Breaking Up With the Band {Recipe: Dairy Free Whipped Cream: Regular or Chocolate}

Moderation. We have all heard the cliche, Everything in moderation. And we have all wondered at least at one point who these people are that actually win at this thing called moderation. Seriously, who they heck are you, we want to know! While the phrase may easily slide off the tongue, putting it into action is so ridiculously hard. But why? Why is it so hard for us to live in moderation?

First of all, let’s look at what the word really means. The word itself is defined as: the avoidance of excess or extremes, especially in one’s behavior or political opinions. Some synonyms of moderation include self-restraint, restraint, self-control, self-discipline, you get the point. When we talk about the idea of moderation in our daily lives, it’s seems to be more about balance and leniency with ourselves. I feel it’s about not being so restrictive in our everyday lives and allowing ourselves indulgences at times without the feelings of guilt or feeling that we have just let go completely.

I will confess that I struggle with moderation. I am an all or nothing kind of girl many times. It’s typically either 300% or not at all. This is a problem, and I have recently taken a step, a positive one, in the name of moderation.

About a year ago, I started noticing these bracelets people were starting to wear. These were more than just fashion accessories. They were bands that you wore to calculate your physical activity each day. They could calculate how many calories you burned, distances you ran and you could even let the band monitor your sleep. I was blown away. These couldn’t be real! But they were. And of course, I HAD to have one.

I did some research on all of the different brands and looked at pricing and reliability. It was down to either the Up Band by Jawbone or the Fit Bit. I found out I could get a discount on the Jawbone through AT&T so of course I was sold. Not long after I got home from the store I was all hooked up and ready to go.

It was surprisingly motivating to be active with this little gadget around my wrist. I would plug it into my phone regularly to see how I was doing that day. 10,000 steps a day was the goal, but heck, if I did 12,000 one day, then I should be able to do at least 13,000 the next. After a brutal workout I could see the payoff by calculating all the calories that I crunched. This thing was amazing!

Are you beginning to see how this little device may be starting to relate to moderation?

For the nine months or so that I wore this band I believe there was one, maybe two days that I didn’t hit the 10,000 steps. And let me tell you, I was not pleased with myself. Seriously, how could you be so lazy? was the way I treated myself subconsciously. Several times when I had not hit my 10,000 steps near the end of the day, I got up from the couch and walked circles around the living room while my husband looked at me like I was nuts. “I have to get my steps in!” I would tell him. Over time, 10,000 steps, which was basically 100%, became not good enough. I started to hold myself to even higher standards. A lazy day relaxing on the couch after a long week was unheard of; I had to get my butt moving.

And then, one day, I realized what had happened. I had become a slave to this little machine around my arm. This bracelet was controlling my every move, literally. It was able to modify my behavior, how I felt about myself and more. How did this happen?

And so that day I took it off, and I didn’t put it back on.

I am sure there are people out there that can easily sport these sort of bracelets with no trouble at all. However, if moderation isn’t your thing, then maybe it’s something you want to reconsider or set some boundaries for yourself so that you don’t become controlled in such a way. I am just a person who has a hard time finding that sort of balance.

For instance, when it comes to food, I can have a hard time with moderation as well. Maybe not so much now as I used to be but it’s definitely a practice. I used to consider certain foods totally off limits because I knew I could not stop at just one or two. This always backfired because I slowly would break down and then eat it all. Restricting is just not a safe practice for me at all. Sure the recipes I create and my focus is on clean eating and cutting out the junk and chemicals, but I am also human. I’ve let go of the restrictions and have found freedom in knowing that if I want to have Graeter’s, then by gosh, I am going to have Graeter’s (If you are not from Cincy, look it up, it’s amazing!) I am not perfect, and everyday I remind myself that it’s okay not to be.

Think about what moderation means to you in your own life. Is it a common practice for you? Is it something that comes easily or do you have to work at it? Finding moderation means that we let go of the need or search for perfection. We slowly begin to give ourselves a break and stop being so hard on ourselves. If we can let go of the search for perfection and our rigid ways of holding ourselves up to unachievable standards then we can hopefully start to find a natural balance in our lives. And then, we can find moderation.

Maybe there will be a day that I will un-retire my Jawbone and slap it back on my wrist again. Maybe I will find a way to find balance and lighten up on myself. Clearly today is not that day, so for now, I am breaking up with the band.

Speaking of moderation, this recipe was a true test of my own ability to allow myself to indulge without going all in. One of the things I have always loved is Cool Whip. I could eat it by the spoonful. When we had Thanksgiving dinner, my pumpkin pie slice was unable to be found under my pile of the white perfection. Clearly, I need my Cool Whip, but it’s definitely full of chemicals and all sorts of words I cannot pronounce. Recently, I was able to find the perfect substitute and it is glorious. I made a regular version and a chocolate version as well. Both are delicious.

You have to make sure you use full fat coconut milk for this recipe and it needs to be chilled overnight. If not, it will not work for the whipped cream. The whipped cream is best served immediately but can also be stored in the fridge. You may want to whip it a bit before serving then. Even if you are not a fan of coconut, give this one a try. You cannot taste the coconut at all!

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Dairy Free Whipped Cream

Cook Time10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight (BPA Free)
• 2-3 tsp 100 % pure maple syrup or more to your liking
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Remove only the solid part of the coconut milk with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. You can save the liquid part for smoothies or other recipes if you prefer.
• Using a hand mixer, whip the coconut milk for about 4-5 minutes or until it becomes thick and creamy.
• You may like it without any sweetener but if you prefer, add the maple syrup and vanilla and stir. Add more to taste if needed. Eat it straight from the bowl or add it to your favorite treat!

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Chocolate Dairy Free Whipped Cream

Cook Time10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight (BPA Free)
• 2-3 tsp 100 % pure maple syrup or more to your liking
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 heaping T cocoa powder
• 3 T 100% pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tap vanilla extract

Instructions

• Remove only the solid part of the coconut milk with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. You can save the liquid part for smoothies or other recipes if you prefer.
• Using a hand mixer, whip the cream for about 4-5 minutes or until it becomes thick and creamy.
• Add in the cocoa powder and maple syrup. Whip until smooth and blended. I would start with 3 T cocoa powder and then add more if you want a richer chocolate flavor. Since the cocoa powder is unsweetened, this version calls for more maple. If you like things sweeter you may want more. This can be eaten by itself as a treat on its own or on your favorite treat!