Sorry to seem absent lately, but I’ve been a bit pre-occupied lately due to this –
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.
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.
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.
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!
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).
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.
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 theTrim 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.
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.
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!
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 –
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 hereon 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.
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 am super thrilled to be writing this post – and just a tad riddled with guilt. I love it when I hit a home run in the kitchen! I’ve invented many a recipe in my time and, believe me, they were not all worthy of winning three “golden ladles” such as my soup here, or of getting a 5-star review from those gathered at the table, if you know what I mean.
There’s a story behind everything here on the blog and this is where the guilt comes in. It was a dark and stormy night…just kidding.
One of the more recent additions to the Trim Healthy Mama line of products has been “No-Carb Easy Bread”, a packet bread mix that when blended with a couple of simple ingredients, is poured right into the pan to bake. When they say “easy”, they mean easy, as in whisk three things in a bowl and bake! BONUS: It’s Fuel Pull, so it can be enjoyed with FP or any other “S” and “E” meals on plan. It can be baked in a loaf or as buns.
As with everything in THM world, it will not spike blood sugar, so that makes it great for people watching that who may not even be aware of what the THM plan is all about.
I ordered a couple of packets to try and I was not only thrilled with the simplicity, but also the flavor. I knew this could easily become my “go-to” substitute for the morning English muffin, the hamburger bun, whenever I needed an on-plan bread. I could butter it up for an “S”, fill it up with lean meat and greens for sandwich and keep it FP or toast it to have alongside a delicious “E” soup like this one.
I spotted my dilemma. I’d only ordered two bags. I could see myself constantly running out of this and wishing for more. We’re budget conscious around here. Shipping costs add up and I usually make my THM orders when I have several things I need.
I set my mind to coming up with a mix of my own that would come as close to Serene and Pearl’s as possible (without having to making as many attempts in my kitchen to get it right as Pearl says she did).
I make up about six recipes of the dry mix at a time and put them into quart freezer bags upon which I’ve written the additions, oven temperature and baking time. This way, I don’t even have to pull out a recipe. I just grab, mix, pour and bake. Then, I made a discovery. After doing some number crunching with fats and carbs and realizing that I mis-read something, I found all those bags of mix were actually “E” and not “FP”!
Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t throw away perfectly good food, so I began enjoying it as an “E”, especially in bun form. Hey, we all need more “E” meals, right? I shared it with my clients and a even made up “E” sandwiches on buns and took them to a soup ‘n sandwich dinner party and they were a hit. The hostess’ hubby took a leftover sandwich to work the next day and bragged on it, saying he could eat that bread anytime!
Now I needed to work on a “FP” version because I am determined to help my clients keep their THM life simple and I never wanted them to feel “stuck” if they run out of pre-packaged items. After a few attempts that weren’t quite what I had in mind and some further crunching on the calculator, I came up with a mix that works. You may think it can’t compare to THM’s No-Carb Easy Bread, but if, by chance, you even prefer it, then I’m sorry, Serene and Pearl – I love you and I didn’t mean to show you up.
DISCLAIMER: I totally guessed at this. I haven’t been down in Tennessee rooting through dumpsters at the THM facilities. I don’t know how this happened other than to say it was a shot in the dark. I’ve no intentions of selling it, so I don’t see any reason to end up standing in front of a judge. It can’t be the same recipe, because I’ve never seen the real recipe.
Try both recipes and see if you like them. I’ve grown to love making it up into buns as pictured because it seems more versatile for our needs. There is a slight tweak to make if you do these the way I do, so be sure to read the notes and see the weird bun pan in the photo. If this bread saves you money, makes your life simpler and keeps you away from “frankenfood” breads, that’s great. You could literally whip up a batch every day and never strain a wrist. If it’s not quite your thing, then by all means go for the real thing and order up some “No Carb Easy Bread” from Trim Healthy Mama.
I’m offering you a free printable with both recipes on one sheet so that you can jump right in and make both breads.
TIP: When I made the “E” sandwiches, I used a Laughing Cow light cheese wedge to spread over the two halves of the fun. Half of the sandwiches I then drizzled balsamic glaze onto the Laughing Cow for a sweeter flavor and on the other half, I generously added the Kickin’ Dippin’ Sauce, Dip or Dressing (page 518, Trim Healthy Table) for those who like a more spicy flavor. (I added a little gluccie to the blender when making this to make it a bit thicker.) I had the deli slice my provolone cheese on the #1 thickness so that I could keep the fat on the sandwich to a minimum by using one slice. Lettuce leaves and mesquite deli turkey breast completed the tasty “E” sandwich.
Here are both recipes. Don’t forget your free printable below.
Coach Barb’s Copy-cat No-Carb Easy Bread “FP”
1 1/3 cup egg whites (I use carton type for this)
1 package of dry mix (see the mixture below)
¾ cup water
In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg whites vigorously for 60 seconds until very frothy.
Add dry mix and water; whisk until well combined.
Pour into a parchment lined 9”X5” loaf pan.. Carve a large “X” across the top. Or, pour into 6 or 7 holes of a silicone mesh 4” bun pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 50-60 minutes for bread or for 20-25 minutes for buns. Use convection setting if you have it and reduce the cooking time accordingly. (I do bread for 50 minutes and buns for 20 minutes on convection.)
Grasp the edges of the parchment paper, lift the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack as soon as it is finished baking. Peel away the parchment and cool completely. If using a mesh-style bun pan, allow to cool ten minutes in the pan and they should “peel” from the mesh cleanly.
Dry Mix 1/2 cup oat fiber
1/2 cup golden flax meal
1/2 cup whole husk psyllium flakes
1/2 cup unblanched almond flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon erythritol
½ teaspoon mineral salt
2 doonks Pure Stevia extract
Now for the version that gives you all those good carbs!
Coach Barb’s Slow-Carb Easy Bread “E”
1 1/3 cup egg whites (I use carton type for this)
1 package of dry mix (see the mixture below)
¾ cup water
In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg whites vigorously for 60 seconds until very frothy.
Add dry mix and water; whisk until well combined.
Pour into 9”X5” loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Carve a large “X” across the top. Or, pour into 6 or 7 parchment lined holes of a 4” bun pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour for bread or for 20-25 minutes for buns. Use convection setting if you have it and reduce the cooking time accordingly. (I do my loaf for 50 minutes and my buns for 20 minutes on convection.)
Take hold of the edges of the parchment paper and lift the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack as soon as it is finished baking. Peel away the parchment and allow to cool completely. If using the mesh-style bun pan, allow the buns to cool ten minutes in the pan and then they will peel away from the mesh without pulling apart.
Dry Mix
4 ounces oat flour (or 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup golden flax meal
¼ cup psyllium husk flakes (add two more tablespoons if making buns in the mesh style pan – See notes)
1 tablespoon unblanched almond flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon erythritol
½ teaspoon mineral salt
2 doonks Pure Stevia extract
NOTES: I had trouble finding a bun pan with holes large enough for what I considered a hamburger sized bun. I ended up with the one in the photo which I found on Amazon. Even though the description said “mesh”, I was not prepared for the rolled up thing that arrived – the limp and floppy thing you see here. I had my serious doubts as to whether it could even be used for such a loose dough as this. I did end up stirring in 2 additional tablespoons of the psyllium husk flakes to make the dough thicken a little before spooning into the holes. I also thought the buns might not want to come out of the pan, but let them cool 10 minutes and you’ll be able to “peel” them right off the mesh! Strangest item of cookware I’ve ever bought! If you like a taller bun, then be sure to fill only 6 holes rather than 7. Look for something which has holes in the 4” range if you want more of a bun rather than a muffin size. Here’s the link to the one I ordered.
YIELD: 6 or 7 buns or 1 loaf of bread.
Grab that FREE PRINTABLE RECIPE!
I give full credit and honors to Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison for the inspiration for these recipes and for their great products at TrimHealthyMama.com such as No-Carb Easy Bread mix. Thank you for all you do to help others live a healthy life!
If you need support in your journey to better health and weight loss, head to the Contact page or my Food Freedom pages 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 how you like the bread and what is your favorite way to enjoy it.
It’s fun to try something new, especially when it’s this easy!
Here we are in February and my motto is – “embrace the love”! Whether you have a significant other or not, you can still spread love and appreciation along with the other thing I consider vital – chocolate! Why not wear red, sport some pink, hang up some hearts and hand out some Valentines? It beats sitting around surrounded by winter’s drab days waiting for brighter ones. Brighten them up yourself!
I’m doing my part. Let’s take a look at February’s First Friday Freebie.
We do life with so many others – our close-knit immediate family, our extended family, those coming in and out of our home and those we meet out and about. This weathered wood sign with its riveted metal plate declares, “I love doing life with you!” It measures 7” wide and 10” high. It’s a little bit of modern on a little bit of shabby and neutral to go with any décor. You certainly won’t have to take it down after Valentine’s Day. Its twine rope allows you to hang just about anywhere. I hope you enjoy this great Hobby Lobby find.
To enter to win the “love doing life” décor, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I love doing life with _______” (and fill in the blank with someone special). It could be your sweetie, your grandchild or your pet – just drop in that special name. Of course, I love doing life with Smuffy. You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, February 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.
No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and 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, February 3rd, by leaving a comment which says, “I love doing life with _______” and insert that special name or nickname.
For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.
Spread a few hearts and flowers over the next couple of weeks and make the ones you love or appreciate feel special. It serves to heal the soul when people know they’re not forgotten. Soon we’ll be moving on into spring and have fresh reasons to rejoice. For now, let’s melt the winter blahs by warming as many hearts as we can.
I’m tweaking a great recipe to share and will hopefully have it posted here soon to help you make 2023 trim, healthy and simple.
Speaking of love, my “Life With Smuffy” and my “Laugh” pages are all about people I love and sharing those with someone will fill their lives with joy and laughter.
We’ve just said farewell to January, which is usually a welcome thing in this part of the country. While we’re waving, say “hello” to the winner of that month’s Freebie.
Let’s meet –
Liz from Boonville, Missouri.
Congratulations, Liz! These Boonville people are super consistent about entering to win and it certainly pays off. Liz is not a first-time winner and she assures me she has just the place in her office for the metal “family and friends” sign.
Liz commented as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month. 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 hereon my Freebies! page.
You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer 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. What can be better in today’s economy?
Coming up on February 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, February 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.
May your 2023 be healthy and happy and may you prosper in it. May your blessings be many and your troubles few. May it start off with a fabulous First Friday Freebie!
For most of us, this is the month when we evaluate the old year, giving thanks for the blessings that were too numerous to count, and make plans for the year to come that hopefully don’t involve any resolutions that are unrealistic and end up stealing our peace of mind. If we focus on treasuring and nurturing home, family and friends, we can’t go wrong. This month’s First Friday Freebie is a reminder to do just that.
This metal sign measures 11 ¾” wide and 5 ¾” high and reminds us exactly where love and joy are found. Its white background and gray leafy vine at the edges keep it simple so it will go with any décor or season. Its twine rope makes it easy to hang just about anywhere. I hope you enjoy this great Hobby Lobby find.
To enter to win the “family & friends” sign, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m blessed with family and friends!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, January 6th, 2022.
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.
No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and 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, January 6th, by leaving a comment which says, “I’m blessed with family and friends!”
For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.
Don’t overload yourself this new year. Perhaps broad resolutions are better than specific ones. One of my family members tells that last year, she had resolved to get better sleep. At the end of the year she felt like she had made strides in that direction. That’s great! One of my favorite things to remind myself and others is, “Baby steps count!” Moving forward in the right direction is sometimes all that matters.
I’m resolving to get more stories, recipes and other fun and inspiring things coming your way in 2023. While you wait, “Life With Smuffy” and my “Laugh” pages and start your year off with joy and laughter.
