Healthy Vegan Gluten Free Granola

Anyone else try really hard to eat a healthy breakfast but get bored of the usual smoothie or juice? Pre-packaged cereals, even the organic ones, are usually filled with sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. I wanted something that was not only healthy but quick and delicious! This recipe works perfectly! You can store it in a mason jar and it will keep fresh longer than you will be able to keep it on the shelf!

 

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Combine the two together and make sure the dry is evenly coated with the wet. Once coated spread onto a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once it is cooled you can transfer to a sealed container for storing.

 

3 cups gluten free oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

5 Things That Will Make You Healthier and They Don't Include Foods or Exercise!

Are you trying your best to be healthy but finding that all those diets and exercise programs are more of a commitment than you are willing to make at this time? What if I told you that you could be working towards a healthier body WITHOUT changing your diet or exercise program? There is so much more to health than those two things alone yet that seems to be all the focus nowadays. I'm not saying that there aren't wonderful benefits to your precious body by what you put into it and how you move but I have a little secret that you may not have heard.....THERE IS MORE!

As i started my journey to health I focused mostly on food and some on exercise, I'm not a cardio junkie! Thankfully my journey has taken me through many ups and downs and twists and turns and I have learned so much in the process! I am going to share 5 SIMPLE things to add to your daily routine that can bring wellness to your life.

STEP 1
BODY BRUSHING
Have you heard of body brushing? If you haven't it is somewhat of a spa experience that you can do AT HOME! Body brushing helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface that give your skin a new and smooth feel but that is not the best part! It improves your circulation and lymphatic drainage which aids in detoxification! How awesome is that! With detoxification and circulation comes less cellulite! Who could use a little cellulite reduction? I know I could!

STEP 2
TONGUE SCRAPING
Here is another daily practice that you could easily add into your daily routine! Tongue scraping is an Ayurvedic practice that removes food particles, toxins, bacteria, and dead cells from your tongue. It takes seconds a day to do this and has the potential to greatly increase well-being! Did I mention it can also help in relieving food cravings? First thing in the morning scrape your tongue before you brush your teeth. Those few extra seconds will add so much to your health! Oh and say goodbye to halitosis!

STEP 3
MEDITATION
There's an old Zen saying, "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour". Our lives are busy, hectic to say the least! If you don't take the time to sit down and breathe you will never learn to let go of all that stress that you are accumulating. I suggest starting with 5 minutes a day. Everyone has 5 minutes! It's easy and there's really no right or wrong way. Focus on the breath, breath in and out and continue this for 5 minutes. You can work your way up to longer times and you may even enjoy it so much that you pass the 5 minute mark your first time! I always feel so much happier and relaxed after even only 5 minutes of meditation! So many of us are shallow breathers because of stress and anxiety and this exercise will flood your system with oxygen as you are actually focusing on the breath and not taking that beautiful breath for granted!

STEP 4
AFFIRMATIONS
How many of you have affirmations? Do you even know what one is? Affirmations are positive thinking that can boost you towards a better mental outlook AND better health! We will literally become what we believe we are! How do you feel about yourself? Do you think you are lazy, a poor eater, out of shape? By speaking positive affirmations to yourself daily, you can work towards clearing out all that negativity and creating a NEW, HEALTHIER YOU!! Start out by telling yourself each morning as you look in the mirror "I am healthy and happy". You can add to this with any areas that you are aware of that need work and build on each area. You will be amazed at the results!

STEP 5
READ
This one may sound a little strange to add into your routine as you may already be doing this but this one alone has changed my life completely! When I started my Health Coaching journey with IIN I learned from many health and wellness experts. Most of the schooling was lecture format with lots of info packed into an hour or so session and it was hard to retain most or any of it! I would search deeper than what was being offered to me and find any or all books authored by these experts and read until I couldn't read anymore! It's amazing how the health journey is guided and inspired by each and every book, bit of information, and expert you have learned from! If you have a specific health related issue find a book about that issue and read it! When you are done, find another. You will find that somehow the information that you are needing for healing will eventually fall into your lap! I believe this is what is called serendipity. It has has happened to me MANY times!

So, now that you have read the 5 things to add to your daily routine for better health, what do you think? Do these sound doable to you? If you are already on a special diet, or exercising regularly you will find that these are easier to stick with and that half the battle is conquered! With your body and your mind finding better health the more difficult tasks such as diet and exercise will surely come to you too.

Love and Blessings,
Jennifer