Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Follow your Dream



Follow your dream.
Take one step at a time and don't settle for less,
Just continue to climb.
Follow your dream.
If you stumble, don't stop and lose sight of your goal
Press to the top.
For only on top can we see the whole view,
Can we see what we've done and what we can do;
Can we then have the vision to seek something new,
Press on.
Follow your dream.
   ~ Amanda Bradley

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Waffles, Gluten Free

Gluten Free Waffles:

Dry mix: (I recommend mixing up 2 or three of these to save time and effort later - dry mix fits in a pint size jar)
1/2 cup Sorghum flour
1/2 cup Potato starch
1/2 cup White rice flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon  cinnamon
3 Tablespoons sugar

3 eggs
1-1/4 cup milk
5 T oil
fruit [optional]

Start waffle iron heating.  Separate the 3 eggs, putting yolk into a two cup measure, and the whites into a mixing  bowl.  Whip the whites.  In another mixing bowl, stir the dry mix ingredients together.
In the two cup measure, add the oil to the eggs.  Pour milk nearly to the two cup  mark.  Holding two cup measure over the dry mix, whisk the wet mix, then combine with the dry mix. Add fruit if desired.
  Fold in the egg whites.
 Cook in preheated waffle iron.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Move it!

I've fallen behind on my blogging - in part because I've invested a little more time in myself.  It's important to take care of your own health and happiness - or soon enough you won't have the energy to assist and inspire others.
  A few years ago, my health was declining, and I was finding myself in rather dark and dreary moods all too frequently.  As most people can, I could point to several contributing factors - some family related, some work related, but the long and the short of it, was I was hitting near bottom on my personal energy supply.  With my trusted doctor, I explained my concerns, and this sage woman offered me some of the best advice anyone has ever given me.
Get up and Move.
She pointed out that much of my situation was indeed due to various stresses, and that taken individually, all of them would eventually resolves themselves.  However, the one thing that I did have control of was my personal health and fitness.  Never one to love exercize, my normal day had grown more and more sedentary.  She advised me to take note of my moods, and whenever I felt blue, I should simply get up, take a walk, dance, or find some other physical activity that would literally get the juices flowing a bit faster.  She did not prescribe a specific schedule, or set of exercizes - simply find something you like to do, and DO IT.. 
For the past few weeks, Dan and I have attended a series of healthy living classes called "Move it and Lose it"...which have reminded me of that talk with my doc so many years ago.  All of the insurance and fitness advice we are getting now agree - 150 minutes of cardio-activity per week is all you need to ward off a wide array of physical issues.  Simply move it.
If you are feeling down - or simply feel the need to wallow in your grief or grey mood, I recommend that you do so - while taking a walk.  Acknowledge your feelings - but don't let them take over your health, as well as your emotions.  Find 20 minutes here and there that you can reserve for you, and repeat as often as you can...that 150 adds up very quickly with a regular daily habit or two.