Banana-Peanut Butter Cookies

Occasionally I receive a small recipe booklet in the mail from Ralph's grocery store. It's actually one of the few random mailers I like. Ralph's (or Fry's here in Arizona) has done a lot over the years to appeal to the more health conscious customers. When they came out with a few breakfast cookie recipes, you know I was game!

Cookies for breakfast you say? That doesn't sound very healthy. Well, surprisingly, they are! At least in my opinion anyway. It may not be conventional, but can be a well-balanced start to you day. Especially when you pair them with fruit, a smoothie, or some yogurt. Even the ingredients on their own are healthy - whole wheat flour and oats add fiber to your diet, while peanut butter adds protein and healthy fats which help you to stay full and avoid snacking.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 10-15 minutes | Total Time: 20-25 minutes
Makes About 12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 large, ripe banana, mashed
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lined baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine peanut butter and banana in a bowl until smooth and blended.

Add sugar, vanilla, oats, flour, milk, and baking soda. Mix until blended.

Drop cookies by heaping spoonful onto cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies.

Gently flatted the cookies into little discs.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

Let cookies cool completely before removing from baking sheet.

Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the refrigerator. 

FDA Disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."

Cinnamon Spiced Coffee

I have been super short on time lately. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being busy; it makes me feel productive and the days seem to go by faster. But I have made some pretty big life changes lately, and I'm having to look for additional ways to maximize time during my morning routine.

I'm usually scrambling to get out of the door in the mornings trying to make it to class on time. My school takes punctuality seriously, and if I clock in one minute past 8am, I automatically get 4 hours deducted off of my time card. Ouch!

I like to exercise in the morning, make lunches for everyone, and spend some quality time with my kids before we part ways until the early evening.  I usually end up eating breakfast in the car or when I get to class, and I have been skipping coffee when I need it now more than ever.

So, I decided to make my coffee ahead of time to save myself some time. The recipe below is enough for 4 days worth of coffee for me, but I only have one cup a day. If you drink more coffee, simply adjust the measurements below to better suit your needs. I am only in class Monday through Thursday, so that's all I need it for. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy those few extra minutes in the mornings!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of brewed coffee
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 cup of protein powder (I used vanilla, but chocolate would be good too)
• 1 dozen dates, pitted
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Essential Oils:

• 4 drops of Protective Blend

(You could also use peppermint, cinnamon, orange, or any other essential oil that is safe for consumption..

You could also just completely omit the essential oils, and still have a fabulous cup of coffee.

For more information on how to purchase these oils, please feel free to contact me.)

Instructions:

Brew the coffee according to the manufacturers recommendation.

Place the coffee in a blender and store in the refrigerator until it is room temperature.

Once cooled, add coconut milk, protein powder, dates, and spices.

Blend in your blender (I use my Blendtec) until the dates are fully liquefied.

Add essential oil (optional).

Store in a glass jar in the refrigeration until ready to use.

Nerdy Extras:

Protective Blend Essential Oil helps to support healthy immune function and is full of antibacterial properties. It is a blend made up of orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils.

FDA Disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."

Homemade Dish Soap

I like homemade meals better than eating out most of the time, which means I probably do more dishes than I want to admit, sigh. I hate to be negative, but I really dislike washing dishes. It makes my hands super dry and my nails brittle. Not to mention, commercial dish soap are full of so many chemicals! Not only do the chemicals damage your own health, but they hurt the environment around you where the water ends up. I wanted to find a natural dish soap recipe that actually got the job done, because, lets's face it - clean dishes are a must. I went to the store and looked at the that the "natural" soaps contained a ton of chemicals as well!

Here are some yucky soap ingredients to try and avoid, and why:

• Surfactants -  Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is a common foaming agent derived from cococut. So, although it is "natural", it contains 1,4-dioxane: an established carcinogen. 1,4-dioxane is also an environmental pollutant and is suspected of being harmful to our kidneys, liver, and central nervous system.
• Dyes - Food coloring is one of my biggest pet peeves, mainly because my son is severely allergic to red food dye. If he consumes enough of it he vomits profusely to the point of bile and near unconsciousness.  He also breaks out in hives if his skin is exposed to it. Food dyes are also known to cause behavioral issues (like ADD and ADHD) in children, and are suspected to cause cancer. They are banned in many developed countries around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. For some reason in the United States they are still used. Ugh, I digress, I could (should will) write a completely new post on this. All and all, I'm more than happy to have the products I use be colorless. 
• Fragrance - Anything scented probably contains phthalates, which disrupts hormones. Even phthalate-free synthetic fragrances are usually petroleum-derived. 
• Antibacterial Ingredients - Totally toxic if you see "antibacterial agent" or "triclosan" listed on the ingredients label. Known to be carcinogenic and hormone disrupting. 

To avoid all of the items above, I began researching DIY dish soap recipes.  I learned that vinegar helps to cut down on spotting, and washing soda really helps loosen food stuck to plates. I put together the concoction below.  Let me know how it works for you, or if you have a recipe you swear by. I'd love to give it a try.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water (distilled, filtered, or boiled water only to prevent bacteria growth)
• 2/3 cup Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
• 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons washing soda (different than baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

Essential Oils:

• 20 drops essential oil of your choice (I used Orange)

...I enjoy using citrus oils for cleaning... 

(I only use therapeutic grade essential oils that are safe for consumption.

For more information on how to purchase these oils, please feel free to contact me.)

Instructions:

This is super simple, and I used the soap dispensing container under my kitchen sink so that I could use the solution with ease.

First, I mixed the warm water and the washing soda together, making sure that the powder was dissolved.

Then add the Castile Soap, Aloe Vera, vinegar, and vegetable glycerin. Mix until combined.

Once well combined, add twenty drops of the essential oil of your choice to the dish soap, and stir.

And that's it. Easy-Peasy! Homemade dish soap in minutes. So much less painful that it sounds.

Nerdy Extras:

I like to use citrus essential oils when cleaning, orange in particular.

Orange essential oil has a natural fresh, sweet, citrus smell. The scent alone reminds you of something freshly cleaned. The most prominent chemical constituent in orange essential oil is limonene, which makes up about 85-95% of the extract. Limonene is considered to be a powerful antioxidant and also kills bacterial. When diluted, it is a great way to clean countertops, cutting boards, or appliances without needing to use bleach or the harsh cleaning chemicals found in many products. It is also an excellent degreaser. As an added bonus, orange essential oil is excellent for supporting healthy circulation and maintaining bone and joint health, while promoting a more positive mood. So not only does it do a great job cleaning, but it has therapeutic value as well. That's a WIN-WIN in my book.

FDA Disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."