change . . .

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so . . . gradually, slowly, I can feel life shifting, changing - and it's changing all because I decided to go live the life I had imagined.

When I realised that my life is what it is because of my expectations and the choices I make, and that those start with thoughts, it was all very simple!

I needed to start making choices based on what I really wanted, instead of what I thought I could have . . .

Well, that may sound very simplistic, and it is . . . once I realised that if I wanted my life to be a certain way it was no good making choices that didn't reflect that. If you want beautiful things in your life, you'll never have them while you choose second best in the belief that it's the best that you can have - if it's not right, don't compromise. If you compromise your dreams then you have a life full of compromises and not the beauty, love, and bright energy that we all carry inside us, but so often hide, just because someone else says they don't like us that way!

It's taken me a long time to get here, and every lesson learned has been a blessing . . . but now it's time to claim 'me' back. Now that I know that it's me who creates it, it's time to go live that wonderful life; without apology and with grace and love . . .

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The way I think about food is changing too - although way back in the 80's I got interested in the principles of the Hay Diet as an approach to eating better, and it grew my life-long fascination with the connection between food and well-being. Food as sustenance as well as just great taste; surely one of life's great pleasures is sharing food with those you love!

With so many fabulous blogs out there, an alternative take on what we eat is so easy to explore now, with exciting and inspiring ideas and so many wonderfully creative people . . . so here's a start with some fantastic grain free pancakes that will leave you energised and wanting more, instead of full and flumpy like the traditional heavy ones made with wheat!

After all - wheat's not the only grain - think outside of the box!

Grain Free Banana Pancakes

(very slighlty adapted from the wonderful straight into bed cakefree and dried blog)

Ingredients:

1 large banana
1 large free range egg
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup arrowroot
ground almonds - any nuts will do, but I had almonds to hand

Directions:

• Blitz all ingredients except the nuts and the arrowroot in a food processor
• pulse in arrowroot briefly until mixed
• slowly add the ground nuts - I used almonds - until you get a fairly thick batter - think drop-scones or american pancakes!
• heat your skillet and lightly oil, then drop in about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and cook over a lowish heat to avoid them burning before they're cooked through

I topped mine with some home-made salted caramel that I still had from making cupcakes a while back, and some toasted almonds for crunch - yum!

                     "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the      life you have imagined"

Henry David Thoreau

                                                                 

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sunshine granola

Okay......you know how the theory goes about making sure you have a healthy breakfast, packed with all sorts of good things, and..... you also know how it goes, that even with the best of intentions, and cupboards stocked full of said 'good things' it just never seems to happen - well, not to me anyway! I'm sure that time speeds up in the morning; no sooner have I clambered out of bed, rubbing precious sleep from my eyes, than it seems I have to be rushing out of the door - late again!

I always intend to make a 'proper' breakfast; I love oats in the morning, and sometimes the porridge even makes it from the cupboard to a bowl, although, more often than not, it's more of a whimsical notion, and my healthy breakfast goes by the board - again!

In an effort to redress the balance I've been looking around for a way to eat my oats without having to cook them first. Something I could just 'grab and go'. Then my answer came when I was trawling through my box of recipe clippings, and food magazines. There they were - several recipes for Granola! I've been aware of Granola but never really taken too much notice of it before, but now it seemed like the perfect solution to my breakfast conundrum - or lack of it! I adapted the bits I liked from the recipes I found, and came up with a lovely sweet, nutty mix that ticked all the boxes - just like a bowl of sunshine to start the day!

I enjoy it just with almond milk, and it's disappearing very quickly.....maybe next time I'll substitute maple syrup for the honey, and pecans for the pistachios, and add in some dried fruits (cranberries, strawberries, pineapple) - but then that's the beauty of Granola, the possibilities are endless - B and I are converted!

Sunshine Granola

Recipe

(by Alfie)

3 cups jumbo organic oats

half cup flaked almonds

half cup shredded coconut

half cup chopped hazelnuts

half cup pistachios

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

6 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla essence

Mix all of the dry ingredients together to combine. Melt the honey and walnut oil over a gentle heat and then stir in vanilla essence.

Pour the honey mixture into the oat and nut mixture so that it's well coated and then tip into a large open baking tray.

Bake at 300F / 150C / Gas 2 for 20-30 minutes stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking.

When you have a tray full of fragrant toasted nuggets, remove it from the oven. Stir to stop it from sticking together while it cools, and then store in an airtight container.

Serve it with milk, nut milk, or natural yoghurt for a bowl full of nutty goodness to set you up for the day!

simple sunday breakfast

This morning the sun streamed in through the open kitchen door. Ahead of me was a lazy, unstructured day - nowhere particular to be, nothing particular to do........a rare oasis of audacious self-indulgence. So....... I relaxed back in my chair, relishing the warmth on my face, and enjoyed an uncomplicated breakfast of vanilla yoghurt with raspberries and pistachios. (Yep!, those bewitching green fellows still have their spell cast on me! )

Lolling in that elusive - and at this time of year, oh so fleeting - glimpse of sunlight; promise of pleasures to come, the words of Art Garfunkel floated through my mind...

"Slow down, you move too fast,

you've got to make the mornin' last,

just, kickin' down the cobblestones,

lookin' for fun, and feelin' groovy"

I love how the sunshine changes everything..........


























.............colours glow brighter, light floods all the forgotten corners, and life feels good.


" Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower.
The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes."
William Wordsworth


Sometimes the best things in life really are the simple things!