I used to make New Years Resolutions, but then I would forget them by mid- January--just like everyone else.  So last year, I decided to make goals for myself on my birthday.  Even though it's just 16 days into the year, I feel like birthday goals are less daunting.  Don't ask me the method to my madness!

Last year, being 30, I wanted to push myself to get out in the community more.  We'd been in Michigan since 2010, but I felt like I still didn't know much about the area.  I also wanted to spend more time on myself, especially health wise.   I now regularly eat breakfast--which never used to happen.  Even if we're running late, I grab a Greek yogurt to take with me.  Ricky always comments on my food selection in my car: bananas, protein bars and usually a yogurt, since it's cold out. Gotta be prepared!

This year, I want to continue those goals and also try to shop more organic.  Being on a tight budget, it can be hard but there are SO many more deals and coupons than there used to be.  

My main organic focus is on produce and dairy.  I think it's really important for the girls to have organic milk, yogurt and cheese whenever possible.  I am finding it's best to shop sales and use coupons.  One of my favorite brands is always Stonyfield for yogurt.  I love their Greek yogurt cups and the girls gobble up the French Vanilla by the quart. Coupons are readily available and you can easily combine with a sale for cheaper than store brand prices.  Milk has been a hard one for us--especially since we all drink different types: I'm almond, the girls are 2% and Ricky is skim.  If you have any tips for saving on organic milk, I'm all ears! 

I realize people find organic shopping really scary, especially if you're on a budget. Here's a few tips I have for you:

• Pick something to focus on.  If it's produce, stick with the dirty dozen (aka, the most contaminated foods).  For lettuces, Earthbound Farm is always on sale and they offer weekly coupons. With dairy, find a brand you love with coupons (*cough* Stonyfield).  It's best to realize you can't go completely organic all at once, especially on a budget! 
• Shop Around. Hands down, the best organic deals for us are at Costco and Aldi.  But that might not be the case for you--it's best to check out organic sections at your local stores.  Don't forget to check out health food stores!  Since we don't have a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (I know...it's awful!), I check out Harvest Health foods once a month to stock up on bulk items--sesame seeds, grains, etc.  Buying items in bulk is a great way to save, since you're just buying what you need.  
• Contrary to popular belief, coupons for organic foods are everywhere! Pair them with a sale and stock up, if you can use it! My favorite sources for coupons:
• Mambo Sprouts
• Rock the Lunchbox
• Bob's Red Mill
• Stonyfield
• Green Mom's Meet 
• Earthbound Farm 
• Not a website, but watch Target Cartwheel for discounts
• Don't Stress.  I know this is a hard one.  There is SO MUCH information going around about how you should eat. It's overwhelming! Do your research and do what you can for your budget!

As far as my health goals are concerned, I'm trying to stay on a regular workout routine.  I'll be honest, I love working out after I'm done--but I'll come up with any excuse to not make it to the Y. So I'm working on that for my big 3-1 year.

Did you set resolutions? How are they going so far?

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post as a #StonyfieldBlogger, but all opinions are my own! 

Birthday Brunch: Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread! #WarmUpYourDay

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WarmUpYourDay #CollectiveBias

In our household, we hop right from holiday season to crazy birthday season. In the span of less than 3 weeks, we have FOUR birthdays!  Gabby is a lucky gal because she is all alone in nice, warm June.  We all have our own birthday breakfast requests:  Ricky loves French toast, the twins like chocolate chip pancakes and I love monkey bread.  Birthdays aside, this is a perfect addition to any brunch menu.  I love to serve with a fruit salad drizzled with honey, scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt and a Mimosa.  Why not, right?  

Fun tip: for kiddos, make a faux-Mimosa with flavored bubbly water.  The girls had strawberry water in theirs and thought it was SO cool.   We also like to sprinkle the tops of our drinks with powdered sugar--it's something my dad always did growing up. SO tasty if you rim the glasses with it and add a strawberry. 

On January 16th, I turned the big 3-1.  Since I wasn't working all weekend, I wanted to be a lazy bones.  It's very rare when we are all home together on a weekend and I wanted to take advantage of it! Friday night was Japanese Steak House night.  Not quite sure what we were thinking taking three little ones to a hibachi grill, but it was SO MUCH FUN! It wasn't budget friendly, but it was a memorable experience.  The girls LOVED seeing the crazy tricks and they gobbled up their food. Score! 

Saturday we headed to the store to pick up goodies for my Sunday birthday brunch. Since my breakfast request was monkey bread, I wanted to go above and beyond: apple cinnamon! The theme of the weekend was simplicity, so I took a little help from the store by using Pepperidge Farm Apple Cinnamon sweet rolls at Walmart.  The girls piled in the cart and started arguing 2 minutes into the store. That's when I decided to add "mimosa" to my breakfast brunch list: Cook's Spumante is a MUST.  It's a bubbly wine that is sweet, not too dry and perfect for mimosas and Bellinis (also super budget friendly!). Another must: 100% Florida Orange Juice.  We are a Tropicana family, but whatever floats your boat!

That evening, we had a movie night and I made Ricky watch Gone Girl.  When I read the book last year, I always ended up doing it late a night.  Ricky would get super annoyed because I would wake him up from deep sleep to freak out about what was going on.  I saw the movie when it came out for a girls' night, Ricky still had no desire to see it or read the book.  Now guess who is talking about the movie non-stop? Mr. Skeptical.  Go rent it, if you haven't yet!! Gillian Flynn's books are all amazing. 

Sunday morning, while Ricky was making the eggs and the girls were making a fruit salad, I tackled the monkey bread.  It was so simple, I had it in the oven and was enjoying my coffee while they were still cooking!

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Here's what you need:

• 3 containers of Pepperidge Farm Apple sweet rolls
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Open up the sweet roll containers and set aside frosting and apple mixture.
• Side note: anyone else terrified of pop-open containers? My heart races. 
2. Cut each individual roll in fourths. Place in a large bowl.  Toss with brown sugar and cinnamon. 
3. Add TWO packages of apple mixture (set aside the other one for later).  Mix together again.  
4. Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick spray.  A bundt pan works too! Scatter the sweet roll pieces around the pan.  It's okay if they stick together a bit!
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, until almost cooked.
6. While monkey bread is in the oven, mix together the remaining apple mixture and the frosting packets.  (note: we just used 2 frosting packets...it was more than enough).  
7. Remove monkey bread from oven and spread with frosting mixture.
8. Return to oven for 10-12 more minutes, until golden brown.
9. Enjoy!  

Our brunch was a success and I truly enjoyed my relaxing birthday weekend.  With the girls being in school until almost 4:00 during the week, I feel like I don't have as much time with them! I love seeing how much they are growing and maturing since they've started school--they crack me up all day long!  This weekend we have the twins' birthday and so far they are actually requesting this monkey bread instead of pancakes! I'm okay with that!

What are your birthday breakfast traditions? 

Let's Chat About: Grocery Shopping at Aldi

I'm going through some of my older posts and I realized I really need to update my Aldi one! It's still visited quite frequently, but I have MANY more tips!

If you aren't an Aldi shopper (and there's one in your area!), you really should check it out!  They offer healthy foods, gluten free, organic and more at rock bottom prices!

Quick starter tips:

• Bring a quarter.  It's for the cart and you'll get it back!
• Bring your own bags.  You can also purchase them there. After checkout, you will be bagging your own items.  
• Come with an open mind.  I always have a "try anything" mentality when shopping there--although, we aren't too brand loyal anyways.
• They don't accept coupons, but it's okay! Prices are so low, it doesn't matter!  Occasionally, the Sunday paper will have a $5 off store coupon to use.
• No credit cards are accepted! Only debit, cash or Snap. 

Part of shopping on a budget means keeping a stocked pantry! I like to keep a running list of items we need on my phone, categorized by store.  (It's the Reminder app on my iPhone)  When we run low on rice, I know it's cheapest at Aldi so it goes on that list.  Totally helpful!  

One thing to realize is you can't buy EVERYTHING at Aldi, but you can knock off at least 50% of your list....usually more!

They have a health focused brand called Fit & Active.  Most of those items will be lower in fat, sugar, sodium, etc.  This is the main brand I buy there. Favorite items: rice cakes, jelly, ground turkey, meatballs, yogurt.  There are also gluten free and organic brands they recently introduced!  

Aside from their store brands, they have some main-stream brands also.  The selection depends on the store

My favorite items to buy at Aldi:

• Lunchbox fillers/Snacks: granola bars, crackers, nuts, bread, lunch meat
• Baking items: flour, sugars, spices, corn starch, salt
• Pantry fillers: tomatoes, stock, beans, tuna, rice, seasoning packets, oil, vinegar, coffee
• Frozen items: Fit & Active meatballs, frozen boneless thighs, whole chickens, veggies, Fit & Active whipped topping
• Dinner helpers: thin pizza crusts, gnocchi, whole grain pasta, rice
• Produce/Dairy: almond milk, milk, egg beaters, eggs, yogurt, lettuce, cheese
• WINE: My favorite right now is Intermingle...it's a red blend that is the same as Cupcake Red Velvet, but $3 cheaper!  The knockoff Corona is tasty too.  

Keep in mind: some items are seasonal, others aren't always in stock.  When you find something you love, it's smart to stock up.  When I see my favorite ranch rice cakes, I get a few bags!  

Produce is usually at great prices, but the selection can be hit-or-miss.  No matter what you can get bananas, potatoes and onions, but items like avocados, berries or peppers might not be in stock.  When there's a super low price on a produce item, it's best to go early in the week!

When browsing the meat section, if you see red stickers, the $ off amount is the markdown.  For instance, if a roast has three red $1 stickers, it's $3 off!  They count EACH sticker on there! We don't eat much beef, but I do like to grab pork chops and ground turkey there!

My biggest tip is to TRY EVERYTHING.  I really don't have any items that I steer clear of at Aldi. Many people have a bad impression of the store and they've never even set food inside!  For people who are on a budget, but can't find time to coupon, Aldi is a perfect option for you.  

I suggest you browse the aisles and check out all they have to offer! The stores are usually small, but packed with tasty looking food!  In the seasonal section, I can always find something new--I even found my hand weights and yoga mat there! Not sure where your local Aldi is? Use the store locator! 

Here are some recipes I have based on Aldi shopping:

• Baked Brie
• Chicken & Dumpling Soup
• Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
• S'mores Black bean Brownies

Update: After receiving a few questions on FB and Twitter, I took it upon myself to ask Aldi directly about allergens in their food.  All items are clearly labeled and it's safe shopping for you! Here's a statement from Aldi:

Thank you for contacting us regarding the labeling of allergens on our products. 

 

In accordance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ALDI product labels indicate any ingredients that contain any of the eight major allergenic foods and food groups:  milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat or soybeans.  All of our manufacturers adhere to this standard. 

 

Thank you for shopping at ALDI.

 

Sincerely,

 

ALDI Customer Service

Now let's chat! What are your thoughts on Aldi? What do you buy there?  

MYO Takeout: Fried Rice!

If you follow my Instagram, you'll notice I make fried rice at least 2 times a month. I love it! It's an amazing fridge cleaner too...I like to use up whatever odds and ends I have in our veggie chiller.

MYO takeout: Sriracha Chicken Fried Rice!

A photo posted by Ashleigh Evans (@itscheapash) on Jan 11, 2015 at 3:59pm PST

I love Chinese food, but Ricky has put me on takeout probation because I tend to just pick at whatever I order.  Don't you love when you have a ton of huge onion chunks and sauce and NO chicken? Or they mess up your order, but you're too lazy to call and fix it?  Here's my issue: I absolutely despise fried rice that is soaked in soy sauce.

In my small little hometown, we had a restaurant with the BEST fried rice ever (in my humble opinion!)...it's hard to eat anything else after that.  Shout out to House of Hsu in Grand Ledge, MI! It's crazy I haven't found another Chinese takeout with comparable fried rice yet.

Another reason I avoid takeout: it's expensive!  I like to know what's in my food and I actually don't mind cooking!   With a family of 5, it can be almost $50 sometimes! NO BUENO!

Fried rice is super simple to make at home and it's very versatile.  You can add more veggies, chicken, pork or whatever you have hanging out in your fridge!  Also, use brown or white rice--even quinoa!  It's fun to play around with!

This fried rice can be pared with another MYO takeout dish, like Chicken & Broccoli or General Tsos or bulked up to eat on it's own.  I truly LOVE the chicken potstickers sold at Costco (Ling Ling brand) to go along with at-home takeout.

Number one item you'll need for MYO Chinese takeout: a great wok.  I have this Caphalon one that we got for our wedding and it's perfect...especially since it has a lid. (Macy's has it on sale quite frequently for under $50) World Market has great ones too.

MYO Takeout Fried Rice
(Serves 4)

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup of rice
• Cook and chill rice
• Instead of water, use chicken/veggie stock. 
• Optional: add 2 whole garlic cloves and a nub of fresh ginger root while cooking.
• You can use brown or white rice
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 gloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups veggies
• Simple recipe: use frozen peas & carrots
• Extra filling: add whatever veggies on hand.  Ideas: pea-pods, mushrooms, bean sprouts, broccoli, peppers...
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
• I realize sesame oil can be expensive, but a little goes a long way! Just be sure to store in the fridge to keep it from going bad. I found a small bottle for under $4 at Meijer
• 1 tablespoon each: low sodium soy sauce & teriyaki--OR 2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Soyaki
• Garnish- chopped green onion

Let's Wok!

1. Heat wok (or large pan) with 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. 
2. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add remaining veggies and stir fry for another 4-5 minutes.  
3. Create a well in the center of the pan and slowly pour eggs into it.  Scramble with a spoon and eventually mix with the veggies after mostly cooked.  
4. Toss in the cold rice and remaining oil.   Season with Soyaki (or soy/teriyaki) and stir fry until heated through.
5. Garnish with chopped green onion! 
6. Enjoy!

Tips:

• If adding meat, always cook completely before adding to fried rice.  I like to marinade chicken in Soyaki & sriracha and stir fry it BEFORE I start the rice.  Remove from pan and set aside.
• Keep your pan at a med-high heat to stir-fry.  It might be tempting to turn the heat down!
• Use more or less oil.  I never really measure, I can just tell.  As I always tell my girls: less is more!
• Experiment!  You truly can't go wrong with this simple recipe! For extra protein, use quinoa and endamame instead of rice/peas.  Make it super spicy with hot chiles and sriracha.  Add pineapple for a sweet kick! 

What's your favorite MYO Takeout Recipe? Please share! 

Disney on Ice is coming to Grand Rapids! #Giveaway #DisneyOnIceInsider

I received something of value from Feld Entertainment as part of their Insider Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.#DisneyOnIceInsider

Ah, the magic of Disney!  My girls have totally been hit by the bug and they have been asking non-stop about Disney World.  Time to start planning! (It's going to take a few years to save up!)  I keep wondering when the Frozen phase will end....it's time to let it go! (pun intended)

A few years ago, we took the girls to see Disney On Ice and they absolutely loved it.  They still  remember how much fun they had and details of the show.  This year, this will be the twins' major birthday present. I am thinking we will get dressed up, go out for dinner and make it truly memorable.  The best part of seeing Disney shows is that they are fun for the whole family.  The girls love that I know all of the songs and can have fun with them! 

If you've never been, Disney on Ice is truly a fun experience! You can hear all of your favorite songs, see characters and experience a completely unique show each time. Some parts of the country have Frozen on Ice, others have Princesses & Heroes. Click here to purchase tickets to a Disney On Ice show near you!

In February, Disney on Ice Passport to Adventure  is headed to Grand Rapids!  Here's more info about the show:

Embark on the ultimate sightseeing holiday with all your favorite Disney characters inDisney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure.  Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Daisy on a journey to the magical worlds of Disney’s The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Panand Lilo & Stitch.  You’ll explore the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa; voyage under the sea with Ariel and all her aquatic friends; tour London with Peter Pan and Wendy, before flying to Never Land; and travel to Hawaii to visit Lilo and Stitch.  Upbeat music, loveable characters and exciting destinations make Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure a holiday you’ll never forget.

Ready to take an adventure here in Grand Rapids? I'm giving away FOUR tickets to the opening night of the show at Van Andel Arena!  (Febrary 26, 2015 at 7:00pm!)

Enter below:

Disney On Ice: Passport to Adventure Tickets!

Walmart Rollback Alert: Banquet Dinners! #LowPricedMeals #Cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LowPriceMeals #CollectiveBias

We are pretty busy in the winter months and sometimes I just don't have motivation to cook!  During the final months of winter I'm enjoying warm satisfying meals with savings from Walmart. Banquet dinners and pot pies are cutting our grocery cost without losing the great quality and taste of a hot meal. Until February 24, 2015, all Banquet dinners and pot pies are on rollback at Walmart for $0.80 each. With a great variety of meals including salisbury steak, pepperoni pizza, and lasagna you can plan a great family meal at a low cost. Be sure to head to Walmart and stock up on this great deal while supplies last! 

My girls love the macaroni & cheese, so I always have those on hand!  


See the entire list of rollback Banquet dinners!

Find out more here: www.walmart.com/rollbackmeals

While shopping at Walmart, be sure to look for the Rollback signs for Banquet in the freezer section!

Happy Shopping! 

Winter Grilling: Sweet Chili Turkey Burger

Happy New Year! I hope you all are well and warm!  We've had a fabulously uneventful first few days of 2015.  I am sad that the girls go back to school on Monday...our break flew by!

Right now that winter is in full force here in Michigan, I'm dreaming of a tropical vacation.  In December I got a tweet to enter a video for a site called Dream Jobbing. For this opportunity, the winner is sent to HAWAII for 7 days to take a culinary tour and create three inspired recipes for King's Hawaiian bread.  UM, yes please!  My video is officially up and you can vote DAILY (pretty please!!).   

About the video: do you know how hard it is to keep kids and dogs quiet for even 10 minutes? Impossible.  This was my first video with my new camera...get excited for more this year! 

We absolutely love King's Hawaiian bread.  The mini buns are a staple in our house for my pulled pork.  Since we all love pineapple, I thought it was high time I created a Hawaiian burger!  Don't be scared of the sweet chili sauce, it's very mild and simply adds a kick of flavor.  The girls gobbled these up without complaints!  

It's time to dust off your Foreman grill (or go outside if you're one of those lucky folks without seasons...) and get grillin!

Sweet Chili Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

What you need:

• 1 package LEAN Jennie-O ground turkey
• 4 King's Hawaiian burger buns
• 2 tablespoons Maggi Sweet Chili sauce 
• Also amazing in stir fry! 
• 3 pineapple spears
• 1 teaspoon honey (to glaze pineapple)
• 1 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons Montreal Chicken seasoning, low-sodium
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Mayo
• Swiss cheese slices
• 4 slices honey ham  (or Spam!)
• Optional: fried egg 

1. Preheat oven to 375 to toast buns later.  Plug in Foreman grill. 
2. In a large bowl, add coconut oil, chili sauce, Montreal chicken and garlic powder. Whisk until combined. (This is the BEST way to fully combine seasonings for burgers, FYI!)
3. Add ground turkey and kneed with hands until combined.  Form into 4 large patties. 
4. Add pineapple to grill and brush with honey.  Grill until browned, set aside on cutting board to chop later.
5. On the buns, spread a light layer of mayo. Toast buns 5-6 minutes in oven.  
6. Add burgers to grill and cook through. 
7. To assemble burger: add chopped pineapple, slice of ham, slice of Swiss cheese.  Use a foil tent to melt cheese.
8. Once buns are toasted, add mayo on bottom and place cooked burger on top. 
9. To take it to the NEXT level, throw a fried egg on it.  Ricky adds eggs to everything!
10. Pretend you're in paradise and enjoy your burger!  Aloha!

Pretty please take a moment to VOTE and I'll love you forever.