Review: My FreezEasy (TOS Review) #hsreviews #freezeasy #freezermeals #5dollardinners #freezercooking

I got to use the MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership by MyFreezEasy for this review!  It has been such a great addition to my home!

The program is designed to make double of a meal, and freeze one.  You print 5 meals at a time, menus change each month, but you can also swap out recipes if there is something that doesn’t really suit you.  The idea is to make 10 meals a week, freezing half each week.

I have to be honest, I rarely eat the same meal twice…I always am trying new recipes and such, and only repeat a few tried and true recipes.  So, making two meals of something I had not even tried yet, was not appealing to me.  BUT, I still used the recipes and just made 1 of everything to freeze for later. 

I am Paleo, and was easily able to find meals that fit paleo or had easily substitutable ingredients (ie coconut aminos for soy sauce, honey for sugar, ghee for butter, etc…). I also make paleo sides for each dish, (ie cauli rice, instead of rice and typically additional vegetables of some sort).

I first made 10 different dishes (which at this point I have eaten 8 of, and all were good!) Then I made 10 more!

I LOVED having something already made in the freezer for an easy go to dinner!  I cooked almost every meal in my instant pot (regardless of cooking directions), so it was also ready very quickly! 

I did find a few typos in the directions, so just be aware and look over things.  I also wish that there was an option for making just ONE of each dish, because the shopping list is automatically created for making TWO dishes, so I had to cut it in half myself…would be easier not to have to do so.

It says it takes an hour, I found with all the vegetable chopping and such, it took me more than an hour.   If everything was chopped and laid out, ready to go already… it would take about an hour from that point.  But it still saves A LOT of time in the long run, so it’s totally worth it!  You just have to find a few hours to set aside and DO IT!

I loved that I don’t have to worry about fresh vegetables going bad, b/c I’m chopping them right after I buy them and freezing them!  It makes eating healthy SO easy too!  Everything I used was FRESH veggies/fruit…zero processed food! 

It also cut down how much money I was spending at the grocery store because I don’t have to go as often!  I can go about once every 2 weeks now, with a small stop at the local farm for veggies every week (I do need side dishes). 

You are also able to adjust the serving sizes for your recipes!  This was great!  I could change it to 6 for every meal and the recipe adjusted accordingly!

Here is the list of recipes I made:

Dutch Oven Italian Chicken & Potatoes

Grilled Asian Chicken Foil Packs (made without packs)


Peach & Balsamic Chicken Skillet


Slow Cooker Mango Chicken
Slow Cooker Rosemary Artichoke Chicken
Beef Stew Foil Packs (made without packs)

Firecracker Pork Chops


New Mexican Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Filling) (Pictured NOT Paleo)


Paleo Minestrone Soup (I added meatballs to this)


Sweet Potato & Chicken Sausage Hash

Second round:

Easy Beef & Broccoli Stirfy
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Grilled Pork Chops with Zucchini & Tomatoes
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato & Chicken Curry
Bolognese Sauce
Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
Paleo Chicken Taco Salad
Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps
Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup (omitted the beans)

Everything I have eaten thus far has been DELICIOUS!  The only complaint my hubby had was that I made too many chicken breast meals, so for my second round you can see I tried to mix it up a bit more! 

It really is SUPER easy, and there is a good selection of recipes to choose from, they change every month, however! 

It is inexpensive too, especially considering all the money and time it saves you! I will be continuing to use these menu plans!  It has really saved me so much time, as a homeschool mom!  Dinner now requires no thought really, and just a handful of minutes in the instant pot, most nights!

Social Media Links:
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/freezeasy
Instagram:  http://www.instagram.com/freezeasy
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/5dollardinners/freezeasy

 

#Paleo Tapioca Pudding in the Instant Pot (Dairy, Gluten and Refined Sugar FREE)

Ingredients: 

1 c tapioca pearls (not instant)

3 c water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 c raw honey (or more if you prefer sweeter)

1  can coconut milk

2 egg yolks

1 T vanilla

Serves 8-12

Directions:

1.  Put tapioca pearls and water into the Instant Pot.  Set on Manual for 6 mins.  Turn off and let sit at natural pressure release for 10mins, release any remaining pressure and remove lid.

2.  Add salt and honey, whisk together.

3.  In a separate small bowl, mix coconut milk and egg yolks.

4.  Whisk into the Instant Pot, set on sauté and whisk continually until boiling. 

5.  Turn off heat and stir in the vanilla

Serve with diced fruit, if desired.

Enjoy warm or cooled!

Note on the sweetness - My husband thought it wasn’t sweet enough, my kids agreed, and also didn’t like the texture (first time having tapioca, I remember I didn’t like it as a kid either, same reason).  I thought it was perfect, and ate most of it myself!  Oops!  Since I do not eat a lot of *sweet* anymore, it was plenty sweet for me.  My family on the other hand are more adapted to sweet things.  So you may want more honey, just taste to see.  My family eats mostly Paleo (since I cook), but they also eat non-Paleo a lot more often than I do.

2 Weeks of #Paleo Dinners (Most are #Whole30 Compliant) Part 1

Lemon thyme chicken with braised Brussels sprouts (emeals), Whole 30

Bacon salmon patties with broccoli and red peppers (emeals), Whole 30

Maple mustard pork with sweet potatoes and apple coleslaw (emeals)

Salisbury Steak and mashed carrots/sweet potatoes and mixed greens on the side! (emeals) Whole 30

Chili lime flank steak with asparagus/zucchini with bacon and leftover mash (emeals)

Indian chicken thighs with butternut squash wedges and carrots (emeals) Whole 30 and almond butter cups for dessert, NOT WHOLE 30

Bbq sauce (Tessame’s) on leftover pork on baked potato with green beans Whole 30 (if you use compliant pork, this pork was not compliant, see above)

Kung Pao Beef on broccoli/cauli rice, (emeals) Whole 30

Shrimp and pork egg roll in a bowl, I used coconut aminos, added some extra shredded carrots, put the leftover pork in, and then added the shrimp on top until cooked.  Served with cashews! Whole 30 (without the leftover non compliant pork)

Buffalo Chicken Casserole,  I halved the hot sauce so the kids and I could eat it.  Whole 30

This is a yummy go to salad I make, I had it two ways.  On the right is greens with avocado, strawberry and copy cat chic-fil-a paleo chicken, on the left it’s with turkey hot dog.  Both served with Tessame’s Balsamic Dressing.  Whole 30

Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker, Whole 30

Find more Whole 30 and Paleo posts

If you follow my Instagram you can see my daily meals!

Recipe: Pork Chops with Oregano-Dijon Sauce @emeals

Ingredients:

6 (6oz) bone-in pork chops (or chicken breasts, I used boneless pork chops….the thick ones from Costco).
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
2 Tbsp arrowroot (or tapioca starch)
3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard (or brown mustard)
3 Tbsp coconut milk
2 tsp dried oregano

Directions:

Sprinkle pork chops with garlic salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork chops, and cook 4 minutes per side or until done.  (Since I used thick chops, I browned all sides and put in oven at 400F until done).  Remove from the skillet  and keep warm.  Whisk together chicken broth and arrowroot; add to skillet.  Bring to a boil, and cook 4 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Whisk in mustard and remaining ingredients.  Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.  Serve sauce over pork shops.

Pictured Side Dish:  Pan-Steamed Asparagus with Mushrooms

You can get this recipe and many other Paleo friendly recipes from emeals! Other plan options are also available.

30 Days on the Whole 30–My Story

I have mentioned a few times in my weekly wrap ups (and a lot on my Instagram and Twitter) that I have been doing the Whole 30.
If you have not heard of the Whole 30 you can get an overview here.  However, to sum it up:
(No Beans includes peas, peanuts and soy)

FOR 30 DAYS!!

I NEVER in a million years thought I would do something like this!  I’ve been feeling drawn to a Gluten Free diet for sometime now, but have been pushing it aside.  When people would talk about food based documentaries and go on about food, I would plug my ears!  I LOVED food, I didn’t want to ruin it! I knew bread messed with me, but I didn’t want to give it up!  I have suffered with medical  issues for years (Diagnosed Lupus about 11 years ago, though that was retracted about 3 years ago…back to square one, not sure what’s wrong with me!).  I had been noticing some hormonal changes, as well as an uncontrollable temper lately too.  After lots of prayer, I felt it important to look VERY closely at my DIET!  After all, a car with bad fuel doesn’t run well at all, right?  Neither do we!

I began to research Gluten Free versus Paleo, and found out about Whole 30!  I pretty much cut grains and dairy from my diet immediately, and noticed a difference right away!  I also noticed a huge difference when I did eat them after not eating them often (not a good difference!). 
I spent about a month (or more) researching and reading up on Whole 30.  I started to stock my pantry with Whole 30 compliant items a few days before my projected start date.  I felt prepared!  I think these are the MOST IMPORTANT key to success on the WHOLE 30!  Education and Preparation!

 

^^THE BEST PLACE TO START^^

Reading labels was a very eye opening experience for me!  I have come to learn that there is basically SUGAR in EVERYTHING!  Things you wouldn’t even expect sugar to me in (like meat) there is SUGAR!  It’s crazy!!!  I mean, I’m pretty sure that’s the answer to our obesity epidemic!  HELLO!!?? 
After one shopping trip of reading A LOT of labels and putting A LOT of things back, I learned what was compliant and what wasn’t, and each shopping trip thereafter was a bit easier.  I still label read new products once in a while, but for the most part I now know what to buy and what NOT TO BUY!  Shopping is much easier!  I’ll be honest, I didn’t buy the highest quality of meat (which is a recommendation, grass-fed, free pasture, etc…); it was too pricey for my family of 6.  I did stay within the RULES though, and for the most part my family ate what I age (for dinner at least). 
I ordered some items on line, you can make your own mayo and dressings, but for me I knew I would not get around to it and that would be my stumbling block!  So I ordered from Tessame’s (receive 20% off with my link), LOVE their Whole30 starter pack!  I just reordered a few of the dressing from it that I have used up!  I also ordered a few things from Thrive Market on a free trial membership, I didn’t find enough there to justify the yearly fee (for me, however). 
I have a Whole 30 Pinterest board where I have pinned a lot of the information I found helpful, yummy recipes and more! 
If you follow my Instagram you can see my daily meals! 
I honestly don’t feel myself missing any of the old food….I have NEVER eaten this good!  I kid you not!  Everything has been so delicious and enjoyable.  I really am appreciating food more than ever! 
As part of educating myself, I found it helpful to also understand the stages that one goes through during the 30 days.  It’s a rocky road in the beginning, sugar withdrawal, grouchiness, headaches, etc..  Be aware that these will occur, don’t let it discourage you.  It’s a whole new ball game around day 19 or so (maybe even sooner!).
This Facebook group has been great too!  Every once in a while I felt like I needed reassuring about something, or I just had a question.  They are great!  Be warned they are strict and they follow rules and recommendations!  But it’s a great knowledge base and motivation factor!

How’d it work for me?
I wasn’t looking for weight loss here.  Heck, if I loose weight, I’ll need to buy new clothes, and I have just recently purchased a ton…not wanting to do that!  But I just weighed myself this morning and I lost 11 lbs.  (I actually shed a couple pounds before I started, by just cutting grains and dairy, but I didn’t weigh myself before Day 1).  So I went from 138 to 127.  I had to go into my Stitch Fix profile and change my sizes!  My current clothes still fit, but are a little baggy.  I had to put a belt on the other day!
So NSVs (Non Scale Victories) for me are:
*Lost that tummy bloat
*Less tired all the time/More energy
*More patience
*Slower to anger/get frustrated
*Sleeping better (when undisturbed, I still have kids!)
*I feel full (no snacking!)
*No sugar/chocolate cravings
*Don’t miss the ‘old’ food
*Not as many aches/pains
ENERGY??!! – I just wanted to give an example of how my energy has increased.  Typically I’m DONE by lunch…grumpy, tired, don’t feel like doing anything!  Co-op days are very draining!  But, last week for co-op….we hit Costco afterwards, I came home unloaded the car, put the groceries away, made dinner (yummy pork chops), did the dishes, washed, dried and folded several loads of laundry and didn’t go to bed until 1030!  I felt great! 
Where am I going from here?
I have decided to stay Paleo, at least 80% of the time (most likely more).  I am looking into a Emeals subscription for their Paleo menus. I tried out one of their recipes for dinner and it was good!  Even the kids ate it up!

Herbed Salmon Burger and Broccoli Slaw from their FREE menu under Paleo (1 of 3 Paleo recipes available for FREE)
I am looking forward to experimenting with baking Paleo treats!  There are so many yummy Paleo desserts (I have a pinterest board for that!) But I have NO DESIRE to go back to my old way of eating.
For the kids, I have switched them to mostly Gluten Free….for convenience purposes, I haven’t switched them completely.  But I know only buy Gluten Free cereals (Cheerios, Chex, Kix, etc…) and Gluten Free snack foods, but they still get sandwiches (Gluten Free bread is $$$$).  I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in their behavior (especially my oldest who exhibited ADD behaviors).
The thing I have learned most of all though is LABEL READING!  Previously looking at a label was overwhelming; I didn’t even know what I was looking for, what was good, what was bad, etc…  Now I have a better idea of what to look for. We are eating more fresh over all, and I am a lot more picky about packaged foods.  I also discovered that my regular grocery store carries quite a bit of compliant foods!  SCORE! 
My next goal is to use all this new found energy and get motivated to exercise!  I started out the new year doing fairly well, but it fizzled.  I am so out of shape, and feel now that my body has the RIGHT FUEL, I need to get into shape!  I started this on Day 28 and am going well!  I finally feel like the exercise is energizing me and helping, as opposed to just taking what little (if any) energy I had left (Pre Whole 30).
I’m looking forward to continuing my journey!