Chai balls are a warming festive sweet snack that energize ✨ any table and that and goes well with tea… well, chai. These are easy NO BAKE. 🫖
These chai balls look like truffles (…yes?) and are as delicious, but are also anti-inflammatory healthy.
They are made from all plant-based ingredients. Recipe below. 🧡
Chai spice or tea is also Ayurvedic healthy and good for balancing Vata body mind type tendencies. You’ll know chai is good for your moods this season if you desire a cup. 😊
That’s Ayurveda in a nutshell as it leans in your natural preferences. And this applies to the modern West that meets traditional East.
Chai usually has cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, that will help warm up Kapha (winter) feelings.
And if you find the kind of chai tea bags or loose tea that has (black) pepper in its ingredients, you get additional health benefits.
Cardamom and pepper are an anti-inflammatory Wonder Twins pairing. Together, they’re activated (and you don’t need a magic ring 💍).
Another idea is I like a dash of cardamom coffee on those sluggish mornings for a little pick-me-up jolt.⚡️
Not to mention, adding cloves that’s at the top of the anti-inflammatory list.
With all those spices in chai, you’re doing yourself a world of good by helping protect against some chronic diseases (that could develop later down the road but take a hike instead).
The healthy molecules are meant to protect the plants they come from, and (us) humans benefit as final consumers.
I like to think of chai balls like a holiday Pfefferneusse cookie you would find at a Christmas Market, but does a world of good for your body. 🎄
…AND, you don’t have to travel anywhere and can make these sweet festive or holiday snacks in seconds.
Gathering the ingredients in your house is where the tasty effort will go if they’re already in your cupboard.
And if not, you can easily find and get them from your grocery source.
They are ingredients that can be used again and have long shelf-life…
They also make for seasonably warm drinks like cocoa and calming chai tea to name a few. And also molasses cake and simple cookie bakes that have worked for generations to bring smiles to faces no matter the situations. 🥮
…Which reminds me, I was near an old-fashioned Moravian baking oven and the simple and wholesome ingredients they used inspired me.
They’re the same healthy ingredients we have around today (maybe a little more pure without sprays).
And we can make these chai cookies with the Moravian baking spirit ✨ for our winter break, Christmas holidays, or daily reading. They’re fun and easy to share.
De-stress is highly called for during the thick of holiday season and looming year-end goal deadlines. Because stress can build up fast any day like a ton of bricks. And can go away just as quickly like a tumbling over Jenga set.
But these types of short-term stressors are different than life long-term stressors that often don’t have a quick ending resolve. You can use the 5 reminders below today to help you through your waiting process.
You can also use short-term de-stress feelings and the useful reminders throughout this article to help you with your long-term stress situations.
…Like for me, I use baking as a way to de-stress and relax after a work week. It keeps me on my toes, literally. I prepare a sweet table of goods and choux.
A healthy Greek yogurt tear-and-share raspberry-pistachio Paris Brest and lemon coconut choux.
…and you too can create your table to help shoo-away stress, and celebrate de-stress.
What isn’t so easy to de-stress restore is undercurrent effects and emotional turmoil stored in the mind-body coming from long-term stress that’s hard to identify.
Those are usually invisible sources which means they’re not as easy to pinpoint and process: like dreams unrealized or deep trauma.
…Or areas of life that haven’t gone the way you wanted.
But unlike long-term stress sources, short-term stresssources are easier to describe with people, things, work deadlines and tasks involved. They are temporary thorns to the side or lasting for a season that has an end (like holiday season end).
Experiencing those temporary stressors mean you’re alive, putting yourself out there, and trying in this life! 🎉
And your gained experiences coming out of stressful situations won’t go wasted in your future as they help you build resilience and adaptability (that make you more productive and joyful, not leaning in on the negative emotions).
Plus, you can productively use the short-term stress situations to de-stress feel-good when they’re immediately over.
Then your heart beats its normal speed again and you do a happy dance inside for your accomplishments. 🫀
…Like when you make a deadline and now the work is out of your hands.
…You feel lighter as the weight is lifted and you get a quick sigh of relief.
Those de-stress happy relief feelings can last for a day or weeks, but they gradually wear off.
But through the process of handling stressful situations and then experiencing them go away, that teaches us for the next time… that things will be okay.
And those lessons carry you to help handle the long-term stress situations that sit as elephants-in-the-room for any season, usually season after season. 🐘 🐘
They’re overhanging in this season of your (and my) life. The problem hasn’t resolved or the dream hasn’t transpired yet.
This can be a few things or big areas in your life…
…And I know how that goes because I started out without balance where I had wheel-of-life (real wheel) problems that felt like I was wrapped around tornadoes. 🌪️
But the problems… no matter what they were, became less problematic as I grew because I gained more experiences and resilience. I also prayed for answers. And my self-care wheel grew.
Eventually coming out of each of those tough situations taught me the most about how to handle stress better and embrace a better life meant for me.
…And your challenging areas in your life have grown you the most. ⛰️
Long-term Stressors are Your Future Dreams
Those long-term stressors from decades ago (that are still around 🐘) are setups for your future dreams realized. ✨
They are what will be your Future Life that has more meaning and purpose than how you started off as an adult.
They will be part of your destiny… and they will lead you away from a ho-hum life that you’re not meant to live.
The sweet spot for you today is to see them as part of a long-term plan and believe they are already yours in the future.
But wisely let them go now if the timing isn’t right.
One day the stars will align in perfect timing for those dreams manifested. Just know they are yours.
In that mindset, you keep going and growing in your life now.
Also, connect-the-dots and remind yourself that your big dreams are in your recurring problems. Yes, they are!
And when you find the blessing in your problems today, you bypass unnecessary stress.
The problems in disguise will deliver you to your dreams on the other side that will change shape, form, and clothes. 😊
Those tough areas of life today that don’t seem to have any resolve in sight can take many twists and turns, heart and headaches, and often many years to come to pass…
They’re the recurring situations that keep showing up as a thorn to your side when you least expect or hope would resolve.
But most likely, they fly in and out of your life and then disappear from view again. But they are not outta the picture, even though they’re not fully visible yet.
They re-appear from time to time as reminders to keep us humble and from doing things and making decisions that we would regret later on.
…And they’re the same thorns that are meant to be turned into victory roses (dreams) later down the destiny road on your designed path.
…No matter what age you are, you have those thorny dreams right now in your life.
You know exactly what your big dream is that has shown up before in some way you know, even if you’re still wondering.
And how you manage your long-term stressor feelings is going to affect your daily life outcomes, physical, and mental health.
…So stay curious, not furious.
The dream triggers and memory reminders are hints for you to keep dreaming about this are, like you do when you’re motivated to fulfill accomplishments.
Except these big dreams blow the little victories away.
Jobs and accolades you acquire will pale in comparison to your dream purpose in this life.
If your dream purpose didn’t show up again occasionally, you wouldn’t know it can be real or leave room for chances.
You wouldn’t be leaving room for the possibilities… where anything is possible in this life.
And this life is meant to be a big adventure (as none of us know the future).
The choice is yours as to whether you embrace that what happens to you is good for you (and not a bad setback).
Enjoy the ride!
I know sometimes that can be easier said than done (or may seem like pie-in-the-sky thinking)… so in those times, simply start by working on stressing less as nothing good comes from stressful feelings.
And, a good de-stress reminder is:
Remember to keep failing forward.
…Especially on your personal growth attempts (to be a better person).
And remember to keep trying because anything worth pursuing won’t be easy.
If it were easy, you’d never appreciate what you got because you didn’t work to get it.
And these are 5 good de-stress reminders to help you through the season and the holidays especially when long-term stressors show up or blow up again…
De-Stress Reminders Around Holidays
1.Get peace.
If it’s meant to be, it will happen.
Find your peace.
Right now, today, and in this moment your life deserves peace.
Both calm inner peace and peace about your decisions.
Use discernment for decisions needed to be made and clarity from baby or micro step actions forward.
You’re meant to live whole, loving, and healed today.
(The opposite of living in fear or feeling something inside you is missing or broken).
You’re not a victim to your circumstances… and you can break out of those feelings and mindset in your journey.
“Let the peace of God rule in your heart.” – Colossians 3:15
2.Congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come in your situation.
Reflect on how far you’ve come with your same and recurring stressful situations that used to be so painful in some way.
When you don’t care so much about the situations causing stress anymore as you once did, that’s a healthy move because you’re letting go (and letting light in).
You’re also naturally learning to de-stress some in the process.
Continue to live celebrating your internal wins daily while life is working things out in your favor for the aligned perfect timing. ✨
3.Believe in good things to come.
Believe that what you’re going through and have gone through (…maybe painfully) will help your situation in the end and on the other side. 🌈
Waiting, setbacks, disappointment, and delays now are purposefully setups for your comeback and life appointments.
You can be a victor now by changing your feelings, relaxing, and de-stressing.
Your waiting and what you’re going through now won’t last, but your dreams will come to pass and they will last!
4.Keep going forward and growing healthy.
Keep growing and learning despite your stressful situations.
Keep changing your thoughts to positive, loving ones.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” -Roman 12:2
Your other life-giving areas of your life are meant for this season. 🌱
Cherish them today, because they will change one day.
Use them to help you de-stress through your worry, thorn situations.
5.Keep a de-stress routine.
Find a way to de-stress every day.
I like a warm cup of tea. 🫖
I also do 4-7-8 breathing: inhaling in the gratitude and exhaling stressful negative energy.
When I felt the weight of my situations, I made sure to re-center myself back on my yoga mat and think about what I would be looking forward to later in the week and at nights.
Daily, I stay grateful for what I have in life as part of my habit stack routine. We all have things to be appreciative of in our lives… shoes and socks, showers, food, roof, lights, tea…
And my peaceful ritual every night is at 5:30 pm while working and I’m waiting for the daily sky show to light up.
Looking up and glancing out my western facing windows from my seat, I see the sky colors gradually change from day to night.
I do a little work and then look back up to see the dark rainbow colors change like an Aurora Borealis display.
Occasionally there are late afternoon storms. I find those cleansing. I appreciate the thunder claps and silvery pitter patter rain drops.
It’s not about the type of show I get, it’s about the day and night showing up for me that I take personally.
Every day like clockwork for a half-hour, I pause and a new painted sky happens, often in shades of purple, orange, blues and whites, and that reminds me that EVERYTHING will be all right as promised.
…the sunset show is my de-stress therapy for this season. 🌅 And maybe that’s something to embrace in your changing season.
Cocoa balls are a fun way to ring in the holidays. ✨They’re festive and healthy! And these shiny ones are made from dark cocoa and natural peanut butter. No baking needed.
Working in event planning for a decade, I learned to be creative with food to decorate a plate for events like this…
The ingredients are simply rolled up and then dipped in melted dark chocolate… and then zhughed with some fun nonpareils. The recipe is below. ❣️
…I love how a little uniform tiny confectionary dots can add a smile that reminds me of childhood innocence. I’m easily amused. 😊
Old-fashioned nonpareils bring a nice, FUN texture candy crunch or sprinkle to a party table. I’m sure Girl Meets Farm Molly Yeh would agree with me. 🥳
And their perfectly round shape balance an imperfect confectionary creation for us imperfect humans.
We can put our own stamps on these cocoa balls.
These ones could have been cocoa powder dusted (like a chocolate truffle) with a dry look.
But I think the step of giving a tempered chocolate coating-look bring some added happy temperaments. 😋
Getting a best melted chocolate coating without making a ganache is seconds-easy, and healthy with plant-based ingredients like dark chocolate that’s also anti-inflammatory healthy.
Then you can roll these cocoa balls into their fun paper candy holders that are ready to be shared or popped in your mouth.
…I guess you could say these please the girl scrapbooker in me that likes anything paper and dainty you could use for parties! 🎊 A piñata and a few balloons never hurt either! 🎈
Then with any extra melted chocolate you have leftover, while still wet and room temperature, you can mix in peanuts, raisins, other nuts, or dried fruits to make a healthy snack or plate decoration.
And this type of festive Fiesta plate can be one of your dessert table centerpieces that you can make in advance and set out.
For parties, it’s always good to make more than you think you will need, so you can plate up quickly if needed.
And actually, I could’ve turned this plate into a decorative wreath piping in green leaves and red accents or adding mint leaves and glace maraschino cherries like on this Christmas bundt cake if I wanted to get all decked out. 🍒
Another simple and festive no-bake recipe you can add to your festive table is mint chocolate biscuits.
Frozen cocoa beverage…whaattt? Cold cocoa (vs hot cocoa) is probably not what you think of when you think of cozy Christmas-y holiday vibe drinks in December. ❄️
And not a beverage you would hold with mittens around a dreamy outdoor cozy fire.
…But before you turn away the idea, a frozen HYGGE-cozy flavored and FUN layered cocoa variety can be a welcomed chiller! 🧊 Think of it like an unusual frozen smoothie. And that is great for cooling any stress-irritated moods that can sink in.
Like this one I share how to easily make…
…It’s layered, and looking like a sand art glass (yes?). And one you can imagine maybe finding at a Christmas market or art show.
Oh, except this one is deliciously drinkable made with drink slip away ingredients (and not slipping sand)! 🧋
And this frozen cocoa beverage is inspired by dairy-free spumoni ice cream flavors dreamt up from a childhood travel experience in Italy. 🇮🇹
Each layer is frozen and when the drink melts, it’s more fun to watch than a snowman melting. ☃️
You can use anti-inflammatory cocoa like I did with Hershey 100% raw cocoa, and then layer with cherry juice… and then add almond milk with a few drops of Pandan (for natural mint green color) and pistachios.
If you’ve never tasted Pandan 🌱, it’s a plant-based ingredient with a vanilla-nutty vibe that taste mixes well with plant-based milks like almond or cashew milk.
For healthy cocoa, instead of going to the cocoa mix beverage aisle of the grocery store, visit the baking or seasonal aisles instead to find the pure multi-purpose cocoa.
The cocoa can be used to make a drink like hot or cold cocoa, or used to bake with and make desserts like healthy chocolate cake, brownies, and cookies.
You want to find an unsweetened, raw cocoa that is not alkalized (processed or Dutched cocoa) for the healthy tastes. And this is the best kind to bake with too!
Most marketed drinking cocoa coming in packets or pouches with the options of marshmallows are the processed kind often loaded with sugar.
You can always sweet treat yourself with marshmallows (sugar) ontop at the end. Or simply zhugh with coconut chips or pistachio crumbles.
And then after you’ve made your frozen cocoa beverage artwork 😁, you can serve with cocoa desserts like this cocoa brownie cake with cashews and dried raspberries.
Which btw, polyphenol-rich cocoa and raspberries are an anti-inflammatory power couple.
…But me-thinks 🧒🏻 that a frozen cocoa beverage is just what these healthy un-iced and faceless molasses gingerbread men ordered. The mystery remains… 😊
Lemon cookies are one tasty way to brighten up your holiday and Christmas cookie baking fun. 🎄
At first, it may sound strange to bake in lemon during the holidays.
…Because when we think of Christmas cookies, we traditionally think of chocolate, pistachio, or spices for Christmas-y vibes… and not summery lemon-y ones.
…But actually lemon is a winter fruit as most citrus fruits are.
Tip: you can buy lemons in the grocery stores in the winter months and freeze them for year-round use. You can save money this way as lemons are abundant in winter and when their price falls.
And these two healthy-inspired lemon cookies warm up the holiday baking season and festivities…
How to make these lemon strawberry and lemon rosemary cookies are step-by-step below… ⬇️
…So now that we’ve established lemons 🍋 are great, tasty year-round ingredients, they’re also super healthy.
Lemons are loaded with Vitamin C and full of limonene that’s an antioxidant.
And not only body healthy, the sunny lemon yellow is going to put anyone in a good happy mood… while brightening up tastes.
…Just ask those in the Mediterranean regions where cooking lemon into the daily diet for longevity reasons is a happy way of life.
Healthy Lemon Cookies
And so… in search of making one happy, anti-inflammatory lemon cookie, I was inspired by using healthy oils (no butter) and more healthy, natural sugar sources that have vitamins.
…But that was waayyy before I started baking all of my own sweets including cookies (my favorite!) for consumption…
Actually, I used to play a game with myself in the cookie grocery store aisle where I would find the healthiest cookie in a package with the smallest amount of sugar for the tastiest effect.
That was how I defined high cookie value.
Those were the day before I discovered how easy it is to bake your own cookies (that’s faster than if you go to the store and back).
And if you’re trying to lower your sugar intake (that’s a good idea! 💡) but love cookies, tart lemon is a great ingredient dimension add to cookies so the focus isn’t on sugar.
…The sour taste buds are doing a front row Radio City Rockettes happy dance with the secondary sweet buds behind. 👯
Like in this celebrational plate of healthy cookies with a strawberry lemon drizzle dessert surprise (made of Greek yogurt and buffalo mozzarella) in the middle.
Clockwise from left to right: lemon strawberry cookie, lemon almond thyme cookie, spiced cookie
Baking in healthy ingredients is anti-inflammatory for skin and gut heath.
And making a cookie without butter or white sugar of any kind — that’s also deliciously tasty, holds together, and is crunchy (wow, that’s a mouthful!) — similar to store-bought cookies, is a dream come true! 💕 ..
And these lemon cookies with strawberries 🍓 fit the bill. They’re zesty and sweet in every way…
…Maybe that’s where zest-for-life came from?
And you can make lemon cookies like these with mostly healthy ground almond flour where you can save money by chopping your own whole almonds with a machine.
Recipe below.👇
…Or you can make a thyme-rosemary lemon cookie that’s Mediterranean-diet-lemon-and-olive oil healthy.
Since you’re using oil instead of butter for this cookie, you don’t need to refrigerate or cool the dough before rolling out as an added bonus.
For the flour for those lemon cookies, use gluten-free flour like coconut or almond flour (again).
And for the sweetness, use a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup.
Those sweet ingredients also act as binders along with the olive oil. Honey is great for moisturizing in dry, winter months and maple syrup for cooling down in hot months. But either are great year-round!
You can measure the healthy EVOO, but it’s much more fun if you look at cookie making as a new adventure like the wonder you had as a kid. 💭
…In your wonder, you can take a cup of flour and make a mound. Then, make a small well in the middle (like you would if you were making pasta) and add a tablespoon of olive oil in the well and start combining… and see what happens.
You’ll probably see that you need more oil to hold the flour together.
Try another tablespoon of EVOO. Then add a tablespoon of honey (or maple syrup).
Then add lemon zest from one lemon, and you can also add your herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Keep combining and adding a little bit more of the ingredient amount you need, like more olive oil…
Cookies are super forgiving. 😋
When the cookie dough can hold together with crumbly bits falling off, that’s when you know you will have a good cookie crunch when fully baked.
Place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top of your dough, and roll out the dough (or flatten dough with the palm of your hand for imperfect cookies).
Then you can form your cookies into the shape you like by hand or cookie cutters.
Bake on 325°F on the higher baking shelf for about 12 minutes. I like to flip the cookies (from bottom to top) about 5 minutes before they’re done so they are baked more even as the bottoms get brown faster.
Lemon cookies also tend to burn quicker than darker color cookies like gingerbread cookies, another favorite for this ‘lil Miss Cookie Monster! 😋
Use a chopping processor machine to chop almonds to a fine almond flour or use store-bought almond flour. Combine with all ingredients except bench flour to make the cookie dough.
Add bench flour to your working surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes and add to a baking cookie sheet with a non-stick surface (Silpat or use baking spray).
Bake on 325°F for about 12 minutes or until sides are golden brown.
They also make for seasonably warm drinks like cocoa and calming chai tea to name a few. And also molasses cake and simple cookie bakes that have worked for generations to bring smiles to faces no matter the situations. 🥮
