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Foodie Friday: Spiced Maple-Vanilla Granola Recipe

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

I’ve made many batches of this recipe as gifts, and every single time I’ve been asked later for “more of that wonderful granola”! The blend of spices (especially the “secret ingredient” of cardamom) combined with vanilla is what I think makes it special, but feel free to adjust the seasoning to suit your own tastebuds.

Tips

Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats on the baking sheet, or expect to scrub hard when the syrup adheres nearly permanently to the metal surface. (I learned this the hard way.)

Use sunflower seeds to make a nut-free version that’s a bit more accessible to those with food sensitivities.

Spiced Vanilla Granola

4 cups organic rolled oats

1 cup chopped raw almonds, pecans, or walnuts

½ cup organic raw unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ cup freshly ground flax seeds

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp coriander

¾ cup Sucanat or Rapadura

⅓ cup coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup or honey

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300°F. Cover a rimmed shallow baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

In saucepan, combine oil, sugar, and syrup or honey. Bring up to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour hot liquid over oat mixture, stirring quickly to mix well.

Spread mixture onto baking sheet. Bake at 300°F, stirring every ten minutes until golden brown (about 30 minutes). Cool completely and store in air-tight container.

Makes about 6 cups. Recipe can be doubled or tripled to fill more than one baking sheet.

Foodie Friday: The 7 Foods You Need in the Bathroom

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

You probably don’t think about body products while you’re picking up groceries for supper. It’s also not common to head for your pantry when you want to wash your face!

Let’s get a little unconventional and explore 7 foods you should have in your bathroom – and why you want them.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Besides its many health benefits, did you know that Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is also an excellent facial toner? Mix a little raw ACV, water and a few drops of lavender essential oil for an easy facial toner that’s soothing and healing.

Raw ACV is also great in a hair rinse. You can skip conditioner and instead rinse your hair with 1 tablespoon of ACV mixed with one cup water. It leaves hair soft, shiny, and with no frizz! Add a single drop of Rosemary Essential Oil to the mix for a lovely scent and to boost the shine even more.

Oats

Your mom might have added oats to the bath when you had chicken pox as a kid, and they still deserve a place in your bathroom today. Oats promote healing and reduce inflammation, making them a great choice for sensitive skin.

You can use ground oats as a gentle, soothing body scrub, or as an everyday face exfoliator. (Just whiz rolled oats in a food processor to make a gritty flour.) For mature or sensitive skin, make a paste of ground oats and milk. Smooth over damp skin, let dry for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Cornmeal

Cornmeal is an inexpensive and effective exfoliant. Mixed with a little honey, it’s a simple body scrub. Many commercial body scrubs contain salt, which is much too harsh for most skin. Cornmeal is soft enough to not damage skin, but still get the job done.

Baking Soda

Add a pinch of Baking Soda to the lather from your cleansing bar to turn it into an exfoliating wash. Rinse well and be sure to follow with a gentle moisturizer.

Raw Honey

If you can only put one food in your bathroom, choose raw honey. Honey can be used to wash your face (yes, really!). It fights breakouts while moisturizing and healing skin, making it the perfect multitasking food for your bathroom. You can also use raw honey to heal cuts and scrapes, fight minor fungal and bacterial infections and much more.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has antifungal, antiparasitic, and antibacterial properties. Consider keeping a little shaker of ground cinnamon handy, and sprinkle a little over your toothbrush each day to harness the power of cinnamon to fight oral bacteria (goodbye, morning breath!).

Sea Salt

While salt isn’t great for scrubbing your skin, it makes an excellent addition to bathwater. A salt bath helps detoxify, re-mineralize the body, and increase circulation, all while contributing to lowered stress levels. Not a bad way to improve your health! Use a mineral-rich natural salt (like dead sea salt or real salt) for best results.

Foodie Friday: Strawberry Oat Bars (Recipe)

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni One comment

Strawberry season is in full swing, and that means it’s time for fruit-laden baked goods to grace our tables. Make this recipe for Strawberry Oat Bars and see if you agree! If you’re feeling adventuresome, try substituting a different fresh berry or fruit and let us know how it comes out.

Strawberry Oat Bars

Crust and topping:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Organic Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Unsweetened Organic Raw Shredded Coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup Raw Almonds, sliced or chopped
1 Tablespoon Rapadura sugar
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Filling:

2 cups finely diced strawberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Rapadura sugar
4 teaspoons Arrowroot Powder
2 tablespoons warm water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries, maple syrup, and rapadura sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

In a separate bowl, whisk the arrowroot and water together until the mixture resembles milk and pour into the hot strawberry mixture.

If you want your filling to be on the thick side, continue to simmer for about a minute (but no longer, or it will break down the arrowroot and actually make the mixture thinner). Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, coconut, salt, almonds, rapadura sugar, and cinnamon.

Pour in the melted butter and stir until well combined. Press 1/2 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Spread the strawberry filling on top. Take the remaining oat mixture and crumble it on top of the strawberry filling.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Foodie Friday: Sweet Treat Snack Ball Recipes

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Just in time for your weekend, here are two nutrient-dense sweet treats loaded with healthy fats to fuel your body and mind! These two healthy snack recipes are a hit with kids and adults alike, and easy to make as a quick dessert for drop-in guests.

If you choose allergen-free chocolate chips, the Almond Snack Balls can be gluten free and grain free, appropriate for paleo diets.

Almond Snack Balls

1½ cups almond butter
½ cup Organic Raw Cacao Powder
¼ cup raw honey or maple syrup
½ cup chocolate chips
¼ tsp sea salt
½ cup Organic Raw Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Mix together first 5 ingredients. Use a spoon or small scoop to mold mixture into small balls. Roll balls in shredded coconut, then chill to set. Store in airtight container. Makes about 24 balls.

Coconut Snack Balls

½ cup Organic Raw Cacao Powder
1½ cups Organic Raw Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1½ cups Organic Rolled Oats
¾ cup coconut oil (use solid unmelted oil at room temperature)
½ to ¾ cup raw honey or maple syrup, to desired sweetness

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add coconut oil and honey, and stir to combine. Use a spoon or small scoop to mold into small balls. Place in a dish and freeze for minimum 30 minutes. These are best when kept chilled.Store in airtight container. Makes about 24 balls.

Your friends are certain to ask you for these recipes, so be sure to pin them for easy access later!