Omg! These cookies!

My kids just got home from school. They were starving so I cut up fresh peaches for them and got a few hard boiled eggs out too. But then I let them try my brand-new chocolate chip cookies! They absolutely positively 100% loved them! 

Now.....rewind back to last night. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about dates. Haha silly, the edible kind. Not the nice kind with a man. What I kept thinking about in the middle of the night was that dates are so stinkin good, so sweet and I wanted some! It had been a while since I had the chance to sink my teeth into some sweet dates. Then I thought how I'd like a chocolate chip cookie that I could eat and 100% feel good about. I also wanted to create a treat that I could feed my kids that would put only good, clean nutrients in their bodies. You may be wondering why I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking these things. It is rather strange but I do have my reasons. The biggest one is that over the weekend I was totally grossed out in my pantry. I was getting quinoa to make and prepare for the week when something red caught my eye. A sucker (or lollipop if you are from the North) was dropping its disgusting liquid all over my beautiful painted and clean walls. I pulled the nasty red sucker off of the wall (yes, it was stuck there and even still had a wrapper on it!) and called my children in to see the mess. I began talking about junk food, trash food and unnecessary foods. Candy is just that to me. 100% unnecessary. I'd rather my kids have ice cream or one of my cookies any day of the week instead of worthless candy. But please note that I am not one who won't let my kids trick or treat because candy is so nasty (no offense if you are like that though..... Power to ya!) Instead I take the higher route and educate my kids. This is their world. I am only going to be able to hold their hands and lead their way and make their paths for so long. They have to know how to make their own decisions. Secretly and openly I truly rejoice each time my daughter takes a bite or 2 of candy or junk food and puts it down or saves it or gives it to someone else. Kids are born being able to moderate themselves in every way. We as parents just have to enable them to use their instincts as well as what they have been taught about leading a healthy life. 

So..... That was the longest way ever of saying that my daughter looked up at me after my "candy is gross" speech and said, "If this sucker doesn't help us grow or get stronger in any way then why would we want to eat it?" I rejoice my friends and dear readers! That's it! "Great Scott!" as Doc says in Back to the Future. That's it! Think and remember that and that's all we need to know!

Make these clean, tasty cookies and you will feel good before, during and after your experience!!!

"Are You Kidding Me Cookies"

3 ripe avocados 

36 dates (I used Sunsweet brand but Trader Joes Medjool dates are my norm)

2 eggs

1 t pure vanilla extract

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder 

1/4 t sea salt

1 3/4 C almond meal

1/4 C coconut flour

1 Cup mini chocolate chips (I used Lily's brand dark chocolate because they are sugar free, soy and dairy free. I wanted my niece who is lactose intolerant to be able to have these!)

Directions:

Oven 350*. Oh my gosh....Start by smiling super big! This is amazing! Then mash avocados. I just threw mine in the trusty Ninja. Add all of the pitted dates. Be SURE there are not any pits! Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla. Set aside. In separate bowl mix all dry ingredients. Combine the avocado power mixture with the dry ingredients. Once it's all combined fold in your chocolate or you could add raisins or dried chopped apples too! Bake for about 9-11 minutes or until they are set but soft in the middle. Let them cool a few minutes on the baking sheet to set further. Enjoy and do the happy dance each time your child bites into this crazy good cookie for you are giving her/him nature's candy!

Tell me what you think!!!! As you can tell I'm crazy excited about my new creation!

Mash Avocados:

Add dates and mix again:

Add eggs and vanilla:

Mix dry ingredients:

Add chocolate chips or no sugar added dried fruits:

Eat & enjoy! They won't last long!

Guess what......? None of the ones with chocolate chips lasted long enough for a picture! I'll add more pics when I make these again! 

UPDATE: these cookies are awesome make ahead dough balls! If you know me you know that I always have cookies of any kind balled up and frozen ready to bake in case friends or neighbors come over to hang out! I freeze in individual layers in Pyrex dishes. 

Berry Amazing Chia Jam

Howdy! 

How is the weather in your neck of the woods? The weather here in the low country has been divine. With highs in the low 80s and lows in the high 60s it's been absolutely ideal weather for cookouts, beach and pool. I love my neighborhood pool so much. It's such a great place to go to swim, play with the kids and watch them all play together. But here in this neighborhood it's more than that. It's a place where we as neighbors all come together to catch up. We find out about local activities from each other. We meet new neighbors who have moved here from all over the country and we share good workouts and recipes. Yes, sitting around the pool and giving out recipes is so awesome! 

Last weekend I met some awesome new friends/neighbors and got to see many I had already met before. I love when the topic starts slowly morphing into a discussion about dinner and favorite foods and things our kids will and won't eat. I was so excited to meet and talk to a new friend who said her 8 year old son will eat anything and loves healthy foods. I think Dean (my 8 year old) said something about wanting my Berry Amazing Chia Jam and that got us all into a jammin good chat about my family's favorite condiment (is jam a condiment? I don't even know but it's too cool to call it just plain food). Berry Amazing Chia Jam is my family's favorite way to have chia seeds and the sweetest fruit of the season, strawberries. The recipe is so easy that I call it crazy easy! 

Emily at Tresses Hair salon asked if I sell it. Definitely, Emily! I'll make this just for you any time! It's fun to make but even more fun to eat! Kids love it too and they are getting a great big dose of protein and fiber and healthy carbs from the berries. My little princess adds a few tablespoons of Jam to her plain Greek yogurt. My oldest spreads it on his almond butter sandwiches and my middle dude eats it straight out of the jar like its goin out of style. Yes friends, it's THAT good! Try it! Tell me whatcha think!

Berry Amazing Chia Jam

2 bags of frozen or 2 lbs fresh strawberries (works well with cherries, raspberries and blueberries too!)

4T freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 T chai seeds

The tiniest pinch of salt

Directions:

Put fruit in large sauce pan and put over low-medium heat. Stir constantly until the fruit has made its own juice and softens dramatically. This happens sooner and easier with frozen fruit and frozen fruit can sometimes even be cheaper than fresh so I tend to go with the frozen for the jam. Once the fruit is nice and soft get out your potato masher and mash the fruit up. We like chunks of fruit in our jam so I mash well but leave lots of chunks. Add the lemon juice, chia and pinch salt. Stir constantly! It's worth it! (Work your outer thighs while you stir and slowly swing leg out to the side 20 times on each side. Repeat until this step is complete. You're welcome. Now your legs will even get some love.)

Stirring constantly, let the whole mixture come to a slow boil. Let boil and cook for 5 minutes or until it starts to firm up a bit. (Now work inner thighs while you stir during this step!)

Pour into containers or jars to share. Put in refrigerator to cool. Enjoy, smile and do your happy dance that your family is eating one big bundle of healthy love! 

Mash strawberries!

Add your power chia and lemon juice and a dash of salt:

Stir baby stir!!!!! 

After boiling for 5 min funnel into cute jars:

Told ya they were cute!

Put some crazy adorable stickers on the lid. Give as a gift to some "berry good teachers"!!!!!! Save some for yourself!

Want to buy some? Contact me and like me on Facebook!

Notes to my Kids

Hi and Happy Mothers Day! 

Yesterday was my birthday and today is Mother's Day. I am so thankful that my sweet children had lots of loved ones help them treat me like a queen this weekend. They bought me jewelry, made me pottery gifts, wrote cards and painted pictures. They also tried really hard to be on their best behavior and succeeded...... Most of the time. I just finished writing their thank you cards. I always write their thank you cards first. Do you know why I write my children thank you cards? Well, the biggest reason is that I have absolutely no hesitation to call them out and point out when they are out of line. So, when they do great things and create memories and kind, thoughtful gifts for me I figured I should let them know that they did a great thing. I wanted you to know about this in case your kids may be deserving of a nice thank you note written just for them. I clearly remember life as a kid. At times I know they feel like they are always being told what to do. I know they also get corrected often. Writing special notes to your children is a good way to tell them that they did something nice and good that made you feel special. Share the love. It's part of overall happiness and healthfulness. Happy Mothers Day to all of you hardworking, caring, thoughtful Mamas. You are the example for your children. Be a good one for them to follow. Show love each day. 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

NotCho Mama's Chicken Soup

Happy Beautiful Springtime! Here are some roses for you because I love you!

Yup, I grew those! Virtual high 5's all around!!!!! Yee haw! So now that we are all pumped I'd like to share a kick a$$ recipe with you. It's a tweak of my amazing friend and now neighbor, Gena's, own recipe. Thank you for the awesome lunch Gena! It's another crock pot recipe dealing with all Trader Joe's ingredients. Y'all know how much I love me some Trader Joe's!!!! This recipe is a crowd pleaser if your crowd likes their mouths to feel like a donkey's in there and tryin to kick his way out! It's a bit on the hot and naughty side. Lets just say a green pepper (or bell pepper as they say down here in gorgeous South Carolina) is a 1 on the H&N (hot & naughty) scale and a ghost pepper is a 10 on the same scale. Well then I'd call this recipe a 6. It's hot and it's naughty for sure..... But dang it's good! So here she is........ Gena's recipe with my twist. 

NotCho Mama's Chicken Soup Recipe:

3 big ole chicken breasts (mine were frozen still and TJs brand)

3 cans of cannellini beans (some folks call them white kidney beans but I like the bigger name. Makes me feel smart.)

1 can coconut milk

1 box O broth

1 pouch TJs taco seasoning (that's where the heat comes from.... Well, that and the jalapeños)

Garnish:

Chopped Jalapeños

Limes 

Cilantro 

Directions:

Ok, here's the hard part. Put the chicken in the crock pot. Open all the cans of beans and drain and rinse them. Open coconut milk. Open box O broth. Pour everything on top of chicken. Open taco seasoning and pour the whole packet on everything else. Put lid on crock pot and cook low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours or until that chicken is so tender that it falls apart even before you get near it. Shred chicken with 2 forks. If this is even 1 bit hard to do then your chicken isn't ready. Chop jalapeños, limes and cilantro. Portion soup into bowls or big mugs and top with your desired garnishes. Enjoy! 

It's sure to be a hit with your spicy friends! Tell me what ya think! Enjoy this awesome spring and remember the most contagious thing there is........ Is a smile! Do it! Others will smile back. It's the best! Just try it! 

Here are the ingredients...... So easy! Just open and put in crock pot!

(Like my new backsplash?! I did that!!! Yayyyyyy me!)

And when it's dinner time your dinner will already be done! 

Mmmmm mmmmm. Tasty and healthy! 

Mental Games

You. Can. Do. It!

 I'm telling you this. Now, the most important person needs to tell you this. You. Your mind is a powerful thing. Keep telling yourself you can't do something and guess what? You can't. But, if you tell yourself you can do something you will shock your biggest critic. You. I recently met a wonderful woman who, after she learned I was divorced, told me to do something I've never done at least once a week. I told her I would and I sure have! This month I have been tackling home improvement projects that I never thought I could do. In fact, I had 3 different carpenters come to give me estimates on the project I wanted and needed done to my kitchen. One said $700, one said $950 and one quoted me $1100! That was to bead board a small wall in my kitchen and bead board the kitchen bar where my kids love to kick their feet against the bar while they enjoy my home cookin. 

So guess what friends? I'm  here to tell you that you too can do it. What is it that you've been putting off? What is your goal? Do you want to lose weight, eat healthier, get a new job where your talents are appreciated, (don't quit your job without having a new one!) or maybe fix up your house? Well do it! You can! I did and so can you my dear friend! Tell yourself you can do it and you will surprise your biggest competition, YOU. 

Someone recently asked me, "What do you do?" Well guess what? Now I have an answer for you. "What DON'T I do?!"

Bar Before:

Bar after:

And look in the background of the pic above. NO backsplash! 

Now look:

I bead boarded the backsplash! I was given an $1100 quote to tile the back splash. I knew bead board would look killer so I did that instead and saved about $1000! And I'm crazy good at trim work now! Ya, I toot my own horn. And it feels good! 

One more pic for you....... My awesome friend, Michelle, gave me this apron. Probably because I love to cook and she is crazy thoughtful. But it's being used now more for my home improvement projects. And isn't it perfect?!!!!!:

And tonight before bead boarding the kitchen backsplash I made tacos and pudding pie for dessert and all 3 of my kids liked the dinner and thanked me. This is a winning day! Did I mention that my amazing Gena, my strong, talented gorgeous, brilliant friend I've been friends with since we were 15 moved in around the corner from us?! Her family is amazing! seriously! Yes, thank you God. I really am so thankful. 

I am inspired. I am in awe. You are my hero, Gena.

Oh ok ok ok. You want food? Recipes? Geez..... Well fine ill tell you something. It's so easy to make your own turkey or chicken at home AND save a TON of money! Can you say "Crock Pot" ?! Say it louder!!!!!!! Crock pot to the rescue. Just do this. Go to the store. Buy a big fresh or frozen turkey breast. Mine was 6 pounds. I paid $1.29 a pound! Go home and open the package the little turkey comes in. Rub that baby with some coconut oil (have you read that coconut oil can actually help to burn more calories?!..... Rub that stuff all over!) and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Put that baby in the crock pot. I surrounded mine with chopped sweet potatoes, chopped onions and garlic. Lots of garlic. Seriously. Garlic and onions. Lets all have bad breath together. Put the lid on the crock pot. Cook for 6-7 hours on high if frozen. Your house will smell amazing and dinner will be ready when you get home from work!!! Teddie, I'm talking to you!!! Dust off that crock pot my dear sweet Aunt! Here's my raw turkey before slowly cooking at the perfect temp and later being devoured by 3 hungry, growing kiddos. 

And because I've been slacking off I do not have an "After" pic. But really, we've been friends a long time now. Can't you just trust me? Please. Do it. It's easy and tasty and healthy. 

Enjoy and love each other! 

Accomplishment

Well hello to you my beautiful, strong friend! I hope this winter is treating you well. It has been record breaking cold and snow in much of the country. If you are in that part of the country I hope you are safe and warm and enjoying some extra family cuddle time.

You might be a full time parent, successful business person, doctor, nurse, teacher, lawyer, administrative assistant, military (Thank You!), retired or any other myriad of careers. We all have something in common. We all need and crave accomplishment. Remember the early days with your newborn baby at home? If you were like me you felt as if you accomplished a lot if you had a shower and changed your own clothes and had a happy, well-fed baby by the end of the night. But now, right now, what does accomplishment mean to you?

I am a "pleaser" by nature. Meaning I tend to find my joy by giving joy to others. I feel accomplished if I have done my job of taking care of others (my children). But today is a little different. I am holding my head a bit higher. I have a different feel of accomplishment. I completed a house task all by myself. My 4 year old daughter watched me closely (but at a safe distance) as I sawed, painted, nailed, caulked, taped and admired the job I did today. Last week I took apart and fixed 2 sinks, fixed the garbage disposal and now today I accomplished framing the mirror in my bathroom. Something I have wanted to do since I first eyed the large but rather drab mirror. 

Typically I give you recipes but I have been slacking in that department. But I'll give you a killer one after I'm finished bragging about my wood working job. I need to give a shout out to Mrs. Buffalo. She was my industrial arts teacher when I was a kid. I can't remember what grade but I'm crazy, ridiculous, embarrassingly good with names so i remember that at least. I also remember how awesome, smart and powerful she looked as she used tools to create works of usable art in class. I felt like Mrs. Buffalo, confident and strong as I showed my kids that I can fix things! Here is my project!

This was my bathroom mirror. Large and in charge but definitely lacking. I knew it needed a frame. Big sis, T, cleverly told me to use wood and not tile since tile can go out of style. Always listen to wise older sisters! I'm lucky to have 2 of them!

See how boring it was?! That's my liquid nail! New fun toy !

Now look at that!!!! The frame makes it so much better! 

I had to tape just to be sure the liquid nail did its job! My beautiful assistant was admiring my tools!

Ta Da!!!!!!! Now all I have to do is remove the tape tomorrow and it'll be perfecto! What do you think? 

Now it's time for a fire made by ME!!!!!!! And by the way. My Mom said she's SO proud of me and then she tried the dinner I made tonight and said I should sell it! She wants my Asian taco recipe. My kids loved it too! Score for me today!!!!!!!!! I did something good and made a good meal. 

Here's my super easy recipe for Asian Tacos:

2 pounds raw chicken rubbed in a tiny bit of sea salt and black pepper

Big bag of Trader Joes peppers and onions (frozen)

1 can drained/rinsed garbanzo 

1 can drained/rinsed black beans

1 whole big ole can of chopped tomatoes (I used Trader Joes brand for all canned goods)

1 jar of Trader Joes Thai Red Curry sauce ( seriously this stuff is the bommmmbbbbbb!!!!!!)

Now here's the crazy fun part. Put all that jazz in your crock pot (or slow cooker as it's commonly called nowadays). Here's the 1920s girl in me coming out....... Ready for it? After you pour the whole jar of Thai sauce in the crock pot pour a little water (like 1/2 cup tops for you measuring type A people) in the jar of Thai sauce. Screw the lid on nice and tight and shake it up. Get every last bit of your sauce out of that jar! Now this trick works on EVERYTHING! Lotion, makeup, food! Don't waste anything! Ok, back to directions....... Just stir all that up and set your crock pot on low for 8 hrs or high for 4-6 hours. You will have the most delectable, melt-in-your-mouth, awesome chicken and veggies! 

Now for the kids I just warmed taco shells and let them spoon the filling into their taco shells, add cheese and they were in chicken heaven! I added chopped jalapeños and ate mine over steamed kale. Yummmmmmyyyyyyy! Seriously, try it. If my Mama tells me to write it down and sell it then you know it's awesome! Enjoy and tell me what you think!