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.