Trim Healthy Mama Plan (24 page)

LUNCH—E

Sweetie on Steroids (“Quick Single Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Beauty Milk (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Popeye's Power Soup (“Family Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Swiss Bread or Golden Flat Bread with pastured butter (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / side salad with superfood oils

Day 3

BREAKFAST—E

Two slices of Artisan Sourdough or sprouted toast (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with an egg-white and veggie scramble / Healing Trimmy Light (“Hot Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

BBBB Thin Thick (“Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / 1 or 2 Chocolate Chai-Glazed Cinnamon Muffins (“Family Muffins” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Grass-fed pot roast / side salad with superfood oils / roasted Brussels sprouts with high-mineral salt, nutritional yeast, and extra-virgin coconut oil

Day 4

BREAKFAST—S

raw whole milk, Double Fermented Kefir superfood smoothie (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—FP

Soothe Your Soul Soup (“Quick Single Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Swiss Bread as a dunker (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Pastured, whole baked chicken / green beans with melted ghee or pastured butter / green side salad with extra-virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Day 5

BREAKFAST—E

Super Prepared Purist Grains with blueberries (“Good Morning Grains” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—FP

Chocolate Fat-Stripping Frappa made with organic cacao (“Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Pink Salmon Chowder (“Family Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / side salad with liberal superfood oils

Day 6

BREAKFAST—S

Venison or pasture-raised sausage with fried eggs / Healing Trimmy (“Hot Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—E

Stewed tomatoes and onions sautéed with precooked, organic chicken breast with favorite zesty spices over 2 slices Artisan Sourdough or sprouted toast (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / hot tea with added collagen

DINNER—S

Super Salmon Patties made with ⅓ cup soaked quinoa instead of oats (recipe found free on our website or in the “Extra Skillet Stuff” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / roasted non-starchy veggies with ghee or coconut oil / green salad with superfood virgin oils

Day 7

BREAKFAST—FP

Breakfast-size Collagen Berry Whip (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / herbal tea

LUNCH—E

Sweet Potato Bar using pasture-raised chicken breasts (“Oven Baked or Roasted Meats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Beauty Milk (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Mulligan Soup with wild ground venison or grass-fed beef (“Family Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Garlic Swiss Bread toasted with raw pastured butter (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

Snack Ideas for the Week

Double Fermented Kefir (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) with berries / raw cheese and soaked then dehydrated crispy nuts / grass-fed beef jerky (sugar-free) / organic crudités with hummus / Skinny Chocolate, Milk Chocolate Chunk Skinny Truffles, or Chocolate Superfood Chews (“Candies and Bars” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Avo Cream Pudding and Chia Pud (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Collagen Berry Whip and Tummy Spa Ice Cream (“Frozen Treats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Kale Chips and Purist Cheesy Crackers (“Crackers, Chips, and Dips”
chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Purist Primer (“Quick Single Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Beauty Milk (“More Drinks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / BBBB Thin Thick or any other Thin Thick (“Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Chocolate Chai–Glazed Cinnamon Muffins (“Family Muffins” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

P
erhaps this very book you are reading is borrowed from the library because purchasing it would eat into precious grocery money. We get it! Eight years ago, when we started writing the first edition of
Trim Healthy Mama
(which took a little more than five years to write), we were both bound by extremely tight budgets. Those were tough times, with our husbands sometimes out of work or then blessedly finding work but working two jobs just to try to catch up yet never quite making it. This plan was designed during those hard financial times. If we could do it then, you can do it now!

These days, our grocery budgets are much more flexible and it's obvious from our recipes that we sometimes enjoy fun specialty items. But we didn't always have that liberty and you don't have to have any specialty items to see success. You can use everyday foods from any grocery store. You don't have to belong to a food co-op or shop at fancy-shmancy health markets or even buy the products from our own THM company. Simple, inexpensive foods can be your staples. Incorporated in the Trim Healthy Mama way, these ordinary foods can accomplish miracles.

Look at what you can buy rather than what you can't. Foods like old-fashioned oats, eggs, cans of tuna, cabbage, lettuce, brown rice, cottage cheese, the cheapest cuts of bone-in chicken, ground turkey or beef on sale, beans, and butter all are affordable. These inexpensive foods don't have to be bland or boring, either. We don't mean you'll have to boil up a sloppy plop of cabbage or have to eat plain tuna out of the can. But when
cabbage is roasted with butter and seasonings it becomes a delicacy, and when it is finely chopped into angel hair noodles and tossed with ground turkey and taco seasoning—oh wow! When that tuna is drizzled with balsalmic vinegar and olive oil, mixed with cottage cheese, and stuffed into tomatoes—yummo! Even extra-virgin olive oil is affordable at discount chains.

Frozen cauliflower florets are very inexpensive. When creatively prepared, they can replace rice and potatoes in many S recipes such as potato salad, cheesy potato casseroles, mashed potatoes, and loaded potato soup. If purchasing Greek yogurt is too much of a stretch for you, you'll want to try our Jigglegurt recipe (found in the “Sweet Bowls” chapter of the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
). It literally doubles your Greek yogurt so you can buy less of it. Yes, you will need some gelatin to make that recipe happen, but a little goes a long way. It takes only two teaspoons of gelatin to transform two cups of Greek yogurt into four cups.

Perhaps you cannot afford our Trim Healthy Mama Baking Blend to make breads, muffins, and cakes with. No worries, you can find ground flax meal at any grocery store and make muffins and breads with that. Oat fiber (not to be confused with oat bran) is another very inexpensive on-plan baking flour. Mix it with flax meal to lighten the calorie load and to give a less dense texture to your baked goods. You can find that on our website or look for it at discount online health food stores. Coconut flour is another on-plan flour easily found at many grocery stores, like Walmart or Target. Prices are coming down on that, too, as demand increases and competition between companies creates better bargains.

You'll notice we do use a lot of coconut oil on plan. Thankfully, extra-virgin coconut oil is not as expensive as it used to be when we both started on plan and is so much easier to find. But if it is still a stretch for you, refined coconut oil is cheaper than extra-virgin. It does not have all the medicinal qualities, but it will not become a trans fat when you cook with it, and it still retains its healthy middle-chain fatty acids. The main thing, though, is that you can still make Skinny Chocolate with it. One aisle over in the store, buy unsweetened cocoa powder, then mix in some plan-approved sweetener, and you'll always have affordable Skinny Chocolate on hand.

You can basically do our whole plan on these few inexpensive food items. Include some frozen berries (as they are cheaper than fresh), a piece of frozen salmon now and then (frozen fillets are much cheaper than fresh), and some green apples for more variety.

Protein is the foundation of Trim Healthy Mama. Yes, it's true that proteins cost more than starches; but we're going to show you ways to make protein an
affordable part of your grocery cart. We have to admit that white pasta, cheap fluffy white sandwich breads, ramen noodles, and packets of generic-label chips and pretzels are relatively cheap. People sometimes fill their carts with this sort of junk in the hope of getting a lot of food items without spending a ton of money. This practice might save you a dollar or two, but you haven't bought any real food. These items are essentially non-foods. They might be cheap on your bank account, but they will be expensive in the long run when it comes to your health.

In a perfect world, everybody would buy grass-fed beef and pastured eggs. The reality is, precious few can afford these forms of protein all the time. We have seen many Mamas try to limit their protein and that of their children because they cannot afford the most pure sources. Meat nights twice a week only, one egg per day max! But what do they then fill their plates with? It's not usually veggies that play a bigger role; starches take over when protein is missing. More beans, more rice, more bread, more potatoes. We are not against these foods, but when eaten in unbounded excess they are inflammatory, aging, and fattening.

So what to do, what to do?

If you know—or even are yourself—a hunter (go, girl!), your problem is solved.
Wild game is the healthiest of all meat, so fill that freezer! We are blessed with sons who are excellent hunters and they provide us with enough healthy meat to last most of the year. Excuse us while we brag for a minute, but both of our oldest sons brought in five deer each this year for our families—proud Mamas we are. If your family isn't the hunting type and you truly cannot afford meat from the store, inquire into a hunter's association in your area. Many hunters kill extra deer and they are only too happy to give to families who need it. Venison is very healthy and tastes great, especially when cooked for long hours in a slow cooker.

Maybe all you can afford is the ground chuck on sale at your local Save More market. Don't worry, you can still do Trim Healthy Mama. We have a little trick to turn this ground beef (or ground turkey or ground
chicken), which is likely too high in omega-6 fatty acids, into a cleaner, lean source. Toxins in meat are stored in the fat. Brown your meat, drain it, then put it in a colander and rinse it well with very hot water for a couple of minutes. This will remove most of the fat along with the toxins. If you want to be even more thorough, you can press down with a spoon or the bottom of a mug or jar to help release the fats under the hot water. Once the meat is rinsed, you are left with much cleaner, lean meat. You can use this generously in S meals, but since most of the fat has been removed, you can also use this in E or FP meals if you keep the limit at four ounces. For S purposes you can make this lean meat more “superfoodish” by adding healthy fats such as red palm oil or coconut oil.

Don't be fooled by packaging claims on chicken. Sometimes certain brands have higher prices and claim that no hormones have been added and no antibiotics have been used. If you read the fine print on the packaging, the federal regulations prohibit use of hormones anyway. So don't spend five more bucks on that fancily worded package when the cheaper one next to it is not allowed to use hormones, either. Chicken thighs and legs are the least expensive part of the chicken and, since they contain the bones, they help to raise glycine levels in your body, which is a boon for your overall health. Big bags of frozen chicken pieces can go a long way and are much cheaper than fresh. Try our Bangin' Ranch Drums and Crispy Lickin' Chicken recipes in the “Oven Baked or Roasted Meats” chapter of the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
. Or sprinkle your favorite spices on bone-in, skin-on chicken and bake until done.

Frozen and canned vegetables are often cheaper than fresh and can work on plan, but we also do want you to have plenty of fresh leafy greens. If you can eke out an extra dollar
or two for organic lettuce, this is when it would really be worth it. Organic romaine is not usually priced too much higher than regular. If you can't afford it, have your salad anyway. Don't limit your
greens, no matter what!

Frozen veggies are often picked at the height of freshness and snapped frozen. They are a great, cheap way to fill your diet with non-starchies. Canned forms of tomatoes, chilies, green beans, olives, artichokes, and meats can also play an inexpensive part of the plan. But we do urge you to seek out BPA-free canned goods when possible. More and more grocery stores are catching on to the dangers of bisphenol A, which is a known carcinogen, and are carrying their cheaper house-brand canned goods in
BPA-free cans. Ask your local grocery store about their stance on this.

Stress and worry can undo the most perfect, pure, and organic diet. If at this time you are not blessed with the budget to buy any of your foods in their purest forms, you do have the choice to pray for protection. Do your best but don't stress the rest. It is out of your control but in His. Be as wise and savvy as you can about sourcing pure foods, but don't obsess and destroy the joy in your journey. We have heard from thousands and thousands of Mamas whose health has miraculously turned around on Trim Healthy Mama with only regular grocery-store foods. Their blood sugars balanced, their weight dropped, and their bodies healed.

T
IGHT
-B
UDGET
I
DEA
M
ENU

Day 1

BREAKFAST—S

Strawberry Cheesecake Shake, using ¼ cup extra cottage cheese if budget does not allow for whey protein (“Shakes, Smoothies, Frappas, and Thin Thicks” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—E

Bean Boss Soup (“Quick Single Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Wasa or Ryvita crackers with a thin smear of butter (up to 1 teaspoon)

DINNER—S

Cabb and Saus Skillet (“Family Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / optional deviled eggs on the side and/or a side salad with olive oil and vinegar

Day 2

BREAKFAST—S

Fried eggs with diced yellow squash

LUNCH—S

Heavy S Salad in a Jar—you can make fresh for your plate if you prefer (“Quick Single Salads” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—E

Cheapskate Soup (“Family Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

Day 3

BREAKFAST—E

Pineapple Upside Down Cake—no special ingredients version (“Quick Single Serve Cakes” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / Jigglegurt (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Bread in a Mug Pizza, made with Bread in a Mug dough spread out into the size of a personal pizza crust, topped with your choice of budget-friendly toppings
(“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / side salad

DINNER—S

Potsticker Patties (“Extra Skillet Stuff” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / steamed or roasted cauliflower with butter and seasonings / side salad with oil and vinegar

Day 4

BREAKFAST—E

Cooked oatmeal / diced apple / Jigglegurt (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—E

Cream of Sweet Stuff Soup (“Quick Single Soups” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

Egg Roll in a Bowl (“Family Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
or you can find the recipe on Pinterest)

Day 5

BREAKFAST—FP

Large egg-white omelet with onion, spinach, and tomato and a garnish amount of grated part-skim mozzarella

LUNCH—E

Trim Healthy Pancakes (“Pancakes, Donuts, Crepes, and Waffles” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
), serving of fruit or berries, if desired

DINNER—S

Ridiculous Meatballs and Spaghetti (“Crockpot Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / zucchini noodles

Day 6

BREAKFAST—E

Cooked oatmeal / frozen berries / Jigglegurt (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Bread in a Mug Tuna Sandwich, the tuna mixed with diced celery and mayo, using Bread in a Mug (“Breads and Pizza Crusts” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

DINNER—S

BLT Frittata (“Family Skillet Meals” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / steamed cauliflower with butter and seasonings / side salad

Day 7

BREAKFAST—E

Bust-a-Myth Banana Cake (“Family Cakes” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)

LUNCH—S

Large salad with canned tuna or a salmon pouch as protein and ½ an avocado

DINNER—S

Bangin' Ranch Drums (“Oven Baked or Roasted Meats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / buttered canned or frozen green beans

Snack Ideas for the Week

Fruit and low-fat cottage cheese or Jigglegurt (“Sweet Bowls” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
) / celery and peanut butter / boiled eggs / cheese and peanuts (peanuts are the cheapest nuts) / deli meat and cheese wrapped in lettuce / any popsicle or slushy in the “Frozen Treats” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
(since these are mainly ice, they are very budget-friendly) / Skinny Chocolate (“Candies and Bars” chapter in the
Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
)