Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Scones

I recently posted a picture on my Instagram of some AMAZING chocolate chip scones I had baked and got numerous messages asking for the recipe... ask and you shall receive! 

I want to preface this blogpost with PTL (Praise the Lord) I am not a food blogger! I ain't cut out for a spotless kitchen, making scones at 1 pm for "natural light" or spending hours getting every single photo of every single part of the process. I'm a no fuss type of gal and so this is a no fuss type of recipe and blogpost! My husband was craving scones at 8pm last night so I whipped these up real quick and just shot a few photos on my iPhone...

Lets talk about scones for a minute.... THEY. ARE. MY. FAVORITE. Some of my best childhood memories are making scone in the kitchen with my mom. We would put some loud music on and bake for hours! Her scones are the most delicious scones I have ever had in my life but let me just tell you they are NOT guilt-free! They also took a LONG time to make. When I discovered this new recipe, I couldn't believe how easy they were to make and how there was such minimal ingredients in them! They are gluten and grain free and are only sweetened with honey. I adapted this recipe from The Gluten-Free Homemakers Blog but changed it up a bit and added a couple more ingredients to make it even better (in my opinion!) ;) 

INGREDIENTS:

-3 cups almond flour 

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-1/2 cup shredded coconut

-3/4 cup chocolate chips

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

-1 tablespoon coconut oil 

-2 eggs 

-1/4 cup honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

2. In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, salt, baking soda, coconut shreds, cinnamon, and chocolate chips 

3. In a small bowl, mix together eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract

4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients to form a dough

5. Sprinkle almond flour on a cutting board and form the dough into a pizza shape

6. Cut into slices 

7. Put scones on the lined cookie sheet

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes!

ENJOY!!! 

The Ultimate Morning Kickstart Smoothie Recipe

I am so excited to share with you my #1 favorite smoothie with you! I drink this smoothie as my breakfast almost every single morning and I LOVE it because it fuels energy and is full of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and protein! 

It's chocolatey, rich, just enough sweetness, and a WHOLE lot of nutrients! 

Why start every morning with a smoothie for breakfast? A smoothie is the best way to give you all the nutrients you need in a short amount of time and with hardly any prep! It's truly the perfect breakfast option! Also, since you are eating solely fruits, vegetables, healthy fat, and nuts, you are saving your body from having to use energy to digest solid foods in the morning! Its a win/win for you and your body!

Here’s the recipe:

3 Ice cubes

1 frozen banana

1 handful of spinach

1 cup of Almond Milk

1 Scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

1 Scoop of Vanilla Vegan Protein

1 tsp Chia seeds

2 Tablespoon Cacao Nibs

Optional: 1 Tablespoon of coffee/espresso beans

Optional: 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Butter or Coconut Oil

*Blend for 30 seconds and drink up! You are fueling yourself for an incredible day!!

Snap a pic of your smoothie and share it!  Make sure you tag me in it and use the hashtag #livewellwithsmoothies so I can show you some love!

Check back tomorrow for another new recipe!
xo,

Lauren

5 Day Smoothie Challenge!

Hi Friends! I am so so excited to be doing the 5 day smoothie challenge with all of you next week! The challenge starts this upcoming Monday, March 5th and will go until March 9th! We will be making smoothies together all week long with new recipes every single day! I have been perfecting each recipe and let me tell you, they are YUMMY & super healthy and nutrient dense! The five smoothies are very unique and at the end of the week, you will be a pro at putting different ingredient combinations together! 

Here is the ingredient list that includes EVERYTHING you need to be able to make each smoothie next week! Don't worry if you can't get your hands on a certain ingredient, there will be modifications you can make! Remember, this is about YOUR health & so there's no need to stress out if you use coconut oil vs. coconut butter! ;) 

FRUIT:

- 5 bananas

-Frozen blueberries

-Frozen strawberries

-1 apple

-1 Acai packets (I get the Sambazan açaí packets from Costco!) 

-1 Lemon

-1 Avocado

VEGETABLES

-1 bag of spinach

-1 bag of Kale

-1 Celery stick

OTHER NECESSITIES

-Vegan protein

-Vital Protein Collagen peptides

-Almond Milk

-Peanut Butter

-Cacao Nibs

-Coffee/espresso beans

-Coconut Butter

-Chia Seeds

-Bee Pollen and/or flaxseed

-Coconut Water

-Cinnamon

I added links to some of my favorite items so you can easily stock-up for next week! If you are not on my wellness tribe on Facebook, join us! All of the information for the Smoothie challenge will be posted on there!! Click HERE to join!

& are you on my e-mail list yet? Get all of this info and more sent directly to your e-mail! Click here to join! 

talk to ya soon!

Lauren

My Must-have Health Food items from Amazon

I'm often mentioning new products I'm using on my Instagram and am always asked where they are from and so I thought I would compile a list of all my favorites! These are my tried & true must have health food and supplement items. I use most of them on the daily or weekly basis and I add them in many different recipes! Stay-tuned, I have many more recipes using these items that will be posted soon! 

for smoothies, cooking, baking, or whatever else your heart desires! 

Vital proteins collagen peptides is my favorite to put in ALL my smoothies! Collagen peptides helps heal your gut, aids in digestion, and is a hair, skin, and nails supplement! You can't taste it but it adds so many nutrients to your daily smoothie. You can even put it in your coffee or matcha in the mornings! 

COCONUT BUTTER!!! AKA my favorite thing, ever. Coconut butter is better than coconut oil because it also contains the coconut meat. This is a great supplement to add to your coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, desserts, or just eat it by the spoonful! yum. 

Cacao nibs are a stable of my every day diet.. what can I say, I love chocolate! I love raw cacao because its adds a crunch to oatmeal, a decadence to smoothies, and is full of antioxidants! I gave two size options for you but I get the Anthony's brand and buy them in bulk because I got through a bag pretty fast! 

I always make sure I have turmeric on hand because it is such a powerful spice and supplement! Turmeric is amazing for getting rid of inflammation and It also is a great sleep aid! Put a 1/4 teaspoon of this with some warm coconut milk and cinnamon and drink it right before bed. So comforting! 

Ashwagandha is my favorite adaptogen of all time and I add it to everything! Ashwagandha is an herb that has been noted to heal hormone imbalances, calm stress and anxiety, and giving natural energy. If you were to try out any adaptogen, I highly recommend trying out this one! 

A matcha tea a day keeps the good health here to stay... Honestly though, try to swap out coffee one day a week for a matcha latte and you will notice a difference! 

I hope you find this helpful! I have no doubt that adding these superfoods to your pantry will have huge health benefits for you! Feel free to reach out with any questions on how to use them! 

-Lo 

Country girls skip to the City

Denise is my neighbor and we became fast friends once Danny and I moved into our little beach apartment. We have similar interests and both love exploring new places and documenting them on camera! She asked me last minute if I wanted to drive to town with her on a Wednesday afternoon and I said YES! 

You see, we live in the country. We are surrounded by beaches and farms and wide open land, with little development. I love where I live. I love the small-town vibe but sometimes my heart needs the hustling and bustling of a city to get my creative juices flowing. We had the absolute BEST afternoon filled with coffee, shopping, and lots of laughs. Our day was a definite reminder for me that sometimes it's best to put the to-do lists aside and listen to your heart. 

PS- I edited all of these photos in Lightroom with the new Our Good Adventure Presets! Let me tell you, they are amazing and they were made by the sweetest photographer, Heather Goodman! If you are a fellow creative, check them out! x

Hugs + Kissees

Lauren