Candied Almonds

Almonds are chock-full of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. They make for a great snack to help reduce hunger and promote weight loss. Take those tasty almonds and coat them in sweet cinnamon sugar and you have a delicious snack. Best yet, make a large batch and throw extras in the freezer to snack on later or to put on top of salads. 
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Happy 2017! I hope you all had a fun and safe welcome into the New Year and that this year is one of your best years yet.

The turn of each new year is a great time to reflect on your past and focus on future goals. I know there are loads of you out there making fitness/health goals, educational goals, family planning goals, and life journey goals. I too set aside some time to really get a good grasp on what I want to get out of 2017.

This year will be a year to remember - but so has the past several years.

In 2011, I married the love of my life and moved from Michigan to California so that we could live a happily married life. And in 2012, we moved from Northern California to Indiana for A's job. Then in 2013 we purchased our first home in Indiana.

2015 took us from Indiana to Maryland, where we purchased our second home. And last year, we moved once more. This time from Maryland to Missouri and purchased our third home.

2016 was also the year that we found out we were expecting our first baby - a baby girl! Baby Girl is expected to make her grand appearance in February, and this will be one of the many great events that will take place this year.

So to start the year out, I am planning and prepping for Baby Girl's arrival. The house is being cleaned and organized, and the freezer is being packed with ready-made items. One of these freezer items include delicious candied almonds.

Click to tweet: Almonds are full of healthy fats & fiber. They also promote weight loss.

Several months ago I shared the recipe for gebrannte mandeln, translating to candied almonds from German. They are so tasty as a snack that I eat them by the handful, but they are also really great on salads. Plus they fare extremely well in the freezer so you can make a big batch and just throw them in the freezer for future use. And let's not forget that almonds contain healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. They can reduce hunger and promote weight loss - we can just forget they are coated in sugary goodness!

Candied Almonds

Recipe by a traveling Wife

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Water
• 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar, separated
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 12 ounces Raw Almonds
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cooking Directions

1. Using a dutch oven, bring water and 1 cup sugar to a boil over medium heat
2. Add almonds and stir, stir, stir
3. Once the water has dissolved and the sugar starts to stick to the almond (roughly 5-8 minutes, or longer), add vanilla extract and remaining sugar
4. Stir for another 1-3 minutes until sugar is to your desired clumpiness or smoothness
5. Pour onto silpat and allow to cool completely
6. Enjoy!

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?

What are some of your favorite ready-made freezer items?

PIN this recipe for later. 

Reminders vs. Resolutions

It's been exactly one week since we welcomed 2016 and I am going to guess that a large portion of individuals are already struggling with their New Year's resolutions. Guess what? I don't make New Year's resolutions. If you have been around these parts for a while then you'll remember a post from last year - 15 reminders to keep me in check throughout the year.

Let's go over those 15 reminders one more time and add a 16th for 2016!

1. Entertain and embrace change

I would say I tried really hard with this one considering we moved from Indiana to Maryland in April. I'm still trying to fully embrace the change of living on the East Coast. Living in a geographical location that does not follow a grid system makes it hard for this directionally challenged individual.

2. Know your mistakes and own them

3. Consciously take care of your body

In 2015, I tried a whole bunch of new fitness ventures. When I was working in an office setting, I would utilize the corporate gym during my lunch period. That then moved to incorporating more strength and running into my routine after the move. I was able to complete 75 days of a running streak then practically quit running. This year I want to just specifically focus on being active - whatever that means during each season.

4. What you have does not prove your worth

5. Laugh and love

6. Be gracious and humble

7. Be honest. To yourself and others

Yes, and yes. I've started to be a lot more transparent with you all and I want this to be a focus going forward. Remember that time that I had a recipe disaster?

8. Enjoy nature

Living in a new state definitely sparked my interest to get out more. Nature is beautiful, so get out there.

9. Walk proud

10. Be yourself


11. Try new foods

Again, being in a new region opened my eyes to new people and new food. I'd love to learn to eat crab like a true Marylander and I still have yet to find the courage to eat a soft shell crab. Maybe this year?!

12. Give time, not money

13. Take the time to learn something

14. Express yourself

15. Don't rely on social media

Finally - 16. Explore

Because A and I have moved around often, I want to always cherish and embrace the areas that we live. This year I want to remind myself to explore. Sure it might be cold or humid as hell, but how long will we really be in Maryland. I encourage you to get out and explore as well. 

Click to tweet: Screw the resolutions - 16 reminders for 2016.

Do you set resolutions for yourself each year?

Have you given up on your 2016 resolutions yet?

What reminders would you create for yourself to have a better 2016?

2015 - New Year's Reminders

It's about that time of year when everyone mentions how quick this year went by. Yada. Yada. Yada. Then they share their New Year's resolutions in hopes that if they publicly announce what they want to change, they might stick with it. I'm not going to do that.

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. I've made them in the past and they last all of 3 days. Or more. A resolution is making a promise to yourself, or others, to make some type of self-improvement. I, on the other had, am going to make reminders for this coming year. A reminder to push myself in the right direction to do something.

Not sure what I mean? See below for my 15 reminders for 2015.

1. Entertain and embrace change

2. Know your mistakes and own them

3. Consciously take care of your body

4. What you have does not prove your worth

5. Laugh and love

6. Be gracious and humble

7. Be honest. To yourself and others

8. Enjoy nature

9. Walk proud

10. Be yourself

11. Try new foods

12. Give time, not money

13. Take the time to learn something

14. Express yourself

15. Don't rely on social media

Happy New Years! Do you have any New Year's reminders?