Mexican Quinoa THM E Meal

Today for lunch I made one of my favorite THM E Meals

(a meal higher in carbs and lower in fat)

I used this recipe I found here 

and tweaked it so it doesn't have as much fat in it. 

According to Myfitnesspal the carb count is 46 so it 

does go over THM E carbs by 1. 

If you want to cut down the carbs cut back on the corn

and that should do it. 

THM suggest you not eat corn but I still put in the 

1/2 cup broken up between 5 servings

because I think it gives the meal some color. 

I also love this recipe because it is meatless

and I have very few recipes that I make that feel me

up and don't include some sort of meat for my protein. 

The photo below shows everything you need to make 

this yummy meal. 

1 cup Quinoa

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 14.5 oz can Mexican Style diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can SW Black Beans

1 14.5 oz can Fat Free Chicken Broth

(you could also use vegetable broth)

1 4 oz can chiles

1 tsp chili powder 

1/2 tsp cumin

1 lime (not pictured)

In large skillet combine all the indigence. 

Make sure to drain and rinse the black beans before adding 

them to the skillet. 

I like to use my mini food processor to chop up 

the tomatoes smaller. 

Below is the link to the food processor I use for most my cooking needs. 

Remember any purchase made through my Amazon link or my THM link

earns me a small percentage that I will donate to 

Prudence's adoption account in hopes of finding her

a forever family. 

After I have added everything together
I bring it to a low boil and then cover the skillet with a lid.

I keep it covered at a low boil for about 20 minutes
stirring occasionally.

After 20 minutes remove the lid
and continue to let it simmer for another 10 minutes
until most the liquid is absorbed.

Cut and squeeze the juice of a fresh lime all over
and then stir together before serving.

This recipe makes 5 one cup servings.
The Nutrients according to Myfitnesspal are listed below.

I usually put the reminder in the fridge and have easy left overs for the week.

I was really excited because I received my THM shipment in the mail today.
I had been waiting for the cookbook and the Not So Naughty Rice
so I could try out the Orange Chicken and Rice meal.

The Orange Chicken was really good but the Not So Naughty Rice
tasted horrible to me.

I have a thing about textures and the texture of the rice reminded
me of shrimp. I hate shrimp.

It was very squishy.

So I know have a full box of rice I never plan on eating.
I think I will try to find someone local who likes it.

In Russia and adoption related news I was sad to read this article
by The Moscow Times today.

I have some wonderful friends in Russia who are trying hard to
change the image of their citizens with disabilities.

One of the best ways for children to stay out of orphanages is for them to
stay with their birth families.

But if the birth families are not given resources or support
they will continue to leave the children, especially the ones with Down syndrome,
at the orphanage.

Tonight my heart aches for this brave mom and her daughter.

From The Moscow Times

"A Moscow school has allegedly moved to edit a girl with Down syndrome out of its yearbook, after several parents complained that her picture ruined the glossy album, a student's mother said."

"The parents of at least five students have had their children transferred to other classes to avoid sitting in the room with Masha, Sinayeva said."

Nutrition Facts
Servings 5.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 351
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3 g	5 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 603 mg	25 %
Potassium 933 mg	27 %
Total Carbohydrate 63 g	21 %
Dietary Fiber 17 g	67 %
Sugars 9 g
Protein 19 g	38 %
Vitamin A	21 %
Vitamin C	19 %
Calcium	10 %
Iron	26 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas S Meal

Tonight I spoke with the Russian producer of

Children of the State. 

He told me he would like to have a film crew tape the arrival

of Natasha's birthday gifts this year so he can hopefully 

include it in the launch of the American showing of 

Children of the State. 

I have had my hopes dashed so many times thinking the 

film would actually be seen in the US so I am really not sure what

to expect this time. Here's hoping it will actually be launched this year

and to seeing my sweet girl get her birthday gifts.

Here she is last year getting the doll I sent her.

I will keep you all posted as soon as I hear anything.

Now back to my eating plan. 

So far I have been doing really well with staying on plan. 

We were even gone all day yesterday and I managed to not cheat. 

Tonight's dinner was especially yummy and easy to make

so I figured I would share it with all of you. 

Chicken Enchiladas 

THM S Meal

Pictured below is all you need to make a super yummy S meal 

that your family will love. 

According to Myfitnesspal the carbs on this meal are 11 grams but I 

just push a few of the beans to the side and call it good.

If you just don't want to chance that extra carb go ahead
and leave the black beans out.

Most likely you will only get 10 enchiladas instead of 12
but you won't have to stress that you went over the
THM 10 carb rule. 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/80290805834181903/

2  cans 12.5 oz chicken breast

1 can 15 oz black beans

1 can 4 oz chiles

1 can 29 oz enchilada sauce

12 carb balance tortillas

3 cups Mexican Style Blend Cheese

optional-not pictures  1 or 2 cans 2.25 oz sliced black olives

I like the flavor of the enchilada sauce to soak into my chicken 

so I open and drain the chicken and place it in the crockpot. 

If you don't have a great crockpot I highly recommend this one. 

Mine is the older model but I love that it is programmable and 

has a locking lid so I don't spill food all over my car

when I take my yummy food to church events or family gatherings. 

One year I spilled BBQ Beef all over the back of the car

before getting a crockpot with a locking lid. 

It was a nightmare to get the BBQ sauce out of the car carpet. 

Remember that any purchase made through my affiliate links go 

towards helping Prudence find her forever family. 

After I put the chicken in the crockpot I 

pour in about 1 cup of the enchilada sauce, the green chiles

and the black beans (drained and rinsed). 

I let this cook in the crockpot on warm for 3 hours. 

You do not have to do this. 

You could just pour all the indigence in a pan and warm it up for a few minutes

or you could even just mix it all together and leave it cold until you 

cook it in the tortillas. 

I also only use 2 or 3 low carb tortillas because my family is mostly

really thin people who don't need to eat my really expensive low carb tortillas. 

I make 2 or 3 low carb ones for me to use as left overs for lunch

during the week. 

While the chicken is warming up I pour just enough of the 

enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 8x8 pan and a 9x13 pan. 

I then use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the meat mixture 

and spread it in the tortilla. 

Then I roll up the tortilla and stick in in the pan. 

When all the tortillas are rolled and in the pan I pour

the rest of the enchilada sauce over them 

and sprinkle on the 3 cups of cheese. 

Next I drain the olives and sprinkle them on some of the tortillas. 

Not everyone in my family likes olives so I leave a few olive free. 

I preheat the oven to 350 and bake for about 20 minutes 

so the cheese is bubbly. 

Tonight I made some yummy guacamole to put on top of my enchiladas. 

Tweaking recipes that my family already likes to be low carb for me are my favorite recipes. 

I hope this meal is helpful for your family as you work toward 

your healthy eating habits and your happy pant's size. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings 12.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 296
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9 g	14 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	23 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 47 mg	16 %
Sodium 1052 mg	44 %
Potassium 128 mg	4 %
Total Carbohydrate 16 g	5 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	18 %
Sugars 2 g
Protein 16 g	31 %
Vitamin A	8 %
Vitamin C	10 %
Calcium	19 %
Iron	6 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

THM Sweetened Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal for 2

I love being on the THM eating plan but I have

 a hard time finding E breakfast that I like. 

So I am really excited to share one of my 

favorite breakfast that is also an E meal (meaning higher in carbs and lower in fats).

I don't know how to add the pin link so here is the link below
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/80290805834171052/

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal 

2 servings

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1/2 cup Red Mill Steel Cut Oats

2 Tsp Ground Sweet Blend

1 pinch Sea Salt

1 Tsp Kirkland Ground Saigon Cinnamon 

1 peeled and sliced Gala apple

Fill pot with water, almond milk, sweet blend, cinnamon, salt and steal cut oats
and bring to a boil.


I only like the sweet blend when it is ground up so I purchased
a little coffee grinder and keep my sweet blend ground in an airtight container.
I do use gentle sweet in other recipes as it is already ground for you
but it has an ingredient in it that is very dangerous for animals so I try hard to
only use it in recipes that I think have an aftertaste when using sweet blend.
I think this recipes taste fine with sweet blend as long as I grind it first.

I provided a link below if you want to order one from Amazon.
Remember any purchased made through my Amazon or THM links
earn me a small percentage that will be donated to Prudence adoption account.

Peal and slice the apple.
I like to use my handy dandy Apple Peeler Corer.
I provided a link below if you want to order one from Amazon.
Remember any purchased made through my Amazon or THM links
earn me a small percentage that will be donated to Prudence adoption account.

Put the chunked up apple slices in the boiling pot. Reduce the heat to simmer

and cover with a lid for about 15 minutes. 

Stir every 5 minutes or so.

Remove lid and let simmer for about 5 more minutes. 

Oatmeal is not an exact science because some people like their's runnier 

or firmer than others. 

So you might have to experiment with the amount of water and 

cook time to get the texture to be what you prefer. 

My daughter and I love this oatmeal and we hope you enjoy it too. 

Below is the nutrient facts according to Myfitnesspal.
This is a great E breakfast that keeps you full.
Have a wonderful day!

Nutrition Facts
Servings 2.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 221
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g	6 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	3 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 166 mg	7 %
Potassium 66 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 48 g	16 %
Dietary Fiber 8 g	32 %
Sugars 9 g
Protein 8 g	15 %
Vitamin A	3 %
Vitamin C	6 %
Calcium	14 %
Iron	11 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Here is an adorable photo of my girl on Knowledge Day. 

This photo is provided by the orphanage's FB page. 

I love being able to see her grow up and 

seeing all the wonderful activities they provide for her. 

For those new to my blog who don't know our story you can 

read more about it in an article I wrote for 

The Moscow Times.