Egg Decorating Tip

Well, it is Easter weekend and in case you haven't decorated your hard boiled eggs yet, check out these pictures for some inspiration:

 

Rubber Band Eggs:

 

 

No Mess- Sharpie Eggs!

 

 

Blackboard Painted Eggs:

 

 

 

And a genius trick for using traditional dye:

 

 

Happy Easter!!

Enjoy!

The Miracle Food

So often we take it for granted that our bodies are amazing machines! We are able to use the food we eat to do all sorts of complicated things. Our quality of life, our interactions with others, our ability to love and be joyful all come from the foundation of our bodies.

 

When I go home to these guys:

I often think, "I am going to treat them by taking them for a walk or to the park". When I buy them food or a snack at the pet store I hunt for all natural and healthy ingredients. Why? Because I love them! Because I care about their bodies and their health!

 

If you are pet owner, or a parent, you can relate to me. We find it to be a "no-brainer" to feed our loved ones healthy foods and encourage them to be active. Why then, do we overlook ourselves? We should love our bodies just as much, and feel just as happy to treat ourselves to good foods and healthy activities. The reality is it somehow becomes a "chore" in our own personal lives.

 

I hope today you are able to flip that switch! When you think about the dinner you are going to prepare for yourself tonight, get excited about it. Look forward to giving your body the miracle food of good nutrition! And when you think about your next trip to the gym, you should feel the same anticipation you would feel if you were to take your little ones to the park. (On a side note if you loathe the gym- find something else that is fun! Since when did physical activity become as dreaded as cleaning the toilets in your house? There are many ways to be active- rediscover your inner child and PLAY.)

 

Check out this article and testimonial about how our food can actually become a miracle for all sorts of pains and aliments. Stop poisoning your bodies and treat yourself to a healthy diet! You are worth it. Enjoy!

Fresh Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I simply LOVE lemon. Any desert that has lemon in it will be at hit for me. My friend made these muffins for me awhile back and I was sold! They are easy, full of flavor and super moist. She got her recipe out of her Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook. I found a similar recipe here, and it turned out just a delicious!

Fresh Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs coconut flour
5 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 medium sized lemons (juiced)
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp baking soda
Zest from 2 lemons
1 Tbs poppyseeds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another. Add two bowl and stir until completely mixed. Place batter into lined muffin tins. Bake for 22 min. Enjoy!

Someday. . . When I Grow Up.

Someday, when I am grown up I will own one of these.

 

 

 And when I do, the food I will make will be so amazing! Until then, I will be content to enjoy the picture, and my not so amzing food (*wink-wink*). Isn't it just beautiful? If you own one, give it a hug and a kiss. . . from the Kitchen Beast. :)

It's Not You- It's The Cookie's Fault

Do you ever find yourself into a weird food rut? You crave the food that makes you less healthy? There may be a better reason to that than just poor self-control. Check out this post by Primal Docs for a more complete explanation. I love their points, and found myself agreeing as I read along. So maybe it isn't you that is the problem, it's the cookie's fault! :)

 Enjoy!

Fresh Paleo Granola

I feel like this recipe should come with a warning.
* This granola is so delicious you may want to hide it from yourself. :) JK. . . sorta.

Although this is easy to whip up, it disappears in 1/2 the time. I've made it for a friend, and put it in a cute mason jar with a ribbon for a little gift. It is always a hit! Feel free to play around with the nut/seed combination, but just be sure they total 5 cups. Also, be sure to use a good amount of slivered almonds as these take place of your "oats". I had a friend at the gym replace the honey with apple butter and had great results. I haven't tried that, but if you do, let us know how it works out!

Fresh Paleo Granola
5 cups nuts/seeds (i.e.: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, slivered or whole almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins (or any dried fruit - stay away from the ones with added sugar)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Pre-Heat oven to 300 degrees. Mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Let cool a bit. In a large mixing bowl place nuts and add contents of the sauce pan. Stir till everything is coated.

Spread nuts out on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 min. Save mixing bowl for the end. Once nuts are finished baking, remove from oven and let them cool a little. This will help the honey mixture to thicken. Place mixture back into the mixing bowl, or a large gallon size bag. Mix in dried fruit and coconut flakes. (If your nut mixture dries too much, the coconut will not stick.) For best results, place in freezer as it preserves the ingredients and helps everything stick together.

Enjoy!

 

Nutrition in 60 Seconds

Have you come across the million dollar questions, "What diet are you on???". Every time I am asked this, I have a little *sigh* inside because I know the looming conversation with continue one of two ways.
1- I will encourage someone to check out a new way of eating (this is always exciting, but not the norm)
2- I will have a list of odd questions fired at me like, "Isn't quinoa is a healthy grain, where do you get your fiber, what about your cholesterol, how do you eat enough calcium?" That is usually the time I suggest they read It Starts With Food if they want more information, and try to back out of the conversation slowly.
Today, you can put a summative response in your back pocket for the next time you encounter a question asker, or a negative Nancy. Check out this post by whole9. It is nutrition in 60 seconds and is brilliant. I love their positive approach to healthy eating. When you explain your lifestyle to someone this way, it takes all the defensiveness out and it simply becomes about the information. Enjoy!