Legacy

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Legacy is something that Connie and I think about from time to time. Asking "What is our legacy?" or "What do we want to leave behind that will continue on?"

Normally when we think of legacy, the first thing that comes to mind is the material things we'll pass on. Our estate, any wealth we have, the trees we've planted, etc.

And, of course, our children are our legacy. They are a part of us that goes on.

But, recently I was reading an email from Stephanie Harrison, author of The New Happy, who was talking about another type of legacy that we leave others with.

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Sure enough, when I look back at my life, there are so many people that have left their legacy in me through the love and values that they shared while we were together.

And when I think about the significant things people have left me, it isn't the material things, but the love and understanding of how life works. Learning from others how to navigate this life with fewer bumps in the road has been so much more valuable to me than the material things. And drawing on that treasure every day enriches my life.

The material things we inherit are nice. But what's made me happy from what my Father left me, say, is the love and understanding I received from him. The love and understanding that he showed me created a beautiful relationship that lives on inside me even though he's been gone for over 30 years.

With that in mind we can also think about our relationship with food. What are the values and understanding that we have around food? And to what degree do we share those with others?

When we look at families bustling around together in airports or events that have kids and parents together, we're often struck by how much the children's weight and health seem to mirror their parents. It can look like it must be genetic, but like we've said in an earlier post, gene's load the gun, but diet & lifestyle pull the trigger. Genes may play a role, but what we're seeing may be more about the legacy of values the parents are giving them.

So, it's interesting to reflect on what is it about my relationship with food that might influence others? What are the values I'm reflecting in my relationship with food that others see?

And as we've gotten more deeply into this understanding that life works inside-out, not outside-in, we see that the values we most care about, like integrity, kindness and patience, are all the default expression in our relationships when we come from the space of love that we are. No longer trying to be kind or patient, but by just being the love that we are, it leads only to kindness and patience. That's the legacy that interests us the most.

Legacy is a wonderful thing. And the legacy that we leave others from the love and understanding of how life really works, lives on and enriches lives well beyond what we even know. Simply by being that love, by being who we really are, who knows what others will see and take on in their lives?

The recipe this week is Pumpkin Spice Cake (or bars). Wanting to stretch out the wonderful flavours of pumpkin from our Canadian Thanksgiving, we created this lovely recipe that can be made into a cake for celebration, or simple bars for a quick grab and go. Let us know what you think.

To your Amazing Health,
Connie and Bill

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Pumpkin Spice Cake / Bars

  • 2 cups oats
  • 18 medium dates
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Dash ground cloves
  • 2 cups sweet potato puree
  • 1 cup cooked yam, small dice (to fold in)
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ¼-½ cup filtered water (or water from boiling, if boiled the yams)
Optional ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F.
 

Add the first 8 ingredients (through cloves) to a food processor and process to the chunkiness you like. Add to a large bowl.

 

In the food processor, add 2 cups of boiled or roasted sweet potato or yam, the vanilla (if using) and process to a smooth consistency, adding ¼ cup water if yams were boiled and ½ cup water if roasted.

 

Add to flour mixture. Stir until evenly moistened (the batter will be stiff). Fold in raisins and diced yam.

 

Spoon into a 7” spring-form pan lined with parchment paper for a round cake, or into an 8” x 8” baking dish to cut into bars.

 

Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

Let cool completely before releasing the spring-form pan or cutting into squares.