Meals For One With The Red Copper 5 Minute Chef

    This oval-shaped red device makes the most amazing omelets. It is super easy to use.

                  

 This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

  A couple of weeks ago I wanted an omelet. Now when I make omelets, I want them to be filled with veggies and look/taste like the ones you get at those breakfast places. So I grabbed the eggs from my fridge along with some cheese and veggies. At the time, I only had mushrooms, shredded carrots, and red pepper in my fridge. I really wanted spinach but I did not have any so these veggies had to work. I chopped up all the veggies and whisked three eggs all while my taste buds were drooling with anticipation for a cheesy omelet. I warmed up the pan and proceed to make my omelet. In went the eggs, then the veggies and finally the cheese. All was going well with my cooking until it was time to fold the omelet. This is when things took a turn for the worst and my omelet turned into scrambled eggs with veggies. I like to think that I am a good cook but my mess of eggs and veggies was not that cheesy omelet that I was expecting. I just could not get the eggs to cooperate and I may have put too many veggies in. I vowed never to make another omelet and go to the breakfast restaurant when I have that craving. Keep reading to discover the perfect recipe for omelets that look and taste amazing.

I Love my Red Copper 5 Minute Chef

                                         I received a Red Copper 5 Minute Chef to facilitate this post.

  Well that all changed the minute this red football-shaped cooking device showed up at my house. I knew that I just had to give the Red Copper 5 Minute Chef a try as so wanted to be able to make a cheesy spinach omelet at home and have it resemble one, not look like scrambled eggs. I already owned the Red Copper Brownie Bonanza and loved how my brownies slid out of the pan in perfectly even slices. So I gave the 5 Minute Chef a chance. I just had to as this device could also make pizza and desserts. My younger boys could maybe also do some more cooking beyond the microwave as they are not allowed to use the stove/oven yet. I discovered the omelet maker on Amazon.

Check out these other recipes for the Red Copper 5 Minute Chef

Easy Egg Foo Young Recipe With The Red Copper 5 Minute Chef
https://www.momknowsbest.net/2019/01/easy-egg-foo-young-recipe-with-red.html

Easy Corn Dog Recipe In The Red Copper 5 Minute Chef

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2019/01/easy-corn-dog-recipe-in-red-copper-5.html

Makes the best omelets for breakfast

  The first thing that I made in the 5 Minute Chef was a salmon burger as we had no eggs in the house and it did a great job. I loved that there was no messy grease splattering all over my stove as the fish was contained in the closed pan. My fish tasted so good and it was not dried out one bit. 

Update: The Red Copper 5 Minute Chef is no longer available on Amazon

 The 5 Minute Chef Cooker is no longer available to purchase on Amazon but I discovered another amazing cooker that is similar and this device makes 2 omelets! Purchase the new Red Cooker HERE

   Once I went to the store and bought eggs, I then used the cute red cooking device to make my omelet. I loved that I did not have to add any oil to the pan, that way I was saving my fat grams for my cheese. The best part was I could add the eggs, spinach (lots of it), and cheese all at the same time to the pan, instead of waiting when I cooked on my stovetop. I closed the lid of the 5 Minute Chef and waited two minutes. I then opened up the red pan and I had a perfectly cooked omelet! I was amazed that this pan could do that. I was in egg heaven!

Do not latch the pan!
 The instructions tell you to latch the pan close but do not follow that. I learned the hard way when I put a bit too much spinach in my omelet and it exploded when I opened the pan. I had eggs all over the kitchen. So just place your ingredients in the pan and cook. There is no need to flip the pan over.

  The 5 Minute Chef came with a recipe book that had easy recipes for pizza, cake, pancakes, and more. Since the pan is so easy to use, makes no mess, and is easy to clean, I knew that I had to teach my younger boys how to use it. That way they can eat other things besides PB and J and microwaved cheese sandwiches for fend for yourself dinner night. I admit things get busy here and we have way too many fend for yourself dinner nights. Hey, how else are my boys going to learn how to cook?

Great for pancakes

 My ten-year-old was the most excited to try the 5 Minute Chef Pan as he recognized the lady on the box from a TV commercial. He helped me make pancakes in it and it was so easy. His younger brother enjoyed having pancakes for dinner that night. Once the pan cooled down, I showed my son how to wipe the pan down with a dishcloth. Then I placed the red pan in my pantry as I knew it would get a lot of use. I think this red pan will be the start of my boys learning how to cook more and I might just put them in charge of making dinner. A recipe book comes with the pan for the instructions to cook omelets, pancakes, pizza, meat, and more.

My next recipe to make in this amazing pan is Dairy Free Vegetarian Chocolate Protein Pancakes

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2017/05/dairy-free-vegetarian-chocolate-protein.html

Perfect Omelet in The Red Copper 5 Minute Chef

2 large eggs

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/4 cup cooked spinach, cooled

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon oil

 Place the oil in the Red Copper 5 Minute Chef. Spread the oil around on both the top and bottom of the Red Copper with a brush or a paper towel. Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly scramble them. Add the cheese, spinach, salt, and pepper. Combine the ingredients and pour them into the 5 Minute Chef. Close the lid but do not latch.  Plugin the Red Cooker and let the eggs cook for five minutes. 

Purchase the new 5 Minute Chef Cooker HERE

Follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes

Give The Best To Mom This Mothers Day With Teleflora

 Mothers have worked extra hard this past year and they deserve the best for Mother's Day. Say thanks to mom with the best flowers from Teleflora

Sponsored post with Teleflora #Liveoutloud #drawntomom

Dear Moms, we wanted you to know that through all the ups and downs, you totally crushed it. While we were all social distancing, you lost all your personal space. But you rose to the challenge. It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t always feel like a success. But throughout a difficult year, you delivered for your families and created meaningful memories. Just like you always do.

 This past year has been tough on us all but I think it has been especially hard on moms. Over the past year, balancing motherhood has become more challenging than ever. While moms selflessly show up for everyone, they often neglect their own needs. We moms had to add more to our job description. With schools being closed, most moms had to become teachers. With spouses working from home, that meant more dishes and messes to clean, not to mention having to listen to their countless Zoom calls. For the moms who had jobs beyond being a mom, we had to juggle taking care of kids while trying to get work done. That meant attending online meetings while trying to keep the kids quiet or with a baby in your lap.

 It was a rough and busy year for moms and at times we felt like we were failing our kids. Trying to simultaneously juggle motherhood and a career from home was not easy. That meant that mom never had time for herself. While we moms saw last year as a difficult time, their kids had a different perspective on last year.

Drawn to mom

 Last year through the eyes of a child shows that having their mom by their side made the past year one of the most memorable for them. Kids did not see last year as a bad year but rather one that showed that moms are the best. Kids enjoyed spending more time with mom and saw that mom loved them even more.

  Teleflora knows more than just awesome floral arrangements, they know how to show the love of a mom in a beautiful way. Their Mother’s Day campaign, “Drawn to Mom” spotlights the past year from a child’s perspective, and through their drawings. From “going to work” with Mom every day to Mom “going to school” with her kids, and the many snacks in between, Teleflora spotlights how having their mom by their side made the past year one of the most memorable for kids. 

 I just love the video that Teleflora made to honor moms. It reflects the love of a mom through the eyes of a child. From a mom teaching her child to ride a bike to a mom working with her kids by her side, this amazing video shows that kids loved having mom by their side. The past year may have been a whirlwind but it was also the best when it comes to the love of a mom. So pass the tissues and enjoy the video.

Happy Mothers Day Moms

 This Mothers Day, say I love you mom with a bouquet of flowers from Teleflora. Then give mom the day off without having to cook, clean, or take care of kids. Moms work hard and they deserve a day of rest. So start the day off for mom with breakfast in bed with these delicious chocolate pancakes but make sure to clean the kitchen. 

Teleflora encourages everyone to Love Out Loud this Mother’s Day by sending a stunning Teleflora floral bouquet ready to be enjoyed the moment it arrives at her door. Teleflora is my favorite floral delivery place for flowers. My favorite gift to send to my mom is flowers and they always bring a smile to her face. To place an order, and view the latest available floral designs, please visit www.teleflora.com.

The Best Beauty Gifts For Mothers Day

 Check out some beauty products that will make mom smile on Mother's Day

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases / I received samples of the mentioned products. 

  Mother's day is every day but one day a year moms get a day that calls for a celebration. So tell your mom that you love her and make sure to spoil her with a day that is all about her. One of the best ways to spoil mom on  Mother's Day is giving her a day without having to cook, clean, or take care of kids. Moms work hard and they deserve a day of rest. So start the day off for mom with breakfast in bed but make sure to clean the kitchen. These chocolate pancakes would be a great choice.

 Last year, Mother's Day was different and most moms had to celebrate at home. This year with fewer Covid restrictions, there are many more options for celebrating Mom's Day. If you want to celebrate at home check out these 10 Ways Celebrate Mothers Day While Staying At Home. Everyone has different ways to celebrate mom and most people can agree that giving mom a gift is always a great idea. While flowers may be a popular gift for Mother's Day, some moms love to receive gifts of beauty. So I have created a gift guide for moms with some beauty products that I had discovered.

The gift of beautiful hair, skin, and nails

 Husbands listen up and make a special gift for the one you love. Make a special spa gift basket for mom and fill it with items that she will love. Some items to include in the mom's beauty basket could be items like face cream, hair care items, nail polish, body butter, candles, face masks, tea, and chocolates. Then book a hotel room for mom to escape to or take the kids to the park for a couple of hours. Mom can then use the beauty items and have a spa day of relaxation.

A delicious collagen tea

 Baebody announces the launch of a first-of-its-kind NEW Collagen Tea designed to promote youthful and healthy skin from the inside out. Sure, there are collagen powders and collagen supplements on the market, but this product is truly unique. Traditionally, collagen has been too fine to fit into a teabag. With innovative technology, Baebody has worked with tea experts to get all of the goodness of collagen packed into a delicious tea bag.

Formulated with 2,500mg of consciously sourced collagen peptides to provide your full daily dose of collagen in each tea bag.  This collagen tea has a delicious Vanilla & Hibiscus flavor that mom will love. This Collagen Tea helps boost immunity, fights free radical damage, and promotes youthful and healthy skin from the inside out. This tea is my favorite nightly drink.

Baebody Collagen Booster tea available HERE 

 Collagen Moisturizer

 Baebody also offers a luxurious Collagen Moisturizer that would be a perfect gift for mom. This face cream helps fight the signs of aging and leaves skin looking smooth. Formulated with powerful actives that hydrate and help build skin strength, it is an effective and affordable solution for youthful-looking skin; diminished fine lines and wrinkles; and a soft, supple complexion. Cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan, it is safe for all skin types. It is my nightly beauty treatment that keeps my skin looking awesome!

Baebody Collagen Moisturizer available HERE

 

Hair Care products

 The Mayraki hair care line offers mom the gift of beautiful hair. Mom will love that these professional hair products are 100% vegan. From a hair mask to a scalp cleanser, I am sure you can find a product that mom will love. The hair mask will restore dry damaged hair leaving it soft, lustrous, and easy to manage. If mom has pesky grey hairs or is experiencing hair loss, then the Mayraki Anti-Gray Hair Color Restoring Treatment or Mayraki Professional Hair Care - Ultra Repairing Weightless Moisture Shampoo would be a perfect gift. The Mayraki line is 100 percent vegan, is free of harsh chemicals, and contains no sulfates or parabens.

 These cruelty-free hair care products will help moms have a great hair day. I love using these hair care products as they always make my hair so soft and pretty.

Mayraki Professional hair care products are available HERE

Regenerative facial serum 

 FactorFive’s regenerative serum provides a fresh, look on vegan skincare products. It contains ethically derived stem cells from healthy, consenting donors that target multiple skin concerns such as wrinkles, sunspots, tightness, thickness, texture, and more. There are ZERO parabens, mineral oils, sulfate detergents, phthalates, urea, DEA, or TEA in the product and it is NEVER tested on animals. The product is designed with clean ingredients to give your skin a more hydrated, youthful appearance.

 Help mom look her best and have younger-looking skin. This face serum will target the signs of aging and I love that the product is made in the USA with ethically derived adult stem cells. Beautiful skin is always a great gift.

 FactorFive’s regenerative serum is available HERE

The best facial laser device

 My secret for young-looking skin at age 56 is the Nira home laser device. This laser facial device really works to reduce those fine lines! The laser works by increasing your collagen production that fills in the wrinkles and fine lines. It is so simple to use ~ 5 minutes a day is all it takes! If you don't see results in 3 months, Nira will refund your money, no questions asked. The before and after photos on their website are proof that it works. So many of my followers have purchased the Nira and love it. The Nira home facial device is a gift that mom will love. Check out my review of the Nira laser device HERE.

Nira home facial laser device is available HERE

The gift of a healthy gut

 Everyone wants a healthy gut and these pink products will be a great addition to mom's Mothers Day gift basket. This pink packet is more than just a fiber supplement ~ it is a kiss those tummy troubles goodbye. One tasteless packet in the morning mixed into smoothies, coffee, or any other liquid means I go like clockwork every morning. It means saying goodbye to a bloated belly and having a great day.

Life can anything but regular when you have kids. Sometimes just going to the bathroom can be a 3 ring circus. That is why I love Regular Girl. I take it once a day and my troubles in the bathroom are a thing of the past. A healthy digestive system is awesome. Use code MOMKNOBEST10 to save money on an amazing supplement.

Regular Girl is available HERE

Superfruit juice

 These Amarumayu juices are so delicious and loaded with vitamin C. The juices are loaded with Amazonian superfruits. So mom can boost her immune system while protecting the Amazon forest. The Camu Camu and Buriti superfruits are sustainably wild-harvested by native indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon; They leave the tree rooted and intact during the harvest and only take what’s needed; Your purchase supports them and their families as they help protect the rainforest. Mom will not only love the refreshing juice but also the aluminum bottles. These bottles are eco-friendly and reusable.

Amarumayu juices are available HERE

Orange Ginger Detox Body Care Solution Set

 Nature's Beauty uniquely blends Orange and Ginger Extracts which are rich in Vitamin C, with Witch Hazel to help draw out impurities and reduce clogged pores, leaving skin feeling soft, smooth, and naturally balanced. The refreshing aroma of citrus and woodsy patchouli work to revitalize the senses. Sunflower, Almond, and Avocado Oil help nourish and moisturize to renew skin. Skin feels restored, with a healthy glow! Nature’s Beauty a plant-based line of cruelty-free bath and body care products that are made with vegan ingredients. 

 These pampering products also come in Sleep | Lavender Chamomile and Stress Relief | Elderberry Eucalyptus varieties. These beauty items smell so awesome! I enjoyed using them and my skin felt so smooth and soft.

Orange Ginger Detox Body Care Solution Set is available HERE

Concerts and gourmet coffee

 Give mom the gift of a live concert and gourmet coffee. Concerts.cafe is the first online concert venue to serve artist-branded coffee and tickets to live stream music events – with immersive audio and 360-degree content experiences! With a wide variety of music to select from, I sure you will find a music event for mom to enjoy. The best part is mom can watch the live concert from the comfort of her home. Each music artist has a Signature Artist Coffee that pairs with their concert. So mom can sip on gourmet coffee and listen to wonderful music.

Caffeinated Livestream Concert Venue is available https://concerts.cafe/

Shampoo that prevents hair loss

 Mom will love a shampoo and conditioner set that keeps her hair strong and healthy. It is estimated that an astounding fifty percent of women will experience thinning hair, which equates to approximately 30 million women in the United States. So give mom a shampoo and conditioner that is proven to reduce hair thinning due to breakage. The Pura D’or Original Gold Shampoo & Deep Conditioning Set has a proprietary blend of 17 key active ingredients, organic extracts, and essential nutrients. This hair set will nourish hair to boost strength and resist breakage. 

 Free from harsh chemicals like sulfates, parabens, and silicones, this environmentally responsible, hypo-allergenic, vegan, and cruelty-free, set is packed with a powerful blend of Biotin, Nettle, Pumpkin Seed, and Black Cumin Seed Oil to increase volume and thicken hair. These hair products are designed for thinning hair, damaged and chemically-treated hair, distressed hair, frizzy and tangled hair.

Pura D’or Original Gold Shampoo & Deep Conditioning Set available HERE

Add some snacks and you got a perfect gift for mom

 These gift ideas are some awesome suggestions for a wonderful gift basket for mom to have a spa day. Other ideas for gifts to include in the basket of gifts are mom's favorite snacks, nail polish, face masks, candles, chocolates, foot cream, and other beauty items that would help her have a relaxing spa day at home or at a hotel. Mom deserves a day of pampering.

Safe Natural Ways To Control The Weeds

Weeds are not a pretty sight in your backyard. While reaching for a chemical weed spray may be a solution, there are safer natural ways to control the weeds.

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases 

  I am not a fan of all the weeds that grow like crazy year-round. When it rains here, we get even more weeds. I live in the desert of Albuquerque New Mexico and we don’t get much rain here but this year we had an abundance of rain this past spring, way more than usual. I think we have even set records for the rain. So all that rain has meant more than the usual amount of weeds. So that has left me looking for a new way to control the weeds. I so want my summer yard cleanup day not to be an all-day project. A new way that does not involve any nasty toxic chemical products like Roundup as I do not want these cancer-causing chemicals in my yard.


Killing the weeds without toxic chemicals

 I usually spray the weeds that grow in my yard with a non-toxic homemade weed spray and that does a good job of killing the weeds quickly. This year has been different for weed control as the rain has left me with way too many weeds. I had sprayed the weeds with my DIY weed spray at the beginning of May and pulled way too many weeds, but more weeds grew. I think the windy spring that we had planted more seeds than usual this year and the rain caused them to grow.  So I am tired of pulling weeds and I am trying something different this year with my weed prevention to see if I can prevent the weeds from growing in the first place. I am looking at natural ways beyond pulling the weeds, to kill the weeds. I don’t want to use harmful chemicals in my yard like the stuff Monsanto produces. I have known for years that the weed sprays like Roundup have been linked to diseases like cancer so I have avoided using them in my yards for a long time. I love that the recent lawsuits against Monsanto have made people aware of the dangers of glyphosate.

Using black plastic to prevent weeds from growing

  My yard is made for the desert, so I do not have grass in my yard. My yard is xeriscaped with drought-resistant plants and rocks. I have a big yard that is loaded with rocks and weeds. One would think that weeds could not grow on the rocks, but they do. The weeds here have long roots that push their way through the rocks. So, I decided to see if laying thick black plastic on the ground could kill the existing weeds and prevent the weed seeds from growing. I discovered this technique online as this is a popular way to prepare the soil for growing a garden. The thick 2ml black plastic is supposed to keep the seeds from getting the sunlight that they need to grow. While the black plastic is supposed to heat things up to basically kill the weeds. You do have to leave the plastic cover over the ground for two months for all this to happen.  This method works best when the weather is warm, so summer is the ideal time. This technique is good for large spaces and it will kill everything growing underneath it so don’t lay the plastic over your grass unless you want to kill your grass. If you have a concrete patio that has weeds over it, this plastic would be great for laying over. Sure, laying down plastic means my yard looks ugly for a couple of months but if this works then I will have a nice yard the rest of the year. This black plastic method would be ideal for a space that you want to grow a garden. You can find this black plastic in the paint section at hardware stores and stores like Walmart. The plastic comes in rolls of different lengths. The plastic was easy to lay on the ground and I used bricks and rocks to hold it down. I mostly laid the plastic over the problem areas of my yard. I used big rocks and bricks to hold the plastic in place as it can get windy here. When you do remove the plastic, I recommend wearing gloves and a face mask. The reason for this is there might be mold under the plastic from moisture. Then let the sun dry the land up for a couple days before cleaning up all the dead weeds. My friend who grew up on a farm recommends spreading limestone on the land to further kill the mold while my husband who is a health inspector says the sun will kill the mold.




Non-toxic homemade weed spray

 Another way that I kill the weeds is with a natural non-toxic weed spray that uses three ingredients. Most people even have these ingredients in their pantry. This safe weed spray does a great job of killing the weeds without chemicals. It is a safe weed spray that kills most any plant that you spray it on. This safe homemade weed killer works in 24 hours. So, make sure to not spray it on your grass or it will kill it. I am able to use this spray in my yard as I spray it on the weeds that grow on my rocks. This DIY safe weed spray is great for the weeds that grow on the sidewalk, driveway, or patio.

Items that you need to kill the weeds naturally





Pulling the weeds

 The most natural way to control the weeds is to pull them. This may work for the big weeds, but it really does not work for the ones with the long hard to pull root or those tiny pain in the but weeds. If you are one of the lucky people who only have a few weeds in their yard than pulling the weeds method works. My yard has way too many weeds for me to pull them all at once, but I will pull some of the weeds and then use the above methods also to control my weeds.

 These are some of the natural ways that I control the weeds in my yard. This is the first year that I am trying the black plastic method and I am hoping that it works to prevent the weeds from growing. I am not a fan of yard work and I really hate pulling weeds every year. I want to be able to enjoy my yard in the summer so I will do anything to control the weeds as long as it does not involve toxic chemicals. My yard is my place to relax and a place for my kids to play. My favorite place to relax in my yard is under my pergola on my purple Adirondack chairs that I restored myself a couple of years ago.


How do you control the weeds in your yard?

Best Supplement For Long Term Fat Loss

 Sadly there is no magic pill to help you lose weight. There simply is no quick fix when it comes to losing fat & weight.

 So many people are obsessed with losing weight to get rid of unwanted fat. They are looking for quick fixes to shed fat and pounds. People then turn to the next fad diet to lose weight. While these quick-fix diets help you lose weight, most times the weight loss is temporary and the pounds come right back. Many of these unhealthy diets do nothing for helping you lose fat. So many times with these fad diets like keto, low-carb diet, intermediate fasting, etc, the problem is you never learn healthy habits to help you keep the weight off. 

If you lose weight quickly due to crash dieting or cutting calories too drastically, you’re also more likely to quickly regain that weight 

 Most diets are too restrictive and make you follow an all-or-nothing approach to eating. These diets turn most healthy food into the bad guys. These diets like the 5-day semi-fasting diet leave you hungry so after a day of eating good, you end up binging on the "bad" food and that makes it even harder to lose weight. I am not a fan of any kind of diet that eliminates so many foods or a food group. I have fallen into the diet trap in the past but quickly discover that I have no willpower to stay on them. 

Can I lose weight by exercising alone?

 Then there are the folks that focus on excessive exercise to lose weight without changing their food choices. While exercise is needed for a healthy body, too much exercise can cause you to over-eat. Also when you put too much focus on exercise for weight loss, you might turn to food as a reward for doing your exercise. 

 I have seen many friends turn to long-distance running, running more than five miles a day, and they don't ever lose weight. One of the reasons may be that they never change their eating habits or they start eating more. People think that exercising is a perfect reason to eat more food. 

Focus on healthy habits

 There has to be a better way to lose weight. I think the best approach to losing weight is to not try to lose weight. Toss out that scale and stop following a diet plan. When one starts looking at taking care of the health of their body and puts the focus on healthy habits, body changes will come. The health of your body is more than a number on a scale. The best weight loss comes from making lifestyle changes.

Twelve Things Your Skinny Friend Wants You To Know

When you start making changes that focus on healthy habits like drinking more water and exercising to have a healthy heart, weight loss will soon follow. Or in my case, the number on the scale will not change but your body composition will. Two years ago, I made a commitment to get stronger muscles and I did not focus on losing weight. I was amazed at how my body looked after 6 months of performing strength exercises. You have to see the before and after photos of my stomach. I even lost fat around my middle section

  When you realize that eating food that your body needs, like fruits and veggies, to perform at its best, then you realize that it is about your health. Focusing on healthy habits is not always easy and will not happen overnight. You did not gain all that weight overnight so you are not going to lose it as quickly as you like. Losing fat and weight is not always easy but I discovered a supplement that may help you transition to a healthier, happier you.

Tetrogen can help you transition to a healthy lifestyle 

 Any diet or weight loss supplement that claims it can help you shed 20+ pounds of fat with no changes to your diet or lifestyle is lying to you. There is no legitimate scientific study that supports such a claim. Period. If you want to truly lose weight and keep it off, you have to make some adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. Tetrogen is designed to help you transition to a healthier, happier you by helping repair the underlying issues that can prevent you from losing weight and feeling great.

 I know the struggles of losing weight as I have been there. After having my first child 30 years ago, I remember the struggles of losing weight. I remember trying those protein shakes in a can and how hungry I was. I too remember the years before I turned 50 and attempted to follow all the different diets. It was not until I turned 50 that I realized that diets don't work and I made healthy changes in my life. I changed what I ate and I started exercising smarter. I wish that I knew about Tetrogen six years ago.

Save 25% on Tetrogen weight loss supplement with code TARA25 - Valid April 21- April 30

What is Tetrogen?

Tetrogen is a supplement that helps you make changes to a healthy new you. Tetrogen is not a diet pill or a magic formula to help you lose weight quickly. Tetrogen is a weight-loss formula scientifically designed to enable long-term, sustainable weight loss. Simply put this is a supplement that you use with a healthy diet and exercise. To lose weight or fat, you have to make changes in what you eat and you have to exercise.

 Our bodies were made to move and need exercise to function properly. Just like a car needs quality gas to run, so do our bodies need healthy nourishing food. If you want to make changes to your body, it starts with making changes to your life. You have to change what you eat and how you move. It will not be an easy thing to do but that is where Tetrogen can help.

 This supplement can help decrease food cravings and help you not feel hungry. Tetrogen works by rebalancing your metabolic hormones that help regulate our metabolisms, cravings, satiation after eating, and even our energy levels. So instead of artificially speeding up your metabolism with harmful stimulants like most weight-loss supplements and helping you burn off water weight for two to three weeks before results plateau, Tetrogen helps fix the underlying problems that have doomed all diets.

 Tetrogen is a day and night supplement, as we all know that most cravings come at bedtime. It helps your metabolism become more efficient so you will burn more calories. A balanced metabolism will help your cravings so you can make better choices with meals. Balanced hormones will make it easier for you to reach for an apple instead of a doughnut. 

 Once you start making changes to your diet with the help of balanced metabolic hormones from using Tetrogen twice a day, you will notice that you have the energy to want to exercise. You will notice that you have fewer food cravings and you will feel satisfied with less food. Tetrogen will help you reach long-term sustained weight loss. 

Save 25% on Tetrogen weight loss supplement with code TARA25 - Valid April 21- April 30

Does Tetrogen work?

  I don't write about products unless I try them myself. So after looking at the ingredients that were in Tetrogen and realizing that it was not a weight-loss pill but rather a weight-loss helper with a healthy diet and exercise, I used Tetrogen for a week. The first day that I took my first capsule of Tetrogen was in the morning with my usual breakfast of a protein smoothie. I did not experience any side effects like jitters or feeling hyper. 

 What I did experience was less hunger. Usually, I have my breakfast at 10 AM and by 11 AM I am thinking about a snack and a cup of coffee. I did not want my snack until 1 PM. When I did have my snack, of fruit and a protein bar, I only ate half of it and ate the rest an hour later. I also had my lunch later than usual.

What is in Tetrogen? 

Tetrogen is scientifically formulated with clinically studied and patented active ingredients to help you reach your target weight in three distinct phases.

+ IGOB-131 – IRVINGIA GABONENSIS ~  A patented extract from the African Mango ~ Helps prevent fatty acid formation ~Helps block the breakdown of foods into blood sugar ~ Helps suppress the enzyme that prevents the formation of fat from blood sugar

+ CQR-300 – CISSUS ~  A unique, patented extract from an indigenous medicinal plant of West Africa and India ~ Helps inhibits enzyme amylase activity to slow starch metabolism ~ Helps improve the body’s ability to burn stored fat and build lean muscle mass ~ Supports healthy serotonin levels

+ DYG – 400 – DYGLOMERA ~  Originates from a rare spice from the jungles of Cameroon. This powerful ingredient helps the body use sugar more efficiently for energy, so it doesn’t get stored as fat.

+ LIPOFUEL – CAPSAICIN ~ A patented, clinically studied form of chili powder extract ~Helps shrink fat cells ~ Helps reduce fat levels in the bloodstream~ Helps convert excess calories into heat.

+ GREEN TEA EXTRACT ~ Contains caffeine and EGCG, which may help your body lose weight.

+ MELATONIN ~ Helps you better control cravings and get a good night’s sleep, which is vital to weight loss success

Save 25% on Tetrogen weight loss supplement with code TARA25 Valid April 21- April 30

My nighttime experience of Tetrogen

 I was not sure what to expect with the nighttime dose of Tetrogen. The night dose of Tetrogen has melatonin in it to help you sleep better. While I like that I would get better sleep, as this is important for weight loss success, I have not had a good experience with melatonin. In the past when I tried melatonin supplements that have caused me to have nightmares. So I was hesitant to take the Tetrogen at night. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not have any nightmares after using the nighttime weight loss formula. 

My results after using Tetrogen 

 Losing weight and making body changes will take time. I have been using Tetrogen for a week and I have noticed that I am not snacking as much and I am sleeping better. I have not noticed any changes in my body size as this is not a quick-fix diet pill. I know that this weight loss supplement is just that. It supplements and helps me make changes in my lifestyle. It helps rebalance the hormones that will help me be able to eat a healthier diet and exercise.

 So by using the Tetrogen weight loss supplement within 8 weeks your metabolic hormones may begin to rebalance to help support your Long-Term, Sustained Weight Loss. As your metabolic hormones return to normal, caloric intake naturally decreases without starving yourself, and your caloric burn rate increases with improved metabolic function and higher energy levels. Find out more HERE  about this unique weight loss supplement and how it can help you have long-term weight loss. 

 If you aren’t completely thrilled with your results after supplementing with Tetrogen for three to six months, they offer a Money-Back Guarantee.

How To Garden In the Southwest Desert

 Growing a garden in the desert can be hard but it can be done

  I have entertained the thought of growing vegetables in my backyard many times over the past 20 years that I have lived in the Southwest. When I realized the amount of water and time needed to grow plants in the desert of New Mexico, I never followed through. Then a crazy virus pandemic happened in the year 2020 and I decided to try my luck at growing veggies in my backyard. Everyone else was planting a garden and I decided to join the garden craze of the year 2020.

I had time on my hands and it was great therapy

 My family thought that I was nuts as the lack of rain here in New Mexico makes growing anything but weeds hard. I had time on my hands due to the crazy stay-at-home orders that our state had implemented. Once I started the process of gardening, I discovered that it was helping me cope with this lung virus pandemic. Preparing the soil for my garden required lots of work as the desert soil is made up of sand and rocks. So I started a compost pile to help make my dirt better. I also did my research and discovered what plants grow best in the desert soil.

Plants that grow best in the desert

+ Tomatoes

+ Kale

+ Peppers

+ Beets

+ Squash

 Since my backyard was full of rocks and weeds, I did not have a spot that I could start a garden in. Most of the yard had black plastic to kill the weeds. So I decided to use a small area of dirt by the house. I planted my garden from seeds as vegetable plants were hard to find. I planted kale, spinach, and beets. Then later in the summer, I found a tomato plant and a pepper plant on sale at the garden center of Lowes.

Natural Homemade Weed Killer Spray That Works In A Day

Growing plants in the desert requires watering twice a day

 After watering the seeds for 2 weeks, I was amazed to see plants sprouting in the dirt. I had to water the plants twice a day as it does not rain much in the desert. Like I said, I had time on my hands and watering was helping with my anxiety as it was calming. After 2 months of twice-daily watering sessions, I had grown kale, spinach, and beet greens. I only grew beet greens and not beets as the rocky soil prevented the beets from growing. I was excited to pick fresh greens for dinner from my garden.

  My pepper and tomato plants did not grow that well. I even had an episode of plucking big hairy caterpillars off my pepper plant after they ate all the leaves. So I was glad when I was blessed with tomatoes from my church food pantry. My favorite way to cook the tomatoes was roasted tomatoes in the air fryer. 

No-dig garden method

 Since I was successful with growing green vegetables, I decided to expand my garden this year. I needed a bigger plot of dirt to grow more vegetables. So I decided to use the space beneath the swingset. I knew that the swingset frame could be used for plant support for the cucumbers and green beans. The only problem was all the gravel under the swingset.

 I started to clear away the rocks but quickly learned that the small rocks went deep into the ground. So I did my research and discovered the no-dig garden method. Instead of removing rocks or grass for a garden space, you simply layer big pieces of cardboard on the grass or rocky area. I had plenty of cardboard so, with cardboard and bricks, I created a space for my new garden.

Buy garden soil and start a compost pile

 One of the best tips for gardening in the Southwest desert is to purchase garden soil. Most dirt in the desert is sandy and filled with rocks. So buying garden soil will help your plants grow better. I also suggest starting a compost pile. Compost is decomposed vegetable matter you can make yourself. You can also purchase compost. Mixed in with the soil, it adds nutrients. 

 Composting does take several months but it is a great way to recycle things like food scraps, grass clippings, paper, and other items. You can buy a special compost container or use a kiddie pool. I had an old kiddie pool that had cracks on the bottom so it was perfect for my compost pile. I made sure to place my compost far away from the house as a compost pile can attract bugs. 

Seeds or plants?

 Whether to start your garden with seeds or plants is up to you. A package of vegetable seeds will be cheaper than buying plants. Last year I used seeds for my kale, spinach, and beets. I tried starting my tomato plants from seed but they did not grow. So this year I bought several tomato plants. I also bought a peach tree. Then I attended a Lowes garden event and received two kale plants.

 My library also had a seed giveaway and I purchased other seeds. I like the garden resources that my public library offers. Things like garden care from Tree Service Rocklin can help people with their yards.

 I decided to experiment with a variety of vegetable seeds and herbs to see what will grow best in New Mexico. I planted the herb seeds in the brick holes since they don't need much room. My seeds have been in the dirt for about a week so nothing has sprouted. So far my tomato plants are thriving.

 Time will tell about the success of my garden in the Southwest desert. That and plenty of water. I will do my part of twice a day watering. I sure do hope that my new garden space gives me plenty of veggies. In a couple of months, I will update this post with my garden photos. 

Best Homeopathic Allergy Medicine

  I was thankful that I had my homeopathic medicine for my allergies. Being outside made my seasonal allergies flare up but using Bioron allergy products helped my body with eliminating the sneezing, itchy watery eyes, running nose, and hives. Seasonal allergies are a part of spring and summer for me. I like that I can use natural products to relieve my allergy symptoms. 

 Along with my seasonal allergies, I am allergic to many of the weeds that are growing in my backyard. If I touch these weeds, like ryegrass and tumbleweeds, my skin breaks out in a rash. So I am glad that I discovered these GardenSleeves by NOMPI Gloves. These cute garden gloves protect my arms from touching the weeds that I am allergic to. I like that they are lightweight and breathable. So I don't have to wear long sleeves when I am working in the garden.

 These garden sleeves are made from 100% cotton fabric and come in so many adorable patterns. GardenSleeves keep my arms free from scratches, sunburn, poison ivy, mosquito bites, and more. The sleeves are attached to cotton/poly blend or nitrile gardening gloves. The elastic armband assures a non-slip fit and NOMPIs are fully machine washable.

 Now that my garden is doing well, my next adventure having a fruit tree in my yard. Earlier this year, I bought a dwarf peach tree from Homedepot but after 4 months, it did not grow. So I was glad that I was able to return the tree. I decided to plant an apricot seed in the ground to see if it would grow. It has only been a couple of weeks. So maybe by next summer, I will have a tree in my yard. My husband is worried that the apricot tree will take over the yard. If that happens, I will use tree professionals such as Tree Service San Bernardino to help me maintain the tree. Having fresh fruit will be awesome for my smoothies.

What are you growing in your garden?

9 Delicious Gluten-Free Products You Need To Buy

 I recently attended the online nourished festival and discovered some amazing gluten-free products. 

I received samples to facilitate this post

 A couple of weeks ago I attended an amazing online allergy-friendly festival and it was the perfect way to discover food that I can enjoy with my food allergies. Many brands came together and showcased their allergy-friendly foods at the Online Nourished Festival so people like me could discover food and other products that are safe for them. This online event was created since the real events of the Nourished Festival had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Yes, you read that right, I said events as the Nourished Festival has several expos throughout the United States at different times of the year. If you have never attended a Nourished Festival event, you need to as it is the best way to discover and taste foods that are allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and made for specialty diets.

Nourished Festival ~ THE GLUTEN FREE, ALLERGY & SPECIALTY DIET FESTIVAL

 While the main focus of this amazing event is about gluten-free products for those with food sensitivities and celiac disease, the online event is also an amazing way to discover allergy-friendly food that is safe for me to eat. My food allergies trigger an asthma attack so I am proactive in avoiding food that contains the food that I am allergic to. Three years food that I discovered that my dairy lactose issue was actually a dairy allergy. It was over 6 months of asthma problems that led to many episodes of struggling to breathe and sleepless nights. 

 Through research and a dairy elimination diet, my asthma improved. A food allergy blood test confirmed that I was allergic to dairy, soy, and mushrooms. I had always had issues with drinking milk and eating ice cream for as long as I could remember. I assumed I had a milk lactose problem as I would feel nauseated after ingesting milk and ice cream. I later learned that my dairy allergy was related to whey and casein. 

  After eliminating the foods that I was allergic to my asthma and seasonal allergies improved. I am able to manage asthma naturally without any prescription medicine through diet and exercise. If I accidentally eat dairy, soy, or mushrooms, I struggle to breathe and I experience asthma problems. So I have to monitor what I eat. So the Online Nourished Festival is an event that helps me discover allergy-friendly food that is free of the top allergens like milk, soy, and mushrooms.

I discovered delicious gluten-free food that is allergy-friendly

 I love attending the Nourished Festival as it is a safe way for me to discover food that is allergy-friendly. This event started many years ago with a focus on gluten-free food so all the brands that are sponsored at the event sell products that are gluten-free. Over the years the Nourished Fest included products that focus on food allergies so many of the sponsors have products that are free of common food allergies. The brands make it super easy for people who have food allergies to learn about new products. 

 I was able to meet with lots of brands and they sent me samples of their products. So I had fun discovering new products that do not contain ingredients that I am allergic to. After sampling the products, I discovered that many gluten-free products are not only delicious but taste so similar to traditional products that contain gluten. While I do not have to avoid gluten, these products are ones that I will continue to buy as they taste so delicious. I attended the previous Online Nourished Festival last fall and you can see the gluten-free products that I sampled HERE.

1. Ottos Cookie Mix

 Ottos sent me their Grain-Free Ultimate Cookie Mix and Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour. I loved how simple it was to make gluten-free cookies with their grain-free cookie mix. All I had to add to the cookie mix was an egg, oil, and my favorite mix-ins. This cookie mix was dairy-free, soy-free, and even nut-free. So they were the perfect cookie to enjoy with my daughter who has nut allergies. 

 I mixed in vegan chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, and dates to the cookie mix. The cookies were so delicious and tasted like ones made with flour. My family enjoyed them. The cassava flour will be great to use in my recipes like gluten-free mocha brownies and waffles.

Check out Ottos Naturals HERE 

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2. Rustic Scoop Pizza Crust Mix

 If you follow a gluten-free diet, then you know how hard it is to find a gluten-free pizza crust that is chewy. I loved learning about Rustic Scoop gluten-free baking mixes and I just had to sample their pizza crust mix that is gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. This baking mix is also free from egg, peanut, tree nuts, refined sugar, and is also naturally vegan. 

 Having a dairy allergy limits my store-bought frozen pizza choices to ones that are gluten-free so I understand gluten-free pizza crusts that are either mushy or too crispy. Rustic Scoop has spent years perfecting this pizza crust it is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. This is a crust that rises beautifully and is perfect for your favorite pizza toppings.  

Check out Rustic Scoop HERE 

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3. Homefree Treats

 I had sampled Homefree Treats last year when they sent me some from the fall Online Nourished Fest. These cookies were so delicious and I loved all the many flavors of the dairy-free cookies. The cookies are free from gluten and allergens such as peanuts, nuts, soy, and milk. Homefree cookies also are vegan, kosher pareve, and non-GMO. 

 When I received my cookies from Homefree, I knew that they would be perfect for a gluten-free cookie crust. I make a dairy-free chocolate pie for Easter using the chocolate mint mini cookies and my family loved the pie. The best part was the pie was safe for my daughter, who has a nut allergy, to enjoy.

Check out Homefree Treats HERE 

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4.  Blake’s Seed Based Treats

 I am a snacker and healthy snacks are the best. So when I discover treats that are dairy-free and delicious, that is awesome. When my boys saw the box that I received from Blake's Seed Based, they tried to eat them before I had a chance to sample them myself. 

 These “better-for-you” snacks are made with Seeds, Fruit, + Chocolate and are Allergy-Friendly (nut-free, vegan, gluten-free, etc.), so almost everyone can eat them! I shared them with my boys and we thought they were so delicious. 

Check out Blake's Seed Based HERE

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5. GF Naturals

 The problem that I have with making gluten-free mixes for my friends is, I always need a little bit of flour to roll the dough on or to add to thicken the batter. So the bag of GF Naturals gluten-free flour will solve my problem. I also want to start baking more healthier treats so this organic and GMO-Free flour will help me. Traditional flours have GMO's in them and baking with gluten-free flour can help me avoid GMOs.

 This gluten-free replacement for wheat flour is a cup-for-cup substitute, so that will make things simple for my baking. I love that this gluten-free flour can be used for cakes, cookies, pizza, bread, and more with no unusual aftertaste, dryness, or texture issues that often come with other gluten-free flour blends.

Check out GF Naturals HERE 

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6. Goodie Girl Smores Cookies

 I was so happy to learn that Goodie Girl makes a dairy-free sandwich cookie. These Chocolate and graham-style cookies had a marshmallow creme-flavored filling and were so delicious. One bite was all it took for my family to want more cookies. I had to hide the box of Smores cookies from my boys as they wanted to eat them all in one day.

 The cookies are certified gluten-free and baked without artificial colors or preservatives. I love that the cookies contain no high fructose corn syrup and are peanut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan. They are the perfect allergy-friendly cookie for summer.

Check out Goodie Girl Cookies HERE

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7. Mom's Place Gluten-Free

 I love the variety of products that Mom's Place Gluten-free offers. Some of their products are free of dairy and soy, so I can enjoy them. They sent me several products that were safe for me to eat and I enjoyed them all. Their baking mixes were so easy to use and tasted amazing. My favorite gluten-free mix was the poppy seed muffins. I make the batter into quick bread and added an orange glaze.

My boys enjoy helping me make pretzel bites with the soft pretzel mix. I loved that the pretzel mix included the special salt. The pretzel bites were chewy and amazing.

Check out Mom's Place Gluten-Free HERE

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8. Lekkco Chocolate Spread

 Derived from a 50-year old Belgian recipe, Lekkco is the first nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, low-sugar, dark chocolate spread to be introduced in the United States. It’s made with the highest quality of all-natural ingredients sourced in Europe, making it a healthier alternative for indulging your sweet tooth. Enjoy Lekkco for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

 I love that this chocolate spread is dairy-free and soy-free. So I can finally enjoy a chocolate spread on things like cookies and ice cream. This creamy spread is also gluten-free and nut-free. It comes in 4 amazing flavors.

Check out Lekkco Chocolate Spread HERE

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9. Redd Remedies Natural Supplements

 Redd means “to put in order”, which is exactly what they do. This company has natural health solutions to help you put your health in order. They understand that if a person’s health is not in order, it can become the focus of that person’s life. Through the fusion of wholesome clean food, targeted high-quality supplements, and qualified doctors with expertise in natural medicine, they help people address their health from a whole-body perspective.

 Redd Remedies sent me products that will help me with my allergies and joint health. I love that all their products are gluten-free. This company made sure to send me supplements that were free of mushrooms, soy, and dairy. The Lung Care really helped open my airways so it helped me breathe better after I worked in my garden. The joint supplements will help with my running while the sinus supplement and throat drops will help with my seasonal allergies.

Check out Redd Remedies HERE 

 I am glad that I attended the Nourished Festival this year as I discovered some awesome products that are allergy-friendly and safe for me. Having food allergies that trigger an asthma attack means that I have to be careful with what I eat. So having an event that helps me discover safe products is a good thing. To learn more about the Online Nourished Festival head HERE.