Menu Plan - Jan. 19 - 25

We have a crazy week coming up.  DH is out of town on business, the DSs are writing final exams at school and DD has two evenings that are filled with basketball tournaments, and DS has 2 hockey games.  It means we need some quick and easy meals.  It also means the boys are home for lunches instead of packing them, and I also want to make sure they have some healthy breakfasts before leaving to write exams.

MONDAY:  
Chicken Cacciatore cooked in the pressure cooker served over cauliflower rice

TUESDAY:
Taco Soup from the freezer which was cooked previously (OAMM)

WEDNESDAY:
Pork Tenderloin with Emeril's Essence, served with roasted beets, and sweet potatoes

THURSDAY:
Asian Turkey burgers from freezer served with coleslaw

FRIDAY:
Take out or Dine Out to celebrate exams being over!

SATURDAY:
Crockpot Mongolian Beef (OAMM)

SUNDAY:
BBQ Salmon, Quinoa, salad


LUNCHES:
BLT sandwiches
Loaded Baked potatoes
Quinoa Vegetable instant soup mix (rec'd in Little LIFE box)
leftovers


BREAKFASTS:
Whole foods Chewy Oatmeal PB Cookies
Bacon and Eggs
Cereal
Yogurt, granola with fruit
Toast with homemade Blackberry Chia seed jam


SNACKS:
Guacamole on crackers
Smoothies
Oatmeal muffins
Chia seed Energy bites  using chocolate and cranberry medley from here


Shared at Real Food Recipe Round Up and Menu Plan Monday

My own "Intimates" box

After receiving my Wantable's intimate box, reviewed here, I was disappointed and convinced I could do better shopping on my own.  So instead of sitting in the facility during my daughter's soccer practice I stopped at Winner's (Canadian division of TJ Maxx) and put together my own bag of surprises.  They all fit right, cost less and will all get put to good use.

The charge on my credit card for this month's Wantable box was $53.  I decided to spend a comparable amount and this is what I came home with:

Item #1 - Rene Rofe sleepshirts, two pack. 
I know this brand has been in many Wantable boxes in the past.  I paid $19.99 for two, Winner's tag said comparable price was $40.  I will keep the owl one, since I have a fixation with owls, and give the other to my DD.  I took the pictures with very poor lighting but they are really fun in person.  They are size Small and have plenty of room.

Item #2 -  Kenneth Cole fleece lined leggings.
I've heard so much about fleece leggings but haven't worn any before.  These feel SO great on and will be much warmer than the ones I've been wearing up until now.  These are sized S/M and maybe a little on the large size but I definitely didn't want them too tight.  It just means they are a bit long, but I can just 'scrunch' them up and they look fine.  It also means there's a little room should they shrink.  They're a dark grey which will match a few things I have perfectly.  I've bought Kenneth Cole items in the past and always find them to be of good quality.  I paid $7.99, the tag said comparable to $14.

Item #3 -  Secret - boyfriend slouch socks
Just some basic cozy black socks.  I paid $3, comparable to $6.  Will work well with the leggings.

Item #4 -  Body Beautiful Seamless bras, 2 pack
I have never worn these types of bras so I'm happy I got a good price on them to try them out.  I have no idea if these are good quality, but for the price I don't expect they are.  I paid $5 (on sale from $10) and the tag says comparable to $22.

Item #5 - Jones of New York basic white undies
Okay so these aren't sexy at all but they fit well and are just nice basic everyday underwear.  These were only $2 (on sale) and the tag says comparable to $12.

Verdict:

I got more items, all of good quality, for less than my subscription.  I lucked out today and got a couple things on sale which helped bring the price down some more. With taxes included, I paid $41.78 for 6 items.  The full price of these items (using the comparable to amount on the tags) was $94.   I had more fun than sitting at the soccer facility and more fun than waiting at my mailbox for my subscription box to arrive.  Most importantly, they all fit properly.

I will cancel my Wantable subscription, even though I really did want to love it, and make a date with myself to put together my own 'surprise bag' on a monthly basis.  I really don't enjoy shopping when I have a particular item I need to find but I think I could have a lot of fun with this type of shopping.

Wantable Intimates Review - January 2015

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wanted to love this subscription.  The ordering process was very simple, they did a great job of asking me what I wanted, they shipped quickly and provided tracking information, and I was very happy that they charged Canadian duty at the time of ordering.  This way you know up front exactly what the costs will be - in my case, $47.01 ($4 discount for the first month).  The charge on my credit card, after the terrible exchange rate, was about $53.

I received 3 items which, according to their price estimates, were worth $72.  Not great, but not too bad if those prices aren't inflated, everything fits, and were items I would be willing to spend that much on.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

The first look had me very excited.  The card they include is very informative and personalized.

They did a great job of sticking with my preferences, sending 1 love item and 2 from my list of likes.

Item #1,  this SUPER comfy Sleep shirt by Pajama Drama.  It is super soft and feels great, but unfortunately quite tight.  I did sleep in it last night anyway but if I had purchased it myself, I would have sized up.  I indicated small on my preferences and that is what they sent.  I wear size 4 or 6 consistently which I assumed would be a small.

The attached card had retail value of $24.  Amazon has the same one for $17.00 right now.  I would be willing to pay either of these prices for this shirt, it's that cozy.

Item #2,  Daphne hispter by real Underwear.  Obviously, they can't know who I am and what type of person I am, but full lace underwear gal I am not.  They claim they are comfy but I like coverage and a little support on the butt.  Price listed is $20 which seems a bit high, but that could be legit since I've never bought anything like this before.  I would never purchase this item so the value to me is $0.

Item #3, Real underwear Fusion Cami lipgloss.  This cami feels super, is a great maroon color, but OMG is it small!!  I could barely get it over my head to try on!  I had my 12 yo daughter try it on and it was too small on her too.  Price listed is $28, which again seems high for a camisole, even though it does look like good quality.  Because I will never be able to wear it, the value to me is $0.

Verdict:

Unfortunately, Canadians can't return their box if they aren't happy, so I ended up paying $53 for a super snug sleep shirt.  I would LOVE to try it again, but I really can't justify the cost.  My sleepwear and underwear drawers definitely need a good overhaul and I was hoping this subscription would do that for me.  I will still check out what they send others in their monthly boxes and hopefully try to duplicate some of it, but sadly, I will be cancelling my subscription.

Little LIFE Box - January 2015

Little LIFE Box - January 2015

Happy Mail Day today!!

First look at my first Little LIFE box:

Next peak - looks nice and full!

First thoughts - lots of foods and snacks.  I've seen past month reviews on other sites and it seems to me recent boxes had more bath/body products.  I also have seen supplements in past boxes but I'm glad this box didn't have that.

Price: I purchased a 3 month subscription for about $70.00 including taxes, shipping, etc.  Since it's a Canadian company (yay!) I don't have to worry about exchange or the possibility of having to pay duty.

Shipping: They ship on the first Monday of the month and I received mine today so only 5 days which I think is great.

Items: They advertise up to 1 dozen healthy alternative samples.  I received 11 items, one of which I would definitely not call sample as it's a large bag.

Contents:

Natracare feminine hygiene samples -  approx value $1
Certified organic cotton, plastic free, perfume free, and chlorine free.  Will be worth trying.  The box has 1 pad, 1 liner and 1 tampon.  These weren't listed as available to purchase on their site but I did find them on another site I purchase my healthy alternative products and the prices range, so hard to come up with a value so I guessed on this.

Natracare makeup remover cloth - approx value $0.50
I love that these are for sensitive skin as I have rosacea so have to be pretty careful with what I use.  These are great to throw in an overnight bag so will be using this weekend as we have to go out of town for a funeral service.  Again I used another site where they are priced at $9/20 wipes to come up with an estimated value.
Update:  Used this and it worked well.  It seemed more moist than others that I have used so I liked that.

Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Body SPF 30 sunscreen - approx value $0.65
I actually use this exact same sunscreen.  I like it but my kids don't because it goes on very white.  It takes a bit of time to get it rubbed in but it works and that's what's the most important to me.
Retail value $20/177ml

Camino Hazelnuts Chocolate Bar - approx value $4.50
Hazelnuts and milk chocolate - yum.......  I haven't tried this kind before but I've like other Camino bars so I'm sure this will be great.  Bar is 100g.

Snapea Crisps - approx value $0.60
I've tried these before and I thought they were okay.  My kids didn't like them - they thought they were too dry.  Gluten free, GMO free, fibre and low sodium.  Also included was a 50cent off coupon.

Naked Teas Organic Roasted Coconut - approx value $1
This sounds great.  I love black tea and this one sounds like a nice blend so I'll be trying it soon.  This is a company based out of Langley, BC and also includes a coupon for a free smart tea maker and free shipping with a $50 online order.  I'm interested in checking that out.   I'd suspect there is enough for about 3 cups or 1 pot of tea.

Naturade Vegan Smart Nutritional shake, Chai flavored - approx value $2.30
This will be great for my husband to drink before or after his workout.  He works out during lunch hour so doesn't want to eat a big meal those days.  According to their site, there are a lot of good things in the shake and nothing bad for you.  22.75 oz containers sells for $35.  This is a 1.51 oz sample.

GoGo Quinoa Vegetable and Quinoa Instant Soup mix - $2.50 value
This sounds great!  I'm looking forward to trying it.  This is enough to make 3 servings by adding to 2.5 cups boiling water and simmering for 10 min.  How easy is that??  Organic, gluten free, vegan and made in Canada too.
Update:  We didn't enjoy this soup.  It was quite tasteless.  We added salt and grated cheddar cheese to add some flavor.  Unfortunately, I wouldn't purchase.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts - approx value $1
I use these all of the time and buy mine at Costco in the big bag but this is a handy snack size that will be easy to throw in my purse or my hubbies gym bag.  This is a 15g sample.  On their site they sell 12 x 25g for $18.  The box also included a 50 cent off coupon and another for 10% off code for the next time you shop at www.manitobaharvest.com.

Tasty Bite Channa Masala - $3 value
This looks really interesting.  it's a microwavable pouch (ready in 1 min) of chickpeas with onions, tomatoes and spices.  My 18 yo DS loves Indian food and always looking for things to take to school or work for lunch so this is perfect for him.

Pure Organic Foods White Royal Quinoa - approx value $10
This is great - and definitely not what I'd call a sample size.  The bag is 500 g.  We use a lot of quinoa in our house so this will for sure go to good use.  I had actually added it to my grocery list this week so I can now take it off.  I didn't see this brand on the site but I guessed at the value based on other similar brands.  The box also included a recipe card from this company for Quinoa cakes with fresh herbs.


Verdict:
I'm very happy with my first Little LIFE box.  It had a good mix of things I'm familiar with and others I'm very interested in trying for the first time.  I came up with a value of approx. $27 which is slightly more than what I paid for it.
I'm looking forward to my next one.

Joann

Nature box - January 2015

I didn't expect this to come so soon so it was a nice surprise in the mailbox today!

Nature Box

This was my first shipment so I didn't get to choose the snacks but will get to in the future.  I used a 50% of your first shipment coupon code, but I see now that if you go to their site Naturebox.com there is another offer to receive a sample box of 5 snacks for free.

I ordered my box on Dec. 28 so my ship date is the 29th of the month.  It arrived on the 9th which I think is pretty good for out of the country shipping.  According to my profile I can wait until Jan. 29 for my next box to ship, but if I want it sooner, I can can request it earlier.

Contents:

Sea Salt Pop Pops
They advertise these as half-popped popcorn so I was expecting something a little harder on my teeth but was happy they weren't.  These had a great texture and a very light sea salt taste.  The kids didn't think they had enough flavor so in future I think I'll try another variety but I wasn't unhappy with them.  The bag is 113 grams.

Country Ranch Sunflower Seeds
These were exactly what I expected.  The Ranch seasoning was perfect - not too much at all.  Even the kids thought these were good.  The bag is 142 g size.

Cranberry Ranch Medley
For some reason I have kids who don't like dried cranberries.  I thought all kids would like the sugary Craisins, but mine aren't big fans (they don't like raisins either - go figure).  I don't think I would have ordered these for that reason but hubby and I thought they were very tasty and not as sweet as Craisins brand.  I think they'll be great in cookies and homemade energy bars.  The bag is 113g.

Dark Cocoa Almonds
How could anyone not like these?  I love dark chocolate so these are many favorite item in the box.  Everyone else liked them too.  The bag is 113 g, but unfortunately I know it will be significant smaller very soon.

Greek Yogurt Pretzels
Another hit.  These were the kids favorite, likely because they tasted the sweetest to me.  You'd never know these weren't bad for you.  I actually found them to be very sweet, but I'm more of a savory snacks girl.  The bad is 113 g.

Verdict

We liked all of the snacks.

With coupon, exchange, etc., the charge on my credit card was $17.11.  That works out to approximately $3.45 per bag.  If I was to go to my health food store, I'd likely pay at least that amount (but likely a bit more) for a comparable sized bag of snacks.  Since I did use a coupon code, the next shipment will be more costly, but I do intend to give it another month for sure. It will nice to be able to select our own snacks next time.

Plugging away at my goals for the New Year

What a day we had today!  -43 Celsius with the wind chill!!!!  My DS had a new student in class - he moved from FLORIDA.  The poor family.  I can't even imagine what they are thinking.......

I've been petering away in the kitchen.  I've now purged and organized half of it.  Tomorrow a charity is coming to collect 9 bags of items.  Mostly clothes of my DD, but also some kitchen items I've parted with.  It feels great to get rid of things.

I tried a couple of recipes out for some healthier snacks and so far this recipe for Granola clusters has been the biggest hit.  Although I ended up with more granola than clusters......

I've squeezed in a little ME time - reading, and treating myself to a glass of wine or some chocolate every evening.  I purchased a new yoga DVD with weights and enjoyed a session yesterday as well.

I'm still hoping one of my subscription boxes will get here before the weekend.  I think the only possibility is the Little LIFE box since it's the only one coming from within Canada.  I contacted FabFitFun and they told me they were short on one item so were waiting for it to come before shipping the next ones out, but if I was okay with a replacement item, they would should it right away.  I asked them to please ship now.  They offered to replace the shake with a water bottle which I thought was a better item.  I hope it can get through without having to be stopped at the border for Customs.  So in total I ordered 5 different boxes and have had a delay/issue with 3 of them, haven't heard anything from one company and their website won't let me sign in.

Keep warm!
joann

Subscription box updates

I received an eMail yesterday saying my Little LIFE box was on it's way and to expect it in 1-5 days.  That's great shipping time.

As for Glossy box, I sent a PM via facebook yesterday asking where it was.  They responded today that the box was being hold in the shipping department due to a problem with my address.  They forwarded the address they had on file and there is nothing wrong with it.......grrrrrr.  If it hasn't left the US yet, I'm not sure when it will arrive.  Not impressed so far.

I also received an eMail this afternoon from Wantable saying that due to a technical issue on their site, my preferences hadn't saved properly so I needed to redo them.  Hopefully this won't delay shipping by too much.

I just hope all of these boxes don't arrive when we are away on vacation!!