Meal Planning Monday ~ Camping with the Kiddos

This week’s blog post is by Leah Kelley.

I love camping! Before my husband and I had kids, we went camping all the time. We would just pack up and go. We would pick a state park and off we went. One of our best camping trips was at Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky. We did a little hiking then came back to our campsite where it started to lightly rain. Ironically, that was one of the only times we didn’t have a problem starting a fire and keeping it going. We camped next to a stream, and the sound of running water and rain was so peaceful. I think that’s the best night of sleep I’ve ever had on a camping trip.

We’ve held off camping with the kids until now.  Well, actually we did try when my daughters were six months old and three years old but that was a hot mess! I was finally able to talk my husband into camping with the kids this summer – woo hoo!  We’re planning on going next month when he’s on vacation from work and me and kids are super excited. Preparing to camp with kids is completely different then preparing to camp with just your spouse or significant other. There’s so much planning and prepping! Thankfully I love planning and list making.  I thought I’d share with you all a few tips I picked up from my favorite site – Pinterest.

Make a Meal Plan ~ Yes, even though you’re on vacation you will still need a meal plan while camping. It can be as simple or extensive as you wish but my advice is to make it simple when camping with kids.

 Hope for the Best, but Plan for the Worst ~ I don’t mean plan on your kids to get extremely sick but throwing together a first aid kit might save you a bit of sanity if one of them does fall and scrapes a knee or has some tummy troubles.

 Pack Extra Clothes ~ As you know it gets colder at night so make sure you pack them weather appropriate pajamas and extra blankets. You might not need them but better to be prepared then not.

 Make a Checklist ~ I’m addicted to checklists so this one is easy for me. If you’re not a list-maker just type in “Camping Checklist” into Google and print one off.  This is will make sure you remember all those little details like bug spray and sunscreen.

 Stay Close to Home ~ If it’s your first camping trip with kids stay close to home. We’re lucky to have a variety of campgrounds within an hour of our city. Just in case our trip becomes too overwhelming, it’s not a big deal to pack up and head home.

 Bring a Few Toys ~ Keeping your kids occupied is a lot easier with a few of their favorite toys. Bring cars, a few dolls, bikes, or any outside toys.

 Remember to Relax and Have Fun ~ I anticipate my kids not going to bed until late and that’s fine with me. (I will have to remind my husband of this though since he’s a stickler for bed times.) I’m hoping the fresh air, hiking, and running around will wear them out but you never know.  Be sure to check out all the great camping ideas and recipes I’ve been collecting on my “Camping” Pinterest board!

Here’s a recipe I can’t wait to try! My packet will contain vegetarian sausage ;)

 

Foil Dinners ~ I got the recipe from Simple Bites

 

  • 8 pre-cooked sausages, cut into thirds.
  • 2 lbs new potatoes, halved and par-boiled
  • 1 small red onion, cut into chunks
  • 6 small sweet peppers, cubed
  • 12 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • fresh herbs, torn, (I used basil and oregano)
  • salt & pepper
  1. Prepare fire by allowing to burn down to coals.
  2. On the picnic table, lay out six squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil, about one foot square, and oil lightly.
  3. In the center of each piece of foil, place four pieces of sausage, a handful of baby potatoes and a few cloves of garlic.
  4. Divide up the onion, peppers, and herbs among the packages. Season with salt and pepper and dot with butter, if available.
  5. Bring opposite corners of foil together and seal. Fold over the seam and seal tightly to make a secure package.
  6. Place on coals (a little flame is fine) and roast, turning occasionally, for about ten minutes. Serve.

Thirty-One Home Organizer Giveaway!

Thirrty One Giveaway.fwWelcome to the Thirty One – Hang Up Home Organizer Giveaway

Sponsored by Jill Pietrulewicz an Independent Thirty One Consultant

Hosted by So Cal Coupon Mommy

ONE Lucky winner will receive an awesome Hang Up Home Organizer in Black and White Print (as shown in photo).  I just went to a Thirty-One party this past weekend and I LOVE their products!  The designs are adorable and their stuff holds up very well.

“The ultimate way to organize your home. Easy to hang on a wall, on a door or on shelving. A great way to organize a calendar, note cards, homework and more. Lots of compartments for papers. One dry eraser marker included.”

This prize is valued at $45.00!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over.

Enter in the rafflecopter below!

GOOD LUCK!

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.YOUR BLOG NAME HERE is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Event hosted by So Cal Coupon Mommy Please contact info@socalcouponmommy.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Meal Planning Monday ~ May is Celiac Awareness Month

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken.

May is Celiac Awareness Month.  Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.  People with celiac disease really need to be vigilant about avoiding gluten to stay healthy.  Unfortunately, gluten is added to many packaged and processed food which can make avoidance a chore.  There’s a whole host of other people who experience gluten sensitivity. Although gluten sensitivity is not as serious as full-blown celiac disease, it can cause
individuals unwanted gastric upset.

I’m no expert on celiac disease, but I have friends and family members who are affected by it.  Chances are you do, too.  I suspect that I am somewhat gluten sensitive, because if I eat too many wheat products in a 24 hour period, I do notice some digestive upset.  My purpose here is to give you some great resources for information on celiac disease and point you to some excellent gluten-free recipes.  Even if you are able to eat gluten with no ill effects, you may find yourself entertaining dinner guests with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Francine Luzak, head of the Northern Kentucky Celiac Support Group, says that people diagnosed with celiac disease often have a hard time avoiding gluten.  It’s not just a matter of avoiding wheat, barley, rye, and oats.  Gluten is added as a thickening and flavor enhancing agent in many processed foods.  Francine says, “If food comes in a box or a bag, beware!  Gluten may be hiding in there.”  What should you look for on food labels to identify gluten?  You might see things like “hydrogenated vegetable protein,” “malt flavoring,” “caramel color,” and “natural flavors.”  I was surprised to learn that foods such as beef broth and chocolate frosting can have added gluten.  If you have a severe reaction to gluten, stick with packages that have “Gluten Free” on the label.

Another challenge for people with celiac disease is dining out.  Even if a restaurant has some gluten-free items, there’s a big risk for cross-contamination.  For people with mild cases, a tiny amount of gluten might not be a big deal.  But for someone with a severe case of celiac disease, even the smallest amount of gluten can leave them ill for several days.  I was pleased to find this great resource online – a list of restaurants with gluten free menus.

Francine recommends several books, websites, and even iPhone apps, like “Is That Gluten Free,” that can help people who need avoid gluten.  If you’re in the NKY area and want to check out the Celiac Support Group, you can find more information about it here.

Helpful Celiac Websites:

Helpful Celiac Books:

 

 

My friend and fellow blogger, Julie Brawley of CleanEating4Life.com, is also gluten sensitive.  The majority of the recipes on her website are gluten free and she’s shared some of her favorites here.  I’ve also included a recipe for Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread from BettyCrocker.com and my Gluten Free Healthy Candy recipe, which tastes fantastic!  The original recipe was made with Multi-Grain Cheerios, but I’ve substituted gluten-free Rice Chex to make it 100% healthy and delicious.

Recipes:

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

 

Gluten FreeHealthy Candy

Take one bag of dark chocolate chips and put them in a large microwave safe bowl.  Put them in the microwave on high for one
minute.  Stir, and then put them back in the microwave for one more minute.  Stir again, then immediately add 1 ½ cups of Rice Chex, ½ cup of chopped walnuts, and a 5 – 6 oz. bag of dried cherries.  Stir thoroughly to coat the cereal, nuts, and cherries with the dark chocolate.  Drop spoonful’s onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put them in the fridge to cool for 1 to 2 hours.  I typically store my Healthy Candy in the fridge because it can get a bit melted if left at room temperature, especially in the warmer months.  This dark chocolate treat goes great with a nice glass of red wine.

A big thank-you to my step-mom, Francine Luzak, and my good friend, Julie Brawley, for sharing their gluten-free knowledge and recipes with all of us!

 

Win a $100 Coach Gift Certificate for Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what woman doesn’t LOVE a great Coach purse?  Your Strong Tower and a great group of bloggers are super excited to bring you this awesome giveaway sponsored by FatWallet.comOne lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate for Coach! 

Coach is known for their fashionable, well-made purses and wallets that never seem to go out of style.  You could also spend your gift certificate on a watch, scarf, umbrella, sunglasses, an iPhone case, or their one of their yummy smelling perfumes.  The possibilities are endless!

FatWallet.com is running a special offer of 3% cash back on purchases at the Coach website, plus special promo coupon codes for even more savings!  I guess the big question is, will you treat your mom or yourself if you win the prize?

 

Contest starts on Wednesday, May 8th and ends on Saturday, May 11th.  Our winner will be announced on Mother’s Day, May 12th!  Open to US residents age 18 and up.   Winner must respond to email notification within 48 hours; otherwise another winner will be selected.

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Meal Planning Monday ~ A Tribute to Mom

 

 

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken.

Mother’s Day is coming up in less than a week, so I thought it would be fun to talk about those favorite recipes that no one can make as good as mom. And for each of us, I’m sure the dishes will be very different.  My Nana – my Dad’s mom – was 100% Polish.  Even though my Nana is in heaven, my Dad magically brings her spirit back to earth when he recreates her polish sausage, kapusta, and pierogies. Our “food memories” can be very strong and make us feel connected to our moms, whether they live across town, across the country, or are keeping my Nana and Jesus company.

Now, I arguably have the BEST mom on the planet (yes, that’s the two of us pictured above, circa 1977).  We always ate dinner as a family every night, and many times my Mom would involve my brother and me in her cooking and baking activities.  I’m sure there were times when she may have regretted that decision, but my Mom was spending quality time with us while teaching us valuable cooking skills.  If my Mom hadn’t taken the time to do that, I don’t think I’d be writing this Meal Planning Monday blog – so THANKS MOM! :)

I remember a time in high school when I tried making a particular recipe in my brief vegetarian phase that turned out awful.  Back then I hated failing at anything, so I’m pretty sure I was crying as I threw my attempt at dinner in the trash.  Thankfully my Mom, being the wonderful encourager that she is, told me that being a good cook requires two things: good recipes and practice.  (Obviously, it was a horrible recipe to start with and therefore not my fault.)  So, I have become an avid collector of good recipes and now have years of practice under my belt.  Some of my Mom’s recipes I have successfully duplicated, but others just taste better when she makes them.  Here are some of my all-time favorites.

  • Chicken Cacciatore – My Mom would make this in the crock pot with bone-in chicken, tons of mushrooms and peppers, and serve it over pasta.  It’s pure heaven!  I haven’t perfected this recipe yet, but am going to try a clean-eating version my friend Julie Brawley created.  Fortunately, one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Pompellio’s, has a cacciatore dish that tastes almost exactly like Mom’s.

  • Split Pea Soup – I have tried to duplicate my Mom’s split pea soup on multiple occasions and missed the mark every time.  It’s just one of those recipes that no one makes as good as she does.  Must be all the extra love she adds!  I always request it as my birthday dinner, with warm corn muffins slathered in butter.

  • Turkey Slices & Gravy – This recipe is super easy and still a favorite for both me and my brother.  My Mom would buy a pound of turkey deli meat, slice it into bite-sized pieces, and heat it in a skillet with a jar or two of turkey gravy.  Most of the time she served it over white rice with a veggie on the side.  Now I make a grown-up version of the recipe.  I start by sautéing mushrooms in a little bit of butter to add to the turkey and gravy, and then serve it over wild rice.

  • Chicken Noodle Soup – Nothing makes me feel better when I’m feeling under the weather than a bowl of Mom’s homemade chicken soup.  I’ll make a huge pot of this soup and freeze the leftovers.  Let me tell you – there’s nothing better than realizing you have homemade chicken soup in the freezer when you start to feel sick.  If your mom can’t be there to take care of you, it’s the next best thing.

  • Sugar Cookies with Homemade Buttercream Frosting – Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around making Christmas cookies with my Mom.  It was – and still is – fun to bake and decorate those delicious treats.  Most years, my Mom and I still bake them together.  I’ve excited that my nephew and niece, Reid and Ayla, are going to be old enough to help us bake and decorate them this year.

To all the moms out there – Happy Early Mother’s Day!  I hope you have as many fond memories as I do of cooking and baking with your mom.  And be sure to start training up the next generation of young cooks and bakers!  So tell me – what recipes remind you most of your mom?

Win a Custom Embroidered Onesie or Child’s T-Shirt

            We’ve got another great giveaway from Your Strong Tower and  KY Girl’s Crafts! Martha has some great new spring and summer designs that you’ll love.  If you’re the winner, you’ll receive a custom embroidered onesie or toddler t-shirt of your choice with your child’s name on it!  My favorite is the owl deisgn, below.

 

           KY Girl’s Crafts’ prices are a coupon queen’s dream!  Many of their shirts are only $10.75 plus shipping and they will embroider your child’s name for FREE.  They will also do custom embroidery for you.  Check out their selection of bibs, too.  You can find additional designs on KY Girl’s Crafts Etsy page and on their Facebook page.

 

            Entering the contest is easy with the Rafflecopter form below.   Good luck! Giveaway runs from May 1st through May 5th.  Your Strong Tower is not responsible for prize shipment.

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Meal Planning Monday ~ Let’s Get Fired Up!

 

 

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken. 

Finally, it’s starting to warm up enough outside here in the Cincinnati area to fire up the grill on a regular basis!  It’s especially nice for me, because my husband is the grill master, so I get some assistance with dinner.  A few weekends ago, Nick and I went grill shopping at Lowe’s.  We’d had our previous grill for almost ten years and it was literally falling apart.  (Of course that didn’t stop the pickers from snatching it at the curb on garbage night eve!)  I really wanted a grill with a side burner, so we bought a medium sized grill with one side burner.

The first attempt to use our new grill was a disaster.  Apparently, because of the construction of today’s grills, it’s virtually impossible to use them if you’ve got high winds going on outside.  No, we weren’t trying to grill during a tornado or anything, but a storm was starting to blow in.  We live on top of high hill, so if it’s windy, we really feel it.  The grill wouldn’t heat up past 250 degrees and the wind kept blowing out the burner flames, so we ended up bringing our meat inside and finishing up on the stovetop.  Nick wanted to load it up in the truck and take it back to the store.

Fortunately, we decided to give the new grill another shot before returning it.  Our second attempt was much more successful.  The grill heated up nicely and cooked our food to perfection.  So far, we’ve made grilled chicken with various marinades, turkey burgers, and Italian sausages on it.  I thought now would be a great time to share some awesome grilling recipes – some old, some new – with you.  And if you have a favorite grilling recipe to share with me, leave the link in the comments below. 

·        Hawaiian Chicken – I didn’t have any fresh ginger, so I used ½ tsp. of powdered ginger from my spice rack.  We used the reserved marinade for dipping the chicken instead of basting.  It was fantastic!

·        Bacon-Wrapped Beef Fillets – These are my hubby’s favorite way to eat steak.  I’ll marinade the fillets in beer for 30 minutes prior to putting them on the grill.

·        Three-Cheese Italian Chicken Sausages – I love these Johnsonville chicken sausages.  They are quick and easy, but much more grown-up than hot dogs.  Sautee some peppers and onions and serve on a whole wheat bun.

·        Favorite Grilling Sides – If we can do our side dishes on the grill, then there’s no need to turn on the stove.  That’s definitely a good thing in the dead heat of summer!  We love mushrooms and they are so easy to make on the grill.  I’ll also buy canned whole potatoes, skewer them, and drizzle a bit of Italian dressing on them before adding them to the grill.  I also love corn on the cob made on the grill.  We soak the corn in the husk for 30 minutes, and then put it on the grill.  The water trapped inside the husks steams the corn and it tastes delicious!

·        Warm Italiano Spread – One of my favorite appetizer dips is made on the grill.  It’s got cream cheese, tomatoes, and pesto – yum!  Serve with hearty crackers, like Triscuit’s Black Pepper and Olive Oil. 

·        Chicken Bruschetta – In July, when our homemade tomatoes start to ripen, it’s time to make my favorite chicken recipe on the grill.  Marinade chicken breasts in balsamic vinaigrette dressing for at least 30 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix chopped tomatoes, fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons and just enough balsamic vinaigrette dressing to coat.  Grill chicken on one side then flip and add the tomato topping.  Sprinkle cheese on top (feta, goat cheese, and shredded mozzarella all are great) during the last minute of cooking.

·        Southwestern Turkey Burgers – These were delicious!  Here’s my version of the recipe, below.

 

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

·        1 pound of ground turkey

·        3 Tablespoons of Low Fat Olive Oil Mayo

·        1/3 cup of bread crumbs

·        2 Tablespoons of chopped jalapeños (Use fresh and include the seeds if you want them really hot.  I used canned jalapeños.)

·        Thin slices of cheddar cheese, optional.

·        Buns

 

    Directions:

Combine turkey with mayo, bread crumbs, and jalapenos.  Make into 4 hamburger patties.  Grill over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes per side.  Add cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.

Win It Wednesday ~ Bath & Body Works Lotion Flash Giveaway!

Happy Win It Wednesday fans!!  This flash giveaway lasts only until midnight tonight, so enter now!  Winner will receive this bottle of “Carried Away” body lotion by Bath & Body Works.  It’s a great floral spring scent that will lift your spirits despite April showers – like I’m seeing out my window right now!

Entry is super-easy!  Commenting on the blog is all you need to do to enter, but don’t miss the extra entry options.  Giveaway ends at midnight tonight and is open to US residents ages 18 and up.  Good luck, Confessions of a Coupon Queen fans!

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Meal Planning Monday ~ The Vegetarian Adventure

 

This week’s blog post is by Leah Kelley. 

Last month I decided to become a vegetarian. Why, you ask? For one my husband has begged me for years to give it a try but I always shot him down and two, I watched the documentary “Vegucated.” It changed the way I thought about food. If you have the time, I definitely recommend watching it. Three people took a six-week challenge to be vegans. It was interesting to see their journey and if they continued to be vegan after the challenge or go back to eating meat. I also recommend watching “Food Matters,” even if you’re not on a vegetarian journey. It will open your eyes to how food is processed and how our body processes food.

After watching Vegucated, I wanted to throw away every last bit of food in my house! That wasn’t realistic since I have a family of five to feed on one income, so we finished up all the meat in the fridge and freezer. My next grocery shopping trip, I planned for all meatless meals. How easy is that, right? Wrong. I’ve been so used to basing my meals around meat, so now it’s a whole new ballgame. What do I serve as a main dish? What do I serve as a side dish? What the heck is a turnip and how the heck do you cook it?! After my initial freak out moment, I calmed down and picked a few meatless meals I already knew my family liked and few that looked fun and easy to make.

For the first week we had homemade black bean burgers, spinach, potato, and feta gratin, kale lasagna, enchilada bake, and shepherd’s pie made with Boca crumbles. The lasagna was amazing. The other four dishes were horrible.  I could taste the difference in the non-meat crumbles (versus ground beef) and was not a fan.  My burgers didn’t stick together and the potato gratin was just inedible. I started to get discouraged, but fortunately I have a friend going through the process with me and she started a Facebook Veggie Group for support. That meant the world to me to know that other people were facing the same challenges as me. I was able to get a lot of great recipes ideas there, too.

I’m not perfect, and I did have a few slip ups the past few weeks. I ate a piece of chicken that was on my pizza from Mellow Mushroom. Their Mellowteranean pizza is just so hard to pass up! I also had a chicken tender at Chuy’s, because I wasn’t feeling my veggie enchilada.

         I thought I would share a few recipes I’ve found – on Pinterest, of course – that were hits with my family.  (I’ve also created a Vegetarian Dishes Pinterest board, if you want to check it out.)

 

Classic Cheese Lasagna from www.marthastewart.com ~ I used cottage cheese and ricotta in this recipe and it turned out fantastic! A friend of mine recommended using half tofu and half ricotta.

Veggie Enchiladas from www.recipegirl.com~ These were awesome!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup from www.thecurvycarrot.com~ This was great with a little extra salt and red chili pepper flakes.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna with Mushrooms and Kale from www.savoringthethyme.com.  This was by far our favorite meal so far.  Here’s the recipe.

 

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna with Mushrooms & Kale (Yield = 6-8 servings)


Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 ounces from a 32 oz. container part-skim ricotta
4-5 ounces of low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg
1 cup coarsely chopped Kale leaves
6 oz. mushroom caps, stems removed, roughly minced
3 1/2 cups or so (maybe 30 ounces) of high quality marinara sauce (low sugar, low salt)
15 lasagna noodles (whole-wheat preferred), uncooked
1 cup shredded parmesan or reduced-fat cheddar
Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a skillet (I used the ninja cooking system so I cooked in it on stove-top function), heat the oil over medium heat. Begin sautéing the onion and green pepper, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Turn of the heat, toss in the garlic, stir and allow to cook 30 seconds or so.

2. Meanwhile combine ricotta, cottage cheese, egg, kale and mushrooms in a large bowl. Mix the sauté mixture into the ricotta mixture and mix well.

3. Unless nonstick, coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray and spread 1 cup or so of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place 4-5 noodles over the sauce, overlapping them slightly and breaking into pieces as necessary to fill up the space.

4. Spread some of the ricotta-vegetable mixture over the noodles followed by some marinara sauce. Repeat until you have used up all of the luscious ingredients.

5. Sprinkle the Parmesan or cheddar on top and set the slow-cooker on high for 2 hours (or 4 hours on low). I found mine was done at about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

 

Happy Friday $25 Target Gift Card Giveaway!

 

          Happy Friday!  This weekend-long giveaway of a $25 Target gift card is brought to you courtesy of Strong Tower, Amber Luzak’s Miche Purses and Origami Owl by Dawn Warren, along with a great group of bloggers!

            Origami Owl necklaces and Miche purses are a coupon queen’s dream!  Why is that?  Because with both products you can easily and affordably change up your look to match your outfit, the season, or your mood!

          With Miche purses from Amber Luzak, you pick which size base bag fits your needs, and then you can buy different covers and handles to change up your look in under a minute!  All of your essentials – wallet, phone, makeup – stay in the base bag, which means changing purses is no longer a chore!   I recent purchased the Judith cover pictured above for my Demi bag.  Green is really a trendy color this spring and it only set me back $19.99!

          Origami Owl Living Lockets are also a lot of fun to create and change up.  Once you select your locket and chain, you can pick from a multitude of charms that represent what’s important to YOU!  Even better – the charms are all just $5!  I’m loving this vacation locket above and will probably be adding some beach-y charms to my own necklace soon.

            So, I suggest that the winner of our Target gift card treat herself to a cute new outfit, which surely will match one of Amber’s Miche purses and Dawn’s Origami Owl necklaces. 

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Contest runs from Friday, April 19th through Sunday, April 21st and is open to US residents age 18 and up.  Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond and claim the prize, otherwise another winner will be chosen.