Product recommendation - Xylitol

SWEETENER : Xylitol

Perfect for baking, no weird aftertaste, grind it and incorporate in your baking! I don't get the cramps or side effects I get with other sugar alcohols ... It is totally worth it! and THM approved for Sugar free baked goods. Made from real birch and not corn. You will love it.

© Paloma K.

Disclaimer: This product is recommended by my own personal experience, is the one I use and I highly recommend it... This post contains affiliate links.

When going to a restaurant...

We can still make healthy choices when going to a restaurant... can't we? We just need to find them and try to not look too much at the rest of the Menu! LOL!

We had company over from Wisconsin, Auntie Sally and Uncle John stopped by our house and stayed for a couple of nights and one we spent one whole day together! I baked desserts but they took us out for dinner... I was a little worried and excited at the same time... would I be able to make a good choice? Thankfully yes!

Now... I am excited to start this week... hopefully it will be a great one!

Here's me at the Restaurant (we ate seafood overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.. it was neat!)

And here's my choice:

Char-grilled salmon on a bed of white rice and garnished with steamed vegetables

Not a bad weekend at all! How are you doing with your Year's Resolutions? My weight loss is not a "New Year's Resolution" but it's a resolution after all... Resolution implies being RESOLVED to do something... and I am totally committed to a healthy lifestyle! What are your goals? Don't let any bumps on the road stop you from doing what you have to do to reach your goals! :) You can do it!

Happy week everyone!


© Paloma K.

My weight battle and a Healthy recipe

Hello everybody! This year is just being hard to get the groove of things, I had a respiratory flu last week, that wasn't a good way to start the year... Thankfully I am much better but still fighting the residues of the congestion and my ears, well... those hurt a lot!

On the bright side I am doing much better with my eating/exercising... Most of you don't know that I am in a weight-loss journey and I've been at it since January last year... Today is actually my "anniversary"! Happy Anniversary to me! This never started as a "New Year Resolution" ... I just got tired of my extra weight, which has always been a struggle for me... Particularly being a foodie and food blogger! Come on! How can one keep the waist line in check with such passion for food/cooking/baking!!! But it IS possible and I am doing it! So far I've lost over 40 pounds and I am going for more! This will be MY year!

Even when in the past I've lost/gained again/lost again and so on ... all the extra weight... I had never actually done it for the right reasons and in the right way! I had always lost my weight just "to look good" which isn't bad in itself... but it can't be "the only reason" why one loses the weight... Because if "appearance and my image" is the only motivation ... then it's easy to resort to "shortcuts" and "easy/fast" ways to get rid of the pounds that "look so bad" ... This time I am doing it because I want to be healthy, I married the most wonderful man on the face of the earth and he's never actually "met ME" IYKWIM ... he's never really seen the "real me" that's been hiding inside all these extra pounds! and I am doing this to enjoy my life (which I already do) but to enjoy it more with him and my girls for longer! To avoid illnesses and just the "exhaustion" that comes from being overweight! And I am doing it "the right way too" just eating healthy and exercising A LOT! who knew! that actually works! LOL! And it's not a "quick or temporary fix" it's "the real deal"

So... today ... I am going to share with you a very healthy recipe, it's not only healthy but also very satisfying! I actually found the original at Allrecipes.com but this is my version... so... I hope you enjoy it! Don't worry... I'll continue to blog about luscious desserts and comfort food (LOL!) ... I've learned to resist the temptation of eating them... I can now cook them and just indulge moderately on special occasions... But I'll also try to share with you more and more healthy recipes like this:

Kale and Potato Soup with Cannellini Beans
Yield: 8 servings
Calories per serving: about 270

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium white onion, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped 8 cups water 6 cubes chicken bouillon (I use Knorr)

1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes 8 red potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired) 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 2 tablespoons dried parsley salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.

Heat the olive oil (at medium-low heat) in a large pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat to med-low and simmer soup for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

© Paloma K.

Allergy Friendly and All Natural Coffee Friday!

Hello friends! I hope you are ready for our FIRST Coffee Friday Party of the year! May this year be filled with blessings and with lots of coffee (tea or hot chocolate) for all of you! I hope you've remembered to mention the word "coffee" somehow in any of your posts of the week, remember, the "word" can be in any of its forms, you can randomly mention your "coffee table" or even the name of your favorite Coffee Shop, it doesn't even have to be "the main subject" in your post. Then, just make sure you link back to us... You can use our "Coffee Party" button (find it on my right sidebar) and voila! We're good to go!

Today I have a very special guest, Julie, she is very enthusiastic and just a pleasure to work with! If you say hi to her she'll always say "hi back" so make sure you read what she has to say (below) so you can get to know her better... she's also sharing a delicious coffee-themed recipe with all of us! I would add a lot more about her but I think she's got it all covered... here she is:

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About Me:

 Hello! My name is Julie, and I am SO excited to be here on The Coffee Shop to share a little bit about myself, my blogs and a recipe with you! Thank you, Paloma, for the opportunity! :) Let's see...A little about me. Well, I'm a housewife with Fibromyalgia (and I refuse to let it define me), Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and a heart arrhythmia; I have a passion for helping those with food allergies/sensitivities find the resources they need to enjoy life; I have a love for my family, my God and my country that just won't quit; and I love to blog. I've been married for 12 and a half years to my college sweetheart. I am also the mother of 3. My first born is a very intellectual, reading and writing-crazed, just-turned-10-year-old boy who has Hashimoto's Thyroiditis just like his momma and an excessive swelling issue with bug bites. My middle child is a zany, fun-loving 8-and-a-half-year-old boy who has Functional Hypoglycemia and trouble with reading and writing, but does the best he can always. My youngest is a darling little nearly-2-and-a-half-year-old daughter with just a hint of drama who loves to laugh and smile. Life is full with potty training, housework, games, church, school and trying to eat right and get just enough exercise for all of us...And finding time to blog about it all! :)

Oh, yes, and we have a cat, too. Her name is Crush (named after the turtle from Finding Nemo because she's tortoise colored and my hubby thinks he's funny :) ), and she thinks we're her kittens...We don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. :)

About My Blog:

I actually have 2 blogs.

1. Natural and Free : This is my recipe/information blog for those who have or take care of those who have one to all of the top 8 allergens (soy, wheat, fish, seafood/shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and milk). This blog actually started years ago (2006) as just a web page I designed called Soy Allergy off a site my husband and I have called BibleClue.com when I was struggling to find information on soy after I was "diagnosed" with allergies to soy, fish and nuts and was to avoid all forms of soy, fish, seafood/shellfish, tree nuts and peanuts (I no longer have these allergies, if I ever had them to begin with.). It's since morphed into Natural and Free, going through several stages in between. (You can read more about this on my Facebook page and under my "Why I Started This Blog" page on my blog, if you like.) 
2. Fibro, Fit and Fab!: I started this blog to share my personal journey about becoming fit and fabulous despite having Fibromyalgia after I was diagnosed with that chronic condition on August 8th of this year. Where Natural and Free is more recipes and information, Fibro, Fit and Fab! is more about my daily life. 

I have: 
• Facebook: /NaturalAndFreeBlog 
 • Twitter @NaturalFreeBlog 
 • Pinterest /naturalandfree 
 • Google+ 

Feel free to add me at any or all of these locations if you wish (I update about both blogs at all these locations whenever I post), and let me know so that I can keep in touch. You can also email me, and I'll get back with you ASAP. :) I look forward to connecting with you! 

And now...  A Coffee-themed Recipe Just For You!

Seeing as it's January, cold and snowy (at least in the Northern part of the Michigan where I'm from) and I am visiting here at The Coffee Shop, I thought I would offer you my allergy-friendly, cost-effective, natural food alternative to a Caramel Mocha. My version (an adaptation from one I found here: Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha) is soy, egg, wheat, nut and fish-free, and it can even be milk-free and sugar-free (see variations)! How awesome is that? Allergy-friendly never tasted so good! :)

Caramel Mocha 

3/4 Cup white sugar, divided
3 Tablespoons salted, full-fat butter
 4 1/2 Cup milk, divided
1/2 Cup cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a medium saucepan, cook 1/2 Cup of the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula (if it becomes lumpy, reduce heat and refrain from stirring), until it turns a deep amber color; add the butter and stir until it is melted. 
2. Add 1/2 Cup milk, coffee, cocoa, salt (if using) and remaining 1/4 Cup sugar and mix until well blended. (Note: Be careful! The hot sugar will bubble up when you add the milk.) 
3. Add the remaining 4 Cups of milk and stir until everything is heated thoroughly. 
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla before enjoying. 

Yield: Makes about 5 one Cup servings.

Variations:

•  Milk-free: Use a dairy-free milk for the milk and a dairy-free butter for the butter. Just keep in mind your allergen needs when picking a substitute. 
• Sugar-Free: Use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar.
• Frothy Top: Place a 1 Cup portion in the blender and blend for a few seconds before pouring into a mug for a nice frothy top.
• Coffeehouse Style: Top with whipped cream, caramel sauce, cinnamon or any combination that you like to make a more "coffeehouse" style drink. 
• Iced Caramel Mocha: Let the mocha cool and then serve over ice.
• Caramel Mocha Frappe: Let the mocha cool and add a 1 Cup portion to a blender along with 1/2 to 1 Cup (amount based on preference) of ice and blend until desired consistency. I would start with the 1/2 Cup of ice and add more if you want it thicker. 

I hope you all enjoy the recipe! Thanks again to Paloma for having me! I enjoyed my visit tremendously! :) I hope you all have an amazing 2013 and stop by to visit me at my blog(s) soon! –Julie 

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Don't wait any longer! And stop by Julie to say hi, thank her for sharing some coffee with all of us (good stuff!) and start following her... Thank you again Julie for being part of "The Coffee Shop".

Thursday! Sweet Thursday!

Hello everybody! Sorry I didn't post yesterday! It was such a crazy busy day! I had all the good intentions to post, reply, comment and I barely even touched the computer! I had grocery shopping to do, stopped by a friend's house and then I was even running a little late for choir rehearsal but I made it there even a little early! YAY for that! Then I got a very bad headache and came home but couldn't even think of anything to write or even sitting in front of the computer, took two ibuprofen and went to sleep -sigh- ... My head? Much better now, thanks for asking! :)

Today... is a new day and I am sure it will be great! :) It's 6:14 as I type and everyone's sleeping... it's almost time to wake hubby up so he can start his day and let his little light shine out there! .

Remember tomorrow is Coffee Friday! For those who have been wondering about it... well...click here for more info (especially if you'd like to be featured! That would be awesome!) but it's quite simple to just link up! If you mention the word coffee on ANY of your posts of the WEEK (when I say "mention coffee" I literally mean that... if you said something like "I haven't had my coffee yet" or "I need another cup of coffee" or "I went to a coffee shop with friends" or "my toddler just spilled the coffee" in your post ... then... it definitely meets the "coffee requirement" you don't need to think too much about it or write a whole post about coffee (that's fun and fine too but I am just saying that's not required)... so if you randomly mentioned coffee you can join our coffee party... There is a linky tool (by inlinkz) that I use on my Friday posts and you just need to click on that button and fill the blanks with the information of the post you'd like to link (they'll tell you what each blank space is for) so it's quite simple! You don't need to be much of an expert ;) ... Just please remember to add a link back to us within such post! That way more people will know about our party! And a party... to be a good one... needs PEOPLE! :)

You can use this button (within your post) to link back! :)

<center> <a href="http://www.love4coffee.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Coffee Shop" src="http://goo.gl/XfoA6"></a></center>

I just made that button... so it's now 7:27! LOL! It's the longest it's taken me to write a post! And I am not even saying what I meant to say originally... I guess I was going to post some kind of dessert... oh yes... I remember... A muffin recipe!

"Everything" Breakfast Muffins

Original recipe"Morning Glory Muffins" from Allrecipes.com 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, shredded
• 3/4 pound carrots, shredded
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (safflower is best)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 large muffin cups.
2. Mix brown sugar, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cranberries, coconut, flax seed, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Add grated apple and carrots; stir to combine. Add pineapple, vegetable oil, applesauce, walnuts, eggs, and vanilla extract; stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 35 minutes. 

 Linking up to: Serenity Now Weekly Bloggy Reading

Paloma K. 

I'll oversing your praises! - and will eat some chicken!

 Last night I went to choir rehearsal @ church, at some point the worship leader started talking about how we can sing a song basically with more "umph", everybody gave suggestions like "thinking about what you are singing and believing it, etc" well... I guess I got stuck on that... and thinking about the song I got so excited I got goosebumps... So, after discussing all the great tips and ideas to sing with more passion and better transmit the feeling of the song to the congregation we got up and started to sing... at some point, the emotion flooded me and just like I do when I talk and get excited I started yelling (LOL!) that's always been an issue for me when singing... too much emotion! when practicing way back when I learned to better control all that but it's been so long since I last sang in front of others or in a choir that I've lost practice of technique and stuff like that... so here we reached a part in the song that says:

"I am hope, I am peace, I am joy, I am rest, 

 I am your comfort and relief from your stress,

 I am strength, I am faith, I am love, I am power

 I am your freedom this very hour"

I got sooo into the song and not so into the singing that I was yelling! until I heard the leader say "wow! Don't oversing it" LOL! I was a little embarrassed because I had actually forgotten everyone was there....

But then ... by the time everything was done and when I left church look what I saw:

His creation was over-singing with colors just like I was with my voice ... :) I know I have to control my voice if I want to sing in a choir but I am happy I can over-sing for Him any time of the day!

And now... a recipe that's so good and easy it will make you sing:

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa (Perfect S for THM)
Original from Martha Stewart's Recipes

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks (to choose the perfect avocado click here )

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

© Paloma K.