Lillee Bars

Lillee Bars

Kid Friendly Easy Healthy Granola Bar

While making the last batch of Easy No-Bake Granola bars, my granddaughter kept saying, "add strawberries Grammy, I like strawberries." She had a blast making them and even enjoyed a few bites. But I kept thinking about her sad face when I explained "no strawberries today." 

So I set my intentions on creating a "Lillee Bar" full of strawberries and perhaps an alternative sweetener, as evidently, she has recently developed an aversion to honey. I searched high and low for dehydrated strawberries-no luck. I finally found freeze dried strawberries with bananas. Perfect! She loves bananas too! A great flavor combination; I couldn't go wrong. 

Flavor combinations! Oh, the excitement of creating a yummy treat for a 4 yr old. I made decision to use maple syrup instead of honey, to use plain oats instead of toasting them, and to add some vanilla. I omitted chocolate chips/carob nibs. Recipe set I invited miss Lillee and her mom over to test out it out.

We measured and poured. 

We broke the strawberries and bananas up

We stirred

We warmed the maple syrup and melted the peanutbutter

We added the wet mixture to the dry mixture

We stirred some more

We dumped into parchment lined 8x8 dish

We spread mixture evenly, making sure to push down firmly to help it all stick together. We placed plastic wrap on top and refrigerated for approximately 20 minutes. (Most likely longer because we started chatting and forgot about the time!)

We removed from dish, cut, and enjoyed!

Volia! Lillee Bars! Lillee tested and approved!

This is the same recipe as the previous post for Easy No-Bake Healthy Granola Bars with the changes I stated above.

http://nourishedsoulguru.blogspot.com/2016/02/easy-no-bake-homemade-granola-bars.html

What flavor combinations can you create? Share your ideas and pictures us!

Easy No Bake Homemade Granola Bars

Easy No Bake Homemade Granola Bars

 Healthy homemade snack fun with kids!

As promised in my previous post, I am continuing to experiment with different granola bar recipes. Today was extra fun as Lillee, my granddaughter, was visiting and wanted to help (she LOVES to cook!). I enjoy our time together and cooking together has become our favorite pass time.  My recipe search lead me to http://minimalistbaker.com/healthy-5-ingredient-granola-bars/ .

I followed most of the recipe but did alter it a bit for personal preference. I reduced the rolled oats and added steel cut oats. As always, I used carob nibs instead of choc chips. This is a very easy and quick recipe that is perfect for little hands! Ask your little ones what dried fruits they prefer and try experimenting with different grains as well. I suggest making these for those sporting events! Your hungry athlete will be sure to have long lasting energy. Just make sure you have enough to share with teammates! 

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup steel cut oats

1 cup packed medjool dates (pitted)

1/4 cup honey

14 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter

1 cup roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped

* optional: chocolate chips, dried fruit, grains, vanilla, etc.

* optional: toast oats in oven at 350* for 15 minutes

Instructions:

1) Process dates in a food processor or blender until a "dough" forms (rolls into ball)

2)  Place oats, almonds, and dates in a large mixing bowl.

3) Place honey and peanut butter in a small sauce, stirring over low heat until warm/melted, pour over dry ingredients. Mix well, breaking up dates so they are even throughout mixture.

4) Transfer to an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly until uniform. Be sure to pack tightly so they hold together well. 

5) Cover with plastic wrap and let firm in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.

6) Remove bars from pan and cut into desired size bars. Store in airtight container for up to a few days. Freeze extras. 

Share your pictures and stories of this recipe and your own twist! We want to see what you and your little ones create!

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

Quinoa, steel cut oats, pumpkin seeds, carob chips-oh my!

Are you the type of person who stocks up on granola bars for a quick protein and energy fix? Are you monitoring what you eat and strive to eat clean? Like most of you, I am guilty of priding myself on eating whole, clean foods but when I look at some of my snack choices I have to be honest and admit I opt for prepared, packaged granola bars! Why do I do this? I have no excuse for being lazy. There are tons of recipes out there and it is incredibly easy to toss together ingredients. No excuse!
So maybe you are not a fan of cooking or fear you have no time for such things. Ok-you don't have to love cooking but you can make time to nourish your body! Make it a fun event by including your kiddos or challenging your friends to see who can make the most creative bars; whatever twist you can think up-make it work for you!

I did a bit of research for recipes. So many choices. Yummy, creative food choices to be had! I wanted to try something a bit different; out the norm so I was delighted to have discovered a quinoa bar recipe. Great for gluten free diet needs, protein super food. I found the recipe on a Pinterest pin from http://www.justataste.com/, with the recipe being property and copyright f http://ifoodreal.com/. I made a few changes to adapt to my taste.

Making the bars was not enough. How am I teach people how to make these and offer alternatives to others if I don't have feedback? I decided to utilize my natural supports of coworkers, friends, and even my yoga students as "taste testers." While the general consensus from the brave souls who tried the bars thought they were good just they way they are, a couple of people thought that they were not sweet enough. This was great I thought! All the more reason to experiment some more with substituting the brown rice sugar for honey, agave nectar/syrup, and coconut sugar. There has to be a combination that would work for those who prefer sweetness! And, I love a challenge of finding what works!

 I am very grateful for all those who are supporting me in developing ideas for others. The more others can share what they think, the better I can provide for the clients I work with, and for them, if they want! This is so much fun for me!

 Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup quick oats
3/4 cup steel cut oats
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup carob chips
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2-3 large egg whites-enough to make 1/2 cup of whites
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

cooking spray, parchment paper.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325* F. Spread quick oats, steel cut oats, quinoa, and almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly brown, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled mixture, ground flax seed, carob chips, and salt. In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg whites, add brown rice syrup and coconut oil. Mix well, then pour over the dry ingredients, mixing well again.
Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Transfer mixture into the baking dish. using spatula or wet hands press mixture firmly. It is important to press really hard to compact the mixture so it will hold together. Bake 30 minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely. Lifting by the parchment paper, transfer the block onto a cutting board and cut into whatever size bars you prefer.
Store in a cool dry place for up to a few weeks. You can also freeze in airtight container for up to 3 months. Great to make ahead for those busy weeks, day trips, extra work out days, etc.
*Including your children in making the bars will foster a connection to food choices and make them more willing to eat healthy!

Share your ideas and pictures of what you create!

How I am doing 2016!

Self-Care 

The importance of pampering self

2016. A new year. What is to come in this new year?

Like most of you, I, as well, dreaded the "New Year's resolution" we are socially pressured to partake in. All the resolutions that I failed to maintain replayed in my mind like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. Knowing this was a form of negative self talk, I re-framed my thoughts, focusing on what I was able to accomplish.

The past few years have been monumental in growth; spiritually, emotionally, relationships, career, and in self-care. I have achieved credentials in becoming a Yoga Instructor and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I've changed up my personal physical routines a few times, cleaned up my food choices, kicked the coffee habit, eliminated refined sugar (mostly), reduced symptoms of arthritis, increased physical strength, improved and strengthened a few relationships. This does not mean that I have experienced all rainbows and sunshine. I've experienced immense heartbreak as well along the way, which is important to recognize because these things have meaning for me. I am choosing to acknowledge the pain because it stems from deep love, and my feelings/emotions are mine-they are real for me, they are mine to honor. However, I am making great strides in not becoming bogged down by the heaviness of what that type of heartbreak and stress can cause. This is where I see my biggest growth-I can let it all go and move into each moment with gratitude and an open heart. I have also been completing goals/tasks set long ago. I've finished up some craft projects, built up garden beds, and recently got back into home remodeling!

Remodeling during the New Year's weekend resulted in rediscovering how absolutely delightful and nurturing a bath can be. We have lived in our home for a little over 26 years. We've redone the bedrooms 3 times each, the kitchen twice, and the living room twice. But we have never touched the god awful bath room. Without further explanation, you can imagine what a 70's style might look like in 2015, after having had a family raised in it. So it is with great excitement and pleasure we have begun the remodeling of our bathroom. The shower/tub was the first to be updated. Not having taken a bath in so many years now that I've forgotten just how long it has been, I was determined to make my first bath in our new digs special. 

I prepped for the bath, creating a spa like atmosphere. Candles illuminated the room. Epsom salt clear granules dissolved in the hot water as I tossed fresh rose petals throughout the bath and room. Spa music softly played while I indulged in the most luxurious bath I think I've ever taken. 

As I focused on the flickering light of the candle I realized just what I've been missing-PAMPERING myself! While I have been so great at "taking care of myself" in terms of exercise, nutrition, and creative time, I've missed the boat on really shutting out the world and completely absorbing myself mindfully in something so nurturing. A bath is a great buffer at the end of the day-helps to melt away the day's events and slow the body and mind into a calm, relaxed state ready for a peaceful night's sleep.    

So how will I do 2016? While I am not entirely sure I can make definite resolutions as I'm working on being more in the moment, letting things come and go (this does not mean irresponsible-no planning), I can say for sure that I will be taking time to have luxurious baths. Perhaps not always with rose petals but I will be investing in a tub massage pillow, a tub rack (to hold my book), and making many types of bath soaks. I will treat myself with loving kindness and pamper myself in the ways I do for others. I have lots of ways that I nurture myself, however, I had forgotten just how therapeutic a long hot bath can be. 

How do you pamper yourself?  

Herb Infused Vinegar

Herb Infused Vinegar

'Tis the season of gift giving and in honor of being gifted a wildly out of control lovely rosemary plant from a co-worker, Victoria, with her hint of "you could make rosemary vinegar" I decide that is exactly what I would do; make healthy, herbal vinegar to have handy for the that extra special something to give a dear friend or loved one this holiday season. (Spoiler alert family and friends-now you know what is coming your way!)

 

In late spring/early summer I made chive infused vinegar especially for my son, Ainslie. I wish I would have saved the photos to share now, it was so pretty, and tasty too! Along with the gifted rosemary, I had a few hardy herbs left to harvest from the garden bed before the snow we have coming very soon. 

After harvesting the herbs, I rinsed them and let air dry. I discarded any parts that were not good for use. While the herbs dried, I sterilized the jars. 

I used a variety of vinegar for certain flavor effects. The Rosemary & Cranberry infusion has a rice vinegar mix as rice vinegar adds a mellow sweetness that is complimentary to the tart berry.  White wine and champagne vinegar are great and recommend vs distilled white vinegar. They pare well with chicken and fish dishes. Red wine and balsamic vinegar adds depth to red meat dishes. They all are used for salads. Let's not forget to mention apple cider vinegar~oh, the versatility of it. There are many types and uses of vinegar, and that is something we can explore in another post. For now, let's get back to this wonderful infusion of today's choice.

I used a stripped sprig of rosemary as a skewer for the cranberries. You could use any strong stem or wooden skewer. I just wanted the extra flavor of rosemary and am making good use of the leaves for another gift (Rosemary Infused Salt-oops, spoiler alert, again). Waste nothing! 

As I heated the vinegar mixtures to almost boiling, I placed herbs as desired into the jars. I gently poured the vinegar over herbs and closed jars, air tight. After they cooled down I placed them in a cool, dark area for infusion of two weeks. In two weeks I will strain each jar and remove the herbs and berries as they will go bad after a while. I will reuse some of the jars but for the larger amount of the mixed herb vinegar I will place in smaller, 2 oz "tasting or trail size" containers. 

Let your imagine go wild! Experiment with different types of vinegar, herbs, berries, and fruits. Search the web for recipes and different ideas. Share what you find interesting or make-we would love to see!

Who would of thought a simple gesture of giving a plant would inspire fun and creativity? I am using my good fortune to share and pass on to others! I am excited to hear the uses people find for these wonderful infusions! 

Be healthy, be well, be happy! And, be sure to share your ideas!