Recipe - Oatmeal apple muffins

My kids (and my husband and I) love muffins!  Especially these oatmeal apple muffins!  They never last too long in our house.  They are a great for a quick after school snack, or an on-the-go breakfast.

Recipe - Oatmeal Apple Muffins

1 egg

3/4 cup almond milk

3 tbsp canola oil

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp ground flax

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon

Dash salt

1 med apple, peeled and finely chopped

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 450F

In a large bowl, blend together the egg, milk, oil, brown sugar and applesauce.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, flax, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.  Add this mixture half at a time into the wet ingredients.  Mix until just combined. 

Stir in the chopped apples, walnuts and cranberries.

Spray muffin tin (or use muffin liners).  Bake for 15-18 mintues in a preheated oven.  Remove from muffin tins and place on cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Makes 18 muffins

I enjoy my muffins with a cup of hot coffee! 

Leading by example - Working Out and Getting Fit

  Do you ever make excuses for not working out and getting fit?  I think I've used every one in the book!  But slowly, I've been trying to make exercise a habit and something my body craves.   I know I need to do every day.  And I know it is good for myself physically, emotionally and mentally.  But it is also good for my kids.  Being active and healthy so I can keep up with them and live a long life is so important to me.  I also want to be a good role model for them, and to have them watch me workout and cheer me on is an awesome feeling too. 

My outside gym

  We have a very steep driveway.  The bus drops off my daughter at the bottom after school, so most days I'm cursing it as I hike back up to the top!  But it also serves as a great workout tool!  With one child at home most days, I have to find creative ways to keep fit at home and our crazy driveway is one of them.  I'll do sprints up the hill and then free weights at the top.  All the while my kids are having fun jumping on the trampoline (exercising!) and cheering for me once I reach the top of the driveway.  Plus music outside it a big help!  Keeps me going if I have some sweet tunes blasting! 

  

  I do find I have to mix it up every day with my workouts or I get bored.  I don't want to just run on the treadmill every day, or do the same workout video.  If I don't change it up, I won't look forward to it.  I like a challenge and I like trying new routines.  Lately I've been finding lots of different HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts to try.  There are so many different combinations of moves that you can do!  And there are lots of ideas on Pinterest (check out my Fitness board here>> Fitness,) 

Here is an example of a workout I tried the other day: (I never realized how much I HATE burpees! But I will do this workout again, it kicks your butt!)

HIIT Workout

 Leading by example is so important to me.  I want my kids to know that exercise is part of our lives and how it helps our bodies.  When I workout at home, my youngest daughter watches and usually likes to join in!  She even held a plank for 10 seconds! (with perfect form too!) 

My 4 year old holding a plank for 10 seconds!

What are your favourite types of workouts? And what do you do to keep motivated?

Recipe - Everything cookies

Who doesn't love fresh, warm, straight out-of-the-oven cookies??  I sure do, but I'm always looking for more healthy versions as then I feel ok sending them to school with my girls.  (Plus I feel less guilty if I eat half the batch myself if they aren't loaded with sugar and white flour!)

Here is one of our favorite recipes! It's loaded with goodness and safe to send to school (no peanuts).

Everything Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup ground flax

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions: 

~Preheat oven to 350.

~Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda in large bowl.  Add oats, coconut, dried cranberries, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, ground flax and chocolate chips.  Stir to combine.

~In a separate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together.  Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat until fluffy.  Add in the flour mixture, half at a time and stir until combined. 

~Spoon by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and press down lightly with a fork.  (Or I've rolled them into balls and pushed down with a fork, just makes the cookies more round then haystack looking)  Either way works great!

~Bake for 10-12 mins or until edges brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.

I store these cookies in a Tupperware container in the fridge to keep them longer (I won't eat them as quick if they aren't on the counter!). Also can be frozen.  Makes 3-4 dozen (depending on the size of your cookie)

Perfect addition to your morning cup of coffee. Or afternoon coffee. Or late night snack!

Tomato Basil Summer Side Salad

Tomato Basil Summer Side Salad

  This is the perfect summer side salad for your outdoor BBQ and easy to whip together for when you have company coming over. I love this salad (and could probably eat the whole thing in one sitting!)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered (I always put them in a strainer as I cut them, so I won't have as much juice in the salad)

• 3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped (must be fresh, dried won't taste the same!)

• 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (or more if you like....can never have enough cheese!)

Dressing:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Mix tomatoes, basil and feta in a bowl and set aside

2. Whisk the remaining of the ingredients for the dressing

3. Pour over tomatoes and mix well. I let mine sit in the fridge for an hour or so to soak up all the flavor

4. Transfer to a pretty bowl and top with a sprinkle of feta before serving

5. Enjoy! (It can keep in a air tight container for a few days, but there usually isn't any leftovers!)

Serves 4

Super Yummy Homemade Honey Almond Granola!

Honey Almond Granola Recipe

  I love granola! I used to buy it all the time to eat with my greek yogurt in the morning for breakfast. And then I started reading the labels. There was always so much sugar and extra preservatives added! So I decided to do some research and find a homemade recipe that was easy and yummy! And this smells so good while it is baking! I also use this granola in my Awesome Oatmeal Cookie recipe (will post that recipe some time soon!)

Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup liquid honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (I use canola oil and water combined in a spray bottle, no more buying aerosol cans!)

2. Mix together the rolled oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

3. In a separate small bowl, combine the honey, vanilla and almond extract.

4. Mix together dry and wet ingredients and combine until the oats are coated. 

5. Spread the mixture out onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 mins (or until golden brown) Make sure to stir it up every 5-6 mins (I set the timer for this so I don't forget!) Granola can burn easily so check it often. (Ovens vary with temp, so you may only need 25 mins or so)

6. Let it cool and store in an airtight container.

*This batch makes approx 4 cups of granola. I use about 1/2 cup on my plain greek yogurt in the morning for breakfast and top it with some craisins! So yummy!*

Enjoy!