I am in love with Valor essential oil.  And Valor + Clarity is my do.all.the.things mixed tape.

A little bit about Valor from the YL website:

• Apply Valor Roll-On in the morning to jump-start a busy day.
• Refresh the benefits of Valor throughout the day by reapplying it to your neck, chest, hands, and wrists.
• Wear Valor as a bold, inspiring personal fragrance to inspire feelings of confidence.
• Inhale it deeply before conquering a tough meeting or starting a tricky project

Now pair that with a little bit about Clarity from the YL website:

• Clarity™ blends Basil, Rosemary, Peppermint, and other essential oils for an aroma that invites a sense of clarity and alertness.

This is very much a “boss-babe” combo to getting things done: at home, at work, on a manic Monday or a Fearless Friday.  At the start of a project, in the middle of a big hairy mess or just to tame the squirrels to put the finishing touches on whatever today threw at you and cross sh!t off your list.

I roll Valor over my left wrist and touch my right wrist to it and tell myself, “Girl, you got this“.

I put a drop of Clarity in my left palm and use my right index and middle finger to rub in a clockwise motion to activate the oil then cup my hands over my nose and mouth and deeply inhale, then apply to temples, down my brain stem or massage into the base of my neck to set a task, or tasks, to priority by mentally recalling my to-do list in order of importance.  Or, if I have too many wild thoughts cluttering my mental desktop and my head feels like it’s in a vice, I super-deeply inhale several times and actively clear my mind and set only the most important task to the forefront.

Why “activate”?  Clarity was NOT my favorite oil from a sense of smell perspective when inhaling straight from the bottle.  While this works for some because the tiny oil molecules still interact with the olfactory organ and go to the brain, I really think the aroma of Clarity is mellowed out and my body really tunes into it when I’ve activated it with a purpose in mind.  Super hippy, I know.

Truth: I do not have it all together all of the time.  I cannot get all my projects at home and at work to always line up to their due dates.  But I am confident that I can work as hard, if not harder, than the next gal to get it done and I never take the first ‘no’ as a hard and fast answer.  Not from myself, not from anyone!  Roll on some Valor, activate Clarity and that ‘no’ merely becomes a suggestion or a challenge for me to overcome.

So, go out there, set your mind to accomplishing all.the.things, prioritize your goals and then go get them done!  Word?!? …word!  This is the point in the post where we all raise our fists in solidarity and shout with enthusiasm that we CAN do.all.the.things!

May the odds be ever in your favor. May the Force be with you. May Valor + Clarity = boss babes crushing goals, getting it done, kicking but and taking names, crossing things off our lists and being fearless forever and ever, amen.

xoxo, p

There’s a moment in every mom’s day when she really needs a drink a deep cleansing breath, a minute to herself, a millisecond when a child isn’t calling her name on repeat or lists of to-do’s aren’t running thru her head.  I know in the real world, friends, that it feels impossible some days to find these little treasures.

When the patience is running thin, when sweat is dripping out of your pores from having to maintain your “I’m not losing my sh*t voice”, but the F-word is about to slip your lip, consider the wondrous, grounding (magical*) effects of Frankincense essential oil instead.

From the YL website: Frankincense essential oil has an earthy, uplifting aroma that’s perfect for grounding and spiritual connectedness. Create a safe and comforting environment when you diffuse or inhale this empowering oil—a perfect opportunity to collect your thoughts. When you seek purpose or engage in prayer or meditation, use this oil to enhance your experience.

I admit, at first, I wasn’t really on-board with the way Frank smelled straight out of the starter kit, but now that I know how amazing it is, how great it works for me, how calm it makes me feel, this baby Jesus oil is the first thing I reach for when I feel stressed.  Valor is 2nd.  And Stress Away is great, but a bit too sweet smelling for me on its own.

This blend can be worn like a perfume, applied as needed to wrists, over heart, on brain stem, or inhaled for a little bit of zen in the midst of chaos.  Or like an an armor when you know you’re headed into a hairy situation – but I would still put valor on my wrists in addition to wearing Calm the Frank Down when I need to keep a level head in the midst of a hot mess situation be it home, work, kids’ school, family fun time, mall shopping, etc.

Feel free to adjust the # of drops.  Make this your blend, friends.  Sometimes I’m feeling more lavender than stress away, sometimes more orange than joy.  Try to keep the total # of drops to 40, but mix and match to find what suits you best.  How will you know?  The nose knows!  Just do a sniff test.  Start with 5 drops of each and add a drop or two next of each oil in order of your favorite until you get the scent that uplifts you most.  The scent that relaxes you the minute the oils pass the blood brain barrier.  I’ve had to refill my 10 mL roller so many times and each time it’s a little bit of a different blend.  And that’s ok!  It’s meant to be flexible.  …just roll with it…  Get it?  Funny me.

xoxo

~ pw

*my use of the word “magical” is not meant to imply this oil is actually “magical”.  Please don’t assume there is a tiny unicorn living in the bottle or that a rainbow or pot of gold can be found when uncapped.  Neither will it grant you 3 wishes. This is just my testimonial for how this oil has worked for me. Not intended to imply this can “cure” “heal” or “prevent” any illnesses.

Starter Kits are honestly the best way to get the most “bang for your buck” and your on-going membership for discounts.

Ask me how to jump in today. PM me via FB or email me via my email addy on my About page to get plugged into an amazing educational/support group for all things essential oils to learn more! 😘

Wow, I love all of your comments and feedback on my original cinnamon sugar pecans recipe!  Thanks for showing a girl some love and keep sharing!

I couldn’t resist the urge to make these paleo friendly this year and decided to substitute coconut sugar for the granulated white sugar and loved how they turned out.  Sometimes we find ourselves afraid to try something new for fear of failure.  Sometimes we fail and worse case, you throw out a bad or burned batch.  And sometimes we find we love the new product just as much as the original and these now have a seat at my holiday table!

The coconut sugar has a tenancy to burn faster than white sugar, but it still lends that “sugary” coarseness to the pecans and a satisfying crunch.  You can certainly modify and use 1/4 -1/2 cup less.  This is a strange thing to consider, because you need just enough to coat the pecans, but for those of us who are *mostly* paleo, our pallets have changed and we find naturally sweet things almost overly sweet sometimes!

They’ll look darker than the original recipe because coconut sugar is dark brown, like brown sugar.  See the difference?

Now some  hardcore paleo peeps don’t indulge in any sugar at all.  And some find that even coconut sugar has a delayed effect on their blood sugars.  If this is you, skip this recipe.  It won’t be for all, which is why I call it paleo “friendly”.

If you are ok with coconut sugar, which “technically” is considered paleo, and it doesn’t have adverse effects on your diet or body, GO FOR IT!  Same as any other indulgence, just watch how much you’re eating here.  This isn’t health food – it’s pecans and a natural sugar, found in nature, but still a sugar.  And while pecans are high in healthy unsaturated fat, it’s still a high fat food.  Fats are fats and calories are calories.

Get your workout on and burn those calories and you’ll feel better about the indulgence.

But enjoy these if a little cinnamon and a little sugar makes it feel like the holidays for you and start your diet next Monday.  xoxo

Paleo Friendly Cinnamon "Sugar" Pecans

 

Print

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

60 mins

Total Time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Easy paleo friendly cinnamon "sugar" pecans. Uses coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar ~ a sweet holiday treat perfect for gatherings or homemade gifts..

Serves: 1 pound

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1-2 teaspoons water
• 1-2 teaspoons really good, pure, vanilla
• 1 pound of pecan halves
• ½ - 1 cup of coconut sugar (also called coconut nectar sugar or coconut palm sugar)
• ½ - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees, Fahrenheit
2. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (coconut oil spray is great)
3. In a large zip-top bag, mix coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt and cayenne (if using). Shake it around to combine..
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a fork or whisk until frothy, add water and vanilla and beat to combine.
5. Add the pecan halves to the egg white mixture and stir to coat all pecans with the liquid.
6. Dump the wet pecans into the bag of sugar, seal the top and shake to combine to coat the pecans in the cinnamon sugar mixture
7. Pour onto the greased baking sheet and spread them out into an even layer
8. Bake for 45-60 mins, stirring every 15-20 mins and watch to make sure they don't burn. Everyone's oven is different so keep an eye on them based on how hot you know your oven gets!
9. Break them up a bit if any are sticking once you remove them from the oven. Let them cool then pack them up and share. They are delicious warm from the oven, but not hot. Don't burn yourselves and don't say I didn't warn you!

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Salmon is a favorite around our house. Super easy, no mess, no fuss salmon.  That’s the way to go when you’ve got 3 boys, school, sports, work, travel, extended family commitments, are always short on time and you can’t eat another fast-food hamburger if your life depended on it. …I could probably fit the fries in, but def not another hamburger!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can adapt the seasonings to your family’s taste buds. There isn’t anything ultra-fancy about this dish, it’s actually quite simple, but if you make a nice presentation out of it, it’s perfect for a date-night or fancier family dinner where you need to show off some cooking skills.

And clean up is a breeze because parchment paper slides right off and into the trash. Throw your baking sheet into the dishwasher, pour a 2nd glass of wine and call it a night!

{C} will steal it right off your plate.  Salmon, tuna, shrimp, you name it.  He’s all over it.

{A} has loved salmon all his life. Sushi is always his first request for our date nights.  He actually prefers sushi salmon to over-cooked salmon, so the lesson here is never overcook your salmon!

{D} used to eat salmon, but then he jumped on the, “I don’t like seafood” wagon when he heard his friends saying it.  We use a “try it, maybe you’ll like it” approach with foods that are new to them and food they’ve told us they don’t like.  We tell them maybe they just didn’t like it on a Tuesday (or when they were 4) and now they should try it because it’s Saturday (and now you’re 6) and maybe it’s different today!  Joel is great about saying, “take 1 bite and if you don’t like it, that’s ok, but at least you tried it”.  Turns out 6 year old {D} likes salmon again!  He eats salmon like a grizzly bear and mussels like an otter.

My go-to seasonings are: paprika, smoked paprika, granulated garlic and onion powder, dill, s&p, Old Bay, and fresh lemon juice.

If I’m feeling extra fancy, I’ll break out a roasted garlic blend, dried oregano or thyme (rub this in your palm to break it up before sprinkling on), chili flakes.  I always make sure my dried spices don’t have any additives and buy organic, if possible, and especially if I’m doing a Whole 30 or feeling Paleo.

For the asparagus, it’s simple salt and pepper or crushed red pepper and any seasonings that may have overflowed from the salmon.  If I’m not on a Whole 30 or Paleo, I’ll shave some fresh Parmesan on the asparagus fresh out of the oven.

Lots of options to keep it super simple and easy, or dress it up for a fancier dinner.

Options to serve with couscous, quinoa, over a salad (baby greens, spinach, grape tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl counts as a salad – put your salmon and asparagus right on top, fresh squeeze of lemon and you won’t need any dressing!) or add roasted baby red potatoes.  The possibilities are endless, friends!

This is a great meal prep dish, too!  Add it to your Sunday meal prep and portion into containers over a bed of baby greens or quinoa. Perfect for lunch or dinner on the run.

Tell me how you dressed up, or dressed down, your salmon in the comments below!

Sheet Pan Salmon {Super Easy Recipe}

 

Print

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Super easy, quick sheet pan salmon and asparagus. Great for dinner, meal prep and easy clean up!

: Phanneth Wood | www.fireflytales.net

: Main Dish, Dinner, Paleo

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs salmon filet, washed and patted dry (ensure skin is extra dry if you like crispy salmon skin))
• 1 - 1.5 lb asparagus, washed and trimmed
• 1 lemon, slice half into rounds and juice the other half
• Extra Virgin Olive or Avocado Oil
• Paprika
• Smoked Paprika
• Old Bay
• Sea Salt & Pepper
• Granulated Garlic
• Granulated Onion
• Dill

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees farinheit
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with oil, about 1 teaspoon
3. Lay salmon over the drizzled oil
4. Arrange asparagus alongside the salmon, trying not to overlap any
5. Drizzle about another 1-2 teaspoons of oil over the salmon and asparagus. I use a paper towel or basting brush to spread the oil out evenly over the salmon and use your hands to give the asparagus an even coating
6. Sprinkle salmon with dry seasonings, just enough to lightly cover the surface - you can eyeball this and use more or less of any of the seasonings based on your personal preference, or measure ¼-1/2 teaspoon of each into a small bowl and then sprinkle over the top evenly.
7. Squeeze the juiced lemon over the fish and put a few lemon circles over the fish
8. Bake for 15 minutes then broil on high for 5 minutes for medium. Salmon should firmly flake at an outer edge but still be tender and barely opaque in the center.
9. You may have to adjust time for the asparagus if your stalks are larger.

Notes

Optional to use a roasted garlic seasoning blend, and add dried oregano and thyme. May need to adjust baking time if asparagus stalks are larger than a young crop. May need to adjust baking time if you like your salmon more than medium temperature. Bake for 20 and broil for 5 ~

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