Snack Time!

#1 Cake-batter snickerdoodles

Time for some BAKING!!!

Well...sometimes don't you just crave something sweet? I totally do at times!  Most of our sweet cravings come from when we aren't wanting to eat a lot of sweets, right?  Usually when we're dieting?  Well here are some "sweet tooth' cravings 'with' and 'without' a lot of sugar in them.

I've wandered through Pinterest a few times....okay maybe more than a few times, (totally addicting site, what can I say), but there's some great ideas out there.  I first found these cake-batter snicker-doodles, and while I've seen them before, I really just had to try them this time.  

That, and I was having a group get together for facial one night and I wanted to have some snacks available.  I also didn't want to be in the kitchen all-day preparing them.  So I found these four snacks that I literally made in under 2 hours. Which wasn't a huge chunk out out of my day and at least let me get some of my work done that I needed to do to prepare for my skin care class that night. 

#1: Cake-batter Snicker-doodles - they were really simple to make when you just want to whip us a late night snack.

#2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Then I wanted to make something that consisted of peanut butter and chocolate, something that tends to be a craving a little more often. What can I say...

#2:  Chocolate and Peanut Butter Sqaures - defiantly an amazing treat! 
         Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Awesomeness! 
Defiantly enjoyed by everyone!




Well, I thought after these two sugar-packed recipes I should go for something a little more on the healthy side. So I tried recipe number 3.

#3 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

#3: Chocolate chip cookie dough dip - AND YES! It actually is a HEALTHY snack!  You would never believe that it was, because you could pretty much sit down and eat the whole bowl of it. I took it to one of my parties and it defiantly was the hit of the night.  I served it  with graham crackers to spread the cookie dough.





Next, I really wanted to try another HEALTHY food, with brings me to....

Banana, Applesauce, Raisin Cookies

#4:  Banana, applesauce, raisin cookies - 

Yes, those are pretty much the main ingredients in this recipe. Plus, they are totally and completely sugar-free.  And if you're looking for a pretty decent sugar-free snack to quench your sweet tooth than this would be a good choice for you. 
About half the people I gave these to really enjoyed these cookies; although, on the other hand the other half of us thought the taste was okay, but couldn't get past the texture and chewiness of the cookie.   Maybe these cookies can be re-worked a little, for some of us. :-)

These were great fast and easy snacks and treats to prepare when you don't really want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and fun to make as well.   

Grace and Peace, 

You were meant for great things

Be Yourself!!!

As I was listening to one of my daily inspirational messages today, it was all about 'being yourself' and 'not comparing yourself to others.'  Here are a couple insights of ways to be yourself and who you were created to be.

1.  Find yourself and define yourself!
There's a great quote by Oscar Wilde, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken."

2.  Avoid fixating on the past and not letting yourself grow!
Don't be defined by your past errors, move forward to be someone new.

3.  STOP caring about how other people perceive you!
Some people will like you and some people won't. You have to be who you are!

4.  Be HONEST and OPEN!
Be willing to learn from your mistakes and grow from them.

5.  Relax!!!
Take a deep breath in and let it out....Don't worry about things.  Let it go! Surrender!
There's that old saying, to let go and let God!  Give your worries to God, let Him help you handle your problems and worries...trust me you'll feel so much better when you LET GO!

6.  Treat yourself as you would treat you best friend.
Would you say some of the things you say to yourself to you best friend...probably not.  So why put yourself down.  Instead build yourself up like you would build up your best friend.
I saw this saying a while ago, it says, STOP the negative thoughts...YOU are beautiful!  You were created for so much more than you ever know.  You were made for great things.

7.  Develop and Express your own individuality.
Be your own character.  Don't let other people characterize your own style.  Be different.  Be an individual. Choose your own style.  Be creative.  You are the only you!


8.  STOP comparing yourself to others!
Be your own person!  You were created unique.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

There's a quote I heard recently, "don't compare yourself to other people because God anoints us all in different ways' -- Joyce Meyer.

9.  Follow your own style.
You're special because you're unique! Be different!

AND....

10. Accept that some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.
Because sometimes things go your way and well....sometimes they don't; because as we all may know what happens to statues when a pigeon is above them.  Yeah, you can probably use you imagination to see that one.

Someone once said that there are 2 things you should know in life...ONE being the day you were born and TWO being the day you knew WHY.
Which leads me to the story that was told about The Pencil.  

Parable Of The Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. 

"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
     "One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
     "Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
     "Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
     "Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
     "And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what   the condition, you must continue to write."
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you.  Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
     One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
     Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
     Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
     Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
     And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.
Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.