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.