turkish delight slushie - a recipe

This drink seriously tastes like turkish delight confectionery.  All you Trim Healthy Mamas out there know that traditional turkish delight is way off-plan, being made from sugar, sugar and sugar!!  But this delicious, frosty drink is bang on-plan.  Fuel Pull if restraint is used when adding the strawberries or E if you find your handful to be on the generous side.

Rosewater can be found in most supermarkets and is the base for the fragrant, rosy drink.  Lemon essence or oil provides the sour contrast to a balance the sweetness.  You could also get away without adding the gluc, it would just be more icy.  Or try using xanthan gum.  No health benefits like gluc but it is more accessible and will produce a comparable result.

This image may be copied onto your mobile device so you can access the recipe where-ever you are.

Enjoy!!

What are your favorite THM drinks?

apple pie sip - a recipe

Another in the series of all day sips, drinks you can feel good sipping on all day, by the authors of Trim Healthy Mama.  These girls know how to make drinks packed with flavour and health benefits.

As with my other THM recipe images, the instructions for this drink can be found on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook page.  Save this image on you mobile device and you will have access to the ingredients where ever you are.

What other THM recipe images would you find useful?

lemon ginger ggms - a recipe

Lemon Ginger Good Girl Moonshine is my take on the basic GGMS recipe devised by Pearl and Serene, the authors of Trim Healthy Mama.  It is a refreshing drink that can be sipped on all day.  And it's good for you too!

I have never before been able to stomach the taste of ACV (it always reminded me of being sick as a kid), but this recipe adds flavour over the top which makes it perfectly palatable.  The other trick I've found, is to make it sweeeeet.  Then the ACV is not so overpowering.  Also, if you really can't do the 1Tb ACV then just put in 1tsp and add more after your taste buds adjust.  But whatever you do, do not leave the ACV out.  You loose a really beneficial ingredient and the drink has no real flavour without it.

I make this by the litre jar for me and by the jug for my kids.  It's our bottled fizzy drink replacement

There are all sorts of variations on the Ginger GGMS.  Keep a look out for my pink berry variation!!  Search Pinterest for others too.

The directions, along with the original ingredients list can be found on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook page.  Be sure to join the page as I don't think the link will work without joining.

If you save the image to your mobile device, you will have easy access to the recipe where ever you are.  Be sure to create a THM folder in your Gallery to keep them all together.



Do you have any THM recipe images to share?  Leave us a link in the comments.

singing canary - a recipe

The Singing Canary is one of the wonderful drinks developed by the authors of Trim Healthy Mama.  You will find the detailed instructions and health benefits of the drink on the Trim Healthy Mama Facebook page.  This image was designed to be a quick reminder of the ingredients, for those who have used the full instructions before.
Do make it if you have not already.  It is surprisingly delicious!!  I'm a little addicted!


Do you have any THM basic recipe images that you could share?

lemon sorbet slushie - a recipe

Just the most perfectly refreshing summer drink.

Lemon Sorbet Slushie - FP
ice to the 2cup line in the blender
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4c unsweetened almond milk
3 strips lemon rind
splash of lemon essence/oil
stevia to taste
water to cover ice
1/2tsp glucomannan

Blend, blend, blend!
Pour and enjoy.
Makes a generous 500mls.

Notes::
Heaps of sweetener is needed to balance the sour lemon.
Don't miss the lemon peel, it adds a lovely depth of flavour to the drink.
I use my home grown Myer lemons.  Peel the rind and keep it in the freezer.
The lemon essence/oil is optional but it does ramp up the lemonyness.
This is a FP Trim Healthy Mama compatible drink.

Enjoy!

What's your favourite THM drink?

Edit to add recipe image for my THM FB friends.
Save image to your mobile device and you will have the recipe where ever you are!!

super food green smoothie - a recipe

Super Food Green Smoothie (FP)

150g spinach leaves
150g mixed lettuce leaves
2 sticks celery
1 bunch mint leaves
2 cups water

Blend together until very smooth.
Pour this into 6 large silicone muffin holes and freeze overnight.
To make up one serve, blend together

1 frozen green block
1 cup water
1 tsp glucomannan
stevia drops to taste
1 tsp spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass powder mix

Drink immediately with a straw.
I don't know what it is, but drinking this with a straw makes it taste so different, to me anyway!!?

This is a variation on the THM Earth Milk.  I love Earth Milk but sometimes I don't feel like anything creamy.

Let me know what you think.

chai shrinker - a recipe

This is my tweek on the Trim Healthy Mama 'Shrinker' drink.

Chai Shrinker (FP)

1 Tb chai spice mix

1 oolong tea bag

pinch sea salt

pinch cayenne pepper

stevia to taste

Brew chai spice mix and tea bag in recently boiled water.

Strain into mugs and add the remaining ingredients.

Serve hot or chilled.


Sharing at Trim Healthy Tuesday

chai spice mix - a recipe

This spice mix is the one I made up for my Chai Masala Tea.

Ingredients
20g cardamom pods
15g whole cloves
12g whole star anise
15g cinnamon quils
2tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp whole black pepper

Combine all spices and crush roughly with a mortar and pestle.
Store in an air tight jar.

Chai Masala (FP)
In a teapot add your teabag of choice, I like Orange Peeko or even regular tea.
Add 1 Tb spice mix.
Cover with freshly boiled water and steep for 10min.
Pour through a tea strainer.
Serve hot with (almond) milk and (stevia) sweetener to taste.

It is also a great spice mix to use in my version of the Trim Healthy Mama drink, the Shrinker.  The Shrinker is a weight-loss promoting spiced drink that is great to drink hot or chilled throughout the day.
Check out my Chai Shrinker (FP) recipe too.

ginger beer - a recipe

I honestly don't know why I bought ginger beer all these years.  After making the super quick ginger syrup, I was on a roll and had to make real ginger beer.  This is so good, tastes like the real thing and has nothing nasty added!!



Here is a really quick and easy how-to.  You will need 1 knob of fresh ginger, about 4 soft drink bottles with lids, 5c white sugar and some lemon juice.

Cut up a knob of unpeeled ginger and put it in a saucepan and cover with water.

Simmer for 15min.  Cool.

Fill your large glass jar with 4.5lt of warm water and 5 cups sugar.

Stir to disolve.

Add in the ginger and stewing water. 

Making sure the water temperature is about 38degC (body temp), add 1/4 tsp bakers yeast.

Cover and set aside for a few hours.

Pour into cleaned soft drink bottles, pop in a sultana or two and squeeze in some lemon juice.  Seal and set aside overnight some place cool.
Bottles should now be ready to drink.

Serve over ice!  Enjoy.

Have you made brewed ginger beer?  How do you do it?

Linking to Friday Food Flicks, Thirty Handmade Days, Make, Grow, Thrift

ginger syrup - a recipe

I was flicking around online today and came across several recipes for ginger drinks. 

I put two types of drink together today; a ginger syrup and a quick brewed ginger beer.  I would have started the fermented ginger beer but it takes about two weeks to get going and I wanted to finish something now!! 

The huge glass jar of ginger beer is sitting on the counter smelling lovely, waiting until tomorrow when I strain and bottle it.  I have just finished bottling the ginger syrup and it only took about 40min all up.  So easy.

I only have a pic of the final product but the method is really simple.

Ginger Syrup
1 knob of ginger (just what you see in the pic above)
800ml water
4c sugar
1c lime juice
Finely grate of chop ginger into saucepan. 
Add water and sugar. 
Bring to boil and simmer for about 20min. 
You could turn off the heat, close the lid and leave to sit overnight to really extract the flavour from the ginger.
But I strained the syrup through a cloth lined strainer into a jug.
Add the lime juice to taste.
Use a funnel to pour syrup into glass bottles.
Label and store in fridge for several weeks.

This syrup is great served with ice water like a cordial and I hear it is also good as a cocktail mixer, but I have yet to try a 'Dark and Stormy' with it.

This was so quick and easy to make, I don't know why I ever thought I needed to buy cordials in the past.  No artificial anythings in this and the sugar is not so bad when served to the kids as a treat.  And the ginger is so good for you.  How can you not make some??!!


How do you use ginger??

Linking to Your Green Resource Wk 24, Friday Food Flicks,

apple cordial - a recipe

As regular readers will know, I made apple butter recently.  Apple butter is good but wasting the huge quantity of off cuts is not, so what to do???  Make cordial or syrup is what.  I feel good not throwing away good food and we get a refreshing, flavoursome cordial, with nothing artificial added.  Everyone wins!!

Here's how I did it.

Put apple peels and cores into a big saucepan.  Cover with water and bring to boil.  I added whole (native Tasmanian) pepperberries and whole cloves.  Simmer until apples have pulped.  You may need to add more water.

Strain through muslin cloth into a large bowl.

Do not squeeze the cloth to get the liquid out.  The liquid will be very cloudy if you do.  Just be patient and let it drip on it's own!!

Prepare your bottles or jars.  Wash and heat.

Return strained liquid to the clean saucepan and simmer with enough sugar to sweeten and the juice of a few lemons.  I think it needs the balance of sour lemon to give the sweet apple flavour depth.  Simmer until syrupy.  Pour into bottles, leave to cool at room temp and then store in fridge. 




This recipe has no long term keeping qualities, so will need to be stored in the fridge and consumed within a couple of weeks.

My kids like the cordial served with sparkling water.  I love it as a mixer with gin!!  Everyone is happy!! *wink*


Have you made fruit cordials?  How do you do it?

Linking to Fat Tuesday

latte frappe - a recipe

Hello, I'm Nona and I'm addicted to latte frappe.  Well I have been, ever since I figured out just how easy they are to make at home. 
(I was buying them from Maccas before this.  I know, shame, shame!!)

So this is it, my super easy latte frappe (fancy name for an iced coffee).

Into your blender jug, throw two big handfuls of ice, about 1cup full cream milk, a double shot espresso coffee and sugar to taste. 

Blend away until you have a frothy, creamy, icy mix.
Pour into a large glass. 

Best enjoy while sitting in a hammock, under the shade of a leafy tree while the kids are playing together quietly. 
Optional, but it does improve the taste!!

What is your favorite icy drink?  Share your recipe.  I love to try new things.

I've linked up to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.  Check out the other great ideas there.

tumeric chai spice tea mix

Just  tonight tried the Tumeric Mix Chai Spice from Andrea @ Frugally Sustainable.
I made some changes to her recipe.  This is what I did.

Turmeric Chai Spice Mix 
(12 servings)
-9 Tb ground turmeric
-12 tsp ground cinnamon
-2 tsp ground clove
-3 tsp ground cardamon
-6 tsp ground ginger
-2 tsp dried chilli pepper

Mix all together in glass jar.  Store in cool dark place.

To make one serve - Steep 2 tsp Chai in 2 cups boiling water for 10 min in jug. Stir once during this time.  Pour carefully into mug, leaving sediment in bottom of jug.  Mix in sweetener to taste.  Add from splash to 1/2 cup of milk, according to taste.  I like just a splash of milk with 1 tsp sugar.  Enjoy!!

Was a little unsure at the beginning of the brewing, but was pleasantly surprised in the end.  A lovely drink that is good for me!!  Next time I might cut the chilli down to 1tsp for the batch, may be a little on the spicy side as is!!

Go on.  Give it a go!

What is holding you back from trying a new drink?

Linking to Fat Tuesday