Busy Mom Life Hack - ClickList & Kroger

Convenience is a necessity for me these days!  anything that can make my life run even the tiniest bit smoother, reduce stress & anxiety, and allow me to spend more time with my fast-growing family, i’m all for it.  speaking of my fast growing family, we eat a lot, so i cook… a lot!  i’m in the grocery store every single week shopping for either my family or for our meal prep clients. unlike everybody i know, i actually enjoy the grocery shopping experience, haha.  realistically though, i can’t always take my sweet time and stroll down aisle after aisle, especially when my kids are present.  some days i literally need to run in and out, and just getting in and out of the car can be a big deal with young kids.  then once we get inside, that’s a whole new ball game :) . 

This is why i love and depend on ClickList.  it’s an online grocery ordering service from Kroger that’s crazy convenient and works with my busy, mom of three lifestyle.  follow my Instagram Stories today to see how easy it is to use or check out the YouTube video (to be uploaded soon!).  i normally create my grocery list on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings when i’m getting my life together for the week, and schedule to pick up our items the following or the same day. Kroger welcomes the use of digital coupons and the product prices are the exact same as if you were shopping in the store.  the 4.95 service fee is waived for your first three orders, and there is no minimum or maximum amount to spend!  love. that. my grocery hauls range in size depending on the number of clients i have that week, and we normally need the same basic items at home. ClickList lets me save a particular grocery list and i am able to reorder it as needed with the click of a button.  it’s one less thing i have to worry about and can allocate that time to my family or the other 2 billion things on my never-ending to-do list. 

after logging into my account, selecting my saved list or creating a whole new one, i simply pull up to the ClickList parking spot at the pickup time/location i selected, and call the number posted on that designated spot. i let Chiso do the honors this time.

super quick wait, and the associate promptly comes out to greet us. he/she goes over any changes or substitutions on my order, loads up my groceries, and we're done!  let's say i specifically ordered half a dozen eggs.  if there were no more half-dozen cartons available,  i would be upgraded to one dozen eggs, and i'd pay the half carton egg price.  win-win! check out the ClickList FAQ page for more details. Kroger has proven that quality is their top priority by hand selecting all produce, meat, and/or seafood items with great care.  quality is a must and is extremely important to me!  i require the freshest ingredients for my clients and my family’s meals, and unblemished produce is needed for my food photography and blogging.  i can trust that my items are stored appropriately until pickup time rolls around. 

 now i can get right home to cook, sit down, and eat dinner with my family with the time i would have used shopping in the store.  now that is time well spent in my busy mom book.

Q: would you utilize the ClickList service?  if you are already familiar with it, share your experience below!

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PUMPKIN FREAKING SPICE!

HAPPY FALL, YALL!

  what can i say... except, bravo, Sprouts Farmer's Market!  immediately after i checked out and was hauling my groceries to my car did i see this entire Pumpkin Spice section at the very front of the store. well played, guys.  it was filled with so many other delectable pumpkin spice flavored goodies but i limited my impulse purchases to these 3:

Pumpkin Spice Black Tea - morning delight!

Maple Pumpkin Buttter - toast, ice cream, savory sammiches, etc, etc, etc!!!

Organic Pumpkin Spice Kale Chips - just curious :)

i really did get the necessities first though!  some fresh, bargain produce,

a loaf of honey whole wheat bread, egg whites, whole eggs, fresh chicken tenderloins, Applegate natural chicken hotdogs, and some Daiya dairy-free strawberry cream cheese<---(nope, not on my original list).

i was nursing Dego earlier today and in the middle of doing so he unlatched, looked up at me and said, 'AAAAAHHHHH?' like he had just killed the last sip of soda????‪ or something!!! the boys do this all the time Sonny, but with cups of juice though, haha! #breastjuice

after he finally went down for his nap, i did a quick afternoon abs routine on Periscope! i am excited to say our home connectivity issues will soon be OVA (*knocks on wood, crosses fingers, toes, and eyes*) cause we are finally switching internet providers!  they are coming and we are waiting.

it's not what it looks like, LMBO, but here's a quickly review on the kale chips just for my IG peeps!  i didn't know what to expect with these.... but what a pleasant surprise. i snacked on them in the car as i headed to pick up Chiso from preschool.

 if you like sweet, SUPER CRUNCHY, light snacks (and all things pumpkin spice of course) then you will dig these! i didn't taste the kale at all, actually.  the entire bag is a lil' over 200 cals.  excuse my post-workout, weight glove-less, man hands. let me know what you think of them! the kale chips, not my hands. 

Dego and i went walking/running with my prenatal client tonight and she surprised me and took off like a lightening bolt!  look at that girl GO!  i was trying to keep up with her,  so serious.  she is 8 weeks postpartum and she's got goals.  most importantly...she's willing to work for them!

so get started.

Q: do workout partners help or hinder you?

Q: do you buy into the pumpkin spice hype?

WFM - Post Oak

well hello,

WHOLE FOODS MARKET POST OAK!

 i caught wind that this location was coming waaaaaay back in 2007 just before Sonny and i got married.  we were deciding on where to live and in the middle of taking a tour of some galleria area condos when the sales associate dropped the WFM bomb. i wanted to live in the area JUST for that reason! i didn't know it wouldn't come to fruition for another 7 years lol, but nevertheless, it's time.

i snagged the pic above from @WholeFoodsHOU's twitter page cause i realized i didn't get any exterior pics! whoops.  it was actually raining when i pulled up for my private tour and i had Dego with me and no umbrella, naturally :( . anyway, our tour guide, Kate, and another lady blogger were waiting in the front of the store to get crackin'.  i'd like to give a big thanks to Jeanette Webster for hooking me up with the tour!  so, here.we.go.

an escalator flows right up to the very front of the store via the parking garage, just like in the Landmark Austin store.  Sonny and i actually took a pic in front of it from our 7th wedding anni travels this past September, remember!  Kate was sent to help open up the new store from the Lamar location as well. awesomeness.

first stop, fresh produce.  if i enter a grocery store from any other department it throws me completely off.  i must start here. #weirdo

 just look at all those colors. everywhere you turn!  everything screams FRESH. they put so much emphasis on detail and it shows.  walking into this department just makes me feel healthier.

 i thought these satsuma oranges were gorgeous and deserved a photo. why he mad though? j/k, j/k

an adorable juice bar with cold-pressed juices and smoothies sits on the outskirts of the produce department.  i wanted to purchase a juicer at one point in time but i don't want it to be one of those appliances i use once and forget i even have.  i'd rather eat my calories than drink them so smoothies and juices are rare for me anyway. having someone else prepare it (and clean it up) is working perfectly at the moment lol.  the top pic was during our tour and the bottom pic was from thursday morning's grand opening. yep, #iwasthere

all things wine & beer is stationed in between the produce and seafood departments.

what a gorgeous display and wide variety of fresh, responsibly farmed seafood.  they know exactly where it comes from, what it was fed, and more importantly, what is wasn't fed!

making visually appealing and enticing food on a large-scale is no easy task; what a JOB someone has. they do it well though, right?

a few things you should know about WFM's meat & poultry:

no antibiotics -- ever

no supplemental growth hormones

no animal byproducts in feed

raised on pasture or range for at least 2/3 of the animal's life.

we stayed around the perimeter for the most part; the aisles (packaged goods) are in the very center of the store.  only one aisle really matters though.

#thebulkaisle #findmehere #myfavorite #sometimesiwishitwasnt #scoophappy

there were a few more highlights on our way to the cheese department like:

 the holiday table!  TG and Christmas are pretty much here. get those orders in! sides, main dishes, desserts... endless options.

stopped for an #usie. i hear you, Kate, promise.

   oooh just snacking and dropping crumbs on top of Dego's head.

we made it! cheese, cheese, cheese,

and then chocolates (among all other things sugar) in the bakery.  such an incredible amount of detail goes into the dessert decor!  another fun job.

well this is new! WFM is never afraid to try new things, that's for darn sure.  there's something unique about every single location, and this gigantic wood-fire oven in the Souvlaki Grill definitely makes WFMPO stand out.  and the fact that it looks like a storm trooper. maybe it's just me.

they still make sandwiches, pizza, and sushi, no doubt, as well as prepared foods and their world-famous salad bar.

i don't know why i was expecting to leave the tour with dinner though, smh! wishful thinking.  everything was wrapped up nice and tight.

 

but on the morning of the grand opening it was ON.

  i tried the Red Eye Boost which is made of spinach, beets, carrot juice, lemon juice. it was REALLY good.  extremely refreshing after my workout that morning.  i got some citrus collard greens, harvest salad (cabbage slaw mix with dried cranberries), scrambled eggs, plantains, and some of the most tender, smoked brisket i've ever had.  YUM.  the mango salsa was from the taco bar and it was scrumptious too. they have a bunch of salsas to choose from that range in heat. what taco bar?

this one.  you order what you like from those monitors and there are sandwiches to choose from too.  on the other side of that wall is something that has been getting so much press...

WFMPO is the first grocery store with an in-house brewery!  Kate mentioned that several times during the tour as they are super proud of this accomplishment!

once you pay for your goods and head past the registers to the winding staircase, you'll arrive at the last stop of our tour.

the 2nd floor seating area to relax with friends & fam and enjoy your goods.  such a fantastic view of the entire store from the balcony.  i'm feeling the big orange, oversized chairs too! this is why i don't have an eye for interior decorating though.  if i had seen these chairs in a furniture store solo i'd be like 'ok, WHO would ever buy that??'

if you don't head upstairs to eat, then back down the escalator ya go to the parking garage.

thanks a bunch, Kate!  she was such a gracious, genuine, and knowledgable tour guide.

so what's in my goodie bag?!

1. WFM Brewing Company Glass
2. Green Plate Foods Nubblers: all natural Cherry Chocolate fruit bites
3. Empire Mayonaaise White Truffle 
4. Enfusia Lemongrass fizz & foam bath bomb

1. Popcorn Indiana Sriracha Popcorn
2. 365 Mismatched Sandwich Cremes
3. Peace Water
4. if you made it to the grand opening that morning then you walked away with one of these adorable bags too.

click play to see my very first vlog ;)

[wpvideo P5AFWHI7]

thanks for reading and watching and i hope you thoroughly enjoy the new Whole Foods Market Post Oak as much as i DO!!! let me know what you think!

l

Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps + PWO grocery shopping

 awesome workout early this morniiiiing!  finally. after monday's sugar slump (my sister's baby shower was the day before lol) i feel SO much better.  i was determined to flip this week around cause it sure didn't start off too great physically and my motivation was shot. anyway, my cuz Diane told me she would come try my Lifetime classes and by golly she came!! not everybody is ready for HIIT at 5:30am but she totally was and kept her word!  we did some cardio together after this morning's weight class and i'm so glad she enjoyed herself and the club.

every time i wear this shirt sent to me by my good friend @babyfatboss somebody reads it then looks at me and asks, 'right now????' hahaha! no. not yet.

don't shop for groceries when you're hungry!!! i am good for that and  i'll never learn cause my Sprouts is in the same lot as my gym.

#itsawrap

recent purchases from Sprouts Farmers Market i cannot wait to use at breakfast tomorrow:

yep, you read that right. got my fingers crossed on this one!

making the switch to dairy-free creamer as of today.  this was the only size they had and i need a half-gallon carton or larger for sure.  i've been downing at least one cup of 1/2 caff in the mornings for a while now.

so we are now on week 5 of small group already, my goodness!  i have truly been blessed by meeting with these women to discuss the Word each week and will definitely be open to hosting a small group again in the future. we feasted on these lean ground Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps that you have GOT to try. and when ya do, tag me on Instagram and let me know so i can see!

 i know green bell peppers are the cheapest to buy but i LOVE the taste of, well, all the other colors. ha. especially red! and we know that red bell peps are a collagen boosting food great for helping us moms snap back after pregnancy and for keeping our skin looking great in general.

i used 'riced' cauliflower instead of brown rice so these are chock-full of veggies! do the following:

1. if raw, wash large cauli head thoroughly and break up into small florets (if frozen, let thaw first then break into florets)
2. add to food processor and pulse until a rice-like consistency is obtained
3. in a clean cup towel, add riced cauli and squeeze as tightly as you can to get ALL the moisture out
4. in a wok coated with no stick cooking spray over med-high heat, add cauli and sprinkle a little garlic and onion powder over it. that's optional though.  stir constantly for about 5-6 minutes or until slightly crispy/cooked.

Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps

the stuff:

• 1 lb extra lean ground chicken
• 1/2 cup red kidney beans
• 1 ear fresh sweet corn (or 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn)
• 1/2 large green bell pep, diced
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes w/ garlic
• 10 oz 'riced' cauliflower (see steps above)
• 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice (optional to put on top only)
• 2 tsp sweet smokey paprika (reg paprika will be fine too)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro (just grab a small bunch and chop it up)
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms of your choice
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
• 5 red bell peppers (discard the seeds but don't you dare throw away those tops after you cut them off! dice them up and eat them later)

do this: 

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking pan large enough to hold all 5 peppers at once with no stick cooking spray
2. coat a large skillet with no-stick cooking spray and set it to med-high heat
3. add garlic, onion, and green bell pepper and saute until translucent (2-3 min)
4. add lean ground chicken breast and continue to break it up with your spoon into smaller bits as it cooks
5. once cooked through, add kidney beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and stir until combined
6. add cumin, paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes and 2 tsp of the parsley flakes
7. add the cauli-rice and 1 cup of shredded cheese and blend once more and taste!
8. add salt & pepper to your liking and taste again
9. cut the bottoms flat across the peppers and situate them in your pan (see pic below)
10. stuff peppers with your chicken mixture and fill them to the brim
11. add about 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth to the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes covered with foil
12. remove pan from oven and top peps with remaining cheese; put back in for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts
13. top with remaining tsp of parsley flakes to make it pretty ;)

yummerrrrrrs. enjoy!

Q: what seasonal item have you ever just HAD to try?

le

Chicken Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers + PWO Grocery Shopping

 awesome workout early this morniiiiing!  finally. after monday's sugar slump (my sister's baby shower was the day before lol) i feel SO much better.  i was determined to flip this week around cause it sure didn't start off too great physically and my motivation was shot. anyway, my cuz Diane told me she would come try my Lifetime classes and by golly she came!! not everybody is ready for HIIT at 5:30am but she totally was and kept her word!  we did some cardio together after this morning's weight class and i'm so glad she enjoyed herself and the club.

every time i wear this shirt sent to me by my cyber friend @babyfatboss somebody reads it then looks at me and asks, 'right now????' hahaha! no. not yet.

don't shop for groceries when you're hungry!!! i am good for that and  i'll never learn cause my Sprouts is in the same lot as my gym.

#itsawrap

recent purchases from Sprouts Farmers Market i cannot wait to use at breakfast tomorrow:

yep, you read that right. got my fingers crossed on this one!

making the switch to dairy-free creamer as of today.  this was the only size they had and i need a half-gallon carton or larger for sure.  i've been downing at least one cup of 1/2 caff in the mornings for a while now.

so we are now on week 5 of small group already, my goodness!  i have truly been blessed by meeting with these women to discuss the Word each week and will definitely be open to hosting a small group again in the future. we feasted on these lean ground Chicken-Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps that you have GOT to try. and when ya do, tag me on Instagram and let me know so i can see!

 i know green bell peppers are the cheapest to buy but i LOVE the taste of, well, all the other colors. ha. especially red! and we know that red bell peps are a collagen boosting food great for helping us moms snap back after pregnancy and for keeping our skin looking great in general.

i used 'riced' cauliflower instead of brown rice so these are chock-full of veggies! do the following:

1. if raw, wash large cauli head thoroughly and break up into small florets (if frozen, let thaw first then break into florets)
2. add to food processor and pulse until a rice-like consistency is obtained
3. in a clean cup towel, add riced cauli and squeeze as tightly as you can to get ALL the moisture out
4. in a wok coated with no stick cooking spray over med-high heat, add cauli and sprinkle a little garlic and onion powder over it. that's optional though.  stir constantly for about 5-6 minutes or until slightly crispy/cooked.

Chicken Cauli-Rice Stuffed Bell Peps

the stuff:

• 1 lb extra lean ground chicken
• 1/2 cup red kidney beans
• 1 ear fresh sweet corn (or 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn)
• 1/2 large green bell pep, diced
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes w/ garlic
• 10 oz 'riced' cauliflower (see steps above)
• 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice (optional to put on top only)
• 2 tsp sweet smokey paprika (reg paprika will be fine too)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro (just grab a small bunch and chop it up)
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms of your choice
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
• 5 red bell peppers (discard the seeds but don't you dare throw away those tops after you cut them off! dice them up and eat them later)

do this: 

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking pan large enough to hold all 5 peppers at once with no stick cooking spray
2. coat a large skillet with no-stick cooking spray and set it to med-high heat
3. add garlic, onion, and green bell pepper and saute until translucent (2-3 min)
4. add lean ground chicken breast and continue to break it up with your spoon into smaller bits as it cooks
5. once cooked through, add kidney beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and stir until combined
6. add cumin, paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes and 2 tsp of the parsley flakes
7. add the cauli-rice and 1 cup of shredded cheese and blend once more and taste!
8. add salt & pepper to your liking and taste again
9. cut the bottoms flat across the peppers and situate them in your pan (see pic below)
10. stuff peppers with your chicken mixture and fill them to the brim
11. add about 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth to the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes covered with foil
12. remove pan from oven and top peps with remaining cheese; put back in for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts
13. top with remaining tsp of parsley flakes to make it pretty ;)

yummerrrrrrs. enjoy!

Q: what seasonal item have you ever just HAD to try?

le