I have been experimenting with ways to try Essential Oils to help me live a more healthy lifestyle as part of my New Year, New You plan!

This recipe uses orange oil, which is high in antioxidants and helps support a healthy immune system.

And the best part is – this granola is all-natural, easy to make, and YUMMY!

Here’s the recipe:

Orange Cranberry Granola

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup oil (I use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil)

1/3 cup honey (tip: use the same measuring cup as the oil and your honey won’t stick.

Combine these in a large pan on the stove top. Heat on medium to high heat until the brown sugar is dissolved.

Once the brown sugar is dissolved, add the following,

5 cups rolled oats (or if I am adding other things, like quinoa, chia seeds, hemp hearts, I just make sure all of the dry items mixed together is about 5 cups)

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

5-8 drops of Young Living Orange Oil (you can very this based on how much orange flavoring you like)

1tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir and incorporate the dry ingredients well.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread mixture out on a large, greased cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with sides.
3. Bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes. Do not over bake.
4. Let it cool on the cookie tray. Stir it/break it up every once in a while, while it cools. If you don’t stir it, it’ll turn into one big chunk (which is still yummy but harder to eat).

This recipe is very forgiving and easily adaptable to whatever you like in your granola.  Have fun experimenting!

You can add in nuts, dried fruit, seeds, coconut, or whatever else you think would taste good.

Tip: I have found that different brands of oats change the flavor of the granola significantly. I like the Quaker rolled oats the best. I get them at Costco. Don’t use quick oats!   Also, available at Costco-dried blue berries, cranberries, olive oil, honey, cinnamon..I buy it in bulk and have it on hand to make whenever we want.

For more protein add quinoa.

I add chia seeds, flax seed, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds (Most all of these are available at Costco).

I love sharing this with my exercise friends after we work out together.

What’s your favorite post-exercise snack?

xoxo

PS: Interested in trying essential oils? Check out this month’s special deal from Young Living – you’ll love what essential oils can do for you. This month’s special deal includes not just essential oils, but also complete how-to information to make sure you’re getting the most from your essential oils! Check out more details here.

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It helps me remember to focus not just on the outward me, but also the inward me. And I was so excited to try the new Heidi Swapp Marquee Love letters to help me remember even better. (More about this project below.)

Today I’m over at the SNAP Creativity blog sharing my thoughts about my word for 2015, and I thought I’d share a little more here.

The word “HAPPY” helps me remember to live in the moment. It helps me remember to find joy in the small things, and focus on joy.

It helps me remember not to worry about the past or the future, but to trust that things will work out. And it helps me remember to be HAPPY with imperfection.

It helps me remember to be grateful for family, my children, my friends, and the joy in my life.

I had a great time working on the marquee letters! These are Heidi Swapp Marquee Love letters. They retail for $12.99, and you can find them at many stores, but Michaels has the most in stock and the best selection.

Working on a fun project with @hkswapp’s marquee letters and paper from my @pebblesinc #cottageliving paper #wordoftheyear #goals #handmade

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Jan 17, 2015 at 2:58pm PST

I cut inserts to match the marquee letters from my new Cottage Living line papers (they should be available in your local craft store now). I cut holes to accommodate the lights (I used a regular paper punch and punched three holes in a triangle shape to make the hole big enough — just a tip!). Then I just pushed the light caps through the front and put the string of lights in the back.

I love the way they look!

If you missed it last year (or on the Snap Creativity blog today), you can also download my free “Choose Happy” printable.

And I’m excited to wear my new “Happy” necklace from Charmed Collections.

I’m looking forward to a HAPPY 2015!

What’s your word for 2015?

xoxo

The post My 2015 Word of the Year – HAPPY! [New Year, New You] appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Happy 2015!! I’m introducing a new weekly series — New Year New You! Where we share healthy living tips, recipes and inspiration. I’ve been able to lose 45 pounds over the last 18 months with exercise and eating better. I would love to share getting healthy ideas with you in 2015:) #newyearnewyou #healthyliving #resolutionstatertotsandjello.com

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Jan 1, 2015 at 9:12pm PST

One of the most important things to me when I’m running is to keep motivated. For me, it’s listening to some favorite songs — and mixing in plenty of new ones!

I have been a bit obsessed with the new Taylor Swift album (haters, go away, ’cause you’re just gonna hate, hate, hate). I can’t include it in my playlist (below) but I can play the whole thing, especially “Welcome to New York,” “Blank Space,” “How You Got The Girl,” and “Wildest Dreams.”

Here’s my current favorite running playlist, conveniently included as a Spotify playlist:

Not everything has a thumpin’ beat — I like a mix.

I had some great suggestions in the comments in last week’s post, too! Some recommended the UK National Health Service’s Couch to 5K program and app.

Others recommended other couch to 5K apps – some even act as voiceovers for your favorite playlist and help you do interval training. 

(A great source for more information on interval training is Shape Magazine.) I’ll talk about interval training another time, but the idea is that you mix high-intensity effort with moderate intensity. This gives you a better workout in a shorter amount of time!

The key is to find one that works for you and gradually increases your endurance and stamina.

And I’ve published an eBay guide with some of my favorite running gear – check it out, too!

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Now, what are your favorite workout songs?

xoxo

The post My Favorite Running Playlist and More! [New Year, New You] appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Aug 20, 2014 at 12:34pm PDT

So, today, I’ll share a few tips from when I started running, and maybe they’ll help you or someone you love! This is part of my 2015 New Year, New You series — helping all of us be the best “us” we can be!   The most important thing to remember is this: It’s OK to start slowly.

You’re not in a race with anyone — your goal is just to be moving faster than the “you” you might have left behind on the couch! So you don’t have to run a marathon in your first week of getting moving: you just need to get moving!

(And the second most important thing to remember is this: before you start any exercise program, you should consult your doctor or healthcare professional. You’ll get advice specific to your age, body and health. In this article I’m sharing my experience and ideas, but I am not a health professional, and this should not be construed as professional advice. But it should be taken as inspiration!)

I’ll talk another time about choosing the right shoes. But at minimum, choose comfortable, well-cushioned shoes — you don’t want to hurt your feet or legs because of inadequate shoes. You don’t have to have fancy running shoes (yet)!

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Oct 22, 2014 at 6:21pm PDT

Starting slowly

It’s OK to start with walking. In fact, you should start with walking. Maybe you can only walk for 10 minutes a day, but go walk for 10 minutes a day. After a few days, try adding a few minutes.

After a week or so, you may want to jog slowly for a minute or so during that walk.

And this time of year, it’s almost easier to start this kind of program, at least, for me it was. Because it’s cold outside, I walked on a treadmill (while I watched my favorite shows on Netflix!).

I started walking on the treadmill at the gym at about 3.5 MPH, and then the next week, I sped up my walk by 0.5 MPH (half a mile per hour). Once I was going about 4.5 MPH, I tried jogging slowly a little for some of each workout.

And I added a little more time every week — only 5 minutes or so each week.

Getting serious

If you want to get moving faster, sooner, you can accelerate that schedule. (Again, with your doctor’s approval.). One of my favorite plans is by Coach Jenny Hadfield — seriously, it’s true. Not me — she’s just awesome because of her coaching and her name.

She outlines a plan for going from 0 to 30 minutes of running in just 4 weeks in this great article, and you might enjoy her book called Running for Mortals (it’s inexpensive; links in this post are affiliate links).

Set a goal

I felt more motivated when I set an attainable goal for myself– maybe it’s something fun like The Color Run or a local 3K or 5K. This year I ran in the Salt Lake City Color Run and had a blast! With that goal in mind, it’s easier to be motivated to get moving because you are looking forward to having a great time!

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Aug 23, 2014 at 6:27am PDT

I’ll share more tips — and some of my favorite running music — in upcoming articles!

The post How to Start Running When You Don’t Think You Like It [New Year, New You] appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I’ve been concentrating on being happier and healthier in 2014 — and in 2015 I’m committed to be even better at it. I’ve been inspired by so many of you who have made the same resolutions for 2015!

In 2015, it’s time for a new year – and a new you! To help us all get inspired, I’m kicking off a weekly feature called “new year, new you!” It’ll be a positive place for all of us to share ideas for being happier and healthier in 2015. That may mean something different for all of us: it might mean bringing more joy into every day. It might mean being more consistent with exercise. It may mean cooking and eating healthy. Or it might mean affordably upgrading your wardrobe or living space to help you feel more focused and free. Whatever it means to you, hopefully you’ll find inspiration in these upcoming ideas!

A photo posted by Tatertots & Jello (@tatertotsandjello) on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:05pm PST

In 2014, I made good progress on my goals of losing weight and eating more healthily! I feel like I’ve made good progress in the last 18 months or so since this picture was taken:

(Keepin’ it real with the messy master bedroom!) I knew I needed to lose some of my blogger weight!

The one biggest thing that kick-started my new healthy focus was participating in April Kennedy’s 60-Day Body Mind Spirit Challenge! It focuses on exercise, eating healthy, good habits, and spreading joy and positivity. I lost 15 pounds from this challenge!

That was enough to rediscover my joy of running, and then this year since the challenge I’ve lost another 25 pounds to get me closer to my ideal weight. And I’ve been focusing on eating more healthy, drinking more water, and being positive.

So, for example, one of my favorite discoveries has been my Fitbit Zip. I’ve burned out about 4 of them this year. I like the kind that clip on — like this one — rather than the wristband kind, but you may like the wristband better!

This was the lowest price I saw for the Fitbit Zip:

My oldest daughter loves her Fitbit Flex because it has a sleep tracker – and my middle daughter got one for Christmas, too!

* * * * *

One of the reasons I started blogging was because of the fun interaction and conversations we had. I miss that now — and maybe we can do more of it here and on social media like Instagram (just tag me and use the hashtag #newyearnewyou). I’m hoping this helps inspire and spark positive conversation!

I’m looking forward to a year of positive changes for all of us!

Happy New Year!

xoxo

The post New Year, New You: Being Happy & Healthy in 2015! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.