Quinoa Muffins

1 cup cooked or ½ cup raw quinoa
1 cup spelt and 1 cup quinoa flour or 2 cups spelt flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup agave syrup or maple syrup
1 egg
11/4 cups plain yogurt or buttermilk
¼ cup butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup flax seed mea1
½ cup walnuts and ½ cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray or oil muffin tins.
If cooking quinoa, rinse well, put in a small saucepan with one cup of water, and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, and then drain if necessary.
Combine flours, salt, baking soda and flax meal in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the oil, yogurt, syrup and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and add the quinoa, walnuts and raisins.
Mix with a spatula, scraping up from the bottom so that all the flour is mixed in thoroughly.
Scoop the batter into muffin tins and bake until light brown and firm on top, 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Free Teleclass

Come explore my new Internal Wellness Wheel. I have developed this model as a visual for the work that I do. This is about wellness as mind-body and spirit and can be used in almost any situation or challenge. I will spend some time reviewing the wheel, how it reflects our lives, and examples of how to use it. We will then do an exercise so that participants gain information about their internal strengths and challenges. Join me for an hour of time to enrich yourself.

The teleclass will be held Tuesday April 25th from 6:30 to7:30pm Pacific Time. Email cdelmonico@my180.net or call 541-389-0831 for more information and to register for the class.

I will be out of town the next couple of days and will return emails and phone calls on Monday April 3rd.

Health Choices

What does health feel like? I believe it feels similar to most of us yet how we sustain it is a unique, individual path.
If you were going to make a map of healthy choices for yourself what would it look like?
What sorts of internal work might you do to make the choices easy?

"When you really listen to yourself, you can heal yourself." -Ceanna DeRohan

Comparisons

Last week I noticed quite a few of my client comparing their life to others. What they were capable of doing, how productive their friend is, how easy it looks to be happy, fit and a great parent...you all know what I mean.

I spent time listening on a deep level to feelings and needs to support my clients to gain clarity. They were able to see that comparing is a hook we have in our society that gets us separated from ourselves. They were then able to acknowledge that they can certainly struggle more from that disconnected place.

You are the only one that gets to live your life. Spend a bit of time reflecting on the benefits of comparing yourself to others versus the benefits of being in gratitude for all that you are.

Societal influences/beliefs need to be brought to the light, acknowledged and then we get to choose from a place of awareness.

Friday

I love Fridays! My family has spend a relaxing winter with very little travel on weekends. I like the empty space the weekend offers. I can choose to fill it at my leisure. The sun is shining and my choices are wide open.

May your internal light be shining bright to bring you sunshine whether you have it or not!

"The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it, whether he's got an abscess on his knee or in his soul"
-Rona Barrett

Hope

“Believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be” - C.R. Snyder

I have a tendency to be hopeful most of the time. I have found when I am not that I can feel depressed and since I’d rather not feel that way, I choose to hope. Hope for me is being able to reassure myself when things get tough, to believe that what I am doing has meaning for myself and the world, to be able to meet my objectives in whatever way works and to be unattached to outcomes.
I have hope that the world will find peace, one person, one action at a time. I have hope that health- mind, body, and spirit- will support each of us to bring our best selves to the world to share in the healing of our planet.

Self Respect

What does self-respect mean to you?

Self respect is one of the spokes of my internal wellness wheel. As a coach I am discovering respect is a key ingredient to being your best. For me self respect is loving yourself without guilt.
Treating your body, mind, and spirit respectfully is being and doing that which enriches your life and sharing yourself from that rich and loving place.

Respect for self flows into respect for others.

How does self-respect fit into your life?

Wonderful Life

"What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner."
-Colette
Notice the moments today...then add them up.

Choose wonderful!

Advertising

I'm reading a beautiful little book "Living simply with Children" by Marie Sherlock.
If you're interested in slowing down and having more quality time this is a great resource, with or without children.
She shares that on average we see 3,000 advertisements per day from TV commercials to the nike swoosh on a pair of shoes. Amazing isn't it.

How does that influence each of us? I'm going to spend the next couple of days simply paying more attention to it all and how it impacts my choices...

She shares a new slogan "Question Corporate Authority". The more conscious we are, the more integrity we have with our choices.

Internal Wellness Coaching Program

I've shared before that I am working on a wellness wheel and with that designing a coaching program that will work with the concept that wellness- mind, body, and spirit- is both internal and external work.
The internal spokes of the wheel are life values that support you to say yes to the things that really meet your need for living a full and joyful life.
Its inner work which then is reflected in the choices you make and the habits or behaviors you willingly shift and change.
It's about reaching inward to attain balance. Your readiness to be curious about yourself, to let go of old beliefs and to really embrace the concept that conscious choice is an every moment option for you!

If you are interested in learning more about the wheel and how the coaching program works give me a call. I am passionate about sharing this. 541-389-0831 or cdelmonico@my180.net

Have a refreshing weekend!
Carol

Roasted Root Vegetables

This is one of my favorite winter meals… and as winter is still here (where I live) I thought I’d share it.

Serves four to five with some leftovers depending on what you serve with it.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Ingredients:
Parsnips 2-3 med.
Red potatoes 4-5 med.
Onions 1-2
Garlic 1 whole bulb
Rutabagas 2-3
Carrots 3-4
Sweet potatoes 1-2
Beets (need to cook separately, there color turns all the vegetables red) 2-4
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Herbs and Balsamic Vinegar

Wash and cut all of the vegetables into bite size pieces.
Place in a large bowl and toss with good extra virgin oil, (enough to coat well)
salt, pepper and rosemary or other herbs of your choice.
Place vegetables into a large baking pan and cover. Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Take cover off , at this point you can add some balsamic vinegar if you like that flavor, or simply let the vegetables brown, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.
I serve this with a big green salad. It’s a meal for us, with leftovers for breakfast!

Be you

“Many women today feel a sadness we cannot name. Though we accomplish much of what we set out to do, we sense that something is missing in our lives and –fruitlessly- search “out there” for the answers. What’s often wrong is that we are disconnected from our authentic self” -Emily Hancock

You do have choice in this moment to reconnect, take time for yourself and feel everything. You are a miracle, be you.

Monday

Interesting Monday morning yesterday. My Internet connection was down. I attempted to troubleshoot to no avail. I was sad I wasn’t able to write my blog, concerned about responding to emails, overwhelmed by a sense of getting behind…
I got a call from a friend and through processing what was up for her was given a great reminder for myself to look at the opportunity the day could bring. Talking with her brought me connection to my feelings and needs and because of that I was able to have a day full of very beautiful moments. I’m so much happier when I gain those awareness’s and can create a day like yesterday. Being flexible is a gift I can choose.
How about you?

Peace

How can you create peace in your world today?

Peace happens one mind at a time.

Take a couple of minutes to brainstorm actions you can take today that
will bring peace.

There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.
-A.J. Muste

What are you sacrificing to do it all?

In working with clients this last week a theme has arised I want to share.
When we are doing it all...meaning working, cooking, cleaning, carpooling, volunteering... what gets sacrificed?

With my clients two area's of life seem to go first, health, and intentional relationship.

It makes me sad when I recognize it, in myself or others, because once again we seem to sacrifice what we value most.
Without our health and without connecting relationships where are we??

Who is the messenger that makes "doing" and "having" more important?

What are your beliefs or expectations about self and others that support
that message?

"With stammering lips and insufficient sounds,
I strive and struggle to deliver right
the music of my nature..."
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Center for Science in the Public Interest

CSPI is a wonderful resource for information on health and wellness. I find it challenging to find unbiased information in our main stream media. Keep this in your favorites!

Here is a recent, very interesting article about famous people selling supplements.

Great Moments

“ The quality of the moment depends not on what we get from it, but on what we bring to it” -Dan Millman


I had a weekend full of great moments, particularly with my children. We spent a lot of time together hanging out. I noticed when I kept the focus on what I was bringing or sharing instead of what I was getting I felt more peaceful and spontaneous. I smiled more, engaged fully and let go of expectations.

What does it take to shift your focus from what you are getting to what you are bringing?

Improvement

“Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege.”
-Joseph Campbell

Wow, how about that for looking at challenging things as positive!

What are you becoming?

“Bill Gates says “Wait till you see what your computer can become." But it’s you who should be doing the becoming, not the damn fool computer.
What you can become is the miracle you were born to be through the work that you do”
-Kurt Vonnegut

I love Kurt Vonnegut, he validates so much of what I feel.

I was born for this...to question, to listen, to share, and to hold space for others to be that miracle.

What about you?

Nutty Granola

I love a good, not too sweet granola and I am challenged to find it in a package.
Here is a quick and easy recipe a friend gave me:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6 cups whole oats or 4 cups oats and two cups spelt or barley flakes
1 cup whole almonds, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sesame seeds
1 cup ground flax seed
1 cup agave liquid natural sweetener- this gives less of a sugar rush or
½ cup honey and ½ cup maple syrup
½ to 1 cup canola or sesame oil
Mix all ingredients together and then spread mixture out on two sheet pans.
Bake for 30-40 minutes stirring every 10 minutes until texture feels done to you.
Store in airtight container.