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Here is a great holiday treat. We all know pumpkin season is for real, and is real important to people. So how about we give them something new to try. These pumpkin spice cupcakes are like taking a bit into the holidays. Recipe: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda pinch of salt 1/2 cup vegan butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin puree 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water Add all dry ingredients into a mixer or bowl, and stir until combined. Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the pumpkin puree, and mix well. Then fold in the pumpkin puree. Bake at 350 for 18-20, or pass a toothpick in the middle and when it comes out clean it's done. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them. Frosting: 1 package vegan cream cheese 2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (if needed add 1-2 tsp soy milk for a thinner consistency) Whip all ingredients together

Ingredients: Filling: 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz) 1/2 cup sugar pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract 1 Tablespoon lemon juice zest of 2 lemons yellow food coloring (if desired) 1/4 cup soy milk (or other milk alternatives) 1/4 cup arrowroot or cornstarch Crust: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup vegan butter 5-8 Tbsp ice cold water Instructions: Preheat oven to 350. Crust Place crust ingredients into food processor, except butter. Once the dry ingredients are well mixed, then add butter. Pulse until ingredient is crumbly. Add 5-8 Tbsp of ice cold water, until dough forms into a ball. Press the dough into tart pan (or muffin pan). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or util edges turn golden. Let crust cool fully before placing filling in it. See I made mine in a muffin pan. Filling In a separate bowl mix soy milk and cornstarch. Make sure to mix well with a whisk or fork until there are no lump. Set aside. Place sugar, salt and coconut milk into a saucepan, and on medium-high heat bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium and slowly add the cornstarch mixture. Whisk continuously. Continue to cook until it is the consistency of pudding (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, zest, and food coloring (if desired). Place filling into crust evenly. Place it in refrigerator for 6-8 hours. You can garnish it with whatever fruit you would like. I used raspberries. Eat and enjoy!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That's why it's important to make sure we are choosing foods that are filling and full of nutrition. Quiche is a great way to add more protein to your daily intake, and a vegan quiche easily adds this without adding the cholesterol. Eggs are very high in cholesterol. One egg contains about 187 grams of cholesterol. That's just ONE egg! It's recommended not to have more than 200 grams of cholesterol per day. It's easy for people to eat much more cholesterol than is recommended, and this is when high cholesterol can become a problem. There have been plenty of people who are on cholesterol lowering medications, and continue eating lots of eggs, meats, and dairy. All of which contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is found only in animal products. Plants have ZERO cholesterol. So if you're wanting to lower your cholesterol, a simply way is to cut out or down on meat and other animal products, especially eggs. So here is a great alternative to having a quiche that is typical filled with eggs and meats and cheese: Recipe: Quiche Filling: 2 teaspoons olive oil or water for sautéing 1/2 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cup vegetables of choice 1 cup veggie meat (optional) 16 ounces silken tofu, drained well 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon McKay’s Chicken/Beef seasoning (vegan style) 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Directions: First prepare the crust for the quiche, see below. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a pan add the onions, garlic, and olive oil or water, and sauté for 5 minutes on a medium heat, or until onions are translucent. Add the veggie meat, and sauté for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add the vegetables. In a blender place the tofu, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, turmeric, McKay’s seasoning, corn starch and baking powder, and blend until smooth. In a bowl add the sautéed veggies and the blended tofu mixture, and mix until well combined. Add to the prepared crust and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes. If it begins to get too dark, place aluminum foil over it while it continues baking. Crust: 4 cups frozen tater tots 1/2 teaspoon salt Follow the directions on the package to bake the tots. Once they are finished baking place them in a pie dish and use a fork or masher to mash them down into the form of a pie crust.

Ever wonder what to do with those brown bananas? I have a solution! In this video I show you want to do with growing bananas, and I also make one of my favorite smoothies. Have you ever tried the Peanut Butter Mood smoothie from Jamba Juice? Well, this is it vegan style. Recipe: 2 frozen bananas 1 cup soy milk (or other milk alternatives) 2 Tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butters) 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed Benefits of Bananas: They are high in potassium, which makes it excellent for fighting heart disease. A diet high in potassium and low in sodium helps prevent arterial hypertension, arrhythmia, stroke and even cancer. Bananas are effective in relieving diarrhea in children and also adults. Nuts/Nut Butters Some people are worried that nuts or nut butter will make them gain weight since they tend to be high in calories. When comparing calorie for calorie, nuts are less fattening than meat, sausage, milk fats or refined sweets. It's true nuts have a high caloric content, but their oil is composed of mono or polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are easily metabolized and don't tend to be deposited in the body. So eat nuts in place of other calorie-rich foods and not in addition to them.

Baby it's cold outside. When winter rolls around, it just feels like the right time to drink some hot chocolate and curl up in front of the gas fire place. A wood fire place would be ideal, but we have gas, so it's a gas fire place that I curl up next to. How about something special this holiday season. Instead of just a hot chocolate drink, we try hot chocolate cookies! They're so cute and fun to decorate, the kids will love making these. Plus they are so soft and chewy, which makes them even more delicious. Honestly, when I was trying out this recipe, I was going for some chocolate cut out cookies, but instead this is what I came up with, and I think they are even more wonderful. Recipe: 1/2 cup soft vegan butter (Earth Balance, Smart Balance) 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flaxseed, ground 3 tablespoons water 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened 1 1/2 cups flour Toppings: vegan marshmallows Vegan Candy Canes Icing: 2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) 4-5 tablespoons almond milk 4 ounces melted dairy-free chocolate Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl add the ground flaxseed and water and mix together, this is our flax "egg". let it sit for 2-3 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl add the sugar and vegan butter and mix until it is just combined. Add the almond milk and flax "egg" and mix until it is combined. In a separate bowl add the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Then add the dry to the wet ingredients, and mix until it is well combined. With well floured hands, drop a heaping tablespoon of the dough on your hand and form it into a round flat-ish shape. Place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove them to cool. Icing Directions: Melt the dairy-free chocolate in the microwave or on the stove. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir until it is well combined and the consistency you want. Add more almond milk as necessary. Spread the icing onto the cooled cookies, and top with vegan marshmallows and candy canes. Did you know candy canes are not vegan? Or vegetarian! Red dye is typically made from crushed BUGS! Cochineal insects to be exact. Who would think to use bugs in our food?! Here's an article that talks more about red dye, and where it can be found: Red Dye. There are a couple of different vegan brand marshmallows, but the one I enjoy the most come from Trader Joe's. They taste just like normal marshmallows. If you're not aware that marshmallows are not vegan, or really even vegetarian, now you do. They contain Gelatin, which comes from the collagen of various animal body parts. Ew. I don't know why they mess around with our food so much, and use unnecessary products. If you are unable to find vegan marshmallows in any store near you, you can always order them online: vegan marshmallows.

How about a new spin on applesauce? Something so delicious, you'll wonder where it's been all your life. Since pears are naturally sweet, there is no need to add extra sugar to the recipe, unless you like is really sweet. Recipe: 8-10 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into pieces about 1 inch 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (If you like it extra sweet you can add 1/4 cup sugar) Directions: In a large pot, combine all ingredients, peals, water, lemon juice, apple pie spice, and sugar (if desired). Turn on to a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 25-30 minutes. Place in a blender and blend for about 15 seconds, or use an immersion blender, and blend until smooth. Once cooled, place in a glass container and store in refrigerator. Will keep for 5-7 days. Whether you are making this recipe or canning pears, nothing is easier than blanching the pears, to get the skins off. All you need to do is bring a pot of water to a boil, then place 2-4 pears in for 7-10 seconds. Quickly place them in ice water, and the skin will come right off. By adding some apple pie spice to the pear sauce, it makes it taste like a pear apple pie. The best part is it is only pears you're eating, which means fewer calories. One of my favorite ways to eat applesauce or pear sauce, is by making some toast, adding almond butter, and then topping it off with apple or pear sauce. I'm sure it sounds strange to some, but trust me it's delicious.

Giving birth is not easy. It's not for the faint of heart. Thanks a lot, Eve. It has taken me almost 6 months to share my birth story. It was traumatizing to say the least. But as time goes on, the bad parts are being a bit more hazy. Before I forget anymore details, I wanted to share my story with whoever is interested. As I was editing my video, I realized I had left out some details of my delivery. Watch the video before reading the rest of this blog, because then it will make more sense. One of the important things I forgot to mention in the video, is the doubt I had during the 3 1/2 hours of pushing. I'm not sure how much time had passed before the doctor started telling me they could see his head, and that he was coming. I do know that everyone was saying that for over an hour of my pushing. After hearing it the third time, I thought they were lying, and just trying to keep me from getting discouraged. Not only that, but when I was contracting and pushing, I looked at the doctor's face, and I felt like she was thinking I would need a C-section. While everyone around was saying that he was coming, she said nothing. In my mind I kept thinking that I can't believe I've had to go through all of this just to have a C-section. Luckily that wasn't the case. After a little more than three hours of pushing, though I had been silently praying the whole time for strength and to get this thing out of me, I finally said the prayer aloud. A couple pushes later I started to vomit. It wasn't until I started to throw-up that the doctor finally realized that I could have the baby naturally. She said that is when things started to look up, and the baby was in the right position to come out. Thank you, God. You would think since I had the epidural that I would not have pain during the pushing stage. Well, that's not true at all. I felt everything that was happening. Everyone kept telling me when another contraction was coming, even though I could obviously feel them before, during, and after. Nothing can prepare you for labor. Even greater than that, is nothing can prepare you for the immediate and overwhelming love for that little tiny baby. As I had mentioned in the video story, for me postpartum was the part that I struggled with. Even six months after giving birth and I can still feel the aftermath in my body. Someday I'll get around to sharing that part with you all. I think it's important for women to talk about it, because I believe most women experience something similar, but do not usually talk about it. For now, I'll just enjoy my little man.

When you are trying to be prepared for your baby to be born, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what you need. When I was in my first trimester of pregnancy, my husband and I entered a giant baby store, and I walked out of there not buying a thing, and feeling so overwhelmed. I probably even cried. There were so many products and I just kept thinking that it was going to be so expensive to buy everything I needed. Well, it turns out there are a lot of things you really don't need, and some that will make your life easier. I'm sharing my top items that I absolutely love for my baby boy. They have helped me tremendously. This was one of the first gifts I received while I was pregnant with Benjamin. The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible, by Harvest House. I was so excited when I opened it up and saw all the gorgeous photos on each page. It covers the Old and New Testament, and has 606 pages. I had been wanting a book that I could read with him for his morning devotions, and when I received this one, I knew God had heard my heart. We usually read this in the morning times for devotional time, or sometimes in the evening if the morning got too busy. Afterwards I will sing a couple Bible songs with him that hopefully go along with the stories we read that morning. For example when we read the chapters on David, I sang the song "Only a boy named David..." and so on. It has been such precious time that we get to spend together and with God. As soon as I lay him on the bed and pull out the book he either gets real quiet and listens intently the entire time, or he will "talk" non-stop as I'm reading it. This is by far my favorite item I have for him. If you click the picture it will take you to a link on Amazon where you can purchase it, and I hope you do. This swing was given to us as a gift from my husband's brother and family. There are a lot of baby swings out there, but I really enjoyed this one, and so did baby Benjamin. We keep this in our living room so I always have a place to set him when I need to do things in the kitchen/living room area. It sings, swings, and has a shiny mirror, on the mobile, at the top that he loves to look at. He used to take his naps in this when he was newborn, and he would sleep for a couple hours at a time. It was wonderful. Breastfeeding cover, and so much more. I love to use this around his carseat when we are going into a store or restaurant, especially if he is sleeping. It's great because it keeps the light off of him or if it's cold out it keeps him a bit warmer. Personally, I'm a shy person, so breastfeeding in public is something I'm still getting used to. That's why I like this cover because I am able to feel covered up while feeding him, and he's comfortable eating. I'm shy with breastfeeding, but also there are too many pervs that probably want to check out the side boob, too. So I like to cover up when in public and it does just that. My son is too little to sit in a grocery cart, but I plan on using in it the cart when he is big enough. I'm the germaphobe who runs around with hand sanitizer before I let you hold my baby, so this cover will come in handy for the germs on the carts. Oh, this wrap! Moms, go get one! I absolutely love this wrap. After watching a video of how to wrap it, it was so easy. When I would have a hard time getting Benjamin to sleep, I would put this wrap on and put him in it, and in 5 minutes or less he would fall asleep. One of my favorite things about this wrap is when he looks up at me in it. Oh, melt my heart why don't ya! Sometimes when I'm cooking or cleaning and I have him in the wrap, I will just stop for a few minutes and dance with him in it. He love it because he gets to be against his mama, and I love it for that reason too. Sometimes in the store he will get fussy because he does not like his carseat, so I will put the wrap on and walk around with him in it. It keeps him from crying in the stores, which means I can spend more time doing what I need to do. When he was almost two months, I braved the airplane with him alone. ALONE! We were going to Oregon to visit my family, so I had to figure out what I needed to do get get him and I through the airport with a stroller, carseat, carseat base, and diaper bag. The stroller worked while in the airport, but just before boarding our plane I put on the wrap and put him in it. It worked perfectly. I did have to take him out of the wrap during take-off and landing, but it was so easy to put him back in while in my seat. He slept almost the entire plane ride in the wrap, and didn't even make a peep. Breastfeeding mama's this is a lifesaver! I know they have other types of breastfeeding pillow, but this is my favorite. As you can see it has a strap to buckle it on you while feeding baby, and it is a lifesaver. It helps to keep you sitting up straighter, which saves your back, but it also makes it so much more comfortable to feed baby. While in the hospital I used pillows under Benjamin to get him to the right height to feed him, but the pillows kept sliding out, and were just such a nuisance. When I feed him at night I use the pillow while sitting in bed. Again, it makes it so much easier. Another product that I love is this little bouncy chair. I know I mentioned the swing before, but I think having 2 chairs is essential. I had said that the swing I keep in the living room, but this little chair I put in our bedroom bathroom. Obviously with a newborn and infant, you need to keep them near you at all times. So when you need to go to the bathroom or take a shower, you have this chair in their too. It is so handy to have in there, and it's much better than having to move a chair from the living room to the bathroom daily. I tried it a couple days, and then I was done with that. Newborns typically love the sound of running water, so ever since he was just a couple days old I would set him in the chair while I took a shower. Sometimes he would fall asleep, or sometimes he just sits there. Now that he is almost 5 months old, he is used to sitting in it while I shower, and does not fuss while in it. It's a great training technique. Swaddling is an art. For the first couple weeks I was using swaddling blankets to wrap him in when he slept, and I was getting pretty good at it. However, when I started using one of these swaddling pajamas, it was SO much easier, and took much less time. I remember one night, when he was just a couple days old, he woke up with a wet diaper that soaked through his clothes, blankets, and onto the bassinet. When I went to change him and re-swaddle him, I got so frustrated because he kept moving and the swaddle kept unwrapping. I remember yelling, "Benjamin, stop!" Then in the same moment I stopped and looked at his precious little face, and remembered he wasn't just a squirming baby, he was my baby who I absolutely loved. I took a moment to soak in what had just happened, and said a quick prayer that I would not get frustrated so easily again. Soon after, I started using the swaddle wrap you see above. So buy a few of these and save yourself some time and frustration. I hope that this helped in some way. Being a mom can be hard and exhausting at times. There are things that can help make it a little bit easier. These products are some of those things, but nothing works quite like their smiles or when they look deep into your eyes. What products have you found helpful during the newborn/infant stage? If interested in purchasing any of these products, simply click on the pictures above of the product you are interested in. It will take you to where you can purchase them.

If you haven't checked out my cookbook, please do. It's a great resource to have for your kitchen. It contains over 75 recipes, but also a lot of information on health. Simply Fresh is a plant based cookbook that contains health information and over 75 recipes. It makes being healthy easy and simple. Each recipe contains a photo and nutrient analysis including calories, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, cholesterol, sugar and protein. I am a Registered Dietitian, so I had to included health information, including; breakfast, weight loss, longevity, water, lowering blood sugar, reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, lowering triglycerides, creating a healthy kitchen, exercise, healthy fats, the truth about carbohydrates, and faith and health. There are simple tips and tricks that she recommends for each of these. She has been giving these tips to people for years and has seen how they have truly improved their health. There are sections for breakfast, sides, salads, soups, entrees, dessert, basics, and drinks and juicing. There are icons for each recipe showing what the recipe helps to improve. The icons are used to help identify which recipes help with various aspects of your health. Also, in the back of the book, you can find a special index that directs you to all the recipes that pertain to that benefit. (Health benefits: reduces inflammation, good for digestion, heart healthy, good for kidneys, nervous system, lowers cholesterol, good for the arteries, good for the skin, immunity boost, and cancer fighting). Each recipe sis labeled if it is gluten free, nut free, soy free, and/or diabetic friendly. If you’re looking for substitutions for plant-based eating, it has that as well. It also includes a food diary and menu plan. So purchase yours today! Use Code: FALL10 Get 10% off your purchase in the month of October! Use Code: FALL10

If you're a mom, then you know what it's like to be postpartum. It's full of pain and frustration. For me labor was terrible. I'm talking 68 hours of labor, and 3 1/2 hours of pushing. But most of the time people don't tell you about what to expect the first couple of weeks postpartum. It can be absolutely miserable. There was one thing that I had prepared before I went into labor. Padsicles. No, not popsicles. Padsicles. Have you heard of them? Either way, listen up. This could save you a lot of pain and cut down on your healing time. Padsicles are a pad that has witch hazel, aloe vera gel, and an essential oil (if preferred) that you stick in the freezer, and then use it after you give birth to help with pain and healing. Directions: 1. Open up the pad, leaving the wing protectors intact. 2. Using a spoon spread about 2 tablespoons of aloe vera all over the pad. Front, back, middle, everywhere. (you'll want it everywhere after you give birth). 3. Squirt 4 tablespoons of the witch hazel all over the pad. 4. If you're going to use an essential oil place a few drops on the pad. Personally, I used a lavender scent. 5. Make sure it's all mixed well on the pad. 6. Carefully wrap the pad back up. The mixture will get on the wrapper, but that's okay because you'll eventually take it off when you use it. 7. Place the wrapped pads into a zip lock bag (gallon is best), and place it in the freezer. I made my pads about 2 weeks before I was due. Below are the products that you can find on Amazon to make it easier on yourself. I had to go to a couple different stores to get everything, so this just makes it much easier for you. Just simply click on the pictures to purchase them on Amazon. Witch hazel is a topical astringent derived from the bark and leaves of Hamamelis virginiana, the common or North American witch-hazel shrub. Native Americans have long recognized the medicinal properties of witch hazel and used a decoction of the boiled plant parts to treat skin irritations and tumors. (www.naturallivingideas.com/witch-hazel-uses/) It has an anti-inflammatory effect and an indirect antibacterial effect that makes it an ideal choice for postpartum healing. Trust me, after giving birth your vajayjay is inflamed to the max. Aloe Vera Gel is from the aloe plant, which is known as a "wonder plant. It is mostly used for skin conditions, but is also used for treating inflammation. Yes, again with the inflammation. Maxi Pads. You're going to want the maxi size pads. I'm going to be honest, I even used adult diaper pads because I was bleeding so much. These are the ones that I used and they worked great. Gallon Ziplock. You probably already have these in your kitchen, but incase you don't just add it to your amazon bundle to make these a lot more simple for you. Underwear Pads. One more thing that my mom picked up for me after once we came home from the hospital were these underwear. I had quite a bit of bleeding for the first couple of weeks after giving birth. While the padsicles helped, these were a real lifesaver. Sometimes I would place a smaller pad in the underwear so I could use them all day without having to worry about changing them multiple times a day. After a couple of week when the inflammation had gone down, and the bleeding was minimal, there were a few other products that I used to help. While I was in the hospital they provided these products, and before I went home I had my mom pick these up for me at the store. I knew they were products that I would use frequently between the padsicles and after I was finished using them. Tucks. Yes, they are for hemorrhoids, but you can see that they help with relief from burning. A lot of women suffer from hemorrhoids during pregnancy and postpartum. I never had an issue with this, but I did like these for postpartum pain. I bought a couple of these, and even put extras on my padsicles. They were amazing. Dermoplast really helps with pain relief. I would use this each time after I would go to the bathroom. I used this for about the first six weeks postpartum. It really helped out. Mamas, please remember that "this too shall pass." While you are going through the first few weeks postpartum it is hard to think that the pain will go away, and that you will feel normal again, but YOU WILL. Postpartum Depression is real. A lot of women go through it. The pain you can face postpartum has a lot to do with it. For me personally, I felt like my body was letting me down. It was depressing. I could barely sit, and when I did sit it was excruciating to get back up, and it would literally take me at least a minute to stand up. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is something that I was dealing with after I gave birth. Hello? 68 hours of labor and 3 1/2 of pushing?! Of course I had PTSD. I wasn't clinically diagnosed with it, I just felt more traumatized than depressed. I had mistaken it for postpartum depression, but I realized after about two weeks that it was probably more likely to be PTSD. It's real. It's traumatic. If I gave you details about my labor, you would be traumatized. So imagine me. Yikes! What helped me get out of postpartum depression and/or PTSD was talking about it with another recent new mom. She had gone through similar things as I had a month before me. Once we started talking about it and sharing our stories, it was like the pain (mental) was released. If you're struggling with either of these or both, please talk with someone. Either another mom or a professional. You are not alone in going through these things. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. If you need someone to pray with/for you I'd be more than happy to do that as well. You are going to be a great mom. When things get bad just look that precious little baby in the eyes and be still. Items Used:

One of my favorite desserts was key lime cheesecake, and now I get to enjoy it again! I have tried different cheesecake recipes before but none were to my liking. This recipe, however, is the absolute most creamy and rich cheesecake I've made. Once you give it a try you'll know what I am talking about. Recipe: Crust: 1 sleeve graham crakcers, or 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup walnuts 1/4 cup vegan butter, I use Earth Balance Filling: 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes or longer, then drained 3/4 cup canned coconut milk, light or full fat 1/4 cup melted coconut oil Juice from 3 large limes or 6 key limes 1/3 cup agave nectar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 4 ounces vegan cream cheese, I use Tofutti Directions: First preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Add graham crackers and walnuts to a food processor and process until it is a fine meal. While processing add the melted vegan butter, and process until combined. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Evenly distribute the crust crumbles and use a flat surface object to press it down. You can also use your fingers to help mold it. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Set them aside to cool. In a blender place the cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, lime juice, agave nectar, vanilla and cream cheese and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the muffin tins evenly. Place them covered in the freezer. Place them in the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving, to help them thaw. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks if you keep them covered.

Did you know orange is the 3rd favorite flavor in the world? Only following behind chocolate and vanilla of course. This delicious yet simple orange drink is a dream indeed, but it gives so much more than just tickling your tastebuds. There are so many benefits of oranges. The most commonly known benefit is the vitamin C that it contains. That's why our moms always told us to reach for an orange when we were feeling sick, since it helps. The vitamin C helps to protect the cells by neutralizing the free radicals. It helps to prevent cancer. Something that has touched all of our lives in one way or another, whether it was you personally, a family member, friend, neighbor, or someone else. Since they are rich in citrus limonoids it helps to fight against skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon cancer. Kidney stones? Drinking or eating oranges regularly helps to prevent kidney disease and reduces the risk of kidney stones. What about orange juice? Well, you still get some of the benefits of oranges, but the best thing about having the orange whole is all the fiber it contains. Eating a diet rich in fiber helps relieve constipation by stimulating digestive juices. High blood pressure? The flavonoid hesperidia helps to regulate high blood pressure and the magnesium in oranges helps maintain blood pressure. Eye health! That's right the rich orange color is also rich in carotenoid compounds which are converted to vitamin A to help prevent macular degeneration. Ladies it helps to prevents wrinkles as well. They're full of beta-carotene which is a powerful antioxidant protecting the cells from being damaged, and protects the skin from free radicals and prevents the signs of aging. With so many more benefits it would be beyond beneficial to drink up this recipe! So get to it. Recipe: 4 oranges, peeled 4 cups ice 3 Tbsp coconut milk 1 cup soy milk 1/4 cup agave nectar Blend and enjoy!