Peanut Butter Coco-nana Slurp

Before blogging and all of its wonder, I couldn’t wait to eat the plate of deliciousness in front of me. Typically I had to have my meals so hot that it was still bubbling as I put a spoonful into my mouth or so cold that even penguins would get brain-freezes. I was more concerned with eating the food at the right temperature that I would scarf up my meals so quickly you thought I had to be somewhere.

Remember to stop and smell the roses... or photograph dandelions. That works too. :)

Until now.

I realized why the Armour Thyroid wasn’t helping me at much in the mornings. I was eating breakfast too soon after that it was absorbed into the food and not into my body. Since that realization, my morning routine has taken a pleasantly different persona, and I am relishing the art of the time put into my meals, both in preparation and consumption.

With the Armour Thyroid to consider, I have to wait anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour before eating, though drinking my morning cup of Joe doesn’t seem to affect the hormone. I usually wait for that warming, tingling sensation I feel in my hands before I get to work on breakfast. That is when I know it’s in play.

So what do I do for those precious minutes that I can’t eat? I drink coffee, read, blog, and contemplate the wonders of the Universe. You know, typical Morri stuff. Yet this difference in time management has helped me take my time with food throughout the day, and all the things food had to be isn’t as important.

Taking photos and the artful placement of ingredients of my recipes has also helped me elongate the dining experience. Whereas before it was more about the touch (or the temperature on my tongue) and the taste of the dish, it has become a symphony of the sensory escapade: I acknowledge the look of the dish, both behind the camera and not, taking the time to analyze the colors and textures I see; I smell the aroma it gives off in the kitchen, tantalizing my nose with specific scents each ingredient provides; If I can, I touch the meal with my fingers and relish the textures on my fingertips; I feel the temperature as it enters my mouth and admire how that alone can warm you or refresh you to the very core; I hear the food “talking” as it is prepared on the kitchen counter, as it boils on the stovetop, as it chills in the freezer, as it visibly releases steam on every spoonful; I taste more than I ever have with the acknowledgement of the previous senses.

And finally, at the heart and soul of it all, my spirit shines and enlightenment results. My spirit is fulfilled with all the senses considered and treasured. I am fuller, exceptionally content at every meal, and feel significantly more rewarded when I contemplate the time and effort and love I put into something that will nourish my body.

Mind you, I do get excited with every recipe that I tend to get impatient and have a taste before I know it’s done. The result is a Morri hopping around the kitchen doing the “Hot! Hot! Hot!” dance, or sighing knowing full well it isn’t ready yet. Typically it’s the latter, but sometimes I am the Lord of Dance incarnate.

This recipe called for such patience, though I was looking for something refreshing and cool over something heavy and sizzling. It’s a lighter variation of Aubree Cherie’s Peanut Butter and Banana Mash Pudding from Living Free. I really like her concept, and her blog in general, but felt it would be too rich and heavy for what I was looking for. I used more lemon than it needed, so I suggest using juice from 1/4 of a lemon at maximum. I did like, however, how filling yet revitalizing it was. Since I tend towards acidic foods, this alkaline-rich recipe is nice to have on hand. Plus, it can be served as a drink, a breakfast, a lunch, a snack, and a dessert.

Peanut Butter Coco-nana Slurp

1 Banana
1 tbsp. Peanut butter
1 c. So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk (or less, if you want it thicker)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (or, to taste)
1 tbsp. Chia seeds

Mash the banana until lump free, then mix in the peanut butter.
Slowly add the coconut milk and stir until thoroughly combined.
Add the desired amount of lemon juice and the chia seeds.
Put in the freezer to chill for fifteen to twenty minutes, more if you want a creamy “milkshake” concoction. (You can also eat it as is.)
When chilled to the desired temperature, pull of the freezer and be immediately refreshed.

Serves 1.