Tag Archives: health to happiness

Quick and Delicious Apple Pie Smoothie

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes, organic food, smoothies and tagged with , , , , , ,

It’s only Tuesday, and it’s been a busy week already! The campus was buzzing with life yesterday as students were rushing about making schedule changes, exploring the campus, and enjoying a brand new start to a brand new year! College life, you gotta love it! As I made my hour and a half commute to work yesterday, I was reminded of one of the reasons that I love smoothies so much! I love their health benefits, their taste, and I love the fact that they are easy and quick to make, and I love that I can drink my power breakfast on the go! It’s also a healthy alternative to the popular fast food breakfast sandwiches, and just as satisfying!

A delicious, clean, and easy apple pie smoothie!

A delicious, clean, and easy apple pie smoothie!

I am a true believer that we should take what could be a stressful situation, and turn it into a positive one. For example, my long commute could be stressful, even though I love arriving at my destination, the drive on the Interstate has its disadvantages.  What better time to forget schedules, multi-tasking, drivers with road rage, speeders, slow pokes, and deadlines… and instead crank up a little K-Love on the radio, meditate, or pray, and sip on a delicious smoothie! The commute passes quickly, and before I know it, I have arrived on campus in a positive frame of mind, and a full stomach! I’m ready to get my day started!

I like to make smoothies that are simple, quick, tasty, clean, and healthy! My apple pie smoothie meets all of those requirements. I find myself fixing this smoothie more often than any of my other favorites. My grandchildren enjoy this smoothie as well. Imagine that…you could replace a milk shake, or any another high calorie snack with a healthy delicious smoothie. That’s good news for the entire family.

Ingredients

1 cup of ice
1/4 to 1/2 cup almond milk (depends on the thickness you desire)
1 tablespoons of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of unsweetened apple sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons of raw honey
1 scoop of Pure Protein Vanilla, or French Vanilla flavor
1 medium apple peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger (I prefer grated, fresh is always better)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Greek Yogurt

Delicious Vanilla flavored Greek yogurt is my favorite!

French Vanilla is great in all smoothies!

French Vanilla is great in all smoothies!

Process

I like to use a Ninja to process my smoothies. I recommend them highly, as they can double as a food processor and a blender. I reach for my Ninja more often than my food processor. However, most blenders will work if you don’t have a Ninja. If you’re interested in purchasing a Ninja, check out the Amazon link titled A Few of My Favorites, for an amazon link to purchase one. Now, back to the simple process of making an Apple Pie Smoothie.

Adding the ingredients in my favorite kitchen gadget, a Ninja!

Adding the ingredients in my favorite kitchen gadget, a Ninja!

Pulse ingredients to the desired texture.

Pulse ingredients to the desired texture.

1.) Add ice to the Ninja
2.) Peel and slice apple add to Ninja
3.) Measure and place wet ingredients in the Ninja
4.) Add dry ingredients
5.) Pulse until you reach the desired thickness and texture that you prefer.

Pour yourself a delicious Apple Pie Smoothie!

Pour yourself a delicious Apple Pie Smoothie!

That’s all there is to it! It’s that simple to have a smoothie ready to drink, or take on the go for a fast and nutritious breakfast. I’ll be honest, when I drink one of these healthy and filling smoothies I feel full until midday, or later. Trust me…it’s that satisfying. I know your family will enjoy this sweet, but healthy treat as much as mine. If  you enjoy this smoothie, be sure to check out my previous post for Almond Butter Fruit Dip. Also, be sure to watch for upcoming fall smoothies in future posts. Feel free to leave comments. I’m anxious to know how you enjoyed your smoothie! Cheers!

A delicious, clean, and easy apple pie smoothie!

A delicious, clean, and easy apple pie smoothie!

Almond Butter Fruit Dip

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, organic food and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Living on a farm, no matter the size, means there’s always work to be done. So, what better time to find a little relaxation than in the early morning hours? I’ll admit it, I’ve always been a morning person. I can recall as a child waking up early on Saturday mornings just to get outside and enjoy the day. I still enjoy waking early, sitting on the front porch, drinking morning coffee, and allowing nature to inspire my day.

Through my journey to lose weight, achieve better health, and maintain a healthier lifestyle, I’ve discovered that relaxation is a must. For me, a brisk morning walk right after, or just before breakfast while the dew is still on the ground is one a greatest methods of relaxation. It’s also quiet time that allows me to meditate, pray, and enjoy the beatify around me. I can always find beauty in some form of nature on my early morning walk.

While walking Freckles this morning beauty seemed to erupt everywhere!  As we walked out the front door the sweet aroma of roses filled the air! I couldn’t resist…so, I took a few minutes to smell the roses before our walk began!  As Freckles, and I started down the lane for our two-mile walk, I noticed our usual early morning visitor, Mr. Crane had returned for a few minnows from the creek. He’s a handsome sight! Here are a few pictures that I snapped on our walk this morning.

Our summer roses are in full bloom.

Our summer roses are in full bloom.

crane

I spotted Mr. Crane a regular morning visitor enjoying a few minnows from the creek.

Enough about our morning…let’s get started with this delicious almond butter fruit dip. Honestly, this will make you feel like you’re cheating…when you’re not! It’s clean, easy, and delicious…all the qualifications of a great recipe! This sweet treat will also help stop that craving for something sweet that we all have. It’s a great snack for any time of the day, and a great snack for the kids lunch. Trust me, they will love it as much as you do.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of organic almond butter
2 tablespoons of Plain, or vanilla Greek yogurt
dash of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
2 tablespoons of raw honey
apples, or preferred fruit for dipping

almond butter

A delicious alternative to peanut butter that my family loves!

Greek Yogurt

I prefer vanilla yogurt for this dip!

Process

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Mix all ingredients in one bowl.

Mix all ingredients in one bowl.

Believe it, or not, that’s all there is to it!

A simple, delicious, and clean treat!

A simple, delicious, and clean treat!

Now, for the best part! Eating this sweet and delicious treat. You can experiment and try a variety of fruits, but my favorite is apples. You can also increase the ingredients to make a larger amount of dip to serve at a party, family reunion, or any social gathering. This is a dip that is sure to be a hit, and among your guests favorites!

Delicious with apples

Delicious with apples

A delicious dip for any kind of fruit!

A delicious dip for any kind of fruit!

I would love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment telling me about your experience with this easy and delicious fruit dip. If you enjoyed this quick and easy clean recipe, be sure to check out my post, Quick Easy, & Clean Coffee Mug Blueberry Muffins. Also, watch for my upcoming post, How to Make an Apple Pie Smoothie!

Quick, Easy, & Clean Coffee Mug Blueberry Muffin

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, clean recipes and tagged with , , ,

For me, living a healthier lifestyle consists of healthy delicious food, easy recipes, moderations, decreased stress, exercise, and a positive attitude. We know that it’s nearly impossible to avoid stress in the fast paced world we live today. However, I have found that by simply taking time each day to find a place of tranquility, and enjoying the serenity, the following day of stress is easier to cope with. In other words, take time for  yourself everyday, whether it be that warm bubble bath that you’ve been promising yourself, a walk in the park, reading a great book on the porch swing, or simply enjoying the bounty of nature. For me, church, the mountains, family, a good book, and a little “me time” does wonders.

My husband and I recently took a ride to grab a little evening relaxation. We took a cooler of drinks, snacks, a camera, and a desire for a little peace and quiet, Kentucky style. The scenery of the mountains was breathtaking. and the ride was serene. We traveled for hours and never saw another human being. However, we kept the camera ready for the beautiful wildlife that can spotted at almost any given time along the many trails that wind through the mountains. Truthfully,  you never know what you’ll see in the mountains of Kentucky!

An afternoon ride through the mountains of Kentucky.

An afternoon ride through the mountains of Kentucky.

Two Kentucky elk.

Two Kentucky elk.

Now, if that’s not a beautiful site…I’m not sure what would qualify as beautiful! Not to mention, elk is a great source of clean meat. Our son has been drawn for an elk hunting tag the past two years, which allows for our family to have a years’ worth of fresh elk meat. But these two handsome guys pictured above are primarily for the sheer enjoyment of their beauty! They are safe from hunters.

Okay, enough about the tranquil life in the Kentucky mountains, let’s move forward with a great recipe! Everyone likes quick and easy recipes. I especially like quick, easy, and clean recipes. But, there’s an element that I want all recipes to have, and that’s flavor! This recipe is packed with flavor! I get really excited when I create, or discover a delicious clean recipe that is quick and easy to make…I want to share it with everyone! Clean eating has changed my life in many ways. Not only do I feel better both physically and mentally, but I’ve also lost sixty-eight pounds. My blood pressure is great, cholesterol is down, and my risk of diabetes has decreased tremendously. Okay, enough about me! I am excited to share one of my favorite breakfast recipes…clean, quick, low-calorie, low-fat, easy microwaveable blueberry coffee mug muffins!

Quick, easy, delicious, and clean microwavable blueberry muffin.

Quick, easy, delicious, and clean microwavable blueberry muffin.

The muffins are simple to make, and delicious to eat! You can experiment with a variety of fruits and create different family favorites. For this wonderful breakfast treat you will need the following ingredients;

Ingredients

1/4 cup quick oats
1 fresh, or organic egg
splash of almond, or soy milk
handful of blueberries
raw, or organic honey
1 teaspoon of stevia
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
cooking spray (I like to use organic coconut spray)

A hand full of clean blueberries.

A hand full of clean blueberries.

Stevia is a great sweetener, and can be grown at home. That will be in a future blog!

Stevia is a great sweetener, and can be grown at home. That will be in a future blog!

Quick oats cook faster and taste great

Quick oats cook faster and taste great

Tools

microwave
spoon
coffee mug

1.) Wash blueberries and lay on a paper towel to drain.

2.) Very lightly spray a coffee mug with cooking spray.

3.) Mix oats, egg, stevia, cinnamon, and blueberries in a microwave-safe coffee mug until well blended. You may also add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. (this is optional)

4.) Place in the microwave and bake for one minute intervals. Depending on the microwave your muffin will take between 1 and 3 minutes.

5.) Remove the muffin from the microwave and drizzle with honey.

6.) Allow to cool, if you are going to remove the muffin from the cup. You may also eat the muffin warm from the cup with a spoon.

I love to eat the blueberry muffins warm by the spoonful.

I love to eat the blueberry muffins warm by the spoonful.

Quick, easy, delicious, and clean microwavable blueberry muffin.

Quick, easy, delicious, and clean microwave-safe blueberry muffin.

This is truly a quick, easy, and delicious muffin! I have altered the recipe by using different types of fruit. Apples and strawberries both make wonderful muffins. I’ll share those recipes in upcoming blog posts. For now, happy baking, and bon appetite!

Drying Fresh Basil

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in clean eating, drying herbs, farm living, organic food and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Clean eating has changed my life in many different ways. I feel better physically, I have more energy and stamina than I’ve had in twenty years, and I’ve lost sixty-eight pounds during this three-year journey. Clean eating has changed the way I see food, and how I see my life. I am enjoying my life, my career, my Christianity, and my family more than I have in a number of years, simply because I feel better! I have learned that clean eating is not a diet, but a lifestyle. So, what does drying herbs have to do with clean eating? Everything! Herbs can enhance the flavor of an ordinary meal…turning it into an extraordinary meal! Herbs grown at home are also organic, and free of pesticides. Growing herbs can also be therapeutic and a source of relaxation.

I have always dabbled a little with small pots of herbs in my kitchen. I enjoyed the convenience of having fresh parsley and chives at my fingertips. But, I wanted more. I wanted a wider variety of fresh unprocessed herbs that were organically grown and free of pesticides. During the winter I planned a herb garden that included fresh basil, dill, a variety of mint, sweet herb, chives, thyme, oregano, and more. A few months later, my herb garden was a reality, and a success! Believe it or not, I raised enough dill to can and process several dozen quart jars of kosher dill pickles, fill my pantry with dried herbs for the winter, and also give an abundance of herbs to family and friends. We’ve enjoyed fresh, oregano, and chives all summer and still reaping the rewards from my small herb garden. I will probably harvest herbs at least two more times before fall at which time I will transplant most of the herbs inside. Transplanting the herbs will allow my family to enjoy fresh-cut herbs all winter, and start a fresh garden outdoors in early spring.

nanny's herbs

My herb box in early spring

basil

One of my pots of basil, oregano, and sweet herb

There are several easy methods for dying basil. I often cut basil, tie it in small bundles, and hang it to dry, I also clip the leaves and dry in flat containers, and occasionally I like to use the dehydrator. My favorite method is hanging basil in bundles in my kitchen. The aroma of the fresh-cut basil fills the kitchen for days. I also prefer the intensified flavor of air-dried basil. Today, I’m going to share step by step instructions of how to air-dry basil in flat containers.

You will need:

Fresh basil
cookie sheets or paper plates
coffee grinder
small glass jar

1.) Cut fresh leaves from basil just before it flowers as the flavor will be at its peak. Discard leaves that have blemishes or bruises.

fresh basil two

Fresh basil mid-summer

2.) Rinse with clear water. Spin dry, or pat dry with a clean paper towel

3.) Lay basil leaves on a flat container such as a lined cookie sheet, or paper plate. I prefer using paper plates.

4.) Place in indirect sunlight. Herbs retain a better flavor if slowly air-dried, rather than drying quickly by sunlight.

5.) Check the herbs weekly until they are dry and crispy.

dried flat

basil leaves air-dried in indirect sunlight for approximately three weeks

6.) Place dried basil leaves in a coffee grinder and pulse until the desired consistency is achieved.

coffee grinder

A great little inexpensive coffee grinder!

7.) Check basil after a couple of pulses to prevent over grinding. Repeat this step until all of the basil is ground.

fine basil

Fresh ground basil

8.) Place ground basil in a clean glass jar. I prefer using glass jars as it helps maintain the herbs freshness.

9.) Don’t forget to label your herbs to prevent any possible mix ups.

glass jar label your basil

I’m anxious for you to grow and dry your own herbs! But, be warned…once you’ve tried both fresh and dried herbs, you’ll be hooked! There’s a distinct difference in the taste, quality, and cooking results. There’s no turning back to store-bought herbs!