Strawberry Muffins

Fresh Strawberry Season is Here! (But really only for those people that live near a farm and can afford a $6 pint of strawberries...)

I do not live near a farm or have a big enough yard to grow strawberries and quite frankly, I would rather use the $6. for gas money....  But I do intend to celebrate strawberry season anyway!!

This is a picture of my regular, not farm fresh,  berries.   I recently purchased an extra large container from the local warehouse store and had to think fast about how to use the berries up! So far, I have made a delicious strawberry salad with mint from my garden.....some berry cup desserts with freshly whipped cream and now........the muffins.  

I would normally, at this point,  go on to list all of the health benefits and wonder the strawberry beholds. However, I am afraid that the amount of sugar and white flour I have added to the recipe will counteract any vitamins that may have once been in the muffin. 

 But they are delicious so who cares about vitamins!!

The recipe is simple:

• 1/4 C. Canola Oil
• 1/2 C. Milk
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 2 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 C. White sugar
• 1 & 3/4 C. White Flour
• 1 C. Strawberries (warehouse or farm fresh will do)
• 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

Topping: Sugar, Coconut & Cinnamon

Mix together the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.   Add the strawberries to the dry ingredients to coat.  Add the wet ingredients in and just mix until blended (never over mix muffins). 

I mixed together the topping ingredients and sprinkled them over the muffins before I put them in the oven but you can leave this step out if you are trying to be healthy this week.

I put these muffins into my high powered oven at 325. If you have a normal oven, you will probably cook them at 375.  They took about 25 minutes to cook!

 They Look delicious!! And they taste like a fresh strawberry field!!

 

Even this creamer cow enjoyed them!

 Just a peek inside!

 Be sure to make enough for everyone and enjoy!

Daily Bloom Meditation

 My mind feels light and free from stress , my thoughts are like the clouds simply passing through the sky. 

Waking up to a simple guided meditation can help to get you centered for the day.   Even a few minutes of your time with a Guided meditation Video can release the tension and anxiety that the day brings.  Remembering that your thoughts are just like the clouds passing in the sky and they come and go can help to alleviate worry and disease in the mind.  Don't let the day get away from you without being able to be present and enjoy it.

Today I will breathe, be present and enjoy the moments as they come and go.

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

Daily Bloom-Quote-Thanksgiving

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse"
Henry Van Dyke

Daily Bloom-Quotes

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."   

Thornton Wilder

Daily Bloom-Quotes-Thanksgiving

"Stand up, on this Thanksgiving Day, stand upon your feet.  Believe in man.  Soberly and with clear eyes, believe in your own time and place.  There is not, and there never has been a better time, or a better place to live in. "

Phillips Brooks

 

Daily Bloom-Quotes-Thankgiving

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  

Melody Beattie

Daily Bloom Meditation-Self Confidence

"Self-Confidence is the key to the universe."

-Carrol Wrackley 

As the days come and go and the holidays season approaches, it is easy to get caught up in what I like to call "the woods".  The woods is a metaphorical place that we go when we let out self confidence dwindle.  We take one negative thought or occurrence and run away with it.  Into the dark woods we go without a sane thought in our minds! It is easy to let our thoughts spiral down into the darkness when we are under a lot of stress.  We don't have our usual strength to fight the negative thoughts off when we are already in a state of distress.  

We can recognize these self-defeating thoughts and battle them before we get lost in "the woods."  When I notice myself thinking negatively there are a few things that I can do to get that jolt of self-confidence I need to continue:

1. Tell a friend! Friends always understand our crazy thoughts and they will be able to tell us that whatever negative thoughts we have aren't true.

2. Help someone! Lending a hand to others through volunteering or simply holding the door for someone helps us to escape our own mind for enough time to hopefully jar us out of our self-defeating state.

3. Practice telling yourself positive affirmations! Tell yourself the opposite of what you might be thinking.  If you think that you are never going to be good enough, combat that by telling yourself that you are already more than good enough!

These simple steps that only take a few seconds can help to save you from minutes, hours and even days alone in the "the woods." Do yourself one of these small favors today to keep your self-confidence soaring!

Today I will remind my self that I am more than good enough!

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

Daily Bloom Meditation-Affirmation on Anger

"I express anger in constructive ways
rather than destructive ways.

I converse with others I am angry with
in a calm way, rather than aggressively,
and if I cannot speak with them in person,
I release the anger
without turning it inward on myself."

By:

http://www.umsonline.org/Affirmations/59aff.htm

Daily Bloom Meditation

"I am an objective person.
I live in a state of non-judgment toward others,
the world or myself.

When I find judgment within myself,
I re-adjust myself until
a state of non-judgment
becomes habitual."

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

http://www.umsonline.org/Affirmations/44aff.htm

Sunday's: Seeking Silence and Drinking Coffee.......A Lesson on Gratitude....

The Morning Terror:

I anxiously awake at an early 10:30 AM this Sunday morning. Excited that it is Sunday but anxious because of my severe inability to relax, especially on the Lord's day.  I immediately apply the self pressure to read both papers, listen to NPR, figure out a fabulous, home-cooked breakfast and then jam the day with fun filled events.  And I better just drink a whole pot of coffee if I am going to get all of this done!

 My first Mistake:

Ok, well we already know that the coffee probably doesn't help the situation.  It is very hard to "relax" and read two Sunday papers when you are hopped up on an entire pot of extra Bold coffee.  This is always my very first mistake. This unnatural amount of caffeine coursing through my veins causes my level of focus to be extremely debilitated.  I commence with the reading the paper and then getting an exciting idea and switching to the laptop to investigate the prospect able event, craft or interest.  This agonizing practice will go on until the papers are read or the caffeine buzz wears off.  

 Simple Sunday of Living in the Moment:


All of my exciting ideas that I am researching in the midst of my paper reading are usually ironically enough ways to relax! Meditation classes, yoga classes, recipes etc.  Most of which I may try, and they will help the future me but on this Sunday I am still restlessly reading and researching. Obviously nowhere near living in the moment. Which I think is what one would generally be seeking on  Sunday.  A simple Sunday of living in the moment. Yes.


Still in Your Pj's Loser?

As 1:30 Pm Nears, I realize that I am still in my pajamas, now hungry for lunch, thinking about what I will make for dinner, (scheduled for a relaxing yoga class, a meditation class and have an idea for a book I might like to write) and realizing I have only neared the end of one paper.  I have managed to add on to my to do list without ever finishing my "doing Now" list.

Reality Hits:

I take a deep breath and gaze into the kitchen, where Bobby is working hard to refinish the windowsills.  He probably has not a thought in his head besides how many inches he has to cut off to make the sill perfect.  I look around me at the mess I have made with the laptop, the phone, the many newspaper, the candle I lit to try and enhance my "relaxation", half a craft project that I started while I was sitting here and still in my Pajamas.  Really I did no relaxing.

A Sunday Seekers Realization:

I now realize that, with the promise of marriage and children on the horizon, I may never again be able to sleep until 10:30 am so not doing it now would be just plain STUPID.  I will never watch Bobby silently rebuild the window sills of our first home because we will never again have a FIRST home.  I CAN sit here for 2 hours reading and researching and drinking too much coffee because why the HELL not. I may never again have this much DRIVE to craft and bake so I better enjoy it while it is here.  Having a quiet MIND and LIVING in the moment may be a great way to enjoy Sunday but anxiously looking for all of that is how I will spend mine.

Today I am content with being an Anxious  SEEKER and i will make another pot of coffee and ENJOY it.

Daily Bloom Meditation...Are You Letting Your True Self Show?

“Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.” 

Julius Charles Hare

Have you ever woken up to realize that you have been spending all of your time pretending to be someone you are not?  It could be as simple a thought as, "wow, I have been doing this for so many years and now I realize I don't even like it" or a deeper realization that perhaps includes not knowing what you like in any area of your life.  

We are in a constant state of spiritual change and growth. We do not have to continue doing things we don't enjoy just because we think it makes us who we are.  What we do does not define who we are.  These outside images that we portray for ourselves are rarely ever lasting.  To try and keep the image up after you have grown is an exhausting task.  And who does it satisfy? 

Clearing yourself of the old you can make way for self discovery and the freedom to invite new things into your life.  We can only improve when we know what we are to improve upon! A wise woman once said, "you have to pull the weeds to make way for new and more beautiful things to grow". As "the weeds" are removed, our true selves are revealed.

Today I will dig deep to see what I truly enjoy in my life and let go of the rest.  I will pull the weeds to make way for new spiritual growth.

Wishing You Well Today and Always

 

Daily Bloom Meditation........Are You In Search of the Future You?

"I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of. " Michel de Montaigne

 In search of the future you? Most people are.  The trouble is that most of us do not know what the future holds.  We may seek outside things to create our future selves.  Soon we will find that no amount of money can buy what we truly need to sustain  us on our life's journey.  Some try to follow others paths and emulate their lives in attempt to create their own version of self.   The test of time will not allow us to be on someone else's path for too long. We must be brave enough to find out who we truly are in order to survive. 

The future you awaits! Releasing people, places and things of the past will make way for the new you to appear.  Taking the time to clear old blockages gives us the space and energy to find out who we truly are and what we like as an individual.  Spending time seeking material change or trying to be like other people only diverts us from our own true path.  We have all been crated as individuals and the universe wants nothing more than for us to let our own true self shine!  

Today I will be brave enough to seek out my own true future self so that I may live the life I am designed to. Today i will live for me and let my true self shine!

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

Beetroot Juice.....And the Beet Goes On....Holistic Juicing...

The Beets of our Forefathers:

Just a snip of history because I can't resist! The wild beet root has been around since prehistoric times and is believed to have originated in North Africa..  Initially, only the beet greens were consumed.  It wasn't until the Romans discovered the beet root was good to eat that it became popular.  The Romans spread the popularity of the beet root to the many territories that they conquered during the height of their empire. 

During the 19th Century, people would discover that the beet root was a concentrated source of sugar and the first sugar factory would open in Poland! Napoleon helped to bring the beet factories along and it was at this point that the beet root would come to the US! Very exciting, I know...

Beauty of Beets:

Beets are in season now and it is a good time to use them for juicing.  Beet Root Juice is popular for its health benefits.  It is very potent so you only need drink a small amount at a time. One small beet per glass of juice is recommended.

Beet Brain Benefits:

 The beet juice, in combination with the juice of carrot and cucumber, is one of the finest cleansing material for kidneys and gall bladder. It is highly beneficial in all disorders relating to these two organs. I like to add ginger root to give it a kick and increase the detoxification power.

 

Beat Aging with Beetroot Juice:

Recent studies have shown that beet root juice increases blood flow to the brain, improving cognition & preventing degeneration that leads to dementia. Incorporating beet root juice into your life can help you now and prevent disorder later in life.  It is never too late to start!

Many other benefits of Beets:

• detox  the blood
• lower blood pressure
• improve circulation
• have a calming effect
• clean the intestines
• fight cancer
• improve menstrual problems
• cure anemia 

Beet Juice Recipe:

One fresh cucumber, peeled.

2 carrots, peeled.

1 1 inch chunk of ginger root, peeled

1 small beet

I sometimes add some fresh greens and celery when I have them in the garden as well.

Juice these ingredients and enjoy!!

I hope that you have found this information useful. Your mind, body and spirit can be lifted with a healthy diet and all of the bounty that this earth has given us.  Take the time to honor yourself with healthy living today.

Wishing You Well Today and Always

Daily Bloom Meditation........Closing the Door on Past Relationships

"Accept of self is the hand that will close the door on past relationships."

 Accepting that we must let people go in our lives is something that can be a hard pill to swallow.  Others are usually the focus of our acceptance.  We think, "if I could just accept them for who they are, I will be a better person".  Letting people go comes with having acceptance for yourself.  The fear of closing the door often causes us to continue to go back to old relationships.  But we forget that when one door closes, three open.  Even keeping the door open just a crack will stall our process.  We must close it completely in order to move forward and welcome our blessings.  We will never be open to receiving the gifts that the universe has in store for us if we are holding on to old relationships. 

Today, practice closing the door and having acceptance for your decisions. Many blessings await once you have the courage to complete the task. 

Wishing You Well Today And Always.

Daily Bloom Meditation........Set YourSelf Free

"A person does not have to be behind bars to be a prisoner. People can be prisoners of their own concepts and ideas. They can be slaves to their own selves."  

Maharaji

 Our thoughts and ideas often keep us in bondage.  We can only become free from these self made prisons when we have enough courage to change.  

Trying to find one thing to focus on that you can do differently today will begin to march you closer to freedom.  Do you have a bad habit? Are you hurting others? Suffering from road rage? You can start with something small like getting angry while driving.  Instead of being your own prisoner and yelling at the car that cuts you off, try taking a deep breath and picturing all of the cars on the road working together to get to a final destination.  

Taking a few moments to breathe with give you the strength you need to set yourself free!

Wishing You Well Today And Always

Bloom Daily Meditations...Are you light?

"The burden of self is lightened when I laugh at myself"

Learning to lighten up is something that doesn't come easy to some of us.  The fear that keeps us trapped in our day to day routines doesn't allow much room for lightness.  We often see no way out of our strict minds.  By taking a minute to look at this, we are able to see that it is unneeded and even harmful to our well being.  The ability to laugh off the fear and let go is today's goal.

What fear might you release that will lighten you today?

Take the time to laugh and let go.

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

Daily Bloom Meditation........An Old Soul...Note From The Universe

"An old soul is always prepared
to admit they might be wrong,
especially when they're not."

I think.

Older than the moon,
The Universe

Love you. 

  Notes From The Universe

Daily Bloom Meditation........Blessed Are The Flexible

“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”

Wishing You Well Today and Always

Bloom Weekly Book Review-Notes From The Universe

I originally picked up this book at a thrift store.  Now I use it in my everyday life whenever I need a little spiritual motivation!! I simply open to a page and then read from that specific page as if it were a message to me.  It is a reminder that there is something greater out there helping us along. Here is a page from the book so you can get an idea of how awesome it really is!

"If I told you there have been no mistakes,
that I understand every decision you've ever made,
and that the challenges you've faced, you've faced
for everyone, would you listen?

If I told you that what you dream of, I dream of for you,
that the only things "meant to be" are what you decide
upon, and that all that stands between you and the life
of your dreams are the thoughts you choose
to think, would you try to understand?

And if I told you that you are never alone,
that there are angels who sing your name in praise,
and that I couldn't possibly be any more proud of you
than I already am, would you believe me?

Would you? Even if I pulled your leg, made you blush,
and winked between the lines?

Then I shall...

The Universe
(from the Foreword of Book 1)

Wishing You Well Today And Always.

Daily Bloom Meditation........Are your roots deep?

"Like a tree, I must be deeply rooted and stand strong on my own beliefs so that I may finally have the freedom to be me"

The key to being rooted in who you are is taking the time to really get to know your true strengths and weaknesses. Remembering to appreciate when there is growth and acknowledging when there is still room for improvement.  Being deeply rooted in knowing who you are as a person will allow you the most strength and freedom at the end of the day.

What will deepen you roots today and give you strength?

Wishing You Well Today And Always.