Guest post: Chickpea Flatbread!

Hey, friends! Claire here. I'm so honored to appear on Hair Bows and Smiles; Ashley and I used to share time at the world's greatest radio station, and it's pretty cool to now be sharing blog posts.

In continuing the sharing trend, this chickpea flatbread would be a perfect contribution to any summer BBQ or potluck dinner with family/friends. With a texture that balances the chewiness of traditional flatbread and the thickness of cornbread, it tastes fantastic dipped in sauces or smothered in gravy (I particularly loved it with a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce). Plus, the use of chickpea flour provides a huge punch of fiber and protein without any saturated fats or added sugars; no need to feel guilty going back for seconds!

The recipe is super simple, and I can't wait to start adapting it--maybe with a few herbs thrown in, or thinned out to use as sandwich bread, or perhaps with a swirl of chocolate or cinnamon? The possibilities are endless.

Chickpea Flatbread
Barely adapted from In Pursuit of More
Makes one 8" or 9" pan

1 tbsp olive oil (for oiling the pan)
3 tbsp olive oil (for the batter)
2 1/2 c chickpea flour
3 1/2 c water
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil your 8" or 9" pan (square or round will work) with the first tbsp of olive oil.

Place chickpea flour in a large bowl, then gradually stir in water, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt, additional olive oil and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden, about 40 minutes. Remove bread from oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve immediately, or refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container (a napkin or paper towel placed directly on top of the slices will absorb any excess moisture, preventing sogginess).

Becoming my biggest fan

I have always had really bad self-esteem, ever since I was a little girl.  I always wanted to be thinner, to look like the other girls, to fit in the clothes that they were wearing.  It never happened for me and it caused me to really lack self-esteem.  I didn't like a single part of me for a really long time and until recently I accepted that as my situation.

When I met Tim I was overwhelmed with how wonderful he was to me.  There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't tell me how beautiful I am.  I fight him on it all the time and let me tell you, he fights back.  He is determined to show me how beautiful I am.

It got me thinking..."I wan't to see what he sees."  Lately, I have been feeling like I need to find a way to become my own biggest fan.  I need to wake up in the morning with good thoughts about myself otherwise I am going to be my own worst enemy.  How am I ever going to get healthy if I wake up with negative thoughts every morning?!

A couple weeks ago I professed on the blog that I am going to lose weight again and then I didn't, I didn't even try!  I began to self-wallow and as always I ate because of that (I am an emotional eater if you couldn't tell).  When it came time to think about my summer goals and what I wanted to see from myself, I decided there was no better time to start getting healthy than right now.

I want to become my biggest fan.

Losing weight isn't so much about fitting into the clothes that other girls wear like it was when I was younger. Now, it's about feeling good about myself and having a healthy outlook on life.  Right now, it's my number one goal.

Since being home, I have been following my Weight Watchers plan and working out daily.  Sometimes I wake up and fight myself all day about working out, but I eventually do it and it makes me proud.  It's time to feel good about myself and I hope that I will inspire some of you to do the same.

How do you all stay healthy and build good self-esteem?

On going caffeine free

My favorite mug :)

About two months ago I began experiencing anxiety really bad again.  I wasn't sleeping or eating and in general was feeling pretty unhealthy.  I knew that all of that was revving up the anxiety so I began the process of cleansing my body so that I would feel better.

After talking to my boyfriend and a few close friends I made the decision to go caffeine free because after close observation I realized it might be at the core of all my issues.

Right before I quit caffeine I realized I was suffering from awful headaches and was always shaky.  I was the type of person to drink coffee/tea/caffeinated beverages multiple times a day and I was coming to a point where my body actually needed me to stop.  Caffeine can cause cause those headaches, the jitters, in fact it can cause lack of sleep and appetite as well if you have it too much and have a reaction.  Everything I was feeling was in an unhealthy circle caused by too much caffeine consumption.  So I quit...

Sometimes it really sucks.  Like on days when I'm exhausted.  I think to myself "one thing with caffeine won't hurt me."  But it would.  My body simply cannot handle it all that well.  It also sucks on days when I go to get a coffee or tea and the place doesn't offer decaf.  It actually puts me in an awful mood.  Just ask Tim.  I think he's scared of me when I get frustrated like that.

Overall, I am really glad I made this decision for myself.  I feel so much better after having stopped consuming it and I think it is something a lot of people should consider.  It's absolutely not for everyone, but it's absolutely for me.