Chocolate Coconut Muffin in a Mug with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing (THM)

Muffin

1 Egg, beaten
2 Tbsp Almond Flour
1 Tbsp Desiccated Coconut
1 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Tbsp Xylitol
1 tsp Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Water

Mix together in microwave safe mug or bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. (Alternately, bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.)

Frosting

1 Tbsp Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Sugar Free Peanut Butter
2 sachets Candarel Stevia (or sweetener of choice)

Mix together and slather on top of cooked muffin. Enjoy!!

**Next time I will thin the icing a little with some almond milk. It was a little thick!

Beverley Naidoo, South Africa & Tapestry of Grace

What happens when you move? You sort. And sort. And sort. I sorted through things as we packed, getting rid of what we no longer need, and now I'm sorting through things as I unpack!

I came across a book today while unpacking my school room that I thought I could add to my my children's reading list this year. We are doing Year 4 of Tapestry of Grace, which covers the time period from 1900 to the Present. The book is Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo. As I researched to find the time setting for this book, I found that she's written several other highly recommended books. I thought I would share, first of all, so that I don't forget about them! Secondly, I thought someone else might find it useful.
Please keep in mind, other than Journey to Jo'burg, I haven't previewed the books and plan to preview them before letting my children read them.

Out of Bounds, TOG Y4, Units 3-4, 1950-2000

Recommended for Grades 6 and up. (Also available on Kindle)

Journey to Jo'burg, TOG Y4, Wk 31 - 1985 (This is when the book was first published)

Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

Chain of Fire, TOG Y4, Wk 32 - 1986 (This is when the book was first published) (Out of Print)
Sequel to Journey to Jo'burg


No Turning Back, TOG Y4, Wk 33 or 34
Recommended for Grades 4 and up. (Also available on Kindle)



There is also the sweetest children's book! I am going to have to purchase this one! I just fell in love with the preview on Amazon.

S is for South Africa

Homeschool Curriculum 2015

Here is what we're using for homeschool this year...

Brandon, age 15

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Rhetoric Level, which covers:

• World History

• World Classics of Literature

• Fine Arts

• Church History

• Government 

• Philosophy

Apologia Biology

Easy Grammar 

Math U See Algebra 2 and Stewardship

Mavis Beacon Typing

Afrikaans 

Institute for Excellence in Writing US History, Vol. 2 and High School Essay Intensive

Marissa, age 12

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Dialectic:

• History, Arts, Geography

Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics

Easy Grammar 

Math U See PreAlgebra

Mavis Beacon Typing 

Afrikaans 

Spelling Power, Fourth Edition 

Institute for Excellence in Writing US History, Vol. 2

Mya, Age 7

Little Footprints (first half of year)

Tapestry of Grace Year 4 - Lower Grammar (second half of year)

Hooked on Phonics/Blue LLATL

Math U See Alpha (finish/started last year) & Beta

Handwriting Without Tears 

Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics

Cinnamon Vanilla Rooibos Tea (Hot or Iced)

I started playing with different ways to drink Rooibos tea when I needed a substitute for my Five Roses tea with cow's milk. I love my Five Roses, but only with cow's milk, and that's not very conducive to my shrinking waist line! So, here you have it. Dairy Free. Sugar Free. Yummalicious!

1 Rooibos tea bag

1/4-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Pinch Salt

Unsweetened Almond milk, to taste
Sweetener of your choice (I use stevia)

Add 1 Rooibos tea bag to a large mug. Add hot water. Steep as long as you prefer. I like it strong so I just leave my tea bag in. Add cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir. Add almond milk to taste. Inspired by Trim Healthy Mama's The Shrinker. Serve hot, or poor over ice. If serving over ice, add up to 1/2 cup almond milk. Enjoy!

Boer versus Briton 1880-1902

I am in the process of adding South African history to our homeschool studies, integrating it with Tapestry of Grace. The Boer versus Briton (Anglo Boer War) section of All About South Africa would fit into TOG Y4.


Books to look for:
Ring Around the Moon by Maretha Maartens
Place Among the Stones by Jenny Seed
The Policeman's Button by Jenny Seed
The Spy Hill by Jenny Seed

Links:

Photographic Record of the Anglo Boer War
Anglo Boer War website

Field Trips:
Battlefields
"Luthuli Farewell Square is named in honour of early trader Lieutenant Francis Farewell and liberation struggle leader Albert Luthuli. Monuments here include statues in honour of Queen Victoria, a Boer War memorial, a Cenotaph honouring the fallen in both World Wars among other memoria. The square is opposite the eThekwini (formerly Durban) City Hall." (As a side note, eThekwini City Hall was built in 1903, so also a great visit for this time period.)
Battle of Magersfontein - Kimberly
Kruger House Museum - Pretoria

Change...

My blog has been VERY quiet as of late. I think that it's justifiable with packing, moving out of a house, flying to another country and traveling for 6 months, and then moving into a new house. And that's not to mention any other "minor" events in our family during this time period!
So... I'm back. We are still settling into our new home, but we're back in Africa and life is beginning to look like normal, if there is such a thing.
While we were traveling, we ate lots of different foods. We enjoyed our old favourites - Arby's, Mexican food, cheesesteaks, Grinders from Mancino's, etc. We also had MANY delicious home cooked meals as we met new people and visited with old friends in their homes. We ate our way across the Eastern US! ;) And needless to say, instead of losing weight or even maintaining it, I gained. I stepped on the scales in Sept, about 4 months after we started traveling, and reality slapped me in the face! I was determined to make a change.

 

A couple of friends had mentioned Trim Healthy Mama (THM) to me months earlier, and I was interested, but the cost of the book seemed daunting, especially when I wasn't sure I would stick with the plan or if it would work for me. But now, I was ready to splurge. I needed to make a change! And I found that the ebook version from their website was a much better price.
That was the 7th of September. I started implementing the plan on the 9th of September. We were still  traveling in the US and had many meals provided for us, so I wasn't on plan 100% of the time. I love this way of eating! It has made a huge difference for me, not only in weight loss, but in the way I feel! I love that I feel hungry when it's time to eat, which is approximately every 3 hours. I have lost 31 lbs. (14 kg). And before I started THM, every afternoon I would feel exhausted. I felt like I had to sleep or I might just collapse! I no longer feel that way! In fact, last week on my birthday, I laid down to rest to "spoil" myself and got back up because I didn't feel like sleeping! It amazes me how much more energy I have!
I just wanted to share, as it was as a result of some good friends sharing with me that I found this great tool to get healthy. Check it out! You may even be able to get a copy from your local library!

Caramel Rooibos Tart

Cake:
4 extra large eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup strong cold rooibos tea
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp table salts
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp melted butter

Syrup:
2 3/4 C boiling water
1 1/3 C sugar
2 rooibos tea bags
2 tsp vanilla essence

Topping:

1 can nestle treat filling and caramel topping filling (dulche de leche) (google how to make your own from sweetened condensed milk)
1 C fresh cream
white chocolate grated – dream Cadbury bar
preheat oven to 180°, grease a 24 x 32cm oven dish

Cake
beat eggs and sugar
add rooibos and vanilla
sift in dry ingredients and fold in.
stir in melted butter
turn into dish and bake for 40 min

Syrup
Combine boiling water and sugar into saucepan. Add rooibos bags – heat until sugar
dissolves. Simmer for 5 mins, remove from heat, remove bags and add vanilla. Pour
over cake as it comes out of oven and leave to cool.

Topping
Beat nestle treat and cream together
Spread over cooled cake
Top with white chocolate curls