Happy Pancake Tuesday!

If you are preparing for Shrove Tuesday today but have already given up sugar than these are a perfect way to celebrate! An encore recipe of our favorite pancakes! 

What you need

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 Eggs 
• Option - Cinnamon

What you Do

• Puree banana with a fork 
• Whisk 2 eggs and add to banana puree
• Heat your griddle 350F ~ I spritzed with coconut oil cause wasn't sure about sticking
• Scoop out SMALL about 2 tablespoon portions. I used my Pampered Chef small scoop for mine. Smaller is better as these do not 'flip' with the same ease as normal pancakes I had to use two flippers to carefully flip mine so they did not turn in on each other.
• Once you flip cook until spongy and egg is cooked through.
• Serve as desired ~ I did not feel ours needed anything extra such as syrup or icing sugar sprinkles because the banana makes them sweet.

A big flat grill is a must when feeding 5 little's!

Bakers Note

While the original recipes I  pinned had just the two ingredients mine ended up with 3 ingredients ~ cause I added some cinnamon to ours as I have one who is not a banana lover and wanted to help mask that flavor a bit. 

Like any pancake you can also add 'add ons' to them such as chocolate chips, blueberries, walnuts and top as you like! This recipe makes about 6 small pancakes and I have easily doubled the recipe by doing 4 eggs and 2 ripe bananas. 

These were also pretty tasty 'cold' as well although admittedly they go a little rubbery texture wise when they get cool but the kiddies seemed to still enjoy them. You can do bulk batches and freeze them and than pop in the toaster to reheat them.

2 Ingredient Pancakes

These are always  a total hit around the table. For those readers who like me were wondering about texture they are more of a 'crepe' consistency than a fluffy pancake with just the two ingredients. However if you really need the fluffy pancake texture for those who are texture orientated when trying new things I have also added 1tsp baking powder to them to help fluff them up as well another time tried a scoop of protien powder to play with that texture - although I prefer them as the crepe myself I have had daycare crew who need that 'fluffy' to them. They do have a hint of the banana flavor but if you add cinnamon it does help to cut that down a bit. 

Have an amazing day!

 

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Non Traditional Pizza yay or nay?

I am typically not one to mess with my traditional pizza - however lately have been trying to increase my palette and add variety to meals while still only having to 'cook once' with the more picky eaters in the house - so doing a 'build your own pizza night' and allowing them to stick to their traditional toppings and me to venture out will help to keep everyone happy! I am the first to admit that I eat with my EYES if something looks fun and appetizing to my eyes I am more inclined to try it. So when the lovely Leanne Cole from my Epic Life Challenge just shared this photo my eyes went WOW that looks delicious and now I just HAVE to try this recipe for Garden Ranch Pizza.

 What You Need

• 1 recipe prepared Creamy Ranch Dip - I am going to use Epicures  
• 1 (12”) prepared thin gluten free pizza crust or whole wheat no red sauce 
• 2 cups of fresh veggies (I would likely do sweet peppers, spinach, cherry tomatoes, grated carrots maybe some broccoli tiny)
• 3/4 C partly-skimmed mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 C 3 Onion Dip Mix seasoning - just the dry not prepared
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated

 What You Do

• Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C).
• Spread Creamy Ranch Dip on pizza shell.
• Add vegetables and top with mozzarella, 3 Onion Dip Mix and Parmesan.
• Bake for approximately 10–15 minutes, or until shell is golden-brown and cheese is melted.

Approximate nutritional info for 2 slices on a whole wheat pizza crust using greek yogurt to make the ranch dip - nutritional info will vary depending on the crust you use and veggie toppings and ranch dip of choice. 

Perfectly balance your plate by enjoying 2 slices of pizza with a side salad and vinaigrette dressing or veggies sticks and shown.

Nom nom nom!

So how about you are you one to venture out and trying alternative 'pizza toppings' or are you your tried and true red sauce and pepperoni and cheese toppings?

What is your favorite pizza?

Drop me a comment.

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Sensational Polished Stone

I love mixed media - there is something extra therapeutic about creating with the messy mediums! So this class was right up my alley!

These are the samples of the 3 cards we made tonight for class!

Just love the amazing color combo options! For our reference card we used the Rich Razzleberry and Powdered Pink!

The Dandelion Wishes are an amazing stamp set - and this sample is a perfect example of why you need to stamp gentle and to not 'push' a stamp set too hard otherwise even a season stamper whose rushing along can get ink where they do not want it! 

For our next card we did some purples and blues together. Plus we embossed with our image before adding our color to help with potential color placement choices.

I just love now these colors pair so nicely with Dragonfly Dreams stamp set - one of my all time favorite bundles from Stampin' Up!

The still does not do it justice so here is a little video that showcases how the 'glitter' in the embossing powder is just stunning!

For our final card of the night we paired the Lovely Lipstick with the Grapefruit Grove from the current in colors with the Crackle Background stamp and the Lovely Lattice from Salabration for an amazing Floral card that was just stunning!

Another twist on this technique that we did not have time to actually do AT class but that I showcased just to show those who would like to play at home - Polished Stone with a Bleach twist! 

Using a selection of Fall inspired colors and the stamp set Colorful Season with the Grapefruit Grove foil paper from Saleabration - this created a stunning combo to showcase this techique. So you start off doing the Polished Stone technique as normal but than once dry you go back in with a little bit of bleach and a paint brush and 'bleach out' the color from areas you would like - so in this case I bleached out the leaves!

 

Resulting in a stunning card which the still does not capture so here is a little bit of video to show how the rainbow effects of the foil paper just make the background technique pop!

Card classes currently occur the last Thursday of the month. They are great for new and experienced cardmakers alike. Each month we try a new technique or product out and you get to make a sample reference card to have directions to make more at home if you like and than we make two projects featuring the technique or product. For the avid papercrafter you can create for free with a $35 order  of Stampin Up product the night of class to help build your collection  OR if you are just wanting to try paper crafting out or have a good size stash and are just wanting inspiration you can create with cash and carry for $10 cash.

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Much, Love Often

Be Totallyawake4-life

Protien Power Petite Bars

As you know by now if you follow my blog Breakfast is so not my forte - I am typically not hungry when I first wake up and will often skip breakfast as a result. To help with ensuring I start my day off right and keep my blood sugars balanced throughout and avoid those lows that lead to me making poor choices later in the day I have taken to prepping 'easy breakfast' options lately! 

This Protein Power petites recipe is one of the ones from the Epic Life challenge this past September and I am in love with it!  You can batch cook this recipe because they freeze amazingly well and just defrost in the microwave for a tasty quick breakfast option! 

If you are doing the 'balanced plate' eating you can either have 6 bars on the go or you can balance 3 bars with a cup of plain Greek yogurt flavored with an Epicure Sweet Dip and some berries and a healthy fat choice of nuts or seeds sprinkled on top! 

   

What You Need:

• 2 C  quick oats or gluten-free oats
• 2 scoops Protein powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp  Cinnamon, or Chai Spice
• 1/2 C egg whites
• 3/4 C  unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 C 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp Epicure Cocoa Crunch or Tutti Fruity Whole Food Sprinkle 

What You Do

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).
2. Place oats in a food processor and blend to the consistency of flour.
3. In a medium bowl, mix oat flour with remaining dry ingredients.
4. Whisk egg whites with remaining wet ingredients. Fold wet and dry mixes together.
5. Stir in whole food sprinkle.
6. Divide batter by heaping tablespoonful among petites or small muffin mold and bake 12–15 minutes. When cool to the touch, flip mold onto rack and twist to pop out petites.

You can easily tweak this recipe by adding in different flavor combos - I sometimes add a wee bit of pineapple puree and than change out the Cocoa Crunch or Tutti Fruity for Coconut Lime sweet dip and add shredded coconut. You can add other dried fruit like Craisins and change the Cinnamon or Chai to a pumpkin pie spice combo - options are endless depending on what you are craving!

While you can make this in any muffin mold I think the petite bar pan from Epicure is amazing and a must have purchase if you do not have one  - I love it for perfect portioned brownies and cheesecakes as well cause it allows for that sweet tooth fix without a huge serving temptation. I can freeze them and pull out just one for those days I just need a little something something!!!

Have a great day

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Winter Lip Rescue review

This time of year is horrible for chapped lips at least for me!

I think between being outside with the kids every day and the winter colds resulting in mouth breathing my lips always get so chapped.

This is why I love my Aloette Oil Slick lip treatment combined with their Lip Difference lipstick to help combat my Winter Lips.

Oil Slick Lips features awesomeness such as Avocado, safflower seed and aloe vera which keep lips soothed and conditioned while vitamin E protects lips from environmental damage that dehydrates the skin. Its cooling massage applicator and ultra smooth texture makes the formula slick enough to wear alone or with lip color. I apply this first thing in the morning as well as before I go to bed.

This before and after photo shows how the lips are more hydrated and nourished and in less than 30 days lines and wrinkles in lips are diminished as well!

I pair my daily Oil Slick lip treatment with the Lip Difference which is easy for on the go 'reapplication' throughout the day  - made with the amazing certified organic aloe vera unique to Aloette it it is also packed full of nutrient rich oils such as Apricot, sunflower, jojoba, safflower and vitamin E. As well as being infused with orange and rosemary extract ... I love it because it does not taste like 'whale blubber' like some lipsticks do. It is light and has a refreshing flavor to it without being overpowering like some chap-sticks are. I think it is perfect as a 'chap-stick replacement' worn on its own as well as an amazing primer under your lipstick color to help color stay put and last longer.

If you'd love to learn more about my skincare tips and tricks I have a VIP group on Facebook you are welcome to join!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AwakentoAloette/

Have an amazing day

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Powerhouse Waffles YES PLEASE!

I love a nice 'brunch' on a Sunday morning -  there is something about the weekend and being able to have the time for a nice big breakfast as it often needs to to tied me over until dinner time cause life gets busy on weekends and lunch often slips past on me. So these protien packed Powerhouse Waffles are JUST the thing!

If you have not already caught on to the awesomeness that is Greek Yogurt I highly recommend trying it out - unlike traditionally made yogurts Greek Yogurt is packed high with protien and if you choose the plain it is very low sugar/carbs which makes it a nice powerhouse option when balancing your plate! I use it as both a yogurt AND as a lower calorie sour cream replacement in my recipes - it is perfect. For a yogurt option it  does need to have a little flavor added to it otherwise it definitely tastes more like sour cream than yogurt we are used to!

My favorite brand is the Oikos Triple Zero because it has on added sugar, fat or preservatives so is a nice clean option and it is one that does not seem to aggravate my psoriasis since it is a 'dairy' product.

Ingredients 

• 2 1/2 cups of quick oats or gluten-free oats
• 2 scoops of protien powder of choice - I like either Wegmans brand Protein powder or from Amazon Collagen Peptides 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup of egg whites
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp  vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Place a lightly oiled Waffle Mold on a sheet pan - I love my waffle mould it is so quick and easy to make many waffles all at once - I got it  from Epicure
2. Place oats in a food processor and blend to the consistency of flour - I love my Blendtec blender for quickly turning oats or almond or cocount into flour for me!
3. Add to bowl and combine with protein blend, cinnamon, and baking powder.
4. Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix with dry ingredients until just combined.  
5. Pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into each mold, filling all corners. I gently bang the waffle mold on the pan to help flatten evenly over the mold.
6. Bake 12–15 minutes, or until golden. 
7. When cool to the touch, flip mold over a platter and gently remove waffles. 
8. Repeat steps 5–7 with remaining batter.

These Powerhouse waffles freeze AMAZINGLY! I love to batch cook them and than freeze 2 at a time in Ziploc baggies and can quickly pull out from freezer pop into the toaster and toast them up for quick breakfast during the week too! 

You can serve them with traditional maple syrup and whipped cream and icing sugar for that true 'Sunday Brunch waffle treat' but now that I am clean eating I prefer to opt for even healthier low calorie choices  - so I forgo the maple syrup and whip cream and love to serve mine with an Epicure Sweet Dip  and Plain Greek Yogurt mix and fresh berries!
 

In this photo I have made up a Chocolate Truffle Sweet Dip and topped with Cocoa Crunch Whole Food Topper and than a half a cup of strawberries and blueberries. The chocolate truffle sweet dip is awesome as it is sweetened with natural sugars and gives the meal a 'chocolate whipped cream' flare! The Epicure Whole Food topppers are a great addition as they add 2 g fibre per serving & omega-3 fatty acids so great to add breakfast & desserts for that little pop of nutritional boost.

For those who like a breakdown of calories and macros for a balanced breakfast

If you get a chance to try a recipe please leave me a comment on the blog with your own review! 

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Comparison is the Thief of Joy

I  love this quote! It is weigh in week this week in the Epic Life Challenge and many of the amazing support community is posting their successes which of course makes it harder for the ole brain not to try to 'compare' how much more someone might have lost or accomplished in the past two weeks than I may have ... but I cannot and should not compare my journey to theirs.

We may be doing the same challenge but we are not the same people - we might be starting at a different journey than others, our bodies are different, our whys are different, our over goals are likely different!

A success on my scale is not negated because someone else comes around and had a 'bigger' success on theirs!

We need to refrain from the 'I only lost X pounds' or the "I only got to the gym 3 times this week' that is the stinking thinking of the brain and focus on the I LOST X pounds and I pushed my body 3 times this week at the gym! They are positive movements in the direction we want to go and we should celebrate that!

We've got this! Focus on the positive of where you are going and what you want and you will get there!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life