Ive found my (Pure) bliss! (MizFIt & guest post)

DiZclaimer:  Im biased. I freakin love this girl.  The Tornado LOOOVES her & Pure Bliss Eats. We’re superfly biased that way. Please to enjoy this BY-DEMAND! guest post by Nicole.

 

I’m so happy to be here on MizFit’s blog sharing my story with you.

I got the very special chance to meet Carla in New York in December. I have to admit I *may* have been a bit nervous to meet her, but as soon as I walked in she was SO warm. And I mean, how can you not like someone that tells you, you are a prettier Bethany Frankel, right?

Carla is the most down to earth, REAL, person and I found that so comforting. She has become sort of my mentor and has helped me in many situations.

Anyway, I’ll stop gushing now…and tell you a bit about me.

MizFit note: Seriously. I asked for none of the above niceties. Just the post.  really.

I was destined to be a teacher since elementary school when I played with my friends. I was one of the only people I knew, who ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher. Enter college, what’s my major, teaching, obviously. There was never ever a wavering thought or moment because teaching was ALWAYS for me.

I graduated college when I was 21 years old. Fast forward 3 months I was a 100% full time Special Education teacher for the 4th grade. I honestly thought I’d stay there for a long time, much longer than 5 years.

I thought I had it all figured out. I had a great boyfriend I’d been with for a long time, I knew engagement, marriage, and a mortgage was coming…and it did, happily. Oh 21 year old self, how you so didn’t know what was ahead.

On August 15 2011, I quit teaching.

It was the hardest and the BEST thing I’ve ever done for myself. I was miserable. I cried A LOT.

I made the decision to quit with my husband, back over the school year, but I told basically NO ONE. When I finally started to break the news, I got an overwhelming amount of support, with a few people telling me I was legit crazy for leaving a secure decently paying job at this time. But honestly, does money even matter when you are crying multiple times a week?*

 *Let me say my husband and I had a CLEAR plan. We did NOT do this and hope, wish and pray for money to appear out of thin air. And we did not act irresponsibly and leave us in a situation to not be able to pay our bills.

I worked my butt off over the spring and summer to get my small businesses off the ground. I started nutrition counseling over the spring and then launched my healthy online bakery in July. With the help of my husband and sister we went around and made connections with a few local business that would talk to us…mostly yoga studios and friends of friends.

My company, Pure Bliss Eats has a mission to be a health food company that offers delicious baked goods that won’t hurt your waistline. I carefully chose each ingredient like organic spelt flour, raw nuts and organic raw blue agave nectar to carefully craft each baked good. These treats are delicious and provide long lasting energy. You will not feel a sugar crash after eating any one of these items.

MizFit note: Pure Biss Eats is having a site re-launch next week. Keep your eyes out for discount codes!

I truly believe you have to enjoy what you are eating, life is too short not to, but at the same time you should make the best choices for your body. Whether you are looking for a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert, I promise you that you will enjoy our foods with no guilt.

Because I love Carla and her community SO much, I thought it would be fun to share a recipe with you for one of my many healthier granolas.

 Pumpkin Spice Granola

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup puffed millet (or another puffed rice cereal)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or brown sugar)

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup raw chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raw sliced or slivered almonds

*optional: 2 tbsp chia seeds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a large baking sheet with wax paper. In a large bowl, combine oats and millet.  In a small bowl, mix together pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar, pumpkin, maple syrup, chia seeds and vanilla. Mix until smooth.? Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl and then stir and mix well.

It will take a couple of minutes to get everything mixed evenly. Spread the granola mixture on the large baking sheet evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes, then turn over the granola carefully using a large wide spatula. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool on the pan or on a cooling rack. Add almonds and walnuts.

Store in an airtight container.

Hope you enjoy!