When we crave ice cream, what comes to mind tends to be an unhealthy, albeit delicious, pint from the grocery store. Unfortunately, even the ones that market themselves as 'wholesome' are often full of chemicals. (I'm looking at you, Bluebell, with your phony baloney almonds.)

Great news - it doesn’t have to be this way.

It looks so indulgent, doesn't it? But this homemade ice cream has a secret...
It’s possible to create ice cream, or “nice cream,” out of whole ingredients and make it taste just as good (or better!) than the unhealthy junk from the store. With fresh bananas and good-for-you ingredients, it won’t leave you feeling sluggish or guilty afterward either. In fact, you can even enjoy this frozen treat for breakfast and be well fueled for your day. Oats or your favorite cereal can be added as a topping for more substance and texture.

If you’re feeling really bold, I've heard you can even try sneaking some veggies into your ice cream, like kale and carrots…

Today I have a terrific guest post full of relaxation tips to share from a reader in Australia, Derek Lotts. I might be slightly biased, as I'm from Perth and my husband is named Derek*, but it really is terrific.

*Confession: Sexy Nerd is not his real name. Gasp!

How to Create a Blissful Backyard Meditation Space
Another confession: I'm skeptical that the woman above is in her yard. I dig her peaceful, zen vibe though. Okay, on to the guest post...
Meditation is about finding peace within, even when you’re under a tremendous amount of stress. Sometimes meditation is easy, but sometimes it’s difficult, and we have to concentrate hard in order to get to the place where we feel free and unburdened. Where you choose to meditate is important; the setting should help you find your own inner balance.

Can I meditate at home? Yes, and if you have a yard, large or small, you can transform it into a meditation oasis using the following tips.

Creating a Meditation Space: The Groundwork

Sur…

Red Velvet pancakes. Chocolate pancakes. Butter Pecan pancakes. Funfetti pancakes. (Yes, Funfetti pancakes!)

With this 2-ingredient recipe, you can turn your favorite cake mix into your favorite pancakes.

Closeup of the best napkin ever. You're welcome.

It's Sunday morning and you're planning to do all the things today - scrub those grody baseboards, polish your quartz countertop that was supposed to be low maintenance but actually isn't at all, sort through the disaster that is the freezer. While on your superhuman kick, you think I'm going to make my family pancakes for breakfast. Not just any pancakes - the best pancakes ever. I may even serve them as breakfast in bed! Yeah, you're awesome sauce. But oh no! You're out of eggs. No pancakes today, right?

I was once like you (minus all that junk about cleaning and organizing), dreaming of pancakes that could never be. Well, guess what? It turns out that you don't need eggs to make pancakes. No, you do n…