Keep Your Heart Open and Amazing Things are Bound to Happen

            Someone very dear to me once told me “Keep your heart open and amazing things are bound to happen.” It’s all starting to make sense now.

            I have always kept the mindset of living life to the fullest and living in the moment but now I realize I was focusing so much on living that I was letting life pass me by. Beginning my yoga practice just a few months ago, I feel my life changing. The words of one of my instructors have stuck in my head, “just be,” he told us. It brought me back to my study abroad trip to Australia where numerous times I had repeated ‘I wish this never had to end’ or ‘I don’t ever want to leave’! I was so wrapped up in the thought of it being over that I wasn’t fully enjoying what was in that moment.

            For a couple of years now I have been practicing a physically active life but have been struggling with the healthy eating. My emotions have stuck a roadblock in that category numerous times. I just wanted to feel in control but couldn’t quite figure out how. Other aspects of my life started to seem out of my control. It was hard to stay on track and remain grounded. My yoga practice has brought me to a place of being open. Struggles in the past have left me closed off and with weight on my shoulders but with each day I feel the load lightening. I never considered myself a spiritual person but it’s becoming apparent to me that being open to feeling and awareness brings upon something indescribable. Ridding one’s life of negativity, judgment, and stress is so important to truly enjoying it. You can’t let go until you allow yourself to be open.

            Living in the moment, truly, really, living in the moment and allowing oneself to just be requires openness. Be open to others and what they have to teach you, regardless of what it may be. A good or bad interaction will have a lesson embedded for you. Be open to the environment and your surroundings, it will help you develop awareness. Take a moment to feel the sun or take a deep breathe of air. Be open to adventure and try new things. Change is not always a bad thing. Just imagine what you would do if failure wasn’t an option. Accept what you cannot change but recognize what you can. Be open to learning and knowledge, it can only help you grow. Most important, be open to love. Not just from others but from yourself. Accepting yourself will only help you want to take care of yourself.

            Being open to all of the light life has to offer has led me on a path towards happiness. No path in life is without bumps but keeping my heart and mind open will maintain my personal strength that I have and am developing each day. This new journey is just beginning but I believe it’s only a matter of time.

Apple Pie for Lunch!

This was so quick, easy, and delicious! How I like to keep most of my recipes. "Fast food" doesn't have to be unhealthy. 

I ate this for lunch yesterday but it can be a healthy snack or even an after dinner dessert. 

Apple Pie Toast

Cut an apple into thin slices and grill them in a pan coated with coconut oil for about 2-3 min on both sides.
Toast two slices of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread. 
Spread some almond (or peanut) butter onto the bread.
Sprinkle on some ground flax seed (optional for extra nutrition).
Top with grilled apple and sprinkle with cinnamon.

In about 10 min. you're ready to eat!

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

Sundays are my days I actually have some time to cook a hearty breakfast so last week was pancakes and this week french toast!! Another one of my all time favorites. It came out so amazing and was just what I was craving.

Comfort food doesn't have to be something you feel guilty eating after. 


Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

3/4 of a large banana (or 1 egg)
1/6 cup of milk (about 1/2 of 1/3)
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
dash of salt (I use Himalayan sea salt)
2 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread

Instructions

Thoroughly mash the banana in a bowl (heating it first may help). Then add milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt and mix together.
*You may also use a blender and just blend all the ingredients (minus the bread) together.

Now you have your mixture to dip your bread! So, dip the bread in the batter for 30 secs on each side.

Coat your skillet or pan with Earth Balance (or butter) if necessary. Cook bread at 350 degrees or med/high heat until golden brown on each side.

Top with some organic powdered sugar and organic maple syrup and EAT!


Notes:
*This recipe serves 1 - just double it to serve two (or triple etc.)

Peanut/Almond (Butter) Pretzel Balls

I decided to come up with a guilt free version of one of my favorite decadent treats - peanut butter balls. 

These make an excellent holiday treat! They're easy to make in bulk and are a perfect portioned goodie.

Sweet & salty is one of my guilty pleasures - so I decided to throw some crushed pretzels in the mix. 

They were a HUGE hit! Everybody loved them. I highly suggest giving this recipe a whirl! :)

Peanut/Almond Butter Pretzel Balls

Filling

1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
1/4 cup organic almond butter
1/2 cup of crushed organic mini salted pretzels

Combine both nut butters in a small bowl. Crush pretzels and add to nut butters then mix well. Place in the fridge for about 25-30 min until firm.

Chocolate Shell

4 Tbsp of virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup of agave

Melt the coconut oil (in the microwave or oven). When melted, add agave and stir. Next, add the cocoa powder and stir until combined. Now you have your melting chocolate!

Spread a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or platter. Pull your butter mix out of the fridge. Scoop out about a spoonful of the mix and roll into a ball. Then dip the ball into your melting chocolate until coated and place on cookie sheet. When complete, place in the fridge so they can set and harden.
(I left mine in the fridge overnight but 1-2 hours will probably be suitable)


*Chocolate sauce recipe from CCK's

Banana Pancakes

I probably couldn't live without pancakes. They are a childhood favorite of mine and have always been one of my favorite breakfast meals to cook, mainly because you can make them tons of ways! And.. of course because they are delicious. 

Banana Pancakes

DRY

1 cup of whole wheat flour 

1 tsp of baking powder

1/8 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/8 tsp of nutmeg

1/8 cup of Sucanat (or brown sugar)

WET

1/3 cup of milk of choice 

1/2 Tbsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp of organic maple syrup 

3 bananas (1.5 mashed for mixture and other 1.5 sliced for the top)

1 Tbsp of Earth Balance melted (or butter)

Instructions

Preheat skillet to 325-350 degrees (or med heat)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Measure out milk, vanilla and maple syrup, add  to dry mixture, and whisk again. The mixture will still be slightly dry at this point. Next, add the mashed banana (1.5) and mix. Lastly, stir in the melted butter. Batter won't be completely smooth and will be a little thick and sticky. If desired, add a little more milk to lighten it. 

Cook pancakes on skillet until golden brown on each side (about 2-3 min per side). While cooking pancakes, grill your remaining sliced banana. Once pancakes are done, top with grilled banana, (heated) organic maple syrup and enjoy!

Note: For Banana Peanut (or Almond) Butter Pancakes substitute Earth Balance (or butter) for peanut/almond butter. 

*Recipe inspired by this Pinterest post

Enjoy this? Check out this blueberry pie pancake recipe.

Coconut Baked Oatmeal

All I can say is..this hit the spot! Warm, gooey, sweet, and delicious! I complimented mine with a glass of vanilla almond milk...mmmm mmm mmmm!

This recipe was inspired by CCK's coconut cookie dough oatmeal but with a few little changes, I made it my own.


Coconut Baked Oatmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/8 tsp of salt
Sweetener (I used agave)
1/4 cup banana (or unsweetened apple sauce)
1 tbsp of shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk (I used vanilla almond)
1 tbsp of melted coconut butter (I used earth balance coconut spread)
Raw cocoa nibs (or semisweet choc chips) (optional)

Note: I melted a little extra coconut butter and coated my ramekin so the oatmeal wouldn't stick.

Preheat the oven to 380 degrees. Combine the oats, salt, and coconut - mix. Add the wet ingredients and mix again. Pour into a small ramekin, baking pan, or loaf pan. Place in the oven for about 15 min until it starts to become firm. Pull out of the oven and sprinkle some more coconut on top and place back into the oven and turn to broil for 2-3 min to toast the coconut. When coconut starts to toast (turning light brown) - pull out of the oven. If you choose, sprinkle some raw cocoa nibs on top.

Last but not least...Enjoy!

Quick Lunch!

I have an obsession with avocado.. I could eat it with every meal... just love it. I decided to try out this quick, easy, healthy lunch today. It's as simple as cutting open the avocado, scooping out some room for the egg, cracking the egg into the avocado, and baking at about 425 degrees for 10-15 min. Done and ready to eat! I accompanied mine with a Rudi's spelt english muffin. 

Avocados also have many health benefits! They are high in potassium, fiber, and vitamins C,K, folate, and B6. They can help lower cholesterol, control blood pressure, maintain a healthy heart, and promote eye health. Avocados are made up of monounsaturated fats, the good fats which can help regulate blood sugar levels. Get this...they even can cure bad breath and have anti-aging properties....eat one a day, keep the wrinkles away!

Hazelnut Latte

Yesterday afternoon after yoga I stopped in the new location of the thinking cup on Hanover St. in Boston with my good friend Eileen. I decided to try the hazelnut latte and had to share because it was fantastic! First, the design was gorgeous - what delicate work. Second, it wasn't like other flavored lattes. Instead of a syrup to flavor it, they actually used shredded hazelnut - delicious! I highly recommend it... great environment and very good coffee. I was highly impressed.

Old Fashioned "Sugar" Cookie

I have a major sweet tooth and tis the season for sugar cookies! 

BUT - refined sugar can cause decay to your teeth, diseases such as diabetes, and along with a "sugar high", a sugar low.

So... there's the option of replacing refined sugar with a substitute like organic cane sugar, sucanat, or xylitol. 

For this recipe I used xylitol - so these cookies are technically sugar free and a healthy option for satisfying your sweet tooth! 

I followed this recipe and used these ingredients:

• Spelt flour
• Vanilla almond milk
• Xyla
• Earth Balance

Kale Soup - Healthy Style!

So I come from a Portuguese family and my vavo (grandmother) makes a killer kale soup. With this crappy weather I've been craving this hearty soup so I decided to try it....my way :)

I used all organic ingredients but if you choose not to, that's fine.

Kale Soup

2 tbsp of Olive oil

1/2 Medium onion (chopped)

1 Bay leaf (fresh or dried)

2 Cloves of garlic (chopped)

1/2 cup of Basmati rice (or any rice/potato you choose to use)

2 cups of Kale (This is an estimate I used frozen so just poured it in by eye)

Salt & Pepper

1/2 can Kidney beans (or other bean of choice)

1/2 can Diced tomato

1/2 quart of Chicken broth

I began by cooking the Basmati rice as directed on the package (for about 30 mins) - As the rice cooked, I prepped my onions and garlic. Once the rice was just about done, I began the soup.

In a medium-large pot heat the oil over med/high heat and add onions. Cook for about 5 min. with a cover, stirring occasionally. 

Next, add garlic, bay leafs, and kale to the pot. Cover and cook for about 2 min. 

Once the greens are wilted add the remaining ingredients - beans, tomatoes, broth, and rice. Season with salt & pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce back to med/high heat for 5-10 min.

And....there you have it! I toasted a slice of Ezekial bread and spread on some Earth Balance because what goes better with soup than some warm toasty bread?

Banana Nut Oatmeal

Banana Nut Oatmeal

1/2 cup quick oats (I use Quaker Oats)

1 cup water (or milk of choice)

Cinnamon

Honey

Pecans

1 Banana

Maple syrup (I use organic)

Ground flaxseeds (optional for extra nutrition!)

1. Cook the oats as directed 

2. Add a couple dashes of cinnamon to your liking. Same with honey. 

3. Mix in a few pinches of flaxseeds (optional)

4. Cut banana into slices and place them on top.

5. Crumble pecans and place on top.

6. Drizzle some maple syrup for a little extra sweetness (optional)

ENJOY!

Blueberry Pie Pancakes

Blueberry pie pancakes! Mmmm mmmm mmmm! I experimented with this recipe.

I used spelt flour, vanilla almond milk, and some honey instead of sugar. What she doesn’t say is that the recipe yields one pancake and the dough is very sticky and thick. I added a little more milk to loosen it. I topped it with some organic maple syrup - delicious!

Change is Good.

Some big changes are occurring in my life and I've decided change is good. Small or big, it can bring out new perspectives. BUT - I've also realized they're are always going to be some things/people that don't change even when you're world is.  Just breathe in and exhale out.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." – Reinhold Niebuhr (Serenity Prayer)

Baked Cinnamon Bun Oatmeal

I tried out this scrumptious breakfast recipe...YUM!

Cream of Zucchini Soup

So yesterday was a very cold night and after returning from shopping I was craving some warm, delicious soup!

I found a cream of zucchini soup recipe here and decided to try it out - it was super simple, quick, and easy! Just the way I like it.

I made a smaller portion and made a slight adjustment using greek yoghurt instead of sour cream.

Cream of Zucchini Soup

1/4 of an onion (sliced)

1 clove of garlic

3/4 of a large zucchini (cubed)

14 oz can of low sodium/low fat chicken stock + 2 oz of water

1 tbsp of greek yoghurt (I used fage 0%)

salt + pepper

Combine all ingredients except yoghurt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to about medium low and cover. Let simmer for about 15 min or until zucchini is tender. 

Remove from heat and add ingredients from pot + yoghurt into a blender. Puree until smooth and you're done!

This recipe made about two small bowls so I had some left over for today! 

Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal

Delicious alternative for a craving of blueberry muffin!