The Connection Runners

Healthy vs. "Healthy"

I've always considered myself to be a healthy person. Over time, "healthy" has come to mean very different things to me.

"Healthy" then Healthy now
Ate "fat free, diet" foods vs. Eat whole foods and never fear healthy fats

Ate protein bars in place of meals vs. Supplement with them in a pinch

Refused cake at parties vs. Bring my own cake to parties

Exercised to be "skinny" vs. Exercise because I love it

Skipped meals vs. Never miss a meal (or a snack)

Slept, napped, and slept some more vs. Sleep my 7-8 hours and move on

Practiced negative self talk vs. Build myself up whenever I can

Went to the tanning salon daily vs. Avoid the sun completely

Caked on makeup vs. Don't own foundation

Desperately tried to lighten my hair vs. Accepted my natural dark roots :-)

I spent a lot of time in the past beating myself up. "Pretty, skinny, and popular" is the ideal that many girls strive for in life- and I was never an exception. But for some reason (thanks Ma+Pa)- I was wired a little differently, and spent lots of time putting the mental kabosh on my thoughts of "healthy" and "perfect." I've found with each year of experience I gain, the more my idea of what's healthy (and happy) changes.

Today, I strive for many different things. Healthy things.
1. I want to be strong- of body and mind
2. I want to be kind
3. I want to be educated
4. I want to share my knowledge with others
5. I want to love myself, my husband, my family, and my friends
6. I want to eat(!)

Years ago I would have sooner ate 5 100 calorie packs of oreos and subsequently ran 6 miles than bake (and eat) my own dessert. So happy I've made it to where I am now- and here's a sneak peak of one of my favorite parts about the my "new" healthy lifestyle-

Pumpkin Swirl Maple Pecan Bread (based on OSG Pumpkin butter swirl butternut pecan bread)

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups spelt flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (I used Splenda blend)
  • 1/8 cup flaxseed meal
  • 2 TBSP sugar (I used 1 TBSP cane sugar and 1 TBSP stevia baking blend)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla stevia
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey, agave)
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup oil (I used smart balance omega)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 ground flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp warm water, mixed)
  • pumpkin butter
  • chopped pecans to garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a bread loaf pan.
2. Mix flax egg and set aside (1 TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP warm water- mixed)
3. Pour dry ingredients in a large bowl- flour, sugars, flaxseed meal, baking soda, spices, salt
4. Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl- pumpkin, syrup, oil, apple sauce, flax egg, stevia
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until combined.
6. Pour half the batter into the pan. Spread/swirl a layer of pumpkin butter on top of the first layer.
7. Pour the second half on top of the pumpkin butter layer. Top with another layer of pumpkin butter swirl (optional) and sprinkle with pecans.
8. Bake at 350 F for 50-55 mins.

I love the new healthy me :-)

What's your healthy?