Trim Healthy Mama

Name: Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5 Slices bacon; 3-4 Leftover Cheeseburgers ((or 1 lb Ground Beef)); 2 tbsp Butter; 1/4 cup Marinara Sauce; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 3 cups Bone Beef Broth ((or regular beef broth)); 2 tsp Mustard ((yellow, spicy or dijon)); 1/2 tsp Black Pepper; 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Chili Powder; 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese; 3 oz Cream cheese; 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

5 THM Things I Don’t Do

February 18, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

5 THM things I don’t do according to the plan and the one thing that I always do in order to make the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle work for me.

Trim Healthy Mama is a lifestyle (not a diet) that teaches you to basically alternate between low carb meals (S) and low fat with healthy carb meals (E). There are a few more details in the book but that is a very basic overview. The THM plan has worked well for me as a way to eat healthier and lose weight. However, many people find it complicated and difficult to follow.

I decided to share 5 THM things I don’t do that are mentioned frequently in the book or on the Facebook support groups. For me, simplifying the plan allows me to be more compliant. And therefore, lose more weight!

5 THM Things I Don’t Do

Let me start this off with a little disclaimer. These things that I don’t do are probably beneficial to some people. I am sure they help some people stay on plan or to lead a healthier lifestyle. I don’t want this post to sound like I am telling you not to do these parts of the plan.

I just want you to know that they are not necessary in order to succeed. The plan actually started based on the very simple principle of separating fuels (fats from carbs) and some of the newer and more complicated add ons may scare some people off from starting.

So if you like these 5 things that I skip, by all means do them. But if you are struggling with feeling overwhelmed, overworked in the kitchen or just scared to start, read this and know that you can make it work without all the special items and complicated meals.

1. NSI (No Special Ingredients)

If you have read many things on Protecting Your Pennies, you know that saving money is our thing! And one reason that I do not use many or any special ingredients is because of money. The special items tend to cost a lot more than just buying whole foods.

When I committed to the program, a change in my eating habits was my goal. So I stopped trying to eat like I was eating (meaning that I am not attempting to THMify a triple chocolate molten lava cake). And I started trying to eat healthy, simple and whole food meals.

So as opposed to trying to figure out how to take 10 ingredients to make a waffle or a cupcake, I just skip those things. And that is hard for me to say because I LOVE sweets. I choose to go off plan once in a while and eat a treat that will really be enjoyed. Yes it takes some willpower to hop right back on plan but it works for me.

The second reason that special ingredients are skipped in my house is the complication that they add to my life. You will read more about this in number 3. When I hop in the kitchen, I want quick and easy. I want foods I am comfortable with and know that will develop into a meal that my family will eat with no waste.

Special Ingredients Used at My House

While talking about 5 THM things I don’t do, I should probably include what I do purchase. There are a few personal choice items that make my life easier instead of complicating it! So for that reason, I do buy a few of those items fairly consistently. The best news is that these items are typically available at Walmart (and sometimes even Aldi).

Joseph’s Lavash Bread & Pitas

Mission Low Carb Tortillas

Halo Top Ice Cream

Stevia (I very rarely use this but I do usually have it in the pantry)

2. No Shakes, Trimmies, GGMS, Sippers

The first time I did THM and failed, I did try lots of the shakes and GGMS. While I don’t care for the GGMS, many of the shake recipes that I tried from the cookbook were good. I liked them. They were packed with healthy items (although I skip those Okra recipes, I just CAN’T) and tasted yummy.

So why do I not do something that I like? I have two kids and work full time. I am the diaper changer and the runner to extra curricular activities. I am also trying to squeeze in a workout here or there for me. So just like many of you, I am busy.

Although I like the shakes as a snack, most times my snacks need to be quick and even premade or proportioned for grab and go portability. I will make a green smoothie as a breakfast on occasion but in general, my blender stays in my cabinet collecting dust. Only to be used on special occasions.

I know this is not for everyone. I have read on the Facebook groups about plenty of women that have literally burned their motors up from all the use that they give their blenders. But I am just more of a string cheese and handful of nuts THM girl.

3. No Complicated Desserts or Homemade Bread

Lots of people seem to struggle with the desserts that are on plan. The recipes can be time consuming and use lots of special ingredients making them costly. And then if you don’t like the taste, it can be really frustrating to see all of that effort and money wasted.

Since I am not one to stock a ton of special ingredients, I stick to a few very simple desserts that can eliminate my sweet tooth in a pinch. Choosing this path also makes my time in the kitchen much less.

For the bread, I purchase a loaf of sprouted bread for my E meals every week (Aldi makes this so affordable). As I said in number 1, THM meant life changes for me. So as opposed to trying to make a bread that I can eat with S meals, I just don’t eat bread with those meals. It is a small sacrifice for me when I can eat bacon, steak or cheese during those S meals if I choose. And if I am just desperate for something that “feels” like a carb in an S meal, I might choose to have a Mission tortilla or a Joseph’s product.

4. No Eating When I am Not Hungry

The recommendation is trying to eat every 3-4 hours on THM. So for this “rule” I feel like I kind of follow it and kind of don’t.

I never really eat a morning snack. I don’t need a snack in the morning so I don’t eat one. Avoiding a morning snack works for me and I don’t find myself eating more at lunch because I skipped the mid-morning snack. I also don’t experience the sugar valleys with the space between meals here.

I do typically have lunch, an afternoon snack and then dinner. I don’t always have an afternoon snack but I do enjoy one pretty frequently. Lots of people seem to ask on the Facebook THM groups if you HAVE to eat every 3-4 hours.

The principle about why to eat that often is a good one in my opinion. However, sometimes life gets in the way. I also don’t like to eat when I’m not hungry because it isn’t a good habit for me. You may hear to eat smaller meals so that you get hungry by the 3-4 hour mark.

My policy is just to listen to my body. I don’t eat a big breakfast typically so their is not much to cut. I think it is probably the coffee that gives me a full feeling. So for me, sometimes I eat a snack, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I eat every 3 hours and sometimes I go longer. It what works for me.

5. Few Veggies at Breakfast and None Stuffed into Desserts

Ok, so this is not a steadfast rule for me. I will occasionally eat veggies for breakfast. I do like zucchini with my eggs occasionally or a little fresh spinach on a breakfast sandwich. But in general, I don’t eat a lot of veggies at breakfast and I don’t do it daily.

So if you are great about eating veggies at breakfast, just skip this! I think eating more veggies is a great thing and I do TRY to make an effort to include a veggie a couple of times a week in the morning. I just in general can’t stomach eating a veggie for breakfast, so I don’t make myself miserable forcing it. And I still lose weight. Maybe I will get better!

I also don’t make brownies with Okra or muffins with spinach. It just isn’t appealing to me. I choose to eat my veggies at my other meals and snacks. I just try to make sure I get plenty non-starchy veggies throughout the day. Don’t stress about the time of day that they are going in!

1 THM Policy That I Follow Religiously

After writing about the 5 THM things I don’t do, I thought it was only right to tell you the one thing that I always do when following Trim Healthy Mama!

I eat simple, real food meals while alternating fuels. I can tell you 100% honestly that I do not spend any more time in the kitchen when I am doing THM than I would if I was eating in another manner.

By separating fuels at meals, you eat what the plan calls S meals or E meals. There are a few variations listed in the book (Deep S, S helper, FP), however, I think when you are just starting out that just sticking with S or E makes it easier.

My Trim Healthy Mama Success & Resources

You can read about my trim healthy mama story where I have now lost a total of 60 lbs since having my baby boy at the end of 2017.

I have a couple of popular meal plans on the blog that may help you if you are just starting out on THM or if you just need a fresh idea or two. The 7 Frugal THM Dinners meal plan is great if you are on a budget. And the 7 Day THM Meal plan will be of interest if you are visual because I photographed everything that I ate for a full week – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

And if you are a “drive thru Sue” looking for what you can eat on the go, check out my THM S Meals Fast Food Cheat Sheet.

10 Keto Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice

January 27, 2019 by Stacy Craft 1 Comment

Find 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice that will spice up your dinner table but keep your pants fitting well!

A bag or two of riced cauliflower is always living in the bottom of my freezer. It is kind of a Keto/low carb rite of passage. It is the Kale of 2015.

The trend is to eat cauli rice so of course, I buy it and put it in my freezer. But what do you actually do with it? Because I can promise you I am not just popping it in the microwave and putting it on a plate. No Ma’am, too plain and blah for me. These 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice will show you how to easily doctor that lonely bag of frozen cauliflower into something amazing!

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Why Eat Cauliflower Rice?

Want to know a secret? When I first started eating low carb, I didn’t like cauliflower rice. Not just didn’t like it, I despised it. The smell of cooked cauliflower does not please me but I wanted to eat it. Remember that 2018/2019 cauliflower bandwagon that I wanted to hop on?

But why should we eat cauliflower? There are lots of reasons and here are a few of my favorites.

High Nutritional Value

Cauliflower is rich in vitamins and high in fiber. It is also very low in calories so it allows you to bulk up your meal without adding lots of excess calories. The cool thing about keto is that you don’t need to count calories but you also don’t want to go crazy with your calories either.

Budget Friendly

Cauliflower is also relatively inexpensive, even when buying it as a convenience item (like riced in the frozen food section). Since it is economical, you can use it to add volume to your meal and have plenty of money in your grocery budget left for more expensive items like meats and cheese.

Great Substitute for High Carb Items

Lets be honest. Many of us want to eat the same way that we did before making the choice to move to a healthier and lower carb lifestyle. Rice and potatoes and bread are all comfort foods that we grew up with. Being able to find a substitute to give you the feeling of a comfort food dish without all the unnecessary carbs and calories is a win.

10 Keto Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice

As I said up top, I didn’t always love cauli rice. You know why? Because it is not good plain. I am sure someone out there will disagree with me but to me it needs to be doctored up a bit (or a lot).

These 10 keto recipes using cauliflower rice will give your dinner rotation a fresh new feel while incorporating a vegetable packed with vitamins and nutrients. I love that each of these recipes gives a completely different flavor profile and cuisine to the cauliflower rice that you haven’t known what to do with.

Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauliflower Rice – This is my top recipe on my blog and was pinned more than 100,000 times in 2018. It features a simple 2 ingredient queso to drench your cauli rice and chicken in. And it is ready in 30 minutes!
Low Carb Cajun Shrimp Casserole – An old family favorite, this recipe of my grandmother’s was adapted to be low carb by subbing the white rice for cauliflower rice. It is rich and delicious.
Keto Hawaiian Haystacks – Keen for Keto shows you how to make a completely customizable Hawaiian Haystacks meal using cauliflower rice. She shares that it is great for her large family because everyone can choose exactly what they like. I am definitely adding this to my meal plan the next time we have all the kids over. Trying to please 5 kids (3 teens and 2 toddlers) is next to impossible.
Chicken Divan – Broccoli, chicken, cheese and rice just go together. They are keys to a great casserole and buy simply subbing cauli rice for the white stuff, you can eat it on your low carb / keto diet. Yum!
Cajun Cauliflower Rice – Valerie at Thyme and Joy has created a delicious take on New Orleans dirty rice with this recipe. My husband is from Louisiana so Cajun food hits our table often. And as a busy mama, I love simple one skillet meals like this one.
Bacon Burger Casserole – Burgers are always a family pleaser and a casserole is great for an easy week night meal.
Keto Chicken Korma – One of my step-daughters loves Indian food. This dish has all of the classic Indian flavors and comes together in 30 minutes. It is going on my meal plan for this week!
Tumeric Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup – A quick soup that is loaded with vegetables and turmeric is a great week night remedy to keep you feeling your best.
Cauliflower Fried Rice – One of the first cauli rice recipes that I ever made was a low carb fried rice. Even my cauli rice hating husband ate it and like it. It is a great way to get your Chinese take out fix without cheating.
Louisiana Seafood Gumbo with Cauliflower Rice – This recipe from A Sprinkling of Cayenne is a little more time consuming than the others in this list but I just couldn’t leave it out. I had written off gumbo while eating low carb and boy was I wrong! Check out this yummy recipe when you have a little extra time on your hands and want a big bowl of Cajun love.

Other Keto / Low Carb / THM Recipes

And if this list of 10 Keto Recipes using cauliflower Rice leaves you wanting more, I have many more Keto/low carb/Trim Healthy Mama recipes that you may want to try! Feel free to stay a while and look around! Some of my favorites are Leftover Cheeseburger Soup, Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Faux Sushi, and Parmesan and Pork Rind Crusted Pork Chops.

If you love low carb / keto but you feel like you could use a healthy carb every now and then, read about how I have lost 60 lbs postpartum using the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide For S Meals

January 12, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Eating out does not have to be detrimental to your waistline. You can eat according to THM principles using this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide!

You have the plan down while you are at home but you know that eventually you will have to venture out into the real world. At some point you will probably find yourself sitting in the drive thru line needing to grab something quick. Will you just have to start again in 3 hours after eating something fatty and loaded with carbs? Nope! Use this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide to give you easy “S” meals that you can eat on the run.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Trim Healthy Mama Planning For Success

Ok, ok. I know that the reason you are sitting in that fast food drive thru lane is because you didn’t have time to plan. The kids have practice or your meeting ran late at work and you need quick and easy.

What I mean is to plan for this emergency to happen. The biggest complaint that I have with eating fast food out on plan is that sometimes the meal seems kind of dinky. You know what I mean? A cheeseburger without a bun, while ok sometimes, doesn’t always seem as satisfying as it would with that big huge bun.

To combat those dinky meals, you can literally stock your car, purse or top drawer at your office for success. Here are the things that I like to have to help make my meal out more substantial.

Stock Your Car

If the conditions are extreme outside, you may be better keeping these things in your purse so that it moves in and out of the element with you. But you can be the judge of that! Here are the things that I think make this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide more substantial.

Joseph’s Lavash or Pita Bread – These make great vehicles to wrap up your low carb burger or grilled chicken to make it more filling. You could even dump part or all of a side salad in with your meat to bulk it up.

Mission Low Carb Tortilla – If you want something amazing, stuff a Taco Bell protein bowl into one of these tortillas for a delicious S taco on the run.

Lily’s Chocolate Bar – I like Lily’s but I also eat other brands of on plan chocolate. By keeping a piece of chocolate with you, you can finish off your fast food meal without being tempted by a milkshake or cookie.

True Lemon – I broke my addiction to diet soda but I am still sometimes tempted by a big Coke when I am in line. A packet or two of the true lemon takes up no room in your purse and will give your water a little flavor.

Pork Rinds or Whisps – Ok, we might be getting outside of what can comfortably fit in your purse unless you are Mary Poppins. But unlike the chocolate, I think both of these would be safe to just keep in your car. These will help you have a good “side” to go with your bunless burger.

Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide for S Meals

Arby’s

Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad, meat with no bun (they will put it in a bowl for you) and a side salad (dump the meat on top of salad or put it in a wrap you brought from home home), French dip meat on a side salad, Beef N Cheddar in a wrap (that you bring from home) would be amazing but the cheese will be your choice – it has additives that won’t be on plan. But still way better than eating that big onion bun, in my opinion!

Burger King

Whopper and side salad

Chick-fil-a

Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap with the Avocado or Ranch Dressing

Cobb Salad with Grilled nuggets,

In-N-Out

Burger “Protein Style” – They will wrap your burger in lettuce if ordered like this.

Jimmy Johns

Unwhich – Sub ingredients wrapped in lettuce.

McDonald’s

Bacon Cheeseburger (no Bun) & Side Salad

Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

Grilled Ranch Snack Wrap (The ranch sauce has some less than desirable ingredients. You could use a little of their ranch dressing which is also not perfect but ok for Drive Thru Sue’s; Also throw out the tortilla it comes in and replace with a low carb tortillas). This is less than $2.

Popeye’s

Blackened Chicken Tenders with Green Beans

Subway

Chopped Salad with lots of veggies, cold cuts or grilled chicken, cheese.

Sandwich Filling into your own low carb tortilla (feed the sub roll to the birds)

Taco Bell

Grilled Chicken Protein bowl (no rice or beans). Bring 2 low carb tortillas and you can make 2 huge tacos.

Taco Salad (No Beans, Rice or Shell)

Wendy’s

Baconator and side salad

Whataburger

Grilled Chicken Melt (no Bun) & Side Salad

I hope this Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide helps you make easy and good choices at your favorite drive thru. Don’t forget to stock your car or purse up so that you can round out your meal in the most cost efficient method possible.

My Favorite THM Drive Thru Option

Here is an example of how I used the Trim Healthy Mama fast food guide and a stocked car to have an amazing Drive Thru Sue lunch the other day.

I ordered the Taco Bell chicken protein bowl with no beans or rice. I was kind of worried that the remaining food was going to be small (you know these restaurants love to bulk up meals with the cheap fillers). But I was pleasantly surprised. Excuse the lap picture but here is what it looked like in the bowl.

I took the lovely spork that they gave me & divided it out into 2 Low Carb Tortillas. It was so good!

Pin this Trim Healthy Mama Fast Food Guide to your THM board so that you have some good S Meal ideas to choose when you are out. It is so nice to know that you can stay on plan while still living your busy life.

If you would like to read more about my journey on THM postpartum, how I make the plan work for me and a free 2 week meal plan, read this post. 7 Frugal THM Family Meals and a Free 7 day meal plan may be helpful in your weight loss journey as well.

Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

July 1, 2018 by Stacy Craft 10 Comments

A creamy and rich low carb soup that comes together in just a few minutes using leftover grilled cheeseburgers.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Burgers are a staple of summertime. Soup usually makes me think Fall and Winter. But when I am eating low carb, soups are such an easy way to get a satisfying and simple meal. So I broke the rules and ate soup in the 90 degree heat. I have air conditioning and I lived through it (and loved it)! My low carb bacon cheeseburger soup was made even easier and more flavorful by using leftover cheeseburgers from the night before.

My husband grilled cheeseburgers the night before and we had one of our staple dinners, Cheeseburger Salad. The next day at lunch I was trying to find something quick and tasty. I saw the leftover burgers and it hit me. I could make a low carb bacon cheeseburger soup, use my leftovers, and have a yummy meal. Win.

Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

We follow the Trim Healthy Mama plan at our house so this is a THM S Meal because of the cheese, cream and red meat. If you follow another low carb plan, this will fit within that or your Keto lifestyle. (See how I lost 22 lbs postpartum in 3 months with THM)

While looking at recipes, I first saw a cheeseburger soup on i Save A 2 Z. I made some small modifications and added in leftovers to make this soup delicious and budget friendly by using leftovers.

Start by prepping your bacon. Make this even easier by using bacon bits that you already have or cook your bacon in your soup stock pot to make it a one pot meal like I did.

The Leftovers

Chop your leftover cheeseburgers up into bite size pieces. You can use cooked ground beef in the soup but the leftover burgers really amp up the flavor of the soup. Plus you get to use up leftovers from your bbq! Don’t let your money get tossed out by not eating your leftovers.

Add your butter, seasonings, bone broth, marinara and shredded cheese. I use the Bone beef broth from Walmart as an easy way to increase the nutritional value. Add your cream cheese.

My cheese grater broke recently so I had to get creative with my pot strainer to get my cheese shredded! It wasn’t easy but it worked. There is a hack for you if yours breaks too! Do what you have to do to get dinner on the table! #momlife

Add your chopped burgers and bacon bits. Next, add in your heavy cream and simmer it all together. (Don’t mind my amazing clip on spoon that is taking up 1/2 the picture!)

Cheeseburger Soup Toppings

Top the soup with your choice of dill pickle slices (sounds weird but so good), more shredded cheese and sliced jalapenos.

Your leftover low carb bacon cheeseburger soup is rich and decadent. The leftover burgers really give this soup a burger in a bowl taste. I hope you try it to use your leftovers and have a yummy lunch or dinner for the family. Don’t forget to see the can’t miss cheesy salsa chicken recipe that also fits with Keto/low carb/ THM S. And if you are looking for more ways to use your leftovers, here are 5 ways to use your chicken.

Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Course

Soup

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

5 Slices bacon
3-4 Leftover Cheeseburgers (or 1 lb Ground Beef)
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Marinara Sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cups Bone Beef Broth (or regular beef broth)
2 tsp Mustard (yellow, spicy or dijon)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
3 oz Cream cheese
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Course

Soup

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

5 Slices bacon
3-4 Leftover Cheeseburgers (or 1 lb Ground Beef)
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Marinara Sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cups Bone Beef Broth (or regular beef broth)
2 tsp Mustard (yellow, spicy or dijon)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
3 oz Cream cheese
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Instructions

Cook your bacon until desired consistency. (I did this until cooked through but not completely crisp). Tear or chop into bacon bit pieces.
Chop your cooked cheeseburgers into bite sized pieces. If using ground beef, cook and drain off any fat.
Add butter, spices, bone broth, mustard, shredded cheese and marinara and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add cream cheese to the mixture and allow it to melt into the soup for about 5 minutes or until completely melted. (You can let this simmer longer to allow the flavors to develop more if you would like).
Add the heavy cream.
Add the cheeseburgers and bacon bits.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Garnish with additional shredded cheese, jalapeno slices, and dill pickle slices.