New Year = Hitting the RESET Button

Everyone has been talking about the "end of the world" because the Mayan calendar doesn't go any further than 2012...Honestly, it's just a bunch of hogwash in my book!  Whether it's true or not, there's nothing that we can do about it, right?  So why not have a really good year?  One of the things I really like about New Year's Day is the hopes and possibilities that are before us.  It's a time to meditate on what has worked the past year, what hasn't, what you were able to accomplish, what you weren't and then set some new goals to try to achieve.  Many people have given up on doing this saying that they've never actually achieved any goal they set up for themselves on New Year's Day but I think that's kind of sad...does that mean that those people have also lost the ability to hope and dream?  That's what I think the setting of goals at the beginning of the year reflects - our inner hopes and dreams, the will to TRY to achieve them...so what if you don't succeed, isn't it important that you tried anyway??  In fact, you know what my New Year's Resolution is going to be this year?  I am going to try to set one goal or resolution for myself at the beginning of every month this year!  It's going to be New Year's Day on the first of every month and I'll have the entire month to work toward that goal!  I don't care if I complete the goal or not because I like having things to challenge me, things to look forward to and if I can accomplish only half of those twelve goals, I think that's pretty darn good, don't you?  So, anyone else going to join me on this goal-setting journey?

Happy New Year's Day 2012!!  Be safe, be happy, be healthy, and make it a great year for yourself and your families!

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Frustrating Weeks=end of stagnation

Yuck!  Don't you just hate weeks that you just need to get soooo much done but it seems like your wheels are spinning in the mud and you're not getting ANYTHING done?  The past couple of weeks were exactly that way for me. But the "blah-ness" stops here and now...this week's gonna rock!  Or, at least, I'm going to try to rock it :D

I've finally applied to the college of my choice to complete my bachelor's degree in nutrition science (yay!!).  I've been working on that darn degree off-and-on for an unmentionable amount of years and now I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be within my grasp within the next two years (or maybe sooner)!  Then, my transition doesn't stop there -- that'd be too easy.  On to chiropractic college to become a chiropractor!  I'm going to be soooo tired by the time I'm done but it'll be worth it...just thinking of how I'll be able to help people makes it worth it.

I've started working on a log for vegans based on the book "Becoming Vegan" written by two registered dieticians.  If it works out really well, I'll post a copy of it for anyone interested.  I've been looking for something that I can easily refer to so I'm sure I'm getting a good balanced amount of nutrients so I can be even healthier (and with all the schooling I'm looking at, I'm going to need that more than ever).  It'd be more for beginning vegans and I'm trying to make it easy to track servings, what servings are, and the different pyramid-type food groups specific to vegans.  Obviously, the one published by the USDA isn't applicable to those of us who don't do dairy or meats...I think that's very small minded of them, don't you think so?  Right. :-D

Also, finally finished watching ALL eleven seasons of the "Biggest Loser" and now I'm so ready to watch the new season LIVE, well as live as it can get not being on Hulu that is.  If they do the "Pound for Pound" challenge again this season, I'm going to start a team - because I think it's a great idea to get people to lose weight and to help those who would go hungry without those food banks.  Wonder how many people I can get to do this with me?  I'm not going to push veganism on people but if anyone asks or has an interest, I'll be there excitedly full of information for them :D

It's funny.  Since I've started this vegan journey, I've improved my health, my energy levels, my thinking is clearer, and I've been able to watch two wonderful friends become vegetarians on the basis that one day they would jump the gap and go vegan, even if just to try it.  I think it's all pretty wonderful.  I just wish more people would discover the health benefits and the ease of being vegan...2 months for me and counting!

By-the-way, here's a recipe that one of those friends-turned-vegetarian sent to me today for homemade vegan pudding...I haven't tried it yet but "Smiles" swears it's awesome!

• 1 avocado, 1 tsp of dark cocoa powder, 1/2 cup soy milk and if you want it sweet, 4 tsp of evaporated cane sugar syrup (or agave nectar) or until your desired sweetness;
• Mix in a blender until well blended.
  Let me know if she's right or not...I haven't been very adventurous with avocados outside their normal uses so I've been hesitant to try the various vegan desserts that use avocado.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm belly dancing this weekend...in public...with a choreography that I wrote -- this is the first time for both these things together and I'm already nauseous at the thought *shivers*.  I hope I don't forget everything...or that my costume stays on (it's new, that's why I'm worried about it)...Okay, just better to not think about it - practice, practice, practice...that's the best way I can prepare, right? Right. *gulp*

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RECIPE - Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 16 pieces
Calories without icing: 114 per piece
Calories with icing: 130 per piece
(Compared to a leading unnamed company's mini version that has 350cals each.)

Dough:
• 3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• sprinkling of evaporated cane sugar
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1tbsp evaporated cane sugar
• 2 tbsp organic canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
• 1/2-1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Filling:
• 3/4 cup organic brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Blackstrap Molasses

Icing:
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a small bowl combine ground flax seed and water; set aside.
2. Warm soy milk in microwave but don’t let it get too hot then add yeast and sugar; Let sit for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour yeast mixture into a mixing bowl & add oil, flax seed mixture, salt, and wheat flour. Mix it a little with your hands then begin adding the all-purpose flour 1/4 cup at a time, kneading it in before adding more. The dough shouldn’t be sticky. When it’s not sticky, knead it for another 5 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, molasses, & cinnamon, making sure the molasses is mixed well into the mixture.
5. Once the dough is ready, form into a ball, spray nonstick spray into bottom of bowl, place dough back & spray top with nonstick (I used coconut oil). Cover with a moistened tea towel & let it sit in a warm area for 1- 1 1/2 hours to rise (1st rising).
6. When ready, put dough on a floured surface & roll out into a 10 by 14 rectangle. Brush entire surface with water & spread filling mixture over surface, leaving about 1 inch without filling at one of the short ends.
7. Begin rolling the dough up using the short edge that has filling. Try to roll it away from you, tucking and squeezing the roll as you go. When you get to the untouched dough edge, brush it with some water and finish rolling, sealing it with that edge.
8. Now cut the log in half, then each half in half, and so on. You should have about 14-16 cinnamon rolls. Place them in an 8” round pan or a square brownie pan. Cover with moist tea towel again and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes (2nd rising).
9. Heat your oven to 350˚ & bake rolls for 15-20 minutes. Rolls should be firm to the touch and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while you make the icing.
10. To make the icing, place powdered sugar and water in a bowl - add only enough water to get a thick consistency of the icing. Add the vanilla. If you don’t want to do the icing, drizzle some organic, raw honey (yes, I still eat honey because it has no cholesterol).


Let me know if you like these!  We did!

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