Cauliflower Rice Sides 3 Ways! (Rice PIlaf, Mexican Rice, Fried Rice)

Tip - Make Sure your Cauliflower Rice is cooked through so you don't get that super strong Cauliflower taste.  Cook it until it starts to appear more clear.  This will take a bit.  At this point it will take on more of the flavor of your seasonings & have less of the Cauliflower flavor.


BASE  All of my Cauliflower Rice Sides start with this1 Small to Medium Onion, Chopped
3+ Garlic Cloves
1 Bag Of Aldi Cauliflower Rice
Sautee These 3 Ingredients In Avocado Oil
Season with Pink Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder & Garlic Powder

RICE PILAF
Sautee Fresh Or Canned Mushrooms along with the BASE

MEXICAN RICE
Add to the BASE
1 Small Can Of No Sugar Added Tomato Sauce (Aldi)
1 Can Of Rotel Style Tomatoes, Drained (Aldi)
Add To Seasonings... Chili Powder, Cumin, Cayenne, & Paprika
Let Simmer for a bit before serving.

FRIED RICE
Sautee Fresh Or Canned Mushrooms along with the BASE
(Optional, Sauteeing In a Bag Of Broccoli Slaw Is SO Good As Well.)
Add Some Ginger Powder To The Seasonings
Scramble Two Eggs. Move The Rice Over To The Side Of The Pan. In The Empty Space, Pour Your Scrambled Eggs.  Scramble Them Around There & Get Them Cooked & Then Toss Them In With The Rice.
Top With Your Liquid Or Coconut Aminos (Soy Sauce)
Sometimes I'll Add Some Butter & Extra Garlic To This As Well

COLD FOAM COPYCAT With Flavor Variations

COLD FOAM COPYCAT. BETTER THAN BUCKS!l

Brewed Coffee with Splenda Naturals (to taste) & a dash of pink salt
Chill in fridge.

Blend these next ingredients on high 2 or 3 minutes. You'll see the layer of foam when it's ready.
1/3 cup Almond Milk
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1 Tsp Splenda Naturals
Dash of your choice of extracts
Pour this slowly on top of your cold coffee.

Pictured is a Caramel Creme flavored coffee, with a Vanilla & Pumpkin Spice flavored Cold Foam.

CINNAMON DOLCHE
Caramel Coffee
Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Caramel Extracts

PEPPERMINT MOCHA
Mint Coffee
2 TSP Sweetener
2 TSP Cocoa Powder
Vanilla & Peppermint Extacts

Control What You Can & Then Trust The Process

Since opening up about my journey to Losing "It" with you all I've started having people ask me "So, how much weight have you lost now?"  Wanting updates.  I'm so happy you're all excited along with me & want to keep up to date on whats going on. Here's the thing...  I'm almost half a year in to this. Past the honeymoon stage where the weight falls off every day & there's always something to tell.  This is where many people fall off & get discouraged. At this point I lose between 6 & 8 lbs each month depending on my cycle.  I have tracked my cycles (which are not regular) & the weight fluctuations that go along with them.  Two weeks ago was the week before my period.  I was up 2lbs.  Last week I lost that 2lbs along with another 2lbs.  This week is my ovulation week, I'm up 2 lbs again.  I know that will be gone next week.  This is not fat gain.  This is hormones, water, etc...  There are also times I will plateau for a couple weeks for no reason that I can figure out.  During those times I have to trust that my body knows what it needs & evidently it needs a break from dropping weight.
You cannot control hormonal weight fluctuations.
You cannot control weight plateaus.
You can control your mind set.
You can control what you eat during those times.
You can trust the process instead of feeling discouraged.
You can keep going.  Don't quit.
SO, I will share a weight loss status with you all every month or two, but I don't want to get so wrapped up in that number moving that I get discouraged about the journey & doubt the process.  I don't want to feel pressure for that scale to drop every single week, because I know that it won't every single time.  I don't want you to be wrapped up in that number either.  You are making a change for life.  It won't happen over night.  There is no finish line or dead line.  On those weeks where the scale doesn't move or even goes up a little, Control what you can & then trust the process.

Blessings!
Mandy

Air Fried Crab Rangoons

Air Fried Crab Rangoons

1 Batch Of Trim Healthy Mama Wonder Wraps
   https://trimhealthymama.com/recipe/wonder-wraps-fp/

Make your wonder wraps as thin as possible.
Make them about 3 inches wide or make them extra big & use a Biscuit Cutter & cut out as many circles as possible.

Filling
1/2 pkg of Cream Cheese Softened
1 Tbsp Green Onion
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
Pinch of Pink Salt
1 Tbsp very finely chopped crab meat
dash of Hot Sauce

Combine Filling & let sit for an hour or over night.  Soften again before filling wraps.

Put a 1 Tbsp (give or take) of filling in the center of the wrap.
Use left over Egg Yolk from making the wraps around the edges for sealing. Fold over & press the edges together.

Air Fry at 360 for 5 min.

*I like to use Tastefully Simple Onion Onion & Garlic Garlic in place of the the seasonings in the filling.
*These are delicious even without the crab.
*I like to give a spray of Olive or Coconut oil to the top & bottom before air frying to give them a little extra crisp.

Palmini Lasagana (Or Any Veggie Noodle!)

Palmini or Any Noodle Lasagna!

For the Sauce Layer Combine These Ingredients In Your Sauce Pan...
1 Lb Burger, Browned
1 Onion & 3 Bulbs Garlic Sauteed
1 Can of Mushrooms or Fresh
1 or 2 Jars Of Sugar Free Sauce. Save a little in the jar for the bottom of your pan.  I have my own canned, but I also love Aldis Marinara
Season With Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper.  I also love to add Tastefully Simple Onion Onion & Garlic Garlic.

For The Cheese Layer Combine These Ingredients In A Bowl...
1 Bag of Shredded Cheese at least 3 Cups. Save a little in the bag for topping.
1 Container Of Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
2 Cans of Palimini Cut In To About 1 Inch Sections.

In the bottom a prepared pan pour a little plain Sauce.  Then with a fork Sprinkle a layer of the Palmini Mixture.  Then a layer of the Meat Mixture.  Repeat until you've used all your ingredients

Bake Covered at 350 about 35 or 40 minutes.
Remove Cover, top with cheese, and bake Uncovered another 10 or 15 minutes until your cheese is melted.

If using another veggie like Fresh Spinach or Sheets Of Zucchini, make them their own layer, instead of adding them to the Cheese Mixture.  You could probably stir Zoodles in with the Cheese Though as well.

Enjoy!

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

String Cheese Cut In Half
Applegate Large Pepperoni

Wrap the Pepperoni Around the Mozzarella Stick
Put Seam Down In The Air Fyer

Cook at 360 for 5-7 min

Coffee House Coffee (Iced, Hot or Frappe)

Coffee House Coffee

Leave Your Wallet Heavier & Your Booty Lighter

Flavored Coffee Grounds of Your Choice, Brewed (if you don't have flavored coffee grounds, add your favorite extracts)

Almond Milk (only 30 calories per cup!)

Splenda Naturals

Pink Salt (makes your coffee smooth as silk without bitterness)

Pinch of Xantham Gum or Psyllium Husks if making Blended Coffee

(Collagen, Whipping Cream, Protein Powder, & Sugar Free Syrups Optional.  None of these are needed for an amazing coffee though!)

BREW YOUR COFFEE 

While it's hot add your Sweetener & a good dash of Pink Salt.  If you are using Collagen add it while it's hot as well.  These items will not dissolve as easy once it's cold.  If serving Hot, add the rest of the ingredients.  If serving cold, stick in the fridge until cooled.

HOT COFFEE

Add equal the amount of Warmed Almond Milk that you have Coffee.  You can top with a dash of Heavy Cream, Whipped Cream, or your favorite Homemade Sugar Free Caramel & Chocolate Syrups.

ICED COFFEE

Put Ice in your Glass.  Fill half way with Chilled Coffee, The rest with Almond Milk. You can top with a dash of Heavy Cream, Whipped Cream, or your favorite Homemade Sugar Free Caramel & Chocolate Syrups.

BLENDED COFFEE

This is exactly the same as the Iced Coffee, but before you blend add a pinch of Xantham Gum or Psyllium Husks.  This will keep it from separating just like your favorite coffee house Frappes.

Back To School Week Sucks, And So Do I

Things I believe you have to do to succeed at anything....

Quit Acting Spoiled & Coddling Yourself.
Be Honest With Yourself.
Quit Enabling Yourself By Making Excuses For Why You Can't.
Call Yourself On Your Own Bullshit (and boy am I FULL of Bullshit!)
And Get Out Of Your Own Damn Way!

This fits for any situation, not just for losing weight & getting healthy.

This first week back to school has been a doozy.  My kids are tired, and crabby, and fighting, and crying, and not listening.  My middle one has been completely out of control.  Not listening at all.  My oldest has had a super short fuse and wanting to just hang out alone.  My toddler is, well a toddler.  Last night I crawled in to bed, at my wits end after an entire week of stressing out & had a bawling meltdown.  To my sweet Hubby.  On his Birthday.  Yes, I suck, but I am on my period so I'll give myself a slight pass on the tears...  I feel like all I've done this week is discipline, yell, and worry.  I go from a concerned Mom "How will I help my Child?  Why is he acting like this?"  To an angry Mom "WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS!?"  I have tried to be the understanding Mom, I swear I have, but after the 10,000th time I lose my shit.
So after a nice long blubbering, whining, prayer session, God hit me with some truth.  You see, God knows me super well.  I mean he should, since he created me. He knows that I don't take hints or subtle suggestions.  So after awhile of trying to be nice & send be subtle hints, he finally is like "Here my beautiful beloved dumb ass child.  Let me draw it for you in crayon."

#1.  These little boys are just coming off of a summer of Freedom.  Being able to Eat, Play, Rest, Speak, Go Potty or whatever their little hearts desire, whenever they want.  To having to sit in a seat & be told when and what to do nearly every minute for 8 hours straight.  Then they come home & I expect them to do everything they are told during this adjustment period?  Really Mandy!? If you tried to tell me what to do every second of every day, I would tell you Fuck Right Off.  But, I'm expecting my kids to do this without complaint.  OK, Good one Mandy.

#2.  They are having to get back on to a sleep schedule.  They are exhausted.

#3.  They are having a whole new, teacher, classroom, and expectations put on them.  They are trying their best at school to be good listeners & learners.  To be good friends & be kind.  To fit in.  New situations like this are a ton of stress for anyone.  They are stressed.

#4.  These little beings that are directly connected to my soul and feed off of my every emotion.  When I'm stressed & worried, it adds to their stress and worry.  When they see me angry & yelling, they get angry & yell.  When I feel out of control, it's makes their whole world out of control. My actions this week have only amplified everything they are going through in this big adjustment.

This morning is a new day.  This will be a day of Mommy apologizing for her mistakes this week.  This will be a day of I love you's.  Instead of repeatedly yelling empty threats, they will get a nicely spoken warning or two & then it will be directly to the corner or grounding or whatever. Yes, we will still discipline, because they still need to know that no matter how they are feeling at the moment, we still have to be accountable for our actions.

So here's to pulling my head out my ass and acting like the adult and the fucking parent,instead of an idiot.  To cutting my kids some slack when they are losing it, and praying they will extend the same grace to me when I do the same.  And to remembering my little list of life lessons....

Quit Acting Spoiled & Coddling Yourself.
Be Honest With Yourself.
Quit Enabling Yourself By Making Excuses For Why You Can't.
Call Yourself On Your Own Bullshit (and boy am I FULL of Bullshit!)
And Get Out Of Your Own Damn Way!

Blessings!
Mandy

One Pan Enchilada Skillet (Chicken or Ground Beef)

One Pan Enchilada Skillet (Chicken or Ground Beef)
You can get everything for this recipe at ALDI!

Sautee
1 Medium Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
in Avocado Oil
Add
Meat & Cook Through
Add 
1 Pkg of Califlower Rice & Cook Through.
Add
1 Can of Green Chiles or 1 Can of Rotel Style Tomatoes, Drained.  Be sure they have no added sugar.
1 Can of No Added Sugar Tomato Sauce.
Season With
Chili Powder, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Cumin, Pink Salt, and Black Pepper to taste.
Simmer til bubbling.
Top with
Mexican Cheese, put the lid on the pan, and let simmer until the cheese is melted.

Topping Options...
Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, Hummus (in place of refried beans), Guac, Onions, Black Olives, Tomato, Lettuce, Jalapeno Cheese Crisps...

Who Got The Booch?

(My Favorites pictured above.  Kevita has a Raspberry Lemonade I love as well)

Let's talk Kombucha... I mean what could there possibly be not to love about a Vinegar Tea Beer Bacteria Yeast Drink? Am I right? Ok, maybe it's an acquired taste, but you should acquire it.  Like ASAP.  Why?  Gut health, Yo.  (There are millions of articles out there that will tell you why gut health is so important.  If you don't already know, Google it!)
I'm not a Dr or Health Care Professional, but I'll tell you what it has done for me.

1. Energy.  It gives me that afternoon pick me up I need some days.
2. Mood.  That could go hand in hand with the "pick me up" thing in #1.
3. Appetite Suppression.  This gets rid of my occasional urge to snack in the afternoon.
4. Immune Boosting.  This could be partly from the way I eat as well, but I have not suffered from         any kind of sickness or allergy issues in months.
5. Regular Digestion.  I have always had a bit of a sensitive tummy.  As long as I drink my                       Kombucha daily I don't have any issues with that.
6. Along with the Digestion, it keeps bloating & such at bay during hormonal times.
7. I definitely feel a difference on days that I don't take it.  Just a general Blah feeling.

In my opinion, not all Kombuchas are created equal.  All Kombucha has sugar in it because that's what the bacteria feeds off of.  "They" say that all of the sugar is eaten by the bacteria.  I don't 100% trust that. Some have more juice added after the fermentation process as well. So if you're watching your sugars, I would go for the lower sugar content just to be safe. Also, they are a little pricy, but a bottle is normally 2 servings.  I will usually split mine between 2 days.

Lots of people make their own.  They say it's pretty easy. Amazon has a great book that a friend recently bought.  (I cannot remember the name of it right now) If you want to make your own, more power to ya.  Someday I will as well.  Today is not that day.

So what I'm saying is, give it a shot.  A few shots, because it may take some getting used to.  Your body will thank you.

Blessings!
Mandy

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Seed & Slice your Zucchini in Strips
A light coat of cooking spray
Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Pink Salt, & Pepper to taste

375-400 for 5-7 min

Lemon Curd (Virgin or Spiked)

Lemon Curd (Virgin or Spiked)

1/2 Cup Butter
1/3-1/2 Cup Splenda Naturals (Powdered)
1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
(For Spiked 1/4 Cup Vodka 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice)
A Little Fresh Lemon Zest
6 egg yolks

Add all ingredients to your sauce pan & wisk until the butter is melted & the sugar is dissolved.
remove from heat & slowly whisk in the egg yolks.
Add Slowly & Whisk Quickly!
You don't want your egg yolks to cook in a glob as you are adding them
Return to low heat Whisking continually until it starts to thicken.

Use as Cupcake Filling or just eat it straight from the jar!

My Unplanned

Happy Birthday To My Little Unplanned! 

2 years & 9 months ago I was in a 2 year battle with PPD, which was amplified from a miscarriage 6 months earlier, which were still trying to pay the medical bills for.  This had snowballed in to the lowest moments of my life & of our marriage.  There were a whole lot of uncertanties, but one thing was for sure, we were done having babies.  I was 39 & the last thing I needed was to be having a baby at 40 years old with all that we had going on. When I took that test & it was positive, I felt sick to my stomach.  After having to try so hard to get pregnant with my other two, I felt guilty for not wanting this pregnancy.  I did not want another baby.  I already felt defeated & did not think there was any possible way I could parent another child.
I sat on the bathroom floor staring at that test.  I remembered what my Dad had told me a few months earlier. He said that when he was a young Dad with 4 kids trying to make a living doing concrete, he could not do it anymore.  He said "God, this is too big of job for me.  You're going to have to take over."  and God did.  God had always taken care of us.  As I sat on that floor crying & praying I was able to find peace in knowing Gods plan is always right. 
God knew exactly what he was doing when he made this beautiful boy & we couldn't imagine life without him.  He was the perfect last piece to our puzzle.  The blessings have flowed since this day when I finally gave it all to God & stopped trying to keep it all on my shoulders.  My mental health is back to normal, our marriage is better than ever, my Husband got a new job with better insurance & we are more financially stable & he can be home with us more.  The most important thing that has changed is my view of it all.  My life is far from perfect, but it's so good when you step back & look at the blessings over the stresses. You can view life as hopeless or you can view it as God has a plan for you that will always turn out the way it should.

***Gasp*** Why is Mandy sharing this?  How could she admit these things?  If I can help one woman know she's not alone when she's pregnant & feeling helpless then it's worth it.

Please Stay Little, Just A Little Longer.

There are a whole lot of nights when I wish my Middle Man would sleep through the night. You're 4 years old for Pete's sake. Go. To. Bed!
Then there's nights where he snuggles in with me. The moonlight coming in through the window just outlines the silhouette if his round cheeks, little button nose, & long eyelashes & I can still see my baby. I remember that even though he's so big, almost as big as his 7 year old brother, 4 years old is still little. I pray for time to slow down instead of wishing he'd grow up a little. I stop looking at the clock counting how much sleep I could get if he would just go the sleep &  think about how these moments are fleeting & wish I could stop the clock in this moment forever. I don't want to forget so I try to soak it all in. Studying his sweet face, kissing his little forehead, & holding his little chubby hand. Then I cry as he falls asleep on my chest because, because I'm a Mom & that's what we do. This Mom game is no joke. It's hard, and heartbreaking, and messy. It will break you down & rip your heart out. Then in the next moment it is beautiful, perfect magic. It's miracles, belly laughs, and more joy & pride than you could ever imagine your heart could hold. Tomorrow I'll be exhausted but tonight I'll hold this baby, while there's still a little bit of baby left to hold.

Grandma's Cucumber Salad

Grandma's Cucumber Salad

2 Cucumbers Thinly Sliced & Salted
Let the salt sit on them for a bit
1 Medium Onion Thinly Sliced
1/4-1/2 Cup Dukes Mayo

Mix together & let sit in the fridge for a bit so the flavors can jive & enjoy!

Bread / French Toast

BREAD

1 1/2 Cups & 2 Tbsp Mandys Baking Blend
5 Tbsp Psyllium Husks
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
Dash of Mineral Salt
5 eggs
1/3 Cups Melted Butter
3/4 Cup Almond Milk Mixed With 2 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Let this sit for a bit before adding to mix
1/2 Cup 4% Cottage Cheese (Blended To Creamy In Blender)

Bake in prepared loaf pan.  400 Degrees 35 minutes.
Be sure to cool fully before eating.  I tried it warm & didn't like it.  Once it cooled it was fabulous!

(This bread is loosely based off of this recipe. http://angelasheaven.com/flour-free-bread-lchf/ if you'd like to check it out as well!)

FRENCH TOAST

For the French Toast, I don't really measure I mix
2 Eggs
Almond Milk
Splenda Naturals
Cinnamon
Vanilla

Slice the bread, dip in the egg mixture, & then brown on both sides.
I top with Butter & Stevia Syrup.

Spoiled. Rotten.

Here we go...  I'm about to hit ya with some hard truths & tough love.  You. Are. Spoiled.
What!?  Screw you Mandy!  You don't know my life!

I know because we all are.  We live in a world of instant gratification.  Everything we want is right at our fingertips & we are used to having it right now.  We don't like to accept the word NO.  People will say  "I could never eat the way you do all the time."  "I could never give up sugar."  "I would have to treat myself sometimes."  "Life happens.  You can't always stay on track."  My answer to all of these is "Because you're spoiled." You can do all of these things.  Even when it's hard or inconvenient.  You just don't want to.  In all of these situations YOU and only YOU are making a choice.  There is no judgement here.  You don't have as much weight as I have to lose without having said all of these things.  This is the hard truth I had to come to terms with when I finally fully committed to this journey.  When I would struggle with a craving I'd have to tell myself "Quit acting like a spoiled brat & just do it."  I'd think "I can't live without that favorite food FOREVER!"  Why not?  Because I'm spoiled and can't handle being told no?  How has eating that food worked for me this far?  Oh yeah I have a shit ton of weight to lose....  "But I LOVE sugar.  I can't give it up." Remember that boyfriend you had in high school that was a complete POS?  Remember how you loved him SO much? Everyone knew he wasn't good for you.  Deep down you knew he wasn't good for you.  You'd give him up for a little bit start feeling better but then you'd break down and go back & he'd make you feel like shit again?  Then you finally gave him up & broke that cycle & now your years down the road & you realize how much better your life is without him?  Yeah, that's sugar.  You can give up sugar & you can eat right.  You just have to be willing to do the hard stuff & tell yourself NO!

Unless you are unable to to move or speak, these are all excuses...
Life Happens.
We had to stop & get fast food because we're busy with the kids stuff.
Somebody else was cooking for me I couldn't be rude.
It was our anniversary, birthday, vacation, taco tuesday, wine wednesday, TREAT YOSELF!

Whatever your excuse.  It's bullshit.  Fast food places have salads.  You can respectfully decline when someone is cooking for you & eat what parts of the meal that you can.  Even when "Life happens". Unless somebody regularly force feeds you Reece's Peanut Butter Cups (in which case  that seems like an unhealthy relationship & something you should address) you always have a choice.

Once we start taking responsibility for our food choices & change our wording from "I can or I can't" eat that, to "I want to or I don't want to eat that" we gain control over those choices.  You'll see that you held the power all along.

Blessings!
Mandy

Bone Broth Fasting. Holy Shit! Literally.

I decided to get a box of bones when picking up my beef a week or so ago.  Bone Broth has a ton of health benefits (Google it) so I was going to can some. As I was looking for recipes for bone broth, I came across a lot of articles about Bone Broth Fasting.  It sounded like the benefits were pretty awesome, so I decided to give it a try.  I told my sister all about it & suckered her in to joining so I wouldn't have to go it alone.  After a week of making gallons of Bone Broth, we decided to start this brilliant plan of a 3 Day Fast together. Most of the fasts I read about recommended 2-4 quarts of broth a day.  I was shooting for 3 cups a serving whenever I would normally have a meal or snack leaving the fat on top.
Day 1 went really well.  I did my normal intermittent fasting as I always do & had my 1st 3 cups of broth at noon.  I felt really good all day.  No hunger.  Except for having to gag down the layer of fat on the top, it tasted delicious.   Snack time came & I had my next 3 cups.  It went down ok, but again all that fat was making me want to gag.  Then dinner.  I was starting to feel a little nauseous.  I got about a cup & a half down.  Really gagging now, but I forced down the rest.  I thought "I just need to get used to it".  I was proud of myself for finishing out the first day.  That is until about 11:30 that night. My tummy started to grumble while laying in bed.  I was feeling really sick by this time.  I thought I was going to vomit, so I tried to hop up fast to run to the bathroom.  As I rush to get out of bed, I almost crapped my pants. I'm not exaggerating here. It took everything in my body to hold back the poop tsunami from flooding my bedroom. I'm rushing to the bathroom trying not to poop myself & puke at the same time. The whole time my Husband doesn't wake up to see the run. You know "the run". Where you're clenched so hard you can barely move and trying to run at the same time. I manage to grab a bowl to hold on my lap while I violate our toilet. I will spare you all the details of the next hour in the bathroom, but it was ugly.  I was like a human splash pad. My poor 4 year old woke up & came in the bathroom in the middle of it all & I had to call the therapist the next day.  Once all of the insanity was out of my body, I felt much better & was able to head back to bed vowing "Fuck this, I'm never drinking Bone Broth again."
Day 2  My days of being a single party girl taught me a particular set of skills that have come in handy from time to time.  Most only benefit my Husband now. (Listen Perv,  I meant being able to stay up all night with the kids & still being able to function the next day, while he gets a full nights sleep.  Get your mind outta the gutter.)  One of those skills is the Puke & Rally.  I woke up feeling pretty good, despite almost dying the night before. I decided that Hair Of The Dog has worked in the past, so let's do this.  I took all of the fat off of the broth this time, which is a really easy process with it being solidified at the top.  I went really easy on it.  2 cups at lunch & 2 cups at dinner.  No snack.  I was not Hungry & didn't really want it, but I gagged much less than the 1st day.  I went to bed proud of completing day two, but so thankful tomorrow was the last day.
Day 3 I'm ready to be done.  Don't care if I ever see, smell, or drink Bone Broth Again.  Feeling better though.  A little hungry for the 1st time.  I managed to get down 2 cups at lunch, 2 for a snack, & 3 at dinner as I was actually ready for real food by then.
THE END It's finally over!  I'm ready for food.  I did my regular Intermittent Fasting until noon.  Then had a salad for lunch while on a school shopping date with my son.  I spent the entire day in & out of store bathrooms, & my son getting mad at me "Mom, You JUST went potty!"  S" Dude.  Mommy made a horrible mistake."
In the end I was down 3.4 lbs, lots of inches, my eyes were clear & bright, my skin was gorgeous, & my head was clearer.  The coolest thing was that my eyelashes were longer! Was it worth it?  Sure?  Will I do it again?  Probably, even though the vomit is rising in my throat even thinking about it.

I'll leave you with my Bone Broth Recipe & "GOOD LUCK"!  My only advice is to stay near a toilet, don't trust a fart, & skim the fat off the top.
Blessings!
Mandy

Bone Broth
Enough Bones to fill your insta
Carrots, Celery, Onion, Garlic Cloves
Pepper Corns & Pink Salt
Enough Filtered Water to Cover Everything
a little Apple Cider Vinegar to help the process
High Pressure, 2 Hours

Your Scale Is An Asshole

Your Scale Is An Asshole (what works for me)

We all know that honeymoon phase at the beginning of a diet (I hate the term diet by the way).  We step on the scale every day seeing a loss.  Then in slows down or stops for a few days (that feel like forever). We get frustrated & say f*ck it.  It's not worth it.  I'm done.  Weighing too much can be a total mind f*ck.  Not weighing at all can make you get off track.

What works for me
Weighing once a week & keeping track of my hormones.  Ovulation & Period weeks.  After a few months you will see a trend in your weight loss.

Here's what my journey has looked like.  The red numbers are where the scale even went up.

3/13  4.8
3/27  3.8
4/3    1.8
4/10  4.6
4/17    .4
4/24  1.8
5/1    4.2
5/8      .8
5/15  3.8
5/22    .8
5/29  2.6
6/5      .6
6/12  2.6
6/19    .2
7/3       2
7/10    .4
7/17  2.4
7/24 vacation no weigh
7/31  5.6
8/7    3.2
8/13    .6

None of these weigh ins are the same 2 weeks in a row.  Some have big drops, some only drop 2/10 & some even went up!  KEEP GOING!  Do not be ruled by the scale.  Keeping track like I do will show you the ups & downs with your cycles.  When you feel stuck you can look back & see that you've been there before & you kept going knowing as long as you stick to it, you'll continue to progress.   It'll also show you when you stall out for a longer time than normal so you can maybe make some adjustments to get things moving again.

Bonus Tip...  Always take before pictures.  There will be times when you think the scale is moving & my clothes are loser, but why do I see the exact same thing in the mirror?  How quickly we forget... Being able to compare pictures can be huge motivation to keep you going!

You got this!

Spicy Shrimp Roll In A Bowl

Sushi Roll In A Bowl!
***Spicy Shrimp or California Roll Salad!!!***
2 Cups Cauliflower Rice Microwaved for 3 minutes & press with paper towels or a dish towel to get rid of the excess water.
2 Tbsp Dukes Mayo
1 Tbsp Siracha (give or take to your taste)
Wasabi Powder & Liquid Aminos to taste.
Cooked Shrimp or Crab Meat.
Diced Cucumber
Diced Avacado
Mix it all together & eat cold. AHHHHHHHMAZING!!!!

Welcome!

Hey All!  Welcome to my very First Post on my very First Blog!  

I'm a 42 year old (Today!) Wife & Mother of 3 beautiful boys.  I have a passion for Jesus, My Family, Food, Photography & Writing.  (and the occasional FBomb)  After spending the last 10 years packing on weight struggling with PCOS, Infertility Treatments, 4 Pregnancies, Miscarriage, 3 Sections, & Postpartum Depression, I vowed to be in the best shape of my life by the time I turned 40.  Seeing as how since becoming a Mother I run late for everything (church, appointments, the bills, my period...) here I am crushing that goal at 42.  I have energy back.  I can spend an "adult" weekend away with my Hubby or play all day at the beach or play football after dinner with my boys without it feeling like a chore or waking up hurting in the morning.  I'm gaining my life back, My Hubby is gaining his Wife back, my Kids are gaining their Mom back, while I'm losing "It"!

How am I doing this? 

I prayed & prayed over it & Jesus led me to a lifestyle that had been calling my name.  I had been Sugar free without real results for over 6 years.  A friend of mine had been Sugar Free & Grain Free for 6 years, losing a significant amount of  weight and keeping it off.  On March 13th 2019 I gave up grains & sugar.  I added in Intermittent fasting about a month later & haven't looked back.  I'm about 50lbs down with a whole lot to go.  A lifetime to go.  I hope you'll enjoy joining me on my journey as I share recipes, tips, tricks, progress, & the hilarity that ensues in this Crazy BoyMom life.  If I can inspire or help just one other person to get their life back, this will all be worth it.

FYI... My long blog posts will not be on the same post as my recipes.  If you're like me you cannot stand scrolling through an entire posts of how someones Grandma had a dog that used to go pick Cherries off of a tree to bring them to the kitchen where they'd make a Fresh Cherry Pie that tasted like rainbows & sunshine. (Or however a recipe came to be)  When I make a recipe post, I'll share a picture and the recipe.  I'll save my bullshit for posts like this. 

Here's to gaining it all while we lose it together!
Mandy

Deviled Egg Radish Faux Tato Salad

Deviled Egg Radish Faux Tato Salad

1 pkg Sliced Radishes
1/2 Small Onion Chopped
5 Eggs Hard Boiled (Whites & Yolks separated.  Whites chopped)
1/4-1/2 Cup Mayo
1-3 Tsp Dijion Mustard
Pink Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika. To Taste.

Cook Radishes all the way through.  You should be able to smash them with a firm finger press.  The water will be red & the white part will appear somewhat clearer.

Mash the egg yolks, mustard, & mayo together.

Mix all chopped ingredients & Mayo mix.  Season to taste.

Funnel Cake Doughnuts

Funnel Cake Doughnuts

1 Cup Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
(Combine & Let sit)

4 Eggs
4 ounces Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Splenda Naturals
(Blend these 3 ingredients in the Magic Bullet)

1 Cup of Mandy's Baking Blend
1/2 tsp Xantham Gum
1 tsp baking powder
(combine these 3 dry ingredients.)

1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix Dry Mix, Egg Mix, Milk, Butter, & vanilla.
Pipe in to doughnut pan
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes

These really want to stick so spray the pan good.  They are soft in center just like a funnel cake so be gentle taking them out of the pan.  Top with powdered sweetener.  I powder my own in the Magic Bullet. I did try to fry these as an actual funnel cake, but they didn't hold together.  I may have had my oil too hot though. 

Mandy's Baking Blend

Mandy's Baking Blend

3 Cups Coconut Flour (or 3 parts)
2 Cups Almond Flour (or 2 parts)
1 Cup Ground Flax (or 1 part)
1 Cup Collagen (optional)

I love baking.  This ratio of Fours mixed makes for some amazing baked goods!

Chicken Pizza Casserole

Chicken Pizza Casserole

Chicken cubed & sauteed with
Onion & Galic
Put in the bottom of a 9x13 pan
Great Value Pizza Sauce poured on top
Your favorite Pizza Toppings On That
Top With Motz Cheese
Bake until heated through & cheese melted

Sauerkraut Pizza Bake

Sauerkraut Pizza Bake

1 Pkg Of Sauerkraut mixed with
2 Cups Shredded Motz Cheese
in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
top with
Great Value Pizza Sauce
Your favorite Pizza Toppings
Cheese
Bake until heated through & cheese is melted

Palmini Macaroni Salad

Palmini Macaroni Salad

1 Can Of Palmini
2 Stalks Of Celery Chopped
1 Small Onion Chopped
Green Olives Chopped (to taste)
A Bit Of Olive Juice
Dukes Mayo, to make creamy (1/4 Cup-ish)
Salt & Pepper To Tase

Radish Grill Packets

Radish Grill Packets

Chopped Radish, Onions, Zucchini (Or any veggies of choice)
Avacado Oil
Garlic, Salt, Pepper
Wrap in Foil & throw on the grill!

Chicken or Shrimp Palmini Alfredo

Chicken or Shrimp Palmini Alfredo

I just sauteed onions mushrooms zucchini & garlic in Avacado oil. Added some shrimp & Palmini. For the sauce I melted 2 oz of cream cheese & 2 tbsp of butter. Then added some shaker parmesan, a cup give or take of shredded Italian blend cheese, & some heavy cream. (I didn't actually really measure anything) I cooked that all down til saucy & mixed it with the other stuff. It was phenomenal!!!

Get Creative!  

Stir Fry Cauliflower Fried Rice or Palmini Lomein

Stir Fry Cauliflower Fried Rice or Palmini Lomein

Saute Chicken, Pork, Beef, Or Shrimp in Avacado Oil
Add
1 pkg of Broccoli Slaw
1 Onion
1 Can or Fresh Mushrooms
Garlic Cloves (there is no limit)
after veggies are cooked through add
Ground Ginger
Garlic Powder
Coconut Aminos
2 Tbsp butter
If using Cauliflower Rice, Saute it with the other veggies until cooked through.
If using Palmini, add after & just heat it through.
Zucchini would be good in this too. Or any veggie of your choosing!

Palmini Spaghetti

Palmini Spaghetti
1 Lb Ground Meat
1 or 2 Cans of Palmini (depending on how many you're serving)
1 can of Mushrooms or Fresh
1 onion
1 Jar of Aldi Marinara or other No Sugar Added
Spinch
Fresh Garlic
Salt & Pepper

Brown your burger with onion & garlic.  Throw the other ingredients together.  Heat & Serve!