Healthy Happy and Free

If any place in the South is famous for food - it's New'olahns aka New Orleans, LA which is where the rich and nutty praline candy hails from. Praline candies have a smooth, creamy consistency and are typically made with butter, brown sugar, cream and pecans. As a child, I would always get the warm, free sample from River Street Sweets when we visited the beach. I would even shell out my own money for a praline or two. I just loved them! Fast forward a few years and I haven't had pralines in a long time! Why not try my hand at making them?! Well, I'm at it, how about a ZERO sugar version? I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I gave it a shot. And I'm happy I did. You will be too when you try these decadent confections. If you've never had the delight of a praline candy, you're in for a treat. Literally. Sugar Free Praline Candies Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar substitute (I've successfully used both Sukrin and Swerve brands) 5 tbsp ...

You know I love to be outdoors and hike but lately the weather has been less than favorable. So what's a girl to do? I suggested, on a whim, that my mom and I try some indoor rock-climbing - an activity I used to enjoy pretty often long ago. She was game! We found a Groupon for Cliff Hangers in Mooresville, NC. Redeeming the Groupon was easy and it included the harness. They had several auto-belay walls and different bouldering (free climbing) areas. We watched our tutorial video, listened to the rule spiel and then headed straight for the first open auto-belay wall. I went first and quickly realized I had not gone rock climbing since my spinal cord injury. Gripping the hand holds was a bit difficult and I didn't make it up that first wall.  After descending, I said to my mom that I hadn't gone rock-climbing since the accident. She mentioned she thought of that but didn't want to say anything. I'm almost glad I didn't realize it because I would rather not ...

An ancient superfood takes on a modern flavors with AshaPops nutrient dense snacks. What are they?  Popped water lily seeds!  I have tried popped water lily seeds from other brands and I really like these snacks. They are puffy, crunchy, and satisfy that popcorn itch.  AshaPops however, come in unique flavors like Dark Chocolate and Vegan Cheese (made cheesy with nutritional yeast). They are also packaged in 100 calorie bags for convenient on the go snacking and/or portion control (unless you're like me and eat two bags in one sitting lol!) I was very impressed with the texture and flavor! The flavor was very strong and finger-licking good. They are also Non-GMO, vegan and paleo so they're winning on all fronts.  I would definitely recommend this superfood snack!  Check them out at  https://ashapops.com/ What's your favorite snack? Would you try these?

It has been a hot minute but here we are with some noteworthy finds! Built Bar Built Bar - These new protein bars are making waves with their great macros (110 calories and 15g protein) and unique texture. They have a light fluffy interior with a chocolate coating on the outside. They are like a candy bar! I had the opportunity to try a variety box and I loved every flavor. Check them out here:  builtbar.com Argan Oil - Fre Skincare sent the gift of pure Argan oil this past December and the timing could not have been better. My skin is so dry in the winter! I've been using a couple drops after my shower on rough patches of skin (elbows, back, hands, etc.) and the ends of my hair. This oil is like a miracle - it moisturizes me but does't make me feel greasy! Check out Fre Skincare (I love all of their products!) here:  freskincare.com  and use my code: HHF to save! Fortifx Bars - These protein bars have also been very popular on Instagram lately. These large ba...

The other day a girl at work said she was going to try the keto diet before her wedding. One of my friends posted on facebook that they needed some help with the keto diet but exclaimed how they had already lost 6 pounds. I received some keto muffins in the mail and gave one to my dad who said "What's keto?" My dad is a little behind the times I suppose. So what is the real deal behind this trendy diet? Most people know that it's a low carb and high fat diet. However, most people might not know that it originated in the 1920's as a therapeutic diet for controlling seizures in people with epilepsy. There is also research suggesting it may be beneficial for those suffering with Alzheimer's. I have a close family friend suffering from this condition so I find this research fascinating. Here are some reported benefits of the ketogenic diet: reduced inflammation neurological protection improved cognition possibly reduce risk of certain types of ...

Team Sour or Team Sweet? I'm team sour all the way! These gummies are surprisingly easy to make if you have a gummy bear mold (they're very inexpensive on amazon!) and they have the gut-health benefits of prebiotic fiber and gelatin! First they're sour, then they're sweet. Ingredients: 40g VitaFiber IMO syrup  1 tbsp gelatin liquid stevia to taste (I used orange stevia) 1/2 cup water Directions: Heat the mixture on the stove until bubbling.  Use the dropper to fill the gummy bear molds.  Place in fridge until set.  Just before eating, toss the gummy bears in a mixture of citric acid powder, and granulated sweetener of choice (I used a monk fruit/erythritol blend).  Voila! Sour gummies!