Can't get your kids to eat veggies? Try this yummy drink! (THM)

Do you have a hard time getting your little ones to eat enough veggies? If you're anything like this southern mama then the answer would be yes. Even though I try as I might I'm just not a lover of veggies and neither are my kids. We eat them but there's no love going on there most of the time. We definitely don't get enough fresh vegetables every day, especially during the winter months.

God revealed a recipe in my Trim Healthy Mama book to me recently. "Earth Milk,' page 425.

I had glanced over it before while I was reading but was in no way ready to blend up some vanilla salad. O.O

When God touches your heart, He touches it my friends. And that is exactly what He recently did to mine. I prayed and He answered.

The above picture is my two year old daughter enjoying some 'Earth Milk.'

And below is my 4, almost 5 year old drinking some. The love this stuff!

 

For those of you Trim Healthy Mama's, THM's recipe is on page 425. I recently made myself some and was shocked at how yummy it was! So of course I had my littles try some and all but one loved it! I even saw my 12 year old drinking a little before bed yesterday.

I made mine a Fuel Pull so I could drink it with whatever meal type I would be eating. When I saw how much my girls loved it I decided to make them their own S batch using a little organic sugar and stevia. As Serene stated, I didn't use tea in theirs either. In mine I used Oolong.

Oh my... talk about happy kiddos and a happy mama! I have been praying to God to figure out how to get more vegetables into my little one year old. She was my main focus. I can tell the others to eat their vegetables and enforce it but have you ever tried making a one year old eat something they don't like? Oy...

Then after having my Trim Healthy Mama book for almost a year God led me to the 'Earth Milk' recipe and BOOM ... life-changing.

My one year old drinks it with great enthusiasm! 10 points for Mom!!! And even more thanks to Serene!!

If you are needing a way to get veggies into your little ones without them fighting you or gagging, this may be a blessing for you too! It has a creamy, vanilla milk flavor. I don't quite know how it happens but it does. You can smell the greens but once you take a sip you won't even notice. You'll be too busy getting excited about not having to eat a salad with lunch (or dinner) everyday. That last part may just be me. lol

Oh... and one more plus! My veggie disliking hubby tasted this drink and said he could drink it everyday to get his veggies. Praise God!!!!

'Earth Milk," by Serene Allison. It's kid approved and hubby approved!

 

 

 

I-Hop who? THM Pancakes S... yep, I said S! (Sugar Free and Low Carb)

Gosh, I don't even know where to begin with this post. If it weren't nap time and I wasn't on day 3 of a Ttapp bootcamp I might actually be inclined to stand up and do a happy dance. That is how happy I am to be writing this post.

Seriously!

So, I love THM. What I didn't love was losing pancakes from our Saturday morning brunch. My hubby is a brunch man. And when I say that, I mean it. It's kind of a go big or go home thing with him. Well, maybe not go home... more like go cranky or to I-Hop. *snickers*

*note* I'm just going to post pictures off and on as I type so you can swoon and get excited!

If you're like us and you've missed pancakes with your scrambled eggs and bacon then you are about to experience something to make you fall in love with life all over again. Or at least your THM Saturday brunch!

I won't lie, I was a wee bit nervous about trying this recipe which isn't unusual for me when replacing something typically made with white flour. It tends to weird me out at first. I'm a southern girl. What can I say? lol My people use a lot of flour. They also die from heart disease and type two diabetes, sadly.

Moving on to happy land again! :)

A single batch of these gives you 3 good size pancakes. Not I-Hop huge pancakes, but good size. I can eat and these were perfect for me!

Look how pretty.

One thing the recipe creator tells you is that these are delicate and must be treated as such. You will not want to flip them until they have cooked some.

The waiting process is no different than making pancakes with flour. I was careful when I flipped them and had no issues.

Just take a whiff... I mean look. lol

Just looking at the pictures has me getting excited about Monday! Hubby will be off after a 7 day work week.

Are you hungry yet? I am. lol

I had what some southerners refer to as a 'hankerin' for maple syrup on mine. I made some sugar free mixed berry syrup last night but my morning had maple syrup written all over it.

This is what I used. It is made with xylitol and tastes the most like real maple syrup. I'm weird about most sugar free syrups using stevia. I haven't found one that I liked just yet. This syrup however is super yummy!!

So now the time had drawn near for me to top my beautiful breakfast. I heated my syrup and drizzled some over my 3 mouth watering pancakes. Then I added a little butter. I sat back and watched it melt in awe.

I had to ask myself. Those pancakes seriously couldn't taste half as good as they were looking.

Or could they?

Yes, yes dear friends.... they sooo could!

Now let's see if I can get this link right. lol

Hop on over to Glen's Nest for the recipe.  Low Carb Pancake Recipe THM S

Enjoy!!

Fire Cider! The newest member of my cold and flu arsenal. (THM friendly)

I first saw this recipe floating around the web last year. I made it and threw it away once it was done. I admit it. Fear got the best of me. That and a person's negativity. Ugh... I'm not a fan of being wasteful, or fearful for that matter. It was a sad time for me.

This year I did some more research and was determined to try it again. The negative person is no longer in my life and I knew what I had to do. I had to squish fear where it hurts and I'm so glad I did!

This stuff is awesome!

 It does take weeks to reach its proper potency but when it's done, in the words and inflection of my 7 year old, "It's awesooooome!" lol

I have kicked one sickness already this week by taking this every hour for a day and a couple times the next two days. Praise God for a break from all that garlic cutting!!

And... it's THM Friendly!! You can even drizzle it on a yummy salad as a dressing.

Here's the recipe...

• 1/2 cup grated Horseradish
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Ginger
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (I love me some cayenne, cher. For those of you wondering what I just said, I'm Cajun French and cher is a French people term of endearment ;) It translates to "dear.")
• Zest and juice (or juice only) from one lemon
• 1 Tbsp. Turmeric powder
• Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Cut it all up and place in two large jars. Fill bottles with Apple Cider Vinegar. Use wax paper to keep contents from touching the metal lid.
2. Shake daily. Store 4-6 weeks.

*You can also add honey to yours when its done. I didn't and we all love it! (well, not hubby, but I never thought he would. lol) My 2 and 4 year old beg for it! They love the kick it gives you. lol

Sugar Free Peppermint Mocha (THM FP)

One of the drinks I missed so much from Starbucks was their Peppermint Mocha's. That is until today. :) A FB friend of mine shared a picture of a frozen sugar free Peppermint Mocha Frapp and I asked her to share her ingredients with me. I changed only one due to the fact I didn't have what she had. I blended the ingredients and then warmed it on the stove, topped it with FF Ready whip, dusted it with cocoa and voila!

Sugar Free Peppermint Mocha Heaven!

I made a drink big enough to share, or to sip yourself all afternoon. It was such a cozy drink. I sat by my hubby while we finished our movie from last night and my senses danced in a minty stupor. It was delightful.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Erythritol
• Pure white stevia (to taste. I used approx. 5 sprinkles)
• 3-4 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1/2 scoop Swanson's vanilla protein powder
• 1/4- 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract (depending on how pepperminty you want it ;)
• a dash of salt
• 1 heaping tsp. of granulated instant espresso

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in your blender. I have a vitamix and did this part on low since it was during nap time. I just wanted to break down the powders and it worked on low.
2. Taste and see if or what you might want to add more of.
3. When you're happy with the taste, pour into a sauce pan and warm until desired heat. You can also use a microwave, of course,
4. Pour into a cup, add some FF Ready Whip and dust the top with cocoa.

Yum!!

How our family takes Raw Garlic, a natural Antibiotic.

 

With the recent success our family has had kicking sickesses where it hurts with raw garlic, I have had many mama's asking me exactly how I give it to my family.

 

 I didn't  know how to take it either when I started. It was kind of a trial by error thing. I knew you could take it with honey but that was the end of my knowledge.

 

Today I'm writing this post to share with others how our family takes garlic. :)

 

Here are a couple things you need to know.

 

1. Do not take raw garlic on an empty stomach.

(It's best to take it after you eat something)

(You can and I have but I don't advise it. Your stomach won't feel good at all. I did this and actually thought I might throw up. O.O Not a happy moment from me.)

2. Follow taking garlic with some sort of milk chaser.

(This will ease your tummy)

3. Mixing with honey really does help it go down.

(however, I don't take it with honey since it's sugar)

4. Do this at least 3 times a day (if not 4 times) if you are already sick. Continue to do this for at least 3 days. The garlic will alleviate your symptoms before the sickness is totally gone. Think about an antibiotic the Dr gives you. The pharmacist tells you to take all 10 days worth no matter how great you may feel on day 5. Garlic will need some time to kill the illness. In my experience it still didn't take as long as Dr. prescribed antibiotics.

 

The next picture will show you my set up.

 

 

1. Chop a clove or two of garlic per person, finely.

 (When I'm fighting something I use one large clove for me or two regular size ones. You can see in the top picture how much I cut for 4 of my 5 daughters, my hubby and I) The finer you cut it, the easier it is to take. Plus it helps the allicin come out. My barely two year old daughter takes it happily.

2. Set a timer for 10 minutes so that the garlic can release the allicin. That is what helps you from what I've read.

3. Make a milk chaser while you wait. You can either take just plain milk or if you're really interested in kicking something you can do what I do and make a turmeric milk chaser. (Ingredients: milk, (I use unsweeneted almond milk for me) organic turmeric, pure white stevia, and cinnamon. Just add some of each. The turmeric is great for you and this drink tastes great. my girls love it!

4. Get a bowl and your honey ready.

5. When the 10 minutes are up, mx your garlic with some honey (local, raw is best but you can use whatever honey you want)

6. Open up and swallow. (You can chew it, but I wouldn't suggest that either. I did the whole, 'put a garlic clove in your mouth, bite down and extract juices' thing and I wasn't too fond of it. Maybe I'm a wiener but it burned my mouth bad.)

 

Like I said earlier, I don't take mine with honey since I don't want the sugar. I just put mine in my mouth and take it with my turmeric milk. It's way easier than I would have thought. :)

 

You can google the benefits of raw garlic. It's incredible!  There are some sicknesses that aren't responding to antibiotics and yet garlic is proven to kick them. I have witnessed its power as its healed my family this year and it has helped me not catch what my littles had. I even make a garlic rub for the baby. The garlic has allowed them to break up and expel the build up of mucus from their sicknesses. I really can't say enough good things about it.

 

*One last note* I did read somewhere that it's best to use the raw garlic within 24 hours since it's most potent then. I typically cut enough for a day at a time. Garlic rub for a baby can last one week in the fridge.

 

P.S. I am not a doctor, I'm just a mama sharing what has worked for my family. :)

DIY Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap

I have a love/hate relationship right now with this time of the year. The little girl in me loves the cold and all of the holiday's it brings. The sights, the sounds, and the smells are all something I embrace. The other part of me however, the mom part, isn't too fond of this time of year.

 I not so lovingly call it "Cootie Season." It's the time where it seems everyone everywhere is sick and they all share their cooties as if it's the kind thing to do. I for one think it's poopy, especially when you have a few kiddos, or 5 that tend to take your lessons in sharing very seriously during this season.

I'm not real interested in bringing tons of chemicals into my house so I've been making my own foam hand soap for years now. It wasn't until recently that I had a light bulb moment and realized that I could make my own antibacterial and anti-viral soap.

All you will need is...

• a foam pump
• Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap (I use the baby unscented one)
• Melaluca or better known as Tea Tree Oil

1. Fill Bottle 1/4 way up with Dr. Bronner's
2. Fill the rest of the way with water (filtered is best)
3. Add 4-6 drops of Tea Tree Oil (I use 6 but I use one I bought at Walmart. If you're using one from DoTerra you will have to deem how much works best for you. I am not familiar with theirs yet so I don't feel comfortable giving an exact amount of drops you would use.)
4. Put pump part back on and gently give it a shake to mix the oil in.

I love the clean smell of Tea Tree oil, but if you don't or if you want to change it up a bit you can always add some lavender essential oil or any scent you like. I made this particular one for my kitchen. When I do one for the bathroom I think I might add just a little vitamin e oil and see how that goes. It might work. It might not. That's the fun of trying. :)

Until next time....

Happy Thursday!

December DETOX time :)

It's the first Monday after Thanksgiving and although I didn't eat as bad as I did growing up, I did ingest some things that weren't the best for my body.

I know that Spring is typically the time when people start thinking about detoxing. They've had a long winter full of treats and it's the time coats come off and the result of those treats show through your clothes.

For me, I think differently than some. You see, my parents weren't very healthy. On his death bed my earthly father had heart disease, type 2 diabetes and kidney failure. He even had gangrene on one of his feet from the high levels of sugar and the fact his body just couldn't function well anymore. Years of eating bad had taken its toll on him and it had finally come to take his life. As I held my fathers hand when the Lord took him home I knew I never wanted to end up like him. I was 26.

My mother was and is no better. She suffers from heart disease, type two diabetes and has been on dialysis for a couple of years now. She can't hardly walk anymore and her quality of life is poor.

I don't want to end up like them and if I don't take care of my body I will.

So here we are today. I don't like to go with the flow of society. It annoys me. Typically they are moving in the complete opposite direction that I am looking to go. Detoxing in December is no different. :)

So let's have at it... Here's what I'm doing to give my body a nice cleanse.

Last night I started with a warm Bentonite Clay bath . Bentonite Clay is a very popular detoxifier. If you Google it you will find tons of info on it.

"Bentonite Clay s a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals."

*taken from a blog post by Wellness Mama*

When I was done with my bath I let the water drain and then went to look at the clay. It was dark. Yikes! That shows that it was pulling out toxins and heavy metals from my body. I barely used any last night )maybe 2Tbsp. Next time I will use 3oz)

Good start to my Monday before it even started.

This morning I woke up and took 2 Bentonite Clay capsules that I encapsulated myself yesterday. You can buy everything you need to encapsulate from Bulk Herb Store. Then I drank 15 oz. of water. I did this on an empty stomach. I will take another 2 this afternoon and repeat this for 3 days.

Today and tomorrow I will be removing all glucose from my body. That will include all simple sugars as well as grains. Then on the third day I will begin reintroducing complex carbs that are good for my body in small amounts. Simple sugars will not be making a comeback. Instead I will be using pure white stevia, Xylitol for our Southern Sweet Tea and Truvia.

 

I am a Trim Healthy Mama.

If you're interested in purchasing the THM book you can link to it in my Amazon store. It offers a wealth of health information!

 

 

Another must in my books when you're wanting to cleanse your body is incorporating both fresh lemon juice and Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) I use Braggs.

Serene Allison, one of the authors of Trim Healthy Mama created this yummy drink and it blew up! Now there are as many variations as some women have shoes I think, lol, but I am sticking to the original. At least maybe until summer comes. ;)

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Ginger
• Water
• whole small or half large lemon
• pure-white stevia
• ice

This drink is awesome! One of my friends at church even recently told me that her hubby loves this drink and asks his daughter to make it for him. My hubby however, wouldn't touch it. LOL To each his own I guess.

Other than making sure I drink enough water and concentrating on fueling my body with healthy foods, I have one more thing in my Detox arsenal. This one is something that I won't stop after detoxing since it is terrific for my body. Theresa Tapp developed an exercise that also helps those with adrenal fatigue and it is a proven detoxifier.

 

Here are some benefits stated by Wellness Mama

 

“Is the fastest weight loss workout we’ve ever seen

Detoxifies the body

Increases insulin sensitivity, which promotes loss of excess weight

Reduces stress

Skyrockets energy levels and mental clarity

Boosts metabolism

Improves cardiovascular function

Helps the brain gain better control over the body (builds neurokinetic function)

Takes just 15 minutes”

 

I love Ttapp and have been doing it off and on since May of 2013. I lost a total of 20 inches and 17 lbs in only a few weeks doing Ttapp and THM. My skin cleared up and I felt great! My husband lost 30 lbs doing Ttapp and THM with me. He didn't Ttapp as much as I did either.

 

Since then life has happened and I haven't solely stuck to both. I am super excited to get back on the bandwagon.

 

 I had never felt better in my life!

As someone who loves food I have learned much in my life and after seeing how the wrong foods can hurt your body I refuse to let food own me. It may be Christmas time but that doesn't mean that I have to gorge myself with goodies and blame it on the lack of warmth outside.

Will I eat unhealthy this month. Oh yeah I will. I just won't go crazy. And you can bet that for the most part I will be eating well. When January comes I will do a second detox just in the name of homemade sugar cookies and fudge. ;) Just sayin....

*Side Note*

I am writing this post on my Father's Birthday. I so wish I would have had access to the health information I do now while he was still alive. He is who taught me about my Savior, not through words but instead by his self sacrifice for Jesus. I knew that Jesus had to be someone so very special when I watched my father suffer for him. As my fathers' body was beginning to fail he would still kneel every night and pray. He was so weak and his knees would give out. He would struggle to stand back up. This spoke volumes to me. The church we attended spoke of Jesus, yet never in all my years of attending did I see the kind of love for Jesus in that church that I saw in my father.

Happy Birthday to my Daddy! I hope you're having fun celebrating with Jesus. I sure do miss you!

Beaver Butt... it's what's for Dessert. Say What?

Oh yeah, you read that right. The FDA has been using a secretion from a beavers anus to flavor foods as well as in perfumes. Nope, no kidding.

I think it might be time to think twice (or once even) before buying anything vanilla, strawberry, or raspberry flavored ever again. O.O

You can read about it HERE at Natural News.com


*Today I decided to Pin this to my Trim Healthy Mama pinterest file for all those mama's to see. Back when I was on Facebook I knew of many mom's that used these flavorings regularly and would want to know what they were consuming*

Homemade Vapor Rub

Cold and flu season is here and so is my arsenal. Every year before the season begins (or after it starts lol) I began preparing for the possibility of my family getting sick. This year we've already had a pretty fun cold come through our family. One that knocked 4 of my 5 girls down. Runny noses, fevers, and throwing up from the crazy amount of mucous their little bodies were producing.

Vapor rub is a must during this season as far as I'm concerned.

I was a Vicks Vapor Rub girl growing up. My mom loved that stuff. It wasn't until last year that I discovered what it was made of and that it wasn't necessarily something I wanted to use on my family. Especially when I found out that there have been cases where it has hindered a sick baby's breathing as well as adults. (this was using both the infants and also the adults) Don't take my word on it, google it. It isn't pretty. 

Anywho :)

I began looking for an alternative, (after already buying a brand new jar of each type of Vicks) and low and behold women all over the world were smarter than me. They already knew that Vicks wasn't really great for us or our precious babies. With this being said, I found what seemed to be endless recipes for homemade vapor rub. I settled on this one and we all love it! My kiddos actually ask for it. I found it so long ago that I don't even remember where I got it. Just know, I didn't create this. :) The credit belongs to some smart mama who was well advanced in her healthy walk before I was in mine.

I would totally hug this woman if I could!

You will need:

• 2 parts coconut oil
• 1 part beeswax (I have made this using both pastilles or a 1 oz little bar)
• Eucalyptus essential oil (about 10 drops per ounce)
• White Camphor Essential Oil (about 5 drops per ounce)

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil and beeswax in a double boiler (You can really use any pan you'd want. I use a double boiler so my ingredients aren't directly on the heat)
2. Then add the essential oils.
3. Pour into your metal tins or containers. (You can purchase metal tins at most health food stores. If you don't have one by you, you can order them online. Google metal tins and find the best price for you. They're everywhere:)
4. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes voila, homemade vapor rub. It really couldn't be more simple!

Military Life-When Your Hubby gets the Flu from the Flu Vaccine. What to do.

 

It's that time again. Every year my husband is forced to receive the flu vaccine. Now I know from experience that the subject of vaccines can stir up some crazy heated debates. You won't get that from me. I have an opinion and I'm allowed that. So is everyone else. :)

What I'm writing about today is that every year my Air force husband is forced to get a flu shot and every year my husband gets the flu. I know some people who would say it's just a coincidence but I don't think so. (Remember, I'm entitled to my opinion) I can also tell you that every year my elderly mother gets her flu shot and every year like clock work she too gets the flu.

 If the shots are so wonderful then why does everyone we know get sick after taking them? (Don't feel the need to answer. I have my own assumptions. :)

I'm not going to rant and rave about our world and the force of their opinions on others. What I will tell you is what I did to heal my husband.


I gave him raw garlic.

If you're a health conscious mama like myself, you are no doubt already familiar with garlics incredible properties and just what it can be used for. If you're not, take some time and research it. It's really incredible. Garlic works as an antibiotic and works fast!

When my hubby started showing signs of the flu coming on I cut up a clove of garlic. I drizzled raw honey (you can use any kind) on a spoon and put the garlic on it. I did this for him every two hours and by the next day there were no more signs of the flu. I had caught it fast and kicked it out!

Now if you're later in your flu cycle, you might have to take it more than 24 hours to kick yours. I'm not doctor so I'm not sure. All I can tell you is my experience and my experience is pretty awesome.

Another story: Last month my girls came down with some nasty cold thing. My eldest and I were the last to catch it. During this time was when I remembered reading about garlic so we tried it. My chest had been hurting and I could only cough dry. After taking the garlic and honey twice I began to clear my chest. I didn't take it as often as I gave my husband but I felt better by that night. I took it only once the next day and was all better by the next morning. So was my daughter!

My one tip: Garlic is some potent stuff. I took one dose with the clove not chopped as fine as I would assume they should have been. I also took it on an empty stomach and instantly my stomach didn't feel the best. After I realized that my decision hadn't been the best I started trying to think of what I could do to feel better. All I could think of was milk and I'm glad I did. I put some raw milk into a glass and drank it. In less than 5 minutes I felt better.

Kristy's garlic tip of the day: Chop it small, and don't take it on an empty stomach. ;)