Being Cheap is Easy: 04/01/2014 - 05/01/2014

New Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches! {Giveaway!!} #StonyfieldYoGetter

April 30, 2014

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are my own.

Liv spent a few days at Grandmas...she missed the boat on this photo op (and yogurt!)!
My kids fly through yogurt.  We basically have a whole shelf in the fridge dedicated to yogurt of all types: tubes, quarts, cups and now pouches!  When Gabby was a baby, they just started coming out with the cool pouches of baby food and I LOVED them! So convenient and mess free.  I was always bummed they never made yogurt for older kids that way.  UNTIL NOW!  Stonyfield has yogurt pouches in all of their kids varieties: YoBaby, YoToddler and YoKids.  All of them are organic and made with whole milk, perfect for your growing kiddos!

I find the pouches at Meijer, Family Fare and Target has 4 packs!  With coupons, they are the same price as any other variety.  We like to pack them for the car after school or the Y.  When it gets warmer, I will love to freeze these for a tasty treat at the beach or pool.  Even when we are home we hand them out for lunch because our kids make a MESS with their yogurt, this keeps the tables clean!


Would you like to try the pouches?  I have a giveaway for you!  One lucky winner will get 10 coupons for FREE yogurt!  Horray! 

Enter on the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


NOTE: I do monitor all entries...if you have failed to complete a certain step, I will remove that entry.  Once the winner is drawn, they have 48 hours to respond to the email so keep your eyes peeled!  If there is no response, another winner will be drawn.


Can't wait to try the new Stonyfield pouches?  Here's a printable coupon for you!

Coupon Alert! Macy's Friends + Family Sale {25% off!} #Macys25



Heads up everyone: Mother's Day is next week! Macy's has a Friends + Family sale to help you save on some gifts.  With the code SAVINGSFF, you can get 25% off until May 5.  Woohoo!

What is it that you really want? 

I can't think of anything until AFTER the fact.  And I'm completely banned from getting any more yoga pants or flip flops.  (Let's be honest, they are heaven...)  This is a test to see if Ricky actually reads my blog: I would love a new summer purse, my favorite perfume or new earrings.  Or a day without cooking!

What are you shopping for this Mother's Day?

MYO "Skinny" Drinks: Strawberry Margarita

April 26, 2014


Skinny Margarita, Strawberry Margaritas, Crystal Light margaritas, frozen strawberry margaritas, MYO skinny margarita
You should know by now, I have a slight Crystal Light addiction.  I use it to make all of my favorite "skinny" drinks: margaritas, apple cider-tinis, sangria...the list can go on and on.  This variety is my new favorite.  I know people are all up in arms about sugar substitutes right now, but I figure I can indulge sometimes...right?

Ricky and I came up with this margarita last week when we were celebrating his new JOB!  Woohoo!  It's simple and dangerously addicting.  Perfect for patio season!

Here's the thing about frozen drinks: I hate the ice cream headache and cup of ice at the end.  I wanted to get the perfect frozen consistency--almost slushy, but not too icy.  This is IT.  Also, you can add whatever frozen fruits you like to it.  We've tried Strawberry-Banana and it's ah-mazing as well.
Frozen Strawberry Margarita, Crystal Light drinks, Crystal Light Margaritas, Strawberries, Kirkland organic strawberries

Here's what you need: {Makes two 10 oz margs}
  • 1 Cup-Crystal Light Mocktail Mix Margarita flavor
    • NOTE: When mixing, use 1 packet + 3 cups water
    • UPDATE: They no longer make the Margarita flavor, so use the strawberry lemonade. SO SAD!
  • 1 cup Kirkland frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1 teaspoon Wholesome Sweeteners agave
  • 2-3 shots of tequila
    • We aren't super picky about our tequila for margs...El Torro is cheap and good to us!
Mix It Up!
  1.  In a blender, add ice, margarita mix, agave and strawberries.  Blend until smooth.
  2. If you want, rim two glasses with a raw sugar/coarse salt blend.  Pour 1 shot (or 1.5...) into each glass. Divide mix from blender into cups and garnish with a lime.
  3. Enjoy! To make pitchers, just double or triple the mix, but still keep tequila on the side.
At first, I was hesitant to post this recipe, since it's so simple...but my FB and Instagram friends convinced me to.  Thanks guys!  Let me know what you think! 

Check out my How-To video to see how to make simple skinny drinks! 

Do you have any big plans for Cinco de Mayo?

My Weight Loss Journey: Protein is Key!

April 21, 2014

Disclosure: I am part of the Stonyfield Yo-Getters.  I received coupons for Greek yogurt, but all opinions are my own!





I have some news!! I’m going to be in an upcoming issue of All You Magazine!  SO excited/nervous.  You would think I would be sharing money saving tips, but it's actually something very different! More details soon, but basically I’ve been testing a fitness app for the last month.  I have really been focusing on being more active after that loooong winter and it’s making me feel great!

Although I am trying to lose weight, I refuse to say that I’m on a diet.  I am ready to make lifelong changes!  One of my top priorities is getting enough healthy food, especially protein.  Before I just assumed protein was coming from meat and occasionally beans…now I make sure to fill up each plate with protein!  Bob Harper says that you should get half of your body weight in grams of protein (ex: if you weigh 160, you need 80 grams of protein a day).  While that may seem like a lot, it’s actually quite easy!  The main purpose of protein is to keep you full longer.

My go-to (and tastiest!) form of filling protein is Stonyfield Greek yogurt. I have the bad habit of standing at the counter to eat during the day and yogurt is a quick way to fill up!  Favorite flavors: Superfruit, Black Cherry with 1 teaspoon of mini chips or the blueberry!  Many people think they don’t like Greek yogurt, but when they try the smooth Stonyfield variety they are hooked. (*cough* Ricky!) I love that they are so flavorful!  This year, Stonyfield is the official yogurt of the Boston Marathon!  Good luck to everyone today!

Aside from snacks in cups, I buy a big tub of plain Stonyfield Greek yogurt for cooking.  I add it instead of sour cream or mayo to many recipes.  My new favorite lunch is a can of tuna, mixed with a bit of mustard, plain Greek yogurt and a hard-boiled egg on a bagel thin.  SO filling!!  On the side, if I’m not having a cup of yogurt, I have cottage cheese with a drizzle of honey.  That meal alone gets me almost half of my protein quota for the day!

Here are some other great (non meat!) sources of protein:

  • Liquid Egg whites.  For only 25 calories you get 5 grams!

  • Low Fat Cottage cheese. 12 grams per ½ cup!  Great toppings: honey, salsa, berries.
  • Tuna.  1 can has 28 grams!
  • Steel Cut Oats. 5 grams per serving.  Add some peanut butter and nuts for a great filling breakfast!
  • Beans. Protein varies per bean, ex: black beans have 7 grams per ½ cup. I like to add them to salads, blend them up for dips.  Make sure to always rinse and seek out low sodium cans.
  • Endamame. 17 grams per cup!  Roast in the oven, add to stir fries, make endamole.
The list is endless, but once you start keeping an eye out for protein, you’ll find some of the sources surprising. 



My weight loss journey is FAR from finished, but I feel like I've gotten a great start so far!  Maybe one day I'll be completing the Boston Marathon...or at least cheering on Ricky!

What's your go-to source of protein?



Easter is Coming! Try a Honeybaked Ham! {Giveaway} #HoneyBakedEaster

April 07, 2014


DISCLOSURE: I received a gift certificate for some tasty HoneyBaked Ham to create this post.  All opinions are my own!

Enter to win a $50 giftcard to Honeybaked Hams!

Easter is almost here!  As much as I love to cook, sometimes it's nice to have an amazing meal made for you.  HoneyBaked Ham is a go-to for holidays in our family.   I love leftover ham sandwiches!

When I was little, I had a large golden retriever named Barney (NOT named after the purple dino...thankyouverymuch).  He loved to eat, especially things that weren't food.  One year he got into my birthday card and ate $20!  It seems I had to make an annual trip to the bank with pieces of money, just hoping that they would let me trade them in for a fresh $10 or $20.  (There is a certain amount of the bill that can be destroyed that makes it still valid)  Barney even ate a package of AA batteries and a good portion of my soccer ball.  Obviously, he wasn't the brightest dog on the block.


Every Christmas, my parents would host a holiday party for my Dad's work and it always included a nice, big HoneyBaked Ham. One year, while we were getting ready for the party, Barney somehow got into the back porch and ate the WHOLE $50 ham, leaving only the bone! I have no clue how he did it so quickly.  You can imagine what happened next...he wasn't feeling very well at all!

Needless to say, my Mom was NOT happy...especially after he threw up ALL OVER the carpet in the dining room.  He spent some quality time in the basement.  My Dad had to rush back to the HoneyBaked Ham store to buy the last ham just before they closed.

You would think that we would learn our lesson when it came to Barney eating everything in sight, but I guess not!  Barney is no longer with us, but Ricky got to meet him during his first trip home to Michigan with me for Thanksgiving.   Our family has quite a few funny Barney stories!
http://www.honeybakedfoods.com/
 

Last week, we headed over to the HoneyBaked Ham off of 28th Street to pick out our dinner.  They had quite a few specials, so I decided to get both ham and smoked turkey.  It was so nice to not even have to think about cooking dinner.  The smoked turkey is amazing for wraps!  I asked about reheating the ham and they suggested to keep it cold, as it dries out while heating it. 

While you are making your Easter plans, consider HoneyBaked Ham.  They have quite a few specials going on.  Also be sure to sign up for the VIP program for extra coupons!


  • In-Store Specials:
    • $54.99 Easter Ham & Turkey Combo – Pair a Turkey Breast (approx. 3 lbs.) with your choice of a Boneless Ham (approx. 3.5 lbs.) or Quarter Ham (approx. 4.5 lbs.)
    • $22.99 Turkey Breast (with any Half or Whole Ham purchase)
    • $24.99 Easter Brunch Bundle – Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake and Honey-Spice Bacon
    • Heat & Share Sides: Two for $13.99, three for $19.99

    Want to win a $50 gift card? Enter through my Facebook page or on the Rafflecopter below!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    No More Digging Wires: Try Coobie Seamless Bras!

    April 02, 2014


    www.shopcoobie.com
    Uh, yeah...don't we all look like that in our bras?

    Normally, I don't post about bras on this site, but since having the girls, I cannot find a comfy bra!  Long gone are the days where I could find a cute bra at Victoria's Secret (sorry Ricky!). I normally wear sports bras around the house and then a pokey one out in public.  I hate how uncomfortable underwire bras are, yet I hate how most wireless are unlined!

    I've finally found a solution! Coobie Seamless Bras are ultra comfortable and versatile without sacrificing style. These bras are seamless, one-size (comfortably fits 32A through 36D), available in 7+ styles and 50+ fashion colors and patterns. There is also a full size version fitting up to a size 42D.

    They are perfect for everyday wear, yoga, nursing moms, sleep wear, and more! Coobie Seamless Bras also has a large following of mastectomy patients that love the soft comfort and pad pocket to insert a form. This line is truly a fit for all women!


    Interested?  It gets better with these promo codes!
     Save 25% on any order of $40+ at www.shopcoobie.com
    Promotion code: USFG25

     Where do find comfy bras?
     
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