Simply Sea Salt Brownie

Well, it might not be on the 21 Day Fix "approved" list...but it sure is amazing. And you are cooking from stratch, using whole, fresh ingredients. So while I don't suggest eating these everyday...balance is key to life. Enjoy life. Savor it! 

These brownies are a family favorite. 

Boxed brownies used to be a craving for me...especially hot out of the oven with vanilla ice cream! But after reading over the ingredients, I was curious if I could recreate them and still keep all the yumminess.

I love chocolate. Kind of a chocolate snob. It became my mission.  I was so surprised how EASY it was to make brownies from stratch. After several tweaks, I came up with this. Sea salt changes EVERYTHING!  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup sugar OR 1/2 cup honey

2 farm fresh eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup cocoa 

1/2 cup unbleached flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Then add one egg at a time. Vanilla. Mix all dry ingredients in a seperate bowl and add to the creamed butter batter. Mix well. 

Grease 8x8 pan and add batter.

Cook for 18-20 minutes. Do NOT overcook.

Chocolate frosting 

3 tbsp softened butter

3 tbsp cocoa 

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powder sugar

Mix all together until smooth and frost brownies while they are still warm!

Enjoy! Let me know how much you love them!!

Simply, Homemade Hazelnut Latte

I love coffee. I have one cup a day. And that cup must have these things to be perfect.

1. Froth

2. Good ingredients 

3. Drank in SILENCE 

I'm a much nicer person after sitting on my deck, soaking up the beauty of our ranch and no words. Ha. #truth

So every good cup of coffee starts with homemade ingredients. I used to drink store bought creamer, Starbucks everyday and while it tasted good at the time. My body NEVER thanked me later. You know that saying "pay later"...yeah, sugar crash and bloating. Boo!

So, I've learned to come up with yummy coffee that I can make at home, only take a couple minutes AND taste WAY better. And because I am using whole ingredient, no sugar crash or bloating or guilt. WIN!

I love hazelnut. But I hate immatation flavoring. I was at World Market and found these amazing whole hazelnuts and snagged them up. I use my hand shredder. You can use ground hazelnut, I just always try to use food in its purest and wholest(I think I just made that word up) state! I'm so over the moon that it turned out...BETTER than I had hoped. 

Give this hazelnut latte a try. I promise it won't disappoint! 

 1 1/2 cup home brewed coffee

1/2 cup whole or raw milk

Hazelnut (whole or ground)

Vanilla(homemade or pure)optional

1/2 tsp Pure Maple syrup 

Tiny pinch of sea salt(tiny!!!)

While I am waiting on my pourover, I heat the milk until hot. I then take my hand emersion blender and blend the milk until frothy! Gently stir in a pinch of hazelnut, pinch of sea salt, vanilla and maple syrup. Give it a good blend again. Pour over coffee and scoop the remaining foam on top!! Boom! 

I always garnish with a sprinkle of hazelnut. Because I am a girl. I am a Mom and I need to lavish myself. Ya, know. Plus it looks so pretty! 

Give it a try and let me know your favorite homemade coffee drinks in the comments!! 

simply, Jen

Simply Apple Nachos

Apple Nachos? Yes, HECK YA!!

 

I love food and it has to have flavor and fill me up. No bland, boring, left starving said NO one leaving one of my meals. Yesterday, I experimented with a snack idea.

I started a new fitness program and needed to make sure my nutrition matches all my hard work. Did you know the nutrition is 80% of your results!? Yep, so your spending hours in the gym and not eating the RIGHT foods in the CORRECT portions...you're kind of wasting your time. Enter sad face.

So back to the nachos. Yum. I still needed to eat a serving of fruit and some healthy fats. And it was that afternoon lull and kinda had a sweet tooth. I just knew I could be creative...so this is what I came up with. Melt in your mouth goodness.

Try it. Great afternoon snack for the kiddos and even a dessert! Trust me, you won't be disappointed! 

1 slices apple

Drizzled with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter

Sprinkled with cinnamon 

1 tbsp raisins(no sugar added)

1tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

OH. MY. YUM!

Simply Garlic Hummus

I used to buy store bought hummus. A lot. But then I found out I could make it with a couple ingrdients I always had in the farm pantry  for way less money and I was over the moon...but for the real test. Would it taste amazing? Good isn't okay for my kitchen. I love food. I love flavor and I won't compromise great for good. Well, I am happy to report this is BETTER than amazing. Super simple. Nutritious. And my kids love it for an afternoon snack! Packed with protein and antioxidants, give it a try! 

1 1/2 cup garbanzo beans

2-3 whole garlic cloves

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp cumin

Olive oil to consistency you like(I ise about 1/4 cup) 

Blend or mix until smooth! Hello yum! 

Simply Garlic Hummus

I used to buy store bought hummus. A lot. But then I found out I could make it with a couple ingrdients I always had in the farm pantry  for way less money and I was over the moon...but for the real test. Would it taste amazing? Good isn't okay for my kitchen. I love food. I love flavor and I won't compromise great for good. Well, I am happy to report this is BETTER than amazing. Super simple. Nutritious. And my kids love it for an afternoon snack! Packed with protein and antioxidants, give it a try! 

1 1/2 cup garbanzo beans

2-3 whole garlic cloves

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp cumin

Olive oil to consistency you like(I ise about 1/4 cup) 

Blend or mix until smooth! Hello yum! 

Simply more Nutritious Popcorn...

We love popcorn. Like its on our menu at least 2-3x a week. I make it with pastured butter and Celtic sea salt, drizzled with my nut butter(recipe on the blog) and sometimes I sprinkle with nutritional yeast! It's amazing.

A couple of years ago, I came across an article about the benefits of multi-colored popcorn. I had never even seen this stuff other than on that beautiful Indian corn during thanksgiving. After finding this out, I've never gone back to traditional popcorn...plus it looks super amazing in a mason jar! It's simple really;

It has more antioxidants!!! I was so surprised to hear that a good, organic picots is loaded with nutrients and actually protein too! It's a natural whole grain(gf) and has great fiber!! All good popcorn has these benefit but the multicolored has more. 

And also, stay away from microwave popcorn which doesn't do anything good for you! Same with movie theater popcorn. Get a good air popper and make it like the good ol' days. Your kids will love it...and so will you!! 

 

Simply Raspberry Zinger Smoothie

Need a morning pick me up? This is a new farm favorite! I can't wait to pick out wild raspberries this summer and use them! Hello!

2 pink grapefruit-juiced

1 1/2 c frozen raspberries

1/2 Greek yogurt

1-2 tbsp local honey

1 tbsp whole flax seed

Blend until smooth and serve with some homemade spelt buscuits or muffins! 

Dreams take time...part 1.

How many times have you sat down to dream and ended up discouraged? Hello, welcome to my world! Living on a 200 acre ranch with literally NOTHING on it, except a deserted well that had a fried pump,when we pulled our RV and family of seven on it last September...I get it! Homesteading and developing a ranch is anything but easy. 

I am a dreamer, a dream chaser or what I like to call our family dream CATCHERS! Why, because we have {LEARNED} that aimlessly chasing our dreams, or dreaming about our dreams without  spefic and intentional plan leads to...NOTHING. Except disappointment and discouragement. Can you relate? Then keep reading for 3 ways you can start catching those dreams planted in your heart! Today we will dig into the first. 

Fear. It is the {FIRST} thing you need to throw back at whatever planted that dream killer at you. You have to recognize that fear holds you back. It robs you from your potential. Dreaming BIG can be scary! You are vulnerable. You might fail and that's not a fun feeling. But let me help you. Here is a secret that I wish someone had told me years ago.

You WILL fail!! And learning that one truth has set our family free from fear. 

Failing is ok and actually a really, really good thing! That's sound bizzare, righ? I hear you. I used to be paralyzed with fear, thinking of there was a small chance I would fail! I would immediately stop dreaming or feel so defeated knowing failure was a possibility. But here is what I've found.

Failure is ONLY opportunity to grow! Yep, it's not as scary as I thought. It's actually powerful and I seek it out daily! The more I fail at something, the better I become. I take each failure as a chance to be better, do better, refine my dreams and goals! If you think I sound crazy...Google ANY successful person and you will see they failed FAR more and numerous times(like hundreds) before they ever caught their dream or succeeded. It's such an encouraging and empowering thing to realize!

So next time you feel fear creeping in...decide NOW that fear isn't your friend and declare that TODAY you are moving forward with your dream, regardless on how you "feel". Remember that this doesn't happen overnight and you must choose DAILY to create this new habit! Failure is just another part of your journey and it only allows you to be the fierce and confident dreamer you were created to be! Learn to embrace it.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing the second part of how to become a dream catcher. {Dreaming so big, it SCARES you}

Thanks for stopping by! 

Almond Joy Smoothie

I love a good smoothie. Especially when I can sneak a little extra greens and my kids don't say a word. Mom win!! 

Making this I a healthy after school snack doesn't haven't to be difficult to be delicious! I keep these staples in our fridge and pantry every week because they are so vesitle. You can buy most of these ingredients in bulk either at Costco(for the win) or a local grocery store that carries bulk! If you don't know how much can money you can save buying in bulk...it's WORTH looking into! 

Here is one of our favorite after school snacks! 

Almond Joy Smoothie(for 7)

1 box of unsweetened almond milk

1 cup spinach 

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 raw almonds

1 banana 

Drizzle of local honey 

Dash of sea salt

1 cup ice

Blend and Enjoy!!! 

simply, Jen 

Simply Cream of Chicken

Sometimes you just don't know what your missing until you try it. If you buy canned cream of chicken, please STOP! Besides being filled with really bad(really bad) things, it just doesn't compare to homemade cream of chicken.

 Where have you been all my life?! I know I used to stock those cans in my pantry because our fav farm meal, Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, calls for it. As I journeyed into saving money , eating clean and balanced and cooking from stratch I realized that not only does it take 5 minutes to make, but it tastes INCREDIBLE. I'll never go back. So give it a try! I promise it won't disappoint. Enjoy!!

PS I am sending out my chicken pot pie recipe ONLY to my newsletter subscriber!! So if you haven't subscribed yet, leave a comment with your email and I'll add you! 

1 3/4  cup chicken stock

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup flour or arrowroot

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp of thyme OR 1/4 tsp celery seed(optional)

Heat chicken stock in a sauce pan. Mix the milk and flour together in a small bowl. Stir until there are no lumps. Slowly whisk in the milk/flour mixture into the warm chicken stock and stir until consistent(no lumps) Add seasonings and cook over medium heat until thick. You can add more milk if it gets to thick or add more flour/milk mixture of you want it thicker! 

I told you! Easy! And simply, delicious!  

Simply, Jen 

Simply Hot Cocoa

November brisk breezes, tree is up and Christmas music fills the home. It's the perfect treat for your little ones. I like to keep things simple. Throw these ingredients in the blender, pour into a mason jar and top with marshmallow. I have a great recipe for those, but today, I just used some I had left over in the pantry. Enjoy. 

24 oz raw milk or whole milk

3 tbsp cocoa 

2 tbsp maple syrup 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

Pinch of sea salt

Blend on high(our vitamix heats it up-or you can heat up after)

Serve in mason jar with marshmallow. Curl up in a blanket and enjoy the season! 

Simply Perfect Pumpkin Bars

Choices. Small choices can make the biggest impact. So this week is Thanksgiving and I plan on making some delicious foods. Eating right and balanced DOESN'T equal bland and boring. Ask my kids..they NEVER complain! 

Take for instance this yummy chocolate chip(no soy) pumpkin bar. Instead of loading it with refined sugar that holds NO nutritional value, I sub either local honey and cut the measurement in HALF!  And use spelt or whole wheat flour. I took two not so healthy ingredients and exchanged them for two that will work FOR me and not against me. Yes, of course fresh juice or a raw apple are the BEST choice...but if we stick to making BETTER choices this holiday, then we are ahead of the game! 

Simply Pumpkin Bars

2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tap baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup raw honey or muscovado sugar

3/4 cup organic salted butter

2 eggs 

1 can of pumpkin

1 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat to 325 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, I use my Kitchen Aide, mix the butter, sugar, pumpkin and one egg at a time. Slowly add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mix and combine. Hand mix in the chocolate chips if you want a TASTY treat! 

Greese a 9x13 pan and put batter into 

pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Check with toothpick. It will come out clean when done. Do NOT overlook. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes! Serve warm. 

Simply Pumpkin Spiced Latte{or vanilla}

I love fall. I love pumpkins and golden orange and red leaves and crisp breezes and woodstoves with a red kettle of water always warming for good tea and better coffee. 

I love this recipe because it is easy to make, doesn't have yucky ingredients and can be guilt free! Balance is everything and if you are only using a little pure maple syrup then no need to worry! 

Add a tbsp of pumpkin spice{or 1/4 tsp on pure vanilla in your brew} to your coffee grounds when brewing! 

Heat your milk on the stove and use a hand lender to froth it all up! 

Mix your coffee with a pinch of sea salt and a tsp of pure maple syrup! 

Add steamed milk and use a spoon to scoop foam on the top! Drizzle with maple syrup(optional but oh so FUN) and sprinkle with cinnamon! Enjoy with your favorite book and warm blanket! 

Move over Starbucks-pumpkin spiced latte on the farm wins...we have a better view too! 

PS- I <3 Starbucks 

Simply Poppyseed Dressing

By far this is my go to homemade salad dressing! It is simply devine on any salad! Cobb, autumn salads, or just a simple cucumber and tomato salad. Super easy to make. I double and triple this recipe and store in a quart mason jar. A fun one for your kids too! Have them add all the ingredients, put on the kid and let them shake it up!! For the best flavor, I let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes! You're welcome in advance! 

Simply Nut Butter Popcorn

It's a family favorite. Made at LEAST once a week for the kids and every time it is like I just pulled out ice cream! Score! I love this recipe because of all of the health benefits the ingredients have. Every ingredient has a purpose and I love how when combined it not only gives you a mouth full of YUMMY, but nutrients for my kiddos...and me ;) 

Super simple 

6 cups popped popcorn 

1/4 organic coconut oil

1/4 nut butter

1/4-1/2 tsp of sea salt(or to taste) 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

2-3 tbsp local raw honey 

Mix ingredients on a low heat until smooth. Drizzle over and enjoy this farm family favorite!! 

PS I have a video over on my health/fitness Facebook page! I explain all the benefits of the ingredients and I had my 2 year along for the shoot! So. Much. Cuteness!! Here are some still shots of the video. Be sure to head over there and LIKE my page :) 

Facebook.com/jengamblefitness 

Simply Homemade Orange Julius

It may be fall y'all, but here on the ranch it is a blazing 98 degrees!!! Good gracious! This afternoon, I was desperate to cool down and I knew the battle of the "after school snack" was knocking quickly at the door. After picking up the kids down the lane, I needed to make a quick run into our cute little country town for ice and water as we are still waiting test results back on our spring water. I contemplated a quick drive through smoothie for the kids..but you know they are LOADED with sugar. Every once in a while is fun, but with Dad away...I decided to skip the sugar high! I grabbed a couple ingredients at the store for half the price of 5 smoothies and headed back to the ranch. 

This is always a winner with my kids! Plus it is packed with vitamin C, protein and omegas. You can even added some chia or flax seeds for an extra nutrient kick! When we have fresh farm eggs, I'll throw a raw one in too...oh now things are getting real! My Orange Julius is low in sugar AND they beat both  the price and decliousness of the Mall version. Win! Win! Win! 

Gamble's Orange Julius 

3 cups ice

4 peeled large oranges

2-3tbsp of raw local honey or pure maple syrup 

1tsp pure vanilla 

1 pinch of sea salt 

3-4 cups of organic milk

Blend, throw in a mason jar with a straw and ENJOY! 

Simply an Opportunity

✨Life by Design is designed by YOU.✨

How MUCH can change in a year! I'm 36 today and let me tell you I've done and accomplished and caught MORE dreams in the past 10 months-than my entire LIFE! 

10 months ago I took a crazy, out of the ordinary leap of {FAITH}. 10 months ago, I was desperate for things to change, depressed and dying inside...barely breathing. You see, I know what it feels like to have anxiety when checking out of the grocery store. Wondering how we would pay our bills. Buying sale racks and secondhand and only enough to get by, not to {THRIVE} My husband has always worked out of town because what he does, well he can not do it here. 80% of the year-he was GONE!  He sacrificed ALOT to get where he is today. And the jobs he took locally as he worked hard to establish himself,  he was underpaid and overworked. He is the hardest working man I know and made sure we were taken care of...even though he was just as exhausted as I was.   I stayed home with the kids, homeschooled,  ran our farm, helped with our ministry and was barely surviving...but I did it because I am a {FIGHTER}. 

---------------------------------------------

A {KNOCK} on a door came, an {OPPORTUNITY} to change my circumstances and help give {FREEDOM} to our family. For us to passionately pursue our dreams, keep my husband home more to focus on catching our {DREAM} and allow me to stay at home with the kids, not sacrificing the most beautiful calling of my life-being a wife and Mama to our 5 children. So I {JUMPED}. Nothing else was working and I was desperate enough to try anything. I gave it all I had. I worked {HARD} because nothing in life is free and I learned if I wanted to change my circumstances, I had to stop whining about them and DO something. Even if it was hard. Even when I wanted to quit. Even when I got raised eyebrows. Even when the only person who praised me was my husband. Even when I failed...I KEPT GOING! 

---------------------------------------------

In just 2 months I was able to buy my {DREAM CAR} A safe family SUV for my family to enjoy. Sure beats that farm truck we all squeezed into for 6 months. We sold our family car to be debt free. Sacrifice. In 4 months, I was able to quadruple my income and was earning trips, gifts, recognition and building a Team of IGNITERS that all had the same drive, determination,  motivation and  passion as me. Building {FAMILY} and {COMMUNITY} as we help hundreds of people discovery all they were created to be! Championing and encouraging others. Not to mention get in the best shape of my life. 10 months later still increasing income and the BEST part...our family was able to {CATCH OUR DREAM} because my husband could stay home and focus on our ranch. And my husband working out of town has RADICALLY shifted and he now stays HOME 80% of the year🙌🏻😭🙌🏻 We worked as a {TEAM} and went for it. I want to HELP others catch their dreams!! I want to show others there is MORE than enough and that catching dreams isn't just a far off wish. I want to see others empowered and know they have EVERYTHING in them to change their circumstances! 

---------------------------------------------------

So today, I am still a wife of a hero🇺🇸Mama to 5 amazing kiddos👦🏻👧🏻👦🏻👦🏻👶🏻 but I have {LIFE} seeping from me. I have {JOY} I am {HELPING} people. I am a {LEADER} More than I could have ever imagined. I know what it feels like to have life not working out, struggling to put food on the table, questioning WHERE is God and WHAT are we going to do. I get it. We ALL have a story. But I'm here to offer YOU something I was offered...a {CHANCE} to write your OWN story to FIND your story. To create life by {DESIGN} to experience {FREEDOM and PURPOSE}. An opportunity for you to CATCH your DREAMS. 

✨If you are passionate, motivated and driven and love helping people.

✨If you have always heard a gentle but strong whisper in your ear that there is MORE for you.

✨If you are ready to stop wishing but ready start CATCHING your dreams...

I'd love to share more.

 Email me today. Don't wait. Don't second guess yourself. Today is the day your have the chance to change your life! ✨jengamblefitness@gmail.com✨

Simply Courage

You might not be able to {SEE} what is in front of you. It might {FEEL} scary. But these are the {MOMENTS} when your dreams have to be bigger than your fears. It is what holds back 95% of people from catching their dreams. You WILL fail. You WILL feel terrified. But once you start believing in yourself and take that first step of {COURAGE} before you know it you will be running and NOTHING can hold you back! Take that step! I PROMISE-it is worth it❤️

Simply Family Clean Eating

One thing I LOVE about what I do is {EMPOWERING} people to know that can do anything they put there mind to! But you don't have to do it alone! I'm here to help! 

This month our team is focusing on how to eat {CLEAN} as a {FAMILY}!!! We will give you a meal plan, a grocery list, tips on how to make it fun, we even throw in daily exercises for you! 

My passion is for you to walk this in confidence and have community support. So {JOIN US} for 5 days starting OCTOBER 12th for a {FREE CLEAN EATING WITH YOIR FAMILY} group!

✉️Send me an email to be added jengamblefitness@gmail.com

Space IS limited so let me know ASAP to secure your place! I'm so excited about the freedom and fun ideas I get to share with you!

***Can not be working with another coach or be a coach***

Simply hard...

Sometimes when the reality of pioneering a ranch hits me straight in the face like a steel shovel, and my heart aches for normal, and wifi, and a landline phone, and a bathroom bigger than half a normal closet, and not having to load 7 people up on a four wheeler to go the top of the mountain for a normal shower just to find out you are out of propane and you have to take a cold shower with kids SCREAMING, and your refrigerator the size of a dorm refrigerator that was just filled for the 3 days you can fill it with-stops working, and the never ending ranch dirt, and county's making everything nearly impossible, and......need I go on. 

I sit in the parking lot of my little country town, with my new escalade filled with 5 gas cans I need to fill up with gas and take back to the ranch and I steal their wifi and check in with my challengers and eat a Twix and CRY.

Why?!? Cause {DREAM CATCHING} is freaking hard work and most days I just want to quit and complain and quit again for NORMAL. I want to curl up in a fetal position and protest "NO MORE" to my husband...and then it hits hard. That steal shovel again, right across my face. 

Failure is inevitable, quiting is my choice.  

I begin to grab back core of me, that deep down strength. The one that has gotten me through the past 10 years of fighting and failure and forging towards our dreams. 

One day-when I am sitting in my little farm house and we are training missionaries from around the world...I KNOW it will be worth it. So I fix my eyes on the GOAL-not my circumstances-cause man it is easy to plant yourself as the victim. 

Brush it off, Jen! You've got work to do.