Learning to Improvise

Before I jump into this post, I just have to say how delighted and amazed I am at the comments left in the last post. Health in 2010 has truly come full circle. I am now inspired to improve not only my physical health in 2011, but also my mental and spiritual health. Cheers to that!

Okay, moving on……

According to Mr. Webster the word IMPROVISE means to make, invent, or arrange offhand.
I think you could safely say that’s about how my week has gone. Learning to improvise. For instance, today I was “planning” on getting in my long run (training for a little event in 2011).  But like many of you in CA or the Northeast, the weather was not permitting. So “offhand” I “re-invented” my schedule and went to the gym instead. After quick run, I was off to train a few clients. By that time, the weather had cleared up and one of my clients actually wanted to run instead. Ha, this was perfect! I ended up getting in my long run anyways. Just in 2 segments. Improvising worked out for the best!

But not everything can be improvised that easily or “luckily.” While home for Christmas, I had every intention on making Gina’s Sweet Potato biscuits. I planned on getting up early Christmas morning so that they would be hot a fresh when everyone woke up. Sounds nice, right?

Christmas morning I set my alarm early. No one was up yet. I loved it! Made some coffee and got my ingredients together. Uh oh, I was missing a few KEY ingredients. CRAP! I went and not so kindly complained to my mother (sorry mom) about not having certain baking staples in the house. Her exact words were…..”I thought you’d just IMPROVISE……You’re good at that.” And since all the stores were closed on Christmas, I had no choice. I thought to myself, “I can do this, I can pull out something from these ingredients.”

And so the Wheat Free Sweet Potato muffin with Greek Yogurt Icing was born.

Ingredients-
Makes 12 muffins
3 Cups oat flour (you can also use other GF flour)
2 to 3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon or nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 t xanthan gum
1 1/2 C mashed sweet potato (you use also use pumpkin/squash)
1/2 t salt
Stevia or brown sugar (I used 2 tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 packet of stevia in the raw)
2/3 C milk or almond milk
5-6 T butter (or earth balance for vegans)
1 tbsp flaxseed (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, add the flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, sugar and baking soda. Mix well,
2. Add the butter (butter can be a little cold or at room temp) 3. Add the sweet potato, milk, other spices, and mix well.  
4.spoon into muffins pan
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 375, or until golden brown and delicious.

Easy Greek Yogurt Icing

I combined 1 cup FULL FAT Greek yogurt with 1/2 powdered sugar, a dash of vanilla and cinnamon, and 1 tsp honey. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  If you like it sweeter, add in brown sugar or stevia.

Need a VEGAN icing instead? I also used this topping later on when making more.

Nut Butter Icing

• 3 tablespoons earth balance butter
• 1/2 cup dry sweetener
• 1/3 cup chunky Nut butter (I used NUTTZO) 
• 2 tablespoons milk (almond, rice, soy, or coconut)
• dash of cinnamon and/or allspice

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sweetener, and nut butter. Add the milk and mix well. Refrigerate for 10-20 minutes for best results.

These little muffins definitely hit the flavor spot for Christmas morning. The hubs downed about 3 or 4 muffins and even my 92 year old Nana (the dry toast and butter queen) wanted another. Now that was a surprise!

Thanks MOM and SANTA for letting me improvise. It was a good lesson. But I hope I don’t have to do it again anytime soon.

What have you learned to IMPROVISE lately? I have no doubt that you’ve been through something similar to this. Do tell!

Cheers,
LC
p.s.
January 1st I will announce the Kombucha winners. Keep the entries coming! :)