JUST BREATHE!

Breath:  the very source of life.  Automatic.  But think about how you react in stressful situations.  I bet you hold your breath.  How about when you are in the midst of strenuous physical activity--exactly when you need an infusion of oxygen, you hold your breath.  So today I invite you to focus on your breath, to be conscious of when you hold it.  Use it deliberately as a relaxation tool and to clarify the mind.  When you exhale twice as long as you inhale you calm the nervous system down.  So when you are stuck in traffic, waiting what seems like an eternity for an appointment or calming an upset child, think "I AM" as you inhale, and think "RELAXED" as you exhale.  Ah...that's better.

THE GREAT PANCAKE EXPERIMENT!

Since it's Friday and visions of brunch are dancing in your head, I wanted to follow up on my journey with quinoa that I started Monday.  I will lose my credibility as a health coach if I start promoting eating pancakes, but I decided to make them a more healthful treat by substituting for some of the ingredients.  Quinoa flour takes center stage here along with almond milk, maple syrup (in the batter) and beautiful anti-inflammatory blueberries.  I decided to use melted whipped butter in the batter (rather than vegetable oil) in order to reduce the overall fat calories (35 vs 60), and to use a "real food" rather than a product that had been refined using solvents and bleach.  Some of you will admonish me for the increase in saturated fat (2.25 gms vs 1 gm), but butter enhances the flavor of other ingredients and doesn't leave a perception of greasiness on the palate.
The "husband test" yielded the following response, "The first hit was vegetable but then it tasted like a normal pancake...I would eat these."  High praise indeed.  Enjoy this treat.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup almond milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted whipped butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blueberries, rinsed
Directions:
Preheat a griddle over medium high heat (I use a Calphalon non-stick griddle without oiling)
Combine first four dry ingredients. Make a well in the center.  In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk, maple syrup, melted butter and cinnamon.  Pour milk mixture into flour mixture.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in blueberries.
Pour or scoop the batter onto the hot griddle, using a 1/4 cup for each pancake.  Brown on both sides and serve hot.  


This recipe yields 4 servings, 4 pancakes per serving.  I served them with no additional butter and only a tablespoon of maple syrup on top.  They were moist, light and delicious and did not result in an "I just ate a bunch of empty carbs sugar high".
Nutritional information for just the pancakes: 206 calories per serving, protein 6 g, fat 7g or 30%, carbohydrates 27 g, sugars 6.6 g, saturated fat 2.6 g.

Food Focus: Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutritional powerhouse with ancient origins. Cultivated by the Incas as the "mother of all grains" it contains all nine essential amino acids--making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. It is high in magnesium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus & iron. Additionally, it is gluten-free and as a whole grain helps to stabilize blood sugar.  It has a waxy protective coating called saponin, so for best results rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. When cooked, it has a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture and can be served as a porridge for breakfast (add fruit, nuts, almond milk) or as an entree (I add pumpkin seeds, mandarin oranges, diced green onions).  Experiment with different additions, spices & herbs.  I cook up a batch in 20 minutes and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days--easy, versatile & nutritious.


Recipe-Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa (white, red, or black)
• 21/4 cups water or stock (check the sodium content if store bought)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (no sugar or sulfur added)
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• pinch of salt

Directions:

• Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer until water runs clear
• Boil water/stock & add quinoa & salt, cover & reduce heat
• After 15 minutes add cranberries & walnuts to top-do not stir
• Cook an additional 5 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed (the spiral-like germ becomes visible)
• Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with a fork

Yield: 4 servings-enjoy!

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