Nut and Seed Squares - Recipe

CHOCOLATE NUT AND SEED SQUARES

Ingredients:

½ c. Almonds, raw & toasted

½ c. Walnuts or Pecans, raw

¼ c. Sunflower Seeds, raw
¼ c. Pepitas, raw

½ c. Sun Maid Raisins or Dried Cranberries

½ Mexican Cinnamon Stick

5 Dates (optional)

¼ c. Almond butter

¼ c. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, expeller pressed

1 tsp. Honey, raw

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Sea Salt

¼ c. Extra Dark Chocolate Chips

¼ c. Coconut, shredded & unsweetened

¼ c. Sesame Seeds, ground

2 T. Flax Seeds, ground

1 T. Spirulina (optional)

Instructions:

1.            Process first 7 ingredients in a food processor until coarse consistency.

2.            Over low heat, melt almond butter, oil, honey, vanilla, salt, and chocolate in a medium pot for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir.

3.            Add all ingredients to the pot and mix well.

4.            Press into a lightly greased 8x8 inch pan.

5.            Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.

6.            Cut into 16 squares.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Half Way Home

I've been eating clean for 2 months now and have lost 14 lbs!  I have to lose 13 more lbs to reach my goal.  Pants that used to be very tight are now loose... I Love it when that happens!

Here is what I typically eat Monday through Friday:

Breakfast:  Hard boiled egg, cutie mandarin or 1/2 grapefruit, 1 homemade nut and seed square (I'll post my recipe later)

Morning Snack:  Green smoothie (Spinach, home made goat milk Kefir, Spirulina, frozen berries, almonds, raw honey, flax seeds, protein powder, avocado, ice, and water).

Sometimes I also have one of the following:

   Nut and seed square

   Celery w/almond butter

   Picante inka corn (from Sprouts)

   One of the snacks from the YouTube video below.

Lunch:  Lentil vegetable soup w/nut and seed square or Marys Gone crackers and/or salad

Afternoon Snack:  same as morning snacks (I only have the smoothie as my morning snack)

Dinner:  Lentil vegetable soup w/mixed salad (greens, tomato, olives, cucumber, seeds and nuts, fresh lime juice, and a light drizzle of Annie's Light Honey Mustard dressing)

I also drink 3 things during the day:  My home made Kombucha w/fresh lime juice, ice water w/lemon and stevia, and one cup of hot Roasted Dandelion Root tea before bed.

I don't eat any food after 6 pm.

I allow myself 1 “cheat” meal on Saturday or Sunday.

Looking for a few more great snacks?  Check out Brenda Leigh Turner's YouTube video featuring her 10 Best Fat Loss Snacks:  http://youtu.be/mN3DGdwQuWs

I've watched a lot of her YouTube videos.  Great info for what to eat and how to workout.  Check out the woman's abs!  She must be doing something right.

Sore Throat, Cough, Congestion

I've had a severe sore throat, cough, and congestion/runny nose for about 9 days now.  It does feel like I'm getting over it though.  Did I go to the doctor? Nope.  I gave my sister a call (she's a doctor) and seems like I probably have strep throat, but I'd have to get a strep test to find out for sure.  Whatever it is, they'd just prescribe some drug that wouldn't really help and my body can fight it off on it's own anyways so what's the point of going to the doctor?