Lunch for the Week

The saying is that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day", but lunch is pretty important too. A solid lunch will get you through those tough afternoon hours at the office without snacking on the goodies lying around, and prepare your body for your post-work workout.

For those of us trying to economize, packing your own lunch is the way to go. But who has time to prepare lunch every morning? The solution is simple: prepare your lunch for the week on Sunday night.

Lemon-steamed chicken breast is a wonderful way to go because the chicken soaks up the aroma of whatever you put with it, and it will keep in the refrigerator for the week! Chicken is a lean protein that will keep you feeling fuller longer. Pair it with broccoli for anti-cancer fighting nutrients, fiber, and calcium, or with green beans and zucchini for a twist. Best part is you can buy everything you need for the week for under $10!



Does this type of lunch preparation work for you? Share your tips in the comments!

We are happy to have Nola Solomon on board as an intern for FunnySpoon.com. As a French-American, she offers unique culinary insight on how to enjoy your food and efficiently plan for a hectic schedule. Give her recipes and tips a try!

Earth Day Is Everyday!

Earth Day was April 22nd so hopefully you did something great to celebrate & honor the day. However, we hope you're trying to find more ways to make teensy little changes in your life to make the world a better, healthier place to live. Here are a couple of super SIMPLE changes you can make in your kitchen that will help the environment AND save you money. Seriously, anyone can do these!

1. Use your dishwasher. That's right, it's totally OK to use the dishwasher as long as you do it properly. Modern dishwashers (made in 1994 or after) get dishes cleaner and use less water than hand washing when used correctly. Make sure it's full, skip the rinsing (dishwashers are happy to have the little food bits to use as a scouring pad in the washing process - seriously!) and skip the heated dry cycle - let them air dry.


2. No more bottled water! Did you know that we Americans toss approximately 24 billion empty water bottles into the trash each year? That's insane! Switch to tap or filtered water instead. You can get an inexpensive carbon filtration system that will pay for itself within a couple of weeks. We really like the Brita and Pur systems.


3. Spruce up your sponge. Toss your sponge in the microwave for 2 minutes or a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes to sterilize it. It also takes away the icky factor so you'll be inclined to use it longer thus keeping it out of the landfill longer!


4. Go veggie one day per week. We knew we were onto something with Meatless Monday, but it's really taking off & lots of groups are endorsing it. Studies have shown the less meat we eat, the lower our risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. That sounds good enough right? Well, chew on this, too: the production of meat contributes to a host of environmental issues and contributes to global warming - specifically, methane from cows is a more potent climate-change agent than carbon. Crazy, right? Try a veggie meal and see if it can work for you.


5. Green your clean. We all use cleaning products - from dishsoap to bathroom cleaners - and now they make a host of environmentally friendly options. OR try making your all-purpose cleaner. It's really easy: Mix 1/2 teaspoon washing soda (find it in the laundry aisle), 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap and 2 cups hot water, and pour into a spray bottle. How do you think our grandmother's use to get the bathroom's to sparkle? Certainly not with a fancy bottle of cleaner filled up with chemicals?


6. Little paper towels are a big deal. Apparently we're consuming paper towels in the same way we're consuming bottled water. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, if every household kitchen in the U.S. replaced just one roll with a 100-percent recycled one, we'd save more than half a million trees. WOW! So, try cleaning up spills with a sponge or washable towel and save the (recycled!) paper towels for emergencies. And, if you're feeling brave, try using cloth napkins instead of paper. I know, I know ... I'm scared of it, too, but am definitely going to give it a whirl.

And as always ... reduce, reuse, recycle. Minimize the amount of "stuff" you're using and buying, reuse things when you can and ALWAYS recycle. Once you begin these habits they are SO easy to continue. Won't you give it a little try?

Money-Saving Monday

In honor of Cyber Monday (and all the great deals you're hopefully finding online!), we figured we'd share some money-saving tips. We rounded up the food and cooking-related tips from this great Real Simple article about saving money:

• From 10/2: Bulk up on basics. Purchase oranges, onions, and potatoes in bags rather than individually. You'll pay roughly half the price, and the staples will get eaten before going bad.


• From 10/7: Look up, look down. At the grocery store, pick products on the top and bottom shelves. Bigger sizes of items, which tend to offer a lower price per unit, are usually placed on the highest and lowest shelves.


• From 10/10: Shop locally, late in the day. Plow through the farmers' market right before it closes and you'll find sharp discounts (up to 35 percent), because no one likes to head back home with perishable goods.


• From 10/13: Put your herbs on ice. To extend the short six-month shelf life of little-used herbs and spices, try freezing half of a new bottle's contents in an airtight bag or container (don't forget to label it). When the unfrozen portion of the herb or spice loses its aroma or flavor, replace it with the other half from the freezer. No more chagrin over throwing away a half empty $6 bottle of marjoram.


• From 10/14: Break out the crockpot. You don't have to serve lobster to have a memorable dinner party. Stewing uses inexpensive cuts of meat, but the results taste great and you get to spend more time with your guests.


• From 10/18: Wine about it. Instead of buying by the bottle, spring for an entire case of wine at once. Some retailers will offer a 10 percent discount.


• From 11/1: Use your leftovers. Chop up chocolate candy or candy corn you didn't hand out on Halloween and use in your cookie recipes in place of pricey chocolate chips.

Be sure to check out the full article for all sorts of good tips!

Organic coupon help is here!

Shopping for organic and all-natural products can be expensive ... especially given our current economic situation. Therefore, organic and all-natural products are quickly becoming the first thing people cut out of their shopping list. However, if you're an organic lover like me, then it doesn't take long to really miss them! I stumbled across a site FULL of links to coupons for organic & all-natural products in one of the Peaceful Daily newsletters I receive. I encourage you check out the list, bookmark it and use it frequently. You'll be happy you did (and so will the environment!).

Savings, Savings and more Savings!

This is something we've posted before, but find it so valuable that we thought we'd share again.

We all like to save money, right? Right! Especially in our current economy everyone wants to pinch pennies wherever they can. But did you know you can print coupons from the FunnySpoon site? Yep - you'll find the link right on each recipe page.

Check out one of our newest recipes, Veggie Sandwiches and you'll see the coupons in the right-hand column. There are tons of discounts available for FunnySpoon recipes as well as household goods.

Start saving today!

It doesn't get much simpler than this - planning your meals and printing your coupons in one easy step. Now, if only I could figure out how to clean the house while reading Twilight!

Cha-Ching!

We all like to save money, right? Right! Especially in our current economy everyone wants to pinch pennies wherever they can. But did you know you can print coupons from the FunnySpoon site? Yep - you'll find the link right on each recipe page.

Check out one of our newest recipes, Veggie Sandwiches and you'll see the coupons in the right-hand column. There are tons of discounts available for FunnySpoon recipes as well as household goods.

Start saving today!

Pantry Must-Haves

It's always easier to function when you're prepared, isn't it? We're launching a series called "The FunnySpoon Five" which will include favorite recipes, products, kitchen gadgets, etc. First, we want to help you get prepared ... and stocked up! Take note of these five items every pantry should include and stock up next time you're at the grocery. You'll be happy you did!!

1 - Dried Pasta. Pasta is simple to make. It doesn't matter what shape or color a recipe calls for you can (almost) always substitute in your favorite. We love the Barilla PLUS pasta because it's a multi-grain pasta that's naturally rich in protein, fiber and omega-3s. And tastes just like the pasta we all grew up on (only better for you!). Your family will never know the difference and you can feel even happier about serving a second helping of the beloved Mac & Cheese!

2 - Canned Tomatoes. They are perfect for sauces, soups, stews, casseroles. You name it and a good can of tomatoes can probably add a little zing to your dish. We like to keep a couple of varieties on hand - whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes and paste. That should cover your bases when you're in a jam and need to whip up dinner. One of our personal faves is the Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes - a little heat can transform any boring Tuesday night meal!

3 - Rice. It's the perfect complement to a nice steak, chicken or piece of fish. It’s a key ingredient in many casseroles. It’s perfect for kids. AND you can dress it up just about any way imaginable: Mexican, Asian, Indian or plain old American white rice! We love the Success Boil-in-Bag rice for its simplicity and wide variety of uses. We also love the Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice for the convenience (90 seconds? Music to our ears when we're busy!).

4 - Chicken, beef or vegetable stock. You can add stock to any meal flavor – meat, poultry, pasta, sauces, casseroles, mashed potatoes. Again, stock really helps add flavor and alter the consistency of a dish. Give it a whirl. We always keep a can of Swanson's Chicken Stock and a can of Swanson's Vegetable Stock on hand. It's simple to throw together a quick soup. And perfect when you've got a hectic evening and everyone needs to eat at a different time.

5 - Canned Tuna. As long as you like fish, this is great to have on hand. Salads, sandwiches, patties, pastas, casseroles. Dinner in minutes! We love the Bumblebee Chunk White Albacore Tuna best. It’s high-protein, low-calorie when you get the type that's packed in water. Save those extra calories for chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes!

Up next ... The FunnySpoon Five: Freezer Necessities!

Cha-Ching!

We all like to save money, right? Right! Especially in our current economy everyone should pinch pennies wherever they can. We've got two great ways for you to save money this week:

1) Print coupons from the FunnySpoon site. Yep, it's true - we even have coupons available on the site. You'll find the link right on the recipe detail page. Check out the Boursin Chicken Wraps and you'll see the coupons in the right-hand column. There are tons of available for FunnySpoon recipes as well as household goods.


2) Be one of the first 10 people to share your favorite SeaPak recipe or cooking tip with us - shrimp or fish - and we'll send you a coupon for
$1 off your next purchase. You can't beat that! (You can post it as a comment to this blog post or share it on the FunnySpoon recipe submission page).


We hope this helps you save a few bucks this week!!

Cha-Ching!

We all like to save money, right? Right! Especially in our current economy everyone should pinch pennies wherever they can. We've got two great ways for you to save money this week:

1) Print coupons from the FunnySpoon site. Yep, it's true - we even have coupons available on the site. You'll find the link right on the recipe detail page. Check out the Boursin Chicken Wraps and you'll see the coupons in the right-hand column. There are tons of available for FunnySpoon recipes as well as household goods.


2) Be one of the first 10 people to share your favorite SeaPak recipe or cooking tip with us - shrimp or fish - and we'll send you a coupon for
$1 off your next purchase. You can't beat that! (You can post it as a comment to this blog post or share it on the FunnySpoon recipe submission page).


We hope this helps you save a few bucks this week!!

Cha-Ching!

We all like to save money, right? Right! Especially in our current economy everyone should pinch pennies wherever they can. We've got two great ways for you to save money this week:

1) Print coupons from the FunnySpoon site. Yep, it's true - we even have coupons available on the site. You'll find the link right on the recipe detail page. Check out the Boursin Chicken Wraps and you'll see the coupons in the right-hand column. There are tons of available for FunnySpoon recipes as well as household goods.


2) Be one of the first 10 people to share your favorite SeaPak recipe or cooking tip with us - shrimp or fish - and we'll send you a coupon for
$1 off your next purchase. You can't beat that! (You can post it as a comment to this blog post or share it on the FunnySpoon recipe submission page).


We hope this helps you save a few bucks this week!!

Simplify your cooking and snacking

Have you ever thrown away a bunch of broccoli after it sat in your fridge for 10 days and started to smell funky? Or cucumbers that have gotten soft after a few too many days of hanging out in the fridge? I have. And it always makes me mad at myself because a) I didn't eat my fresh fruits and veggies and b) because it's a TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!

I avoid all that self loathing now by cleaning and chopping all my vegetables and fruits when I get home from the grocery. It will add 15-20 minutes onto your shopping/grocery-putting-away time, but it'll ensure that all your fresh produce is at the ready for cooking and snacking. And they won't feel neglected and end up in the garbage. And it'll save you money ... and who doesn't want to do that?

What's your secret to making sure you eat all the fresh stuff you bring into the house?

Multi-tasking gadgets

In today's society we're all about multi-tasking and want everything to have multiple purposes. I'm the queen of this ... maybe to a fault! Here are a couple of my favorite kitchen gadgets that do double duty for me.

The thermometer - I religiously use this when cooking meat because I'm freaked out about undercooking poultry! However, I also use it to check the bath water before putting my baby in the tub. I know I could buy one of those silly, plastic bath toys that checks the water temp, but why when I've got this great tool that is screaming for more use?

Kitchen Shears - Ok, these are great for cutting open bags and normal scissorly duties. But I also use them to cut up all of my kids' food. They're perfect for cutting pasta, pizza, chicken nuggets, waffles, you name it! Much easier than using a fork and knife. I aslo use kitchen sheers for preparing (almost) all of my fresh herbs - it's much simpler to cut fresh chives with shears than even the sharpest knife.

Ice cube trays - Right. They're to make ice. But you can also use them to freeze small portions of leftovers, too. Pasta sauce? Freeze in the ice tray and reheat as much as you need. Stocks and broths? Same thing - great for soups, stews and casseroles. Fruit that's about to go bad? Puree and freeze small batches for use in baking or yummy treats for the kids (or homemade baby food!).

Shoe organizer - This one isn't necessarily for the kitchen, but this is my FAVORITE new organization tool and I have to share it with you. The over-the-door shoe organizers are great for shoes, but that's not all! I have one in my hall closet to organize the millions of the power cords we have. And one in my bathroom closet to organize all of the medicine and toiletries. They're about $10 at Target and well worth the investment in my opinion!

What kitchen (or household) gadgets do you have that do double duty?

Cleaning your veggies

I wish I could take credit for this tip, but it's from my friends at Ideal Bite ... the best way to clean your veggies? They say "use water and white vinegar - no lie. A few squirts on your fruits and veggies gets rid of the nasty stuff (like pesticide residue) that you don't want - no store-bought washes necessary." Brilliant! Now I finally have a use for white vinegar (other than coloring Easter eggs). And I'll save a few dollars on the fancy rinses they sell at the grocery.

If you haven't checked out Ideal Bite, please do. It's a great eco-friendly website and I love their daily emails - they're simple bite-sized portions of easy tips on how to green up your life. The perfect amount of information for my over-stimulated brain.

Do you have any home remedies like this? I have tons of shoe polish that I have no clue what to do with ...

Everybody Loves Ramen

If you're like most people, your budgets are a little tight right now. However, you still like to enjoy good food! So how about a new twist on your old college standby - ramen noodles! Below are two incredibly tasty dishes that are easy to prepare and don't break the bank:

Oriental Coleslaw


Ramen Stir-Fry


Do you have a favorite ramen recipe, or another recipe that helps pinch pennies but still tastes fab? Comment below or share your recipe on FunnySpoon.com.