A New Year, A New You...

Happy New Year to you all!

Yes, I know it is now the second week into the new year!

Ha! Better late than never, is my motto.

December just flew by and now we are in the 

new year with new adventures and new things to try.

Plus my hubby and I will celebrate our

 21st Anniversary this week!

Yahoo!

I was told the other day that I didn't look my age.

What a nice compliment!  I'm gonna hold onto that, 

when I'm feeling my age and outta sort.

(Giggles inserted)

It's so nice to receive such a nice compliment

 from a complete stranger, isn't it?

Any who, I had a reason why I needed to do a blog post,

other than the fact to show you I am still around!

Blogging seems to be getting harder and harder to do for some reason.

I don't want it to feel like a chore, you know?

But, I'm here and I promise to come visit soon!

Okay, now onto my post....

Have you ever tried Bulletproof Coffee??

Oh my...if you haven't, you need to!

It is SO GOOD!

And GOOD for you!

So, this is what they look like after you make up a batch.

One batch makes about 48 discs.

I have been trying the Trim Healthy Mama 

way of eating since Christmas

and at first I was like, I don't think I can do this.

But then, once I eliminated all the white stuff out of my diet,

(white as in potatoes, rice, flour and regular white sugar)

I started feeling good. 

Like I had energy again! Yahoo!

When doing the Trim Healthy Mama, 

they get you off of the bad sugars.

You start using the good sugars like Stevia, Xylitol, their brand of 

Gentle Sweet and Super Sweet Blends.

 Any who, that took some getting used to.  

When you are used to having everything super sweet

 and then you switch to something kinda sweet, it was like... yuck!

Coffee was my hardest challenge, because 

I love all the flavored coffee creamers!

So, I tried to create a few different flavors of my own...

 I didn't like them at all!

Onto Plan B... Or C or D...Ha!

So, then I started googling and finding out what I could try next.

And that's when I found this recipe for Bulletproof Coffee.

Jackpot!  These little discs are delicious!

Now, don't be shocked by whats in them.

You need to have the healthy fats in your diet.

Research it and see what you think!

And, I think you should at least try them once...

Bulletproof Coffee Discs

3/4 cups butter

1 1/2 cups coconut oil

5 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. stevia or another natural sweetener

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, melt the butter and coconut oil in a 

microwave safe bowl.

Stir. Once fully melted, 

add in the cocoa powder, stevia and vanilla.

And stir again.

Pour into two 24 cup mini muffin pans

 or 4 ice cube trays.

 Freeze until set.

Once frozen pop out of tins or trays and store in a baggie 

until your next cup of coffee.

To Make:

Brew your coffee like you normally do, pop one 

bulletproof disc into your cup,

add your creamer of choice and a bit more sweetener if desired. 

Stir and enjoy!!

* The first time I had it, I was surprised at the oil

 that that floated to the top,

but after I tasted it, Yum!

I'm not ever going back

 to store bought creamers, it's that good!

I just stir a few times as I drink it to incorporate

 the yummy goodness throughout my coffee.

*For those of you that follow the THM plan,

this is considered an S.*

And if you really don't like that the oil floats to the top,

you can blend the coffee in a blender.

This is what the Bulletproof coffee looks like.

All I know, is it is so much better for you

than all those trans fat creamers out there!

I hope you give it a try and if you do,

tell me what you think!

I hope you all have a wonderful January!!

Thanks so much for stopping by....

Hugs to you,

Wheat Free Rye Soda Bread...

Hello All!

I've been craving some bread and the 

hardest part of eating wheat free/yeast free

is finding bread you can eat that

 doesn't cost a fortune to buy.

So, I found a basic recipe and tweaked it a bit.

Most recipes still call for all purpose flour and/or yeast.

So, with this recipe it also called for all purpose flour

and what I did was buckwheat, almond meal, 

green banana and Gluten Free all purpose flour

along with the rye flour.

It's dense just like a traditional soda bread

but with adding in the green banana flour

it made it a bit more moist.

I love the looks of this bread as it looks so rustic!

Rustic and very tasty!

Did you know that buckwheat flour 

isn't actually from the wheat family?

It's apart of the rhubarb plant.

I thought that was very interesting!

Would you like the recipe now?

If you try this recipe, would you let me

 know what you thought of it?

***********

Wheat Free Rye Soda Bread

2 1/2 cups Rye Flour

1 1/2 cups total combined 

buckwheat flour, almond meal,

 GF flour mix and green banana flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk is your flours, baking soda and salt.

Make a well in center of the flour

 and pour in your buttermilk.

Stir well.

Divide dough in half and turn each 

dough ball onto a floured surface.

Make into 2 round loaves.

Transfer to a baking sheet.

Cut a 1 inch X  into the top of loaf.

 Poke holes around the X.

Bake for 30 minutes.  

Let cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

I cut mine up and place half in a tin

 and stuck in freezer.  

Then this way when I want bread

I can take out one slice at a time.

*TIP*

If you aren't eating wheat free

you can add in your flour of choice.

Green Banana flour can be found at your local

health food store or online.

This flour will make your baked goods moist.

A little will go a long ways.

Also, when I was searching for wheat free flours

I came across this handy website on alternative flours.

Go check it out HERE

This site will also show you if it's gluten free.

Now rye isn't considered gluten free

but if you are going for a wheat free diet, rye is acceptable.

I hope you all are having 

a great Summer so far!

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Have Some Fun...

Well Hello!!

How are you all doing today?

It's Summer....Have Some Fun!

In a blink of an eye, Summer will be gone 

and we will be moving on to Fall.

Can you hula hoop?

If not, try at least once!

You'll laugh...I can promise you that!

What fun things have you tried in this season?

I have tried stream fishing.

I was surprised at how fun it was.

You move quick... no patience needed for it.

Within the first 3 minutes, I caught 3 fish!

Go for a walk, explore!!

Take a day trip somewhere you've never been.

Bake something new...

Go for a drive with your family!

I went 4-wheeling with my boys

I had so much fun!!

Getting stuck in the mud is what it's all about!!

Laugh and do some winching...

Lot's of winching, lots of mud!!

Be outdoors!!

Be present!! Be in the now!!

GO HAVE SOME FUN!!

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Wheat Free Cinnamon Scones...

Can you say Wheat Free 

Cinnamon Scones three times fast?

Ya, me neither...

(Smiles)

I've been experimenting again...

I know that doesn't really shock you now does it?

Sometimes you just need to try some new things

 in your diet to see if they can eliminate

what is causing your tummy issues.

So, my in laws, my mom, aunt and myself

are not eating wheat and are trying

 to stick to a low carb diet.

So, since I do 98% of the baking around here

I thought I would experiment with

 almond meal and coconut flour scones.

So, what I did was use one of my scone recipes

and tweaked it to where it does not have any wheat flour.

Wheat Free Cinnamon Scones

1 cup almond meal flour

1 cup of coconut flour 

2 Tbsp. green banana flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, cold and sliced

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk

1/4 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

Combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder,

 baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Using a pastry blender or your hands and

combine the sliced butter until it forms into pea sized crumbs.

In another bowl, stir in the coconut milk, 

the egg and the almond or vanilla extract.

Add to the flour mixture.  

Stir just till combined.

On a lightly floured surface, place your dough.

 Create 2 mounds with the dough,

 no more than 1/2 inch thick.

 Cut each circle of dough into 8 slices. 

Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Lightly sprinkle with sugar if desired.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 13-15 minutes 

or until they are lightly brown.

Drizzle with an almond frosting if desired.

Enjoy!

I was quite amazed at the flavor and texture of the scone.

They were almost flaky and you can 

definitely taste the almonds!

If you feel like experimenting something new,

try these and let me know how you liked them!

Thank you for stopping by...

Hugs & Blessings,

Dairy Free Coconut Oil Fudge...

Hello Friends!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by...

I just love seeing you here!

Well, lets see... where to begin.

Hmm...

Okay, so I have been eating dairy free

 for a little over a week now

and I think I am also switching

 to a Gluten Free diet as well.

I have been having a lot of trouble with my tummy 

for quite some time now and I thought

what could I do different to heal my gut.

As I was praying and really pondering

 what is causing all this distress

I started to research some things 

on what I was experiencing.

And, the first part was to get rid of all dairy.

No brainer there, so I went off it all. 

 Which was a little hard, because I love cheese.

And then one day I decided to have 

some coffee with a freshly baked cookie

and within minutes my tummy was hurting,

and continued to hurt through out the day...

Not good!

I've been keeping a food diary since 

my journey with no dairy

and while I was looking back, 

 I noticed on the one day 

I had eaten several things with gluten in it.

Including the coffee and cookie...

So... to make a long story short,

I have decided to get off gluten for a season to see 

if my tummy heals.

I'd love to hear from any of you that have tried or has had

to go gluten and dairy free.

Do you have any recipes you'd like to share?

I think I can handle dinner, 

but I still need a sweet treat every now and again.

Thanks so much!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Any who, how would you like to 

try a new dairy free fudge recipe?

I was craving something sweet...like chocolate

so I got on my phone and googled dairy free fudge

and I tried this one...

It is so decadent and it melts in your mouth!

And it's chocolate!

Below you will find the recipe...

In my mixer, 

I put in the coconut oil and coconut milk.

Blend on medium speed for 5-6 minutes.

Till your mixture is thick and glossy.

Next, add in your cocoa powder, honey

vanilla and almond extract.

Mix your chocolate mixture again, till blended.

Pour your mixture into a wax

 paper lined loaf pan.

Place in freezer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take out fudge.

Cut fudge into bite size pieces.

At this point, the fudge is still a little soft.

So, I placed my cut pieces into a tin

and put them back into the freezer.

I pulled out another piece after 

about 30 more minutes in the freezer

and it was much harder than before.

I think since there is coconut oil in these,

 they tend to melt a bit quicker.

So eat and enjoy... One piece at a time!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

AND

Don't forget to try something new!

HUGS & BLESSINGS,

Did You Know?

Blueberries!  Such an amazing little fruit...

They can be sweet and sometimes a little tart.

We like to put them on yogurt, pancakes, waffles, 

in a muffin or bread, in a smoothie.

The possibilities are endless...

But I bet you didn't know that these little  

fruits are so good for you.

Did you know... blueberries can...

1)Maintaining healthy bones

The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, 

zinc and vitamin K in blueberries all contribute to 

building and maintaining bone structure and strength.

Iron and zinc play crucial roles in maintaining

 the strength and elasticity of bones and joints.

 Low intakes of vitamin K have been associated 

with a higher risk for bone fracture,

 while adequate vitamin K intakes improve calcium

 absorption and may reduce calcium loss.

2) Lowering blood pressure

Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to 

lowering blood pressure. 

Blueberries are naturally free

 of sodium and contain potassium, 

calcium, and magnesium, 

all of which have been found to 

decrease blood pressure naturally.

3) Managing diabetes

Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber

 diets have lower blood glucose levels and 

type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar

, lipids and insulin levels.

 One cup of blueberries 

contributes 3.6 grams of fiber.

4) Warding off heart disease

The blueberry's fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 

and phytonutrient content, coupled with

 its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. 

The fiber in blueberries helps

 lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood

 and decrease the risk of heart disease.

5) Preventing cancer

Vitamin C, vitamin A, and various phytonutrients 

in blueberries function as powerful antioxidants

 that help protect cells against free radical damage.

 They inhibit tumor growth, decrease inflammation

 in the body and help ward off or slow several 

types of cancer, including esophageal, lung, mouth, 

pharynx, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate and colon.

Blueberries also contain folate, which plays a role 

in DNA synthesis and repair, thus preventing

 the formation of cancer cells from

 mutations in the DNA.

6) Improving mental health

Population-based studies have shown that consumption

 of blueberries can reduce the risk of 

cognitive decline as well as 

Parkinson's disease - a neurodegenerative disorder

 resulting from cell death in parts of the brain.

7) Healthy digestion

Because of their fiber content,

 blueberries help to prevent

 constipation and promote 

regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

8) Weight loss and satiety

Dietary fiber is commonly recognized as an important

 factor in weight loss and weight management

 by functioning as a "bulking agent" in the digestive system.

 High fiber foods increase satiety and reduce appetite,

 making you feel fuller for longer and thereby 

lowering your overall calorie intake.

9) Fighting wrinkles

Collagen, the skin's support system, relies on vitamin C 

as an essential nutrient that works in our bodies as 

an antioxidant to help prevent damage caused by the sun,

 pollution and smoke. Vitamin C also promotes

 collagen's ability to smooth wrinkles and 

improve overall skin texture.

 Just one cup of blueberries provides 

24% of your daily need for vitamin C.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I don't know about you, but I think

 I'll be eating a bit more 

of this power fruit!

Now, I think I'll have some yogurt!

I hope you all have a Delightfully Bright Day!

Hugs & Blessings,

Easy Beef Stir Fry...

Hello Friends!

How is your month of February going?

I have been trying really hard to eat more veggies 

and I have found it very easy to

 put veggies in a one pot meal.

When I can't eat the veggies

 I do a green smoothie!

I've been going through cook books

 to try and get a bit more inspired 

on new recipes and I had found 

this one from the Food Network magazine.

You can find the  original recipe HERE.

I really liked how easy it was to make

and I put in the veggies I had on hand.

She called for baby corn, but I couldn't 

find them at the store so I 

used fresh green beans instead.

I think you can add in any kind of veggie you and

 your family like and it will taste just as yummy!

Do you like to find new recipes to try?

I encourage you to try something new this week!

Even if it's just a side dish!

Enjoy your week!

HUGS AND BLESSINGS,

Angel Eggs...

Who here loves Deviled Eggs?

Well, we do but we call them "Angel Eggs"

Why should we give the devil credit for something so yummy?

We don't and shouldn't!!

So, when you go to make these the next time,

tell everyone they are Angel Eggs.

I make mine with a few special ingredients

and I think I'll share them with you today.

As long as you promise to never call these delicious eggs

anything but ANGEL EGGS, deal?

Angel Eggs

6-8 hard boiled eggs, peeled, rinsed and halved

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup mayo

2 tsp. creamy horseradish sauce

2 green chilies, cleaned and seeded

1 garlic clove, minced

garlic salt to taste

pepper to taste

paprika, optional

Pop out the egg yolks into a medium bowl.

Smash with a fork.  Now add in the mayo, horseradish,

 green chilies, garlic and pepper. Mix really well. 

 If the mixture is still too dry, add in a bit more mayo.

Sprinkle with paprika if desired.

Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Now where is that smell button?

Yummy!

If these make it to the dinner table, I wouldn't store them more than 3 days.

When the yolk and mayo start to separate, I'd toss them out!

How do you make your Angel Eggs??

These Eggs shouldn't be made for just the holidays

They should be made year round!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Blessings,