I have to re-focus my attention elsewhere.
Because what was working, isn't.
It's frightening because I put a lot of pressure on myself and to take any sort of time off or away feels
like I'm going backwards. Only I have to remind myself that slowing down, pausing...resting, is
where strength renews itself and clarity can find it's way.

This is the 2nd time I'd attempted to make a soy latte and perhaps I'd succeed...third time is a charm.
It's scalding liquid however, that somehow erupts like a volcano all over my hands and arms.
I swear I hear the silent snickers of the Starbuck's baristas.
The latte is a journay-fail, destination-success.
So I'm happy to throw the towel in, leaving lattes to the masters.

And for the purpose of food quantity control, I fulfilled the request for muffins vs. bread.
Although I swear a whole Tupperware went missing this morning...
I do eat muffins with a fork. No lie.
And...in a bowl.
Visually, in the bowl, it would probably just come across as the weird, quirky habit that it is.
As much as I'd like, NOT to eat around the computers while I'm working or surfing, I find it close to
impossible. Sometimes I switch it up and read, either way there's no avoiding...muffin fingers.
Is this just getting weirder, because I know you know, how annoying it is to rip apart a muffin and
then go type something on your computer. Unless you reserve ONE clean, food-free finger for type,
then that's just as odd as eating a muffin with a fork...almost.
Same goes for trying to the turn the pages of your book, setting the coffee down, rip off a bit of
muffin annnnnd...greasy food pages.
So go ahead, try it my way.
With these fibre-filled awesome, vegan banana and coconut muffins.

Labels: healthy eating, lifestyle, muffins, personal, recipe

I adore pumpkin anything...
So I was determined to make something pumpkin-y and healthy happen.
I found a recipe for Healthy Carrot and Pumpkin Spelt Muffins (I think I'll hold off on the recipe until I fine tune it a little more!) I made A LOT of substitutions and perhaps like any change (big or small) one change at a time will get us to where we need to go - without overwhelming us. Trying to figure out the coconut flour math...
I said math.
And anytime there's math involved, I get a little squeamish. Apparently if you're replacing flour with coconut flour, you use only 20% coconut flour (it's jacked with fibre so you also have to do some replacing with liquids). This might not be so tough, however I doubled the recipe AND I swapped out a lot of the liquids. Like...chia seeds instead of eggs...
Can you see me getting over my head?? Total throw back to grade 11 math (which I failed...)
And just for the record I don't think I've ever run into Johnny and his apple conundrums OR have had to figure out the inside of an isosceles triangle. In my life.
EVER.
Poignantly Pumpkin...they WERE amazingly delicious and I definitely ate too much considering they were so dense - one muffin was probably the equivalent to THREE. Where can you go wrong with so much pumpkin and coconut? you can't. Do you want me to re-evaluate this recipe? I was going for vegan and gluten free ...

So we moved on.
To Grayson's fail proof Organic Blueberry Walnut Muffins. These are really healthy and great for kids. Breakfast alongside a smoothie perhaps? Be mindful it's NOT gluten free, so make substitutions where you know you can! And would love to hear from you if you do! ...

Having an assistant in the kitchen who's under 3 is...
Madness.
and messy.
Not to mention a little chaotic and did I say mad?
It's also a way to encourage their little sense of SELF to BE ...
Confident.
Assisting and therefore they feel like they're contributing to something.
They get to build their capabilities to do independent work.
Gives them responsibility.
And creates little beings who grow into the world appreciating the work that goes INTO things, and the things we eat. Not to mention it gives them a chance to work with really nourishing ingredients that fill their bodies with love. Making it easier for them to say YES to these foods.

Soooo...I encourage you to make a mess in the kitchen with the little chefs by your side.
(and eventually when they've fine tuned the recipe and are old enough to handle the hot stuff...you've now got a short order baker instead of the other way around!)

Grayson's Organic Blueberry Walnut Muffins
3/4 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder - aluminum free
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C sucanat
1/3 C organic butter
1 organic egg
1/3 C almond milk
3/4 C frozen blueberries
1/2 C chopped walnuts

Mix flours, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, sucanat.
Mix egg, milk and butter...then add wet ingredients to flour mixture.
Gently add blueberrys and walnuts - don't overmix!
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake @ 350 for 20 minutes.
Makes about 12 muffins so double the recipe because these are GOOD! (and good for you...)

love from the kitchen! xo
jodi renée xo

thanks Trish and Grayson for all your help!

Labels: baking, healthy, little leaders, muffins, recipe