Recipe: Blue Cornmeal Pancakes

Blue Cornmeal Pancakes with Almond Breeze and Stevia

Ingredients:
3/4 c. blue cornmeal
1/4tsp.salt
2 packets stevia
1 c. boiling water
1/4 c. egg whites
1/2 c. unsweetened Almond Breeze
2 TBS canola oil
3/4c.whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
1) In medium bowl, mix together the blue cornmeal, salt, and stevia.  Stir in the cup of boiling water until all of the ingredients are wet. Cover and let stand for a few minutes.

2) In a measuring cup, combine the almond drink, egg whites and canola oil.  Stir the almond drink mixture into the cornmeal mixture.  Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the cornmeal mixture until just incorporated.  If the batter is stiff, add a little more almond drink until if flows off the spoon thickly but smoothly.

3)  Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, grease it with a dab of oil. Use about 2 TBS batter for each pancake. When the entire surface of the pancakes are covered with bubbles, flip them over, and cook the other side until golden.  It's hard to tell when blue food is cooked through - so give them a few extra seconds if in doubt.

4) Serve immediately with maple syrup, fruit preserves, or agave nectar.

Serves 4.

Recipe: Healthier Pumpkin Pie

I know that I am through with Pumpkin Pie for awhile, however I wanted to go on record with this recipe I experimented with and offered a taste comparison at Thanksgiving between it and the traditional sugar-laden, full egg and milk version.  My son thought that my stevia pie was the traditional, but my mother could tell the difference.  That being said, it worked out great, I was very pleased and am very excited to have a healthy alternative in the future.

Enjoy!


Healthier Pumpkin Pie

2/3 c. Stevia Extract in the Raw Cup for Cup
1/4 c. Organic, natural sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cornstarch
1 (12 fl. oz.) can non-fat evaporated milk
1 (9 inch) unbaked frozen prepared deep dish pie shell (for even fewer calories consider graham crackers crumbs for the crust.


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2)  In small bowl mix Stevia Extract in the Raw Cup for Cup, organic sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves.
3) In large bowl, mix Egg Beaters and vanilla, then stir in stevia spice mixture.
4) In small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2-3 tablespoons of evaporated milk.  Blend in pumpkin mixtre and stir in remaining evaporated milk.  Blend well.  Pour into frozen deep-dish piecrust.  Set on cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
5) Reduce oven to 350 degrees F and bake another 45-50 minutes or until filling is set.  Remove from oven and cool on rack for 2 hours.  Garnish with light whipped cream before serving, if desired.
6) Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2-3 days.

Setting the Intention, Creating a Schedule

We are gearing up for the new routine.  Richard goes back to work on Monday, Jan. 3, so we are beginning to implement our new desired activities.  I've also begun entering more recipes into My Food Diary to make the activity of entering the food I eat as easy of a process as possible when my classes begin again on January 10. 

We've agreed that we will start each morning with A Course in Miracles Lesson (we've been working on these slowly over the last few months), and our Five Tibetans and alternate nostril breathing.  This means we get to get going around 5:40, so that there's time for him (or both of us) to get ready and a relaxed breakfast before he's/we're out the door for the day.


My plan is to begin my aerobic exercise, whether it is walking or the elliptical, at 6:45, for 30-60 minutes, do a few EFT rounds on whatever is pertinent, shower and feel fully energized for the day of lectures, studying, patients, or whatever is to come my way.  Throughout the day I will track what I eat, and stay alert to cues, emotions and triggers and use a version of EFT to work through them.

I entered into My Food Diary (getting into practice) the yummy French toast recipe I just posted and sliced fresh pears I had for breakfast.  The homemade pumpkin spice latte with Almond Breeze has not made it into the diary, and then eating out at Red Lobster this afternoon is probably the last time, for awhile anyway, I will not track everything I eat at a restaurant.

It is looking like January 1st is going to be the grand start date with weigh-in and everything.  Why not?  First of the year, new beginnings.  In the past I have not made New Year's Resolutions, but rather have set Winter Solstice intentions after having released the previous year.  I am looking at this as a combination, however it's not JUST a resolution for the New Year, it's a lifetime alteration in my relationship with my health and my self.  I did the Clearing and Cleansing meditation with the one goal in mind of releasing 2010 with all of its wonderful events of weddings and graduations and great happiness, and all of the horribly sad events with the losses of so many young people and immediate family members.  All of this to help clear a fresh path for new and awe-inspiring events to be welcomed in.

This morning we were motivated to complete the following:

Five Tibetans:  9 repetitions, we are gradually increasing our repetitions

Meditation(s):  IAMU Clearing and Cleansing Meditation and 
ACIM lesson 52, which is as follows:

I am upset because I see what is not there.
Reality is never frightening. It is impossible that it could upset me. Reality brings only perfect peace. When I am upset, it is always because I have replaced reality with illusions I made up. The illusions are upsetting because I have given them reality, and thus regard reality as an illusion. Nothing in God's creation is affected in any way by this confusion of mine. I am always upset by nothing.

I see only the past.
As I look about, I condemn the world I look upon. I call this seeing. I hold the past against everyone and everything, making them my enemies. When I have forgiven myself and remembered Who I am, I will bless everyone and everything I see. There will be no past, and therefore no enemies. And I will look with love on all that I failed to see before.

My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
I see only my own thoughts, and my mind is preoccupied with the past. What, then, can I see as it is? Let me remember that I look on the past to prevent the present from dawning on my mind. Let me understand that I am trying to use time against God. Let me learn to give the past away, realizing that in so doing I am giving up nothing.

I see nothing as it is now.
If I see nothing as it is now, it can truly be said that I see nothing. I can see only what is now. The choice is not whether to see the past or the present; the choice is merely whether to see or not. What I have chosen to see has cost me vision. Now I would choose again, that I may see.

My thoughts do not mean anything.
I have no private thoughts. Yet it is only private thoughts of which I am aware. What can these thoughts mean? They do not exist, and so they mean nothing. Yet my mind is part of creation and part of its Creator. Would I not rather join the thinking of the universe than to obscure all that is really mine with my pitiful and meaningless "private" thoughts?

There is lots there to contemplate for a long time!

Blessings to All and Much Peace!