This recipe is inspired by the Intellectual dimension of wellness.
Intellectual wellness is about learning and maximizing your cognitive abilities. The learning process includes five basic steps: readiness, stimulus, discovery, response, and application. Intellectual wellness depends on a daily habit of feeding your brain with material that expands your knowledge and world view in addition to challenging and engaging your higher level thinking skills.
“People pray for the cake. Then when God gives them batter, eggs, oil, icing, a pan, and an oven, they get frustrated and leave the kitchen. Let that sink in. Sometimes you have everything right in front of you, but how bad do you want it?” - unknown
It’s interesting how many of us have such incredible opportunities, yet we often struggle to pursue them. Perhaps it's fear of the unknown that makes us stagnant or our insecurities that keep us from realizing our dreams. However, if you’re as lucky as I have been, you may learn to lean into fear. Often times, it’s the fear of the time it takes to pursue something you really want that holds us back. We all get lazy and want things instantaneously, but let me advise you, when you put your all into either a passion, relationship, or job, the reward far outweighs the time spent pursuing it. Many years ago, when I was in my 20’s, I decided to get my real estate license. I was rather unsure of myself and my capabilities but decided to take the class. I recall blowing off the class; instead of honing in on the course work, I was busy chatting it up with my classmates. I really wanted to get my license but thought it was more fun to meet new people and hoped the coursework and exam would be easy so I could slide by. So, I went through the entire course, took the exam and, yes… I failed!
In real estate, you have three opportunities to take the exam, and if you fail three times, you have to take the course over again. Well, as if I didn’t learn the first time, of course I didn’t study and failed all three times. This failure was such a blow to my self esteem that I could have given up my dream all together. I did my 20-year-old thing and played it off as 'perhaps this wasn’t the career for me; if it was, how could I have failed?'
“Not trying is the only true failure.” – unknown
I'm not sure what it was that made me realize how much of an opportunity I had missed, but one day, I cracked open the book again. I began to really enjoy the content and explored online practice tests and took them for hours at a time until I would receive a perfect grade. Then, I sat for the exam again and passed! By seizing my opportunities, I went from wondering what was in store for me to knowing and building a successful career and business. So, don’t be careless and lazy with your opportunities even if you’re afraid of the unknown. You will feel at ease knowing you at least tried and took the chance at the opportunity even when you did not know what the outcome would be.
I made this pudding cake a few years back for a dear friends' birthday. It is so delicious and beautiful; a perfect example of what can result from using life's ingredients and seizing the opportunity to make something great!
Recipe of the Day: Berry Pudding Cake with Rum Whipped Topping
INGREDIENTS
For the Pudding Cake
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
2 half-pints fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp Framboise (raspberry brandy)
1 loaf brioche or egg bread (1 to 1-1/2 pounds)
For the Rum Whipped Cream
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the raspberries and all the blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Simmer for a minute. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise.
Slice the bread in 1/2-inch-thick slices and remove the crusts. In the bottom of a 7-1/2 inch round by 3-inch high soufflé or baking dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooked berry mixture. Arrange slices of bread in a pattern (this will become the top when it’s unmolded) and then add more berry mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, cut it to fit the mold, and add berries. Finish with bread and cooked berries, using all of the fruit and syrup.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate approximately the same diameter as the inside of the mold and place it on top. Weight the mold with a heavy can and refrigerate. Remove the weight after 6 to 8 hours. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, run a knife around the outside of the pudding and unmold it by placing it upside down onto a serving plate. Serve in wedges with rum whipped cream.
Make the whipped cream: Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve cold.
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