"Midwestern Girl Diet” Suzi HomeFaker Style {recipe}

I’ve had many ask me how I have lost my weight so far.  Well when I tell most they cringe because they think it sounds horrible.  But I cringe when I hear people are drinking a shake in place of a meal.  We all just do what works best for us individually.  So, what have I been doing???  I call it the “Midwestern Girl Diet”.  Ha Ha.  Ok not really but it kind of fits.  

I eat MEAT! 
By 'meat' I don’t mean I eat chicken and fish for every meal.  Although I do eat both chicken and fish I also eat steak, pork chops, roast, brisket, brauts, bacon, etc.  Doesn’t sound like a diet huh?  Well this next part is what makes people cringe. 

I don’t eat bread, pasta or potatoes (often). 
I well I eat them on special occasions, or when we are at someone’s house.  Since it is not a medical reason I don’t want to be a pain.  When I do eat these things I try to opt for wheat versions of my pasta, and breads.  I DO eat tortilla shells!  (Preferably wheat but not always.) .  I honestly feel amazing not eating all the extra starch and the weight has just fallen off! 

This is NOT a no carb diet!!!  
I eat a ton of carbs!  About 1/3 of my diet consists of carbs. The majority of my carbohydrates come through fruit, veggies, yogurt, and beans (I am sort of obsessed with black beans)! 

So what do I eat? 
I obviously eat a lot of meat, and then I fill in with a lot of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, yogurts, cheese. 

I don’t want to make separate meals for my whole family!  So I make a meat dish and vegetables we can all enjoy. The rest of my family will sometimes have some bread or a baked potato which is really no extra effort for me.  Then we get to set down and enjoy the same meal (for the most part) together.  Yes there is times I want a potato too but this option is MUCH BETTER than making them a meal and I sit there and sip a shake or eat a microwave meal as they eat a nice meal I prepared (not going to lie I’ve tried that and it made me PISSY, a hungry woman is not a nice woman).

I still enjoy my occasional sweets!  I am human!!!! 

How much have I lost? 
I am currently down about 45lbs.  I am excited to do a reveal post when hit the 50lb mark and show some pretty incredible before and afters (fully clothed, no bikini shots for me!)  I am currently co-hosting a DietBet and hoping it gives me the motivation to hit my 50lb goal. 

This has works well for me but I also know it is not for everyone!!!!  Luckily I am not doing it alone.  I have some great supporters who are cheering me on all the way AND better yet if have god on my side.  CLICK HERE to read about the beginning of my weight loss journey and how it helped me come to terms with my journey and my goals ahead.  

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Here is a favorite go to recipe of mine!

• Brown 1/2 lb hamburger
• 1 packet of taco seasoning {you can make your own, I do}
• 1 can undrained black beans
• Jalapeños
• Simmer for a few minutes to thicken
• DONE!!!
• You can eat it on tortilla shells, over lettuce as a salad {delish}, plain in a bowl {like Mexican chili}, the hubs likes it on baked potatoes {of course he does}. 
• You top it with your favorite toppings, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, peppers, etc. 

There is a quick video demo on my Instagram you can find me at @chores_chandeliers

Of course fresh veggies are best but my garden is not yet producing.  But the local farmers market opens tomorrow so I'll be hitting that up! 
THIS ALSO MAKES GREAT LEFTOVERS!

DietBet PRIZES!!!!!!!

I am supper pumped about doing this DietBet.  I want to remind everyone to check in as often as possible on the DietBet site.  The more you “check-in”, post, encourage, motivate, share photos, recipes, and exercises the more likely you will stay on track AND help out fellow DietBet-ers.

If you use Instagram please use to hashtag #TaylorSuziDietBet.  Also feel free to add me @chores_chandeliers and Taylor @taylor_truckey 
This is going to be a fun month!!!!!!

NOW ON TO THE PRIZES!!!!!

We are giving away some randomly and also some the go along with some “awards”.

Here is what we have so far…..

• Blue Stainless steel water bottle – Person who post posts and comments more on Instagram
• Glitter Dog Leash - Person who works out with their dog most
• Note cards – Most inspirational
• Subway Gift Card – Person who makes the best food choices “on the go”
• Suzi’s Favorite workout socks – Person who log the most workouts on DietBet website
• The overall winner (according to Diet Bet) gets a Gift Card from Pink Slate Boutique to buy some new threads!!!!!

And we also have these to give as we see fit throughout the month.

• 1 green stainless steel water bottle
• 1 pretty little notebook for a "food journal"
• $10 Amazon Gift Card
• 2- $15 giftcards from Pink Slate Boutique

This kicks off Monday but weigh-ins start tomorrow (if you chose)
ALSO share the DietBet with friends on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or the old fashioned way but just telling them about it :) 

Haven't signed up yet?  

Click HERE to do so now!

My weightloss plateau and a new DietBet

Last summer I was getting ready to go to a friend’s house for a 4^th of July party and I was so discouraged while I picked out an outfit.  I went to town and bought a new pair of capris and I was mortified by the size!!!!  That day I started my weight loss journey hard core {the first of the year I had made some healthy changes but still eating WAY to much CRAP}.  Since last July I have lost over 45lbs.  I cannot wait to hit the 50lb mark and share some pretty drastic before and after photos.  I have been stuck at this weight for a long time.  And I need the extra push to push me over the hump.  {AND THE POOL OPENED YESTERDAY.  Talk about motivation!!!!}

A fellow blogger Taylor over at “College Girl in an Ag World” asked me to join in and cohosting a DietBet.  I love DietBet!!!  I hand have done it in the past and really enjoyed the extra push it gave me to meet my goal.  

What is a diet bet? 

It is a fun website where you make a bet and then who ever accepts the bet joins in.

It is a $25 bet.

The bet is to lose 4% of your body fat in 1 month.

Everyone who meets the goal splits the pot.

The more people who join in the higher the potential winnings.

If you meet the goal you are guaranteed to get your money back.

It starts June 2nd and ends on June 29th. 

{YES June 29^th.  That is Just in time for me to meet my 50lb goal before the 4^th!} 

Where will you be by the 4^th for July? Where will you be in a year? 

If you would like to accept our bet CLICK HERE!

I really hope you chose to join in!!!!! Throughout the diet bet I’ll be sharing what I have been doing to lose weight, recipes, friend encouragement and hopefully all of you will help motivate me to hit my next weightloss goal and I’ll soon me sharing my 50lbs lost reveal post!

IT GETS BETTER!!!!

We are giving out prizes ON TOP OF winning back your money (and possibly others money too).  You see we really want you all to meet your 4% goal!!!!  If you all make your goal then we all walk away with our money back in our pocket {and a few lbs off our frame, SCORE} but we still want to SWEETEN THE POT so we are giving away extra prizes!!!!!! These prizes will be awarded to the competitors that share the most supportive, biggest transformation, check in the most workouts, etc. Check back later this week to see what the extra prizes will be! ;) 

Still a bit confused? Not sure exactly how this works?

 Chick here for better details!

New patio table on old base

I often see table bases for free at actions, sales, garage sale, or just out on the curb.  The wind is famous for grabbing them and taking them for a ride leaving ONLY the base.  What can you do with just the base?????

MAKE A NEW TABLE OF COURSE!!!!!

We recently built a low deck (or wooden patio) outback.  I LOVE how it turned out and was excited to have some friends over.   

Moments before our friends showed up I was putting the umbrella in the old glass table and somehow I managed to shatter the whole thing.  Glass was everywhere!!!!!  SUCH A MESS!!!!!!  The Hubs being the proactive guy he is got it all cleaned up and hauled glass and table base out to the junk pile. We had a wonderful evening with friends even though we ate with our plate in our lap!  :)  The following day was Mother’s Day and the Hubs had bought me new chairs to go with the table {so we could stop using the cheap plastic ones we had been using, see picture above}.  But now we had no table to use them with!  Go figure!!!  My wheels started turning.  I asked the hubs to bring back down the table base from the junk pile.  He was not super impressed by the idea but he did with a smile {ok maybe more of a growl and a grumble, not that I can blame him}.  His mood quickly improved when he realized we would have a new table in less than an hour and for FREE!  We used left over wood from the deck and the decorative privacy wall/windbreak we built.

The frame

Drilled holes through it so we could attach it later

Time to start cutting boards

Laid out the table top (top side down)

Cut support boards (make sure they line up with base)

Screw them all together

Attach base with more screws

Sand

Seal with Poly

DONE!!!!!

Overall this whole deck project was a fast and affordable one with a lot of impact.  The deck came together so quickly.  We started on Saturday morning around 9 and finished by 2 that afternoon.   We are now able to utilize an unused portion of the deck.  It was much needed.  We not have a shaded place out of the wind.  WIND. The wind is a huge issue so being nestled back in the corner solved that problem perfectly!!!

Here is the place before….

And the after….

We need to still plant some grass but it's SO MUCH BETTER!!!!

Mrs. Campbell the K-12 Art Teacher

I have been a bit preoccupied lately.  

I have been busy getting my resume updated 

and putting together my credential file. 

I had an interview Monday evening.  

Then last night I was offered the K-12 Art position.

I accepted!!! 

I am very excited!!!!

No Cook {Raw Milk} Ice Cream

We LOVE ice cream around here!!!!!

As soon as we started to milk "Susie Cow" we started making ice cream!

I've tried a few recipes and finally came up with this one and it is SOOOOOOO SIMPLE!!!

I use raw milk {cream}, which just means that it is not pasteurized.

We strain the milk when we bring it in and then put it in the fridge.  

It will separate and the cream rises to the top.

We ladle off the cream and put it in its own jar.
Once we have the cream separated we can make ice cream!!!!

You will see that I do not use eggs or cook the ice cream base, this allows me to make it quickly.  

Which is part of my "Suzi Home Faker" motto :)

AND...the cooking kills most of the beneficial bacteria and enzymes of the raw milk!!!

4 cups Cream
3/4 cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Pink of Salt
Mix it all up in a bowl. 
Pour into an ice cream maker for about 40-45 min and its done!!!!
Eat immediately or put in the freezer for later.
You can also double or triple this recipe as needed!  
{this recipe could easily be make with store bough cream and it would also be delicious!}

This is "Susie Cow"

She make delicious milk, wiped cream, butter, AND ice cream.

***If you have any questions please feel free to ask.  I'll do my best to answer them. 

I am not an expert on raw milk.  I just do what I feel is right for my family!