Compassion Fatigue and Low Carb Vegan Gluten-free Baked “Coins”

A few days ago I was reading an article that spoke about “compassion fatigue”. Well, Google will tell you that this terms means – that this is basically indifference that people experience, towards charitable causes because of being exposed to such causes or appeals too many times.

When I read that I stopped to think. We do a ton of things on OMBC (Ovenderful Mom Bakers Community) which are aligned to making a difference to society by using our healthy baking skills. Sometimes we have this happening for months at end. Across cities and even countries. Do the OMBC members also experience the same fatigue because I tend to keep sharing causes we can support through our work, continuously? While I have never asked that question, I planned to make my own observations quietly.

I started reading more about the experiences of bakers who would choose to participate in these. To gain deeper human insights into what is it that makes people give so much of themselves? And then continue to do it? That fundamental question has haunted humankind for a long time, right? I asked myself the question – why do I do it?

My honest answer for myself was because it made me feel valued. Yes, we associate contributing to society as an altruistic thing, but guess what is surprising – while we think we are doing it to add value to someone else’s life in some way, we are actually doing it to find meaning in our own work.

My next question for myself was connected to the compassion fatigue part- why do I continue to do it, over and over again? And how?

To that I realized there was no clear reason that defined my actions. Because every single cause that I have ever worked on, on my own, or collectively with OMBC members, has been spontaneous. There was no time to think because I have always jumped into it head on. That lack of fear is what I believe is the reason for being able to do it again. I don’t get tired because I am honestly not scared to fail. I wish I were a little more scared about it, perhaps it would create a stronger drive in some ways. But I am not. Let me share some spectacular examples here –

1000 kids in the slum settlement, could bake for 300.

1.25 lacs needed to help a shelter home run by an elderly lady, could raise Rs 30,000.

30 old ladies in an old age home who are waiting for people to visit them, could visit once a year.

I never use only to close the above sentences, even in my mind. Because for me each of the above is an ongoing cause. Today is 300, tomorrow 1000. Today is Rs 30k, tomorrow is 1.25 lacs. Today its once, tomorrow it will be 5 times a year.

THAT is how I do it and that is why the fatigue never sets in. Makes sense? 🙂 When you have a shifting goal, where is there the time to get exhausted of your reservoir of compassion.

Anyhow, the recipe today is really not connected to the rambling on that you read above. So let me simply just share it.

Recipe – Vegan Low Carb Gluten-free “Coins”

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 zucchini, grated super fine

1/2 tbsp dried moringa leaves

1 tbsp psyllium husk

1/4 cup almond milk

Red Chilly Flakes and Salt

Method –

1. Squeeze the extra water from the zucchini and use it for making dough / other dishes at home.
2. Mix the coconut flour and the zucchini
3. Add the moringa leaves and husk, and mix well.
4. Add the salt and chilly flakes as per taste preference
5. Add almond milk to make it a thick spoonable mixture only.
6. Prepare the baking tray by brushing it with oil lightly.
7. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees C.
8. Spoon the mix and flatten slightly, as round shapes on the baking tray
9. Bake for 20-22 minutes until done.
10. Serve hot

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