Mental Health and Wellness Archives - Page 15 of 28

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!

healthy gingerbread cookie

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.

Getting The Life You Want + S’mores Waffles

waffles are a metaphor for getting the life you want in abundance — Fall waffle s’mores 🧇

Waffles are a metaphor for getting the life you want. 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!) and fast. You have waffles in less than 5 minutes and enjoy in less time.

And 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 you can find (or a similar one) with a Black Friday deal. To justify with inflation, you’ll save money not cranking up the oven!

Then when you use an oil spray bottle, 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 EVOOs. Then lightly spray the waffle maker, top and bottom. And with light oils you can make savory waffles, and not just sweet ones. Just sayin’! 💡

And whatever kind you choose,the waffles come out easy… sometimes in seconds, and you get this nice 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 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 marsmallow 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. 🍎

Leaving Negative Energy to Find Creative Energy

Apple chunks in homemade carrot juice is a great fall breakfast juice 🧡

Are you holding onto negative thoughts taking up your time and energy?

If so, you want to read this blog post (and maybe with a fresh, healthy apple carrot juice), to help you change your thoughts and maybe the trajectory of the next steps you take in life.

Restoring calm emotions is an art. That’s what I know, and I’ll explain below how it takes some creative skill.

At the very least, it takes shifting of thoughts. And doing what you need to do that sits right with you. Sometimes that means caring less. And letting go of your pride. And focusing more on what you want in your life (than what you don’t want).

And another way to say this, is to find a stronger WHY (that’s the reason behind what you’re doing).

Getting to these answers is a win-win strategy because you’re doing what you need for your Best Self to show up in the positive energy that the world needs more of.

None of us can fool our deeper mind-body selves, that gives us daily, subtle clues into how we authentically feel or think about situations.

Besides writing articles, I read a lot of articles and they kinda lump together the idea of stress, nervousness, and anxiety. Your mind-body sees these things differently. For example, if you feel nervous like before presenting to a group, you may be running to the bathroom a lot.

But if you’re actually anxious (from your body’s perspective), it’s the opposite effect. You could take extra fiber so you can become regular again when your temporary anxiety goes away.

If that’s confusing, just understand that your mind-body needs are different than how you think you feel. 😉

And if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing or who you’re doing it with or for, then you’re wasting valuable time in this life of finite years.

If you’re not feeling excited and calm, then what you’re involved with may not be for you for the long-term.

In my life, this took many years and dues paid for me to get this freeing, healthy balanced lifestyle that I’m describing… but I know if you start to aim for and walk towards it in your life, then you will get closer and closer to the bullseye 🎯 until it gradually becomes your life because of the small actions you take.

If you’re a Vata especially, that’s like the sensitive wind metaphor, you live off positive energy, enjoying what you’re doing and feeling good about.

Natural Vatas don’t have the same level of endurance or tolerance that say a natural Kapha does who will stay in a situation because it’s easier than making a change.

Take it one step further, it’s the mind (in the mind-body) that leads. Feeling resistance to change is one negative energy example.

And any negative energy is like oil and water. They don’t mix. Oil grease sits there stagnant and the situation doesn’t change until change is made.

That’s how stress builds up, and is counterproductive to someone looking for growth or making improvements.

But, working really hard to get rid of the oil spills is not fun. It’s hard work.

In our messy oil spill life situations we can get in, we can take on negative energy that turns a good week into wasted energy and unproductivity. And not to mention leave stress marks and somersault stomachs along the way.

But, if your WHY to why you’re in your situation causing your knotted emotions and nerves is worth getting over the hump of your fears or nerves, well…then, that’s a good sign to keep with it!

Otherwise, better to nip it in the bud. And make changes early on as soon as you know the direction of the negative energy that has sunk in.

…And maybe that’s a WAKEUP CALL to change your strategy today, and what you’re doing.

And maybe that’s an exhaustive job, a wrong relationship, or anything that doesn’t feel good or right for you. Your life leaves clues.

And instead of fighting against this area and taking on snowballing negative thoughts and energy, there’s a better path for you in or out of those situations even if you don’t see them immediately (in your clouded state).

And there’s nothing to be gained holding onto negative energy (after you’ve thought, meditated, or prayed about your options and know what you should do).

Because you make your best and good decisions when you’re calm and when you find joy and love (or passion) every day of this life, that’s already short enough. Amen!?

And not to mention, if you carry negative energy, you will have a tough time getting to your creative juices and passionate activities that could bring on a whole new side or opportunity for you.

Which btw, in a recession, I made this available for less than the cost of a yoga class and it takes less than 10 minutes of your participation time to get good insight into your mind-body. And then you can use your personalized recipe for life whenever your energy is off like the way it could be this season.

…It takes one to know one! and to have gone through the rough patch challenges, to know that negative energy can rob you of your weeks and life.

So maybe these lessons will help you turn things around…

Life Lessons From Corporate to Creative

Sometimes you need to quit something because it feels off. You know it because your problem weighs like a ton of bricks on you and in the pit of your stomach. And that doesn’t go away after a few nights’ sleep. And the problem grows.

That’s the ultimate sign that it’s time to make a change. That situation you started with no longer serves you in the same way it did before.

And if it’s a relationship, spark those new conversations and see where there is life. And if it’s work, see if those you work with are vested in you and your future with them.

Work is hard enough, and to have negative energy on top… yikes!, that shows up on the body as new gray hair, acne, and added accumulated stress.

…And even if it’s a volunteer position where you’re helping others. Duty reasons aren’t good enough to keep at what you’re doing.

It may not be the best thing for you to continue as you miss your own needs and self-care over time which can turn into resentment towards people (…and maybe even the ones you’re trying to help).

Even if no one can do things your way or as good as you can, someone else willing can fill those shoes.

…But no one can replace your shoes you wear in your life. And your livelihood. Only you can do that.

And that’s how I knew I was gifted to do something different than the corporate path I was on. Someone else could replace me in my roles and as the role needs of the world change.

In the beginning, it was hard to get started on a new path. And in relearning old ways, I had to unlearn some things that helped me to succeed in the corporate world.

Those things were slowing down my creative path, like oil and water. Mostly because I had adopted a corporate work mindset that’s all about following structure, and procedures, and doing what you’re told.

And I did my jobs well enough to get promoted to new positions, but to my own detriment.

And when I took on the new creative path a few years back, I think I gained back health years. My mind-body was in alignment and I felt free.

I could appreciate the day. And even when I was doing responsible work (aka what I had to do) to support my creative lifestyle.

At the core, my mind and heart were aligned. And I could hear and get to my deeper spirit or core inside me (that’s hard to do if in negative energy or worry thoughts).

And the creative ideas came regularly and not just once in a while in the shower or on a walk.

Creative thoughts are the opposite of your mind being in a fog in distracted la-la land.

You know, where passively focusing and following what’s going on in the moment, in news reality or a television show, is difficult. Or getting motivated enough to do something out of the lounge position (that’s not a productive yoga pose 😊).

That’s when you know you’re off alignment in mind-body. And if that’s often, that’s too often.

One smart thing you can do in that moment when your mind-body is controlling you instead of the other way around, is to take a closer look at your thoughts as an observer. Are your thoughts positive or negative? Loving or fearful? Try to witness and catch your fearful ego in its act (and acting up).

Because there are two opposing voices in your head, one loving and one fearful or negative (if that’s easier to pinpoint). And the ego fearful one is much louder.

Turn to the loving (positive) channel if it feels like you’ve been wronged. Find some way to turn it around in your thoughts. If it’s worry, know that there’s nothing to be gained about worrying after you’ve noodled out some potential solutions.

Worry is a time-sucking activity with no productivity.

Your solutions are there if you need them. Or write ’em down in notes so you’re sure they’re there, and so you can peacefully move on.

And maybe you need to go one step further and spend more time doodling or journaling until you get all the emotions out, and realize why you’re feeling the way you do and know your WHY, so that you can sleep and be at peace.

Those are the restful thoughts I have this week. Peace be with you and have a joyful and calm week (no matter the situation)! 🦢 And I have a peaceful image I’ll leave you with that I saw this past week. 🦆

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.

Mental Health Matters For Your Happiness

Mental health matters. We are learning this slowly when it has been there all along.

Gluten-free energy oatmeal raisin cookie bites are a sweet one-bowl bake: oats, raisins, applesauce, baking soda, and egg. Printable recipe below 🍪

We can see proof in our culture. A wake up call and mental health revolution is needed.

Because those who need serious help, hide their depression and sadness. And especially at work where we wear a mask.

They’re not likely to call a support helpline even if it’s just 3 numbers because their mind is not telling them to do so.

It starts in the mind. And that’s why animals never have that issue, because they don’t have that mind feature.

Prayer is needed for these people, situations, and any disorders. 🙏

The less we make mental health a stigma opens up the conversations. We can be compassionate, allow vulnerability, and acknowledge depression within a safe space.

And it’s critical to get and keep our own sanity in check because we are not robot machinery. We have a built-in subconscious ego feature that is on 24×7 and influences our thoughts daily.

The feature can go awry if we don’t stay aware as a first step.

In #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek, this is a good time to do a mental health check to recognize regrets or sadness held onto from the past and into the present.

You don’t have to live in trauma. So many of us have undetected PTSD.

And you can bring that out by being less busy, finding more quiet time, journaling, shadow work, and praying.

Below, I share some of my lessons learned and how I applied them to life.

But first, let me set the big picture stage of what will make the biggest happiness shift and difference in your life…

It’s your fighting for your most healthy mental self because it drives the bus to everything you do and think to be the best version of you.

It’s your empowered happiness that I’m passionate about and why I even wrote a published book on the topic with that exact title Empowered Happiness.

The first chapter is Love Yourself First.

That’s why mental health matters most. Because if you don’t love yourself, then you’re hurting yourself.

Regularly checking in on your daily mental health habits and looking at reasons why you’re spending time doing something specific and taking proactive action matters toward your life matters.

Because often objects are closer than they appear. You can’t see the invisible air in front of you.

We don’t always see ourselves close up even when looking at a mirror. We can be myopic and then become blindsided looking in the rearview mirror.

It’s much easier to make changes before they become our way, mindset, and habits.

We want to find daily inspiration, enjoyment, and activities that light us up. That helps us keep our mental health in-check.

So often we operate from insecurities and fears, instead of flipping the script to love and abundance.

It’s no one’s fault. We set off innocent as babies and then the world shows up that we need to protect ourselves from hurt, pain, and threats.

So then our subconscious mind spins what we need to do to survive in the environment reality.

We aren’t chased by tigers but a triggering message is the modern equivalent to our brains. And to keep us “safe,” our brains replay the message over and over again until the mind threat disappears from brain view or is replaced.

Managing our minds is critical for our healthy lives and regularly replacing thoughts that don’t serve us.

Think of a factory line where the items come down the line (and those are your thoughts) and your job is to evaluate and eliminate the faulty items (non-serving or negative thoughts), leaving the good items (healthy serving and loving thoughts) to pass through the line.

And those thoughts pass better results for your productivity, relationships, and daily health.

Those are just a few areas why mental health matters most. It starts with our thoughts.

Some changing thought benefits:

For one, you can stop yourself from making a knee-jerk reaction to something your ego feels is right to do at the moment, but isn’t the wisest move.

*Lean on lessons learned from your past is the best way for your present.

💡Did you get the results you wanted in situations that you wished turned out differently? If not, what part did you play in the outcome.

Learn from those and try not to repeat them. Life is forgiving. It will keep serving you situations and each time you have a chance to change your outcome.

The misalignment is often ego-led choices. We see this in disconnects in our world and in our own lives.

If we turn to loving sources and thoughts, we move closer to our abundant potential (and not further away).

Unhealthy ego pride (that goes hand in hand) can be a source that blinds any of us.

Humility is the love call fix every time in those cases. It’s much easier when you have a simple protocol to follow and can re-direct the complex mind.

💡You can ask yourself: am I being humble in this situation?

We all call out what’s happening as observers of our thoughts. Because under the radar, our ego loves to remind us about remnants of the past that were take away from us.

It likes to hide and block out healthy information. When its unhealthy, it stronghold binds and show us unhealthy information that we can choose to walk away from and ignore.

By catching your ego self from taking action, you have the ability and the opportunity right then and there to practice changing the thought channel to a healthy one, and re-writing an unhealthy automatic thought pattern…

Mental health matters and check-ins help daily peace and joy.

An example is I had memories pop up about choices I made in the past that affect me today. And that’s pretty natural for most of us.

But instead of letting those thoughts go on and on like I used to, I chose to rewrite the ending to a good factual truth. And I voiced it aloud so it was louder than my ego.

Eventually it got the hint and left. That’s what’s needed.

Applying lessons learned wisdom from your past is a great start.

[This wiser than ego ability is in your wheelhouse. You were built with higher intellect. You go from ego to eagle 🦅 that soars higher than any other bird out there 😉].

You can also find a healthy motivation. Mine was I didn’t want the negative energy to spill over into the next week. And that’s a good one!

I know it sounds easier said than done especially when you have every right to be hurt, upset, or irritated.

But if you keep practicing finding ways to be aware of your thoughts and actions, and your why is to not create more strife in your life, it will also be palatable and simpler to do.

You won’t be debating with yourself so much with what to do. Your wise decisions become more clear and you are more aligned with yourself and your mind.

This creates better outcomes than protecting ego… that remember, likes to scream thoughts in your head.

Mental health matters as depicted in this scream painting by Edward Munch.

Using mantras help.

Finding catchy clichés that we can use as a positive trigger like ”two wrongs don’t make a right” or a loving Bible verse may be all that’s needed to find a better way… at least for the moment.

And each time you’re teaching yourself to do better.

And when you tune into the higher love channel, you can see past another’s offense and get their perspectives when they communicate… that translated is their lack or hurts that never got healed (and still show up today).

And if you don’t know why you can’t do the above steps or rise above a situation, then often it’s something in the past keeping you. So start there.

Otherwise, you can unknowingly stay in a victim mentality and not be a victor in your life. That was one of my lessons learned in discovering abundance.

The game changer is getting to the other side. The air is lighter and more clear. It’s not rainbows and sunshine, but you have a new perspective that gives you better outcomes.

You have new ways to handle and process situations that arise. Life is meant to be an adventure to gain experience, grow, and enjoy. And when you can embrace what you have gained (vs. losses), then you no longer are a victim to yourself.

That’s what healthy thoughts can do and why optimizing mental health matters.

Take it easy and have a happy week! 😊 Enjoy a healthy bite and I’ll see you next week! 🧡

Easy One-Bowl Oatmeal Raisin Energy Cookie Bites

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1-1/2 cup oats, dry
1/2 cup raisins
2 oz applesauce
1 tsp total baking soda and baking powder
1 egg

Instructions

Mix ingredients and scoop or roll into balls.
Bake on 350°F/180°C for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown edges.

Notes

oats, raisins, applesauce, baking soda, and egg