Dull Moments

So guys, I have a list of posts to write about! I made curtains! I did my first food crawl! Everyone's getting married! Alas. I have no time. However, I was getting questions about these, so this is what I will blog out:  vegan cupcakes. Worst-sounding combination EVER, right? I work with a group of really healthy people, one of whom is a vegan. It's her birthday... so... I made her vegan cupcakes. You can love or hate that idea, and I don't care. It's her birthday, not yours. On your birthday, I will make you steak cupcakes with veal frosting, okay? Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes Ingredients:  * 2 cups flour * 2 TBSP chia seeds (as requested by my coworker instead of flax seed, and she provided them, so I didn't aruge) * 2/3 cup cocoa powder  * 1 tsp baking powder * 1 1/2 tsp baking soda * 1 tsp salt * 2 1/2 cups Libby's canned pumpkin * 1/2 cup safflower oil * 1 1/2 cup white sugar  * 2 tsp vanilla * 2 TB

For those of you who want to know, this is what you need to understand about my new job... I use a very specific and very interesting form of behavior change counseling known as "motivational interviewing". It involves actively listening and helping the patient embrace both their ambivalence towards change and finding their own solutions to their health problems. It's amazing. It's like cheating.  I sit and listen, they solve their own problems, they embrace change. Granted, it's not that easy, but the technique is astoundingly simple and effective.  It's also very effective on your husband the guy who lives with you, until they figure out what you are doing and tell you that you aren't allowed to MI at home. However, MI is sneaky and effective, so I am secretly still doing it :). I do one and one counseling, support groups, group exercise, follow-up constantly with each patient, and a bunch of random administrative stuff.  That's what my day to