Cinnamon Apple N'Oatmeal

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Source

Coconut Almond Protein Bar

Ingredients:

1 cup course almond flour (or almonds run through a food processor)
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup honey (for the best health benefit, search for the raw, unfiltered kind)
1/4 cup cashew butter (or natural peanut butter)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour and shredded coconut.
In a microwave safe dish, melt coconut oil. Add nut butter, honey and vanilla, and stir until mixed well.
Drizzle the oil mixture over the almond flour and coconut.
Stir to combine, then transfer to a loaf pan and press down to compact the mixture.
Place in the fridge or the freezer and allow to set (about 30 minutes).
Cut into bars and enjoy!

These bars are best kept in the fridge or freezer, both for freshness, and to hold their shape.

Please let me know if you try them and what you think, if you do. Are there any expensive and/or unhealthy treats you would like to see recreated? Please share in the comments below and I'll see what I can do.

4. Prepare as Much as You Can in Advance

Utilize a day that you have some extra time, like a Saturday, to cut your vegetables, to put your slow cooker ingredients into a freezer bag (so all you have to do is dump and go) or to prep some lunches in mason jars. The more work you do when you have time, the less you'll have to do when you're short on it.

5. Let Someone Else do the Work

If you just don't feel confident in meal planning, if you don't enjoy it, or if you just want to take all of the guess work out of it, there are lots of sites on the internet that have ready-made meal plans. Find some more details in this past post.

If you have any other suggestions that have worked for you, please share below. I would love to hear them!

1. Reduced Stress Levels & Improved Health

Repetitive, predictable activities, like coloring or knitting, have been shown to lower activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that's in charge of the fear/stress response. Benefits to the body include reduced muscle tension, heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and levels of cortisol, the stress-related hormone, in the bloodstream. And as a side benefit, when the body stops dumping cortisol into the blood stream, it becomes easier to lose weight.

2. Improved Focus & Creativity

Coloring is considered a centering activity, that helps to practice mindfulness--being fully present where you are. And the art of choosing and combining colors spurs creativity. In fact, many high-powered work places are now encouraging coloring in their employees, as a way of helping them to focus on a creative project and develop new ideas.

3. Improved Fine Motor Skills

When you color a complex design, staying inside the small spaces, you hone your fine motor skills. By continuing to practice these skills, you can slow the aging process and maintain more independence as you age. Activities of daily living that require fine motor skills are tying shoes, buttoning, picking up small objects, etc. 

4. Social Interaction Opportunities

There's something to wine and canvas events that have gained traction in recent years, in that art can create a great environment for social interaction. Because of the mindfulness it creates, and because it doesn't require much concentration, coloring with someone opens up doors for great quality time. I have begun coloring with my three year old daughter, and during that time of crayon to paper, she is much more responsive to conversation and questions from me. When we are sitting together face-to-face or watching TV, my questions can seem to annoy her, or overwhelm her, but there's something about her focus on the task of filling a page with color that makes her much more receptive.

If you'd like to try coloring, I've pinned some free coloring pages on our Pinterest page. Be sure to check them out!

Whether you watch the Super Bowl for the football, the half time show, or the commercials, there's usually one thing that everyone loves about this event: the food. Chicken wings, chips, dip, pizza - while the mention of them may make you salivate, the intake can leave you feeling bloated, heavy and greasy. So I've put together some alternatives for you. You'll find here a collection of finger foods, with traditional football-watching flavors. What you won't find in this collection is a whole list of side effects that you'll experience when the finger licking is through. If you ask me, that makes every one of them a winner.

You can find all of these recipes, along with lots of other great resources, on our Pinterest page.

25 Healthier Game Day Recipes: My personal favorites from this collection include spicy maple chicken wings and turkey burger sliders.

20 Paleo Super Bowl Recipes: I couldn't wait until the big game to try my hand at the crispy buffalo chicken fingers. My whole family devoured them with a little homemade honey mustard.


Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken: This is another one I can personally vouch for. You can serve it up multiple ways - try it in lettuce wraps, as suggested, or pile it onto some baked sweet potato chips for a cleaner nacho dish.

Fried Zucchini with Cool Dill Dip: While the recipe calls for coconut flour to create the breading, I think they would taste great with some finely chopped almonds, to coat.

Veggie Dip: Quite literally a veggie dip, as it has chopped up vegetables in it. If you are able to tolerate dairy, you can use cow's milk in place of the coconut milk.

Homemade Hummus: Because hummus is great with everything, and this one is free of preservatives.

Of course, even clean recipes should be enjoyed in moderation. Listen to your body's cues, only eat what you intentionally dish onto a plate (instead of a community bowl), and if you're at a party with lots of options, either pick out a few of your favorites, or enjoy small samples of a wider variety.

Additionally, be sure to check out our Instagram page for more great ideas, including using sauteed carrots as a nacho base, and how to make mini pizzas, using butternut squash as your crust. Username is fwmetalswellness.

Enjoy!