I had fun making my instant oatmeal jars last night.  I love the idea of just adding hot coconut milk sealing the lid and allowing it to “cook” for 20 minutes, while I finish getting ready for the morning.

I am an oatmeal enthusiast. I eat it almost daily. Trust me, I have tried various ways to make my life easier regarding oatmeal.  I stopped eating instant oatmeal because it was cheaper to buy old fashion oats and make it myself with my toppings of choice.  I use to slave over the stove each morning.  As long as I watched the oatmeal closely the texture would come out good.  Often I over cooked my oatmeal or simply burnt it. Then I became fascinated with cooking the oatmeal in the crockpot.  I would cook enough to last the entire week. Crockpot oatmeal has a wonderful texture but it does not reheat well.

Recently, I was excited about a post I saw on the Clean Food Crush by Rachel Maser regarding instant oatmeal jars.  With the “instant” oatmeal jars I can add my old fashion oats and dried fruit and superfoods (chia seeds, flaxseed meal, hemp seeds) and get the perfect texture in 20 minutes each and every time.  I was so impressed with the texture, I literally went to my refrigerator, packaged a week supply of crock pot cooked oatmeal, packaged it up and gave it away to a friend.  I did allow him to try my new “instant” oatmeal with strawberries, chia seeds, sundried strawberries and he absolutely fell in love with the oatmeal.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Old fashion oats
1/4 cup unsweetened sun dried fruit (peaches, strawberries, bananas, raisins, coconut)       1 cup of SILK coconut milk (or liquid of choice)

Directions:

When you are ready for your oatmeal, add 1 cup of boiling hot coconut milk to a 12-16 oz mason jar.  Immediate cover the jar with the lid and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Next time I am going to make enough instant oatmeal jars for the month.

My life is forever changed by Instant Oatmeal Jars. I can save time and money.

What you will need:

4 oz unsweetened apple juice
4 oz water
1 cup of baby spinach
1 cup of frozen fruit mix (peaches, mangoes, grapes, pineapple, strawberries)
1/2 frozen banana (cut into 4 equal parts)
~10 frozen raspberries (divided into 4 and 6 berries)
1 scoop of Vanilla moringa protein powder*
1 TBSP Flaxseed Powder

Directions:
1. Add liquid, spinach, protein powder and flaxseed to the blender then blend.
2. Slowly add the frozen fruit medley, banana and 4 black berries then blend.
3. Once the fruit is evenly distributed, remove half of the smoothly into a glass. Then add the remaining 6 black berries.
4. Layer your two tone smoothie into your martini glass

This pink & green smoothie happened by accident. But I think I am going to have more of these accidents because I love the colors that were achieved with bananas, peaches, strawberries and spinach.

What you will need:
4 oz unsweetened apple juice
4 oz water
1 cup of baby spinach
1 cup of frozen peaches (about 4-5 pieces)
1/2 frozen banana (cut into 4 equal parts)
4 frozen strawberries
1/2 scoop of Vanilla moringa protein powder*
1 TBSP Flaxseed Meal

Blog website >>> wholisticallyimproveyou.com

*Moringa Oleifera has 92 naturally occurring nutrients, including antioxidants, essential amino acids, omegas 3, 6, and 9.

This coconut maple almond granola makes a delicious snack, yogurt topper or cereal with your choice of milk.  This granola is better than store bought granola because you are using wholesome, lactose free, gluten free, and heart smart ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil Spray
• 4 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1 cup unsalted dry roasted almond slivers (Trader Joe’s)
• 3/4 cup of organic virgin coconut oil (Costco)
• 3/4 cup of 100% pure honey or maple syrup
• 1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups of Vanilla Protein Powder (substitute with your preference)
• 1 cup of unsweetened golden raisins (omit for diabetics)
• 1 cup of dried cranberries (Trader Joe’s)

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 375 F
2. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven
3.  Spray the baking pan with spray oil
4.  In a large bowl mix oats, oat flour, almond, raisins and vanilla protein powder.
5.  In a small bowl mix all wet ingredients (melted coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla)
6. Pour the mixed wet ingredients on the dried ingredients and stir with your hands until well combined.
7.   Divide your mixture between two oiled pans and spread in an even layer.  Bake for 20 minutes, stir the granola, and switch the positions of the pans.  Bake for another 10 minutes until the oats are golden brown and the almonds look well toasted. Do not overcook.
8. Let the granola cool completely in the pans.   The granola may feel soft but will get crisp as they cool.  When completely cool, mix in the cranberries.

•  For my protein powder, I use Vi-Shape.  Vi-Shape, is a nutritious and filing meal replacement designed to help you lose weight, maintain your shape, and support lean muscle.  It is enriched with 25 additional health promoting vitamins and minerals to support your lean muscle mass, dietary fiber for colon health.  It has a perfect blend of whey and Non-GMO soy protein without soy isoflavones.  Vi Shape is lactose-free, gluten-free, heart smart, certified Kosher and with only <1 gram of sugar it is friendly toward those watching their sugar intake.  Vi-Shape is the “shake mix that tastes like cake mix”.

For more free recipes, join the 7-day clean eating challenge group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865874270176047/

Baked Buffalo Sirachi Wings

1 Family Pack of Chicken
2 TBSP Tone’s Cajun Seasoning
2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP McCormick’s Grill Mates Montreal Chicken
2 TBSP Italian Garlic Seasoning
2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp McCormick’s chipotle chili powder
1/2 cup 365 Wholefoods organic butter milk dressing
1/4 cup sirachi sauce
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 fresh lemon juice
sea salt to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Marinate the wings in the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and sea salt
3. Season both sides of your chicken wings with your spices
4. Place the wings a gallon zip lock bag then add your sirachi sauce and buttermilk.  Of course if you are on a dairy free diet then omit the buttermilk.  I imagine you could replace the buttermilk with coconut milk.
4. Place the wings in a baking pan, add about 1/2 cup of water.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil then bake the chicken for 1 hour for 60 minutes.
6.  Pour off the juice.  You may want to save the juice in a mason jar with the lid and store in the freezer.  This juice may be used for a soup dish later on in the week.  You could eat the wings like this but  I like my wings well done with a slight crisp.  I bake then broil my wings to dry out some of the juice and to get a slight crispy texture.
7. Bake your chicken for another 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
8.  Broil your chicken for another 5-10 minutes at 450 degrees F.

If you are cooking more than a family pack of wings you will need to cook bake the wings longer.  Start with 20 minutes for every pound of meat then bake until the chicken is done.  Then proceed with step 7 then 8.  If you just love sauce, then add more sirachi and buttemilk ranch dressing right before you broil the chicken.

When I first started participating in bootcamp and personal training, I did not appreciate the need for extra protein. Now that I am challenged to help young athletes gain healthy weight, I now understand you need more protein to build lean muscle mass.  Rigorous exercising can be really harsh on your muscles and cause a lot of wear and tear on your muscles.  It is important to consume a protein shake within 30 minutes after a work out. This helps to provide your muscles with the needed nutrients so they may repair and re-condition for the next work out.  If you fail to have a protein shake after a work out, you may be tempted to eat the first thing that you can get your hands on.  You’ll fall prey to something quick and easy, which typically includes junk food or fast food (e.g., hamburgers, french fries, pizza).

If you engage in rigorous physical activity 3-6 times a week, you will definitely need to consume more protein than a person who has a sedentary or “couch potato” lifestyle.  I strongly suggest that you work with a lifestyle transformation coach who offers customized meal plans and nutritional guidance to make sure you are receiving enough protein to meet the demands of your active lifestyle.

For a lifestyle transformation coach, click here:  http://www.wholisticallyimproveyou.com/wordpress

For more information on this topic, click this link >>>>  http://hiit-blog.dailyhiit.com/hiit-diet/protein/females-guide-taking-protein/

Cold pressed juicers yield better tasting and more nutritious juice than their centrifugal counterparts. However, even narrowing down to the cold pressed variety leaves you plenty of options.  

Please read this link regarding favorite cold press juicers.

http://www.coldpressedjuicer.com/

SATURDAY – HEALING DAY 5

Just as the enemy is relentlessly trying to distract and defeat us daily by attacking our families, our finances, our Peace, our Joy, our Faith, and our health…..God is Relentlessly Calling our attention to the TRUTH that His Word is the FINAL Answer. It’s up to us to choose…..ref: Joshua 24:15 – ….choose THIS day who you will believe. Too often we talk more about what the enemy is TRYING to do; when we should be walking in what God Has ALREADY Done.

God is STILL God…..He Will ALWAYS be God….there will NEVER be a board or committee that could EVER pass a vote to de-Throne Him. An Insurance company runs an add that says “fifteen minutes can save you….”. Let me encourage you today to know that “fifteen minutes in the Presence of The Lord can SAVE you….period. Let Him Heal you TODAY. I believe God that things are turning around for you today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Hear God:

“I AM GOD”

I Am God
I Will Heal
I Know EXACTLY…..
How you feel

I’ve Heard your Prayer
I’ve Seen EACH time you cry
I’ve also Heard
You ask Lord why

I created you
For my Glory
Trust in Me
I’ll change your story

I Am STILL the God of Miracles
No matter what you’ve been told
There’s NOTHING too hard for Me
I Will Make you Whole.

Mark 9:23 – Jesus Said; if you can JUST Believe….ALL things are Possible for those who Believe.

Exodus 23:25 – God Says; if you Honor me, I Will Bless your substance; and I Will See to it that ALL sickness be removed from your dwellings.