Tried a new muffin recipe - Super Yummo!

A couple of days ago I finally tried making a muffin recipe that sounded absolutely wonderful from Caroline, on her blog, All Day I Dream About Food.  I did make a couple of minor tweaks.  The recipe posted is as Caroline makes hers and I've just added my adjustments at the end.  Aside from sticking a little to the liners (which we can fix by using silicone cups next go round), they are absolutely wonderful!



Chocolate Pecan Pie Muffins
(from All Day I Dream About Food)
3/4c Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol*
1c almond flour**
1c pecans, coarsely chopped
pinch salt***
1/2c butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temp
1T molasses (optional)****
2.5oz 90%cacao chocolate, chopped, gluten-free if possible*****

Heat oven to 325 and line 12 muffin cups with liners.  In medium bowl, whisk together granulated erythritol, almond flour and salt.  In another bowl, beat butter, eggs and molasses together until smooth.  Stir in dry mixture just until combined.  Stir in chopped pecans and chocolate.  Divide batter into muffin cups.  Bake 26-28mns.  Let cool in pan.  Makes 12.  Each muffin has 5g carbs and 1.7g fiber.

*I used 1/2c Xylitol and 1/4c Stevia In The Raw.
**I added an additional 1T of coconut flour when adding the almond flour.
***I omitted the salt.
****I added an additional 4T of Half & Half when adding the molasses.
*****I used 1/4c Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips.

So my reasons for the changes, in order made, are merely because I prefer the sweeteners that I used, I didn't think the batter looked "bulky" enough to give me a full dozen, I don't usually add salt to baked goods, I needed the extra moisture since I added coconut flour, and the chocolate chips are what I have in the freezer.

1/3/13 - Dad went to oncologist.  Apparently all looks okay and they don't want to see him again until May. 

Have you heard of this edible deodorant?

On Good Morning America a little while back the hosts introduced Deo Perfume Candy.  There's a sugar sweetened version and a sugar-free one that's sweetened with isomalt which contains 14g sugar alcohols per serving.  Now here's where I was a little disappointed.  A serving equals 4 pieces, which I did not know until I received the product.  I paid $8 for this bag that has a total of 16 pieces, which is only 4 servings.  That's some expensive deodorant!

Tightwad that I am, I tried only 2 pieces the first morning.  (I also didn't want any adverse affects while I was at work, if you know what I mean...)  There is a very light tangerine flavor and I noticed, sort of as an aftertaste, a slight rose flavor.  But did I notice that I smelled like a rose?  No.  Nor did anyone else say that I did.

A couple of days later I went ahead and had 4 over the course of a couple of hours.  This time I noticed a very slight fragrance on my skin.  But, again, my husband said that I did not, in fact, smell like roses.  In the end... What a stinking waste of $8.

12/24 - Dad had a scan of his body done again a week or so back to see if chemo has been working.  His glands have shrunk, so, yes, it has done what it's supposed to.  However, that means that he will be setting up another set of chemo treatments to continue.  Which I understand is the routine.  But I am expecting he will get sick from it this time around.  Last time he only felt nauseous a couple of times and was tired.  I forwarded him a video clip that Vanessa at Healthy Living How To had posted regarding a ketogenic diet and its use with cancer sufferers.  I've told him that he eats way too much sugar and starch for quite some time now.  I'm hoping that the video may motivate him to cut back at the very least.

1/1/2013 - Happy New Year!
Below is a pic of the ugly ornament I am forwarding to some lucky recipient (unfortunately for you, Lori...) as part of 1) a fun thing to do, and 2) cleaning out unwanted clutter.  I attached the printed note to the package, which includes N's name and my own, as we were the previous tour stops.

Wish I could say that I made it through the holidays without loading up on crap (i.e. sugar).  However it has been a full-out-head-on-sugar-saturationfest for the past week and a half.  I enjoyed peppermint mochas... several times.  Cookies & milk.  Candy.  Raspberry Cheer once.  A ciabatta roll at a local shop.  Beer battered fish and fries.  Son's birthday cake and ice cream.  Mocha Mudslide Ice Cream Pie.  The list goes on.  Was it worth the five pounds I gained back?  Well, for me, maybe.  I've been at a stand still for over a year now.  Might this be the "reset" that I need to get my fat-burning motor running again?  I'm back on track this morning with my 2 fried eggs, buttered Ezekiel and stevia sweetened coffee. 

Not been eating so well...

Sunday, Sept.9
B> scrambled eggs w/canadian bacon & cheese, sf hot chocolate, 1 Ezekial toast w/butter & jam  2/2
L> Subway 6" tuna flatbread  3/2
S> 1/2c baby potatoes/red pepper/garlic cloves, beef roast, lettuce salad  3/2
Snacks> 2 low-sugar almond coconut chocolate, SoBe diluted with water
s/c=?
Don't know the count at all for the chocolate.  I've had a bag of leftover almond bark that I'd made months ago in which I used a very, think it was 90-95%, dark chocolate bar and raw almonds.  It was horribly bitter and I'd bagged it up intending to use it up somehow.  Yesterday was the day.  In a double boiler I placed the leftover almond bark, a chunk of a sugar-free chocolate bar, some sugar-free chocolate chips and a sprinkling of dark chocolate chips.  While that melt I lay out a dozen silicone cups on a pan and put a few raw almonds in each, as well as a sprinkling of unsweetened coconut.  Poured on the melted chocolate and popped them in the fridge.  Undoubtedly, I went over my carb servings today because of them. Aren't they cute?  So good.  Since I ate two.  Must.  Do.  Better.  Tomorrow.  I believe the biggest part of my problem today was that I'd intended to cheat by stopping at Starbucks when visiting A while she's at college.  I hadn't planned on having Subway (which A and D both wanted for lunch) and was absolutely stuffed when I brought A to Starbucks afterwards.  Thought I wouldn't enjoy the cheat as much since I was so full.  So I skipped it.  But that craving for a treat kept lurking in my subconscious...

Mon., Sept.10
B> fried egg, coffee w/cream  2/1
L> 6" Subway tuna flatbread 3/2
S> 1 slice pepperoni pizza, few bites of salad, ear of sweet corn 6/3
Snacks> 1 string cheese, hot tea, 1 low-sugar almond coconut chocolate
s/c=?

Again, don't know the s/c value.  I did not eat half of the pizza crust, though I laid on a great gob of mozzarella... yum, yum.  My father brought in some sweet corn from the garden, it being the first of it that we've had.  We've only got a small garden so this is likely all that I will have of it.  Sure tasted wonderful.  So much better than store bought.

Tues., Sept.11
B> 1 Ezekiel toast w/pb, protein shake  3/2
L> several fries, chili w/cheese & sour cream, several chunks of melon 6/2
S> beef roast in mushroom gravy, 1/4c rice, broccoli, tomato slice w/mozzarella  3/1
Snacks> 1 low-sugar almond coconut chocolate, tiny apple w/pb

Dad went for his 4th chemo treatment today, day 1 of 2. 

Wed., Sept.12
B> two fried eggs w/tomato & cheese, coffee w/creamer
L> salad with turkey & cheese, cottage cheese, few diced peach bits, pickles
S> 1/4c rice w/gravy, steak, 1/2 red pepper, tomato slice w/cheese
Snacks> hot tea, 2 low-sugar almond coconut chocolate, 2 tiny low-carb chocolate chip cookies, two bites of a regular sugar cookie from coworker's daughter's wedding

Today was the 2nd insertion of Dad's treatment.  Mom was "out of it" again this morning, according to Dad.  I think she is taking too much insulin, or rather, not eating soon enough in the morning or not eating at all for lunch.

Thurs., Sept.13
B> coconut flour biscuit, coffee w/creamer
L> chicken fillet, 1/4c cheese/broccoli rice, cottage cheese, few dice tomato
S> 1/2c rice mixed with red pepper & broccoli chunks, chicken fillets, cottage cheese
Snacks> 3 little low-carb chocolate chip cookies, 1 small regular pumpkin bar

For the past two days the pumpkin bars with cream cheese have been staring me in the face at work.  I couldn't stand it anymore and ate a small one this morning.  You know what?  The sugarless ones I have posted on my blog taste so much better.  I'm going to have to make another batch soon.  I also have lost the ambition, not to mention the time, to count every sugar and carb gram.  Tomorrow I am not going to worry about it at all.  It's the designated cheat day.  I've been putting it off and eating too many lower-carb goodies in its place, as well as a couple of snuck-in-real-sugar goodies.  

Dad looks tired.  (Sorry, Dad.  But you do.)  He mentioned feeling sick today.  But he was out in the sun all day again and he thought that that may have been what caused the nausea.

Fri., Sept.14
Cheater, cheater, cheater-pants!

Sat., Sept.15
B> eggs w/cheese, 1 Ezekiel toast w/butter & jam, coffee w/h&h and stevia
L> leftover deli chicken
S> taco salad, few strawberries & nectarine slices
Snacks> coffee w/h&h and stevia, buttered popcorn

I can already feel it this morning.  Relief that I am starting anew.  Breakfast tasted so good.
Dad still looks very "pooped-out" and we noticed he had little energy at the dinner table.  He's still outside finding things to do, keeping himself occupied.  But I think the chemo's catching up with him now.

Playing a little catch up.

July 17 - Last night Dad made a comment about feeling sick.  He then mentioned this again this afternoon.  We've had unusually high temps and he's increased the amount of water he'd been drinking.  His idea is that it may be dehydration or heat stroke.  But he acknowledged tonight that it could be the chemo finally making him feel like... well, shit.

July 27 - Dad was supposed to go for round four of chemo.  He has had a rash for about the past month on his right wrist area that he thinks is from something in the garden as he recalls that he's had this same sort of rash each summer when starting gardening.  The doctor wants to be safe (wise, of course) and put off treatment in case it is an infection.  She also wants to remove two little lumps that he's had on his back for years and make sure those do not become infected prior to treatment, too.  On a positive note, he had scans done that showed a decrease in lymph nodes size. The same encouraging turn-out.

August 3 - One of the lumps on his back has been drained.  Haven't heard more on that yet.  Brain scan shows no difference and it was decided to leave it alone, no exploratory surgery.

August 8 - Apparently Dad will be missing his fourth chemo treatment, too, as the doctor wants to be sure there'll be no infection still.

August 16 - Both back lumps have been removed.

As for my own self-improvement project, I have decided to do a little experiment.  I purchased a bottle of generic hair regrowth serum, similar to Rogaine.  The first week of August is when I began to use it and took the first photo.  I'll photo after one month of use.  Since it says that it may take up to four months to notice any growth, I will then update for a couple more months, too.  Not only do I have a balding head due to PCOS, my mother's got pretty thin hair as well.  Double whammy.

On the frugal front, well, haven't improved a whole lot.  Which is not to admit failure, just that when you don't have much to begin with it's hard to reduce further.  You know what I mean?  I did have some leftover tomatoes/mozzarella/basil with balsamic/olive oil dressing that we used up for breakfast this morning.  Here's what that looked like (so, so good):

Dad went for his third chemo treatment on June 22.  He appears to still be doing just as well as he has been.  Lots of time still spent out in the garden, mowing lawn, tending the abundant peonies, as well as spreading gravel where he intends to put up a small greenhouse at some point.  I have noticed that he's not talking as much.  Don't know if it's from "thinking deeply" or tired.  It's hotter than heck lately and that alone drains everyone's energy.  Last night (June 29th) J said that Dad mentioned he was starting to get mouth sores. It begins.  With summer I've been offering up more fruit with supper each night.  I think the juiciness of the fresh berries and cherries and watermelon, that I keep cold in the fridge, will feel good to him.  If anyone's had some experience with what kinds of foods are comfortable to eat with those mouth sores, I'd love to hear suggestions.

I'm angry with myself for being unkind to what I thought were some sort of pesky wasp or hornet.  I noticed a bunch were hovering along the roof line and that they were carrying larvae and sneaking into little holes they'd drilled into the siding of the house where it meets the roof.  So I took some wasp & hornet killer spray and hosed down those that I could reach and see.  Dad came out after I'd already done most of the damage and realized that they were actually Mason Bees.  Apparently they were bringing their larvae in to those little holes and would then seal them in with mud.  Dad heard that they were better pollinators than the typical bees we have around here.  So... shame on me.  I felt especially guilty when I read that they rarely sting.  We did find a wasp sitting on the start of a paper nest on the other side of the house which we felt less guilt about spraying down.  (Insert evil snicker here.)

I'm trying to get out of the somewhat newly formed habit of having a diet soda a couple of times a week, which started because I'm no longer guzzling cow's milk and sometimes water just doesn't fit the bill.  I've tried several flavors of Zevia.  It's okay.  I can handle the Ginger Root flavored one with a bit of cream added and over ice as a mock rootbeer float.  If I'm desperate I can force down some Black Cherry.  But the flavor that I actually enjoy is the Grape.  (Rather unfortunate that they charge over a buck more per 6pk than the other flavors at our area stores!)  Since I can't really afford to indulge in it too regularly I thought I'd better find an alternative.  So I looked in the cupboard and found a small bottle of strawberry flavored stevia drops.  The next trip to the store I picked up a bottle of club soda.  Then I combined the two over a stack of ice.  While not exactly like a strawberry soda, it still fulfilled the desire to sip on a sweet drink.  At first I thought that I would end up dumping most of it out.  But by the end of watching an episode of Breaking Bad on dvd, my cup was empty!

Rummage sale is all set up for tomorrow.  I'm hoping people actually show up.  I didn't put an ad in the paper this year because it costs too much for the little bit of traffic I may get from it.  (We're in a somewhat rural area.)  So this year I only posted a sign at the grocery store and we've made up 5 road signs that will point from down on the highway up our road.  I also listed it on Craigslist a couple of days ago.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  Also hoping the weather holds out as last I saw on the weather we had a 40% chance of rain.  It's also Heritage Days weekend in our town and I'm hoping that out-of-towners will pop on by spontaneously. 

Hope all's well with everyone and remember to have a safe holiday weekend!

A couple food tips that I love!

I know this isn't brain surgery, folks.  But...

First of all, how to peel garlic easily!  This is wonderfully easy.  Learned it from a You Tube video.  I do it a little differently in that I use a saucepot and lid in place of bowls.
Peel garlic in seconds!

Secondly, how to peel a banana easily!  This is how monkeys do it, even.  Whatever took us so long to figure this out?!?  Thanks to my co-worker, Sheila, for showing me this one.  Little kids can do this much more easily than the typical way of peeling from the other end.  Couldn't get my camera to work to take photos of myself doing it, so here's another You Tube video.
Peel a banana in seconds!


Last month my 3yr old niece was here for a visit.  While she and her daddy were here we had an early mini-birthday party for her.  After purchasing a couple Minnie Mouse playsets for her I searched for a card featuring Minnie and was unable to find one in our stores.  So I went to the internet, used some old pretty pink stationery (leftover from when A was a little girl and I'd made invites) and made my own.  I found a pic of Minnie that I printed.  The colors were very dull, so I doctored it up with colored pencils, a fine tipped black gel pen, and... silver nail polish!  Then I looked up a cute font and tried free-handing it.  I think it turned out cute for being free and done in a very short window of time!

While we are not having a party party for A for high school graduation, we are having a somewhat small family get together barbecue to celebrate.  We will also set up our new movie projector that evening, hook it up to J's guitar amplifier for sound, and hang a sheet on the garage wall for an outdoor movie that evening.  Not sure what we'll be watching.  D (son) votes for Chronicle, which he and J went to at the theater and both thought it was very good.  I'm sure my parents would like to see The Grey...  Still have to decide on that one... Ideas?  But I do have an idea of what goodies to have.  I rounded up a few that I've already got my ingredients for, or just about do anyway:

Cafe Zupas' cherry limeade
iced tea
Deliciously Organic's s'mores
The Sisters Cafe vanilla bean cupcakes
few trays of sushi from a deli in the city
Kebobs
Picky Cook's artichoke dip & baguette slices
One Good Thing's rolo pretzel bites


May 23, 2012 - Dad has gone for his second round of chemo treatment.  No noticeable effects, yet, several days later.  He did find out that he is set up for a total of 6 rounds of this treatment, each involving two days of an injection.  It's been rainy & chilly.  Wish he'd just stay inside.

Chemotherapy begins for Dad.

I'm planning on keeping what may be boring notes to some.  But I feel a slight bit of reassurance as I keep some sort of record of Dad's chemotherapy experience.  Might be helpful for someone else out there who doesn't have a clue about what to expect either.

4/25/12 - Wednesday was Dad's first day of chemo.  He was there from early morning until late afternoon.  I noticed nothing different in the way he looked or behaved.  When asked, he said he felt okay.  Thursday was the second round, which went much more quickly, as he and Mom were only gone for a few hours.  Same thing, no noticeable difference in the way he typically feels.  Saturday he did mention that he was experiencing some constipation, which the doctor warned him he may experience.  He will go for the next treatment in a little less than a month.  He's been outside monkeying around on the mower, though the grass is not growing much yet - still too darn cold and dismal for that.  Also been weeding flower beds and doing some pot planting (No, not marijuana - planting in pots!)  He also quit his blood pressure pills a few days before beginning chemo.  I think he's losing that "drunken walk", or ataxia, which (and I'm not going to say I told you so...) appeared very shortly after starting a couple different meds, including the blood pressure pill.  Fortunately his pressure was down when the doctor checked.

As for myself, I will be calling my doctor for an annual exam.  I also want to ask her what she thinks of my itchy, dry, red neck skin.  It's gotten flushed fairly frequently over the past year or so, but the itchy dryness is new as of the past couple of weeks.  I haven't had any recent changes in diet, body/face products, laundry detergents or, well, what else is there?  I mentioned it on a chat board that I enjoy and someone commented that it made them think of a thyroid problem.  So, of course, I had to go online and research that a little.  Now I'm thinking maybe it's hypothyroidism.  Though I have symptoms akin to both that and hyperthyroidism.  Whatever.  I suppose my doctor will think I sound like a hypochondriac, ha ha ha.

Diet-wise I veered off course yesterday.  But it was my birthday!  Again, I blame the establishments for my betrayal of myself.  Caribou Coffee emailed me a coupon for a free medium drink of choice.  Damn them.  Then stinkin' Famous Dave's got in on it and emailed me a coupon for Buy1Get1 meal, which J (the husb) thought sounded real good.  So had that for lunch.  You know the bbq sauce on the ribs alone would have done me in.  I did control myself a tiny bit and only ate half of the corn muffin.  Plus I had water instead of a soda!  All that was in vain, however, once we got home and J agreed that a shake made with Whoppers candy did sound good, indeed.  Oh, I forgot that A made some double chocolate cookies, too.  I couldn't offend her and not eat one... or two.