CocoChocoNut Oatmeal Ball Cookies

With spring break right around the corner and the exhilaration of being fourth quarter seniors, there is a lot of emotion at school right now. While most of it is positivity about going to the beach, college letters are arriving, bringing a bit of negativity and attitude into the atmosphere. Luckily, these cookies are here to help any friend in need without making them feel worse (guilty wise!)

These cookies are essentially your morning bowl of oatmeal, so you can eat the entire batch and it really doesn't matter. So, bring on the stress eating!

The power foods:

• oatmeal: fiber and protein to help you feel full. This grain also stabilizes your blood sugar and removes bad cholesterol!
• dark cocoa chips: heart healthy and fixes that chocolate craving.
• almond butter: like oatmeal, this nut butter is high in protein and lowers blood sugar. It also provides essential healthy fats to make you glow!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 cup oat flour (just put some oatmeal in your blender and blend into a powder)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (I used 80% dark)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened and shredded coconut
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbs. brown sugar
• 1 flax egg
• 3 tbs. almond butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

• Stir together oat flour, chocolate chips, coconut, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Melt the almond butter so it malleable and stir into batter with flax egg and vanilla.
• Refridgerate for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375F
• Place cookies (approx. 1 inch balls) on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. They don't grow that much, so don't worry about great spacing.
• Cook for 7-10 minutes

Hope y'all enjoy and shine on!
xoxo Caroline

March 4th Product Review

I wanted to begin this post by apologizing for not posting a new recipe this weekend. My eats have been fairly "snacky" such as kale with various proteins, smoothies, and snack bars. However, because of that, I decided it would be perfect to do my very first product review of some of my recent pre-packaged snacks.

Arbonne's chocolate protein shake: "Shake up your daily routine with a delicious chocolate shake that delivers 20 grams of vegan protein, plus 20 essential vitamins and minerals per serving."On Wednesdays I have work from 4:30 to 9:00pm. For me, 4:30 is way too early to eat dinner, but 9:00 is too late. In addition, most people come to a restaurant during normal dinner times, so having a salad is not an option. I opted for this brand; because a family friend sells it and they are vegan.. so, win, win. I must say, I really did not mind this shake. I am kind of funny about protein shakes- they feel very processed to me and acidic. However, desperate times call for desperate measures and this shake held me over for four hours, which was impressing! I strongly recommend them to anyone looking for a quality shake that tastes like food.

Go Macro's peanut butter bar: "Tastes like childhood. Peanut butter is a go-to flavor when you're feeling nostalgic for the comfort and security of home. Recreate that comfort with the added staying power of 13g of protein in this chewy bar."Some of the flavors seem to be a lot like larabars, but this flavor was packed with protein to help you get through a few hours. In addition, it had some puffed rice, which made me feel like I got some carbs. I really do love these and they are becoming a staple in my house! I cannot wait to try some different flavors.

Talenti's : "Lavishly opulent, this tangy, sweet blend of vibrant raspberries is truly one of life's sweetest indulgences." Before I went vegan, I loved all the Talenti flavors. They are made from about five ingredients and are so rich that you only needed a few bites to assuage your cravings. Let's just say, same goes for these sorbets. While I do not get massive sugar cravings anymore, I felt spoiled with a spoonful of this goodness. The flavor is very fruity and tastes like you are eating blended fruits- so fresh! Just be careful, not all the sorbets are vegan.

Hope y'all enjoy and shine on!
xoxo Caroline

**images from company websites

Glowing Guacamole Salsa

One of my favorite things about food is its part of culture. Anywhere you go, you can find some unique dish that illustrates the rich history of that place. Here, we have good ole' southern cookin.' Every restaurant has some kind of fried chicken or catfish blue plate, topped with all the green beans and fried okra you could want. On a national scale, America is known for its hamburgers, hotdogs, and well, country fixings. While I am completely game for a homemade veggie burger any day of the week, I really enjoy the exotic flavors of ethnic foods. So many foods from South America, Southwest Asia, and East Asia are packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. On the top of my list is fresh Mexican food. Making a fiesta is quick and stress free. Throw together some fruits and proteins with a carb, and you have a colorful, nutrient dense meal with zero cooking time.

Unlike a lot of your average joe mexican meals, this salsa is a super food powerhouse:
nnnnavocados: the most well known superfood- it does it all from cancer prevention to skin
nnnnhealing
nnnnblack beans: support digestion, rich in fiber and protein, and promote healthy skin and
nnnnhair
nnnnbell pepper: packed with vitamin C, B6, thiamine, beta carotene, and folic acid
nnnnred onions: low GI and have significant amounts of vitamin C, B6, and chromium
nnnncilantro: rich in antioxidants, healthy oils, minerals, and essential vitamins
nnnnlime: promotes healthy skin, aids weight loss, promotes digestion, and highly
nnnnalkalizing
With all of the benefits, you'll be feeling great!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups (1 can) of black beans
• 1 cup of yellow corn
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1 diced avocado
• 1/2 cup of cilantro
• 1/2 diced red onion
• juice of one lime
• optional garnish of salt and sugar for extra flavor

Mix together corn, beans, onions, and cilantro and refrigerate for 1 hour. When you are ready to serve, "gauc" the "mole" and then mix in other ingredients. Sprinkle lime juice and add other optional garnishes.

Hope y'all enjoy and shine on!
xoxo Caroline

alkaline lifestyle

**Please note that I am not a dietitian. This is simply an overview of my research to help explain my lifestyle. Please consult a nutritionist/doctor before making radical changes in your life** 

So what is the alkaline lifestyle? This method of living focuses on the idea that over time, acidic foods offset the body's natural pH. Furthermore, by incorporating more alkaline foods, one's pH is slowly restored, giving them a balanced body and healthy future. Essentially, the goal is to balance the body's pH through acidity versus alkalinity by getting nutrients from roughly 75% alkaline sources and 25% acidic foods. The most important focus of the alkaline lifestyle is the source of acidity. If you look at the chart below, many vital foods, such as whole grains and fruits, are acidic. It is vital to incorporate these wholesome acids, so instead of filling the body with highly acidic, nutrient lacking foods, choose the healthier options.

So why should one take on the alkaline lifestyle? For starters, it is natural. The body's blood has a natural pH of around 7.4. As our eating habits take on extra acidity, this pH is set off. By balancing the pH again, your body reverts to its original state, leaving a radient you! Second, acidic environments foster bacteria and disease. Today, so many people suffer from common malaises, such as diabetes, heart disease, acne, ect. By helping the body regain balance, you can assuage many of these symptoms and ensure future health. Last, unlike diets, the alkaline lifestyle is a science. Science has proven that a balance body is more effective and healthy. So, what do you have to lose?

The most important part of embracing this lifestyle is deciding that YOU ARE WORTH IT. With the right mindset, anything is accomplishable. It is also important to do your research. Any task, especially a lifestyle change is difficult if you know nothing about the subject. My favorite places are The Alkaline Sisters, Diary of a Nutritionist, and Crazy, Sexy, Diet. After you feel comfortable with the lifestyle, take baby steps. Start by adding a serving of greens to your lunch and/or dinner. Then, work your way towards replacing processed snacks with wholesome foods, such as carrots and hummus.

Lastly, I made this little chart that illustrates the level of acidity of many common foods. I try to mainly eat foods in the dark green, green, green-yellow. I also choose 1 to 3 servings from the yellow and orange lists, as my sources for acidity. Understand that is normal to have a weakness for something in the highly acidic range. By making sure that you have extra sources of alkalinity, it is fine to have the splurges. So if you like chocolate, have some chocolate.