Spicy Pork Zuppa (THM - S)

This soup is an excellent way to get some kale into your body.  Kale is one of the rare things that grows in my shady yard, but not a lot of people in my family like it very much unless I put it in soup.  This is one of the ways that everyone in my family will eat kale.  The best part about it is that I make it in the slow cooker, so most everything is done in the morning and then I just have to do a little bit about an hour before supper.  It's a great meal for a busy day.

If you are following the Trim Healthy Mama style of eating, this is considered a Satisfying meal.  For my children that are still growing, they eat this with a nice piece of whole grain bread and butter slathered on it.

Spicy Pork Zuppa 

(Serves 7)

2 lbs. ground pork or ground turkey or a combination of the two
2 onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp. fresh oregano diced
1 tsp. kosher sea salt
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (if you don't like things spicy - use less)
8 cups homemade chicken stock
2 lbs. fresh cauliflower chopped
2 cans full fat coconut milk
2 tsp. THM glucomannan powder (also known as Gluccie)
4 cups fresh kale (washed and chopped)

In a large skillet, cook meat, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and onion is tender;  drain off fat.  Return meat mixture to the skillet and add oregano, salt and red pepper flakes.  Cook for one more minute.  Transfer to a slow cooker and add the homemade chicken stock.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  In a blender combine the coconut milk and glucomannan powder until smooth.  Add to slow cooker.  Stir in the kale and cauliflower.  Cover and cook for 30-60 more minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Enjoy!

Mini Apple Pies

Yesterday we made these yummy Mini Apple Pies from Build A Menu.  https://www.buildamenu.com/recipe/mini-apple-pies-e-friendly
They were so good!  Closest thing to tasting like apple pie since I started Trim Healthy Mama three years ago.  We topped them with Fat Free Redi Whip.  Delicious!  They are an Energizing Dessert if you're following THM.

Snickerdoodle Crepes (S)

This past week, I started using Build A Menu along with my Trim Healthy Mama way of eating.  This is one of their recipes.  It's an amazing breakfast filled with cinnamon and butter flavor.  So delicious.  For those of you who have access to Build a Menu - try this one.  You won't be sorry.  It's a Satisfying meal.  https://www.buildamenu.com/recipe/snickerdoodle-crepes-s-friendly

Egg White Omelet with Berries - Fuel Pull or E page 217

One of my favorite Fuel pull or Energizing breakfasts is to have an egg white omelet.  In this one, I have red peppers and onions in it.  Put that with some fresh berries for fuel pull or another fruit for energizing.  Yummy way to start your morning.

Better Than Chef Salad - S

One of my very favorite lunches on the Trim Healthy Mama diet.  This was my lunch today.  Yum!

Minty Mango Salsa (E)

Here's a fun Energizing snack.  My mint is really coming up good and I was so excited to make something with it.  I found this great recipe on Taste of Home for Minty Mango Salsa.  I love Mango, so thought it was worth the try.  My family LOVED this stuff.  I served it with some black bean and rice chips that I found.  Here's the hard part.  To stay in the "E" zone for "Trim Healthy Mama" - I had to limit myself to eating only 7 chips.  I just piled the salsa on each chip.  This was a huge hit with my children and they, of course, didn't have to limit themselves to 7 chips.

Here's the link for the recipe:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/minty-mango-salsa

Enjoy!

Frozen Lemon Yogurt - FP

If you have an electric ice cream maker - this Fuel Pull dessert is right on plan and so simple.

32 oz. plain Greek Yogurt
1 tsp. pure white stevia extract powder
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
couple shakes of Tumeric to give a light yellow color

In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, stevia, lemon juice and peel; mix well.  Shake in some turmeric for some light yellow coloring.  Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.  Yield:  about 5 cups.

Great Northern Bean Stew - E

Here's another great Energizing meal that fits on plan with "Trim Healthy Mama."  My family all loves this stew.

Great Northern Bean Stew

1 lb. 90% lean turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup sliced carrots
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of stevia
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pin; drain.  Add the next 11 ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in parsley; cook 5 minutes longer.  Yield:  6 servings.

We served this with a slice of Ezekiel 4:9 toast.

Blueberry Oatmeal (E)

This is my very favorite way to eat oatmeal at the present time.

Made in this way, this is an Energizing meal for Trim Healthy Mama.

Here's how I make it.

Blueberry Oatmeal

1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup water
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/8 tsp. stevia
dash of vanilla extract
dash of salt
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Combine oatmeal and water and cook until liquid is almost gone.  Turn heat off, add other ingredients.  Stir and serve.  Nice and easy.  I like to cook mine in a cast iron skillet because it helps add iron to your food.

I find that adding the protein powder really helps this meal to hold me over until lunch time.  Even my husband that doesn't care for oatmeal, likes this version.

Giant Salted Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Satisfying (THM)

 

 

Giant Salted Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 stick/8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup erythritol
• 1/4 tsp. stevia
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup 85% chocolate bar cut up
• A few pinches Fleur de sel salt or sea salt for sprinkling on top of cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray.
2. Place butter, erythritol and stevia into stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add molasses, pumpkin, egg and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein powder, salt and baking soda, mixing to combine then add in chocolate chunks. Using a large scoop (I used my ice cream scoop, holds about 1/4 cup) scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Flatten cookies with hands then sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.
3. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until baked through. Please keep in mind if you bake smaller cookies cooking time will be much less. Bake accordingly to size. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack.

Makes 10 - 12 Large cookies

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup (S)

 

 

For supper tonight, I converted an old favorite to make it "Trim Healthy Mama" acceptable.  The original recipe has potatoes, carrots, milk and all purpose flour in it.  All of those things would cause a carb/fat collision and make you gain weight.  So, I made a few substitutions and came up with this delicious comfort soup.  This would be considered a Deep S meal.  Meaning Deeply Satisfying.

 

Here are the cast of characters.  As always I forget to include some things in the picture.  This time I forgot to include the salt, pepper, glucomannan and nutritional yeast.  Otherwise, everything else is there.

 

 

Chop your onions,

 

 

 

and your orange peppers 

Cut up that bacon and fry it in a pan.  Mmmm... can't you just smell the wonderful aroma?  This is when everyone comes in the kitchen saying, "Oh mom, what are you making?  That smells good."

 

Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

 

Brown the ground beef.  I browned it in the bacon grease.  I'm telling you, it turns out so good.  Don't worry, I drain it and rinse it before adding it to the soup.  It does flavor things nicely though. 

 

Chop the celery.  I always chop the leaves of the celery and add it to my dishes. 

 

Stir fry the onions, peppers and celery with the basil and parsley in some of the butter.

 

Drain and rinse that meat really good.

 

Chop up the cauliflower into bite size pieces.

 

Cook those vegies until tender.

 

Add the ground beef and cauliflower to pan with chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook until cauliflower is tender.

 

In another pan, melt more butter and add almond flour with gluccmannan.  Cook for 3 minutes then add to soup.

 

Grate your cheese.

 

Turn that soup down to low.

 

 

Once that cauliflower is tender and you've added the almond flour mixture,

Then it's time to add that lovely cheese.

 

It's so fun to watch it melt.

 

Then add that wonderful heavy whipping cream.

 

Add your nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

 

Then add your bacon.

 

Lastly, the sour cream.

 

Stir it all up and heat on low until heated throughout.

 

Serve up the delicious yumminess into bowls.

Indulge!

 

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

serves 6 (in my pictures, I doubled it to feed my family)

 

1 pound ground beef

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled*

¾ cup chopped onion

¾ cup diced orange pepper

¾ cup diced celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups diced cauliflower

¼ cup almond flour

 1 tsp. glucomannan

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 ½ cup heavy cream

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper

 1 T. nutritional yeast

¼ cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, chopped orange pepper, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
3. Add the broth, cauliflower and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
4. In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the almond flour and glucomannan. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, heavy cream, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Stir in the cooked and crumbled bacon.Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

Grandpa Bill's Salsa

 

When I met my husband, I also got introduced to his step-dad.  Now that he's my children's grandpa, we just all call him Grandpa Bill.  He's a fun-loving grandpa who cares deeply about his grandkids.  Anyway, back on topic.  When I met him, I also got introduced to the most amazing salsa ever.  His salsa.  He is a Native American and has always liked things HOT!  I also love things hot.  I fell in love with his salsa.  But before you stop reading (for those that don't like things hot) - I am making a mild version here.

 

I asked for the recipe and he was so nice to share it with me.  Now I will add here, if I was making this just for me, I would make it with the seeds in and let my mouth start on fire.  After all, my nose runs so much when eating the HOT version that it works sort of like a fire hydrant.  Hehe!

 

It's easy, however, to make this mild so that all types of people can enjoy it, not just us crazy people.  The other day, I made a double batch.  I made some for our Care Group and some for a few recipes I have at home.

 

 

Here's the simple cast of characters:  Remember I was doubling the recipe.  Jalepenos (the bigger they are the more mild they seem to be, the smaller the hotter), fresh cilantro, green onions, crushed tomatoes (you can use fresh tomatoes out of the garden, but if it's winter time, trust me, it's best if you use crushed from the can), salt and vinegar.

 

 

If you are smart, you will listen to this tip.  Put some kind of plastic, rubber, gloves on your hands when dealing with jalapeños.  If you don't listen to this tip, you will later find out why you should have.

 

To make the mild version, chop the stems off and remove seeds.  If you are like me and like it hot, just leave those seeds in.  Make sure you have lots of napkins in stock.

 

Most of the time, I just chop everything by hand, but I was kind of in a hurry, so I pulled out my food processor.

 

Chop the jalapeños up and place in a bowl.

 

Then do the same with the green onions.

Then do the same with the fresh cilantro.  You can use dried, but believe me, fresh is the best!

 

Place all of those ingredients in a bowl.

 

Add tomatoes, salt to taste and a splash of vinegar and mix well.

 

For our care group, I served this in a bowl with some tortilla chips.  For myself, I made some chips using Joseph's lavash bread.  This salsa is great on taco salad, on your eggs and really just on anything that you like salsa on.  I also added some to some avocados and made some guacamole for the Care Group as well.  It was delicious!

 

Grandpa Bill's Salsa

1 - 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
6 fresh jalapeños (deseeded) and chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bunch fresh green onions, chopped
salt to taste
a splash of vinegar

Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl and stir well.