Mug Cheesecake! What?!

You know all those great mug recipes?  Muffin in a mug, cake in a mug, even meatloaf in a mug!  I love those things.  So easy to make one or two servings.  Well, how about cheesecake in a mug?!  I know!  How awesome  is that?  I couldn't believe it when I saw the recipe at ww.hungrylittlegirl.com!  I mean, who does that?!  This girl, that's who!   (Lots of exclamation points over this one, but so worth it!!!!)

Anyway, I just happened to have the ingredients on hand to make it, because it really isn't complicated.  I like recipes that don't require weird stuff.  Like xantham gum.  Oh my gosh, you need like two granules of that stuff when you use it, but it comes in an 8 ounce bag that costs a LOT!  Anyway, I digress..  Because there is no xanthan gum in this recipe.  Just normal stuff.  Oh, and I lied.  I didn't exactly have all the ingredients as the recipe was written so I improvised.  Plus, I don't use regular confectioners sugar  And the original recipe also called for fat free or low fat things... and I don't do that.  (My body likes the fat I eat.  It really helps me stay on track better when I consume enough fat.)  I also omitted the vanilla wafer (white flour!!! No!)  So the recipe I am posting is adapted from this recipe and you can use that one if you prefer, but mine turned out totally awesome.  Just so you know!

I made my own confectioners sugar because... well, because I can!  And so can you.  I made a whole cup even though I didn't need that much.  I figured there will be another opportunity to use it, and now I have some already made sitting in a jar in my cupboard!

Confectioners Sugar (makes 1 cup)

1 cup coconut sugar (or other preferred sugar/sugar substitute)
1 tsp corn starch

Whiz together in a small grinder until powdery soft.  It won't take long.  I used a clean coffee grinder.  (The quantity is too small to use most food processors.)
Using coconut sugar makes it darker, but it has the right texture and sweetness so it works.

Cheesecake in a Mug (makes two servings)

1/4 cup confectioners sugar (see above)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
6 TBSP cream cheese
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Divide among two coffee mugs.  Microwaving one mug at a time, microwave on high 1 minute.  Let it sit for about 30 seconds.  Then microwave again for 1 minute.  Remove from microwave, and then do the second mug.  When they are both done, allow to rest for about 10 minutes.  Refrigerate for at least two hours.  Enjoy!

I am so serious when I tell you this is awesome cheesecake!  I haven't experimented with mixing in fruit or anything yet.  What is your favorite cheesecake flavor?

I couldn't get a great picture because it didn't pop out of the mug very pretty.  Plus it was so yummy I had eaten half of it before I realized I better take one so I can share it with you!  Sorry about that!  ;-)

Not Magic. Not Rocket Science. (plus a link to a giveaway and a giveback!)

Baby, it's cold outside!  I am not a big fan of the cold weather but since we moved slightly south of my home in the great white North of Ohio, I can deal with it.  Most of the time. One thing that makes it easier, though, is something in the slow cooker when I walk through the door in the evening.  And right now I have a brisket in ye olde slow cooker!  This is such an easy recipe that it doesn't require a recipe at all!  It's just brisket and a big jar of pepperoncini.  Put the meat in the slow cooker, and pour the pepperoncini, juice and all, over the brisket.  Cook it low and slow.  Definitely looking forward to that tonight.

I saw a sponsored post on Facebook recently for one of those weight loss programs that requires you to purchase their food. I noticed there were a lot of comments.  Curious, I clicked on the comments to see what people had to say.  Some people were trashing it and some people were talking about how awesome it was, even if the food didn't really taste that great. (Hmm...okay.)  But one in particular jumped out at me.  A woman posted that she loved [WeightLossProgram] "and I miss it so much.  I went off of it, gained all my weight plus 10 back..."  She also stated that she can't afford it is the reason she is not still doing it.  I really just want to tell her....  Wouldn't you rather have a weight loss lifestyle that doesn't require you to buy groceries for your family and their program for you?  A "program" (if you will) that you don't go off of because you can't afford it and then gain back all your weight.

I know that clean eating is not magic. Nope, no magic tricks here.  It takes some time and effort.  I know people have different degrees of success.  But I also know that when I keep my meals and snacks clean, I feel great and the weight stays off.  Not rocket science.  It's coming up on three years now that I have been doing this, and I am still down to a much healthier weight.  My weight fluctuates a few pounds... everyone's does.  But I haven't gained back all I lost, plus ten pounds. It's not a program for us.  It's just the way we eat.

I'm not here to bash any other way of eating or any program.  I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist or anything.  I just know what works for me, and that's what this blog has always been about.  Sharing my journey, hopeful that it might help someone else.  And I truly hope it has.

Okay!  So, here's what you really came here for.... What are we going to eat this week?!

Oh, but before we get to that, I Breathe I'm Hungry is having a great giveaway!  You should go check it out.  It's a pretty epic bundle of essential tools!  Oh, haha!  That's why she calls it essential bundle giveaway.

So that's the giveaway (but wait, there's more.... keep reading).  And now a way for you to give back, and it costs you nothing but a mouse click.  If you're on Facebook, you just go to this link and vote once per day for Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry to win a $20,000 grant from Wal Mart.  Voting ends December 12.  Please go out and vote for my friends!  Thanks so so much!  You can learn more about the awesome work CCFP does in the community here.  A special secret giveaway for my loyal readers... if you vote for Chesapeake Cares, share it on your Facebook page, and then comment below, I will send one lucky winner three bars of Trader Joe's dark chocolate with almonds.  This contest ends December 12, 2014.  Winner will be chosen December 15, 2014.

I have also started pinning my weekly recipes on a Pinterest board dedicated solely to that.  It changes every week, but is another handy way to keep everything together.

First up is Tortilla Soup.  We have a potluck just about once a month and this time the theme is soup and salad.  This is an incredibly tasty soup that it so easy and it's versatile!  You can add ingredients as you like.  We sometimes add chicken, sometimes add quinoa, usually add black beans.

Basil chicken with sundried tomato - Oh my gosh, I love this!  I mean, it has prosciutto on it, so that right there makes it awesome. I am definitely looking forward to this later in the week.

Mexican Chori Pollo - I was pretty excited when I found this recipe because this is my go to dish at my local Mexican restaurant.  And now I can make it at home!

Spaghetti squash burrito bowls - I am going to use delicata squash in this, I think (I actually forgot to buy squash so it depends what's available when I go back).  This is another one that you can dress up or down to suit your taste.

Pumpkin cheddar soup - The last pumpkin soup turned out so well that I am definitely willing to try another!

Cabernet beef stew - The picture for this just looks so good I can't hardly stand it!


Did you know I have started to make my own yogurt?  I used to buy the expensive plain Greek yogurt.  More than $7 for a container.  Now, I buy a gallon of milk for about $3.50 and make almost twice the amount of yogurt.  Let me be clear, I am lazy, and I don't take risks.  But making yogurt is not hard.  It takes a long time but most of that time the milk is just resting and turning into yogurt.  While I do nothing.  And knock on wood... I haven't made a bad batch yet!  We like to scoop out a serving and mix in some berries, or granola, drizzle a little honey over it.  A great way to start the day!  Go get you some!

What Would You Do With $20K?!

I am a big supporter of my local food pantry, Chesapeake Cares.  They are actually the largest food pantry in Southern Maryland.  In the last year they have seen an increase of 79% with over 6,500 individuals depending on their support annually.  Children are their highest percentage served at 40%.  And seniors are a growing segment at 14%.  The fastest growing demographic is the 40-59 year old, married population seeking services for the first time.  Hunger is a real need in our country.  Chesapeake Cares is doing something about it locally.  Already this year, the volunteers have distributed over 700,000 pounds of food.  Can you even imagine?

In addition to groceries, Chesapeake Cares acts as a centralized referral helping families connect with additional support through SNAP, reduced or free school lunches, WIC, and utility assistance.  They also offer life-skill classes on budgeting, earned income credit, healthy eating, and shopping on a budget.  Families are also offered free tax assistance, including learning to prepare their own returns and avoiding predatory financial practices.

All that to tell you that my favorite food pantry, Chesapeake Cares, is a finalist for a $20,000 grant from Wal-Mart!  Isn't that just the coolest thing?!  And you can help ensure they... and their clients... win.  All you have to do is click on this link.  Scroll down to the "search" bar and type in MD.  Hit enter.  Then vote for Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry.

That's all there is to it!  So simple for you but it will mean so much to the families that rely on Chesapeake Cares.  Please take a moment.  You can vote once per day through December 12!

Thanks a bunch!!

And to say thanks I want to share this recipe with you.  I hope you enjoy it!!!!  I sure did!

Egg Crepes with Chia Berry Jam - These were so delicious.  I just love the chia berry jam.  You can use it to fill these super easy crepes or to fill in thumbprint cookies.  Or even on a whole wheat English muffin if you like!  Go get you some!

Holiday Treats, Cheats, and Good Eats!

 As you know, my focus is on clean eating -- all year long.  It's a lot harder this time of year, that's for sure, but I do try really hard to stay as clean as possible.  I allow myself more leeway this time of year but not too much!  But Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without lots of special treats, would it?  I am guessing, based on my limited knowledge that the same may be true of Hanukkah.  These two holidays run right up into each other this year.  But alas I don't know much about kosher Hanukkah recipes. So, if you keep kosher, I hope you can use some of these too!

MR and I have a little holiday thing we started a few years ago.  We weigh ourselves the day before Thanksgiving and then again on January 2.  (You can weigh yourself in between to track progress.)  The goal is to not have gained any weight over the holiday period.  That's quite a goal, isn't it?  Last year I went over by about 4 pounds.  I wasn't happy about it, but I recognized that it could have been a lot worse.  This year, I have some new tricks up my sleeve.  

As you may know, if you read my post about low carb tracking with MyFitnessPal, I have recently started paying more attention to not just eating clean, whole foods, but also specific counts.  For me, it isn't just the carb count, or the calorie count (I really still don't pay a lot of attention to the calories even though it's part of the app), it is a mix of carbs, fats, and proteins.  I am having more success lately by making sure I am getting enough good fat.  So all that just to say, I am hopeful that this year will be different.  I will use the MyFitnessPal app to keep an eye on what's going on.  But I'm sure I will indulge occasionally too.  The app helps me factor that in so it isn't a complete debacle.

The other tricks I have up my sleeve are some really amazing recipes that I will take to events to share whenever possible.  We have a potluck at work every year.  Plus this year we have a big retirement party.  My office provides the protein (ham and turkey) for the pot luck and everyone brings sides and desserts.  I will be very involved in providing snacks for the retirement.  My boss (who also eats clean) and I will stack the deck in our favor and make sure we bring some amazing clean eats so we can feel like we are indulging, even when we really aren't!

The Grandparents will come to our house this year for Christmas.  This blog is as much for that purpose as anything.  I want to be well prepared for this gathering!  The Grandparents are wise to my clean eating tricks, but have learned to at least try what I offer... usually.  And I think they have often been pleasantly surprised!  If you have been at this very long you have likely learned that most favorites can be replicated in a clean eating way.  I haven't been stumped yet, although my friend Jaime keeps trying!!!

So, what's on the menu this year?  Let's take a look!  And, oh by the way, these and many other great holiday ideas are over on my Pinterest page for low carb clean eating holiday recipes.

One more quick thing... I mention it at various places below but want to point out that you can substitute your preferred sweetener in most cases.  I would stick with granulated sweetener if that's the type called for (or liquid if that is the case, etc.) but other than that, you should be able to sub easily.  I do it all the time using coconut sugar, honey, or blackstrap molasses.

Cranberry Salsa - I bought cranberries every time I went to the store in November.  Some I just wash and then freeze fresh.  Others I dry.  I don't add any sweetener because I love the tart flavor.  But I put a ton of cranberries in the freezer and this is one of the reasons why!  You can serve this with crackers as is, or you can pour it over a soft cheese like goat cheese.  It makes a fabulous snack before or after the big dinner!

Gingerbread Cookies - What would Christmas be without gingerbread men?  This particular recipe calls for Swerve sweetener.  I use coconut sugar, though.  It works the same!  It will give you a slightly higher carb count, if you are tracking that. 

Candied Yams with Marshmallows - I don't actually  make this recipe.   In our house, we eat fried yellow Jersey sweet potatoes for Main Event dinners.  But I wanted to throw it in because I know a lot of folks have this tradition.  And it isn't it nice you can have a clean version?  I have made clean marshmallow though and it isn't as hard as you might think.  The Kitchen-Aid did most of the work!   (They are one of the very few foods I will eat fried, but they are AWE-Some!)  

Gingerbread Scones - I love scones!  And what a great treat on Christmas morning with your favorite coffee!

Cranberry Scones -  Did I mention I love scones?  Oh yea!  And this one is amazing.  I mean, you know, it's CRANBERRIES!

Chocolate Glazed Pecans - Here's a great snack to toss back!  Nuts are always a holiday favorite in our house, and this gives the Grandpa one of his favorites but in a healthier version!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Cake - This isn't very Christmas traditional but MR specifically mentioned dirt cake recently, and then lo and behold I ran across this recipe.  I will take it to a potluck to help us avoid all the other decadent desserts that I anticipate will be there.  It has gotten to the point that one group I regularly pot luck with always has great interest in what we will bring.  They have learned from us that clean eating does not have to be about giving up favorites!

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Cake - HA!  Talk about a win-win!  Slow cooker AND cake?!  Love this idea!  And the smell of gingerbread just says CHRISTMAS to me!  (I linked this through the original blogger's site so you will have to scroll down and click one more time but it will be worth it.  I have never made anything from www.alldayidreamaboutfood.com that wasn't wonderful!)

Cookie Cut Outs - Another Christmas-wouldn't-be-Christmas-without kind of recipe!  Although cut outs can be tedious, this is the time of year that I don't mind doing it.  They are so lovely to look at and these are even lovelier to eat!!!

Sticky Buns!

Sticky Buns - Something extra special for the morning!  These are so delightful!!!  You know you want them!

And last but nowhere near least, cranberry fat flush drink drink to help clean it away!!  I have tons of fresh cranberries in the freezer and I am going to make homemade cranberry juice (this recipe calls for agave or white sugar; I prefer coconut sugar or Stevia but I think you could even sweeten with a little apple juice).

Okay, wait a minute! Wait a minute!  This is all about treats and sweets.  Why, yes it is!  Because, frankly, I think the easiest part about clean eating is meat and vegetables.  It's when I want a snack or a treat that I get in trouble.  But having all these great treat recipes really helps me.  So cook up your turkey, your ham, whatever you prefer.  Make a side of green beans, sweet potatoes, and even those candied yams (above!).  And then allow yourself a wonderful treat.  Just whatever you do, Keep it Clean!

You had me at... SWEEPSTAKES!

Hey, a quick post to tell you about a sweepstakes going on over at alldayidreamaboutfood.com.  You think you are just getting an awesome pumpkin roll recipe (and isn't that enough?!) but then you find out you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $100 gift card from Nellie's Eggs!

So hurry and get over to check out this low carb pumpkin roll recipe and get a sweepstakes entry too!  You know you want to!  I get a free entry just by posting about this, but I want to tell you that I love so many of the recipes on her site that I would do it anyway!  I personally prefer to sub in coconut sugar where the recipes call for sweetener, which makes a lot of them a little higher in carbs.   But either way, she has some of the best recipes you will find to fit into your clean eating plan!

Go check her out!  You won't be sorry!!!!

Comfort Foods... Soups and Desserts!

I just don't know where the time has been going!  I haven't written a post in a while, and I have even been slacking on posting recipes to my Facebook page.  I see a lot of really good recipes, but I just haven't been able to find time to try them out.  I'm pretty sure it's because it's dark by the time I get home so I feel like it's almost bedtime.  I definitely don't get as much done in the evening this time of year.

I have been giving a lot of thought to the upcoming holidays though!  I don't do a lot for Thanksgiving, as the MIL handles that.  And MR makes the pie... so it's clean!  They don't have to know that, and you don't have to tell them.  I am making big plans for Christmas, though.  I have been making mental lists of different things I'd like to make.  I have no idea what the big entree will be, but boy do I have plans for sides, desserts, and snacks!  So those will be coming up soon.  Just not today.  I am testing a recipe today that I hope will be a big winner so I can share it.

For now, you get to peek at what's on the menu at our house.  Since we have Thanksgiving weekend, I don't have to make a big list so here is what I have

Broccoli and Cheddar soup.  If you eat bread, serve it with a big hunk of crusty bread to soak up all that goodness!

Peanut Butter Dirt Cake  - MR said to me one day that he'd like some dirt cake.  And the very next day I ran across this recipe, without even looking for one!  I can't wait to try it.

Pumpkin Chipotle Soup - This is my new go-to super-easy soup.  It is full of flavor -- and not pumpkin-y tasting -- and always a big hit.  I make a batch and eat leftovers for lunch all week.  Very willingly, I might add!

Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars

Frittata - This recipe is really versatile.  You can follow it as written or do what I do -- throw in what you have.  For me, it's more likely that I will have sundried tomatoes, and Parmesan or asiago cheese, so that's what I use.  Use what's available and what you like.  It'll be awesome.

Oh you know what??  What the heck.  I will share that recipe with you that I am trying out today.  I am not serving it until tomorrow, but gosh... it's almond butter and pumpkin... how can that be bad?  I added chopped pecans and dried cranberries (no sugar added) for a little extra. You can pretty much add what you want, within reason, I guess!
Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars - Here!... go make you some!

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie and some low carb info

You may have noticed a shift in some of the recipes I am posting.  I told you a little while back that I was using MyFitnessPal app to track things.  As I noted then, the beauty of clean eating for me has been that I don't have to count things.  I just eat whole foods in their most natural state.  But that just didn't seem to be enough anymore.  I had gotten off track somehow so I decided to start watching my carb intake.  I did that the whole month of September and definitely started seeing a difference.

I limited the carbs quite a bit in that month.  Since then I have adjusted it upward a little but still keeping it what most would consider "low carb,"  One thing I have learned along the way is that it is not usually just one thing.  Not just calories.  Not just carbs.  It is a ratio of all the good stuff.  With MyFitnessPal I can track calories, carbs, fats, and proteins, and more.  I personally just pay attention to the carbs, fats, and proteins.  And of course I still make sure I eat foods as close to their natural state as possible.

Based on what I have read, it's important to get the right kind of fat, and enough of it. You probably already know you need protein.  But did you know you can get too much of that?  This where the app comes in so handy!  You figure out your own ratios and then it helps you stay within those.  **If you want more information about ratios and stuff, just leave a comment and I can help you one on one.  It really depends on what you want.**

I can't weigh myself because my scale died!  But I am fitting into some things that were getting too tight.  And that is the best feeling, isn't it?  I am not saying you should do low carb.  I am just saying it seems to be working for me.  And I'm not having any trouble finding good things to eat.

This is what I ate one day this week....

Breakfast - French Toast Puff (I don't use syrup with me because it saves me a couple carbs)

Snack - 1/2 Low Carb Bagel

Lunch - Pumpkin Chipotle Soup, Hebrew National Hot Dog , 2 peanut butter fat bombs

Snack - cup of beef broth

Dinner - Coconut Chicken Finger on romaine lettuce with Romano Caesar dressing, Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

That skillet cookie is the amazingest!!!  And everyone that has tried the Pumpkin Chipotle Soup wants the recipe!

You you know you want a piece of that skillet cookie!  Go get you some!