Banana Blueberry Muffins

Oh, how I love muffins! Really, muffins are amazing because they are quick to make, typically have minimal dishes, and are perfect for grab and go snacks or breakfast. So, whenever I have a few over ripe bananas, this is the recipe I think of first. These muffins are my go-to, healthy muffins and are super quick to whip up! I love how light and flavorful they are...and, it's all about the blueberries (and bananas)! As I whipped up a batch tonight (since I am still up and awake after an unintentional nap and consuming an entire mini-batch of skinny monkey cookies...) I finally thought to take a few photos before they disappeared and make this my first recipe post here! Here's the recipe...

Banana Blueberry Muffins
Adapted from KittenCal

Makes 12 muffins


Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of cloves
1 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh)
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
1 Set oven to 350 degrees.
2 Grease or line 12 regular-size muffin tins with paper liners.
3 In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and blueberries.
4 In another bowl beat banana, sour cream, sugar, egg and vanilla until just blended. (I use a two-cup glass measuring cup to mash and measure my bananas, then put the remaining of these ingredients on top and stir). 5 Stir the wet ingredients into the dry blueberry mixture JUST until combined (do not over mix a few small lumps are fine!).
6 Spoon the mixture between the muffin tins.
7 Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the muffins test done.

*Note: for a double recipe, prepare each recipe in a separate bowl due to the large amount of baking powder.

Enjoy...I always have a hard time stopping after just one or two!

Challenge 3.60

It's challenge time! To be real here, I have started various challenges before...some with better success (and actual completion) than others. Digging a little deeper into previous challenges, I concluded that  my successes at taking off a little weight, reaching a new fitness goal, or adopting a healthy habit have all been a result of my natural strength toward discipline. Yet, my sidetracked challenges have been a result of having too much on my plate, having a negative self-image, or simply losing the enthusiasm for whatever the challenge was set to be. If I truly boil it down, my failures came because Satan knew just the right button to push to discourage my efforts that had the potential to draw me closer to Christ. And, after a failed challenge to kick off 2013, I decided it was time for some redemption and a deeper look at where my heart is at on the issue of a healthy lifestyle.

While I was at my friend's wedding in Kansas, I had some time to just sit and think about life (a perk of traveling solo and intentionally not bringing any work along). A couple of thoughts came from that little bit of reflective time: 1. I think you have to backslide a little to gain a better perspective on the overall work that God is doing in your life, and figure out how you may be getting in His way. 2. My attitude towards health and fitness is one that I have consistently kept a grasp on (whether positive or negative), compartmentalizing it and not letting go of control to God for that area of my life. Now, is this the first time I have come to these realizations? Unfortunately, no...I can't even begin to count up the number of prayers, journal entries, New Year's resolutions, etc. that I have cried out to God to take this issue (Plumb's Need You Now kept playing every time I got into the car that weekend)...and then take it back out of selfish desire for control. The full background of this struggle in my life will have to wait for another post, as it's a big part of my testimony. My prayer is that He will soften my heart on this issue to be open for sharing my testimony and that He may bring people in my life that I may be able to help through this issue, coming together for a Godly view on health and fitness. The cool thing about coming to such a point of realization (yet again), is that God always places people in my life to inspire of impact a particular journey. To this matter, I received a birthday gift with a new devotional from a sweet friend that was just what I needed...thus, this new challenge (it just took me a few weeks to get my thoughts and intentions in check toward obedience).

Here is the rundown of Challenge 3.60:
The devotional I will be going through is Made to Crave (60 days). I have not read the book that came first, but have a hunch it will be added to my reading list once I finish this devotional. Given the title, I wanted to hone in on things that I crave as part of the challenge, and also bring in the concept of simplification by keeping a frame of mind of what I 'need' vs. 'want'. So, I came up with 3 things I wanted to focus on for the 60 days (thus, 3.60) and a quick outline of week by week items to be intentional about. My three areas of focus are food, relationships, and faith (yes, I know I went broad intentionally). And the weeks will be...
1. Make time for the additional devotional reading, and start back with tracking food.
2. Goodbye, sweets and extras.
3. Adios, bread. (gulp)
4. Turn off the 'TV' (aka hulu/web episodes)
5. Only five minutes of Facebook a day
6. Random cards & calls
7. Focus on fellowship time
8. Add a morning prayer run 3 days this week

So, here it goes...week one has been some great devotional readings, realizing just how much I fell away from a healthy balance (and have been justifying 'extras') in my food selection with tracking my food again, and some good checks of intention for this challenge. I am thankful for the end of the semester to take a little stress away and focus on getting this right. And, a nerdy bonus: I made an awesome infographic for this challenge using a program/web page one of my students introduced me to (Piktochart) that is now on my fridge!

1 Timothy 4:8-16

Simply Influence

"Leadership is influence." - John Maxwell

In terms of leadership definitions, I don't think you can get much simpler than this tidbit from Maxwell. As an instructor and student of leadership, it is easy to get deep into the theoretical foundations of leadership, the complexities that can come with different styles of leadership, or the context of a leadership scenario. However, I have been attempting to have a focus on simplifying things this year...although the past month and a half have been a far cry from this effort. With the end of this crazy semester in sight, I am starting to refocus back on simplifying some areas of my life. Maxwell's simple message came to mind first when I thought about the aim to simplify leadership.

As much as I am an 'achiever' and enjoy crossing off various tasks from a to-do list, the relational side of leadership is a fascinating area of interest for me. It is in the relationships that you can get honest answers, get to the heart of a question to discover not just the 'what' but the 'why' for leadership. It is through relationships that moments of influence occur. It's the story of a young leader with a passion for developing women into community leaders, the story of personal struggle that lead to a career area he is pursuing with diligence to make a better path for others, and the story of a lifetime of work that continues to make a positive impact on those who read his books. Because as a leader or aspiring leader, we remember those stories and moments of influence more so than a particular theory or explanation. The stories I hear, the people I meet, and the aspirations of the students I teach...it is through these relationships, regardless of their length, that I see influence on my life. I have found that one of the ironies of teaching leadership to undergraduate students is that as much as I work with a group of students and hope to have a small, positive influence in their lives, I end up being influenced by each of them...their passions, energy, and zeal for life. Their influence on my life is reflected through my continued desire to be in a profession that consistently seeks to better others and self, as well as the cyclical nature of leadership development and learning in general. What can I say...I love my job! While case studies and phenomenal leaders are great to study, I find that a true connection to leadership and learning from a leader comes through those you choose to follow and allow to influence your life.

Bottom line: I think when you open yourself up to be influenced by others, you welcome moments of inspiration to be a better version of you, a better leader. It can be that simple.

A Kansas Wedding

Weddings are those rare opportunities to see families and friends from throughout the bride and groom's lives  come together; it is a fantastic experience that I can't wait to have some day! This particular meshing of families and friends was for my sweet friend Natalie and her now husband, Andy. Natalie and I were roommates while I attended graduate school in Athens, GA; while we never had a problem figuring out who we were talking to, it was always entertaining to see how our other roommate created a method for distinguishing the two of us (and the number of double names at this wedding was quite amusing). Natalie and I have many similarities-growing up with agriculture in our lives, speaking 'leadership', an enjoyment for all things outdoors, and a shared love for being in the kitchen. To say the least, we had a blast as housemates. And, even though I moved further south after graduation, she continues to be an incredible friend and 'sister' to share random stories with, call on to laugh with or for prayer, and attempt to find a race we can finally run together. I was honored to stand up with her as a bridesmaid last weekend! It is such a fun experience to meet and just share time with the people who you know have shaped her and encouraged her into the Godly, compassionate woman she is today. And, it was a delight to help make it the 'perfect' day for her, as so many times I have seen her serve tirelessly to create amazing experiences for others...it was her turn to be on the receiving end. Oh, right...her groom...Andy. I think one of the best things about seeing a dear friend get married is knowing the stories behind the relationship and seeing the way they are continuing to shape and influence each other to be more of a reflection of Christ to others and each other. This is truly the beginning of a relationship that God has orchestrated bringing together in the most beautiful of ways. After all, when someone can inspire Natalie to be on time regularly and give up coffee for a bit :), you know he has to be one incredible guy; all kidding aside, Andy really is a great guy, perfectly complimentary for Natalie and one of the most generous people I have met (with great mentors/friends). It is going to be a joy watching them continue to build their life together in the years to come!

Aside from the blessing of being a part of such an incredible weekend to celebrate Andy & Natalie, the location stole my heart. The wedding and reception were held at the Barns At Timber Creek, a bed and breakfast where Natalie worked in college. Rustic country charm and hospitality all in one; I was on cloud nine all weekend just being out in the countryside! One of my lifetime goals is to own a bed and breakfast, so they are one of my favorite place to stay (if an option) when traveling. And, this particular B&B is owned by a couple in which the wife is also a leadership professor (so, it can be done!). It's also fun when personal and professional lives collide (Kerry, who was the one to introduce me to Natalie, is also a good friend and leadership colleague...and was the wedding on-site coordinator for the weekend)!

I am finally catching up on life and work, especially after a little rough of a week following some flight issues on the way home (flight cancelled and stuck in ATL...of course, the one time when Natalie is off on her honeymoon...). Looking forward to posting again soon now that I am home for a while!