MY LOVELY DAUGHTERS' ADVENTURES INTO TRIM HEALTHY TEEN COOKING!

One way to find out (or confirm if you're in denial) if you are a Type A Personality is to let your children cook and create without you. Every clatter and clang causes me to head that way, only to stop myself short...

It's crazy, but I find the teenage years harder for me than any other age! They're so much more capable than I am used to realizing. Letting go is my challenge.

My husband came home today, and knows these things are out of my comfort zone, and said: "Just pretend you're Elsa...'Let it go....let it go....'" 

You know what?  THEY NAILED IT!  And...I grew up just a little bit, too...I'm learning to Let Go...baby-steps at a time!

:

You

I PRESENT TO YOU THEIR MASTERPIECES!!!!

My 15 year old daughter invented this recipe last night when she was cooking! It was delicious!
So proud of these teenagers of mine who are learning to embrace and "own" THM now! 

ANNA'S CREAMY-CHEESY HERB CHICKEN (THM-S)
4 large whole chicken breasts
4 Tbsp melted coconut oil
****
Sauce:
4 Tbsp heavy cream
4 Tbsp almond milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (green can is fine) + more for sprinkling
1 tsp flour of choice (she used THM Baking Blend)
4 dashes Tobasco sauce
2 dashes of garlic powder
4 dashes of Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute**
1/ 2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp salt

Mix all sauce ingredients in bowl. In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, place chicken breasts. Brush melted coconut oil over chicken. Spread sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese, according to your preference. Add a few more dashes of rosemary to the tops of chicken breasts. Bake at 425 for 40 minutes, or until juices run clear and internal temperature is 170.


**Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute is a smooth blend of onion, black pepper, celery seed, cayenne pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, mustard, coriander, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato, lemon juice and lemon oil.Jun 9, 2014

I have to "brag" on my 16 year old Katie's "Trimtastic Zucchini Cake" (S) from the new THM cookbook! It was divine!  I love her personal flair in plating! They're cooking me out of a job...and I love it!

KATIE'S THM "TRIMTASTIC ZUCCHINI CAKE" from the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

(Recipe slightly altered, in order to avoid copyright infringement)

One last share...our sweet 13 year old Gracelyn wanted to make Texas Brownies (S) tonight, and we used this recipe from Beauty and the Foodie. She rocked it (with a little guidance from Mom). The icing seemed a little bit too sweet to us, but maybe some of you will enjoy it "as is.

~Joy and Deliciousness from our Home to Yours! 

Confessions of a Trim Healthy Prodigal...

Once upon a time...
In a galaxy far, far away...
In the land of winken, blinken, and nod...

There I was..."awesomeing" on my THM journey.  I was exercising, and drinking water, and cooking, and baking, and washing blenders, and pots, and pans, and counters, and sinks, and dishes, and...and...and...

And then my enemy accused me...he told me I was obsessed...and vain...and shallow...and legalistic...
he told me to take a break...to back off...not forever...just for a little while...just for a holiday...just a bit...

complacency crept in and stole my passion...
apathy arrived and robbed my joy...
For the next while, I was surviving.  Not living...just surviving...

and I got sick...and tired...
then my mom got cancer, and the world stopped spinning...
we took on added responsibilities, and my time kept dwindling...
I had to have surgery, and my strength kept fading...
I got sicker, and my health was disappearing...

Doctor appointments...
Ultrasounds...
Blood work...
Diagnoses...

mom almost dies...
she gets diagnosed with a second type of cancer...
sister is extremely sick and hospitalized...
I am going, driving, sitting, helping, not sleeping...
I develop more health problems...

I don't have time to be sicker and tireder (is that a word?).  My parents need me...my husband needs me...my girls need me...my sisters need me!

Where are you Jesus?  I need You!  Can you hear me?  What have I done wrong?  Where is my healing?  Where is my help?  Where is my strength? Where is my deliverance?  I AM WORN.

What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.


Then it came...a doctor's appointment with a slap in the face...scary words with scary possibilities...

WAIT!  I don't have time to be THIS sick.  Not slap-in-the-face-sick!
Not THAT tired.  Not hit-by-a-train-tired!

WAIT! I do think I can make a little time to keep "awesomeing"...a tad of time to keep exercising, a smidgen of time to keep drinking water, a dab of cooking, a smattering of baking, a bit of washing blenders, pots, pans, counters, sinks, and dishes, and...and...and...

Inch by inch, step by step, yard by yard, mile by mile...I came back...HOME.  Is Trim Healthy Mama "Home?"  No, but it's a room in my Home.  My Father was waiting for me...He left the Light on for me...He had a bed of REST with fresh linens waiting, and a hot HEALTHY meal ready.  He ran to me and CARRIED me through the door.  Because HE IS...He is Love...and Healing...and Strength...and Deliverance...and...and...and...

LIFE happens all around us, and we cannot control it.
We can only control the voices we choose to listen to.
I took a slight wrong turn once upon a time, and listened to the whispers of my enemy.
My life was wracked with pain and suffering...
Then...HOME.  Life, Truth, Help.

Don't do it...don't listen to anyone or anything else except HIM...

HE IS...
Liberty
Infinite
Freedom
Eternal.

HE IS LIFE!

Put on your Armor and Fight, young lady! (Ephesians 6:10-18)

~Grace and Peace to you, Fair Iron Maidens of Virtue

On His Mind...

"O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!"

~Psalms 139:1-18 NLT

Get Your Skillet On!

Skillet meals are such a convenient way to prepare meals for busy families!  We often make several meals per week this way.  One of the healthiest, most accessible and affordable protein sources is eggs.  Our family can make meat stretch without sacrificing protein content by enjoying it as an ingredient in quiches, egg-based casseroles, and skillet scrambles like this one.  It’s budget-friendly, easy enough for your kids to prepare, and its versatility can be enjoyed for any meal!

KIELBASA –CHEESY EGG SCRAMBLE (S)

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INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. Butter or coconut oil

1-2 Kielbasa sausages, depending on family size

6-12 eggs, depending on family size

Splash of water or milk

Salt, pepper, seasonings to taste

½- 1 small bag frozen peppers/onions blend, depending on family size and taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat about 1 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil in 12-inch skillet on medium heat until melted and bubbly.  Slice Kielbasa sausages into bite size coins.  Add Kielbasa to sizzling skillet, stirring occasionally to brown.  

Meanwhile, crack 6-12 eggs in bowl.  (For our family of 6, I used 1 dozen eggs, which enabled us to have enough leftovers for my husband’s breakfasts for a couple days.)  Add a splash of water or milk, salt and pepper, and whisk thoroughly.  Set aside.  

Add ½-1 whole small bag of frozen peppers/onions blend (depending on your family’s taste) to the skillet.  Cook together with Kielbasa, stirring occasionally.   

When peppers and onions begin to soften, pour eggs over the top.  Allow the eggs to cook without stirring until the eggs begin to set.   

With a rubber scraper or spatula, begin to gently flip over portions of the scramble.  Turn heat to medium-low and allow it to continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are fully cooked.  Turn heat to low, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top, and cover for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Serve alongside toast, wrapped in a tortilla, or with fried potatoes.  For those following Trim Healthy Mama, this is an S meal and would be great with a low-carb wrap or a tossed salad!  Try a few dashes of Tabasco sauce or Sriracha sauce to kick it up a notch!

~Blessings and Happy New Year from our home to yours!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

This time of year is so full of bombarding busyness and frantic fun.  We love all the special things that go with the holidays...and yet...Guess what next Tuesday is: NOTHING!! For the first time in I-don't-even-remember-how-long, there is NOTHING planned outside of my home! I am so-o-o looking forward to that day on my calendar!  Happy tears, y'all. Happy tears.

Sometimes I rely on my crockpot a little too much.  (Yes, I did dare utter those words!) I love the convenience of a crockpot (or two), but sometimes, there is just no substitute for the luxurious feeling of an oven-crisped slice of roast beast.  This is a fairly simple, low-maintenance, few-ingredient recipe that is busy-mama, hungry-hubby, and kid approved! (Also, it works out well when you're a step away from payday and still have a lovely piece of meat left, but hardly any fresh veggies.) It rates higher on the "gourmet-ish" taste than actual production, and I'm OK with that! ☺

HOLIDAY PORK ROAST (S)

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INGREDIENTS:

1 pork shoulder roast

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dehydrated Chopped Onion

Granulated Garlic or Garlic Powder

Herb Seasoning (I use Kirkland Organic No-Salt Seasoning)

Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Carrots, celery, potatoes, and/or onions (if desired)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Scatter baby carrots, celery, potatoes and/or onions on foil to serve as an aromatic meat rack. Place your beautiful roast fat side up.  As this roasts, you'll get a lovely, caramelized crust, as it self-bastes while roasting.  Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle the dehydrated onion flakes, granulated/powdered garlic, herb seasoning (of choice), rosemary, sea salt, and cracked black pepper evenly over the top.  

Roast according to this chart for your size of roast.  Test meat with thermometer.  I waited until it read 162-163 when I pulled it out.  After resting, it climbed to a solid 165 internal temperature, and it was delicious, tender, and juicy!

Pork Shoulder Roast

Olive Oil, Spice and everything nice ☺

Holiday Pork Roast

Serve this succulent roast along with the roasted vegetables and a fresh salad.  Or, you could serve as I did with mashed "fauxtatoes" [cooked, mashed cauliflower, butter, splash of milk of choice or chicken broth, salt, pepper] (Trim Healthy Mama-style), and stuffing for a second side dish option.

THM Mashed "Fauxtatoes" (S) [a.k.a. mashed cauliflower]

Hearts of Romaine, Iceberg, and Butter Lettuce make a wonderful blend

Is it stuffing if you don't stuff something?  Is that when it's called dressing? ☺

It was such a blessing to be able to spend 5 minutes or less of prep on this roast, throw together the side dishes, and still sit down to a roasty-toasty dinner with our family at the end of a busy, snowy day!

~Hearty & Simple Holiday Meals from our Home to Yours!

COFFEE BREAK

Today is the first Monday we've had off in months!  No homeschool co-op (even though we enjoy it); no doctor's appointments (I had surgery in September); no company coming over (of course we love it when they come!); and no hubby home (again with the love, though).  In fact, I am so excited for this week, I can hardly stand it!  So much to be THANKFUL for!!  AND so much to do!!  Yet I was reminded that Being Still...Taking a Coffee Break...is not a waste of time.  It is an investment in my day.  Every time I skip this stillness of my soul in the morning, the rest of the day is often chaotic and unproductive.  Mornings are hard.  I get it.  I also know that life is short, and skipping coffee with Jesus can open the door to mistakes, regrets, and discouragement.  Nobody needs that!

This year, Thanksgiving Day will be simple and sweet.  It'll just be the six of us and Mom and Dad.  We are making the main dinner this year for the first time....Mom has been fighting breast cancer for almost a year, and chemotherapy is an unkind companion along the journey.  Thankfully, Mom has been spared many of the most dreaded side-effects, but the nagging fatigue is ever-present.  This verse continually passes through my mind, as I think of and pray for her.  We cannot heal ourselves...that job is God's alone!  But we can be still in His presence. Life is a precious gift.  And it can sometimes be short.  I am so thankful for God's fighting on behalf of my mom right now, and I don't want to take it for granted!

*************************************

After relishing a few extra moments with my pillow this morning, my first stop was caffeine.  If you know me at all, you know how much I love my coffee...even if on crazy days it takes a never-ending cycle of reheating in order to get it done! ☺

Coffee creamer...this is an area of my life that I have had a death-grip on.  I have tried all sorts of bullet-proof coffees, Trimaccinos, half & half or cream/extract/stevia combos.  So far, none of them have been *bad* but none have really floated my boat, either.

Trim Healthy Mama has two new books out!  The original book was awesome, weighing in at over 600 pages.  I love it and still have it!  However, these new books are so very user-friendly.  The plan itself is in the first book (below - left), while the cookbook (below - right) has over 300 recipes, complete with color photos!  It's wicked awesome! ♥

So today, I was finally ready to try something new (again) for my coffee.  I love peppermint mochas this time of year (I am NOT a pumpkin fan in beverages!  GAG!)  Using the new THM Sweet Blend
I made a batch of peppermint Skinny Chocolate (S) disks.  It comes together in a cinch, and I can find most of the ingredients I need from any grocery store.  Thankfully, we have a Trader Joe's nearby!  I ♥ TJ's!

 If you don't like to use coconut-flavored coconut oil, you can purchase refined (unflavored) CO at most any grocery store!

(See the Peppermint Mocha creamer in the background?  That will hopefully fade more into the distance if this can make up for the flavor!) ☺
I plopped one of these into my coffee, along with a swirl of cream and YAY!  Although I'll probably still enjoy my other coffee creamers from time to time, this was perfect today! ☺

MOCHA-MINT SKINNY CHOCOLATE (S)
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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. coconut oil (melted)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2-3 tsp. ground THM Sweet Blend
teensy pinch sea salt
Peppermint extract

DIRECTIONS:
Melt coconut oil until liquid.  Add cocoa powder, ground THM Sweet Blend, and salt, stirring well.  Add 2-3 drops of peppermint extract (or about 1/2 tsp), stir and taste.  Adjust to desired sweetness/flavor profile.  Pour into molds, onto lined plate, or into ice cube trays.  Freeze until solid.

~Blessings and Peace in Stillness (& a great cuppa coffee) from our home to yours!

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

LIVE ♥ LAUGH ♥ LOVE

Those are some of my most favorite words...They are written on a coffee cup, a wall hanging, an over-the-door thingy, my cell phone wallpaper, and even embroidered on a pillow!

Yet, I struggle daily to implement them...what do they really mean?

♥ LIVE~to be present in the moment; intentional with affection and attention; to engage in active listening, thoughtful responses, and careful contemplation.  What captures our attention most?  Social media?  Our personal goals?  Self-consciousness?  Self-indulgence?  Or the needs of others?

♥ LAUGH~laughing is an intimate glimpse into what makes one "tick."  What we find humorous is often a reflection of our character, as well.  Do we snicker at the expense of others?  Do we find ourselves guffawing at risque humor?  Can we giggle at our own mistakes and foibles?

♥ LOVE~I Corinthians 13 defines love for us... Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.  Do we struggle with patience?  Are we quick to forgive?  Do we struggle with envy?

If I am honest, I know that I am struggling on a daily basis with these three "L" words.  I am far too easily distracted by the *ding* of a received text.  I am focused on myself and my circumstances far more than on the needs of others, at times. I find myself slogging through a day, rather than truly LIVING!

I don't laugh nearly as much as I could.  Sometimes I allow the weight of the world, or concern over a loved one, or preoccupation with a problem to cloud my vision and steal my JOY! 

My love can be stale and dry at times.  If I have emotion, but not action, it is sentiment and not love.  When I turn into "Momzilla" because someone has forgotten to clean up their mess for the eleventeenth time, it is not LOVE!

But you know what?  There's one more exquisitely lovely word that I am learning to treasure, too:  GRACE!

G: God's
R: Riches
A: At
C: Christ's
E: Expense

Jesus paid it all!  When God looks at me, He sees me as cleansed, righteous, and redeemed BECAUSE OF JESUS!  Grace is the warm fuzzy socks on a cool evening.  It's the cup of hot coffee in the dawn's early light.  It's the squeezy-hug you get from a loved one.

GRACE.  My newest and sweetest friend.  I'm looking forward to growing old with you. And thank you for reminding me that you've been here all along.  I don't want to wait until a special occasion to remember you.  Being alive in Christ is a Special Occasion!

~LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE, and GRACE from my heart to yours! ♥