Month: May 2018

Energy Balls- Bites of Joy

sarahreedit1 Comment

We’re told to not set goals in an if-then mindset. Once I weigh this/get this promotion/buy this/ get married, I’ll be happy. For most things, I agree.

But the rules are broken for my recent purchase of a food processor. That DID make my life easier, happier, and I AM making all of the recipes I said “one day” to before. I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it.

These were meant to be peanut butter brownie bites, but I got feedback (from one of the 15 coworkers that devoured these) that the date and PB combo made it taste like a PB&J sandwich.  51Rz319kCLL._SY355_Uncrustables needed a face lift anyway. Welcome to 2018, kiddos.

Most importantly, one coworker, who is looking for me to help him be healthy described them as Bites of Joy, which took the cake in my book. Especially to my skeptical manager’s praise of “much better than I expected.”

Most importantly, here’s how you make them. And just like all the blogs that drove me crazy for years, I can only speak to how to make them with a food processor. You could try out a lot of almond chopping and date crushing, but I can’t make any guarantees.

ingredients bites

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups raw almonds
  • ~20 medjool dates, or use the full pack from Trader Joe’s like I did and skip the counting
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup mix ins: I used cocoa nibs and chia seeds
  • Sprinkle of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Put almonds into food processor, grind until they are finely chopped like an almond meal
  2. Add mix ins, cocoa powder, peanut butter (disperse this as much as you can) salt and maple syrup
  3. Pit dates (I just pulled the pits out) and add to mixture. Run until they are finely chopped and blended with all other ingredients.
  4. Take out and form into balls, and enjoy! Keep in fridge for best results.

Enjoy!

Mother’s Day- Inspire the Woman, Impact the World

sarahreedit2 Comments

I love Mother’s Day for reminding myself and others to reflect on the powerful and supportive mothers and mother figures in our lives. For my mom, that was done through bridging our Minneapolis-Milwaukee gap with a phone call this morning, and a card en route (and taking its sweet time if I may say). But this year, that’s not all this holiday means to me.

While my mom will always be the Queen of my Mother’s Day, today, I was also reminded of the powerful and supportive female-driven communities I am a part of and have access to. For me, the last week was like a drum roll to Mother’s Day.

inspireSunday afternoon brought me back to my sorority chapter house for our monthly Executive Council meeting, on which I serve as the Philanthropy Advisor. While the meetings aren’t known for their brevity; for me, the time flies. I become consumed by the energy in the room and the vibrant conversation– the main topics and the side conversations I can’t help but start.

This time, I was most struck by the impact the chapter women have on our community. There are collegiate women serving the country through National Guard, they are in the marching band, orienting new students as welcome week leaders, and running student groups across campus. While it’s no longer our key phrase/slogan, I was reminded of the words, “Inspire the Woman. Impact the World.” I love this phrase, this mission statement for not being an if; then. It’s absolute. It’s not a goal, it’s a reality in this very moment.

The next night, the External Affairs team at Comcast offered me a seat at the Girl Scouts: Women of Distinction dinner and benefit. Once there, my guilt set in as I realized the breadth of this organization; and while I was able to rise under the preset of “once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout,” I knew elementary-Sarah didn’t even skim the surface of the opportunities available.girl scouts

I heard similar values I associate with my sorority being echoed by Girl Scouts ages 16 to 70. GIRL now stands for Go-Getter, Innovator, Risk-Taker, Leader. I can only imagine how my outlook, experiences, and priorities would have shifted if those were elementary-Sarah’s guiding values. If that was how I described myself, and even more so, if that was how I described the girls around me.

Girl Scout CEO, Sylvia Acevedo, shared her own story of refusing to choose between earning the baking and science badge, and pursued them both. Despite being told by a college counselor, “Girls like you don’t go to college,” she went on to be one of the first Hispanic female rocket scientists.

girl-scouts-ceo1.jpg

Thursday, I was invited to fill in for a coworker at the YWCA luncheon, and didn’t even check my calendar before accepting. By attending, I was able to sit at a table of driven Comcast women and listen to speakers from all different walks of life speak to the impact YWCA has had on them. ywca1.jpg

After Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire” perfectly welcomed her to the stage, Kim Nelson, former Vice President at General Mills, shared this powerful sentiment with us,

“My hope for my daughters, for all of you, and for myself is that each of us wake up everyday and live as women of power. Confident, courageous, and intent on empowering ourselves and others to change the world for better.”

medal1.jpgThe week ended with two sponsored events of Jessie Diggins, the Team USA Gold Medalist Cross Country Skiier. Even though I was taking my self-proclaimed job of photographer and videographer very seriously, I couldn’t help being in awe of the number of girls cross country ski teams that came in, together, to meet their idol and inspiration.

They were poised, and prepared with great questions of how Jessie reaches new goals. They sought advice and soaked in every word she gave them. These girls struck me as the type to describe themselves and each others as go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders.

I saw first hand, they’ve been inspired. They will impact the world.

IMG_5587