What You’ll Need:

1. For Maple Frosting -

2 Tbl. Softened butter

2 Tbl. Maple syrup

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

2. Assorted fruit and berries

(We used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas and kiwi)

3. One box Glow Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies

Instructions:

1. Blend together the butter and maple syrup.
2. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until frosting is smooth.
3. Spread evenly on cookies.
4. Decorate cookies with fruit and berry toppings!

Jill Brack is a featured In The Kitchen contributor and the passionate owner of Glow Gluten Free cookies. For more about her click here for her full bio and all of her articles!

Bella Life founder, Nitika Chopra, sits down with Healthy Living contributor, Robyn Youkilis, in this fun and candid interview! She even gets Robyn to let us in on one of her biggest secrets for staying healthy on-the-go so check it out and let us know your favorite on-the-go tricks!

Visit http://www.YourBellaLife.com for more videos today!

This delicious and healthy treat was just featured in our latest Contributors Corner video and we wanted to be sure that you had the recipe.  Try it out and carry these around for a protein and fiber filled snack that is yummy and satisfying.  They are so easy to make and if you make them for your next party you will be sure to impress, enjoy beauties!

Ingredients:

2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground hot paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss chickpeas with oil and spices until evenly coated. Spread two rimmed baking sheets.
3. Roast, shaking pan occasionally, until chickpeas are golden and crunchy, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely (up to an hour).  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Robyn Youkilis is a featured Healthy Living contributor and a passionate “foodie” who thrives at matching pantry staples with fresh, seasonal ingredients. For more about her click here for her full bio and all of her articles!

Here are your only “jobs” in the springtime in order to make best use of this season:

Keep a daily running record of your accomplishments.  You can call it “My Awesome Accolades”.  With each one you write down, you should actually and literally give yourself a pat on the back.  As mentioned earlier, so often people don’t “see” what they are creating or doing.  Putting it on paper helps.  I can recall so many times where I couldn’t “see” where my bloated belly was coming from.  Upon recording for a week what I ate, I could finally “see” that it was the dark chocolate that I was eating between every meal…a little too much.  The same is true in this case.  We get so caught up in what is NEXT, that we don’t stop to smell the roses and recognize our accomplishments right now.  This sets us up for a cycle of failure, because our mindset is always in the quicksand…focused on how we are sinking and not doing enough, versus “hey, I’m kind of a bad-ass and have accomplished a lot of cool shit!”.  So, again, make a running list of all the cool shit you’ve accomplished.  My guess is that once you start, you wont be able to stop.  Every day that you write your new kudos down, you will gain confidence in your abilities, instead of doubt them.  If you want bonus points, share 1-2 props a day with family or friends.

Celebrate and have fun.  The universe does cartwheels when you do.  The universe frolics when you do.  The universe smiles when you do.  When you celebrate, the universe knows your grateful and sends you more stuff to recognize and celebrate.  Spring is the season of new life and birth.  Everyday in the Spring is a BIRTHDAY!  Doesn’t that deserve a little extra SPRING in your step? A little cupcake/candle action or a hat or blow horn? Spring is a CELEBRATION.  What an awesome job you have this season–to HAVE FUN!  I want you to sign a contract with spring.  Something like this:

Dear Spring,
I, __________, hearby accept your job offer of ‘to celebrate and have fun this season’.  I solemnly swear to be your #1 employee at all times.  I vow to have a shitload of fun, and to not half-ass that job.  I will not take shortcuts, come in late, or leave early.  I will not multi-task during this very important job of having fun, but instead, will be in the present moment during these tasks. The ways in which I will take the job seriously and have fun include, but are not limited to the following tasks: ______________, _________, ____________, ____________, _______________. (Fill in fun things you can commit to doing). I will make this commitment to you throughout the duration of my freelance work with you, including, but not limited to March 21, 2012-June 20, 2012.
I look forward to working with you very soon!

Date________
My Signature__________
Spring’s Signature___Spring___
Witness ____Universe_____

Print this out and hang it on your refrigerator or put it in your planner as a daily reminder of the commitment you’ve made.  Sow, baby sow!

Natalie Berthold is a featured Healthy Living contributor and is an intuitive healer who uses her gift of insight to help others.  For more about her click here for her full bio and all of her articles!

In a recent interview, I was asked what I do to build my confidence.

Yes, it is generally understood that if we feel confident, it changes our outer world. But it seems to change our inner world, too. Confident people tend to walk taller and speak with more clarity and certainty. They seem happier.

It’s very easy to relate a person’s confidence to their circumstances: their physical appearance, fabulous boyfriend, great teeth and beautiful singing voice. I’m sure if you took a moment, though, you could think of someone you know who exudes confidence and does not have the “perfect” life.

With that in mind, if we look a little deeper, it actually seems that confident people attract more good circumstances — more “success” — into their lives, rather than circumstances being the cause of confidence.

Great news, right? This means that we can stop waiting for life to perfectly align so that we can finally have a hope of feeling good about ourselves. It just doesn’t work that way. Instead, confidence creates our circumstances.

But before we talk about how to get confident, let’s get clear on one thing:
Confidence doesn’t exist — at least not in the way we conventionally define it.

I am yet to meet a “confident person” who feels great about themselves all the time. “Confident people” generally have the same self-doubt and insecurity as the rest of us.

The only difference I can see between “confident” and “unconfident” people, is that confident people continually decide to keep going, regardless of circumstances.

What if confidence is not about feeling on-top-of-the-world, but is instead about being bold in spite of not always feeling on-top-of-the-world? What if what we think of as confidence is actually boldness? I believe it is.

Often, we work on our limiting beliefs — the beliefs that seem to keep us stuck and stagnant; the beliefs that tell us to feel badly about ourselves. And often, it works! But sometimes when I hear someone say, “I’m working on my limiting beliefs” or “I’m working to build my confidence”, what it actually means is that they’re waiting to take action until they feel confident.

The key to feeling confident in business and life is to look at your underlying beliefs and take bold action. Do the things your confident self would do. Would she wear a red dress? Would she speak in public? Do it! It will be scary — perhaps terrifying — but on the other side of the action is your confidence. On the other side of confidence is your great life.

Nisha Moodley is a featured Business Matters Contributor and is  fiercely dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs live their dream lifestyle. For more about her click here for her full bio and all of her articles!