So it is day two of 2014 and the first day of “back-to-reality” for me. Winter break has come to and end and I am off to school this morning. I’ve just got to push through another half a year (with motivation from my purposes) and then graduation will be here in the blink of an eye I am sure. I am finally finished with sending out all my college apps (thank goodness!), but now the waiting game begins and it is already killing me! But this just reminds me that for 2014 I also want to be more mindful and present. I need to slow down, “unplug” (I really need to work on this big time), and savor each moment. You only live once and I feel like most of my days in 2013 we wasted with worries, stress, rush rush rushing (which was most of the time unnecessary), and I just want to have time to breathe now.
Since December 29th I have been taking just 5 minutes in the morning to meditate before I go downstairs to start breakfast. I turn off all lights, TV, sound (except I keep my fan on), I set my phone timer to 5 minutes, and turn that face down on the floor. I sit crossed-legged against the wall with my hands in my lap, eyes closed, and start to take deep breaths. I vary the breathing with different counts and different depths. I just focus on breathing, nothing else. I have been pretty good with keeping my mind focused on breathing and not something else that pops into my head. If it does I just push it to the side and tell myself I just need 5 simple minutes. I really like it even though I always scoffed at the idea of mediating, I think I could get used to this. It feels good after to slowly open my eyes and start the day with a little more peace. So I want to add this to my morning routine and keep it as a purpose for 2014. I think I can do it and I think I will majorly benefit! It has only been a few days, but I will do periodic updates on how it is going once I have hopefully stuck with it for awhile. I want to learn more about mediating now and have started doing some reading and research so we will see what happens (only good right?).
And I need to get back to reading real books again. I actually read more then I though I would this break which I am so happy about. My brother got me this great book and I am loving it so far. I forgot how good it felt to read a book and not a blog 😉 So anyway, segway now into some cookie talk! This is the dessert recipe I made for Christmas. It was the first time I have ever made cookies from scratch in my life and I think I nailed it! I loved them and they are so super healthy, soft, and delicious. So it is kind of hard to call them dessert, but we will just roll with it, right? They are totally vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly of course and full of clean real ingredients. I am talking quinoa flakes, pumpkin, unsweetened cocoa powder, and of course cinnamon 😉
Soft Spiced Cocoa Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients: (makes 9 medium cookies)
+ 3/4 Cup Quinoa Flakes
+ 1/4 Cup + 2 TB of GF All Purpose Flour (Buckwheat or Brown Rice would work lovely as well)
+ 2 TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
+ 1 Tsp Baking Powder
+ 4 Packets of Stevia
+ 1/2 Tsp Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract
+ 2 TB Unsweetened Almond Milk
+ 1/2 Cup Pure Pumpkin Puree
+ 1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger
+ 1 Tsp Cinnamon
+ 1/4 tsp Cloves
Directions:
+ Preheat the oven to 350°F.
+ In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together. Then add all the wet ingredients and stir to combine completely.
+ Form the dough into a large ball in the bowl and put the whole bowl in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
+ Next, prepare a greased baking pan. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll into balls. I made 9, but you could always make them larger or smaller, it is all up to you! Before placing each ball on the baking sheet flatten it a bit to form more of a disc.
+ Then place the baking pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Once done, remove the cookies and let them cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
I can’t even remember the last time I had eaten a real cookie. And I ate these three days in a row. So good and so healthy 😉 These are those type of cookies that can be eaten for breakfast too. I use all those ingredients for my pancakes, bakes, and quinoa flakes every morning anyway, this is just a new form and a secret between you and me when you serve them to others as “dessert”! 😉
And be ready for some really awesome things from the blog in the next coming months. I have a huge back load of recipes to share and post ideas (that still need to be written), but I am really excited to start sharing them with you! I am ready for great things and great changes. I have a feeling my memory jar is going to be bursting (and I am planning on writing something for each day as well).
So tell me:
Do you mediate or are you curious and want to start?
What was the last book you read?
Anything you want to see from me on the blog? Let me know in the comments or even shoot me an email @ strengthandsunshine@gmail.com, I would love to hear you thoughts and ideas!
Shonalika says
Ohh, these look so soft and mouth-meltingly yum! I’ve never come across quinoa flakes before – any potential sub?
I know you posted this a while back but I totally hear you on the meditation front – I find it really doesn’t matter how long I do it, so long as I DO do it, as opposed to just sit there with my eyes shut. You still get the same relaxed tranquil effect whether its five minutes or 40, although I do like to sometimes meditate for ages and ages – if only I had more time to do so! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
No, you could use quick cook oats, but quinoa flakes are really what you need.
Raia says
Hey Rebecca! Just stopping by to let you know I’m sharing this recipe as part of a Savoring Saturdays special. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with us – hope to see you back again in the new year! 🙂
http://raiasrecipes.com/2014/12/gluten-free-holiday-drinks-cookies.html
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you! (P.S. You wrote the name of my blog wrong in the post though, haha!)
Raia says
Oops! Haha. I guess that’s what I get for typing while watching YouTube. :p Thanks for letting me know!
cathy says
What a uniquesblend of flavors that come together to make a great looking cookie! All month long I am featuring different holiday cookie creations for my cookie countdown to Christmas! I would love it if you stopped by to check it out! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
It was a “unique” blend, but certainly worked out awesome!
Raia says
These look SO delicious! They were the most popular link at last weekend’s Savoring Saturdays, so we’re all featuring them this time around! Thanks so much for sharing with us every week, Rebecca! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Great! Thanks Raia!
Sarah @ Me Plus 3 TODAY says
Stopping by from the Saturday Soiree Blog Party. The cookies sound delicious! I’m not much of a baker, but they look like something I could try! Have a great night!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Well these are pretty damn non-baker friendly! Haha!
vegetarianmamma says
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entries to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
Hope your week is great! Can’t wait to see what you link up this week!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
strengthandsunshine says
Thanks Cindy! I’ll be sure to link up tomorrow 🙂
Jo-Lynne Shane {Musings of a Housewife} says
Ooooh don’t those sound and look good!
strengthandsunshine says
Thanks Jo-Lynne 🙂
akaleistar says
How yummy!
strengthandsunshine says
Thanks 🙂 XOXO
kristenk says
I love the idea of mediating! I used to wake up as late as possible and rush off to work in a hurry, but for the past few months I’ve been getting up earlier and slowly eating breakfast, reading blogs, etc. It’s nice to give myself time to unwind and have quiet time before driving in insane traffic and dealing with stress at work! I think I’m going to try meditating from now on!
strengthandsunshine says
Exactly! It gives you a calm starting point, even if just a few minutes, to collect yourself and focus. It is the perfect way to ease into the day and be a little more aware of how you are feeling 🙂
thesoulfulspoon says
What a great recipe! I will have to try this!:) I love your new morning habit. I do this at night, or something similar. I love it! I also will have to check that book out . I don’t read often enough myself either. Great recipe! Happy New Year to you!!!!
strengthandsunshine says
Thanks Heather! I am really liking the meditating, it is exactly what I need in my life 😉 Happy 2014 to you too!
Kate @KateMovingForward says
This may be a dumb question, but where do you get quinoa flakes and how are they different from regular quinoa?
strengthandsunshine says
It is just quinoa steam-rolled into flake form! Like Quinoa “quick-oats”. I use Ancient Harvest’s (as they are the only brand I have ever seen to make them!). I get mine on the organic/gluten-free aisle in my grocery but they are also in like every health food store, vitacost.com, iherb.com, swansonvitamins.com, you name it! They are so awesome and you have to try them 😉
Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves says
Yum! These look delicious! I love me some soft cookies 🙂
strengthandsunshine says
They came out perfect! I was scared they would be a disaster, haha!
jeneeno says
Cookies. Reading. Meditation. Sounds like I need to follow what you’re doing 🙂
strengthandsunshine says
You’ve got to make life the best it can be! 😉