Black Cherry Soda

Some days Phase 2 can be hard and all you need is a little "treat" to help you feel normal again, that it won't last forever and that you can make it through this!  My encouragement to you today will be exactly that! 

You will be able to eat normal again soon.  This will not last forever.  You can make it through today and make it through the entire process.

To help you through the day, taking some time to enjoy fruity flavors will help.  Below you will find my favorite kitchen toy.  It makes healthy drinks choices in a snap.  Morning coffee, afternoon iced tea, evening hot tea, hot cocoa for the kids, even hot water for soup.  All at the touch of your fingers.  Highly recommended, especially if you have been wanting one from afar.  I love my Breville Keurig machine and I wanted to share and show you one of my favorite kitchen tools you can use in Phase 2 and beyond.   As always I will answer any questions you have about this kitchen gem.

Black Cherry Soda

2 Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry tea bags

4 ounces boiling water

1 C sparkling water

1/8 tsp stevia

1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)

Place 2 tea bags in bottom of a coffee/ tea mug.  Pour 4 ounces very hot water.  Steep 6-8 minutes.  Squeeze liquid from bags and remove.  Sweeten with stevia to taste, adding lemon juice is optional.  Fill a tall glass with ice, add concentrated tea.  Pour the sparkling water over tea and ice, stir with straw and sip happily.
Note:  If you are not a tea drinker or tea liker...give this a try along with my Faux-Fruit Punch, they don't have a "tea" taste at all.  You should be pleasantly surprised and makes a nice entrance into the world of drinking health tonic called tea!

Keurig compatible Coffee and Tea makers











K-Cup Accessories











K-Cup Coffees











K-Cup Teas

Mixing Veggies

Good Evening Everyone! 

I wanted to address some discrediting about Phases To Forever.  There have been some postings relating to the recipes on the website not being 100% Dr. Simeons protocol by mixing veggies.  None of the recipe mix veggies with one exception of the Cucumber Salad that gives specific directions not to eat the cukes and onions at the same time/meal.  I am very careful and consider all ingredients while making the P2 meals.  Mixing veggies in P2 is not on the food list I provide and I follow the food list posted here that is copied right out of Pounds and Inches.  There is no rule bending going on at this website, part of the reason I started Phases To Forever was because in my own searching, there was no accurate recipes in one spot that followed the real Dr. S rules. 

As always- enjoy what you eat in Phase 2 by eating good flavored, tasty prepared food while following the very precise and strict foods allowed.  If there is any questions regarding this, I am always here to answer and help.

~Natasha @ http://phasestoforever.blogspot.com/

Coffee and Tea Fun

Morning everyone!

One of my favorite Phase 2 tricks is the milk frother.  Sometimes we can play little tricks on on eyes.  The daily 1 Tablespoon of milk can seem like a small amount to pour into your coffee and tea cup.  I use this milk frother daily to whip my milk up to 1/3 way up the mug.  It makes for a frothier cup of coffee and tea.  It makes my morning more enjoyable and is fun to use.  I call it my 'Whizzer".  Of coarse I use it on Phase 3 & 4 as well.  It makes for a great cup of hot cocoa and mixes protein drinks as well.  Great low cost kitchen tool!

Veggie Fun

Sunday is a day of rest, family time and fun.  Today I had so much fun with my new kitchen toy.  I have to say I am sold on this, I usually prefer to ignore every type of kitchen gadget that promises to save time but actually takes more time to set up, use and clean then it would be to just get out a cutting board and knife.  This "Veggie Fun Machine" is called a Spiral Cutter and can be used on vegetables, fruit, cheese, etc...anything hard enough to hold by little spikes.  I normally will not post without a new recipe but I have heard so much about these lately and wanted to show you so you can determine if it is worth your money.

I made my Cucumber Salad today using this and just had to post about it.  Anything to make our very limited food list more interesting is a tool for success in my mind.  I also see a great zucchini lasagna in my near P3 future! 

This is what I bought...because it has different blades and shapes. 

but there are many versions and price ranges.  If you have one already, I would love to hear how you use it and recipes!  Have a great rest of your football Sunday!