Berry Lemon Muffins

I know, these aren't the greatest looking muffins ever, but they are delicious all the same! The muffins are the perfect blend of the tartness of the berries and the sourness of the lemon! They are perfectly moist and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup Coconut Flour
1 Tbs. Chia Seeds
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Lemon Zest
Pinch of Salt
3 Eggs
1/3 Cup Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Cup Frozen Berries

Start by whisking together the dry ingredients. Make sure that the Baking Soda doesn't clump up.

Next, beat the eggs and add to the bowl along with the lemon juice and coconut milk. Make sure to mix well!
Heat the coconut oil and honey together in the microwave and mix into batter.
Then fold in the frozen berries. The more you mix this the more color will come out of the berries, so keep this in mind! If you want a purple-ish batter like I did, mix fairly well. If you want to keep the colors separate, just fold to combine.

Grease a muffin tin and then scoop the batter into the molds. These muffins don't rise too much, so fill them fairly full.

Bake at 350 F for 30-35 mins. They smell so good while baking!

Once they are baked, let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and allowing to cool completely.

They are just simply delicious! A perfect spring and summer breakfast, snack or even dessert! I love how the berries just burst when you bite into them!

So, even if they aren't beautiful in looks, they really pack some yummy flavors!


Please share this post and this blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Stay tuned for more healthy post every Monday and Friday!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Getting Ready for Spring Part 3

  Spring is just around the corner, and even though its cold now, we will soon be breaking out the tank-tops and sundresses. My past posts have been about cleaning up the food-part of your life, but this post is different. A healthy diet is necessary but an active lifestyle is key to over-all health. Spring is about new beginnings for everything and everyone, and its a great time to start a healthy journey or take yours up a notch!

#1
Starting Your Active Lifestyle. This is easier, much easier, than it sounds!  Maybe you don't think you have time, the equipment, or know-how to workout or get active, but you don't need a lot of any of those! Being active can be accomplished in a number of ways! Like; parking your car out a little further from the store, walking or riding a bike to work or school(if you live near enough), or walking the dog. Working out doesn't have to take hours, 20 or 30 minutes is plenty! You don't need any equipment but your body to get results! I encourage you to take a few minutes to think about how you can incorporate working out into your day. I like the saying, 'If you have time for Facebook, you have to workout!' because it is true! Spring is a great time to jump start your active lifestyle because the weather is warmer and you can be outside a lot more, plus you want to look good in those short-sleeves and bathing suites right?

 #2
Kicking your Workouts up a notch. So, maybe you are already pretty active, but you are doing the same old thing everyday. Most people(including myself) are guilty or doing the same exercise everyday. Changing it up every week or so is very important to see results. Spring is a great time to try out new workouts or exercises. I know for myself, I am working on sculpting my arms to look good in tank-tops and short-sleeves. Also, its important to focus on the whole body, not just one part of it. I am not just lifting weights to try and tone my arms, but I am working my whole body with several different workouts. Here is a quick, full-body workout you can try to get ready for Spring!

50 Squat Jumps( Works the legs. Starting in a squat and jump, landing with bent knees, repeat.)
10 Push-ups (Works the chest, arms and core. Start in a Plank position and press up and down.)
10 Butterfly Crunches.( Works the thighs and core. With the legs in a lifted 'butterfly' position, and arms behind the head, bring you head to met your feet.)
50 Calf Raises (Works the Calves. Standing up straight, simple go on your tippy toes and the back down. repeat)
50 Bumble Bee Pulses (Works the shoulders and arms. Standing or sitting, hold your arms out to your side and pulse up and down)
50 Bunny Hops ( Works the legs. Bend your knees and start 'hopping' up and down in place)
50 Duck Squats (Works the legs. Start with you legs a little wider than your shoulders and your toes pointed out. Squat up and down.)

See? Working out doesn't have to take a lot of time, equipment or know-how! That workout is pretty simple, but repeating it a few times or pairing it with a run or some yoga can make it a full-blown exercise routine! Please be careful and only do this workout if you are able! I don't want you to get hurt!

I hope this post encourages you to be active and start a working out, or take your daily workouts up a notch! Getting Ready for Spring is exciting and fun for every part of your life! If you liked this post, check out my other Spring post (Getting Ready for Spring Part 1 and 2) and please share with a friend!

Pictures are from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Keep healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana

Getting Ready for Spring Part 2

  

With Spring just around the corner, its time to start getting ready for the warmer weather! Soon(hopefully!) we will be getting out the spring clothes, planting our garden and watching the grass and trees turn green!

My last post (Getting Ready for Spring Part 1) was all about cleaning out the fridge and pantry and getting rid of food you don't need or want and making sure that what you do have in your fridge and pantry matches your healthy lifestyle!
This post is going to be about cleaning up your diet and making some changes! It is so important to examine you diet every once in a while to make sure that you aren't missing something!

#1
Detox or Cleanses. Spring is a great time to do a bit of deep cleaning for your body. Its a fresh start for the trees, grass and animals, so why not for you? Going on a Cleanse or Detox is a great way to do this. They focus on flushing out the toxins that have built up in your body and allows your body to heal it's self. My family and I went on a week long cleanse roughly based on the book Clean and I saw some great changes! There are of course plenty of cleanses and detoxes out there so look around to find one that works for you! Going on a detox or cleanse can seem a bit complicated, but it is all worth it when you feel and look so much healthier! The first 2 days are the hardest in my opinion because you aren't used to it yet, but after that it is pretty smooth sailing! I encourage you to try a cleanse or detox( 3 days is even enough to get started!) and do some Spring Cleaning for your body!

 

#2
Making a Plan, Setting Goals. While Cleanses and Detoxes are a great way to jump start your healthy diet, maintaining can be a task in itself! Making a meal plan is a great way to stay on track because, with a meal planned, you are less likely to grab for an unhealthy option! It doesn't have to be all cooking at home, but making your own food is the best way to eat healthy. Having premade snacks and meals is perfect for those who eat most of their meals away from the house. Pick a day to make all the meals you need for the week. Setting goals is a great motivator to eat healthy because you want to reach your goals. A few goals of mine this season are; Participate in Meatless Monday, complete a cleanse program and add yoga to my workout routine. Once you make a meal plan  and set goals for yourself, you will see the effect they have on your health and you will feel so much better! Make it a goal to do some Spring Cleaning for your diet!


I hope this encourages you to do some Spring Cleaning for your diet and body. Once you experience the benefits of a healthy diet you will never go back! Please share this with a friend and look for 'Getting Ready for Spring Part 3'!

Keep  Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Pictures from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Getting Ready for Spring! Part 1

   March is here and Spring is just around the corner! I cannot believe time has flown by so fast! It seems like just yesterday is was the beginning of January! Now that the weather will (Hopefully!) be warming up its time to start planting the garden, get out the short-sleeves and get ready to welcome Spring!

I am going to do a 'Getting Ready for Spring' series and this is Part 1!

Clean out the Fridge and Pantry
Every one has heard of Spring Cleaning, and that is basically what this is, just for you food instead of your windows. For me, I feel like Spring is a new beginning, just like the New Year. A fresh new season to make some fresh new changes.

#1
Cleaning out the pantry is probably something we don't do enough. When we do clean it up I am always surprised at what we have in there! I suggest going through your dry goods and pulling out the items you haven't used or aren't going to use. Maybe you have things in there that, now that you have started your healthy journey, you don't need or want. Cereals and snack foods really get out of hand in my house. We buy snacks and never eat them or never finish a cereal box but never throw them out. They stack up and make the pantry look cluttered. Almost empty spice containers are frustrating too! You don't know you're out of something until you go to use it. Going through and cleaning up your pantry is a Spring Cleaning must-do for anyone. I don't know about you, but I love a clutter-free pantry!

#2
The fridge doesn't usually get as out-of-hand as the pantry, but it does get dirty! When veggies and fruit go bad and we don't realize it, they leave a yucky, stinky mess that is no fun to clean up. Going through the produce drawers in your fridge regularly is a great way to make sure this doesn't happen. Also, leftovers that don't get eaten quickly can go bad and cause a mess as well. Also, the shelves and drawers in your fridge can get pretty messy (believe me, ours get pretty dirty!) so cleaning them is something that should be in your list of to-dos. Having a clean fridge makes cooking and baking so much easier and it just makes me feel better to open the fridge and not see clutter! Add cleaning out your fridge to your Spring Cleaning list!

This is just one of the steps to take in getting ready for spring. Check back for Part 2 of this series soon!

Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana

photos from Free Digital Photos.net