Cranberry Banana Bread

Sometimes we just get hungry for a certain thing.   Of course it's a bad craving when you want brad, and you are supposed to be on  gluten free diet. 

Probably why gluten free flour were created. Anyway, I've been trying to cone up with some good recipes for when that craving strikes. 

I found a cranberry orange bread in my old Weight Watchers cookbook.  I of course modified it to fit my chosen lifestyle, added bananas  and if you are on weight watches, it's about 6 points a serving.

Cranberry Banana Bread:

2 1/4 gluten free baking mix(Pillsbury)

1/4 coconut flour 

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoons Xantham Gum

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon orange  zest

Juice from 1 large orange 

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

2 mashed bananas 

1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract 

1/2 cups chopped pecans  (optional

3/4 cups dried cranberries 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl

Add eggs, orange juice and zest. Add milk, extracts and bananas and nuts, if you are adding and the cranberries. 

Mix well.The Batter will be sticky

Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray add the batter.  Bake for 55 minutes to an hour  Let stand for 20 minutes, slice and enjoy

Decide To Be Happy

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Why is it important to decide to be happy

Why it is this important? Why are there so many articles, books, CD’s and essays out there on happiness?  

I think it is  because we aren't really letting ourselves be happy, truly happy. We are so focused on what has to get done, and then we don't do it, or we wait until the last minute. It's easier to sit in front of the TV at night, instead of going back to school or writing that book.

This internal struggle between “reality” and our dreams causes sadness, depression, anxiety and pain.  we are not acting but just fantasizing instead. Especially when we know what we are here to do. This causes  more stress. Don't get caught in the “shoulds and coulds”. Just do it. As the old Nike ad said.

Deciding to be happy maybe means acting out one of your  dreams.  Deciding to be happy may mean turning off the news and going to bed early. Deciding to be happy may mean restoring that old car or getting rid of it. 

 Deciding to be happy may mean changing jobs.

We were born knowing what we need, and we let people around us know when we were hungry, cold wet, bored, lonely. As we were growing up, we had a thirst for knowledge. We Asked all kind of questions. We made up games to play, send as kids we were happy generally speaking.  We seldom remember the bad stuff about being a toddler.

I think this is what it means to develop a child's mind. Not to be childish, but to re-embrace the awe and wonder. To seek out and be curious about things. Let yourself okay make believe again.