I woke up this morning at 7:45. For a weekend, that’s pretty darn early. I had made a commitment, but when my alarm went off I was reminded why my weekends are so sacred to me. This week has been a killer. I feel like I’ve been just barely keeping up, and while next week promises to be better, I really needed this weekend to regroup.
I think it is important to know your limits in terms of scheduling. I’m very conscious of this because I learned a long time ago (when I was in middle school) that when I over commit myself, I start to get over tired and when I start to get over tired, well everything falls apart. I like being involved in a variety of things that revolve around my career and my personal life, but I think there comes a point when you just have to make time for yourself. I got over feeling guilty about this along time ago. What prompted me to think about it was a comment that a colleague made on Friday during our cooking class. Basically this woman said she felt guilty for taking three hours out to come and do something that wasn’t relate to work. I think this is how a lot of people feel, and I think it’s sad. You shouldn’t feel guilty about taking time for yourself. Everything gets done one way or the other.
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I stayed up late last night baking two loaves of whole wheat bread for RJ to take home to various people. I’m officially in love with my bread machine. I’m making honey banana bread tomorrow. I’m also making this recipe that we learned in my cooking class on Friday:
Power Spheres
3/4 cup dried apricots
3/4 cup of dried apples
4 brown rice cakes
1 cup of unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup of sesame seeds
1 cup of rolled oats
1 1/4 cups of fruit sweetener
1/2 cup of natural peanut butter, slightly warmed
1. In food processor, pulse the apricots, apples and rice cakes to a fine mixture. Transfer to large bowl and set aside.
2. Next, pulse the coconut, seeds and oats to roughly combine. Add the fruit mixture. Also add the fruit sweetener and peanut butter.
3. Mix and combine. Chill for one hour.
4. Roll the dough into about 2 oz. balls. Roll in sesame seeds to combine. Serve or wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
*These make excellent healthy snacks.
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RJ and I have decided to join a CSA (community supported agriculture). The name of the farm is Seldom Seen Farm and they’ve agreed to arrange a drop point at school, which is awesome. I’m going to put a link to their site under my “Worthy of a Look Section.” Check it out.
Brianna Pike 
In class we used 1.5 cups of puffed rice instead of the rice cakes – and apple juice concentrate for the fruit sweetener. Yay for CSA!
Excellent. Yes, I used apply juice too. I remember reading somewhere you can sub it in fruit sweetener.
I am going to try this recipe, sounds like good traveling food.I think women, on the whole, have to deal with issues of guilt when they do things for themselves, am not sure where this comes from……but it seems deeply ingrained in most every female I have come across……..