If you’re a Revolutions regular, you’ve probably seen Lisa Himmel rocking out in the front row of the underground. We featured her amazing story last month and are very excited to welcome her as a new guest contributor to this blog.
While some of you know me from classes or read my very candid interview on this blog recently about my struggles with eating disorders, many of you are probably wondering, “So who is this Lisa Himmel person?” For my first post, I’m here to provide a little introduction about myself and the issues I plan to cover on the blog. Oh, and I have a delicious recipe to share with you! Get excited.
It has taken me over a decade to reach a point of recovery from eating disorders, but I have gained such great strength and sense of self in the process, and I love nothing more than to share that with others. One key factor in my recovery has been developing a healthy love of exercise. I have learned to abolish my obsession with how many calories I burn or what the number on the scale says. Instead, I’m now able to celebrate strength and reap the positive benefits of regular exercise, such as reduced stress, improved heart health, and just generally feeling amazing! I truly believe that once I began attending classes at uforia, my recovery kicked into high gear and I am continuously grateful for this incredible community. I am convinced that there is magic within those walls and be it a 45 minute class or an hour, you emerge after, not only rejuvenated but with a greater sense of self.
As my little way of giving back, I’m excited to share healthy living tips and discuss some of the issues that affect us all. I’ll be focusing on lifestyle posts, ranging from restaurant reviews to the best ways to achieve balance in our hectic lives. I’ll be posting about twice a month and I very much welcome and feedback or suggestions for blog topics, so please feel free to send them my way!
And now, as my parting gift for this first post, I have an awesome recipe to share with you. I’m always trying to find healthy and delicious ways to fuel my busy, active lifestyle…I’m sure all of you uforians can relate to that! If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably tried your fair share of energy bars to varying success. Some are delicious but basically have the nutritional value of a candy bar, while others taste like, well, something you’d feed to someone you don’t like very much. I found out that I’m gluten-intolerant a few years ago, so that adds another factor to consider. I found some favorites but recently realized that I could save some serious dough (of the gluten-free variety, of course) by making my own.
Here’s my recipe for Cashew-Date bars. Just fruit, nuts, and coconut! Easy, delicious, nutritious. Boom. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
16 oz. cashew pieces (salted or raw, I like the lightly salted)
1 1/2 cups dried coconut-unsweetened*
1 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 cup pitted dates, chopped.
Sea salt, for taste*
Preheat oven to 350. Spread coconut on lined baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. In a food processor, mix cashews until pulverized (as if you were making cashew meal). Add chopped dates and pulse until incorporated. Blend in coconut oil. Last, add the toasted coconut and mix well; this step can be done in food processor or with a spatula, so that the coconut flakes remain in tact.
Line baking pans with parchment paper. Spread the bar mixture over the pan evenly and pat down with spatula or (clean) hands. If using unsalted cashews, sprinkle sea salt over the top of the mixture. Place in freezer and let chill for 2-3 hours. After chilled, cut the bars to the size of your liking and bon appetit!
*I have tried this recipe with pre-toasted coconut flakes and raw and prefer toasting on my own. The best option is to use the bulk coconut from whole foods, so you can add as much or as little as you like
All the best,
Lisa