Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate (Gluten-Free)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

I just sent out my weekly recipe newsletter. This week...Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate (Gluten-Free). YUM!

If you aren't on the list, you are missing out. All I need is your first name & email address so I know where to send all of this deliciousness.

Enroll now (it's free) >>> http://eepurl.com/F5lOz

I just wanted to take a quick second to tell you that......

** FREEBIE ALERT! **

I am so EXCITED to announce that each month, I will be providing you with an absolutely FREE online magazine.

You can look forward to: 

1. Ty's Tips - Monthly advice from home design guru, Ty Pennington.
2. Lifestyle & Fitness - Stay healthy with fitness and nutrition tips.
3. Eat & Drink - Try the monthly featured cocktail and creative recipes for your favorite foods.
4. Movies & Music - Check out upcoming movies and music playlists for every adventure.

All I need you to do is to click the link & provide your first name & email address so I know where to send your magazine each month. That's it. 

The January issue is ready for distribution so click here now >> http://eepurl.com/KKnLv

LOSE 4-8 Pounds in Just 5 Days!!

Do you want to ELIMINATE 4-8 pounds in just 5 days? (I've personally lost over 9lbs on each of my previous 10 day juice cleanses.)

Do you want to jump start your new weight loss or healthy eating plan?

Do you want to provide your body with an abundance of DELICIOUS nutrients, all while losing weight!?

Do you want this year's resolution to finally be a SUCCESS?

Do you want to sleep better & have TONS of energy?

Enroll NOW >>>> http://bit.ly/IM0424

Are you concerned that you may have a gluten sensitivity, intolerance, or any other food allergy? An elimination diet/fast/cleanse is the best way to answer that question! 

What if I took the guess work out of your meals & supplied all of the recipes that you would need (and even more)?

What if I offered to SUPPORT you (as much as YOU need) for the entire 5 days?

Wouldn't it be EXCITING to be part of a POSITIVE & ENCOURAGING group of people that are walking along side of you?

With all of this, how could you fail?


Enroll NOW >>>> http://bit.ly/IM0424


* Here are the SEVEN things that you will receive:

Over 20 juice recipes (more than you will need for this cleanse). Including my daily "MUST HAVE" juice. 

Over 35 smoothie recipes that you can enjoy as you continue on your journey!

Enrollment into my healthy weekly recipe newsletter. 

An extensive "A-Z Produce Prep List". 

A substitution list so that you are always prepared if you are running low, missing an ingredient, or simply can't find what you are looking for. 

My FULL SUPPORT, encouragement & guidance for the entire 5 days. 

The support of everyone else doing this cleanse along with us. (priceless) PS - If you know someone else that could benefit from this…..invite them!

Don't wait until "tomorrow" or "Monday". Make the commitment NOW. >>>> http://bit.ly/IM0424

Tonight's dinner - EUTHANIZED dogs & cats?

I am literally nauseous as I write this blog post. In the past few months, I have given up meat. Although I have allowed myself to eat it 2-3 times a month, if I really want it. I have chosen this path not only for health reasons, but for the compassion aspect. The more that I learn, the more that my mind closes off to any meat at all. After reading this article, I am gagging just thinking about eating meat.

As many of you know, I am in nutrition school. Our study this week is about factory farming. I turned on one of the videos & couldn't make it through the first few minutes. In discussing this with my growing, football playing, 12 year old son.....he decided to show support & watch the video with me. By the end, he was at least 50-75% closer to giving up ALL meat. He was disgusted & genuinely concerned for the treatment of these animals.

If you are brave enough, open minded enough or concerned enough to spend 11 minutes of your day learning what happens from Farm to Fridge, this is the video that we watched:

The information that you are about to read below is taken from this book, "Animal Factory" by David Kirby. WARNING - It isn't an easy read. My stomach is still churning from the descriptive content. 

Because not only are many of America’s cattle herds fed chicken manure, they’re also fed euthanized dogs and cats, dead skunks, rats, and raccoons found on U.S. highways; as well as heavy metals from pet and cattle ID tags, surgical pins, needles, plastic and Styrofoam, plastic insecticide patches, green plastic bags containing dead pets from veterinarians, and more. All of these items are pulverized and made into dry feed through a process called rendering.

Every time you and I eat a steak or hamburger, we may also be eating the pulverized remains of the possum we hit on the road last week, or Aunt Harriet’s poodle, or our neighbor’s cat that was put to sleep and fed to the slaughtered cow we had for dinner. And because they don’t strip euthanized animals of flea collars and pet ID tags before rendering, we’re also eating ground up metal and chemicals as well.

The process of rendering has been around for centuries, and was initially performed to make soap and candles. Simply put, rendering is what occurs when meat is boiled in water to separate fat and lard. But on today’s industrial level, rendering converts animal carcasses — tissue, bones, internal organs, hooves, blood, feathers, and hair, — into dry meat by-products that are sold as animal feed.

Modern rendering today involves tossing animal carcasses into huge steam jacketed vessels; the carcasses are then ground, and cooked at temperatures of between 220 degrees and 270 degrees for twenty minutes to an hour to release fat and moisture.

I invite you to think about what you are feeding yourself, your family, or even your pets. 

Tonight I tried my first....

Let me start me off by saying that I haven't initially liked everything that I have tried since adopting a healthier lifestyle. BUT...because I want this life to work, I decided to implement a 2-3 bite rule. I found that it isn't necessarily that I don't like this something new, it is because the taste is foreign to me. Haven't you ever tried something & it stimulated your taste buds enough, but you couldn't decide what you really thought until you took another bite or two? That is what I am talking about.

I remember going to Whole Foods & trying their goji berry & raw cacao energy bites. I bought three little bite size pieces. I had never had raw cacao OR goji berry but I figured that chocolate & berry was a good combo, right? No. I REALLY didn't care for the first bite. It was that day that my rule was born. I tried a second bite....better. By the third, I wished that I had bought more. Since then, I have purchased them time & time again & I have even made my own. Not to mention that I am not much of a chocolate fan. So they must be good!

So what is it that tastes SO different? Well, the raw cacao powder just isn't as sweet. There isn't all of the sugar & the other 30 ingredients of junk that are thrown into these recipes or pre-packaged mixes. So our brain has to adjust. It is used to, even addicted, to these other flavors. So our brain is expecting a candy bar, boxed brownie mix kinda taste.

Tonight I tried my first black bean! Can you believe it? Little did I know that they would be in a dessert type recipe. I suppose that is the best way to try anything new. :) I combed the internet looking for a deliciously healthy recipe for brownies & found little pieces of recipes that I liked. So I put my thinking cap on, opened my mind & my Black Bean & Avocado Brownie Cookies were born.

1 can or organic black beans, drained & rinsed

2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1 avocado, pitted

1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup

3 medjool dates, pitted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of peanut butter chips (optional)

* You could also add nuts, almond butter, or dark chocolate chunks.

Directions

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. 

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, except the peanut butter chips or other optional items. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl & add in the chips. Spoon cookies onto baking sheet & bake for approximately 15-18 minutes. Cookies will firm up as they cool down. Yields 12 cookies. 

Did I love the first bite? No, I didn't. True to my past experiences, the second bite was better & then the whole cookie was gone. The only reason that I haven't eaten a second one is because I am writing this blog. Ha! Adopting a healthier lifestyle is all about baby steps & retraining our brain. These are good & will certainly satisfy a sweet tooth. Just the aroma coming from the oven is enough to drive you nuts!

I invite you to begin looking at recipes for foods that you love & figuring out ways to make them healthier. I could eat 5 of these tonight & not feel guilty for a second. You CAN find recipes like this for anything that you want. Find something really good? Share it with me & maybe we will post it for everyone else to enjoy!

In the meantime, please share this post with a friend or even on your Facebook wall using the icons below. Now, I am going to eat another cookie. :)

VOTE - Best Workout Song

Eh hmm. I need your attention please. Kindly take your eyes off of my man for just one minute. :)

I am compiling a list of the BEST workout songs for us to enjoy going into 2014. Which song or even songs do you think absolutely need to make the list? What really gets your heart pumping? (We are still talking about music here.)

Before I completely lose your attention, please share this post using the icons below so we can enjoy the best list possible. We are all going to be working hard in 2014 to get our best body yet....right? REALLY good music (and this photo) will help get us there.

* While staring at Mr. Tatum, did you happen to notice anything different about his body?

Are you a LIAR?

Well, are you? It seems that each year we say that we are going to be healthier & we may even promise ourselves that we will lose weight. EACH & EVERY YEAR. So we all pack into the gym for about two months & then little by little, we drop off. When that first sign of spring or summer hits.....forget it. We have "better things to do". We get caught up in social activities, vacations & a whole bunch of excuses.

What I find ironic about this is that we are normally working on our summer body. So why do we throw it all away as soon as the weather gets a little nicer? When we start our new plan, we are working off what we gained the previous summer & over the holidays. It is a terrible roller coaster of losing a few & gaining a few more. Possibly more than we even started with. Resolution fail.

I have been sick of this for a long time but never sick enough to break that darn cycle. Does this sound familiar to you too? Until this year. Since I began my journey to become a holistic health counselor, I have been researching on a weekly basis what dietary theory is best for me, my body & my goals. Did you know that there are over 100 dietary theories? If you are like me, you have unsuccessfully tried at least 5-10 of them. You know, Low Calorie, HCG, Weight Watchers, Body by Vi, Starvation, Cabbage Soup, Paleo, Nutrisystem, etc., etc., etc. You just end up frustrated and sometimes even worse off.

One week you hear about a food & all of the great things about it, the next week you hear that it will kill you. It can become very confusing. Not to mention that one person's food is another person's poison. A diet that may have worked really well for a friend of yours, may be the complete opposite of what will give YOU the best results. Since YOU are the most important person here, that is who we need to focus on.

It really takes knowing your body, being open to trying new things, having the correct information & having a support system. If you don't think that you have a support system, eh hem......you've got me! I will be your biggest cheerleader.....every step of the way. You do NOT have to do this alone.

How do we get started? Well, I have put together an amazing, FREE health seminar that anyone....anywhere can call into. This seminar will give you the tools that you need to make this year different than all of the others. This year will be a resolution SUCCESS. So, I am sorry to tell you that for 2015 you will have to come up with something new. :)

All you have to do is click the photo below & register. The entire process will take you about 60 seconds (all you have to give me is your email address) & you will receive some delicious recipes to your inbox as a gift from me.

Be sure to have a notebook handy on the evening of the event because there are going to be some amazing tips & information that you will want to share with your loved ones.

Please feel free to use the icons below to pass along this post, post a link on your FB wall or any other social media. Give your loved ones the biggest gift this season that you possibly can & help them to become a healthier version of themselves.

Give it up already!

Did you know that our taste buds change every ten days? It's true. 

If you have ever given up something for any length of time (that you really wanted to change), you might have found that that food/thing didn't taste the same to you when you tried it again. Well, because it didn't taste the same. 

I can personally vouch for this. I used to crave white carbs ALL of the time. I always said that if they ever came out with the all carb diet, I could stick to it. (There actually is a high carb diet but we will get to that another time.) Anywho, I loved bread, pasta, potatoes, etc. Now that I rarely eat those items, I don't crave them anymore. Certainly not daily. 

I have also found some really great replacements that I don't have to feel guilty about "indulging" on. Brown rice pasta for example.... DELICIOUS. My kids both had seconds & they couldn't even tell that it wasn't regular ole, white, cheap pasta. I even made my own healthy sauce. It went something like this - tomatoes that were going bad in the fridge, garlic, onion, carrot, coconut oil & basil that was getting a little scary. Simmered for two hours, blended & enjoyed! Easy, right? Have you considered that there is most likely a healthy & guilt free version of just about every unhealthy thing that you can think of? 

Have you ever noticed that foods you hated a few years ago, you love now? Yeah, you remember. For me, it was tomatoes. Pizza sauce, yes. Tomatoes, no. I am enjoying tomatoes more & more these days. Once you start eliminating the junk (in all aspects of your life really), you have room to enjoy new & better things. 

So here is my challenge to you. Give up ONE thing for the next 10 days that is not healthy for you. No cheating, no tasting it & try not to think about it. It is only 10 days so you don't have to obsess about missing it. Trust me, I have done this before. I know that your mind is already sabotaging you & you are considering pretending that you never met me or read these words. But wait! You CAN do this. I am here to cheer you on & support you. 

What is it that has a hold on you? Soda, fried food, chocolate, caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, etc? Give it up for 10 days. See how you feel. See if you can "live without it". I am here to tell you that you don't need to wait the 10 days to see if you make it. You can AND will. 

If you want to tell us what you have chosen below, please do. Maybe for you, saying it "out loud" defines your commitment. Tomorrow - Day 1 

Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Post by Eating Deliciously Healthy.

For the recipe, check out one of my favorite websites - http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/2013/09/give-me-chocolate-almond-butter-cups.html

I can't believe that I am about to.....

Tomorrow I will be turning 39 years old. I can barely believe it. Well, since I look 29 & all. :)

I have been thinking a lot about the events that have led up to today. How I have gotten here. I have had some amazing times & some utterly devastating times. Each & every one of those have molded me into who I am today. 

This past year has been one of the greatest in terms of my personal growth. My children & I have continued to strengthen our bonds. I took the kids on a trip to the Bahamas that I planned & paid for myself. I traveled pretty extensively myself. I rebuilt my financial life & started to save. I learned how to put myself first & to not settle for relationships that would alter who I really am, my beliefs, my dreams, & my relationship with the two most important people in my life. Dare I say that in many ways, this has been the best year ever?

Where do I go from here? Well, tomorrow begins my, "Road to 40". I am pledging to make this year the very best year ever. I am going to start marking things off of my bucket list. All the while, I will be taking you on the journey with me. (If you haven't subscribed to these posts, you will want to do that in the top left of the blog.)

What do I have planned so far?

1. I will visit my cousin in Orlando. 

2. I will attend MULTIPLE concerts/festivals this year.

3. The kids & I will celebrate NYE in Times Square.

4. I will become a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. 

5. I will attend the Woodstock Fruit Festival. 

This is honestly the tip of the iceberg. I am going to LIVE this year like I have never lived before. So pull up your chair, the Road to 40 is going to be AMAZING!!!!

Committing Suicide?

Have you ever donated money to a "cause" before? I have. Have you ever wondered where that money goes? How much of your dollar actually gets to where it needs to be?

Where SHOULD the money go exactly? Often that money goes to finding a "cure". Well, what if we could prevent getting cancer in the first place? Shouldn't we be pumping money into the AWARENESS of how to prevent getting cancer all together? Not just how to get rid of it. Or, try to get rid of it. Not to mention the effects of chemo. I won't pretend to know what it is like to watch someone go through that. But I have heard enough from loved ones to know that the other way is the better way.

According to the AMA, regardless of whether a person enters a doctor's office at stage 1 or stage 4, less than 30% of patients survive for 5 years when using chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. Therefore, more than 70% DIE. To make things worse, the 5 year survival rate for cancer patients remains unchanged for the last 4 years. So are our donations to these causes really helping anything? Has it ever? I am not sure about you but over 70% of patients dying doesn't sound like a win to me. Not when the answer is so darn easy!

Did you know that eating just 10g of mushrooms a day will reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer by 64%? That is just ONE button mushroom! One a day.

Now add green vegetables & green tea to your daily regimen & you are looking at an 89% reduction in the risk of breast cancer. Why is it that women everywhere do not have this information accessible? Why isn't this on Time magazine or the NY Times......daily? I mean, talk about TRUE awareness efforts.

Let's talk about onions. The highest consumers of onions in their diet see a:

56% reduction in their risk of colon cancer

73% reduction in their risk of ovarian cancer

88% reduction in their risk of esophageal cancer

71% reduction in their risk of prostate cancer

50% reduction in their risk of stomach cancer

What else? What other foods are best to consume for cancer PREVENTION?

Green Vegetables

Onions

Mushrooms

Beans

Berries

Seeds

Now, let's face the facts here. What I am about to say, most of you (including myself) do not want to hear. You will doubt it, ignore it, justify it & maybe even completely close your mind to it. I get it. I was right there with you. But if you really care about your health & the health of your spouse, children, parents, & friends.....you will start to listen & research for yourself. Don't trust me. Go out & find the information, read it yourself. I am just a vehicle to help get your thinking about the changes that are best for YOUR family. 

Medicine isn't making this problem better but our food choices can. It really is that simple. If there are foods that can help prevent cancer, you can bet that there are foods that help to cause it. Those top 5 foods are:

Animal Products

Milk

Sugar

Alcohol

Stimulants (caffeine)

Yes, I have in the past few months given up meat. Do I still crave it from time to time, sure. Do I give in, almost always.....no. I never loved milk, thank goodness. But that one is an entire blog post on it's own. Sugar - ah, delicious & addicting sugar. Except for the natural sugar in fruit (which is my primary food & not the kind of sugar I am referring to), I have cut it out. Alcohol, although tough in the occasional situation, I haven't had a drink since Memorial Day. I did love a nice cup of coffee from time to time but green tea can easily replace that one. I can drink it hot or cold & it reduces my risk of breast cancer. That alone tastes better than any cup of coffee ever would. 

I have found that I am extremely passionate about this research. I will be continuing to write about this topic because it needs to be heard. I am reaching an age where getting sick is almost "normal". Screw that! Our health is in our own hands significantly more that we think. For most, they just don't know that there is a better way. For some, you know (well, you all know because I've now opened the door) but you will or already choose to ignore it. 

I am begging you. Please, click on some of the links below, ask questions, watch the movies, & educate yourself. The information that I have shared with you today was shared with me by a doctor. Just because he isn't Dr. Oz (or any other high profile doctor) & on the television in front of you doesn't mean that it isn't accurate information. 

So now that you know, if you just ignore it completely & never even consider for a second that is true. If you continuing eating these foods that are proven to cause cancer....aren't you just committing suicide? Or are you just hoping & praying that you will be in the LESS THAN 30% that survive? Doesn't sound like a good gamble to me.

http://www.drfuhrman.com/disease

http://www.thechinastudy.com

http://www.anewdayanewme.com/dr-fuhrman-gombs-superfoods-reverse-disease-lower-cholesterol-prevent-cancer

http://www.forksoverknives.com

http://www.oprah.com/health/Can-a-Plant-Based-Diet-Cure-Cancer/1

A New Beginning, a Recipe and a Favor......

Good morning everyone! I have been patiently waiting for today for over a month. Today is the day that I begin my studies at the Institute of Integrated Nutrition or IIN. To say that I am totally stoked would be an understatement. The program is a year long, but I can start seeing clients in six months! I can't wait to learn, to share & to grow. I am exactly where I want to be right now.

If you want to know how I came to this decision, I made a video that tells you all of the things that went into play. It was certainly one of those moments that hit me like a ton of bricks. Check it out here....

If you have EVER considered creating the career of your dreams around health & wellness, now is the time. I have a full time job, a part time business, I am a single mom AND I can pull this off too. Trust me folks, I am not super mom. If I can do it, you can too. Click on the photo below for more information & feel free to ask me ANYTHING. Most of you already know that I am an open book. 

 
 

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, I also promised a recipe today. :) Talk about mouth watering delicious!!!! Check out my yummy Watermelon Juice.....

You are looking at 160oz ounces of pure deliciousness right there. It conveniently worked out to be the juice from one watermelon. We actually bought two yesterday so we could eat one & drink the other. Watermelon is so absolutely refreshing & should be consumed as much as possible. 

Fun fact - Did you know that the seeded watermelons are actually sweeter & that is why they often cost more? Good news! With this recipe, you can buy the seeded if you want. You will figure out why if you watch the video. Or you can comment below or email me to ask.

Kristina is amazing & I love so many of her recipes. FullyRaw.com is one of my go-to sites. Check out her video, make this recipe & let me know how you & your family & friends like it. I don't think these 5 jars will make it past today. 

Can you do me a favor? Can you post a link to my blog on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, or whatever platform is your preference? (Or even all of them if you don't mind.) Getting the message out on health & wellness is important & I can't do it without you. Not to mention all of the absolutely delicious recipes that I share!! I am extremely passionate about helping you and your friends, family & coworkers to get a little, or a lot, healthier. Let me share what I learn over the next year with everyone that you care about. 

Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to you coming along for the ride.

How Many of These Did YOU Eat over the Holiday Weekend?

I want to start off by saying that I hope that everyone had a wonderful 4th of July holiday. The beach was packed, our street was crazy, the food was good, the company was a blessing & new friendships were formed. Not to mention that the weather was PERFECT. What did you do?

Let's get in to the meat of this post. We all know that hot dogs are not good for us. They almost always hit the food lists of worst possible foods that you can eat. So, why do we keep eating them?

I'll be honest, I have been guilty of this in the past as well. I used to have a hot dog addiction between Memorial Day & Labor Day. It was only once I became more informed, WANTED to hear the information & was willing to ACCEPT it that I was 100% okay with completely eliminating hot dogs. This weekend, I was put to the test & I WON!!!! I had absolutely zero desire to eat one. Even after they were offered to me more than a few times.

Later that night, my son & I were watching food videos on YouTube & we came across the one that you are about to watch. There is a moment in the beginning that completely disgusted me & I near gagged. Brandon even asked if we could stop the video. Then I remembered those times that I would be enjoying a hot dog & bite down on bone. Totally gross, I know.

So I have decided, should I ever get tempted to eat one of these horrible, unhealthy, mystery meat hot dogs, I have to watch this video first. It is sure to do the trick.

So tell me, which part of this video turned you off the most?

As always, please forward / post a link to this blog on your Facebook page, sharing is caring! Also, receive these posts via email immediately upon publishing. No need to remember to come visit the blog. You can do this in the upper left hand corner of this page. :)

How Adventurous Are YOU?

So, how adventurous are you? Don't worry. I am not going to ask you to climb a mountain, jump out of a plane, or swim with the sharks. Well, not today anyway. (If you are down for any of those things, email me.)

I really want to know about your culinary adventures. When I say adventure, that doesn't mean drinking milk after the due date. Gross by the way. I can only speak for myself, but I am not really a milk person to begin with.

When was the last time that you tried something new? Not necessarily a recipe that contains foods that you are familiar with or love. But a totally new food that you have never experienced. Perhaps, one that is good for you & your well being?

Think about it, if we tried ONE new thing a week, we would taste 52 new things a year! It may be unrealistic to consider that they will ALL taste delicious, but what if we enjoyed half of them? That would be 26 new foods each year! Think of what that would do for your body, your family, your menu planning & your restaurant experiences. Bonus - you would earn the title of adventurous foodie. (Or any other fancy title that you would like to claim.)

Trying new foods doesn't have to be expensive either. I picked up an eggplant for $1.49 at Trader Joe's. You could incorporate this plan into any budget. Start out slow & easy OR jump into the freezing waters in your birthday suit. (Disclaimer - I do not want to see your photos of you jumping into the freezing waters in your birthday suit. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.)

This week I have tried not one, not two, but five things. The $1.49 eggplant was one but it is gone now & therefore I could not snag a photo of it. Here are my findings:

Hemp Protein - I have to say that I was a little terrified when I opened this. It looks like, grass powder. I am not sure what I was expecting but, green powder wasn't it. I waited a day or two before I worked up the nerve. I added it to my smoothie. Result: I couldn't even taste it. I received the benefits of the protein with ZERO taste. Score!

Flax seed - I have been afraid to try flax seed for years. Since I am all adventurous now, I decided that it was time. I was looking for plain but Trader Joe's had this version & being that it had blueberries included, I figured my chances were better that I might enjoy this. I also added this to a smoothie. Result: Delicious! I couldn't pick up the taste of the blueberries but it brought a nutty texture to my smoothie. Yum! Good stuff.

Goji Berries - I have tried candy before that contained Goji berries that I have to admit was quite heavenly. I was super pumped to try these Goji berries since they would be the healthy version of my candy. WRONG. I didn't spit them out, but I wanted to. They are dehydrated & not flavored with sugar & 15 ingredients that I can't pronounce. Of course the taste would not be the same. What was I thinking?! This bag cost me $9.99 so I was determined to find another use. I rehydrated them in water & then added them to my Scrumptious Super Food Energy Bars. Now, they are delicious!

Cacao Powder - In a nutshell, chocolate powder. I think I am going to need a MUCH larger bag of this. This one goes without saying & I am pretty sure that I had you at chocolate powder. Am I right? There will be many future creations featuring this perfect food. 

So, let's hear it. What are YOU going to try this week? ONE thing. You can do it. Comment below, make the commitment & there share with everyone your results so that we can all learn from each other. If you want to go the extra mile, post about something new that you have recently tried as well & let us know what you thought about it. I'd like this blog to become a platform where we can all share & help each other to grow. 

Go.....leave a comment, like this post & share this delicious blog (just click on the FB icon below) with someone else that loves food! 

Scrumptious Super Food Energy Bars......

Do you need a delicious, healthy, guilt free, raw, natural energy bar? Not only do I have what you need, I have what you WANT. This bar is scrumptious!

I had a bar similar to this at Whole Foods this week. It looked absolutely divine so I couldn't resist. Apparently when I took the first bite, I made a weird face. Allyson asked me how it was & I said, "interesting".

I am learning as I try new things that my brain expects a sugary, processed flavor & when I don't taste that....the first thought is that it is not good or interesting at best. So, I have promised myself that I will not make any decisions until the second or third bites. 

I took a second bite & I thought, not bad. Then the third, fourth, & all subsequent bites, I could barely stop myself. It is a good thing that I only purchased four little chunks & drove off before the tasting. Otherwise, I could have had a energy bar overdose. 

Since Emily's website over at This Rawsome Vegan Life has become my go to site, I thought I'd see if she had posted any similar energy bars that I could create my own from. To my pleasant surprise, she had. Her version is called "super food energy bars with cacao". Mine....well, I suppose it needs a name. I am open to any crafty suggestions that you have. 

This was incredibly easy to make & was fun for Allyson & I to do together. I find that if the kids help, they are more invested in the final outcome & are much more open minded to trying new things. Brandon wasn't home when we came up with our creation so after eyeing it in the fridge, he asked what dessert we had waiting in the fridge. Score number one! He thinks it is dessert. Dessert is usually associated with thoughts of deliciousness. 

We go into the kitchen & I take out the bars so that I can cut, store & taste our final product. Brandon doesn't leave my side. As I cut them, he lets me know that he expects one.....NOW. So I cut a little piece & then the initial fear sets in & he asks me to taste it first. Before I do, I explain my method of multiple bites before judging the recipe. 

My first bite was much like the Whole Foods version. Interesting. For me, it was the same as my previous experience. The second bite was better & then it became a situation of restraint from eating the entire 12 bars in one sitting. Score number two!

Brandon took his first bite & I could tell that he had the same feelings when the taste hit his tongue. But he took the second bite anyway. That followed with, "Mmmm. It is really good". I asked him if he really meant it or was just being a sweetheart & didn't want to hurt my feelings. So he said, "Oh my gosh! Look over there!" When I did, he grabbed a chunk of the bar & was making a break for it! He duped me so that he could steal another piece. Score number three!

Now it was on to my biggest critic, Allyson. Although she helped me with the preparations, she seemed to think that every healthy addition to the mix was gross. I pretty much figured at that point that she didn't want to be in the same room with these bars. I explained my tasting methods to her & she took her first bite. Again, I would see that unsure look. She took a second bite & her facial expressions changed. It was when she voluntarily reached for that third bite that I knew she genuinely enjoyed it. Score number four!

For fear that the kids would eat all of the bars while I was at work today I mentioned that just because they are healthy, doesn't mean that you can just sit down & eat the entire pan. They are meant for a boost. I told them that this is the kind of thing that you eat if you are going to work out & Brandon said, "Then I will be working out!" Score number five!!!

1/2 cup almonds - Trader Joe's

1/2 cup cashews - Trader Joe's

1/3 cup chia seeds - Navitas

1/3 cup ground flax w/blueberries - Trader Joe's

3T hemp protein

1/3 cup raw cacao powder - Navitas

3/4 sesame seeds

1/2 cup goji berries- Extreme Health

12 medjool dates

2T melted coconut oil - 365 brand

Throw the dry ingredients in your food processor, then add the dates and process until everything it starts to stick together. If too dry, add more dates or coconut oil. Put in the remaining dry ingredients you left out and mix in with your hands. Press into a lined pan and set in the fridge for an hour or more. Cut into bars and store for up to one week.

I am realizing more & more with each passing day how we influence our kids eating habits. If I go for an apple & almond butter, the kids will ask for me to cut one for them too. If I make a big salad for all of us instead of just myself, they will eat it. If we introduce chia seeds, flax seeds, raw cacao powder or other foreign, unprocessed, healthy items with a positive attitude....they will try it. 

I challenge you this week to introduce ONE new item to yourself & your family. If we added one new thing every week, we would have experienced 52 new foods in a year's time. How incredible is that? They may not all be winners, but I bet at least half of them will. I am also finding that the healthier I eat, the less I crave "the bad stuff". When I do eat something that is not true to my daily eating habits, it doesn't even taste as good. So with each passing day, this journey gets easier & easier. 

Please comment below & let me know what you are going to introduce this week. I would also greatly appreciate it if you would like this post, share it & follow me on social media outlets if you enjoy what I share with you.

The Most Amazing Healthy Deliciousness.....

I can barely type because all I want to do is hold my glass & keep drinking this.....

This Rawsome Vegan Life

This my friends is called, Banana Date Nut Shake {Praise the Heavens}. Thank you Emily at ThisRawsomeVeganLife.com for sharing such an AMAZING recipe. 

I will never need an unhealthy, fat & sugar filled, whipped cream topped, expensive, who knows what else is in it milkshake. This was absolutely devine! There was more flavor packed in this milkshake than I have ever tasted before. It was almost "too sweet". 

Not meant to be a daily indulgence but we all have days that we want a little something more or want to celebrate. Delicious AND guilt free....yes please! 

Recipe 

2 frozen bananas 

1/2 cup (approx. 6) dates

1 tablespoon hemp seeds (optional)

1 tablespoon nut butter (optional)

Water or nut milk, as needed (1.5 cups)

Blend it all up. Feel free to add some cacao powder or whatever else you love. I like when there are chunks of dates in the shake because they are bite-sized happiness. Top off with cinnamon and nom it down. Or nom it up? I dunno. Just get it in you. 

Notes - I didn't use the hemp seeds because I didn't have them on hand & I WANTED this tonight. I used freshly pressed almond nut butter & almond milk from The Fresh Market. Some of the national brands contain carrageenan. This "natural" food additive is controversial & might be the cause of some health issues. 

Here is my photo of this delicious shake. I wanted a pretty glass but what I made could have filled this glass nearly three times. Which honestly, was way too much for me. I did drink a little more than I needed because it was so darn good! I think I am going to get my booty back on the treadmill. Ha!

Enjoy......

Do you want a sexy…….

Have you ever looked in the mirror & wondered how your legs or booty would look if they were more toned & firm? I am pretty sure that most of us have done this at least once. Ok fine, every day. Well, I have good news for you!

Join our challenge group & end the wonder. This is a 30 day challenge that starts TODAY. I have eliminated all excuses because you do not need any equipment for this challenge, you do not need to belong to a gym & it only takes 10-15 minutes a day. You can do it while you watch TV, listen to 3-4 songs on your iPod, your children are taking a nap, on your lunch break or even sneak into the bathroom for a few seconds of alone time. You CAN do this! Even if you have never worked out before, are completely out of shape, or frequent the gym.

Our FB group is extremely supportive & the more the merrier. Do this challenge with a friend, a partner, a family member, a neighbor, co-worker(s), or even your kids. My 12 & 14 year old LOVED doing this! If you want to surprise your partner, do your workouts without them knowing & see how long it takes them to notice a difference.

Some days we don’t feel like working out, it happens to all of us. But take the 10-15 minutes to invest in yourself. I promise you…..you will feel like a million bucks when you are done & you certainly won’t regret it. But if you skip a work out, you have to double up the next day to get caught up.

Email me NOW (stop contemplating & just DO it) and provide me with your email address so that I can invite you into our private FB group. Remember, invite your friends as well. Aimee@EatingDeliciouslyHealthy.com

Now let’s get to work…….

PS - There is a clear copy of this in the group.

Fat-Free Banana Ice Cream Floats!

I am tempted to type out a long blog post since I am riding on pure adrenaline after my first conference call with my fellow students. I know, you are shocked. Do I ever run out of things to say? No....not really. Just ask my closest friends. However, tonight I am going to keep it short & post a recipe for you. Well, a video recipe. Isn't that the best kind?

One of my FAVORITE websites right now is Fully Raw. Kristina posts amazing recipes & tips & you can feel her energy. Guys, she is pretty attractive too.

So go check out her video, make this recipe, tell me what you think, share this post & pass it on. (I realize that I am being bossy here but it is only to help you.)

Fully Raw Kristina

Enjoy!!!

BIG Announcement

For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you already knew that I was going to have a big announcement today. If you don't follow me on Facebook (or any & all other social media), see the left toolbar for links to all of my pages. Click them all & let's connect. You will also want to stop & notice the very top left option.

Enter your email address there & you will receive my posts via email & you won't miss anything. I guarantee that there will be some recipes that you will want to try immediately!

I am EXTREMELY excited to share this announcement with all of you & I am not sure that I can keep it to myself for another second. Check out the video & leave a comment for me below. (I love comments by the way.)

Thank you for watching & allowing me to share my news with you. As promised, here are the links to the documentaries that I mentioned. 

• Food Matters - http://www.foodmatters.tv
• Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com
• Hungry For Change - http://www.hungryforchange.tv
• Forks Over Knives - http://www.forksoverknives.com

If you know of any others, please comment below & let me know. I am addicted! :)

Please feel free to click the share buttons below, email to friends & family, etc. There is so much wonderful information to come. You are going to totally change how you look at food. 

WHY do I do what I do?

A little over three years ago, I was unexpectedly forced to start my life completely over. I had recently lost a child, relocated to a new town, attempted to build my once thriving real estate career from scratch, and then, divorce. Quite a significant amount of life change in about a six month time period. 

I was once an extremely successful real estate agent. I provided for my family & we lived a pretty decent life. We had enough, had a gorgeous home, nice car, went on vacation, etc. Then life took a few sharp turns.

It was the 14th of the month. Rent was going to be due in two weeks, the car payment was due, we needed food, power, gas, etc. Going into depression & putting my head in the sand was NOT an option. There was no time for denial. I needed to make money.....fast. 

That Monday afternoon I hit the pavement & ultimately was hired at a local restaurant on the beach. Good money at times but it was work! My kids were 9 & 11 & I had never hired babysitters before. I would often have to work from 10am - 11pm. Maybe a lunch in between, maybe coming home for 20 minutes to let the dogs out. 

A few weeks later, I was invited to a Bible study. This woman was a client of my ex & we had only previously met once before. It was raining that night & I just didn't want to go. I was possibly feeling even a little lost at the time. God had given me so many obstacles in such a short time. It didn't appear that life would be getting an easier any time soon. Fortunately, I was invited again the next week & for whatever reason, I decided to go. 

All of the women there that night were a blessing to me. But there was this one woman, Debra, that would become one of my biggest blessings & closest friends. Over the next few weeks I would talk to her & she would give me advice, console me, or even kick me in the rear & tell me what I NEEDED to hear. She ended up offering me a job at her husband's company, that I accepted gratefully. 

About four months after starting this position, I would be able to quit at the restaurant. During those months I would work 9-3, come home to change, work 4-11 & then do it all again. I was exhausted. However, I was starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I was able to stay in our beach house through my hard work, but my car was repossessed & we could no longer go on vacation or do "extra" things. I was just happy to pay bills on time. (I haven't made a late payment in three years.) Telling my kids that I "didn't have the money" was constantly breaking my heart. Kids don't understand the concept of money so they don't realize how much we still really had. We live in a pretty affluent area so we had the worst car, their friends had all of the new electronics, big house, nice clothes, etc. etc. etc. I remember when I was a kid, I always wanted a pair of Jordache jeans & I never got them because we couldn't afford it. I sported Wrangler jeans. We were middle class & those types of things just weren't a necessity. We all want better for our kids, right?

Then an opportunity came along. A gentlemen came into my life, if only for a brief time, to share Zija with me. He did some work on my car & when he gave me back my keys, he also gave me an XM3. I opened it, smelled it, looked at the liquid & wasn't sure I was going to drink it. But I did. It was sweet & tasty, although looked pretty nasty. It was winter time so my co-worker & I would crash around 4pm as it would start turning to evening. We would yawn until we left, after 2-3 cups of coffee a day. I noticed, even on this first day that I wasn't yawning. (Click here to learn about the benefits of moringa - http://bit.ly/14mhbOM)

Over the next few weeks, every time that I would see him, he would offer up another shot of energy to me. He would pepper conversations with how much he made a week or how many customers he had, as well as their amazing stories. In the evenings he would get on conference calls & to show my support, I'd listen too. After one of these calls, ONLY to help him, I asked about becoming a distributor. I had absolutely ZERO interest in starting a business. (Or so I thought.) I mean, I couldn't afford it, I had no time, I am a single mom that works full time, excuse, excuse, excuse. 

I became a distributor on December 5th, 6 months ago today! Since then, my life has completely changed. First, I feel better than I ever have in my life. I am providing my body the nutrition that it needs & it is certainly showing me how much it appreciates it. I am NEVER tired anymore. Six months ago I was waiting for the kids to go to bed at 10pm so that I could. I used to be a night owl. The only way that I would go to bed before midnight was if I was sick. I wake up naturally now & I have never been a morning person. My energy is through the roof. The terrible pain that I was having every few weeks that would have me doubled over in pain, popping muscle relaxers & pain pills (I am NOT a medicine taker) was completely gone. I haven't had a single episode in 6 months. The wrist cracking that had started is gone. No headaches, not even at that time of the month. (sorry guys) My appetite is suppressed & I have very few cravings. Sweets just aren't even good anymore. (Click here to check out my page - http://bit.ly/127xQX1)

When I started this business it was simply to help someone else & earn enough product for free so that I could afford to use it. That's it. I earned my free product for the next month on my very first day in the business. Which got me thinking, maybe I could and SHOULD do this. So I gave it a shot. 

What I very quickly realized is how many people need Zija & the benefits of moringa in their life. I couldn't name one person that didn't need more energy, suppressed appetite, weight loss, pain relief, better sleep, and of course, we ALL could eat better. I am not even sure that it is possible to get 100% nutrition, every day, without Zija. Click here to watch the Discovery Channel Documentary on moringa - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqwk9KFLTI0)

I used to be jealous of people that found their passion. Until now. I thought that helping people to lose weight was rewarding enough. What about the people that were in pain for YEARS & now they aren't because I introduced them to Zija. Or the woman with MS that has her life back. Or the people that have a better life for their families because I shared an opportunity that was shared with me. I honestly feel at this point that NOT sharing Zija, hurts people. Everyone needs this in their lives. Without doubt. 

In the past six months, my team & I have helped over 590 customers & helped an additional 47 people start their own business. I never say, "I don't have the money for that" anymore. In this short 6 months I scheduled a cruise for the three of us, a trip to Myrtle Beach, a trip to Minnesota, a trip to Salt Lake City and a trip to Charlotte. ALL paid for with my income from my little part time business. I am starting to buy new clothes for myself & have found that I love Ann Taylor Loft. I wouldn't even walk in the store before. I pay my bills when they come in, not when they are due. I can do the things that I have wanted to do for years. While money doesn't buy happiness, it certainly brings a peace of mind that is absolutely priceless. My stress level & worry about finances is completely gone. I am rebuilding my credit by paying off debts from years ago. Not to mention that my kids are getting to see this strong, independent woman who rebuilt herself from nothing to a successful business owner. That is my biggest blessing in all of this! I could go on & on, but I think you get the picture.

If you are looking something to help you get healthier, to feel proud of, to help your family, to rebuild your life, or even to just put groceries on the table or take a vacation this year.....I CAN HELP YOU. Just as I have done it myself. 

Email me now at TeamLivingHealthy@gmail.com.