Author: Midwest Storyteller

Saturday Pasta THM “S” or “XO” (for any busy day of the week!)

~ Midwest Storyteller

NOTE TO READERS: This recipe is a family favorite that appeared here on my blog prior to my eating according to the Trim Healthy Mama plan or becoming a THM Certified Lifestyle Coach. I am sharing it here again now that I have THM-ified it. While it tastes fabulous, remember that it is a “Crossover” if brown rice pasta is used and that you will need to adhere to serving sizes on the pasta in order not to consume too many carbs in this meal. The best way to eat your fill is to serve this recipe over THM’s Ancient Wisdom Noodles, Zoodles or any “on-plan” konjac noodles found in stores!

Saturday Pasta www.midweststoryteller.comIt’s time for another great recipe! This one is one of my inventions, and will appeal to everyone who likes things flavorful. While not hot and spicy, it certainly isn’t bland.

Why Saturday, you ask? No particular reason, except that Saturdays around our house seem to turn into project days, with Smuffy working on his and me working on mine. Smuffy likes to sleep in on Saturdays before launching into some DIY project that makes a lot of noise and is likely to stink up the place.  I’m just thankful that only a couple of them have landed him in the emergency room.

It has always amazed me that no matter how late Smuffy sleeps, the “rumbly in his tumbly”, as Winnie the Pooh would say, speaks to him at the same time every day. Though he may have slept till ten and lingered over breakfast, he reappears at noon on the dot, looking weak in the knees and asking what’s for lunch.

I’ve wondered if it isn’t triggered by sound. For years, Smuffy has come home for lunch, Monday through Friday at noon on the dot, to the tune of the neighborhood church bells. They chime various lovely hymns a couple of times a day. Perhaps on Saturday, at the sound of the noon bells, he thinks he’s hungry. Have the bells trained him to eat at noon, no matter what? I think that’s how they do it with rats in a maze, although perhaps not with hymns.

Often, I’ve stood there, wondering what on earth I’m going to fix so that I can get on with my own project. Neither of us wants to go out. Meat is frozen. My mind is blank.

Then came this idea. I threw it together so fast I hardly knew how I did it. Smuffy says it’s hearty, healthy and “restaurant good”. It must be, because he likes variety, yet I can pretty much toss this together on any busy weekend and he’ll happily gobble it up. That’s really saying something, considering it has no meat! Smuffy likes meat – a lot!

You can make this a meal by using it as a side dish alongside your chosen meat or fish as your protein, or you can save a little room in your tummy for a chocolate or chai collagen trimmy afterward.  Another option would be to incorporate some cooked chicken breast into the recipe.

Also, it has no dairy! I know some of you have been waiting for recipes like that. With no sugar and the only grain being brown rice pasta if you choose to use it, the healthy eaters can’t go wrong.  See my note at the top about pasta vs. other noodle options.

A few notes before we start:

  1. Don’t get hung up about it! I make this with what I have. I’m giving you the perfected version. Make it this way the first time, just so you know what you’ve been missing. Then, you can always try some of the things I’ve experimented with along the way, such as zucchini instead of spinach, etc. We would never make it without the sun-dried tomatoes. We think they really make the dish.
  2. Don’t be a snob. Use fresh mushrooms if you can, but if you’re out, by all means use canned mushrooms.
  3. I did not grow up in a kitchen where everything was the finest and best (although most of it was homegrown), but I’ve learned something. Though I’m frugal, I’ve learned that it’s better to pay for good ingredients and have good food I enjoy. It’s so much easier to say no to junk food when I’ve just created something healthy and delicious. That’s why I’m recommending brands on three ingredients. Jovial Brown Rice Pastas are fabulous! They came highly recommended by America’s Test Kitchen. Through the years, I’ve tried innumerable substitutes for white flour pasta. This one is the hands-down winner. Jovial Pasta People – I love you! Smuffy says he can’t tell the difference between it and “regular” pasta. I’ve bought the spaghetti and the lasagna noodles and they’re both great. Once you try this, you may want to check around for a bulk price.  Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, one of the top two olive oils recommended by America’s Test Kitchen, has become a staple item in my kitchen. Ah – the flavor! In case you haven’t heard, there’s a whole big deal out there concerning olive oils and which companies you can trust. You may not be getting what you think in those beautiful bottles. Colavita is the real deal, and it makes this recipe delicious. I get it at my local supermarket in bottles and also in bulk, where I can get a deal on large tins.  The Select olive oil found at Aldi is also nice.  Trim Healthy Mama’s Ancient Wisdom Noodles are wonderful in this recipe, although since a lot of folks are also wild about them, they are out of stock at times.  I did find another brand of konjac noodles once in Sprouts that also have that bit of oat fiber that makes all the difference in the texture so check there if you can’t get any THM.  Other brands of konjac noodles will be “on plan” as well as spiralized zucchini.  Somehow, I tend to think the zucchini version of this recipe would be a bit lacking.
  4. Speaking of oils (and we’ll cover this in more detail in a future post), there are three oils in this recipe for a reason. Butter adds flavor, but tends to burn. Coconut oil resists burning and keeps the butter from browning without changing the flavor. I keep both kinds of coconut oil on hand – refined and unrefined (or extra virgin). You’ll want refined for this. Olive oil, though not a trans fat, does (just as most of the other oils do) turn to a trans fat when heated. It should be used to “dress” the dish when finished.
  5. Don’t be lily-livered and leave out the “heat”! There are not enough red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper in this to make it spicy, but we find it necessary to give the recipe that certain what-cha-ma-call-it that has you making yummy-nummy noises while you eat it.

Let’s get cooking. This goes together in the time it takes your water to come to a boil and your pasta to cook. Don’t forget your FREE printable below.

Saturday Pasta Ingredients www.midweststoryteller.com

Saturday Pasta

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon refined coconut oil

½ large onion, (slice thin, then quarter the slices)

1/3  cup sun-dried tomatoes, snipped into small pieces with scissors) I use the ones in the bag and reconstitute them in warm water for a bit while I work on the rest of the recipe.

1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms or, preferably, fresh mushrooms

4 ounces fresh spinach

1 or 2 packages of THM Ancient Wisdom Noodles or 5 to 6 ounces Jovial Brown Rice Spaghetti

20 Kalamata olives, sliced (½ of a 6 ounce jar)

¼ cup (or more, or less) Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

A “sprinkle” of cayenne pepper

Mineral salt

In a large skillet, heat butter and coconut oil over medium heat. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil if you are using the brown rice pasta.  If using Ancient Wisdom Noodles, rinse and drain them into a colander and they’ll be ready to toss in when you need them.

Add onions to the skillet and stir.

In a small custard cup, pour a little water (approximately 3 Tablespoons)over the sun-dried tomatoes. Microwave them on on high for one minute or heat them in a small pan on the stove to reconstitute them. Set aside.

Add mushrooms and olives to the skillet. Stir. Lower heat so that onions do not begin to caramelize.

When water reaches a full boil, add pasta and ½ teaspoon mineral salt. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, pour one to two tablespoons olive oil into a large pasta bowl. Add red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. Stir. Set aside.

Pepper Flakes in Oil www.midweststoryteller.com

Add spinach to the skillet. (This will fill the skillet.) Cook and stir until spinach wilts and mixes with the other ingredients.  Add sun-dried tomatoes (with liquid) to the mixture.

Skillet Mixture www.midweststoryteller.com

If you used pasta, drain it and add it to the pasta bowl. Toss to coat with the flavored oil. Add the skillet mixture, scraping the skillet clean with a spatula.

If you use Ancient Wisdom noodles, stir them in to the skillet mixture and heat, allowing them too cook a little and take on all the flavors.

Toss all the  ingredients together, then dress with olive oil. Season to taste with additional sea salt and more olive oil, if desired.

Serves – well, that depends!  If preparing a Crossover, the six ounces of pasta would be three servings in order to keep within reasonable carb limits.  If using the Ancient Wisdom Noodles, you’ll have an “S” meal and you can eat your fill and decide if you want to count a package as a single serving or share.  If you’re making this to share with others who are trimming down, use two packages of noodles and go a little heavy on the other ingredients for a bigger batch.

Don’t forget your FREE printable recipes!  Just click on the arrow below. 

PRINTABLE Recipe Saturday Pasta www.midweststoryteller.com

SUBSCRIBE in the right side bar if your on your computer or on the CONTACT ME page if you’re on a phone or tablet so you won’t miss more delicious recipes. 

You might also enjoy “Creamy Leek Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato“.  Check it out here! 

Save this great recipe on Pinterest or share on Facebook and other social media by clicking on the icons.  

I crave your comments on this recipe when you try it, so let me know how it goes!

Meet the Freebie Winners!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 2 Comments

What a hectic summer!  It’s been that way for all of us.  So much so that getting First Friday Freebies to their winners became delayed due to their vacations and other events.

Here they are at last, so let’s meet the May and June winners  –

May and June First Friday Freebie Winners www.midweststoryteller.com

Ginger from Prairie Home, Missouri and Vikki from Boonville, Missouri won the months’ free gifts respectively.

Congratulations, Ginger!  From the photo, it looks like you’re enjoying the earrings.

Congratulations, Vikki!  I hope you are enjoying the bumblebee kitchen helpers and managed to keep them from being snatched by a certain family member you’d suspected might take a fancy to them.  This sort of thing does happen once in a while.  Just remind that person that subscribing and entering to win is a more honest way to go about getting a First Friday Freebie.

Ginger and Vikki had their names drawn after they commented on the freebie posts as directed in the posts.  I do have to make it just a little tricky each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention.. 

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offers for the ones Ginger and Vikki won here and here.. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Just a shameless plug here.  When my soon to be released novel comes out (the first in a three part series), it won’t be free.  Well…perhaps one special copy might just pop up as a First Friday Freebie?  We’ll see!

Coming up on August 4th, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, August 4th, 2023.

Enjoy the rest of summer.  We complain about the heat, but as my sweet mother always said, we’ll be wishin’ we had it back one of these days!

You is Kind. You is Smart. You is Important! You is a Thriver!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

Now, didn’t that “Help”? Let’s push on with better grammar…

I fully disclose that as a Certified Lifestyle Coach I do, at times, receive monetary compensation as such. See The Fine Print on the “About Me” page of this blog.

I first shared these thoughts a few years ago, but I’ve decided it’s time to revisit this bit of common sense and encouragement.

I first thought to name this page of my blog “Stayin’ Alive!” Love those Bee Gees! Besides, if one doesn’t accomplish at least this much in regards to one’s health, all other attempts are pretty much useless, if you get my drift.

I soon ditched that idea. There’s more to life than stayin’ alive! What’s the point of being here if your quality of life stinks? I decided on “Thrive!”

I got serious about my health during pregnancy. Up until that point, I’d stuck strictly to the See Food Diet. If I saw it, I ate it. Tall and slim, it never seemed to affect me. My dad once told me, as he watched me eat, that someday I’d stop growing up and start growing out and then be sorry about my appetite! I ate three square meals a day – big ones! No one had better leave a box of doughnuts anywhere near me.

But now, I knew that whatever I fed myself, I also fed the baby. Yikes! I spent a lot of time at the library. The baby came (all eight pounds and three ounces of her) along with an epiphany. I needed to keep her healthy till adulthood. And, (DUH!) why feed my child one way and myself another? The adult population seemed to be made up of a bunch of sick people, anyway.

I recently read of an umbilical cord study which showed that a couple of hundred toxins were detected in the cords and the samples were not taken from moms who were addicted to drugs or alcohol or had experienced anything most people would consider hazardous.  They were only moms who used foods, shampoos and body products that most in our society walk into stores and buy without batting an eyelash.

Take a look at this photo. Note your first impression.

Lemonade In Gas Tank www.midweststoryteller.com

That’s the image that came to me. We can’t run on bad fuel! Yet, we live in a country where no one seems to grasp the concept.  Or, if they do, they don’t care!

Can you imagine? Your friend Gwendolyn tells you that she hates the smell of gasoline, dislikes waiting in line at the service station and once even dribbled gasoline into her brand new shoes. She’s switching. From now on, she’ll run her car on lemonade. She likes lemonade. Tastes better, smells better and isn’t quite so icky between the toes.

You stifle a snort of laughter and get down to business. Somebody’s gotta talk Gwennie out of this madness. Doesn’t she know she’ll ruin a valuable machine with a crazy notion like that?

Gwendolyn won’t listen. Her plan is good for her, she insists. She leaves. You call several friends. After howling with laughter over Gwendolyn’s stupidity, some compassionate soul in the group says, “Listen! Don’t you think we ought to call her mother or somebody? I mean, somebody’s gotta stop her!”

I gave myself a “talkin’ to”. It went something like this: “You are kind to yourself. You are smart enough to learn. You are important to your family and you need to be the best you can be.”

Poor Smuffy went kicking and screaming all the way, suffering through strange herbs drying on the kitchen counter, whole wheat everything and tinctures galore. He told me once that the thing that kept him healthy was positive confession. Each time he’d cough or sniffle, I’d come running with some form of what he termed “stump water” and he’d call out, “I’m okay. I’m OKAY!”

Despite my efforts, I got that call from the doctor nobody wants – a cancer diagnosis. I’d studied various aspects of health, but hadn’t paid much attention to what may open the doors to cancer. I had no family history and besides, I ate good stuff! With my terrific appetite, I ate the good stuff and had room left over for some of the bad stuff.

People told me I was too young for cancer. I asked myself, “How old is old enough?” The answer, I concluded, was NEVER! After surgery, I endured chemo and radiation as “insurance”, more or less, according to the doctors. I’m sure there will be a future blog post on that nasty little interlude.

People like me are called “survivors”. I rejected that term from the beginning. It left me with an image of someone emerging from a jungle – burned, bitten, half-naked and hunted – running for a lifeboat that may or may not spring a leak. By the grace of God, I’m a WINNER! I am kind to myself. I am smart enough to learn. I am important to God and my family! I’m going to thrive! 

I’ve learned much over the years, and it has turned my health around.  In blog posts here on my Food Freedom page, you’ll be receiving a lot of great health information to chew on so that you can make your own decisions and take charge of your health.  I am not your doctor and don’t pretend to be, but only hope to share helpful information.  You’re smart enough to do your own research.  You may see a few posts with some foods that contain ingredients that I’ve eliminated from my diet as I’ve grown wiser and learned what the real “frankenfoods” are.  I’ll be editing those to help you out as much as I can.

So…about your reaction to the photo. Did you want to scream, “Stop, you idiot!”? Yet, we, almost never stop friends when it comes to food. Cars can be replaced. You only get one body. Why treat the finest, most intricately-designed, valuable piece of machinery ever invented – the human body – as though it were disposable?

Since the purpose of Midwest Storyteller is to take you to a better place, I want to share what I did as a first step. I gave up soda. Why pollute my body with a non-food item? A sugary soda has as many calories as a full meal. (Sorry, but I’d rather have food.) Artificially sweetened, it’s dangerous stuff, and I want to thrive! It’s been decades since I’ve had a soda. I don’t miss it. I do enjoy, however, Stayin’ Alive!

Americans have a big problem. Take a look at this aisle in my local grocery store.

Soda Aisle www.midweststoryteller.com

That’s an entire aisle! All soda! They don’t devote this much space to bread, meat, cheese, etc.  Yes, America has a problem, but you don’t have to.  We can’t fuel up on junk because we feel like it or because, like Mount Everest, it’s there.  We are as capable of making the right choices with our bodies as we are with our cars.

Okay, enough tough love. I believe in you. You are kind to yourself. You are smart enough to listen to the “real you”. You are important to God and your family.

You are also strong! Here’s the challenge: Choose one thing – just one – and take that step. Stick with it for thirty days. Whether it is to give up soda, lay off the sugar, exercise for 20-30 minutes three times a week or get more sleep, you can do it!  (That last one is a personal struggle of mine if you came here for true confessions.)

Since I first shared this idea with you, I’ve been introduced to the common sense, sustainable world of Trim Healthy Mama.  After a couple of years reveling in not having to exclude any food groups (except for “frankenfood”), enjoying hearty fat-based meals, satisfying my muscles and hormones with carb-based meals and learning how to make yummy desserts while kicking sugar to the curb, I became a Certified Lifestyle Coach.  Ooh, did I mention that I lost that last annoying ten pounds I thought I’d never lose without constantly listening to my tummy growl?  The Trim Healthy lifestyle is something you can definitely do all on your own and I’d recommend that you start with the book, The Trim Healthy Mama Plan and begin your journey.  It’s written so anyone can understand the science of “why” and without that, we all lose motivation.

If you do decide you’re better off not going it alone, contact me.  I’m happy to coach you privately in person or by phone and if you’re within driving distance at our local weekly group sessions.

Comment, letting me know you’ve chosen one way to live a better life. Or, share something you’ve already done that might encourage others. In thirty days, comment again, letting me know that you’re not only Stayin’ Alive, but determined to Thrive!

SUBSCRIBE, because it won’t be long before I throw myself a little online party, celebrating the twenty-four years that stretch between me and that cancer diagnosis.

Freedom Isn’t Free, But Freebies Are!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

If you were new to the United States of America and were given the test you needed to pass to get your U. S. citizenship, do you think you’d pass?

Something tells me I might not get exactly an A+ on that one. I wonder how many members of congress would pass. Oh, well…moving right along…

We can’t appreciate what we have if we don’t know what we have.

I love this quote from a 1988 speech by Ronald Reagan – “”America represents something universal in the human spirit. I received a letter not long ago from a man who said, ‘You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won’t become a German or a Turk.’ But then he added, ‘Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.'”

You don’t have to be loyal to any political party to grasp how important it is to know what is and is not granted to you as a citizen and to appreciate those who have given their lives, their fortune and their sacred honor in order for their dream to be handed down to you.

Now, more than ever, we need to know what we have so we don’t lose what we have. I’ve often made this my July First Friday Freebie in honor of Independence Day and it’s because I want you to physically get your hands on what it means to live in the greatest country on earth – not the perfect, but still the greatest – and to be able to share what that means with others.

U. S. Constitution www.midweststoryteller.com

These pocket-sized U. S. Constitutions are perfect for keeping with you at all times. The book includes the Constitution, Amendments, the Declaration of Independence and list of the signers, an index, a list of significant dates and a page on “Celebrating the Constitution”. I’m including three copies as your freebie so that you can keep on and share the other two with those who need to know what’s granted to them inside these pages.

To enter to win the set of three U. S. Constitutions, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “America, you’re beautiful!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, July 7th, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

News about my upcoming books, my Life with Smuffy, recipes, freebies, fun things to make you laugh, reviews, creative ideas and even thoughts for you from Phoebe June – they’re all here on the blog so click through the menu and be sure to share with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, July 7th, by leaving a comment which says, “America, you’re beautiful!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

The Big News!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 15 Comments

Sorry to seem absent lately, but I’ve been a bit pre-occupied lately due to this –

First in Novel Series coming soon! www.midweststoryteller.com

I’ve written for years and years. You know how it is – a little bit of this and whole lot of that. I really enjoy writing the humor non-fiction stories here on the blog because they are about my favorite things in life – Smuffy, Lil’ Snookie, Phoebe June and the family stories that shouldn’t be forgotten. And you know I love sharing what I’ve learned about healthy eating and lifestyle with you.

I don’t know if you’ve ever sat down to write a novel. It’s a whole different critter than any of the above and it’s not kid-stuff. It begins as a joy at having a story that you think people will love to read and then it is work, work, work to get it to the place where it can be read.

Several years ago a I had a dream. I don’t say that figuratively. I had a dream one night and when I woke I realized that the entire story was still there in my memory like a downloaded file. I grabbed a spiral book and wrote down every detail.

Little did I know it would be a three-novel series! Little did I know how much historical research, editing, and time it would take to complete. What I found that I knew the least about was the publishing world! Filled with agents, editors, publishers, conferences and my pleas for guidance from more experienced authors, it frustrated me at times to a degree that made me want to pick things up off my desk and throw them against the wall. However, wisdom prevailed. My desk is already messy enough and I didn’t need to make it any worse.

I had confidence in these stories. So, evidently, does the publisher! The first in the series is on the way and I’ll keep you posted here on the blog so that you’ll have plenty of hints along the way and be amongst the first to know the minute it’s available. I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy it!

I believe everyone has a story to tell. If you were going to write a book, would it be fiction or non-fiction? What would it be about? Would it be a mystery, a love story, a true story? Leave a comment and let me know.

Welcoming June with a Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 8 Comments

It’s the season for summertime fun with picnics, barbecues and other outdoor fun.  I’m here to help you brighten up the festivities.

There’s always a freebie offer on the first Friday of each month, so let’s take a look at what June has to offer.

Bumble Bee Kitchen Linens www.midweststoryteller.com

Is it time to toss those grungy potholders and replace them with something a little more cheery?  Maybe it’s just time to put the ones with the bunnies away till next spring.  These kitchen helpers with a bumble bee and flower theme will have your kitchen or barbecue area looking summery and bright.  The bees hum among the soft yellow flowers and gray leaf print.  Included are one oven mitt, two potholders and one drying mat.

By the way, where have drying mats been all my life?  I’ve come to really appreciate these things and use them all the time.  Someday we’ll be telling our children that there was a time when they didn’t exist and things just sat there on a soggy tea towel.  They’ll stare in disbelief, just like when we told them that phones used to be attached to the wall and you had no idea who was calling. 

To enter to win the bumble bee kitchen set, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’d bee thrilled to have this freebie!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, June 2nd, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

My Life with Smuffy, recipes, freebies, fun things to make you laugh, reviews, creative ideas and even thoughts for you from Phoebe June – they’re all here on the blog so click through the menu and be sure to share with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, June 2nd, by leaving a comment which says, “I’d bee thrilled to have this freebie!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Enjoy your summer. I hope to be bringing you more information and fun now that the glories of spring are about to give way to the swelter of the Midwest’s summers. 

Last month’s winner has been notified and will be revealed soon.  We’ve had issues connecting due to the fact that she’s been on vacation. 

Recipe reviews are coming up next!

I Just May Have a Freebie for You Today!  Celebrate!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 5 Comments

Have you ever noticed that every day’s a holiday?  The trend in the last several decades is to name days the “National Day of Whatever-Tickles-Your Fancy”.

Well, of course, it’s First Friday Freebie Day and that is enough to get excited about all on its own, but I wondered what else we might be celebrating along with it to make it even more special.  I knew I’d be a day late to get in on winding my hair over my ears like cinnamon rolls and greeting you with “May the 4th be with you”, so I decided to see what else was on the calendar since I couldn’t think of anything. 

There were a lot of things – too many to list here – so I picked a few gems.

There’s good old Cinco de Mayo, so you can have a fun fiesta while you wait to find out if you won the freebie.

National Hoagie Day – you may have to choose between this and the one above, unless you have an appetite like mine.  As a THM coach, I’d say Cinco de Mayo is probably better for you.

Children’s Day – I thought that was every day.

General Prayer Day – I thought that was every day, too.

It’s International Midwives Day and National Astronaut Day – choose your hero or heroine!

It’s Museum Lovers’ Day and Nail Day – get your nails done and then wander around in the museum while they dry.  They won’t let you touch anything anyway.

It’s Tuba Day and National No Pants Day – perhaps if you hold your tuba just right, marching in the parade for this might not be quite so embarrassing?

Choosing from a day buffet like this one can be confusing, but here’s your First Friday Freebie – already chosen just for you!

Leather look Leaf Earrings www.midweststoryteller.com

These lightweight layered earrings will flutter in the spring breeze for you.  Their full length is 3 ¼ inches and they measure 1 ¼ inches at their widest point.  The light neutral color will go with anything you wear and the textures are what make them eye-catching.  The top “leaf” shapes have just the right amount of sparkle and the ones behind have a pebbled leather look and are slit around the edges to give even more of a leafy-edge look.  This is a great find from Factory Connection. 

To enter to win the leaf earrings, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I promise to wear pants with this freebie!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, May 5th, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

My Life with Smuffy, recipes, freebies, fun things to make you laugh, reviews, creative ideas and even thoughts for you from Phoebe June – they’re all here on the blog so click through the menu and be sure to share with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, May 5th, by leaving a comment which says, “I promise to wear pants with this freebie!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Enjoy every day in the merry, merry month of May.  Eat Mexican, laugh with a child, remember to pray, thank someone who makes a difference in the world, take a relaxing day off, make some music.  But try, please, to do the majority of these things wearing pants!

I’ll post as often as I can during these beautiful days, but I confess to abandoning my desk in favor of spending most of my time running around outside with Lil’ Snookie (in pants).

Goji Berries – Good for Eye Health?

~ Midwest Storyteller

I fully disclose that as a Certified Lifestyle Coach I do, at times, receive monetary compensation as such. See The Fine Print on the “About Me” page of this blog.

There are studies out there for everything.  I believe it was Mark Twain who said there are three kinds of lies – lies, d*#n lies and statistics.  Sorry about that – he said it – not me and that’s as close to coarse as I’m gonna get.

I hear people all the time say that they don’t go by anecdotal evidence.  They claim, in a superior sort of way, that they only abide by clinical studies.  To that, I say, “Poppycock, balderdash, fiddle-faddle!”  And I might be so bold as to add, “Piffle!”

Suppose you went to a specialist and described your health concern.  After extensive tests, he diagnoses you with spotsarashitchitosis.  He hands you a prescription for toximoxadislow and gives a full explanation of this drug as the latest, greatest and safest and cites multiple studies in which the victims of your condition are transformed from depressed and mere shells of their former selves into lively specimens who dance in the streets while strewing roses from their hats.

Elated, you head home, planning to make the pharmacy the last on your list of errands.  At the gas station, you meet your friend, Flow, and tell her about your doctor’s visit.  With alarm in her eyes, Flow tells you that she took the same drug and had a reaction that nearly killed her.  You listen, but pass this off as a rare case.  And besides, Flow gets worked up about things.

Next, you run into Cousin Rudy at the grocery store and again you share your experience.  “Dunno,” says Rudy, rubbing his chin, “Larry took that stuff and tells me things haven’t been the same between him and the missus ever since.”  You give him a “Wow!” accompanied by raised eyebrows and head for the bank.

Inside the bank, you find Mary Ann and do some catching up while you wait in line.  As soon as you mention the drug, she clutches your forearm and says, “Oh my, before you take that stuff, call Peggy.  Of course, you’ll have to wait till she gets out of the hospital first.”

Guess what?  By the time you’ve driven home, you’ve just thrown all clinical studies out the window along with the prescription because of the anecdotal experiences of people you know whom you don’t consider to be nut jobs.

All that to say, I love a good study!  I do research all the time and sometimes base health decisions on that research.  I’ve had some health issues that demanded that I take charge and learn a lot.

Goji Berries & Eyes www.midweststoryteller.com

I also listen to the Trim Healthy Podcast, which is full of valuable rock-solid science and personal stories.  Sometime last fall, Pearl Barrett shared her own story about her eyes on “The Poddy”.  She said that she’d been needing reading glasses for a while and now had reached the point where she felt like she needed to increase their strength.  After some research on goji berries and their benefits to eye health she decided to include two tablespoons of them into her diet every day, most often in her morning oatmeal.  In two months time, she had begun to notice that there were times when she didn’t need her readers.  Before this, the only times she could go without them were if she happened to be out on her porch which is flooded with natural light.  Now she found herself going without readers in other situations as well!

Goji berries seemed like a simple thing to try.  I looked at my calendar and realized that I had just a little over two months till my next checkup with the optometrist, so I bought a bag of dried goji berries and got started with my two tablespoons a day just to see what might happen. 

Well, what happened was life and my appointment ended up getting postponed so that I’d been consuming goji berries daily for around three and one half months before I got checked.  I actually started with a small bag from Natural Grocers first, just to be sure that they weren’t so disgusting that I couldn’t get them down every day.  I found them to have a completely neutral flavor so I ordered the big two pound bag you see in the photo from Amazon in order to get a better price.  Considering I was only experimenting with two tablespoons a day, this is affordable.

When my eye appointment rolled around, I got the news that my eyes were just that partial step better than they’d been on previous visits!  I thought I’d been noticing that recipes seemed a little easier to read and now I realized I wasn’t just wishing and hoping.  Needless to say, I bought another bag and am still doing my two tablespoons a day. 

Thanks much, Pearl Barrett and the Trim Healthy Podcast for always having good info and great ideas that are natural and safe!

Note:  Goji berries do not dry soft like raisins.  They dry hard.  When I plan for oatmeal in the mornings, I soak my half cup of old-fashioned oats overnight in the bowl and in the morning I place my hand over this and pour most of the water off.  Then, the oats go into a small saucepan with all the other flavorings and protein I like, including the goji berries.  By the time the oats are hot and bubbly and I’ve gotten all the other things stirred in, the goji berries are softened and ready to eat.  However, if I am planning on something that does not get heated, like 0% fat Greek yogurt with raspberries and sprouted grain toast for breakfast, I will put the goji berries in the bowl on the counter the night before with just enough water on them to soften them overnight.

That’s my goji berry story (so far) and I hope it helps you or perhaps you can pass it along to someone who needs to hear it.

Here’s another thing to shout about – It’s spring, folks!  Yes, it’s warm one day and rainy and chilly the next, but I’ll take it any way I can get it.  How about you?

If you need support in your journey to better health and weight loss, head to the Contact page or my Food Freedom page on Facebook and Mewe and let me know.  I’ll give you all the info on group sessions which I conduct locally in person on a weekly basis.  Private coaching can be done in person or by phone.  Share with friends and let’s see how many are ready to get Trim & Healthy!

The Trim Healthy Mama Plan is a great way to boost your immune system, reduce inflammation, and certainly to lose weight if you need to do that. 

Leave a comment and let me know if you plan to experiment with how goji berries might help or tell me about other ways you’ve taken steps to change your health for the better through clean eating. Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to encourage one another and build one another up.

Hear That?  It’s the Sound of a Spring Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 6 Comments

I don’t know what your winter has been like.  Maybe you’ve had the worst one on record and had to dig your car out of a snow drift twice daily.  If so, I hate to rub this in, but we’ve been having the mildest winter I can recall in a long time.  I know, I know, this is the Midwest and it ain’t over till it’s over and we have three weeks to go, but this has been glorious for those, like me, who’d rather the season be done away with if we didn’t need it to kill the bugs.

So, as we listen to the spring peepers outside and I watch the tulips stretching their necks all up and down my front walk, let’s celebrate March with a First Friday Freebie. 

Saved by Grace Wooden Cross www.midweststoryteller.com

I almost saved this one for next month as we look forward to Resurrection Day on April 9th, but I just knew you’d be decorating early and this simple confession of faith is definitely something that suits all seasons.  “Saved by Grace” is stamped on this white wooden cross that measures slightly less than 6” X 8”.  It’s a bit distressed and the carved horizontal grooves give the appearance of shiplap.  It is thick enough to stand without falling over easily and also has a hanging notch on the back. Another great Hobby Lobby find that I think most of my readers would enjoy.

To enter to win the “Saved by Grace” cross, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I live a grace-filled life!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, March 3rd, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

My Life with Smuffy, recipes, freebies, fun things to make you laugh, reviews, creative ideas and even thoughts for you from Phoebe June – they’re all here on the blog so click through the menu and be sure to share with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, March 3rd, by leaving a comment which says, “I live a grace-filled life!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

The painful part about March is that we can’t plant anything yet here.  That’s another six weeks away.  I’ll have Lil’ Snookie begging me for outdoor play and trips to the park way before I’m warm enough to tolerate it.  It’ll come, eventually.  Then, oh, how we will glory in  it!

I have a personal victory to share with you soon, so keep watching.  I’ll post it as soon as I can.

If you still have winter blahs, my “Life With Smuffy” and my “Laugh” pages will jolt you right out of it!

February’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

I hope you spread the love in February.  I know I did!  Lil’ Snookie and I made Valentines together and he enjoyed helping me make Trim Healthy Two Minute Truffles and Brownie Fudge.  And, of course, I offered the First Friday Freebie of Love. 

Let’s meet the winner  –

February First Friday Freebie Winner with Gift www.midweststoryteller.com

Shirley from Boonville, Missouri. 

Congratulations, Shirley!  I hope you enjoy the wood and metal wall hanging.  Shirley’s name was drawn after she commented on the freebie post, which asked for everyone to fill in the blank, “I love doing life with _____”  Shirley filled it in with “grandchildren” and I’m sure this will be the perfect greeting for them when they stop by her house for a little TLC. 

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer here.  This gift was a great find at Hobby Lobby.

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my Freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  What can be better in today’s economy?

Coming up on March 3rd, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, March 3rd, 2023.

Enjoy all the hearts and flowers February has to offer!  You may think it’s all been commercialized, but I look at it this way – if there’s one thing in life that can’t be overdone, it’s loving on others!  So, buy a box of Valentines, stir up some THM chocolate goodness and bless somebody.  Tell them you love them, appreciate them, value them.  Do it on the cheap, but do it with all your heart.