What We Do Eat - Banana Cookies

Banana Cookies

I don't know about you but there are not too many foods more comforting than warm homemade banana bread!  In my quest to feed my family healthier, less processed and more nutrient filled food, somewhere along the line I came up with these banana cookies to help fill the void of not eating banana bread.  I just made some last night so I thought I would share them with you!    

The Ingredients:
3 Ripe bananas
2 Cups rolled oats 
1/3 Cup oil ( I use 1/4 C coconut oil plus water to make 1/3 C)
1 Cup dried cranberries (or dates or raisins)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup walnuts 


The Directions:
Mash Bananas
Stir in vanilla, oil, oats, cranberries, walnuts
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes
Drop by teaspoon on to ungreased cookie sheet.  
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  
*The cookies will get slightly brown on top and will harden up like chewy granola bars when they cool.  Don't overcook if you want the warm banana bread experience. 

Now look at those happy young ladies :). Lets just say they I think they were tired of waiting for the cookies to cool!

What We Do Eat - Healthier Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are loved in our house!  

So much so that Macey made them on her own this week!  

This recipe is a great example of moving toward healthier eating.  You can start with a good solid recipe and change it a little at a time.  Note that these muffins are not gluten free or dairy free, but with a little work they sure could be.  

Wheat-Oat Blueberry Muffins

The basic recipe: 

1 Cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 Cup sour cream

5 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Cup light brown sugar

1 Cup Old-Fashioned Oats

1 Cup frozen or fresh berries

     (if frozen don't defrost)
Walnuts if desired

2 tbs sugar for topping if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line muffin tin with liners

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt

In a large bowl beat eggs & sour cream

In medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter & brown
     sugar together.  Beat this mixture into the egg & sour
     cream mixture

Stir in oats

Fold in flour & optional walnuts

Fold in berries 

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full

Drop a generous pinch of sugar on top of each muffin

Bake for 25-28 minutes

Cool for 5 minutes then remove from pan & finish cooling on rack

Makes 12 muffins

Changes in recipe you can make...


Not a fan of whole wheat? 
Start with 1/2 Cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 Cup regular baking flour.  Then next time you make them switch it up to all whole wheat! 


Want Healthier Yet?
Substitute a better oil such as coconut in place of the butter.
Substitute real yogurt for the sour cream - I do this in other
     recipes and it works great!
Substitute applesauce for half of the brown sugar

Fitness - Just Make It Work Monday!!!

I know...it's Monday...

But if we want reach our fitness goals consistency is the key!  

We need to exercise regularly every day.  

So some days...most often Mondays...TODAY...we need to find a way to just make it work and get the job done.  I know it's not easy.  There are so many other things we need to get done but if we don't press through with our fitness today, we will just have to start over again tomorrow.

So what are our excuses?  

We are busy
We are tired

We have no time

We don't have the right tools or weights

If I may show you a beeauuutifull (not really) video of us (Brad) doing our best with what we have:  

*At my grandparents house

*In a basement

*Low low ceilings 
(i.e. no standing shoulder presses!)

*No pull up bar

*No Big Screen TV for my DVD

*No Beautiful view or windows

Just us and our DVD!

Me in my corner.  I love the Styrofoam cooler used for holding my computer!

Brad in his corner…doing push ups and using the green band  (in the picture at the top) for a modified pull-up.   
Yep he's the king of proper technique :)

So now you can see that sometimes you just have to make it work!  

It isn't pretty!  

But pretty isn't what we are going for right?  

Remember, consistency is the key!  

So go get em...there is only a few hours left in this Monday! 
You can do it!

A Tribute Larry - Thanking God for you!

Yesterday I got the kind of call you don't want to get.  One of my childhood "Father" figures passed away after battling liver cancer.  


It's all kind of surreal as several people I love are battling cancer and I'm not sure how to manage it all in my heart and brain so tonight I am sad...but I am choosing to celebrate a man whom I loved and looked up to as a little girl.  Below is a paragraph from something I've been writing from time to time.  

"Here in Lincoln Nebraska,  I grew up being the little white girl in a neighborhood of many cultures, ethnically, and economically.  My mom worked a lot to pay the bills so my "second home" in the neighborhood was the Rodriguez family that lived two doors down the street.  As the story goes...I was 4 years old the day we moved into our new house and that day I "walked to Rodriguez's house in my mamma's high heel shoes and never went home".  Their house is where I learned about Mexican culture.  I grew up eating homemade tortillas every day and prided myself on being a part of their family… especially in the summer when my skin would get extra tan and I looked even more like them!  Their home is also where I learned that I had a hole in my heart that only Jesus could fill.  I love the Rodriguez family for taking me in, making me a part of their family and caring for me."

Our family moved out of that neighborhood when I was in 8th Grade.  While time has gone on and we have grown apart I cherish the childhood memories I have shared with them and I honor them for what they have taught me.    


So today I thank God for Larry and his life.  I sit in awe at how fast time has flown by - Thirty years has come and gone... It seems like just yesterday we were planting that tree in your front yard, holding baby Gina Marie, testing out the hot salsa on Friday nights and eating deer jerky from that deer you hung in the garage for days!  I remember you helping us carve pumpkins, pull out my teeth and watching a ton of baseball together.


I guess the beautiful thing about time passing quickly is that there will be a time, not too far away, when there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more death...  when we will be reunited with Christ in the clouds and all will be fully well again.  What a day that will be!

Cold Weather Encouragement - For Those Who Hurt This Morning!

"Lord, I need this to go away..NOW please!"

(This picture could only be more perfect if it had a mound of cold snow on top of it!)

I don't know about you but this morning when I woke up this morning I felt like this cactus.  Then, when I looked outside and everything is white and cold I thought…"Lord, I need this to go away..NOW please!"  Not only am I naturally a warm weather outdoor girl but for those of us with autoimmune issues (and probably past physical injuries)  the change in barometric pressure and cold often bring a lot of pain and fatigue.  

There are actually scientific reasons.  When the barometric pressure changes it actually affects the pressure on our bodies and joints causing them to ache.  There are also autoimmune syndromes like "Raynard's Syndrome" which is essentially a big word for really bad circulation in the fingers, toes and the ability to feel warm.  

For me, I just can't regulate body temperature.  I'm always cold.  My feet, my fingers.  I pretty much feel chilled 24/7 and it just makes me want to sleep.  And when I sleep I hibernate..not much can wake me up. 

So what do you do when you wake up feeling physically exhausted before you even get out of bed?  (other than move to Australia of course because I'm told that is where there are the least changes in environment!)  

Well - I look for re-enforcement.  I lift my head toward God and say (after complaining of course :) )  "What do you have for me today in this cold, uncomfortable place"   


I pick up the Bible or in this mornings case a book that my great friend Amy gave me and read.  It reminds me of truth.  Truth that I can hold on to throughout the day.  I wanted to share some of it with you today that you may be encouraged!

An Excerpt from:  Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings [STREAMS IN THE DESERT]

2 Cor 7:5  " We are harassed at every turn"

Why is it that God leads us in this way, allowing such strong and constant pressure on us?  

One of His purposes is to show us His all-sufficient strength and grace more effectively than if we were free from difficulties and trials.  "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Cor 4:7)

Another purpose is to bring us a greater awareness of our dependence upon Him.  God is constantly trying to teach us how dependent we are on Him - that we are held completely by His hand and reliant on His care alone.  

This is exactly where Jesus Himself stood and where He desires us to stand.  We must stand not with self-made strength but always leaning upon Him.  And our stand must exhibit a trust that would never dare to take even one step alone.  This will teach us to trust Him more.  

There is no way to learn of faith except through trials.  They are God's school of faith, and it is much better for us to learn to trust Him than to live a life of enjoyment.  And once the lesson of faith has been learned, it is an everlasting possession and an eternal fortune gained.  Yet without trust in God even great riches will leave us in poverty. " 

So this today, if you are hurting physically or just plain hurting…let us remember the truth that there are eternal purposes at work…things gained that will last forever.  A God who loves you and has a plan and holds out hope that will carry you through until the sun is shining and warm and your hurt has faded away!

My Current Short Term Fitness Goal! (not the sticker chart...the video!)

So here's the deal... 
I have to have a fitness goal.  

Not only do I need a sticker chart to keep track of that goal, but I also need a reason to keep pressing on when my body hurts and I am tired.  

My ultimate fitness goal is to be strong and healthy, keeping my Lupus and Arthritis as contained as possible. 

But how do you measure that?  I used to measure my health by how I feel each day but that is so subjective.  The positive physical benefits like fitting into a certain dress or swimsuit have never been motivators for me.  Maybe a piece of awesome cheesecake!  (Not a good idea!) 

So last year I decided I would "measure" my fitness by setting a short term goal and it worked!  My goal last year was to be strong enough physically to enjoy a full day of water skiing with Brad's family.  The prior year...I couldn't enjoy it because it made me so tired.  So last year, not only did I get to actually enjoy skiing...the added benefit was that I had enough energy to keep up with my children.  I have more memories of last summer having fun than memories of just wishing I could take a nap!  I'm hoping for the same this year.

A personal note...please know I share this with you...not for my own benefit.  I fear always talking about me.  But, I have learned through these past years of not feeling well...that life is short and I'm hoping that you will be encouraged to live life, get moving, enjoy each moment God gives you and make some great memories...

Sooooo - My fitness goal this year is to feel strong enough by spring to physically to do this:

Yikes!  (don't tell my mommy!)

So today the question is...what is your fitness goal?  Long term?  Short term?  Maybe it's to be able to physically sit on the floor and play games with your children.  Maybe it's to play basketball and be able to walk off the court of your own free will. :)  I don't know what it is...but I believe if you don't set some goals...you can never reach them.  

You can do it...decide, commit to the process, make plans and jump!