Marcus Aurelius and an Oat Banana Baked French Toast

Hello, everyone!

I have two good things to share today.

The first one is a great lecture on Marcus Aurelius, and the second is a recipe for an oat banana baked toast that I found on Pinterest.

I listened to the “Best Lecture on Stoicism" yesterday. I have previously liked the brief video on stoicism, STOICISM - MEDITATIONS BY MARCUS AURELIUS ANIMATED BOOK REVIEW by FightMediocrity, so I decided to watch more on the Roman emperor. I was not disappointed. The lecture was dynamic, well presented, without a whiff of stale academics. And of course, it was relevant, especially today, when we have a crisis in leadership at all levels. There were several highlights in the talk; for example, one was the thought of why it is pointless to be mean to each other – after all we all will die. But as it is with any great piece of art (or in this case, a great philosophy), I am sure that when you listen to the lecture, you will find your own “best moments” to appreciate and think about.
 

Oat Banana Baked French Toast: added sugar-free version

So much for the food for the soul. Now about the food that keeps the body engine going. I found the recipe for an oat-banana baked French toast on Pinterest; however, it was a bit decadent for my taste (with nut butter, maple syrup, etc.). So, I skipped these and instead of any bread, I used double fiber bread, added two eggs for protein and five tablespoons of cream of wheat (I need the iron). I also scaled up the recipe to six servings to be prepared in a single baking pan. By the way, the author of the original recipe is Amanda @ Running with Spoons. Thank you, Amanda! Here is my modified version:

Ingredients (for six servings):
· 3 bananas, mashed
· 1.5 (or more) cups unsweetened almond milk (found in any supermarket, even ours!)
· 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
· 2 Tbsp vanilla
· 6 slices of Double Fiber bread, cubed
· 1.5 cups oats
· 2 eggs
· 5 Tbsp cream of wheat (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F, prepare a pan with a non-stick spray.
2. Mix the eggs, milk, mashed bananas, and cream of wheat. Add the cinnamon and vanilla. Soak the bread cubes and oats in the mixture, stir.
3. Transfer the mixture to the pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes. I baked mine in a toaster-oven and used a clean knife to test for readiness (if the knife comes out clean, the toast is ready).

The verdict?  The “toast” was edible, with a very mild taste; however, if you are not used to low- or no-sugar food, it would take some adjustment of your palate. If you have a sweet tooth, I suggest to start the recipe with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup, and then wean yourself to no additional sugar (other than the sugar from the banana). You could add a few walnuts and raisins, which would make the taste more interesting. Overall, it is a thumbs-up recipe and I am planning on perfecting it further this holiday season!

Should you care

This will be a short post. 

I have been dealing with lots of unnecessary drama in the past two weeks. All caused by colleagues who either do not know how to communicate or put too much weight on someone’s opinion. 

My job has turned into this of putting fires out. Yep, this is my new job description, PFO.
 
The most recent crisis I dealt with was fueled by people who got offended by remarks/opinions of their colleagues. This happens frequently, everywhere.

I used to care about everyone’s opinion. I am trying not to be influenced anymore (the emphasis is on "trying", a work in progress ☺). 

If I truly cared about what was said about me (and I knew about it), I would have sunk in the deepest depression. There are tons of people evaluating my activities. Most of these individuals are bitter, unhappy with their lives and their accomplishments, in constant doubt and battles with their own bugaboos. In such psychological state, there is no generosity of spirit and mind. There is no constructive criticism.

Let me ask you a question. When you point out at something unsavory about someone's behavior and work (face to face or behind their back), what is your purpose? Is it to correct the situation or to propagate it? If you do not do your feedback face to face, and if you do not offer any advice on how to improve this person’s state of mind, work, qualities, then YOU ARE PROPAGATING THE ALREADY BAD SITUATION. You are increasing the inflammation of an open wound. 

Being always on the receiving end of criticism/evaluations, I have decided that I would pay attention only when the feedback comes from a person I respect and trust. There are not too many of these people around me.

Resonating with all of the recent events at work is this great animation on YouTube:

STOICISM - MEDITATIONS BY MARCUS AURELIUS ANIMATED BOOK REVIEW

The author of the video has other great works; I am almost addicted to his videos. Check them out.