Spiritual Baking

In 2010, I read this article in the Yoga Journal about how someone made bundt cakes every week, then gave them out to those in need of gift.  For the author, it became a spiritual offering.  I knew that I couldn't bake every week, but I decided to try to give away a baked good every month in 2011. 

My first attempt was for the guy that I was sorta dating at the time (Ben).  Since many of my friends are trying to lose weight, I decided that an unhealthy dessert wasn't the best option for me.  So I looked for healthy recipes.  I decided to make fruit and nut bars for Ben.  They would've worked out really well if I had the patience to actually chop everything into small pieces.  Instead, there was this pan of nut and fruit chunks in a sweet glaze.  He said that it was good, at least...

The next month, I found a recipe for an apple oatmeal crumble.  It used wheat flour (instead of white flour), brown sugar (instread of white sugar), oatmeal, apples, and butter (well, the recipe called for margarine.  But, seriously?).  So, mostly healthy.  It could be eaten as a sweet breakfast, or topped with ice cream for something like a cobbler.
I think that first one was to my favorite co-worker (Laura).  She had been overwhelmed with work lately, and I also think that it was about the time that she learned of her sister's cancer. 
I gave my new roommate one when I moved in April.  Unfortunately, she said that she doesn't like apples!


I gave one to each of my two poor, unemployed friends. At this time, I bought disposable tin baking pans, so it was easy to give the dessert away and not have to worry about getting the pan back.
I might've given one to Crazy Tom when I was dating him, but I don't remember.
In September I gave one to another guy that I was dating (Keith) because  he had just returned from two weeks in Spain and had no food in his house.  I could barely stay  there; I needs to eat!
I made one for my mother when I went home, may be in October?
This holiday season, I combined my November and December baking to make one for my cousin-in-law and her kids, and then the other for my aunt.  My best friend from K-12 helped me make these; thanks, Jeanne!


I know that I made 12, but I don't remember each person that I gave one, too.  May be one went to a potluck?  I'm not sure it was quite a spiritual practice or anything for me.  It was nice to give to people, but awkward, too.  People often wondered why I was  baking for them.  It was somewhat of a convoluted explanation to tell them about the Yoga Journal and bundt cakes!
I won't be continuing this into 2012, but it was an interesting experience.  May be some other year, I'll give away food that I actually like to make.  Like all of the soup that I've been making!  I always have so much of that, and it's almost always tastes amazing.