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Cooking Through The Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

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Join me on a journey of what are sure to be ups and downs while cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook. 

Cooking through The Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

As mid-December approached, I started to look past the Christmas festivities and start thinking about the new year and resolutions. 

So as you can tell from the title my goal is officially set. I will be cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook in 2020. Every single recipe, made in my kitchen. 

Things I like. Things I don’t. Easy and more difficult. Special ingredients and NSI. I am doing it all THM style. 

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Why Am I Cooking Through the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook? 

Well that is a complicated question. Aside from maybe hoping (ok dreaming) that Pearl and Serene might see me out there in blog land and invite me to come see them…. I mean I am only just a couple hours south of them in Memphis!

Anyway, aside from that, I have some other more reasonable and practical motivators for working through this cookbook. 

Burnout 

Ready for some straight up honesty? I have not been doing well on plan for probably the last month or two. Even though a big part of my blog is devoted to THM, it certainly doesn’t mean I am perfect or always on plan. 

Lately I have had quite a few recipes that I had dreams of creating a THM version of  that have just flopped. They are not blog worthy to share with ya’ll and to be honest a lot of them were not even family table worthy (because none of us in my house liked them). 

And it is so frustrating to cook and not enjoy your creations. 

And then vacations and holidays have occurred and I have been using the “well it is the holidays” excuse to eat poorly a lot. So I’ve gained a few pounds and I’m not happy with that. 

A New Challenge

Originally, I was thinking of trying out one new THM project to test every month that I had not done before during 2020.

I was thinking homemade sourdough bread, maybe a new dessert recipe, possibly roasting a turkey. Just new things that I had not done before to challenge me in the kitchen and make the plan more exciting for me personally. 

But then as I was researching what to pick, I got this crazy idea to start cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook. The whole thing! 

So now instead of just a loaf of bread, I will be tackling all kinds of new recipes and some oldies but goodies. 

Demonstrating That THM Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

The last reason that I thought about doing this was because of a post I saw on Facebook recently (and to be honest, one that I see pretty often). 

It went something like this: 

I am about to start THM and I’m on a budget. I am going to buy $100 in special ingredients and that may put me over my food budget for the week/month etc. 

I am very adamant about the fact that you don’t have to buy special ingredients to do this plan. And to be honest, at first this was my one reservation about cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook. 

While the cookbook has plenty of NSI recipes, the books also freely use things that you might not have easy access to at a grocery store or that cost a lot more than a similar item. 

So as I am cooking these recipes, I will share with you the cost to make the recipe, money saving ideas and any tips/tricks that I come across. 

I will probably try out a few special ingredients in this project that I don’t typically use but will also likely modify some recipes to omit certain items. 

Challenges That Scare Me on This Journey Of Cooking Through The Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

If you have followed my journey of losing 60 lbs on THM since my last baby, you know that I started and quit THM after a month or two the first time around. 

I largely attributed my failure to trying to incorporate a million new things into my daily routine (I am usually an all or nothing kinda girl). So with that being said, I am going to try and take this challenge of cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook at a leisurely pace. You know and not try and cook 393 new recipes in a month. 

I have been on plan for about 2 years now but I don’t want to burnout or wear myself too thin. 

Aside from that, I have a few reservations that come with cooking every single item in a cookbook. Think about it, normally you see something you don’t like in a cookbook and you skip right over it. But if I am going to prepare and try every item in the book, that means making some things that I don’t think  I like. 

But if THM has taught me nothing else, it has taught me to give things a try. I lived for 33 years not liking cottage cheese. And then I tried it because everyone in the THM community was doing it. 

And I kinda love it. I make these cottage cheese bowls for breakfast/snack all the time. And I’m looking forward to trying a Cottage Berry Whip again for the first time in about 3 years (whenever I get to that recipe)

Other Scary THM Cookbook Things That I Am Sort of Dreading

  • Beets – I once got talked into a juice cleanse by a friend. I lasted for a day or two but when I got to the beet juice, I quit immediately. First, I am so thankful THM is not gimmicky with cleanses and other fads, just good, clean food. And I hope THM beets are better than normal beets because I really hate them! 
  • Okra in Smoothies – If you read the 5 THM things I don’t do, hidden okra is in there. Don’t get me wrong – I love Okra. Fried, crunchy delicious okra made by my Grandma every Sunday. But stuck in my chocolate smoothie. I just can’t. But I guess I will if I am cooking through the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook. 
  • Tofu – No. No. No. 
  • Cauliflower – I love some cauliflower things, like this Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauli Rice. But sometimes it is just not my favorite (especially if it is not covered well). We shall see. 
  • “Feeding” Yeast – So I really want to make bread but feeding this creature that will be living and growing on my counter for my starter kind of freaks me out. 
  • Anything that has “Purist” in the Title – I’m not a Drive Thru Sue but I am definitely not a purist either. And I’m not sure I’m worthy! HA
  • Double Fermented Kefir – I don’t feel like I need to say anything else. Kefir is terrifying and I don’t even know what double fermenting entails but I am sure I don’t want to do it! 

I will be documenting the journey here on the blog and also on Facebook and Instagram! I hope you will join me in a quest to be healthier in 2020! 

The Cooking Starts 

I’ve started the project! Find the links to each week as they are posted here!

Week 1 – Cashew Chicken, Winter Wonderland Sip, Cheeseburger Pie and More!

Week 2 – (Scary) Secret Big Boys, Pearl’s Chili, Smarty Pants Stroganoff and More!

Week 3 – Deviled Eggs, BAM Cake and Wicked White Chili

Lunch on Trim Healthy Mama

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Quick and easy ideas for lunch on Trim Healthy Mama to stay on plan while on the go. 

35 THM Lunch Ideas for the Busy Trim Healthy Mama

Even though I stand by the fact that THM doesn’t have to mean working in the kitchen all day, lunches can be hard to come up with if you are not prepared. 

There are a few simple things that you can do to make lunch on Trim Healthy mama easy and tasty. 

If you are joining from the THM A to Z series, welcome! You can see the whole series here. 

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Lunch on Trim Healthy Mama

A little preparation and thought when grocery shopping will make lunch on Trim Healthy Mama quick whether you are at home or on the go. 

Here are some things that will be lifesavers during your week. 

Rotisserie Chickens

I love these! I think they are often thought of for a quick dinner option but they make an excellent easy lunch option that can be stretched out the whole week! 

Read about how I cut up and stretch one chicken into 5 yummy lunches! 

Meal Prep 

If you are a planner, you can make up a bunch of lunches on Sunday and be ready for the week. Just grab and go! 

Here are some of my favorite meal prep ideas for lunches: 

THM Lunchable – S (Rolled deli meats, nuts, cheeses, pickles, wasa crackers) – I love to package mine in these containers to keep everything separated. 

Freezer Southwest Protein Bowls

Mason Jar Salads – I love this one and you could put it in a mason jar to meal prep.

Leftovers 

Using leftovers for lunch on Trim Healthy Mama is just about the easiest lunch that you can eat! 

Make use of the work that you have already done and save money too by using the food that you have. 

Fast Food 

If you do need to eat out for lunch, there are many fast food options that can get you full and keep you on plan. 

The only issue with E meals on the road is that they are a little harder to judge since many restaurants will add things like butter or oil to seemingly otherwise low fat options. Wendy’s Chili is a safe E but other than that, you may be entering into a XO. 

There are tons of S options when you are on the road. Check out the S Fast Food Guide for THM here. 

More THM Lunch Ideas 

If you want more ideas for lunch on Trim Healthy Mama, look no further!

6 THM Lunch Ideas for Work

THM S Low Carb Homemade Pizza Lunchable

12 Easy Low Carb Lunch Ideas

5 THM Leftover Chicken Lunch Ideas

Trim Healthy Mama Weekly Meal Plan 1

Trim Healthy Mama Weekly Meal Plan 2

Trim Healthy Mama Weekly Meal Plan 3

Let me know in the comments what your favorite lunch on Trim Healthy Mama is!

Keto Vs. Trim Healthy Mama

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Are you wondering what the difference is in Keto vs. Trim Healthy Mama? Find out all the details! 

Keto Vs. Trim Healthy Mama - What is the Difference

Keto Vs. Trim Healthy Mama – what is the difference? Although there are some similarities, there are plenty of differences as well. 

We will go through the main points below so that you have a good idea of the two different plans and you can decide which will work best for you.

And if you are joining us from the THM A to Z series welcome! You can see the entire series here, where I share all things Trim Healthy Mama!

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Keto Vs. Trim Healthy Mama

Are they the same? No but they do have some overlap. 

This is going to be a very basic comment about the two diets. You can definitely read more about the ins and outs of each but this should give you a good general idea of Keto vs. Trim Healthy Mama. 

 

Ketogenic Diet

The Keto diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that typically involves counting macros (fat/protein/carbs). You can read more about Keto here. 

On Keto you avoid sugar and carbs. This includes most fruits and veggies that have high numbers of naturally occurring carbs. 

Trim Healthy Mama 

Fats and healthy carbs are allowed on Trim Healthy Mama but they are kept separate. So one meal would be a low carb meal (Like a keto meal), also called an “S” meal in the THM world.

Then three hours later your next meal could include healthy carbs like a sweet potato or fruit like peaches/apples or pineapple and would be kept low in fat. This type of meal reminds me of a heart healthy diet or even Weight Watchers. 

You also avoid sugar on THM. 

Which is Right For You? 

This is a great question and it is really up to you. 

I have personally had good experience with THM and lost 60 lbs postpartum after my second child. 

I like the food freedom and being able to have healthy foods that are a bit heavier in carbs like fruits, carrots and sweet potatoes. 

However, if you are following THM, the keto community can be a great resource for you for THM S meals. 

Aldi Chicken Stir Fry Under $1.50 Per Serving

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Add this Aldi Chicken Stir Fry to your meal plan for a quick and easy Asian inspired meal for under $1.50 per serving. 

Easy Aldi Chicken Stir Fry - An Asian supper in 20 minutes for under $1.50 per Serving

I recently joined a Facebook group that is all about cheap meals to serve your family and it got me thinking. 

With Christmas coming soon, it always seems like your wallet just has a constant leak! So I decided to try and incorporate a few budget meals in our weekly round up to keep our grocery budget down. 

This Aldi chicken stir fry is so simple to make and only requires 3 ingredients (one of which should be a pantry staple). And you will be able to feed your family for under $1.50 a serving. 

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Aldi Chicken Stir Fry 

This simple Aldi chicken stir fry has a lot going for it. 

The number one thing is that it is so simple. You can put this together and have dinner on the table in right around 20 minutes. 

The second thing I love is that it only requires 3 ingredients. So it makes it a great option if you don’t have a ton of items in your pantry or if you are making this while on vacation and don’t have your normal pantry to work with.

We always cook in our condo when we go on beach vacations but it can be challenging when you don’t have your pantry staples. This quick Asian recipe solves that issue. 

Ingredients 

Aldi Teriyaki Stir Fry (Frozen Section) 

Fresh Chicken Tenderloins

Some Type of Oil (I used Sesame but Olive oil or Vegetable Oil would work just fine) 

Fusia Asian Teriyaki Stir Fry

Preparing the Asian Stir Fry 

Start by preparing the chicken tenderloins. Add 1 tablespoon of oil into a skillet or wok, 

Add the tenderloins (I used 1/2 the package) and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the edges start to turn white. 

Chicken Tenderloins In Asian Wok

Flip the tenderloins and cook the other side for 3-5 minutes. 

I did sprinkle the tenderloins with a little ground ginger and some black pepper. The veggie stir fry has plenty of flavor so if you don’t have these on hand, don’t worry about it. 

Remove the tenderloins from the skillet when done and set aside. 

Add another tablespoon of oil and the bag of asian veggies and stir fry noodles (set the sauce packet that is in the package aside). Cook covered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the teriyaki sauce package to the veggies and noodles and stir to combine. 

Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. 

About 1 minute before the veggies and noodles are done, add the chopped chicken back and stir until covered with sauce. 

Asian Chicken Stir Fry Dinner from Aldi

Serve immediately. 

This fed both me and my husband a generous portion, our 6 & 2 year old a child portion and left enough for one leftover lunch portion. So I would say it feeds about 4, could be 5 if you went with smaller portions and possibly added another side. 

Aldi Chicken Stir Fry Cost Per Serving 

The cost per serving for this quick and easy supper is just under $1.50 per serving. 

That means you could feed your family of 4 a meal for less than $6. 

Frozen Stir Fry $2.99

Fresh Chicken Tenderloins (Approximately 1 lb) – $2.93 
This is sold in a 2 lb package and I will use the rest in our favorite Low Fat Taco Soup with Refried Beans 

2 Tablespoons of Oil – .04 

Total Cost – $5.96

You can’t get a burger and fries for your family of 4 for that, even off the dollar menu. And although the frozen blend could be “cleaner,” you are still getting lots of veggies and protein into your family with this Aldi chicken stir fry meal. 

Other Frugal Meal Ideas 

I am planning a frugal meal round up soon but here are some other inexpensive meals in the meantime to feed your family on the cheap. 

Easy Ham and Beans in 15 minutes

Black Bean Tacos 

Aldi BBQ Kielbasa over Couscous

And if you are sick of wasting leftovers be sure to read this leftover soup bowl trick to stop food waste and make an extra meal with things you would have thrown out. 

Print Recipe
 Aldi Chicken Stir Fry
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add 1 tbsp oil to a skillet and heat to medium.
  2. Add in chicken tenderloins and sprinkle with ground ginger (if using) and pepper to taste.
  3. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the edges turn white.
  4. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3-5 minute until completely cooked. Remove from pan.
  5. In the same pan, add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan.
  6. Add the bag of frozen vegetables/noodles and cook for 5 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the sauce packet to the vegetables and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
  8. While the stir fry veggies/noodles are finishing, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
  9. Add the chicken into the skillet with the stir fry and stir to combine.
  10. Serve immediately.

THM Christmas Gift Ideas

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Tons of THM Christmas gift ideas for the Trim Healthy Mama in your life.

Must Have THM Christmas Gift Ideas for your List This Year

If you have a special Trim Healthy Mama in your life but you’re not sure what give this year to help her on her journey this Christmas, this list is for you!

And if you are a THM follower looking for ideas for your own Christmas wish list share this with your friends and family to get those items under the tree to help you stay on plan in 2020! 

These THM Christmas gift ideas will make life easier in the kitchen and indulge your sweet tooth too! 

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

THM Christmas Gift Ideas

These THM Christmas gift ideas will make the mama in your life happy and healthier this year! 

Trim Healthy Mama Kitchen Gadgets

These small gadgets make THM just a little bit easier. 

Egg Slicer – Great for perfectly slicing boiled eggs for salads 

Silicone Baking Mat – These make clean up easy when making cheese crisps or homemade fruit leather. 

Olive Oil Sprayer – I love this for E meals when I want just a tiny bit of oil. And this is so much healthier than traditional non-stick sprays you buy at the grocery. Just pour in olive oil, pump and spray. 

Clean/Dirty Dishwasher Magnet – For all the dishes she will be doing! J/K but seriously does anyone else feel like they are the only one that can look in the dishwasher to see if the dishes are clean or dirty? I used to get that question 10 times a day. My little magnet cuts down on that some! 

Easy Lunchboxes – A great gift for the working Trim Healthy Mama that is always on the go. I have been using these for years for my kids and really like the 4 compartment style for Lunchable style THM lunches. They also have a sandwich style container that has room for a sprouted sandwich and 2 sides. 

Veggie Spiralizer  – Make Mac and Cheese Zoodles – always a crowd pleaser. 

Avocado Saver – Use portion control without wasting! 

Trim Healthy Mama Small Appliances

Being on the THM plan doesn’t have to mean that you spend your days over the stove. These are some of my favorite items to make life easier in the kitchen. 

Instant Pot – Quickly make lots of chicken for shredding to use in meals throughout the week. I also love my instant pot for dried or frozen vegetables. You can make them “southern style” in just a few minutes. 

Crock-Pot – I couldn’t live without my slow cooker. Try this THM E taco soup – it is different from the others you have had! 

Air Fryer – You can cook all kinds of things in an air fryer. I like to make Lavash chips in mine. 

Keurig Coffee Maker – Keep your Trim Healthy Mama properly caffeinated all year long. Coffee is life at my house! 

Nutribullet Blender – All those smoothies and shakes need a good blender in order to keep up. I like making Non-Alcoholic Pina Coladas! 

Dash Mini Waffle Maker – Whether you like the popular Keto Chaffles or the blender waffles, this cute little waffle maker will make all your dreams come true. 

Trim Healthy Mama Food Treats 

If your favorite Trim Healthy Mama loves to bake, you are probably safe getting any of the baking ingredients from the THM store. 

But if she is more of a Drive Thru Sue or you just want to treat her to a luxury item that she might not buy on her own, these premade options are great little treats. 

These THM Christmas gift ideas will satisfy her sweet tooth and are great to make a big gift basket or stuff in her stocking. 

Smart Sweets Variety Pack – These are personal choice and a “normal” gummy texture. I enjoy these and they are a great Stocking Stuffer. 

Zaffi Taffy, Zolli Pops or Zolli Drops – I love love love the taffy! It is a great texture and doesn’t make you feel like you are going to pull your teeth out with every bite. I am not a big lollipop fan myself but my kids sure are. These are great choices for younger kiddos as well. 

Lilly’s Chocolate Bars – These are so good you will be hiding them from your family! Salted Caramel and the almond are my favorites. 

Fat Snax Cookies – These sweet treats are a THM S fuel. 

Smart Cakes – These are light but still give you the feel of cake. I like the chocolate with a little Reddi Whip on top.

Zevia Soda – Do you love a former soda addict? These are on plan and a pretty good sub when you need a soda. Don’t miss my family’s favorite Crockpot Zevia Pulled Pork for an easy dinner!

Bai Drinks – These are a sweet juice like drink that will satisfy your sweet tooth and give you a break from plain water. I love to incorporate Bai into different recipes like this Bai Creamsicle or easy Strawberry Lemonade Bai Sorbet. 

Other Great THM Christmas Gift Ideas

If the mama in your life has her kitchen well stocked, there are still some great THM Christmas gift ideas that you can use to make her holiday special. 

Workins DVD Set – the THM workout DVD Set 

Butterfly Sipper Jar – Perfect for sippers on the go or even just water. Love the cute butterfly design to remind you of the THM goals.

Trim Healthy Table Cookbook – Check out some of Serene and Pearl’s favorite recipes. 

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season. Here’s to sticking to plan and meeting our goals in the new year!