With all the extra dates I've had around the house these past few weeks I've been trying to find ways of creating yummy snacks with these super fruits. Dates are naturally sweet so they make a great healthier alternative for food sweetening and some of the benefits include digestive, skin, and cholesterol health to just name a few. This recent recipe was so easy it almost seems unreal. It can be altered to fit whatever taste you're desiring, and it's a great grab-and-go option for those busy days. ​

1. Before preparing the dates begin by melting the chocolate. You can do this in the microwave or on low heat over a stove burner. When I melt the chocolate on the stove I always put a little water in the pot to prevent the chocolate from hardening to the bottom. 
2. Cut the dates lengthwise down the middle.  
3. Stuff the date with your choice of stuffing. This time I stuffed the date with crunchy peanut butter and caramel, creating a snickers taste when finished. 
4. You can toast the date in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes but I am usually fine skipping this step and the date still taste delicious. If you toast the dates before coating with chocolate be sure to let them cool before applying the chocolate coating. 
5. Once the chocolate has melted, use a fork or toothpick to dip the stuffed date into the chocolate, completely covering the date. Set the covered date on a cooling plate and/or in the fridge to let the chocolate harden. 
6. Enjoy your deliciously simple to create treat! 

This latest recipe find has become the perfect addition to my bread obsession rotation. I'm always looking for healthier, new options to bake and recently most of my breads have used almond flour instead of wheat or white flour, but this recipe brings me right back to the whole-wheat/white flour combo that I've so traditionally loved. It hasn't disappointed and makes for a delicious afternoon treat, or side item to add to the breakfast plate. Just toast and top with a little melted butter and you have a delicious baked good that's unique and even on the healthier side of breads. 

Recipe: 

Ingredients: 
*3 Cups Flour: 1 1/2 C. of White Flour, 1 1/2 C. of Wheat Flour 
*1 1/4 Cups Rolled Oats
* 1 1/2 TBSP Baking Powder
*2 Tsp Salt
1 Egg
3 TBSP Syrup - we make ours homemade using Maple Syrup but any regular ol' syrup will do just fine. 
1/4 Cup Honey
1 1/2 Cup Milk 
1/4 Cup Medjool Pitted Dates (blended/chopped finely)
2 TBSP Coconut Oil 
​1 TBSP Brown Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Melt Coconut Oil in the bottom of a bread pan. Coat the sides and the bottom generously. You will likely have some oil leftover in the bottom. This is fine and will mix into the batter to create a crunchier finish on the bread. 
3. Mix the flour, rolled oats, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 
4. In a smaller bowl, mix together the egg, syrup, honey, milk and dates. 
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. 
6. Stir until moist and well mixed. 
7. Add mixture to the bread pan and sprinkle the brown sugar on the top of the batter.
8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

We are the Best's! Jo and Mo. We have been immensely blessed with many opportunities to see various parts of the world. We live an average, working life in Cambridge, MA but through our many opportunities have developed a passion to see the world. Our goal is to share with other desiring travelers different tips and experiences from around the world as we begin to check them off our bucket list.  If anything, we hope to provide a little sense of motivation and adventure to those wishing to embark on their own journey! ​

I have found, for me, that breakfast is the most challenging time of the day to try and eat healthy. I am, without a doubt, a breakfast gal! I love everything sweet - pancakes, waffles, muffins, crepes - you name it, I probably love it as long as it's sweet and breakfast-y.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good omelet, a bagel at times and even the traditional eggs, toast and a meat course, but I just can't pass up that sweet treat in the morning. 

When we started the Whole30 over a year ago I found breakfast to be my most challenging meal. I just craved and missed those sweet treats. 
After finishing Whole30 I still wanted to incorporate those healthier options into our meals, but didn't want to make some of our favorite food items taste dry or bland which many sweet treats will if they don't have that additional sugar. 
So, I began searching for a healthier waffle option. I tried a variation of recipes, used a variation of flours, sweeteners, and options but had finally just decided that for those splurge breakfasts of waffles and pancakes, the eating healthy thing was out of the question. Until I found the almond flour recipe. 
I will preface this by saying it's definitely not the same as those buttery, fluffy, sweet waffles that you can make from your grandmothers traditional waffle recipe. But, for a healthier option they are quite tasty and you don't feel as guilty after eating them. ​

1. As you are warming your waffle iron put a fair amount of coconut oil inside of the iron to help make sure the waffles don't stick to the bottom. The coconut oil also helps to provide a crispier finish. 
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl (almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt)
3. Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl (4 eggs, honey, vanilla) 
4. Once the ingredients are mixed well separately, mix the dry and the wet ingredients together well - making sure there are no clumps.
5. Pour the mixture, in portions (depending on size of your waffle iron) close the lid and wait until the light comes on or the sound dings letting you know that your healthier, perfect waffles are finished. 
6. Enjoy! 
We like to add fresh fruit and chopped nuts on top of the waffles. Some of our favorites include blueberries, bananas, strawberries and walnuts. 

1 Cup Boiling Water 
1/3 Warm Water
1 Cup Cold Water
1 TBLSP Active Dry Yeast
2 TBLSP Sugar
1 TBLSP Salt
1 TBLSP Butter
5 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Wheat Flour 
1 Egg
Salt to taste 
​Italian seasoning to taste 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
Sprinkle the active dry yeast into the warm water. 
Mix in the yeast until completely dissolved. 
In another bowl, mix the sugar, butter, and salt. 
Pour the Boiling Water over the sugar/butter mixture. 
Add in the cold water afterwards. 
Combine the yeast water mixture to the cold water/hot water mixture. 
Add at least 3 cups of all-purpose flour into the mixture. 
After stirring, mix in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour - dough will be nice and elastic. 
Once mixed, let the dough sit in a warm spot for five minutes. 
After the five minutes, place the dough on a cookie sheet or cutting board. 
Take a non-stick knife and cut the dough into 3 equal pieces and let the dough sit for another five minutes in a warm location. 
Begin shaping the dough. Put each piece of the dough into a rectangular shape - do not use a rolling pin. 
Fold one end of the dough over half of the dough. Then do the same thing with the other end. Then turn the dough over onto the cooking sheet so the folded side is facing the bottom. Shape the sides of the dough by tucking them under. 
Once this step has been complete for all three loaves, cut angled slits into the top of each loaf (about 1/2 inch). 
Whisk an egg in a bowl until frothed. Spread the egg mixture over the top of the bread making sure to get the mixture into the slits on the top. Sprinkle a bit of salt and italian seasoning on the top of the bread. You can also sprinkle cheese if you prefer. 
Place the loaves in the oven for about 15 minutes. This will get them to rise in warm heat. 
Leaving the loaves in oven, turn the oven up to 400 degrees after the 15 minutes. This time baking for approximately 16 minutes - until tops are golden and crisp. 
After this time, turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 10 minutes. 
Remove the loaves, let cool and ENJOY! 

*This recipe makes three LARGE loaves of bread. I typically use two cooking sheets to cook the three loaves because they expand so much in the oven. It is enough to feed a large family and their friends. 



This recipe derived from Life in the lofthouse blog. 

This is certainly not the healthiest of recipes but, we had this during a family weekend a few weeks ago and it has been on my mind since. With fall right around the corner, this is a winning recipe for those family events, football game tailgates or cool fall evening gatherings. It's easy, tasty, and surely one that will leave folks wanting more! 

1/3 Cup of Raw Cane Sugar 
1 1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon 
​1 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
2 Cans of Biscuits (16 oz) / you can also use Crescent Rolls 
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup of Butter (melted) 
1/2 Cup of Walnuts/ or / Pecans

~ Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
~ Lightly grease a bundt cake pan with butter
~ In a small bowl (some prefer to use a plastic bag) combine the Raw Cane Sugar, Nutmeg and Cinnamon 
~ Separate the Dough into pieces of preferred size (usually quarter sized) - shake/roll the Dough in the Sugar/Cinnamon mixture 
~ Arrange in the Cake Pan mixing the Nuts in while placing 
~ In a small bowl combine the Butter and Brown Sugar 
~ Pour on top of the Dough in the pan evenly  *If you can layer this while placing the Dough that will allow the mixture to seep into the middle pieces as well 
~ Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown with a slight crunch on the top. Let cool for 5 minutes 
~Eat & Enjoy!! 

Well, guys I have decided to accept another challenge. This is turning out to be the year of accepting challenges - squat challenge, reading challenge, now eating challenge. I'm a little nervous to see what else is in the works for me this year, but there's nothing like testing yourself and your limits. So, I say bring it on! 

I have been hearing non-stop about this Whole30 eating challenge that's been circulating my friends groups and social media. Now, I have never been one to diet or obsess over eating. Those who know me well know that I love nothing more than to grub on some yummy food. So, why I chose to accept this challenge of knocking out some of the yummiest foods from my menu for an entire month? I have no idea! But, here I am coming to the end of my first week of participating in the Whole30 challenge. Boy, it's going to be a long month. I'm excited, feeling good and always willing to accept a personal challenge - it's only 30 days, right?  

I've always been conscientious of my weight but more importantly the health of my body. Staying in shape, exercising, eating healthy (somewhat) and feeling good have always been the main goal. When it comes to looking thin and fitting into that size 0 I have never been one to approve or justify the whole "starving yourself" or "dieting" to support such gestures.

I strongly believe that God makes us all unique and especially as women it should be our right and goal to be proud of the body we are in as well as to encourage those around us to feel the same. The goal never should be - skinny - because of how others may judge you. It should always be -  to feel your best, and be in shape. If you're constantly filling your body with processed junk and sweets and never exercising you're going to simply feel bad and at that point it really doesn't matter if you're as skinny as a pole or as round as a pumpkin. How you feel on a day to day basis really should be THE priority.  

If we wanted to turn our health and careful discernment over our bodies into a biblical matter we could look at how God addresses multiple times the idea of being wise and making decisions that are healthy to our lives and bodies. In Romans 12:1-2 " Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and please to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" and Phillipians 3:19 " Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things" this idea of dependence on food and desires is shown. 

So, rant over, back on track..... when I first heard about the Whole30 challenge I thought, " Oh just another diet that won't give the results that people are looking for (referring to weight)." I brushed it off as just something silly - as I do most diet plans. However, I kept hearing from people that they felt so much better after just a few days on this plan. Many of my friends and acquaintances who were trying it were talking about how much more energy they had and how they felt less bloated. So, I became slightly interested.

I began doing my own research and quickly learned that the focus of the plan is not to diet and lose weight (although that may be an outcome). In fact, the goal of the plan is to feel better! To detox your body back to how it should be. I thought, I'm willing to try anything to rejuvenate my body and be healthier. So, why not give it a try? Plus, I always like trying these challenges. If I can make it through the entire 30 days it is an accomplishment in my book. 

I began doing all kinds of research on the Whole30 Program. There is a book out there but I routed to check out the website and multiple blogs for my information. Here's what I found out:

A. Don't look at a scale the entire 30 days. - This program is NOT about losing weight. It's important to remember that!
B. No Cheating - If you take a break and eat something outside the realm of the program it defeats the purpose of keeping your body away from those substances and you will not benefit as well. You can do it - only 30 days! 
C. Prep and Plan - Basically, that whole going into the fridge and grabbing the cheese and crackers because it's the most convenient thing is over! You will need to be well planned and prepped or else you will lose your mind! Trust me! 

Regularly ate items that I took out of my eating plan: 
Oatmeal, Honey, Syrups, Wine, Wheat, Corn, Rice, Cereal, Quinoa, Beans (this one was a surprise - I'll explain later), Milk, Soy Sauce, Cheese, Yogurt, Ice Cream, Pancakes, Waffles, Bread, Tortillas, Biscuits, Muffins, Cupcakes, Cookies, Brownies, Pizza, Potato Chips, French Fries

Not so regularly eaten items that I incorporated into my eating plan:
Beef, Tomatoes, Various Fruits, Salt

* Basically, my diet began to consist of lots of meat: Seafood (not a problem), Beef, Bacon, Eggs (already ate a lot of), Chicken, Fruits (I really had to branch out and try new things because eating the same three fruits can get pretty repetitive), Veggies (I was surprised that white, navy, black, kidney beans and peas were all eliminated. Many sources have discussed how healthy these are for you. But, they do contain starches. I will most likely add these back to my eating plan once the 30 days are up. )
​
The hardest items to eliminate for me were Corn, Rice, Cereal, Pancakes & Waffles, Bread and Tortillas. I have had many cravings for these throughout the course of this challenge so far.  

Questions/Thoughts throughout: 
 - When I first agreed to do the plan I thought it wouldn't be a problem at all. I decided that If we ate out with friends or went for a nice dinner out I would just not participate during that particular meal. No biggie, right? Well, as I started doing research I learned that it would completely defeat the purpose of the plan. The goal is not to lose weight, it's to see how your body responds when you take many of these items away. It's serving as a cleanser of sorts. So, that nixed that idea. I guess I'll have to participate fully now. 
​
- Beans were gone? I was very surprised when I learned many beans were not permitted. These included Kidney, black, navy, white, peas, chickpeas. In many health reports these beans have been shown to be a contributor to long living societies. 

Some recipes that I discovered I really liked this week:

Shrimp and Sausage Skillet 
Slow Cooker Beef Shanks 
Fruity/Wheat Grass Mixed Smoothie 
​Eggs and Salsa muffins

Some recipes that I discovered I really liked this week:

Purely Purple Smoothie
Pepper & Lime Chicken with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus 
Egg & Pepper Beef/Bacon Skillet
Breakfast Banana Muffins 

Third Week
I have officially completed three weeks of the Whole 30 challenge. This was really the first week that I felt physically different and I will admit I had some ups and downs with it. Towards the beginning of the week I felt very tired. I read that this can be pretty normal, especially around these days of the challenge. I also felt pretty weak and experienced some stomach discomfort. I read that these could be side effects as well. However, despite some of the side effects being less than desirable, I will say that I had never felt more encouraged to continue through with the program during this week. It was, in a way, reassuring to actually feel physical changes happening inside of me. By the end of the week I was beginning to feel back to normal and particularly more energized.
I will also vouch that I am very thankful for fellow bloggers and forums representing others who have gone through the Whole30 program. It is very encouraging and helpful to read about others who have, and are experiencing similar side effects and challenges and have shared their stories for others, like myself, to read. Thank you! 

Some recipes that I discovered I really liked this week: 

Grilled Pork Chops with green beans 
Potato Soup 
Lettuce Wrap Tacos 
​
Black Coffee with Cinnamon
I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how I was going to still enjoy coffee while on the Whole30. So, I bit the bullet and decided to try black coffee with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top. I LOVED it! Surprise, surprise! 

For me, this week was a challenging one. Not neccessarily because of the Whole30 Challenge but because it was my first week back at work while being on the Whole30 Challenge. I teach at a year-round school and had started the Whole30 Challenge while on track out. Therefore, I felt extra challenged to go back to work while still maintaining the program while returning to the demands, schedules and constant temptations of the sweets in the teachers lounge. I am here to tell you that not only is it possible to maintain, but actually EASIER than I had anticipated. 
The one rule for working while being on the Whole30 program is to plan ahead. I learned very quickly that if I was going to succeed I was going to need to have my meals prepped and planned the night before. 
As far as physical change notices, I didn't actually feel too different from how I had felt at the end of the week before. I felt energized, and healthy. Success! I did notice that I had lost a few pounds (or at least I felt like I had - remember, no looking at that scale)! I loved seeing, and feeling the changes that were actually happening. 

I absolutely LOVED the Whole30 program. It challenged me personally to stick to something and it made me feel great along the way. Being disciplined enough to stick with something for an extended length of time, in today's society, is always difficult and for me that was the biggest part of the battle. I wanted to prove that I could give up some of these foods and choices that weren't necessarily the best for me. Completing the Whole30 challenged allowed me to feel that accomplishment. It has been almost a week since I got off of the whole30 and I have NOT wanted to go back to eating the way I was before. Sure, I have had mental cravings just knowing that now I can go and drink that milkshake or eat those french fries. But, remembering the way I felt then compared to how I do now takes those temptations away completely. I highly recommend the program to anyone! It's only 30 days and I promise you will feel better, look better and mentally you will be stronger than you were 30 days prior.

Thank you for reading along with my 30 days. I would love to hear about your stories with the Whole30 program and get any feedback! 

This recipe was altered and originated from GlutenFreeHelp.info Blog . I was tired of eating just bacon and eggs in the morning. So, I went searching for solutions. It was great because it switched things up and really sort of fulfilled that flour fix I had been mixing while on the Whole30. 

​Ingredients: 
3 Ripe Bananas
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Eggs
2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour 
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg 
1/4 Tsp Clove

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line a muffin tin with olive oil or muffin liners
Mash bananas well 
Add all the other ingredients together and mix 
Scoop the muffin mixture evenly into the tins 
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through
Remove from Heat and Enjoy! 

Directions: 
​
Add 2 tsp of Whole30 approved cooking oil to skillet.
Sautee Onions, Peppers, Garlic and half of the Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt & Pepper over md. heat until translucent (about 5 minutes).
Remove vegetable mixture from pan & add the Ground Beef to the pan. Cook through (about 5-10 minutes) adding the rest of the cumin, chili powder and salt/pepper.
Drain fat and return the Vegetable mixture to pan.
Add diced tomatoes and let simmer from 5-30 minutes (the longer it sits, the more flavor there will be) Add the ground Beef mixture to Lettuce 


Eat and Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 
​
1/3 Cup Bacon Grease 
6-7 Large Potatoes 
1 Large Onion 
5 Large Garlic Cloves 
Salt (to taste) 
​7-8 Cups of Chicken Broth 
1 1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning 
Pepper (to taste)
Italian Sausage (topping) 

Directions: 
1. Mix the bacon grease in a large pot with the Potatoes, Onions, and Garlic. Add Salt (to taste as needed). 
2. Cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes until Potatoes are tender. 
3. Add the broth and seasonings - simmer for about 5 minutes 
4. Cook the sausage in a skillet over heat until cooked through
5. Keep warm and serve with the sausage and seasonings (to taste)