Trim and Healthy Chocolate Muffins- E style

 

Eating Healthy can be costly to your pocket book.  I have a monthly budget for our groceries each month. But with the holidays, I went over! Yicks!   So for January.. I need to cut back and get it under control.

I like to plan a menu out for each month, it helps me stay within my budget.  As I was planning January’s menu, I ran across this recipe for Chocolate muffins on the THM facebook group. This recipe has everything a frugal mom (working on a smaller budget) wants.   Thank you Melissa for letting me share this recipe!

Chocolate Muffins – E Style

1 3/4 c oats

3 egg whites or 1/4 cup of egg whites from the carton

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 c plain Greek yogurt

1/2 t cream of tartar

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 c hot water

1 c erythritol

2 servings of Kal Stevia (optional.. its for added sweetness)

 

Pour your oats into a  blender and blend until it’s a powder. Now you have oat flour.  Remove from blender into a bowel and add the remaining ingredients.. or if your like me just add the rest of the ingredients to your blender and blend until combined.  Place in lined muffin tins.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes are until done. 

*I was able to make a dozen and a half.*

 

These are very moist muffins.  They are so yummy you can serve them for dessert after an E dinner!

 

Enjoy!

Shelby

Trim and Healthy Simple Menu Ideas

 

These are simple meals that I do with my family… Some are in the THM  book and some are not.  If you have any questions just ask.  I never measure anything when I cook unless I am giving it to some one.  I will be posting some of my own recipes on the blog soon… so look for them!

Breakfast

Egg Omelets with cheese and bacon, sausage, or ham

Muffin in a Mug from: http://justrightporridge.com/category/basic-coconut-flour-baking-mix/

(she has lots of options to choose from.. I have even made these into waffles and drizzled a little Sugar free low cal syrup on them.)

S breakfast tacos : scramble one egg with cooked turkey sausage with fajita veggies on a low carb tortilla with cheese (cook with butter or coconut oil)

E breakfast tacos: use egg whites and do the same as above.. use coconut cooking spray!

Oatmeal: you can do the recipe from the book or (if your like me.. just use almond milk and cook like you have before, but use stevia to sweeten)

Stacy makes cents over night oatmeal

Breakfast Cobbler from Stacymakescents.com (S)

0% Greek yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit , with a dash of vanilla and stevia to sweeten ( I use ½ cup of yogurt and ¼ cup of fruit)… I do this for a quick breakfast when needed… but not to often.

Lunch

Chicken salad wraps (my recipe)

Chicken quesadilla on low carb tortilla

Taco salads with lavish chips and real cheese for S ( use only a half of lavish bread to stay with in S territory)

Chef Salads with plan approved dressing

Left overs from dinner

Sandwiches on plan approved pita bread

Dinner

Hamburger- Broccoli Alfredo Casserole from Linda’s low carb menus and recipes  – S meal

Baked whole chicken seasoned to your liking… mashed cauliflower, with S frozen green beans (cooked with real bacon and onions, seasoned with garlic powder and salt) or any non starchy veggie of your choice.

Cheeseburger pie( THM Book)

Gwen’s Nest- Beef Stroganoff recipe E style

Beef and Broccoli Alfredo ( THM book)

Stove top grilled chicken breast with Mrs. Dash seasonings (cooked with coconut oil spray) served with non starchy veggies… or E veggies for an E meal ( I like to have a serving of sweet potato with it… great E meal)

Chicken Spaghetti Squash – My recipe … coming soon

Mock Potato soup from Linda’s Low Carb menus and recipes

Chicken Jambalaya (my tweaked THM recipe) E meal

Broiled bone in Chicken (my husband’s favorite) S meal- season chicken breast with salt and Tony’s Cajun seasonings… bake at 415 for 30 to 45 mins… until done… if the skin of the chicken is not crispy turn broiler on and crisp it… serve with non starchy veggies.  (S meal)

S Chili

Lavish bread pizza (great lunch idea too)

 

These are just a few of the items we eat at our house.  I hope they help some of you ladies beginning with THM.

Shelby

Caldo~ Mexican Style Chicken Veggie Soup

The weather out here has been yucky!

Rainy, cold weather calls for

Soup in my book.

Here is my recipe for Caldo.

A quick note to the THM out there:

*This recipe contains carrots. To stay within the S category you need to limit the amount you eat in a serving. *

Now for you NON THM’s you can add 3 potatoes cubed big to this recipe.

---

Caldo
4 chicken thighs
3 boneless chicken breast
6 to 8 cups water
5 stalks of celery chunked
Half cabbage sliced
4 to 5 carrots sliced in big chucks
3 zucchini chunked
Handful of cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken , celery and water in a huge soup pot.. bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked. Add your salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken thighs so they can cool . Debone them and add them back in. While your thighs are cooling add the rest of your veggies all except your cilantro. Continue to cook until veggies are done. Add the cilantro right before the veggies are cooked . Simmer a few more minutes. When cilantro is wilted and cooked… your ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Shelby

Are you Ready?

For Christmas that is!

Well lets see…

• Christmas shopping complete….. check!
• gifts wrapped….. (oh, wait I have two left to wrap)
• Christmas Eve menu made and bought for….check!
• Christmas breakfast  … yap I know what that’s going to be
• Christmas lunch menu… check!
• THM goodies list made

Goody making scheduled for Monday…

Yes, I think I’m ready!

Are YOU?

 

Merry Christmas

from our family to yours!

Sugar Free Caramel Peanut Clusters

 

I have been craving Peanut Clusters. You have to have some of your favorite treats during the holidays.  Well for me  that is.. I just “need” to keep some of my favorite treats handy.

I set out to create my own yummy caramel recipe… but did you know that when you use erythritol in a caramel recipe, it will harden instead of that creamy, gooey  yumminess.

That’s what I found out!  IT tasted great, but once I let it cool for  awhile.. it was hard as a rock!

I would not have know it if I did not try it!

I don’t know if anyone else learned this little tidbit of information, but I which I would have read this post from All Day I dream about food first.  It would have saved me some of my precious erythritol!

Don’t tell my that I am the only Trim Healthy Mama out there that  hoards all of those precious items that keep us on plan.

Now fess up!  You know you do it too… I’m not the only one…

RIGHT?

Now, I need to try these babies out!  Don’t they look delish!

Yes, my tongue is just hanging out drooling over these bad boys…

but they need some tweaks to be THM!

 

Here is the recipe with my tweaks.

 

Salted Peanut Caramel Clusters
1/2 cup granulated erythritol
1/2 tablespoon molasses
1/2 tablespoon water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup salted peanuts
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the erythritol, molasses, and water  in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until all of the erythritol has dissolved. Continue cooking until mixture becomes a dark amber color. It will take about 6-10 minutes.   You don't have to time it, just stay close to the stove!  Just don't over cook it.. (don't ask.. I am speaking from experience.)

 

 

Remove from heat, and add the heavy cream and vanilla. Mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir until smooth.
Return to heat and boil 1 minute more. Stir in peanuts and let cool for 3 minutes.   Drop on wax paper or parchment paper.  I put mine in the freezer to speed up the cooling process, but you don't have to.

Now for the chocolate coating!

Melt 4 ozs. of unsweetened chocolate, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, powdered erythirtol or stevia (to taste), 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a dash of heavy cream.

Dip them or drizzle them.... then I put them back in the freezer to harden... these are so yummy!

 

These are a great S treat for the Holidays.

 

Tell me...

 

What is your favorite holiday candy?

 

 

 

A Remake of the Family Favorite

 

My family loves Gumbo! Especially in this cold weather.  I love Gumbo too.. my only problem.. its not on my eating plan.

 My daughter made the statement “there are some things that you cannot THM (trim healthy mama)”.  Well, I set out to prove her wrong!

 

YOU CAN TURN JUST ABOUT ANY FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE INTO A TRIM AND HEALTHY ONE!

I made a trim healthy version of the family recipe,  Gumbo. 

I have to say a great big thanks to my friend Jennifer.. she posted her gumbo on Facebook.  I asked her a few questions about  the type of flour she used for her roux. I took it from there.

When I make gumbo I usually  make enough for two meals.  Gumbo is best the next day!  This recipe is for two full meals for my family.  I make it in a big 12 quart soup pot. 

                           My families Gumbo:

For the Roux:

1/2 cup of almond flour

1 cup of melted coconut oil

cook on low to med heat  until it’s a nice dark brown  color (the color of  a penny)

While your roux is cooking… chop 2 medium onions very small, 2 bell pepper small, and  the center stalks of celery.. or you can do what I do and puree them in the blender with water. ( My family does not like to see the veggies!)

3 to 5  lbs of chicken breast, chopped into large chunks

1 lbs of beef sausage, sliced

10 to 12 cups of chicken broth

Cajun seasoning ( I use Tony’s brand seasonings)

salt

gumbo file’ seasoning

Gluccie  (optional)

 

After your roux is a nice brown, copper color add your veggies, chicken, and broth.  Add your Cajun seasoning and salt.  Now let it cook. I cook for an hour or more.. the longer it cooks the better it taste. The longer it cooks the oils will come to the top of the pot and you can skim it off.

After awhile add your sausage.. continue to cook until chicken is tender or until  you decide it has enough.

Right before serving add gumbo file’ to taste.  Add some gluccie to it if you like your gumbo thicker.

I served it over brown rice for a crossover for my family.  I ate it without rice for a yummy S meal.

I also served it with potato salad for the family… I made myself “fotato “ salad!

 

Shelby

 

My journey to become a Healthier Me!

 

Back in May, I blogged about becoming a Healthier me.

I can not believe how unhealthy I really was! I thought that if I just lost some weight, I would feel better and that would be the end of it.

That my friend was before I read a book called

TRIM HEALTHY MAMA

THIS IS A PICTUE OF ME  TAKEN IN JANUARY.

I really don’t like it.. really I hate this picture.  I never seen myself as big as I really was.

I had a friend post on Facebook the success she was having with THM (trim healthy mama).  I thought to myself I need to read this book and see what its all about!

So I broke down and paid a whopping $35.00 plus shipping for it. ( I have never in my life paid that much for a book before.. but it has been money well spent and worth every penny.)

I decided to read it and try to put into practice the principals taught by this two wonderful sisters.

In the beginning, I did have moments of doubt.  I thought how can I eat chocolate candy, cheese, butter, rice, beans, and a whole lot of other things be good for me.. and help me loose weight?

I learned that it is how I eat them that helps you loose weight and become healthy.  To be honest, I thought most of the food I ate was healthy.. I learned that some were and some were not… my combinations had to change.

In Trim Healthy Mama, you are taught to eat what are called S meals, E meals, and Full Pull meals.  The principals work!

(I really can go into deep details about the book, but it would be too long of a post for your reading.. believe me there is a ton of information that would make your mind spin.)

As my friend says… “The proof is in the pudding!”

This journey has not been easy.. I had to learn (and still am) how to rethink my food prep, cooking it, and my meals all together.

I started slow, doing one meal at a time.. and before I knew it, I was just shedding the pounds.

Next thing I knew, my aches and pains where gone.  I could see my ankles, walk without pain, and just function like a normal person again.

After almost 9 months, I can say I am a healthier me!  This journey has been fun!  I am not completely where I want to be with my weight yet.. but I have completed the goal I set for myself for this year.

I told myself beginning this, that I wanted to loose 56 pounds before December 31, 2013… I DID IT!

If you think that you can’t lose weight or get healthy…..

you really should take a look at Trim Healthy Mama.

You may just be surprised… I was!

 

Here’s to your Health!

Shelby

 

 

 

I'm Back!

Wow! I can not believe I have not blogged since June... I really have wanted to but, life has just gotten in the way.

So what's been going on in our life in these last few months... hummmm lets see....


We started our 6th year of homeschooling! Wow how time has flown! 


Back in April, I started my own weight loss journey.  I wanted to become healthy... well after 9 months.. I am down 56lbs!    In the beginning my goal was to lose 56lbs by December 31... well I did it!

                                       (this picture was taken in when I had lost 54 lbs)

I am so thrilled by this new way of life for me and my family.  My oldest has lost 20 lbs, my husband lost 25 lbs.  We are getting healthy and loving it!
I hope to share some recipes with you soon.


Back to homeschooling....

I have found that even after 6 yrs of doing this.. there is always something new to learn.  Our journey has been interesting this year.  The girls are doing well in their studies. 

Look for new post in the next few weeks... I promise I am back to blogging and I have some great post ideas I would love to share with you.

 

  Shelby

Help, I have a High Schooler

That was my statement two years ago.

When my oldest began high school, I had 

no idea what I was in for.

Thoughts went  through my head like:

Now this is getting serious, after all 

I need to make sure she is ready for the "real" world.

I really need to get organized better. 

How am I going to do this?

I have no idea what I am doing!

I was a little stressed out just thinking about 

successfully homeschooling a high schooler.

But that was two years ago!

Now, I look back and say wow... 

this is not that bad... I can do this!

What made the difference... 

Research

I did some looking and searching.  I made sure I knew (again) what my state required for High Schoolers.   I made sure I knew how many credits the state required students to have to graduate. 

Then we made a four year plan!

I sat down with my soon to be highschooler and we made a plan.  I asked her what she wanted to study.  I made sure I knew her interests (again).  Then we wrote it all down.  

Now I was ready to plan for our first year of High School.

It has not been a bad as I thought it would be in the beginning.  I even think that the high school years are easier in some ways.

There are a few things I think are important to a successful High School.

Research and know your state requirements for 

graduation.

Make a four year plan.

Find or make a transcript. (there are many good examples on HSLDA website.)

Stay organized!

Relax and enjoy these final years of schooling your child. 

Happy Homeschooling!

Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

  

What child does not love Chocolate milk?

If your child is like my girls, they love it!

But, Mom (me)  has not been letting them have any lately...

Why? 

Since I became a Trim Healthy Mama, sugar has been 

out for the family.  We are becoming healthy!

I have seen the difference healthy eating has done to 

us and the benefits are incredible.

Being healthy does not have to mean that we have to do without!

My girls have begged and begged for Chocolate Syrup for milk.  

How can I deny them?

So, I decided to play around and came up with 

this Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup.

Here's what you'll need:

3 cups of water

1 cup coco powder

4 teaspoons of NuNatural Stevia Powder (or stevia to taste)

1 Tablespoon of vanilla

1/2 teaspoon of glucomannan 

dash of salt

Place 2 cups of water into a sauce pan, add coco powder, stevia, vanilla and a dash of salt.  Place on stove and heat.  Whisk the whole time to dissolve the coco powder and other ingredients.

While that is coming to a boil, place 1 cup of water  in a dish with the glucomannan.  Stir the glucomannan until it is dissolved. 

* The water and glucomannan with become gelled.  This is ok, since you will add it into the boiling coco mix while it is boiling.

Boil Coco mix for three minutes.   Remove from stove.  Slowly add in your glucomannan water.  Keep whisking.. other wise it will start to clump... yuck!

I add a little glucomannan water, whisk until it is incorporated  than repeat the process until all has been added. 

The correct consistency  should look like this:

Cool and place in squeezable bottles. 

Enjoy!

My girls did not even let it cool down before they ran to the frig and 

made them some chocolate milk!

That's what I call Success!  

Chicken Parmesan: Trim Healthy Mamma Style

Chicken Parmesan

Trim Healthy Mamma Style

I love Pasta! I always have loved Pasta.  Today I want to share a Chicken Parmesan recipe that falls into the Trim Healthy Mamma plan.

It starts with my own pasta sauce recipe. The sauce if FULL PULL, so it has endless possibilities! 

       Sauce:  FP (serves 10)

                 ½ cup servings

1 large can tomato sauce (29 oz)

1 large can  tomato paste  (12 oz)

Water

5 teaspoon Italian seasonings

2 teaspoon parsley

2 teaspoon  dry onion

2 teaspoon  garlic powder

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients together.  Add just enough water so that the sauce will cook and not burn.  Simmer on stove for a while (2 hrs are best).  Or throw in the crock pot and cook all day long!

To cook my Chicken; I placed boneless  skinless chicken breast in my iron skillet (sprayed a little Pam in the pan) added some Mrs. Dash seasonings and sauted it until golden brown (and done of course.) 

To serve: I  placed some Dreamfield Pasta on my plate, a serving of pasta sauce, chicken and  topped with Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

* This meal is very versatile.   It is an S meal with spaghetti squash; E with the dreamfields. ( I say E because I love the sauce, so I tend to use more than I should!)

Today I am linked up at Stacymakescents.

Thank you Lord, for your Blessing on me...

“Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me..”

These words from an old song keep running though my head.  I know we usually think of being thankful during November, but I just can’t seem to think that we should be thankful and thanking the Lord for all the blessings He has given us.  

There are some in our country that don’t have anything.  Their lives have been torn upside down from major storms and tornadoes.  While they may not have material things, they are blessed with family, friends, and people in the community helping them trough this terrible time.

You see, I seem the think of not the material blessings that the Lord gives us, but those things that we take for grated some times.  The blessing of a friend calling to check up on you when you are having a bad day and just need a shoulder to cry on. I think about being blessed to spend time with my family.  I think about being blessed with a job that provides for my family.  I think about being blessed with a nice home to live in, a vehicle  that gets me where I need to be. 

While some in our country may  not have very much right now, either due to a tornado, or just because “life” is hard right now… they are blessed!  You may not feel very blessed right now, but take a look around and you will see that you are indeed blessed.

 We have so much to be thankful for!  Don’t ever forget to say… “Thank you Lord, for your blessing on me…”

* I wrote this little post for the devotional page in our local paper.  I just felt that I wanted to share it with you ladies as well. Some times we can get down and discouraged when "life" happens that we forget about all we have been blessed with. Lets remember to be thankful all the time for every little blessing we have.*

Eating Healthy Frugally

Did You think I have forgotten about ya'll?

Believe me I have not.

Since February, our family has gone through some changes.

Good ones, but this is not what this post is about.

In April I started the process of getting myself 

healthier.  I hate dieting! Really I do!

But I knew that I needed to get healthy. My body was giving me signals that I could no longer ignore.

I began my journey into the  Trim Healthy Mamma way  of eating. I quickly found out (again), that eating healthy can be costly.

I began to try to figure out how to cut some of the cost of eating healthy from my grocery budget.

Here is some the the things I have found out:

Shop in Bulk

I have found that I can buy Flex seed meal, almond flour, rye flour, and spelt flour at my local (about two hours from me) health food store for about half the cost of buying those small bags at Wally world.

It is worth it for me to take a day and drive to buy a months worth of flour.

Divide recipes into single servings

For example, the Trim Healthy Pancakes are easy to divide into a single serving recipe.  My girls do not care for them, so instead of making a whole batch of pancakes then freezing them (which I am bad about doing)... I just take the one cup measurements and divide into three.  Its cost effective and there is no waste.

Buy frozen when fresh is to costly

I know fresh is always better, but there are times when frozen veggies are just more budget friendly.  I buy fresh fruits and veggies when they are on sale.. and frozen when 

they are not.

And last but not least...

Make a menu!

I use to make a monthly menu.. but since I began eating healthier, I make a menu once a week.  I check my stores 

ad to see what is on sale a plan from there.

What are some ways you have found to stay 

within your budget and still eat healthy?

I would love to hear your ideas.

Mid winter blues.. reading material

Are you in need of some good reading material?

I tend to get the mid winter blues at our house.  

You know the time when you are so ready for spring, warm weather.. just to be able to get outside and 

enjoy yourself.

I tend to really read during those times... it helps take 

my mind off of the nasty winter weather 

we get.

Today, I have two books I would love to tell you about:

The first one....

When the Heart Heals

by Ann Shorey

When the Heart Heals is a story about a Nurse from the Civil War

named Rosemary Saxon.  She has been declared by the towns people as a unfeminine and vulgar.   She wants to put the past behind her but when she needs a job, she turns to the new doctor in town for a job.  She also finds herself in the eye of 

someone who has a grudge against her, but she has no

idea who are what it could be.

Ann Shorey is an awesome writer   She has given us a delightful story with a little romance, and some mystery in the mix.  

Now on the the second book....

Picture Perfect by

Janice Thompson

Picture Perfect is a fun book to read! Janice writes some of the greatest, funniest books I have ever read.

I would try to tell you what its about but the blub does it much better.

About

She’s trying to focus on her future. How can one man make everything feel so . . . fuzzy?

Hannah McDermott has a successful photography studio. She’ll soon be featured in Texas Bride magazine. And she has a celebrity client whose Galveston ceremony will be her ticket to the top spot on wedding coordinator Bella Neeley’s list of recommended photographers. But it could all come crashing down around her because of one man: archrival and photographer extraordinaire Drew Kincaid.

As the competition between Hannah and Drew heats up, Hannah is surprised to find that it’s not the only thing getting more intense. She can’t get the handsome man out of her thoughts-or even out of her line of sight-and the job of her dreams is turning into a nightmare. Will everything she’s worked for slip out of her hands? And can she see past her pride to find a picture-perfect love?

This book with keep you laughing!  It was a perfect book to read during our little ice storm last week. 

I hope you enjoy yourself while reading these great novels...

while waiting for spring that is... 

Rebekah

About

Can love heal the rift between two souls?

When her beloved father dies and she is left in the care of her conniving brother Laban, Rebekah knows her life has changed forever. Though she should be married by now, it’s clear that Laban is dragging his feet, waiting for a higher bride-price to line his pockets. But then Rebekah is given a chance to leave her home to marry Isaac, a cousin she has never even seen, and her hope for the future is restored. Little does she know what a wondrous and heart-wrenching journey she is beginning.

As Rebekah experiences the joy of young love and the bitterness of misunderstanding and betrayal, her resolve is tested. When the rift between Isaac and her grows so wide it is surely too great to be mended, can she trust the God of Isaac’s father Abraham to bridge the gap?

I am always careful when reading Biblical Fiction novels.  Some are not even close to what is in the Bible.  Jill Eileen Smith writes some of the best fiction novels based on Biblical people I have read.   In 

writing Rebekah, she keeps it close to the Biblical account she can

 while showing you some of the trials, feelings and circumstances  

Rebekah must have faced as a wife.   It is a story that I have enjoyed tremendously.

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow

About

The whole world is coming to Chicago. Charlotte’s whole world is coming down around her.

While the rest of Chicago focuses on the enormous spectacle of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Charlotte Farrow’s attentions are entirely on one small boy-her boy-whom she has kept a secret from her wealthy employers for nearly a year.

When the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him to the opulent Banning home, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child’s fate. Can she face the truth of her past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life’s struggles determine her path?

This compelling story of courage, strength, and tender romance captures the tension between the glittering wealthy class and the hardworking servants who made their lives comfortable.

Olivia Newport, has done it again. She has written another great novel.  Charlotte Farrow is a woman who would do anything to save her child..but she has to make some hard decisions for his safety. 

Usually the wealthy will have nothing to do with the servants, but in this story you see them working together, becoming friends, and helping each other.  What a great story of people coming together to help someone in need.  I loved the story line and the character of Charlotte.  In The Pursuit of Lucy Banning, we are introduced to Charlotte, but don't really get her story... but in this novel, you get to really see the woman she really is.  

If your looking for a great novel to read... pick this one up... you will not be disappointed!