Sweet & Savory ~~ "Poppy's Pancakes"

Truth be known, I've never been much of a pancake fan no matter where they were prepared or served until my husband fired up the recipe below.  Then I became a believer!  The reason that I disliked pancakes prior to this time is because most of them were too heavy or tasteless.  There is a key ingredient that makes these as light and fluffy as can be in addition to being heart healthy. Perhaps I should qualify that last statement.  The "heart healthy" would probably depend upon how much butter and syrup you applied to each one.  So, please accept my challenge and plan to prepare this recipe for anyone you know who does not order pancakes from the restaurant menu or declines your weekend breakfast invitation.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 extra large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 cup old fashioned oats (not the quick cooking variety)
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup blueberries, optional - to be served on top of cooked pancakes
• 1/4 cup walnuts, optional - to be served on top of cooked pancakes

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat griddle to 400 degrees.
• Combine oats with buttermilk and let stand in small bowl for 12 minutes.
• Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a butter knife.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, stirring well.
• Lightly beat extra large egg in small bowl.
• Add the maple syrup and vanilla.
• Stir this into the oat mixture.
• Combine the oat mixture and the flour mixture, stirring until just blended.
• Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto preheated griddle.
• Cook about 3 minutes until bubbles appear on top of the pancakes and the edges look somewhat dried out.  Using pancake turner, flip the pancakes to the other side and cook for about 2 minutes.
• This recipe yields about 6 medium sized pancakes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Serve with other fruits such as bananas, cranberries, peaches, etc.
• I like to butter the pancakes, apply a small amount of pure maple syrup, and then add the blueberries and heart healthy walnuts on top.
• These make great snacks or leftovers.

SECRET INGREDIENT:

• The key to this entire exercise/project is the white, whole-wheat flour.  It is sold as pastry flour in some stores, but please check the label to make sure it reads, "white, whole-wheat flour."  What's in a name? Well, it depends on the name.  And in this case, that's the exact name.

Happy Dining!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday ~~ Breakfast In A Pint Jar

                                                   
                                                          BREAKFAST IN A PINT JAR


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats - non instant variety
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
• cut up fruit of your choice such as 5 prunes
• additional 1/4 cup fruit such as blueberries
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 3/4 cup water OR 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

• Stir the oatmeal, cinnamon, and chia seeds together in bottom of jar.
• Layer the remainder of the ingredients in pint jar in above-listed order.
• Stir all ingredients inside jar before placing in refrigerator in order to get the olive oil thoroughly mixed into the other ingredients.
• Refrigerate overnight.

HELPFUL HINTS & SUGGESTIONS:

• The chia seeds will expand a little bit during the refrigeration process.
• You won't be able to taste the olive oil when eating this oatmeal concoction.
• It is usually the perfect consistency when you open the jar the next morning and prepare to eat your breakfast.
• The oatmeal does its magic inside the pint jar overnight in the refrigerator as it absorbs either the milk or the water.

The above picture reflects what the refrigerated mixture looks like the next morning when you prepare to enjoy your breakfast!

This recipe is taken from the official Sheila Fabulous Collection.

Happy Reading & Healthy Eating!

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Sweet & Savory Thursday: Humdinger Hummus

So is the Chickpea or Garbanzo Bean actually a bean, a pea, or a fruit?  All I know is that it is beyond delicious and does not come from a chicken!  J

               

Sheila’s Humdinger Hummus

• 2 – 15 oz. cans Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
• 2 -  heaping Tbsp. minced garlic
• 3 -  Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 -  Tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 –  tsp. cumin
• ¼   cup water
• 2 – tsp. freshly ground kosher salt, optional
• 2 – Tbsp. hot sauce (I prefer Cajun Sunshine)
• Dust with Hot Hungarian Paprika

Directions:

• Rinse Chickpeas in colander.
• Place all ingredients except paprika inside food processor and blend until smooth.

This scrumptious concoction can be spread on crackers, pizza dough, bread, or veggies.  It can also be added to salads, hamburger patties, or thinned into a sauce to use when preparing other dishes such as hummus and spaghetti noodles.

Question:  What other suggestions do you have for ways in which to prepare or serve hummus? I would enjoy hearing from you.

Happy Reading & Eating!

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Labels

When you hear the word labels, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  It might well be a sticker such as the one pictured above. While required in the food industry, there is another kind of label that I am referencing this morning, and that would be the type we apply to people which would be the verb usage of the word as opposed to the noun.

If the application is an affirmative one, no problem, and all the better; however, if it carries a negative connotation, there can be far reaching effects, especially if it was applied without substantiation.  Enter the world of opinion which seems to have no end.

Take a moment to reflect upon your life.  Have you been the unfortunate recipient of an unkind or unhealthy label glued to you?  What effect did this have on you in the past, and are you still struggling under the weight of it today?

My sweet mother, Rita, who is no longer with us, counseled her children that she was rearing in the 1960’s with, “If you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all.”  As I wondered about the possible origin of that saying, I came across the following information:

“Quote Investigator: The earliest evidence located by QI was published in a magazine profile of Alice Roosevelt Longworth titled “The Sharpest Wit in Washington” published in “The Saturday Evening Post” issue of December 4, 1965. Interestingly, the expression was not spoken; instead, it was embroidered on a pillow. Also, the word “good” was used instead of “nice”. Boldface has been added to excerpts: 1

We walked to Mrs. Longworth’s upstairs sitting room, where she often reads until six o’clock in the morning. Books were piled everywhere on the tables and on the floor, and contemporary newspaper clippings were strewn on the side tables. Coyote skins were lying on the backs of two large, comfortable chairs, and on one of the chairs was a pillow with the words, IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT SOMEONE, SIT RIGHT HERE BY ME.”

While I can’t speak to the veracity of the above, a portion of the description of Mrs. Longworth’s upstairs sitting room could apply to my little living room, i.e., books piled everywhere and contemporary newspaper clippings strewn on the side tables and so forth.  It was my daddy, Trapper Fred, who had coyote skins lying on the backs of chairs inside our house located on Sage Creek Farms.

What I can speak to is sharing with you some of the steps that I have taken to formulate new labels in my life.  One of the key aspects of formulating is to create or devise a strategy for positive change.

• I changed my thoughts, ergo, I changed my world.  I am endeavoring to become who I was destined to be, not who or what someone else thought I should be.  Critic Land has no population shortage.
• There has been a saying floating around of late which goes something along the lines of, “If I had to cut you out of my life, you provided the scissors.”  At first blush, that may sound sort of humorous.  Truth be known, if there are people in our lives who create toxic atmospheres and do not have our best interests at heart, is there wisdom in continuing to foster that friendship and/or relationship if the other person is unwilling to contribute in a positive sense?  You have to be the judge of that situation.  Negativity breeds negativity.  The converse of that is true as well.
• Foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals which are essential for good health.  How many of you recall the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor?  Popeye began as a character in Elzie Segar's daily strip, Thimble Theatre.  He quickly became popular and the Fleischer brothers, Max and Dave, turned him into a cartoon in the early 30's.  His first appearance was July 14, 1933.  His little jingle was,

                                                “I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

                                                 I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

                                                 I'm strong to the finich

                                                 Cause I eats me spinach

                                                 I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.”

• While continuing to eat my spinach, I also drew up a blueprint to fortify my life.  A defensive framework was set in place for protection.  Healthy relationships are as vital for daily living as is healthy eating.
• Most importantly, I endeavor to apply Ephesians 2:20 to my daily life, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  [Emphasis mine]. According to Strong's Concordance of the Bible, the Greek meaning of the word peripateo is to walk.  In other words, it's a way of life.  Realizing that I may fall short of this, I must continue to walk!

I would enjoy hearing from you regarding this aspect of labels along with strategies you have implemented to fashion and affix new ones.

Happy Reading, Labeling, Eating & Walking!

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