I’ve always considered myself independent. I’m a pup that knows what she wants, when she wants it, and have no problem going to get it. I, not now nor ever, will settle for anything less. Quite naturally, a pup as independent as me is always chasing after a new goal. My philosophy on achieving any goal…

Listen to your body.

You know? That beautiful vessel that you live in everyday. That one that has carried you from birth to this very moment. Your body speaks to you constantly. And, it tells you exactly what you need when you need it.

It’s no secret that I love morning walks. The wind in my face, sun hitting my back, and the chance to chase a few squirrels is always a good time to me.

One day last week, I was doing my morning walk with Mom. Instead of doing our usual 2 laps around the development, Mom decided to do four. Ordinarily, I would’ve been cool with doing the extra laps. However, on this particular day my body was screaming “absolutely not!”

I was fine while trotting alongside Mom on the third lap and half of the fourth. When all of a sudden, my body said “freeze.” Mom tried to pull me forward and my body wouldn’t budge. She stood there with me for a few minutes to let me rest and I still was too tired keep going. Finally, Mom decided to pick me up and carry me the rest of the way home. So much for doing a double.

I slept like a log all day and most of the night. Although my mind was saying “You can do these extra laps,” my body was telling me you’re done. So, in the common battle of mind versus body, my body won this time. My mind was smart enough to listen to it.

Listening to your body is important. It tells you when you’re tired, hungry, energetic, stressed, and even when you’re completely satisfied. Your body tells you what you like, can’t stand, feels awful, and ultimately what feels good.

Your body is what takes you through the day. So, how can you achieve those goals if you’re not listening to the one thing that you’re using to get you through it. As Sonia Choquette stated…

Your body speaks to you in whispers everyday. Practice listening and communicating it. Train your mind to know when and how to react thoughtfully to your body’s needs and desires. Take care of your body and it’ll definitely take care of you.

These Banana Oatmeal Pupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting are dedicated to listening to your body.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story. So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

How do you practice listening to your body? How has listening to your body made it easier to achieve your goals?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three. We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Banana Oatmeal Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Quaker Oats
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Mashed Banana
• 1 Egg

Peanut Butter Frosting

1. ¼ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (unsalted with no added sugars)
2. 3 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt

Instructions

Yields: 12 – 14 Mini Pupcakes

For Banana Oatmeal Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 12 – 14 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, and dried Quaker oats. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, mashed banana, and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
6. Spread or pipe peanut butter frosting onto the pupcakes.

For Peanut Butter Frosting

1. In large mixing bowl beat peanut butter and yogurt together on medium speed. Mix until creamy. Frosting should have the consistency of whipped cream.
2. Spread or pipe peanut butter frosting onto the pupcakes. 

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals. Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.