Apocalyptic Waffles

Of the inspirational folk who I follow on teh interwebs, I noticed a theme in the past few days.

Be yourself.

Cassey Ho of Blogilates posted this on her Instagram.

Bertice Berry wrote this meditation on doing what is right for you, no matter how unpopular.

Media messages regarding "a new year, a new you" to me sound like a harsh break.  Gradual change over time is more sustainable, and is, hello, how the world works, than suddenly, perhaps, trying to eat six cups of kale a day instead of meat.  Or suddenly trying to stop thinking negative thoughts.

Take a breath, take another, and notice--without judgment--what you're doing.  Notice what you'd like to let go of.  Think hard on how you want to do it.  Then get to it.  Notice when you slip from your goals.  Get up.  Keep going.  Most things become less difficult with time.  I saw this quote on my quote-of-the-day calendar from 2011 that I turn every time I go home: The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling (Lucretius).

The baked goods below were part of my ApocalypseChristmas cookie lineup for 2012, a not-too-sweet breakfast/dessert enriched with pine nut flour.  You may substitute whatever nut or seed flour you have handy; I think hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or almond meal would work well.  Not-too-sweet cookies work for me for dessert and breakfast; my uncle enjoyed them for breakfast and pronounced them "like vegan French toast."

Banana Pignoli Mini Waffles

Modified from “Banana Waffles” in the Vitamix manual and cookbook

1/2 cup pine nut meal

1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup water

3 teaspoons chia seeds

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 ripe bananas, peeled (if using frozen, defrost somewhat before using)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

zest of 1 clementine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease two 12-well mini-waffle pans (I used one pan of round mini waffles and 1 pan of waffle sticks).

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, and spices.  In the Vitamix, combine the water, chia seeds, non-dairy milk, vinegar, bananas, oil, syrup, and zest.  Blitz until uniformly combined.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry in three additions, stirring well after each.  Using an ice cream scoop, transfer batter to the prepared pans, spreading it to fill each well.  Bake for 40 minutes, WITHOUT rotating the pans or otherwise poking at them until they have been in the oven for at least 37 minutes.  When they are browned and firm and a toothpick inserted into the centre at an angle comes out clean, they are done.  Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Eat and wait for the world to end--oh wait, it didn't!

Now, you may be thinking (I think you're thinking the following, for the purposes of this blog)--Q, WTFBBQ, the apocalypse jokes are old now that it's 2013.  True.  In conventional reality.

In ultimate reality, the world never really was and never will be, it just *is* from moment to moment (according to my belief system, anyway. You are absolutely free to differ in your worldview).

Best stick to the mini-waffles; they're not heavy.

Parting thoughts: my Virtues Pick at The Virtues Project on Friday was for "Independence," and the quote on the card read,
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.  --Henry David Thoreau

Keep marching and you'll get where you want to be.  Non illegitimus carborundum! 

P.S.  I recently wanted to make
--beer muffins (with peanuts and craisins)
--oat farls
--king cake
--chocolate cake with walnut-studded ganache

What would you like to see?