clean eating: oatmeal raison cookies with a side of dark chocolate.

just the other day, brad and i were having a much needed lazy day and i wanted a sweet treat.

isn't that how it always happens?

knowing we had oats, i created something on my own and it turned out rather...great.

when does that ever happen?  

so if you are looking for something clean and healthy but to satisfy that sweet tooth, without further ado i bring you...

combine (all these measurements are loose measurements):
1 c. oats
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. honey
1/3-1/2 c. organic whole grain pastry flour
raisins (however many you want)
walnuts (because that's what i had in the freezer)
mix all ingredients (the mixture should be dry and sticky)
add a little HOT water to make the texture more like cookie dough

cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

once you remove them while hot, add a piece of dark chocolate to the center of the cookie.

*we keep the 100 calorie dark chocolate bars from trader joes and i just broke one bar into twelve pieces to add to each of the cookie.  which worked out perfectly.  (not overpowering but just enough)

**one more thing:  after i made these cookies, i found this recipe one thegraciouspantry.com.  by go to guide for clean eating recipes, it's similiar and i am sure just as good...if not better.

the pantry is clean and so are the brownies. hallelujah!

a month in to eating clean, and i think it might just stick.  it is great to feel like you know exactly what is going into your body and not feeling any guilt for eating anything!  and as you roll your eyes thinking we must be crazy, guys...you can eat anything!  i have made two batches of clean brownies and loved every last bite of them.  and heck yes, we licked that batter bowl clean.  we were like two rabid dogs when the word clean and brownies came out of my mouth and then when i made them and they were good?

fuuuuuugetaboutit.

so most ALL of my recipes are coming from thegraciouspantry.com---she is the genius behind my nonstarving self.
because of her, i have had pizza, brownies, and then the normal clean eating food as well.  so go give tiffany some love.
because well, she's the reason i ain't hungry.  and i've lost fourteen pounds to boot.  {speaking of boots, fall is here, and that means i need some new boots.  camel.  camel boots.  need.}

since we are clean now, we cleaned out the pantry.  see how that works?  clever, huh?
no 'bad" food in da house.  
nothing.  
so how can you "cheat" if all you have is clean food?  
yeah, i know.  stinks.  
up there, that's the before.

i mean, a girls gotta make room for her flax seed and chai seeds, the wheat germ is in the 'frig, don't you worry.  and while i am clean geeking out, i'll tell you this.  we have bee pollen too.  truth.

feels so great to know what is going onto your body.  to know exactly what is going in.  and it's all good for you.  every bite...good. for. you.  amazing.
wanna see what is not clean though?
this.

and since i am so confessing the degree to which the 'frig is a disaster.  i kinda like it.  i think it has personality.
a valentine from my mother in law.  and i mean, isn't it the cutest little thing ever?
a vintage postcard of the ryman auditorium that i got for my mom, that i can't seem to part with.  think it might be a framer.  just call me an indian giver.
and laura.  laura palmer.  who doesn't have her on their 'frig?

so i have showed you the insides of my cabinets, showed you the mess of my 'frig...tell me, what does your 'frig look like?

mess?

clean?

organized chaos?

and while i am writing this, i am waiting for these to come out of the oven.

brad thinks i'm a genius in the kitchen.
and i say "thank you lord and thank you tiffany."

timers going off, gotta go!