Day 19 - March 12 - Tips From a Miser, Pt.1

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I started in two financial accountability circles shortly before I started the BBE. The great thing is these two missions go hand in hand! Because I'm eating less, I've saved TONS of money and wanted to share what I'm learning here too. I started my list last night and have so many this is going to be shared over several blogs. I didn't want to write an entry that would take all day to read...and you know from my past entries this is saying something! Hope these are helpful:

-Stretching your Hamburger Helper: The problem I'd run into with HH was I hated the leftovers. The noodles would get pasty and I'd barely be able to choke it down. Invariably, it would get thrown away and it was such a waste! What I do differently is make the box without the noodles and cut the simmering time by half. I'll make the noodles or rice on the side and poor the meaty sauce on top. Cutting the cooking time allows the meat to retain the sauciness (which I like!) and you get more volume. I know it sounds like you're adding the expense of noodles or rice but really, compared to the amount of meat I used to throw away, this is still more economical. At the end of the first meal, I still have tons of HH and this is GREAT as a leftover. For a "fresh" meal, you can heat up the sauce and just make additional noodles or re-heat the rice.
NOTE 1: If your rice is a little dry, just sprinkle it with water and nuke for a minute in the microwave. The steam should help revive it. Add the time by 30 second intervals if the rice is still cold.
NOTE 2: My sister likes to add a bit of cream to make this meal, well, creamier. If you do too you can save money by substituting evaporated milk for the cream. Evaporated milk does the same job, without changing the flavor, for much less!

-Use MINI muffin tins when baking: Because I cook with the idea that something has to fit in my baby bowl, mini muffin tins are GREAT. I cooked a box of whole wheat blueberry streudal muffins (drool!) and normally it would make about a dozen regular-sized muffins. These last a couple of days and my daughter wouldn't eat them after they cooled off. Making them as mini muffins, however, stretched them to over 30 adorable little muffins and they lasted about FOUR days! Also, because they were small, I could pop them in my toaster oven (even out of the fridge), set it for medium high and they'd come out warm and crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, making them perfect for Marianne!
NOTE 1: It's tempting to "pop" these little mini muffins but I try and get at least 3 bites out of each one. It makes the experience last longer (giving your body time to feel full!) and I really get to enjoy them!
NOTE 2: If you really jones for a sweet treat, try the mini tins for cake and brownies too. It's especially great for the brownie lover, like me, who LOVES the edges! Just watch your cooking time and check your baking frequently. If anyone knows the bake times for these mini tins, please share it!

-Use meat as a seasoning: Several years ago, a friend who has lots of food allergies shared this with me and I've always thought this was GENIUS. I'd NEVER thought of meat as a seasoning, always the center of a meal. You can use this philosophy in dishes like fried rice, spaghetti sauce, salads, soups etc...any recipe or meal where there are other supporting ingredients or sides dishes.

Stay tuned for more...Tips from a Miser...


Meaningful Movement: 25 minutes of stepladder on treadmill, 1 hour of Beginning Toning

Foods that fit in a baby bowl, Day 19:
-Lenten fast: breakfast
-1/2 pita with dill dip spread, romaine lettuce, ham and cheddar cheese
-garlic caesar salad
NOTE: I actually ate the above two items together. I treated myself with the salad since I used half the amount of ham I use in a whole wheat roll up.
-1/2 Sam's Club pepperoni pizza slice (Marianne at the other half)
NOTE: I drank Welch's grape juice instead of water since I had it in my purse.
-While walking around Sam's Club: 1 shrimp (scampi), a sliver of Digiorno Supreme, 1" spring roll, 1" General Tso's chicken, 1 sample cup of Greek Yogurt (strawberry, blueberry and peach)
NOTE: Collectively, it all fit in my baby bowl
-popcorn (leftover from last Saturday's movie! I put it in a baggy and it's still yummy!)