Sparkling Lime Good Girl Moonshine...It's delicious

Have you tried the Good Girl Moonshine by Trim Healthy Mama yet? It's wonderful! Such an incredibly healthy and totally sweet tooth satisfying drink! I drink it often....for me, however, I grow bored with the same foods and drinks. I LOVE variety! I didn't want to give up GGMS, so I decided to play with it and make a new flavor. Amazingly, this drink is quite adaptable even with such strong flavors as apple cider vinegar (ACV) and ginger....it just works! I love to drink this when I start to feel under the weather or when my stomach is upset as well,  I find it really helps me feel better! In addition, it is a great sipper for between meals.
Here is the link to the original GGMS: http://www.trimhealthymama.com/main-home/free-recipes/good-girl-moonshine-recipe/

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Here is my Sparkling Lime version:

To a large mason jar add 1-2 Tablespoons of ACV.

I then grate in fresh ginger. Well...actually I grate in frozen ginger. Here is a great little trick I learned a long time ago, I buy fresh ginger and keep it in my freezer, it grates easily and is always ready to be used! If I buy organic, I don't even bother peeling it. If you prefer powdered ginger, that works too. 1 teaspoon is what I use.

Add a doonk of THM Stevia...or more, make it to your liking.

Here is where my changes come in, I add in a generous sprinkle of True Lime powder. You could also juice a small lime and add the juice of that. I like the ease of true lime.

Now fill up the that mason jar with ice. I then add Talking Rain brand of Pomegranate Lime sparkling water! Fill to the top or if you want it less bubbly, do half sparkling water and half regular water. If you can't find that flavor of sparkling water, others will work, I have done lime or even plain. I just prefer it this way, it's so delicious!

Printable version HERE

Enjoy!

Allergy Friendly S Breakfast Deliciousness MIM Muffin in a mug EGG FREE

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Food allergies are hard to live with, but not impossible. It's even possible to live well and enjoy food with food allergies and intolerances. Through my personal THM journey I have actually found some healing with my food allergies, I have real hope to one day eat eggs again...but for now, they are a no-no in my diet. So many recipes on THM involve eggs, especially breakfast. I eat a lot of oats. I repeat, I eat a lot of oats. I've learned to be quite creative with those wonderful nutritional, inexpensive powerhouses. However, somedays I just want a yummy, comforting S breakfast. This is a favorite of mine, egg free, nut free, dairy free, gluten free....it's free of a lot of offenders. :)
This is my version of Cinnamon Muffin in a Mug with a side of beef sausage.

The beef sausage is a special treat, it is a drive through sue option, of which I don't have many. Any side sausage that is sugar free will work with this recipe, just make it something yummy you love.

Printable PDF Version HERE

Cinnamon Muffin in a Mug

Serves 1, quite happily :)

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Golden Flax Meal   (Bob's is my favorite!)

1 Tablespoon protein powder of choice (I used Nutribiotics brown rice protein powder)

2 teaspoons Trim Healthy Mama Sweet Blend

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)

pinch of salt

1 chia egg (3T hot water mixed with 1 T chia seeds, let set until gelled)

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil (I've been enjoying this brand lately)

Directions:

I begin by making my chia egg...while the water is hot, I usually get my tea going too. While the egg is gelling, I add a Tablespoon of coconut oil to my cute little ramekin.

When the "egg" is gelled, I pour it on top of the oil and mix, melting the oil and combining.

I then add all the rest of the ingredient and mix very well with a fork. I make sure to gently pat the top flat before I bake.

Pop it in the microwave for 1:20, your time may vary, but it should spring back when touched on top and not sink.

Enjoy!

Homeschool constantly changes....

 

We are in our 15th year of official homeschool. I can hardly believe I have been educating my children that long. I have my eldest in college, working on his second year and now applying to the local University, I cannot believe how fast those years went by.

Our youngest is now in her Freshman year of high school, enjoying the journey and learning in a quite different way than her brother did.

My biggest piece of advice for all new homeschoolers is to be open to change. Don't get stuck with one way of doing things...explore and be willing to change your path as the need arises.

That is so much easier to tell new homeschooling mamas than it is to actually do it.

 

However, I still feel this is an excellent piece of advice and I remind myself regularly. Each child is different, they learn different, have different likes and dislikes and concepts to explore through different avenues. My son loved to be read to, we would spend hours reading literature and non fiction books together. We started our day, all three of us together, snuggled in my bed as I would read a chapter or two of what delicious piece of literature we were working through. It was wonderful. He loved to have long conversations and in depth discussions about topics and ideas we drew from our study or current history and even our time in Bible. My daughter being the younger one always learned whatever we were learning about. She used the same curriculum as our son...but I quickly learned as he grew more independent that she learned differently than he did.

 

She is unique. :) I love that and that's one of the reasons I love to homeschool. Her style is more independent. She would get frustrated when I would read aloud and ask questions to have a discussion about our reading and she couldn't remember what was said. She would end up re-reading the same passages so she could gain the information, but it was a waste of time for me to read to her, then have her read the same exact material again.

She likes it quiet.

Very, very quiet.

 

My son was fine with me bouncing around the house getting chores done, working out etc while he did more independent sections. Our daughter, no way! She needs for there to be no distraction. She still loves to discuss what she's learned, but we do that after she has studied the material and starts to share about what new things excited her in her studies. It's quite natural, and very enjoyable.

While we used to wake up with literature and relax for an hour or so before getting really going, we now get out of bed, enjoy breakfast together and she goes off to her quiet, beautiful retreat of a bedroom. She brings the computer and works on math first thing, gets her least favorite subject out of the way.

We have found this new method of study for her has greatly cut back her time studying each day. It has opened up her day to pursue more of her other passions....photography, writing etc.

 

I have gone through numerous changes in our homeschool career, different curriculums, half used, barely used and intensely used. Sometimes it just about drove me batty to give up on a product I had purchased only to find it did not fit our needs and it felt like a waste of money. It wasn't a waste, it was a learning experience as well.

I think there is only one bit of advice I would give that is even more important than being willing to change.

Cherish this time as much as you can. Yes, it can be hard, yes there are tears, yes there are days you are sure the public school system is a much better option than you. It's not true and before you know it, they will be off to college. Cherish it, enjoy it, be flexible and take time to just enjoy your children. One of the greatest blessings of homeschooling, is time...lots of time to spend with the most amazing people I have ever known. <3

London Fog Healing Protein Tea & Oatmeal Pumpkin Scones

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London Fog tea...one of my favorites...today was a wet and blustery day, perfect for a warm mug of rich, creamy, sweet tea. Usually a London Fog is made with vanilla syrup, loaded with sugar and its just to rough on my system. When I began THM a year ago I wanted to remake my favorites in ways I could enjoy and stay on plan. Did you know the bergamot in Earl Grey tea has mood elevating properties? What a wonderful way to start the day!

You can find a printable version HERE :)

London Fog Protein Healing Tea (FP)

Ingredients:
1 teabag of Earl Grey Tea
2 tsp THM Beef Geltain
*optional 1/2 scoop of protein powder of choice (I use Nutribiotics Vanilla Brown Rice to keep it dairy free, but it does lend a little protein powder flavor)
1 generous rounded doonk THM stevia (I like mine pretty sweet)
3/4 tsp vanilla (omit if using vanilla flavor protein powder)

***EDIT*** While the tea can be made exactly as state above, I have since found a lovely ingredient that made this even MORE delicious than before! I now use Sweet Leaf Stevia Vanilla Crème drops!! Oh my goodness! I omit the stevia called for above, and add about 5 drops of the vanilla crème. Amazing.

For my version of London Fog I begin with brewing a very large mug of Earl Grey tea in my largest and my most favorite mug from Disneyland.

I then take my beautiful green mason jar my sweet friend gifted me and I add to it the generous doonk of stevia, 2 tsp of beef gelatin and the protein powder. Swish that jar around to combine the dry ingredients in the bottom of the jar. I am all about time saving and dirtying less dishes.

In the meantime I get my immersion blender out and plugged in ready to go for the final step. When my tea is done brewing, about 5 minutes, I pour that mug of tea right into the mason jar. Immediately I begin blending with my immersion blender until it starts to foam on top.

Enjoy!!

**Notes: this tea can be made without the addition of protein powder and it is still delicious, the beef gelatin adds protein and a wonderful creamy texture. It is what gives this tea wonderful tummy healing properties.

I had this wonderful mug of tea with these wonderful wheat free, egg free can be dairy free pumpkin spice scones!

Here is a neat little tip I picked up years ago, grate your fat into your dry and mix. Quicker and easier than use a pastry cutter.

Scones are cut...but I realized, this dough is really too sticky for a traditional scone shape. I have made them in the past by using my medium scooper and it works perfect I will go back to what work. I was hoping for something more traditional this morning.

Printable version can be found HERE :)
This wonderful scone recipe I have adapted from Skinny Up Breakfast Scones from Bethany Frankel. To make it THM friendly for me I have made the following changes.

Better Scones - E
makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour
1T THM Sweet Blend (if you use another on plan sweetener you may want more)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp THM Salt 
1T butter
1 small banana
1/2 cup on plan milk of choice (I used FP homemade coconut)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup blueberries (optional)

Combine dry ingredients. Grate butter in and stir well. I blend my banana, milk and vanilla together, but you can hand mix it. Pour into dry and combine. Fold in blueberries. Batter should be somewhat thick, but not too thick or they come out dense. Ask me how I know. :)  Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet into 8 scones. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 2 is an E serving.

Today I played with this recipe, instead of adding the banana I subbed a large 1/4 cup of pumpkin and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and a dash of cloves. I combined the pumpkin and milk just as I would the banana and milk. I added the spices to the dry ingredients.
They were very good!

These scones have become a favorite of mine. I cannot eat eggs or wheat, so I eat a lot of oats for breakfast and this is a lovely change from a bowl of oatmeal.


April 2015 - Additional Change to this scone recipe. The above recipe is GREAT! It takes no special ingredients, so I always have everything on hand and I love that! I wanted to be able to make this into a traditional scone shape...so this is what I came up with and it is a HIT in my home! To be honest I could overindulge in this version, so I have to be careful.

Sub 1/2 cup of the oat flour for 1/2 cup of oat FIBER
Omit the liquid/banana from above recipe and use 1 single serve applesauce container plus 3/4 cup of water or on plan milk and keep the vanilla. I did not make this version with blueberries, I added a no sugar "jelly" on top after they were baked. Delicious!
Enjoy!

Some keys to my Trim Healthy Mama Success, PREP!

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For me, my days are so much easier and more successful on plan when I spend a little time preparing for my week. In my family both my husband and I are on Trim Healthy Mama....he's my Trim Healthy Man. :)   I make his lunches every evening so he can just grab them and head out the door in the morning. I usually spend a couple of hours each Sunday afternoon getting a few things prepared to make my daily activities streamlined. I try to regularly make a veggie tray, wash, chop and store a variety of vegetables. I can then grab and bag them up for lunches, or we have a quick snack on hand. I also find we eat a lot more if they are ready to go!

Another time saver I implement is soaking and cooking beans. Here I have a bowl of chana dahl soaking to make a large batch of E soup that will serve as one dinner and several quick lunches. I also soak pintos, kidneys, black and garbanzos. I then cook the beans in my crockpot the next day, cool, package and freeze. This is also a huge money saver for us. I make our own hummus with the garbanzos and since I am in control of ingredients I can keep it low fat so it stays an E. Although for my husbands lunches I often make him a spicy tobasco crossover hummus because he is at goal and works hard! The pintos I use to make our own refried beans. I defrost them, add them to a pan with salsa and blend up with my immersion blender. Quick, easy and so economical!

I also prep Singing Canary for a few days. You can find the recipe on my Pinterest page here.

We drink this regularly and especially during the winter time to boost our immunity. Be sure to read all the incredible benefits of this super delish drink!

 Usually I will wash a head of lettuce and dry it well so it will be ready for salads on the go. I always make a batch of muffins or scones...I will post the recipe for my favorite E oat scones that are EGG, WHEAT and DAIRY FREE soon! They are a delicious treat and make oatmeal a lot more decadent along with a wonderful London Fog protein packed healing tea! I will post on that tomorrow, I think it sounds like a perfect breakfast.

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Thank you for visiting!

Hello! I think a little introduction would be a nice way to begin this blog. My name is Tina, I am a wife and mom of 2 children. I am home full time and LOVE it! I have one child I have graduated from homeschool and I have one currently home with me working on her last few years of homeschool. Homeschooling has been a great joy and education for me, I am so thankful to have this opportunity. I am always happy to answer questions for people looking into homeschooling. The number one comment I get is "I would love to homeschool I just couldn't do it". Let me tell you  now, if you believe that, it's not true. If you have the desire, you CAN do it. I would love to answer your questions as well as point you to resources you would find helpful to make that dream a reality.

Among my many passions, fashion mixed with modesty is way up there on the list. Since we are a one income family, I have had to learn to be creative, but I find great ways to enjoy fashion on a tight budget. It's a joy to share this passion with my daughter and we have a great time making up cute outfits I hope to share with you. We do everything with biblical modesty in mind as well.

Food. I love food. I also have food allergies. I don't love food allergies. My current food allergies for the last couple of years are: eggs, wheat, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and some dairy. I have healed some and have recently been adding in some dairy and turkey. I hope to be completely healed someday and eat freely and it will be with great joy!

My most recent passion for the last year has been my journey on Trim Healthy Mama. This plan of eating and healing our bodies through nutritious foods has truly changed my life. I plan to write up a complete post on my testimony soon. If Trim Healthy Mama is how you found my blog and you also deal with food allergies, please let me assure you, you CAN do this plan with your food issues. You can find healing and you can have health, physical and mental health restored to you. Yes, this plan helped me even with my mental health! I am forever thankful that G-d has blessed me with THM. I am thrilled when I have an opportunity to share and help others in their journey. Seeing others succeed is an incredible joy!

My greatest passion without question is my G-d and His word. I am an avid studier of scripture, I am a Messianic believer. I keep the biblical feasts and live a Torah observant lifestyle. I teach about biblical holidays to Christian ladies in bible studies and I have had many opportunities to teach Davidic dance, which brings me so much joy to praise with G-d through dance with others.

God has truly poured out His oil of joy upon me and in my life, I want nothing more than to let it flow to those around me and to share of His goodness and love He has shown me.

(photo credit goes to my amazing son in college who sends a picture of a flower to his girlfriend each day)