Week 5: 🧡 Feeling My Feelings (and Eating Pumpkin Pie)
I took some time today just to feel my feelings.
I sat quietly, holding an iced coffee with coconut milk and a slice of pumpkin pie.
I felt anxious. Angry. Lost.
But also… relief.
I recently started trauma therapy, and after only two sessions, I already feel a little lighter.
If you’re reading this – thank you, Dr. Therapist! You’ve given me space to say and think things that no other relationship in my life has allowed.
My anxiety is slowly easing, and for the first time in a long time, I can sit and truly enjoy something as simple as coffee and pie.
It’s funny, such a sad beginning to what turned into a really happy day.
Right now, I’m reading Esther Perel’s Mating in Captivity, and wow, it’s spicy.
I’m going through a divorce, and this book is fascinating. The idea that someone can come into your life to make it interesting again. The special person’s purpose might simply be to add spark and this really resonated with me.
Perel talks about how partners need distance and community to keep desire alive. Her language adds so much depth and texture to the mundane.
While she doesn’t dive deeply into attachment theory (which I’d love to see more of), what she writes doesn’t contradict it either. In fact, it feels like a great companion to it.
And since we’re talking about adding spice to the mundane, here’s something to bring a little warmth into your morning routine, too.
A base recipe for a sheet-style breakfast bake, with optional variations to keep things healthier (and lighter) than pumpkin pie:
🥣 Whole-Grain Sheet Pan Breakfast Bake (Customizable Base)
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose baking Mix or whole wheat baking mix
- 1 cup coconut milk or unsweetened almond or soy milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil, or melted butter
- 1/2 cup rolled oats or oat bran, pre softened steel cut oats, or ground flaxseed (for fiber + whole grains)
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, blended silken tofu (for protein and moisture)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Optional for sweet versions: date sugar
- 1 Optional for sweet versions: banana
- 1/4 tsp Optional for savory versions: black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Line or grease a 9×13-inch sheet pan. Dust with a handful of multi purpose baking mix.
- In a large bowl, mix biscuit mix, oats or flax, salt, and any dry spices for your variation.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt/tofu). Add sweetener for sweet versions or pepper for savory.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth but thick. Add a splash more milk if needed.
- Fold in chosen add-ins (vegetables, proteins, fruits, nuts, or spices).
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake 25–35 minutes, until golden and firm in the center. The edges will pull away from the pan.
- Let cool slightly before taking a knife to the sides to prevent sticking
- Cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into 8 – 12 squares. Serve warm or chilled.
- Wrap individually in plastic wrap in store in fridge or freezer.
- Optional: eat with a banana and a cup of coffee for a quick breakfast on the go
Notes
- 2 cups finely chopped spinach, broccoli, bell pepper, and onion
- 2 cloves of garlic powder or 1 tsp herb blend
- Salt and pepper to taste
🐖 Southern Power Bake
- 1–1½ cups cooked turkey or chicken sausage
- ½ cup finely chopped kale or collard greens
- ¼ cup cooked quinoa
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
🌮 Tex-Mex Veggie Bake
- 1 cup black beans drained
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper (or any color pepper)
- 1 tsp chili powder + ½ tsp cumin
- Optional: diced jalapeño for heat
🍯 Sweet Variations 🍫 Chocolate Drizzle Spice Bake
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 small zucchini or 1/2 bag frozen zucchini (thawed and drained) blended to a cream with the milk from the recipe
🎃 Pumpkin Spice Protein Bake
- Replace ½ cup milk with ½ cup pumpkin purée
- 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely diced or grated carrots (adds natural sweetness, texture, and color) blended to a cream with the milk from the recipe
Topping: Sprinkle rolled oats or chopped pecans before baking.
🌰 Coffee Date Nut Bake
- ⅓ cup chopped Medjool dates
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts)
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato or butternut squash (freshly cooked or from frozen — just thaw and drain any extra liquid before adding)
- Substitute coconut milk with strongly brewed coffee
🧊 Storage
- Store in fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
- I make a double batch in a sheet cake pan and freeze squares in plastic wrap for a quick and ready breakfast meal prep. I eat with a cup of coffee and banana
- Reheat at 350 °F (175 °C) until warm and slightly crisp.