JUST SIMPLE SOMETHINGS: 2015

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS

Well now the holiday is officially here....Santa just came through the neighborhood....siren blaring...

Low Carb Cottage Cheese - Oatmeal Pancakes

I found this recipe for low carb pancakes on Pinterest a few years ago and they have become a staple for my morning meal. Breakfast is a "have to" for me...I never miss it. I usually have two eggs, some turkey bacon and one of these pancakes. They're a moist, dense and good stick to your ribs kinda food!

Low Carb Cottage Cheese - Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup oatmeal, ground (measure BEFORE grinding in a food processor)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 or 4 tablespoons Splenda granular
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a large bowl combine the ground oatmeal, baking soda, salt, Splenda, and spice. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine. (To make this super easy, throw EVERYTHING into a blender or food processor after grinding the oatmeal, and pulse until just combined. This will also help if you don’t like the cheese curds.) The photo is NOT pureed …when blenderized these will be more the texture and look of regular pancakes.
Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. Spray with vegetable cooking spray. Drop 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and fry until golden on the bottom. Flip and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or until firm.
Makes about 8 pancakes.

Per Pancake: 118 Calories; 7 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 5 g NET Carbs; 2 g Sugar; 166 mg Sodium

I've altered the above recipe a bit by adding baking powder instead of the baking soda. I think they raise better and I found that two tablespoons of sweetener was plenty. I also added a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.

RECIPE SOURCE:
https://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/no-way-cottage-cheese-in-pancakes-yes-way/?blogsub=pending#blog_subscription-3

This week, I'm joining in to "Thursday's Favorite Things" over at "My Cozy Corner"...

Cass Railroad ~ Cass, West Virginia

In October, we took a weekend trip to Cass, West Virginia to take the fall train ride. It's an 11 mile trip up the mountain to Bald Knob. This is the third highest point in the state. It was a 4 1/2 hour trip and when we reach the top we all got off the train and enjoyed the bag lunch they provided. From this point we could see three surrounding states.
The view was awesome.

I just love steam locomotives… The smoke, the whistle and that massive engine. But boy was it cold! We had winter coats, long johns, scarfs, caps and gloves! At one point I couldn't feel my feet. The old train had wooden slats for the floor with spaces in between and the cold air just came up through the cracks. But it's something I've wanted to do for a long time and my husband and I really enjoyed the day.

Entrance to Cass scenic Railroad State Park

When we got back to the station we enjoyed a cup of hot apple cider at the company store.

One more thing off our bucket list!

A GOOD LAUGH...

GREAT ADVICE FOR MOVING ON...

Someone posted this this morning and I think it's great advice to pass on...

Low carb Smothered Pork Chops

I've been on this South Beach "way of eating" for almost a year now, and it's becoming a way of life for me. I don't call it a diet because it's just healthier eating......losing some weight is an added benefit!!
The internet is loaded with low carb recipes and I stumbled across one of the best the other day...

Low Carb Caramelized Onion-Bacon Pork Chops

Talk about good...these were awesome. My husband asks everyday "When are you makin' those chops again?

Caramelized Onion & Bacon Smothered Pork Chops

Yield: 4 chops

Serving Size: 1 chop

Juicy, tender pork chops smothered in a creamy onion and bacon sauce. This might be the best low carb meal I've ever had!

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped
2 small onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
4 bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

In a large saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a bowl, reserving bacon grease.
Add onions to bacon grease and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, until onions are soft and golden brown. Add onions to bacon in the bowl.
Increase heat to medium high and sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Add chops to pan and brown on the first side 3 minutes. Then turn chops over and reduce heat to medium, cooking on the second side until internal temperature reaches 135F, about 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove to a platter and tent with foil.
Add broth to pan and scrape up any browned bits. Add cream and simmer until mixture is thickened, 2 or 3 minutes. Return onions and bacon to pan and stir to combine.
Top pork chops with onion and bacon mixture and serve.

Notes

Serves 4. Each serving has 6.3 g of carbs and 1.02 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 5.28 g.

Food energy: 352kcal Saturated fatty acids: 8.43g Total fat: 18.23g Calories from fat: 164 Cholesterol: 107mg Carbohydrate: 6.30g Total dietary fiber: 1.02g Protein: 36.98g Sodium: 725mg

Here's where I found the recipe:

Read more at http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2015/02/low-carb-caramelized-onion-bacon-smothered-pork-chops.html#yjqwUGphFRKIoi9U.99

Here's where I'll be sharing:

Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Tasty Tuesday * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town * Thrifty and Vintage Finds * Before and After Wednesday *the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * Wordless Wednesday * Create it Thursday * Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Friday Finds * Photo Friday * Foodie Friday *What To Do Weekends

FRUIT FLY TRAP

With all the summer fruit and tomatoes on the kitchen counter, the fruit flies have really become annoying. I've tried everything I know to get rid of them. Well last week, my sister gave me a clever gadget....a fruit fly trap!
Problem solved.

It only takes two ingredients that you already have to make the solution that attracts the flies...vinegar and dish detergent!

1 cup of cider vinegar
2 tsp. dish washing liquid
1 cup water
Enough to last all summer when sealed in a glass container!

The apple has a hole in the bottom with a curved reservoir around the hole. You just removed the apple stem from the top, tilt the apple to let the liquid collect in the reservoir and add 3 or 4 drops of the liquid. The flies enter through the bottom and become trapped! ...easy peasy!
Just rinse out the apple to remove old solution (and dead flies) lol

She bought from a company called Plow and Hearth...you can check out the website below:
http://www.plowhearth.com/phsearch.htm?tSearch=+fruit+fly+trap

Dieting is easy...

Someone posted this and I thought it was funny and so true!

Well I've been on this low carb diet since the beginning of October and it's really movin' slooow.

I've really been strict with it and keeping in the guidelines of eating no "white carbs". White flour, rice or potatoes are not permitted because they are so processed that they have little or no nutritional value. Basically I've been eating lean meats, fish and chicken, vegetables, (except the starchy ones like corn and peas) low-fat dairy, peanuts and peanut butter and limited beans. And lots and lots and lots) of salad!

I've only lost twelve pounds.

But I'm grateful that I've lost four inches off my hips and tummy area! My pants are a lot looser and no more stomach rumblings which I believe, is caused by starches like bread and sweets.

I walk two miles a day, either out of the house or using my indoor aerobic walking video with Leslie Sansone.

This is excellent and you can also find it on you*tube.

I'm finding that being retired and no longer going at that really fast pace I was used to

has made it more difficult to keep the pounds off.

I'm not giving up!

Words of Wisdom

Low Carb Bacon - Cheddar Cauliflower Soup (phase 2 )

I've been on the South beach diet for over three months now and even though I've only lost twelve pounds, I know that I've lost inches. My clothes are getting baggy and the tummy bulge is goin' down.

Whoohoo!!!

I have lost three inches off my hips... but mainly, I'm learning a whole new way of eating.....

I came across this recipe that's really tasty and I would normally not used white flour but it's only two tablespoons as a thickener in the whole recipe that serves eight.

Low Carb Bacon- Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

serves: 8

8 slices center-cut bacon, chopped (half used for garnish)
1/2 small onion, chopped OR 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper
4 cups shredded or grated cauliflower (1/2 large head)
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups 2% milk
3-4 dashes hot sauce (or more or less)
2-1/2 cups (12oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (half used for garnish)
2 green onions, chopped (optional)