Food Balance Your Body Type Archives - Page 38 of 49

Lazy Yoga Accessories Mood Boost

Yoga accessories are a must for good yoga form, comfort, and help with balance for your Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. So is a recipe for hot water pastry and adding your balancing good foods below.

yoga accessories like a bolster, a block, and a blanket are classic. The yogi tea adds to pampered yoga wellness. — Yoga accessories like a bolster, a block or two, and a blanket are classic. The yogi tea adds to pampered yoga wellness. 🫖

Using yoga accessories or props on a lazy day can really help boost your mood.

And a peaceful mood is one you want to stay in daily whether you’re feeling busy and active before the holidays or lazier after Christmas has come and gone.

You may teeter back and forth. And eating well is one ingredient that can help restore balance.

Like this well-spiced open-faced savory pastry I made half with spinach, chickpeas, oni0ns, and a punchy five-spice blend (cinnamon, fennel, star anise, cloves, peppercorns) to balance Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. And the other half is a balanced mix of carrots, potatoes, scallions, and tarragon. Maybe this inspires you and puts you in a better mood?

Hot water pastry with veggies. Recipe below. ⬇️

And speaking of mood balancing…

When I used to visit malls on the weekend as a downtime pastime, after a while I’d get bored… the look-forward to anticipation feelings turned to drained and uninspired energy. I couldn’t wait to exit…

Then there usually was a line to get out of the parking lot and into traffic, especially during the holidays. Sound familiar?

We didn’t have online Black Friday shopping so it was a sheer annual mayhem event.

Since those days, our world has evolved and so have we. And these days I steer away from malls like the Black Plague.

…But whether you do or not, you know the feeling of too much of a good thing becomes numbing to the mind-body.

That can be how you feel about some adventures and projects you’d rather stay away from even if they started out okay. You can avoid some, but others require you and your endurance, like certain work tasks and travel stress.

Those growing tired moods can sink in and take a while to lift, especially if they’re our regular routines in life.

…like sweeping kitchen crumbs for the 10^th time or chores you hate doing. And if we ignore them and feel lazier than usual, that can turn into a Kapha imbalance.

Or if we feel irritated and uninspired…. then not making a change can lead to burnout. It doesn’t usually happen overnight but it can happen one day if you reach your snapping point. That’s more of a Pitta imbalance.

With both types of imbalances, lazy yoga poses can help you get your active balance and peaceful mood back.

(Corpse pose is a great one to relax your body and calm your mind.)

I know when I find time to just be still, sitting in silence, that’s when I feel the most peace. Maybe that’s how you feel?

The reason is centering allows you to focus on the calmness of this moment and the body can stop working so hard.

And by focusing on the silent moments, and not focusing on the busy activities like shopping or even watching Netflix (that can be good when you need a ‘lil downtime break), the quietness helps your mind to relax and to feel good again.

And in the silence, if you find your mind is racing, that’s a sign of an anxious Vata mind.

Sometimes we feel that way and to feel balanced, in my life journey, I found that getting a peaceful mind is easier when you tune into the right source for at least 8 waking hours a day and make it your habit in life.

Our lives are constructed in 24 hours of which 8 is good for sleeping, 8 for working, and 8 for doing everything else.

So during that everything-else time slot, that’s when it’s good to build in time to recharge, working on passions, and focusing mostly on less external influences (and maybe disconnecting from the world for minutes at a time).

And it’s good to find time to take breaks during work and about a weekend day’s worth off to rest. Not everyone can take all of Sunday off.

And I find staying in that rhythm is how you can stay balanced, happy, and in a peaceful mood year-round so you can show up in life as your best.

That type of lifestyle years ago would have been laughed at or not taken seriously by my business and corporate worker companions. But now they are reconsidering too as wellness is part of the discussions.

Our world is changing for better health and wellness, thank goodness!

Because having consistency and wellness routines in your lifestyle and mind helps prevent life burnout or waking up one day unhappy or depressed.

Feeling those ways can take more time to backtrack and restore, and they usually have an aftermath of sorts. It’s better all around to take time out daily to restore and prevent.

And if you like the idea of preventatively restoring daily, then one small way is with lazy yoga moves. That’s what I call it anyway. Those are perfect on the days when it’s hard to move quickly, you had a rough night before, or it’s dreary weather outside.

On those days, you know intense exercise is out of the question. But you can use that more tiring day for your lazy exercise day that still helps to invigorate your body and restore your mind.

We know that exercise is good for cognitive and physical fitness. So to stay in the game (of active life even when you’re not feeling it), you can use yoga props to help you engage and maybe even get off the couch if that’s what you find yourself doing and want to change that (…and your heavy Kapha mind may want to resist).

And those days would be a good time to do core work. When you have yoga accessories, doing ab work is not as challenging once you get moving… and maybe along with the right entertainment in the background.

So, here are a few yoga accessories and ideas that you can try and maybe build into a new habit:

Yoga Accessories:

A yoga block (or two), or a Yoga Wheel

Blocks are great especially in Bridge pose where you can turn the block vertically so that the longest side helps raise your back up to build a bridge higher than you can go without a block. This can really help you feel better instantly.

The evovled yoga wheel yoga accessories work in similar ways in a Bridge pose. I’m a bit old school as I prefer the block that raises up a new building structure without moving on you… and maybe a bit burned out from 90s fitness and turn-of-the-century gadgets and props that never got used more than a few times. 😉

Straps

Straps are great for keeping you focused on the guiding strap lines and that support your legs to various angles in the air when you’re laying flat back. These are great for helping you with flexibility that becomes more important as you grow wiser (and older too).

Bolster Yoga Pillow

Bolsters are pretty practical pillows to have around. And if you don’t have one, sometimes you can get creative and find lumbar pillows that some couches come with. And you can use other pillows and cushioned furniture pieces to be very effective.

I actually use an IKEA cushioned cube that I can rest my calves on when I’m laying back on my mat, and then do easy-ab roll-up work. And still, get all the benefits.

And then I can turn around and use the cube as a table or an ottoman. Now that’s usefulness! (No more ab roller devices and machines that take up additional space!)

Breathe device apps

I like the Apple Watch where you can feel the inhale and exhale vibrations of the Breathe app. It’s great for getting centered and intentional on your breath.

Another great prop (that you can add to your yoga accessories):

Wall

Legs Up the Wall pose is a great resting pose. You scoot and seat yourself as close to a wall as possible, and then lay back. Your legs are straight up against the wall. That should feel really good as you release tension from your legs.

You can rest your arms straight out and turn your head from side to side and be intentional to see different perspectives.

This can feel really good on lazy yoga days. The point is to never give up on yourself in any season of life!

Be the tortoise in Aesop’s fable. 🐢

You can be just one good move or pose away from getting you back into a good swing and crossing the finish line.

And people are back in yoga classes. …maybe that’s you or just what you need to keep your calm through the holiday and into the new year. Btw, are you counting down the days?

In addition to building a better Bridge yoga pose, I have my baking calendar on my mind. I’m coming up with building a better Yule log swiss roll this year from peppermint inspiration. 🍥

For savory hot water pastry, you can be inspired by this recipe.

Print Recipe

Easy Hot Water Pastry

Course Breakfast, lunch

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

flour of choice (whole wheat and plain flour work well)
hot-warm water, room temperature
1 tbsp of butter (for larger batches and healthy, use a little more butter about a pat of butter per serving)
pinch of salt

Instructions

Mix flour, water, and salt. Add pat of butter to melt. Work into a dough.
Shape into a shell or desired shape.
Bake until golden brown color.
Add cooked toppings desired (e.g. cheese, cooked veggies), and pop back into the oven for a few minutes.

Healthy Gingerbread Cookie + Balancing Kapha Mind

I planted a healthy gingerbread cookie tree on this Silpat baking sheet. Recipe below ⤵️

Healthy gingerbread cookie trees are rare, and even this time of year when everyone is talking about lighting the Christmas trees.🌲

Easy Chai Oat Gingerbread Cookie

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour (with oats)
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp baking powder
³⁄₄ tsp teaspoon baking soda
¹⁄₄ tsp teaspoon salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 ³⁄₄ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground cloves (or 1/2 tsp of allspice if that's what you have on hand)
6 tbsp unsalted butter (or substitute with 1 TBSP coconut oil)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (reduce to 1/3 cup for less sugar and still have a delicious and nice cookie!)
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup oats

Instructions

In a large bowl, add dry and wet ingredients.
Melt coconut oil add to bowl.
Roll out cookie dough to about 1/8" to 1/4" cookies.
Bake on 350°F for about 10-12 minutes.

I share the traditional old-fashioned recipe (below) that I’ve been using FOR-ever and that I spiced up even more this year! XOXO

Every year is a ‘lil different, and as a creator, I like to challenge myself to make new creations and not stick with the same cookie cutter ones over and over again… haha. As a healthy recipe developer, that means evolving into even healthier bakes.

And this helps me so that I keep outta Kapha imbalances in the kitchen. Btw, the level of Kapha dosha is relative to each of our bodies, but eating healthy, balanced meals always helps to prevent trouble down the road…

Which is part of the natural order that this life is… it’s not a matter of if… it’s a matter of when. And you can stay on the healthy side starting with body-mind awareness.

One of the symptom intersections is your feelings that constantly shift. They help guide you, and other times steer you down a rabbit hole.

And if you want to stay feeling peaceful, joyful, and happy (and be productive) all the time (…like when I’m relaxed baking healthy gingerbread cookies), then keeping the Kapha mind balanced is important.

Some examples of what will make the difference are your steadfastness to boundaries. And your commitment to yourself and to others involved. And finally, plowing through and making it easy on yourself in everyday situations that come up.

And that all starts in the mind.

So… when negative thoughts enter, dismiss them by replacing them.

The problem for many people is they don’t even know when they’re getting pulled down by negative information and thoughts…well, because that’s their mind.

And we don’t naturally challenge our own thoughts. That’s not something we’re born knowing how to do.

What most of do learn is how to challenge other people’s thoughts and opinions. Sound familiar?

Especially this time of year when it’s easy for stress to settle in trying to get end-of-year goals accomplished and fit into holiday-hoopla 🎉 that can be overwhelming for the mind-body. And not always bring out the best in us.

Our mind-body is connected in such a way that if you have a Kapha mind where you’re stuck in negative strongholds, feeling lazy, or find yourself accumulating clutter, that can easily turn into a couch potato Kapha body imbalance.

One easier way to know if a Kapha imbalance is causing our negative moods is if we’re feeling depressed or withdrawing from certain activities we’re usually drawn to or have been in the past.

And as we know, the ego tries to fool us, so to outwit we have to be doubly smart, pausing before reacting and making wise choices that influence our day.

Those stubborn Kapha mind mood tendencies can linger. But if you know what to do, you can get out of excessive Kapha faster and into feeling good. And erase hovering dark clouds that can easily become your weekend. Or gradually settle in for a season if you’re not careful.

But we can change this pretty easily one choice at a time…

We can turn off the external negative messages and listen to more uplifting ones. And that includes shutting off the news after getting the accumulated hour-or-so daily scoop.

This subtle shift helps for subtle situations…

For example, you could be having a bad morning where everything seems to go wrong and deciding in your mind that it’s going to be a bad day since the start was rough.

But by allowing uplifting thoughts to enter in to influence the rest of your day or lean into gratitude for what you DO have, that will help brighten your perspective that becomes self-fulfilling.

I know that can sound pollyanna-ish, and is not always easy if you’re in a miserable situation like a job you hate, or a living situation or relationship that isn’t working out.

BUT, you can better program your mind to work for you. If we can walk and chew gum and think thoughts at the same time, then we can do this! We are capable.💪

One way we can help ourselves is having a consistent activity where we’re learning and improving. That takes the focus off of our thoughts. You may already do this.

In the activity that calls you, you don’t want to miss a moment in what you’re doing. This improves your skills and helps your head game. You then look forward to the activity in your day that helps your entire day.

And something else you can easily do…

Change your environment. Maybe you start doing your activity in a warm, sunny spot. That can be outside. These days, there are no limits to where you can work or catch a break as we’re a virtually remote society that can access anything anywhere.

As a Vata, I like to mix up where I work. I use a desk, a closet, outdoors… it just depends on my mood. And that’s how I get things done productively: I change my scenery options.

And maybe that’s you… or you like the same zone you always are in as that’s your designated spot. And if that’s you, then maybe having a photo or a reminder of something to look forward to in the future like some R&R or an adventurous trip, will also help.

And if holiday overwhelm is taking over these days, let the reason for the season keep you grounded. Let Scripture verses provide comfort and wisdom, and help guide you.

And stay cozy warm uplifted and listen to cheery Christmas music 🎼and jingles… and better yet find your creative outlet. Get into your groove.

For me, this last weekend was partially about creating healthy gingerbread cookie dough.

And a Chai Oat healthy gingerbread cookie was on tall order to provide more holiday baking inspiration that’s both healthy and happy.

I wasn’t the only one as the Cookie Wars marathon was all over the media networks. And gingerbread was one of the themes like every year… it’s nice to be able to count on some things!

And I’ve been using the same base recipe that’s more happy than healthy.

This original recipe has been with me since 2004 when I printed it out. It was adapted from a Joy of Cooking recipe.

And I’ve been tweaking it up every year.

And backing up, decades ago, it was common to use shortening for cookies and Southern sweets, so finding a butter recipe with 3 grams of fat per cookie was a big deal because that’s what people cared about (the fat in calories). These days, we know there are healthier fats we can use to bake with…

So, I’ve evolved this once-a-year December recipe using coconut oil to give a nice consistency and dough to work with.

Ahh… an early winter healthy gingerbread cookie tree!

I added my notes in ( ) and below to my enhancements to this collaborative recipe. 😊

Easy Chai Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour (add oats)

1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons baking powder

³⁄₄ teaspoon baking soda

¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 ³⁄₄ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup oats (optional)

¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground cloves (or 1/2 tsp of allspice if that’s what you have on hand)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (substitute with 1 TBSP coconut oil)

³⁄₄ cup dark brown sugar (reduce to 1/3 cup for less sugar and still have a delicious and nice cookie!)

1 large egg

¹⁄₂ cup molasses

You can mix this all in one bowl. I like to bake on 325°F because cookies bake quickly. This’ll be about 15 minutes but it’s good to watch the oven.

Amino Acids In Daily Proteins Matter + Orange Chicken Recipe

Amino acids matter in the proteins we eat, like lean chicken. And you can serve Orange Chicken from an easy recipe below.

Jump to Recipe

Orange chicken with a jam compote recipe below ⬇️for everyday dinners and daily protein counts with several important amino acids. 🧡

But first, I used to start mornings with very little protein and amino acids for breakfast.

These days, there are more options like a quinoa cereal bowl, where you get a complete protein meal.

The amino acids are what matter. You won’t see that on most food packaging labels. Both essential and non-essential amino acids.

The nine essential amino acids come only from foods, and like the ones I’m sharing today. They synergistically work together. One essential amino acid you may know by heart is tryptophan because Thanksgiving turkey has made it famous. And maybe you felt the sleepy effects this past week if you celebrated. 🦃

Tryptophan is also found in a range of foods like soybeans, nuts, seeds, and egg whites.

…Anyway, where was I? …Ok, so the other essential amino acids are the names ending in “ine” that you don’t see on most food packaging.

You usually only see “protein” as the macronutrient labeling, unless it’s protein powder packaging or a nutritional supplement bar that breaks down the granular protein ingredients.

We need amino acids for protein synthesis and tissue turnover. The body needs the right combo of essential amino acids (only found in foods). And essentially we determine what we put into our bodies so we have a lot of smart food decisions we can make.

And a complete protein has all 9 essential amino acids. And why I often start my mornings with a quinoa cereal bowl. I say often because Vatas like to mix it up… lentils porridge, warm oatmeal, and sweet potato soup are just a few others I can think of. …oh, and smoothies too!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because you break the fast from eating for about 12 hours or so.

And since we’re talking numbers here…

As an adult, you need daily protein at least a recommended .36 x your weight.

For a female that can be at least 45 grams of protein.

And you can get to that daily goal much faster with lean animal proteins like 4 ounces of chicken breast (36 grams) and 1 cup of yogurt (12 grams or more).

…Beans and egg whites are healthy protein sources too, but you’ll be eating a lot to get there…

A whole can of beans (regular 15.5 ounces) is usually under 15 grams of protein. But is still a good protein and a great source of minerals like potassium that we need. So 2-3 cans a week is good plus other protein sources.

And legumes are good too. One I enjoyed as a little girl was when I would pick out the sugar snap peas at the grocery store and add to to the bag. It’s funny how the grocery store hasn’t changed a bit in that way, as there are still the same bags and ties …and maybe there will be better recyclable ways in the future. ♻️

Then at home, I enjoyed the snapping sound of taking off the ends (one side is the stem). That was my helper job. The peas were left in the pod and they were cooked all as one.

Snap peas, btw, are a good source of collagen and have a ‘lil protein, more than I expected for their petit pois size. That’s what we used to call them in catering and when I studied French.

These days, I take collagen protein supplements for stronger hair, skin, and nails. It’s easy to add to your coffee, and even better when eaten with vitamins like C in fruits and B6, B12, and B3 in eggs and animal proteins.

That could help make you rethink your morning choices! 🥣

And so many foods operate like this where they work better and rely on other nutrients and vitamins to operate and get absorbed more easily.

And to get to the simple bottom line… that’s why it helps your body to eat nutrient-rich diverse meals and a variety of foods all the time, so the nutrients synthesize and operate in harmony like an orchestra! 🎶

And getting enough protein to build lean muscle mass. As you age, you lose muscle. Lean animal proteins are rich sources (like lean fish, salmon, and poultry) to help build muscles because of the amino acids.

And if you’re trying to lose weight, replacing fat with protein is an efficient way. Protein macronutrients have fewer calories than fat macros.

Of course, proteins are healthy preferred over sweets to the body, so if you’re sweet tooth challenged like I am, more proteins and plant-based options starting at breakfast can also help you get over this daily hump.

But whether you choose a diet high in proteins is your choice. You know how your body operates optimally (and non-optimally).

As a quintessential Vata body (…and maybe you are too), I’m never fully full enough without lean animal protein like fish and chicken that have higher amounts of carnitine, in addition to the plant-based ones.

We’re lucky that nature provides for us.

One protein source that comes to mind is Wild Alaskan salmon which feeds the Alaskan wildlife and us humans. Adult salmon lay their salmon eggs, and as they age they know to instinctively swim to the shallow streams where the entire animal ecosystem grocery shops for their instant salmon meal. How’s that for healthy convenience food?

The animal kingdom is fascinating to watch. And fun to watch in related-timeless classic movies, like The Lion King which is still one of my Disney favorites.

It has evolved (as we have) from its original cartoon version to CGI animation and live-filmmaking. I don’t know if you remember those movies we watched with the 3-D movie theater cardboard glasses we got with the red and blue cellophane lenses to bring alive the effects in a Jaws movie. …It’s laughable today.

Those were the days. 😊

And in real life, sharks and lions are still at the top of the food chain. We need them to keep the animal ecosystem running in the wild. Just like us humans with our healthy checks and balances so we can rule the earth.

And so to stay on top, we need to keep our bodies renewed. And make sure we get enough amino acids like leucine (to stimulate mTOR) for new tissue growth. …And that’s a great reason to keep egg protein in your diet. 🥚

Plus… chicken is also high in amino acids. You can make this chicken dish with an herb-y aroma coming from the oven and the orange-citrusy vibes on the stove. 🧡

Orange Chicken with Jam Compote

Chicken is a great way to get your tasty daily protein amino acids. The orange flavor is a brightening zest for daily and festive meals.

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 apple or pear
1 orange
chicken breast or drumsticks (4-6 oz per person)
balsamic vinegar
jam (sweet tasting jam or less-sweet tasting jam tip below)
optional spices (rosemary, thyme, and coriander)

Instructions

Remove skin from apples or pears. Chop fruit into small dices.
Cook down fruit until almost soft on cooktop/stove. Add balsamic vinegar, orange zest and your favorite fruit jam until reduced liquid. Tip: Use lighter, sweet jam to pair with light or sweet wine, and less-sweet tasting jam like fig or plum jam to pair with red wines.
Serve with chicken. For festive dishes you can add rosemary and for brightening lemon citrus to bring out orange, you can add coriander.
Zhugh with thin orange slices.

Fall Cake – Chocolate (Gluten-Free)

Fall cake is delicious when made into chocolate cake that’s healthy. This reminds me of special events I planned where the individual molten chocolate cakes were always a hit! And you can make a healthy home version… the recipe is below. 🥮

The gooey oozing middle gluten-free chocolate cakes were served individually (as in no sharing!) in their own ceramic baking cups.

They were called Fallen Chocolate Souffles.

And they were made while guests were enjoying dinner, so there was a timing component. That’s the key to making this decadent dessert.

The recipe below is a low-sugar, healthy chocolate cake made with gluten-free flour. 🧡

It’s a simple to make recipe and not complicated considering how satisfying they are.

Jump to Recipe

And to show how relaxed you can be, I was in yoga rest pose waiting for the baking to finish… that almost never happens as I’m busy in the kitchen with my hands.

And in event and catering parties, we never got off our feet… good shoes were a must as some events, we walked miles within our venue.

So the great cake turn out and mini yoga session in between was a nice surprise… we used to say “kill two birds with one stone.”

Not sure who came up with that proverb as it sounds violent when the intent is you’re being productive and multi-tasking. 😊

And Savasana pose (pronounced Sh-avasana) is a great Hatha yoga way to be productive to reset new intentions for the rest of this year, so you can enter your new year with a bang! 🎉

So while making this healthy fall chocolate cake, I was reminded how often we stand stationary with some kind of tool in front of us, whether it’s a standing desk computer or a kitchen tool like a mixer.

Or we’re sitting all day. It’s often all or nothing.

If we measure our standing time vs. our sitting time, one day can be too much of either. And we often forget to add in some calming awake resting time.

So rest pose is a good balancing pose for this that’s relaxing and restorative and you can do on a daytime mat to get calm and peaceful.

Taking a few extra minutes to not rush around can revive your entire day. Those moments are enhanced when there’s no distraction like a computer or a television. Be in calm silence until your cake buzzer goes off.

Laying down, you’re looking at the ceiling or sky above you, or optionally you have your eyes closed.

The Savasana pose benefits are:

You’re almost like a frozen angel in the snow but not moving your arm wings up and down.

You notice any normal body twitches and sensations. You’re sensitized to your being and body.

Rested, your heart is also rested and your blood pressure drops in the seconds and minutes you’re in this pose.

Not being in a hurry, all the tension is left behind at least for the minutes you’re in this calming pose.

You can eliminate temporary headaches as you think calm, positive, and happy thoughts.

And as more minutes go by, you’ll also feel your body temperature drops especially if you’re the Vata or Kapha body type. Or if you’re leaning into Vata season and your Vata-ness!

This Savasana pose is commonly done as an ending close in an in-person Hatha or more relaxed yoga class.

And maybe even the teacher came around spritzing with a light lavender spray mist to get you in the mood of laying still and quieting the mind. How nice especially for the Pitta mind still running lists in the mind!

The lavender scent calms your mind and the fine mist feels like a refreshing soft touch. It’s a nice way to bring special joy to your day.

Laying stretched out without moving on a mat, you can do this pose anywhere that helps melt the stress away.

It gives you a few moments of peace (that can’t be emphasized enough) to gain your second wind and ground you for the rest of the day.

It’s good to remind yourself to slow it down.

And when your healthy fall chocolate cake baking timer goes off, you’re refreshed and ready!

A few Savasana Pose tips:

🌱Have a folded blanket near near you if you’re using props. Your body temperature drops, so you’ll want the comfort of a blanket or thin yoga top layer you peeled off earlier, especially if it’s typical fall or cooler season weather.

🌱Remember to breathe normally. You can pinpoint if your breath through your nose is naturally shallow or deep and could you use some sinus tips.

🌱Keep your phone off your mat! 😉 That’s one of the rules that will help with your balance of 80/20 real life vs. virtual world digital life.

Slowing down our tempo gives us advantages so we can keep up in the world with the all the busy chaos.

That’s what Savasana Pose can do as a good reset reminder.

We can make better lifestyle choices to live longer, happy quality lives.

And baking healthy chocolate cake can be one of those changes. 😋

And with that thought, I’ll leave you with two questions to think about:

At this point, what would make your year optimal? Idea: you can make an appointment with yourself in Shavasana Corpse pose to think about this.

And, what would help you to make your next year (or the rest of the year) brighter? Think of what change or improvements in you would make things different and better.

And in between noodling self-thoughts, you can make this healthy fall chocolate cake,

It’s simple to make and the timing will determine an oozy middle or a gooey center where either are good. The center is a good metaphor for centering yourself with new positive perspectives.

And if the first one flops, you can always (no sweat) make this again.

🍫 If you like this, you may like an olive oil chocolate cake or a coconut oil chocolate cake.

Fall Chocolate Cake - Healthy and Gluten-Free

This gluten-free chocolate cake is all about timing. You don't want to bake too long so that you preserve the gooey center goodness!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

muffin tin

Ingredients

2 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa for antioxidant-rich), melted
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/8 cup monk fruit sugar (low glycemic index optional) or sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp butter

Instructions

Combine all ingredients together except gently fold in flour last. No leavening agents needed.
Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes. Don't overbake for a gooey chocolate center!

S’mores Waffle + Getting The Life You Want

S’mores waffle are a metaphor for getting the life you want of getting s’more! 😊

waffles are a metaphor for getting the life you want in abundance — S’mores waffle recipe below 🧇

Looking at each waffle cell can help remind you that you’re not limited to syrup or honey in just one cell. There can be a sweet overflowing abundance.

This week I made a sweet snack: waffle s’mores. S’more please! 😋

What I love about waffle machines are that you can make individual, or to-order waffles in my home kitchen restaurant (haha).

My way is imperfect (aka easy but delicious!) and fast.

And you have waffle bites in less than 5 minutes and enjoy in less time that keeps the happy going… especially on a weekend jammed with other activities.

Waffles are great without having to fire up the oven or a sautee pan when you’re not in the mood or it’s warm outside (like these 80-degree November days).

I have a simple Cuisinart waffle maker that I like and is budget-friendly.

And you can use any waffle iron that suits you.

It’s an investment compared to buying frozen waffles at the store that gets expensive.

And the other equipment that helps is an oil spray bottle.

Then you don’t need to add oil in your waffle batter recipe. You use less and that can be healthy good and economical. And spraying, makes waffl-ing fast (...ok, what is the term for cooking waffles?). 🧇

In a pinch, you can use an emptied regular 16.9 oz water bottle.

Then screw a clean spray nozzle spray to the bottle, like the kind you use to water mist a plant that’s easy to find at a convenience store, if one’s not in your home.

And then add pour in your choice of mild oil. You can choose from canola and coconut, to light neutral EVOOs.

Then lightly spray the waffle maker, top and bottom. And with light oils you can make fun savory waffles and s’mores waffle flavors.

Just sayin’! 💡

And whatever kind you choose,the waffles come out easy… sometimes in seconds.

You know it’s done because you get a lightly browned waffle.

Ahhh… and there it is, fast and easy. Forget about pancakes.🥞 Those are so-last year. Now, I just made the pancake people unhappy.

Just kidding, but I probably will stick to waffles myself.

…And you?

Sharing about waffles, I’m reminded of some franchise hotel breakfasts where they have self-waffle machines.

So that’s where you may have practiced before too. Those are the sweet morning kind served indoors. I made the s’mores kind good also for outdoors. 🪵

So, to make the melted s’more waffle sandwich, just tear or cut with a knife your waffles into 4 or quarter sections, and use 2 sections for the top and bottom “buns.”

Add your sandwich ingredients like chocolate and marshmallow in the middle (check that the middle layer ingredients don’t go over the sides of the waffles).

Then put your sandwich back in the waffle maker until your sandwich ingredients are melted (like a panini maker).

All this can take less than 5 minutes to make when you become a pro waffle maker.

On the lighter topics, this is my new home kitchen tool obsession. 😊

And speaking of home, most of us spend our days checking on people, things, pets, plants, a chore’s progress, or what we’re making.

But often we forget to check on the most important thing… Ourselves. It’s easy to distract ourselves with what we can see in front of our eyes (that’s not always a mirror).

Our eyes are the gateway to our soul and influence our mind.

Changing to Abundance Mentality (For Getting the Life You Want)

And when I gradually switched from a victim mindset to an abundant one, that’s when I could start manifesting and co-creating new and better things. That’s creativity in the highest.

Wow, that’s a big leap forward but that’s where I’m going this week.

Because I believe there’s nothing more important than getting ourselves and our mind-body aligned with what we want in life.

Our decisions come from the lens we look out from. And in how we nurture our lives. We can make fear-based decisions that don’t help us.

I know this because I lived for the first 35 years of my life with a victim lens that I wasn’t even aware of. You can learn this in relationships where you react. And those reactions give you highlighted feedback.

And you can learn from other clues. Like when I created a vision board when they were popular (maybe they still are?), none of the pictures I cut out and pasted on the board panned out because I was looking from the wrong lens. Those ideas came from the same limiting victim mind that I used to look out from in my everyday life.

And after a massive corporate layoff I was part of, I had a chance to make bolder self-improvement changes as I restarted my life in most areas.

That’s when I connected the dots, expanded my horizons, and put to use my knowledge of the mind-body connection.

And I worked to slow down stress. That’s not totally doable or ideal working in the city. But, it was a big step forward from my past.

Plus, living in a city environment, there are more options, like many yoga studios and classes to choose from. And the environment you’re in can help to center your intentions as it did for me.

And in the slow seasons of life when I was waiting for areas to pan out, I evolved into a better version of myself.

As I leaned into character trait desires I wanted in mind, body, and spirit, they gradually became my life in alignment.

And the veil of the victim mentality disappeared somewhere in those seasons. And when it did, I could see that in the past I held myself back. You know, those parts of you that make up you, but that your work never sees.

And changing those parts change you. For a better life, an adult walks or runs, and a butterfly flies. Neither creatures crawl around with the earlier life limitations.

With the ability to look up and out, you gain abundance with a higher viewpoint, which helps you to better look in.

Changing Perspectives (For Getting the Life You Want)

And that starts by changing thoughts. Last time I shared on negative energy and that’s how life can be unless we proactively make the switch throughout the day so we can get to our abundant thinking.

Sometimes it’s easier to change the home thermostat temperature from cool to heat, than our minds.

We don’t do the switch if we’re not conscious because we have to fight against ego thoughts.

We can live tormented in our negative thoughts without catching on to how much time wasting it’s causing us.

Friend, I lived liked that for many years. So making up for lost time 😂, I choose to never live like that again. And you can too!

You can tell your ego to take a hike! And walk away from others’ egos, and not feeding their egos when they’re acting up.

If you’re aware of the concept of ego and how it’s the root of most people problems, then you’re ahead of the pack. And most high ego folks aren’t reading this because you know, they know it all. 😉

But most don’t consider themselves high in ego compared to so-and-so [insert a name] and those they see in the world acting out. The ego is much more subtle. It’s part of the air.

And just by comparing, that’s ego in action.

Recognizing Ego in Others (For Getting the Life You Want)

When I moved away from the Washington DC area, only then did I realize how polluted the air was, full of egos. It’s a great city with a lot to offer, but living there carries unique burdens.

It isn’t that other parts of America aren’t impacted by politics, but there it is in the air and not just on television or yard signs. People living there are very careful when speaking about politics (a big no-no), and a faux pas to mention in formal public setting conversations. And even informal ones.

Those ways trickled down to the suburbs where I spent most of my time. And early on in my work days, I would encounter other people’s egos all the time in management. I didn’t know what happened to that calm person from a few hours ago.

Today if I encounter those situations, I remove myself. Life’s too short. And that takes you steps away from getting the life you want.

Being under an ego spell, the other person doesn’t realize they’re engulfed by their ego at that moment (but they could if they chose to be more aware). They could choose the better thought channels.

But when it’s too late, they can appear like the Incredible Hulk compared to the normal person they usually are. Where did David go?

They act and say things that are off-base or aren’t how they usually react. You feel a huge disconnect as they try to rile you up with their words.

When you come back to that person later, the person remembers what or at least part of what you said and hopefully what they said. So that’s why it’s good to plant seeds when they’re unconscious. But just enough so you can get out alive, lol.

And often looking back, they’re sorry for what they said that no longer makes sense to them anymore why they struck a chord that way.

Were they just having a bad day? Did their medication not kick in? Or, does the person have split personalities?

Everyone, just blame it on what they ate (that’s not anti-inflammatory 😊), so you all can move on …and keep your ego at peace.

And as we’re only weeks away from the Holidays, I want to bring in the theme of peace as much as possible. That helps us stay calm and is just what the doctor ordered. 🍎

Marshmallow S'more Dessert Waffle Iron Brunch Recipes

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

flour
neutral oil
water
mini marshmallows
chocolate, chopped or mini morsels

Instructions

Make two same-size waffles in your waffle iron (about 3 minutes on medium heat).
On a plate, sandwich marshmallows and chocolate in between the two waffles while they are still hot. Use a plate to press down. Alternatively you can add the chocolates on top for a crunch.