Simple Pleasures

Tea Time and Macarons

Mornings have always been one of my favorite times of the day. The fresh new clean feeling, the endless amount of possibilities that could occur, and the grateful sense of knowing I have made it another day. One morning activity I quite adore is to sit back, while after having my breakfast, to take a moment to enjoy a simple pleasure of mine, tea and macaron cookies. Albeit, this is not an everyday occurrence, but that makes it more special when it does. These little darlings became popular in France and soon made their way state side. While I cannot get the little cookie locally, only bigger cities seem to have them in Pennsylvania, I treasure the ones I do have the chance to acquire. Light and airy with either a creme or jelly center, macarons have become a new favorite of mine, not to mention how pretty they look! I also like to get my little sweet treat out of the way in the morning so I have the rest of the day to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to make up for it. Remember, moderation is key.

Benefits of Green Tea

Every morning I look forward to drinking mint green tea. It not only soothes and calms, but gets me ready for the day ahead. This tea comes jam packed with health benefits and also contains less caffeine than black tea or coffee. As someone who becomes too jittery with caffeine this tea wins my stamp of approval. Looking to try a new morning pick me up? Look no further than green tea and reap the rewards. Trust me, your body will thank you later on. A little added bonus, by squeezing a citrus juice into your tea, I use lemons, this boosts the power of the antioxidants and keeps them in the body longer.

• Contains the highest amount of antioxidants of any tea
• Polyphenols have been shown to decrease tumor growth. Drinking green tea over long period of time has also been shown to decrease multiple cancers.
• Prevents dental cavities
• Lowers stress levels
• Reduces risk of heart disease
• Naturally cleans teeth and freshens breath
• Improves arthritis by reducing inflammation throughout the body
• Can help in weight loss by increasing metabolism
• The catechins in the tea give your immune system a big boost by creating an antibacterial state within the body. This helps in preventing sickness and disease.
• Great for skin due to its high content of antioxidants and inflammatory properties.
• Spritz some green tea onto the face to draw out impurities and get a gorgeous glow
• Steep the tea for 15 minutes and allow to cool for a few hours. Rinse hair with it and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Make sure to shampoo and condition afterwards as normal. This gives lack luster hair a boost of shine.

Sweet Treats

Blueberry  Crumble Cake

My sweet treat indulgence for this week is a delicious blueberry crumble cake. Keeping true to my retro roots, the recipe comes from a Retro Baking book with a healthy update, while still keeping the flavor and decadence alive. Enjoy this treat while taking a break from the day and sipping on some tea of coffee.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup truvia baking sugar
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 2 eggs, seperated (reserve the whites)
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1 cup of fresh blueberries

Grease and flour the bottom of a 12x8x2 inch rectangle pan. In a large mixing bowl sift together flour and sugar. Using a fork cut in butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Measure 3/4 cup of flour mixture and set aside. To remaining flour mixture beat in baking powder, salt, egg yolks, and milk; beat about 2 minutes. In a small mixing bowl beat egg whites until stuff and still moist. Gently fold into batter and pour into pan. Spread blueberries over batter and sprinkle crumb mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.