Overnight Oats

These overnight oats are a quick and easy breakfast, even on the go.  They're great for a psoriasis diet, heart health diet, weight loss, and more!  They're super good for you no matter what health regimen you follow.  They're great to jump start your metabolism in the morning and keep you full with less than 300 calories.

Even though I don't work outside the home, I still like to prep ahead for breakfast.  I'm just not a morning person..  I don't want to be cooking when I first wake up, and I find that I'm more likely to eat breakfast if I have it prepped and ready.  I like to prep ahead enough of these to last me the week, adding only the dry ingredients to the jar.  Then, each night, I add the almond milk to one for the next morning and leave it in the fridge overnight.  The next morning you can have them cold, right out of the fridge or heat them up.  I like to microwave mine for 45 seconds and add a couple teaspoons of  delicious homemade Coconut Honey Butter.  

For the Tablespoon of coconut and Tablespoon of almonds, you can easily substitute dried fruit and any other nut of your choice.  The flavor options are endless.  Some people like to add chocolate chips and such, but I prefer not to add candy-like ingredients.  Perhaps, dark chocolate wouldn't be so bad... occasionally.  However, on a regular basis, I would choose fruit and nuts to keep it as healthy as possible.  

You could also add in some healthy spices after microwaving.  Cinnamon is a great healthy example.  You could even add in some Pumpkin Spice seasoning.  How about some freshly grated ginger?  I can think of so many options.  In fact, I may do more on these in the future with some alternative variations, beyond the coconut and almonds in today's basic recipe.  Well, coconut and almonds are the basic for me at least.  This is my go-to recipe that is the standard in my book.  I do love some variations occasionally though, so watch for those a little later on.

Watch my Overnight Oats YouTube tutorial here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPo6TRJre5Q

Here's the recipe:
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OVERNIGHT OATS

TO A 1 CUP JAR ADD:

• 1/3 cup Oats (I used Old Fashioned Oats)..................................................100 calories
• 1/2 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed..........................................................................18 calories
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut (I used sweetened).............................................................35 calories
• 1 Tbsp. Almonds............................................................................................40 calories

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

• Add 1/2 cup Almond Milk (I used sweetened vanilla)....................................40 calories
• Refrigerate overnight.

THE MORNING OF:

• Eat cold or microwave on high 45 seconds
• Add 2 tsp. Coconut Honey Butter..................................................................60 calories
• *OR 1 tsp. Virgin Coconut Oil (40 cal.) & 1 tsp. Raw Honey (20 cal.)

   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .    . TOTAL:  293 CALORIES

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How easy is that?!  Now you've got no excuse not to have yourself a Healthie breakfast!

PRODUCT LINKS:

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Anchor Hocking Half Pint Jars (short):

http://bit.ly/2DqMscT

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Mainstays Regular Jar Lids:

http://bit.ly/2zy87LX

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Quaker Old Fashioned Oats:

http://bit.ly/2DpmYN7

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Great Value Ground Flax Seed:

http://bit.ly/2DpKM3p

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Great Value Sweetened Coconut:

http://bit.ly/2zxKFP4

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Great Value UNsweetened Coconut:

http://bit.ly/2zxjAvu

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Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds:

http://bit.ly/2DreCoa

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Virgin Coconut Oil:

http://bit.ly/2Dq1PlY

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Mountain Ridge Raw Honey (32 oz.):

http://bit.ly/2zzDsy5

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Mountain Ridge Raw Honey (18 oz.):

http://bit.ly/2zz5ObG

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*As a Rakuten Affiliate Partner I earn from qualifying purchases*

Did You Know Coconut Oil...?

The first in my series of "Did You Know...?" videos.  In these informative videos I will share a wealth of facts and benefits associated with individual healthy ingredients.  

Coconut Oil is my favorite ingredient of all time!  I use it for literally everything!  There are SO many benefits to coconut oil, there's no way I could list them all.  I didn't even get them all into the video.  But I did list MANY!!  Check it out!

Watch my YouTube video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzCTL0pZXxw&t=5s

Here's a link to the coconut oil I currently have: (Great deal too!):

http://linksynergy.walmart.com/fs-bin/click?id=IYK4XPy546U&subid=0&offerid=223073.1&type=10&tmpid=1082&RD_PARM1=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.walmart.com%252Fip%252FCoconut-Oil-Organic-2-PK-72-0-OZ%252F55504303

*As a Rakuten Affiliate Partner I earn from qualifying purchases*

Coconut Honey Butter

My first Healthie video is online!  My first video is Coconut Honey Butter.  It uses my very favorite ingredient of all time:  Virgin Coconut Oil!  It also uses another of my faves:  Raw Honey!  The best part is these are the only two ingredients.  It may be the easiest thing you've ever made.  

Watch my YouTube tutorial here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ8UiXg73TY

Here's the recipe:
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COCONUT HONEY BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 part Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1 part Raw Honey

(Make any size batch you want, as long as you use equal parts.)

DIRECTIONS:

• Add your honey to a jar.  
• Microwave the coconut oil on high power just until barely melted.  Even softened will work.  Just make sure you don't heat it beyond the point of just melted.  Heat can destroy the natural benefits of coconut oil.  But, you won't have to reach a high damaging temperature, as coconut oil melts at 76°F.  
• Whisk, stir, or add lid and shake, until combined.  Mixture will begin to emulsify as the coconut oil cools back down.

*DO NOT FEED HONEY TO INFANTS UNDER 1 YEAR OF AGE*

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That's it!  Could it be any simpler?  

Store at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate.  At cold refrigerator temperatures coconut oil will become too hard to spread and honey will crystallize.  

At room temperature, if it gets above the 76° melting point, the coconut oil may melt and cause the mixture to separate a little.  This is normal and can be expected.  No problem!  Just give it a quick stir to recombine before using.  

Coconut Honey Butter is absolutely delicious!  When the honey sweetens the coconut flavor of the oil, it's like candy!  Spread it on toast.  Add it to your morning oats (or other hot cereals).  Add it to smoothies.  Use it anywhere you would use regular honey butter.  OR do like I like to do sometimes..  just eat a spoonful right out of the jar!  It's that delicious.

Here's a great deal on virgin Coconut Oil:

http://linksynergy.walmart.com/fs-bin/click?id=IYK4XPy546U&subid=0&offerid=223073.1&type=10&tmpid=1082&RD_PARM1=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.walmart.com%252Fip%252FCoconut-Oil-Organic-2-PK-72-0-OZ%252F55504303

*As a Rakuten Affiliate Partner I earn from qualifying purchases*

Acquired Tastes ~ Learn to Love the Foods You Hate

We all deal with different health issues causing different symptoms on many different levels.  But no matter how different our health concerns may be, one thing that unifies them all is that the solution almost always begins with a healthy diet.  Eating right can at least minimize, and sometimes completely resolve certain health issues.  

But, eating right should not be temporary.  If we make temporary changes we'll see only temporary results.  Healthy eating must be a way of life.  This means eliminating CRAP food (C-carbonated, R-refined, A-artificial, P-processed) and adding new healthy options, which you may not yet have a taste for.  

That's what I want to talk about today.  The healthiest foods may be some that you've never had, or think that you don't like.  I encourage you to give it a little more time.  We instinctively reject the unfamiliar, but I promise you can acquire a taste for foods that you don't like at first.  Try preparing it a new way.  Some vegetables taste very different raw than cooked.  Try adding new seasonings.  A different flavor profile can change the dish entirely.  And if you've truly given it time and tried different options but you still don't like it, don't give up yet.  Try to "hide" it so that the food you don't like is masked by one that you do like.  

Bone broth is a wondrous superfood.  But guess what...  I don't much care for the taste of bone broth.  Guess what else...  That doesn't stop me from having lots of bone broth.  I use it as a base for soups, stews, and gravy.  I use it in mac'n'cheese, cornbread, dressing.  I sneak it into mashed potatoes.  Just get creative.  You'll find all sorts of ways to hide the goodness in.  I also hide turmeric whenever I can.  The health benefits are what matter and I'll find a way to love, like, maybe tolerate, or at least sneak in what my body needs. 

But the greatest of these is love.  So... back to trying to acquire a taste for it first.  When I first started my healthy lifestyle, I decided to add in lots of superfoods.  If it's something I need, I eat it.  Through this process, some things I didn't like at all have become some of my favorites!  The two that stand out most in my mind are fish and avocado.

We all know that the healthiest protein is probably salmon.  This one was difficult for me.  As a child, I couldn't stomach any sort of fish or seafood.  I just couldn't keep it down.  So, I completely stopped trying. I was just a person that doesn't eat fish.. simple as that.  But when I was pregnant with my first child I CRAVED FISH, so.. I ate fish.  My stomach handled it fine.  After the child was born, the cravings left.  I just considered it a pregnancy fluke and went back to being the person that doesn't eat fish...  Until 20+ years later when I decided to get healthy!  Since salmon is healthiest, I went straight for that.  It was a little strong for my taste but I was determined to love it for its health benefits.  I backed up and tried something milder, tilapia.  After all.. me and fish don't have such a great history.  I needed to ease into this.  Tilapia was the only fish I ate for over a year.  Then, I tried salmon again.  Not so bad this time, so I added it in occasionally.  After about a year of that, I switched it.  I ate salmon frequently, tilapia occasionally.  Another year later salmon is my #1 fish choice when I go shopping.  So please believe, you CAN love a food that you don't like (or even hate) at first.

Avocado is another favorite of mine.  Again, I didn't really care for it at first.  My assessment was "I can tolerate it for my health".  So I kept eating it and trying it in new ways.  I tried it raw; I tried it cooked; I tried it with different seasonings and food combinations.  One day I chopped it into taco salad and FELL IN LOVE!  I have since figured out that I prefer avocado raw and I like it on tacos, burgers, and salads.  I like quac, but I prefer it chunky, more like avocado salsa than a smooth puree.  Although, as my love for it progresses, I'm even starting to like plain pureed avocado as a spread.  Once you acquire the taste for it, you'll start to like it in more ways.  I now love foods that I had been merely tolerating. 

Whatever you have to do, find how you prefer each health food.  Don't give up too quickly and try lots of variations.  But again, if you can't like it... hide it!  Get those healthy foods in any way you can.  Your quality of life will improve exponentially!  

Let's get Healthie!     

~🦋

Welcome Healthies!

Welcome to my new blog!  My goal here is to get healthy and to do so by focusing on healthy lifestyle options and natural solutions to many health issues.  Natural is always always best!  I'll try to address a wide array of health issues, whether you need to lose weight, gain weight, exercise, boost your energy, or find natural solutions and home remedies for issues such as psoriasis, eczema, menopause, arthritis, heart health, etc.  Maybe you want/need to adhere to a specific type of diet such as low carb, low sodium, gluten free, clean eating...  We can address those too!  This is a sort of "self help" type of approach to living a healthy lifestyle.  I'm no health expert by any means, but I don't think I need to be.  I think that a healthy lifestyle is something anyone can accomplish.  I'm learning and  I want to share what I learn.  I hope to learn from you guys as well.  
You've already taught me a lot over in our Facebook Group Healthie Minds & Bodies.  

A few years ago I turned my life around with a new healthy lifestyle! I started eating healthy and was able to lose weight, gain energy, and just have a better quality of life overall. I reached my goal of losing 40 pounds just before my 40th birthday! It took about a year to lose and I kept it off for another year+ after that. Full disclosure: I'm now 43 and have gained it all back + 10 lbs. (😒Thanks Menopause) Oh, and also.. I have had scalp psoriasis for about 5 years and in the past few months have been developing new forms of psoriasis on many areas of my body. I use natural remedies to treat that as well, mainly virgin coconut oil. (As you get to know me, you'll learn that coconut oil is possibly my favorite thing on the planet.) My healthy lifestyle not only kept my weight under control, but it kept my psoriasis in check as well. To be honest, all these healthy things can get pricey and that played a role in my not sticking with it. But my weight and psoriasis are both demanding that I get back to treating my body right! Maybe we can explore some new, less expensive options..
Maybe some of you are experiencing the same things I am and could benefit from this as well. Maybe some of you have already had success and can offer some wisdom. And even for those who don't have weight trouble, psoriasis, or any such issues, it's still great to improve your health, increase your energy, and add years to your life! Right?! 

I hope you guys will come along with me on my Healthie journey!  If you want to stay up to date as I progress through this journey, be sure to add your email address to the "Follow by Email" and click SUBMIT here on the blog in the top right sidebar.  Feel free to subscribe to my Healthie YouTube channel where I will be posting videos of healthy recipes, natural home remedies, and more.  Subscribe now so you won't miss my first video! (or any other for that matter.)  Be sure to click the bell next to the subscribe button to get notifications when I upload videos.  Also join me on my other social media sites:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZbmUbnpfDLn9_8cGXMb2mQ  
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I'm excited to connect with you all.  Let's get Healthie!!  ~🦋