Fruit Gelatin or Homemade "Jello" (Dye and Refined Sugar Free)

I have been loving making homemade gelatin snacks for the girls.  Gelatin is packed with protein and is great for your overall gut health.  Making your own gelatin snack can also ensure you are not consuming harmful food dyes or loads of refined sugar.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 tablespoons gelatin
• 1/2 cup pure fruit juice that has been heated just to a boil
• 1 1/2 cups pure cold fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3-5 drops liquid stevia

Directions

1. Heat 1/2 cup juice just until it boils.
2. Stir in gelatin and whisk until dissolved.
3. Add cold juice and stir to combine.
4. Add to glass containers and place in fridge to set.

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Homemade Granola

I came across a great recipe for homemade granola on Christina's blog, This Woman Cooks and she graciously agreed to share it here.  Her blog is full of lots of recipes and the cutest pictures of her little baby girl!

Christina's original homemade granola recipe called for 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1/4 cup of brown sugar so I would make a couple easy tweaks to make it healthier.  First, I  would omit the brown sugar altogether, and second, I would substitute the same amount of canola oil as it is  lower in saturated fat than vegetable oil and contains omega nutrients, which is considered to be better for your heart.  

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via This Woman Cooks

Source: slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Servings: 1 pound

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (substitute canola oil) 

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar- (omit) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup almonds

1/3 cup whole hazelnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and use to hands to combine.

Using your hands, grab fistfuls of the mixture, so you'll have a couple of clumps for texture. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it out, leaving a few clumps here and there.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven to flip the granola with a spatula. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven again and flip. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the granola. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Sprinkle the cranberries over the granola and use your hands to transfer it to an airtight container. Granola will keep for 1 week.

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Thank you Christina (This Woman Cooks) for sharing this recipe today ! I hope y'all will stop by and say hello!

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Have a great weekend!

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CONSISTENCY WITH A CURVE

Remember being graded on a curve back in high school?  I implement something similar when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.  I am sure you have all heard of a 90/10 or 80/20 percent variable when it comes to eating clean and exercise.  What it comes down to for me is CONSISTENCY with a curve and that allows for the little fun off the plan meals or missed workouts that WILL be a part of my balanced life.  I really do not stress about it, and I try to have a positive and fun outlook most of the time.  There are times that my mental game can be in the tank just like anyone else, and my actions have to be stronger than my mind.  It is in these moments that I realize that the workouts never get easier, but I definitely am stronger for them. 

 

I am not perfect and never will proclaim to be, but I am CONSISTENT.  I exercise at least five times per week and nothing extreme either.  I get in my sixty minutes and sometimes even forty-five and call that good.   I am in lifetime maintenance mode, which is easier than let’s say having a goal of building muscle mass.  Through my journey of consistent exercise, I have paid my dues to create the muscle that I have, and I am happy with that and do not long for more.  What I do care about and my lifetime goal is being a fit healthy person, having a quality life, free from injury, pain, and to just feel good overall.  I strongly feel that when the focus is on healthy and quality life rather than meeting the goals of extreme this or that, then a healthy body is the result.  So much brain effort is placed on all the new workouts and “diets” that people are becoming obsessive, discouraged, disenchanted and sadly give up before even trying. I enjoy being simplistic, getting back to the basics, and do not fall for the fads when it comes to working out. 

I eat healthy REAL foods the majority of the time and am CONSISTENT with this

habit that is now my lifestyle, and do not stress when a craving calls for something off my normal.  Please do not think that I am sitting over here eating boiled fish and steamed broccoli.  That is definitely not me, so boring, and I enjoy spicy foods and lots of variety to even want restrictions like that as part of my life.  Besides, that is not realistic, not lifetime maintainable and just could not be accepted consistently in my menu planning. Healthy eating does not mean I am on a diet, it just means that I eat healthy foods all the time that taste good. 

I maintain my body CONSISTENTLY to keep it healthy, to feel good and yes, I enjoy the outward part of being a healthy woman.  Anyone who says different just is not being honest.  I feel a certain confidence that comes from being a healthy person and I enjoy that. Things that I will not call a sacrifice to keep me consistent are eating at home all the time and rarely dining out.  On those rare times, it is a real treat and in fact, I do not mind hitting up the dessert menu during those occasions.  Honestly, I prefer my cooking to what is served in restaurants, for so many reasons.  I can control what is actually going in my face, the fats, sodium, and overall organic value of what I am eating.  The struggles I have are with getting to bed on time and I would have to give myself a “needs improvement” grading on the curve. I enjoy my weekends so much and night time with my hubby that sometimes, it is difficult to want the evening to end, and the consequences are a tired, and not fully recovered body.  Overall though, I am very CONSISTENT and enjoy a bit of a curve in life for that balance that is so important. 

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS

 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy~

Darla

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Working Out and Breakout Solutions

Working out is great for your mind and body, but can wreak havok on your face.  Normally, I have pretty clear skin, but when I'm doing a lot of sweaty workouts, I notice my forehead breaking out a bunch.   Does this happen to you too?  I have started washing my face in the gym locker room as soon as I finish my workout (as opposed to waiting until I get home) and I feel like that has helped a lot.  I keep foaming face wash pads in my gym bag and they are perfect because you just throw them away after each use.  I've had them so long that I threw away the original package, but I think they might have been Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths.  Super convenient and helping cut down on the breakouts.

At home, my skin is sensitive so I stick with the same gentle cleanser I've been using for years (Cetaphil) and then sometimes at night also use good 'ole SeaBreeze (for sensitive skin).  For a moisturizer/sunscreen, I also wear Cetaphil.  It's the only sunscreen I've found that won't break out my skin- besides the spray on kind I wear at the pool.  Both Cetaphil and SeaBreeze are sold in the drug store/grocery store.  

Obviously my skin care routine is pretty sparse.   I drink a lot of water, try to avoid sun on my face, and wear a visor when I run or go to the pool, but that's about it.  Are you doing facials, skin care "systems" or have any particular products you love?  I have a friend who is a consultant for Rodan + Fields and she swears by it.  She gave me a mini facial to try that I still need to do.  I'll be hosting a giveaway for  Rodan + Fields soon too if you're interested in that line.  

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Sweet Potato and Kale Patties (Dairy, Gluten/Grain and Egg Free)

I used to make these a lot years ago and sort of forgot about them.  We have been in transition these last few weeks moving from one city to another city about 2 hours away.  During this time, we also lived at our cottage for a few weeks.  Needless to say there have been some meals of which I am not proud to have eaten or served our family.  During one of our cottage weeks, I ended up with a bit more "stationary" time and wanted to make something healthier.  I noticed I had some sweet potatoes and there were lots of kale leaves in the garden.  I was reminded of these patties.  I was glad to see I packed the besan flour so this is what became of dinner.  The girls didn't seem to mind them, with a side of ketchup ;) and both Dan and I enjoyed the change of food.

Ingredients (makes 8-10 patties)

• 2 1/2 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (2-3 potatoes)
• 2-3 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 diced onion
• 2 minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• cayenne pepper to taste
• olive oil for frying
• chickpea (besan) flour for coating patties

Directions

1. In a small dish add ground flax seeds and water and let sit while you do step 2.
2. In a small frying pan heat oil and cook onions and garlic until fragrant and soft.  Approximately 3 minutes.
3. In a medium size bowl add sweet potatoes, kale, cooked onions, garlic, soaked flax seeds, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne.  Stir to fully combine.
4. Heat pan again with oil to a medium heat.
5. Add approximately 1/2 cup chickpea flour to a plate.
6. Take approximately 1/2 cup of sweet potato mixture and make a patty and roll or pat into chickpea flour and coat both sides.
7. Add patties to pan and fry for 5-10 minutes on each side or until a light brown.
8. Serve.

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Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

My son and I were home alone on Sunday and had one of those super lazy days where we stayed in pajamas all day long and didn't leave the house.  What a nice treat complete with hard rainfall, cozy covers, and movies on t.v.  Around 11:00 a.m. I got up and threw together a simple slow cooker lentil soup and enjoyed the yummy aroma emanating from the crockpot throughout the afternoon.  It's really nice to know that dinner's cooking and you don't have to worry about it later- gives you more time in your day and something to look forward to that night.  

INGREDIENTS (from America's Test Kitchen)

• 2 medium onions , minced
• 4 medium garlic cloves 
• 2 TBS Extra-virgin olive oil (for serving, optional)
• 1TBS tomato paste 
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked, rinsed and minced
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves , or 1 teaspoon dried
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 slices of bacon 
• 3 carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks 
• 12 ounces portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (I used sliced bella mushrooms)
• 1 cup brown or green lentils (1 cup), rinsed and picked over
• 1 bay leaf (not pictured)
• 8 oz. Swiss chard leaves only (I used collard greens) 

To maximize the flavor of the soup, I cooked the first few ingredients (onion, garlic, thyme, bacon, tomato sauce, porcini mushrooms) over the stove for about five minutes, but the recipe says you can have the same effect by microwaving those same ingredients for 5 minutes. 

Lentils are a great source of protein with about 3 grams of protein per tablespoon.

Stir both broths, bacon, carrots, fresh mushrooms, lentils and bay leaf into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low until the soup is thickened and the lentils are tender, 9 to 11 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 5 to 7 hours.) 

When the soup has about 30 minutes left to cook, remove the bacon and bay leaf, and add in the chopped swiss chard (I used greens because my store was out of chard).  

At the end, season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle in a bit more olive oil.  I served ours with toasted French bread, but a healthier option would be to skip it or use whole wheat. 

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Faith

via

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Baked Fish in Parchment Paper // Fish en Papillote

Fish isn't necessarily one of my go-to meals, but I eat it because it's good for me and is a change from my typical diet.  One of the easiest ways I know to bake fish is in parchment paper.  En Papillote  (pah-pee-YOHT) means to steam small portions of food in a wrapper.

Most recipes I've seen for Fish en Papillote combine onion, zucchini, carrot and garlic.  You chop the veggies, season with olive oil and salt and pepper, and arrange them on top of your fish with sliced lemon slices and sprigs of thyme or other aromatics.  

Place all the ingredients on the parchment paper and fold the paper tightly to create a seal for the food to steam while cooking. Put the package on a baking sheet and cook at 375 until the fish is cooked through about 12 minutes. Then cut open the packets and serve directly on the paper or remove onto a plate with a spatula.

I recently used this method to cook salmon, but instead of the veggies above, added asparagus.  Because I didn't chop the asparagus before putting it in the packet, it wasn't quite ready in 12 minutes and I finished it off in a skillet over medium-high heat.  I only seasoned the fish with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.  Pretty good even if I'm not crazy about fish!

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ASICS Running Shoe

I'm surprised I've had this blog so long and haven't talked athletic shoes with you!  My all-time favorite running/workout shoe is ASICS.  I've been wearing them for years because they are so well constructed, fit my foot perfectly, no weird arch, and plenty of cushion.   I'm crazy for this new design series (GT) in bright pink and orange. 

My current shoe is the ASICS Women's GT-1000 in silver, purple, and aqua.  I found mine at Academy, but they also sell them on Amazon.  At about $100 ($62.60 on Amazon with free shipping), I consider this type of shoe an investment because if my shoes are uncomfortable, don't fit well or wear out too easily, it affects my workout negatively.  I do run in these shoes, but I'm not training for any marathons (although I think you could with these shoes). 

What athletic shoe do you love?

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Faith

This blog began as a spin-off from my home decor/organization blog, Honey We're Home.  I wanted a place to write about health and fitness, and share with people how a busy, working mom attempts to live a healthy lifestyle.  But, there are more aspects than just clean eating and exercise that are critical to living really well.  It's a combination of relationships (with girlfriends, kids, parents, coworkers, and significant others), career, financial freedom, creativity, play, hobbies, and finding joy, being authentic.  We are physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual creatures.  For me, a major component of life includes my faith in God and my relationship with Him.  I went to church very infrequently as a kid, (we went typically at Easter and/or Christmas) but my parents always instilled in me the knowledge that there is a big God who knows me intimately and loves me very much.  

It's pretty difficult to manage to have all areas of your life gelling at once.  Your career and kids are doing good, but your marriage sucks.  Or your relationships are blossoming, but you are in debt.    Maybe career (be it at home or outside) are humming along but you have no energy and are out of shape.  Regardless of the hardships we endure, if our FAITH is strong, it seems to help hold us together.  Lets us know that, "this too, shall pass."

Jeremiah 29:11-12

In law school, I became actively involved in my church and choir and developed a deeper relationship with God.  After half a decade in the choir, and being newly married, I stepped down to devote my time to my new marriage.  The choir was a big time commitment and I felt that I should spend more time at home.  But I missed it terribly.  I recently came home to the choir.  When I returned to choir practice for the first time and we began worshipping, the very tangible presence of God filled the room and it was so beautiful I could cry.  I felt it immediately and am so THANKFUL.  I'm thankful that our rehearsal is a church service in and of itself. I'm thankful for the family of friends I've made, many of whom are still there and welcomed me back (after 5 years!) with warm, open arms. 

I still have to practice daily prayer- talking to God- and be mindful of His Word and His promises.  It's not necessarily second nature even after all of those years of being closely connected.  But I'm reminded that He is always there for us, always ready to receive our hearts, and will forgive our sins when we go to Him with a heartfelt confession.  I'm so humbled by that.

I get a lot of joy from encouraging you in the health and fitness arena, and I want to encourage you in your FAITH too.  I'll be sharing some inspiration from time to time on Sundays if you want to pop in, you are always welcome.  

I received a Bible from my law school boyfriend and it's been one of the best gifts I've ever been given. It's gotten tattered and worn over the years, and I've been given new Bibles since, but I always return to this one.  

and then I looked up Hebrews 4:12 -- I LOVE that it says God knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Doesn't that give such a sense of peace? He knows my heart.  He knows YOUR heart. 

I would love it if you felt compelled to leave a scripture in the comments.  Someone needs to hear it. 

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OFF ROUTINE FEELS GREAT

Photo op Road to Hana

Last week was an off week, away from my studio, my workouts, my food, and everything that felt routine to me.  I was more excited than stressed about it because I was going to Maui for the very first time in my life.  Last week was my wedding anniversary and we planned our vacation time to celebrate in Hawaii.  The “old” Darla would have worried about missing workouts, not being able to eat like I usually do, stressed about money if I took time off, and through all that nonsense not have been able to enjoy the moment.  I am so glad to have shed that girl years ago, and now fast forwarded to what life and health is really about.

I was off routine and on VACATION, well-deserved, and off the clock.  I literally took my watch off as soon as my work day prior to leaving for Maui was done.  What a free and fun feeling to go, do, and be without restrictions.  I think my clients were just as excited for me as I was, and that made me feel over-the-top GREAT. 

Being off routine did not mean that I was not active, and in fact, hubby and I snorkeled for hours, hiked for hours which included climbing, walked and ran on the beach, played in the ocean, swam in the resort pool, and that became our gym for the week.  I am definitely not one to lie in the sun for hours and for some reason, that makes me feel sick, but I do like to play in the water and outdoors so I got plenty of vitamin D.  My favorite active part was snorkeling and swimming with huge turtles and checking out tropical fish.  Talk about a workout!  Swimming against an ocean current for a couple of hours until your lips are pickled from the salt is quite the tiring event.  Top that off with the hike back to the resort, and I was ready for a shower, food and relaxation. 

Don and I at the top of the falls, Seven Sacred Pools

Mai tai at Feast LeLe

We did have a plan, a budget, and we were pretty pleased with ourselves to stay under budget.  The first stop off the airplane was to Costco where we stalked up on organics, yogurt, quinoa, nuts, veggie burgers, and tequila to stash in our room. Yes, I indulged in a few cocktails on vacation.  We ate fairly healthy the entire trip and allowed for treats of our choosing as we were out.  The Feast LeLe was our choice of Luau and the food was spectacular and surprisingly pretty healthy.  The portions were such that I did not feel overly full, but very satisfied.  I really enjoyed that we had a healthy food supply in our room, and made a quick dash there many times to eat between adventures.  We dined out a couple of times without concern of what we were ordering, simply enjoying the tastes of the island to include dessert.   We were so active each day, that I am sure the calorie consumption matched the activity calorie output…I came home weighing the same, and so did my husband.  The best part was that we were not worrying about it in the first place.

 

It was great to be off routine and experience a tropical paradise gym setting, and to try foods that are not in my normal daily food intake.  I do not consider vacation to be about food though, and constantly wanting the next meal to be here.  I simply listened to my body as I usually do, and ate when I felt I should.  My portions remained as I usually intake, but the indulgence was there with eating foods that I typically shy away from. 

Being on vacation also provided my body and mind a rest from my every day work, workouts and environment.  It was a beautiful place to recharge my mental and physical batteries.  Moving my body in different ways like swimming in the ocean felt more like play than working out, and lying on a hammock listening to the ocean was relaxation that I have never experienced before this trip.  Life is simply not healthy or balanced if the busyness of life does not allow time to appreciate such beauty, to take in a moment, dump the brain battery, and to just “be”.  Off routine can be as simple as in your own backyard, nearby park, beach, or within a planned vacation.  I have learned through the journey of my life how important it is to get off routine once in a while and to enjoy the ride.

 

MAUI MOTIVATION ADVENTURES

ALOHA!!!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

Stay Healthy~ Darla 

 

 

 

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