Vanilla Coffee Creamer

I love coffee but I LOVE IT with a hint of vanilla. 

My downfall has always been those horrible store bought vanilla coffee creamers. Chalk full of I don't even know how to spell or pronounce the stuff. SO BAD. I stopped buying them all together, and when I make Bullet Proof Coffee I do not miss it at all. But some days I want variety and I don't want BFC. 

So today was one of those days. I wanted my gross coffee creamer bad.I decided to play around and made my own Vanilla Coffee Creamer. And it was AWESOME!

(sing it!) EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

I got it perfect the first try. Why I have never made my own before now I do not know. Why I have never looked on Pinterest is beyond me! I'm sure there are a gazillion DIY healthy Vanilla Coffee Creamer recipes out there. But for now, I am happy with what I created. 

First off I always use Half and Half in my tea and coffee. FULL FAT Half and Half! Don't ever drink low fat or non fat dairy. The process of removing the fat is no good for you. That is a discussion for another day. The TBS of real half and half will not make you fat. Get over that thinking already.

Secondly, always buy organic ingredients when possible. Your health is worth it! We need to eat clean as much as possible. You can make your own vanilla by boiling down a vanilla bean but I found organic Vanilla Extract is perfect for this.

Then lastly, instead of sugar I use honey. It adds a creamy nutty flavor you don't get with sugar. Plus is better for you! CHA CHING! Honey has antioxidant and cleansing properties for your body. Also, if you buy local organic honey to your area, it helps subdue your allergies. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 Tbs Half and Half
• 2 pinches or 1 dash of Vanilla Extract
• 1 full tsp Honey or to taste
• 1 big ol cup of joe

DIRECTIONS:

Add Vanilla, Honey and Cream to cup and stir. Add HOT coffee and stir some more!

ENJOY!!  Use less or minus of the ingredient to your liking. But all you need are these 3 ingredients and no more. As my son would say, "Easy Peasy"!

 This is MY perfect cup of vanilla coffee. 

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Eucalyptus Bath Salts

What's better than taking a long hot bath and relaxing? Having soothing, relaxing bath salts that actually help your body! Chemical and preservative free is just the extra bonus. This is the EASIEST DIY project ever! And so worth it. 3 ingredients, and it takes all of 5 minutes to make. 

Forget spending $15.00 at Bath and Body works! 

This is better, cheaper and healing.

1. Epson salts help relax your sore muscles, reduce any swelling and draws out toxins.
   
2. Baking soda soothes your skin.
   
3. Eucalyptus essential oil reminds me of the spa! And I love the spa! It's such a luxurious relaxing scent and it is one of my favorites. You may use any scent you enjoy most.
   

Ingredients:

• 2 Cup Epsom Salt 
• 3 Tablespoon Baking Soda 
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil 

Directions:

• Mix salt and soda in a large bowl. 
• Add Eucalyptus oil per your preference. Start with a few drops until you find the smell you desire. 
• Stir well. 
• Funnel into a bottle or any jar you choose.
  

This makes for an excellent gift idea as well. Inexpensive, healthy and luxurious.

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Dijon Vinaigrette

One of my favorite foods EVER is a good ol salad.

 I really could eat one every day. So many options you can't get bored. However the thing with salads is, you can ruin the nutritional value by using high fat, high calorie processed dressing. Most of the time when you order a salad out in a restaurant you will be getting a salad higher in fat and calories than if you ordered a hamburger! It's crazy. You need to have an arsenal of home made dressing recipes on hand for each of your moods. 

This one is a great versatile dressing for any kind of salad. Add this to a great pasta salad, or drizzled over sautéed or steamed veggies! It's a PERFECT addition!

MMMMMMMM I am getting hungry!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2.5 TBS Dijon Mustard
• 2 Cloves of chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp of Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/4 tsp of Black Pepper
• 5 TBS Exta-Virgin Olive Oil
  

DIRECTIONS:

 Mix Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Mustard, Garlic, Salt and Pepper in a small bowl; whisk.

Slowly add oil while whisking; Mixing well.

You can store left over dressing in an air tight container in the refrigerator. 

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Roasted Garbanzo Beans

Healthy snacking at its finest! I was a little wary about this snack when my friend started talking about it. But after seeing how much she loved them, I had to give it a try on my own. I found a yummy starter recipe on Eatingwell.com and revised it to my liking.

L O V E    A T   1 S T   B I T E

These are crunchy pieces full of flavor. 

I happen to add a lot of salt to make them even more cravable. MMMMM

All of a sudden I am seeing these sold at grocery stores everywhere. So with all the hype why not make your own? Healthier, cleaner, cheaper and you can make them the flavor YOU prefer. All in 30 minutes. 

Makes: 4 servings, 1/4 cup each

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-ounce can Organic Garbanzo Beans, rinsed
• 1 tbs Ghee, melted Or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat to 450°F.
• Rinse garbanzo beans clean and blot dry. 

• In a small bowl, add Garbanzo beans, melted Ghee, cumin, allspice and salt. Toss gently coating beans. 
• Place beans on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven on an upper rack. Not top rack. 
  
• Stir gently every 10 minutes. This will insure all beans are browned and crunchy. 
• Bake about 25 to 30 minutes. 
• Cool baking sheet for 5 minutes and ENJOY!
• Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  

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