Favs: Nut Milk?

That's what I thought, the first time I heard of almond milk. Who'd the heck want to put milk squeezed from nuts in their cereal? Turns out, I do. All the time. 

It became painfully obvious years ago I was lactose intolerant and would live a happier life if I avoided dairy products. They didn't have a name for stuff like that when I was a kid, and there weren't a whole lot of other options.

Taking lactose pills to break down the enzymes I can't are expensive, so I'm always looking for alternaive to dairy foods that are healthy and taste great. Enter almond milk. The first swallow I ever took of the stuff was… different. But good. It only took a couple glasses, and I was hooked. This says a lot because I tend to be finicky with new foods and flavors the first time around. 

Almond milk tastes pretty much like milk but with a slightly nutty flavor. It's creamier than milk, and by some divine intervention, has twice the calcium and half the calories. A cup of almond milk has around 60 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. It's packed with vitamins. There are a few different flavors including vanilla and dark chocolate. Yes, c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e. The dark chocolate is a sumptuous treat. I love to drink it after workouts or when I have a sweet tooth. It's very rich. Vanilla almond milk is a great choice if you're tasting it for the first time. It's richer and has more flavor than plain almond milk. Both are awesome on cereal, and I use it for my protein shakes every day. 

I can't say that I have a preference when it comes to brands at the supermarket, but I haven't been disappointed with any companies offering almond milk. Coupons are pretty easy to come by in your Sunday paper, and you can find them sometimes at Coupons.com, too. This dairy alternative is expensive, but when on sale or with a coupon, it can be a few cents cheaper than the regular stuff.

Here's to your health. And mine. Give it a try, it's one of my favs!

Do you have a dairy substitute you really enjoy? Please share.

Stay Balanced!

Danielle Thorne

School Days: The Bitter and the Sweet

My yearly calendar tends to lean more toward the school year, from August through May, than it does starting in January. I suppose this is because school has been a part of my life since I began kindergarten, and has continued through the graduation of my own children. This year, my youngest son began middle school, and it's arrived with mixed feelings. Because of the age gap between him and his college-aged siblings, he is my one and only remaining link to the smells of pencil shavings, fresh notebook paper and stale milk. 

It's been a blessing and pleasure to watch my children grow up. Their day to day routine of enduring peers, puberty and homework remind me of those times when I was just an awkward duckling trying to find my own place in the world. 

This year, I felt strongly that I needed to drive my new middle school student rather than put him on a bus. This wasn't an easy decision for me. I am a dyed in the wool insomniac and don't do mornings any better than Garfield. There didn't seem to be much choice, though, after learning about the pornography passed around the bus on cell phones, not to mention the bullying and the language that seems to spew out of younger and younger mouths these days. Middle school has been an eye opener in the last few weeks.

Example? I wasn't aware that drugs were a problem in almost every middle school today. Color me ignorant. I think I might have seen a bag of pot one time in my entire high school experience, and that was on the bus as a matter of fact. Recently I learned that my son's well-rated middle school had an arrest last year for drug possession. A sixth grader. Selling to another Honor Roll sixth grader. Wow. How exactly does an eleven-year-old develop an interest and aptitude for drug dealing?

Now I'm not going to rant about who's raising these children. I know it can happen to anyone. But despite understanding that the world is an ever more dangerous and discouraging place, I can't accept that the memories my son will have will include some very adult dilemmas. It's a crying shame, and I weep for him, that his autumn days can't be filled with the things that should stand out most: new teachers and new tennis shoes, leaf piles and pumpkin carving... The first time he used deodorant. The last time he let his momma kiss him goodnight.

~Danielle Thorne

Winner & Snack Time

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Greetings & Giveaway Winner

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Result: 92 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Greetings to all our new blog followers. Thank you so much for signing on to The Balanced Writer. I'll do my best to keep you up to date on good reads, fun food, favorite products, some deals, giveaways and anything else life-balancing I come across. You're always welcome to comment and share this blog with your friends!

A 2013 Epic Ariana Cover Art Finalist

A super big congratulations to follower "Jaime Lester." You are the randomly drawn winner of an ebook copy of DEATH CHEATER, and a $25 Amazon Gift card. I'll be in touch shortly. Thanks to everyone for participating. It's much appreciated. We'll play again in September!

Sugar is Sweet. I'm Okay with That.

Ah, sugar. In all its forms. It's magical with cinnamon and makes cocoa delectable. And what is life without Sweet Tarts? 

I'm a firm believer the Creator put us here to be experience happiness, along with the challenges-to-make-you-grow idea. Sugar makes me happy. I don't think it's evil if used in moderation. If I'm not supposed to eat it, why do I have those little sweet sensory taste buds on my tongue? Why have honey and fruit and other delectable sweet goodies in nature?

These days I stick to Kettle popcorn or frozen yogurt for my late night treats, but I ain't gonna lie; there's a stash of M&M's in the dresser drawer.

Snack Recipe: Caramel Apple Chex Mix

Have you ever visited ChexMix.com? They have pages and pages of delectable Chex mixes you can make in just minutes with some cereal and the microwave. Recently I tried the new Apple Cinnamon Chex cereal and loved it. It's a great treat just by itself. If you're not a coupon clipper, try grabbing some cereal coupons at Coupons.com to save some cash. I use them all the time.

Enjoy and share this snack I whipped up, inspired by some of the Chex site's great recipes! 

Caramel Apple Chex Mix

4 cups of popcorn

4 1/2 cups of Apple Cinnamon Chex cereal

1/2 cup of pecans

 Mix. Microwave 1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla for two minutes, stirring each minute. Pour over cereal mix. Microwave cereal mix five minutes stirring every minute. Cool. (Or eat warm like me.) 

Optional: Stir in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries before cooling.

Note: This recipe is very sweet. It would also work to half the amount of Apple Cinnamon cereal and use plain rice or corn Chex for the other half to help reduce some of the sugar. Just sayin'.

Stay Balanced!

~DanielleThorne

www.daniellethorne.com

Young Adult Book and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Click here for more blog giveaways!

She's always suspected she could somehow cheat death, but Athena Gray has never fully understood why, until now. 

Greetings! Welcome to the Young Adult Book and $25 Amazon gift card giveaway. This week's giveaway winner will receive a copy of my latest ebook, DEATH CHEATER, plus $25 to spend at Amazon whenever and however they choose.

DEATH CHEATER is a young adult paranormal featuring Athena Gray and one determined dark spirit she wants to get out of her life.




 Athena Gray lives vicariously through her sister because people in general avoid her. Whether it's strange things like dead butterflies fluttering to life, or the time she saved her dying grandpa just by willing him to live, Athena knows that she is different. The only person who doesn't seem to think so is Dan, the most popular boy on Omega High School's baseball team. But even Dan can't understand the reason she acts haunted, until a spirit roaming the local historic burial mounds takes an interest in people Athena cares about. 

**GIVEAWAY**

To win a copy of DEATH CHEATER and a $25 Amazon gift card, you must 1) follow this blog 

and 2) leave a comment on this post that includes your contact information. 

Contest ends 8/14 after midnight, EST. Winner will be drawn through random number generator and contacted via email. One entry per person. Comment/Entries with no contact information will be disqualified.

Excerpt from DEATH CHEATER:

A low rumble echoed around me, and the tall, dark trees went still. Not even a leaf stirred. My heart hummed, and a tingle of apprehension made my palms damp. A snarl came from the shadow of a tangled thorn bush, and soft, padding footsteps shuffled in the late afternoon gloom. My breathing went ragged with fear. Maybe it was a raccoon or an angry squirrel.

Athena.

Whipping around, I stared hard into the murk. A voice. It sounded gentle, but at the same time it sent chills down my arms. I glanced up through the hooded canopy of tree branches and tried to see heaven.

God?

There was a growl, and the terror I'd been holding at bay zipped up my spine into my skull. I was sure my long hair stood on end, like when kids touched the electrostatic generator at the science museum.

Something was coming for me, and it wasn't something from the woods. It'd been following me all day. Maybe even my entire life.

Best of luck, and please, share the news with your friends!

Stay Balanced!

~Danielle Thorne