Monthly Archives

October 2019

damn delicious, recipes I've tried and liked

Recipes I’ve Tried and Liked: Banana Bread with Walnuts

October 20, 2019

Where do you stand on the whole nuts-in-your-banana-bread debate?

It’s a real thing. I tell some people that I am an ardent fan of walnuts in my banana bread and they look at me like I have two heads.

I can’t help what I like. I’m team nuts!

I am forever searching for Banana Bread recipes. I just want to find one that just knocks my socks off, you know? I want to find a recipe that makes me do a double-take. I did a million tests for my vegan one and now here I am looking for a perfect non-vegan recipe.

Is this recipe ‘the one’? I can’t give it that title. It was really good, but it wasn’t Tony the Tiger GREEEAT. I have Tony-level standards here.

I am also going to be the most annoying person on the internet and say that I liked the recipe with my own substitutions. I used brown sugar instead of white because I wanted some depth to my sugar. I also melted a stick of butter instead of using the Canola oil. Who uses Canola oil these days, anyway? Unless, I forget, is Canola oil now good for us? It’s so hard to keep track up with the relentless PR scandals of ingredients these days.

Another mistake I made? I got lazy and didn’t pulverize my bananas before adding them to the recipe, so there were banana bits in there. Gross! I like bits of walnuts, but not banana. Have you seen the recipes on the internet where they put a WHOLE BANANA on the top of the loaf before they put it in the oven and just have it cook into mushy oblivion on top of a perfectly delicious loaf of quick bread?

Why do they do that?

It’s a great mystery in my life. I want to find just one person who can honestly say they’d like a whole mushy banana on top of their bread. Anyone here? Anyone? Probably my friend Dan at work who grows his own stevia in his backyard. I’m going to ask him tomorrow.

So, long story short: 1.875 thumbs up for this Food & Wine Banana Bread with Walnuts recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

just for fun, tv

POSE is perfection

October 14, 2019

This weekend, I was blessed to watch POSE on Netflix.

Please do yourself a favor and watch this series immediately.

I have never seen a show this good.

The characters were developed so beautifully, with such reverence to their stories and to their lived experience. The costumery dazzled. The acting, phenomenal in a way that I can’t even understand. This show reminded me how important it is that the right people get a seat at the table and that the world shows up to witness their greatness so that they can have a seat again and again.

Janet Mock and the entire crew of POSE, you are geniuses. I am so thankful for your gifts.

deep thoughts

There’s a reason why they call it practice

October 1, 2019

piano art

I heard a good reminder this morning that I want to write down here so I don’t forget…

Any change in life requires practice before you gain proficiency. This is especially true for spiritual growth. In fact, the reason why they call it a spiritual practice is that you’re never fully done, you’re never fully spiritual. The teacher used the analogy of playing the piano. You’d never expect to sit down at a piano and play perfectly (unless you are Elton John…sidenote: have you seen Rocketman yet? My favorite movie in a long time!). You’d realize that you have to practice to learn, that the only way to be able to play something you’re proud of is to invest the time and to make mistakes and to play your little heart out in pursuit of your goal. As adults, it’s so easy to forget this lesson and just expect proficiency in anything simply because you decided in your mind to make a change. That’s what gets me bothered most of the time. I decide in my mind to make a change based on my logic without realizing that the habits I’ve developed aren’t just going to magically change themselves. Focused action and repetition is what makes the change stick.

I would say that right now, seeking spiritual growth is my number one priority in my life. With that comes the realization that literally everything is spiritual and that my spiritual awakening requires me to behave with more integrity and intention in my financial life, in my home life, in my work life, in my physical practices, in my health, in my relationships.

My spiritual transformation is changing my life in so many ways. I am showing up better than I ever have before, but I often fall short of my own expectations of myself. Yesterday, I caught myself at work  engaging in the catty, complain-y behavior that I used to delight in before I realized the impact it was having on my soul and on my happiness. I felt disappointed in myself for my behavior. I thought, ‘I am spiritual now! Why am I doing this stuff!?’

But, I realize that I’m doing it because I’m still practicing. I’m not proficient yet. With more practice, I will engage in destructive behaviors less and less. Then, I’ll open up to even more spiritual growth and I’ll begin the practice anew with a new set of experiences and challenges.

It’s exciting to realize that you really can never get it wrong and you’ll never get it done. This journey is delightful. With every new level I reach, I realize personal benefits beyond any of my expectations and then I prepare to level up again and again.

I am taking this lesson with me as I move forward into life. I hope you find it helpful in your own journey.

Are you working on making changes? How is it going?

image via.