Running is My Therapy, Listen, Learn, Love, Sourdough Cinnamon Pecan Breakfast Bread

Anyone else forget about CoVid with all the other Chaos going on in the states right now? CoVid seems like a distant memory.

What is happening across American right now is very sad. It’s hard to put into words how I feel and even harder to articulate in fear of saying the wrong thing. These are some of the saddest and most horrible times I have ever witnessed.

Unfortunately what started out as peaceful protests have devolved into arson and looting and that should never happen. Yes what happened to George Floyd (and sadly others before him) is unacceptable. May his death NEVER be in vain! His death and others should have never happened, but just because we are angry doesn’t mean we have the right to perform criminal acts. I do believe we should protest, but I pray that peace return to everyone lives.

I loved this passage… “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Roman 12:21 NIV

We can do better. I can do better. Let’s continue to learn, listen, and speak the truth, peacefully. Just because I live in a small town out of the city where the violence is taking place, doesn’t mean I hide and do nothing. We can all do something to help. I can start by learning more from the resources being shared which will allow me to be more confident at sharing and responding.

I see the above billboard almost every morning on my run, however on this particular morning run, it spoke to me differently. I stopped, and I prayed. My run was a struggle from start to finish. Was it because of the heat? Emotions? Poor sleep? Not enough quality carbs? Probably a combination of all, but damn was it hard. I’ll probably have more of these days but I will keep showing up and do what makes me feel better. I loved this post via Allie Kieffer….

I am not sure what you do when you are sad…or angry, but I do know I enjoy my morning runs. Instead of listening to running podcasts however, I’ll turn to educating myself, I will support black owned businesses, I will donate money, I will sign a petition….. I will continue to do better going forward by listening, learning and loving others more.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Do you believe what this verse says?  If we all had a good heart than why hasn’t the problem improved? Maybe it’s because people don’t have the right problem and therefore the correct solution. God has the problem right and the solution….

“ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36)

There is one problem with humanity and there is only one God who can fix the problem.  He sent his only Son to this earth to fix hearts and until a person’s heart has been fixed nothing will change. So, pray for new hearts not new behaviors. Pray that our great God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would give to others what he has already given to you and me – a heart full of Jesus.   Pastor Krueger

Anyhow, my hope is that when you are sad and feeling angry, turn to Jesus and do something that brings you JOY. I also enjoy spending time when in my kitchen. I am fortunate to work out of my home and have the flexibility to create great tasting dishes for my husband and I. (I definitley miss cooking for friends…..soon very soon!)

After my last long run I came home to a delicious breakfast bread. Seriously, I think it my favorite breakfast bread I’ve ever made. Ok, yes it’s the only one I have ever made but trust me, it’s really tasty especially with a good cup of coffee after a run?.

The nuts and fruit make this not only a great morning bread but you can even turn it into french toast. If you make this bread I highly recommend a kitchen scale for measuring all ingredients. You will discover my cup of flour and your cup of flour can vary greatly, and will affect the outcome.

I promise you this bread will be worth it. You’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something great and your next loaf will be a breeze!

CINNAMON PECAN SOURDOUGH BREAKFAST BREAD

(adapted from Cultures for Life)

INGREDIENTS:

• 50 grams Fed Active Sourdough Starter
• 365 grams purified water
• 480 grams organic bread flour
• 9 grams Celtic SeaSalt
• 20 grams organic whole wheat flour

Cinnamon Filling:

• 65 grams raisins – (⅓ cup)
• 65 grams crispy pecans
• 6 grams cinnamon
• 50 grams coconut sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Gather ingredients and materials.
2. In a large bowl mix your flours and water. Let set for at least 30 minutes.
3. Add the bubbly sourdough starter and salt. Mix them together with your hands until well combined.
4. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let sit for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, gently knead the nuts and raisins to the dough and knead for about a minute adding a little flour if the dough feels too sticky. Let sit another 30 minutes. Do two more sets of folds spaced 30 minutes a part.
6. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise overnight for 8-10 hours (around 70 degrees F) or until the dough will have risen in the bowl and look puffier.

Making and Baking the Bread

1. Use your spatula and gently pull the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Line a 10-inch proofing bowl with a towel and dust generously with flour.
2. Combine the sugar and cinnamon together into a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Dust your hands with flour and stretch the dough into a 16 X 8-inch rectangle. With a pastry brush lightly brush the dough with water. Evenly sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top leaving a 1-inch border around the entire edge of the dough.
4. On the short edge of the dough, roll the dough into a log and pinch the edges to seal. Place in the proofing basket seam side up. Cover the bowl and let it rest until puffy but not fully risen about 30 to 60 minutes.
5. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit your pot, leaving excess so you can grab the bread and take it out of the pot.
6. Place your parchment paper over the bowl and invert the bowl to allow the bread to release onto the paper.
7. With a small razor blade or serrated knife, score the bread with four slashes. Pick up the parchment and carefully place your bread in the pot.
8. Place the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking for 40 more minutes.
9. When bread is done, take it out of pot and place on a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes to an hour. Store loaf in a bag on the counter, or this bread freezes beautifully

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What do you do when you feel sad?

What is your favorite Bible verse that speaks to you right now?

Do you enjoy baking? Cooking? Are you spending more time in the kitchen lately?