Kale Chips

I do not like the taste of kale at all... so when my friend had made kale chips i was very reluctant to try them. to my surprise i really liked them and the best part is there super easy to made and a great healthy replacement to regular chips. It's low in calories, high in iron and vitamin A, C, K and calcium. It's also full of powerful antioxidants and  is a great anti-inflammatory food. The benefits of this leaf are amazing!

Ingredients:
-one bunch of kale
-olive oil
-sea salt

1. clean and cut the stems from the leaf of the kale

2. dry off the kale and place on a baking sheet. i have an olive oil mister so i used that to cover the kale but if you don't have one just pour a little olive oil on the sheet and mix the kale until its completely covered. top with sea salt or any other spice you'd like.

3. place in the oven at 350 degree for 15-20 minutes or until the kale is crisp.

4.store in an airtight container.

Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal

I LOVE oatmeal almost as much as i love coffee and ballet. when i became gluten- free i was relieved to know that they made gluten free oats but since id been so use to packets of oatmeal i had to find ways to create a yummy breakfast without the convenience of Quaker.

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup gluten free quick oats
-1/4 cup applesauce (you could also use 1/2 a ripe banana or 1/4 cup pumpkin)
-1/4 cup of almond milk
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar (or you could use coconut sugar, stevia or pure maple syrup)
-1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
-optional: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, ect...)

1. pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

2. mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. grease a ramekin baking dish or a small loaf pan and pour the oatmeal into the dish.

3. bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

4. top with almond butter, brown sugar, maple syrup or chocolate chips and enjoy!

Re-inventing Myself

After my parents found out about my panic attack they were both very understanding and wanted to help in the best way they could. to be honest i was actually very surprised they responded that well to what had happened. we all decided that right now the best thing for me to do is to research ways to calm myself down and figure out what sets me off. so for the next few months ill update on how things are going.

Raw Cherry Brownies

I LOVE brownies! Well i love any dessert actually (except for cake... i don't like cake) and wanted to try a raw dessert recipe. this way I can have a delicious dessert and not feel guilty about it. 

Ingredients:

-1 cup raw almonds

-3 TBSP cocoa powder

-pinch of sea salt

-4 medjool dates 

-1/4 cup of dried cherries

-1 TBSP water

1. Put the almonds, cocoa powder and sea salt in a food processor and mix till finely ground. Do not over process because then you will have almond butter.

2. Cut and pit the dates and add them and the dried cherries to the food processor and process for about 60 seconds.

3. Add in the TBSP of water slowly and mix.

4. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

5. Roll out the dough on parchment paper about 1/2 inch thick and cut out shapes with little cookie cutters.

6. Keep the brownies in an air tight container and in the fridge.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

As many people know, I LOVE to cook. when im not dancing im either cooking/baking or on pinterest looking for something new to cook or bake. while in the kitchen i feel invincible. its all up to me on what i want to add or substitute items to improve the recipe or make it healthier. i came up with these after craving my moms meat loaf (i know its kind of a weird thing to crave).

Ingredients:
-1-2 pounds of organic free range ground turkey or grass-fed beef
-1 egg
-1/3 cup chopped onion
-1/3 cup chopped red pepper
-1/2 tsp oregano
-salt and pepper
-2 cloves of garlic

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. It's as simple as that.

3. spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and fill with the turkey mixture.

4. put in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the muffins are cooked thoroughly.

You can either top with ketchup or simple eat plain. Keep left overs in the fridge and re-heat in the microwave.

"You're Not Alone."

Tonight I called one of my favorite people in the entire world. She is just so beautiful inside and out and treats me like her own daughter. She's always there for me in my shining moments or when i need a shoulder to cry on. That's why i knew that calling her about my panic attack would be the best start to finding the help i need. She has dealt with anxiety for a while, so when i came to her with what i had been dealing for the past month she knew exactly what to say. She told me that I was not alone and that so many people have anxiety problems. Teenagers in particular have enormous amounts of pressure put on them to excel at everything and that one little mistake could cost you your future.
 I have been so scared to tell my parents about my anxiety attack because i don't want to disappoint them. I didn't want to admit that i needed help. I wanted to prove to them that i could handle all the stress and pressure put on me and that I, myself could land a job. All I want is to show them that all the time and money that they have invested into my dancing was going to pay off and that i could make it on my own.
 I am very independent. Living on my own and creating a future based purely on my choices is something i had been dreaming of for years now but after being on my own i've realized, I do still need help from my parents. Thankfully, my family friend is going to explain to my parents what is going on and hopefully I can find someone to talk to where i am living currently and calm my anxiety so i can get back to being myself again.

Stress

As most dancers know, right now is a very stressful time for all of us. Its audition season which means how we do in our auditions effects what our future is, at least for the next year. Every audition comes with stress and anxiety, to have better technique than the girl standing next to you and hopefully impress the teacher enough to give you a shot at a contract for the next year instead of them. Because of all this stress i had been on edge and very anxious for a while. I had been very snappy with my friends and family and would constantly be moving to try and distract myself. Nothing was working and i couldn't calm myself down.
One night i was sitting in my friends place by myself and had a complete melt down which turned into an anxiety attack. Now, I've had small attacks like this before. Shortness of breathe, elevated pulse, and fear but a few nights ago was something i had never experienced before in my life. My heart was racing, i was shaking like crazy, i couldn't feel my hands and they wouldn't move. My vision started getting blurry and i was light headed. Luckily my friends came to help. One called 911 and when they arrived they gave me oxygen and took my vitals. I was scared out of my mind and had no idea what was happening to me. The EMT asked me if i had any extra stress going on in my life and my friend and I looked at each other and chuckled a little because stress would be an understatement....
Stress is a natural thing in everyone's life and a little stress is good. It can push you to get that paper done that you've been putting off or push you to work harder so you get the company contract but too much stress can push you over the edge, like mine did. Everyday i've been trying to use techniques to slow my breathing and rid myself of the extra stress. Im trying to find my "happy place" and stay there as long as possible. Easy meditation and yoga is now a regular for me before I go to bed because i know if i don't do these things ill have another attack.

All it takes is 10 minutes a night to center yourself and make daily life so much easier. Don't let yourself get to the point i was at. Im much better now than i was a few days ago but i know i could easily slip back into worry and fear.