Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Are you looking for a fun new place to hike and you’re interested in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park? Maybe you’re looking for a waterfall to check out, or maybe you want to have a challenging hike for a good workout. Read on to find all about it!

Last year, we had a lot of fun doing a 5 Week Workout Challenge. For 5 weeks we visited a bunch of parks for hiking and also did a couple indoor workouts. It was a lot of fun!

Although I’d love to try another challenge this year, I’m not sure what yet. I have a few fun ideas already! This year though, we have already started visiting new parks! Our first new park was Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

We’ve seen some amazing images of the waterfall at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. We also noticed on the website that they had a campground. Since we love camping, we decided to check it out.

The drive out to Nerstrand was about 45 minutes. We weren’t disappointed by the scenery, There were lovely rolling hills of farmland broken up sporadically by patches of woods and walls of rock cut through the hills.

I found it amusing that a place called Big Woods could be found in the middle of so much farmland. So many times, I could see nothing but fields as far as the eye could see, and I couldn’t imagine how a huge forest could be hiding somewhere.

As the fields turned to denser and denser trees, we all became excited at the newest adventure before us. Driving up to the park, we noticed a huge solar panel, awesome! Thankfully our state parking permit was up to date. If you don’t have a state permit, you can find current prices here.

We drove through the campground to check out the sites to see if it seemed like a place we could stay at. The campgrounds are a thinly wooded area and are moderately spaced apart. Some of the spots did not look like they could fit our large tent. Many did have adequate room, given it is an RV friendly park. So if you’re tenting, make sure to check the tent ffot print.

We parked at the entrance to the walking trails and checked out the map. The park was huge. Hidden in the dense trees, I could almost forget we were surrounded by farmland and miles upon miles of fields. On the map, the park looks like a little green dot in the middle of nowhere. In the park, you find yourself in a precious oasis of trees and trails.

We chose a shorter hike since it was our first of the season. We decided to head to the waterfalls one way and back another. Both were listed as extremely difficult.

I found out that the difficulty was most likely related to the incline. Down was easy, up, was not. Unrelated to the map, we also had to navigate the mud and puddles left behind by the winter melt. I think this was probably the hardest for our family. Trying to keep the kids from playing in the mud! Ha!

The day we came was incredibly busy. Everyone else must have been equally excited to get out of the house. Everywhere we turned on the way down were people and dogs. People in front and behind us. Given that most Minnesotans are cheerful folk, we had a lot of small chit chat and friendly greetings.

The falls were beautiful. There was still snow and ice all around. I can only imagine how they must look frozen over. The falls themselves aren’t very large. I wasn’t worried about the kids drowning in the creek, should they fall in, just that they would get wet and make a mess. I did have to constantly reign them in due to the pent-up excitement of being outside.

Our way back was pretty not so crowded. Although we could hear the gleeful sounds of children echoing throughout the park intermittently. I had to have Nate drag me up one steep hill, but other than that, the rest was a relaxing stroll.

We really enjoyed our visit. We might have to come back another time to check out some of the other trails and to see what the park looks like when it turns green! Or maybe even come back in the fall! It looks like they get a lot of beautiful color!

Have you been to Newstrand Big Woods State Park? What is your favorite hiking trail in Minnesota? Let us know, we’d love to check it out!

Check out our video!

May 18, 2018March 27, 2019

Simple Gluten Free, Egg Free Brownie Cupcakes

I have been craving brownies for quite awhile. I haven’t had a brownie in…. at least five years? I honestly can’t remember, it might be longer.

I have looked up recipes for gluten-free brownies numerous times, but they usually contain eggs. Searching for an uncomplicated gluten free, corn free, egg free brownie recipe can be a little frustrating. Usually, my desire for brownies wears off as I dig through recipe after recipe with bizarre ingredients.

My goal for gluten free, egg free brownies was that they be simple, fast and contain ingredients I already had on hand (for more easy recipes click here). I personally prefer a more solid brownie. Cake like ones are good too, but I wanted something closer to a cookie, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Cat had also been wanting brownies, and even offered to make them. I seized the opportunity and dived into a google search. I looked for vegan recipes since they are more likely to have egg-free brownies. I found a recipe that seemed to work for us and made a few modifications. This time we stuck with regular sugar to see how the recipe turned out, but I think we’ll attempt using honey or maple syrup next time.

Although we are not vegan, this recipe can easily be converted to dairy free by using dairy-free substitutes for the butter. Maybe coconut oil or olive oil? Maybe I’ll give both a try to see what happens and get back to you!

The brownies turned out as good as I had hoped. We decided to top them with homemade cream cheese frosting and shredded chocolate flakes. This might be a new family favorite, we gobbled them all up in a few days!

Gluten Free Brownie Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup softened butter

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 2 large flax eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

- 1/4 tsp sea salt

- 1/2 cup cocoa powder

- 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend

Optional Add-Ins: 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grease muffin pan with butter.

1. Prepare flax eggs in a small bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.

1. Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Stir in the flax egg, vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and cocoa powder. Lastly, add the flour, then fold in any mix-ins – chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds.

1. Scoop batter evenly into muffin tins until 3/4 full and bake on the middle rack for 22-26 minutes, or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides and they spring back slightly to the touch. Be careful not to overcook or they will get crumbly. Remove from oven and let rest in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a plate or cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container to keep fresh for a couple days. Freeze for long-term storage.

Frosting

Ingredients

- 8 oz cream cheese

- 1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. Attach a whisk to your mixer.

1. Add cream cheese to the mixing bowl.

1. Blend cream cheese till smooth.

1. Blend in maple syrup and cream.

1. Whip on high till mixture is smooth, thick, and begins to separate.
2. Pipe onto cupcakes.

Shave chocolate over the top.

May 16, 2018July 18, 2018

7 Summer Challenge Ideas

Although spring has had a late start this year, these last few weeks have really warmed up! It’s almost hard to believe that a few weeks ago, we had a huge blizzard! If you are anything like us, you are probably itching to get outside and enjoy the warm, fresh air!

Last year we had so much fun doing a 5-week workout challenge! Every week we made it a goal to move our bodies. I don’t know about you, but I am not a big fan of a traditional work out session. I have a hard time getting motivated to stare at a TV and watch other people work out. Or worse, go somewhere public to work out with strangers.

Hiking is my favorite way to get exercise. Being outside, in nature, makes me happy. Getting a change of scenery, enjoying a new adventure, exploring a new location, what’s not to love?!

When doing research for local parks online, I found so many! I felt like the ones I had seen were just a drop in the bucket. I wanted to see them all! Is it crazy and over-ambitious that I’m not exaggerating?!

We had only scratched the surface last year. I knew, without a doubt, that our adventures would continue. Should I do another workout challenge?! I don’t know. It did motivate me last year. Honestly, many days I felt like sitting on the couch and being lazy in the air conditioning. Knowing I had made a commitment kept me going.

Maybe this year is time for a new challenge. There are so many options! I might have to try one or all of these.

7 Summer Challenge Ideas

Get Outside Every Day Challenge-For 3 months… for a year?!
How many parks can we hit in the summer? 30? 40? 60?!
Around Minnesota in 80 Days
Exercise Every Day for a Month
Art Challenge
30/60/90 Day Planking Challenge
100 Days of Gardening

Get Outside Every Day Challenge/ 100 Days of Sun

People Are spending more time inside than ever before in history. With the air inside polluted and stale, getting outside is vitally important to our health. AT LEAST an hour outside every day is the recommended amount for every age.

There are literally hundreds of things to do every day, all year round! I made a list of fun things to do, outside, in summer that you can check out for ideas.

30 FUN Parks in Minnesota That You Have to See!

Visiting Parks is one of the most fun things to do in the summer. Parks are full of activities for every age. The whole family can go for a hike. The kids can play at the playground while the adults relax and chat. Biking, swimming, sightseeing, bird watching, there are so many options!

Although the title is just an idea, you can set your goal for as many or as little parks as you think you will visit. Obviously, you will change Minnesota to your own local area.

Around Minnesota in 80 Days

This title leaves the window open for future fun expeditions. If you don’t have an exact plan of what you want to do, but you know you want to start a challenge, this might be a good starting point.

I might make a fun list soon about traveling ideas within a region. To get you started with a few ideas, you could visit local parks, check out small historic towns, visit a museum, check out a historic site, go to a zoo, smell the flowers at a conservatory, and so much more!

Exercise Every Day for a Month!

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. Making it a goal is a great way to keep on track and get your body moving. Last year we did a 5 Week Workout Challenge. It was a lot of fun!

Working out doesn’t have to be just exercise videos or hitting up the Y. Exercise can be so many different things! You could go hiking, ride a bike, go kayaking, go swimming or even try rock climbing!

Art

There are so many options with this one! Art is near and dear to my heart. My Grandfather was an artist. He inspired me to be a creative person. I’m working hard to instill a love of being creative in my children. This would be the perfect project for us all to enjoy together.

If you didn’t have an artsy Grandpa, here are a couple of ideas to get you going! I’ll make a more extensive list in the future too. Paint on canvas, visit an art museum, draw with chalk, paint rocks, make a birdhouse, do a photography project, color with crayons and so much more!

30/60/90 Day Planking Challenge

Last year, during our 5 Week Workout Challenge, we tried planking for two of the days. Planking is HARD! It was so much harder than I thought it would be. It’s such a great way to build muscle FAST though! I’d love to try a 30-day plank challenge to see how long I would last at the end of the 30 days.

I think it would be fun to plank in different places every day for different visual content. The kids would probably love that too!

100 Days of Gardening

I started my first vegetable garden last year. This year we have been expanding, growing new things and learning more and more about gardening. Doing a 100 days of gardening challenge would be a perfect way to learn about gardening faster and get a lot of fresh food!

I would love to know how you are going to challenge yourself this summer! Let me know in the comments!

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018

Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

What are your dreams? What are you doing to achieve them?

This has been my motivational quote this past week. I have my dreams, I want to get there, but I’ve got to do the work. All the planning in the world won’t matter without action. Work, good hard work is the only thing that’s going to push a someday dream into a NOW reality. Procrastinating, little time wasters, self-indulging, self-doubt, these are the things that slow progress.

What else is holding you back? What else can you do to move forward?

I love lists, I am the queen of list making in our house. All the lists in the world won’t matter without action though. They help organize the action, yes, but they are just a tool.

I have all of these desires, dreams, projects, but until I take action, they are mere whimsy. They are an idea. They are a someday. They are imagination.

You have a goal in mind. You have this burning desire. You ache for the fulfillment of this worthy goal. How bad do you really want it?

Are you willing to take action? Are you willing to do the work? Are you willing to take the necessary steps and MOVE FORWARD?

Ask Yourself These Questions

What is your end goal?
What are the big steps to get there?
How can you break those big steps down into manageable steps?
Is this dream in line with God’s way of thinking?
Can I picture Jesus doing what I plan on doing?
What is the FIRST thing you are going to do to get started TODAY?
Is there something you don’t know how to do that is preventing you from moving forward? Google it! YouTube it! Pray about it! Bible it! Research it like crazy until you get it!
Is fear holding you back? Pray, pray, pray, every single day! Ask for bravery, ask for motivation, ask for God’s wisdom, ask for forgiveness, thank him for His guidance. Ask to be molded to his ways and to reflect his good qualities. Jehovah is a God of action.

Now most importantly, get to work. Get up, get moving, take steps, big or small. Every. Single. Day.

Believe in yourself. You can do this. You’ve got it.

Dreams don’t work unless you do.

May 12, 2018July 18, 2018

The Best Gluten-Free, Egg-Free Waffles Ever

If you have celiac disease or you’re gluten intolerant, you might be on the hunt for the perfect waffle recipe. I might be a bit biased, but these waffles are pretty awesome. They’re light, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

I love waffles! When we were driving from Minnesota to Florida a few years ago, we saw Waffle House restaurants in every town! We started counting as we went along and there were so many that we eventually lost count and gave up. It just goes to prove, however, that there are waffle lovers everywhere!

I have got to tell you, in the beginning, I failed miserably at recreating bread products. My loaves of bread were soggy and dense and would turn hard as a rock. Yuck. Thankfully I’ve since worked out my bread issues.

I did, however, make a wonderful waffle! Right from the beginning, this waffle recipe was easy and delicious. My waffles turned out fluffy and melt in your mouth good.

Before I took the time to figure out my errors in bread making, I simply made gluten-free, egg-free waffles. I would make a double or quadruple batch and freeze a bunch so I could grab them for snacks. I used them for sandwiches, I used them for dessert. I ate them with hummus. I had no idea waffles could be so versatile!

Please don’t be overwhelmed to actually try bread, but if you are in a pinch for time or need an easy and quick bread, this gluten-free, egg-free waffle just might be the recipe for you.

Do you love to use waffles for everything? What’s your favorite way to eat them? Let me know in the comments!

Recipe

Dry Ingredients

3 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
6 TBSP flax
2 TBSP chia seeds (ground or whole)
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Wet Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
3 1/2 cups coconut milk

Preparation

Add dry ingredients to a large bowl. Blend thoroughly with a whisk. Add wet ingredients and whip until well blended. Preheat waffle iron. Grease with butter or coconut oil. Add 1 cup of the recipe to the waffle iron. Cook on medium-high for 7 minutes. Serve with favorite toppings!

Breakfast Topping Ideas

100% grass-fed butter or ghee
100% pure maple syrup
berries
jam
homemade whipped cream

Lunch Ideas

Grilled Cheese
Hummus
Portabella Burger
Grilled Veggies
Classic Sandwich
Avocado
With Soup