GRANOLA W/ DARK CHOCOLATE

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
2 cups old fashioned oats
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Add coconut oil and honey to a microwave safe bowl. Place in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to slightly melt the honey and coconut oil.

3. Add the melted honey and coconut oil to a large bowl with the oats, coconut and pecans. Toss to coat.

4. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and allow the granola to cool. The granola with get crunchier as it cools it tends to be sort of soft when it first comes out of the oven.

6. Toss cooled granola with chocolate chips and enjoy.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months.

TO MEDITATE OR NOT TO MEDITATE

After an exhausting day at the office, a strenuous string of classes, or a never-ending afternoon of shuttling your kids back and forth between music lessons and sports practices, how do you unwind? Do you press play and sweat it out? Or call up your best friend for a five-minute rant? Or if it’s really one of those days, do you pop open a bottle of wine?

But what about meditation? Taking a few minutes out of your day to relax and reflect on your thoughts can do wonders for your mind, body, and stress levels. It’s even been shown to help with back pain. If you’ve never tried it before, you might have some preconceived notions about meditation and how to meditate. But in reality, meditation can be done in a variety of ways, and can be customized to fit your personal needs.

“It’s not about stopping your mind; that’s impossible,” says Ted McDonald, founder of 5 Point Yoga. “It’s about understanding how you think and using that in a productive, positive fashion.”

There are many different ways to meditate, here are three basics to keep in mind when learning how to meditate.

1. Have a straight spine.
When you first begin, you might find it easier to sit in a chair with a back support instead of sitting cross-legged on the floor. If you prefer to sit on the ground, using a block can help lift your hips above your knees and keep your back straight.

2. Have a relaxed breath.
Remember to breathe! Best way to breathe during meditation is to breathe in and out through your nose instead of your mouth. This can help relax your nervous system and keep your breaths calm and even.

3. Have a single-pointed focus.
During meditation focus on anything that makes you happy. “You can focus on the energy centers between your eyebrows or in the middle of your chest, or you can focus on the beach, a vacation spot, the top of a mountain, or the swing you had when you were a kid. It doesn’t matter as long as your mind is on one point that gives you joy. You want that place to ground you.”

If you find yourself becoming distracted, don’t worry that is natural. Acknowledge the distraction and then go back to your focal point. It’s a mental exercise; you’re building the muscle of focus.

The first time you meditate, start small.  beginning with just 2-3 minutes a day. Then bump the time up to 5 minutes a day. Once you feel you’ve accomplished this, go for 10 minutes in your next session. Also you will want to experiment with what time of day works best for you. I prefer to meditate right before bed as a way to clear my head. Being a busy mom, my mind is always thinking about the million and one things I have to make sure get done. It can defiantly keep me up all night. Meditating clears my mind and allows me to doze off right away. No more restless nights for this mama. lol 

DID SOMEONE SAY TACOS....

My family loves TACO night!!  We use to go out every week to our favorite local Mexican restaurant to get our taco fix but that got expensive and I wondered how healthy eating out really was. So we started to make our own at home. I found that homemade tacos with fresh ingredients were more satisfying. I like to top mine with shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, and pickled jalapeños. Make any night taco night with these delicious recipes that are loaded with bold flavors, and low in fat and calories.

Steak Tacos with Red Peppers and Onions

Steak lovers are in for a treat with these hearty tacos made with seasoned beef, sautéed peppers and onions, and fresh cilantro. Get the recipe.

Shrimp Tacos

These mildly spicy shrimp tacos get flavor from cumin and chili powder and are topped with lots of fresh veggies. Get the recipe

Chicken Tacos

Even though these simple chicken tacos taste like delicious comfort food, they have only 248 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving. It’s OK to add shredded lettuce or cabbage and salsa! Get the recipe.

STEAK TACOS

Ingredients:
1 lb. raw beef flank (or round) steak
1 tsp. chili powder
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warm
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (or Italian parsley)

Directions:
1. Rub steak with chili powder and salt and pepper (if desired).

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Add steak; cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until it reaches desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat.

4. Cover steak with aluminum foil; let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet; cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Remove from heat.

6. Cut steak against the grain into thin slices.

7. Top tortillas evenly with beef, onion mixture, and lime juice; garnish with cilantro

SHRIMP TACOS

Ingredients:
1½ tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ tsp. ground cumin, divided use
½ tsp. ground chili powder
1 lb. raw medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. finely chopped lime peel
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
8 corn tortillas (or 6-inch whole wheat tortillas), warm
1 cup shredded red and green cabbage
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, sliced
Fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish; optional)
Fresh lime wedges (for garnish; optional)

Directions:
1. Combine oil, garlic, ½ tsp. cumin, chili powder, and shrimp in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

2. Combine yogurt, remaining ¼ tsp. cumin, lime peel, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.

3. Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Add shrimp mixture; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until shrimp is firm and opaque.

5. Top each tortilla evenly with cabbage, tomato, shrimp, and avocado.

6. Garnish with cilantro and lime if desired; drizzle each taco with a small spoonful of yogurt mixture.

CHICKEN TACOS

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp. ground cumin
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warm
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and chicken is no longer pink.

3. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well blended.

4. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

5. Top tortillas evenly with chicken mixture; garnish with cilantro.

6. Serve immediately.