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September 2017

My 4 Steps to a Healthier Life

About a month ago, I had my first surgical procedure and while there’s nothing I could have done to avoid that outcome, it’s still made me seriously consider how I need to improve my health. Improving my overall health has been a goal for a long time, but the last three months have given me extra motivation. This summer took a huge toll on my emotional and physical health so I’ve been brainstorming ideas to rebuild my overall health and I’ve created my own 4 steps to a healthier life.

When you’re trying to overhaul how you live your life, everything can feel overwhelming. To make everything more manageable without losing motivation, I’ve condensed my goals into 4 areas I would like to improve on for overall health.

My 4 Steps to a Healthier Life

Minimize harmful chemicals in personal care and home cleaning.
Eat Healthy Portions of Wholesome Home Cooked Food.
Improve Physical Fitness.
Declutter and Organize.

Minimize harmful chemicals in personal care and home cleaning.

Reducing harmful chemicals in my home has been on my mind for a long time and I have already begun making adjustments. I’m very concerned with the amount of chemicals I’m putting on my body and using to clean my home with on a daily basis. The problem is that even “natural products” are full of unhealthy chemicals so it won’t be a quick transition and I know that it will probably take more time to accomplish than anything else on this list.

September 26, 2017 by meaganleanne

Fall, Favorites, Food, Recipes, Vegetarian

The Best Cornbread Muffins Recipe | Friday Favorites #6

Happy First Day of Fall! I thought fall had started a few weeks ago because the temperatures had dropped into the 60s. I was just about to pull out my fall sweaters and all of a sudden it was warm again. Some of the trees have started changing color but it’s still overwhelmingly green and pretty hot around here. Either way, to commemorate the start of a new season, I’ve got one of my favorite recipes – Cornbread Muffins! – to share with you as well as a few Friday Favorites!

Cornbread Muffins Recipe

My mom was an amazing cook and even more amazing because the majority of what I ate growing up was vegan AND sugar free because of my dad’s dietary restrictions. One of my favorite meals and often requested for birthday dinners, was my mom’s homemade chili and cornbread muffins.

Most cornbread recipes out there call for way too much sugar and the muffins basically end up being a dessert with the amount of sugar in them. These have a minimal amount of sugar but it doesn’t take away from the fullness of flavor or fluffiness in the muffins. This recipe is especially healthier if you plan on adding something sweet on top.

As with any baked goods, cornbread muffins are best when taken straight out of the oven, split open and buttered right away to let the butter melt in. These are perfect with some jam or honey on top or you could do as my husband does and just break a few up and let them soak into a warm bowl full of chili. If you happen to have leftovers the next day, pop ’em in the toaster oven for a minute and they’ll be just as good as straight out of the oven.

If you’re vegan and don’t eat honey, just switch it out for cane sugar, rice syrup, or a natural sweetener of your choosing.

However you decided to eat them, these cornbread muffins are definitely a treat you’ll enjoy!

September 22, 2017 by meaganleanne

Hiking

Hiking the Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls

We were going to do this hike last weekend but we slept in. So this weekend we got up early on Saturday morning to go hike the Billy Goat Trail down at Great Falls. We did this hike one year ago just before Brady started at his new job and we decided it was time to do it again.

Since it was a relatively short hike, we only carried water, snacks, and sunscreen. We took three liters of water (with ice cubes added) for the two of us which was plenty since it wasn’t hot. It was in the 60s at the start of our hike and in the mid-70s when we finished. It was humid and my glasses kept fogging up so I had to take them off while we were hiking.

Billy Goat Trail A, Rock scrambling, pothole alley, Mather Gorge

September 18, 2017 by meaganleanne

Fall, Favorites, Food, Hiking, Vegetarian

Friday Favorites #5

Hello there friends! It’s been a while but that will all make sense pretty soon… but for now, I’ve got a quick catch up and some favorites to share with you!

In the middle of June we got a new kitten, Maisie! It’s unbelievable how much she’s grown in 2.5 months! For whatever reason her nickname is Maisie-Ella Mozzarella, she’s a bitey little monster who loves to terrorize our 14-year-old cat Shadow, and she’s got the loudest purr I’ve ever heard from a cat so I guess we’ll keep her. 😉

I didn’t get to do a whole lot this summer but Brady and I did get away the first weekend of August to go camping at Deep Creek Lake with my family. While we were there, we went to Swallow Falls State Park for the first time and it’s easily now my favorite state park in Maryland. It gives off a vibe as though you were in the Pacific NW, probably more so because we were there just after a downpour!

September 8, 2017 by meaganleanne