Special Seasonings

Today has been a completely unproductive and boring day. I took jake out to play fetch for awhile this afternoon while watering the yard and then went walking later around the neighborhood because I was tired of just sitting on the couch. While sitting here I did decide I would do something productive and created my weekly menu for next week and made a grocery list. I am pretty excited about all the new recipes I have found on two extremely good sites! One you have already read about from my earlier blog posts which is skinnytaste.com. I love her weight watcher recipes and never feel 'guilty' after eating her meals. I LOVE crockpot dinners and although I love her site, she really doesn't have any 'unique' crock-pot meals other than pork and chili. So I did some research online and found laaloosh.com. This website has hundreds of healthy recipes as well as 41 different crockpot meals. Seeing as I had SO MUCH time on my hands today, I made a page of recipes that looked great to me and am looking forward to trying a couple next week.
However, I am QUICKLY realizing eating healthy this year has cost way too much money. I was raised where there was meat at every meal. Even lunch. My dad is a butcher and he feels like it really isn't a meal without meat. Beef here is too expensive and it really seems like a treat when we do buy a roast or steak meat of some kind and; in conclusion, we eat LOTS of chicken, ground chicken, or packaged chicken. Hopefully, I can prepare more meals with staples such as beans, rice, and wheat pastas. Which by the way, the owners of jake gave us a 2.5lb pork tenderloin roast from their freezer which I am cooking for Sunday!!!
 In addition to the costs of meat, dairy, bread, and fresh produce here is kicking out butts. Using our Dave Ramsey budget form, I have decided to increase our percent of take home pay in this category and decrease our eating out money. When hearing others getting to eat out 4 times a week or MORE I get a little envious. How nice would it be to go eat out that much and NOT spend a fortune? A fortune meaning $25-$40 a meal. So I suppose it really is much cheaper eating healthier at home. It is not practical and a good use of money to eat out every day when you could prepare and pack your lunches at home the night or weekend before. Stepping off my soap box, my goal each week is to spend under $100. After looking at the e-mealz on Dave Ramsey I was seriously considering subscribing to his meal plan; however, the plan does not include other foods which are considered staples and it does not include bathroom, cleaning, or household items in that plan so I decided not to do it. Spending $35 dollars a week on groceries seems amazing, but really nonexistent for a weight watchers diet and Hawaiin cost of living.

On another note, I recieved another care package today from my momma! I was really looking forward to this package because she picked up my new set of contacts. For the past 2 weeks I have had some sort of eye infection due to my contacts and have had to wear my glasses which really get in the way. When I opened my box I saw all of this:

I am so excited about all of these seasonings! I never realized how much recipes call for different types of seasonings and then you go out and buy the little jar and use it only a few times. So I kinda leave out many seasonings recipes call for because I refuse to buy such a little jar for one recipe that may call for it. I also received some cut coupons Aubree clipped for me! Oh, and some more pinto beans! My second attempt in making pinto beans went so well this week I can't wait for another big pan of them!

I am now sitting here watching the 7th Harry Potter movie and deciding on what 'needs' to be done. I am excited about making some cuban rice tonight and am really looking forward to seeing Jake in the morning!