Meal Plan Monday: How I plan my meals

I seem to go through spurts with my meal planning.  I will plan my meals consistently for several months and then the next few months, I will slack off.  I can tell a major difference in our budget when I don't plan my meals for the week.  We tend to "run out" to get something to eat rather than eating a healthier and cheaper meal at home. Or...we end up eating "junk"... (which coincidentally has packed on a few pounds around my middle lately lol)  Plus, cooking for my husband is one of my favorite ways to serve him. :) He loves to eat. <3 I thought I would share with you my strategy for meal planning and a sample menu (which happens to be this week's)  Every week may be different, the kids are into different activities, etc.  With summer here, I really want to be able to effectively and time efficiently plan my meals so I am not scrounging around the kitchen trying to find something to cook! The crockpot and pressure cooker are my friend!

I have adopted the "cook once, eat twice...or more" strategy. This strategy is so simple, yet so filling! For example. This week I will buy a whole chicken or 2) and cook it.  This gives me chicken for more than one meal for my family.  I can purchase a whole chicken for half the price of chicken breasts for 1-2 meals! If hubby requests something different, then I can shred the chicken, place it in a freezer bag with a little stock, and freeze it for another day. I like to do this with other things I cook as well. (as you will see this week) (I also make chicken stock from my chicken remnants...I will post on that at a later time as well)

On my menu, you will see "or Salmon Cakes"  I always have pantry meals available should hubby want something totally different on a specific night, I run low on time, or I have failed to go to the grocery store for the next week. Pantry meals are meals that I have on hand at any given time in my pantry or freezer.  I also double and freeze a lot of my meals, so those are on hand as well.  On average, I keep our 3 favorite meals frozen in the freezer (chicken rotel, pizza casserole, and baked spaghetti), also ingredients to make potato soup, salmon cakes, and a few others.  It is great to have these handy for those days you are just "feeling something different".

Also, on Saturdays, my husband usually takes us out to eat, unless he has a particularly rough week at work and just wants to relax at home.  I look forward to these date nights. 99.9% of the time we eat out at our favorite local Mexican Restaurant.

Also, my menu strategy changes from week to week as well.  We have the girls every other week. So this week...since we have the girls, we have a few things going on with them and Ty.

Here is my menu for this week: We have our "favorite" meals, so I tend to fix those at least twice a month. You will also notice, my dinners are cost effective.  Very important! (I am also doing Advocare right now...so meals such as salmon cakes and chalupas...I will adapt something different that will fit into my personal meal plan, usually anything can be turned into a salad)

Monday: (grocery store day so I do not like to "cook") After going grocery shopping, I am "fooded" out! lol. We will have turkey, swiss, and mushroom paninis with ranch and cucumbers (we also have a baseball game tonight, so we can make these sandwiches easy and and early)

Tuesday: Cooked whole chicken (I will make this in the pressure cooker with onions and seasonings...this will be served with greenbeans and crock pot pintos) - we have dance on Tuesdays so using the pressure cooker and crockpot saves a ton of time! - I may go ahead and cook two since the pressure cooker is so quick.

Wednesday: chicken chalupas (using left over pintos for refried beans) with lots of veggies on top (recipe to come)

Thursday:  New: chicken, veggie, and pasta recipe (recipe to come)

Friday: Leftovers (CORN- Clean Out the Refrigerator Night) , or if I don't have leftovers, Salmon cakes with green peas and potatoes (T-ball game night!)

Saturday: Family date night (we have a birthday party)

Sunday: Usually on Sundays, we like to grill out..so chicken kabobs with loads of veggies.

So as you can see...I make one chicken and we eat on it for a couple of days. This saves time and money.

Once I plan my meal...I make out my grocery list and STICK TO IT!

That's how it is done in the Deal house. :) Like I said, I slack sometimes, most of the time Especially during the spring when I'm just counting down to summer. I just know how much money I save and how much happier hubby and I are when I do.  My goal is to eventually be able to do monthly planning rather than weekly planning. After being a SAHM for nearly 4 years....I think it's time to get this part of my homemaking back on schedule!

What are a few of your favorite recipes?

Ran out of Laundry detergent? No problem

So the other day....I ran out of laundry detergent. With a family of 5....that is no good. I had sheets to wash and Ty was napping...so I couldn't just run out to the store. So what did I do? I used two ingredients I had on hand and washed away. It worked perfect! Clothes were clean, smelled fresh, perfection. I have a top loader, HE washer....So I wouldn't use this often..but it was perfect in a pinch!

1/4 cup white vinegar
2 TBS dawn dish detergent

Place both ingredients in bin and wash like normal

Tada!

Week in Review - Instagram edition

Today I thought I would do a little week in review....Instagram edition. Find me on Instagram at @glamhousewife

This week has been a busy one! From birthing this blog to planting our cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce in the garden.

I also did a lot of work in my office/makeup room this week. I spray painted a gorgeous table gold. I am so upset with myself for not posting a before and after for you! I am in love with all things gold. <3

From a birthday dinner to Easter Sunday...this week has been a busy but wonderful one. <3

Thank you for your visits to my little corner of the internet. I am excited for this blog and what the future holds. <3

Hope you and your family had an amazing week!

xoxo,

Glam Housewife

Younique Lip Bonbons

Today's Younique product highlight!  I wanted to touch base on one of my favorite products from our spring launch! This is your lips but better. Very moisturizing with just a hint of color!

Lip Bonbons Tinted Lip Balm

What is it: Lightly tinted lip balm that provides a subtle hint of color. It is creamy, smooth, and will leave your lips feeling nourished and moisturized.

What’s in it: Lip Bonbons Tinted Lip Balm is made with five nourishing natural oils, multiple fruit extracts, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. It’s complete with sunflower seed, opuntia flower, goji, pomegranate, and peach kernal.

Fragrance:  There is a very mild vanilla fragrance to each lip balm.

How to Use: Apply to your lips for a hint of color or just to moisturize and add a bit of shine. I also like to top my lip stains with this for added moisture. 

Available Shades: Chocolate Truffle (Coral), Red Velvet Cake (Berry), Cherry Cobbler (Cherry Red), Raspberry Cheesecake (Pink), and Vanilla Milkshake (Clear).

Grab your lip bonbons HERE individually or the entire set of 5! My favorite is Chocolate Truffle!

x

Do you ever get something....and you really don't know it's worth just yet? Not monetary worth...but much more.

That is how I feel about these little charms. When I first joined Younique, I received the White charm in my presenters kit. I threw it to the side on my desk, thinking to myself, not sure what I'll do with it, but I'll just keep it there. Oh little did I know.

Next up in the rank line is Yellow...once again I was mailed a charm with a sweet card. OK, I told myself, I can start a little collection.

I really started working at this point. Putting my heart and soul into my business. I wanted to grow, I wanted to learn, I wanted to help others grow and learn. Guess what? I earned my Fast Start charm. Oh I was so proud of this accomplishment. This one was not an easy task. This charm came and I felt proud of how far I had come......

The rest is history. Then came Pink, and Blue, and GREEN.....and my 10k PRS charm (so proud of this one!)

With each charm...I anxiously wait at the mailbox daily to see if they have arrived. Those little black envelopes get ripped open so quickly. You see, these little charms aren't just trinkets anymore. They are coveted trophies. Trophies that are rewarded to show hard work, dedication, sweat, and tears.

And now, they get placed one by one in a shadow box in my office...as a constant reminder of what hard work, passion, and love can do. And they are placed beside one of my favorite verses, Psalm 116:12 to remind me that these earthly treasures, and success, and everything that is blessed to me,...should be given to HIM, "

"What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me." Psalm 116:12

Blessed. These charms are worth their weight in gold to me. <3 Can not wait to add more.

Tips and tricks for Younique's self tanner

Tips and tricks for Younique's self tanners.

First things first. Take care of business. 

Shower. Shave. Exfoliate. 

Don't use soaps, body washes or exfoliants that have moisturizers in them or leave a residue on your skin. (I exfoliate the day before, and I use an exfoliator made from baby oil...but I do this the day before for that reason)

Dry off and do NOT moisturize. Wait about ten minutes to be certain there is no moisture left on your skin.

What you need.

A towel on the floor to stand on. 

Vinyl gloves or a mitt to protect the palms of your hands.

Spray:

For face. Close your eyes and mist away. It's a pump not an aerosol so Use full quick pumps so it mists as opposed to sputters out of the spray.

Four or five should cover nicely.

With gloves on. Gently distribute it evenly over your face. Be sure to sweep excess down your neck and don't forget to distribute on your chest/shoulders as the mist is sure to fall on your chest and shoulders.

For body. Same as the face. Start with one section and complete that section before moving to the next. For example. Do your shin and calf. Distribute (wearing your gloves) evenly. Excess over your knees ankles and feet. Then move onto the thigh. Etc.

Lotion:

Don't skimp on the amount of product you use!

There is a make up bronzer inside the lotion which makes it easy to see where you have applied. It also thickens the lotion. As the "make up" begins to dry you will notice it will look like its streaking. It's not. It's just drying. Don't over rub. Let me repeat...DO NOT OVER RUB. Distribute evenly and move on to the next section adding more product.

Use excess to do knees. Ankles. Etc.

For both. Allow 10-15 minutes of dry time before putting clothes on. The make up in the self tanning lotion may transfer to your clothing if you sweat so it's recommended to wear dark clothing. If that happens. It will wash out!

After about four hours it is safe to rinse your face and body to remove the bronzer from your skin. The active ingredients in the self tanners have absorbed into your skin and are doing their job!

Allow 12 hours to see the full result of your application.

The length your self tan will last all depends on your skin and habits. Reapply to reach your desired results and then to maintain it will vary from 3-7 days depending on how your self tan lasts given the above reasons.

These products are buildable! So get as tan as you want!

The temporary "wear when you want to" body bronzers release later this month!

You can get these products at www.glamhousewife.com

Base for my overnight oats

The base to any overnight oat your heart desires...

I've heard of overnight oats for years. But there was just something about cold oatmeal that didn't appeal to me. I couldn't even fathom that it would taste decent at. all. Believe it or not...I've even made it in the past and couldn't bring myself to eat it. Craziness. I know....

Fast forward to October 2015. My husband and I spent a week at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman. Not only is the Ritz absolutely AH-MAZING, the food was phenomenal. PHENOMENAL. There was a huge breakfast served every morning. There was also a little cafe at the resort with quick breakfast foods. One of them being what I thought was a parfait. It was actually Muesli made into overnight oats. And it was delicious. I decided to add it to my breakfast options and boy am I glad. There are so many ways to enjoy!

This base is perfection. Yes...it's so simple.

Optional add ins:

bananas
nuts
nut butter
strawberries
blueberries
coconut
cinnamon
coconut sugar
protein powder
chia seeds
flax seed
anything your heart desires....

Now for the hard part.....

equal parts rolled oats (or muesli), yogurt, and milk

yep. that was so difficult! I usually use vanilla yogurt because I like the sweetness. If I use greek yogurt, I add in a bit more milk and a little coconut sugar. (I don't like my oats thick at all)

Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Usually I use 1/4-1/3 cup of each.

You can add in your extras before and top with berries etc the next morning. The world really is your pickle with this one.


Enjoy!