Apple Carrot Peanut Butter Bread

Apple Carrot Peanut Butter Bread

I was looking in my refrigerator today and realized how many carrots I had. Solution... it’s baking time! In this recipe I added some  peanut butter to see how it would taste, but you also can omit the peanut butter and replace the ¼ cup of coconut milk with ¼ cup squeezed oranges instead for a more citrusy and summery flavor.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

3 eggs (added one at a time)

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup coconut milk

4 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups flour

½ tsp salt

2 ½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tbls cinnamon

4 cups shredded carrots

2 cups diced, peeled apples

 

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350°.

Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Mix coconut oil, sugar, eggs, peanut butter, coconut milk, and vanilla until well blended.

In separate bowl combine dry ingredients.

Fold dry ingredients into wet along with carrots and apples.

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 45mins or until golden brown.

 

 

Stress Less

If you are anything like the typical American in society today then you are bombarded with some sort of stress on an everyday basis. Stressful situations are consistently around us and can be hard to avoid. Avoiding stress isn’t the problem, it’s how we deal with the stress that is the problem. We as humans tend to go from one extreme to the next when we deal with stress. Stress comes in many forms… relationships, work, the need to be successful or to be perfect, and then not having enough time to complete everything … I really could go on and on.

I used to be a compulsive stressor, (yes it’s still an ongoing struggle for me, but what in life isn’t a journey?) what I realized was what needed to change wasn’t what I was putting on my plate to complete, but it was my mentality about it. We all have coping mechanisms when it comes to the stress in our lives, usually comes in either ignoring the situation as long as possible then having a full blown panic attack until the stressful situation is over. Stress is not only harmful to us mentally (where we feel like we are going insane), but stress affects our bodies in a very physically detrimental way.

So the question is when we feel stressed what are some things to do to calm ourselves down? I ran across a list of ways to stress less and I added some of my own… now I’m sharing them with you!

First thing on my list of ways to minimize stress in our lives is Laugh More. How often in life do we tend to take ourselves too seriously? I know I do. Laughing is a natural stress reliever, this is because it reduces stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine. So laugh it up! Nobody feels horrible after a good laugh, unless you laugh in an absolutely inappropriate situation, we’ve all been there (some more than others… why is everything funnier when you know you aren’t allowed to laugh??). Secondly, Breathe. Sometimes all we need in a stressful situation is to take a step back and breathe. Life can look daunting when we are trapped in the middle of the storm, but when we take a look at the whole picture we more often than not realize it isn’t as bad as we think. Sometimes all we need is a little air to remember we are rock stars and we’ve made it through 100% of stressful situations so far. Get Organized. If you are anything like me, then you understand that clutter adds twice as much stress. You are franticly running from mess to mess, forgetting important details and remembering things that aren’t important. If you have a mess of schedule, try getting a planner and writing down what needs to get done for the day, week, month exc. Believe me it’ll help… and you don’t have to get all complicated and color-code, sticky note, or freak out cause you miswrote something (I might have a small problem… I know). Third, Pray. In my opinion there isn't a more comforting thought then knowing there is a God out there who cares about me and my problems. Sometimes saying a quick prayer is all it takes to calm me down because it is no longer in my hands and whatever happens I can now trust it’s for my best wellbeing. Serve Others. Stress, 99% of the time is because we are focused solely one thing... ourselves. When we serve others the focus shifts from a “me” mentality to the greater good of others. It takes us out of our little me focused life and paints us a bigger picture of the world. Our problems turn into small things in comparison to what others are going through. Work Out. This could not be a truer fact especially in my life. Every time I go to the gym I feel like a whole different, happier person. When we exercise our body releases endorphins which creates a drug-like effect and makes us relax and become happy. In the words of Elle Woods, in Legally Blonde, (yes, I know this quote) “Exercise gives you endorphins - endorphins make you happy and happy people don’t shoot their husbands… they just don’t”. So get your exercise people…! Think of the Good Times. Nothing makes me feel better than thinking about good times. It makes me remember that my life isn’t always a disaster and in fact I have it pretty good. For everything there is a season, but the thing to remember is that seasons end… stay strong. Get Hugs. Now for the people out there who are all into the touchy and feely this is an easy thing to ask, but if you don’t really like to be touched... at all, then this step might at first make you feel more stressed. However, we need hugs, human interaction is a good thing! I do not like hugs nor do I like asking for them, but if I'm stressed and someone gives me a hug I feel 100% better. Talk About It. Most of the time in life we don’t need someone’s opinion, we need to just hear ourselves speak and we usually can figure it out on our own. So pick a best friend that owes you a listen and just talk away. Another thing that happens when we talk through things is that we realize the problem isn’t as big as we have made it up in our minds to be. Finally Smile. Fact of life is that it is next to impossible to be upset or stressed if you are wearing a beautiful smile on your face. Smiling is the perfect way of tricking your brain into believing you aren’t stressed until you actually calm down.

Well there is my list of what to do when you are feeling stressed. I’m sure there are many more ways to calm ourselves down, but it’s a start. The best thing to keep in mind when stressing out is to remember that you’ve always made it through situations in the past and worry isn’t going to do anything for you except lower your immune system and make you sick. So smile because you got this!! J

Dried Fruit Bars

Ever wonder what the heck is in granola bars today? If not… I’m sure you realize how much you are forking over to buy one, especially if it’s a good quality one. Here’s a recipe for homemade snack bar recipe that is similar to larabars at the store.

INGREDIENTS:

12 dried dates, pitted

1 cup raw almonds

¼ cup raisins

A food processor

 

DIRECTIONS:

Pour dates, almonds, and raisins into your food processor and blend for about 2 ½ mins or until the ingredients have the consistency of firm cookie dough.

Tear off a 12 in x 18 in piece of wax paper or plastic wrap (whatever you have handy). Place fruit mixture in the center of the paper and start to press the mixture out into a large bar. Wrap the paper around the sides of the bar to help smooth out the mixture (I used a rolling pin). You should end up with a ¼ in thick bar that’s about 4 in x 8 in.

Wrap bar tightly in paper or wrap and place in freezer for 45mins-1hr to harden slightly (this will make it easier to cut).

Remove bar from freezer, unwrap it, and cut. The large bar once cut, should make about 6 snack bars total.  

 

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Who doesn’t love a mouthful of chocolate?? A mouthful of delish plus they are gluten-free and dairy-free!

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 egg

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup cocoa powder

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup walnuts (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS:

  Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

    Mix together the coconut oil and sugars.

    Add egg and vanilla until combined.

    Mix together soda, salt, and cocoa.

Combine with wet ingredients and mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

 

 

Bake for about 10 minutes.

 

 

 

 



Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake (GLUTEN-FREE)

Happy Birthdayyy to my best friend and BIG sister! Today was my sisters 24^th birthday and I made a chocolate quinoa cake! mmmm… mmmm… And as an added bonus it is gluten FREE!

Best EVER Chocolate Quinoa Cake (GLUTEN-FREE)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or preferred milk)

4 whole eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup butter (melted)

1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 cup sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Whipped Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting:

1 (13.5 oz) can of full fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)

1 (10 oz) bag of chocolate chips

 

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven 350 degree.

2.  Oil two round cake pans and dust with sugar.

3.  In the food processor, combine the eggs, almond milk (or preferred milk) and vanilla. (blend of 10 sec)

4.  Add the cooked and cooled quinoa along with melted butter and coconut oil. Blend until smooth. (30 sec – 1 min)

5.  Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl. (cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt)

6.  Add the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

7.  Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake 30 mins. Let cakes cool.

8.  To make frosting you will need to refrigerate the coconut milk overnight so that the cream separates.

9.  Melt chocolate in a sauce pan. Remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator and scoop out the solid part with spoon. Add the solid coconut cream to the chocolate and melt together. Remove from the stove, pour into a large bowl, and place in fridge. Refrigerate for several hours or until thickened. Once thickened, remove from refrigerator and beat on high for 30 sec – 1 min, until a fluffy frosting is formed.   

10.Transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with bottom side up.(try not to move the cakes more than once because they can be extremely fragile)

11.Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When I made this cake for my sister’s birthday, I made a filling (1 (8oz) package cream cheese, 6 big strawberries, and 1 tbsp. of sugar/ blended together)! Served it with organic mint chocolate chip ice cream...Tasty! J

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients:

·         1 cup uncooked quinoa, well rinsed

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         2 cups water

·         1/3 cup diced red onion

·         2 Tbsp lime juice

·         1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 cup frozen corn, defrosted, OR 1 cup of fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled (approximately the amount of kernels from one ear of corn)

·         3 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks or a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut in halves.

·         1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

·         1/4 cup chopped cilantro, including tender stems, packed

·         3 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1 Put the rinsed quinoa, salt, and water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer gently until the quinoa absorbs all the water (10-15 mins). Remove from heat and let sit for 5 mins. Place into a large bowl and fluff with a fork.

2 While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the rest of the salad. Soak the red onions in the lime juice and set aside. (Soaking the onions in lime juice helps take the edge off of them.) Mix the prepped black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, and oil into a large bowl.

3 When the quinoa has cooled, mix it into the bean mixture. Add the red onion and the lime juice and add salt, more oil or lime juice to taste. Serve at room temperature.

 

Late Summer Corn Salad

Nothing tastes better than the taste of beautiful summer! Try cooling off with some corn and peppers salad this year in the heat!!

 

 

 Late Summer Corn Salad

Prep time: 

20 minutes

Cooking time: 

10 minutes

Yields: 

6 people

Ingredients: 

4 ears of corn
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Boil corn in a large pot for 5-10 minutes.

2.Remove from pot and cool by running under cold water.

3.Cut kernels from the cobs and place in a large mixing bowl.

4.Finely dice the onion and peppers, mince the cilantro and add to the bowl with the corn.

5.Add oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well.

50 REASONS TO EXERCISE !

We live in a society where the only time we feel obligated to do something if there are reasons and it can somehow benefits us in some way. Well I’m here to get rid of any excuses to skip an exercise… yeah sorry, not sorry! J I admit it’s hard to start working out and before it becomes a habit we tend to find ourselves making every excuse in the book. I used to be the queen of workout excuses before I became addicted to it. I know that I’m not the only one who is guilty of these excuses… Ever said any one of these humdingers?...

“I don’t have time”

“It’s so boring”

“I’m too fat” orrrr…

“I’m thin already”

Here’s why all these excuses blow… first off, time is what we make of it. We are consistently filling our days with what we consider “priorities” and I can’t think of a more important aspect in life then our health. Besides, a one hour workout is only 4% of your whole day. How much time do you spend watching TV or surfing the internet each day? Secondly, workouts don’t have to be boring. I know I’ve been guilty of letting my gym time slip into monotonous workout routines… try spicing things up by getting a workout partner or joining fitness class that interests you. Working out doesn’t have to mean walking on a treadmill for hours! “I’m too fat” or “’I’m thin already” are both equally damaging excuses. We need to remember that everybody’s body is different and everyone starts at one point. In fact whenever I see people walk into the gym, whether they are in perfect shape or have no muscle definition at all, it is inspiring because I see people who are willing to push their body to its limits in order to live a happier and healthier life. We are blessed with these incredible complex bodies and one of the saddest thing in life is to never be able to see the capacity that it’s capable of. No matter what size we are, when we step into the gym we are all as equals because we are all there for the same purpose: to make a better life for ourselves.

Here are 50 reasons we should workout (there is probably more, but I think 50 is a good start.)J

1.       Lifts your mood

2.       Improves brain capacity

3.       Increases learning ability

4.       Builds self-esteem (Lord knows we could all use a little of this in our lives)

5.       Keeps body fit

6.       Boosts mental health

7.       Boosts immune system

8.       Reduces stress (something I need… A LOT)

9.       Releases endorphins/ makes you happier

10.   Improves skin tone

11.   Improves sleep

12.   Helps prevent strokes

13.   Improves joint function

14.   Improves muscle tone

15.   Alleviates anxiety

16.   Sharpens memory

17.   Helps control addictions

18.   Boosts productivity

19.   Boosts creative thinking

20.   Improves body image

21.   Gives you confidence

22.   Helps keep you focused

23.   Improves eating habits

24.   Increased longevity (who doesn’t want to live longer?)

25.   Strengthens bones

26.   Strengthens heart

27.   Improves posture

28.   Prevents colds

29.   Improves appetite

30.   Improves cholesterol levels

31.   Lowers risks of certain cancers

32.   Lowers high blood pressure

33.   Lowers risk of diabetes

34.   Fights dementia

35.   Eases back pain

36.   Decreases osteoporosis risk

37.   Reduces feelings of depression

38.   Prevents muscle loss

39.   Has anti-aging effects

40.   Increases energy levels

41.   Increases sports performance

42.   Increases pain resistance

43.   Improves oxygen supply to cells

44.   Improves concentration

45.   Improves balance and coordination (good for clumsy people like me)

46.   Helps with self-control

47.   Lessens fatigue

48.   Increases sex drive & satisfaction (oola-la)

49.   Makes life more exciting

50.   Improves quality of life!!

Now what’s your excuse?? Stick with it… believe me it’ll be worth it and it’ll become something you won’t be able to live without!