This and That

Warmest December Greetings!!!

If you're a ClubMom visitor you have probably heard that they are shifting away from hosting blogs.  SO...this one will simply move to my website: SpiritualParenting.com. 

I will make sure to let you know before we pack up and move...but in the meantime...feel free to come on by.  Our December newsletter has just been posted and we'd love your feedback on the site...

I've really enjoyed being a part of ClubMom and all the amazing women I've met through this blog.  I've heard from so many of you recently about "blogs going away" and questions about my past postings, my family, and my new books...Let me answer some of the top questions here:

1.  Yes, the cool positive word blankets I raved about last year are still available, in fact, there are even more choices...Check out Affirmagy!  That's the owner holding a sample blanket below:

2.  The Healthy Cookie recipie is in an old post, just click Cookie.

3.  My family is happy and healthy!  Thank you for asking.  Whitney is a sophomore in college and loving the life she has made for herself.  She has incredible friends and I only wish Nashville, TN were closer to Concord, MA.  Elizabeth is a high school senior and continues to make her dad and me proud.  We truly had much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.  Oh...and Comet...who has appeared in the pages of this blog, our Cocker Spaniel, is snoozing right next to me and doing just fine...thank you very much!!

4.  What's my next book?  Well...for those of you who have read my progression of books you know that I teach what I want to learn.  And, my most recent book on creating a stress free college admissions process for kids has launched me into more work in that area.  You can check it out by heading over to DontWorryGetIn.com. 

Have a great month of December and stay tuned for the new blog's home.

Warmest wishes,
Mimi

Cozy Cooking

A big storm is swirling outside.  NPR had warned me as I made a cup of green tea early this morning:  "Hurricane force winds and rain..." 

I had no plans to cancel, no outdoor furniture to lash down.  So, I did the next best thing: assembled ingredients for a day of cozy, comfort cooking.  Well, maybe not the entire day...but a sliver of the day...so that the house would be filled, as it is now, with a harvest, spice aroma that seals out the whipping outdoor drama and soothes the senses of those tucked inside.

I created the following recipe for pumpkin muffins, with a healthy twist.

 

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup white unbleached flour
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
½ cup sugar (or pure maple syrup)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 15-ounce can solid-pack organic pumpkin
1 egg
½ cup soy milk
1 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, wheat germ, flax seed, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Add pumpkin, soy milk, and egg. Stir until just mixed. Add nuts and stir again.

Spoon batter into oil-sprayed muffin cups, filling to just below tops.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until tops of muffins bounce back when pressed lightly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on a rack