The Blizzard of 2015

An epic blizzard is pummeling Massachusetts.

Snow isn’t my cup of tea… or coffee for that matter, even when enhanced with a shot or two of Amaretto. We’re into hour 24 of the Blizzard of 2015, and the flakes just keep on flying.

And flying.

And flying.

At last measure, 28 inches of white powder had fallen and we’ve (well, mostly Jason) made three passes up and down our 200 feet of driveway trying to keep ahead of this frosty assault. Unfortunately, Mother Nature keeps winning.

Luckily for us, (hhhmmmm…) the temperatures are on the chilly side, so it’s a light fluffy snow and not the wet, pasty stuff we got a few days ago. But chilly means layers - lots of them - body-hugging Under Armor, jeans, two shirts, three pairs of heavy socks, gloves AND mittens, and my fingers were still frozen.

If I put my Pollyanna hat on, and trust me, it’s not nearly as warm as my crocheted beanie, I can always find some good news, even though it’s buried deep in this arctic edition:

1. We didn’t have to go to work (even though there was LOTS of work to do)
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2. Our fridge, freezer and cabinets are stocked, and lucky me, I snagged the last two boxes of chicken broth as we maneuvered our way through the masses at the local Stop & Shop on Sunday afternoon.
3. We didn’t have to dig a plowed-in car out of a parking spot on a Boston side street.
4. We didn't lose power.
5. I had the chance to make some really yummy, homemade vanilla and coconut granola to keep us fortified during round after round of snow blowing and shoveling.

This record-breaking blizzard has shattered the serenity of a relatively quiet winter, which, up to this point, had only been lightly (and infrequently) dusted with snow. Be careful what you ask for, I caution the folks who have questioned where the traditional New England winter has been, because this is what we get!

Time to grab another handful or two of that granola, don my extra socks and mittens, and head back out for what I hope is the last snow blow/shovel escapade until morning.

Did I mention that we have 28 inches of snow? And that it's still coming down?

Oh, and if 28 inches wasn’t enough, the local weather gurus are watching another storm brewing for Friday, and hinting that it could bring us another measure of this madness.

I'd raise the white flag, but with all this snow, I'm not sure anyone would see it!

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Oatmeal Banana Muffins

The first snowfall of 2015 is gently filtering down this morning, covering the ground and trees in confectionary sugar white.  

From my perch at the kitchen island, I sip my coffee and look dreamily at the beautiful, serene scene outside and determine it’s definitely a morning that calls for a warm, friendly breakfast - without the confectionary sugar. 

I’m a fan of oatmeal, whether it’s a bowl of overnight oats sprinkled with fresh fruit or warm and drizzled with agave nectar for a little healthy sweetness. This morning, I’m taking oatmeal in a new direction by making muffins.

These oatmeal banana muffins are easy to make and put all the healthy benefits of oatmeal in your hands - literally. There's no flour or sugar added, just the natural sweetness of bananas.

Ingredients

3 ripe mashed bananas 

1/2 c. shredded coconut (optional)

1 tbsp Baking powder

3 cups rolled oats 

2 eggs

1 cup Vanilla Almond milk 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl then add in the almond milk and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, mash the bananas (a fork works). Stir in the oats, coconut (optional) and baking powder.
• Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine to make a thick batter. 
• Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray (or use muffins liners) and keep ready. I used a oversized tin that yields 6 muffins.
• Divide batter equally into cups and bake for 20-30 minutes until the edges start to brown and the muffins are firm to the touch. Be careful not to over-bake!
• Allow the muffins to cool completely so they turn out of the pan easily

Hubby and I are going to grab some more coffee and enjoy. 

We'll have to grab the hats, gloves and shovels soon enough.

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New Year. New Recipes.

My husband gave me the best gift this Christmas - retirement.

Admittedly, I’m a bit young for a rocking chair on the front porch and my hair is certainly anything but gray, but the notion that I am now in charge of my daily routine, whether that’s crafting, sewing, writing or volunteer work, is tremendously exciting.

My first week of "retirement" was a bit overwhelming and quietly chaotic. Without a regular routine, I was akin to a pinball - bouncing here, there and everywhere. I was still up with the sun, but 6:30 is a lot better than 5:00 am, and at the gym by 7:00 am each morning. The first floor hardwood was washed, waxed and polished. Within a few hours, to my hubby's surprise, I zipped up new window valances for the master bath and laundry rooms. Since that wasn’t enough sewing, I registered for a historic fashion workshop with Burnley and Trowbridge and decided to start on a new pair of stays (Since I lost 50 lbs., the first pair I made can’t be laced tight enough any longer.).

I even made a chocolate cake!

One of the benefits of my new-found entrepreneurialship is the luxury of time, including time to try new recipes in support of our healthy and healthy eating lifestyle. My Pinterest board is full of interesting and potential candidates, and the winners are ceremoniously moved to a Recipes I’ve Actually Made board. The latest is a healthy treat modified from a Chia Oatmeal breakfast cookie recipe I found on EatingBirdFood.com. These fun little snacks are easy to make and surprisingly delicious.

Here goes.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 ripe mashed bananas
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. carob chips
1 tbsp. sun butter (or almond butter)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions: (Makes about 16 cookies)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together the almond milk and chia seed. 
3. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until the chia seed have a nice gel-like consistency. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, coconut, cranberries and carob chips together. 
5. Stir the mashed bananas, sun butter and vanilla into the chia seed mixture. 
6. Scoop the mixture (1-2 tablespoons worth) onto a greased cookie sheet. Press it down to form a more rounded shape. 
7. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies have browned a bit. 
8. Cool and enjoy!

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Happy New Year!

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Coconut Quinoa Bars

Earlier this summer, I started a quest to transform myself; lose weight, live healthier and be happier. Using a diet called Ideal Protein I’m happy to report that since June 28, 2014, I'm down 44 lbs and more than 22 total inches. Much to my hubby’s chagrin, I’ve spent more than my allotted $10 per pound lost on new clothes, but he’s got the biggest smile in the room when I walk through the door in my size 4 jeans.

But losing was the easy part. Now, I need to keep it off.

Enter quinoa.

While new to me, I’m late to the quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) bandwagon. It’s an ancient grain, cultivated in Peru, Bolivia, Equador and Colombia for thousands of years. High in protein, fiber, magnesium and iron, quinoa is the rock star of superfoods. So how do I take quinoa from grain to great, and get my hubby to eat it in the process? Disguise it as a snack!

My Coconut Quinoa bars are a crunchy treat packed full of good and healthy ingredients, drizzled in chocolate. They look decadent, but are high in protein, low in carbs, gluten free and super easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 c. uncooked quinoa
• 1 c. uncooked oats (gluten free)
• 1/2 c. chopped almonds
• 1/2 c. sun butter (a natural sunflower spread, but if you can't find it, use almond butter instead)
• 1/2 c. honey
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil (use 2 tbsp. if your coconut oil has liquefied)
• 1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Drizzle

• 1/4 c. cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• Melt together in the microwave for 1 minute

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking pan and a 9×13 dish with non-stick spray.

Mix quinoa and oatmeal together, pour into the baking pan and bake for 8 minutes, stirring once. Meanwhile, add sun butter, honey and coconut oil to a small saucepan and heat over a medium flame until melted. Remove the toasted quinoa and oatmeal from the oven and mix with the cocoa (if using), nuts and coconut in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. Press into your prepared 9×13 dish and bake for 18-20 minutes, until edges are just slightly browned.

Allow to cool for 30-45 minutes then break apart and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Drizzle with the melted chocolate sauce. Feel free to use a heavy hand! Place the cookie sheet in the fridge until set. Once your family finds them, you may not have any left over, but if you do, store them in the fridge in an airtight container or ziploc bag.

Enjoy!

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