Keto Cranberry Relish

Keto Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

8 cups of Fresh cranberries

2 cups of water

1 cup granulated swerve

1 packet KETO//OS® Max Harvest Sunrise

1 pack KETO//OS® Nat™ Fairy Dust

Instructions:

1. Place cranberries, water, and Swerve in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Boil until cranberries burst
3. Remove from heat and mix KETO//OS® Max Harvest Sunrise and KETO//OS® Nat™ Fairy Dust.
optional: Pour into food processor and blend to desired consistency.
4. Serve chilled.

Keto Grilled Cabbage

When I was searching for energy and trying to get off of the emotional roller coaster, I started following a Keto lifestyle about 2 1/2 years ago. Right before I started the keto way of living, I found a knot on my left breast. I had a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound and the doctors were watching the spot. A year ago I began the breast cancer journey, and I made keto a lifestyle because I felt so much better and research shows so many benefits in correlation between keto and cancer.

With that being said, I’m always looking for a way to jazz up my side dishes with my Keto lifestyle. I ran across this cabbage idea in a Facebook group I’m in, but they cooked it with butter, beer, and bacon. We do not have beer in our house, so I substituted with a few other liquids.

It's also football tailgating time. . . this is a wonderful way to provide a healthy yummy option for those tailgating with you!

Here is the recipe and my substitutions with pictures:

1. Place the cabbage on several sheets of foil that can be wrapped around the cabbage forming a closed bowl. Cut the cabbage in a tic-tac-toe shape without going all the way through. . . just enough to place pats of butter in the cuts.

 2. Cut up an onion and place on and around the cabbage. At this point you can add some salt if you desire.

 3. Place bacon on the top of the cabbage. I placed three slices one way and three more slices the opposite direction.

 4. Fold the foil up forming a bowl shape leaving the top open to add liquid. This is where you can add beer for your liquid. I do not have beer in my house, so I chose to add Honey Ginger vinegar from a locally owned small business. I also added a little chicken broth. Apple cider vinegar would also be yummy.

 5. After adding the liquid, close the foil up to seal the cabbage and keep the liquid in. Place on the side of the grill that does not have a flame. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the size of your cabbage. I cook a small cabbage for 1 1/2 hours.

 6. Poor all the ingredients/liquid into a bowl. Cut the cabbage off of the core, cut up the bacon, and enjoy!

If you would like more information about the keto lifestyle please visit ketofuelzone.com

You can also download the Beginning Keto Guide at this site. 

Spring Cleaning Survival Tips for the Busy Mom

Have you heard the news? It’s almost spring cleaning time again! And while we somewhat dread the idea of spending an entire day cleaning, there’s nothing quite like the feeling after you’ve completed it! Cleansing and decluttering our homes this time of year is truly essential for most of us.

Aside from the physical act of cleaning your house, I suggest taking a good look through your closet, pantry, fridge, medicine cabinets and makeup bag to get rid of anything expired or unused. 

But first let me give you a little bit of survival advice. .  I live in a house with a husband, 3 boys, 2 dogs, and a cat. . . I promise you my house is not clean,  but I have learned how to fake it until I have time to make it company acceptable. 

Living in your own filth is great until people — your friends, your parents, the person you son is currently talking to (or whatever these young people call it these day} — decide to spring themselves on you and show up at your house. Oh dear, they're going to see how you really live, surrounded by piles of dirty dishes in the sink and little droppings of underwear on the floor. But you can totally fake your way to a not-gross home in a few minutes. Here's how:

In the Living Room

The name of the game in the living room is just to tidy — think uncluttered surfaces, invitingly fluffed-up cushions, and neat piles.

1. If you've got a lot of clutter in the living room, grab a basket, bin, or even a structured tote or shopping bag and stash as much as you can inside. If your container is open on top, place a nicely folded blanket on top of it to make it look like your clutter stash is actually an inviting pile of extra throws for movie night. And then pray that no one reaches for the throw.

2. Since what we're looking for is only the shallowest of cleaning sprees, don't underestimate the power of simply squaring up piles of books and magazines, corralling remotes, and setting smaller items like area rugs and ottomans back in their rightful position.

3. Fluff up couch and side chair cushions, and arrange throw pillows attractively. If you keep blankets or throws in your living room, fold those neatly and drape them over the armrest or back of your furniture.

4. If you've got the time for it, run the vacuum — a vacuumed carpet will instantly make a room look clean. Similarly, if you have a feather duster or microfiber cloth handy, go ahead and give surfaces like coffee and side table, window ledges, and bookshelves a quick dusting.

In the Bathroom

Your guests are almost guaranteed to ask to use your bathroom, so make this space a priority. Because this is a quick clean, reach for the one product that's going to do most of the work for you: Glass cleaner. Grab a roll of paper towels too, and get your butt in gear — this is going to go super fast

5. Spray a wad of paper towels with the glass cleaner. Use that to wipe the top and underside of the toilet seat, the flusher, and the top of the tank, where dust and hairs tend to gather. 

6. Give the toilet bowl a few sprays with the glass cleaner and let that sit while you do the rest of the bathroom. Once you're done, give the toilet bowl — which has been marinating in glass cleaner — a quick swipe with a toilet brush and then flush.

7. Using a fresh paper towel sprayed with glass cleaner, wipe the mirror free of streaks and toothpaste spittle, and then do the same to the sink basin. If the sink area and countertops are cluttered, either stash your stuff out of sight or line items up neatly, then wipe down the cleared-off surfaces.

8. To create the appearance of a tidy bathroom, straighten the hand towels, hang the bathmat, and close the shower curtain or door. If your hand towels are looking a little overly used and you don't have fresh ones nearby, flip them so the clean side facing the wall it turned outward, and the dirty side is facing the wall.

9. Since you're going to be closing the shower curtain, you can throw any clutter-y things into the tub. No one's going to look back there anyway.

10. Pick up any underwear that you may have left behind after your morning shower!

In the Kitchen

Clutter will make your kitchen look way messier than a few stray crumbs, so just focus on clearing surfaces.

11. Got a pile of dishes in the sink and no time to wash them? If you have a dishwasher, load it. If not, neatly stack your dishes, stick utensils in tall glassware, and stash it all in the refrigerator or oven. Just don't forget it's in there! My brother use to put all the dirty dishes in our washer and dryer. . . we knew to check in there before actually putting clothes in the washer to wash. 

12. If your countertops or kitchen table are covered with unopened mail, phone chargers, loose condiment packets, whatever, grab all that clutter, dump it in a shopping bag, and set it out of sight. Then, give the surfaces a quick wipe with a damp sponge, dishrag, or paper towels. We have bags of mail in our closets often, but it is actually pretty handy when you look for a certain bill you forgot to pay. . . its organized by weeks in the grocery bags. 

13. Is the smell of last night's chili still lingering in your kitchen? Boil fragrant stuff like citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, or cloves in a small saucepan to make the room smell amazing. Yay, now you can welcome your guests into your home and give them a satisfied smile when they say, "Wow, your place is so clean!"

Now that you home is clean, or atleast appears clean, treat yourself with a cleaning for YOU! Cleaning your makeup bag to get ready for the spring is always a great way to make you feel better and closer to wearing those cute springy clothes and sandals. Check out this article . . . 

This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of SELF.

How to Spring Clean Your Makeup Collection in 5 Easy Steps

Out with the old, in with the new! This cleaning cheat sheet will help you let go of the products that are just taking up room. And perhaps you'll clear a little bit of emotional baggage, too. This Spring, build a makeup collection that enhances the beautiful woman you are without cluttering your cabinets.

1. Divide your collection into coordinating groups.

Start by sorting your collection into piles. Put lipsticks with lipsticks, mascaras with mascaras and so on, says New York City–based professional organizer Tidy Tova. Once you see what’s there, it’s easier to ask hard questions about what should stay. Obviously, toss the cracked compact powder. But also nix things that serve no purpose—foundation with so-so coverage or a blush that doesn’t flatter your skin tone.

2. Assess which products are must haves and which ones are outdated.

Ultimately, your beauty products should make you look your best and also fit your needs. When you take stock, “think about who you want to be,” says Jennifer Baumgartner, Psy.D., author of You Are What You Wear. That means tossing anything that isn’t relevant to your life right now (sorry, cupcake-flavored lip gloss) in favor of new products that are. “Create a look so that when you see yourself, you feel like you are that person,” she says.

3. Dig deeper and think about why you're holding on to certain items.

But what if you just cannot get rid of that one blue eyeshadow? “Look for patterns of behavior,” says Baumgartner. Items you cling to may come with some emotional baggage, like activities you still want to pursue (the “I’ll use it someday” trap) or associations with your past. “Ask yourself why, until you get to the root of the problem,” says Melissa Gratias, Ph.D., a productivity psychologist based in Savannah, Georgia.

4. Make arrangements for your everyday favorites and your backup stash.

Once you’ve decided what works and what doesn’t, find a place for the winners. First, says Tova, be sure that everyday products remain accessible and within easy grasp. Then keep everything else separated by categories: makeup, haircare, and so on. “You’re creating a more efficient life for yourself, which is invaluable,” she says.

5. And shop for new products that fit your needs.

Your reward for spring cleaning: a little well-earned shopping! Once you’ve assessed your needs, treat yourself to the products that will help you be the best version of you. (Repurchase any products that have expired.)”

For more tips and some #girltalk click here and head over to my Facebook Group

Live Probiotic . . . Kambucha

I have the best neighbor that shares and loves living healthy! She knows that I have been changing my lifestyle for breast cancer survivorship, and I am always looking for ways to stay healthy. 

I love her texts with new ideas. The text asking me if I had ever had kambucha kind of threw me off. I had to google and find out what she was talking about. She explained the health benefits and told me I could get the drink at our local grocery store that is by our house. 

I started digging in and researching because I really want to know what I'm putting in my body. I'm allergic to several medicines and some things can make me jittery, so I have always been a little cautious of the unknowns. So here are my notes on kambucha:

Health Starts with PREVENTION and EDUCATION

Kambucha

Fermented black tea

Ancient beliefs = “Immortal Health Elixir”

Benefits: (no medical claims just findings from researching)

v  Immune Builder

Ø  Fights off bad bacteria that makes you sick and develop infections

§  Natural alternative to antibiotics

Ø Helps good bad survive and thrive for your overall health

v  Antioxidants

Ø  Reduces toxicity

§  Free radicals oxidize causing cell damage

·         Age faster

·         Get sick

§  Fights free radicals that oxidize in our bodies

v  Helps Prevent Cancer

Ø  Glucaric Acid – active ingredient in black tea

§  Fights cancer

·         Breast

·         Pancreatic

v  Reduces Stress

Ø  Root of anxiety and depression

Ø  Stress causes cell damage

Ø  Vitamins to help fight stress

§  Vitamin C

§  B Vitamins

v  Overall Health

Ø  Minerals

Ø  Enzymes

Ø  B Vitamins

Ø  Vitamin C

Ø  Gluconic Acid -  fights cancer

Ø  Acetic Acid – large amounts of antioxidants

v  Arthritis Relief and Prevention

Ø  Contains glucosamine

§  Lubricates joints
·  Stronger and more elastic

I liked what the research findings told me, so the next time I went grocery shopping I picked up a couple of the kambucha drinks. It wasn't what I was expecting, but I am so use to drinking and eating for my health now that taste is not necessarily the one and only factor I consider. But I actually liked it and have continued to drink it daily. However, it can get kind of expensive, so I am making it myself now.

My awesome neighbor also gave me my starter scoby. 

What is a Scoby?

"Scoby" is actually an acronym: Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. And that's exactly what it is! A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha — think of the scoby as the coral reef of the bacteria and yeast world. It a rubbery raft that floats on the surface of the kombucha. Aside from being a home for yeast and good bacteria, the scoby seals off the fermenting kombucha from the air and protects it from outside, undesirable bacterias while it's fermenting. You'll also sometimes hear scobys referred to as "kombucha mothers" or "kombcha mushrooms." 

I have never been one to eat leftovers after a day. Food going bad makes me a little anxious. So this whole process has taken my husband by surprise. But this is healthy "sitting around for awhile" kind of beverage. So I'm all into it! 

Here is an interview I did about Kambucha . . .

Here is my scoby and the fermented tea that is ready for its second fermentation process. 

I am going to make mango and ginger kambucha. I love ginger! I love the smell and the benefits for your gut. Ginger can also help with car sickness. Go google ginger and benefits Mango provides a natural source of sweetness to the kambucha. 

I put the mango in the food processor to mush it up so it dissolves in the kambucha. The ginger chunks dissolves easily  I used one of the boys old baby spoons to put it in my bottles.

I saved the glass bottles from my store bought kambucha to use for the second fermentation and to store my kambucha in to drink. You need to use glass when fermenting and making kambucha. 

I poured the kambucha over the mango and ginger and then sealed the bottles tight with the lids that came with the bottles.

The second fermentation will take place for three days. Each day I will burp the bottles by gently twisting the lids. After three days, I will place the bottles in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process and begin drinking my mange ginger kambucha. 

You can choose to use whatever fruit you want or other healthy foods you want to flavor you kambucha with. 

Here is how to begin your first fermentation process of kambucha: 

Gallon Batch:

• 10 organic black tea bags
• 1 1/2 cup sugar (don't worry keto friends the scoby will absorb the sugar) 
• Gallon of water
• 2 cups started fermented tea and scoby (I got mine from my neighbor - there are kits or find a friend that will gift you a starter scoby. For my local friends I would love to gift you a scoby)

1. Combine hot water and sugar in a glass jar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. The water should be hot enough to steep the tea but does not have to be boiling.   
2. Place the tea or tea bags in the sugar water to steep. 

3. Cool the mixture to 68-85ºF. The tea may be left in the liquid as it cools or removed after the first 10-15 minutes. The longer the tea is left in the liquid, the stronger the tea will be. 
4. Remove the tea bags or completely strain the loose tea leaves from the liquid.
5. Add starter tea from a previous batch or that was gifted to you to the liquid. .
6. Add an active kombucha SCOBY. Make sure the tea is cool before adding to the scoby. 
7. Cover the jar with a tight-weave towel or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.
8. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed at 68-85°F, out of direct sunlight, for 7-30 days, or to taste. The longer the kombucha ferments, the less sweet and more vinegary it will taste. I let mine sit for 11 days. I'm still playing with the perfect fermentation amount of days. 
9. Pour kombucha off the top of the jar for consuming. Retain the SCOBY and enough liquid from the bottom of the jar to use as starter tea for the next batch.
10. The finished kombucha can be flavored and bottled, if desired, or enjoyed plain. As you saw above, I chose to use mango and ginger for the second fermentation and flavoring. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me through the comments of this blog post. I am not an expert, but I am on a journey of finding the best version of myself and living abundantly! 

Sharing is caring! If you have ideas or advice for my kambucha journey, please share in the comments! 

#girltalk #liveabundantly #kambucha #healthyliving

Finding Joy in Household Chores

Deuteronomy 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

It is the start of spring break and time to sleep in . . . but my dog wants to know where everyone is at . . . my dog must be thinking the sun has come up and it is time to go outside. My dog did not get the memo that it is spring break and time to sleep in. 

After the initial madness because I wanted to sleep in, I was actually glad to be up earlier than everyone in my house. I was able to take my time drinking coffee and having some quiet time with God before everyone woke up. 

I then started trying to get this house clean from the crazy busy start of baseball season for all three boys. I have been able to get clothes washed, for the most part, but getting them folded is another story. So today, I am conquering the piles of clean clothes and trying to stay up on washing the newly dirty clothes. Are we really ever caught up on the laundry? 

It is a little frustrating when the clothes and dishes continue to pile up over and over. I am actually having my family use paper plates during the spring break to avoid PILES of dishes . . . it I don't I will be in the kitchen constantly instead of enjoying them at home. But as the negative thoughts pile up in my head, like the laundry and dishes, I am trying to change my negative thoughts into a pile of positive thoughts . . . a mindset that will allow me to give generously of myself instead of holding grudges for having to clean up a mess that is not mine. 

There are many reasons to be joyful when I am constantly having to do household chores. I just have to remind myself of the joy and the privilege in cleaning. When I choose to concentrate on the blessings of household chores, it is easier for me to find PILES of blessings through the mess. 

This is what came to my mind and what God reminded me of when I continued with my household chores. . . 

• Be glad my family has clothes to get dirty
• A sink full of soaking dirty baseball pants means that I have healthy boys that are able to play a sport they love
• Making beds means we have a place to lay our head at night and that they are safely tucked in our home
• Dirty bathrooms means that my boys are home and we have running water to bath with, brush our teeth with, and yes use the toilet with . . . when we had to turn the water off for a busted pipe, this was a huge problem . . . we definitely learned to appreciate our running water. 
• Dirty dishes means we were able to eat and that we have food to eat to nourish our bodies
• Grocery shopping means God has provided a means of buying items we need, and those items we sometimes just want
• Vacuuming means that we have electricity to plug the vacuum cleaner into
• The biggest blessing that God reminded me of . . .  I have a family that needs me, and I should unconditionally clean for them and love them just as God loves me and cleans up after my messes in life. 

Joyful Cleaning Mindset

During this spring break, I am going to choose to be blessed by my household chores and the noise and extra mess in my house. This means that my home is full of love, and God has provided for us to meet our needs and wants. I will organize and clean even though I know it will not last long. All these piled up chores means we are living abundantly together and signs of a home building memories and enjoying what God has abundantly provided for us. 

Join me for #girltalk at Pam's Color Zone

Live Out Loud and be UNASHAMED

Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. Psalm 25:20

I am UNASHAMED to live my life out loud. 

I have not always lived out loud. In fact, there was a point in my adult life that I put a wall up and did not let others in except for my family. My husband and I had been hurt by people very close to us; we had been hurt by friends that we considered family. The slander and the decisions made by these friends hurt deeper than they will ever know. Their decisions negatively impacted our finances and our family. My wall went up because I did not trust to let others in my personal space. If I lived out loud, the enemy knew where to attack. 

It was when my mom died that God helped me break down that wall I was hiding behind. When the Body of Christ showed up at the hospital and my house to literally hold my hand and love on my family, God showed me that I needed His people. I needed to live out loud and be transparent in order to be loved on and prayed for. God showed me that He would be my guard instead of the wall of isolation. 

As a Christian, we often hide the struggles and the pain because we believe that it might show lack of faith or people might think that we are not living the "good" life. 

Or we might be afraid of the shame we will feel from our friends and society. 

I believe that being transparent and showing that Christians struggle is important for several reasons:

1. When we are transparent, we show others that just because we accept Jesus it doesn't mean that we are exempt from struggles and hardships. In fact, one might find that they are attack by spiritual warfare more often when they live out loud. The devil does not like it when God's army proclaims the good news of salvation. But the advantage of being a Christian in the middle of a storm is that you learn you are not alone and have faith that God is going to fight for you. God's Word tells us we can take refuge in Him. We should not be ashamed to live out loud because we have God to guard us and rescue us. We can be UNASHAMED of hardships because God will use those hard times to teach us lessons and witness to others. 
2. Living out loud puts us in the middle of the bulls-eye for the devil to attack. So why live out loud if we are wide open for attack? Living out loud helps others see how Christians take on spiritual warfare. It allows those looking for answers to their struggles to see how God can work in their situation just like He is working in ours. Even though you are putting yourself out there for attack, Psalm 25:20 tells us that we are covered by God and will not be put to shame. 
3. As a Christian, we need to be transparent to allow others to pray for us. If we hide our struggles and pain, we are not allowing others to pray for our specific needs. Many pray for "unspoken" prayers request. I personally want to tell exactly what I need prayer for. This allows the body of Christ to lift detailed prayers up to our Heavenly Father. When I know the specifics of a person's needs, I can call them by name and concentrate on that specific need. I also know how to specifically love on that person. Being transparent allows the Body of Christ to be God's hands and feet on earth. God uses the Body of Christ to be His hands and feet to help rescue those experiencing pain and struggling. 

I chose to concentrate on Psalm 25:20 when I think of UNASHAMED because we have to have faith that God is going to protect us from being put to shame when we live out loud. Being transparent makes us vulnerable in a society that is quick to judge and put us to shame. But oh well . . . as a Christian, we know that God has already won the battle of the enemy putting Christians to shame. 

Faith not Fear! 

Jesus was crucified for living out loud. He was the ultimate example of being put to shame but not to death! He rose on the third day and proved to the world that the battle has been won! 

The Cross had the final word! 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

The devil wants to make you think that it is not good to be transparent and real in front of others. The devil, the thief, wants to keep you from spreading the good news and being a witness of salvation. 

The thief wants to dim your light!

In our current society of social media and technology, we are living in a world of filters and fake reality. We are scared for people to see the reality of pain and struggles and imperfections.

What are we afraid of? Why do we want people to believe we live a life that we really do not? 

Being ashamed does not allow us to be all that God created us to be . . . UNASHAMED allows us to find the blessings and joy in the trials. 

Are you ashamed or unashamed? 

We all have a story that needs to be told or allowed to unfold in front of others. 

Are you ready to be transparent and live out loud? 

Fear of what is holding you back from living out loud? 

Would you like a FREE Unashamed t-shirt or hat? 

Comment here and share this blog post to be entered in a drawing for an UNASHAMED tshirt or hat. (I must have a minimum of 10 different people commenting and sharing to have a drawing)

I will draw live on April 1, 2018 in Pam's Color Zone group 

To see the different colors and styles please visit the Live Abundantly Collection website.