We are all like precious stones. We all come in different shapes and sizes. It is when we are cut and polished that we begin to live a more radiant life. The Wild Gems hopes to inspire you to live life to the fullest and to enjoy every moment!
Sometimes you want to make pancakes only to realize you don’t have any eggs! Which is exactly what happen to us. However delicious pancakes are still achievable even if you don’t have any eggs!
We hope you enjoy these eggless pancakes, courtesy of “eggless cooking”. You have to try these!
Here is a list of healthier snack options for whatever the need be. Whether it’s for you or your children you’ll be sure to find some good snack choices!
1. Sliced Apples With Peanut Butter Or Almond Butter
Apples are rich in fiber which means they are filling! Also a great snack for a child who may have a little constipation. When it comes to peanut butter stick with natural (check the ingrediants) some peanut butters have added sugars which is what you want to avoid. The apple has enough good sugar in it. If you’re not much of a peanut butter person almond butter is another great option that taste great on apple slices.
2. Multigrain Toast With Nutella, sliced strawberries and chia seeds
This is one of our favorites in our home. This makes for a great snack or hearty breakfast. The chia seeds is an added dose of fiber for your little to keep them full longer.
4. Sliced cucumbers; lightly salted
A little salt brings out the flavor. You can also take the cucumbers and serve it with a dip. Or on some avocado toast like the picture above! My kiddos love ranch. Some like to peel the skin I prefer to give them a good scrub and just slice them with the skin on. Most of the nutrients are found in, you guessed it, the skin.
5. Raisins
Some kids like them, some kids don’t. Try it out and see how they react! I forgot all about raisins until my kids came home with them from school. Obviously they weren’t too interested since they came home with them.
6. Pistachios
Yum. A snack I often forget about, but what a great snack! And if you ask me, highly addicting! Refrain from eating strait out of the bag and just put a handful in a bowl or small jar.
7. Beef Jerky
A great school snack for lunch time. Full of protein and something that keep you full until your next meal. There are so many different kinds and types. Beef jerky can be expensive, but if you ask me you get what you pay for when it comes to jerky. If you can afford to pay a little extra for the good stuff it’s worth it.
8. Dates or Prunes
Believe it or not one of my daughters LOVES prunes and dates. I tell her though she can’t too much though, otherwise she’ll have diarrhea. Am I lying?
9. Crackers (look for wheat or multigrain)
There are so many crackers to choose from. Specifically look for multigrain or wheat. Eat them plain or load them up with meat and cheese, peanut butter, hummus, tuna, whatever your little heart desires!
10. String cheese
String cheese is a child favorite. It’s delicious and it’s just fun! Who doesn’t enjoy pulling it apart and dangling it in your mouth like it’s spaghetti. I’m not the only one, right?
11. Almonds
This is great snack for on the go or lunches. Protein and fiber in a little nut. Eat them plain or flavor it up! Have you tried the wasabi and soy sauce ones!? So good!
12. Popcorn (lightly salted or buttered)
People forget about popcorn. As long as it is not saturated in butter and salt then it’s not that bad of a snack. We enjoy the smart food popcorn or just the lightly salted pop secret.
13. Trail mix
This was one of my favorite snacks back in the day. I actually don’t buy this too often because my kids right now will just pick out the m&m’s and leave the rest. Those little stinkers.
14. Yogurt/yogurt parfaits
Eat it plain, make a smoothie, make a parfait, mix it with fruit, granola, we love yogurt!
15. Applesauce
Perfect snack for school lunches. Opt for sugar free if you can. Add a little cinnamon, that’s our favorite.
15. Carrot sticks
Love me some carrot sticks! My kids enjoy dipping them in ranch! I’m always telling them it’s good for your eyes! Which they are! Carrots sticks are a great school lunch snack.
16. Celery sticks
I’m not going to lie, I’ve never really enjoyed celery sticks. But my husband likes them and so does one of my daughters. I know eating them with peanut butter is popular among the cool kids.
17. Chopped up fruit like strawberries, canalope, watermelon
Spice it up a little and add some tajin! If you’ve never tried tajin seasoning you need to try it. Or put a little whip cream on the fruit. Another thing to try is a yogurt dip. Of course eating them plain is good too.
18. Blueberries
“They help you poop.” I’m constantly saying this to convince them to eat their blueberries. My girls usually eat them as it but they are also yummy mixed with chopped strawberries. What a fun idea too to put them in an ice cream cone!
19. Sweet potato chips
When you’re craving something salty and crunch these make a great snack to curve that craving. And I believe this is something your child can get away with taking to school for sure! Store bought or try making them yourself!
20. Veggies straws
Another salt and crunchy snack to satisfy the craving. Light and airy. My kids love these. Preferably the ranch flavor. Usually found in the chip aisle at the grocery store.
21. Pretzels
Such a yummy salty snack. I like to put Nutella on the side for my girls or peanut butter. We also love DOTS highly addicting pretzels or the cheddar flavored ones. So good.
22. Granola
I like to make homemade granola. And my kids typically eat granola like they do cereal. They love when I make granola. I like that I get to control the content. Incredibly filling and great for constipation.
23. Chex Mix
Try making a Chex mix yourself! Get the kids involved! Homemade muddie buddies are so good!
24. Wasabi peas (if you can handle them)
These are so good! Might be more of a snack for you than your kids though. They have kick!
25. Ritz crackers with peanut butter
Another fan favorite. Perfect for on the go and I can count on it to fill my kids stomach. Make them yourself or let your child do it. Make it into a fun activity.
26. Grapes
Red or green. Which do you prefer? I know some parents like to put the grapes in the freezer. They say it taste like candy. You be the judge!
27. Avocados slices with everything bagel seasoning or soy sauce
So simple. So delicious. You don’t even need bread. Soy sauce also taste great. My two year old loves avocado slices with a little bit of soy sauce. Try it out !
28. Dried fruit such as mangos
Yum! Can’t get enough of dried mango! Perfect for snack time, lunches, or even car rides!
29. Smoothies
My go-to when I want to get some veggies in my kids. I also tend to sneak spinach in their somewhere and they don’t even notice. Or what I also love to throw in is avocado. It’s creates such a creamy texture. It’s delicious.
30. Banana chips
Buy them or make them yourself! I’ve never made them, but they can’t be that hard right? Right????
31. Peanut butter on a spoon
Sometimes you just gotta keep it simple. My kids love peanut butter on a spoon and I did as well when I was a kid.
32. Frozen banana pops
Break a banana in half, insert popsicle sticks, and freeze! If you really want to get creative you can dip in peanut butter or chocolate.
33. Oatmeal
I never considered oatmeal a snack but I guess it could be! My girls love strawberry and banana flavored oatmeal.
34. Hard boiled eggs
Have you ever had a hard boiled egg with everything bagel seasoning! This snack is full of protein and fun for the kids. What I mean by fun is kids enjoy picking the hard shell off. Snack time meet sensory activity. Win win lol!
Lunch meat once was one of my favorite snacks. I use to love bologna. Although being older I don’t eat it now I do enjoy turkey or ham and my kids do too. I’ll cut it in strips and let them eat it as is. They seem to enjoy it.
36. Pickles
What’s funny about pickles is I couldn’t stand them before but once I became pregnant I grew a love for them. I love pickles now. Strange right? Pickles don’t have to be just a snack you get at Disneyland!
37. Energy balls
Energy balls consist of oats, peanut butter, honey, flax seed, coconut, chocolate chips, all rolled up into a ball! NO BAKE Coconut Almond Oatmeal Bites
38. Hummus dip with crackers or veggies
There are so many different types of hummus dips you’ll be sure to find one your kiddo likes. Serve it them with some grainy crackers and fresh veggies.
39. Peanut butter and banana quesadillas
You know, I’ve never tried this. But I keep hearing good things. I need to make this!
40. Half of a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Make your child a full sandwich. Cut in half. Pack one for school and the other half can be eaten after school. No food wasted.
41. Olives
My husband loves to snack on olives. I personally can’t eat them plain. On pizza, sure! A pasta? Yum!
42.Frozen fruit pops (check the sugar content)
So many different types of fruit pops. I think this would be a great after school treat. Save it for Friday’s!
43. Edamane
Typically we only eat these when we go out for sushi. But this is a great healthy snack to eat after school or whenever!
44. Baby Bell peppers with dip
45. Multi grain bread toasted with some unsalted butter (a little sugar and cinnamon – optional) and some sliced bananas
46. Cottage cheese
Honestly, I don’t eat cottage cheese. It’s the smell or texture….I just can’t. However my husband enjoys this and I know many others do as well which is why it’s on the list. I think many people eat it with fruit preserves.
47. Tuna Melts
This was my ultimate favorite childhood snack. Tuna, cheddar cheese, and tomato! So good!
48. Fig bars
Filling, delicious, full of fiber, a great snack that doesn’t make much of a mess either. Score!
49. Kiwi
When I was in grade school there was a girl who alway brought kiwi to school. I thought it was so pretty, the vibrant green. But my mom never got kiwi I have no idea why. Kiwi is so delicious! My girl love them! Eat them with a spoon, squeeze the fruit out, or slice it up.
50. Pretzel nuggets filled with peanut butter
I forgot about these! The little pretzel nuggets are a fan favorite! These are great for the lunch boxes or a snack after school.
If you have another healthy snack in mind please comment and let us know!
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth, From My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:10-11
How wonderful is it when it rains after a long, stretched out drought. The animals and plants rejoice and dance together. Farmers thank the heavens. Rivers begin to flow effortlessly. The dust is pressed into the soft ground and what lingers is an incredbily crisp air that cleanses our lungs. The aroma of earth is fresh and ever so craving. When it rains for consecutive days, nature becomes fuller. Do you notice that? That is something you can see, that is something you can feel with your fingers. Life is sprung where you were oblivious to the seeds that were resting. How grateful we must be for the gift of rainfall.
As the scripture says “rain comes down, and does not return from where it came.” Rain comes down with a mission to accomplish and the rain never fails. It fully gives itself to earth. We may not see rain return to the sky but we can see the life of it’s work way after the rainfall has stopped. We look forward to the rain again because it is so pure and refreshing for all that it touches.
Gods word is like rain. It brings forth life, change, renewal, the same way rain does. Like the rain, Gods word has a mission and it will not fail those who ponder and read on it. We know the power of rain but yet, many of us have a difficult time believing in the power of Gods word. And that it can produce so much, just as rain and snow do.
He has left his word with us that it may water and bring forth seeds of love and compassion that reside in all of our hearts. He left His word to fulfill that empty space that we all are constantly trying to fill. Those are the seeds that are so thirsty. Watering those seeds with material and physical things will not clench the thirst of our spirits. They are watered with the things in which we cannot see. They are watered through pondering Gods word, prayer, hope, faith. His word is part of the equation to life. Humans, plants, animals, cannot live without water. We know this is true. To develop peace in our hearts is to study and ponder Gods word. As rain changes nature, Gods word will change our hearts. With His word, there is hope.
Notice what Gods word has accomplished in this world so far. Like the rain, it does not fail what it has been set out to do. Like the rain…
“Do everything in love. And do everything with love. Let all that you do be done in love. Let all your things be done with charity.”
1 Corinthians 16:14
A mantra I tell myself often is, “I choose love, I am love.” Whenever I feel anxiety or anger creeping in my heart that mantra is my go to for a bit of relief.
Love is more than a feeling, to love is also a choice. And to choose love is to love however it is. Not eager to change a person for example. We choose to love them as they are. We accept them as they are. We are all so much more alike than we lead to believe. And I truly feel in some way all things are conscious in their own way. If we radiate love, the things and people that surround us will mirror that love.
But to love all things takes focus and effort, something which we can control. To open your heart to loving it all, we open a door to peace.
“So he answered and said, “ ‘ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself .’ “
Luke 10:27
If you study and pay attention you will begin to recognize how we are all interwoven creating life itself. We lean on one another without realizing, we depend on more than we believe or even know, all of us representing a small piece that make up a grand infinite masterpiece.
We are one. When you love someone, some thing, you are loving not just that something but yourself. Made up of the same universe. All in this life and unknown together. God is all around you, in every thing that you see, touch, smell, hear, taste, God is in you, God is in us.
Everything is deserving of love and every thing needs love. We must accept and appreciate the cycles and have faith in all that is. Have faith that no matter what, love will always grow through the mud the same way a lotus does. Love will grow through the suffering and the obstacles.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy or sell, and make a profit”;
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
James 4:13-14
Life is precious like a gem and fragile like porcelain. It is so easy to get caught up in the web of this fast paced world and forget that we are not promised tomorrow. That our futures are not guaranteed. What we have is the present. What we have is a gift. And this is something we need to constantly remind ourselves. But many of us have difficulty living in the present moment. We become anchored to our past or become too caught up on a future that we know nothing of. I believe we may remain hopeful of our futures and I believe our past continues to teach us; the same way re- reading a favorite book in different stages of your life changes your perspective. However we must also accept that many things in life are out of our control. Coming to terms with this reality, that our lives are faster than a blink of an eye when you’re looking at the bigger picture feels incredibly surreal. But maybe going through this earthly life is the only way to know God. That this life is a grace of its own to know Gods love and sovereignty.
Let every day of your life be filled with passion, purpose, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love. Be grateful for each day. Hug and hold your loved ones close and thank God for this opportunity and chance to experience love.
This amount of frosting is good for 24 cupcakes or a 9×13 size cake. There may be a little extra just to eat! Yum!
What You Need:
1 8oz pack of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup (1stick) of unsalted butter (softened)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
A small squeeze of a lemon (optional)
Steps:
1. Combine all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl except for the lemon. Mix well until smooth and creamy.
2. Now take the lemon and squeeze just a little bit of lemon juice to give the frosting a sweet tangy taste. Mix well. Taste, and add more if needed.
3. Spread on cupcakes, muffins, breads, whatever your little heart desires.
Note: store any left over frosting in the fridge. Frosting is good for 3-5 days.
If it’s looking like this picture below the cream cheese or butter may not have been softened enough. No worries though! Just let the frosting sit out for a bit. Then mix again with an electric mixture.
A little lumpy, I knew the butter wasn’t soft enough!
I let it sit out and then we re-mixed it. Smooth and creamy, just what we wanted!
1/4 or 1/2 diced jalapeño (depending on your heat level)
1/4 of a purple onion diced (more or less)
A spoonful of jarred minced garlic
2 times around the pan of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
1 large avocado sliced
A couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce
Salt, pepper, and oregano
Steps:
1. Whisk together your eggs, milk, and season with salt, pepper and a little bit of oregano.
2. Coat your pan with the olive oil and add the garlic. Then add your jalapeño, onion, and turkey or ham. Sauté until soft and a little brown. (You can also raise the heat to give it a little crisp)
3. Add egg mixture to veggies and meat and let the magic happen. Scramble as you would with basic scrambled eggs.
4. Serve on heated corn tortillas with sliced avocado, topped with hot sauce.
Delish!
A visual of how much I used of onion, jalapeño, and meat. 6 eggs, milk, salt and pepper Heated tortillas on the panHot sauce is a must!
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance”
Romans 5:3
Let’s define some of these words first to grasp a better idea of what this scripture may mean. A tribulation is a cause of great suffering or trouble. Perseverance is defined as “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”
Back to the scripture, our pain brings out the will to not give up. It pushes us, it makes us stronger. It continues to say that our troubles are what give us hope and shape our character.
When hard things happen we must have faith. It’s the love in our hearts that persevere. May this scripture encourage you to dig deep into your pain and to find out what it has taught you. What has it made you realize? What has it made you wonder? Pray about it. Ponder it. Sometimes we have to go through a dark forest in order to see a beautiful sunrise. And when we see that sunrise we give hope to those who are still in the forest.
Believe that you will come out on top, no matter what life has and will continue to throw at you…..God is with you, always. You just have to look around.
“And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.”
1 Corinthians 8:2
Life is mysterious. And sometimes, we don’t like that it’s a mystery. It feels like sometimes we are all walking on egg shells in life, looking over our shoulders just waiting for something to jump out. Who wants to live like that? Always afraid. Not that everyone is entirely afraid but uncertainty can make a person anxious and stressed. The unknown can be terrifying.
However, we aren’t suppose to have all the answers and even if we did, then what? We would become bored and not appreciate this incredible gift of life. Gratitude would seize to exist. If something is predictable then it doesn’t hold our attention, we lose focus because we already know what’s going to happen. Think of a TV show that you’ve watched over and over again. You already know what’s going to happen so now you aren’t watching intently. It becomes background noise while you do something else. It becomes comfort and less exciting than when you first watched the series.
I believe God wants us to enjoy life which is why so much is left unknown. He wants to keep us excited and involved. Life doesn’t come with a seatbelt, it keeps us constantly at the edge of our seats. And God knows that us not knowing everything is how it needs to be and how it should be. One day it all may be revealed but until then, embrace the mystery and the majesty of the almighty.
The Wild Gems 