No-baked Brownie Bites [paleo/primal, raw]

This is my impromptu brownie. I went out shopping and bought cacao powder. When I got home I found out that I already had it. Well... I'll be cooking something cacao more...

I googled to find a paleo recipe but there are a tons out there. After I skimmed over about 10 of them... I don’t have all ingredients required so I improvised and came up with this recipe:

1/2 cup raw hazelnuts (blanched)
1 cup of soaked dates or 3/4 cup medjool  dates (I was out of medjool)
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup raw cashew meal
1 cup raw cacao powder
2 Tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of Himalayan salt

Optional: any crushed nuts or seeds to garnish

1. Put hazelnuts in a food processor and grind it
2. Put it dates and keep pulsing and mixing
3. Pour in almond & cashew meals, cacao powder, raw honey, vanilla extract.  Keep mixing.
4. Sprinkle the salt and mixing until it becomes doughy texture.
5. Spread in a nonstick pan and cut in squares or roll balls however you like.
6. Top the brownies with any choices if desire.
7. Let it sit in the fridge about 30 minutes.
8. Enjoy!

If you know me... I don’t cook with exact recipes... I cook what I have... so keep your pantry clean :)

Spinach with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

What I love about strawberry is its aroma. This is simply delicious "Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette." My kids love this because of strawberries! It will go well with any pungent green vegetables like spinach, arugula, or any mix greens will do.

Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries: half chopped, half sliced to put in salad
2 Teaspoons raw honey (or to your taste)
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or to your taste)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
a hint of salt & pepper if you'd like
2-3 cups of greens or one full plate!

Directions:
1. Mix greens with half a pint sliced strawberries. Put it aside.
2. Put half a pint of chopped strawberries in bowl and whisk in vinegar, raw honey, then extra-virgin olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper if you'd prefer.
3. Pour the dressing on the salad evenly or mix it gently.
4. Enjoy!

Zucchini (Sushi) Rolls - Paleo, Primal, Raw Food, Grain-free, Gluten-free, and Vegan optional

My quick and fun lunch with my little one. 

If you've followed me on Facebook, again, you know I don't cook with measurements. 

Below are the ingredients that i dig out from my fridge today.

Smoked salmon is optional, if you're vegan. Also, my homemade mayonnaise contains egg yolk. If ,again, you're vegan, you can made the vegan version of mayo or other dressings you'd like.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Breadstick - Gluten-free

Ingredients:
•1 large head of cauliflower
•2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•1 Tablespoon garlic powder or 2-3 cloves mince garlic, or to taste (I recommend the dry one.)
•1 Tablespoon onion flakes/powder or chopped onion to taste (I recommend the dry one.)
•1 cup of grated raw cheese (optional, or any kinds of cheese you like if you have no food restriction)
•chopped or dry oregano to taste (optional)
•chopped or dry basil to taste (optional) - I wish I had this in hand when I made it. I love basil.
•salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
•Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
•Make cauliflower rice, either you mince first then cook or vice versa. Cook it however you'd like (microwave or steam)
•In a mixing bowl, stir together cauliflower, eggs, and seasonings, except cheese and basil.
•Lightly grease a baking pan with any oil you choose.
•Thinly spread the mixture on to the pan.
•Sprinkle cheese and basil on top if you opt the ingredients
•Bake at 450 degrees for about half an hour or until it's golden crisp. It depends on the moisture content and how big your cauliflower head is. It may take as soon as 20 minutes. Mine took 40 minutes this time
•Enjoy while it's hot because it will become slightly mushy when it cools down.

Week 1

* The most important thing in exercising is "FORM." Have a good form and correct pose. Don't focus on how fast, how many time, how heavy, or how long you do. Listen to your body. Stop or slow down if you need to. *

Enjoy!

Day 1 – Any light activities 10 minutes, stretch at least 10 minutes

Day 2 – Morning stretch 5-10 minutes, Start easy cardio exercise (don't forget to warm up before and cool down & Stretch after), if have time stretch 5 minutes or do yoga before bed.

Day 3- same as day 2 add dumbbell bicep curls 3 sets of 6-10 depending on your goals, or push-ups 3 sets of 6 (don't forget to warm up before and cool down & Stretch after), if have time stretch 5 minutes or do
yoga before bed.

Day 4 – same as day 2 adding shoulder presses 3 sets of 6-10 and triceps extension 3 sets of 6-10 or triceps push-ups (same as traditional push-up but keep your elbows next to you body) 3 sets of 6 (don't forget to warm up before and cool down & Stretch after), if have time stretch 5 minutes or do yoga before bed.

Day 5 – same as day 2 add squat 3 sets of 15 and alternate lunges 3 set of 20 (don't forget to warm up before and cool down & Stretch after)

Day 6 –  Morning stretch 5-10 minutes, do exercise and ab workout about at least 20 minutes**, if have time stretch 5 minutes or do yoga before bed

Day 7 – same as day 1, add yoga for 10 minutes

My Favorite two channels to search for clips are FitnessBlender and PopSugar.

These are sample videos, you can search to find your preference na ka

Warm up videos:

- http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Warm-Up-Workout-Routine-Cardio-Warm-Up-Exercises/f6/

- http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Quick-Total-Body-Cardio-Warm-Up/ff/

Cardio 10-minute videos:

Maybe like this... http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Easy-on-the-Knees-Kickboxing-Blend-Low-Impact-Cardio/bh/

When I start 9 months ago, I use this one for a while... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWEdJRRndkQ&list=PLGAvqMLUKZFQAJ4czHF2fehEudnGbQS61

http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Low-Impact-Cardio-and-Toning-Workout-for-Beginners/eh/

** Longer exercise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaJryQEsT94

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoZsTarI9uA

Cool down & Stretching Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3rJ5AzoQzk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8DOZRtIIEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN3sHkni1gI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAKaKgmn76E

Ab workout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mq2IOAEQwk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RoUAk-O8rc&list=PLGAvqMLUKZFQAJ4czHF2fehEudnGbQS61

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1919eTCoESo

Yoga:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxsQr7YOq7o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7UZv9zt1b4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkkxMVDogBM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk71G6dXemc

triceps extension

 picture source: menshealth.co.uk/

Tricep push-up:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vGGwzInfQ

For push-up, bicep curls, lunges, and squats, see here: http://blogs.villagegreen.com/blog/2013/06/27/10-basic-at-home-moves-to-tone-your-entire-body/

... more on squat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPYCiuiB4PA

This is easy start for my friends only ...referred to this post https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodcleanwholesomefunliving/permalink/284419711713260/?stream_ref=3

Red and White Crunchies with citrusy dressing

This salad was inspired from my friend's page "Healthy Living by Bud" post on facebook. She had the beet root salad at the restaurant with some apple, pecans,  and crumbled feta cheese. So I want to make it some day though I don't eat pasturized cheese and I don't have pecans in hand.

I have been getting a lot of parsnips from "beachgreens" so I decided to add them in. I quickly steamed them because I read somewhere that cooked parsnip is better than raw. But I think raw would taste better. I just had them with my kale salad yesyerday.

This is so quick to make and serves about 2 portions

Ingredients:

1 1/2 apples (I had to give half to my daughter who came by and asked for it)
1/2 jicama (มันแกว)
2-4 parsnips
1 beet root

Dressing: 1 medium orange and a wedge of lemon or to taste (This time I used 1/2 lime that we grow.)



Directions:

Peel, cut, and slice them all in french-fries stick shape.  Put them in a bowl. Squeeze orange and lemon in and mix it well. Enjoy!

Composting

"Hey Hay Compost Today!"

I read my wonderful trainer's blog today (http://recreationfitness.com/black-gold/4197/) and reminded me that I want to write about composting to encourage people to do more especially reducing the plentiful amount of trash we face these days. Consequently, what you got is not superior dirt but also good feeling for a little thing you can do.

Don't feel intimidate. A lot of people ask us whether it's smelly. "No," if you balance your brown(dry) and green(wet) waste.



We want to show you how simple it is because in our case we don't even have yards and space. If you've ever visit us, you know we have only potted plants on the deck. So we adapt to our way of living. It can be done! There are times that our bin is not balanced (and we'll know from some fruit flies and a little smell..) that is because we don't have brown substance, like enough dry leaves or grass, our main brown are shredded paper and dryer lints. Sometimes we need to get brown supplies from other properties :-)



... But we're doing it and it's been a year. You can Google it how because it's easy but I'd like to show these pictures because I'd like to show you that it can done with our living constraints.

By the way, the title is from my oldest daughter's science project last year, which was selected to the district exhibition. She was inspired to care about environment.

Love~