One of the main reasons I dislike the show is that it feeds into stereotypes about moms that clip coupons. One of those stereotypes is that we only feed our families over-processed junk that isn’t good for you. In fact, there have been times that I’ve posted a particularly good grocery shopping experience I’ve had, and I’ve had friends comment “I wish I could do that, but I just never see coupons I want, we don’t eat Hamburger Helper.” Well, guess what? Neither do we. And I’m not passing any judgment on those who do; we just don’t care for it.

First, let me explain why supercouponers bristle a little when comments like that are made. A comment like that inherently implies that I have put a price tag on my family’s health—that I would choose to feed them free junk food instead of paying for healthier stuff. And implying that I have put a price tag on my kids’ health=bad mom. And that’s why we get defensive. I can tell you, even among my couponing friends, we’re making comments about how many Ramen noodles are shown on Extreme Couponing.

Let’s face it, you are who you are, and your eating habits are your eating habits. If you eat lots of junk food or eat quite healthy, that’s not going to change just because you try to save money using coupons.

There are plenty of ways to save money and be a couponer and still eat healthy. First, I use coupons to get very cheap or free items like toilet paper, paper towels, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, cleaning supplies and so on. In turn, this frees up more money in my grocery budget for items like produce. No doubt, it is cheaper to eat unhealthy than it is healthy. A gallon of organic milk costs about 8x what a gallon of soda would cost you. But use coupons to save where you can to free up money for more expensive items.

Organic companies do offer coupons, just not usually in the Sunday paper. Putting a coupon in the Sunday insert costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most of your organic companies tend to be smaller so they can’t afford that. It costs much less to run a printable coupon online, so many companies do that. One of my favorite websites, Organic Grocery Deals, keeps a very current list of which companies currently have printable coupons on their site. They also have forums and boards where shoppers highlight the current organic grocery deals at your favorite stores.

Organic companies are also more likely to offer a coupon in small booklets or tearpads found near the items, so look around while you shop. It seems as if Earth Day has become the reigning holiday for organic companies, so look for promotions around this time. It also can’t hurt to contact the company and ask if they’ll send you some. With Internet and Facebook, contacting a company can be done in about 60 seconds.

When it comes to buying organic meat and produce, I’ll be the first to admit, it can be hard to find good deals. I have two friends who recently just purchased an entire cow-grass fed, organic and all that. But neither wanted to spend the money to buy the whole thing, nor had the storage space, so they split it. Although it is significant money upfront, their cost per pound for organic meat is much less. Buying in bulk is usually cheaper, so it’s an option.

Another way I’ve found to save money is to just be realistic about how much my family will eat in a week, and buy accordingly. Buy produce with a plan in mind. I can’t tell you how often I’ve purchased beautiful, colorful produce and because I didn’t have a plan for it, it got rotten and thrown out-money wasted. Grocery stores, large and small, are all about marketing. Everything is strategically placed, with colors, the lighting—everything is put there to entice you to buy it. Go with a weekly dinner menu and a list. Less spoiled meat and produce thrown out means more money in your pocket.

Looking for organic coupons, buying in bulk, buying less to eliminate waste and using coupons to save money where you can-those are just some of the ways you can eat healthy and save some money.

Mom to two, Lisa Lightner lives in southeastern Pennsylvania. Frugal living is a lifestyle for her family. Lisa is the author of a deal blog called Smart Spending Spot. She also runs another site for parents of special needs children called A Day in our Shoes. Both blogs are also listed on Facebook, Twitter and multiple other options for following.

I hope you enjoyed meeting Lisa and found her insights on healthy couponing as helpful as I did! Looking for a post from me? Well today, as part of a blog swing, I’m writing at Fun Finds for Families, so head on over there and check out my post on managing fitness on a financial and time budget!

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Fitness doesn’t have to be all about drudgery in the gym. My husband is an avid hiker, and this past weekend we left the kids with their grandparents and spent the day hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail. We celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary earlier this month, and it was a fun way for us to spend time together.

We drove about an hour north on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Windsor Furnace point on the AT, and then followed the trail up a steep ascent to a scenic lookout called Pulpit Rock. After a brief rest, we hiked over to a larger and more popular lookout called “the Pinnacle” before descending back down. All in all, it was about 9 miles, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous! We saw dozens of chipmunks, 3 black snakes, and 7 poisonous snakes — 6 Copperheads and 1 Rattlesnake.

It was a great hike and the early steep descent did a number on my glutes – they were sore today, which is always a sign of a good workout for me.

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First, any kettlebell workout can’t start until you have a kettlebell! While it may be tempting to buy the rubber-encased one off the shelf at Target, I encourage you to purchase a kettlebell designed by someone who understands how to use them. As you get to more advanced moves, details like handle thickness, texture and the shape of the handle will become more important. My favorite picks are:

• Dragon Door – if you’re purchasing top-of-the-line, then you can’t beat the quality of Dragon Door kettlebells. Pros: Quality construction Variety of weights and specialty bells; Cons: Cost – $100 or more for most starter-sized kettlebells after shipping.
• Christian’s Fitness Factory — if you just want a decent kettlebell in more of a discount price range, and don’t need specialty weights or grips, then the custom kettlebells designed by CFF can’t be beat. Pros: Great value – cost is as low as $1 per pound; Cons: Smaller selection than Dragon Door.

I know the next question is what size kettlebell to purchase. I recommend that you consider your gender, weight, and fitness level. A woman under 120lbs and/or near this weight but very out of shape might start with 8kg(18lbs). A heavier woman or more fit woman under 120lbs could start with 12kg (26.5lbs). The good thing is that when she is ready to move up to a heavier kettlebell for swings, the lighter kettlebell will remain helpful for moves like a snatch, clean, or turkish getup. For a man, I recommend a 16kg (35lb) kettlebell to start, unless very slender or weak, and then a 12kg might be appropriate. For reference, I started with an 8kg kettlebell when I weighed around 120lbs and was just getting into shape. It only took me 3 weeks before I was ready to move up to a 12kg kettlebell. Don’t be afraid to start a little heavy. And don’t purchase anything lighter — that 4kg kettlebell was a great starter for my 8 year-old daughter. It’s not the right weight for you. I promise!

Next, you will need a resource to help you learn how to use the kettlebell. In this case, I’ll list a few different media that I have found both credible and helpful.

• Kettlebells for Dummies – written by RKC and long-time kettlebell user Sarah Lurie, this book is a great resource for anyone at a beginner point with kettlebells. Pros: Exhaustive resource manual, with accurate pictures. Cons: While it contains workouts, it can be difficult for a novice translate them into an actual workout routine.
• Kettlebell Goddess Workout – featuring Master RKC Andrea DuCane (who administered my HKC), this is a great resource for someone who needs a “follow-along” workout DVD. Pros: Ability to mix and match the smaller workouts to make custom programs. Andrea is one of the best in the industry, and it’s great to see a woman doing these moves. Cons: It lacks peppy music in the background and Andrea doesn’t give as many verbal cues as some people might like. (If you need music, this is easily solved by just playing your own.)

Youtube is a great resource for videos showing proper technique, and can be a real help if you know what channels to watch. My favorites:

• Phil Scarito – Team Leader for this region, I have trained with Phil and have found his technique to be really amazing. Plus, he does the best turkish getup I’ve ever seen. His videos have been very helpful to me.
• Sandy Sommer - An RKC in the Baltimore area, Sandy is a great trainer, and does a fantastic job of showing what some popular TV trainers do wrong. Sandy also shares my love of the deadlift.

All of the information I’ve provided above should be helpful in getting you started training with kettlebells at home. However, it’s much easier to develop proper technique if you’ve had in-person instruction. And it’s easier to start exercising properly than it is to correct mistakes and poor form. So consider seeking out a local kettlebell-certified trainer for an introductory session or group class. A great place to find a trainer is Dragon Door. You can find trainers with the HKC certification I possess, who are certified to train you to swing, squat, and do the turkish getup. RKC trainers can train those moves plus some more advanced ones, such as the clean and snatch. And CK-FMS trainers not only can train all of the basic and advanced kettlebell moves, but also are great for people with injuries or mobility issues. (FMS stands for Functional Movement Specialist.) I train regularly with two RKCs, one of which has her CK-FMS, and it has been great to have the benefit of all of her experience and training!

I would love to hear what Kettlebell products people are using and enjoying! Please share with me. If there are other kettlebell, nutrition or training questions I can help you with, please just ask! You may inspire my next blog post.

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The problem is, kettlebells have gotten so popular, so quickly, that there are many products developed by people who have absolutely no kettlebell certification or specific training, some of which are promoted by celebrity trainers, giving them an aura of credibility. At best, using these products will get you results that are not as good as you could get with proper training. At worst, they could result in a serious injury.

So then, how do you separate bad products from good? It’s challenging, unless you know what to look for.

• Reputable kettlebell training products are promoted by trainers with kettlebell-specific certifications. Look for the letters RKC, HKC, AKC, or CKT after a trainer’s name. These are the major kettlebell certifications. My preferred certification for ultimate knowhow and credibility is RKC.
• Good products will require you to use appropriate weights for your gender and size. A typical woman will start with a kettlebell that weighs 26.5 pounds, while a typical man will start with a 35-pound kettlebell. Programs that show a woman or man swinging a 10-pound kettlebell should be avoided. (For your reference, my 8 year-old swings an 18-lb kettlebell. She started with a 10-lb last year.)
• Excellent products will point out the limitations of learning to use kettlebells on your own, and will encourage you to seek out in-person training at least once. Products that claim to be the only training you’ll ever need will typically leave you with poor form.
• Dangerous moves are a hallmark of poorly constructed kettlebell programs. Videos that encourage you to swing kettlebells over your head are generally released by people with no clue about how to encourage safe kettlebell use.

While this list is by no means comprehensive, it should help you get a better idea of whether a product is worth your money or not!

Next post – a few of my favorite recommendations for people aspiring to work out with kettlebells.

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So sorry I’ve been MIA, but as you can see, I’ve been busy with very important things. Can I just say how wonderful it is to feel so comfortable with my body that I can post pictures of myself at the beach on the internet?

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What is rhubarb? Well, it’s a vegetable with long stalks that look like red or pink celery. The leaves are poisonous, but the stems can be used much like fruit, to make pie, jam, or sauce. I had often heard about preparing desserts with rhubarb, particularly with strawberries. After crawling the internet, I found a recipe with rave reviews and decided to give it a try.  With all of the sugar, flour, and butter, it’s likely the least healthy way to eat a vegetable, but it sure did taste good!

The recipe calls for a crumb topping that is also used to make a bottom cookie-like layer. I thought that was a bit much, and think you could halve the crumb recipe and just use it as topping. That might also improve the nutritional profile…but only a little!

And since I know you’re wondering, the reviews from inside my house…left something to be desired. I gave my kids some with their breakfast. Both of them refused it, and when I insisted they try it, they complained and cried, even though it tasted like pure sugar. My husband tried it and said it wasn’t his thing. As for me? I loved it! Tasted a bit like apple pie, but in a good way (I’m not a fan of apple pie).

So with only one favorable rating out of four…why am I raving? Frankly, you should never base your opinion of a food on what my family thinks! I also shared the dessert with some neighbors, including some of the neighborhood children. Everyone loved it – even a 3 year-old little girl. So if you’ve never had rhubarb, give this recipe a try.

Here’s the recipe I made:

Rhubarb Crisp from Southern Food

• 1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 Cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 C melted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 Cups sliced rhubarb
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 Cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon; mix together until crumbly. Press half of the brown sugar and oats mixture into a buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Top with the sliced rhubarb.

In a saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and the 1 cup of water and vanilla. Cook together until clear, then pour over rhubarb.

Top rhubarb with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes.

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I had never heard of pea tendrils before, but as it turns out, the entire pea plant is edible – not just the peas! The pea tendrils in our share appeared to be from our snow peas, and were beautiful long stalks with purple flowers and curly thin stalks at the top.

I was making a huge salad with all of our lettuce and thought I would chop and add some of the pea tendrils as a garnish.

I also wanted to taste the pea tendrils cooked, so I looked up a recipe and found that the age-old “cook in olive oil with garlic and salt” is an excellet method for preparing pea tendrils.  You’ll see my cooked tendrils on the right and the raw ones for the salad on the top left.

How did the pea tendrils go over with my crew?

7 year-old: Oh mommy, I LOVE them! They’re the best ever! They’re a 5!

4 year-old: I don’t want to try it! Ew! (Cries)

Daddy: Tastes good, but the texture is a little too “twiggy” for me.

Me: I’ve decided everything tastes good sautéed in olive oil and garlic. I agree with my husband that some of the stalks are a little too tough. I think I might need to cook them longer. They were actually a little easier to eat raw, and really made my salad look pretty with the purple flowers.

My 7 year-old loved the cooked pea tendrils so much that she kept coming back to the plate over and over to take more. Every now and then, she would complain that she couldn’t swallow it, and would spit it out (I suppose that was her way of saying it was twiggy).  Even so, she loved the flavor and kept coming back for more. So while I will certainly cook her more pea tendrils, I also will try cooking more types of greens in olive oil and garlic, since I think that’s what really appealed to her.

As for me, I’ll eat pea tendrils again, but if you are familiar with them and know how to deal with the toughness, please share your ideas! I think they’d taste even better if I could get them just a little more tender.

So, what new food did you try this week?

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What is C.S.A.? Well, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Owning a share in a C.S.A. is actually similar to owning a share of stock in a company. In this case, the company is a farm. And instead of receiving a share of earnings as cash, as you would with stock dividends, you receive a share of the farm’s bounty in its produce!

We were on the waiting list for Vollmecke Farm C.S.A., which is a local farm about 15 minutes from our house that has fruit and vegetable shares as well as an egg share. Then, two weeks before the season started, we were notified that there was an opening! I jumped at the chance to get a share and be a part of a C.S.A. for the first time.  Not only does it feel great supporting a local farmer, but I really enjoy knowing where my food comes from, how it was farmed, and that my farmer uses sustainable farming practices.

We had our first pick-up last week (see the picture above), and will be making our second pick-up today (which will include three dozen eggs in addition to fruit and veggies).  A full share of fruits and veggies cost us around $800 for 23 weeks of food.  Our first share had snow peas, rhubarb, asparagus, kale, spinach, mint, and romaine lettuce. We also spent $6 to pick two quarts of strawberries at our members-only price.

It takes some work getting used to getting your produce from a C.S.A.  Because you’re getting fresh produce, all the food is in-season. You’re not going to find strawberries in August, or pumpkins in June. So if you’re used to eating the same foods every week, you’re going to have to stretch outside your comfort zone a bit. That means looking up recipes, and finding ways to use produce you wouldn’t typically dare to buy at the grocery store. At the same time, trying new foods can be a lot of fun!

We are fortunate enough to live near a farm, but many farms will drop off C.S.A. shares at a central location, like a local city, for those who live far from the farm.  Those who live nearby can visit the farm to pick up their shares, as well as participate in pick-your-own days and farm events. Visiting “your farm” can be a fun and educational experience!

So in summary, here’s some pros and cons of being a part of a C.S.A.:

Pros

• Support a local business
• Know your farmer – know your food
• Fresh food is more nutritious
• Variety (of food) is the spice of life!
• Share in the bounty when the farm does well
• Access to the farm for pick-your-own and special events

Cons

• Unfamiliar foods or foods you don’t like may go to waste
• May still purchase your favorite produce elsewhere if it isn’t in your share
• Up-front cost can be difficult to afford
• If the farm does poorly, your share may be small
• Picking up your share could be inconvenient

Is joining a C.S.A. right for you? Only you can answer that! If you’re not sure, try purchasing from a local C.S.A. at the farmer’s market and ask about their farming methods, cost of a share, and what was in their share each week. By a few unfamiliar foods and learn how to prepare them. If that works for you, then joining a C.S.A. is a natural next step! I hope you love it! Local to the Philly area? Click on the “Eat Local Philly” button in my sidebar for a great site that helps you find places to purchase local food for your family.

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I wasn’t sure how to cook kale, other than putting it in soup. And I’m the only soup eater in the house, so I wasn’t tackling that! So, through the magic of facebook, I gathered input from friends on how to cook my kale.  I ended up with two different recipes to try:

First, was Kale Chips.  I removed the  stems, and spread the kale on aluminum foil on a cookie sheet, and sprayed it with olive oil. Then I sprinkled the kale with kosher salt, and squeezed a fresh lemon over the leaves.  Finally, I baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  The result? Light and crunchy flaky pieces of kale – like potato chips, but different.

Next was Sauteed Kale.  Again, I removed the stems, but this time I chopped them up, and then separately rolled and chopped the leaves. I oiled a pan with olive oil, and tossed in the stems and some minced garlic. After cooking them for a few minutes, I added in the leaves, and then seasoned with kosher salt and fresh lemon juice.  I continued to cook until the leaves were tender.

With two different versions to choose from, we were ready to try our kale! Here’s how we fared:

7 year-old: Was very wary about trying both varieties of kale but finally tried both.  She managed not to spit them out but was not a fan. Later she ate a piece of raw kale and smiled and said, “yummy!”

4 year-old: HE ATE IT! It’s a first, folks. I had him try one of the kale chips. He wanted to spit it out, but he gave up and swallowed it. He also didn’t like it, but progress is progress.

Me: I really loved the sauteed kale. The kale chips were good, but didn’t have as much flavor and were very thin. I think I needed more salt or lemon juice. The sauteed kale had great flavor and the right balance of ingredients. I will absolutely make it again!

Daddy: While he was reluctant to try both recipes, once he did so, he found that he like BOTH! His favorite was the kale chips, and he ate about 4-5 chips.

Some of the neighbors were around when we were doing our taste test, and so we included them as well. Everyone, from the parents to the kids, tried the kale and nearly all of them came back and took a second bite. The 8 year-old neighbor boy was gobbling it up and SO enthusiastic about the taste. (I need to invite him over EVERY Tuesday!)

Never had kale? Try one of these recipes for yourself, and let me know what you think. It’s a great way to get some variety in your leafy greens.  Have a great recipe for kale? Please share that as well!

What new food did you try this week?

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