Make Your Own Almond Butter

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ImageYesterday I went to Trader Joe’s with one mission – get some almond butter. I love snacking on almond butter and celery. This is like a little guilty pleasure for me. It’s creamy, crunchy and way better for you than chips or ice cream.

However, Trader Joe’s was out of almond butter! Travesty of travesties!  Well, not really – because I decided that I might be able to make my own at home. And, y’all – I did – it was awesome and so, so simple.

All you need is 2 cups of almonds and a food processor.

First, pour 2 cups of almonds out on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 375 for about 5 minutes. (This will create that smoky taste.) Next – after you take them out of the oven, place these nuts into the food processor.

Turn it on and blend away! After the first couple minutes, it will turn into a powder. You are not done at this point. Be patient. Keep blending – this will take about 10 minutes. But, you will see the almonds starting to get moist and a paste will form.

Empty your homemade almond butter in a Tupperware container. You are done – and will never buy store bought almond butter again.

10 Starbucks Drinks That Won’t Blow Your Diet

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skinny coffeeI, like most women in America, love Starbucks drinks. I trick myself into just liking black coffee. But, c’mon who I am a fooling?

The pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream is not bad. It’s delightful. That rich gingerbread latte at Christmas fills my senses with such a childlike aroma. It’s incredible. And that peppermint mocha – heaven!

However, as good as they taste, I know they are not good for my body. They add heaping extra calories and really too much sugar. They leave me feeling sluggish and bloated. Not really the ideal feeling for a health conscious person.

I found this chart on Sisterhood of The Shrinking Jeans – it’s wonderful. Now, you can enjoy your favorite Starbucks drinks, but really choose the ones that are best for your diet. Don’t blow your diet on a sugary drink – especially when there are healthy options out there.

This is just 10 choices. I bet you could also create more. Be creative. Skip the sugar and fatty cream. You will end up feeling better about yourself and your body.

starbucks

Pumpkin Spice Shake

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pumpkin spice shakeSomething about pumpkins just warms my heart. It is almost fall – and Starbucks has reintroduced its Pumpkin Spice Latte for the season. This makes me jump for joy.

I am a strong advocate for living a little. So, by all means, don’t deprive yourself of this sugary drink (drink in moderation).

However, if you are looking for a breakfast drink (minus all the sugar) – just as tasty as the Starbucks latte, I found the one for you!

This Pumpkin Shake is perfect for breakfast. It’s like a morning sunrise hug! Pumpkin is high in fiber and low in calories, so it will keep you feeling fuller longer!

You will need: ¼ cup pumpkin puree, ¾ cup skim milk or coconut milk, 4 ice cubes, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, 1 tsp. chia seeds, ½ cup water

This shake is made in the blender – and it is simple. Just add all the ingredients in – one at a time. And then mix on high for about a few minutes.

Pour the icy mixture into a pretty cup and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. Viola! You are done. Sip away!

This drink will also help your complexion. Pumpkin is filled with vitamins C, E, and A, as well as powerful enzymes that help to cleanse the skin. This is also gluten free!

Meals For a Man – Stuffed Bell Peppers

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ImageAttention all men! Here is a dish just for you. Well, the ladies love it too – but sometimes it’s hard to please our men when cooking healthy (can I get an amen!?)

Here is a simple stuffed bell pepper recipe that will do the trick. It is low-fat, gluten free and low calorie and is sure to fill you up. I only ate one – and have left overs for tonight!

You will need: 4 green bell peppers, 1 package of ground turkey meat, ½ cup ketchup, 2 tbsp. garlic powder, ½ cup chopped onions, 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper.

The first thing I did was cut the tops of the bell peppers. Here is a simple guide that can instruct you to cut the tops off perfectly. I ran some water in the middle – just to wash out the seeds. I brought a pot of water to boil on the stove and dropped the peppers in there for about 3-5 minutes. Just to get them moist and warm.

In a separate bowl, I emptied out the package of thawed ground turkey meat – and added in first the garlic, Italian seasoning, onions, salt and pepper. With my hands, I rolled all this into the meat mixture. And then took the combo to the skillet. I lightly browned the meat. And then dumped the ketchup on top and mixed it in slowly.

Preheat the oven to 350 – and fill a separate pan with just a line of water at the bottom (enough for the pepper to lightly sit in while baking.) Fill up the hollow peppers with your meat mixture – and then set them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, I topped my bell peppers with a bit of Parmesan and a light squirt of ketchup. It gives it a little meatloaf taste. Viola! Serve – everyone, including your man, will love these!

A Marvelous Reflection – The Image of Yourself in Me

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ImageThis song – ‘True Story’ by Ginny Owens has been playing in my car nonstop. I listen to it driving into work in the morning and can’t seem to change the CD or the track for that matter!

The beautiful words have brought me to tears too many times to count– through her voice I hear clarity, truth, longing and trust. I also see a vivid picture of me, a girl saved by grace, singing this to the Lord, with hands lifted up empty.

The chorus states, “You see my imperfections, still you say I’m a masterpiece. A marvelous reflection, the image of Yourself in me. You paint with strokes of grace – undoing my disguise. You say beauty lies in the true story.”

It literally takes my breath away to think of Jesus calling me a masterpiece.

Of course, ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder:’ but, how delightful that my beholder is also my creator! He shouts – not whispers – over me and you words of joy! We are his beautiful reflection.

This truth gives me chills. Like Abraham must have danced in jubilation over Isaac’s birth, the promised one, Jesus dances over our reflection of his face.

I want to look in the mirror and truly see Christ’s beauty shining forth.

Lord, make me into a pillar of fiery ambition and radiance. May others looks at me and see you. Beauty lies within your face – and the radiant story of your tremendous grace.

Listen to the song, ‘True Story’ here.

Make Your Own Old Bay Seasoning?

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ImageYou mean to say – I don’t have to buy it in bulk at Costco? Nope! Now, you can make your own fabulous Old Bay seasoning. This spice is simply fantastic on seafood – such as shrimp and various kinds of fish.

However, I just seasoned chicken with it not too long ago (and, it was GREAT). Don’t believe me – try it.

You will need: 1 tbsp celery salt, ¼ tbsp paprika, 1/8 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, a pinch ground dry mustard, mace, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, ground clove and ginger.

Place all these spices in a little bowl and mix ‘em up! This will make you 4 tbsp of this awesome seasoning. You might need to make more – if you are having more than two guests over for dinner.

3 Steps To Sleep Easy At Night

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ImageSometimes it is hard for me to completely shut off my brain when it’s bedtime. I look at the clock and its 11pm. My gut tells me it’s time for a little shut eye – especially for the busy work day tomorrow. But, my brain keeps on thinking and processing the day and week ahead.

Studies find that 40 percent of Americans are severely deprived of sleep! Yikes – that is a lot of sleepy people. Sleeping more not only is healthy for you, it also aids in your mood throughout the day! Here a few things that help me ‘hit the hay’ at night.

1. Steer Clear of Electronics Before Bedtime  

It is important to disconnect the day – and ignore electronics at least an hour before bedtime. Not only is this a healthy move for you (glaring screens directly influence the body’s circadian rhythm – the intrinsic 24 hour clock you naturally function on) – it’s also a very symbolic move. Shut off the day. You can play that mindless game or check your late night e-mails in the morning. Journal instead – write down some thoughts. Or pick up a book – read a chapter a night.

2. Spray Your Pillow With Lavender

A Wall Street Journal Report notes, “Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family. Its aroma has been shown in human studies ‘to slow down heart rate, slow blood pressure and put you in a parasympathetic state, which is a relaxed state.’”  So invest in some lavender products. I like the sprays from Bath and Body Works – just lightly splash your pillow with this rich fragrance. It will help your stress levels and help you sleep well.

3. Wear an Eye Mask

You may think it looks stupid, but an eye mask is a must for me at night. The city lights outside the windows always seem to peep in – and hinder my sleep. When your brain senses pure darkness, it causes the production of melatonin, the chemical of sleep. Just try it. I promise you will sleep sounder. You can even glam up your night’s sleep with some cute eye mask patterns!

Quick Skinny Working Girl Breakfast

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ImageFor the girl on the run – this is the best breakfast. Some mornings I wake up and am unsure of what to make for myself. It’s better to eat quickly then to wait until lunch. Believe me!

Here is a quick breakfast that I made on vacation this past week. It is the perfect combo of protein and fruit.

First: cut up 1 banana; add a handful of blueberries, 10 walnuts and coat it with a pinch of chia seeds. You can also add a dash of cinnamon for flavor. (This will help your metabolism).

Mix these all together and you have a fruity and crunchy breakfast that you can eat in a few minutes. The chia seeds fill you up and – this will keep you a skinny working girl – for sure!

Cucumber Crab Vacation Salad

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ImageWhen you take a break from work – and go on a nice vacation, it’s sometimes easy to just spoil your healthy eating plan because you think ‘hey, I am on vacation! I deserve this!’

Doritos look enticing at the grocery store – and that bag of cookies truly is tempting. But, believe me – your body will not thank you after your little trip from reality.

It’s easy to eat healthy on vacation. You can make it fun and indulge some days – but follow a great healthy eating plan on others (and still feel like you are having a little treat). I made this healthy cucumber crab salad for lunch one day – it was wonderful.

I, not only, felt like I was eating something decadent – but good for me too!

This is what I put in my salad: ½ of a fresh cucumber, ½ avocado, handful of sharp cheddar cheese, 10 walnuts, ice burg lettuce, a handful of fresh crab meat (do not use imitation – that is not gluten free) and a dash of Newman’s own Italian salad dressing.

This is a good salad recipe to try on a beach vacation. You will treat yourself with some crab pieces – but still enjoy something good and refreshing for your body. And score – it’s gluten free!