Thanksgiving Picks ~ 2019

It is 10 days until Thanksgiving!! Do you have your menu ready? Whether you are hosting and providing all the food or you are just bringing a dish or two to a family or friend celebration I have a list that is sure to give you plenty of options! Some of these items are the same as last year’s picks and some new ones have been added. I think you will enjoy them all!!

The first thing on my menu is the turkey of course. I started using a “spatchcock” method for cooking my turkey lately and I highly recommend it! It cooks so much more quickly and evenly. Check out how to Spatchcock a Turkey and get a bonus gravy recipe HERE.

Of course you can’t have a Thanksgiving feast with just meat! You are going to need some comforting side dishes as well. Using any of these options will add joy to your meal as well as adding health! You don’t need to skimp on comfort foods when you do them right. Here are my picks for the best things to enjoy alongside the bird with zero guilt or regret:

Sweet Potato Casserole (XO or E)

Bean Casserole(XO)

Green Bean Casserole (E)

The Best Green Beans (S)

Loaded Veggie Casserole (S)

Stove Top Style Stuffing (S)

Another Stuffing (S)

Cranberry Sauce (FP)

Just Like Canned Cranberry Sauce (FP)

Mashed Cauliflower (S or FP)

Rolls (S)

Broccoli Salad (S)

Quick Corn Casserole (E)

You’ve cleaned your plate and even eaten a good amount of vegetables! Good for you! Now you are going to want to indulge in a special dessert! Even those who are not following THM are going to love these options! I suggest the following:

Pumpkin Roll (S)

Coconut Cream Pie (S)

Pecan Pie (S)

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (S)

Pumpkin Pie (S)

Tagalong Pie (S)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (S)

Berry Crisp (S)

Pumpkin Pie Crisp (S)

Guilt Gone Cranberry Pie (S)

Holidays usually mean special drinks as well. Some people like hot drinks and some prefer cold. Here are my favorites for both hot and cold drinks. Some, like the cranberry wassail, can be served either way!

Cranberry Wassail (FP)

Pumpkin Spice Latte or Creamer (S or FP)

Party Punch (S)

Slow cooker or Stove top Hot Cocoa (S)

Egg Nog (S)

How is your holiday planning going? Are you looking toward next year yet? I am! In fact I am having a pre-order blowout sale on the first three group sessions I am hosting in 2020! Keep your eyes open for details!

Don’t miss out on this sale! It will run from 12am to 11:59pm on Black Friday and offer deep discounts on the first three group sessions I will run in 2020! Be sure to come back and check it out!

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.

Independence Day Round Up!

4 Recipes for the 4th of July!

Are you ready for the Independence Day picnics next week? Everyone will be firing up their grills and summer will be officially underway! Do you know what to have along side your main course? I want to give you four options to put alongside those burgers and brats! These options will keep you satisfied. There will be no room for feeling left out with these items on your plate! Click on the pictures to go to the recipes.

Broccoli Salad (S)

You need a cool creamy salad for sure and this one is the bomb! Everyone at your gathering will love this salad.

Amazing Baked Beans (E)

Yes, if you add this to your meal it will make for a crossover but this is a special day, and baked beans just scream summer cookout! Enjoy this sweet recipe with no sugary guilt.

Cherry Limeade GGMS (FP)

This recipe is actually for a concentrate. The concentrate will make 2 gallons of GGMS so you’ll have enough for everyone to share. This flavor is so refreshing you will keep going back for more!

Vanilla Pound-cake Strawberry Shortcake (S)

This cake recipe has been by far, the most popular on my blog! It makes a fantastic base for strawberry shortcake! You can use plain fresh berries or let your berries sit in a bit of sweetener for a few hours to make a nice strawberry sauce to go with them. Make some whipped cream and you have a dessert that is out of this world!

I hope you enjoy these recipes at your 4th of July celebration. I also want you to know about the accountability group I have coming up in July. I hope you will join me for my Shine~On Summer Group!

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.

Makeover Monday ~ Pecan Pie Cheesecake

It is  Monday, so it is time for another recipe makeover. I love to take favorite recipes and make them THM friendly. One of the biggest hurdles people have to overcome is thinking that healthy eating means never having their favorite foods again. The truth is that you can make a healthy version of almost any meal. And most meals don’t require that much work to re-make!

This weeks recreation combines Pecan Pie and Cheesecake. The original recipe can be found at Delish. This was a part of our Christmas celebration. Oh, My, Goodness! It is delicious! Loved by every single person that tasted it! You really want to make this one!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake ~ THM S

What you will need:

• baking blend
• chopped pecans
• melted butter
• xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• black strap molasses
• mineral salt
• cream cheese, softened
• large eggs
• sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• glucomannan
• vanilla extract
• mineral salt
• ground cinnamon
• heavy cream

• 

  Finished cheescake

• 

  Topping Sauce

• 

  Stir pecans into sauce

• 

  Prepare to add topping

• 

  Topping on cheesecake

• 

  YUMMY!!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Two favorite desserts in one!

FOR THE CRUST

• 3/4 c baking blend
• 3/4 c chopped pecans
• 6 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/4 c. xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• 1/2 tsp black strap molasses
• pinch of mineral salt

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

• 3 8- oz bars cream cheese (softened)
• 2/3 c xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• 1 tsp black strap molasses
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 c. sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp glucomannan
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. mineral salt

FOR THE PECAN PIE TOPPING

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• 1/2 tsp black strap molasses
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 1 3/4 c. whole or chopped pecans
• pinch of mineral salt

1. Preheat oven to 325º and grease an 8″ or 9″ spring-form pan with cooking spray.

   Make crust: Place all crust ingredients into a food processor and process until well mixed. Press mixture into prepared pan.

   Make cheesecake filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sweetener and molasses. Add eggs, one at a time, then sour cream or yogurt, glucomannan, vanilla, and salt.

   Before pouring filling over cheesecake I like to insert strips of parchment around the cheescake and the put the collar back on my springform pan. This keeps the topping from sticking to the pan. Pour filling over crust. 

   Wrap bottom of pan in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. (If you want to bake the cheesecake in a water bath, wrap bottom of pan and place in a deep baking pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come up halfway in the baking pan.) Bake until center of cheesecake only slightly jiggles, about 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop open oven door, and let cheesecake cool in oven, 1 hour, then remove aluminum foil and refrigerate cheesecake in pan until firm, at least 5 hours and up to overnight.

   Before serving, make pecan pie topping: In a nonstick skillet over low heat, melt butter and brown sugar until bubbly (keep heat low to avoid burning butter). Stir in cinnamon, heavy cream, pecans, and salt until completely coated, then remove from heat and let cool and slightly thicken. (You can make the topping up to an hour in advance and keep at room temperature; don’t refrigerate as the butter will solidify.)

   Release spring-form pan from cheesecake and spoon over cooled pecan pie topping. Serve.

This topping will stay runny like caramel sauce at room temperature. Once refrigerated it solidifies into a soft candy like consistency. You can choose how you want to serve. I chose to allow the topping to solidify on the cheesecake. If you do this you will need a serrated knife to cut the cake to prevent “crushing” the cheesecake.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like me to THM’ify? Comment below and I will see what I can do!

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.

Snicker-Doodles ~ THM S

Remember my Snicker-doodle Cheesecake Bars? Well the cookie layer of that dessert was so yummy I decided to see if it would stand on it’s own as Snicker-doodle cookies. And it did! I added the cream of tartar that is a must in all snicker-doodle cookie recipes and whipped up a batch of these for Christmas. They turned out great!

You Will Need:

• THM Baking Blend
• oat fiber
• baking soda
• mineral salt
• cream of tartar
• butter
• xes sweetener or gentle sweet 
• black strap molasses
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• sweet blend

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 c baking blend
• 3/4 c oat fiber
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. mineral salt
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2 sticks butter (softened)
• 3/4 c. xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• 1 tsp black strap molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp sweet blend mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon (for dusting)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350º and like a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, oat fiber, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt. 

3. In a large bowl, beat butter, gentle sweet and molasses with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gradually add dry mixture and mix on low until just combined.

5. Mix together sweet blend and cinnamon in a small bowl for dusting.

6. Divide dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and flatten slightly. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.

Egg Nog ~ THM S

Holiday parties demand holiday beverages, and no beverage screams holiday more than egg nog! This rich, sweet drink is sure to please everyone at your gathering. It is super simple to make and I challenge you to find someone who doesn’t like it just as well as it’s sugary store bought counterpart.

You Will Need:

• large eggs
• xes sweetener or gentle sweet 
• mineral salt
• almond or cashew milk
• vanilla extract
• ground nutmeg
• heavy whipping cream

• 

  Mix eggs, sweetener and salt

• 

  Over low heat add liquids excpet cream

• 

  Chill mixture before adding cream

• 

  ENJOY!!

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Don’t forget to check out the No Excuses THM New Year Challenge!!