Less pain with better posture; paleo pumpkin pie bites

Bailey, the cat, uses a leftover Christmas present box for a hideout

Bailey, the cat, is just like human kids when it comes to boxes. They can be transformed into anything your imagination wants.  He makes them into hideouts from which he springs out to surprise passersby (the dog fur kids). That's when the chase game begins.

Paleo pumpkin pie mini pie

Less pain with better posture is my goal this year. I have always strived for good posture but fibromyalgia flareups have set me back in my efforts. I recently had a month+-long flareup but have gradually gotten better. However, the flareup left me with increased upper body pain, especially in my shoulders and arms.

I have found some things that help me that you might want to try. One is Essentrics mini-workouts. You can find them for free on the internet at this link: http://www.essentrics.com/media.html 
 
I especially recommend the posture mini-workout to relieve your upper body pain and begin to improve your posture. You can do this mini-workout as often as you like for relief from pain. I always find my pain can be reduced if I am elongating my body with good posture. The mini-workout is gentle and soothing too.

Another one of my picks for reduced pain and improved posture is the Align Me Posture Bra at http://www.alignmed.com/shop/women/alignme-interactive-bra-seamless.html  
They also make a posture shirt which I haven't tried.

I wear this bra while exercising. It helps keep me in the proper position. I do find that the bra becomes uncomfortable after several hours of wearing do to the pressure panels. That's why I limit how much I wear it but it does help, especially during exercising when you need to concentrate on so many things like breathing, proper positioning, etc.

Here's my pick for a simple, clean paleo dessert or snack: Paleo Pumpkin Pie Bites or Mini Pies.
These pumpkin pie bites are suitable for the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol too.

What you need for 8 mini-bites or pies:

1 can organic pumpkin puree or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
2 T. coconut oil
2 T. grassfed gelatin
sweetener of choice
pinch of salt
1 T. cinnamon 
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or cloves (These are optional.)

What you do:

 Put all the ingredients (except gelatin) in a saucepan. Heat until coconut oil melted. Then add in gelatin and continue cooking on low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place the mixture in mini-ramekins or in 8 sections of a cupcake pan (silicon works well). Refrigerate until firm. Then enjoy!

 I like eating these mini-bites made in a cupcake pan for snacks. Yum!

http://vegetarianmamma.com/gluten-free-fridays-175-happy-new-year/ 

 http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2015/12/30/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-102/#more-21976

Surviving the holidays; plus pumpkin pie with pumpkin flour crust

Make a pumpkin pie with ingredients you can eat

I’ve always enjoyed the holidays but found them stressful as I tried to create the perfect, magical holiday. Now that I have fibromyalgia, I approach the holidays from a new perspective. I’ve let go of the “have-to’s” and kept only the traditions and activities I really love.

I can’t blame this new philosophy all on fibromyalgia as I already was headed in the direction of simplifying the holidays. I call it my “keep it simple” (KISS) rule for the holidays and for life, in general. I recommend that everyone give himself/herself a “KISS” and start really enjoying the holidays.

K—Kick away guilt and expectations for a perfect holiday.

No one can do it all and have anything left over for himself/herself. This is especially true if you have a chronic illness like fibromyalgia. Individuals with fibro have so many additional things they have to do on a daily basis just to manage their symptoms. You want to stick with these things to prevent a flare-up which might occur with the stress of being a holiday overachiever.

Decide what things you really want to do and kick away the rest.

I---Invent or create new traditions.

Maybe it’s time to let go of the past and change your holiday traditions.  You don’t need to cook up a huge feast for Thanksgiving. Instead, keep your meal simple. Tell your guests you’ll prepare the turkey and they can bring the side dishes. Or instead, go on an outing on Thanksgiving and make that your holiday celebration.

Enjoy time with your furry friends

S—Spend time with family and friends.

Spend the holidays with people you truly enjoy. Family and friends who understand your situation will embrace this new way of celebrating with you. Leave the gripers behind.

S----Seize the moment.

Plan ahead so you can enjoy every moment and be more relaxed. Make a list of what’s important but give yourself permission to modify the list if you don’t feel well. Or better yet, enlist some help from other family or friends.

Remember if you stick to the “KISS” rule, you’ll be more likely to take care of you (which should be your first priority) and enjoy the holidays at a relaxed pace.

Pumpkin pie made with pumpkin flour from Anti-Grain

 I love baked goods as much as anyone but I must avoid grains for health reasons. I consider the new “flour” offerings from Anti-Grain to be a holiday gift to folks like me. Anti-Grain flours are made from apples, pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes which are far from the “grains” most of us think of.

Anti-Grain pumpkin flour is my personal favorite. A one-pound package costs $16.99. The flour is made from more than 90 percent pumpkin flesh plus pumpkin seeds for added protein and fiber. A one-quarter cup serving contains 102 calories which includes 20 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber and 4 grams protein. You can purchase the pumpkin flour or other Anti-Grain flours at www.anti-grain.com or www.amazon.com.

I cooked up a delicious pumpkin pie using the Anti-Grain pumpkin flour. I tweaked the pumpkin pie recipe I found on the Anti-Grain website. You can find lots of other recipes on the website to use your Anti-Grain flours.

Pumpkin Flour Crust Pumpkin Pie

For a pie crust:

¾ cup pumpkin flour

1 cup almond flour
stevia or sweetener of choice

1 T. coconut oil or olive oil

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 large egg

For the filling:

1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)

½ cup milk beverage of choice
optional: 1/4-1/2 cup sunbutter or nutbutter of choice

3 large eggs plus 1 yolk

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. cloves

¼ tsp. cardamom

½ cup sugar

Crust preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix crust ingredients in a food processor. Press “dough” in an 8-9-inch pie pan or you can use an 8-inch square pan as I did.  Bake crust 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow cooling for 10 minutes. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Filling preparation:

While the crust is in the freezer, prepare the filling. Mix the filling in a large bowl. Pour filling into the pie pan once the crust is cooled. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door and allow the pie to cool.

Serve with your favorite pumpkin pie topping.

Article submitted to :
http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Kefir: better than medicine; plus chocolate pumpkin candy bars

 

  Healing illness from the gut out has always been one of my beliefs. Seventy-five percent or more of our immunity resides in our digestive system. If we can heal our guts, we can absorb the nutrition our body needs to function properly. Seems simple, right? 

Unfortunately, it's not so simple for those of us with fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses who have majorly screwed up guts. Some things work and others don't. The only thing you can do is keep trying. But Hippocrates was right on with his famous quote: "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food."

Homemade kefir culturing on counter

Recently, I started making homemade kefir. I had tried it once before but then I broke my wrist. I had to ditch the project. With both wrists intact now, I've rediscovered cultured kefir, one of the most probiotic-rich foods on earth. It may help you beat colds and flu, lessen allergies and asthma, and heal chronic illnesses, like fibromyalgia. In studies, kefir has either done as well as or outperformed antibiotics when treating illnesses. With its amazing medicinal properties, no surprise, its name comes from the Turkish word for “good feeling.”

What really impresses me is this fermented milk drink when homemade contains up to 35 strains of good bacteria and yeast compared to yogurt which has just a few and bottled kefir which has 10 strains plus some unwanted ingredients like sugar and thickeners. It’s a complete food which contains high levels of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, biotin, folate, enzymes and probiotics.

Some of its benefits can definitely help those of us with fibromyalgia. They include:

·         Boosts immunity

·         Fights allergies

·         Supports detoxification

·         Lessens asthma symptoms

·         Heals bowel disease such as  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

·         Improves lactose digestion.

Wouldn’t it be great if eating a bacteria-rich food like kefir could help you beat illness, like fibro, and feel better overall? Our digestive systems play host to trillions of good bacteria. But we eat poor diets and take antibiotics which wrecks up our perfect balance of good and bad bacteria. All of this leads to digestive issues and immune system problems. 

We don’t want that if we want to be healthy. Kefir can be our medicine too. Studies have shown that kefir whey neutralizes most pathogenic bacteria within 24 hours. 

King Bailey on his favorite blanket

What kefir does the best job of keeping you well? Homemade works best as I have found out. I have been drinking plain bottled kefir for several years with some health benefits but nothing compared to what I experienced after making and drinking homemade kefir. 

My experience confirmed studies I read that showed homemade kefir has strong anti-inflammatory properties which can heal IBS, IBD and allergies. Those of us with fibro know all about those problems.

You can make homemade kefir from cow, goat or sheep milk. You need kefir grains which can be purchased from various websites such as www.culturesforhealth.com. Get a gallon of milk to start. Organic whole milk or raw milk, if available, will work. Follow the directions that come with the kefir grains to start fermenting your own supply of this super food.

One word of caution: you may need to build up your "tolerance" to kefir.  Some people thrive on kefir right from the start and others may need to proceed more slowly. Start with about four ounces or less and build up to eight ounces per day.

Chocolate Pumpkin Candy Bars 

 Here's what you need:

1 cup of coconut oil, melted

4 T. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

stevia, to taste

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the above ingredients and pour into a 8 X 8-inch square pan, lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge to firm up the mixture a bit.

You also will need for the pumpkin swirl:

2 T. pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sunflower seed butter or alternative

pinch of salt

a little water to thin out the mixture, if needed

Mix the pumpkin swirl ingredients until smooth. Spoon the mixture onto the chocolate before it completely firm up. Return to the fridge until bars are firm and ready to cut.

http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/10/allergy-free-wednesday-191.html
 http://vegetarianmamma.com/gluten-free-fridays-166-hello-delicious-recipes/

Allergy-fibro connection; pumpkin flour buns

Nika and Bailey play hide and seek

Every fall I have suspected that my fibromyalgia is affected by allergies. My symptoms are probably a 9-10 (on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst). The rest of the year I’d rate my symptoms as 1-5.
These days, data backs up what I have long believed: there is a strong relationship between fibro and allergies. In fact, the majority of people with either fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have classic allergy symptoms, including runny nose, nasal congestion and difficulty sleeping.

Unfortunately, researchers don’t know why they go together. One theory is that the entire central nervous system becomes sensitized (central sensitization) which leads to things like the way the body amplifies pain with FMS, CFS. Others believe that allergies are a risk factor that make you more prone to developing these conditions, especially when combined with genetics and immune system problems.

Basically they are saying, I’ve been predestined to get FMS since the day I was born as I’ve had lifelong allergies. My belief is that allergies are Step 1 in a timeline to developing FMS. Step 2 toward FMS is the silent inflammation that allergies cause. This silent inflammation is caused by gut imbalances which may be traced back to allergy medications and antibiotics.

Step 3 is the damage to your gut caused by this silent inflammation which leads to leaky gut. Step 4 is the overload tothe immune system caused by leaky gut as it deals with an increase in bacteria, toxins and inflammation.

Step 4 is fibromyalgia.

Then what?

Researchers oversimplify the effects of the allergy season on FMS. They say it might disrupt your sleep or cause your muscles to tighten if you are sneezing or coughing a lot.

I don’t think they have a clue. This fall allergy season has been like a nightmare for me. There is not one part of me that hasn’t being affected as the pollen counts have climbed into the extremely high category. To add insult to injury, the fall allergy season is going on weeks beyond normal and the pollen-producing plants are behaving like they are on steroids.

The only “good” thing about all of this is that it has helped crystallize for me that “yes” allergies definitely impact FMS. Every time, pollen counts have dipped a bit I have gotten some relief from my FMS symptoms, along with allergies. Every time pollen counts have risen, the opposite has occurred.

What does this mean for FMS sufferers?

I’m not sure but I do know we should get on the bandwagon to stop climate change. Researchers say climate change is responsible for longer allergy seasons that continue to grow in length each year. I say “get politically active” on this issue.

In the meantime:

•Use your Neti Pot,
•Go outdoors when pollen counts are lower,
•Watch what you eat as anything but a clean diet may make your allergies worse,
•Take your allergy medication if it’s safe for you,
•Stick religiously to your symptom-relief protocol.

Pumpkin flour by Anti-Grain

Pumpkin flour buns

 During peak allergy times, I've found it best to stick to an organic, whole foods diet. Fortunately, I am still harvesting produce from my vegetable garden. (No surprise, given our warmer than normal temps.) Recently, I discovered Anti-Grain flours, which are all-organic flours made from pumpkin, butternut squash, apple and sweet potatoes. I decided to try the Pumpkin Flour as it seemed to be the lowest in carbs and fermentation potential.

Pumpkin flour buns, cut in half

 I ordered the Anti-Grain Pumpkin Flour from the company's website at http://www.anti-grain.com/products.html

 Here's what you need to make five Pumpkin Flour buns:

1/2 cup pumpkin flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup kefir or other milk beverage or water
olive oil
parchment paper


 

 Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.
Make five discs of batter on your baking sheet. Make sure the discs are evenly spaced.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken sandwich on pumpkin flour bun

Once the buns are cooled use a sharp knife to cut them in half  for sandwich buns or leave them whole, if desired. 

Poached egg on pumpkin flour bun toast

http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/10/allergy-free-wednesday-188.html

 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Love healthy fats; chocolate pumpkin fudge

Chocolate pumpkin fudge

There are so many reasons to love my favorite fat--- olive oil. Along with other healthy fats, it can reduce silent inflammation, the root cause of chronic disease; lessen your pain; and help you lose weight, all of which are important to those with fibromyalgia.

Extra virgin olive oil---my favorite fat

You’re probably thinking but how can this be true. Doesn’t fat make you fat? The truth is healthy fat does not make you fat. Our bodies need fat to perform many functions for good health. Our brains are 60 percent fat. Our cells are encased in fat. If we avoid fat, we fail to replenish essential nutrients needed by the body.

Not all fats are created equally. Omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats are essential. They are not produced by the body. We must get them from our diet as they are a significant part of almost all cell membranes.Olive oil, my favorite, along with flaxseed oil, coconut oil and ghee are some of the healthiest fats.

Sunflower seed butter and coconut oil---also favorites

 Olive oil, however, is in a class by itself. It is neither an omega 3 or 6 but rather an omega 9 with the highest concentration of monounsaturated fats of any edible oils This makes it one of the healthiest oils there is.
 If those aren’t enough reasons, now there is another reason to “hug this healthy fat.”A new study suggests that women can dramatically reduce their risk of breast cancer by following a version of the Mediterranean diet that goes heavy on extra virgin olive oil.


Women who followed such a diet were 62 percent less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women who simply reduced the overall amount of fat in their diets, according to the results of a randomized clinical trial published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.


The focus of the clinical trial originally started out to assess the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and olive oil. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups – Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a regular low-fat diet. After studying nearly 7,500 people for about five years, the researchers had compelling evidence that those who were on either type of Mediterranean diet had better heart health than their counterparts who weren't.

Researchers also tracked the incidence of breast cancer in the women participants in the study. The results once again showed the amazing benefits of olive oil. The risk of being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer was lowest in women who were on the Mediterranean diet with additional extra virgin olive oil---1.1 cases per 1,000 person-years or 68 percent lower. The highest rate in those women studied was for those who were advised to eat less fat – 2.9 cases for every 1,000 person-years. That compared to a diagnosis rate of 1.8 cases per 1,000 person-years for women who were on the Mediterranean diet with extra nuts.

The women in the extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean diet group got 22 percent of their total calories from the oil, on average, but getting at least 15 percent of calories from the oil could provide significant protection, according to researchers.


Lesson from this study: women have nothing to lose – and potential much to gain – by eating more like the people in the Mediterranean.

 I use olive oil at every meal, especially as the main ingredient in my salad dressing. But two of my other favorite fats are coconut oil and sunbutter. Here is a recipe for one of my favorite treats featuring these two fats---Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge.

What you need for 5-6 mini-servings:
2 T. pumpkin puree
2 T. sunflower seed butter
2 T. cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut oil
½ tsp. stevia
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1/8 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

What you do:
Melt oil and sunflower seed butter in a small saucepan. Add other ingredients and blend. Pour into a small loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge until firm. Cut into pieces. Serve as it is or topped with a bit of chocolate sauce.

http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/10/allergy-free-wednesday-187.html 

 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/

Journaling helps keep you positive; plus pumpkin pie breakfast

Sometimes the ever-present symptoms of fibromyalgia can nag away at your spirit. Pretty soon you can become just a shell of a person if you let it happen. I admit this was happening to me this summer.

Beautiful sunset actually represent out-of-control wildfire

Yes, the photo above shows a beautiful sunset but it represents an out-of-control wildfire that was burning just a short distance from where I live. The wildfire, along with others in the Northwest, created smoky, unhealthy conditions in my area. Having trouble breathing, along with my on-going symptoms, was just enough to put me over the edge in dealing with fibromyalgia.

Getting up to the mountains---a good memory of summer

It seemed as if no matter how hard I tried, my symptoms kept getting worse and worse. I started sinking into a deeper and deeper hole of "what's the point." Normally, I turn to nature and getting outdoors to boost my spirits but everything was burning up in my world.

Summer is leaving us

I have kept a daily symptom and food log for years in hopes of solving my health issues. I realized most of what I have jotted down in a way has been negative. You know---things like my stomach hurts again or I ate too many hard-to-digest foods. Yes, these notes helped explain my symptoms but I didn't feel better.

I decided to simply add a note about something positive that happened, a bright spot so to speak.

Here are some of my bright spots:

• The tomatoes in my garden are flourishing.
• A deer allowed us to camp in her spot in the mountains. She stayed nearby.
• My fur pups, Misha and Nika, are learning to be calmer walking buddies.
• Today provided a touch of autumn, a welcome change after a scorching summer. 
• The air quality has returned to green. I can see the sky. I can breathe again.

Pumpkin pie in a bowl for breakfast

Along with the positive anecdotes each day, I still keep track of a number of things that seem to keep me pointed in the right direction.

My checklist:

1. Did I chew my food into a paste before swallowing?
2. Did I stick with low fermentation, low starch foods but not too much food?
3. Did I manage my stress and take a mini-meditation break?
4. Did I eat a few servings of cultured foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt?
5. Did I drink enough water, limit my caffeine?
6. Did I salt my food enough?
7. How do I rate my digestion?
8. How do I rate my day?

Yes, summer is leaving us but I feel better each day when I read my "bright spots." And, you know, it's time for pumpkin. Why not have pumpkin pie in a bowl for breakfast?

Here's what you need for 1 serving:
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg as desired
stevia, to taste
lactose-free yogurt of your choice
2 T. carrot slivers, crisped
Optional: toasted seeds or nuts, if tolerated

Here's what you do:
Mix the pumpkin puree with desired spices and sweetener. Warm in a small saucepan. Crisp the carrot slivers in the oven or in a skillet. To serve, ladle yogurt into a bowl. Top with warm pumpkin puree, carrots and other toppings.

Article contributed to:  http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/09/allergy-free-wednesday-184.html

Fibro sufferers' gut problems eased by sticking with healthy diet; plus Reese's sunbutter cupcakes

Reese's Sunbutter Cupcakes

Easter is a time to enjoy family, friends and your childhood favorite treats. But can individuals with fibro and associated gut problems still have an Easter favorite, like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? You can have something even better if you are willing to make this copycat recipe for Reese’s Sunbutter Cupcakes.

These cupcakes not only remind you of Reese’s PB Cups but are adaptable to accommodate most food sensitivities. For instance, you can use whatever seed or nut butter or type of flour that works for you.

Individuals with fibromyalgia usually have irritable bowel sydrome (IBS) and gut infections such as candida or small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). I have all of these problems but can keep my stomach problems under control (Hey, I didn't say perfect but manageable) by following a low fermentation diet. This means eating foods low to moderate in carbohydrates that are easily digestible. The amount of these foods eaten also is critical. See this post for additional information on a low fermentation potential (FP) diet. http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2014/02/scrutinize-carbs-for-fermentation.html

When holidays or other occasions come along, it is important to not stray from your diet. For instance, you can't say, "Just this once I'll have a piece of cake and ice cream." My plan is to be prepared for these times by cooking something that will satisfy my cravings but not sink the boat, so to speak. 

 Easter is one of those times where temptation will be everywhere for you to abandon your diet. My copycat Reese's Sunbutter Cupcakes should help you stay low FP as long as you eat just one per day or share the rest with others.

Here’s what you need for five cupcakes:

1 T. pumpkin puree or applesauce (unsweetened)

3 T. almond flour or gluten-free flour of your choice

1 T. sunbutter, peanut butter or alternative of your choice

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. apple cider vinegar

Dash of salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. powdered stevia or alternative sweetener, to taste

1 egg or egg substitute

¼ cup yogurt or milk of choice

Cupcakes ready for filling and decoration

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line five cells of a muffin pan with cupcake wrappers. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor. Pour the batter in the cupcake liners. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Remove to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the filling and icing. Use an additional ¼ cup sunbutter, peanut butter or alternative of your choice, and mix with 1 T. softened coconut oil and 1 T. milk of choice. Pour this thickened mixture into a small Ziploc bag. Press the mixture to the bottom of the bag and remove most of the air before zipping the bag closed. Use a pair of scissors to snip off one corner of the Ziploc to make a substitute “pastry bag.”

Cupcakes and ziploc "pastry bag"

Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a knife to make a small hole in the middle of each cupcake. Fill each hole with the sunbutter/peanut butter filling. Use the remaining filling as icing for the top of each cupcake.

Cupcakes filled with sunbutter filling

As an option, you can decorate the tops of your cupcakes with Copycat Reese’s Eggs.

Copycat Reese's Eggs with chocolate glaze

Here’s what you need:

¼ cup sunbutter or alternative

2-3 dates, softened

1 T. softened coconut oil

2 T. cocoa + 2 T. coconut oil

Stevia or 2 T. agave or maple syrup

Reese's copycat eggs being dipped in chocolate

Mix the first three ingredients in a food processor. If too sticky, place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly. Shape the dough into 6-8 tiny egg shapes. Freeze for an hour or so on a plate lined with wax paper. Mix the cocoa and additional coconut oil plus sweetener to make the chocolate coating. Once the eggs are frozen, dip one at a time into the coating and freeze. Place one or two finished eggs on the top of each cupcake.

The finished product---yum!

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Healthy pumpkin spice coffee

One-armed Sheree with cast hidden under giant jacket borrowed from hubby

 If you've been wondering where I've been the past few weeks, I wasn't taking a relaxing trip to a tropical island. The only flying I did was off my bike when I hit a patch of ice. Now, I am recovering from a broken wrist and surgery to repair it. Yes, that's me in the photo above, all glamorous with my one-armed look and my mountain-woman attire.

Pumpkin spice coffee

One-armed or not, I can still prepare a good cup of coffee, thanks to a Keurig. Right after my accident, I was in need of some serious comforting pumpkin spice coffee. Yes, I think I mentioned in a previous post that I too am addicted to all things pumpkin spice.

 This beverage is so easy to make even a one-armed lady can prepare it. First, gather your ingredients.

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cups milk beverage of choice
• 4 cups strong coffee
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• stevia or other sweetener of choice

Pumpkin spice coffee in crockpot

 Put all ingredients in a crockpot. Stir to mix. Turn on your crockpot and walk away. Pretty soon, your house will be filled with a wonderful pumpkin spice coffee aroma. Allow, the mixture to heat and meld for about one hour.

Store extra coffee in fridge for days of delicious pumpkin spice coffee

 Pour a nice cup for yourself, share with others or store extra in a container so you can enjoy pumpkin spice coffee for days.

This brew was so warm and comforting in the early days of my injury. But I could enjoy it just about anytime.

Where's my cup of joe?

Wow, now I can even use a keyboard again, albeit it's more laborious than my pre-injury days.But my doc says keyboarding will help stretch out the ligaments in my fingers and hands. I'm also doing lots of other hands and finger stretches, good for anybody. I'll post some pictures and stretches next time.

 http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/homemade-toffee-chocolate-clusters-pumpkin-marshmallows/