Tag Archive | journey to complete wellness

Recipe: Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Feb13

I love these peanut butter cookies for so many reasons!  I feel great about feeding them to my family because the recipe contains no flour, no added white sugar, and no unhealthy oils.  My family devours these cookies in no time (the recipe only makes 12, so you may want to make a double batch if your family likes them as much as mine does.)  If they do last until the next day, the cookies remain soft.  These are really yummy and super quick and easy to make.  If you like peanut butter, I hope you will give them a try.

pb-cookies-crop

 

Ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter (I use Skippy brand Natural Peanut Butter)

2 Tablespoons honey (local is best)

2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Combine peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and baking soda in mixing bowl.
  3. Add chocolate chips (if using).
  4. Drop spoonfuls approximately 1 Tablespoon in size onto waxed-paper lined baking sheet.
  5. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern.
  6. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Yield: 12 Cookies

Journeytocompletewellness.com

February Acts of Kindness Challenge

Jan30

aesopactofkindness

When I think of the month of February, the first thing that comes into my mind is Valentine’s Day.  And when I think of Valentine’s Day, I am reminded of love.  So I thought it might be fun to challenge myself and my family to spread our love this month by performing at least one act of kindness each day.  When I suggested the idea to my family, they were all really excited.  I’m sure their excitement probably had something to do with me mentioning a reward at the end if we were able to complete it, but I know the real reward will be in the experience itself.

Act of Kindness Challenge Guidelines:

1.  I  have made this Acts of Kindness Log for each member of my family to record our acts of kindness throughout the month.  I printed it out for each family member and put it on the refrigerator.

2.  Each day, each member of our family will perform at least one act of kindness and write it down on the log.  My definition of an Act of Kindness is: any action you take to brighten someone’s day without expecting anything in return.

3.  Each night at dinner, my family will share our acts of kindness with each other so we can continue to support and encourage each other.

4.  When the month is over, we will share what we learned with each other and take a vote to see how we want to reward ourselves!

I invite you to join us in this challenge and spread your love.  It only takes a small act to make a big impact.  Let’s make a difference together!  “Like” the Facebook page February Random Acts of Kindness Challenge or join the Facebook support group at February Acts of Kindness Challenge to share your ideas and inspiration. 🙂

Feel free to do more than one Act of Kindness a day.  Don’t be afraid to write them all down.  You may already do several acts of kindness each day without even realizing it.  The point here is to become aware of all the good things you already do and realize the impact it has on others.  You may also want to try to take it a step further and do some things you normally wouldn’t do.  When we make a small effort to brighten someone’s day out of love (not obligation), we are rewarded with happiness.

As you perform more acts of kindness, you may notice more acts of kindness being performed toward you.  Learn to accept these gifts with gratitude.  Many times it is more challenging for us to receive than it is to give.  We may resist acts of kindness toward us because we may feel like we will owe the other person, but when you let people do nice things for you, you are giving them a gift.

RESOURCES

Check out this link for some great Random Acts of Kindness ideas!

Check out this inspiring 5 minute video to see how one small act of kindness can make a big impact.

Check out the inspiring movie, The Letter Writer.  It is a great reminder of the impact our actions have on others, and the difference one act of kindness can make.

QUOTES

rumikindnessscottadamskindness

mayaangelokindnessbe the reason someone smiles today

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Jan27

We have a new favorite smoothie in our house!  I have been on the green smoothie kick lately, but last week I decided to try something different and see if my daughters would give it a try.  My 11-year-old and 6-year-old both loved it!!  They have been finishing this smoothie daily and asking for more!  Like many moms, I am always looking for ways to get as many fruits, vegetables, and superfoods into our diet as possible.  This is an easy way to do it.  This smoothie is packed with superfoods…bananas, pumpkin, oranges and pineapple!  For a great resource and list of 50 superfoods, check out this link.  Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! 🙂

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

 Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
¾ cup orange juice (I prefer freshly juiced, but store-bought also works)

1 cup organic vanilla yogurt (I like Stonyfield French Vanilla) OR 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt and 1 Tablespoon Local Honey

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ cup fresh pineapple chunks

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice* (see below for substitution)

2 frozen bananas (make sure they are ripe when you freeze them)
Instructions:
  1. Add all ingredients to the blender except the bananas.  Blend until smooth.
  2. Add the bananas.  Blend until smooth.

Yield:  Approximately 34 fl oz

Journeytocompletewellness.com

Update:  1/31/2014 – My kids love this drink and ask me to make it for them every day.  I finally ran out of the pumpkin pie spice, and when I went to buy more I noticed that it was $5.99 for 1.12 oz.  I decided I didn’t want to pay that much for it, so I did some research and found a recipe to make it myself.  Here it is:

Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice or cloves

Store in an airtight container.

Healthy Replacements: Coconut Oil

Jan22

I just discovered coconut oil last year, and I can’t say enough good things about it!  I love that stuff and can’t imagine how I ever lived without it!  I use it daily in cooking, baking, and on my skin, teeth, and hair.  I recommend it to everyone!  As I mentioned in my post 10 Things I Learned in 2013, I feel like coconut oil was the best thing I discovered in the past year.   When people ask me for tips on eating healthier, my first suggestion is usually to replace their vegetable oils with coconut oil.  It is a simple change that is hardly noticeable, but the benefits are many.

What is it/How is it Made/How do I select the right product for me?

Coconut oil is the oil extracted from coconuts.  There are two different types of coconut oil:  refined and unrefined.  If you do not like the taste or smell of coconuts, you may want to opt for the refined oil because it is generally tasteless and odorless.  If you do go with the refined oil, just be sure it is not hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated because the hydrogenation process creates synthetic trans-fats.  “Virgin” or “Extra-Virgin” Coconut oil is unrefined and it tastes and smells like coconut.  If you need additional help in choosing whether you want refined or virgin coconut oil, check out this great article here.

Where Can I Buy It?

With coconut oil gaining in popularity, you can find it just about anywhere.  I have seen it at my local grocery store in the organic foods section.  I have also seen it at my local Walmart next to the cooking oils.  You can also buy it in health food stores, and online here.

Uses of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has many health benefits and is said to help with weight loss, diabetes, cholesterol, Alzheimers, and many other health conditions.  I can attest to it helping with cholesterol.  Last year I threw out my huge jug of canola oil and replaced it with coconut oil.   Since I no longer keep vegetable oils in the house, when baking I now use coconut oil in any recipe that calls for vegetable oil.  When cooking, coconut oil may be used in place of butter or other oils in temperatures up to 350 degrees.  I most commonly use coconut oil when cooking eggs or popcorn.  As a result of this healthy replacement, my “good” cholesterol went up and my “bad” went down as of my last cholesterol screening in October. :)

Coconut oil has many uses for the skin and hair as well.  It is a popular ingredient in many homemade natural products.  I use it daily as a facial moisturizer (as an added bonus, it is naturally an SPF of 4).  I use it as a moisturizing body lotion, as a replacement for chapstick, and I have recently started using it for oil pulling.  For more information on oil pulling, check out this article.  There are so many more uses for coconut oil.  Check out Wellness Mama’s great list of 101 uses here.

More information & Resources

Coconut oil is a solid at room temperature.  It naturally melts and becomes a liquid at 76 degrees Fahrenheit.  When it cools back down, it returns to a solid.

Check out Coconutoil.com for the most up-to-date research on the benefits of coconut oil.

For more in-depth information about all I’ve mentioned in this article and more, including some really great recipes, check out “Lucy Bee’s Definitive Guide to Coconut Oil.” 🙂

With coconut oil becoming a natural beauty staple in recent years, Reviews.com set out to find out which options stood apart by being ethically sourced by socially responsible brands.  They tested the top oils to create a guide to help any natural beauty maven.  Check out their recommendations for the best coconut oil here!

Healthy Replacements: Homemade Granola Bars

Jan8

January 3, 2014 001 crop

Granola bars are a staple in my house.  I used to buy a box or two every time I was at the grocery store because my family goes through them so quickly.  When I decided to check out the ingredients list one day, I did not love what I saw.  I saw a huge list of unpronounceable and unrecognizable ingredients, preservatives, corn syrup and oils that I had been trying to stay away from.  You can check out the ingredients in a popular brand here.

I set out to find a healthier recipe to feed my family.  I tried several different recipes until I found one that my family liked.  I started with this recipe called Playgroup Granola Bars from Allrecipes.com,  and then I made some healthy modifications so I could feel better about feeding these to my family.  When making modifications, I try to minimize or eliminate all processed ingredients and GMO’s whenever possible, including white sugar, white flour, and vegetable oils.  There is still  more sugar in here than I would like, but I feel better knowing there is no corn syrup or dangerous oils or preservatives that I have been trying to stay away from.

Here is the recipe I currently use, and my family loves them.  The great thing about granola bars is that you can customize them to your liking.  Add whichever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you like.  My family loves them with chocolate chips instead of cranberries or raisins.  Again, not the healthiest choice, but I still feel better feeding them these granola bars because I know I have carefully selected each ingredient that goes into them, and they do not contain preservatives or any unpronounceable ingredients.  Give them a try.  I’d love to hear what you think! 🙂

Homemade Granola Bars

January 8, 2014 048 crop

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flax seeds or wheat germ (or 1/4 cup of each)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or chocolate chips)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey (local is best!)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flax seeds and/or wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins (or cranberries/chocolate chips) and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for about 23 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.