Saturday Morning

I love those rare Saturday mornings when the schedule allows a little extra time in the kitchen.  Here in Arizona – the front and back doors are open to 60 degree weather, the birds are chirping and the sky is a lovely light blue.  When I woke up I thought about how nice it would be to go out to breakfast for pancakes.  But then I thought about the treats I had while the Halloween candy was out (PS – my husband has now bagged the leftovers, hidden it and will take to work).  It’s sad but I need this help from him to get it out of my eyesight. 

I look at the calendar and see November 1st.  We are heading into a wonderfully busy season and I decide here and now that I need to do my best to have the energy and health to enjoy the days ahead.  That means being very intentional with my eating and exercising – which are two of the easiest things to let go of when when I get busy.

Does this mean I didn’t have pancakes?  Nope – it just meant that I was going to make my own so I could control the ingredients.  Did it take a little time? – yes, but I now have batter leftover that can be made up and placed into the freezer for future use.  I fortunately had some leftover cooked quinoa so I pulled my Quinoa Cinnamon Pancake Recipe which is full of good ingredients – spelt flour, quinoa, eggs, flax seed, protein powder, lemon juice, almond milk, etc.  These ingredients are going to take me much further in my day that those restaurant pancakes would have. 

Once baked, the sand dollar size pancakes were layered with a little butter and a blueberry fruit spread with just a drizzle of real maple syrup.  The egg was seasoned with salt, pepper, turmeric and cumin.  My refrigerator had just enough fresh blueberries leftover from last week to complete the plate.  My drink of choice hot water with a lemon wedge – it sounds plain but it is so good and a great way to say hello to your body each morning.  Elizabeth Finch, a holistic health coach, teaches this about warm lemon water – “It will help to hydrate and alkalize your body, cleanse your system and reduce inflammation. Now repeat and do this every morning for even more benefits, like improved immunity and digestion.”

Let’s learn from each other.  Please feel free to share a tip/recipe that helps you take care of yourself during the holiday season.