Apr 30, 2020

Peanut Butter & Banana bars

    Today is Thursday & I forgot what day it was. So, all my post were moved back by one day. Yesterday (in my original Tuesday post), I wrote about the benefits of eating banana. Today, I am going to share a recipe I found from Butter with a side of Bread. I knew for sure that I did not want to make banana bread or pancakes. When I made these, I had a large amount of chocolate chips & bananas. So, I started researching & found a few from this blog. I am going to try to make some other recipes soon but for now her is the recipe for the bars that I made.

Here is how my bars turned out:

I made these on last Thursday afternoon. I did change some measurements from the original recipe. I did use more chocolate chips & one less banana since I only had four at the house. I am going to try to make something this week involving all the oats I have.  More than likely, I will post it on IG at some point next week. So have a great Thursday & you will be seeing thoughts/quotes tomorrow.

Peace & Blessings, all!!

Apr 29, 2020

Fitness Tuesday on Wednesday: Health Benefits of Bananas

     


     And it is the last Wednesday of April. I can n0t believe that April is about to be over in 2 days. I posted this super late because I have lost track of all time at this point. Looks like our stay-at-home order ends on April 30th officially. Not sure how I feel about that at this point. Anywho, with all this time at home people have become randomly obsessed with bananas for some reason. I have seen banana pancakes, muffins, bread, & everything in between. I made some peanut butter & banana bars that I am going to share tomorrow.  

I thought I would share benefits of bananas since people are into eating them at the moment. Little known fact but according to the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United States, bananas are the most exported fresh fruit in the world. Bananas are high in sugar & carbohydrates (which is why you see many people not eat them when they are trying to do certain weight loss plans). Here are some more things to know about bananas:


-Full of potassium

According to the National Institutes of Health, one medium banana contains 422 milligrams of potassium, or about 12 percent of your daily value of the mineral. Potassium helps with your muscles contracting, nerves function, move nutrients into & waste out of cells, regulating your heartbeat, & regulate sodium in your body. It also flush excess heart-stressing sodium from your body through your urine Not getting enough potassium in your diet can cause an increase in blood pressure, kidney stones, & leave you feeling weak & tired, or even experience muscle cramps.

-Good for pre & post workout

Foods that contain natural sugars (carbohydrates) for energy & are not harsh on your stomach make for great pre-workout fuel. Bananas may be beneficial after your workout, too. One study from 2018 found that certain compounds and phytochemicals in bananas could play an effective role in reducing exercise-induced inflammation-which spurs muscle soreness-after a tough bout of endurance training.

-Bananas are rich in vitamin B6

Bananas contain nearly one third of your daily value of vitamin B6, which is important for brain development during pregnancy & enzyme reactions involved in metabolism. Most Americans don’t seem to fall short on their intake, but it doesn’t hurt to eat foods that are naturally rich in the nutrient.

-Bananas might keep your appetite in check

Eating a banana may help curb your cravings. A medium banana is about 100 calories. Bananas contain a type of fiber called resistant starch, aiding in helping managing your appetite by making you full.

-Easy to add into diet

Healthline adds that bananas are easy to add into your diet. Bananas make a great addition to yogurt, cereal & smoothies. Bananas are incredibly easy to eat & transport. They are usually well-tolerated & easily digested.

Tomorrow, I am going to share the banana bar recipe that I foun
d. Peace & blessings, all.

Apr 24, 2020

Thoughtful Thursday on Friday

     Wednesday & Thursday were busy for me so hence why this is going up on Friday, again. I had to take my car in to the dealership since there was a recall on the airbags. I would rather do it now knowing that there were not a large amount of people getting there care serviced. I know that things are still in this static state for most of us. Not going to lie, I never go to get into a rhythm with my days. It has been that way for a while though. 

There is not much going on except the usual: exercising, baking, cooking, writing some, & trying to read. Not sure if I am the only one but some of these books are a struggle to get through. May need to pick a new book, not sure if it is that or if I am burnt out on readying certain types of books. Here are some thoughts/quotes for today:










Since I have been cooking, baking, & doing some other things I am going to post on those. I know for sure that there will be at least one recipe a week for a while. I will also share some of the exercise clothes & products that I have been using recently from Amazon & other place. 

Peace & Blessings all, have a great weekend.

Apr 21, 2020

PBJ & Banana Smoothie

     Its Tuesday... Last week, I decided to stop eating crap & get back to eating better again. So, at this point all the days are running together. I think we are all at the point where we are all cooked out. Meaning, I think this is the most some people have used their kitchen. Personally, I have been cooking, baking, & making smoothies since the beginning of March. Smoothies are great for so many reasons.

At the moment, it is handy for a quick meal replacement. It is also a great way to incorporate different foods into one place. For example, I sometimes put Ginger, Chia seed, or Turmeric in mine depending on the day. Not going to lie, sometimes it is also easy to just throw a bunch of fruit together & call it a day. Here is one of the smoothies that I have been making recently:


Today's post is going to be short. I hope everyone is staying healthy & learning some new skills. Peace & blessings, have a great day!!!

Apr 16, 2020

Thoughtful Thursday

   And it is Thursday... Another week down, not sure how many more to go. I have been M.I.A for a bit because I had a little mini meltdown yesterday. It was over some stuff that has been building up for a minute. This whole situation has finally gotten to me. It is most definitely more the not being to go to bookstores, museums, & other places that I enjoy. The sense of not really feeling like I am not getting ahead with writing/creating/making any kind of leadway with what I want to do with this time too is nerve racking. I am finding ways to try to get back into a real schedule (which I have not had since December). Here are some quotes/ thoughts for today:










There is that saying "We are not defined by what happens to us but how we handle it". I think that is really accurate. Finding time to reflect is what I am going to do for the next few days & see how that goes.

Peace & Blessings all & have a great Thursday!!

Apr 9, 2020

Thoughtful Thursday

     And today Thursday is here. I think at this point, days & weeks are running together. It does not even feel like April. The weather has been super nice & warmer than it is suppose to be. Since not much is happening, here are some quotes for today:









Peace & Blessings, all! Have a great Thursday.

Apr 7, 2020

Fitness Tuesday:Foods to Boost your Immune System

 

     And it is Tuesday, the first Tuesday of April at that. If you would have asked anyone last year, even in January what April 2020 would look like, no one would have said what is happening right now. We are all having to slow down, that is one of the plus side of this whole situation. On top of that, it is the end of Flu season & the beginning of allergy season (which I know all too well).

With all that said. Today, I am going to talk about what you need to boost your immune system. Having a healthy immune system is important all the time but right now, it is particular vital. Here are some of the vitamins & minerals that you need to have for increased immunity (along with some other benefits of each) plus some of the foods to add into your diet:


-Vitamin C (Increases white blood cells, body does not store)

Kale
Citrus
Papaya
Spinach
Bell peppers
Kiwi
Garlic

-Vitamin E (Protects cells from damage, key for healthy skin & eyes)
Sunflower seeds
Broccoli
Spinach

-Vitamin A (plays a major role in skinall foods below contain beta-carotene)

Sweet Potatoes 
Carrots
Pumpkin
Squash
Garlic

-Vitamin D (Aids in regulating your body's natural defense mechanisms)

Tuna
Mackerel
Salmon
Eggs
Beef
Fortified cereal & milk
Mushrooms

-Iron (Increase in their daily energy levels, mental clarity and ability to focus, helping white blood cell production to fight bacteria)

Broccoli
Kale
Brown Rice
Beans
Red Meat
Fish

-Folate or Folic Acid (Helps produce & maintain new cells)
Beans
Spinach
Broccoli
Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Citrus Fruits

-Selenium (May help prevent cardiovascular disease, thyroid problems, & reduce the odds of come cancers)

Oats & barley 
Shellfish 
Whole Wheat pasta
Tofu

-Zinc ( Helps with hormone production, proper growth and repair, promotes normal digestion)
Pumpkin Seed
Ginger Root
Poultry
Fortified Cereal
Nuts
Pork


I know that is a lot of information up there. I have been trying to incorporate all these in my date everyday. Along with exercising at home, I have been feeling pretty good. During this time, we all need to try to take care of yourself mentally & physically. Peace & blessings, all. Have a great Tuesday!!!













Apr 2, 2020

Thoughtful Thursday

     And it is Thursday. Friday will be 21 days since they told people to stay at home was put in expect for the essential workers & if you need to go out to restock. We just ran out of toilet paper so all I could were the wipes, not actual toilet paper. At least it is something. I know that a lot of people are finally starting to come to the realization that this is not going to be two to three weeks but it is going to be at least two months. I think that there is a silver lining in this, not sure if many of us know what it is yet. I think all of us should have some appreciation for the time were are all given right now. Here are some quotes for today from Goodreads:




















 I know that there are many who are in the unemployment boat with me right now. This will be over eventually. We all just need to stay home unless you have to go out, stay positive, & know that this situation will pass. Peace & Blessings all. Stay blessed & safe out there.