Paleo, Gluten and Dairy Free Bars

SO STOKED TO TRY THESE! I saw them online at http://fitviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/paleo-energy-bar-recipe.html. 

I consistently buy Lara bars, which can get expensive at $1.69 or something like that a bar. I started looking online for recipes since they didn't seem to be that hard to make. I found this one and was so happy that I had a food processor and most of the ingredients on hand! 

I am definitely going to experiment with these and see what flavors/textures I can make. New favorite thing right here. 

Here's the recipe: 

Dates (I added about 22 Deglet Noor Dates, de-pitted) 

About 1 and 1/4 cups roasted (not salted) almonds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (raw)

1/2 of an 88% dark chocolate bar 

Next time I am going to try using more dates/less dry ingredients to make them more malleable. I might try adding more dried fruit as well. 

Paleo pacakes

Here are my paleo pancakes! Not too bad for a first try. I also highly recommend Pure Maple Syrup. This one is local and organic which is awesome! I have noticed that I use a lot less syrup when it is natural (and it tastes better). Way worth the extra 2 or 3 dollars.

Here is the recipe:

2 eggs
1 banana
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Fruit for the top

The boyfriend added all natural peanut butter as well. (not paleo, but still looked delicious).

If you want extra protein, adding some egg white or whey protein can make these pancakes fluffier. You could also add any type of gluten free flour to make these pancakes gluten free and not paleo.

My other new concoction is a ginger yerba mate tea (seen behind the pancakes).

Loose leaf Yerba Mate tea
Ginger
Stevia

Best early morning/middle of the afternoon drink ever!

Coffee Scrub

I tried a new body scrub today that consisted of coffee grounds, brown sugar and grapeseed oil. My skin has never been smoother! I love it and am forever saving my used coffee grounds to make it.

You need:

3/4 parts coffee grounds
1/4 parts brown sugar
a dash of grapeseed or olive oil

You don't need very much (even for full body)

The Wonders of Baking Soda

I have always hated shampoo and conditioner. So much so that a few years back I just stopped using it. I did not replace it with anything (other than a boar bristle brush, which is meant to even out grease) and needless to say it was gross. I went back, reluctantly, to using shampoo. For the past year or so I have been using baking soda for shampoo and apple cider vinegar as conditioner. I usually mix about 12 oz of water with 1-2 tbsp. of baking soda and add in a few drops of lavender essential oil for a nice clean smell. Same for the apple cider vinegar. I am able to do this once or twice a week without my hair looking greasy! 

I also have been using baking soda as a mask for my face at least once a week. Combine baking soda and water until it has a paste-like texture. Then spread onto your face and leave until dry (or take off earlier if tingling sensation). 

ALSO, I have been using it as deodorant. Mix it with cornstarch, coconut oil and essential oils and put in the refrigerator until hard. So far it has worked well! It doesn't have that overly fake smell that most regular deodorants do. 

I have heard of people mixing it with strawberries for toothpaste but haven't gone that far.  I highly recommend all of the above uses for baking soda. 

New cure for my tummy troubles!

Truce Juice in Minneapolis! 

Apple/Lemon/Ginger 

Immunity Juice

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Pancakes

So in an attempt to use up all of my baking foods (flour, sugar, etc) my boyfriend made gluten and dairy free pancakes for me this weekend. I am making the switch into eating Paleo, or as close to it as possible for my lifestyle and budget. Therefore, I am getting rid of all grains and refined sugar and going back to what the ancient civilizations ate- meat and vegetables (with some fruits and coconut flour in there too). I am mainly doing this 1. just to see if I can do it and 2. to see what the hype is about. But enough about Paleo, here is the non-Paleo, gluten and dairy free recipe. 

2 eggs

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil 
2 cups sweetened coconut milk
3 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups buckwheat and brown rice flour mix
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or stevia)
1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder (I omit this if I’m in a pinch)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon xanthum gum 

1-2 tsp cinnamon

(could add cocoa powder to make chocately as well)

You could also use dairy free butter instead of oil, or any kind of oil as well. We also topped with fresh fruit and only the best (REAL) organic maple syrup! Delicious! 

There is no such thing as a bad run

Distance: 2.21mi, time: 26:21, pace: 11:55min/mi, speed: 5.03mi/h. 

So yes, this run was much slower than normal but I needed to get outdoors on a beautiful 50 degree day! It was so nice to go outside at 7:00 p.m. and have enough light to see. Granted, I have never run in so much slush before. My shoes and leggings were completely soaked (so much so that my feet kept slipping on my yoga mat after!) Well worth letting my shoes dry out by the radiator.