Clean Eats!

 


Hey Friends!! I know it has been a while since my last post. I promise, I've been prepping! I've also been renovating my house, raising 4 rescue pups, working full time as a PA, coaching my current challengers, reading/studying nutrition, & spending time with my husband. Phew! Busyyyyy It's the sole reason why its CRUCIAL that I meal prep!

I recently started reading the book "How to End Diabetes" by Dr. Furhman. I'm stepping into this new diabetic educator role at work and to be honest, it's blown my mind! He has this concept of "Eat to Live" which is actually the title of another book. I highly recommend looking it up, or his website. I've tried to adopt some of his practices because how can I possibly tell patients/challengers to do something if I'm not doing it, too?! So lets dive in - this weeks theme is EAT FRESH.


I first went to the grocery store and got SO much produce to put on salads, eat as sides, put in smoothies, etc. I was actually quite surprised how cheap it was! Check out my spread:

I washed and dried all of my produce and then got to work. I chopped up vegetables and put them into containers for the ultimate salad bar. I even included vegetables I hate (mushrooms, tomatoes, tofu) because I realized I am not eating a VARIETY.

Check out this power salad! Spinach, kale, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, corn, carrots, bell pepper, radishes, cucumbers, avocado, purple cabbage, carrots, red onion, mushrooms, celery and tofu. I am not usually a fan of tomatoes, tofu, or mushrooms, but when you mix it in a massive salad, WOW. My taste buds go nuts. I literally CRAVE salads. Nutrient dense salads. I dont measure or portion size - if its a fruit or vegetable its fair game!

Another way I'm making sure to fill my diet full of fruits and veggies is a smoothie bowl! There's sooo many recipes out there! Today I had kale, spinach, strawberries, mango, kiwi, chia seeds, banana, coconut, & almond milk. 

I couldnt believe how filling it was.

Now, for meals this week. I plan on having those salads daily for lunch. For dinners, I'll be eating Spaghetti squash and fried rice.

Both of the recipes were a way to hide so many more veggies. SO if you have a picky eater, hide them!

Spaghetti squash:
1. Cut the squash in half, scooped out seeds, and baked at 400 degrees for 30-40 mins until tender.
2. While that baked, start the pasta sauce. In a sauce pan, add mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, chicken broth, minced garlic, and herbs (parsley, basil, oregano). Cook until veggies were tender and then add your favorite pasta sauce (Side note: this summer I'm so geeked to have my own garden so I can make my own sauce!). I also added some leftover shredded chicken to the sauce to add some more protein also. I cooked sauce on low until spaghetti squash was done.
3. Once squash is done, shred with a fork and place into meal prep containers. Top with pasta sauce.

Fried rice: I modified this recipe.
1. Make 1.5c brown rice in cooker (After making this meal, I realized you could go without rice if you wanted. You could also add quinoa too)
2. Cook ground chicken ( I wanted more protein in my rice but you can make veggie friendly) Set aside.
3. Saute your fav fried rice veggies. I used 1/2 head purple cabbage, 1 chopped yellow onion, 1 chopped bell pepper, 2 chopped large carrots, 1/2c peas and 1/2c corn in olive oil. Add vegetable broth if needed so veggies dont burn. Cook 5-7 mins.
4. Add minced garlic adn ginger to veggies. Cook until fragrant
5. Add rice, chiken, and veggie mix into fry pan or wok. Add 3-4T liquid aminos and 4 beaten eggs. I recommend following the link when it says to make a well with the rice and cook eggs on the inside, then mix in. I did not do that and it took longer to cook.

I have noticed an increase in my energy since I started eating many more fruits and vegetables than normal. I'm SO excited to see where this takes me. I never aim for a specific number on the scale and my goals continuously change as I grow older. I want energy, longevity, and wellness. I want to feel good and confident. I want to love myself even on days I eat pizza and forget to work out. My goal is to live a life of balance and I'm proud to say that after years of trying and failing, I've finally figured it out. Don't take your life for granted. I'm always here to hopefully inspire you and motivate you. It's never too late to to be a stronger, healthier, better version of YOU.

Next challenge group starts in 1 week. Who's joining?!

In good health,

Jessie

Healthy Chicken Burrito

In the Ferrell house, we could eat tacos and burritos EVERY single week. I'm always discovering ways to make them as healthy as possible, and I finally nailed it. 

Ingredients:
-Ezekiel tortillas (Found in health food section in the freezer!)
-2 chicken breasts
-Salsa
-1/2c black beans 
-2c brown rice 

- Cheese

Recipe:

1. Throw chicken breasts (frozen or thawed) in crockpot.. Season with some low sodium taco seasoning and cover in salsa. (I use Wildtree taco seasoning because it's super healthy. No, I'm not paid to endorse them. I literally just love their products. Some people make their own. Others just buy low sodium kind. Do what is best for YOU!) Cook on high 4 hours.

2. Black beans- (I use raw) cook per package. They simmer for about 1.5-2h
3. Brown rice- (I use the plain kind in a bag). Throw 2c rice, & 4c water into pan and bring to boil. Season to taste, so it is like Spanish rice (I use Wildtree taco seasoning and throw in 1/4c salsa). Once boiling, let simmer for 45mins.
4. Once chicken is done, shred with a fork. Add more salsa if it needs it. Put shredded chicken. Black beans, and a pinch of cheese in tortilla. Rolls up like a burrito. Place it in a pan with a small amount of coconut oil so each side is crispy and the burrito stays together.
5. Place in Tupperware for the week. Makes 6 servings!!

More yummy recipes in my Meal Prep Mania challenge group! 😍 you're always welcome to join us! 

Message or email me if you want to join us!

Message me on IG (@Jnferrell)

Email: Jesolgat@gmail.com 

1 week meal prep PLUS a head start on Thanksgiving dinner, $98.47 at HEB!

When I was in PA school, my professors used to tell me to study smarter, not harder. I would sit in a classroom ALL day, sometimes up to and exceeding +/- 12 hours, and then go home to study more. I quickly learned to divide and conquer with some of my best friends. We did this by using study guides that were already created, or creating new ones by dividing the material within our group.

The same principles can be applied to meal prepping. Prep smarter, not harder. Many people ask me how I plan for a week, let alone grocery shop, prepare, AND use coupons. I will start from step 1 and walk through the process.

1. What is a meal?
When I first began to meal prep, I started with the first step - what constitutes a meal? The term "well balanced diet" was thrown around often, but I couldn't wrap my head around what that meant. About 3 years ago, as I am trying to familiarize myself with nutrition, a friend told me about the The 24 Day Challenge . This program became the foundation to what I follow to this very day.  The Daily Guide includes portion sizes and food suggestions, and the cookbook contains 34 pages of yummy recipes. I completed the first 24 days with my coach, and after that, it became a habit.

I simply learned to create a meal using a protein, vegetable, & complex carbohydrate.

With the above link, you can download this meal guide and cookbook, too! 

2. Where do I get recipes?
Pinterest, cookbooks, or simply pick one protein, one complex carb, and one veggie on that daily guide and cook with seasoning of your choice. I hardly EVER create my own recipes though. The most I do is substitute ingredients out for different ones, but the basic recipe outline was from another source. If you are cooking for yourself, remember that a typical meal has about 4 servings in it, so that is 4 meals checked off.

3. How do I save money?

I wrote a blog about meal prepping on a budget, that explains looking at ads, using coupons and rebates. That is how I shop every week. This week I took a look at the ads, and kept in mind what I had in stock already.

I wasn't planning on making salmon this week, but with this price, I couldn't pass it up. I purchased some and threw it in my freezer for a later date. 

Lettuce. This is how I ALWAYS buy my lettuce. It is this same great price week after week. As for the potatoes, I have a Thanksgiving dinner coming up, so I snagged some potatoes for that.

Broccoli! My husband LOVES broccoli, so I basically try to make it every week. 

WHAAAAAT! This made my day. I bought a ham for $30 (I'll make ham and soups and all sorts of yummy things later on!), and received a 12lb turkey for free. Thanksgiving is covered. :)

This receipt basically shows how CHEAP produce can really be, you just have to plan ahead. I splurged on Honeycrisp apples. Normal price is usually $2.47/lb though!!

I also got split chicken breasts at $1/lb, and Turkey wings for just over $1/lb.

4. What recipes can I use with these sales? 

-The ham and salmon were placed in the freezer for a later date.
-The turkey & potatoes = Saturday's "Friendsgiving"!
- The chicken was used to make slow cooker BBQ chicken & slow cooker chicken burritos.
-Black bean quesedillas and brown rice were on the menu since I had all of the ingredients to use up.
-The turkey wings were used to make gravy for friendsgiving, and after that, the meat was used for turkey noodle soup!

All of those meals at HEB for $98.47.

5. Final Product

This week I utilized 2 slow cookers. I removed the skin, fat, and bones from these chicken breasts and split them up between 2 slow cookers. The first slow cooker I poured in BBQ sauce of my choice until each piece of chicken was covered. I turned on high for 4 hours. The second slow cooker I followed the "Slow cooker chicken burrito" recipe from the 24 Day Challenge recipe collection (Link above). I turned that on high for 4 hours. 

While that was cooking, I baked sweet potatoes, steamed peas and broccoli, and made some fiesta brown rice.

As items cooked, I divided them and placed them in appropriate containers.

I forgot tortillas for the burritos, so I poured the chicken/salsa mixture over brown rice.

BBQ Chicken, broccoli, and sweet potato. 

While my slow cookers were cooking the above 2 meals, I started making the make ahead turkey gravy to prepare for Saturday. 

While that big ole' pan of turkey wings, veggies, and herbs baked in the oven, I started the black bean quesadillas.

VERY simple. You will need strained black beans (If you buy canned, get the ones without sodium added), cheese, corn tortillas, and some taco seasoning. Throw cooked (or canned) black beans in my blender with a splash of salsa & taco seasoning until peanut butter consistency. Spread on corn tortilla. Add a pinch of cheese and top with another corn tortilla. Spray frying pan with cooking spray, and cook quesadilla evenly on both sides. Voila! Pair with some of the fiesta rice from earlier and you have a complete protein.

Lastly, after the turkey wings were done baking, the broth was used to make the gravy for Saturday. I removed the turkey meat from the bones and used it in this delicious turkey noodle soup recipe. 

I hope this helps you learn to meal prep! Download those guides and start making balanced meals for yourself! Take a look at previous posts for more meals. :)

In good health,
Jessie

More on meal prep!

Hello, Hello! :) 


I am impressed with the feedback from the meal prep post! I will be the first to admit that I am not a professional meal prepper [yet] - BUT I do have the goal in mind. I eventually want to be the person that creates the pins on Pinterest instead of searching and saving millions of pins.

This week I'm going to cover 3 recipes that were pretty great Kroger deals! (links to recipes)
1. Baja Shrimp Salad
2. Roasted pork with butternut squash and apples
3. Amish cabbage skillet 

Baja Shrimp Salad

Shopping list:
- SeaPak popcorn shrimp (SALE $5.99 with $0.55 coupon = $5.44. $3.55 in savings!!)
DISCLAIMER: I understand that popcorn shrimp isn't the healthiest alternative, but I am not a fan of plain shrimp. Its like eating erasers.. yuck! 

-Simple Truth Power Pack lettuce ($3.99 with $1.00 coupon = $2.99 
More money saving tips: Get the large head of green leafy lettuce for $0.99, wash, cut, and dry! I was under time constraint so I spent the extra $2.00

- Red Onion $1.21

-Green Pepper $0.59

-Bolthouse Mango Chipotle Dressing 
I had this on hand, but its $3.48. Check out the ingredients! and only 40 calories a serving. DRESSING (and other condiments) are always hidden with crazy ingredients and tons of calories. Check labels!

- Black beans
I had them on hand, but I get the bag and make them myself. You can get a big bag of raw black beans for $1.00.

-Frozen corn
$1.00 with $0.40 coupon!

$17.35 Total - makes 10 salads total, so that's $1.75 a salad! 



In hindsight, due to the sodium content of the popcorn shrimp, I think I need to just get over the texture of shrimp. I'm never perfect.. I'm doing my best though!

Roasted Pork with butternut squash and apples

I didn't take pictures of this beauty, and I wish I would've! It tasted and smelled so delicious. Definitely a fall meal! Click the link at the beginning of the blog to see this picture! You won't regret it.

Shopping list:

- Pork Loin (SALE $1.49/lb! So I got 5 pounds for $7.09. Saving $12.00 on this meat! You better believed I got another one and put it in the freezer!)

- Brown Sugar ($2.49 with $0.75 off coupon = $1.74

-Butternut Squash (SALE $0.99/lb = $3.60 total)

- 3 Granny smith apples $2.61

- Onion $0.66

-I substituted chicken stock for my Wildree Chicken Bouillon. I also had cinnamon, olive oil, pepper, & flour on hand )

$15.70 Total - makes 10-12 meals, but we will just say 10 for mathematical purposes. :) $1.57/meal folks! 

Amish Cabbage Skillet 

This is another one that I didn't a picture of. It must have tasted wonderful, as my hubs accidentally took every single dish to the fire station with him. He said it tasted great! 

(Side note: there is nothing quite like Clint telling me he enjoys my home cooked meals, or thanking me for my hard meal prepping work. I have a very traditional view when it comes to marriage, and when he is happy and fed, that makes me happy! Don't get me wrong, he definitely does his fair share of cooking. He lets me sleep in and he cooks breakfast. I. LOVE. That. Marriage is a beautiful thing. I'm so grateful for this man in my life. OK - sorry for that rant. I guess food is a way to my heart, too!) 

Shopping list: 

- Cabbage $0.82 for a whole head, but only used half!

- Onion $0.66

- Diced Tomatoes $0.65

-Tomato Sauce $0.65

-Beef $3.99

$6.77 total!!! Made 3-4 meals. For math, we will say 3. $2.26 a meal! 


I think that next time I will add some brown rice and the whole head of cabbage so it makes 5-6 meals total.

Well there you have it! :) What holds YOU back from meal prepping? Or at least planning ahead and not necessarily preparing ahead? Look forward to hearing from you!!


In good health,

Jessie

Weekly meal prep - healthy & on a budget!

I often have people tell me that it is just too expensive to eat healthy. Now, I admit, I used to think this also. With a little planning and 1 day of work, you can have all your meals planned, cooked, and in containers, all while staying on a budget! 

My husband, Clint, works as a full time firefighter and fills his schedule with other part time gigs. He hops from 24 hour shift to 24 hour shift to provide for our family while I anxiously wait for the State of Texas to grant me a license to practice as a PA. In the meantime, I have a mortgage of student loans so I work as a nanny. We are ALWAYS on the road and we are trying to save money, so our meals travel with us. The process is quite simple. Check ads. Use coupons. Cook on Sundays. 

1. Look at Ads

Every week I get a big chunk of ads in the mail for Kroger, Aldi, HEB, and others. I briefly skim the ads to see what's on sale. I skip all of he "food-like-crap" (cereals, granola bars, premade meals) and stick to the basics. I focus mostly on meat, vegetables, and fruit. I also pay attention to household products like soap, detergents, toilet paper, etc. If I save more money in that area, then I have a bit more room with food. 

2. Coupons!

Yeah, I'm a 27 year old who avidly cuts coupons. I'm frugal. My sisters brought me to a coupon class a long time ago, but now they have online tutorials that break it down for people. I get the paper every Sunday and clip what I need. I also print from coupons.com.  I do throw a LOT of coupns away. I don't use cereal, or microwave meals, or any of that pre-made stuff. 

Stores like Kroger and HEB have electronic coupons. They link right to your shoppers card and are deducted when you buy the product. Yes, it's that simple. 

You can also search "Kroger coupon match ups" online and view a database that shows product sale price, which coupon to use, etc. Someone does all the work for us (and I wish I could personally hug them all for being a lifesaver!) 

Organizing clipped coupons is also important. You can't save money if you don't know what coupons you have! I have that little wallet sized holder with dividers. I categorized them based on what I buy "meats, eggs and dairy, condiments and spices, cleaning, laundry, hair care, etc." Search online for different methods to organize & find the one that best suits you! 

3. Rebates

Just recently I discovered yet another money saving ap called Ibotta. After my list is made, I look on the ap and see if there are any money back options for the things on my list. (https://ibotta.com/r/xtpadya) 

$27.50 lifetime earnings in 2 months. Not bad! 

4. Stock up. 

This week chicken was on sale at Kroger, so I stocked up and put some in the freezer. Last week ground beef and turkey were on sale so I stocked up. If frozen veggies are on sale (like this week private selections was 99 cents a bag when you buy 4) - STOCK UP! 

5. Meals 

Now where do I find the recipes to make? Simple: Pinterest. You can follow my recipe board if you'd like, but that's where 99% of my receipes are found! 

Typically whatever fruits and veggies are in season are cheaper. Kroger had bell peppers 99 cents each, so stuffed peppers were added to the menu.  Instead of buying prepackaged lettuce for salads that's around $3-4, I buy a large head of green leafy lettuce for 99 cents, wash and chop it up, and stick it in a salad spinner. Instead of buying the baby carrots, I buy a bulk bag and it's so much cheaper! For rice and beans, I buy them in bags and spent the extra time making them. They take longer, but they don't have all of the sodium the canned and instant beans/rice have! 

Now for the cooking. After I make my grocery haul, I start cooking. Just about any recipe can be cooked, separated and placed in the refrigerator. 

- Mediterranean Chicken Gyros 

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/191754896611401042/) 

I had some WildTree Mediterranean seasoning, so that made this recipe super easy! I also had some Tzatziki seasoning on had. No, I don't sell Wildtree, but I'm obsessed with it! The seasonings simplify my life so much, and offer healthier alternatives to a lot of condiments and spices. After the chicken, I quickly sautéed some onions and peppers and placed it in a container with some chicken. I put the wrap in some aluminum foil and put it on top of the chicken/veggie mix. The Tzatziki topping was put in another tiny container, so the gyros can be assembled when we are ready to eat. 

- Stuffed bell peppers

 

Wildtree saving the day again! This recipe can be found on the Wildtree website. It's called "Simple skillet stuffed peppers." 

Voila!  

- Spaghetti squash recipe

http://www.iwashyoudry.com/2013/09/04/super-easy-crock-pot-spaghetti-squash-meatballs/

I typically make my own meatballs, but this week the meatballs were on sale and I had a coupon. I couldn't pass that up. I don't stress if my food isn't 100% clean. I just try to make 80% of the food myself, and 20% whatever. 

- Chicken, potatoes, and green beans

http://honeywerehealthy.blogspot.com/2014/07/healthy-meal-prep.html

Self explanatory. Very basic recipe. If sweet potatoes are cheaper, go with those. Shop what's on sale, and don't be afraid to change up a recipe to suit what you have in your home. 

-Jalapeno chicken with Spanish rice

http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/07/chicago-chicken.html?m=1#_a5y_p=1957444

Spanish rice: 

2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup brown rice. Add some chopped onions and peppers. I added some Wildree fajita seasoning. If I didn't have that, I'd add some chili powder, cayenne pepper, chicken or veggie bullion, etc. Use whatever you have on hand!

-Black bean and corn quesadilla with Spanish rice 

For this, I didn't have a recipe. I cooked black beans and smashed them to a paste. I smeared it on a tortilla with some corn and cheese, and cooked both sides in a pan. I cut into 4s and placed in tin foil. I used some of our leftover Spanish rice, and included a little salsa dish. (On sale at Kroger, coupon available too!) 

Black beans + brown rice = total protein - so you don't have to worry about the lack of meat in this recipe! 

-Tex mex bowls with Spanish rice

http://honeywerehealthy.blogspot.com/2012/11/tex-mex-to-go.html

I didn't have refried beans, and I didn't want the extra sodium. I had leftover black beans from the previous meal so I used those. 

-Dirty brown rice

http://mybodymykitchen.com/dirty-rice-turkey/

I used my ground beef and turkey in the two previous meals, but I had some sausage in the freezer so I used that. Slight modification, but it still tastes excellent. 

I'll be the first to admit, it takes some time to learn. Hang in there! Remember, this is a lifestyle change and may take a while to make all of the adjustments. I know people who eat completely organic and 100% clean, and I have nothing against that. It's just not for me. I have made gradual changes over the year to get where I am now, and maybe I'll have more changes in the future. If you eat poor choices based on convenience, then this might be something for you to try, too.