You are beauty

Last night I made my favorite banana bread recipe from the Tassajara Bread Book. The grated lemon peel in it gives it a zesty, unique flavor. I ate the banana bread this morning with a bowl of yoghurt with almonds, oats, sesame seed, flax seed, raisins, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, plus some orange wedges and a pot of matcha iri sencha 抹茶入り煎茶 (Japanese green tea with powdered green tea added).

* * * * * * *

This phrase was in my mind when I woke up this morning:

"You are the Universe's expression of Beauty"

The "you" is impersonal you, meaning all of you (including me). There is no finer expression of Beauty and Love than each and everyone of us. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could actually remember this truth and live by it in every moment. Jalalludin Rumi wrote: "Let the beauty we love be what we do."

=^.^=

Here is the recipe from Tassajara Bread Book (Edward Espe Brown, 1970, Berkeley: Shambhala)

BANANA NUT BREAD
for breakfast or dessert. A heavy.
(1 large loaf)

2 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 c oil
1/2 c honey
1 grated lemon rind
2 beaten eggs
2 c ripe banana pulp
1/4 t salt
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c raisins (optional)

Sift together flour and baking soda. blend oil, honey and lemon rind until nearly smooth. Beat in eggs. Add sifted ingredients in three pats alternately with banana pulp, beating until smooth after each addition. Fold in chopped nuts. Place in greased loaf pan. bake for 50 minutes at 350° or until fork or toothpick in center comes out dry. cool five minutes before removing from pan (p. 117).

[ t = teaspoon; c = cup. I make mine without raisins. I find that the honey is sweet enough for my taste].