Smile In Your Liver For Blueberry Carob Pancakes

Good morning!

Well, last night I finally understood the ‘LOVE’ Part of Eat Pray Love! bahaha. I can’t wait to see how they cast for the role of her love interest in the movie…! He has a tall order to fill.

This morning, I started off my day in a strange manner.

I sat and I smiled.

That was it.

For ten– funny-awkward-uncomfortable-uplifting-memory inspiring-I don’t know if I can smile any longer– minutes.

I sat and I smiled.

Let me explain.

Wednesday night, I was reading Eat Pray Love.

[Side note: I know this is starting to sound like ‘One night at bandcamp’…but let’s just go with it.]

I was reading the Bali book and I came across the section where Ketut Liyer, the famous Bali Medicine Man, teaches Elizabeth a new way to meditate.

Ketut says: “To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver. Practice tonight at hotel. Not to hurry. not to try too hard. Too serious, you make you sick. You can calling the good energy with a smile…Let your conscience be your guide.” [p. 231]

When I read this part in the book I giggled to myself. Sitting and smiling? Was he joking? Obviously, I had to try it out and see what all the hype was about.

So I sat down on my yoga mat and I closed my eyes and smiled. I pretended I was smiling on a beach.

I laughed a little bit at the absurdity of it all. I thought about what Eric would say if he saw me there. He would shake his head and walk away secretly grinning to himself.

And then before I knew it, I started to feel relaxed…and calm…and happy. As soon as I started to smile, my mood lifted and happy memories starting popping into my head out of the blue. When my mouth got a bit tired, I just let it relax into a neutral, yet slightly uplifted, position.

It was the first time I have meditated and not felt pressure to halt all my thoughts. I just sat back and noticed the positive thoughts and energy filling my mind. It was quite an unusual yet relaxing way to start the morning!

I was feeling so good I decided it was a pancake kinda morning!

Blueberry Carob Pancakes

Adapted from Eat, Drink, & Be, Vegan.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour
• Dash sea salt
• 3 tbsp carob powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup Almond milk
• Oil, for greasing frying pan
• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen.

Directions: Grease and preheat a skillet over medium heat. Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl, mix together wet ingredients (leaving out blueberries). Add wet to dry and whisk well. Stir in blueberries. Pour 1/3 of the batter onto a frying pan. Cook on one side until bubbles pop and then flip. Makes 3 medium-large sized pancakes.

I mashed a banana and layered it on top for the ‘syrup’ and I sprinkled some coconut and cacao nibs on for good measure!

Banana and blueberry = magic combo, no?

Then I stacked them and cut in half to show you the middle. Look at how gooey and delicious they are!

These were so good! I loved the combo of all the flavours. The blueberries, carob power, and spelt made these extra healthy pancakes too. No sugar high after eating these.

Have a great Friday (and start to your Civic Day long weekend if you are Canadian!!). I’m off for market madness!