Joy Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Silver Linings Joy + Sourdough Brioche

Silver linings is where you can find your joy. This blog article is all about that. You may remember the Silver Linings Playbook movie that came out after Julie and Julia that not only happened around my first blog and inspired this blog and this cranberry sourdough recipe. Sourdough and tart cranberries are a divine pairing.

Dreamy tart sourdough brioche inspired dessert is the new pound cake. The sour tart fermented cranberry taste is good for Vatas! 🧘🏻‍♀️

And nothing better than cake bread (aka brioche) that gives you the best of both worlds. This one is inspired by a Baking with Julia cookbook. Sourdough can be added to breads, pancakes, and any bakes. It can be sweet and not just sour.

Print Recipe

Sourdough Cranberry Brioche (Bread or Cake)

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

Sourdough starter
Frozen or fresh cranberries
Baking powder and baking soda for cake

Instructions

For bread, you can use the proofed starter as the leavening agent. For cake add baking powder and baking soda (or an acid like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). These are for easy weekend bread cake that you can enjoy.
Add sourdough starter to flour of choice (all purpose flour works best but for healthy you can use gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or a mix of flours).
Add fresh or drained frozen cranberries.
Add additional flavors such as nuts, bananas, chocolate chip swirl if you desire. Think of the flavors you like to add to pancakes. Blueberries would be healthy divine too!
Bake as you would for golden brown cakey-bread.

And if your current situation or circumstances aren’t ideal, or you’re not at a point in your life to feel happy (or may apply to someone you know), you can still confidently get daily joy that is better than happiness…

Because joy is constant and reliable. Happiness is not. It’s black and white.

Joy is guaranteed when you know what lens to look out from. It’s about YOU and your self-development.

And relying on joy can help you wean away from happiness that we learned at a young age to strive for. Back then, even all the board games like Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and the Game of Life were setups for winning as happiness. When someone wins, another loses.

Those myths hurt the development of our lives. I know before I had work-life balance I could not find the joy.

The problem with continuing to believe happiness is dependent on outcomes and situations is that when there is a let-down disappointment, our ego is crushed. And that can create sadness and a roller coaster of emotions.

That’s where joy and happiness can be at extreme odds…

They’re not interchangeable emotions. They have completely different meanings. And for children, joy is not yet a concept that can be grasped.

Having experienced both sides of the coin, I know Happiness is fickle. It’s a feeling that’s as reliable as the wind. The ego in any of us can trick and spin the truth to make us believe what we think we want that’s not the best for us.

The problem isn’t the once-in-a-while ego meter going up, it’s the person who’s drowning in egoism who never looked in the mirror to see who they became. And that hurts them the most.

They’re lonely and sad under the hood, and bitter about certain topics because they didn’t take the effort to self-develop and be self-aware. They don’t see what the world sees about them that hurts relationships. It’s an individual choice to live an abundant life or a limiting one.

And when the ego is running healthy, it keeps us fully living, productive and protects us a little from getting hurt in the world.

Getting your what-is-true barometer on is healthy.

And as part of being true, that’s how I learned happiness feelings never last. It’s always temporary…

Yesterday’s memories fade. Tomorrow always has some uncertainty for all of us. So then what’s left is today.

What we do today is all that matters. If we focus on the past, that builds up our unhealthy ego where the pain is. A book I always recommend on this is The Power of Now (by Eckart Tolle).

Staying past or future-focused can egg on our unhealthy ego especially if it lands in our selfish behaviors that end up hurting other people.

So when you look at the flip side and the good easter egg side of things of today, then you’re on the better JOY track. The feelings of Easter celebration can be lived out daily, year-round! 🐣

Sometimes it takes external happenings and stimuli… to light up any one of our 5 senses… to get the internal sommersault mind-body feelings… to then turn the salty tide in our day or weekend… but that’s all healthy compared to the alternative.

Then when you’re back to your healthy self, you have the opportunity to catch on in observation and awareness to how joy works for you…

Another way is to mindfully focus on the silver linings of your situation. A positive outlook can get you through quicker. And through is the fastest way.

Letting go of how things will shake out is letting go of the ego that wants to be in control of everything good and bad. I know from experience because that was one of the lessons that took me the longest to learn. And I’m glad I went through.

I did so with time. Gradually, I could see why what I wanted initially for some things got re-routed and turned out better in the end and on the other side of the process.

You don’t usually see it right away, but give it enough time, years, and decades, and it’ll become apparent. 🌈

That’s where wisdom is that outwits ego and what looks good on the outside.

In wisdom, if you’ve ever been shielded from a situation only to learn that had you been part of it, your life would have been impacted and lessened, then those gratitude moments in the silver linings can help you to see that life is on your side… and has been all along.

Believe that doors shut are silver linings for a better future you can’t see today. It’s easier if you believe that what happens is meant to be. And find out how you can use your current situations (and not the someday dreams) to be healthy, improve yourself, and do good in the world.

Not dwelling on self-pity avoids letting the ego have a field day with negative thoughts. It works the same with gossip…

Gossip is the optimized ego doing the negative talking. So if you want to practice quieting the ego, step out of those partisan conversations to quiet the mind.

And if you practice more daily joy and gratitude instead, then you can better discover the healthy ways. Sounds pretty easy, but most people (…maybe besides you and me 😊), don’t try to help themselves and their day because it requires change.

…But for anyone who’s trying and wanting to know how to (and maybe desperately) get more joy, they could start with asking: what brings simple joy to me, like a simple but effective cup of tea or a nature walk? That’s easy stuff.

And then in joy overflow (or tea in hand 🍵) gradually move towards reflecting on what their (or your) life is becoming as a subtle reflection of who they (or you) are becoming.

It takes seeing how the fruit in their life is growing today (and not living off the memories of the past).

The daily fruits are ones we can measure and witness. And we can help grow these from the internal fruits of the spirit or fruits of growing character that we’ve gathered.

“Character is power.” -Booker T. Washington

And anytime someone feels stuck, they can always open up to the miraculous Universe that’s always ready to listen, unlike our human being species. And reaching higher out can help build internal fruit to produce more external fruit. 🪐

Know What Brings You Joy and Calm

So when you know how to activate the skill of daily joy feelings without fail, that’s something you can pull out of your back pocket anytime you need to for instant day improvement.

When I have joy I know because I sing along with songs playing 🎶or else I listen to certain songs to create the joy. Or I’m in Dancer yoga pose.

Which btw, if you’re feeling joy, you’re also feeling calm.

Calm lets you be present enough to find joy.

The opposite is worry or anxiety, anger, or even excited nervousness.

Calming down first and not being preoccupied with emotional turbulence allows you to tap into your joy which takes mindfulness and active present state participation.

Hearing the sweet sounds of your surroundings, such as birds chirping, palm trees swaying, and soft ocean breezes could be indicators of your present state (and part of the silver linings in earthly living).

For someone who doesn’t have calm and inner peace, the external sounds of constant dogs barking, babies crying, or motorcycles roaring, can be disturbing and perceived as extra loud. For someone who’s in a state of peace, those sounds represent life and are less affected. Just something to consider. And when you have your calm that can help produce more joy.

…And that’s what I had to share this week. But I didn’t want to leave you on a sour note♩… I baked sweet pancakes with tart cranberries 😊.

Btw, if you want to see more of my healthy food photos and created daily inspirational images, you can always follow me on my Pinterest channel.

Work Freedom to Creativity

Work freedom is possible if that’s what you want. Keep in mind that you are in control of your ship and the experiences you are gaining today will be part of what you need in the future especially if it’s a creative one.

If you could have more work freedom in your life, what would that look like?

I describe freedoms below that I think would make all the difference in the world in work life balance, time flexibility, and to unleash creativity in your life if that’s what you want. 🌎

That’s what I wanted.

…And if that’s what you want, you deserve in this life, so your work future is worth fighting for!

Each of our personal desired versions of work freedom is different.

For me, like many of us, it’s not having a boss. And, being able to create my own schedule deciding when I’ll show up. In 2019, I started my humble self-employed journey after I left my last corporate job and office life.

As far as I’m concerned, I retired from my corporate career for good. Before that, I reported to many bosses with the exception of a few years in between when I dabbled on my own doing consulting work where I felt most empowered.

Some workplaces and bosses were good enough for a little while, and others, well… let’s just say they aren’t for everyone. 😉

And some left me Ayurvedically depleted.

All of us who have worked know what that’s like for at least part of our careers where we may have stuck it out as a stepping stone to climb the ladder 🪜 or as a bridge to our next venture.

…Or to take a different turn. I’ve done all of the above to eventually move toward my better work freedom.

I know that not having the pieces fit together in the dozen or so roles from my first, second, or even third corporate career helped me realize that’s what I wanted!

Every pivot made me more intentional about what I wanted my work life to look like.

And not having a mentor but instead becoming one, helped me realize I didn’t want to work for anybody EVER again.

I started out in corporate hospitality and working with catering management, so foodie likes is up my alley. And then I went into other office management fields.

blueberry dutch baby pancakes. — Dutch baby pancake recipe below. 👇

But I had to take that windy journey in the corporate work world to confidently know that, and what I’m capable of…

And to also know that you can be excelling at your job that looks good on paper, but not be fulfilled.

Looking back, I realize those experiences made me the person I am today who’s resilient and not gonna settle for less than what the whole life has to best offer in every season (God willing!). No experience goes wasted.

And in my last corporate job, I had this whisper that could’ve been a billboard sign because it was that loud to me as by then I was used to following whispers that others often miss or ignore.

In my mind I heard, I would not get this time back. And from that point on a cascade of work problems followed where I knew I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The only way UP was OUT. And then I got my time freedom back. Once again I felt cage-free to pursue new opportunities.

And I know I’m not alone in how I feel here because even the conservative peers I’ve talked to in their mid-careers who left jobs prematurely before they thought they would, said they felt a weight lifted off their shoulders when they gave their notice.

Feeling good was a sign that a right decision was made. And every time I gave my notice, that’s how I felt.

But that satisfying feeling fades into now what? that gradually replaces excitement.

This is where people differ. Some would run from misery to insecurity and others would stick it out and stand firm for security.

And you know where you stand on that.

In the years I started in the workforce, workers didn’t leave jobs as they do for mental health and happiness reasons that are recognized these days.

Our younger workers today value health over stability and moving away from discomfort and into promising ideas and possibilities.

The workforce generations today have amped up the employers’ game where bosses can’t get away with the same toxic behavior or red tape antics they used to without a backlash or being caught on camera.

And I think that’s great that our society is moving away from that type of dysfunctional workplace.

So #1 is creating work freedom away from the wrong kind of bossing.

And #2 is freedom from stress or anxiety.

As someone who valued work-life balance in her 20s, I also believe reducing stress is underrated and needs more stressing these days.

Having lived through stressful work situations, I know enduring stress can be the cause of so many health problems and arising mystery ailments.

I think stress reduction is even more important than sleep because if you’re tired, your body crashes. With stress, it could go on quietly for years without visible detection and a remedy.

Our bodies do their best to try to daily whisper to us in headaches, our skin, and even our bathroom life. 🚽

But if we ignore the signs for too long, the wear-and-tears become loud. And in those anxious-filled stressful seasons, we aren’t running optimally as our self-care and immunity defenses go down.

Not to mention our creativity isn’t reachable.

…And creativity I believe is where our happiness is. It’s the passion we can control, that gives us freedom.

When we can birth new ideas or re-create old ones for new life, our body cells are happier and that radiates through our daily life, outlook, and how we feel about ourselves.

Don’t you beam from to ear-to-ear when you’ve contributed and acknowledged (or have been recognized by someone) that those new ideas came from you?

That uplifting feeling creates space for opportunity and opens doors for hope, more achievement, and possibilities that we all aspire to in our lives.

But most workers never get to that sweet spot.

I know I didn’t because of all the work constraints and limitations…

And the answer isn’t to quit your job necessarily. The answer is to add more playtime in the quality free time, doing the creative things that light you up and you’re passionate about. And maybe those activities become your next season.

A few hours could be an enjoyable weekend afternoon. And then let those happy feelings and memories carry you through the tough week ahead if that’s what you face.

And then look forward to the next free future playtime afternoon.

And if you find that you’re skipping off from work to do more of that, then maybe that’s a sign.

Because having been on both sides, I now know that not doing daily work that inspires you gets old.

The new could be: if today were your last day (not at work, but your LAST DAY), would you be happy?

…And if the answer is no, then coming up with a plan to do more of those passionate things or to discover more of what you want to do is going to help get you to your happiest place.

Explore creativity and develop your gifts, talents, and abilities. Remember, you won’t get this time back. And this season will end.

Not all plans come to fruition, but you’ll never know something better or your highest achieving potential self if you don’t try.

Take some risks and do projects that you want to do more of or explore to see what you like at both work and in your personal time.

With a more enriched life, you can dream new and better dreams and start heading in the new re-routed direction that becomes your NEW LIFE.

And eventually, if you keep pacing slowly, inching toward what you figure out you like, you’ll be doing more of what you want and not what was old in the past.

Like a butterfly that struggles to get out of the chrysalis, the creatures that we are, in determination successfully make it out.

Believe that in yourself.

That’s so liberating! 🦋

In the humble beginnings, like most, you pay the price of being inexperienced, and then the price is paid and life gets better with experiences.

And Life is unlimited. And you see it as abundant.

And once you get a taste of the potential and the genie is let out of the bottle, you know you’ll never go back to the old, lesser ways.

OK, and finally…

# 3. Mind freedom is another freedom worth gaining when you have work freedom. It’s another one that slips under the radar (and can cause stress).

But, with mind awareness, we know we can change our happiness from the inside out.

For whatever life and work freedom you’re yearning for most, mind freedom is something to create space for in yourself first to be successful.

It grows when you make mindset shifts from old ways, beliefs, and attitudes, and rewrite daily thoughts and doubts.

Because so easily, what is within our potential reach can easily fade if the mind isn’t daily reset, in-check, and our motivations (our why) isn’t prioritized.

So often our busy situations and demanding lives can get in the way and make us tired and lazy. And that’s how we get stuck while our clocks keep running.

So having your why and what defines your work freedom can keep you moving toward your north star. 🧭

And keep you from going back to the old thinking ways that are meant to stay in the past that got you to where you are today.

Keep pressing forward in your life and let that forward motion become your guide in life to greater freedom and happiness.

…That includes a passionate, purposeful life of creativity if you want that, where you get to express your human you-niqueness and contributions where work is joy.

Crispy Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes

Course Breakfast

Cuisine dutch

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk of choice
1 pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup blueberries
blueberry juice (for glaze)

Instructions

Blend the ingredients (except the butter). You can use a Magic Bullet that makes smoothie drinks if you have one.
Let rest for at least 20 minutes.
Coat the pan with butter and pour in batter.
Bake in oven at 350°F/180°C until the pancakes are crispy.
For syrup: add maple syrup and a little blueberry juice to make a jammy blueberry syrup.

Scents For Joy + Celebrate Your Nose Knows!

Have you ever noticed how certain scents bring joy to your face? Or that warm blanket spritzed with lavender that reminds you of a yoga mat or relaxing moment that instantly makes your troubling life situations better?

Using those olfactory memories and the comforting things available to us, can help us to make it through our day… and sometimes is all we need to get inspired again. That’s all-so Ayurvedic!

One sweet spice way that we can capture daily is in our scents. I like to keep around a few perfumy bottles even though I rarely wear any. But I like to catch a citrusy sweet whiff every so often. Bergamot and citrus light scents don’t last as long as others so keeping them close by is a good idea.

And if you’re a Vata like me, cinnamon spice is one of your faves. Also, vanilla scents and sweet oranges like that from a California navel or Italian blood orange.

Celebrating the orange scents here on this table…

Can you guess what orange is here? It’s a Cara Cara orange.

So on those notes, these are a few of my go-to perfume aromatherapy scents for balance.

The heavy-knock-you-out-cold perfumes are a thing of the past. The kind your grandmother probably wore. And what my mom wore. Those memories are hard to erase.

But for everyday living, these two eau de parfums are more appropriate.

J.Lo Live – the version I bought is very citrusy. I stumbled on the perfume when I had extra minutes (hours) in an airport and decided to make use of that time by finding a good scent. Good idea, right? And this one was the one that got my attention. Yes, it’s Jennifer Lopez’s (J.Lo) Live. And it also comes in a pretty bottle.

A good perfume is like a good dress. When you try it on, you know if it’s The One as you can’t stop grinning from ear to ear.

Viktor&Rolf – Flower Bomb is da bomb when it comes to scents, me thinks 😊 in me-time (that was how I thought in my youthful fun self) 🌼

Btw… do you ever wonder why you can’t smell certain scents that’s more about you liking a perfume scent one day and not-so-much the next day or next season?

There are a few reasons:

For one, as mentioned, the citrusy ones don’t last in the air too long. While they calm your parasympathetic nerves (and help to lower cortisol stress levels), they only last a few hours depending also on what other scents they are balanced with. So it’s fading daily along with bottle age.

And the other reason is… you!

You don’t smell them because you have a heavier imbalance in another dosha. But don’t worry, that can easily be restored back in a day or two. And the right scents can help put your day right back on track.

It always comes back to your Vata, Pitta, and Kaphas. 👧🏻 😡😴

Let me explain… so since I’m a Vata, sometimes I can’t smell the citrus scents strongly. And so I gravitate towards maybe a woodsy or florally scent or a stronger sandalwood burning trees scent. 👃And that would indicate to me that I have a Pitta imbalance. Rarely these days, but back in my corporate work days that was the status quo. …Until I found a better new normal balance.

So primarily these days I like the Vata scents because that’s my natural body.

And if you’re interested in learning more about the intuitive body and how it can help you in your daily life and balance, then take the 2-minute Body Balance Quiz.

There is one scent in particular that I use to instantly know if I’m feeling balanced.

Wanna know what that is?…

I use another Viktor&Rolf’s scent called Bon Bon. It’s in a cute, hot pink cylindrical bottle. Hot pink was my favorite color growing up …and now everybody’s fave. 💕

…I Love how our society is becoming so close-knit and we see eye-to-eye on the important things 😉

So, here’s what I know.

When this candy scent is too cloying or sickenly sweet to me, then I know that my Vata is off. It has a burnt caramel scent to it that isn’t always likable. I figured this out while wearing it one day when I couldn’t wait to wash it off. That’s what happens.

AND… maybe I’ve inspired you to pull out your scents to test.

And if you ever wonder why you like a certain person… it could be the way they smell. Years before our society adopted Ayurvedic balance, a co-worker of mine wore Clinique’s Happy. And every time I was near her, I was happy! 🤸‍♀️

My day was brightened and I distinctly felt calmer. And now I know that’s because of the concentrated citrus orange notes. Once a Vata always a Vata!

So, if you want to be around more people like you, wear the scents you like. And if you wanna balance yourself out and attract your opposite, wears the scents they would like. …Just a scented meeting people advice note I thought I’d leave you on.

Pursuit of Happiness In You

Pursuit of happiness is inside you.

Are you in the pursuit of happiness? Chickpea pie (like the one baked in love above) makes me hap-pea. And happiness is for a moment that’s different than meaningful joy.

This is a life area I think many people these days are redefining as their expectations for happiness fell short at least in the past few years.

And they don’t know what to do to change that as an undercurrent running in their minds as external situations are getting tougher.

If that’s you, be encouraged you’re in good company. We’ve all had to change situations that we didn’t choose.

And I’m gonna share some nuggets on how to help change the tide (and how I changed my ways).

First of all, I can totally relate to a chain of disappointments. And that’s how I got to see them as God’s appointments.

I was dealt some lemons… and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t who has lived this life for at least a quarter of a century.

Losses, unhappy situations, and failures are hard to swallow (and doesn’t help the pursuit of happiness). But going through is the fastest way to get to the other side. We often slow our progress by having pity parties. I know I did until I finally caught on.

By being aware you focus on the positives so you can thrive and not dwell on the same stuck feelings and thoughts that come back like a boomerang.

Your mind-body remembers, and so every February when nothing was going on… I was reminded of what wasn’t going on that I could’ve buried earlier if I knew what to do.

But waiting seasons are needed, and that’s how I gradually learned how to flip the switch in not getting what I wanted. And trade that in for contentment and deeper joy, which produces feeling good.

And that’s what those who seem to have it all on the outside, don’t have…

I started out my young adult life wanting the same desires and dreams that most people have: a corporate job they are successful and feel good about (or at least aren’t feeling miserable in), a family of their own, good relationships, nice stuff, a college degree or two, and financial freedom.

These were the same sort of accomplishments many in the Washington DC metro area I grew up in, had.

But being in a high-pressure cooker environment that feeds into high-achieving egos didn’t help. That encouraged more of a self-absorbed life that turns into unfulfilling boredom and unhappiness.

After a while, I snapped out thinking, “there’s got to be more to life than just this.”

And while I had scattered bits and pieces of that old life description that carried me through my earlier years, that’s not the life I have now.

But what I do have today is a different proud lens to look out from, that’s everyday contentment. It’s not the same happiness lens that I used to aspire to that became a never-ending, up-and-down roller coaster ride.

…I hated that lifestyle based on external situations because the down was always a hard fall and a huge contrast from the going up feelings that felt good for the moment.

The problem with that is that you’re always chasing the next thing and high that seems better. It’s a bottomless pit because the feeling can never be satiated.

In this life, we always grow weary or tired of anything after a while. A good thing never stays good the same way for us. Everything is temporary, as are feelings.

But if you’re feeling deeper joy (that comes from the spirit) inside you every day, that’s sustaining for the soul (mind, body, free-will, and emotions). We can’t change the way we’re wired as humans.

And you’re not your mind-body that drives your thoughts and feelings, even though you make the decisions.

So what helps to feel good every day is to be productive, just like you need good sleep every day so you have energy.

And joy energy is needed to get more out of this life so you can show up creative, and have enough to give out to others.

Here are a couple of good idea reminders:

1. Tune into the better daily channels for inner peace.

So if you’re like most in the pursuit of happiness, pay attention to the channels brought in, both external in what to listen to and watch, and internal thoughts aligned with the spirit (the whispers that bring out the joy).

Since I’m not in pursuit of the happiness that I started my life with, I listen to my inner desires.

Sometimes I’m a tired Vata because I don’t stick to an exact sleep routine (…good to get to bed early and get your proper ZZZ’s I tell my Night Owl self). But that’s all fixable with a cuppa joe and the next night’s sleep.

…What’s not fixable is waking up and focusing on the wrong desires (or strategy of life if you want to be more concrete).

And so when I get going, I have purpose and joy inside me that I get to make progress and impact in the day, and have meaningful work. I do life my way with freedom and space… and without pressures that sink in that create stress. I set a schedule that works for me, and when I get paid I can do more of the things I love. 🧡

That’s not how it was when I settled in as an employee. Or when I was starting out on my own.

If this or your dream life is more what you want and it’s not what you have today, start by figuring out how you can build that life by taking one baby step at a time. And then you’ll get more clarity from that step and in the next step.

See how you can get a few extra hours of time and freedom to do what you want.

…And then you won’t have regrets about your work life when you look back at the years that went by.

That was a big driver for me.

And looking back, none of the past work situations are relevant to the actual work I do today, even though they propelled me forward to keep growing and use some of the experiences gained for my next moves.

And not even the budding small business blog I had back in 2009 that took me back into a new corporate working life. And guess what?… yours truly here is still blogging today on more meaningful topics. ✍️

Your life doesn’t have to stay in the same lines it started in. No one says a straight-line work path to retirement is the best life except for culture and critics. If you take a life-changing sabbatical at 35 you get to take all that gained information you gathered and use it for the rest of your life.

And eventually, every situation and everyone’s situation changes.

And that’s more evidence that situations good or bad, happy or sad, are fleeting. What’s lasting is YOU who has come out with more knowledge and experiences. And maybe good memories too.

In the process of tough circumstances, trials, and setbacks, you become more resilient, patient, content, and learn what this life is more about so you can lean into what is good for your life that produces happiness.

And that brings me to a deeper #2…

2. Find out what God wants from you

…And as my life unraveled I realized I was chasing the wrong dreams, and some led to problems and that helped me find my new life dreams.

And then even some healthy dreams that I was successful at and growing didn’t pan out because the timing wasn’t right (which means God wanted me somewhere else).

So, I’m actually writing a new book about finding this newer life (that everyone can)… and how to more easily co-create and get to fulfill bigger plans and heart dreams that were promised in your design before you were born.

…And in my old life, I always had healthy achieving desires. But they weren’t the exact ones that were designed for me by the Creator who created it all. His plan takes faith, belief, and patience. There’s a process.

That’s what I’ve come to know. And that’s the opposite of the “if it’s meant to be, it’s up to me” mindset and lifestyle I grew up in.

He has a unique plan and bigger dreams for each of us that needs a different higher internal lens to discern. And being in the pursuit of happiness and following what culture defines as success doesn’t help. But having daily wisdom, joy, and peace does.

The book is one of my new year’s goals. We need a revolution of good change (that’s the new resolution) to be able to thrive in our exciting, new world emerging in today’s happiness.

And in your new year pursuits and heart’s desires, maybe you decide to rewrite your pursuit of happiness goals and align them to the written stars for you and who you’re becoming. 🌟

OH, OH, OH… and Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! 🎄

Healthy Christmas chocolate peppermint heart cookie inspiration made from warm ginger spices and coconut oil (used for better heart-healthy cholesterol than butter).

Reminder of my past hotel catering life. Hotels always get decked out with Christmas trees and holiday poinsettia plants.

Baked Chick Peas or Garbanzo Beans (or Chic beans) Pie

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

Chickpeas, drained
Olive oil
Salt

Instructions

Bake to liking.

Baking Tool For Easy Baking in America Beginners

Baking tool use is essential for every home baker for easy and enjoyable baking.

Baking tool essentials include measuring glass, teaspoons, and measuring cups.

Last time I provided a few healthy baker tips with a ‘lil Bake Off show laughter.

And in that spirit, this week I’m sharing about an American baking tool that I love, that has been tested over the course of baking time.

Keeping them around has sentimental value. Some tools can last a lifetime and are especially worth investing in!… 😀

And some lives last over a century, like Centenarian lives in Blue Zone regions, such as Sardinia where they make weekly sourdough and the starter is passed down from generations.

Some of the greatest baking finds are not new ideas, and get better over time.

That’s the scrapbooker memory keeper in me. And the baker …I’m a long-time Martha fan admirer for all the baking and home making skills she brought to the table.

This was a photo of me sitting in her TV audience back when her Martha show aired. She looks almost exactly the same… and now I’m dating myself. 😊

Which btw, did you also hear about Martha Stewart’s Great American Tag Sale? If you’re into antiquing and knick knacks, her team setup great big giant tents of original stuff from her homes and collections so others could enjoy while she’s still busy working in her gardens.

… I would have loved to have picked through all that cookware and home decor, and maybe have picked up a cute Grandmillennial mint vase or even her butter knife she uses 😉.

But oh well, next time…

Speaking of big white tents, they aren’t just in America. We can watch The Great British Bake Off aired as The Great American Baking Show.

I had my own bake-off time this week for a chilled dessert good for brunch or any low-sugar break time you have a sweet craving.

Low-Sugar Meringue Dessert Squares. Recipe below. 🧡

Favorite American Baking Tool

Here’s what I do on baking day (or baking game day) that for me is weekends.

I start out by pulling out my baking tools in the morning. If there’s a crusty trace of ingredient love from my last baking, I like to take a pick and do a little grooming.

That’s meditation time spent in the kitchen.

Some pans are meant to be better over baking time like stoneware. The more worn, the better the bake taste. And some tools need a little TLC (tender loving crusty bit cleaning).

One is my favorite baking tool that you likely have in your stash. It’s the thick Pyrex measuring glass that many American kitchens have.

It’s great for one-bowl bakes for one person bites or when you have a sweet hankering. Like a giant healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that you can take a bite out of for breakfast.

I used to eat the DoubleTree cookie kind when I worked in catering management there that led to my passion purpose. 🍪 Back when comparing grocery cookies was something I would do.

The measuring glass baking tool has proven its usefulness many times over. It’s labelled for conversions from mL, to ounces and cups.

It’s useful for measuring liquids in bakes. That includes oils for less spills and more thrills.

If you’re thinking of investing in this kitchen tool if you don’t already have one, don’t get the plastic version… get the real deal.

It will stand the test of time.

Glass is eco-friendly, great for heat, dishwashers, and easy cleaning.

Glass is also breakable but the glass Pyrex is durable and thick and can sometimes survive falls to the kitchen floor.

Quality ware is part of the hand-me-down-culture that you don’t want to discredit.

A good Pyrex glass pan makes a good hand me down and a Bundt pan is always a great gift to a new baker.

Baking Organization

Early in my baking years, I didn’t bake often enough to practice good baking habits and organization. There was no method to the madness!

Habits and practice help for easy bakes when you don’t wanna think too much about what you’re making. You want to enjoy your music or what’s going on in the background.

And the Pyrex measuring cup can help you with this.

My Pyrex faux pas (lesson learned) early on was that I was using the measuring glass all wrong.

I used it for measuring baking ounces.

Baking recipes these days are usually in cups, grams, mL and/or teaspoons depending on the recipe (if you’re using one).

I used ounces because I first learned to read in ounces that’s still commonly found in traditional American cookbooks like the red and white tablecloth cover Better Homes New Cookbook.

So… often I was looking at the ounces and wrong measuring line and doing manual conversions in my head.

In baking, that can be a disaster and result in a bake that gets “well, at least it tastes good!” There’s a fine line difference between a creative and tasty bake and well-done bake.

I’m never looking for perfection, leaving that to the baking shows.

Home baking is for relaxation and enjoying, and that includes the sweet bake that comes out of the oven for enjoyment.

And if that’s your goal and desire, using one measuring language is easiest and you can do that with tools like the Pyrex.

Plus, teaspoons are also useful.

3 teaspoons equal a tablespoon.

Smaller teaspoons are easier to use for baking soda if you use the box kind with the small opening or want to use for a pinch of salt..

A Pyrex measuring cup isn’t good for those small measurements.

And then when you’re ready to bake, you can try this easy one that was baked in a Pyrex glass baking pan where you can see the sides.

Low-Sugar Baked Meringue Dessert Squares

This is a low-sugar dessert treat good for brunch as it has egg whites, Greek yogurt, and ricotta. It has a chewy light and spongy texture that's great served chilled or cool.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup Greek yogurt (whole milk)
1 cup ricotta cheese
black cocoa
3 eggs

Instructions

Separate eggs. Tip: It's easier to separate eggs when they're cold and then let them sit until room temperature.
Combine yogurt, cheese, and egg yolks by hand.
Mix egg whites for about 5-7 minutes until whipped up. Optional: a few teaspoons of monkfruit or fine sugar. Depending on your baking pan/vessel size, you will have extra and can make meringue cookies with the extra.
In your baking pan, add a layer of black cocoa (or regular cocoa will work).
Add your yogurt dairy mixture layer.
Add your egg whites and spread out evenly on top of the dairy layer.
Bake on 325°F until set or the meringue is not too soft and sides may start browning.
Let cool and serve chilled. This can be paired with ice cream.