I’m ready for some change. The season has made for a space of routine, where work, wellness and responsibility has become the norm. But is it a good normal? I’m finding some of my work stagnant and procrastination at an all-time high.
Looking just for the nut butter blondie brownie recipe? Click here to jump to it!
Usually, I look at big (HUGE) picture all the time, so I struggle with breaking off manageable pieces of tasks. I feel like I have the whole day, or whole week, to get things done. But them boom, it’s over and all I’ve accomplished is a bit of inbox cleaning. My anxiety plays into this a bit, showing itself through lethargy and frantic thoughts when my task list gets too long.
PS – Want to hear about how things have been going with travel and anxiety? I recently was a guest on the “Why Should I?” podcast where we chatted all about it!
What I’ve found to help manage the lack of motivation is finding calm in the small things. This often comes in the form of cooking and baking.
Sometimes I’m lucky. I have the luxury of baking in the middle of the day, when a deadline feels overwhelming and I just need some clarity. It’s a fun thing to do and concentrate on when everything else swirls around me.
Not to mention, I’ve enjoyed getting creative while doing Weight Watchers (WW). It’s a point system that gamifies your eating habits, which I love. I don’t have to cut out anything – just eat and drink in moderation. Easier said than done though! If interested in trying WW out, here’s a free month to try.
Anyways, I now definitely have go-to snacks and brands I never thought I’d be digging on a regular basis. One is Superfat – a great line of interesting nut butters for eating in squeeze tubes on the go. After a stupid hard spin class or particularly grueling day, I love one of these on its own or spread over apple slices. They use macadamias and almonds as bases, then add amazing ingredients like probiotics, MCT or a bit of coffee for extra boosts.
The other staple in my pantry is Lily’s Sweets. I can give up steak, fries and other savory foods, but the desserts are a challenge for me. I’m always skeptical about chocolate with stevia or other sweeteners that lower the calories, but Lily’s is pretty much exactly like the real thing. For real. It’s bananas. While I love the dark chocolate bars, I’ve really been digging their chocolate chips – for baking and topping my smoothie bowls. They are fair trade and non-GMO too.
Below, I found the perfect blondie brownie recipe, and incorporated two of my fave foods – Lily’s chocolate ships and Superfat nut butter. It’s one of my favorites. It’s not super low-point for WW, but it’s ‘paleo-friendly’, low calorie and low carb. I like to add fruits and fun toppings to my blondies to make it like a piece of cake too.
Recipe for Nut Butter Blondies
Wet Ingredients
¼ cup (or 1-2 packets) Superfat nut butter
¼ cup coconut oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
¾ cup coconut sugar (or Truvia brown sugar blend)
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
A dash of kosher salt
4 oz. of Lily’s dark chocolate baking chips
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the coconut oil in the microwave. In one mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients (plus sugar) and mix well, by hand or on low setting with hand mixer. Can fluff eggs slightly first with hand mixer.
- In another bowl, combine the rest of the dry ingredients until blended well.
- Add all ingredients together into larger bowl, combine with spatula or mixer. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pop into the oven for 20 minutes, let cool then cut evenly into squares.
If doing WW, add a dollop of dairy-free whip cream, or fresh fruit for zero-point toppings. You can save a little bit of the Superfat nut butter to drizzle on top too.
Servings: About 9-12 squares.
What’s you go-to activity to work on feeling calm? Do you have any hacks to help cut out excess sugar from your snacks and treats?
