I Don't Wanna Grow Up

I still don't feel like an adult. There I said it....

I really, really consider this a good thing in life.

Now, rest assured this doesn't mean I'm not responsible, punctual and professional - I definitely am - but I still try to see the world through the eyes of someone experiencing things for the first time.

I get excited about a thunderstorm every single time and giggle and snuggle up under the blankets - why? 'Cuz thunder sounds creepy and lightning looks incredible! Nature provides a visual spectacular and I'm going to enjoy it - it's a freebie!

It's open season on tickle fights at our house - and with luck my hands aren't in the kitchen sink doing dishes when they attack....I like to be prepared.

I secretly still believe fart noises are hilarious - but only if you make them on your arm like a professional. Avoid the sensory overload of gross - go straight for the funny.

When I was a kid, my 'Nan and Pa' would clear the dining room of all furniture, and the whole lot of us would dance to their favorite songs. It is a memory I will cherish forever - because the sound of people laughing and having fun filled the room and even carried out to the street where the neighbors could hear us. It is infectious and fills us with joy and wonderous memories.

The best is a full, honest laugh that one can't control.....I love em!

Life's short, people.....

We have ridiculous names for things that I swear were invented just to make you laugh. Passing gas is 'tooting', 'sketching has been nicknamed 'doodling,' and our candies are called Smarties, Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Nerds.

We also have the Canadian Toonie. If you haven't given any of these names serious thought and caught yourself laughing, you may not be human after all.

The world needs more silly! I love going to garage sales to try on the strange hats and funky glasses they sell - or grab the camera one afternoon and go hunting for the perfect place to take photos. It is spending time together doing creative and fun things that might just make us feel youthful (because we are).

Once I had a child of my own (when I was 33 years old), I had the perfect excuse to act silly in public without (many) strange looks - super bonus! She is just as silly as her dad and I (wonder why) - so the three of us make a great trifecta.

When we go anywhere - to a museum, park or on some outdoor adventure around our home, we are always finding the silly in the situation. Laughing is what we all love to do and if we ever need a great way to de-stress, we only have to spend time together and mix up some fun.


If you see us at a grocery store and we can hear the music over the PA - you might catch us dancing in the aisle. We've considered a routine. The shopping cart is really a pirate ship so you best get out of the way or Captain Our Daughter might take your stuff!

We've hit costume shops and spend time being goofy and letting out our inner whoever for a good giggle. Halloween is always a riot and I get to go out on the candy circuit again - it's the experience!

We also surround ourselves with friends who share the same love of laughing and living. If you want to feel young - hang out with a terrific bunch of people who are supportive, encouraging.....and silly!

Growing old is mandatory - our bodies are going to break down over time and the rest is....well....up to someone else, I guess....we don't know how much time we have - and sitting around wondering gets us nowhere. I wasn't handed a booklet when I showed up in the maternity ward so I don't have all of the answers. I just know I feel my best when I am laughing and feeling good.

I lived a portion of my life being very serious. Laughter wasn't a real part of it - and if I did laugh, it was probably a phony one. I wasn't a happy camper and it showed in my actions and words. Silly had long left the building.....

One day years later, silly returned! Thanks to what we'll call 'divorce' I found the real me again and returned to my life-loving silly self! It's amazing how we can completely lose ourselves living a busy mismatched life.

Silly is back and it reigns supreme! If I wrote down all of the wacky thoughts I had in a day, people would stop showing up here........or readership would skyrocket.


Life is funny - and no matter how it goes, we should always look for the silly because without it, we seem to miss the complete balance.

Let loose - be silly sometimes! Remember to use common sense - silly is probably frowned upon at the presidential debates, any cross country border stops, memorial services or.......let's just say there are times and places. Balance.
Hubby and I take our responsibility as parents very seriously - and as teachers (and learners) of the next generations we believe that balancing real life responsibility with surreal life magic, fun and a case of the sillies is a terrific thing.

We've put our irresponsible, pre-adult random of acts of stupid behind us and will use them as lessons.....so far so good. Life happens and we'll do the best we can with what we have where we are - and we'll laugh too!

Laughing is a natural stress reducer - and remember;  if you can't laugh at yourself.......you shouldn't be laughing at anyone else either.

What makes you laugh?

Probiotics You Make At Home For Almost No Money

Probiotic discussions are popping up all over my circle of the internet lately. I wanted to share this repost......

A probiotic is a mystical and wonderful thing - at least it used to be. Now, it is the first thing I reach for each and every morning. Why? Let me tell you why.....

The term 'probiotic' literally means 'for life.' Looking at this definition, it then seems logical that we can determine what an 'anti-biotic' does. It is 'anti-life.' I even Googled it for you....

When a person takes antibiotics, both the harmful bacteria and the beneficial bacteria are killed. A reduction of beneficial bacteria can lead to digestive problems, such as diarrhea, yeast infections and urinary tract infections. The possibility that supplemental probiotics affect such digestive issues is unknown, and remains under study.

So once again, if we go back and look at the probiotic, it will help alleviate digestive problems, yeast infestations and urinary tract infections. Yet they just finished saying that there is only a 'possibility' that supplemental probiotics do these things. I could beg to differ, but I don't have to beg. I know what they do for me.

There are many probiotics on the market, and some of them are quite amazing, and then there are those that claim they are active cultures, but we end up paying far too much for something that doesn't work because we don't understand it.

The very first probiotic I ever tried was ACIDOPHILUS. We could purchase it in capsule form too, so we were off! Here is the best explanation for what it is that I could find (thanks, New Well Being.Com).

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a "friendly" strain of bacteria used to make yogurt and cheese. Although we are born without it, acidophilus soon establishes itself in our intestines and helps prevent intestinal infections.

Acidophilus also flourishes in the vagina, where it protects women against yeast infections. Acidophilus is one of several microbes known collectively as probiotics (literally, "pro life," indicating that they are bacteria and yeasts that help rather than harm). Others include the bacteria L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.

Your digestive tract is like a rain forest ecosystem, with billions of bacteria and yeasts rather than trees, frogs and leopards. Some of these internal inhabitants are more helpful to your body than others. Acidophilus and related probiotics not only help the digestive tract function, they also reduce the presence of less healthful organisms by competing with them for the limited space available. For this reason, use of probiotics can help prevent infectious diarrhea.

Antibiotics can disturb the balance of your "inner rain forest" by killing friendly bacteria. When this happens, harmful bacteria and yeasts can move in and flourish. This can lead to vaginal yeast infections.

Whenever you take antibiotics, you should probably take probiotics as well, and continue them for some time after you are done with the course of treatment. Although we believe that they are helpful and perhaps even necessary for human health, we don't have a daily requirement for probiotic bacteria. They are living creatures, not chemicals, so they can sustain themselves in your body unless something comes along to damage them, such as antibiotics.

Cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir are good sources of acidophilus and other probiotic bacteria. Supplements are widely available in powder, liquid, capsule,or tablet form. Grocery stores and natural food stores both carry milk that contains live acidophilus.

Interesting, right? Keep in mind that when we hear 'yogurt' that they don't mean the store bought processed yogurt that won't have what we need in it (processed never does). Acidophilus is just one probiotic, and we haven't gotten to the recipe yet - we have to keep moving forward.....

Once I explored wellness further, I learned that if a probiotic purchased at the store isn't refrigerated, it doesn't have much use in our guts. It is broken down and digested/eliminated before we are able to extract anything useful and what we do get ends up a mediocre help to our systems.

So I started buying the refrigerated probiotics. I thought they were incredible! The RENEW LIFE probiotics were expensive to me (I am a very thrifty gal) at $60 for 60 capsules - but I bought them and I know what a difference they made. I felt so much better!

The probiotics we bought were always kept in the fridge, and I kept them in the door so I was always reminded at breakfast to take them.

I also made and drank REJUVELAC - a liquid made from soaking brown rice in water. Straining off the liquid, another probiotic is created. Hubby and I had been popping a probiotic capsule every morning, so trying this was definitely more work intensive. It was a learning process and we embraced every new idea or theory with an open mind.

The recipe for the brown rice rejuvelac is in my book, "The Fat Girl Now 50% Lighter. We got the recipe from someone who had been making their own for years. We took it every day in place of the capsule - but we found difficulty in getting around one simple aspect of the self-made rejuvelac.

It tasted like baby puke.

At this point in my wellness journey, it didn't matter to me. I choked it down every day with a water chaser and patted myself on the back for getting through another one. If I didn't rev myself up psychologically, I'd never do it. The smell alone....

The reason I kept taking the horrid stuff? It worked far better than anything else I had tried - and my 'balance' between mind, body and spirit continued to improve. Of course, we weren't simply waiting for rejuvelac to do all the work for me - what I ate still mattered, but the flora balance of my guts kept getting better, making life improve overall.

This year, that same wonderful, amazing rejuvelac maker who had helped me in the past returned to save me yet again. She had with her a new, improved rejuvelac recipe - and this one doesn't taste like baby puke at all! In fact, when hubby and I first went to try it, we braced ourselves - and then we happily discovered it tastes like water. Bonus!

The new rejuvelac is made with spelt berries. They are really spelt seeds, just with a fancy name.

So, the recipe is beyond simple - it goes like this;


DAY 1:
*In a quart jar put 1 cup of spelt berries and 2 cups of water.
*Cover with a cheesecloth.
*Set on your counter top for 24 hours.



DAY 2:
*Drain water and discard this water.
*Add 2 more cups of water to the jar.
*Let stand for 48 hours.






DAY 3:
Do nothing, you're supposed to be leaving it for 24 hours, remember? Think of all the things you can do with this extra time! You could go for a walk - head to the park and take a picnic....or go play in the mud.....or write your friend a letter...on real paper.....but you'll have to do something because you don't have to do this. Not today.





DAY 4:
*Your Rejuvelac is ready!
*Strain the 'water' off and store in a new, clean glass jar.
*This will make up your Rejuvelac.
*Add 2 cups of water to the original jar.
*Let stand for 24 hours.






DAY 5:
*Strain all liquid into the 'straining' jar.
*You should have 1 quart of Rejuvelac in the jar now (no berries - they are in the other jar all alone now).
*Refrigerate your Rejuvelac for up to 21 days!


When we are finished with the spelt berries, we take them and plant them in dirt. Waste not, want not - and we always cut the blades of grass that grow, dry and powder them and use them in smoothies. Spelt berries can be purchased at your local bulk foods place or from an organic grower like Integrity Foods in Riverton, Manitoba. They are far less cheaper and go farther than a store bought probiotic.

The spelt berry grass (as I call it) - if it seems work intensive, I assure you it isn't. They grow all on their own, you merely have to cut and dry it when it is ready. The benefits to our wellness is amazing and it never hurts to keep exploring.

Now - the final instructions. I try to make everything as fun as I can, otherwise it just isn't worth doing.

I take a shot glass and fill it with my Rejuvelac. This will be referred to as my morning 'shot.'

Once I started exploring wellness, I realized there were still some things that I had to psych myself up for.....like the first Rejuvelac recipe I had.

This one is a breeze to take - but hubby and I still put it in a shooter glass each every morning, share a smile, a toast to wellness - then we chug 'er down.

It's empowering to know you're making the right choices for yourself - and doing it like a boss!

How will you know Rejuvelac is working for you? My experience has been this; when I first started taking it, I really noticed that my guts started moving more. Yes, by that I mean I was attending the washroom area of my home more frequently. I could hear the burbling of my tummy as things in the bacterial world started re-balancing.

These days, I take a shot every morning to maintain things in the digestive world (and all of the other great reasons).

Do you have experience with Rejuvelac? I'd love to hear about it - feel free to leave a comment.
Rock your day!

10 Things to Do Instead of Binging

One of the most popular posts I have ever made centered around binging.

I thought a repost was definitely in order.

I love inspirational lists. 

I used to make them myself when I was sorting out the chaos that was my life, my thoughts and my wellness.

Lists make order of things we can't seem to make order of.....for me, it is all about the visual. I just learn better that way and I feel far more centered organizing thoughts on paper.

I found this helpful list - and although I think that if you really do not want to learn the guitar, you shouldn't have to - this list is great! 

Replace the items in the list with something as appropriate. 

The list itself is only to give us an idea of the possibilities that can help curb cravings 

that lead to binge eating.

You can add or remove items from this list as you choose. It is YOUR LIST.

Heck, rewrite the whole thing - as long as you keep moving forward and feeling improvements - you'll know you're on the right track.

Rock your day!

No(B)ody is Perfect.

I believe I may have been a wannabe perfectionist in another life - and by other life I mean 20 years ago.

It wasn't an obvious thing (that I'm aware of) but I remember having constant thoughts about making sure everything was just right.....always. I recall I wanted the kitchen sink at work to sparkle like silver in the sun and I worked my fanny off to make it so.

My own bedroom was another story - it was chaos for the most part, then I would reach a point where I had to meticulously go through the entire room - every closet and cranny - and clean it. I don't think this behavior gets me into the perfectionist category.......

I 'collected' stationary supplies and loved every one of them - new packages of fancy writing paper, journals I've never used and sketchbooks that sometimes go without sketches.

There was a time when the food on my plate couldn't touch each other. I had friends tell me I was insane - but it didn't feel insane to me at the time. A few years and a newborn later, the idea of taking the time to make sure my food didn't touch ended.....because I no longer gave it thought or energy. I had a baby to raise! I was lucky to get some warm food to eat at mealtime - life got busy.

There are probably many, many examples others could come up with when they think of me - thankfully no one reads this blog much yet (so feel free to pass it around) - but we live, experience things and learn from them. I am no different in that regard - I just type it out for the entire world to see.

I used to think being a perfectionist was a good thing - I really did!

I wanted to have it altogether and look like it too. I have no idea what my report card on this would have been but it used to feel like I never got there........because I never, ever could.

The goal is to learn - experience - live, laugh, love and all of that.

Nowhere in the fancy quotes of inspiration and motivation do we find sentences telling us to go forth and be 100% perfect....anywhere. We are all learning......

There are several things I did to stop this 'thought' process;

1.> I became aware of each thought. This didn't happen all at once overnight - we get better at it as we go along. If the idea of food touching on my plate entered my mind, I squashed it with other things. Immediately.

Totally Lame Example; "Ohhhh no -  that corn is going to drip warm, watery juice into the cool salad."

Today I think........"I am so grateful that I have corn warm, watery corn and a cool salad!"

Instead of exhibiting control tactics over my food, I turned the negative into a positive and simply enjoyed the fact that I had some food at all. It may seem trivial and childish - but you haven't tried it yet. ;)

The standards of a perfectionist are always way up there too.....

2.> I set realistic goals - and yes, sometimes friends reminded me that I may not be able to do everything, but I certainly have to remember that I can always ask for help. I love a challenge and I believe that is the way I looked at things.....until the challenges became overwhelming and I felt like I was absent of coping skills.

3.> I stopped freaking out. It never helped....ever. We can learn to control our emotional responses.....I consider 'freaking out' to be an immediate emotional response.....so instead, I wait. If it is an emergency, I of course would do something proactive. You get the picture....

4.> Appreciate accomplishments instead of looking at the 'to do lists all the time.'

5.> LIKE YOURSELF. This one took me a LONG time - but you can read all about that in my book, The Fat Girl Now 50% Lighter.

6.> Become Aware. I look back at who I was and think.....the old me would never have understood this - but eventually, I did. When the student is ready, the teacher arrives.....the same happens for all of us. One example - I literally had to learn how to stop and enjoy being alone and quiet. It was a sort of meditation without all of the flowery stuff. I kept it simple. I explored who I was....and became more aware.

7.> Put Others First. I used to have a really hard time with this one - now, it is just a given! I love how we change and grow - not just our bodies, but our minds and spirits too. We become who we are meant to be - who we really are when we put others first....plus it feels incredible!

8.> Schedule  - or Don't. I remember carrying around a black appointment book that was always so stuffed full of crap that it needed to be held together with elastic bands. When '27 Dresses' came out and the perfectionist played by Kathryn Heigl appeared with her own appointment book, I cringed at the thought.

I would stuff it into my ginormous black purse (because black makes everyone look stick thin) and lug it around all day. I felt important - at first - it worked great - I wanted to fill in EVERY space!

I grew to loathe it - resent it - I always seemed to be attached to it and led by it and obsessed with it.....

One day, when I quit my city job to be a country girl again, I ceremoniously burnt the life from that frustrating, self created book and never looked back on it....until today.

I try not to 'schedule' anymore - I make only enough appointments that I can remember in my head or on a post it note on the fridge. We like to keep it as simple as we can - this means less stress too.

I like the me I have become - and will continue to 'become' through living, experience and the love I have in my life. Life is a balance and we are all on a mission to find our own. We all will - that's gotta be what it's all about!

Rock your day!

Are You Right or Left Brained?

 

I always enjoy little time wasters like this - I actually discover a cool thing or two once in awhile. ;)

 

According to this, my stronger eye is definitely my right eye.

When it came to left or right handed, there was never a leftie in the answers.

 

I am the oldest of three siblings - and they are both left handed.

 

What did you find out about yourself?

 

Let us know in the comments!

 

 

Take a Day to Dream

 

Day dreams are necessary - I believe this to be true (tried, tested and....) - without a dream, how do we ever create our reality? All things start with a thought....and sometimes, it is as simple as seeing something to tweak an idea you never thought you might one day have.

Have you BEEN to Pinterest? I rest my case.

I strongly suggest everyone on earth take 'me days.' These days are not spent taking care of things like dishes or laundry - it is about reflecting and relaxing - and dreaming. Spend time laughing with your kids, friends....whoever makes you feel good inside.

We get time to organize thought during these moments instead of piling our brains full of thoughts and to do lists and things we need to grab at the store lists.....

We can relax in the sun on a blanket (yes, folks still do that!), walk leisurely through our neighborhood or soak the stress away in a tub of bubbles. These are just three cost free ways - there are endless things we can do instead of stressing. When we are stressed, thoughts and creativity will not be able to flow.

A day to dream is part of a complete, balanced lifestyle. It almost sounds like a cereal commercial but it's true! I am more focussed, productive and feel better than if I didn't take the day.

If we can't always take a day, we take moments. We do the best we can with what we have where we are....and we keep moving forward. Never grow up. ;)

Thug Kitchen

I wanted to share a Facebook page that a friend of mine discovered. She is an amazing chef who should have her own creations in print - but that'll be another blog.

 

THUG KITCHEN is a place unlike no other. Instead of babying us through the simplistic recipes of wellness, they have taken another route to the same destination - one that many of us find not only amusing, but entertaining too.

 

There is no other way to explain how Thug Kitchen gets the view across that food is nutrition (and some 'food' isn't) - so I'm just going to show you.........

 

Their message: EAT LIKE YOU GIVE A FUCK.

THEIR MISSION: To inspire the shit out of some mother f***ers to eat better and have a healthier lifestyle.

 

I introduce to you....THUG KITCHEN.

 

(Taken straight from their facebook post):

 

Clear room on the grill for these stuffed sons of bitches. They pack a lot more flavor and nutrition than some lazy, played-out veggie kebabs. And no, you don’t eat the stem; you throw it at whoeverthefuck brought veggie kebabs.
 

BASMATI STUFFED GRILLED PEPPERS
FOR THE FILLING:
1 ½ cups brown basmati or other long grain brown rice
1 large tomato
1 large carrot
... ½ large onion, yellow or white
1 zucchini
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme
 

 

 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (if the store doesn’t have this then just leave it out. It’s not a fucking deal breaker)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar would work too)
3-4 cloves of garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE BEANS:
1 ½ cups white beans or 1- 15 ounce can (You can use navy, cannellini, whatever kind of creamy bean you got)
2 tablespoons of chopped onion
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or whatever vinegar you’ve already used)
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon oregano dried
4 large bell peppers
Fresh basil (optional)

Put the rice in a strainer and rinse that shit. Throw the tomato in a food processor and puree it into juice. You should get about a cup. You could also just use tomato juice here if you have that at your place already.

 

Chop up the onion, carrot, and zucchini into pieces about the size of a dime. Take 2 tablespoons of the chopped onion and put it aside. You will use that shit in a minute. In a big pot heat the olive oil up over a medium heat. Add the big portion of onion and let it cook until it starts brown, like 5 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, oregano, thyme, and paprika. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the rice, pureed tomato, and water. Throw in a pinch of salt and bring it all to a boil. Once it is boiling, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low so that shit simmers. Let it go for like 30-40 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked all the way.

While the rice cooks throw the beans, 2 tablespoons of onion from earlier, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano in the dirty food processor and run it until everything looks smooth. It’s cool if there still are some tomato bits in there. Add a little pepper and stir that shit in. When the rice is done, add the garlic, sherry vinegar, and lemon juice to it. Cover and let that sit for a goddamn minute. Taste the rice and add salt, pepper, or more seasoning until that shit tastes good enough to meet your standards.

Chop the bell peppers in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds. They aren’t hot and taste bitter so throw them the fuck away. Add a couple spoonfuls of the bean mixture inside each pepper and spread that shit around. Add spoonfuls of the rice until it is all nice and packed in. I got about half a cup of rice in each one of mine.

Heat up your grill to a medium-low heat. Spray it down with a little oil so that the peppers don’t stick. Spray the tops of each pepper lightly with oil too so those fuckers don’t dry out. Grill the stuffed peppers for about 10-12 minutes. You want the peppers to start to soften and get some good looking grill marks on them. Top with fresh basil and serve warm.

Makes 8 stuffed peppers.

 

They deliver nutritional information and wellness support with an edgy blade that people are really responding to.

 

It reeaaaallllyyyyy makes no difference if you ever visit Thug Kitchen or not - what will make the difference is when you create their amazing recipes, consume them.....and discover f***ing wellness. ;)

Leave your views in the comment section. Rock your day!

 

THUG KITCHEN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thugkitchen

DMT: The Spirit Molecule

I am a documentary nut. I love them! If you have the name of a great documentary, I'd love to hear about it! The internet is oozing with wonderful documentaries that you can watch right online!

So when we came across this synopsis......

An investigation into the long-obscured mystery of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a molecule found in nearly every living organism and considered the most potent psychedelic on Earth......

....we HAD to see it.

After we watched it, we were a little stunned. We didn't know what to think - but it made us really use our cerebral areas and ponder the existence of something so life altering.

The idea of it being present throughout nature is what interested us. The fact that they have dubbed it 'the spirit molecule' - all of these things change the spin of a lot of things!

I was interested to know what others thought - so I am providing it here.

 

I recommend this documentary!

Comments and reviews encouraged. :)

Chocolate Covered Katie - The Healthy Dessert Blog

I am always looking for healthy snack recipes - I stumble across many wellness recipe sites that post what looks to be delicious morsels of healthy yumminess, but when I create them in my own kitchen following the recipe to the exact.....it falls flat. I'm all about flavor when It comes to delicious goodies - and the healthier the better.

So when I found 'Chocolate Covered Katie' - a blog dedicated to recipes of the chocolate kind, my ears perked up and I became curiouser and curiouser.....

I explored a bit and discovered;

This isn’t just any dessert blog: it’s the healthy-dessert blog! The recipes featured are healthier versions of your favorite naughty treats: Cookie Dough Milkshakes, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, Brownie Batter Pancakes…..

Katie (the Chocolate Covered) says;

This healthy dessert blog is for anyone who wants to be healthy but refuses to give up eating delicious desserts in the name of health.

Happiness and health go hand-in-hand, and how can you be happy if you’re not eating what you truly desire? My favorite food is chocolate, and I eat it at least once a day. I’ve never been happier. Or healthier.


I scoured the blog - recipe after delectable looking recipe unfolded before me...until my eyes rested on one I have to try!

I'm sharing it here in the hopes Katie encourages sharing - and because the world needs to know about her! I have every intention of creating many of her scrumptious looking treats!

Gluten free brownies.....go!

Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

 

1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining)

2 tbsp cocoa powder- dutch or regular (10g) (add a little extra if desired)

1/2 cup quick oats (40g) (See nutrition facts link below for all substitution notes.)

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave (Honey will work, but not for strict vegans.) (75g)

2 nunaturals stevia packs or 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g) (See “nutrition facts” link for all substitution notes.)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (115-140g) (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.)

 

Optional: more chips, for presentation.

 

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth.

Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.)

Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan.

Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top.

Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut.

Makes 9-12 brownies.

We'll be creating these this weekend (thanks, Katie!). Happy exploring - and please let me know what you create from her recipes. Reviews are always welcome.

If you're looking for Katie now too, here are all of her links.

Chocolate Covered Katie's Blog

Find Katie on Facebook

Katie's Chocolate Covered Pinterest Link

Stress - Tell It To F*** Off!

Stress.

We hear the word and shoulders everywhere tighten up. No one wants to let stress in, or admit they already have done so. Stress is looked at these days kind of like the way we breathe in pollutants all day long and we say nothing. We just live with it - another pollutant.

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

• Foot on the gas – An angry or agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.
• Foot on the brake – A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.
• Foot on both – A tense and frozen stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

I was always the 'foot on the gas' stressed out person. I could get it done if you just  got out of my way - and when I couldn't, I never quit just in case I could. It was irrational and ridiculous to even think I should have to stress myself over anything.

I remember back when I had to leave my house to go to work, the winter weather would make me nuts. I was stressed out every night going to bed wondering how the highway drive in to work would be the next day. I would play out scenarios about my husband and child in a car together - the 'worries' we create out of nothing are simply our silly selves creating unnecessary stress.

I was also the type of gal who never admitted to having stress.

First things first - we have to admit it.  We all have some elements of stress in our lives - it is how we deal with it that counts. If we find ourselves displaying behaviors as seen in the lists above, some adjustments are on the way. Everything can cause us to lose our ability to cope if we let it.

Our coping skills matter. Do you have innovative ways of dealing with stress? Share in the comments section.....and then tell stress to f*** off. ;)

Thanks to this website for the information!

Superfood Brownie Recipe

Part of the transition from garbage, Standard 'American' diet food is the realization that most of the favorite comfort foods fall by the wayside due to lack of nutritional content. No matter, we humans adjust well and in no time we can replace those old habits with new, nutritionally viable alternatives.

Take these brownies for example.....you're welcome.

Not only are they packed with real flavor - not that chemically created laboratory Franken-flavor - these are actually good for you.

Yup. It's here. The food revolution is happening!

Not only will you feel better about having one....or three of these suckers, you'll have more energy and get your nutrients too!

 

Ingredients

2 cups whole walnuts (finely chop 1/2 cup)
2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup raw cacao
1/2 banana, mashed
1 Tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp sea salt

Methods/steps

In a food processor grind 1 1/2 cups of the walnuts until fine, then add the dates and pulse until blended. 
Add the raw cacao, banana, coconut oil and salt.  Once smooth stir in the 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

Spoon brownie batter onto a square cake pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap, or form the batter into small squares and set onto a large plate.

Decorate the top of the brownies with Goji berries, cocoa powder or shredded coconut and place into the refrigerator for an hour to chill and harden a bit.

Brownies will keep in refrigerator for a few days - but they'll be long gone by then.

Thanks, Raw Food Recipes.Com.

Rock your day....and have a brownie for me!

Tomato Avacado Salad

I am at a point in my life where I love me a delicious salad.

I don't need it to be fancy and filled with things I have never tried individually, and I really like the simplistic freshness of a crisp romaine lettuce.

Home made garlic ceasar dressing is always my favorite.

So, in the tradition of simplicity, here is a terrific tomater salad recipe that I couldn't keep to myself.

Ingredients:

2 pounds tomatoes.
These can be any size, any color - the more variety the better, I say!

1 avocado
(Do all the peeling, pitting and preparation - and then slice it up!)

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

On a large plate or platter, arrange your colorful tomatoes and avocado slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Yup - that's it! Enjoy!

10 Things to Do Instead of Binging

I love inspirational lists. I used to make them myself when I was sorting out the chaos that was my life, my thoughts and my wellness.

 

Lists make order of things we can't seem to make order of.....for me, it is all about the visual. I just learn better that way and I feel far more centered organizing thoughts on paper.

 

I found this helpful list - and although I think that if you really do not want to learn the guitar, you shouldn't have to - this list is great! 

 

Replace the items in the list with something as appropriate. The list itself is only to give us an idea of the possibilities that can help curb cravings that lead to binge eating.

 

 

 

Rock your day!

 

 

 

 

 

Wellness & Calories - What!?!

There are some folks who live by the law of the calorie. This is all good and fine - these units of energy that convert to heat to fuel us have always confused the heck out of me until I realized something.....

 

It doesn't really get simpler than that.

Eat whole, nutritious (and actual) foods.....or drink them......your choice.

 

Rock your day!

Red Pepper Hummus in Cucumber Cups

Wellness and eating right doesn't have to be boring or taste bland. That was one of forty bazillion fears I had when I started this whole 'new me' endeavor. It didn't stop me - fear rarely has, but it did make me frown more than a little to know that I would be without those cozy foods I had grown (bigger) to love so much.

We can adjust to most anything.........

Those who have read my book, The Fat Girl Now 50% Lighter know that I didn't start on this wellness journey to get fit, feel great or lose weight. I started 'changing my ways' after I realized my health had been severely compromised after years of ignoring myself.


Things change - and now we enjoy trying new and flavorful foods that also keep us well.

I found this recipe and wanted to see if the red pepper aspect of it tasted like those yummy appetizers of yesteryear.....it does, only better.

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 7-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil                               
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin                
• Salt and pepper                
• 2 English cucumbers                

 

Preparation

Combine chickpeas, red peppers, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper and 1 T bsp. hot water in food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Cut cucumbers into 1/2 -inch-thick slices and scoop out seeds with a small spoon or melon baller, leaving bottom intact to form a cup. Fill each cup with hummus and serve.

(thanks myrecipes.com.)

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Campaign

 

Manitoba Harvest carries a full line of hemp related products for wellness.

 

Hemp is packed full of protein!
 

Hemp contains all 10 essential amino acids and is vegan friendly! It’s also easy to digest as hemp easily assimilates into your body.

 

 

 

 

 

Good Fats Galore!
Hemp is a rich and balanced source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 including the rare form of GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid). GLA has been shown to help maintain heart health, healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels and aid in hormonal balance. The essential fatty acids (EFAs) in hemp are both short and long chain making for a broader spectrum and working together to ensure your body has an effective metabolism.  According the World Health Organization the ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is 4:1. Hemp has a ratio of 3.75:1.  

Stacked With Other Nutrients
Including:

Chlorophyll and Vitamin E.

Important B vitamins.

Folic acid (important for women who are trying or may become pregnant)

Phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are involved in energy metabolism, protein and bone synthesis.

*2009 study done by Kelly Fitzpatrick (taken from website).

They supply product comparisons on this page too.

 

Manitoba Harvest is currently offering an online coupon code when you make a purchase with them. Buy $100 worth of product and get free shipping.

 

Looking to partake in a new challenge? Why not try the 30 day hemp oil challenge also available on Manitoba Harvest's page. Sign up here.

 

There are so many ways hemp helps. Be sure to check out Manitoba Harvest's page and get that $10 savings.

 

Rock your day!

 

Mango Mint Shake - Get Summer Started!

 


I love summertime! In my neck of the woods summer stays for a couple of months before the season fades to winter again.

No matter, every moment is enjoyed - and with this drink, you'll be sure to savor all of that summertime flavor.

I enjoy nothing more than relaxing in my yard after a good day's efforts and sipping on a drink that not only cools me, but I know is good for me.

Fruit smoothies you buy at the stores or fast food places can't touch a home made concoction! Those other drinks? Not much but sugar in all of its various forms.

Instead of spending too much money on that stuff, why not try this......

Mango Mint Shake

2 cups fresh mango chunks
1½ cup chilled almond milk
12-15 fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons honey, or according to taste (this recipe originally called for sugar, but I have adapted it).

Blend together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Serve in tall glasses, and garnish with mint leaves.

Thanks to Induget'sCooking for the recipe!.

Lemon Dream Bars

Lemon Dream Bars
Makes 6 bars

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
2 pitted and chopped dates
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 - 2 teaspoons of honey
Pinch of sea salt

Filling:
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup coconut oil softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 1/2 - 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of sea salt
Zest from rind of one small lemon

1. Place the pecans and cashews in separate bowls and fill each of them with water. Let the nuts soak for 2 hours.
2. For the crust, drain and rinse the pecans and place them in a food processor with the salt and dates. Blend the nuts until finely chopped. 
3. Add the lemon juice and honey to the food processor. Blend until the nuts are a dough-like consistency. Taste and add more honey or a little olive oil to make sure the nuts stick together.
4. Fill a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Use 2 liners for each compartment, which will provide added strength.
5. Gently press a portion of the nut crust into the bottom of each cupcake liner in the muffin tin. Use a spoon to flatten the nuts together. Place the muffin tin in the freezer for about 30 minutes to let the small crusts firm up.
6. When the crusts have been in the freezer for about 30 minutes, start making the filling.
7. To make the filling, wash your lemon. Grate or zest the outermost rind of the lemon.
8. Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews in a high-speed blender. A Vitamix blender works best for this filling. 
9. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, honey, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. Blend until the mixture has the consistency of thick melted ice cream. 
10. Taste the filling and add more lemon, honey, water, or vanilla to develop the flavor to your liking.
11. Take the muffin tin out of the freezer and pour a portion of the filling on top of each tiny crust. You may have some leftover filling that you can use as a topping on fresh fruit.
12. Place the muffin tin back in the freezer and let your lemon bars harden. This might take a couple of hours. You can leave them over night in the freezer and serve them the next day if you choose.
13. Before serving, take the muffin tin out of the freezer, remove each lemon bar (still wearing its cupcake liner), put them on a plate, and place them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let your lemon bars soften a bit before eating.

Rory Sutherland: Perspective is everything

The circumstances of our lives may matter less than how we see them, says Rory Sutherland. At TEDxAthens, he makes a compelling case for how reframing is the key to happiness.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate

 

Perspective is everything.

 

Opinions? Leave them in the comments section. Thanks!

Get Motivated in 60 Seconds.

I woke up this morning not feeling all that incredibly motivated - I had to do something!

Did you see that.....what I just said? Did you catch it?

 It was the ultimate hint at the solution to the very problem I was just explaining....

When we are feeling unmotivated, we must DO SOMETHING or we'll end up lying on the couch all night and that leads to bigger issues so if the sun is still shining and the hour is not the time to retire to bed, get up!

So there I was...feeling lazy....

...and then I found this. Enjoy!