Just Call Me.... Frugal Muse!

I've just started my own independent consulting business, and not to put too fine a point on it, things are rather tight without a regular income to depend on.

But even before this, I knew Something Had To Be Done about our grocery bill. I'm embarrassed to admit I was spending about $200 per week on groceries for our household of 3. (Well, I think pet food was lumped in there too, accounting for probably $80 per month.)

I've been taking a financial planning/education course. It was a real eye-opener to learn that I should have been spending only $100 per person per month, meaning a total of $300 per MONTH on our food. Yikes!!

Being a librarian, to figure out what to do about this problem I did what came naturally-- research. Which led me to Stephanie Nelson's extremely helpful book, The Coupon Mom's Guide To Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half.



I was extremely skeptical about whether any of this would work for me, because I don't tend to purchase a lot of processed foodsl,for which coupons are available, and of course I've been committed to serving the family only organically produced meats, poultry, and dairy products.

I was amazed to find that putting Coupon Mom's strategic shopping tips into practice, I have been saving closer to 70% on groceries. (I will admit I have suspended my trips to Whole Foods for the time being.)

Nelson's tips basically boil down to two main ideas:
1. Only purchase items that are on sale and have a corresponding coupon (as much as possible)
and
2. Stockpile items when they are at rock-bottom prices, which allows you to "shop your freezer and pantry" so you can always prepare meals from ingredients purchased at a discount.

Yes, it seems so simple and obvious, you'd think I'd have figured it out a long time ago.

To make this process easier, Coupon Mom has a terrific website (CouponMom.com) that correlates weekly store specials with any available coupons. Each week, she makes available a list of Grocery Deals by state, so you just find your state, hit enter, and choose your store. Each store list not only gives the coupon info, she also lists the % you save by using the coupon as well.

When I first started using the site a couple of months ago, I just made a rule to stick to items on the list that showed savings of at least 50%. Although I had never tried "couponing" before, I bit the bullet and purchased a subscription to the Sunday newspaper so I could get the coupon circulars. Since I didn't have a stockpile of coupons to draw on, each week I purchase extra copies of the Sunday paper to get additional coupon fliers.

For those who can't abide the idea of using coupons, Nelson sagely advises that you can save about 30% just by sticking to store specials. Purchasing only items on sale each week can yield a surprising amount of savings! Not being inclined to fussiness, this is the method DC primarily uses with good results.

As I said, I've been able to save closer to 70% on my grocery bills over the past few months. So far, I have been able to stick to the $200/month budget for DS and me.

Yesterday I shopped at the Teeter and also at Lowes Foods, which was having some really good deals. For example, Lowes had the 50 oz. size of "All" brand liquid laundry detergent on sale. Normally, it costs $5.69, but the sale price was $2.99. AND I had a coupon for $2 off "All" from the Feb. 7 RedPlum coupon circular. After the store sale and coupon, I paid just $0.99 for the "All", a savings of 82%!

Here's the breakdown from Lowe's. I purchased 22 items.
Original price: $63.46
Store sales: $26.53
Coupons: $21.05
FINAL PRICE: $15.88
$ saved: $47.58
% saved: 75%

Of course, Nelson gives lots more tips on cutting down the food bill (other posts, perhaps?), but I've been very pleased with my success so far.

Another thing I really like about Nelson's website (CouponMom.com) is that she also promotes her program "Cut Out Hunger" by identifying low/no cost items that can be donated to your local food bank (or family and friends who could use a hand!). In fact, the deal on the All detergent was so good I ended up purchasing 2 bottles and giving both to a friend. I wasn't going to bother at first, since I couldn't find the "HE" version of the "All," which I need for my front-loading washer. But then I realized it was such a great deal, I surely knew someone who could use it.

I've realized that while using coupons doesn't help much on organic food costs (with some exceptions), it helps save so much on the other items I need to buy that there may soon be room in my budget for organic meats again. I used to spend so much money on snack items, sliced meats, cheese, peanut butter, etc. for DS's school lunches that it was quite depressing. Thank heavens, using the strategic shopping tips I've learned, I've been able to get the items he enjoys at greatly reduced costs or even free.

Low-priced is nice, but FREE is GREAT!!

DomesticMuse is BACK!!!

Hi, Everyone--

I know it has been a REALLY long time, but I'm back to doing one of the things I love most in the world: blogging! It's been a long hiatus due to many factors.... most of them not fun. But I won't bore you with the details.

Let me just say that as of Feb. 1, my whole life has changed. I've moved.... AGAIN. Career changes are also afoot. DS and I are still unpacking.

One of the big reasons I haven't been blogging is that I still need to send several of you your prizes for my birthday give-away. I've really felt like I just couldn't do any new posts until I had taken care of that, but it's going to be a while still on that, for which I am sincerely sorry. Thank you all for being so patient and kind. Everything is ready, but let's just say the last several months have been very tough. As soon as I can, I will mail out everyone's stuff.

As the economic downturn has really started hitting our communities hard, most of us personally know at least one person or family who is currently without a steady income. You want to help, but you don't know what you can do. Let me share some ideas below!

Tips for Helping Friends and Family Going Through Income/Job Loss/Family Transition

1. Always remember, little things mean a lot!
2. Be that positive voice that says, "I believe in you!" and "Things will get better!" and MEAN IT.
3. Listen and be there. Bring tissues.

PRACTICAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

1. Help with moving, if people are downsizing. There are many ways to help that won't break your budget!

• Call professional moving companies in the area and ask if you can pick up FREE used boxes and partial rolls of packing paper for your friends/loved ones. Many companies are happy to do this. I've had especially good luck with Mayflower. Wardrobe cartons and dish packs are particularly useful. Grocery stores and other retailers will often give you free boxes as well-- just be sure they are clean and pest-free. Picking up boxes and packing material for your friends will greatly reduce the stress and heartache of moving.
• Help pack, and bring packing tape, a tape gun, and sharpie markers for labeling boxes.
  
• Offer to organize a garage sale to turn those things your friends no longer need into much needed cash.
• Or offer to list items on Craig's List for them and then YOU be the one to coordinate with potential buyers.
• Another wonderful thing to remember if your friends have china, crystal or serving ware they no longer need is that Replacements.Com will often pay top dollar for these items! I made $300 selling my wedding crystal to Replacements after my divorce! Just give them a call to see if they are buying: You need to know the manufacturer and name of the pattern. Phone number is 800-727-5223. Replacements will let you know on the phone if they are purchasing those patterns and will email you a written offer to purchase that specifies exactly which pieces they are buying and the price for each. You just fill out the offer form, CAREFULLY box up the goods, and mail the stuff to them. They will send your friend a check. Luckily, I live within driving distance so it's easy for me zip over to Greensboro with stuff.
• Take unneeded clothing to consignment shops to turn these items into cash also.
  
• On moving day, be there to help with last minute packing. Load, haul, babysit, or do whatever else you can do to make things easier for your friends. In my recent move, I do not know WHAT I would have done without my BFF Todd's help. He took over just like it was HIS move. I am so lucky to have a wonderful friend like Todd!
• If your friend is having professional movers, provide bottled water and lunch for them. If you can afford it, pay the tip for the movers.
  
• If you are handy, help to disconnect and reconnect washers and dryers, install ceiling fans and lights, reconnect TVs and DVD players, install faucet filters, hang pictures, paint, etc.
  
• Don't forget, the kitchen is probably closed for the days just before and after moving, so either bring some covered dishes, some easy to heat frozen meals (along with disposable plates, cups and utensils), order pizza, or take your friends out to get something to eat (doesn't have to be fancy!). They are probably exhausted and haven't eaten all day, and in the moving frenzy, food is likely the last thing on their mind.
  

2. If you have small appliances in good working order that you have been thinking of replacing, give them to your friends and buy yourself some new ones. E.g., computer printers, microwaves, blenders, toasters, vacuum cleaners, etc. can all be very helpful to those who can't afford to purchase new at the moment. You can often find great deals on new stuff, and your friends won't feel guilty about accepting your gently used items.

3. Scour the Sunday newspaper coupons and use them to purchase household supplies such as paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, food wraps, light bulbs, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, etc. at a bargain--- and stock up your friends so they won't have to buy this stuff for a while.

4. Ditto on expensive personal care items such as soap/bodywash, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrushes, etc. For example, this week at the Kroger in my area, Softsoap brand liquid hand soap is on sale for $0.88 a bottle. I used coupons for Softsoap from the Jan. 31 Supersaver insert in my Sunday paper to get each bottle for only 18 cents!! (E.g., each coupon was worth 35 cents, which my Kroger automatically doubled, making it worth 70 cents. Sale price of 88 cents minus coupon of 70 cents = final price of 18 cents!!) Again at Kroger, Sure Men's Deodorant is on sale for $1.99. With my $1.50 coupon from the Jan. 24 Supersaver, that brought the price down to just 49 cents!

5. Purchase movie passes or gift certificates to restaurants or merchants like Walmart, Target, and office supply stores and give them to your friends. Just knowing they will still be able to go see a movie or have a date night at a restaurant once in a while can give spirits a much needed lift. And Walmart and Target cards are so handy for those unexpected necessities like ... trash cans, printer paper, or shower curtains that crop up.

6. Restaurants.com is a great place to get restaurant gift certificates for just pennies on the dollar! E.g., I just got an email message this morning about a Valentine's special at Restaurants.Com. They are offering $25 restaurant gift certificates for $2 using a discount code at checkout.

7. When I had to downsize from a 2500 sq. foot house to a 1200 sq foot townhouse during my divorce, my sister was an absolute lifesaver. She helped me to get financing for desperately needed furniture for our new home (our grad-student futon had finally bit the dust). When I realized I would need a vehicle (for 18 years we had been a 1 car family), she helped me to get a car loan, too. I was able to make the payments on the items, but with no credit history, couldn't get loans without a co-signer. (Yes, I could write a whole book on Seriously Bad Money Mistakes I Have Made In My Life, but I digress). My sister's help allowed me to get back on my feet and, most importantly, have a reliable vehicle to get to work in! While you may not be in a position to take on credit risk for a friend or relative, you can help them shop and bargain for a reliable used car they can afford, find an affordable new apartment, or serve as a credit reference for them with dealerships, merchants, or utility companies. Offer to take that potential new vehicle to your mechanic to be checked out.

8. If they are comfortable having you assist with untangling finances, have your friend authorize you and then run interference for them with creditors such as SallieMae (the student loan sharks) and credit card companies. With persistence, (e.g., keep asking to talk to supervisors until you get someone with authority to make decisions) you can often get creditors to work with you to lower payments and interest rates, or to close accounts and freeze interest on balances at 6% or lower. SallieMae will generally give un/underemployment deferments on student loans, though you may have to contact them several times for the necessary paperwork. This will not only help to stretch your friend's budget, it will give them greater peace of mind and free up time to attack the job search. Do anything you can to help your friend avoid debt consolidation loans, which can hurt their credit rating and keep them in debt longer. If worse comes to worst, bankruptcy may be a better option as it will allow them to rebuild their credit record faster. Be sure your friend consults a good bankruptcy attorney about their available options before going into debt consolidation.

9. I cannot say enough good things about John Commuta's Transforming Debt into Wealth program. His system really does work, and you can purchase his online course for about $40-- a very worthwhile investment.

10. If you have good word processing, website and/or marketing skills, help your friend re-work his/her resume and/or create a "Professional Identity" website.

Well, these are just a few things you can do to help your friends and family that are going through tough times.

I plan to do my next post on Budget-Stretching Resources.

As always, thanks for supporting DomesticMuse! Your interest and friendship mean the world to me!

Yours in domestic bliss,
Karen

Uff-Da!!!

I realized today with frustration and sadness that it's been TWO MONTHS since my last post. I am exhausted -- I have been on the road non-stop since Sept. I'm presenting at a conference next week and I think that will be my last trip for a bit. In the meantime, I'm feeling overwhelmed and depressed. You know that feeling, where you just have SOOOOOO much to do, but you're so exhausted, you can't even expend the emotional energy to be stressed out about it all?

I'm trying to finish a giant report and also whip my presentation (which I'm doing with 2 other people, one of whom will be conferenced-in virtually) into shape by the end of the day Tuesday. This is because on Wed. I'm leaving for the conference, which is being held in Charleston, and DC is coming with me!!!! The conference is held in a beautiful historic hotel in downtown Charleston. Our first get-away for just the two of us! I'm looking forward to it even though I'll be working during the days.

I'm not attending any preconference workshops, so we'll have part of Wed. to do fun stuff (IF I finish all my urgent crap in time). Thursday and Friday I'll be in sessions all day, but in the evenings we plan to sample Charleston's fine cuisine-- and I am going to enjoy it without worrying too much about the no-dairy, no-sugar thing. DC is excited about visiting Charleston and we're hoping to do a "haunted Charleston" kind of tour one evening.

Is this not the cruelest thing ever? Our presentation has been scheduled for the very last concurrent session, FRIDAY AFTERNOON from 4:30-5:15 p.m. And this truly is the conference that fights back-- we even have sessions during breakfast and lunch-- so by the time Friday afternoon rolls around, I don't know if anyone will even have the energy to attend, since they will already have attended 500 other presentations by that time. Plus, we aren't speaking at the main venue, but at the "overflow" hotel across the street. We will have a dress rehearsal on Thursday, and be praying to the AV gods that all the technology works so that we can hear our friend Nancy and see her slides and she can hear us and see our slides. OTOH, if we have AV problems and no one shows up, end of problem!

The other kind of weird thing is that my son AND HIS DAD are going to take care of our 2 cats and 1 enormous dog while we're in Charleston from Wed-Sat. Yes, my ex-husband will be staying in my house. And since we haven't been able to set up the guest room yet, guess where he'll be bunking? That's right, in the master bedroom. I always take care of his cats (they were OUR cats) when he's out of town so he's just returning the favor, but it's weird nonetheless. Honestly, I was surprised that DC didn't have a giant freakout about it. But when you compare FREE to the cost of boarding the dog for 4 days, it just seemed silly not to take him up on the offer. Especially since we needed someone to come to our house to feed the cats anyway.

We have a relative who manages a chain of uh, shall we say, adult toy stores. Last time we visited, unbeknownst to us, he tucked a few little goodies into our luggage for us to find when we got home-- luckily, just tasteless stuff like the Last Supper After Dinner Mints

and a Teddy Scares (the zombie teddy bear) keychain. I was relieved we didn't end up with the giant pimp cloak and hat set from the costume section... at any rate, I was thinking it would be amusing to fill the bedroom with all kinds of exotic toys, since our privacy is going to be infringed on anyhoo. DC didn't share my amusement however-- and there isn't time to "stock up" anyway.

My house is practically a superfund site, since I've been on the road so much. It's embarrassing. Not the least of which is the giant "Hooverville" of discarded clothes piled up on the floor by DC's side of the bed. (I have no idea why he no longer sees fit to use the laundry hamper.) But I know I'm not going to have time to clean before our, uh, visitor, arrives.

Once I recuperate from my Charleston trip, I hope to get back to posting more regularly... maybe I'll even find a way to create no-dairy, no-sugar foods that taste good. I am heartily sick of plain meat and veggies.

In the meantime, Happy Halloween/All Saints Day to all!

DF29: Cooler Plan, Day 2

Today was a little tougher than yesterday, mainly because I picked up bbq ribs for the guys and had to smell them cooking. I haven't really had sugar cravings, maybe because I had already cut way back on it in the past couple of weeks.

I have to admit, since I've started eating small meals every 3 hours or so I really do feel better. My energy level is much, much better. My blood sugar stays pretty stable, no big crashes, shakiness, or that "starving" feeling.

But geez Louise, is it ever BORING. It will be nice when I am on a little less stringent plan and can eat more than just plain food by itself. Just to give you an example, here's what I ate today.

Pre-breakfast: 2 8 oz. glasses of water.

Breakfast: 3/4 c. Quinoa with flaxseed, wheatgerm, and almond milk. 1 whole egg scrambled with 3 egg whites, and a cup of green tea (no sweetener). 2 8 oz. glasses of water.

During workout: 4 8 oz. glasses water.

Midmorning: sliced cucumbers, radishes, and 2 baby sweet peppers sliced and tossed with 1 t. olive oil, salt and pepper, topped with water packed tuna and a dressing made of fresh lemon juice and tamari. I know I'm not supposed to eat high-sodium foods, but I did work out and perspired ALOT, so I figured a little salt couldn't hurt. 2 8 oz. glasses of water.

Strength training: 4 8 oz. glasses water

"Lunch" (at 4:45 p.m.!) Roast turkey breast cutlet (4 oz.) on a bed of leftover Lacinato kale and 1/2 sweet potato. 1 apple. 2 8 oz. glasses water.

While fixing dinner: 2 8 oz. glasses water.

Dinner: (8 p.m.): 4 oz. roasted chicken breast, 1/2 sweet potato, broccoli with a splash of umeboshi plum vinegar. 2 8 oz. glasses water.

While cleaning up after dinner: 2 8 oz. glasses water.

That water-packed tuna is so dry, I had to put something on it. Because of not eating breakfast until 10 a.m., I was only able to squeeze in 4 of my 5 planned meals again. Because of this I skipped one of the lighter meals (the midafternoon snack) and had the dinner meal instead.

Meal preparation was a snap since I had already cooked several pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast (it was on sale at WF for half-price, so I bought lots) and also roasted the turkey cutlets last night while the corn muffins were in the oven. I noticed I'm supposed to eat quinoa again later in the week so I cooked extra this morning and put the leftovers in the fridge.

I've noticed much less muscle soreness than usual when I'm coning back to exercise after a long break, and I think this is because of the extra protein I'm eating. It helps the muscles rebuild themselves more quickly after a tough workout.

Of course, with having to drink a gallon of water a day, I'm constantly running to the bathroom. But I know from experience this will get better when my body gets used to the extra fluid intake. I swear, I'm so well-hydrated I could practically sell my output as spring water. (Sorry if that was TMI.) I sweat ALOT during my workouts and get very thirsty, so I am drinking extra then. I'm supposed to be drinking distilled water, but I refuse to pay for drinking water, so I'm just drinking the filtered water from the door of the fridge.

One more thing I've noticed is that if something has sugar in it, I can tell instantly. For instance, just from tasting one bite of the salsa I brought home yesterday, I could tell there was sugar in it. Since I'm not eating refined sugars or any sweeteners at all right now, I can really taste and appreciate the sweetness of the fruit and sweet potatoes.

Tomorrow I've got to sit down and figure out what I'm going to feed the guys this week. Some of the dinner meals will be easy-- if I'm having ground turkey or ground bison, I can just make extra for them and throw in an extra side-dish or two for them. I'm supposed to have fish tomorrow night, which we all like. For some of the other nights, I'll use leftovers. We have leftover ribs and also some "red" chili I made and froze. The guys aren't suffering by any means. B&J ice cream was on sale 1/2 price at the Teeter,so I got each of them a pint of their favorite flavors: Cherry Garcia for DC, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for DS.

If I make it through the week without going off "the plan," I'm treating myself to some no-dairy, no-sugar coconut milk "ice cream" on Thursday.

I definitely notice a difference in how I feel-- everything is better, including my depression, and I finally have the energy to work out again, which also helps in so many ways. I'm also encouraged that I WILL lose weight and be back in my regular clothes in no time.

DF28: Eat Clean Cooler Plan 1

As I mentioned, Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet book is pretty hardcore, and even a bit grim. Given that she expects you to pack a cooler full of "clean" food to take to work with you (or even out to run errands), her "diet" plans are organized into Cooler Plans 1, 2, and 3.

Cooler Plan 1 is definitely spartan. It's designed for: breaking plateaus, that last 10-5 lbs., contest preparation (as if!), photo shoots (as if!), showing increased muscle definition, and quick weight loss.

On this plan, you are not allowed to have dairy, juice, bread, salad dressing, butter, margarine, mayo or other spreads, or high-sodium food.

You may have 1 apple or pear per day. That's if for fruit. The main source of "complex carbs" on this plan comes from high-water content, non-starchy, low-glycemic index veggies (cucumbers, radishes, greens, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, celery, bok choy, etc.) You're supposed to eat "2 cupped handfuls" of this stuff 5 times per day, or at each meal. This plan only allows 5 meals per day.

For grains, you get 1 serving per day of cooked whole grains (e.g, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, millet or Cream of Wheat), eaten as hot cereal in the morning (no sweeteners); also, 1 sweet potato per day, half in the morning and half in the evening. The grains are to be eaten with a tablespoon each of ground flaxseed, wheatgerm, and bee pollen. (Bee pollen? Seriously?)

For protein, 1 "palm-sized portion" (4-5 oz.) of chicken, tuna, egg whites, turkey, bison, elk, or non-oily white fish, 5 times per day, or at each meal. You can also substitute sugar, chemical-free protein powder for any of the protein servings.

To drink, 1 gallon of distilled water, no-sodium water, or clear, unsweetened herbal tea.

Sounds boring AND not fun!

Cooler Plan 2 is for steady weight loss or maintenance once your goal weight is reached. This plan is much more do-able.
You get 6 portions of fruits/veggies per day, a fruit portion being "1 cupped handful" or piece of fruit; recommended fruits are berries, grapefruit, melon, apples, and mangoes. A veggie portion is "2 cupped handfuls" 0f veggies, including broth-based/veggie puree soups. (I'll pass on using my hands to measure soup.)

You get 2-4 servings of grains, this time besides cooked whole grains you can also have high-protein sugar-free cereal, whole grain bread or wraps (7 in. size on the wrap). Also included in this group is sweet potato, yam, banana, corn, carrots, or winter squash.

5-6 portions of lean protein, including low-fat soy, almond, hemp, rice or lactose-free milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt cheese, plain fat-free, sugar-free yogurt. Also included are raw unsalted nuts, 2 T of all-natural nut butters, the same meats and protein powders as in Cooler 1.

For beverages, 2-3 liters of no-sodium water, clear, unsweetened herbal tea, black coffee (in moderation) and green or black tea.

The following sweeteners can be used in moderation: honey, agave nectar, stevia, sucanat, rapidura sugar.

Healthy fats are allowed in moderation: olive, pumpkin, safflower, and flaxseed oil; olive-oil based spreads, fish and fish oils.

Not allowed: Juice, commercial salad dressings or sauces, or fried, refined or processed foods.

Cooler 3 is supposed to ease you into the Clean-Eating lifestyle, but she's not very specific about what you can eat, though she does allow low-fat cheese and fruit juice diluted with water.

There are guidelines for vegetarian substitutes for the protein portions, but I didn't find them very helpful, especially as I am aiming to get at least 20 g. of protein at each "meal."

After looking carefully at Cooler Plans 1 and 2, I decided to go for the all-out sugar detox of Cooler Plan 1. Thankfully, she doesn't allow you to use it for more than 2 weeks at a time. I figure I can probably make it through 1 week of dietary hell. I want to see if cutting out all this stuff does make a difference in how I feel.

Helpfully, she includes a menu plan for the cooler plans. I am pretty much following the menu plan as written, with a few modifications. One of the things this plan is severely lacking in, in my opinion, is healthy fat. My particular body needs at least SOME fat daily (in addition to what's in the food). I am therefore eating 1-3 t. of olive oil per day with my food. I am also putting unsweetened almond milk on my cooked cereal, as I am concerned about not getting enough calcium. At only 40 cals. per cup, I don't think the almond milk is adding significantly to my caloric intake. I am also eating 1 egg yolk per day. A LITTLE far helps me to feel satisfied longer and is beneficial to my own personal blood sugar levels.

I survived Day 1 on Cooler Plan 1 and actually only had time to squeeze in 4 meals of the 5 meals. It's not so bad, for just one week. The primary issue with it is that it is awfully boring. I'm determined to figure out how to make delicious, clean, dairy and sugar free food.

For dinner, I gave the guys leftover white chili, with cheddar cheese and sour cream if they wanted, and also made them some corn muffins to go with it. DS hadn't had the chili yet and really enjoyed his. DC was in heaven since I piled his bowl with sour cream and shredded cheese, and he ate 2 corn muffins. My own dinner consisted of scrambled egg whites with chopped tomatoes and some spinach leaves throw in.

I also squeezed in a workout, my first in months! I have noticed my energy level is better. Curses!! This plan may actually be working.

DF27: Eat-Clean White Chili

While flipping through the recipes in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet book, I found a white chili recipe that looked pretty good. I did adapt it a little from the way it's written, as I was using canned white beans rather than dry ones. It was just DC and me for dinner and I was pretty sure he'd enjoy the chili.

The Eat-Clean Philosophy is to eat 5-6 small meals a day that include a serving of lean protein and complex carbs. Also, the emphasis is on whole, natural non-processed foods.

Here is the recipe:

Tosca Reno's Hearty White Bean Chili
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. dry great northern beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
(I used 2 cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained)
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 c. yellow onions, chopped
2 lg. garlic cloves, minced
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground coriander
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, grilled and cubed
1 t. sea salt

Instructions:
Place beans in a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 in. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 min. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 1 hr. Drain and rinse. Discard liquid.

Place beans in a slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, onions, garlic, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hrs. or until beans are not quite tender. Add the chiles, chicken and sea salt., Cook for another hr. until beans are tender.

I was able to prepare this soup on the stovetop in about 35 minutes by using canned beans.
Since I don't have a grill, the first thing I did was to season my skinless, boneless chicken breasts and pop them into the oven to roast at 350 for about 30 min.

Meanwhile, I sprayed my soup pot with non-stick spray and added a scant T of extra-virgin olive oil. Oil isn't called for in the original recipe, but since I wasn't going to be slow cooking this soup, I needed the oil to saute the onion and garlic. After the onion and garlic were tender, I added the spices and sauteed for a minute or two; then added the broth, beans, and chiles. I brought the soup to a boil, reduced the heat, and let simmer until the chicken was done.

I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and added it and the liquid from the baking sheet to the soup pot.

DC's bowl:


I was feeling pretty good about my so-far sugar free day until I happened to glance at the ingredients in the chicken broth. As I was using the Whole Foods Store Brand Organic Chicken Broth, I had not thought to check its ingredient list first. I was really surprised to see "evaporated cane juice" as one of the ingredients towards the end of the list. Sugar!! Drat!!

I ate the soup anyway. DC and I both thought it was terrific. Two thumbs up! I just need to be sure to get sugar-free broth next time.

I served the chili with crushed blue corn chips on top, and DC had more chips and some of our favorite Jack's Special salsa with his. After having promised him some salsa, I found that ALL the salsa in the refrigerated section at WF contain sugar. Frustrating! So I did not eat any. The chips are sugar free, so I did have just a few of them. But it looks like I may need to make my own salsa if I want it to be sugar-free.

My only criticism of the white chili is that it doesn't include any veggies to speak of, except for the onions, garlic, and small amount of chiles. I'm not sure what would be good in here (that DC would eat), but next time I fix this, I will definitely experiment with adding veggies of some kind to the pot.

DF26: Decidedly not Sugar-Free

The problem with sugar is that it's just in everything. I did pretty well until we went out to dinner.

We tried first to go to Red Robin, which I figured would have at least a few sugar-free, dairy-free options. We unwittingly found ourselves in Hell on Earth-- the restaurant was hosting a Pee-Wee football team from North Raleigh, and was packed wall-to-wall with hyper, screaming, balloon-popping kids and their parents. We put our names on the waiting list and were told we'd be seated in 15 minutes or so. Honestly, the only reason I was willing to sit there amidst the nearly unbearable din is that there just were no other decent restaurants in that shopping area.

After 20 deafening minutes, DC finally got fed up and went to check on our status on the waiting list. They told him we'd need to wait an additional 30 minutes! So of course, we left. I really wish restaurants would just close and host a private party for these kinds of events.

So we were stuck going to the Wild Wings place, the only other restaurant nearby that would probably have some dairy-free options. The chicken wings are ok, but I must say, I cannot understand their appeal. They are greasy, and bony, and there's hardly any meat on them. I also really detest "sports bars"-- smoky, noisy, with 5 million TV screens everywhere. I feel bombarded by WAY too many stimuli at once. And a meal consisting solely of greasy chicken wings always leaves me feeling unsatisfied. DC loves both sports bars and chicken wings, which is simply a mystery to me.

At any rate, we ordered the wing sampler platter that includes 5 different flavors of wings-- including Old Yeller (a Carolina mustard-based sauce), Red Dragon, kind of like a Teriyaki flavor, Cajun (DC's choice), regular Medium sauce wings, and General Tso's. Most of these were loaded with sugar. So it was just a frustrating dining experience all the way around. I left craving the burger I didn't get at Red Robin. Ah well-- tomorrow is bound to be better!