Hope

Heart of Hope

A Heart of Hope as Spring approaches. 

Which seems appropriate as we are going through some health issues with my husband. Following a stress test that shows some "abnormality", a Cardio Angiography has been scheduled for next Thursday to see if there are any major concerns. Our focus is that IF there is any "problem", an angioplasty will be all that's needed. 

Husband lowered his cholesterol level several years ago using "The New Eight Week Cholesterol Cure" as a guideline, so we're re-visiting the recipes. There are some great muffin recipes in the book. Oat bran is very good for you, as is a 30 minute walk daily.  :) 

Along that track, we made the best Oat Bran Banana Bread this morning... oh my goodness it's lovely! Because a couple of folks have asked, here's the recipe. 

Oat Bran Banana Bread

Oat Bran Banana Bread

 

Ingredients:

·         1 cup oat bran

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1/2 cup corn oil

·         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         2 egg whites

·         3 bananas, ripe, mashed

·         1/4 cup milk

·         1/2 cup chopped dates

·         1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Grease a 9x5x2-inch loaf pan with oil; dust generously with flour.

In a bowl, combine oat bran, flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl with electric hand-held mixer on low speed, beat corn oil with the brown sugar until well blended. 

Beat in vanilla, egg whites, mashed bananas, and milk; beat for about 1 minute, until well blended.

Stir in dry ingredients. Mix in the dates and chopped pecans.

Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing top.

Bake on center shelf at 350° for about 40 minutes. 

Remove from oven; invert cake onto a wire rack.

Turn loaf upright and cool thoroughly before serving.

Enjoy! 

Sharing with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin! Happy 3rd Anniversary, PPF! 

Hope

There is something so hopeful about a Hellebore

blooming in the midst of a cold rainy winter.

 

To keep our faces toward change

and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate

is strength undefeatable.

Helen Keller

P.S. And something quite frustrating with blogger throwing in extra spaces this morning. ;)

Hope

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. 

And so today I still have a dream.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Note: the card was received from a friend, and I don't know the artist to credit.




Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2

Hope

I received this card from a friend after my daughter died. Found it in the sorting of the art room/office this week, and thought it was a timely message for the coming new year.

Hope IS always there, although lately I've been buttoning it up tightly and pulling the collar around my chin.

This piece by Sheryl Petrie. Here are the words, in case they are too small to read.

"Tell us about hope" they asked.    
She said  "Every morning hope is waiting on a hangar in  my closet. Some days hope fits me just right.

Some days it's a tight fit. 
Some days I don't get dressed until the afternoon. 

And some days I need to fasten all the buttons and pull the collar up around my chin."