Peppermint Chocolate Protein Balls

I've been seeing all these recipes for protein balls and I was kinda like, "what the heck do you need a protein ball for?"  But they looked kinda good so I thought I would try it. I reviewed a few recipes and took a little bit from a couple different ones and well made my own.  I have digestive issues with Whey Protein so I ended up making mine with Hemp Protein. I think if you can tolerate Whey then they would probably be that much better because typically Whey tastes better anyways. Now these protein balls are not baked so they have kind of a thicker cookie doughish texture to them. You keep them in the refridgerator and just take them out as needed. So I have to say I'm kind of a fan of Protein balls now. For one, they are pretty tasty and they are extremely convenient when you need a snack. For two,  when your tempted to eat something bad they are just right there for eating so you don't put something in your mouth that you will regret later. Brad even liked them which is a big plus!  So it's  a super healthy little snack of Protein and Omegas with the Chia seeds and you get a little coconut and dark chocolate in the mix. Oh and peppermint.  Definetly don't forget the peppermint!!  I swear it makes everything good! 


Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coconut flour
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (or 4 Tbsp of Hemp Protein)
1 cup Coconut Milk
4 tsp Natural Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp of Natural Vanilla Essence
1/4 tsp of Peppermint Essence
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Coconut Palm Sugar
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut 
100% Dark Chocolate for drizzling 

So basically your going to put in a bowl all your dry ingredients then add the Coconut milk and vanilla and peppermint and honey.  I just took a butter knife and started slicing through and mixing the ingredients together then moved to a fork and made sure everything was super mixed. If you have a food processor this would probably be a great time to use it but I'm still in need of one.  Now it should be like cookie dough, thick enough to stay together and moist enough to not crumble apart. So if you find yours is crumbly add more coconut milk. And if you think it's to moist add more protein powder or even coconut flower.  They aren't going to be baked so make them to a consistency that they will stay in a ball. Then roll them in your shredded coconut, drizzle with your melted dark chocolate and place in the refridgerator. And eat whenever your feeling like you need a protein ball :)
Enjoy!
-Jessica 
 

Chipotle Cauliflower Soup

There is seriously nothing better then hot soup on a cold fall night and I have been deliberating between making two of my favorite soups, Chipotle Corn Chowder and Cauliflower Soup. So I decided, hey why not combine my two favorite recipes together! Get ready for it yall! It is beyond delicious! Chipotle Cauliflower Soup! Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

5 strips of Applewood Smoked Bacon
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1 Cup chopped carrot
1 Cup chopped celery
1 head of cauliflower (chopped)
1 small can of diced Chilis
2 Chipotle peppers with Adobo Sauce
2 Cups Chicken Stock
4 Cups Coconut Milk (sub regular milk if you prefer)

First thing I did was spray the bottom of my dutch oven put with a little olive oil and chop the bacon into pieces and drop them in. I like using the applewood smoked bacon, because it adds to the smoky flavor of the soup.

While the bacons is cooking chop your onion, carrots, and celery and toss them in the pot.

Then chop up the head the cauliflower and toss it in as well.

Give it a few stirs. Then you will want to add in your 1 can of chilies.

Next add the Adobo peppers with two table spoons of the adobo sauce from the can. I usually just take two peppers out of the can and chop them up finely. The peppers are pretty spicy so you can either add just one pepper or even just add the two tablespoons of adobo sauce by itself. You cannot skip this step! This absolutely MAKES this recipe! It gives it the yummy smoky chipotle flavor! 

Stir it a few more times and then let everything sauté for about 10 minutes. Then add in your 2 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of coconut milk (or regular milk if you prefer).

Put the lid on your pot and let it simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to make sure that the cauliflower is very tender when you get ready to use your hand blender.

Blend it until you get the thickness and texture that you like. I blended mine really well.

 Then salt and pepper to taste. You can add any of your favorite seasonings or hot sauce if you like! I added a bit of my favorite Cajun seasoning, Tony Chachere's and Louisiana hot sauce. Then get ready to dig into this super smoky and spicy delicious soup! It has such a kick and I love love love it! I think you are going to love it too so give it a try!!

Rachel

Chunky Olive Hummus

This is my "go to" healthy snack. Hummus is so tasty and super healthy if you eat it with your favorite veggies! I make a batch at the beginning of the week when I do my food prep and then when I need a quick snack I have it all ready to eat! Trader joes also makes a great chunky olive hummus, but if you feel like making it yourself this is the recipe I use! 

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup pitted Queen Spanish Olives (or any brand of large green olives)
• 1 cup black olives

Add the garlic to the food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Next, add your garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Process until all ingredients are blended and smooth. The final step is to add your olives, and pulse for only one to two seconds at a time to make sure the olives stay chunky. Taste the hummus and adjust flavoring with salt & pepper to taste. 

Serve with your favorite veggies!

-Rachel

The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Everyone's talking about Coconut Oil and if your not on the band wagon you need to jump on!  Like now!  I've been doing some research because those who know me know this is just what I do.. Research, Research, and then Research again. I love nothing more than to pass along the knowledge I gain and whether you use it or not is up to you. But I feel like I've at least done my job if I pass it along. So here it is.
Coconut Oil is one of few foods that can be classified as a "superfood" which is a nutrient rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well being.  Coconut Oil is an antioxidant (fights cancer), anti fungal and antibacterial.   It contains a unique combination of fatty acids and is one of the richest sources of saturated fat with almost 90% if it's fatty acids being saturated. New research is proving that the "artery clogging" saturated fat idea was a myth. Because the fatty acids in coconut oil are Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's) they are metabolized differently, they go straight to the liver from the digestive tract where they are then used as a quick source energy.  Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is Lauric Acid. When coconut oil is digested it also forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin. Both Lauric Acid and Monolaurin can kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. These substances have been shown to kill Staphlycoccus Aureus and Yeast Candida Albicans a common source of yeast infections found in the human body.  Because coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats consuming it can actually improve blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fats raise the HDL (the good) cholesterol and change the LDL (bad type).  And research is proving that populations who consume a vast majority of their calories from coconuts are in excellent health with no traces of heart disease.  That's enough right there for me to stop and take a look into coconut oil!  Coconut oil has topical benefits too!  Studies show that individuals with dry skin who use coconut oil showed improved moisture in the skin. It can also be very protective against hair damage and can be used as a sunscreen blocking about 20% of the suns ultraviolet rays.   So how do you use Coconut Oil?  You can cook with it, replacing it with your other oils especially since it has a high melting point. This means it's in a solid state at room temperature. Use it in your stir fry's, or baked goods. If you are using it topically you can bring it to a liquid form by immersing it in warm water or just take a small amount in your hands and rub your hands together to emulsify it. You can add Essential Oils to it to give it whatever fragrance you love and use it as your daily lotion.  I myself try to consume it daily and found it hard to cook with it everyday so I started melting a tablespoon of it in my morning hot green tea. It tastes good and studies show starting your morning with saturated fats get your brain working and also helps jump start your metabolism. In the research I have done "Tropical Traditions" Organic Virgin Coconut Oil seems to be the highest quality. It is made from coconuts in rural areas of the Phillipines.  For more information on coconut oil and to purchase you can visit TropicalTraditions.com. Whichever you use just make sure to use Organic Virgin Coconut Oil and NOT the refined stuff!  So what are you waiting for??  What could it hurt??  It's such a small thing to do everyday that has more health benefits than we can count. So take control of your health. Research coconut oil and join me and tons of others who are already experiencing the goodness of Coconut Oil!  Also for those of you like me with Thyroid issues please check out this article about coconut oil and it's benefits for thyroid health!
http://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-benefits-for-thyroid-health/

Enjoy!
-Jessica

Coconut Curried Sausage and Lentils (Crockpot)

• I LOVE crockpot meals and I LOVE curry! So this meal was a perfect mix! Its so nice to come home to a meal that is ready to eat! Last week was a super busy week for me and one of the keys to successfully eating healthy meals is to be prepared! This recipe is so simple! Literally you chop up your ingredients and put them in the crockpot and you are good to go! Now for my Paleo friends... yes I know this is not perfect Paleo, but you can take out the Lentils and potatoes if you prefer. 
• • Ingredients:
  • 6-8 pork sausages 
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 onions
  • 1 cup carrots
  • 1/2 cup celery
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms
  • 2 potatoes (diced)
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsps tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken stock 
  • 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • salt
  • pepper
  • coriander (fresh, garnish)
• Here is one little tip if you don't know already! Go buy crockpot bags! They are the best and make clean up so easy! I started by putting my bag in the crockpot  and taking the casings off of the sausages. Turn the crockpot on to high and put sausages in. I cut mine into pieces before I put them in.
  
   
• Then chop the rest of your veggies and drop them into the pot as well. 
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• I then added 1 cup of lentils and then the curry, ginger, tomato paste, and minced garlic. 
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• Follow that by adding in your coconut milk and chicken broth. If you don't have broth you can also use water.
  
• Give it a few stirs and then put on the lid and let it cook for 6-7 hrs. When you are ready to eat just salt and pepper to taste and garnish with whatever sounds good! you can serve this over rice or quinoa!
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• My husband loved this recipe! It is packed full of flavor and tons of veggies for an easy nutritious meal! I hope you will give it a try... enjoy!
• -Rachel
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Finding balance... (Paleo Triple Chocolate Mint Brownies)

I had a craving for a brownie so bad yesterday. It's all I could think of all day.  As I thought about a brownie I had to stare at these....

Which have been in my home since Halloween thanks to my Father-in-Law who brought over his leftovers. (Who buys full size candy bars for little kids anyways? Only my Father-In-Law, the sweet man that he is). I didn't eat one, I just continued to eat the healthy food I had made for myself. It was good. But it wasn't a brownie.  I went to bed thinking about it and I woke up thinking about it. I made myself a healthy breakfast with berries thinking that would help. I sat on the couch and still wanted a brownie.  I was pissed at myself because I didn't get up and go to Crossfit like I should have and I was even more pissed that I couldn't stop thinking about the dang brownie. What was wrong with me?  And then BAM it hit me. It's almost that time of month!  Oh dear God now I get it. My female friends get it. Sometimes during that time you get a craving for something and it literally haunts you until you give in and eat whatever it is your craving.   Now the old Jessica wouldn't have thought twice about it.  She would have just went and bought herself a ooey goey brownie from Sweet Surrender.  But the new and improved Jessica thought about it and decided it wasn't worth ending her over 3 month long journey of gluten free.  BUT....  She did remember a recipe she had pinned on Pinterest for Paleo Peppermint Brownies. Anyone who knows me  knows if it has peppermint AND chocolate in it I'm gonna love it.   My first two clients of the day cancelled so I had extra time and I figured what the heck lets give these brownies a try and hopefully I can satisfy this craving and not fall off the band wagon and also not feel guilty.  So I mixed all the ingredients as told and tasted the brownie batter. I knew they were going to be good!  Popped them in the oven and waited. I got to thinking as I waited for the brownies to cook, ya know I'm gonna have a good amount of time for those brownies to cool before I can cut in to them.  Maybe I should go for a run to make up for not going to Crossfit this morning.  That would make me feel even better about this whole situation. So that's what I did. I took them out of the oven to cool and took off on a 2 mile run. That run was probably my fastest run ever. Especially since I sprinted the last quarter of the mile knowing my brownies were waiting for me.  I hurried up and took my shower and came downstairs for the moment of truth.  Yep they were amazing!  Maybe not Sweet Surrender amazing, but definitely Paleo Amazing!  I felt good. I got my fix. Got a run in and somehow was able to turn my grouchy morning into a better day by lunch time.  And you know what?  After I ate that brownie I was actually craving my chicken salad for lunch. Crazy huh!  I think this was a good example of balance.  Some days things don't go as planned but you can still find a way to balance it out. I feel better already.   So when you need a chocolate fix try these babies out!


Now I actually used 100% dark Chocolate on these to make them more Paleo verses the 60% mint dark chocolate.  But do whatever makes you happy :) I don't judge

Paleo Triple Chocolate Mint Brownies
*Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:
3 ounces mint dark chocolate bar 60% cacao or higher (I used Alter Eco)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon plus a few drops peppermint extract
3 organic cage free eggs
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup of chocolate chips (Enjoy Life or Ghiradelli Dark 60% Cacao)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a medium sized bowl melt the Mint Dark Chocolate bar using the double boiler method.

3. Once the chocolate is melted, slowly stir in the liquid coconut oil.

4. Then stir in the almond butter, maple syrup, peppermint extract and eggs.

5. Now whisk in the dry ingredients, the coconut palm sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips.

7. Grease an 8×8″ square glass pan with coconut oil or butter and pour in the brownie batter.

8. Cook for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy!

Thank you to Clean Eating With A Dirty Mind for sharing this wonderful recipe on Pinterest. I thoroughly enjoyed these and I hope you do to.


-Jessica

Book Review: Zen and the Art of Happiness

Zen And the Art of Happiness
By Chris Prentiss

While browsing through some shops in Carmel on a recent vacation, I happened to come upon this book. After Rachel and I had just been talking about starting our blog it obviously caught my attention. Zen.. And the Art of Happiness. First of all I like that it was small, the size of my hand, and skinny. That meant I could read it fast.  I shouldn't think like that, but I do. So I picked it up and turned it over to read the first few words. "Cutting edge science and spirituality". Got me. That might scare some off especially my super religious friends but it intrigued me. So I bought it. Ten dollars later and a few more hours of browsing in Carmel and I realized it was the only thing I could afford in that cute,  quaint, ridiculously expensive little town. So we drove back to Monterey to our hotel and I sat on the balcony of my hotel facing the ocean and I started to read. Brad was happily taking a nap and I had some quiet time to read.  In the first couple pages I learned that the three little Chinese characters on the front when used together denote "Happiness".  I also learned that the Buddha's large pot belly symbolizes "Happiness."  Perfect.. I'm gonna like this book. I spent my down time on vacation reading this small book. Little did I know how the words in this book would transform my thinking. I literally came home a changed woman.  This book changed my thought process and taught me how to think and feel to create my own happiness.  It made sense to me.  My little book was small and easy to read and yet somehow the words in this book spoke to me. Now for my religious friends you might get a little scared away when the author uses the word Universe. For those friends I say replace it with "God" or whatever makes you feel better.  Because trust me we can all learn a lot from this book. I finished the book before I ended my vacation in Monterey and on my last day I was browsing through a little shop and found a little Buddha. He was cute with his potbelly and he made me think of my book and he made me happy. So I bought him. Brad thought it was weird, but said if it made me happy I could have my little Buddha as a keepsake from our vacation. He stands all of 3 inches tall.  I tucked him in my suitcase in a safe place finished out my trip and came home. I told myself to remember the words I read, and to keep them clear in my head as I went back to the daily grind, so I can take on life's challenges with my new improved attitude. I put my little Buddha on my night stand. I went to bed the first night home got all tucked in, turned to my left and what the!!!  My Buddha glows in the dark!!  Score!!!  I have a built in night light that is a constant reminder to just be HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!
-Jessica