GreenFitnFrugal Spinach Quiche

I love quiche. If I ever see it on a menu, it is being ordered. But alas, it isn’t typically that good for you due to the crust, butter, and a selection of meats and cheeses. If you’re lucky, yours has some vegetables thrown in. If you’re REALLY lucky, you’re eating the version below.

By the way, I always make two at a time, so I can keep one in the freezer perfect for those Monday mornings when I know I won’t feel like cooking that night.

Servings: 12 (2 quiches, 6 pieces each)

Cost per serving: $1.10

Nutritional Stats (per serving): 220 calories, 13g fat, 14g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g sugar, 13g protein, 309mg sodium

Ingredients:

2 Freezer Pastry Crusts (This is the most unhealthy part, but I can’t help it. If you are unlike me and can live without the crust, subtract 109 calories, 7g fat, 10g carb, 1g fiber, 1g protein, 110mg sodium from the stats above.) ($2.99 for 2)

1/4 Cup diced pepper medley (found in the freezer section) (2 Cup pkg $1.50)

1/2 Cup diced red onion ($0.65/onion)

4 Tablespoons organic green onion ($0.70/handful)

3 Cups organic spinach ($1.50 per bunch = 8-10 Cups)

1 Cup fat-free cottage cheese ($1.39 for 1 Cup container)

1 Cup skim milk ($2.49 for entire gallon)

6 Omega 3 Eggs (substitute 1.5 Cups of Egg Beaters and subtract 20 calories, 2g fat, and 30mg sodium from the stats above) ($2.39 for a dozen)

2 Cups part-skim shredded mozzarella ($2.99 per 2 Cup pkg)

Pepper to taste (already in the kitchen = free!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute onions and peppers over medium-heat until onions are translucent (about 7-8 minutes). Place in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Chop spinach and distribute equally between the two pie crusts / pie plates. Place two crusts/plates on a cookie sheet.

3. Blend cottage cheese, milk and eggs in a blender until smooth. Combine with onion and pepper mixture, stirring to mix well. Distribute evenly and pour one half of mixture into each pie crust/plate over spinach.

4. Cover each quiche with 1 Cup of the mozzarella. Place in oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes.

5. Try not to eat it all at once.

GreenFitnFrugal Recipes

Due to several requests, I’m going to begin to add recipes more frequently to this blog that are a realistic blend of green, fit, and frugal ingredients. I will be sure to include nutritional value, cost per serving, and organic or locally grown ingredients when possible.

Please note that prices are what I spend at a regional grocery chain (like HEB or Kroger) here in Houston, Texas so your local prices may be different, as well as availability and specific brands.

Happy cooking! (and eating!)

Healthy Superbowl Chili

I spent quite a bit of time doing internet research on a chili recipe that would be healthy, delicious, and somewhat traditional. Oh, and my husband doesn’t do any bean that is not green, whereas I do not discriminate and love them all. This is what I ended up with, which is a combination of several recipes. If you’ll notice – I pureed the beans so my husband was none the wiser, and there was plenty of healthy protein added to the snack.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

1lb ground turkey meat

1 can (15oz) black beans, drained & pureed

1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained & pureed

1 can (12oz) diced tomatoes with chiles

1 cup of tomato sauce

1 medium red onion

2 tablespoons of Chili powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

Pinch of ground allspice

Pinch of black pepper

1. Spray a skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook turkey in skillet until evenly brown, then drain.

2. Combine all ingredients together in your slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Holiday Exercise Plans

It is pretty rare to put the words ‘holiday’ and ‘exercise’ in the same sentence. If you are like many others, if you’ve made it to this time of the year and either have a) done really well with your diet and exercise plans, or b) have been really struggling with diet and exercise, your priorities might shift away from your health in December. And no one can blame you. From all the delicious treats decorating coworkers’ desks to the darkness that takes over after 4pm, it is hard to stay motivated or find the willpower to keep with your plans.

So how to beat the holiday habits that make you feel not only guilty, but will require more than just resolutions come January? Give yourself a break! From now until the end of the year, think of every good thing you do for yourself and your health as Bonus Points. Every trip to the gym deserves a point. Every vegetable you eat, another Bonus Point (but those stuffed mushroom appetizers do NOT count). Don’t stress if you can’t get to your step class five nights a week like you did this summer, but still try to get in some extra power walking while shopping for presents.

Enjoy your holiday season, make time for your friends and family, and don’t forget to spoil yourself with Bonus Points!

Gym Tips – a Different Top Five List

It appears that several people have missed the memo on some of the below. If you know someone who needs to improve their gym education, please send them a link (I’m begging you) to the following suggestions…

1. No One Likes an Equipment Hog – You would think that it’s pretty simple. Gym equipment is not furniture (except for that treadmill in your bedroom that is currently serving as a clothing mannequin). Therefore, if you are not using the equipment, or if you are between sets, it’s courteous to allow that person hovering behind you to use what they need.
2. Please Dress Appropriately – Nothing screams “I don’t belong here” like the wrong attire. Specifically: there’s no room for denim or sandals in a gym. Workout gear is affordable and easy to find, and makes for a more effective session.
3. Cell Phones Go In Your Locker – You know how annoyed you feel when someone is talking in a loud voice on their cell phone in the booth next to you at a restaurant? Add adrenaline and sweat and assume the person next to you may become a little irrational since elliptical machines typically share each other’s personal space. If you really must communicate with the outside world while out of breath, master the step-and-text.
4. Don’t Slam the Weights – Yep, we’re watching you lift hundreds of pounds. We are so very in awe of your masculine strength. And thank goodness that every time I try to focus on my own workout you slam your weights to the ground at the end of a set to remind me to return my focus on you. Cut it out. Half the workout is the opposite of “lift” and those weights need not make any noise when returning to starting position.
5. Seriously With the Jewelry and Makeup – I understand that sometimes you are coming from work, and residual makeup from the day is too much trouble to remove before hitting the gym. The jewelry? Not so much. Hoop earrings, charm bracelets, monogrammed necklaces and pretty much anything other than wedding rings and earring studs not only look tacky with your gym shorts, but can even be dangerous. And it should go without saying that no one needs more makeup for working out.

There are probably some more suggestions out there…what have I missed? Please comment below…

Happy Independence!

As I have previously blogged, my schedule (like everyone else’s) does not always have room for posts like these. I thought today, now that I’ve been married for almost exactly 1 month, would be a good time to start things back to a little more regular of a schedule.

And how appropriate the 4th of July! As we celebrate the independence of the United States, it is also a great time to think about some independence from a few other things. This is a great time to think about how to gain independence from an unhealthy lifestyle, from bad habits that negatively affect the world around you, or from financial debt.

As you grill another turkey dog and wave those sparklers in the air, keep in the back of your mind a couple ideas on how to find your own independence. If you need some help, navigate to some of those tips pages at the top of this article and find some easy ways to get started down the right path.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Green, Fit, and Frugal Wedding Planning Challenges

Being of green, fit, and frugal mind, I am in the process of trying to plan a wedding with these factors playing a major role. Is it working? You be the judge.

As far as the fit part goes…well, let’s just say that the holidays and my wedding planning demands are currently very much in the way of me being in top shape for this grand event. However, I have five months, and I have never had more of a reason to act on some New Year’s Resolutions. (Perhaps I’ll do a post on this later…)

For the other two, I am having even more difficulty being both green and frugal.

In the wedding world, there is no such thing as “budget”. You might hear this term muttered by parents shelling out their life savings or brides and grooms forking over paycheck after paycheck, but I am starting to wonder how many brides actually stay within the budget they started out with. I sure haven’t. And guess what comes into play next? Sacrifice. Oh, and the green part.

I had every intention of making this an environmentally-conscious event. I wanted to use paper products that are all recycled/biodegradable materials with soy-based inks, use natural (if not living) items as favors, and choose organic and minimal carbon-footprint menu items. Guess what? Those are the things that drive up the cost of this whole thing.

How do I justify another $800 for special ink printing versus printing on my laser jet at home? Or another $3 per invitation for special recycled paper that only comes in white, off-white, and brown? I did contemplate using the seeded papers so everyone could plant flowers once the piece completed it’s role in my wedding…but you can’t read anything printed ON it so it still needed a blank piece of paper to accompany it in order for people to know who is getting married.

Mini-trees and seed packets for favors? It’s a nice idea, but not if 70% of your guests are from out of town and will need to lug those things on the plane. Assuming they even take it with them and it doesn’t get left on the table to be thrown out by the venue staff during cleanup.

And the menu – have you tried finding a location you are in love with that doesn’t require you to choose “menu option A, B, or C” that does not include anything locally grown or organic, let alone vegetarian? (“It comes with vegetables on the side, doesn’t that count?” No, it doesn’t.)

So far the FRUGAL is dominating my GREEN and FIT, and at this point I think I am doing a great job with several do-it-yourself type projects for centerpieces, invitations, etc.

Have you found any easy solutions to reach goals in any (or all!) of these categories? Suggestions welcome!

This is subject to change. Stay tuned!

GreenFitnFrugal Gift Giving Guide 2009

It’s that time of year again. No, not tax time. Not Arbor Day either. OK, I’m doing a poor job of masking the obvious. Of course it’s getting closer to that time of year when you spend way too much time trying to find a parking space at the mall than planning those sentimental words you will write in a card for your dry cleaner. (I know you just sign your name.)

For all of you readers who appreciate a green, fit, and/or frugal lifestyle, I thought this would be a great time to kick off the holiday season with some gifts relevant to each of those lifestyles, if not a combination of them all.

In addition, if there’s more to your gift-giving plans than just these categories, I have partnered with several other travel-related blogs that are providing gift suggestions for other niches in our lives, so hopefully you will check them out too. After all, who knows where you’ll find that perfect gift that will keep the back-packing hippie cousin in your personal fan club for the next twelve months?

Gift Categories and Partner Blogs:

Holiday Gifts for the Adventure Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Guy Traveler
Holiday Gifts for Women Travelers
Holiday Gifts for the Sports Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Budget Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Travel Writer

And here are my recommended goods:
Go Green with Gifts for the Eco-Conscious Companion:

• CamelBak BPA-Free Water bottle ($8-24) – Not just for gym enthusiasts, these bottles will keep you hydrated wherever you go, and you won’t have to worry about Bisphenol-A contamination.
• Eco Coffee Cup ($10.99) – That friend who can’t live without their Starbucks? Help them out with this reusable and microwave-safe coffee cup that looks just like their landfill-destined current option.
• Energizer Rechargeable 15 Minute Battery Charger ($28.98) – This set of chargers works at home, in your car, and at the office to charge AA and AAA batteries within 15 minutes.
• Suncast Recycle Bin Kit ($49.96) – It’s a lot easier to get on the recycling train with these bins helping you sort your recycling materials. Who do you know who could use a little assistance in this area?
• Kindle Wireless Reading Device ($259) – Besides being handy, portable, and instantly able to access over 360,000 books, an electronic reader like this Kindle is the more environmentally-friendly option over paper after only seven books!

Fit & Healthy Help for the Fitness Fanatic:

• Women’s Health Magazine, 1 year subscription ($14) – With new studies and reports being published daily, a healthy magazine is a necessity for keeping the exerciser in your life on top of the latest and greatest in workouts, products, and news.
• Quick Dry Towels ($16) – Great for the gym, for travel, or in your bathroom, these towels are great for soaking moisture from your skin to keep your complexion healthy and help you continue with your workout.
• Nintendo Wii Fit with Wii Balance Board ($94.95) – Complimenting your Wii game system, this board helps you perfect your poses all in the privacy of your own home, tracking your progress and monitoring your personal improvements.
• FitFlop Women’s Inuk Boot ($189-199) – This line of calorie-burning shoes continues to expand past flip-flops, and these boots are both stylish and useful.

Frugal Finds, Deals and other Stocking Stuffers for the Cost-Conscious Friend:

• Purse Size Deluxe Coupon Holder ($6) – For those of us who cut coupons (and we all should!), this coupon holder makes saving money more stylish, aside from keeping you organized.
• Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom ($6.99) – Stephanie Nelson runs an interactive website on grocery shopping secrets, and this book will share those and other useful tips for helping you stretch your household dollar.
• Eagle Creek Nylon All Terrain Money Belt ($14.95) – Your uncle has spent so much time making sure he gets the best deals. Help him secure those dollars when he’s on the move with the secret compartment in this everyday belt.
• Target Gift Card ($50) – Can’t decide what to get the penny-pincher? A cash gift is sure to be allocated to bills, but gift cards? More likely to be spent on something fun – especially at Target!
• Quicken Deluxe 2010 ($80) – Know someone who has trouble staying within their budget? This software makes it easy for anyone to know their net worth at a moment’s notice.

Not finding the perfect gift yet? Check out my full list of ideas and recommendations here. Happy shopping!

Time Management Goes Awry

I hope I am not the only one.

I can’t be.

Have any of the rest of you let life get in the way of your best blog posts? …I am guilty of this. I have been away from my posts for a whopping two months. I know. Let me have it. For all I know, you have been wandering the streets aimlessly drinking out of styrofoam cups, choking down Twix bars, and paying <gasp> retail prices.

I could give you my excuses – the new job, the marriage proposal, and most relevant: the crashing of my laptop. But I won’t. I’ll just do my best to get back into the swing of things, and hope that you’ll be there to pick up some tips along the way!

Help A Planet Out

It should seem obvious that it would be very challenging for you to have great personal health if the environment around you is not in the same state. You are also probably excessively familiar with the millions of “Save the Earth” type of campaigns that have swept through society for as long as any breathing human can remember. These two occurrences are tied together – it is in our personal interest to do what we can to preserve what we have now in hopes for a better tomorrow.

This is not an informercial. Or a rally to support a special cause. This is a call to that place inside each of us that inspires you to do good. Depending on your situation, that may be done through financial donations to causes that are important to you. Others will do this through environmental behavior changes, such as recycling, to help preserve the health of the physical world.

Another option is through volunteering. Volunteering gives every capable human an opportunity to make a difference by helping someone or something in need. The best part about this option is all that is required is your time, so anyone can do this. The most rewarding part of this type of donation is getting the opportunity to see the immediate results from your time. My sister has a big heart for infants so her personal favorite is always volunteering to rock the newborns in her local hospital. I have a lot of love for all types of animals, so I have taken many an afternoon to walk dogs at shelters, help clean living conditions at zoos and shelters, and pick up trash along beaches to prevent damage to ocean life. I have several friends who have been able to continue their love for a sport through coaching and teaching children to cultivate their own talents.

The point is to find a cause you are passionate about and find a way to get involved with that cause. Please do not talk yourself out of volunteering by telling yourself you have no time. You do. Take an hour once a week – a month even – to walk dogs at a shelter near your office during your lunch hour. Ask your local community theater if they need volunteer ushers during shows. Knock on the door of your aging neighbor to see if they need anything on your trip to the grocery store. (You do know your neighbors, don’t you?) Visit websites like Volunteer Match to search by your area of professional expertise and find an organization that will be ecstatic for an hour of your time, saving them money they do not have to hire and train an employee.

The goal with volunteering is to pay it forward. Everyone needs someone else’s help at some point in life. Tomorrow it could be you. Help someone else today, and start generating some karma.