Breakfast Cookies (yes, really!)

I am not sure how I'm going to make it until I have this baby in September.

She feels so high, I can already barely breathe well. If I sit down, I feel like I'm suffocating slowly! Girl needs to drop down a little and give me some space in my lungs...

Anyway, a month or so ago, I made the mistake of buying a package of gluten free cookies to have around as the occasional treat for Declan. Let's just say it didn't take him long to figure out they were in the pantry and pretty soon he was standing at the door all day long demanding COOOOOKIE. (He makes the cutest little duck face to form the 'ooooo' sound...like a mini Cookie Monster)

Someone posted this recipe and I had to give it a try. I have to admit they are really good, and my kids have already eaten half the batch. Oops.

Sure, you may not want to make this a regular breakfast but how fun is it to offer a cookie at breakfast and know that the ingredients are pretty darn uh...breakfast-y. And even though they are healthy, you could totally chow on one or two of these for dessert and be just as satisfied.

You'll need:

- 3 large bananas, ripe (peeled, and chunked)
- 1/2 c. creamy natural almond butter
- 1 Tblsp butter (I actually used coconut oil)
- 2 Tblsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2.5 c. oats  (We used Bob's Mill gluten free)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
Add ins:
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips/dried cherries/dried cranberries/nuts, coconut flakes, etc
(We used about 1/4 c. dark chocolate chips, 1/4 c. dried cranberries and pecan pieces)

Mash bananas with a fork, add next 4 ingredients and mix well, until smooth.

Add dry ingredients, stir well and then add your chocolate chips, dried fruit and/or nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees on a parchment lined or oiled cookie sheet for 12-14 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen cookies. (via Self)

I will totally be making these again - maybe throwing in some flax or hemp seeds for even more nutritional benefit.

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What I Eat in a Day

Got a lot of positive feedback the first time I posted this so here goes #2!

This is actually from a couple of weeks ago (oops)...maybe even over a month. I'm pretty sure the next time I do this, you may see some Chick Fil A in there because I gotta be honest - it's getting to be a little more common than I would like when I'm so exhausted I want to cry. I'm not proud but survival is survival and this is real life, right??

Here's where I'm going to wax all poetic on you before some crappy iPhone food pictures, ok? Most of you know that I just finished up getting some health coaching certifications. My focus will mostly be on families with children and pregnant/new mamas.

I've been learning about nutrition since Beckett was born 4 years ago. It is an overwhelming, never ending, very confusing field of study and everyone has a different opinion on what you should and shouldn't eat. I've tried every way of eating out there (vegetarian, vegan, paleo, clean eating, etc...) I have come to believe there is no one size fits all way of eating that works for everyone. And I am here to tell you that I KNOW the crap in fast food and with everything going on in my life right now, we visit the CFA drive thru sometimes.

Being pregnant and exhausted and taking care of littles alone and knowing what I know - even I sometimes need a break. I can't always spend a couple of hours prepping food in the kitchen for the week. And I can't stand here and pretend that it's 'so easy' to do that and act as though I never take the easy way out at times. Life gets in the way occasionally - and my rambly point here is: don't let that stuff derail you from learning about nutrition and educating yourself.

I really hate when I hear people proclaim that eating well is so cheap and so easy because I am here to tell you - it is not. It isn't. There is crap all around us, it's hiding in food and written in labels in intentionally deceptive ways. It is NOT easy to sift through it all if you don't understand the basics. It IS more expensive to eat well, unless you have the ability to be some kind of super human mama who can coupon her way through life and visit 5 different grocery stores to find the best deals.

It DOES take more time to eat well. Not always, but when I am on track I spend time planning meals, shopping well, prepping for the week, etc. I don't know about you, but there are many days I need something I can grab quickly. In order to do that in a healthy way, I have to plan ahead and it takes time and thought. And I don't always do it.

So that's my confessional. I say it because I think a lot of people think that if they aren't perfect, they shouldn't bother. I am in no way saying I approve of Chick Fil A as a healthy option (ha - I KNOW it isn't, even if it feels like it is better than other places...) I'm just saying that I get it. I get that sometimes perfection is nowhere close to attainable.

I've thought a lot about what I want to do with my certifications and I really hope that I can convince people perfection is not the goal. Being a size 2 is not the goal. Having a perfect body is not the goal. It might be for some, but for the vast majority of us it won't be. Education, making small, gradual changes and trying again tomorrow are the things I hope I can convince people to do. When you fuel your body well, you will be amazed at how different you feel. I know people who have gotten rid of what they thought were seasonal allergies with changing their diet. I know people who have alleviated many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia or reversed PCOS through their diet. It can be a powerful tool for your life.

Ok...off my soapbox. Ahem. 

Breakfast:

I have a small addiction to this Crunchy Flax cereal from Enjoy Life. It is free of the 8 most common allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, shellfish and it doesn't have casein, potato, sesame or sulfites) I eat this with sliced fresh fruit, a tablespoon or two of hemp seeds and cashew milk. It's so good. Hemp seeds are a great source of omega's and easily digestible plant based protein. You can get 13g of protein in 3 tblsp of seeds! I'm not a vegan but if you struggle with eating meat, this is a fantastic addition to your diet.

Lunch: 

Ok, I admit this is kind of a weird concoction but it was easy and good. I just made some sirloin burgers, a baked sweet potato and some steamed zucchini and summer squash. I make 4-5 burgers and keep them in the fridge for easy lunches/dinners for me and the kids. 

Dinner:
Dinner out with a friend! This is a terrible picture - but you get the idea. Love how my dinner was basically another version of my lunch? Ha! We went to 131 Main and I just can't resist the veggie burger. It has havarti cheese, a super yummy glaze and a quinoa salad that'll make you want to slap your grandma. (I am pretty sure it's a crime to use that Southern phrase in the same sentence as quinoa salad)

Dessert: 

Ahhhhh Talenti. You are so bad for me, but so delicious. At least I can pronounce all the ingredients?? I am totally blaming the baby...

Happy Eating! 

For $10 off your first Vitacost order click here: http://goo.gl/01RwrF

Easy Summer Pops!

Time to lighten up this blog a little bit, eh?

It is getting straight up hot here in the South and that means it's popsicle time!

Beckett is at the age where he wants popsicles now every time we hit the grocery store - and it's hard to find any that aren't full of weird ingredients or food dyes.

If I *am* lucky enough to find a decent brand with ok ingredients, it'll cost me $6 for about 4 of them. You feel me?

I saw this recipe online and knew it was a winner. Easy, healthy and look how pretty - heck, I might even steal a few for my pregnant self this summer while I stick my feet in the baby pool.


Here's what you'll need:

- popsicle molds (obvi)
- coconut water
- fresh fruit (I used raspberries, blueberries and sliced kiwi)

That's it. I love the idea of coconut water - if you get a decent brand, there are some good benefits to it. I cannot stand the taste of it alone, but I knew my kids would love it in popsicle form. We used Harvest Bay brand which you can find on Vitacost for a great price...I used the pineapple flavor, which isn't certified organic but some of their varities are.

Fill your popsicle molds about 3/4 of the way full, add your fruit and freeze!

You can find these popsicle molds on Amazon - I love them. They are really, really great. 

These popsicles are super yummy, nutritious and not full of junk. Just make sure you read the labels of your coconut water! Some of them are deceptive...

My kids loved these. (so did I, really...)

What I Eat in a Day (at least a good day...)

I follow a few health and beauty vloggers on YouTube, and one of the videos I love the most are the "What I Eat in a Day" videos. They are my FAVORITE to watch because I am a nerd with no life.

It is fun for me to see what other people eat, get new recipe ideas, and get the skinny on new products! So I thought I'd try to share my own version here on my blog. I'm not ready for YouTube just yet...

Disclaimer: Not all of my days are this good, or this healthy. We have our occasional trips to Chick Fil A and I am a regular at Starbucks but hopefully this will give you some good ideas for when you're feeling like you're in a rut! Let's get started...

For breakfast I am getting back into my smoothie groove. The Glowing Green smoothie is my all time favorite and I've posted about it before but here's the recipe again:

1 c. spinach/kale
2 c. chopped romaine
1 c. filtered water
BLEND WELL
1 small apple, chopped and cored
1/2 banana
1/2 cucumber
BLEND WELL
A handful of frozen mango
juice from 1/2 lemon
BLEND BLEND BLEND! (And yes a Vitamix, BlendTec or probably a NutriBullet is best)

Pour and enjoy!  This morning I added a slice of sprouted grain toast with smashed avocado, lime juice and salt (not to the smoothie. On the side...hehe) but I didn't snap a pic.

Today was grocery day and we hit up EarthFare and Trader Joe's so I was almost overwhelmed with choices for lunch.

Greek(ish) Wrap

1 spinach wrap

spoonful of black bean hummus

romaine lettuce

chicken breast

cherry tomatoes

cucumbers

kalamata olives

feta cheese

Roll and enjoy!

Dinner was this bean salad/rice bowl

1/2 c. brown rice

1/2 c. black beans (warmed)

1/2 c. garbanzo beans (warmed)

chopped red onion

cherry tomatoes

fresh cilantro

spoonful of guacamole

juice of 1/2 lime

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

The kids and I were craving something a little sweet after dinner so we had graham crackers with maple almond butter and chocolate chips! (I love these chocolate chips by the way - they are expensive, so they are probably not ones I would throw in a batch of cookies...they are saved for special treats. But they are fair trade certified, all natural and non GMO) And if you've wanted to order from Vitacost but haven't...here's a $10 off coupon: http://goo.gl/01RwrF

And that's it! We were so busy today there wasn't much time for snacking while running around town!

Nourish

If you're my real life friend, you know that one thing I'm pretty passionate about is finding good, healthy food for my family.  I'm fascinated with learning about nutrition, different ideas about nutrition and how to eliminate the majority of processed foods from our diet.

But something about pregnancy makes me throw all those ideas out the window.  Well, not ALL of them - but a lot of them.  I'm way less 'strict' when it comes to what I buy at the store - and while I still stick to Earth Fare, Trader Joe's and the farmers markets...you can find junk food anywhere.  "Organic cookies" are still cookies.

I find this pretty interesting actually - because you would think when you are growing a tiny human, there would be a stronger desire to nourish yourself better.  Especially during this pregnancy because I haven't had weird food aversions or too many cravings, and I haven't been sick.

But - I have been tired.  And overwhelmed with some life stuff.  And when those things happen, I find that my defenses are down.  My willpower goes to sleep and I can justify cookies from EarthFare because "THEY'RE VEGAN and made with ORGANIC CANE SUGAR"  True story!

On Saturday night I ran to the store and loaded up on fresh produce and avoided the aisles with the

'healthy junk' so I wouldn't have it in the house.  I've been feeling ick, and I know I need to be nourishing myself and this baby better.  So for lunch I made a colorful salad with my homemade lemon tahini dressing and am remembering how much I love fresh food!

It also got me thinking about how to nourish my soul.  As a mother, a wife, a friend - it can be easy to drop the ball on taking care of that aspect.  It can be easy to become overwhelmed, tired and shut down.  To sit down at night and stare at Facebook or mindlessly watch a reality show.  I find the more overwhelmed I am with life, the less motivation I have to rely on God for support.

If you want a good reality check, think about where you spend your time and what you put your efforts towards in your loneliest, darkest, emptiest moments.

Where am I allowing myself to indulge, chalking it up to ideas like 'I deserve it'?  'Just one of these ____ won't do too much damage'

God is begging us to turn to him when we our defenses are down, when we are most tired, when it is easier to turn on the TV than to turn to His word.  Nourishing your soul isn't easy - it takes time, commitment, effort - just like learning to nourish your body properly.  You can gloss over the hard stuff and feel somewhat ok about grazing on organic cookies all week but the bottom line is, a cookie is still a cookie.  And grazing on God's word will only get you so far.  You have to dig into the meat, into the heart of Him and His desires for you.

Where do you turn when you are most tired?   Are you looking for someone or something to fix you, to fill up the void you feel or are you looking to pour yourself out, to give yourself to Him?