Almond Apple Cinnamon Bread (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Hello, all! How have things been with you, dear readers?

Life around here has been wonderful and busy in a good way. I’m a month into my cosmetology program and I am LOVING it! I’m learning SO much already and I’ve only just begun: everything from manis and pedis to hair cuts, styling, curling, and most recently… perms! Which: whoa. Going back to school has been the best decision I’ve made yet, and I can’t wait to share more with you once I get some killer pics.

For now, here’s more delicious bread!

This has been a weekly favorite around here!

I prefer it toasted and plain; my honey likes it with butter. Either way, it’s great for breakfast or for a high-protein, no-grain, low-carb snack that will keep you satisfied for a long time. If only the loaf lasted a long time, too! Haha.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s near you, see if they carry almond meal. I’ve been using one bag of it for this recipe, which is exactly 4 cups, and makes it really easy to buy.

If not, any health food store around you should carry it ~ it’s also called almond flour!

And if you make this with any changes, I’d LOVE to hear what you did! We’re always on the lookout for yummy, grain-free breads around here, so please share! Have a wonderful weekend!

Almond Apple Cinnamon Bread (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup granulted stevia or erythritol
• 4 cups almond meal / almond flour
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Oil a 9×5 bread pan with coconut oil.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you have a favorite low-carb treat?

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US (and celebrating outside of the US, too)!

We are in the heart of the holiday season now, and of course that can mean a lot of tasty treats. This “breakfast” bread, of course, has nothing explicitly to do with breakfast, but it is delicious in the morning, anyway. Tastes festive! And goes great with a steaming mug of your favorite hot bevvie. (Sorry for the blurry pic below!)

It’s sweet but not overly so and wonderful toasted. It doesn’t need any toppings, but I imagine some butter (or Earth Balance) or cream cheese would be delish on it.

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Since it’s made with almond meal (aka almond flour), the carb-protein ratio is not overbalanced on the carb side. Also, both almonds and stevia are alkalizing, which helps to balance the acidifying effects of chocolate. Making this a perfectly balanced breakfast

Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants and healthy coconut oil fat, making it the perfect start to a holiday weekend morning — or a great jump start to the Monday morning after a holiday weekend.

As we head on into “the most wonderful time of the year,” I hope you all have a very happy and healthy holiday season!

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup stevia
• 2 cups almond meal / almond flour
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 egg substitutes (or 2 eggs if not making it vegan)
• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
• 4 Tbsp. soy half & half (or dairy half & half if not making it vegan)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Oil a 9×5 bread pan with coconut oil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you have a favorite morning treat?

A Book Release + A Photo Shoot + A Road Trip + A New Career Path = Phew!

Greetings, dear readers! Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but things have been positively positive around here, swelling with new energy like crazy. I have great new things to share! An essay of mine just came out in a book, I took part in a fantastic Day of the Dead photo shoot, I went on a road trip through the U.S. southwest, and I’m starting school again in January for a total change in careers. And that’s not even counting the political changes here in the US. Lots of good going around! Read on for more!

Book Release! Nothing But The Truth So Help Me God

Last summer, I wrote an essay as a submission for an anthology and the book has just been released! It’s called Nothing But The Truth So Help Me God: 51 Women Reveal the Power of Positive Female Connection, and you can buy it on Amazon by clicking that link!

I’m part of 51 women, including Joyce Maynard and Christine Bronstein, writing about female friendship and life for an anthology that set out to share only positive stories about women! It has already received glowing reviews from Eve Ensler, Michael Krasny, Katherine Spillar (editor of Ms. Magazine), Peter Coyote, and many, many more.

My essay is about how I assisted a good friend with pre-natal yoga and then with the birth of her daughter, even though I don’t want to have children of my own. It’s about supporting friends and learning what it means to be a great auntie!

The other essays in the book cover everything from cancer and abortion to the challenges and rewards of finding friends later in life ~ the latter being someting I know we are all familiar with.

I do hope you’ll pick up a copy of the book for yourself and for your friends this holiday season, to help share the goodness and the power of positive female connection!

Photo Shoot: Tea Time de Los Muertos

I was honored to take part in a fabulous photo shoot spearheaded by my creative friend Rebecca of My Dirty Dishes and photogaphed by Barbara Jacqueline Photography!

Rebecca’s creative vision was a spooky tea party with Day of the Dead elements, which, if you know me, is one of my favorite holidays and creative visions ever! I’ve been making my own Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) art since I was in high school and was absolutely stoked to help out Rebecca.

With two other models, we spent the day helping everyone pull together this fantastic mis en scène, from tea party to tea party debauchery to ending up in the spooky elevator. It was a blast!

Check out the public photos on the Barbara Jacqueline Photography Facebook page by clicking the photo to your left or by clicking here!

And while you’re at it, check out some of my own Dia de los Muertos art on my Tumblr, Sugar Skull Senoritas and see some older stuff at my website, Spacekitten!

Road Trip: Sedona, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, and More

I had the great fortune to take a 10-day road trip through the U.S. southwest and visit a bunch of places I’d never been to before, including Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree ~ all of which were amazing! I saw some old friends and family, some familiar places, and many unfamiliar places that were jaw-droppingly beautiful.

The Grand Canyon was simply amazing. If you are in the U.S. and have a chance to visit, do not pass it up! Seeing ancient stone from the beginnings of our planet up close really puts things in perspective. We are so new to this planet and the planet has so much history! Earth beings, let’s please respect Earth and not screw it up!

Here’s a short slideshow of the trip highlights. Enjoy!

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And Last But Not Least… Back to School for a New Career Path!

So! Many of you know I’ve been writing and editing for many, many years. I’ve also done other things along the way, including teaching yoga, corporate training, and even professional fire dancing. But for the past few years, I’ve been focusing on writing and editing as my career, since that is what I went to grad school for and, well, because I love it. I still do love writing and editing, but I was missing the human element, the face-to-face time, and the service aspect. One of my favorite things in life is helping people feel good! So, after a long decision-making process and TONS of research and soul-searching, I made my decision. Starting in January, I will be going back to school to become a licensed cosmetologist! OMG!

That means that all of this advice I’ve been giving over the last year in my 52 tips? It will all be legit! Haha A lifetime love of all things hair, skin, and makeup will finally be made official. It also means that I will be on a career path that will put me in situations where I get to work one-on-one with people, face-to-face, hands-on, helping people to feel GOOD about themselves!

I truly can’t think of anything better than helping people feel good all day. Who doesn’t love to put a smile on people’s faces? And that’s what hair stylists, makeup artists, and skin care specialists do! It’s also a very creative career, which will allow me to channel my creative (writing) energy in a positive new direction.

Helping people feel good, providing service, being creative, and working one-on-one ~ BRING IT ON! 

Staying Strong & Healthy

On that note, I am exhilarated just writing this post! But with so much going on, I definitely need to stay grounded and healthy. It’s more important than ever that I eat super-healthy and nourishing foods, get regular exercise including running, swimming, yoga, and strength training, and get plenty of sleep, relaxation, and quality time with my honey and our kitties.

As long as I focus, do my best, and take very good care of myself, all wonderful things will continue to bloom.

Tell me, now ~ how are you??

Llewellyn Moon Signs Book + San Francisco Marathon!

Greetings, dear readers! Happy Friday! I have two fun things to share with you today and I hope they make you smile, wherever you are.

The Wipro San Francisco Marathon—done!

 

The first announcement is that it’s done! I ran a marathon! Holy cow! I DID the San Francisco Marathon this past Sunday ~ success! It’s done, I did it… I done did it. And I’m more than happy with the way everything went! What a race! My awesome sister came into town for a week with her family, which was a blessing and joy, and a great way to relax before the race, being touristy and hanging out with good family. My race recap is short, folks:

• 25,000-ish runners—9,000 doing the full marathon, everybody else doing the 1/2 marathon or the 5K
• Early, early start time: 6am!
• Hilly, hilly route
• Crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and back
• Ran through Golden Gate Park, my favorite spot in the city to run
• Began and ended at the Ferry Building, near the Bay Bridge, a beautiful and scenic waterfront spot

My sis and I ran the entire race (except for short walking at water stations), a fact that makes me proud and yet not surprised. We both trained well for the race and we did it! In the few days since, we have also recovered… at least, for the most part. I’m still a little stiff when I wake up, but yoga helps with that (as always).

In sum, it was an excellent experience, from training through to the end! I’d be interested in possibly doing another marathon, but maybe something…less hilly? Chicago, perhaps! We shall see Stay tuned.

Llewellyn’s 2013 Moon Sign Book—my gardening tip published!

The second announcement is that I am published! In a book! Actually, I’m published in TWO books, one of which will be coming out this fall (more to come on that…) but this first one is a cute little thing that I completely forgot about, and it’s available in stores now! Many moons ago, I answered a call for reader tips on gardening for this book… then never heard anything… until a few days ago, when I received the book in the mail, with my tip in it! It’s just a short blurb, but makes me very happy to see in print

The book is Llewellyn’s 2013 Moon Sign Book, an astrological guide for pagan types and nature lovers, published by the wonderful New Age company, Llewellyn. The company’s online description says:

This essential planning tool can help you choose the best time to do almost anything: buy stock, get married, buy or sell your home, start a new job, travel, have surgery, and much more. With lunar timing tips on planting and harvesting and a guide to companion plants, this book is a gardener’s best friend.

In addition to New and Full Moon forecasts for the year, you’ll find insightful articles on 2013 eclipses and careers, moon goddess energy gardening, preserving your bounty, foraging for food, lunar fertility, and waxing Moon yardwork.

My gardening tip is in there, but I don’t want to give it away Tap into your lunar / yin / feminine essence and get thyself a Moon Sign book to own! (NOTE: I don’t make any money from this book ~ it’s just a fun little thing!)

Well, I hope you’re all enjoying yourselves, whatever you’re doing and wherever you are. That’s all for now. Enjoy your weekend. xo

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites (Vegan, GF, No Sugar Added, Raw)

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

This week marks the six-week countdown to my first marathon, the San Francisco Marathon, which I’ll be running with my sister at the end of July. I’m nervous but I know we can do it well!

Training for a marathon involves, as you might have guessed, lots of running. Sometimes these are long, slow runs and sometimes they’re shorter, faster, hillier runs. 

Either way, I need to make sure I’m fueled up well every time I go out. For shorter runs, a burst of quick sugars can help. But for longer runs, it’s best to have a combination of fast sugars, protein, and fat.

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

These energy bites are the perfect solution for a long run! The nuts provide protein for muscle repair; the coconut oil provides fat for satiety and recovery; and the dates provide carbohydrates that are quickly digested and ready to burn for energy.

Plus, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, and pure deliciousness.

There’s no need to buy pre-made, processed, or packaged energy bars when you can make tasty treats like these. They’re easy, fast, and exactly what you need to get you through a long distance. Stick ‘em in your pack the next time you head out on a long run and enjoy their pure, natural goodness.

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added, Raw)

Ingredients for 12 servings

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 2 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Steps

1. Optional first step: soak the cashews for 3-6 hours. Drain and rinse the cashews.
2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well-mixed.
3. Hand-roll into 1-inch balls.
4. Freeze for 15 minutes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

If you run long distances, do you have a favorite snack for long runs?