Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie

Michael and I have a weekly ritual of eating smoothies, I say eat 'cause they're so thick you need a spoon! I like to call this ritual "Smoothie Sundays" but have never actually said that aloud. This became our thing sometime last year when Michael and I started attending church at HBC; we needed something quick and nutritious for breakfast. So each week, I've been waking up a little earlier to get ready for church and make Smoothie Sundays possible. Through these weekly endeavors, I've learned my share of smoothie techniques and how smoothies differ from one another and which flavors work and which don't. In my opinion, one that didn't work for me was blending turmeric, frozen pineapple and fish oil all in one smoothie. It was the first time I didn't finish a smoothie! Anyhow, while I do believe smoothies are a healthy, convenient and equally delicious little breakfast they don't always keep Michael and I's bellies full for the entire morning... 

So this week, I've been playing around with our lovely blender and blending up some smoothies, and came across one that I really enjoyed. And it's filling too! Because I promised to post more recipes this year, it would be criminal of me not to share this smoothie with you all.

It's called Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie and it's packed with complex carbohydrates, fiber and beta-carotene. It features a few of my favorite ingredients too! Oats, sweet potato and tahini. Tahini gives the smoothie richness, boldness in flavor and a healthy dose of both calcium and fat. And the addition of the oats and sweet potato effectively prevent the epidemic today that is known as mid-morning hunger! Plus once blended you get a beautiful orange smoothie that is velvety smooth.

Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie 

• 1/2 medium cooked sweet potato (The night before I usually roast a whole sweet potato in at 375 F for 45-50 minutes)
• 1/2 frozen banana 
• 1/2-1 cup almond milk (Add more milk depending on your desired level of thickness)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon tahini paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• optional add-ins: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder; 1 tablespoon chia seeds

In a high speed blender place in all ingredients and blend until ingredients are smooth and thoroughly incorporated. For a sweeter smoothie try a teaspoon of maple syrup or a pitted date. Pour into a small glass and enjoy with a spoon. Mmm!

xo, Jessica

New Year, New Goals

Hey. It’s the start of the new year and also the time I usually start mapping out realistic yet challenging goals to accomplish within the next twelve months. And I am sure you all do the same! It’s a wonderful thing because even if I didn’t get around to all my goals, I’m given another year to start again. Making goals for myself not only makes me feel motivated, it also gives me an excuse to get out of a slump in the dead of winter. And because I’m starting this year as married lady, I’m more inspired to grow not only as a person but as a wife. The goals I have for 2014 are very much cohesive with the events that happened in 2013 and even 2012. For instance last year three life changing events happened to me which impacted the person I am today. 1) Putting an end to my avascular necrosis by getting both of my hips replaced. 2) Getting engaged to Michael. 3) Marrying Michael on a warm November day!

Read more after the jump.

Controlling Anxiety + Cookies to Help

To all my anxious readers,
I know you’re spending the day worrying, experiencing panic attacks and maybe even feeling devoured by life itself. And you know what? You’re not alone my friends. Trust me: you are not alone. I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest and the amount of sleep lost due to over-analyzing every situation throughout the day. I’ll admit it, I’m notorious for worrying. Don’t get me wrong, a little anxiety can be healthy, but when it’s controlling your life, that’s when you need to take action!
To start off, the first and most important role in managing your anxiety is accepting you have anxiety. You’re probably thinking, “Duh… I wouldn’t be reading this if I didn’t have it,” but I thought the same thing and would avoid confronting my anxiety. My anxiety is often triggered by time, clutter, exams or looking stupid. For example instead of just being organized, I’ll add on to the clutter in my life and when meeting someone new I’ll over analyze everything they say by painting ridiculous scenarios in my head. The truth is controlling your anxiety takes work! It requires self-evaluation, dedication and most importantly, seeking support from the people who love you. I’ve managed to come up with a few natural and pill-free ways that have always helped me get through my anxiety.

1. Organize your closet. Try thinking of your closet as your brain: as you focus on removing the excess baggage in your closet it gives you the opportunity to connect to the idea of cleaning out your mind too. I am not sure why but when my closet is clean I feel like a weight has been lifted from shoulders; which is inspires me to rethink my anxious thoughts.

1. Talk and vent to a close friend/family member. I used to never talk about my anxiety or when things bothered me which led to more toxic thoughts. So my advice to you is, talk to your friends and family when you need to vent. You won’t be burdening them because they love you! I believe that there’s always someone who will listen to you speak and be there to give you that hug and understanding you need.

1. Eat away your anxiety. NO, I don’t mean eating copious amounts of Oreo cookies or eating ice cream by the tub! I’m talking about omega 3’s and antioxidants which are found in foods like: salmon & almonds and even dark chocolate!  Eating foods that are rich in omega 3’s release endorphins in the brain which feels incredibly euphoric. You know what else releases endorphins?

1. Exercise! Not only does a good workout help prevent depression it also naturally detoxifies the body which helps release unnecessary stress. I love scaring away my anxiety with an intense workout; it improves my health and boosts my confidence!

1. Get enough sleep. Trust me, a good night’s sleep will keep you away from anxiety; whether you’re a college student, hard worker, stay at home mom, etc. Feeling sleep deprived and cranky will not benefit your busy schedule! My anxiety comes from feeling unprepared which is usually a side effect from sleep deprivation. I know this can be impossible for people who struggle with anxiety. Insomnia loves anxiety but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can read my “Get Some Sleep!” article for natural sleep aids!

I hope this post helped you guys! Anxiety can be very debilitating, but start by remembering the first step: accept you have it and understand you don’t have to face it alone! Clean your closet, talk to friends and family, eat up some omega 3’s, exercise, get enough sleep, and most importantly STAY POSITIVE! Oh and here’s a cookie recipe…

Almond Joy Cookies
These cookies were inspired by the infamous “Samoa” Girl Scout cookies. They were my favorite growing up along with Tagalongs and Thin Mints. For these cookies I used dark chocolate, ground flax seeds, and a hint of almond which automatically give them anxiety fighting nutrients! I call them almond joy cookies because I added an almond to each cookie for a kick of omega 3’s and of course for aesthetics ;)
Almond Joy Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I only used ½ tsp)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Almonds
Chocolate layer: 1 heaping cup dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips), 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot or skillet, pour in the coconut and toast over medium low heat for about five minutes, until the coconut turns golden brown. Be careful not to burn it, and stir occasionally. Once the coconut is toasted, remove it from the heat to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, brown sugar, almond milk, flaxseeds, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until the batter is thick. Fold in the cooled, toasted coconut.
Drop tablespoons of dough on a parchment lined pan. Use your palm to press down the dough balls until they are flat discs. (I put a little flour on my hand to prevent the dough from sticking to me) Press an almond in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies for about eight minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan and then cool completely.
To make the chocolate glaze: Using a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips and stir in the coconut oil. Allow the mixture to cool for five minutes to allow it to thicken a bit. Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the bottom in the chocolate mixture and place on a pan lined in parchment paper. Repeat with all the cookies. Use the remaining chocolate to drizzle glaze over the top of each cookie, covering the almond in the middle with chocolate.
-Jeffie