When your fiancé is leaving in a few days to drive 12 hours and stay in NC for 3 weeks on a clinical rotation, snacks are imperative. I came across this recipe online, tweaked it a tad....and was pretty pumped with the end result. Depending on the products you buy, these chocolate pistachio cookies are definitely gluten free, but can be vegan as well!!

Here is what you need:

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups raw ground cashews
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, partially melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Toppings

⅓ cup pistachio nuts, raw

⅔ cups dairy-free chocolate chips

sea salt

Instructions

1. First, preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place all the wet ingredients in a large bowl and mix (minus coconut oil).
3. Pour cashews into food processor. Mix until they become a fine powder (similar to flour).
4. Add cashews to the rest of the dry mix, and combine with the dry mix. Add coconut oil at the end and set aside. (It will look like brownie mix)
5. Dice pistachios.
6. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough (warning....they will be gooey), coat in pistachios, and place on baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes.
8. Once the cookies come out of the oven, you will make a thumbprint on top of each cookie. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
9. To make the chocolate center. Melt about ⅔ cups of chocolate chips. Spoon about 2 teaspoons into the center of each cookie. Then, sprinkle on some sea salt.
10. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes to let the chocolate set.

I promise....you want to make these! Y.U.M.

XoXo,

NaturallyNati

I am super excited for our FIRST contest, because there is nothing wrong with a little healthy FitBit competition. Let's see who can muster up the most steps....this Wednesday, June 17th! The participant who gets the most steps at the end of the day will receive a NaturallyNati Food Journal!!!!  Here is what you need to do:


1.  In your FitBit App, click on friends at the bottom of your home screen.
2.  Click the plus sign at the top right of the page.
3.  Click invite by e-mail, and enter my e-mail-----> Ashley@naturallynati.com.
4.  The first 9 to add me as a pal on FitBit will be invited to participate in our Wednesday competition (sorry.....FitBit rule not mine).  I will totally still be your FitBit friend though...don't worry ;).
5.  I will send out an invite for our challenge on Tuesday....which will start Wednesday at 12:00 AM and end at 11:59 PM.  You click accept.
6.  Work your booty off Wednesday.
7.  Sync your FitBit after the challenge....to make sure we get the final step count.  
8.  Once results are in....I will post the winner, ask for your address, and send you the journal.
9.  Let the games begin!

Good Luck!
XoXo, 
NaturallyNati

Wow.  I had no clue how much I needed some relaxation in my life until tonight….so basically I am writing this post to myself……and everyone else out there who is just like me and literally does not know how to slow down or take breaks.   I blame my ADHD for most of it….however; I am well educated about the body, and I should know better. TRX has this little catch phrase “make your body your machine”, and I love it.  In order for us to use our body to the best of its ability, we have to work it out…..right?  And of course properly fuel it….duh.  BUT the thing I consistently neglect doing…. is rest it.  Give it the attention it needs.  Just like any machine, if we don’t take care of it, give it a break….it will stop working properly…..or worse….break.  Overuse and overtraining are such common reasons for injury.  And we all know that does nothing but set you back in whatever you do.  So tonight, thanks to my AMAZING husband-to-be, I took advantage of an hour massage at my most favorite spa ever.  Having an hour to myself and to have my muscle tissue massaged and relaxed was heavenly.  It just got me thinking.   I wish I were a Kardashian.  Because then I would do that every.single.day.all.day.   Kidding.  It honestly made me think how incredibly important it is to take time to give our bodies a little R&R.  So while I know getting amazing massages every week is not necessarily budget friendly, foam rolling is.  Essentially using a foam roller is like giving yourself a massage.   Men’s Health calls it a “poor man’s massage”. The best part (in my opinion) is that foam rollers are fairly inexpensive and can be used quickly in the comfort of your own home.  You can get them at most sports stores(Marshalls and T.J. Maxx have them for around $12.00).  Your muscles and body appreciate foam rolling as well.  Foam rolling, like a massage help to relax your muscles, which allow you better movement and increased range of motion as well as more blood flow throughout the body.  It is one of those “hurts so good” situations.  Kind of like a sour patch kid….totally worth it.  Sour, sweet, gone.  Below are a few links to some great articles in regards to foam rolling.  Check it out.

XoXo,
NaturallyNati

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/foam-rolling-total-body-benefits


http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/what-is-a-foam-roller-how-do-i-use-it-and-why-does-it-hurt


http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/foam-rolling