Revelations and Rainy Days

You may ask yourself...where has this girl been this week?
Well here's what happened. 
Somewhere in between working 10 to 12 hours a day, juggling around 5 work schedules (yes...5), school work, trying to manage my finances and trying to figure out how I'm going to approach next chapter of my life. I got sick and hit me like a pile of bricks to my head. Thats when I came to some realizations. Here I am, striving towards my optimal wellness and health and trying to find a balance, and I'm diving into the deep end where I am way over my head, gasping for air. While I like love a challenge, sometimes its completely necessary to step back.
and breathe.
It's all part of the process.
I can't control everything, especially the future.
And life's about quality, not how much you get done. Enjoy the process and journey. And as hard as it may be, don't focus on woulda/coulda/shouldas.
And while I think I can do everything at once, work-work-work, go-go-go etc....slowing down may be more beneficial to both my physical and mental health.
So this week, as my life came to a slow down and I had some truly "doing nothing but sitting down my own thoughts" experiences, I have stumbled on my next project (one that I will share as I develop it!), and I am amazingly excited towards it. Something just feels right about it.

Today was another day of productive unproductivity with a lifeguarding double shift at the outdoor pool cancelled because of massive thunderstorms, gyms closed on summer Sundays and it being to dangerous to go outside with storms and sideways rain. So I watched bad Cher movies, sorted out my brain happenings and did some rainy day baking.

First up,

Rabbit Foods First Granola....this is an EPIC moment, one for the history books.
I was inspired by CEC's Pumpkin Maple Quinoa Granola, so this recipe is based upon that. She is a genius, is all I have to say.

Pumpkin Quinoa Granola

1 and 1/2 cup quinoa

2 cups of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup of chopped almonds

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1/4 cup of molasses

1 TSP vanilla extract

1 TSP pumpkin Spice

1 TSP cinnamon

1 TSP cloves

Directions:

1. Mix quinoa, almond milk and spices in pot, bring to boil and than simmer until quinoa is cooked

2. Mix pumpkin puree, along with all other remaining ingredients together and add to quinoa

3. Spread pot's contents onto a parchment lined cookie sheet

4. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, mixing every 20 minutes to evenly brown

5. Let cool and than dominate a bowl...

Granola with brown rice puffs, banana, unsweetened coconut flakes and cultured coconut milk

And than after a salad beast,  I got my creative juices flowing on what to make and this happened:



Single Serving Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie

5 TSP coconut Flour

1 TSP coconut butter

1 TSP apple sauce

1 packet of stevia

1/2 TSP baking powder

Chopped Dark Chocolate (I used 2 squares of chopped Green and Black's 70% Dark Chocolate)

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl

2. Place onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (makes one big cookie, or 2 little guys)

3. Bake for 8 minutes

(Thanks to CCK's Single Lady Chocolate Chip Cookies for inspiration!)