Grocery Shopping & Meal Planning

My "Eat  What I Own" challenge was spurred by a number of things...including: not wanting to throw away food, limited cupboard space, and a desire to be more financially responsible at the grocery store.

I've decided to try grocery shopping every week, and tightening up my budget. My goal is to only spend around $60 for each trip, which honestly, doesn't seem to stretch very far these days...and is going to require a lot more meal planning and fewer "extras."

Today was shopping day...so I made an inventory of what I already had and then sat down to make a plan for the week.

Monday: Crockpot Lasagna
Tuesday: Slow-Cooker Greek Stuffed Peppers
Wednesday: TBD- we might be going to a drive-in movie
Thursday: Mediterranean Tilapia
Friday: Brown Butter Lemon Pasta
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Grilled chicken & zucchini

Then I headed to the store...

 

 At Aldi I spent $42.05: my splurge was on pistachio's.

At Cub Foods I spent $20.79: the oranges from the first picture were bought at Cub, and the most expensive item I picked up was ground flax meal.

Clearly, I was able to get a lot more for my money at Aldi...but of course they didn't carry a few of the items I wanted/needed. I was able to stick pretty close to my budget, and the only thing I bought that wasn't on my list were the nuts!

Eat What I Own: Shrimp Curry Edition

If you follow me on Pinterest you might already know this, but I have an obsession with food...I have 145 pins dedicated to recipes I want to try.

For awhile now I've been wanting to make Coconut Shrimp Curry. I even bought all the ingredients a time or two, but of course the cilantro ended up going bad and the onion was used for something else.

However, thanks to my eat what I own challenge, my choices were few and tonight it was either going to be tilapia or shrimp...so shrimp it was, and boy was it delicious!!!

...and instead of buying cilantro and letting it go bad, this time I got it straight from our garden! I also was able to use a few canned goods, the other half of a large onion, the last of the jasmine rice and fresh ginger.

All in all, it was a very successful dinner!

Eat What I Own Day #4 & 5

My eats on Thursday were really boring.

Breakfast: Bowl cereal + blueberries on their last leg, nectarine
Lunch: PB sandwich, yogurt, carrots, peach
Dinner: Popcorn & ice cream- I think...healthy, I know! But I was SUPER tired and ended up going to bed around 8PM...I was too tried to eat a balanced meal.

Friday

Breakfast: PB sandwich & pear as I ran out the door
Lunch: Leftover salsa chicken, peach, fruit leather & Dove dark chocolate

Up until this point I hadn't bought any more groceries, and everything I ate/made I already had. However, on my way home from work Jared called and asked me to pick up a new bath mat. I also realized I still had a Target coupon that was going to expire tomorrow, for $5 off $25 worth of groceries. So I thought since I needed milk anyways, it would be the perfect time to pick up a few things for the weekend.

I bought:
Chicken Sausage
2 cartons grape tomatoes
2 lb strawberries
2 cartons of raspberries
Blueberries
Peaches
Bananas
1.6 lbs Cherries
Black & Blu Burgers- 4 patties
Milk
A pkg of 2-3 chicken breasts

I knew I had some hamburger and hot dog buns which is why I chose to buy the sausage and burgers, and I LOVE fruit and try to it for breakfast and lunch everyday.

...by the way, halfway through checking-out I realized I forgot to get the bath mat...

When I got home Jared told me he was going to clean the refrigerator...not only that, but he cleaned both bathrooms, the dining room and the entire kitchen! How awesome is he?! I am one lucky lady!

Anyways...this ended up being the perfect time to throw out expired condiments, and food we were never going to eat...like funky smelling chicken I defrosted a few days ago and was going to cook tomorrow, and a jar of olives that I don't remember buying.

Not too shabby, if you ask me! With a little reorganizing and A LOT of eating, we were able to clear a lot of stuff out this week! My goal is to keep it like this- relatively empty...I just feel like my produce isn't staying fresh as long as it should and I think it is because I usually try to pack a lot in. I would rather make an extra trip to the store than to throw away food, and spend extra money on take-out.

After the fridge was cleaned, I made dinner:

Using up the hamburger buns with the newly purchased blu burgers, the last of the sliced cheese, a can of beans and fresh strawberries!

Now I need to get to work on all the dried and canned goods that I have in the cupboard...

This will be the REAL challenge!

Preparing for a Natural Childbirth Part 2

The Preparation

Because I knew I wanted a water birth I also knew I would be limited as far as where I could actually give birth. Most places have tubs available, but ask you to get out of the water just before the baby is born...I liked my OBGYN, but I wasn't sure if I could have a water birth at the hospital where she has privileges at, and I didn't really like how long they were going to make me wait before coming in for my first appointment. Then, after talking to a coworker, I discovered that the hospital that I work at allows water births when you use the nurse midwife service. So I gave them a call, and they wanted me to come in IMMEDIATELY for a confirmation test...which I was really happy about because it made me fell like they take prenatal care very seriously and are really on top of things.

I have had positive experiences with nurse midwives in the past, and am so happy to be working with one again. As a nurse, I am a little bias and believe that as a general rule you can get more comprehensive, holistic, compassionate care from advance practice nurses. I just believe doctors are train to care for more complex issues, which is great if you are sick...but pregnancy is not an illness and I think nurse midwives are more supportive of the natural process. After all, OBGYN doctors are actually trained to intervene, they are surgeons.

I think that it is pretty safe to say that the majority of us have been bombarded with negative messages about childbirth, so after I established care with my midwife I began watching documentaries and reading about natural childbirth. My goal is to build up a reserve of positivity to draw on in case there is a point where I begin to feel defeated...but at this point, I can honestly say I am really looking forward to giving birth! I truly believe it is going to be an amazing, transformative and spiritual experience.

We then hired a doula who is trained in the birth method, Hypnobabies, that we have chosen to use...and began our birth education classes this week!

My decision to hire a doula was simple. I have never given birth before and want an experience person with Jared and I the whole time...someone who can give Jared tips on how to comfort me, and even be available to give him a break so he can eat, go to the bathroom, or sleep if I have a very LONG birthing time.

Finally, I have chosen Hypnobabies as my birth method not only because it also offers you a comprehensive education but because it focuses on the natural process and how to use the power of your own mind to create a easier and more comfortable birth. Plus, if you have ever read, heard, or seen a hypno-mom's birth story I'm pretty sure you would want that for yourself...

When I tell my friends I want to have a natural birth and they immediately tell me that when they have a child they are going to have an epidural, I cringe. I believe that every woman has the responsibility to educate herself before making any decisions, especially when it comes to accepting interventions. I think there is a huge misconception that epidurals will give a woman a pain free birth, and that is not true at all. It is so important to find alternative ways to deal with any discomfort that you might have during childbirth because there is always the chance that you will progress too fast to get an epidural, and even if you have one, it is usually turned off once the pushing begins...

The idea of getting an epidural just scares me...I know people that have ended up with terrible headaches after getting one, which is something I cannot imagine dealing with during the first hours or days of my child's life. Plus, when a foreign object enters your spinal cord you run the risk of permanent injury.

As a nurse, I have taken care of women who have had problems during their c-section, and I tell you what! That baby you just had isn't going to be staying with you in the ICU if that is where you end up. In fact, I took care of a mom who didn't even get to see her child until about 16 hours AFTER she had given birth because both she and the baby had complications during birth. Can you imagine not seeing your precious baby for almost an entire day after giving birth?! If that happens to me, I better be in a coma or dead...because not only would that interfere with the bonding process, but my heart would be completely broken and I am SURE I would end up with some sort of PTSD or depression.

Preparing for a Natural Childbirth

I think it is funny, and sad, how women in the United States actually have to choose and sometimes fight to have a natural childbirth. After all, less than 100 years ago it was actually more common to have babies at home vs. the hospital.

There was a time in my life (before I was married, or wanted a child) when I thought a cesarean section or an epidural would be a part of my journey to motherhood...but that's because I was uneducated, and just thought that was the way it should be.

Oh how my opinion has changed!

I don't know exactly when the metamorphosis began. It could have been when I nursing student and witness a c-section, a birth with an epidural and then a natural birth (I don't believe the natural birth was planned though...)...or maybe it happened when I started to explore ways to live more naturally, practicing yoga, using acupuncture, and growing spiritually. But I think the biggest influence on my change in attitude towards birth was when a friend on facebook started posting information about her natural childbirth experience and journey in becoming a childbirth educator, doula and prenatal yoga instructor.

Whatever it was...I finally realized that not only is natural childbirth is still an option, but I was MADE to have babies and I could do it in a way that wasn't full of interventions and terror.

When I found out I was pregnant I already knew what I wanted. A natural, water birth using a form of self-hypnosis called Hypnobabies. For me, there has been no other option. I have never once wavered in my decision and feel 100% confident in my ability to bring a child into this world. Of course, it probably helps that this pregnancy was planned so I have never had any qualms about it, and I have a very supportive husband, a great midwife service, and an experienced doula.

Side note: At my last appointment, my midwife and I began to talk about my birth plan and when she asked me if I had any questions or wanted to know anything about pain medications and I simply said "Not really." However, she proceeded to tell me that the medication they are using now is Fentanyl, which is a powerful and short acting drug that I am very familiar with because I have administered is A LOT in the ICU for my patients who are on ventilators and also during a number of different procedures in my new position as a interventional radiology nurse. I wouldn't say it is a bad drug, but I just can't imagine wanting it for myself because it is so potent and I would be afraid it would make me sick, knock me out or cause me to feel drunk (which is how I have felt when I have taken pain medication in the past).

To be continued...

Eat What I Own Day #3

Today was pretty boring as far as my eats went...


Breakfast

After sleeping in...I had the yogurt, berry, almond mixture I brought for lunch yesterday and never ended up eating.

Lunch #1
A cheddar brat
Plus a big bowl of ice cream

Lunch #2
Leftover salsa chicken- also from yesterday

Dinner
Two slices of leftover pizza that Jared ordered last weekend while working a overnight shift plus a few cookies he bought me for my birthday and lots of lemonade that we bought last weekend when his family came over for lunch.

Snack
If I get hungry again tonight, I will make some stove-top popcorn...because when I was looking through my cupboards the other day I noticed I had movie theatre butter flavored oil, and popcorn seasoning. Apparently Jared bought this stuff for me for my birthday and forgot to tell me!

This is how I feel about today...

Source

I was able to stay on track with my challenge to eat what I own, but I definitely didn't eat a very healthy, balanced diet today which makes me feel a little blah.

We're getting pretty low on milk, so I might have to make a run to the grocery store soon. However, when that happens, I'm going to try really hard to limit myself to only grabbing a few items such as milk, and fresh veggies or fruit so I don't have a lot of days like today.

Eat What I Own Day #2 + Overnight Oats Recipe

Here is day #2 of my Eat What I Own Challenge!

Breakfast

Overnight Oats
I had everything on hand!

1/4 c Quaker oats
1/3 c Unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c Greek God honey flavored yogurt
Chia seeds
1/2 small green apple cut into bite sized pieces
Walnut pieces

Directions: Mix everything except for the walnuts into a small container, cover and refrigerate overnight. Then eat the other half of your apple so it doesn't go to waste. Top with walnuts in the morning and enjoy!

You could substitute any kind of milk, and plain or vanilla yogurt. If you use plain yogurt you might need to add honey, PB, maple syrup or your favorite sweetener to give it a little something more.

Leftover Breakfast Potatoes

Lunch

Orange jello (made last night),
Nectarine
Plum
Tuna sandwich
Yogurt, blueberries and almond slivers- didn't end up eating

Dinner

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

 

I actually really enjoyed this meal and was so glade I used my crock pot today because we had our first birth class tonight and I had less than 45 minutes from the time I got home from work, and then had to leave again...

I did make a few changes: I subbed Greek yogurt for sour cream, added about a cup of vegetable stock to keep the chicken from getting dry and dumped a can of pinto beans in when I got home and cooked it for 20-30 more minutes on high while I made my rice...and YES! I had scallions! They came fresh from our garden!

Overall, I'm really happy with how day #2 went. We had lots of leftovers from dinner, so I probably won't have to cook tomorrow. I didn't have to run to the store to buy anything, and I was able to use a few things I already had. Unfortunately, I did have to throw away two tomatoes because I left them on the counter and I think the warm weather caused them to rot faster than they should have.

Tomorrow I am hoping to find a way to use up a lot of my Greek yogurt because TECHNICALLY it is already a couple days past the "use by" date...and although I usually let yogurt go for a while, I am trying to be a little more cautious now that I am pregnant.

Eat What I Own Challenge

I have to admit, that I don't do a terribly good job at meal planning...and I often go grocery shopping right after getting paid when my cupboards and refrigerator are still at least half full.

However, lately, I have been feeling I have too much stuff is all areas of my life- including the kitchen. So I am now on a mission to reduce, use what I have, or give it away!!!! PLUS, I found this amazing website that had inspired me to use what I have- you click on the ingredients you have on hand and it will find recipes to match!

Here is what I am starting with...

My fridge actually appears a more empty than it did just a few days ago...but that's just because I overstocked a couple weeks ago and my produce went bad. Right now we have some left over pizza, tuna for sandwiches, fruits & veggies. Leftover potatoes which were re-purposed this morning and mixed with scrambled eggs, macaroni salad and yogurt.

Freezer: Sweet potato cakes, two lean cuisines that I purchased pre-pregnancy and then was not able to look at after I got my BFP...lots of frozen fruit, popsicle, ice cream, some frozen cookie dough, chicken, shrimp, tilapia and frozen veggies.

 Too many dried and canned foods to mention...I don't mind having a lot of these things on hand for quick & easy meals...but overall, this cupboard is a little out of control and I would still like to reduce.

 Baking goods...which I probably plan to keep stocked pretty well because I would like to stop buying packaged foods and bake more from scratch.

Top shelf: oatmeal, tea, nuts, bread crumbs...

Bottom: Oils, spices and wine.

More spices...which I probably won't reduce because I love being able to cook almost anything because I already own all the spices and herbs a girl could ever need.

 "Bread drawer" plus rice, hot chocolate, granola bars, and more oatmeal.

Not pictured: cereal and protein powder

I will probably have to buy some fresh fruits, veggies and meat as I go on but I am going to try really hard to buy smaller quantities and mix it with foods I already have.

Challenge Meal #1

Steak I've had in the freezer for who-knows-how-long, Jiffy mix cornbread (I'm planning to use cornbread from scratch in the future using the cornmeal I already own), and frozen veggies that Jared told me tasted like they had been in the freezer for too long.

Weekly Plan

Breakfast ideas: overnight apple pie oatmeal (recipe tomorrow), cereal, leftover scrambled eggs + potato mixture from this morning or fried eggs & toast.

Lunches: PB(&J), tuna (in limited quantities) sandwiches, or leftovers + yogurt, jello, baby carrots and/or fruit.
 
Dinners Ideas
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Coconut Shrimp Curry
Leftovers or grilled chicken
Mushroom and bell pepper pizza with homemade dough
Quinoa Mac n' Cheese

Baked Goods
...if I'm feeling the urge...
Lemon Cooler Cupcakes
...if I have leftover Greek Yogurt, and it hasn't gone bad...
Blueberry Greek Yogurt Banana Bread


I'm not sure I am going to be able to use all the fresh veggies I have before they go bad, but I'm going to try!

Pregnancy: Week #23

• How far along? July 4th: 23w6d

• How big is the baby? Just over a pound and more than 11 inches long
  


• Weight gain/loss? Not really sure. I think I may have gained three pounds in a single week...but I am hoping it is just water retention related to the super hot weather we have been having.
  


• Maternity clothes? Almost everything.
  


• Sleep? I have been listening to my Hypnobabies CD before going to bed and sleeping well for about three hours...after that sleep is hit or miss depending on how much hip pain I am having from sleeping on my sides.
  

• Best moment last week? I had another prenatal appointment and got to heart the heartbeat beating at a strong 152 bpm!
  


• Symptoms? Hip pain. My feet get really tired by the end of the work day and I have to sit down a lot more frequently throughout my shift.
  


• Food cravings/aversions? Nothing significant this week.
  


• Gender? My sister-in-law thinks I look more like I am carrying a girl
  


• Belly button? It is FLAT...and maybe sticking our a little at the top.
  


• What are you looking forward to? My birthday! It's the last one before I am a mama :)
  


• What I miss? Being able to wear regular clothes. When I flip through the newspaper ads or walk through a store and see cute clothes my first reaction is "I want that!" But then I remember...I'm just going to keep getting bigger :(
  


• Mood? Pretty normal...but a little frustrated because of the 100 degree temperatures and the high levels of humidity we have been having.
  

• Movement? The movement is more obvious, but it isn't really consistent. It comes and goes throughout the day, but I wouldn't say I am at the point where I am feeling it every hour.


• Stretch marks? None yet...although there was a moment this week that I thought I spotted some on my legs.


• Labor signs? None, thankfully! It seems like every time I turn around I am hearing something (or seeing something on facebook) about someone I know who is 20-something weeks pregnant being on bed rest.


• Milestones? Baby is developing a sense of movement
  

Nesting to Avoid the Heat

What a hot day!

Last night, when the temperature didn't look like it was going to drop below 80 I shut all the windows and cranked up the window AC unit we have in our bedroom and thankfully it kept the temperature in the house at a tolerable level. Although, it wasn't cool enough that I felt like cooking so I made Jared take me out for lunch.

When we got home we moved the TV up to the bedroom so we could be next to the cool air.

 

 ...and then I organized the closet.

 

 

I am not the kind of person that puts my seasonal clothes into storage, but for some reason I thought today would be the perfect time to start. Plus, I also have a lot of clothes I won't be wearing for a long time thanks to my growing belly and I was sick of looking at them...so away they went.

Then I moved on to the coat closet and put away all our winter gear that we usually just let hang for the entire year.

 

And I put our jumbo winter comforter into a space saver storage bag...I'm still amazed it fit because it is HUGE!

 

 When I was done, I had a nice pile of stuff to donate.

It's suppose to be hot all week, which means I would not be surprised if I end up in the cool basement sorting through the unorganized filing cabinet and piles of junk we haven't touched in over a year.

Financial Victory!

Remember last July when we bought a car????

Well...we just paid it off!!!!

Of course my original goal had been to pay it off in about six months, but unfortunately we got a little side tracked. Then in February, when we were trying for a baby, we decided we really needed to buckle down. So we did, and now we no longer have a car payment!

This is such a HUGE relief. Getting rid of our car payment was on my list of MUST DO before baby. Especially since we have begun looking at our childcare options...which by the way has not gone very well. I left my first daycare tour in tears over the fact that I won't be staying home with my little babe...and Jared and I are actually very seriously considering having him be a stay-at-home dad for a while. But that's another post for another day.