Red Velvet Cake ~ a Trim Healthy Mama S dessert

Red Velvet cake has been calling my name. 

I am not kidding when I tell you, I have been dreaming of

Red Velvet cake!

 

Christmas is not Christmas without it!

 

I told some of my blogging buddies that I was creating a Red Velvet Cake..

They have been patently waiting for it..

Here it is with just a few pictures I was able to snap before

it was devoured by my Church family.

 

Red Velvet Cake ~ S~

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup flax seed meal (I use golden flax)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sweet blend ( I use my homemade sweet blend)

2 tablespoon unsweetened  coco powder

10 eggs

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 oz. of red food coloring

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

 

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.  Set aside.   In another bowl combine eggs, vinegar, vanilla.  Mix with electric mixer.

Stir in almond milk, and melted coconut oil into egg mixture.   Gently combine wet ingredients with dry.  Mix until its all combined well.

Stir in the red food coloring.  Pour into round, or square 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for  30 mins.

( Your baking time may be shorter or longer depending on what its cooked in.)

Cool, then frost.

 

Cream cheese Frosting

 3 tablespoons Butter ( softened)

1 – 8 oz. softened cream cheese

splash of vanilla

1/4 powdered sweet blend

 

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add sweet blend and vanilla.

Frost…

This frosted one square 9x13 pan of cake.

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Shelby

 

 

Honey Bun for one

 

I used to love honey buns…

Well, lets be honest.. I still love them.

But I will not eat them any longer.

(They are not healthy for me… LOL)

Last week temptation.. (I resisted… yay!)  hit when I saw a lady in the store

chomping down on one… It got me thinking..

I could make me one.. right?

 

Of course   I could…

 

Enjoy!

 

HONEY BUN for ONE  ~S~

 

for the cake:

1 tablespoon flax seed meal

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 tablespoon oat fiber

3 teaspoon sweet blend

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk

 1 tablespoon melted butter

 

Cinnamon Mix:

2 teaspoon sweet blend

1/2 teaspoon  cinnamon

 

 

Glaze:

2 tablespoon powdered sweet blend

1 tablespoon of softened butter

1 tablespoon  almond milk

 

 

Mix the cake ingredients together.

   In a sprayed ramekin, add half the batter, pour the cinnamon mix on the batter, topping with the rest of the batter.

Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 mins.  or Microwave for a min or so.. ( I don’t have a microwave so I don’t know the time it would take to get it done.)

Add Glaze to cooked cake…

Enjoy!

Destressing the Holidays

 

 

Holidays can always become very stressful for us moms.

 

We find ourselves with a list of party invites, family gatherings, our shopping lists and  don't forget the Christmas play practices, and the Church Christmas party.

 

All this is added to what we already have on our busy plates.

 

Sometimes we find ourselves just overwhelmed with it all..

 

While I may not be able to help you with your lists, I do have a

few tips that can help you in the school department.

 

How to have a stress free Holiday School Season:

 

Lighten the load...

 

I have found that a lighter load of official school work.. is the key to a stress free month.  Who said that you have to do every subject

every day of every week of every month!

 

Lighten your load this month, you can always catch up later!

 

 

Enjoyable projects...

 

Find things that your child and you enjoy and do them...

My girls love to help me bake, so doing December, we spend a whole lot of time baking... getting ready for all those parties!

 

 

Or you can...

 

Take this  month off

 

I know may homeschooling families that just take the month of December off!  A winter vacation if you will..

 

 

 

Happy December!

 

Shelby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corn Bread Dressing ~ S

This is the most amazing corn bread dressing!

I mean amazing!  haha!

 

Look out Thanksgiving… THM corn bread dressing is in the HOUSE!

 

 

Corn Bread Dressing

serves 4

 

1 cooked batch of my corn bread

1 small to medium onion, diced small

1 stalk of celery, diced small

1/2 diced bell pepper

1 cup chicken broth

cooked and shredded chicken breast ( two will be fine)

3 tablespoons butter

salt, pepper and Cajun  Seasonings to taste

 

Sautee onions, celery,  and bell pepper in butter until tender and veggies are soft.

In a bowl, crumble up the corn bread.  Add your chicken.

When veggies are cooked add them to your corn bread and chicken.  Mix.. adding a little  broth at a time.

You want your mixture to be moist but now swimming in liquid.

Add more broth until its to your liking.

 

Pour in a small 8x8 pan and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes.

or

until its brown on top.

Enjoy and have a wonderful THM Thanksgiving!

 

Shelby

Corn Bread ~ S

I love Corn bread!  I have tried and like almond flour corn bread recipes, but

my family does not care for it.

I have been playing with a “corn” bread recipe.

This recipe uses no almond flour!

It’s a win for this family.

“CORN” Bread

1/4 cup Golden Flax seed meal

( blend in blender for a finer meal, if you have texture issues with flax seed…)

1/2 cup oat fiber

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon of sweet blend

( I like a sweet corn bread)

2 eggs

1/2 cup almond milk

2 Tablespoon melted butter

dash salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix all wet ingredients, add dry… mix well. 

You may have to add a little more milk if your mix is not wet enough.  Use your own judgment.

Pour into a buttered, or sprayed  square 8x8 pan.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins are until done.

Add some butter on top while still hot.

This is a great complement to my BEEF STEW.

Enjoy!

Are you Determined?

You might be wondering why  I have a posted this title.  Well, an old song has been playing in my head for the last couple of days and it has made me do some thinking.   So today’s post is just some of my thoughts that I hope will encourage and challenge you in the areas of your life that you might need to be come determined in.

 

_____________________________________________________________

I am determined to hold out till the end…

Jesus is with me on Him I can depend…..

_____________________________________________________________

 

In life if we don’t have a determination to do something's, then we will never accomplish anything!  

 

 

The following are a few things I am DETERMINED to do:

 

FOLLOW CHRIST ~  When I came to know Jesus as my personal Savoir at the age of 10, I determined that I was going to serve Him no matter what.  My life was going to be a reflection of Jesus.  It has not always been easy, but I don’t know what I would have done in those times that I needed His guidance,  His direction, or His grace and mercy.   

 

HOMESCHOOL MY GIRLS~  My husband and I made the decision to homeschool our girls six years ago!  At that time I did not know what I was doing but we were determined to do it.  Yes, it takes sacrifice, money and a whole lot of determination on my part.   To be completely honest,  there were some days in the beginning that I wondered if I could do it.  I did it, I survived my first year and all the years after!  When you make up your mind and become determined… YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!

 

The last thing I have been DETERMINED TO DO:

 

TAKE BACK MY HEALTH!

That is where Trim Healthy Mama came into the picture.  19 months ago, I began the journey to take back my health.  A friend introduced me to Trim Healthy Mama by a post on Facebook.  She did not know it at the time but I was sinking in depression, leg cramps, aches and pains… and I knew if I did not do something to change my lifestyle I would end up a diabetic like my parents and many in our family. I am at goal weight!  I have lost to date 88 pounds.. yes even while trying to maintain and eating what we call Crossovers… .I have still lost a few pounds.

 

 

You see when I started my journey on THM, I determined that I was going to do it.  I determined that no matter what came my way this was going to be a lifestyle change for myself and my family.  In the beginning, it was not easy to resist the temptation of those chips at the Mexican café… or the Mt. Dew at the store.    Do you know what helped me?   I kept reminding myself of how I felt before I began THM, and how I feel now.  That was all it took for me to move those chips out of reach, or head for the water at the store.   It takes determination to stay on plan.  It takes determination to not cheat.   IT IS SO WORTH IT! 

 

I have been able to stay on plan and not cheat… yes in the beginning it was hard.. but after a few months.. this way of eating became my norm.  I have no desire for candy bars (while my husband still likes to grab a Snickers bar once in awhile at the store.) no desire for pizza, no desire for off plan processed foods… why  because my body feels so much better these days that those early temptations don’t  tempt me anymore.

 

 

If you are on Trim Healthy Mama  and need some ideas on how to Succeed check out my blog post Easy Ways to Succeed as a Trim Healthy Mama.

 

It won’t be easy.  You will get discouraged when the scale doesn’t move.   You will get tempted.  You may even fall off plan once in a while… but If you Determine in your heart, mind and self.. to do it.. you can and will!

Don’t lose your determination!  The reward is so worth it!

 

Until next time,

Shelby  

 

Family Favorite ~ BEEF STEW~ S to S helper

My family loves beef stew with corn bread.

They really loves it.

I don’t know why I waited so long to tweak it.. but to be honest.. I was

a little scared of radishes.  I really don’t like them, but in this recipe they are devine…. haha!

This recipe is a S or S helper depending on how many carrots you  have in your bowl.

Beef Stew

2 lbs stew meat

1 small onion diced

1/2 bell pepper diced

6 carrots cut into chunks

2 bunches of radishes, cut in half

1 bag frozen green beans

1 small can of tomato sauce

Cajun Seasonings

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon gluccie to thicken

Brown your stew meat in a pot big enough for the rest of the ingredients.

After meat is browned add onion, peppers, carrots to pot.

Sauté for five minutes.

Add radishes, green beans, tomato sauce, and water to cover.

Season to taste with Cajun seasonings, salt and pepper.

Simmer until veggies are cooked and meat is tender.

(around 30 to 45 mins in total)

When almost done, whisk in gluccie…   add more if need for desired thickness.

Serve with Plan approved “Corn Bread”

* posting mine in the morning*  

Enjoy!

Shelby