Beef Burgundy in the Crock Pot

I love the depth of flavor in this simple, homey dish, so good on a cold rainy day like today, or those blustery winter days.

I planted basil a couple weeks ago so I would have it through the winter months; cold drippy weather came earlier than expected.

The same weather makes it perfect for a hot, hearty stew!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup all purpose flour OR 1 teaspoon glucomannon for THM or gluten free
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
8 - 12 oz. sliced mushrooms
4 small onions, cut in large chunks or 10 oz package pearl onions
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup burgundy

In a 4 qt (or larger, if that's what you have) slow cooker, combine the beef, flour or glucomannon, salt and pepper, mixing well to coat the meat.

 Add all the other ingredients.

Cook on high for 8 hours or low for 12 hours.

Serve over Dreamfield's pasta for THM, rice pasta or rice for gluten free, or egg noodles if it doesn't matter; my guys prefer the egg noodles, I usually eat it over Dreamfield's rotini.

 Enjoy!

Easy Chipotle Chicken Fold Overs -Super Fast Dinner!

I really enjoy easy, healthy food; especially when it fits my Trim Healthy Mama plan and the whole family likes it. This quick, chicken dish was mildly spicy, just add more chipotle peppers to boost the heat if you like. Mix it up, pop it under the broiler to melt the cheese and away we go!

Ingredients:
Flour tortillas or Joseph's Pitas (for THM) or a nice bed of lettuce
1/2 cup diced onions
2-4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons butter
2-5 tablespoons minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 chopped bell pepper, red, yellow, or red
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
Toppings:
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Fresh onions
Diced avocado or guacamole
Olives
Sour cream
Saute the onions in the butter.

Add the garlic after the onion is cooked; garlic scorches easily.

Then the chipotle pepper

and bell pepper.

After all the veggies are cooked through, then add the chicken.

Mix and continue to cook until all is hot throughout.

Chop the toppings while cooking and set aside.

Top the chicken with cheese and put under the broiler for 5 minutes or so. Keep checking so the cheese doesn't get too crisp.

Fill your tortilla, pita, or pile it on the lettuce.

Open wide! Enjoy.

My Favorite Muffin in a Mug So Far! Samoa! Gluten-free, Trim Healthy Mama (S), Sugar-free

A couple weeks ago, Gwen's Nest, posted a Samoa milkshake. If you like Samoas but have not tried it, go, now, make it, it is that good! However, I live on the edge of the snow belt, it is cold here, and currently we are under several inches of the white fluffy stuff. I didn't want a milkshake today, I wanted a warm, flavorful muffin. *Just poked the last bite into my mouth, yummm, happy.* 

I wish I could share a bite but the best I can do is share a picture, and recipe; you have to make your own. 

There is the picture, and here is the recipe. 

Samoa Muffin in a Mug 
1 tablespoon coconut oil, butter, or MCT oil
2 tablespoons flax meal
3 tablespoons almond meal
1 tablespoon erythritol
dash stevia
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
1 square chopped 90% chocolate, I used Lindt
2 tablespoons shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon caramel flavor
1/2 teaspoon butter flavor
Mix all in lightly oiled mug, I used a small pyrex glass container. 
Bake 350F. for 20 minutes or 1 minute in microwave.
Here is the usual stream of photos.

I love Muffins, they are a great grab-n-go snack, or breakfast on the run. Sometimes I will line up the glass containers and make a string of muffins, varying the flavors in each, this way I can just put 1/2 or whole muffin in ziploc baggies to drop in my purse as I run out the door for appointments or errands. 
Enjoy!

Tuesday Link-up at Gwen's Nest
Trim Healthy Mama

Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecake- THM (S), Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Low Carb, and Packed with Rich Flavor!

Today's recipe is a twofer. Does this assault your vocabulary? I "Googled" it, according to Google, twofer is a word; two for the price of one. Since this is free then is there a word for this? Gratis. Same root as gratitude. I, for one, am so grateful for cheesecake, among other things; for example, sharing it with my family. Moving right along.

This is/was the last bite of a luscious, oh, so creamy, chocolate chip cheesecake. So good, so sad that it is gone.

Now this is what I did with some extra batter.

 Yes, folks, this is an espresso "MIM" (muffin in mug) , minus the chocolate chips because there were plenty in the cheesecake batter and I wanted to keep this low carb and THM. This is what happens when you play in the kitchen , sometimes the experiment does not fit the pan you intend to use. So while I was looking at about 1/3 cup batter which would not fit in the tiny spring form pan this muffin popped into my mind, little wonder, it was good all by itself, adding cheesecake would skyrocket it to another incredible level!

First the cheesecake, I made a large regular cheesecake for my family, then made a tiny low carb one just for me using a  4" mini spring form pan.

Crust:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons erythritol
dash salt
dash stevia if you like things really sweet
Mix all in a small bowl,

 then press into the bottom of a baking dish. I lined this one with parchment paper so I wouldn't miss even one crumb of the crust.

Batter:
8 oz. cream cheese, regular or 1/3 fat, room temperature
2 tablespoons erythritol
dash stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-2 squares 90% chocolate bar, chopped (I used Lindt)
Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy.

Add the erythritol, stevia, egg, and vanilla, beat until fluffy again.

Stir in the chocolate.

Spoon onto crust.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until it doesn't jiggle, some movement is good but you don't want a loose, wet jiggle. Got it? :)

You should have, if you used the same size pan, about 1/3 cup extra batter, give or take. Mix up your favorite MIM, and bake half way.

Now spoon the cheesecake batter on top.

Continue baking, 350F for another 15 minutes.

How could you call this diet food?!

If you don't want to make both, then use a larger pan for the cheesecake and you won't have any batter left, maybe a 5 or 6" oven proof bowl. As for me, extra cheesecake batter just makes my creative juices run wild!

You can also see this and other yummy low-carb or THM recipes on Gwen's Nest .
Special thank you to Pearl and Serene the authors of Trim Healthy Mama.

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