Chocolate Banana Pie

Despite participating in the Whole30 program, I had to make a dessert for Easter. I've been brainstorming this for quite a while and apparently (according to my family testers) it was a success!
(I know, I know, technically not "Whole30 compliant" but, seriously, what's Easter without dessert?!)

And yes, it's dairy, grain and sugar free!

The crust is sweet and crunchy thanks to dates (these have been my sweet tooth go-to this month) and nuts. The filling is soft and chocolately! Then I added strawberries to give it some freshness and extra oomph.

Please excuse the quality of the photos. We were at my parents and there was poor lighting and I also didn't cut the piece very straight!  I will hopefully make it again soon so I can take a better photo with the Mama Camera.


Here's the recipe:

Crust 

Ingredients
1 cup almond & 1 cup walnuts, soaked for an hour or more then drained and dried as best as you can
2/3 cup dates
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch salt
Coconut oil (to grease pan)

Directions
1. Pulse nuts and dates in a food processor until well combined, then add the cinnamon and salt.
2. Transfer to an oiled pie plate, then press gently until it's even and smooth
3. Refrigerate for about an hour

Filling

Ingredients

1 pouch (1 tbsp) of unflavoured gelatine

1 cup of coconut milk (from the can)

5 egg yolks

3-4 ripe bananas (the riper, the sweeter but also the riper, the smaller), pureed 

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3-4 strawberries, washed and sliced

Directions

1. Bring the coconut milk to a simmer in a small saucepan.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and whisk them well into the coconut milk, then add banana puree and mix well. 

3. Add the cocoa powder, then mix some more. Stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Make sure it doesn't boil.

4. Prepare the gelatine as per package directions. (Pour pouch over 1/4 cup water, add 1/4 boiling water and stir constantly until completely dissolved)

5. Add the gelatine mixture to saucepan and (you guessed it!) mix well.

6. Scrape the filling into a glass bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Putting it together

1. Take the crust and filling out of the fridge

2. Carefully pour filling into the crust and spread evenly.

3. Place back into fridge until set, about 2 hours

4. Strawberry time! Place strawberries over top, slice (hopefully a little straighter then me lol) and serve!

Next time I'm going to try whipping some coconut cream for an added touch...mmmmm....

Before the strawberries

Mmmm!

How'd it turn out for you? I'd love to hear your comments!

Happy Easter!

It's Easter weekend here and our area got hit with a TON of snow! I swear it happens every year   though, because Good Friday always seems to have horrible weather, and then on Easter Sunday, like today, it's a beautiful day. Well, the snow hasn't magically disappeared but it's a clear blue day outside.

For me, this holiday is a reflection of the Saviour and how my relationship with Him is progressing. One of my favourite hymns is #185 "Reverently and Meekly Now." It's a sacrament hymn which words are coming from the Saviour's point of view. I am pretty sure it's the only hymn in the hymnbook that has this perspective. The Atonement was the most powerful, essential part of Heavenly Father's plan. I also love my calling! In sharing time today, we had an Easter lesson today and I was amazed (as usual) by the spirit of children as they participated in the lesson. It was so simple and so beautiful and the Spirit was so strong.

Easter time is one of my favourite times of year. It means that winter is leaving (hopefully, in this part of my world) and springtime is coming and then it will be summer! It's a season for change and growth, quite like how my life is right now.

Like most holidays, Easter has become pretty commercialized but we keep it pretty simple in our home. And amongst our crazy morning, I didn't get any photos of kids in their Easter outfits! But here's a few from our egg hunt at Oma and Opa's on Friday.

Whole30 hits the Boisvert's

Justin's been asking me for months to do this program but I've been reluctant because it completely eliminates things that I love to eat... But I finally agreed to do it and starting April 1st, we are going to be taking the Whole30 challenge! 

It basically means we will be eating completely WHOLE foods (no processed or prepackaged stuff), also no grains, no legumes, no dairy, and yes, no added sugar. (Oh and no alcohol, but that ones pretty easy for us...) There will be a couple exceptions for me (like sacrament bread and also my daily Ningxia Red (which has a small amount of stevia in each serving))

It's not really a weight loss program as much as it a lifestyle change. I hope to come out of it feeling better, mentally as well as physically, and also to overcome poor eating habits that are most definitely damaging to my body and mind.

I'm been mentally preparing myself for a couple weeks with recipes and snack ideas as well as grocery lists and now I'm actually pretty excited!! 

My new journey!

On March 3, 2017 I joined Young Living! I'm so excited to start this adventure with this remarkable company and I have no doubt that their products will help me with my wellness journey! Essential oils are so versatile from health to cleaning to healing to emotional empowerment! There is so much to learn (which is why it has taken me so long to join) but I'm ready to dive into this incredible pool of information.

Why I joined YL:

1) They have an astounding reputation. They've been in the business for almost 25 years and it's obvious that Gary Young knows what he's doing.

2) I'm in love with their Seed to Seal promise. Quality is EVERYTHING with this company, even from before the seed is planted in the ground. Isn't that amazing? Check out the Seed to Seal promise here

3) Their products are useful and powerful. I said it before, but they are SO versatile. There's like a thousand uses for lavender. And lemon. And frankincense. A peppermint. I could go on and on and on.....

4) The Premium Starter Kit is an AMAZING deal! It's only $200 (which, I know, seems like a big sum of money to just drop- it took me a couple months to save for it...) and you get 11 oils, a diffuser, samples of Ningxia Red (AKA Awesome Sauce), a roller ball attachment, 10 little sample bottles and a bunch of other stuff.

5) They have a lot to offer their members. I definitely didn't join because of the business side, I just joined for me. But when you join their Essential Reward program, there are tons of perks and bonuses and promos that you can access which include free oils! Also, our team leaders are so awesome that they do their own giveaways too. Yay for free things!

There's a lot more reason but for now I'm going to leave it there for now :)

Just Some Updates

Well so much for post biweekly! Every six-ish weeks is good too right?

Maybe it's because I need something to occupy my time until winter is over but 2017 has brought me on this path that I'm determined that will bring about improved health and wellness. I'm creating positive changes in my everyday routine and lifestyle.

I am currently listening to a podcast channel where a guest speaker named Shawn Stevenson came on the show. He is an expert in health and nutrition (he has his own podcast channel too) and in the interview he was giving his best advice for cancer prevention. He gave 7 points that are so simple and achievable, and I believe this advice is also applicable to most diseases (physical and mental...)

1) Eat simple, natural, real, and unrefined foods

I'm really trying my best to stay away from processed foods and stuff that's been loaded with gross chemicals and sugar. I went down this road once before a few years ago but then I admit I got lazy and cheap and then just stopped caring :( But I did it!  I finally ditched the Kraft peanut butter  and even Heinz Ketchup. I'm trying to be creative and make my own dressings and condiments. I even have made and canned my own ketchup! And with that I also make my own quick BBQ sauce. I will post the recipe later :)

12 jars for our food storage :)

2) Ensure adequate hydration from a natural unmedicated source

This is something that I definitely do not do enough. He talked about staying away from bottled water even just plastic water bottles.  Stevenson also mentioned findaspring.com where people can find a natural spring in their local areas. Natural spring water is fresh and has natural minerals in it already.

3) Ensure I'm getting fresh air, sunlight and clean surroundings

Another area that is super easy to do! There's nothing better than breathing in fresh crisp air from outside. Even a short, quick walk around the block can do wonders! We really love our evening family adventures!

4) Participate in stress prevention and stress relief practices: Ex: Tai chi, yoga, meditation, and  most importantly SLEEP

Oh sleep glorious sleep.... I'm not really sure what a solid's night sleep looks like anymore :P I borrowed a Tai chi video from the library and I'm looking forward to trying it out this week!

5) Surround myself in a loving, supporting community and positive relationships

I really think this is one of the most important points. I know from experience that when I'm surrounded by negative people, it takes a toll on my energy and mind and spirit and it definitely affects how I am, and how I treat my family.

I've been starting the day with a positive affirmation (I have an app on my phone), I write it down and stick it on the fridge (I thought this was a good place because I open the fridge like a gazillion times a day. (NOTE: stickies from the dollar store do not stay on the fridge!) It helps keeps a positive spirit throughout the day.

Then, I end my day by writing in my gratitude journal. I write one  thing that I'm grateful from the day. It could be one word, one line or a paragraph. Usually it's something simple.

I'm finding when I sandwich my day with these two practices, it helps to keep the in between parts positive and happy :)

6) Take supportive supplements.

Probiotics, Vit D, Greens, Omegas and anti-oxidants....

7) Research. Learn. Study.

Education is so important!

My announcement! After months and months and months of researchingI'm about to step into a new adventure with Young Living Essential Oils! I'm so excited about these tools that are able to help me along the way to achieve  my wellness goals. I will definitely be adding a more detailed post in the super near future.... :D

Post Christmas Blues

Yesterday was "Blue Monday," a time when the holiday season has gone, the dreary winter still lingers on, and perhaps, for many, when those dreaded holiday bills are slowly migrating in the mailboxes. Apparently it's one of the most depressing days of the year.

I've been feeling a little blue this past few weeks. I am so done with winter and I already miss Christmas (and I'm actually already thinking about the next one... ) I feel like I've been milking Christmas music out of CD but thank goodness the girls love "The Grinch" songs so much because I might be able to get away with playing them for a little longer....

This past week we took down the tree and today I packed up the last few boxes of Christmas decorations. Yet despite our home looking empty and bare, I'm trying to fill it with good memories.

We are really trying to make Family Home Evening a consistent weekly thing. We usually lay a blanket on the floor and have a short little lesson. Last night we read a story out of the Friend and made paper hearts and wrote how we were kind or were helpful that day. I think we will continue throughout the week. Maybe even month.... :)

Hello 2017!

2016 came and went so fast. Let me recap!

Justin still works at Sherritt in Fort Saskatchewan but his commute got a bit more feasible because he traded in ol' Rusty for a new car. (And by "traded" I really mean donated it to Cars for Kidneys.) His new car isn't anything super dooper fancy, it's a 2007 Toyota Corolla, but it's new to us and much more reliable then the old one. He enjoys reading and woodworking. He built an amazing loft bed for Ella this summer as well as a few projects here and there.

At the beginning of the year, I found out we were expecting another baby, due in September. I had a pretty good pregnancy, with some same ailments as my other pregnancies, but I also developed some new ones (like varicose veins) which wasn't super fun come summer time. But I love being pregnant and always miss it when it's done. In my spare time, I enjoy designing things, creating things and also crocheting. I am able to volunteer some of my design talent at Ella's school. I also completed the girls' quiet books and nursery bedding and blankets for the new baby's room as well as countless crochet projects.

Ella turned four this year, started preschool and is still in love with frogs and dinosaurs. She loves to run and play "sword fight"  with daddy. She also loves puzzles and drawing and writing her name.

Lily turned two this year, and for most, she is a sweet, quiet little girl. But when she gets to know you, she really open up and she unleashes her fire within. She even joins Ella with sword fighting daddy too. She's full of energy and is very strong spirited but always brings a laugh to our lives. For her  birthday, we took a little family road trip to Drumheller to see the "Dinozorn Place" as well as to visit my sister's family in Calgary.

We had a beautiful summer, and played a lot outside, enjoying the outdoors and the water fun while I did something I've never done before- conquered the heat whilst in the third trimester.

In the fall, I had a beautiful, peaceful water birth and we were all surprised when our little baby came out a "he." Theodore is a happy little boy who is full of laughter and giggles.

Ella also started preschool at the Waldorf Independent School of Edmonton which she loves because she gets to play outside a lot. Her school has a lot of festivals and for Halloween we attended the Pumpkin Walk. Ella dressed as a dinosaur and Lily dressed up as a dog. In November, we celebrated Ella's birthday with a dinosaur party.

Her school also had a Winter Fair festival, which was lots of fun. There were crafts, cookies, a little store and games set up around the school. We all had a really good time and it was a good initiation for Christmastime.

Christmas was busy as usual with family gatherings and such. We went to my parents on the 22nd, and then the vBs (who moved to Nelson, BC this past summer) came over for Christmas Eve snacks and fondue. Justin and I enjoyed making our gifts for the nephews and niece. Justin made amazing wooden swords with felt scabbards for the boys and I crocheted Eden a hat with interchangeable flowers. I also crocheted Nate (the dragon slayer) a knight toque. On Christmas Day, we went to Justin's aunties and enjoyed the family fun times there.

The Christmas season always goes by so fast for me and every New Years a part of me feels a bit empty so I'm already excited for the next one :)

I'm excited for 2017, I don't really have any major resolutions, mostly the same things as other years. I have a couple small trips planned but nothing too crazy. I really just want to enjoy my family, especially my littles while they are still little.

♥