Rain or Shine Mamma

There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes

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Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF)

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March 23, 2017 By Linda McGurk

I know, I know, I know. I’m not a food blogger and I don’t typically write about cooking. But we’ve all got to eat, and who doesn’t need tasty, healthy trail snacks when they’re outside adventuring with their kiddos in tow? Plus, the recipe for these No-Bake Chocolate Cookies that I just came up with was just too good not to share.

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF, Paleo). These chocolate treats are chock full of dried fruits, nuts and other health-boosting ingredients. Naturally sweetened and refined sugar free. A perfect snack for all your outdoor adventure (and slightly more indulgent than the ol' trail mix!). From Rain or Shine Mamma. trail mix.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you may have picked up on the fact that I’m a lover of all things chocolate. I shouldn’t say all chocolate, because I’m pretty selective, but in general if I’m going to treat myself to something sweet, my choice is some form of sweetened cocoa product. This infatuation with chocolate is a dilemma for me, since I also try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I eat my fruit and veggies, and exercise daily (most of the time), just to see my efforts derailed by pesky sugar cravings that typically set in after the kids have gone to bed. I’ve got a feeling I’m not the only one constantly fighting this battle.

Here’s the good news: these No-Bake Chocolate Cookies can take care of those cravings, while actually boosting your health. And the bad news? There really isn’t any, aside from the fact that you may not be able to stop eating them once you start. These delicious bites of bliss are vegan, gluten-free, paleo-approved and completely portable for all your outdoor adventures. The perfect, homemade trail snack, in other words.

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF, Paleo). These chocolate treats are chock full of dried fruits, nuts and other health-boosting ingredients. Naturally sweetened and refined sugar free. A perfect snack for all your outdoor adventure (and slightly more indulgent than the ol' trail mix!). From Rain or Shine Mamma. trail mix.

But first, let’s make something clear. In order for these no-bake chocolate cookies to qualify as healthy, it’s important that you use dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate or white chocolate. Why? Because only dark chocolate is full of powerful antioxidants, which help fight harmful free radicals and can help prevent heart disease. Research has also showed that a daily dose of dark chocolate – but not milk or white chocolate – can lower blood pressure.

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF, Paleo). These chocolate treats are chock full of dried fruits, nuts and other health-boosting ingredients. Naturally sweetened and refined sugar free. A perfect snack for all your outdoor adventure (and slightly more indulgent than the ol' trail mix!). From Rain or Shine Mamma. trail mix.

This recipe also calls for cacao nibs, which is chocolate in its purest form (you can read more about cacao nibs in this amazing healthy chocolate snacks recipe), and is chock full of vitamins and essential minerals like iron, manganese and copper. Add in naturally sweet dates, crunchy pistachios, golden-roasted coconut chips and succulent goji berries, and you have a treat that is as super charged with nutrients as it is rich in flavor.

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF, Paleo). These chocolate treats are chock full of dried fruits, nuts and other health-boosting ingredients. Naturally sweetened and refined sugar free. A perfect snack for all your outdoor adventure (and slightly more indulgent than the ol' trail mix!). From Rain or Shine Mamma. trail mix.

As with any indulgent treat, these are best enjoyed in moderation, which could be a challenge considering that they are HIGHLY addictive. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Enjoy!

Print
Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF)

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 20 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pistachios
  • 1/2 cup goji berries
  • 1/2 cup coconut chips
  • 1/2 cup raw cocoa nibs
  • 3/4 cup dates (finely chopped)
  • 7 oz dark, high-quality chocolate (min. 85% cacao)
  • 1 TBS coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Chop the pistachios and then the dates finely in a food processor. Combine the pistachios, dates, goji berries, cacao nibs and coconut chips in a bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil stove top on low heat, while stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from burning. (Another option is to use a double-boiler, i.e. melt the chocolate in a bowl that is placed in a pan of simmering water, but this isn't necessary.) Pour the melted chocolate and coconut oil into the bowl with the dried fruit and nut mix and stir until the mix is nice and even. Use a couple of spoons to dole the mixture out on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before eating. Prepare to descend into pure bliss!
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https://rainorshinemamma.com/healthy-no-bake-chocolate-cookies-vegan-gf/

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, GF, Paleo). These chocolate treats are chock full of dried fruits, nuts and other health-boosting ingredients. Naturally sweetened and refined sugar free. A perfect snack for all your outdoor adventure (and slightly more indulgent than the ol' trail mix!). From Rain or Shine Mamma. trail mix.

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A school in Sydney bans the children from using the playground before school, saying the decision was made to "support positive classroom behaviour and learning." But did anybody bother to actually look into the research on the benefits of outdoor play, both in terms of children's ability to focus and their academic performance...? The parents aren't happy about the decision and I understand why. ... See MoreSee Less

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Linda Åkeson McGurk
There are a lot of good things about tech, but exc There are a lot of good things about tech, but excessive screen time is taking a toll on children’s physical and mental health today. Many apps and games have built-in mechanisms designed to make them highly addictive and children are even more susceptible to them than adults, since their brains are not fully developed🧠Screens are so ubiquitous in our lives today that it takes conscious effort to balance them with experiences IRL. 

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✅ Learn how to use the parent controls on your kids’ devices and set age-appropriate limits.

✅ Have certain times or spaces that are always screen free, for example around the dinner table, in the bedrooms and so on, and be sure to be consistent. 

✅ Create a buy-in for the kids by letting them help plan screen free activities for the whole family.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to keeping screen time under control?
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #screenfreesunday #friluftsliv #outdoors #greentime
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The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationships with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.

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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openairlife #paddling #paddlingwithkids
Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know tha Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅) 

A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.

If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻
________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention
I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal me I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. 

I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. 

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__________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wiet This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wietinghannah, you’re our winner!🎊

📚📚📚GIVEAWAY📚📚📚

Have you heard the term "ecohappiness"? If not, this is your chance to learn more! 

Author Sandi Schwartz and I have teamed up to give away a copy of her book "Finding Ecohappiness," an inspirational manifesto and practical guidebook for families to get outside and enjoy nature together. Packed with ideas for outdoor activities like animal yoga, forest bathing, sit spotting, float therapy and nature art, this book is definitely one to add to your collection📕 

How to enter👇🏼
✅ Like and save this post
✅ Follow @rainorshinemamma and @getecohappiness 
✅ Comment by completing this sentence: "To me, being in nature is..."

This giveaway closes on June 4 and a winner will be selected shortly after that. You must be 18 and live in the US or Canada to enter. This giveaway is not associated with or sponsored by Instagram. 

Good luck!🙌🏽

#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #ecohappiness #findingecohappiness #naturebooks #goodreads #naturelovers #ecotherapy #getkidsoutside
Having scientific reasons and explanations for doi Having scientific reasons and explanations for doing things is good and there are any number of ways free climbing benefits our physical and mental health. But sometimes you’ve just got to trust your guts, feel all the feelings and enjoy the joyride🙌🏻🌳

What makes you feel joy in nature?
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #treeclimbing #onewithnature #vitaminn #friluftsliv #optoutside
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As parents, we need to make space for our children to play, get bored, dawdle, wander, wonder, create, sleep in, be wild and free and watch the clouds go by. Let them be where they are and not push them to achieve arbitrary milestones or condition them to think that a packed calendar is the key to success and happiness.

As always, Ginny of @1000hoursoutside is on point🙌🏻
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #1000hoursoutside #quote
Did you know that camping for as little as two nig Did you know that camping for as little as two nights straight can help you reset your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep for several weeks afterwards? That's because the natural light helps the body regulate melatonin, a hormone that tells the body when it's time to get up and go, and when it's time to rest and recuperate🌗 

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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openairlife #sleepingoutside #camping #campinglife #hammock #sleepingoutsidechallenge #freshaireveryday
Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and fe Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and feel like you're constantly negotiating/fighting/fretting over your child's screen time👋🏼 

Well, you're not alone😰 

Since 2011, when mobile internet had its breakthrough, teens' and tweens' screen time has increased dramatically. At the same time, physical activity has decreased significantly. The WHO recommends that teenagers get at least one hour of physical activity every day, but in reality 85% of the girls and 78% of the boys globally don't meet the target.

Making outdoor activity a normal part of your daily routine can help  your tween or teen get the exercise and fresh air they need  and lay the foundation for lifelong healthy habits. I'm the first to admit that it isn't easy, but then again, nobody said parenting would be a cakewalk🤪

Hang in there and check out a few of the strategies that help me balance screen time with 'green time'. Do you have any tips to share?
______________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #parenting #parentingteens #parentingtweens #getoutside
“I’m not thrilled about looking older. But wha “I’m not thrilled about looking older. But what unsettles me the most about the 40s is the implication that I’m now a grown-up myself.”
- Pamela Druckerman

Forty-four laps around the sun today and I still find that the passing of time is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
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