Happiness and Confidence: Free Your Spirit Webinar

by Sarah Bradshaw

I've always believed that happiness is a state of being that’s worth chasing or even changing for.  In my mind, being happy and I mean truly happy, is the gateway to a lifetime of contentment. When you choose to be happy, moments become memorable, opportunities abundant, challenges possible and experiences worth sharing. Life just seems to glow like the golden warmth of the autumn sun.

What makes you happy? What makes you really smile on the inside? And do you go searching for those moments or do you wait for them to present to you? Maybe you find happiness in a beautiful sunrise, immersing yourself in the characters of a good book, hooning down a mountain on your snowboard, a birthday cake with your name on it, your children’s laughter, coffee with your love, cuddles from your pet or going to dress up parties (just so you have an excuse to wear those clothes that live in that dark corner of your cupboard, hiding from daylight)… Whatever it is I hope you invite it into your life on a regular basis because happiness is contagious and unlike a flu-germ-filled sneeze, people actually want to catch it!

At the last Free Your Spirit event, James and Debbie gave us some great suggestions on how to create happiness in our own lives. Surrounding yourself with people that honor you and make you feel good made the list, having a creative outlet was on there, understanding the importance of balance, making connections with people, and spending time in nature were noted and so too was the idea of eating your way to happiness. (For an example of my happy food, see picture below…yum). I get a lot of enjoyment out of first and foremost, eating. Also cooking, learning about nutrition, and healing the body with food…actually even hanging out in the kitchen tends to make me feel pretty good. Not saying my only happiness is being surrounded by my oven, sink, and fridge…I do have some taller dreams! But importantly, knowing what makes me happy has given me the confidence and encouragement to find and live my truth. Actually having the confidence to live your life the way you choose, the way that makes you happy is a brave and inspiring thing. You know, that thing that makes the world go round? Poets have written about it, musicians have sung about it, people have felt it since the beginning of time and I’m particularly looking forward to the discussion of the fusion between Spirit and science and the power of the heart’s energy. Sarah’s recipe of the month is for a delicious and wholesome Pumpkin Pie. My Dad grew the pumpkins and I made this tasty winter treat with love! Hope you enjoy it too!

PUMPKIN PIE

For the base:

1 ¾ cups organic almond meal 1 ¾ cups organic oat flour (put oats in the food processor until flour) 4 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. organic maple syrup (or 100% Canadian) pinch of salt

Use butter at room temperature, mix butter, maple syrup, and salt in a large bowl with a fork. Add the oat flour to butter mixture slowly, using your hands to work through evenly. Then add almond meal to mixture and stir. Press the dough into a pie dish (I used a quiche dish) and bake at 180 C for 10-15 mins to partly cook.

For the filling:

2 cups roasted cooled pumpkin

3 organic eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

125 g. honey pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup tahini

2 tbsp. linseed

Combine ingredients in a food processor until smooth and fill the base.

Bake in a 180 C. oven for 40-45 minutes until just set.

Serve with natural yogurt, walnuts, a sprinkle of hemp seeds, and maybe even a cheeky touch of maple syrup

ENJOY!

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