Gluten Free Banana Coconut Flour Bread and Soup Sabotage!

A low-carb diet is the only way of eating that ever helped me lose weight as a mom. I have lost 25 lbs twice in my 30s doing this type of diet which is why I know it works. It may seem ironic or counter-productive but whenever I decide to switch back to a low-carb diet, the first thing I do I make some low-carb baked goods. You see, carbs are my weakness- bread, cookies, pasta, bread, caramel, potato chips, bread. So, I guess my baking initiative is a pre-emptive strike against my natural cravings. Usually, I'll bake some almond flour cookies or a loaf of coconut flour bread. Bread won this time. I found this recipe online here. If you're not used to baking with non-wheat flour, this may taste strange or have an off texture to you but I think that it's an acquired taste that you will be happy to get used to or even enjoy if it's the only way to reach your healthy, happy weight. Plus, I think it's worth it for the health benefits from the bananas, cinnamon and coconut oil, which happens to be a weight-loss wonder fat. Here's the recipe for your convenience:

Coconut Banana Bread

4 eggs
2 bananas (mashed)
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 TBS honey, or a pinch of stevia--optional(I used a squeeze of honey, I'm guessing 1 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup coconut flour
cinnamon (used one teaspoon)
chopped walnuts (optional--but bet this would be yummy)

Blend eggs, bananas, and coconut oil (make sure coconut oil is not too hot or so it won't cook the eggs). Mix the dry ingredients, then blend w/ the wet.

 Put into a greased bread pan, and bake on 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Lately for breakfast I just have a slice of this with some French-pressed coffee indulged with some heavy whipping cream because, oh yeah, you can live it up with the heavy cream on a low-carb diet! In other low-carb news, I almost got sabotaged by some "healthy soup." I was so excited to try my Campbell's Gourmet Bisques in "tomato roasted garlic bacon" So I heated up a bowlful and prepared to be impressed. As I ate it, it seemed kind of on the sweet side. I tried some more thinking that was just an initial reaction, but no- I felt like I was eating sugar soup. Imagine my dismay when, after finishing the entire serving, I finally read the label  (which I usually ALWAYS do at the store) and see that 1 cup has 33 carbs and, gulp, 25 grams of sugar. I don't know if you know this but that is A LOT, like a can of sugary soda a lot. I will not be buying this again since I like to keep my daily intake of carbs at least under 100 grams a day for weight loss.

There's the soup culprit in the background looking all sophisticated yet innocent but it is not...
 

A Quick Prayer To Give You Strength

I was recently reading a copy of for women First magazine, and I read this lovely little prayer that Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts (cancer survivor) says every morning. I think this would be an excellent start to any day-

The Light of God surrounds me.
The Love of God enfolds me.
The Power of God protects me.
The Presence of God watches over me.
Wherever I am, God is.

I know I took strength from these words when I read them. Hope you have a beautiful day, people. Sorry for the short post but stay tuned for tomorrow's post where I'll be sharing a low-carb, gluten free coconut banana bread recipe!

Weekly Finds- Week of March 4, 2013

Good morning! Here's a list of some of my favorite websites/ideas/products that I'd like to share this week:

1. A fabulous (and fabulously easy to make)  D.I.Y. Reusable Sticky Note To-Do List from one of my favorite mommy sites, Modern Parents Messy Kids!
2. Stylish and classic, fun and functional fashion advice and inspiration from Putt ing Me Together (her outfits are perfect for my lifestyle) BTW You can see more of my Style icons on my sidebar.
3. You know that girl with the romantic husband who's always doing thoughtful things for her and the perfect wardrobe that looks like she walked out of an Anthropologie catalog; who's always eating at trendy eateries and reviewing exotic, indulgent gourmet treats; does fitness routines made for bad-asses (and even shares some of her own workouts) all while working on curing terminal diseases and singing her own self-composed music? Yeah, I don't know her either but I always read her blog.
4. I recently bought this mint green House of Harlow 1960 necklace . I probably paid way too much for costume jewelry, but I do love Nicole Richie's style, and I think it's the perfect bright accent piece for spring.
5. My little sister bought me the cutest little blusher for my birthday. It is seriously sweet- glowy peach and pink color, smells faintly of vanilla sugar and has sexy-ness boosting promises (we'll see about that). You can click on the pic for more info.

I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bonsai Tree, and Surprise Flowers From My Hub

Ok, actually I already brought it home a few days ago. I'm kind of nervous about it because I used to have whatever is the opposite of a green thumb. I seemed to have a magic gift for making those tiny white bugs that look like dust appear and surreptitiously devour all my houseplants. I know, gross. But in the past couple years I decided to just take the plunge and buy more plants anyway because I just love the way they brighten up my house. My most recent acquisition may be the most ambitious of all- I bought a Bonsai! Does this word conjure up images of The Karate Kid for anyone else? Anyway, I've heard that these adorable miniature trees are quite hard to care for- needing just the right amount of water, sunlight and pruning to grow and thrive. I'm quite intimidated about it, considering my special, plant-killing gift. I hope I can make this thing live. I've already Googled the heck out of the subject, and I'm still not sure what to do, but here she is:

Isn't she cute? Keep your fingers crossed for her, I'm not sure how long I can make her last...

On a more positive note, my husband brought me some just-because-I-love-you flowers from the grocery store the other day when he was picking up some bread. I was very touched. Remember, little gestures like this give big love

No-Pressure Journaling- One Line A Day, or More!

I remember the first diary I regularly wrote in. It was a pink, paperback teddy-bear embellished affair that I had started using in fourth grade, and I quickly filled it with all my juvenile hopes and dreams (many of them involving a certain undeserving boy). I also remember being devastated when I lost it at school in fifth grade, and later found it in pieces all along the hallway...Oh, the cruelty of youth. But back to the subject at hand...

One of my resolutions for 2013 was to start journaling again, and I had found the perfect plan for me- the "line-a-day" journal! Imagine one diary that would cover five years, by dating each page with the month and day, and then allotting just a few lines for each year. So at the end of five years, you have a brief history of the time period with only the most noteworthy (pun intended) moments recorded in one consolidated book. There was one you could buy that was already dated just for this purpose like this one, which you can click if you want to check it out:



but I wanted something more unique, and, yes, cheaper! So I found a lovely red, hardcover journal with cream colored, lined pages, on SALE! I have been methodically dating each page as I go. I loyally wrote an entry a day for the first 15 days of January, but since then I have been rather sporadic. I am happy to report that I have still recorded most days, and that mostly I have recorded what I made for dinner! I love this idea which I borrowed from Jenny Rosenstrach, the author of Dinner: A Love Story: It all begins at the family table. It allows me to look back at which meals and treats were our favorites and those which need to be tossed out of my repertoire. I've also recorded special dates with my husband, fun things that we've done as a family, and milestones and funny sayings of my kids. If you've been thinking of journaling as a way to document the special memories or meals of your life, but you don't have the time or desire to put too much effort into it, the line-a-day, or, in my case, paragraph-a-day, method is probably perfect for you.