Mini Paleo Apple Pies

I made this recipe by Knit and Bake on Sunday night for Kyle's birthday because apple pie is his favorite. They were so good I decided to try my own paleo version. It didn't work out quite how I wanted, but it still tasted good.

Ingredients for dough:

1 cup almond meal (homemade recipe here)

6 tablespoons of coconut oil

2 tablespoons of ice water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp honey

Ingredients for filling:

2 to 3 apples

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 tbsp almond meal

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

To make the dough mix the almond meal with the coconut oil using a fork or food processor, I used a food processor. Next add the salt and honey, then the ice water until it forms a dough. Wrap in saran wrap and leave in fridge for 30 mins.

Peel and chop apples, then add the honey, cinnamon, salt, almond meal, & vanilla and mix.

Ready to go in the oven

I attempted to use a cup to cut circles out of the dough for the base of the pies, but my almond meal dough wouldn't stick together so I just pressed it into a cupcake pan. I halved the recipe so it only made 6 pies. Next fill them with the apple mixture and try to "crumble" the rest of the almond meal dough over the top of the apples.

Don't look so pretty, but taste good.

Bake for 35 mins at 375 degrees F or about 190 C. When I attempted to take my pies out of the cupcake pan they crumbled everywhere, so maybe try using a cupcake liner. They did taste delicious even though they didn't look like the original picture. 

My version on left and Knit and Bake's original on right.

Homemade Almond Milk & Almond Meal

Have you ever tried almond milk? I think it is delicious! It is dairy free and very healthy, but it's not cheap! Almost $4 per carton here in Australia when it's not on sale is too much to spend on milk twice a week. For this reason I decided to attempt to make my own. I looked at a few recipes on Pinterest, and created my own version. The good thing about it is almond milk super easy to make. 

Almond Milk

What you need:

• a bowl
• a blender
• a nut-milk bag or cheese cloth (bought mine at a health food shop)
• 1 cup unsalted almonds (not roasted)
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 4 cups water
• 1-2 dates or raw sugar to sweeten (optional - I didn't)
• a container/pitcher to put your milk in

First you need to soak your almonds in water for about 6-8 hours. Drain & rinse. 

Place almonds, 4 cups of water, 1 tbsp of vanilla, and sweetener (if you chose to use it) in your blender.  

Blend for 1-3 minutes. 

Pour almond mixture into nut-milk bag over your pitcher. 

Squeeze bag with almond mixture and get as much liquid out as possible. If you want to make more milk like I did, you can place the ground almonds (that you just used) back into the blender and repeat the entire process. 

After you finish you can use the ground almonds to make almond meal if you like.

Almond Meal

To make almond meal you spread the ground almonds (leftover after making the milk) evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 1-2 hours on 300 degrees with oven door open if possible so the humidity can escape. If you leave the door closed, it may take a little longer. 

Bake until it begins to get dry and brown. 

Remove from oven, and place the almond meal into a food processor to grind into a fine powder. Use almond meal to bake with or however you prefer. 

This is a delicious recipe for paleo almond meal cookies!

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

This is my favorite breakfast lately. Not only is it healthy, but it is delicious! It is also super fast and easy to make in the mornings, which is great for me since I have to get up so early to catch the train for work.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp PB2 (or use natural peanut butter)
• 1 banana (frozen if you like colder smoothies)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

You will need a blender or food processor. Place the oats and in the blender and grind until the they are a fine powder. Add chia seeds, PB2, almond milk, and banana in pieces. Blend until smooth or all banana chunks are gone. Pour into your glass and enjoy!

Weight Loss Motivation

Are you looking for some motivation to lose weight or just to start working out?

Thanks to Sia Cooper at Diary of a Fit Mommy who recently posted about it, I found DietBet! You pay $35 into the pot and starting on May 1st you attempt to lose 4% of your current weight in 4 weeks. Whoever achieves their goal splits the pot. Sounds like pretty good motivation to me!

If you would like to join me in this Dietbet click on the link: http://diet.bt/QSmanM

Check out this video to find out how it works: https://www.dietbetter.com/dietbet-4/how-it-works

I will keep you updated on my progress along with some health tips I learn along the way.

Good Luck!

Ch Ch Ch Chia

Do you remember that jingle for Chia Pets? Well watching that commercial was the only time I had ever heard of Chia until recently when I discovered Chia Seeds and the fact that they are really good for you.  Now I am obsessed!

These are a few of the reasons that I love Chia:

- It is a superseed and the highest plant source of Omega-3

- Gluten-free

- Not processed

- High in fiber

- Rich in protein

- High in antioxidants

- It has more calcium that milk

- High in other vitamins and minerals

- Helps to balance blood-glucose levels

- Keeps you hydrated 

- Keeps you full longer

Chia is just an amazing seed! It absorbs up to 10 times it's weight in water and forms a gel-like substance. This is what helps to keep you full and hydrated.

This is the Chia I buy

I love to eat Chia with my breakfast in the mornings. It doesn't have much of a taste, there is just a little crunch. It is delicious sprinkled over the top of cereal with milk, fruit and yogurt, it is also good on oatmeal, or in smoothies for an extra boost.

Found this pin on Pinterest

Most grocery stores have Chia in the health food/gluten free section.

If you would like more info or recipes with Chia click here or you can always search on Pinterest.

Health Kick

So recently I've gotten on this health kick....well let's get real. I go on "health kicks" often, but they never last very long. I'll make a statement that I need to start eating healthier and working out more often, then it will last for maybe a week or so. I bake cupcakes, cookies, etc. for Youth on Friday nights and that is usually when I start to fall back into my bad habits. I have to eat just one "to make sure it's ok" before I take the goodies to Youth. After I have the one I want more and usually give in later that night. This time what I'm trying to do is give myself healthy or not so bad alternatives to sweets that I love so much. I found this recipe for Paleo Chocolate and I've learned to love it when I get a sweet craving. I have included the recipe below. It is definitely an acquired taste, but the more you eat it instead of "bad" sweets or chocolate the better it gets. I think giving myself alternatives will actually help when I have cravings or want to binge. 

Paleo Chocolate

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup high quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt coconut oil.  Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.  Pour into paper-lined muffin tin cups or silicon muffin cups and fill half-inch full.  Makes 10.  Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes.  When firm, remove.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Sometimes I will add coconut or oats to it to give it a bit more substance. 

I've also tried to come up with a way to keep myself working out more consistently. I want to buy this pair of pants, but I want to buy them in a smaller size than I currently wear. 

In order to do that I have to workout, and stay consistent long enough to go down an entire pants size. So to keep myself motivated I put the money for the pants in savings, and made myself a deal that if I completed Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred I would buy the pants. I made a little chart to mark off everyday that I complete so I can track my progress. I don't have to do it 30 days straight, but stay consistent enough to actually see results. We will see how this goes, but I think it might actually work! Who knows...maybe it will even become a lifestyle!

What are some ways you keep yourself motivated and consistent?

On a side note, I got a new blog design from Miss Audrey Sue Designs and I love it! She is awesome! What do you think?