August 14, 2012 - I Will Not Be Denied

WOW, what a busy day yesterday. You know how it is to come home from vacation - everything piled up. But I can say......I didn't come home with additional weight. I thought about how many years I "planned" to gain that extra 10 and then was miserable for weeks trying to shed a few of them. How much better is life when you plan to arrive at home "same or smaller," and you do. :) I want to remind each of us that shifting our perspective is huge. It's not, "I can't eat," or "I can't have." As healthy adults we CAN HAVE what we want to eat - it's our choice not to. My youngest granddaughter is having to embrace health differently due to high sugar levels and so we are trying to have her see that she is not being denied but making healthy choices. We went to Cracker Barrel one morning on vaca and she got very upset because she really wanted pancakes as opposed to a lower sugar choice. I told her we would get up the next morning and make almond flour pancakes as well as maple syrup. That promise "got us through" that meal. The next morning she was DELIGHTED to taste those almond flour pancakes and determine they were really yummy. Almond flour is more dense and therefore more filling - so she really only ate one. (wink) I reminded her - "we can choose healthy options - we just have to be willing to cook them." We spent many hours the remainder of the trip planning and cooking together. It's good to learn early that there are a lot of things we can have - but perhaps not at our favorite restaurants. But that's not denial.....it's just delay. Right? That's a perspective change. :) Side note: I made a maple syrup with water, butter, xylitol, vanilla and maple flavoring. While it was very runny that morning, the taste was amazing! Cool thing, by the next morning it had thickened a wee bit. Our motto: WE CAN DO THIS! So, whatever you are missing from your favorite group - let's make it. I made yummy cauliflower pizza while away as well as granola. I am working on a chicken recipe that's "semi-fried." I am using some herbs and almond flour and baking in the oven with no additional oil. I will be making this for our next Life Group meeting along with the pancakes and syrup. Maybe Deena will make some granola? :) We meet for food, fun, and prayer the first Sunday of each month. I realize that is Labor Day weekend, but you have Monday off - so bring a healthy-choice dish and the recipe. Let's help each other stay healthy. I have used most of the recipes from last month and they are fabulous! PS - bring a notebook to build your recipe files. Choose life today and eat to live! PK