Is she healthy?  I think I ask myself that every day.  I swear…I’m pretty sure that my eiptaph will read…short and sweet,  “She Tried!!!”  The truest summary of each and every part of my life.

My journey towards healthy eating habits began…well, a lifetime ago.

I grew up in a home where the term ‘health food’ was never heard.  However, we lived rural and the way of living that fit our lifestyle was, eating off the land…literally.  We had a garden and my mom spent many-a-summer day ‘putting up’…canning and freezing whatever she could get her hands on to keep us through the winter months.  Fall would add to the bounty of fruits, vegetables, chicken and beef that was already in our freezer and venison would then fill in every remaining nook and cranny.

When I went away to college I worked with a gal who lived out a life of conscientious healthy eating.  I paid close attention and was intrigued with it all.  It wasn’t difficult to compare her plate with the ones that I ate from in the college cafeteria.  I have forever been weight conscious so with that came the desire to eat in a way that didn’t add to my frustration.  Throughout the years there were always people in my life who would strive to make a healthy life for themselves and their families.  I continued to be intrigued, watching closely and learning along the way.  It seemed that there was a clear right and a wrong way to eat.  But would it be that simple?

Do you aspire to a wholesome way of eating for your household?  I have found it to be a difficult and an often defeating goal.  A lot of that difficulty comes with trying to please a family.   I have repeatedly felt my own struggle to be somewhat painful and humbling and one where I too often feel ambushed by my own attempts.

This year I turn 50. [50!!!!] I am able to look at the many benefits that come with that very large and overwhelming number.  One of those being, I can look back at how my  constant attempts have led me to where I am now.  OK…so, in all honesty…yes! I’m still struggling [daily] but the struggle causes me to take steps that move…forward →.  Isn’t that what we want to see?  A forward motion?  I know myself well enough that I may never truly arrive at my goal but the process is good and enjoyable and productive and worthwhile and for that I can smile!

I love this life…this journey of moving forward.  There is hardly a thing that I would change about it but along with the GRANDness of it all comes the dailyness of making it better along the way for me, my family and for others.

I have [so] many weaknesses…one of them being pancakes.  The thing that actually keeps me from eating them is the way I feel after I’ve eaten them.  Last night I just had a hankerin’ that I couldn’t overcome so I decided to make a healthy pancake.  I was the only one at home so I made 3 pancakes just for me [I just ate two of them].  They were so good and they didn’t make me feel yucky so I’m going to share the recipe with you, telling you exactly what I worked with.  If you don’t have these same farm-fresh ingredients then improvise with what you have on hand.

Whole Wheat Pancakes for One

½ c. whole wheat flour [I used flour from hard white wheat that had been sprouted, dehydrated and ground fresh]

1 small egg [from the chicken house] and enough goat’s milk [from the barn] and homemade yogurt [w/said goat's milk] to measure a ½ cup  [so, with the egg, milk and a bit of yogurt you will have a total of 1/2 c.]

1 t. baking powder

a tad bit of salt

Mix well and thin as needed with more milk or yogurt.

I cooked the pancakes in a pre-heated cast iron skillet with just a bit of bacon grease.

Served with a generous amount of butter [not homemade but someday it will be], a dollop of applesauce [canned from our own apple trees] and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

you can find a printer friendly version of this recipe HERE

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