CREAMY SPICED PEAR HOT CEREAL

Serves 4

Start your morning right: tuck into flavorful whole grains and golden raisins simmered in spiced almondmilk and topped with fragrant diced pear.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups Engine 2 Plant-Strong® Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk 

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 

• fine sea salt, Pinch of 

• 3 cups frozen Engine 2 Plant-Strong® Organic Morning Blend Grain Medley 

• 2 pears, diced (about 2 cups), divided 

Method: 

In a medium saucepan, combine almondmilk, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (watch carefully so almondmilk doesn’t boil over). 

Stir in grain medley and return to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced and thickened slightly, about 25 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the pears. Serve garnished with remaining 1/2 cup pears.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving: 250 calories (25 from fat), 2.5g total fat, 210mg sodium, 54g carbohydrates, (8 gdietary fiber, 18g sugar), 6g protein.

[ CHALLENGE 52 ] WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

What you focus on grows... so what are you focusing on? Past hurts or pains? Or positive experiences? People who have been blessings in your life? What you think about comes about, so start creating by having an attitude of gratitude! Be thankful for things large and small: a smile from a stranger, your job. And why would God give you anything more if you are not thankful for what you have.

In 1999, when I first left my abusive husband, I was very anxious about raising three very small children all under six years old. Their father was arrested for hitting me and breaking down the front door. With no child support and no job, I applied for welfare. I had zero dollars to my name. Praying for help, I decided to get my children out of the house for a walk as the sun had just come out. Walking down the street, I started to see sparkles on the ground. As I got closer, I realized someone had thrown lots of change all over the road!

We all started happily picking up all the pennies! I told my children they were “pennies from heaven” and that was God’s way of telling us everything was going to be alright.

Blessings happen all the time... are you thankful or unaware? If you are not thankful, why would God give you any more? Create an energy of thankfulness and watch what happens. Abundance and prosperity is created in those moments!

ROASTED BABY BEETS WITH LABNEH

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound mixed baby beets (about 12), scrubbed and stem end trimmed 

• 1 cup labneh or full-fat plain Greek yogurt 

• 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves 

• 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 

• 1 tablespoon dukkah spice mix

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), or to taste 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange beets in a small roasting pan and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover securely with foil and roast until beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 35 to 40 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two more water if the pan dries up. Cool beets, then rub with a paper towel to remove skins. Cut beets in half lengthwise.

Spread labneh on half of a platter or on half of individual serving plates. Top with beets and sprinkle with mint, dill and dukkah. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with flaky salt and serve.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving: 170 calories 10g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium, 13gcarbohydrates, (3 g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 6g protein.

[ CHALLENGE 51 ] BRAIN OVERLOAD: TAKE TIME TO BREATHE

How many times have you been running around your house, late for work, looking for your keys? Heck, you had driven home last night....they have to be here somewhere!!! Frantically, the clock is ticking by and you are running later and later. Only to find them right where you put them! This, my friends, is called “brain overload”. The culmination of too many responsibilities, projects, calendars, meetings, time constraints, stress, appointments, and pressure! You cannot possible handle one more thing!

I had an extreme case of brain overload when my three children were little. Life was stressful. I was pretty much a single parent. The children’s dad was working in California while I lived in Oregon. I was managing the kids, the home, working part time at the local hospital teaching chair aerobics to patients, plus working at a local health club. At the same time, I was struggling to come to terms with my relationship with my mother. To say I was a little stressed is an understatement. I was squeezing in a grocery shopping trip between duties. I had finished loading all the groceries in the back of the van without closing the back door of the van. I drove away from the store and down the street. As I left, a trail of toilet paper, apples, cereal, milk, etc. falling out of my van behind me.

Definitely brain overload! If I had known then what I know now, I would have taken a few minutes to decompress and catch my breath.

I am sure you have similar situations that have happened in the past or are happening now. I suggest taking it one step further and add a daily meditation. I can hear you now... “But I barely have time to breathe now! And you want me to add something onto my calendar?”

With meditation, the physiology of your body undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more prana (energy). This results in joy, peace, enthusiasm as the level of prana in the body increases. Additionally, Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into an Alpha state that promotes healing. The mind becomes fresh, energized and recharged.

SIMPLE PARCHMENT-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage 

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 

• 1 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

• 1 (5-pound) whole bone-in turkey breast, breast bone cut to help breast lay flat 

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine sage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Brush turkey breast all over with butter. Loosen skin over breast meat with your fingers and work a little of the herb mixture underneath; smooth skin back in place. Sprinkle remaining herb mixture all over turkey.   

Cut a 2 1/2-foot-long piece of 15-inch-wide parchment paper. Place turkey breast in the middle of the paper. Fold the sheet over turkey and pleat the top to seal. With a stapler, staple the top and sides of the paper closed to completely enclose turkey. Place on a rack set in a roasting pan and roast for 1 1/4 hours.   

Carefully cut the parchment paper open and unwrap turkey, making sure no staples fall on turkey or into the pan. Fold back the paper and to completely expose skin-side of turkey. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and continue roasting until breast is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 165°F, 20 to 30 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes, then carve and serve.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving: 450 calories (170 from fat), 19g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 175mg cholesterol, 540mgsodium, 64g protein.

[ CHALLENGE 50 ] YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW

I was out for a bike ride with a few women, all of us just starting back on our bikes after a long cold winter. We had planned our first long hilly ride for the season. One incredibly strong, fit woman, Sue, was doubting herself (probably like we all were) and said “I don’t know if I can do the hills so I will just take it slow and if I need to, I will turn around and just go back.” We assured her we were all feeling the same way and we would stick together! And sure enough, at the peak of the hill, Sue said “I had no idea I could do that and I almost did not come! Not only did I do it, but I feel great!” Where do you doubt yourself and give up before you even try? I bet there are a few places or situations and things you have missed out on because you were in doubt.