Valentine's Day Oat Balls

Valentine's Day is TOMORROW! Seriously how did that happen!? Time just zoomed by and didn't bother waiting for me catch up. I feel like that is how my life is most of the time. hahaha

Anyway. I bout my two big kids some M&M's and I didn't want to leave our sweet lil man out in the treat department so I created these easy little treats for him to enjoy! The only added sugar in them is from the semi-sweet chocolate I dipped the balls in.... so it is very low in added sugars which is very good news for someone so little!!!

Oh and best part... they fit perfectly in his cute little hands!!! <3 nbsp="" p="">

Ok so I do realize that it might be a bit silly to get a less than 1 year old a Valentine's treat... but ... why not!? He is our last baby I totally felt like spoiling the little guy! <3 nbsp="" p="">

Just incase... I do have to say this isn't for all babies. Make sure your baby knows how to chew and swallow and has been introduced to each ingredient already before giving these to your child. This is best for babies who are crawlers and pulling themselves up on their own. ... and again... knows how to chew. 

OK... let's get to the recipe! 

Valentine's Day Oat Balls 

1 C quick oats (if you have old fashioned just toss them in the food processor for a few seconds)
1/4 C applesauce
1/3 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
1/2 cup defrosted and crushed frozen raspberries
1 T melted coconut oil
1 T Acai powder (or you could do freeze dried berries crushed up)
1/4 - 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients except the chocolate together in a bowl till fully incorporated. You will want to use your hands as this stuff is VERY thick. Roll them into cute little balls ... about 1 inch in diameter and set on a plate or tray. When you have them all rolled up pop your tray into the freezer to get them nice and cold and firm up... about 30 min they should be good! Melt your chocolate either in a double broiler or the microwave. Dip your oat balls in the chocolate one at a time and place back on your tray... once the chocolate is set you can store these in the fridge in an airtight container. Or freeze them so they last even longer!

ENJOY!


Let me know if you made these for your baby or toddler!

The Truth about Sugar

**Edit** You can still click the link below and watch the recording! :D

WOW!! I am unbelievably excited, honored, and nervous to be leading this Live call on FB for so many people!!! EEEEEEKKKK.

Ok.. but what makes me an expert on sugar?? Why should you come and listen to me talk on the subject?

To answer that I have to tell you about my son... our sweet little 6 year old.

Ben is your average kid with a big loving heart! He is sweet, gentle, and very affectionate! He loves to help out around the house (but hates to clean his room) and is very gently with his baby brother.

Ok, enough back story... Ben... like most kids... gets hyper when he gets his hand on some sugary treat. Unlike most kids however... he gets AGGRESSIVE, ANGRY, MEAN, and basically has crazy outbursts that resembles something out of the Twilight Zone.

I'm not exaggerating here either.

He has straight up clawed me with his talon like nails. Given me death stares that could out do any teenager. Growled louder then a Grizzly bear, and hits himself or others in his way.
ALL IN PUBLIC MIND YOU.

So I did what any normal rational parent of this day in age does....

I searched the internet. HAHA

Of course Web MD had him with tumors that were effecting his neurological pathways. haha

Also around this time I was taking a health class in college. We were learning all about GMO's, gluten, and... you guessed it... sugar. All of this info was so new to me and blew me away. I got hungry.... for more information.

Then I heard about this documentary called Fed Up. (check it out on Netflix or go to fedupmovie.com for more info) and let me tell you... I was BLOWN AWAY and just how HORRIBLE this sweet white substance is. (Seriously... come listen to my talk to find out exactly what I'm talking about)

So I set out on how to rid our diet of this stuff, and GMO's, and all the other CRAP the food industry puts in our food. That is when I decided to try going Paleo.

Now it wasn't an easy switch for a child, but we got him completely switched over in 6 months. (He still has a few "cheats" here and there I'm very realistic I promise) Anyway.. something amazing happened! MY SWEET LITTLE BOY CAME BACK!!!! We had fewer and fewer outbursts and now he just has the normal kid fits that every parent has to deal with.

Sometimes I would think... this has to be all in my head. He doesn't really have a sensitivity to Sugar... thats CRAZY. BUT... then I would give in and give him a juice box from concentrate or let him have that cookie... and about 20 min later I completely regret my decision and am reminded that this really is a thing and I'm not crazy.

But... but... he is a KID... I have to let him eat kid food and have cookies and ice cream.

NO... no I don't. BUT what I have learned to do is make some seriously delicious treats that actually taste way better then the stuff at the store and contains ZERO refined sugar! I make treats with only raw honey, stevia, pure maple syrup (sometimes), coconut sugar, dates, raisins, ripe bananas, or fruit juices. That is IT.

So wether you have been Paleo for a long time and this is old news to you, you are brand new to Paleo and still figuring things out, or you just want to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle YOU ARE INVITED to this exclusive ONE time live call where I will be giving you the down and dirty about Sugar, giving away some of my favorite healthified (is that a word?) treats, AND I will be leading a FREE sugar detox group after Thanksgiving! (like I said... I'm realistic... I want pumpkin pie too! lol )

CLICK THIS LINK TO JOIN THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE & watch the Recording!

I'm getting old

 

My little man is now in KINDERGARTEN!!! WHAT!!???

It seriously does not feel like it has been that long, but there he is in his new class with his new teacher. My little big man. He is going to grow so much this year! I'm excited but also a little sad that this tiny human is getting so big.

I think I would be a whole lot more emotional if drop off and pick up was less... ummm CRAZY. I seriously left 10 min later then normal which is still 20 min before class starts at 8am and I got him dropped off at 8:04 because the line of parents was so freaking long. Uhhhh there is zero wiggle room in the time we leave window. I think they need a better system. Or maybe things will smooth out soon.

Anyway. This weekend I am going to meal plan and prep so that my days are a little less cray-cray. :D  I'll share with you what I come up with.

Smoothie Bowl and Fits

After dropping my big boy off at school my daughter and I went to Publix to drop off our Redbox movies and grab some stuff to make lunch later. I told her No one time and it is like I just CRUSHED HER WHOLE WORLD!!! Please tell me I'm not the only one with a strong-willed emotional toddler. 

Of course for my girl one little fit isn't enough. NO. She has to continue to cry and shout through the WHOLE STORE. Just in case that wasn't quite enough she kept it up ALL THE WAY HOME. What does mommy do when the screaming won't stop? hahaha..... glad you asked. 

I turn the radio up ... Up.... UP. It makes her more mad, but it at least drowns her out a little. 

So I figured when we got home, the music stopped, and she got to get out of the car that it would stop. BAHHAHAHA ya right. She continued to scream, yell, and cry for about 20 more minutes in her room. So I brewed some coffee and made a SMOOTHIE BOWL!!! <3 nbsp="" p="">

I mean seriously doesn't that beautiful bowl just want to make you smile? It worked on me anyway! This is so packed full of yummy goodness that it made my heart flutter! Ok maybe not, but at least it made me feel like I was winning a prize for staying calm during the fit marathon. 

Just incase something like this amazingness would make you feel better too I am going to share with you what I used to make it! :D This isn't really classified as a real recipe... more like a list of yumminess. ... ok one more photo first! ;)

SMOOTHIE BOWL 

*AKA Mom prize*

1/2 Cup of cold pressed juice. I used Lakewood cold pressed Organic, found at Publix. I used the Rebuild flavor which has: Beet, Pomegranate, Purple Carrot, Apple, Cranberry, and Camu Camu

10 oz bag of frozen mixed berries

Blend the berries and juice together in a high powered blender. (Add in some spinach for extra nutrients ... I would have but didn't have any on hand) .... ok now pour all that goodness in a bowl and you can set it in the freezer while you chop up all your fruit. Add all the yummy toppings on it and dig in!

What I added:
coconut flakes
chia seeds
vanilla granola
banana
kiwi
strawberries

You could also add:
chopped nuts, flax seeds, and any kind of fruit you want! :D This is seriously one of those make it your own kind of things! :D  What would be your perfect topping combo? 

Best Paleo Doughnuts

Don't those just look mouthwatering!! OHHHHH MY YUMMMMM. I already want to make more.

Ok, I don't know about anyone else, but cutting out sugar comes with a few things that just make you want to cry giving up. Doughnuts are that thing for me. There is something so nostalgic about biting into a still warm doughnut with icing melting on your fingers. **Insert drool**

There are two kinds of doughnuts too... yeasty and cakey. These are more cakey, I haven't figured out how to master a yeasty one, but these are still ...SO YUMMY.

Ok I think I teased you enough...  here is a GUILT FREE version of the all America Doughnut!! 

You're welcome! 

Chocolate covered Paleo Doughnuts

Doughnut:
1 1/4 C Almond Flour
2 T Coconut Flour
1/2 t Sea Salt
1/2 t Baking Soda
2 Eggs
4 T Coconut Milk
4 T Honey
4 T Melted butter or coconut oil
1/2 t Vanilla (I used vanilla bean powder)

Chocolate topping
2 oz Chocolate ... to be fully Paleo you can use Lily's chocolate that is sweetened with Stevia... or you can just use semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Totally up to you
& 1 T Coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well incorporated.

Lightly grease a doughnut pan with coconut oil. Fill each section 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Use a double broiler or a microwave to melt your coconut oil and chocolate together.

When the doughnuts are done and slightly cool top them with the yummy chocolate and let them continue cooling. You can store them in the fridge... if you have any left over! 

I'm Back!

So after 4 years I decided it was about time I actually start this whole blogging thing back up. I'm kind of kicking myself because there has been SO MUCH that has changed in our lives and so many recipes I've created! lol

Well a very quick recap... we have 2 kids now and one on the way! I'm due in June!

I became a health and Fitness coach, however I still do some photography on the side! We have drastically changed our diet to be a lot more healthy and our kids rarely eat refined sugars anymore. lol Like I said... a DRASTIC change.

I work completely from home and LOVE every minute of it. It has been a huge blessing to watch women grow in confidence and feel beautiful again (or for some the first time ever). 

Oh we also moved to Florida! That is probably our biggest change. My husband is now a pilot for a corporate Jet and gets to fly to and from all the islands! :D 

So that is a quick snippet of the changes we have gone through! Can't wait to start sharing all kinds of awesomeness with you all!

Galatians

I'm super excited because I have completed Galatians Chapter two. It's in the memory bank now and I get to move on to Chapter 3. Chapter 3 is the hump for me. Every time I have set out to memorize all of Galatians I get stuck on Chapter 3 and give up... but not this time! This time I will achieve my goal because I have accountability and a friend to do this memorization challenge with!!

The last paragraph of Chapter 2 is my favorite:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I know live in the flesh I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law then Christ died for no purpose."
Gal 2:20-21

If you have joined this challenge with me please let me know how you are doing!  :D