diet and lifestyle programs out there and what they all have in common.  And it’s sugar and insulin balance, whether they mean to or not.  

Here’s a few examples:

• -        Keto- very low carb which means less sugar spikes. Forces body to use fat and protein for fuel because there’s not enough sugar for fuel.
•       Mediterranean- naturally a low carb plan from the food choices.  Once again- the body will naturally use more fat and protein for fuel.
• -          Weight watchers- foods with carbs/sugar except for fruit get more points than any other foods- so once again, typically lower carb.
• -          Intermittent fasting- This is eating only at certain times- for the purpose of less spikes in the blood sugar and insulin.
• -          Insulin resistance diet- frequent small high protein snacks with the purpose of less spikes again.
• -          The fab-4 lifestyle by Kelly Leveque- she talks a lot about hormones and how her plan balances them.

What I’m taking from this, is that one of the major things we need to do for our healthy eating plan (diets should be what we choose for food, not what foods we deprive ourselves of) is work on balancing our insulin and sugars to help maintain a healthy weight. 

This can be done by either following one of the many prescribed diets, or making up your own routine that works for you!  

Have to miss meal often because of work schedule? Look into intermittent fasting and see if some of those concepts will fit with your work schedule!

Can’t keep with a super strict program?  No worries- find a program like weight watchers or Fab4 lifestyle that just limits unhealthy stuff, but you can still have it.

Need a super strict regimen to keep you on track?  Maybe Keto or intermittent fasting is right for you.

I’m working on my meal planning right now and will be sharing more with you as we go along and I am going to play mix it up a bit!  I’m going to do Fab4 lifestyle on the days I do not work and intermittent fasting on the days I do (because I have a busy 10+ hour day with only a short break and NEVER home for dinner).  This will also let me splurge a little on the evening we have church group because it’s not as strict!  This is a plan for Living. 

Subscribe to my email for more information about sugar and insulin balance.

Blessings in health and happiness!

All about Network Marketing

Kind of off the topic we have been covering, but it’s on my mind today.  The good, bad and ugly about Network Marketing Companies.  These types of companies go by many names- network marketing, multi-level marketing (MLM), direct sales, and pyramid schemes.  Except the last one, they all have a similar concept. 

*side note- pyramid schemes are illegal.  Only people at the top have any possibility of money. These companies, while many times called pyramid schemes are not.*

Here’s a basic overview:

- Someone finds a company they like- either for the product or the business structure.  They join this company, usually for a fee, and then they are distributors or ambassadors or coach or whatever the term the company uses.  They will often get a discount on products or a welcome bundle at this time which makes it lucrative to join. 

- If they want to make money- they share it with their friends and family with the idea of them joining the company and sharing with others, or just buying the product where the distributor/ambassador/coach gets credit from it.  This looks different depending on the company- some host parties, some do clothes where they try them on, some just message and call. 

-If someone joins under them- they will encourage that person to share.  Network marketing is not a pyramid as discussed- it’s a tree that can grow with many branches.  The more your tree branches out, the more income you typically can make.  This does depend on the business structure.  Often as they get people under them the company has ranks that they move up also, which can lead to various bonuses and incentives.   Therefore, many people say they are pyramids- because as you move up the company you get more bonus and incentives. 

Pros to these companies-

-          Have basically unlimited income potential

-          Usually make your own schedule and be your own boss

-          If you love the product you can usually get a discount and make money off something you like

Some cons to these companies-

-          You must be dedicated and committed to do the work- no one will make you do it. 

-          No guarantee of success.  Results of success are completely individual.

-          Some have big investments, inventory or more.  Need to research before signing anything.

-          Some have quotas and minimums.

-          If you make money, most if not all of these are 1099 tax forms- which means you have do to taxes as a self-employed person.

Tips before joining a company-

-          Do your homework- ask questions.

o    How much will it cost?

o   What kind of inventory?

o   Any quotas? Minimums?

o   Any perks?

o   What kind of pay structure?

-          Make sure you actually like the products.  Most can’t sell what they don’t like.

-          Be prepared for the haters.  They are out there.  You will find them and quickly.  If you can’t take it, you may not want to be with a company like this. 

-          Be ready to hear the word no.  Most people say no.  This is normal.  If you can’t handle hearing no, a sales position, especially like this, won’t be very pleasant.  

I will tell you honestly- I have failed at a few companies like this and swore I never would do one again.  I signed up for one for a discount, and now sell despite saying never again.  Why? Because I LOVE THE PRODUCTS.  I totally believe in them.  It doesn’t hurt my feelings when people say no, because they’re saying no to my products…not me.  I tell people about them out of wanting to help others.  I have made really good money for not much work because this particular company is very generous!  I can also make myself do the work. 

I still wouldn’t do another company.  If I ever stop talking about the company, I’m with I won’t be switching to another.  It’s not easy to do this kind of work.  But it is SIMPLE.  So if you can handle the cons, and the pros apply to you- Network Marketing may be a good place for you. 

Subscribe to my email to learn more about the business I work with and how it’s structured!

Blessings in Health and Happiness!

Sugar- the love and hate relationship

Sugar.  We love it.  We hate it.  It’s a complicated relationship.  At least for me. 

Sugar in it’s many forms has magical abilities to make us feel good, give us energy, and satisfies our hunger.  On the flip side, however, it can cause fat, insulin resistance, diabetes, and mood swings. 

How can one thing do both things?  It’s complicated also- but a big reason is bacteria. 

Our bacteria in our digestive system all like to munch on different things, and as far as the bacteria is concerned our job is to keep them fed.  They have so much to do with what we choose to eat it’s almost like we don’t have a choice at all.  

But one problem with this system is MOST of the bacteria that prefer sugar are NOT the bacteria that are good for us!  We call these pathogenic bacteria and they cause inflammation, first in our digestive system and then on the rest of our bodies.  When we feed these bacteria the sugar they crave, and they give us a momentary pleasurable result for it, they can cause breaks in our digestive lining people often refer to as leaky gut! 

This leaky gut leads to our immune system being less effective at fighting off illness AND can cause inflammation that leads to many problems including many autoimmune problems.  There are also many studies showing this can lead to mood problems like anxiety and depression- which I have talked about before. 

So, not only are you craving sugar to make yourself feel good and keep the bacteria happy, but you are feeding the bacteria that will make you not feel well!  It’s a horrible loop that feeds itself and we need to work to stop it! 

One way to try to stop it, is to try to not feed it.  Much easier said than done, I know.  And you will NEVER completely rid yourself of the bacteria, so if you go back to eating sugar often, you will crave it again. 

Another way to help is by putting good bacteria in- once again by probiotics.  Trying to rebalance the system of better than bad will help restore your health.

Subscribe to my email for tips to try to cut down sugar in your diet!

Blessings in Health and Happiness!

Carbs- good, bad and ugly

Carbs get a bad rap in our current diet culture.  With low carb diets and especially the popularity and success with keto diets, many are jumping on the low carb bandwagon.  But what is meant by low carb?

There are many ways people do low carb.  Some plans are just naturally low carb by the composition of foods that are included in the plan.  The Mediterranean diet, whole 30, and weight watchers would be an example of these types of plans.   Then there are stricter carb diets like Keto where people set a number of carbs they eat each day- some more strict and others less strict. 

Many people with the Western diet seem to do well with these plans- why?  Because by and large we over eat these foods and they cause a great amount of inflammation in our bodies.  Bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, sweets- processed and refined sugars especially- are very simple carbs and I would take a guess that Americans generally eat 2-3 times a serving at each MEAL.   For example- each slice of bread is generally a serving size.  We have 2 with a sandwich, right?  So 2 servings.  Then add some French fries on the side- a serving would typically be 10-11 fries.  Most people I know will eat at least double that.  So we have 4 servings of simple carbohydrates for one meal and no other nutritional value except whatever is on the sandwich.  But we call that a meal. 

So what happens when we cut the bread and the fries?  We’re still hungry, and if we replace them with things like veggies then we can get all sorts of nutrients that we need and lose weight in the process. 

We can talk all day about these things- but my main reason for sharing with you today is that NOT ALL CARBS ARE BAD.  I said it!  This is why while I tend to follow a low carb lifestyle I will never cut out all carbs.  

Carbohydrates break down to simple sugars that our brains NEED for fuel.  The rest of our bodies can use any other source of fuel but the brain HAS to have carbs.  But we can make smarter choices.

The smarter choices we can make are things like complex carbs instead of simple carbs. 

Potatoes are a great examples.  White potatoes don’t have much fiber in them and break down straight to sugar in our blood stream and spike our insulin levels (which can lead to insulin resistance, extra belly fat, and diabetes).  They also don’t have many nutrients in them.  Sweet potatoes have a ton of fiber which make them take longer to break down which makes your insulin curve longer (which is the goal with sugar balance) and has extra nutrients also compared to white potatoes.  This makes sweet potatoes a better choice (unless you’re like my husband and eat them with marshmallows on them). 

A fruit example would be Apples vs. Peaches.  Apples are fiber filled along with sugar filled- so especially if you combine it with a protein that will keep the insulin curve long!

My suggestion is to follow a health plan that is just naturally lower carb, or do low carb smart by paying attention to the choices you make.   Don’t count yourself as a total failure if you have any carbs, just keep it reasonable and make the best carb choices.  And at times give yourself a break.  If your holidays aren’t every day then you can have a few fun times. 

Subscribe to my email for more tips and information!

Blessings in health and happiness!