CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Happy National Chocolate Chip day!

In honor of chocolate chip lovers I wanted share this yummy vegan chocolate chip recipe with you!

Ingredients 
½ cup coconut oil
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup almond milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s chocolate chips are accidentally vegan!)

Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Cream together the coconut oil & brown sugar, then add the almond milk & vanilla. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Combine the wet & dry ingredients, then fold in the chocolate morsels & any other mix-ins of your choosing. Roll into Tbsp sized balls & place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, then flatten them out a bit with your palm. The dough may be a little crumbly, but just smoosh it together and it will work fine! Bake for 7-10 minutes.

Yummo!

PUT THE GLASS DOWN

Another inspirational story… A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.” It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down! -author unknown

Edamame Hummus

This recipe for hummus is just plain wonderful.  It is filling and a great lunch and easy!  Try it – I guarantee that you will love it….

 

½ lb. frozen shelled edamame (green soy beans), about 1 ½ cups

¼ c tahini

¼ c water

½ t freshly grated lemon zest

1 lemon (about 3 T), juiced

1 clove garlic, smashed

¾ t kosher salt

½ t ground cumin

¼ t ground coriander

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Suggested serving:  Sliced cucumbers, celery, and olives

 

Boil the beans in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, or microwave, covered, for 2 to 3 minute

 

In a food processor, puree the edamame, tahini, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 2 T of the olive oil and mix until absorbed.

 

Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the parsley and drizzled with remaining oil.  Serve with the suggested vegetables, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

CELERY FACTS

Celery is one of the best snacks you can eat! I love it with a little almond butter on top or dipped into a Jalapeno Ranch Dressing!  Yummy!

Did you know celery is great for inflammation? And it may also be as powerful as anti-inflammatory drugs?

Celery also exhibits antioxidant and anti-tumor properties as well as helping lower cholesterol, and may be useful in cancer prevention.

Celery is an excellent source of immune boosting vitamin C, allowing it to be a fighter of the common cold.

So, eat your celery folks….

 

TODAY’S NUMEROLOGY

Today’s Numerology 3.13.13.

This is your day to change your life!

It’s a 13 Universal Day in the 13th year of the millennium on the 13th day of the month. Three 13s! Holy triple transformation! When we experience this number, it reminds us that we need to weed our spiritual garden of everything in our lives that’s holding us back. Change can be scary, especially when we are letting go of something (or someone) familiar and secure. It’s time for us to live bigger! We are outgrowing so many aspects of ourselves and our lives that are no longer a vibrational match for us. Let’s have courage. Let’s reach for the stars.  Let’s keep our vision of where we are heading, who we are becoming, and the lives we are meant to live – and  let’s not look back! Let’s keep believing in ourselves and take a chance on living our dreams. I promise you, it’s exhilarating. Now let’s go for it!

Super Green Kale and Lentil Soup

Go Green for Your Supper…

I’ve committed to an inward and outward healthy makeover this year, which includes slowing down, stressing less, working on emotional well being as well as spiritual and yes, even diet. I’m not doing any fad diets but I’m simply eating a healthier diet (trying to — I’m not perfect!). So in the spirit of eating healthier, I want to share a recipe that’s easy, flavorful and full of the leafy green super food that’s really hot right now…

This recipe can be Vegan-ized very easily by using meatless sausage and veggie broth.  It is yummy….

 

 

Super Green Kale & Lentil Soup

• 1 lb. chicken sausage (about 6 sausages of your favorite flavor). Remove casings and slice into bite sized pieces
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 2 c lentils, rinsed
• 5 c water
• 5 c chicken broth
• 1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and torn into 1-inch pieces
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• ¼ t hot sauce or red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 clove minced garlic (optional)
• 1 bunch chopped fresh chives (optional)

 

In a 6-quart saucepan heat oil and brown sausage over medium-low heat, add onions and cook until soft and golden. Add lentils, broth, carrots, spices and seasonings, garlic and water; stir together and bring to boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook covered for 35-40 minutes until lentils are almost tender. Add kale and simmer uncovered until lentils and kale are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add lemon juice and top with chopped chives for a little extra flavor and color.

From The Secret Daily Teachings

Every human being on the planet wants to be happy. Anything that anyone desires is because they think their desire will make them happy. Whether it is health, money, a loving relationship, material things, accomplishments, a job, or anything at all, the desire for happiness is the bottom line of all of them. But remember that happiness is a state inside of us, and something on the outside can only bring fleeting happiness, because material things are impermanent. Permanent happiness comes from you choosing to be permanently happy. When you choose happiness, then you attract all the happy things as well. The happy things are the icing on the cake, but the cake is happiness.