Healthy No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites

My husband and I are the kind of people that would rather eat the cookie dough than wait for the cookies to bake. 

This tasty healthy treat is perfect for anyone who feels the same way. Plus they are healthy so we can still enjoy them on our healthy eating plan! 

You gotta try this one. You will love it! 

Ingredients:

-2/3 Cup Raw Cashews

-1/3 Cup Oats

-2 Tbsp Agave Syrup

-1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

-1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

-¼ Cup Sweet Cacao Nibs 

Directions:

-Combine oats and cashews in a food processor and grind into a flour-like consistency.

-Add agave, maple syrup, and vanilla, and blend again until smooth.

-Transfer your dough into a mixing bowl and stir in cacao nibs by hand.

-Roll the dough into approximately 12 chocolate truffle-sized balls. 

-Eat immediately or store in the fridge for later.

Enjoy! 

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Bread

This is super yummy and healthy bread. It has a sweet flavor and a dense texture. It is the perfect side for any meal! 

Ingredients:

-1 Cup Warm Water

-1 Package Active Dry Yeast

-1/4 Tsp Sugar

-1/4 Cup Honey 

-2 Tbsp Organic Butter

-1/2 Cup Old-Fashioned Oats

-1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt

-2 Cups Whole-Wheat Flout

-1 Egg White

-About 1 1/4 Cups Organic All-Purpose Flour

Directions:

-In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let stand for 15 minutes.

-Stir in honey, butter, oats, salt and 1 cup of whole-wheat flour. Mix until smooth. Stir in the egg white. Gradually stir in the remaining 1 cup of whole-wheat flour. Then 1 cup of the organic all-purpose flour. 

-Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth but slightly sticky. It should take about 7 minutes. Work in enough of the remaining 1/4 cup organic all-purpose flour just to keep the dough from sticking. 

-Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning dough to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

-Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Grease a cookie sheet. 

-Shape the dough into an oval and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 

-Preheat oven to 350 F. With a knife cut five 1/4 inch deep slashes across the top of the loaf. Lightly cover the top of the loaf in a little butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Bake until loaves sound hollow when you light tap on the bottom. About 35 - 40 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool. 

Enjoy! 

Move Of The Day - Extended Triangle Pose

I started P90X3 on Sunday. Today was Yoga X3. I love Yoga so I was excited for todays workout and lets just say I was not disappointed. In honor of my workout today the move of the day is extended triangle pose. 

Here is how you do it. 

Step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the right knee cap is in line with the center of the right ankle.

Exhale and extend your torso to the right directly over the plane of the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist. Anchor this movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor. Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long. Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.

Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the torso. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.

Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Benefits
-Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles

-Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine

-Stimulates the abdominal 

-Helps relieve stress

-Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause

-Relieves backache

Enjoy! 

How To Build The Perfect Healthy Smoothie

I was talking to my Grandparents today and my Grandma mentioned they needed some new recipes for their new NutriBullet they got for Christmas. 

This one is for you Grandma and Grandpa! <3

First chose fruit, liquid and veggies. Then go through and chose if you want to add any of the other categories in.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Of Fruit - Chose any fruit you like - The fruit can be fresh or frozen. I like to use frozen so I do not have to add ice. 
-Blueberries 
-Strawberries
-Mangoes
-Bananas
-Apples
-Pineapples

1 Cup Of Liquid - Chose any liquid you like
-Water
-Coconut water 
-Low fat coconut milk
-Low fat dairy milk
-Almond milk
-Flax milk
-100% juices
-Iced coffee
-Iced green tea

1/2 Cup Of Veggies - Chose any veggies you like
-Spinach
-Kale
-Romaine lettuce

1/4 Cup Make It Creamy - Optional 
-Non fat greek yogurt
-Frozen sliced bananas
-Fresh avocado

1/2 Tsp Make It Sweet - Optional
-Raw honey
-Raw maple syrup 

1/2 Tsp Healthy Flavor - Optional
-Ginger
-Cinnamon
-Cayenne pepper
-Cocoa powder
-Vanilla

1 Serving Energy Boost - Optional
-Chia seeds
-Flax seeds
-Pb2 powder
-Ground Oats
-Ground nuts

Instructions:

Add fruit,liquid, and veggies to your blender. Pick what you all want in your smoothie and add it all in. Add some ice if desired and blend on high

My favorite smoothie is with blueberries, flax milk, spinach, nonfat greek yogurt, honey, cinnamon and either flaxseed or ground oats. 

Enjoy! 

Finishing Up The Girl On The Train & Starting To Kill a Mockingbird

Today is our last day with The Girl On The Train. I have a couple question for you guys and cannot wait to hear what you thought about the book

I absolutely loved it!! I have to say I did not expect it to end the way it did. It kept me engaged the entire time and I did not want to put it down till I figured the mystery out. It is a must read! 

End Of Book Questions 

1.How does Paula Hawkins withhold information from the reader to build suspense? Did you feel tricked? Did you figure out "whodunit" before the end of the novel? What clues gave it away?

2.Do you people watch the way Rachel does? Do you ever concoct elaborate stories about people you see everyday? Would you ever want to meet these people and truly get to know them?

3.Critics have called this book "the next Gone Girl." What does The Girl on the Train have in common with Gone Girl? How are the books different?

4.Who would you cast to play the major roles in a film version of the book?

The next book on our list is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. We will start it today Sunday January 24th and end on Sunday February 7th. 

Synopsis From Goodreads:Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior—to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature

Hope you will all join me again for the next book! 

Lets Get Reading! 

Move Of The Day - Side Leg Circles

This is a great move to work your core and inner and outer thighs. It is super simple and does not require any equipment. 

Start by lying on your right side with your right upper arm on the floor and your head resting on your right hand. With knees straight, bend at your hips so your legs and torso form a slight angle. 

Raise your left leg 6 to 8 inches and make 8 small forward circles from the hip, raising the leg higher with each one. 

From the highest point, make 8 more small circles in the other direction as you lower the leg to start. 

That's 1 rep. Do 5 and then repeat on the other side.

Here is a tip when circling your leg, remember to engage your core to prevent your body from rocking at all.

Feel The Burn! Enjoy! 

My Favorite Protein Powder - Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard

I am going to let you in on a secret today. My favorite protein powder! I have tried a ton of different protein powders and wasted a lot of money on expensive protein powder that tastes awful and are not nearly as nutritious as this one. 

I came across Optimum Nutrition products when we moved to Belgium. It is one of the only protein powders that they sell at the PX. So I thought what the heck and tried it. Gotta say it was a great decision! 

This protein powder tastes amazing! Not to mention they offer 24 different flavors! My favorites are double rich chocolate, caramel toffee fudge and rocky road. Yum! 

It is also very nutritious with only 120 calories and packs 24 grams of 100% per whey protein per serving. Also 5.5 grams of naturally occurring branched chain amino acids which are prized by athletes for their muscle building qualities. To make it even better there is only 1 gram of fat and 1 gram of sugar per serving! And only 3 grams of carbs. WHAT! Does not get much better than that. 

Also, I love how you do not have to use a blender. I just use my Blender Bottle and put about 8oz of unsweetened flax milk and a scoop of Optimum Nutrition and I am good to go!

To get the best deal on Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard I recommend buying it off of Amazon and buying the 5 lb container. 

Here is the link to where I buy mine Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard.

Enjoy!! :) 

Mu Shu Chicken

I forgot about this recipe and hadn't made it in forever. I made it the other night and remember just how easy and delicious it is.

It also doesn't take very much time! And of course it is healthy. :) 

Give it a try! 

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 tablespoons hoisin

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon each minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon each minced fresh garlic

14 ounce bag coleslaw mix

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

8 small whole wheat tortillas or lettuce leaves

Directions:

-Whisk 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons each dry sherry and hoisin in a small bowl. 

-Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon each minced fresh ginger and garlic and stir-fry 1 minute. 

-Add a 14-ounce bag coleslaw mix and 1/2 cup chopped scallions and stir-fry until just wilted, about 3 minutes. 

-Add 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and soy sauce mixture. Toss until heated through. 

-Drizzle with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. 

-Serve wrapped in eight 6" whole wheat tortillas or lettuce leaves

Enjoy! 

The Girl on the Train January 15th Book Club Questions

Happy Friday! Ok, so hopefully everyone who is participating in reading The Girl On The Train is at least half way through. I don't wanna ruin anything with these questions. :)

Wanted to get everyone opinion though and see how you are all liking the book. I also have three questions about the book. Comment and let me know what you think so far. 

Question About The Girl On The Train 

1. We all actively watch life around us. In this way, with her own curiosity, Rachel Watson is not so unusual. What do you think accounts for this nosey, all-too-human impulse? Is it more extreme in Rachel than in the average person? What is so different about her?

2. How would you have reacted if you’d seen what Rachel did from her train window, a pile of clothes, just before the rumored disappearance of Megan Hipwell? What might you or she have done differently?

3.Rachel experiences a lot of "what if?" moments, like what if she had confronted Megan when she saw her kissing another man? Would this have changed anything? What other "what if?" moments haunt Rachel?

Keep On Reading! 

Four Reasons Why You Should Be Reading

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read thirty books this year and to watch less TV. Many people forget what it is like to shut out the world and curl up and read a good book. In a study done on 1,000 U.S. adults 28% of them had not read one book at all in the past year. I can’t even imagine. I love reading. Below are four reasons why.

Four Reasons Why You Should Be Reading

Reading Can Chill You Out.

Feeling stressed out after a long day? Sit down and read a book. Reading is a great way to overcome stress. Reading allows you to relax and take your mind off stressful things. Whenever I am having a bad day I pick up a book and get to reading and within minutes I forget all about my worries from the day.

It Can Keep Your Brain Sharp.

It is true! There was a study done with 294 participants. The study found that those who engaged in reading, earlier and later on in life experienced slower memory decline compared to those who didn't. Not only is reading great fun it is also proven to help keep your brain sharp.

Reading Can Help You Sleep Better.

How many of you watch tv before you go to bed? Now, how many of you that said yes have trouble sleeping? Bright lights and lights from electronic devices give signals to the brain that it is time to wake up. Reading under a dim light before bed could help you sleep better. Turning off electronics and reading under a dim light an hour before you go to bed could make a whole world of difference in your sleeping routine.

Getting Lost In A Good Book Makes You Empathetic.

There was a study done in the Netherlands that showed that people who were "emotionally transported" by a book experienced boosts in empathy. Reading about a great story or a powerful character is good for you!

Here are some of my favorite reasons that you should pick up a good book today and start reading. 

Check out my book club Books Without Borders. Anyone can join in at anytime.

Enjoy! 

Why To Try Yoga

Do you see all of those benefits?! Incredible. How many of you have tried yoga? I absolutely love yoga. It is a great way to stretch all of your muscles out after a hard week of work, working out and life. Here is why you should try yoga!

Yoga is a series of stretches and poses that you do with breathing techniques. It offers the powerful benefits of exercise. And since yoga is gentle, almost anyone can do it, regardless of your age or fitness level.

There are many branches of yoga. All yoga styles can help balance your body, mind, and spirit, but they achieve it in various ways. Some yoga styles are intense and vigorous. Others are relaxing and meditative.

Here are some more benefits of yoga:

-Makes you stronger and more flexible.

- Helps you to stay limber and energetic. 

-Helps you to feel more focused and alert. 

Yoga can also help improve these conditions:

-Poor blood circulation

-High blood pressure

-Arthritis

-Osteoporosis

-Limited mobility

-Lower back pain

-Difficulty breathing

-Headaches

-Tension or stress

-Depression

Yoga can help you:

-Reduce your risk for injury.

-Reduce stress. 

-Increase your concentration.

-Understand the mind and body connection.

-Gain strength and stamina. 

-Improve balance and stability. 

-Improve posture. 

-Develop body awareness. 

Yoga is a great way to get your body active again. If you haven't been active for a while start with yoga and move you way up. Yoga is also great if you're already fit and want a challenging workout. As you become more strong and flexible with yoga, it's easier to do other kinds of exercise.

One of new favorite yoga workouts is Yoga Fix from 21 Day Fix.  I did it on Sunday and felt absolutely amazing. Yoga is a great way to give your muscles a break so that they can work at their best. 

I also really love Yoga Inferno by Jillian Michaels. This DVD is what made me love yoga so much. In this dvd there are two workouts. Workout 1 uses body weight along with 30-second cardio intervals. Workout 2 incorporates the use of light hand weights, combining traditional resistance moves with classic yoga poses for a dynamic, flowing, and challenging practice. 

These are two great options to try. Post in the comments if you have any yoga routine that you love. I am always looking for a new way to enjoy yoga. 

Enjoy!

The Girl On A Train By Paula Hawkins

Who is ready to start The Girl On The Train for the first book for Books Without Borders. We will be starting the book on today January 10th and ending on January 24th.

I know that I am super excited to read this one! I am just sitting down to get started. I am excited to see who joins us on this fun reading adventure this year. I will post again next Sunday with some question and see how everyone is liking the book. 

Here is a little more about the book if you are curious. :)

Synopsis From Goodreads: Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Lets Get Reading! 

Brownie Batter Protein Oats

Doesn't get much better than this! Chocolate and oatmeal. Yum!! Not to mention all the healthy protein, carbohydrates and fats that these oats contain. Start your morning off right with this delicious recipe. 

This recipe is also made the night before so you don't have to worry about not having time in the morning to make it. 

Just get up and enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Flax egg (1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water)

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp organic coconut sugar

Directions:

Combine the old fashioned oats, 1 cup of the vanilla almond milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until all of the liquid is absorbed.

Add in the flax egg and stir well. Let the mixture cook for about 1-2 minutes more. Just until the oats are fluffy.

Stir in the protein powder, coconut flour, cocoa powder and organic coconut sugar until combined. Add in the extra 1/4 cup of vanilla almond milk if needed.

Refrigerate overnight, uncovered.

The next morning, stir the oatmeal very well and add extra non dairy milk if needed before serving.

There are many options for toppings as well. Try some slivered almonds or even a few chocolate chips. The oatmeal can also be eaten cold or it can be warmed up if desired.

Enjoy! 

Book Club Challenge 2016 - Books Without Borders

Books Without Borders is going to consist of 24 books old and new that will be completed in 2016. There will be a total of 2 books per month that the book club can read at the same time. There will be a start date and end date as to when the book should be completed. After the book is read their will be a blog post where the book club members can comment and reply about their thoughts on the book.

This is going to be a very relaxed book club. You can read a book than skip a book then come back and read another book with the club. Whatever you want to do. We are super excited to get started and hope you all will join us.

The first book we will be reading is The Girl On A Train by Paula Hawkins. We will be starting the book on January 10th and ending on January 24th.

Below is the full list of books.

Book List:

1.The Girl On A Train by Paula Hawkins

2.To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

4. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

5.The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt

6..Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

7.Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

8.Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

9.Confess by Colleen Hoover

10.The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

11.This Census-Taker by China Miéville

12.My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

13. The Deep by Nick Cutter

14. The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

15. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

16.The Devil in the White by Erik Larson

17.What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

18. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

19. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

20. Little Bee by Chris Cleave

21. In the Woods by Tana French

22. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

23. The Stranger by Harlan Coben

24. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Below is the Tackk that I created with more information on the books and the book club. 

Let’s Get Reading!!

View Books Without Borders full version on Tackk
Create your own customized Tackk page

Move Of The Day - Surrender Lunges!

Gonna switch my post up today and give you all a move of the day. And the move is surrender lunges!! I absolutely love this excierise. I did surrender lunges on Monday with ten pound dumbbells and I am still sore today. 

How to:

-Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. 

-There are a couple options of what to do with your arms. You can have your arms raised overhead, on your hips or you can also hold dumbbells. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. 

-Drop your right leg to the floor into a kneeling position, then drop your left leg, keeping arms lifted the entire time.

-Stand back up without using your arms, starting with your left leg, then right.

-Repeat sequence, starting with opposite leg.

-Do for 1 minute, alternating legs.

-Rest and repeat as many times as you want. I did a total of four minutes on Monday.

Surrender lunges target lower back, glutes, quads. Great exercise to target problem areas.

Give them a try and let me know what you think! Or even better post a picture in the comment of you doing the move of the day! :) 

Enjoy! 

Bringing In A Healthy New Year

Happy New Year! It has been awhile since I blogged. We were busy with the holidays and vacation. I am back now and ready to bring you more tips to staying healthy and living life. How many of you actually keep the New Year's Resolution that you make? 

One in three Americans makes a New Year’s Resolution. For the first week 75% of people stick to their goals. But only 46% are still on target six months later. 

I made a small list of resolutions that I think will help me better my health and self over the next year.

Think Outside the Box

I love to exercise but doing the same exercise over and over can get very boring and when it gets boring I tend to not want to workout as much. This year I want to come up with new and fun ways that I enjoy to keep myself physically active. I have already given myself the gift of BeachBody On Demand for Christmas. It is like Netflix's but for workouts. Beachbody offers a 30 day free trial for BeachBody On Demand. So, if you are looking for a great place with access to a ton of different workouts check it out.

I know that many women who resolve to become more physically active think just of going to the gym. But then they quit because of lack of time, energy, or money. Or, they may tire of the gym atmosphere. 

There a million ways to get physically active. Get some workout dvds and workout at home or go outside for a walk. Also, don’t think you have to workout for hours to get physically active. Start with thirty minutes five days a week. Do what you like and you will more likely stick to your goal.

Relax 

This year I want to relax and not stress about things as much. I always worry about responsibilities concerning home, school and work. But I need to realize that their aren’t always going to be enough hours in the day to get it all done.

I have found that sitting down on Sunday’s and writing out my schedule and prioritizing my tasks has really helped me to be more efficient and also less stressed. It also allows me to tackle one thing at a time. Find what works best for you. 

Read More

I love to read. I use to hate it but my mom just kept pushing me and pushing me until I found a book I liked and ever since than I have been hooked. 

This year I want to read more and watch less tv. I want to read a total of 30 books in 2016. I am going to come up with a list of books I want to complete this year.

I just finished my first one which was The Infinite Sea: The Second Book of the 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. Reading has so many benefits and really just makes me feel good and happy. 

Keep Degree On Track

My last resolution is to get 90% of my Bachelors in Marketing completed. I am currently at 65% completed. I am really loving my experience at CSU - Global and can’t wait to see what comes next. 

I just started a new term on Monday and I am taking Personal Selling and Sales Management. And Promotion and Public Relations. I can’t wait to dive into these courses and learn more about marketing.

Comment and let me know what your New Year's Resolutions are. 

Have A Healthy Year!