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.
ADHD is a way to describe the unfocused nature that Ayurvedic Vata minds possess that we accept as part of us. But we don’t have to lean into the negative parts…
This “Be Kind” note-to-self message wall. 💕
We can be kind to ourselves.
Because ADHD symptoms usually shows up as inattentiveness, unfocused concentration, and scatter-brained thinking.
ADHD usually shows up as impulsive behaviors and actions that don’t match up with what’s said. That leaves a trail of of regretful, bad decisions.
Blame brain hyperactivity. 🧠
Those descriptors can describe a lot of what’s happening in people and culture today.
But you can learn to express yourself in better ways, so you’re not living this undesired way.
You can exchange a jumpy brain that makes you want to hop around, and instead embrace thinking with a higher, spiritual lens.
As complicated as the gray matter is that we have inside us, we don’t know what causes ADHD in our evolved world.
But it is curable and the symptoms can be minimized with better ways like self-control and optimizing any brain fog that is often spiritual.
Whether the ADHD descriptive symptom traits describe your tendencies, loved ones, or those you work with, being aware can help your spiritual journey in life. And at the very least, your personal growth.
This article is about how you can use ADHD tendencies to your benefit and push you into growth that a presently mindful and spiritual-tuned up life does.
You can improve your self-control that develops patience and taking wise actions that produce better life results (than the initial ones that would have been from acting in default ADHD ways).
An example of self-control is like waiting to buy something… to allow time to know whether you really want or desire the thing later on, or if it’s just a fleeting impulsive feeling to make you a happy for a few days that you and your wallet will regret.
First off, there are many ways to look at ADHD. You could be born with anxious tendencies like dominant Vatas (in Ayurvedic terms).
In case you think that’s not you, we all have some traces of Vata in us like in our worry thoughts that’s a form of anxiety but in the mind.
ADHD is also correlated with anxiety. So you can see from that one example, an intersecting crossing Venn diagram path that makes us all susceptible to those ADHD described ways.
…But ADHD of that kind IS curable with more love to conquer fear that anxiety and worry are rooted in.
And exercising self-control from creeping-in fear feelings is the best way to the cure. Stop it at the entrance gate.
Peace is a form of self-control.
I was reminded of peace and love when I was posing in Prague up against the Lennon Wall representing “All You Need Is Love” (that originally came about during a time of war and upheavals)… Fear is the opposite of love.
…I remember the song from the Yellow Submarine record album 💿 I listened to on a record player as a child… in case you’re a Beatles fan or love record players?
Fear is at the core of causes of war in people.
Fear is also primal and makes you act and react for survival, but is not needed for most daily live happenings. And fear drives bad decisions.
So for starters, running away from those fear-based thoughts in safe situations will help you get a better handle on ADHD symptoms as you align with your calm and loving sides.
From my own early-on past experiences, I know an unsafe life situation caused me to have an anxiety or panic attack.
That type of anxiety reaction can cause you to freeze as your body takes on uncontrollable body sensations like heart palpitations.
And similarly, ADHD can dominate your life in an uncontrollable, shocking way when you least expect..
At least temporarily. And that can lead to unexplainable behaviors.
The best way is to be informed or self-aware.
Coming out of your situations, if you focus on the positives or what you learned that can help you in the future, you gain more clarity and ideas for changes you can make to your life that’s part of spiritual growth.
The Universe helps to meets you there, where you are, and where you will be.
…Maybe that’s on your yoga mat or quiet space before making big decisions. 🧘🏻♀️
Breathwork and aware-mindfulness can help take the edge off.
These are powerfully spiritual built-in ways we have to handle calming ourselves that also helps ADHD.
You can help draw yourself to the present moment space that makes you more self-aware and deeply aware of your inner self as part of the journey toward spiritual growth.
At the very least you’re moving away from negative energy in present moment awareness.
And that carries into your day.
…That’s not coincidence.
That’s the energy you carry that radiates into the world and back to you like a boomerang and attracts the things and right people into your life. ✨
The Law of Attraction is a spiritual lens.
So, baby step one can be:find a positive in any situation that appears negative overall.
The reframing habit is life-giving.
And giving life in the present is a gift.
It can help free you from closely-tied worry and fear-based thoughts that exacerbate ADHD.
Those thoughts start in the unconscious or subconscious mind and affect the body in emotions and physical stress-inflammation, if not protected.
…And produce scattered thoughts, unclarity, and worsen ADHD symptoms.
But you can de-sensitize from the emotional drama the ego mind wants to pull you into.
…I know that’s not easy because ego is the equivalent of having a bullhorn in your ear without the physical object as a visual. 📢.
But if you exercise vigilant awareness and self-control effort, you can re-route your thoughts and put yourself in the healthy mindset and actions that will help bypass the negative and recurring mind spin cycle that’s often found in ADHD occurrences.
Because we don’t generate all our thoughts. 💭
The subsconscious ego rooted inside all of us will rip positives and blow up negative energy. It will have a field day with your thoughts if you allow.
And ADHD is a perfect platform for ego to thrive in.
And that’s not a field trip any of us want to take.
So exercising self-control and keeping aware and alert in your mind’s eyes will change that trajectory! 👀 Be on guard to witness your thoughts as an observer.
Don’t let the mind just wander or you’ll be walking around with a cloud over your head (not fully present). And that can lead to bad ADHD impulsive decisions.
There are simple things you can do: pray, take walks and warm showers, do yoga, pay attention to nature outside, and listen to warm, feel-good music that inspires you.
Shake it off!
By slowly doing the things that restore Ayurvedic mind-body balance, you can bounce back faster.
And then on one ordinary hour, the sun will appear back out. ☀️
That’s how you can also help any ADHD symptoms along.
Exercise self-control and purposefully walk away and distract yourself in a healthy way.
Have a calming and inspiring activity ready to go like journaling or knitting so you don’t do something impulsive you’ll regret.
That’s positive self-control.
And then you may just discover a new passion or path that’s also part of your spiritual growth.
You can purposefully open doors to learn something new.
A visual would be like the American TV game show, The Price is Right, where a game’s winning answer is usually covered.
After contestants shout out an answer, they learn quickly if it’s the right one… and sometimes they get to try again.
Similarly, stepping out into spiritual faith is when you don’t see but believe that there is a blueprint on your life already planned out.
Landing on the right ones is a matter of timing and trying like you would do in playing joyful games.
Strengthening your faith, you can call up the better (non-ADHD) ways automatically served up by the mind.
Freedom comes from calling out and knowing what you’re facing and getting answers spiritually already inside you waiting for your response.
Literally, you can call out, “I have ADHD” and that’s liberating because now your spirit can help you in awareness, meeting you where you are.
And in our Universe, most people accept ADHD and know what that generally is so they will understand if you act funny and can even sympathize and joke with you about it to help you get through moments.
Making it (ADHD) okay allows less stress into your life and especially in a more sympathetic world that we now live in than from the past where vulnerability sharing was frowned upon.
Today, you can surround yourself with forgiveness and start with forgiving yourself for your quirky abilities that make you uniquely you.
…And finally, slow down.
Remember the old saying that it’s about the (quality) moments that take your breath away and not how many breaths you take. Use that as your ADHD mantra. 💨
You’re not stuck with the ways of how you started your day today… or from your childhood.
We start life with hopeful, rosy glasses and the playbook ends up very different and better if we exercise better habits and self-control.
That’s the best way through life.
And when life doesn’t go as planned or there’s a bend that’s par for the course, you get to grow in your deeper spiritual self ways like with self-control, and becoming more humble.
You get to develop your empowered happiness that’s so much more impactful than temporary happiness.
And in that way, ADHD doesn’t have to be a full life sentence or the life you live out today.
It’s changeable (as our bodies and we are). It depends on you and the choices you make. 💕
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… 😊
Overwhelmed is an understatement especially during the holidays when year-end deadlines are looming and new year goals emerge. It’s important to stay healthy like this budding avocado tree…
It’s also best to stay focused and look at life not as seriously.
...Seriously, 😳 I say this through the lens of my experiences where I went through many seasons where I couldn’t see the forest through the trees.
…Then that all disappeared… poof!, like that… it was gone. That happened for many seasons so I caught on and started over in different work industries, jobs, and relationships.
It feels good to have comical relief and laugh it out with new beginnings and pivots.
Personally, I know the universe is laughing along.
…and maybe that’s how you feel?
In 2020, all of our lives changed when the world shut down and daily offices closed.
Each of us had our choices as to how to respond.
For me in my microcosm, I took that as a spiritual sign.
The situation only confirmed further to me that everything in this life is going to keep changing, along with the good, bad, and ugly.
…That’s how this life is meant to be so our planet can survive and thrive.
Embracing that we’re in a spiritual experience and journey can help us see this better.
Because none of us are handed manuals to our lives… that look very different than our co-workers or neighbors living next to us… and even more different than our friends and families we know intimately.
And that’s how I came to grips that this life is about gathering experiences.
…It’s not a spectator sport like the famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson, said.
Life is like a sport that’s constantly in play and you never know what will happen until it happens.
The good and bad plays are the experiences that make us grow and gain new perspectives.
Good experiences make us want to go back, and bad ones…well, they add burden weight if we allow them to.
…But they also makes us head in another (often opposite) direction to grow even more and get past, if we’re open to seeing it that way.
…And feeling overwhelmed is one weight indicator that can make us want to choose a better or another path.
When I worked in the corporate world for two decades for multiple industries, stress was a frequent common daily response.
You got used to it (even though the body never does).
Stress is the body’s way of coping for unnatural circumstances (that stress is processed in the mind-body).
And longterm chronic stress is not the good life habit we want or need to live.
…So when I left the corporate world, it took years for a new life and breakthroughs (rebirth) to break out and sink in. Because I was still the same person.
It was like I traded in a familiar used car for a different and new set of wheels (life). Then I was like those transformer toy cars (…maybe you’re old enough to remember?)…
…Flipped around, they could change styles in a heartbeat, as they were built with two styles… and you could choose which one you were experiencing at any moment.
Almost like two personalities or people…
I could use my old corporate skills that came in handy (minus the stress headaches in the job 😉)… and bring creative energy to my newfound work with a different daily design.
My new life was anti-aging compared to the old one. It came with normal 6-8 sleeping hours without an alarm clock.
I didn’t feel like a robot going through the motions of the week. 🤖 And I didn’t feel like a panicky human with constant heart palpitations lurking around every corner.
I could enjoyably stay up late to watch shows and not pay for it the next day.
…And when I lost all my computer data that can happen often with this new digital age, I didn’t freak out like I would’ve before in the corporate days.
I didn’t even worry one iota.
Instead I looked at it as a way to save me from the hassle of having to delete and make micro decisions on files that would be outdated soon enough.
My new assistant was technology working! 😁
So I went from one paper-filled world when I was working with foodie event contracts to paperless and data less.
And less data clutter is a metaphor for re-routing me.
But that was just the beginning……
When I reported to myself in this newly defined role of working for myself for the first time, I no longer felt overwhelmed.
I sometimes worked 8 hours a day, but those hours felt productive.
I didn’t watch the clock in excitement for the work day to end.
I also found time to do yoga. All you need is a mat and a few minutes. 🧘🏻♀️
And I worked on what inspired me as leading me to the path that I was meant to go, that’s purpose and spiritual.
…I could also ran errands on my time. Those mini-escapes let me have more quiet time…
…Quiet time allows for the inner self and spirit to get a word in edgewise.
I could find what my season is about on any day… I didn’t have to wait 6-months later for reality to kick in and feel like I was in a never-ending rat race job I didn’t like… or was missing out on something like a life opportunity..
…That btw is where every job I held in the past eventually landed.
In this new life, I could navigate and adjust daily what my next life step was and is.
There was a peace and calm in knowing that it would work out or else I would be doing something else I was meant to be doing.
But didn’t come without some stress like learning to trust that the Universe would provide.
Some stress is good because it keeps us motivated.
If you don’t have a bear on your back, you tend to get comfortable.
But when you’re backed into a corner, you tend to put pressure on yourself to make things happen quicker.
And I’ve come to grips that stress means you’re working, coming up with solutions, and contributing to our world of chaos.
Those gray hairs come from stress turned platinum. 😁
…And those platinum hairs are purposefully chic because you still care what you look like in the mirror and how others see you daily. 🪞
You’re also showing up for your part, so your stress is not in vain.
…And you’re on your journey to finding that sweet spot of your purpose and what you are meant for.
That’s spiritual and beyond outward talent that’s important.
…But talent is ever changing and your spiritual essence is not. Talent can die at any time. Spirit moves and changes with you until the end.
You’re not likely to be overwhelmed by your spirit that is quietly whispering and subtle.
You and I don’t have to be seniors to know that… and between the two of us, you and I have seen so many examples of those we know who didn’t find their changing purposes guided by their spirit in life.
…Over time the shiny and new transformers became dull and listless.
Their engines aren’t revved up because they’ve given up on change in themselves.
But that won’t happen to you as long as you don’t give up on growing… you’re bound to succeed in your desires.
But if you feel you need a tune-up, maybe instead of doing the same things you’ve done, consider taking a moment to do something radically different for your day to escape the regular rhythm flow.
The world and your work will still run with your pause.
Like: escape and read a book you would never consider before, with hopes to learn something new about yourself. 📚
Self-discovery is underrated because it’s invisible in the air, but we can inspire our wonder and stimulate our curiosity.
I find that reading books about other’s lives and memoirs helps me to stay grounded and learn things about my own life… and not take life so seriously!
We’re on a spiritual journey in life and when we know that, we aren’t as overwhelmed with what’s going on around us.
And enjoy the daily ride for all its parts. 🏎️
And if reading isn’t calling you: you could start writing a personal essay journal-style if you don’t want to feel overwhelmed.
Dare yourself.
Let out your thoughts and emotions. You can always crumple it up and delete it later.
Let the intention be that you learn more about your inner self.
And maybe discover your creativity.
Creativity is an escape and a sign that you’re out of overwhelmed feelings.
It’s a spiritual gift.
And you could find your calling that way.
That’s what happened to me… I wrote over a hundred 100 personal essays and put them out in the world.
And I never stopped…
…But I could’ve easily missed the writing calling.
And I almost did… had I chosen to stay in the corporate working world.
Because then and there I would be worrying what I would say and put out in the world.
That would create more stress and overwhelm than worth sharing.
But in my chosen new way o life, I creatively write and post during my previously forbidden corporate work hours.
And those are my carved out, glorious sacred work hours…
The world freezes around me and my blood pressure lowers in this cool, calm healthy environment. ☃️
Hopefully this inspires you to escape and find a way to emerge from any overwhelmed seasons… and find your spiritual schtick.
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.
