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Being Present

Being present and feeling life as I move through each moment of each day is allowing me to live in joy to its fullest and fills my heart with gratitude. I’m becoming more and more aware of how precious (and fleeting) life is. Connecting with nature, sharing in healthy relationships, being good to myself, and the abundance of blessings mysteriously making their way into my life affirms to me that God wants us to know happiness. He wants us to know and feel what is in his heart. If we focus on the “now”, there are so many ways we can feel God’s presence.

However you choose to pass your time, I hope you savor it; these moments truly are a gift from God.

 

 

Dedicated to my grandfather with love and gratitude.

Sharon – Embracing My Joy

Spicy Homemade Granola (Reaping the benefits of Mother Nature the Tasty Way!)

This is my first attempt at homemade granola. Once you have a basic recipe, adding ingredients you love makes it a little more special. It’s simple, quick to prepare, gluten free, and delicious!

Lately, I’ve been reading up on the health benefits of incorporating various herbs, spices, and essential oils into our lifestyle and diet. Little by little, I’ve been making small changes that are improving my health and well-being in big ways. Keeping this in mind, I picked some healthful spices for my first batch of granola. I hope you enjoy!

Here in New England, high humidity has been a daily occurrence so I’ve been working more anti-inflammatory ingredients into my diet whenever I can. Here’s the scoop:

The basic recipe:

2 1/2 cups of gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup all-natural unsalted smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup raw creamed honey

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, warm the peanut butter and honey, add the oats and vanilla and stir until mixed well.

A few add-ins to boost the health benefits:

1 tsp. cinnamon (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, may reduce the risk of heart disease)

1 tsp. ground powdered ginger (anti-inflammatory, digestive aid, boosts metabolism, may lower cholesterol, may lower risk of cancer, may improve brain function)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant)

2 tbsp. organic unsweetened shredded coconut (heart-healthy antioxidant rich in iron, protein, and manganese – essential for healthy bones)

1 single-serving box of raisins (good source of fiber, iron, and calcium)

Single layer on a sheet of parchment paper and bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring half-way through.

Bake up a batch and your house will smell divine!

There’s so much nutritional goodness available to us from mother nature and it feels good, both physically and mentally, to utilize what is given to us naturally to protect our bodies and our health.

I hope this inspires you to become more aware of how we can stay healthy the natural – and tasty – way!

 

I slightly modified the basic recipe found at http://www.kristineskitchenblog.com (Thank you, Kristine’s Kitchen!)

If you want to do your own research on the health benefits of herbs and spices, one of many websites available at our fingertips is http://www.healthline.com.