The "I'm too busy to cook" Crock Pot Recipe

Classes are in full swing and I feel like I have hit the ground running. By the time I get through my To Do list (thank you Andrea for the tips!), I am too tired to cook. Instead of accepting defeat and going out to eat, I plan ahead.

If there is only one thing you ever take away from my posts, let it be this: INVEST IN A CROCK POT. Besides body pillows, crock pots are one the best man-made inventions. You basically just throw in whatever you want and let it cook all day without any worry.

You will soon find out that I am a lover of food. There's hardly anything I don't like. So my recipes usually consist of a little bit of everything. With that in mind, I give you one of my favorite dinner recipes...

Roast, Potatoes, and Carrots

(It is almost too easy to make and it is oh so good)

**The recipe is based on half a roast. There is no way I can eat a whole roast by myself so I cut it in half and freeze it.**

Ingredients: 

2 cups of water

Half a stick of butter

Salt and Pepper

Diced Potatoes

(amount depends on how starchy I'm feeling)

Baby Carrots

(I love carrots so I usually have a lot)

Instructions:

#1 place roast in crock pot ( it can be frozen, no need to defrost)

#2 add 2 cups of water

#3 add potatoes and carrots

#4 add salt and pepper

#5 add half a stick of butter (I usually put it on top of the roast)

#6 turn crock pot on high and let it cook for at least 6 hours (usually ready when meat is falling apart)

#7 ENJOY!

If I get out of class around 11:00 a.m., I usually put everything in the crock pot once I get home. If I have a busy day, I'll get it going before I leave my apartment in the morning. Either way works just fine!

Here's a tip: 

1) If you are aren't a fan of potatoes or carrots, replace it with something else like green beans. 

2) If you need a little more flavor, don't be afraid to add a little extra seasoning. Sometimes I like to add McCormick's Roasted Garlic & Herb seasoning.

My dinner was so good, I had the leftovers for lunch!

If you have any questions about my recipe or want to share your variation of the recipe, feel free to comment below! We'd love to hear from you.

Happy eating and God bless ya!

Hillary

Tackle Your To Do List

In today's fast-paced world, we're surrounded by busy bodies everywhere attempting to conquer the world. With so much to do and so little time, we often find ourselves creating a to do list that never seems to get shorter. In the past I had a hard time crossing anything off of my list, but I had no problem adding to my list. It's almost as if I spent all of my time making my list and no time actually being productive. Fortunately, I found a few tips that have helped me reduce my list instead of constantly adding to it.

• WRITE IT DOWN. In my experience, I found that making mental lists does not work. Whether it's a grocery list or a to do list, once I left the grocery store or felt that I had finished with my to do list, I would always end up remembering something I forgot. I finally formed the habit of writing everything down. I am definitely more productive when I write down what I need to accomplish. It also helps to see the list literally getting smaller. Try it out. Write down your tasks and cross out each one as you finish. 

• COMPLETE ONE TASK. This may sound counterintuitive, but each day find ONE task, only one, and do everything you can to cross that off your list. This doesn't mean you will only complete one task a day, it simply means you will cross at least one item off of your list everyday. When I have a million things on my list, looking at it seems daunting. Telling myself I only have to complete one task, the list seems less intimidating. Once I complete the one task, I am more likely to complete more tasks. As you begin being productive, you want to continue, that's why I feel like this tip has worked for me. So just pick one task you must complete today, and make sure you do it!

• PRIORITIZE. This may seem obvious, but it is also easy to forget. I make my list, then I put a star next to the tasks that need to be completed first. By prioritizing my list, I am reminded of the most important tasks. It's easy to look at a list and see a blur of words. When I star or highlight the important tasks, it's easier to look at the list and see what must be completed first. You can also try numbering your list in order of importance. I have tried that method, but I am constantly reminding myself of more items that need to be added to my list, and some are more important than others. I would be rewriting my list 100 times each day if I numbered my list, so I just stick to putting a star next to my most important task. It may work for you though. Let me know which method is most beneficial to you!

Those are three tips of mine that have helped me be more productive in my busy life by eliminating items from my to do list. I hope that you find them helpful. Let us know if you already use any of these tips or if you have any tips of your own!

XOXO 

Andrea!

Conquering The Grocery Store

My Christmas break is slowly coming to an end and I have already started planning my grocery list. Some of you might be thinking that's a little strange but when you are buying groceries for one on a small budget, planning is everything. Before I came home for break, I basically emptied out the kitchen since I was going to be gone for about a month. Now that I am heading back, I'm going to have to do a major restock. I have developed a little method when it comes to conquering the grocery store.

Before I get started, here are a few tips you should keep in mind when shopping:

#1 Beware of stores that have a sprinkler system for the produce. The water actually makes your produce weigh more and can make it go bad quicker. Pick items that are at the bottom of the stack and try to shake off as much water as you can before bagging it. Don't be afraid to use your freezer either! Cutting up veggies and fruits and then freezing them is not a bad thing at all!

#2 Check the lighting over items as well! Sometimes grocery stores will have colored lighting over produce or meats that can manipulate the quality of the product!

#3 When purchasing meats, always pick one from the top. When meat is compressed, the juices are squeezed out which could dry the meat causing it to go bad faster. If the pad under the meat appears full of juice then pick another item!

GAME PLAN:

First: I write down everything I need in categories. Weird, I know, but it is ten times better than looking at an exhausting grocery list. I try to freeze as much as I can so it will last longer. My poor freezer is always loaded down but hey, whatever works right? Here's a picture of my list:

Second: I'm a proud Kroger shopper and a plus card owner. I'm even the crazy grocery shopper that has the Kroger app. After I finish writing out my list I go through Kroger's weekly ads and coupons. I match up deals with what I have on my list. Sometimes you can get double the savings when there are shelf deals on the items as well. ***PARENTS: This is great for kids headed off to college. My mom graciously allows me to use our gas reward points while I'm away for school. (bless her kind soul and thank you Jesus for 20 cents off the gallon!)

Third: I add all of the deals to my Kroger plus card on the app. IMPORTANT: Whenever you are ready to check out, make sure you have the cashier scan your plus card from your phone. That is the only way the added coupons will apply. I like this method because I do not have to keep up with a bunch of paper coupons. Here's a quick glance at what the app looks like on an Android phone:

                                                       

Fourth: I do a little happy dance in the car because I just saved some serious money! But wait, there's more! What's better than saving money? Earning money for virtually nothing! I downloaded two rebate apps on my phone. These apps feature certain items each week/every two weeks and give you cash back for just purchasing the items. All you have to do is select the featured items that you bought, upload a picture of your receipt, and within 24 hours money is approved. The most you can get back on one item is about $1.50 but after a while it can really add up. You can request a check after you have earned $20. Here are the two apps I use:

Bonus: Right After I published this post I had some great people suggest another rebate app called Ibotta. (Thanks Laurie Mitchell and Kendra Hook!) After signing up for it and checking out the features, I think I am definitely going to use it! The app seems very user friendly! Click here to sign up with ibotta! ----> There's a secret bonus waiting for you if you hit that link and redeem a rebate within 10 days of signing up!

And there you have it folks! I try to be as resourceful as possible since I have limited funding. Even if you have a house full of people, this can still apply to you. My mom saved $38 during her last grocery shopping trip following this plan! It doesn't take a whole lot of time and it is worth the savings.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to add them below!

Happy grocery shopping and God bless ya!

Hillary

Getting the First Step Out the Door!

If you have a hard time getting out the door for exercise, you're not alone. It is often said that the hardest step is the first one out the door. There are just some people who need help finding that extra motivation to exercise. I'm here to share with you my motivation!

I do enjoy exercising. I regularly lift weights, and I run, but there is one thing I can never find motivation for.... the TREADMILL! Or, as I like to call it, the dreadmill. I find it terribly boring, and I never last as long as I do on the roads. However, there is another thing I especially dislike, and that is COLD weather. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, thus I never even experienced a real winter until I moved to Kentucky. In the Cincinnati area this time of year, it is very hard for me to run outside. When I moved here, I joined LA Fitness. Luckily, there is a location on the Kentucky side that overlooks the Ohio River into Ohio. I finally found my motivation to use the treadmill during yucky cold weather, and you can see it below!

Who wouldn't want to run when you can see downtown Cincinnati? I love this view! I can't say that I love running on the treadmill now, but I don't mind it. I know everyone won't have a view like this to motivate them, but there is something out there that can motivate you. I encourage you to find that motivation, and use it to get you out the door or to do what you do not want to do! Whether it be your dog motivating you on a run, setting a motivating picture as the background on your phone, or having your kids workout with you, there is something that you can use to motivate you, you just have to find it! If your end goal is a race, like a 5k, sign up and pay the money for the race now! Once you are signed up for the race, that will serve as a motivator! It's one thing to say you want to run a 5k, but it's another to actually sign up for it!

Let me know if you have any questions!

XOXO

Andrea!

Recovering from the Holidays!

Hey everyone, it's Andrea here. I'm a little behind the blogging, but the past few weeks have been pretty crazy. My husband has been in Arizona for military training since September, and I was lucky enough to be able to spend the last two weeks with him! Now that he is back in training, you will be hearing from me more often (lucky you!). 

If you're anything like me, you thoroughly enjoyed the holidays, and maybe a little too much when it came to the delicious food. I gained at least 5 pounds over three weeks of holiday traveling. My goal was to enjoy the holiday food, but not to overindulge. That mission was a big fail, but that's okay. Now that I am back home, I'm excited to be in a routine again. My routine includes a continuous workout schedule and clean eating. In this post I am going to share with you a day's worth of meals. This is not any certain diet that cuts out carbs or any other nutrients. I LOVE food, and I despise cutting out necessary nutrients. 

This post is important to me, because of how important it is to maintain a somewhat healthy lifestyle in law school. After spending countless hours of studying and reading, it is very easy to pick up awful eating habits because of convenience. During my first semester of law school, my goal was to maintain my healthy eating and continue a steady workout schedule. For the most part, I believe I was successful.

BREAKFAST

As you can see, my breakfast consists of 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, and a smoothie.

I switch up the egg combination everyday. Some days I will throw in some egg whites with the whole eggs, and sometimes I will only make egg whites. The Tony Chachere's is what I add to my eggs. This seasoning is great on everything, and I love it on my eggs!

The bacon is low sodium. I know bacon isn't the healthiest choice, but it is tasty! Bacon also has necessary fats, so that's why I include bacon.

The smoothie is a combination of a few things:

• Mixed fruits - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
• Kale
• Spinach
• Whey protein - 1 scoop
• Ice

I do not measure the fruit or the greens. I use the individual serving cup to blend everything. I usually fill up the cup halfway with the fruit, and then I throw in some greens to fill the rest. I blend the fruit and greens first, then I add the protein and ice then blend once more!

This breakfast has a good combination of protein, fat, and carbs. 

MID-MORNING SNACK

For my mid-morning snack, I usually have a cup of green tea and a pack of baby carrots. It's not much, but it's healthy. Sometimes I will add hummus for taste and to include necessary fats. 

LUNCH

This doesn't look like much, but this wrap is delicious and mighty healthy!

Below are the ingredients.

Ingredients include:

• Premium Select Peppered Turkey Breast
• Lettuce
• Hummus
• Spinach Mission Wrap
• Shredded Cheese (not pictured)

I like to warm up the wrap, so I preheat the oven to 300. I lay the wrap on a cookie pan. I first place the turkey, then the cheese. I heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Once heated, I place a tablespoon of hummus on the wrap, then throw on some lettuce. Finally, I fold it like a burrito, and eat up! 

MID-AFTERNOON SNACK

Depending on what time I plan to eat dinner, and depending on whether I'm hungry, I'll eat a mid-afternoon snack. This is typically a rice cake and hummus. Yes, hummus again! It's healthy and yummy!

DINNER

This dinner should look somewhat familiar. This is the meal Hillary wrote about in "Dinner Without a Million Dishes." I absolutely love this dinner because of how easy it is to make and how tasty it is. The only difference from Hillary's version are the green beans. I prefer to eat fibrous carbs at dinner, so I substitute the green beans for the potatoes. 

LATE-NIGHT SNACK

Again, this snack depends on whether I am hungry or not. Typically I will have 1 scoop of whey protein and some almonds. This snack is a good combination of protein and fats. I try not to eat any carbs after dinner. 

So those are my meals for a day of clean eating. I also try to drink about 70 oz. of water everyday. In no way am I telling you this is the best way to lose weight, or the healthiest meal plan out there. I also do not eat the same exact meals every single day. This is one day of clean eating for me. I'm hoping to lose the holiday weight in two weeks from eating clean and working out. Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy New Year,

Andrea!

Here's to my 2015 resolutions!

2014 was an amazing year for me. I had the opportunity to do an internship at the Kentucky Capitol with some very wonderful and inspiring people (shout out to my intern clique and the VMAPP crew),  graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College, and started my first year of law school at NKU Salmon P. Chase College of Law. What a year right? I can't even begin to describe all of the beautiful memories I've made over this past year nor characterize the many people who have truly touched my life. Most importantly, I found a way to be happy with myself and the path God has put in front of me. Happiness use to be a struggle of mine but today it comes with ease.

I'm about to turn 23 and let me tell ya, us 20 something year old folks do not have it easy. Our generation is facing A LOT. I was fortunate enough to grow up in church but there have been a few times I've pulled away and have had to fight my way back. I've struggled with the typical girl weaknesses - body image, what other people think of me, dating, marriage, making my parents proud, being a good role model to my sister, college life pressures, immaturity, etc. Sometimes I felt like I was never going to get over any of these demons... this past year I made some serious progress.

How did I do it? I finally began to understand what it meant to fear God. I was in a pretty low place fall semester of my senior year. I was trying to juggle so many things at one time and it was finally beginning to break me down. I'm pretty sure I had a full on ugly cry session about once a week. I lost myself amongst the chaos. I was figuratively carrying around this backpack of heavy thoughts and guilt from past mistakes. It was so bad, I remember feeling guilty about something I did in kindergarten.. KINDERGARTEN PEOPLE. 

Enough of the sob story - Here's how I worked through the mess.

1) I sincerely prayed to God to forgive me of my mistakes. I didn't just say, "Lord please forgive me of all of my sins..." I went through every single one of them. I specifically talked them out with God. I listened to the song "You Know Me" (feat. Steffany Frizzell) by Bethel Music while I asked him to rid me of each stain and to heal my heart. I felt about 20 pounds lighter after I got it all off my chest. 

2) I finally began to forgive myself for my sins. I had allowed my sins to flood me with guilt and I had convinced myself that they would always be with me. If God can forgive me then surely I can forgive myself. So one by one I let it go and did not pick it back up.

3) I began praying about everything. I prayed about my family, my friends, my enemies, random people, big decisions, small decisions, worries, accomplishments, my future husband, etc. You name it, I probably prayed about it.

4) I renewed my faith in Jesus. This was a big one and it was a hard pill to swallow. I became fearful of God. When I say this I don't mean I was literally scared of God. I mean I became fearful of a life WITHOUT God. There is absolutely no way I can make it on my own. Time and time again I have gotten down on my knees asking God to save me and continually he has done so. I didn't really figure this one out until I was living on my own. I had to have faith that God was preparing me for something greater than I could ever imagine.

5) Lastly, I started the process of becoming healthier. No, I do not weigh myself on a scale because that is just down right depressing. No, I did not follow a strict diet plan either. I simply decided to start making healthier choices. I started running with my dog and picking healthier items to eat. I forced myself to drink more water. It has been a process but it is working. 

Let me just say that I still make mistakes and have issues to work through. However, I am better than I was and now I know how to deal with my problems. Sometimes life is hard but it makes for a good story. You never know who might need to hear your story to get through their own.

With that being said, my 2015 Resolution is to continue my happiness and to help a few people become happy as well. So how in the world am I going to do that? By creating long-lasting healthy habits, continuing to strengthen my relationship with God, and sharing my story with you. 

I recently found Kara's blog - Wellness Witness and I am completely inspired! What better way to find happiness than through the power of change and the love of God? She's a genius! The best part about this whole thing is that most changes are easy on your budget (especially my tiny budget) and lovin' from Jesus is FREE!

This post wasn't about a recipe or a thrift store find but it was about adding a little value to your life for free! You can't beat that! I hope after reading this post you find yourself a little happier than you were before you read it. If so, than I am already fulfilling the second part of my 2015 resolution! 

I'll end this with a little prayer over you. I pray God surrounds you with blessings the way an ocean surrounds an island. I pray that you never walk alone. I pray that you look to God in both your high and low times. I pray that your ears are always open to receive and your tongue is quick to praise. And finally, I pray for happiness over your life! Amen!

God Bless Ya!

Hillary

P.S. Here are some photos from this past year! Enjoy!

 

 

                           

Dinner without a million dishes

This past summer I officially left the nest. I moved four hours away from home in a city where I didn't know a single soul. I felt like I finally put on my big girl pants because it was time for me to take some responsibility. I had my very own lovable dog, bills to pay, a small budget to work with, and a ton of school work. One of the things I started working on was cooking. Turns out, I LOVE TO COOK. I was on the phone with my mom during dinner time for the first month, however slowly but surely I started adventuring out on my own.

There is one downfall to living by yourself and cooking dinner: spending at least an hour cooking, at most ten minutes to eat the food, and then almost an hour cleaning the mess up. By the time you set down to eat you are too tired to do anything else, especially clean up the kitchen. With that in mind, I went on the search for something easy to make with little to no mess. 

Here's what I found!

julieseatsandtreats.com

(the link above takes you straight to the recipe)

One night during my finals week I decided to try this recipe out. It seemed fairly easy and I was in need of a good meal and a study break. I went to Kroger to pick up a few things but when I got back to my apartment I realized I had bought spicy ranch dressing seasoning and forgot to pick up potatoes. I think lapse of judgment can be considered a side effect of long hours of studying. Since I had already invited Andrea over for dinner and she was due to come over soon, I made the decision to replace the potatoes with baby carrots and use the spicy ranch dressing seasoning.

Ingredients:

-1/4 melted butter

-can of green beans

- two boneless chicken breasts (diced into fours)

-one packet of spicy ranch dressing seasoning

-sliced onion (optional)

-salt and pepper

Instructions:

-1/3 green beans

-1/3 chicken

-1/3 carrots

-salt and pepper the whole dish

-pour the melted butter evenly over the dish

-sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the dish

-preheat the oven at 350 degrees

-cover the dish with aluminum foil

-leave in the over for about an hour

There was barely any food left by the time we finished eating! Not only was it easy to make but it was also healthy and there was barely a mess. I have recently tried this same recipe with the regular ranch dressing seasoning and I didn't like it as much as the spicy seasoning. Don't be afraid to substitute any of the ingredients, make it your own! It worked for me!

Have limited ingredients and no idea what to cook? Here's a tip: On www.supercook.com you can add what ingredients you have in your kitchen and it will generate recipes for you! I know I can't be the only one who has trouble figuring out what to make sometimes! I probably use this website once or twice a week.

Let us know if you have any questions or share with us your ideas by commenting below!

God Bless Ya!

Hillary