Simply Balisha

Simply Balisha

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Good Morning

Bran muffins....something that we love for breakfast. I make them pretty healthy using bran, buttermilk, splenda brown sugar, assorted dried fruits, and chopped walnuts. They are chocked full of good things. This morning they are full of dried apricots, raisins, and walnuts.

 I just bought a new item for my kitchen...a silicone muffin pan.  do you know why I bought it? It's red and I love red accents in the kitchen. Not too crazy about it. It's floppy when full of batter and after I almost dropped it, I decided that (for me) the metal ones that I have used for many years will do for me. 
 I print a lot of recipes from the internet and I love to get recipes from blogger friends. I know that those are good ones.....just like the recipes from Church groups. I have several little Church cookbooks that I use over and over again. I keep the recipes that I print off in a plastic baggie handy in my kitchen. As I try them, I write some remarks about the recipe and toss the ones that aren't good.
 Here they are...all ready to enjoy. I am just waiting a little while for them to cool. I love a muffin like these with a cup of tea and some fruit for breakfast.

I thought yesterday, while shopping for produce, that I love this time of year. Everything is fresh and ripening. I bought strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, a pineapple, and blueberries. Sounds like a fruit salad. We are going to a birthday party soon, and I spied a melamine chartreuse bowl on the shelf for $1. I put it in the cart. When I got to the checkout, the bagger put some of the fruit in the bowl and said, "There I made you a fruit salad" The bowl will hold a pasta salad, however. It's just the right size and I can leave it there and not bother bringing it home.

I hear a plane flying low over our house this morning. We hear and see it each year. I think that they are dusting the crops. Reminds me of years ago when they sprayed for mosquitoes. We would hear the truck coming and make a dash and shut all the windows, so we wouldn't smell it inside. I can remember kids following the truck on their bicycles. When I think about the hazards in that....I wonder what is happening to their bodies now years later... as a result of that spray.

I'm planning a day in the garden. There are several things that I want to do. First I'm taking some pictures of flowers on the woods border. There aren't too many flowers there now. I sprinkled seed in the fall, but with our lawn mower mowing so close, I don't think that they had a chance to grow, but there are a few a little ways back that are blooming. 
I also want to cut down the spikes of the hosta flowers. I don't like them once they loose their flowers. I have a lot of hostas, so that will probably be my only project out there.

We're going to have fried chicken today. When I have buttermilk in the house, fried chicken is always on the menu. Probably mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh green beans, salad and fruit for dessert will be our meal. 

Can you believe that tomorrow is August already? Where did the summer go? My daughter in law sent an email with Merry Christmas as the subject. My grand daughter, Xoie and her family, will be here for one weekend in Dec. and Karen wanted to get our plans made early so we could all see them. 

Have a nice day,
Balisha 

9 comments:

  1. Your muffins look so yummy and healthy too! I love Splenda brown sugar :-)

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    1. I really can't tell the difference when I use Splenda. My daughter doesn't eat sugar, so I have used a substitute for many years. when she is here. I use it now for us because Joe's family history includes diabetes.

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  2. Balisha, I have a Bran Muffin recipe that I have used for many years. You reminded me :)
    I travel right along with you in thought and deed only everything made is for one
    and share a little, so many times cut recipe in half.
    My garden almost looks like late Fall as very little blooming and need to cut back much.
    On the way for blood work for appointment in 8 days.
    All health areas that I battle with have escalated quite a bit and keep thinking
    I will return like several years ago.
    Wishful thinking that I do believe is not going to happen.
    My doctor always makes the comment
    "you are really determined" as I share a lot of information
    I find on what might help severe inflammation.

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    1. My recipe is old too. I freeze many things that i make for another time.
      We all hope to return to good health as in years past.... through new findings, diet etc. No matter what we do, it seems...we just have to accept the fact that our bodies are changing and things are wearing out. It doesn't make it any easier, and we just keep trying. I do find that going to the pool has helped me so much with joint pain. I don't swim that much anymore, but use a foam "noodle" and am in constant motion with arms and legs. I swear by this....we do it 3 times a week. We are in the pool for a while and then use the hot tub for the rest of the time. I wish that you had a pool closeby, so you could give it a try.

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  3. I go to a heated pool in a little town south of us. A lady left farm ground to the Park District to build a pool for the children. I love it!! I don't swim anymore either but do a bicycle type of exercise back and forth the length of the pool. It has helped me so much with my aches and pains(too many farm chores I am so grateful to this lady My Dr. says keep it up as being in the water is so much easier on your joints. Enjoy your day.

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  4. Your muffins sound good. I've got a loaf of banana bread baking right now and it is starting to smell good in here. I added craisins and chia seeds, also cinnamon and nutmeg.

    Christmas will be here before we know it. Time sure seems to be zipping by.

    Enjoy the rest of your week ~ FlowerLady

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  5. Thank you for the recipe. My husband is diabetic so I appreciate knowing about the splenda. I had some silicone cookware years ago but did not like it very much. I am seeing fall décor in the stores. Time is flying by!!!

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  6. Sheesh, I wonder why I am incredibly hungry now ? :)

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  7. I have liked this summer's weather, but it feels like fall a lot of the time lately. So strange and I am already wondering what kind of winter we will have.

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