Take Ten

Story by Lynn Haley
Photography by Martin Lipman

Time running away, stress heading right for you?  Take ten minutes to recharge.

WE’VE ALL HAD THOSE DAYS—WHEN THE CAR won’t start, you find out at 8:15 a.m. it’s your day to supply classroom cookies and a virus threatens to wipe out your hard drive.

If you’re human and the going gets tough, it’s pretty tempting to seek relief with a jolt of caffeine or a fistful of candy. Instead, take ten minutes to invest in yourself—you’re worth it.

THREE WAYS TO RECHARGE

1. Get up ten minutes early and set your bread maker to have a loaf ready for suppertime. Fast forward to the end of a long day when you walk in the door smelling the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread…bliss!

2. Head to the crisper and get yourself two slices of cucumber and a wedge of lemon. Pop the lemon into a cup of boiling water and let it steep for five minutes. Meanwhile, sit back, close your eyes, and place the cucumber slices on your eyelids to reduce puffiness and offer cool relief. Breathe slowly and deeply for five minutes. Remove the cucumber and take another five to sip your lemon “tea”—guaranteed peace of mind!

3. Take ten minutes at night to give yourself a healthy start the next morning. Pack breakfast to go with a muffin made from a handy, healthy muffin mix, a piece of fruit and a slice of cheese. Easy to eat en route—you’ll arrive at your first destination fueled and ready to go.

HEALTHY, HANDY MUFFIN MIX

This homemade muffin mix is a snap to make and keep on hand (refrigerate dry mix in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks).

FIBRE MUFFIN MIX*

1.5 L  (6 cups)           flour
500 mL  (2 cups)          sugar
500 mL  (2 cups)          bran
500 mL  (2 cups)          raisins
425 mL  (1 3/4 cups)   skim milk powder    
300 mL  (1 1/4 cups)   All-Bran cereal    
250 mL  (1 cup)            chopped almonds or unsalted peanuts (optional)
50 mL  (1/4 cup)           baking powder
15 mL  (1 tbsp)             salt
10 mL (2 tsp)                nutmeg   
5 mL  (1 tsp)                 baking soda

To make a dozen piping hot muffins, put 750 mL (3 cups) of the dry mix (above) in a bowl. Whisk 1 egg, 50 mL (1/4 cup) water, 25 mL (2 tbsp) vegetable oil, 175 mL (3/4 cup) of mashed banana or applesauce together and pour over the mix, then stir until just moistened. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Per muffin: 370 calories; 9 g protein; 9 g total fat; 68 g carbohydrate; 6 g fibre; 37 mg cholesterol; 534 mg sodium

*Source: www.canadianliving.com