I have something super exciting to share with you. I just posted the very first video for melissatrinidad.com on YouTube!!! Click here to watch. I am so excited that it is up and can’t wait for you to see it! We all need to identify our passions and live them if we truly want to live happy, authentic lives, so here are some tips. I hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget to subscribe!
Craving Sweetness in Your Life? Reach for the Sweeter Things, and I Don’t Mean the Cookies.
Do you have a sweet tooth? You are far from alone. Many of us do. Sugary treats are sweet and delicious. But beware! Anything more than the rare treat can wreak havoc on our bodies. Sugar lowers our pH levels making our bodies an ideal environment for cancer proliferation and disease. It rots our teeth, ages our skin and often leads to weight gain. Increased sugar in the blood stream taxes the pancreas too, possibly leading to insulin resistance or diabetes. YIKES! Who knew that dessert could do such a thing?!?
No doubt about it, sugar can also be very addictive for some individuals. Eat a little and you crave more and more. But here is the big question… Are your cravings physical or emotional?
When those cravings hit, take a moment to take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Do I really need something sweet to eat, or am I craving more sweetness in my life?” Food is a quick, easy replacement for true sweetness, but it often leaves us feeling remorse or even shame. “Why did I eat that?” “I shouldn’t have.” Either way, you are going to have to deal with your feelings. So you get to choose, will it be before hand while you determine what you are truly craving, or afterwards when you are beating yourself up for it. Please remember a sweet, enjoyable experience should never leave you with an emotional hangover or regret.
If your body needs some quick energy, and your blood sugar is starting to dip, then of course, you need to eat something sweet. If that’s the case, then why not reach for a sweet, juicy piece of fresh fruit? Not only will you be giving your body the quick carbohydrate that it needs, you’ll also be nourishing your body with needed fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that it needs to perform optimally. What an act of self-love! All while indulging in something sweet and delicious. Its a win-win! If you are used to very sugary, processed treats then it may take a while to appreciate the sweetness of “nature’s candy”, but as your body adjusts to less processed sugar, so will your taste buds.
So what are some ways you can add a little sweetness to your own life, without food? Is it a chat with a friend, a spa treatment, giving to others, a form of creative expression, meditation? It will be different for everyone. But I encourage you to just listen to your inner guide, your intuition. It will never steer you wrong. I invite you to try incorporating at least one of these “sweet treats” into your day, everyday. See what happens. You may find that you crave sweet foods less. And if you care to share, please leave a comment below and let me know how you plan to add more sweetness to your life. I’d love to hear from you!
Have a sweet day!
Authenticity – Let’s Get REAL!
Let’s get real, people! After years of observing others and myself, I’ve come to an honest conclusion. We spend way too much of our time worrying about how other perceive us! Honestly, when was the last time you thought about how you perceive yourself? Hmmm? Interesting question isn’t it? The saddest part is, most of those people we are so concerned about appeasing couldn’t care less. Aspiring to someone else’s expectations and ideals will never bring you peace. That peace and happiness will only come when you know you are being true to yourself and choose to see yourself in a positive light. Don’t be afraid to be your own cheerleader. It doesn’t make you conceited or narcissistic. It makes you a better friend…to yourself.
Too often our self talk is full of degrading, negative and self-defeating ideas. I bet there is NO WAY you would speak to anyone else the way you do to yourself. It’s not fair to you. You are who you are supposed to be. Kindness starts at home, and there ain’t much closer to home than starting with yourself! In order to truly be happy and share joy, love and happiness with others, we must first go within and love ourselves… unconditionally.
I know! It’s a really big one and definitely takes daily practice. I struggled (Okay, I’m still a work in progress.) with this for way, way too long. Life is too short. Start being kinder to yourself today, so that you can start becoming more fully yourself tomorrow.
Let’s get back to who we are. Each and every one of us was put on this beautiful planet to contribute something. Yes, this means you my dear. We all have gifts and skills that are uniquely our own. So, what are yours?
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ACTIVITY TIME!
Here’s a great little worksheet to help you get started. Just click on the link below.
get-real-and-get-to-know-yourself
Welcome to the new site!!
Hi there! I’m so glad you found us! Welcome to holistic happiness! Are you ready to find more joy and happiness in your life? Awesome! Get ready because we are going to embark on a journey to help you become more authentic, improve your connections with others, nourish yourself body and soul and so much more.
A while back I started a little blog where I posted plant-based, family friendly recipes. That was the start. Now we’re on to bigger and better things. Get ready of a lot of great information coming your way!!! To get the scoop on what this “Holistic Happiness” thing is all about, click on the link in the menu on the left. Stay tuned for inspiring and informative new posts! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey.
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Plant Protein Powered Breakfast Cookies!
These cookies make a great breakfast or snack on the go. Pair a couple of these with some fresh fruit and you have a delicious and nutritious start to the day! Need a compact quick energy source while out on a hike or bike ride? These will definitely do the trick. Chock full of goodies like wheat germ, flax, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds, these babies pack a protein punch! Not to mention the vitamin E, zinc, omega 3’s, and iron they bring to the party too! You won’t miss the oil, eggs, or dairy here. If you tend to be pressed for time, double the batch and freeze some of the baked cookies for when you need something quick on the go.
INGREDIENTS:
DRY
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
5 Medjool (or 10 deglet noor), chopped
1 handful dried cranberries
WET
1 flax egg (1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 3 Tablespoons water)
1/2 large ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3-1/2 cup sucanat (or organic brown sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons almond milk
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Next, add the wet mixture to the dry one in the large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto 1 or 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pans after 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Once they cool, if you want to put some in the freezer for future use, now’s the time. Otherwise, if you leave them out they’ll be all gobbled up before you know it! Enjoy!!
Fresh Berry Tart
This berry tart is fantastic! A tasty, crumbly nut crust, cashew date cream and fresh berries. That’s it! Its quick, easy and makes a great dinner party or potluck dessert with plenty of “WOW!” factor. Want to take it to the next level? A vegan lemon curd beneath the berries would be out of this world!
Nutty Tart Crust
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted nuts (you can use pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, whatever you like)
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light, neutral oil (grape seed oil is like canola, without the GMO risk) see note after directions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Process the dry ingredients (nuts, oats, flour and cinnamon) in a food processor until it becomes a coarse meal. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the oil and syrup.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into a 9″-10″ tart pan or pie plate.
- Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
Note: Melted coconut oil could be used in place of the oil mentioned in the tart crust, but I would advise against it, only because it will harden at room temp and become solid as a rock once refrigerated! This may make eating (let alone slicing) the crust a bit of a challenge.
Date Sweetened Cashew Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews (if you have time, soak them in water for 1-2 hours prior, then rinse well).
2-3 Tablespoons dates (double check for pits!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place cashews in a blender pitcher. Add enough fresh water to just cover the nuts. Add dates and vanilla, blend until it becomes a smooth cream. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside. Can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.
Once the tart shell is cooled, we can assemble this baby!
Spread and even layer of your sweetened cashew cream over the bottom of the completely cooled tart shell. Rinse and pat dry the berries, then arrange on top of the cashew cream any way you fancy. I started from the center and made concentric circles with some berries I had left over from the night before. You could use different fruits like kiwi, or mango for more color and variety. Have fun and get creative!
When you are ready to serve, get ready to hear the “Oooh”s and “Ahhh”s! Slice, serve and enjoy!
Mel's Healthy Kitchen 