Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mama's out there. 

I have my own fabulous Mom who is related to me because she gave birth to me, but I have been extra blessed in my life to also have my circle of friends and family who have all been like family, so I have a few other Mama's in my life as well, and today is the day I feel a little bit extra grateful than usual to have had them all there throughout my life. Now, my friends are becoming Mothers as well, and it blows my mind just how much life sneaks up on you. Last I checked we were all playing tag in the yard and running up and down the street, and while I miss those days, I am so proud of who we have all become, and how strong everyone has been when it hasn't been so easy. Yay us!

As I said, my mind is hard at work today trying to understand when life started happening. Something about Mother's Day and other such family oriented holidays bring those thoughts up.

Today on the island, the sun is shining, its ACTUALLY WARM. Like, warm enough to wear a summer dress and drink iced tea on the porch and listen to Bob Marley. It just feels right. We had a relaxing morning, I bought my mom a lavender plant, a couple magazines, a bar of chocolate, and made her some Muesli with all the right ingredients. After another nice lay-around, we walked in the sunshine to the Harbour House and had brunch. My mom and dad ordered the most amazing candied salmon and prawn crepes with a dill mornay sauce and a bit of hollandaise on top. I had the regular bennie, and now its back to the boring diet. I make exceptions for holidays :)

Tonight I'm making a light dessert, wheat and dairy free! Lemon bars and homemade strawberry raspberry sorbet. Anyone who understands the Weight Watchers points system, the bars are only 3 points per. That's great. Really. For example, I can have about 22 points in a day. Fruits and Veggies are 0, things like cheese and fatty foods are higher points, and healthier foods are less. You can have whatever you want as long as you stay in the 22 points range. Lemon bar for 3 points? I think, yes.

So this Muesli I speak of. It is another of my favorite things which is dairy free, sugar free, no white flour, and its easy. It is relatively quick aside from the cooling, but it makes up for time with how easy it is. When I get on a health kick, it is a staple. Its a great way to get all the seeds and nuts and fruits

Here is the recipe for my Scandinavian Muesli, which I love.

The amounts are up to you, depending on how much you want to make. This is what I use, but the beauty of Muesli is that you can make it however you like it.

• Oats, quick or no, its up to you.
• Bran - I use any bran cereal like Heritage Flakes
• Chopped Walnuts
• Sliced Almonds
• Coconut shavings
• Honey
• Vanilla Extract
• Cinnamon
• Raisins
• Flax Seeds

I'm going to break the instructions up into 3 sections because I find it easier to read them that way.

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Preheat the oven to 350ºF

Pour the oats and bran onto a baking sheet (first spray it with cooking oil, or otherwise grease it lightly)

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes

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Add the walnuts, almonds, and coconut shavings and bake for another 8 minutes, or until it smells super awesome.

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Turn off the oven. You heard me. Turn it off.

Now is the part that some people will be all like, "warming up honey is bad" or whatever they say about that, but YOU try drizzling cold honey over something and then come back and we'll talk.

Honey - About 3 tablespoons per 2 cups of oats, but you can also eye this one to however you like it. - Microwave/Heat it just until it is soft and liquid, add a little splash of vanilla (like a teaspoon) and a shake of cinnamon (again. However you like it.) Mix it all up into a divine liquid of awesomeness, and drizzle it all over everything.

Add your raisins and mix everything up with a big spoon or spatula, or whatever tickles your fancy. I do not recommend hands since, lets be honest, its HONEY. You do not want to go there.

Put it back in the oven (Which is off.) for a couple hours.

When it comes out, add your flax seeds, give it a mix, and stick it in a jar or bag or just eat it right then and there. 

I love this with yogurt and berries like I did this morning.

So now I've accidentally written another post about food. Obviously my mind has been on one thing only since I've started trying to be healthier. That thing is food, by the way. Cheese in particular. Well, ok, I guess here's some other stuff to balance out the food content that I got from various news headlines on the internet:

OH, ok, so two private planes collided in Saskatoon. WHAT ARE THE ODDS? Isn't the sky like, the biggest area of space we have? And there aren't like things in the sky blocking the other plane from view, its not like it can just come around a blind corner and hit the other plane. I have not read this article because I was having too much of a brainstorm about how that is possible to actually go and find out. I'm sure it was terrible and sad, but two tiny planes hit each other in THE SKY. 

Some guy surgically attached his iPod to his body. That has to be a whole new level of radiation he's getting. Also, its gross. Things are going to get really awkward with his warranty when he takes a shower and it breaks.

Also in the news, some kid fell asleep in his ice cream, Gary Busey still won't stop saying weird stuff in public, Kristen Stewart wore something trashy again, and a lady hit a moose and didn't remember doing it for 40 kilometers. 

I can explain all of these things. In order: 

- Kids sometimes fall asleep in their food, its just how it is. 

-Drugs. 

-Drugs - and, I mean, its Kristen Stewart, are we surprised? 

-Drunk driving. Also, I'm pretty sure if you live in Canada, you're going to hit a moose eventually. Its just, usually you remember it.

I don't know how any of these things get their own article, it seems pretty obvious to me. 

I see myself easily falling into a tangent about Kristen Stewart, it was a mistake for me to use her name, it just gets me going. The girl is like watching a kid try to tell their parents they DIDN'T draw on the walls, its just awkward for everyone, and not very convincing. See? I'm going again. Subject change.

Mother's Day is nice, isn't it? Love and sunshine and good food. Usually some housework is involved, but we love our Mama's so its ok, we'll do it. I hope everyone had a lovely day with their families and is enjoying the sun if you've got it. I know I am. Well, I was before I started writing this, and will be again when I'm done, so please stop distracting me so I can go outside. 

Happy Mother's Day