Tag: baking

Recipe: No-Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

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Hello, everyone! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Those of you who follow me know that about 2 months ago, I began my fitness journey with a healthier diet and frequent exercise. One of the things that I’ve incorporated into my healthier lifestyle is new, healthier recipes to satisfy my sweet and salty cravings, while maintaining the nutritious value that our bodies need. Therefore, Goodmommy and I decided to whip up a batch of flourless peanut butter cookies!

For years, this recipe has been a favorite in our household, and it’s also perfect for anyone who has a taste for a cookie (or anything sweet) that’s not going to count for half-a-day’s worth of calories. Today I will be sharing the recipe for this chewy, sweet, and salty cookie with you all! Let’s get in to it!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar (we used a sweetener that is 100% sugar-free, but it tastes like sugar)

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 pinch of sea salt for sprinkling

STEPS

1.) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before you prepare your batter.

2.) Mix your peanut butter and sugar together in a large bowl. In a different bowl, combine your vanilla extract and egg; whip them lightly. Pour your wet ingredients into the large bowl and mix until all the ingredients are well-combined.

3.) Take about a teaspoon-full of batter and place it onto your baking sheet/parchment paper; roll each cookie into a round ball. Don’t forget to space your cookies about 1.5 inches to give them room to spread without touching.

4.) Use the teeth of a fork to create line indents in each cookie–once vertically, and again horizontally–to create a crosshatch pattern. Only put enough pressure to create indents; we wouldn’t want to create holes in the cookies!

5.) Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on each of your cookies.

6.) Let the cookies bake for 10-12 minutes; don’t take them out until you see the edges becoming golden brown.

7.) Let the cookies cool down for 5-7 minutes.

8.) Enjoy your soft and chewy no-flour peanut butter cookies!

We made our first batch of these delicious cookies for the first time in a while last Thursday night, and believe me when I tell you that they were gone by the next day. Peanut butter cookies are addicting, chewy, and delicious; but I love how the healthy ingredients (plus extra optional ingredients like dark chocolate, oats, and M&Ms) soothe the sweet & salty craving that pops up every once in a while.

If you have ever tried peanut-butter cookies, please tell me your thoughts on them in the comments! And if not, I highly encourage you to give this simple, nutritious, and delicious recipe a go; if you’re someone who loves peanut butter, you’re bound to love these cookies! I would love to hear from you all in the comments!

Have a blessed rest of your day or night, everybody! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

5 Ways to Make the Most of This Easter Sunday

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Hey, y’all–Happy Thursday! Good Friday is tomorrow, and Easter is literally just a few hops away. April 17th is when we celebrate the sacrifice that Jesus made for us when He died on the cross, rose 3 days later, and now lives to this day. Not to mention the cheerful colors, quality time with family, and delicious candy–especially the chocolate. 😋

Do you need some tips on how to make to make the most of this Easter? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

1. Attend a Church Service

Before you do anything Easter related, Jesus should come first, as what He did for us is the main reason why we celebrate this holiday in the first place. There’s no way to celebrate Easter like learning the Word of God and His declaration of love that will last forever more. Even if you can’t attend church physically, there are many services that will be streamed to allow you and your family to celebrate the reason for the season at home.

2. Customize Easter Eggs with Family

Come on, now–some of the best parts of holidays are the fun, classic traditions. And decorating Easter eggs is one example of many. What I love about Easter egg activities is that you can execute them in so many ways; a backyard Easter egg hunt, an egg decorating competition, Easter egg relay races. In other words, the possibilities are endless!

3. Bake a Festive Cake

Even if you aren’t the type of person who’s in the kitchen every week, Easter is the perfect opportunity to get your hands into a baked treat for your family. You can even crank up the fun by baking with some of your family members. Besides, when you bake a cake, you also get to make it look pretty…and then eat it with the ones you love. Family time and a slice of cake? Count me in!

4. Watch Movies to Celebrate the Reason for the Season

In order to understand the reason why we celebrate Easter, a good way to spend Easter Sunday could be to have a movie marathon of some faith-filled movies about Jesus’ life and resurrection. And some classic feel-good movies won’t hurt either. “The Star” “Hop” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” are just a few of many great options.

Recommended Post: 5 Faith-Filled Movies Every Christian Needs to See

5. Send ‘Happy Easter!’ Cards

One of my favorite ways to celebrate any of the main holidays (New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) is to send cards to spread the love. A card with a message as simple as something like “Happy Easter” or “Thinking of you on Easter” can surely put a smile on someone’s face. You can even send the card virtually! A big part of Easter is spreading the love of God to others who are in our hearts and in our community. One card can certainly help our strive to do so!

I absolutely love Easter, so I thoroughly had fun with sharing some ways to make this Easter Sunday the best one yet. In all things, remember to be thankful for what Jesus did for us, spread God’s love, and have lots of fun, overall! Easter is a celebration that we can all pitch into. So let’s make the most of it!

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! See you later! ✨

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie (my first free-verse poem) 🥧

Q'Zion2 Comments

To be honest, it’s been a minute since I’ve had any type of pie. At least that was the case until Goodmommy bought us an apple pie yesterday. And as you guys can see, it looked (and tastes) delicious! While we always make sure to keep plenty of snacks in the house, I will admit that the occasional pie (especially apple or sweet potato) is one of my favorite desserts.

If you haven’t been notified yet, April is considered National Poetry Month, so I see it as the perfect opportunity for me polish my poetic writing skills.

As some of you may have noticed, I usually write poetry with a specific rhyme scheme or order. This time, however, I am going to attempt writing a free-verse poem for the first time. It was a little tough to write a poem that does NOT rhyme; it’s kind of become a muscle memory.

But trying new things and getting outside of your comfort zone can be crucial to improving any skill. So I hope you all enjoy reading my poem!

A golden shell
flakes away
As warm, bright apples 
dance along my tongue
Criss-crossed crust
Gaps every couple bites
Sweet mingles with succulent
In an old-fashioned 
apple pie

In my mouth
the dessert takes flight
Like a butterfly that flutters with grace
Across the light blue sky
Every bite makes you want another
It’s hard to say goodbye
To the perfect treat to munch
On a friendly,
family Sunday brunch

And when the journeys over
You look down at your plate
And see nothing but humble crumbs

— “Old Fashioned Apple Pie” by Princess Q’Zion, written on April 13th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Well, the process of writing this work of art was a fun ride to say the least. It’s not often that I decide to write about food, so this was a challenge that I quite enjoyed. Learning how to write without having an assigned format is one way to step out the box, a little. And in my opinion, we all need that once in a while.

LET’S CHAT~Have you ever written a poem? If so, have you ever written free-verse?

Have a blessed day, everybody! God bless you all! 🥧

6 Things I Love to Do on the Weekends

Q'Zion2 Comments

What’s up, peeps! Can you guys believe that it’s already April? So far, this year has flew by so quickly, but I won’t complain; God has been good to me.

Let’s face it–we all sigh with relief when we go home and/or get finished with work on a Friday. We have a whole 2 days ahead of us to relax and enjoy our weekend. Personally, I’m a HUGE FAN of my weekends, and I do as much work as I can throughout the week to make the most of every Saturday and Sunday. And since the weekend is coming up, I thought it’d be a cool idea to share some of the ways that I like to spend my short vacations. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it! ✨

⒈ Go to a Library ♡

Okay, so this one may be a little obvious since most of my followers know how much I love to read. However, reading is one of my favorite activities to do on a weekend. I have a whole 48 hours to start a new book or maybe even finish one that I’ve been procrastinating, for some time. Don’t you just love that feeling when you sat down and finished a book that you haven’t picked up in a while? I sure do!

⒉ Binge My Favorite TV Show ♡

Throughout the week, it’s easy to forget about some of my favorite TV shows, or simply replace watching them with schoolwork, family time, and the occasional naps. When the weekend comes along, I usually spend a couple hours catching up on the new seasons of the shows that I love. And if a new movie just came out on Disney+, it’s not a surprise if we have a family movie night, too.

⒊ Go to Church ♡

One of the perfect ways to start my week and be refreshed before school starts on Monday is fellowshipping and learning the Word in the House of God. Praise and worship, seeing my family and friends, and socializing with other believers is always a blessing and one of the best parts of my week. It makes me feel happier and closer to God when I listen to His Word.

⒋ Fun in the Sun at the Beach or Pool ♡

Due to COVID-19, it seriously has been a while since I’ve went to the beach or the pool. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I love changing into my bathing suit and having some fun in the sun. Since spring is here, and summer is not too far from now, it’s the perfect time of year to hit the beach and go for a swim.

⒌ Bake a New Recipe ♡

Although I don’t get in the kitchen often (at least not to cook or bake) Friday nights and weekends are the perfect opportunity to learn a new recipe and spend time with Goodmommy. For me, cooking can be so relaxing and satisfying. The fact that you can whip up some ingredients, place it in the oven, and take it out to see a masterpiece is always super rewarding. Especially when you get to eat your creation, when your all done.

⒍ Have a Picnic ♡

Is it just me, or does this remind you of that one scene from Tom and Jerry? LOL 🧺🍉🌭🥤

Honestly, I’ve only been to a picnic once in my life, as far as I can recall. But I must say that I love to eat in nice weather, especially in a screened-in patio or on a balcony. You get to admire the sunshine while eating your lunch. Picnicking seems to be pretty similar and great for spring time. Especially on a weekend!

Weekends are a time for us to take a break from work and school and focus on family and the hobbies that we love the most. Therefore, we might as well make the most of every second. Hopefully, this list gave you some inspiration for how you can spend your short vacation.

LET’S CHAT~What are some of your favorite ways to spend the weekends? Feel free to comment down below.

Have a beautiful weekend, everybody! God bless you all! ✨

Time flies when you’re having fun! | Winter Break Wrap Up

Q'ZionLeave a comment

While some people, which may include some of you, are still on Winter Break, I went back to school (virtual public school) this Tuesday. To be honest, I miss being on break. The time just flew by so quickly! Although, I must admit that I’m glad that I’m back.

Since a very young age, I’ve always loved school, and all the wisdom that I gain from learning.

Today, I’m going to do an overview of some of the things that I posted/did during winter break, or as I like to call it, a Winter Break Wrap Up. The overview will include pictures, links, and small descriptions of some of the posts that I shared with you all while I was out of school.

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

Family Fun

During my break, I was able to spend a lot of time with Goodmommy (grandmother/guardian.) Although we didn’t go outside of the house for Christmas (Due to the rise in COVID cases), we did spend much needed quality time together. We also did a lot of baking—most of which was cookies. We made sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and chocolate chip cookies, all of which were delicious!

Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Cookies

My Favorite Posts

Here’s some link to some of my favorite posts that I wrote during the break. Enjoy!

Christmas Tree Photos

Finally, here are a few pictures of our Christmas tree. Even though we took it down yesterday, God’s presence and the pictures help keep the memories alive. Besides, one of the best things about Christmas is that it comes around again every year!

I hope you all enjoyed this Winter Break Wrap Up! It was a joy to write!

What was your favorite part of Christmas break? Please comment down below.

See you later, y’all! Have a blessed day! ✨