Energy Muffins...YUM

When engaged in a consistently active lifestyle, one must learn how to fuel up. Ben and I typically try to bake "power" bread, as we call it, instead of store bought power bars. I recently slaved over the oven and stirred my bottom off over mixing bowls to come up with a "power" muffin. I found the outline of a muffin recipe online (i.e. baking temps and time) but tweaked it a little bit and made it my own. The final result was so delicious and filling that it warded off hunger for most of the afternoon and kept us both going strong on our hike last weekend on the Carruther's Cove trail that just happened to be a 600 ft. elevation change in only 0.8 of a mile.
I will share this wonderful concoction of deliciousness.

Pumpkin Cranberry "Power" Muffins

1 14.5 ounce can pumpkin puree(try to stay organic!)
2 large cage free eggs; lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup UN-bleached flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup soy protein
1tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
1 cup dries cranberries (or any dried fruit you like better really)

To make:
-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
-Put oven rack into middle of the oven
-Mix the pumpkin, eggs, yogurt, oil, and vanilla together in a small bowl
-In a larger bowl combine the flour, bran, sugar, soy protein, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
-Then add wet ingredients to dry mix. Stir this until it is combined but don't over combine everything. Fold in the dried fruit.
- Fill your muffin cups and slide them in the oven
-Bake for about 18-20 minutes
-I always check with a toothpick in the middle to see if they come out clean
-Makes about 12 muffins!

So, I hope to whomever finds this recipe will be energized and ready for an amazing adventure. Enjoy!

First Meeting

I have told this story so many times and in so many different ways but I thought it would be appropriate to describe how my life has changed since Ben and surfing have come into my life. I won't get into the gooey details. More so I want to describe how the ideas about my future changed as soon as I heard those words come from his mouth, "I surf".

We both come from America's heartland, good ole' Indiana. The biggest body of water near us was Lake Michigan. Surfing only crossed my mind when I was little and tried to stand on a surf board in my grandmothers pool. Our first conversation on the day we met was primarily about adventures. He already had asked me to hike the Appalachian Trail with him, spilled his love for surfing, and invited me to go road tripping to concerts. We were hitting it off. I really had no idea what I was actually in for.

The first time I went to his college house there were surfboards on the walls, skateboards all over the place, and "Thicker Than Water" playing on the TV. This was the first of many surf videos to come. It took me awhile to understand what surfing was all about and why it was such a great lifestyle. That is until I spent a summer on the Outer Banks of NC that I finally could understand my boyfriend. It was very important to me to feel what he felt out in the water and to hear what he described as the best sound in the world. That sound is of the fin hitting the water and the feeling is complete elation. I worked on my own surfing for about a month until I caught my first real wave. I was slowly beginning to understand. It was more than a hobby, it was a lifestyle. The lifestyle meant that if I were to marry this man someday we would be limited to coastal living. Not that this is bad but it certainly can put a strain on cost of living and location choices. It really never crossed my mind to live near the ocean. In fact, all I decided at that time was that I wanted to leave my hometown and see what the West was like. The lifestyle also means that each day depends on the tides. If the tide is right, we go surfing. Put all else aside and get in the water. I would learn to adjust to constant Weather Channel television and tide books all over our house. We took numerous trips to the Outer banks each year while we dated and when we were back in Indiana for the school year, he would get very cranky over missing the ocean. It is also when we no longer watched blockbuster hits on TV, we would watch countless surf videos over scrambled eggs and toast. I developed my own infatuation for the water, the ocean, and ultimately surfing.

We now live in Northern California where the surf is big, sharky, and very cold. I am finding myself frequently torn between our mountains directly east of us and the ocean 5 blocks west from our house. Weekend adventures now depend on high or low tides considering our best surf break kicks up at low tide. Ben runs out there unabashed and I am left staring a bit longer at the swell coming in contemplating whether or not I may die out there.

Therefore, I have discovered my joy of surfing comes with warm, rolling, waist high waves and a long board. Four years ago I never would have imagined myself waking up at 6:00am to drive north on California's coast for an early morning surf with my husband. Four years ago I never thought that the magnitude and power of the ocean would impact my life so much.

So as life goes, you paddle out, you swallow salt water, catch and ride the wave.

Wrapped in A Fleece Blanket

Mmmmmm, I am wrapped in a fleece blanket nursing a wine and dessert hangover. I don't normally drink as much as I did last night. Wine knows how to creep up on me. Our new neighbors invited us to their wine and dessert party. I was intrigued about the dessert part. But Carrie, our neighbor, made homemade blackberry wine. Woah! I was even more intrigued.
Ben and I had planned to get up this fine Sunday morning and go surfing. After surfing we planned to go jogging on the Rhododendron trail at the Redwood State Park.

I will give you the scene on what is happening instead. Ben just stumbled out of bed. His hair looks like someone had teased it into an afro. He is grinding coffee, gurgling water, and brushing off his shoulders from our heavy night of homemade baklava and blackberry wine. I, well I am just wrapped in my fleece blanket with cold toes and a chilly nose.

Food Network

Yes, Food Network is on my television. Another day in Eureka CA. Winter has come early and the rains have started. This will be my second winter here. The tip of my nose and the tips of my toes are consistantly chilled. I watch food network today because I am going to plan a delicious meal for my main man when he gets home from work. How domestic of me! I may even sweep the carpet and do our laundry. Ben, my husband, willingly takes the trash out, shakes the rugs, and cuts my cantaloupe without any hesitation. He is wonderful!
Because you see, since we aren't just dating anymore, my shaving cream on the floor of the shower, and his leftover carrot shavings in the sink become both of our issues. This is something I love about marriage. My mess is excepted because he loves me and I love him. They are minute details of a household that should never shake the foundation since they can in fact be put right.

Lately I can sense he is a bit antsy. He needs to get in the water. My husbands true desires lie in waves, surfing, top sirloin, the history of pirates, heady beers, and Me. Maybe I can place myself at the top of that list because they, whoever "they" are, say that you can tell a man loves you by the way he looks at you. Ben looks at me with a soft and deep notion that seeps with infinite love. It is quite beautiful really. And as much as he loves surfing or a good brewskie, I am his never too choppy, never closing out, and never to foamy...wife.

Stream if Consciousness

I am heading over to Mel's for some vino. I haven't had wine in a few weeks do to my failed attempt at "Detoxing" my body of toxins. Why would a tincture be labeled "Colon Cleanse" when after 6 days there was no cleansing to be had? I felt very hungry and fatigued. I craved things like cheesy garlic toast coupled with a chocolate milk shake. I usually wouldn't want those two things together. But in any case, I am done with my detox and once again am enjoying a couple of Corona's or a glass of Shiraz.
I am probably in for a night of religious discussion or bad mouthing Humboldt County. We do have these issues in common but I am actually hoping for a night of goofing off and getting a little tipsy with one of my only friends I can hang with out here in CA.
I think subconsciously I have chosen not to make many friends out here because I don't want to make connections that will one day be hard to break free from. Much to my delight I have discovered that being alone in my house or involved in a good book without anyone else around is very enjoyable. I didn't used to be this way. Alas, the vino is waiting and I must be going.
Off I go to hop on my Cannondale and ride downhill to Mel's apartment.