seeds

In Case You Forgot

/ Jodi / 46 Comments


In case you forgot to remind yourself this morning…

It’s a new day ready for fresh beginnings.

Your smile can light up a room.

Your beauty is way more than just your appearance.

You alone are more than enough.

You are doing a pretty awesome job at this thing called life.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS – I also need to remind myself of this, and these maple tree seedpods I fondly remember as “helicopters” from my childhood spring days at Grandma’s remind me of the hope each day brings and the beauty and potential we all have within just waiting to be shared.  

Cherish the Moments!

Goji Berry Energy Bars – A Super Food Snack

/ Jodi / 21 Comments

Goji Berry Energy Bars 3

So this is pretty out of character for this cookie-baking, haluski and halupki making – lover of all comfort foods – but it IS the new year –

and we ALL seem to go off on little kicks….

Well, my son, Nick has been making healthy breakfast smoothies lately, so we bought him a Super Food Smoothie cookbook to go with his new Ninja for Christmas, and we’ve been discussing super foods.

We decided to try some new things like Goji Berries and Chia Seeds, and Cacao Nibs and Maqui Berry Powder.

I’m not really big on drinking my breakfast.

I like something I can sink my teeth into.

So I found and tweaked a recipe for these healthy, tasty, energy bars that make a great breakfast or mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up snack.

Goji Berry Energy Bars 2

I love all the ingredients in them – almonds and walnuts and sunflower seeds with a bit of sweetness from the cacao and goji berries and dates.

Goji Berry Energy Bars

Who says healthy and good for you can’t be tasty and comforting!?

Give them a try.  Throw them in a ziploc in the freezer and grab when on the go!  Let me know what you think about them if you try.   And keep in mind, this recipe can be tweaked and improvised in many ways.  Change up the nuts or berries.  Use local honey instead of agave, whole wheat or coconut flour, raisins instead of dates.  The possibilities are endless.  Just like the taste!

Goji Berry Energy Bars a Super Food Snack

Ingredients:Goji Berry Energy Bars 3

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 12 dates
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 Tablespoons almond flour
  • ½ cup agave
  • ½ cups cocoa nibs
  • 1 cup goji berries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grind walnuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds in a food processor or Ninja or blender. Add the dates and pulse, making sure not to pulverize, but leaving some texture.

Pour into a mixing bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well.

Spread into an 8×8 baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes.

Cut into squares, and serve.  Freeze in Ziploc bag to maintain freshness and have on hand for snacks on the go.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

A Love Story…

/ Jodi / 19 Comments

woodpecker love affair

They are so romantic…
it is better than a rare love story film.

They each peck at the feed for a moment or two,
then meet up in the middle to peck each other.

You say one is feeding the other,
but I see them each feed themselves.

Some say why feed them in the summer
when they can find their own food.

But then I would miss this kissing…
Woodpeckers falling in love.

Cheers and Hugs and Woodpecker Kisses,
Jodi

This photo is being shared in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Off Season

PS  On my daily morning call with my Dad yesterday morning, I was telling him about how cute these woodpeckers are eating and “kissing.”  As we were talking, a woodpecker flew by him on his porch.  We were watching the woodpeckers at the same time in our homes an hour apart.  He asked, “Why haven’t we seen a picture of it yet?”  You see, he reads my blog every day, and we often talk about it.  So here it is Dad!  I ❤ You!