Sunday, December 15, 2013

A New Recipe is Born

Created by necessity, craving and curiosity.

Necessity : a need to use up whey left over from making yogurt cheese the other day.
Craving: for something ginger-y.
Curiosity: to see whether combining a couple of recipes would work.

And, thus my Ginger Oatmeal Whey Pancake Recipe is born.

(Inspired by Mollie Katzen's Gingerbread Pancake and Martha Rose Shulman's Oatmeal Buttermilk Blueberry Pancake)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup milk (it can be non-dairy)

1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (I'd make it with 1 tsp next time)
1/2 tsp allspice

2 eggs,
1 cup whey
1/2 cup buttermilk
(or omit whey and replace with 1 1/2 cup buttermilk)
3 TBS canola oil

crystallized ginger pieces chopped into tiny bits

1. Mix oats w milk - set aside
2. Combine  dry ingredients
3. Beat eggs with buttermilk, whey and oil
4. Add dry ing. to egg mixture
5. Fold in Oats
6. Let it rest in fridge for and hour or overnight.

Add ginger pieces as you are making the individual pancakes.

Now, these were so good that I had to sit down to post the recipe - I don't want to forget the details.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Nature walk - good for the soul

This post is dedicated to my cyber-friend,  "jehanne" :)

This was a very early morning.... Our hike started at 5 a.m. through fields, forests... As I set up my camera by the lake, the earlier greys gave way to warmer colours. The mist glowed in the amber rays of the sun.  Weeds, flowers glistened. The dew seemed like tiny jewels on their surfaces...
I only had a couple of hours sleep the night before but came away feeling refreshed, happy.
In earlier posts I talked about Nature Appreciation. It was a very important point in Blissology.
I am fully convinced that it is.
We need so much more of it in our lives. This walk was not unlike yoga, in the sense of "being there". Within the first few moments I forgot about everything, only the "moment" mattered. 
(Numerous mosquitoes made sure that I stayed focused on the moment :) )
A hike like this is a great tool for stress release.

Dawn with mist over the lake
My photo does not do it justice...

Dew



Two friends
Mist

Jewels in the sunlight

Little snail






Saturday, January 12, 2013

Saturday Morning Oatmeal

I usually have oatmeal for breakfast . My standard fare is: Rolled Oats with Almond Milk, with a tablespoon of Carob Powder and half of a frozen banana, sliced. I microwave this, then add a tablespoon of sprouted flax.
On Saturdays or Sundays, I like to make some baked oatmeal.
I played with a recipe I found on the net until I had it "just right".
Here it is:

Mix in a largish bowl:
2 cups of Extra Thick Rolled Oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBS carob powder (optional)

In a small bowl mix:
3 TBS warm water
1 TBS chia seeds

In another bowl
Mash 1 ripe banana
add 2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups almond milk (or other milk)

Add the chia to the banana mixture (once the chia had time to gel)
Add the liquid ingr. to the Oats. Mix.

Pour into a greased 8X8 sq. pan and
place sliced bananas over the top. (about 2 bananas)

Bake for 30 min. at 350 F.
Enjoy!

(4 nice large portions or 6 smaller ones)

No added sugar - whole grain - fruit....  filling and tastes delicious.

I owe you a photo:)

Monday, January 7, 2013

Sugar free

Not quite yet- but working towards it.

Found a couple of beautiful recipes to try  for when I actually get there:

Chocolate Cherry Banana Muffins

Berry Beautiful Berry Pie with Chocolate Crust

Sugar free does not mean it cannot be sweet...

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!

Starting a New Year:)

Lots of ideas on how to make it a better year.

I'll keep working on them - and posting them:)