Mini Pumpkin Muffins (gluten-egg-dairy free)

I just revamped one of my recipes yet again. I had really wanted to try to evaporated cane juice instead of processed, white sugar. I was able to cut it down from 1 Cup of sugar to 3/4 Cup of evaporated cane juice AND my sweet tooth has missed nothing! I made a batch of these to take down to my brother’s house for Thanksgiving, but now I am thinking that I better pack them in the back of the minivan so that I am not tempted to eat them all on the 13 hour drive.

be thankful, be loving, and be in the moment

 

Mini Pumpkin Muffin Yummies

About 32 muffins

1 1/4 C gluten free flour blend of your choice ** see below
2 tsps baking powder (gluten free)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp xatham gum
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
3/4 C evaporated cane juice
2 Tb ground flaxseed mixed with 4 1/2 Tb water( let sit for a few minutes before adding ) this is how you make flaxseed "eggs"
1 1/2 C canned pumpkin
2 tsps vanilla (gluten free)
1/3 C melted organic virgin coconut oil

Prepare mini muffin pans by using small muffin liners.
Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, xantham gum, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk together the evaporated cane juice, flaxseed "eggs", pumpkin, vanilla, and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Spoon into prepared mini muffin liners. Bake until toothpick comes clean and springy to the touch., approx 15-18 minutes.
Let cool completely on a rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Delicious!!

 

Now, because I love my treats, I think I am going to blend together some cream cheese and crystalized ginger for the frosting. Of course that part is not dairy free, but the dairy free part is really for my daughter who has a milk allergy. Feel free to make it your own!

 

** Gluten free flour blend I used was this

1 1/2 C brown rice flour, 1 1/2 C potato starch, 1 C tapioca starch

grateful goodies

Thanksgiving is one week away.  The meal planning is in full swing, the food has begun to be purchased. It is all about the food, isn't it?  I am not here to take that away from you OR to make you feel guilty about it.  It IS the feast, the football, but also....the family & friends.

I am lucky enough this year to be able to travel with my husband and children to visit my brother whom we don't get to see enough. Perhaps it is because I study nutrition, or because I have food allergies/sensitivities, or because I have prioritized the time with family, but food is taking the second seat here for us this year. Now, this doesn't mean we don't eat well. Focus on quality, not quantity. The glass of wine I enjoy the most, the piece of turkey that is the juiciest, my favorite stuffing (yes, even the gluten-intolerant can have it all).  And dessert....not sure yet what I will make, but I will enjoy every last morsel, and perhaps even a second helping if I desire.

But, of the entire day, the thing that feeds us the most is those relationships. Some can drain us. Some uplift us. Some, we don't get enough of.  My suggestion for the holiday would be this: 

be in the moment.

Sit and really listen to what people say.  There is a lesson to be learned, even with those that test our patience. Settle down and play a game with the kids. Help in the kitchen.  And yes, sit on the couch for a while and watch a football game. 

After the table has been cleared, if you have filled up on those around you, you just might find that your stomach doesn't ache, your head is not foggy, and your spirit is rejuvenated.

Habitual Nourishment

How does this quote make you feel?

"Eating is such a necessary function and should be a positive experience"
Sloane Miller, author of  allergic girl
Breaking Free article

When was the last time that someone you know said something like "Ugh, I feel so fat, I need to diet."
OR "I can't eat that, I cannot wait to be done with this diet."

The definition of diet being a) food and drink regularly provided or consumed...... b) habitual nourishment.   Myself? I tend to favor the second meaning. I disagree with people who say that eating should just be something you do, not something you enjoy. If we need to eat to live, then why not enjoy it?

What else feeds you? 
Your relationships- are they loving or toxic? 
Your career- do you love what you do OR do you dread waking up each day? 
Yes, I know there are some people who are going to want to kick me right now, but exercise. What do you do to move your body?  If you are not enjoying your current workout plan, then perhaps it is not the right fit for you.
Then there is spirituality. I am not specifically speaking about religion. For some people it is just that connection with something outside of themselves. Many people enjoy the support they have within their church and the community surrounding it.  For others it is their love of the NY Yankees or whatever team they are passionate about.  It is the little rituals or habits that feed our "soul", or what you choose to call it.

Enjoying your food does not mean overindulgence. Treating yourself to a high quality, home cooked meal with loving people around you is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  Taking the time to cook dinner with love and healthy ingredients is nourishing.  Don't feel bad when you treat yourself.  Sit and enjoy it. Be in the moment. How will you treat yourself today?

what the heck is a health coach?

Friday, November 11, 2011

what the heck is a health coach?

So the big question lately has been "Gina, what are you studying?" Well, simply enough, I study nutrition. There are so many diets out there and so many people. EVERYONE is different and so are our food needs and likes. Some people thoroughly enjoy a good steak, others physically cannot stomach it. We all have different careers, our day's have so many different elements to them that handing someone the same printout of a "meal plan" just doesn't work anymore.

A Holistic Health Coach, which is what I am working toward, takes all aspects of life and partners with clients to identify & overcome the hurdles that prevent someone from living a great life. The word "holistic' can be confusing to some, I get that. Holistic, meaning "relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts" as according to the good old Merriam Webster dictionary. Health would come from a balance of all the sides of a person: physical, emotional and even spiritual. Your home life, career, how you spend your spare time are ultimately as important as the food you eat. It's what feeds us.

Your coach is your partner. There's got to be a trust there. Your coach is your sounding board, you will probably never feel as heard or understood as you do with your coach. When someone truly listens to you, they can then help you get to the heart of the issues that are holding you back from where you want to be with your health.

What could you accomplish today if you had that kind of support?