Fall

It's cold this morning, a feeling of autumn having arrived last evening with gusts of wind coming off the river as we sat listening to a concert with down jackets and blankets on!
I've noticed a shift in myself the last couple of days. A readiness to revisit my priorities and structure my time in a new way. The changing season is a great opportunity to reflect and realign your life.

What is your growing edge right now?

What needs your attention in order for you to be fully alive?

How is who you are and what you do benefiting others? Yourself?

There is never a more important time than the present moment. Step fully into this one with your heart open and your feet firmly planted on the ground!

Stuck

I was backpacking with extended family a couple of weeks ago and watched some children start their day off with candy, hot chocolate and chocolate chip bagels then move through the day with lemonade, candy… you get the picture.
I held my tongue because I honestly couldn’t come up with a way to share my deep concern without so much emotion that I might cry. I wasn’t brave enough to be that vulnerable in the moment.

Getting some time and perspective on the situation I recognize it is such a big a part of who I am- Eating healthy as a lifestyle – that to be surrounded by others that don’t feel that way turned me upside down.

I wonder now, am I the crazy one? Does it really matter what kids eat? Can I separate my philosophical belief from my being at times like this and simple let go?

I don’t know if I can. What I do know is my passion for health is so great that I feel a bit brokenhearted when I observe children being fed non-nutritious foods all day long. So I will continue to plug along here and support those that are ready to change their lifestyles and I am grateful for each opportunity!

Uncomfortable

What does uncomfortable feel like for you?

Often when feelings of discomfort arise we do something very quickly to get the feeling to go away. For some people it’s eating, for others its drinking, exercising, drugs, TV, computer games…anything to get us away from our feeling.

How long would the feeling last if you were to simply allow yourself to experience it fully. Many times feelings shift and change much faster than we imagine.

Take this one on! Next time you notice you are uncomfortable simply allow yourself to be with the feeling for a minute or two. Notice where the feeling sits in your body, what are you saying to yourself, what is your body wanting to do…

Can you allow the feeling to simply be and perhaps subside without doing anything or do you find yourself wanting to eat, exercise… Either way congratulate yourself for taking the time to feel the feeling. It’s a first step to change!

Southwestern Salad

This is a twist on a taco salad that we really enjoy, its easy to assemble and quick if you are handy with a knife.

Amounts of each vegetable will change with how many you serve. This serves 4-6 depending on appetites.

Salad ingredients:

One to two head lettuce of choice or
can substitute with mixed greens,chopped.
Red bell pepper, chopped
Carrots 2-3 chopped
Celery 2-3 stalks chopped
Radishes 4-5 chopped
Red onion 1 large or 2 small, diced
Avocado- cut into pieces
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds- to toast place in oven on baking sheet at 350 for approx. 5 minutes.
2 cups black beans, can use canned or cook your own.
1+ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated.
Salsa(this is added as desired on top of the salad)
Corn chips( you crush and sprinkle a handful on each salad.)
You can really use any vegetables you enjoy, so if you don't have all of these use what you do have.

Dressing:
½-1 cup canola oil
Juice of 1-2 limes
1-2 teaspoons of chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Shake it up and add honey and salt to taste, adjust lime as needed.

Toss all of the salad ingredients together with the dressing, top with crumbled chips and salsa. Enjoy!

Nourishment

What does it mean to nourish yourself?

What idea's or thoughts come to mind?

For me nourishing myself is doing something that I know on a very deep level will support me to feel connected, clear and at ease with myself and others. There are a variety of ways to nourish yourself and they are very individual.

I remember suggesting to a client that a hot bath at the end of the day might reduce her stress and she said "I hate taking a bath". That was a great reminder for me to encourage each client to create their own lists.

Take a moment to jot down three ways in which you can nourish yourself.

"Practice nourishment. Practice it so well, you forget you're even doing it. When we learn something that completely, we have a saying for it. We say that you know it by heart." -Hale Sofia Schatz

Vacation

We just returned from a two week family vacation to Canada and Idaho. Saw some wonderful wildlife, hot springs, landscapes, and dear friends and family. I feel grateful for the two weeks as it seems to me it takes that much time to completely relax and be in what I call “whatever mode”. I didn’t need to be doing something wonderful or something I wanted every moment, just having long stretches of time to choose to do or not felt great.
My children got into a very relaxed rhythm and it was lovely to observe. Being outdoors more often felt delicious! We ended our trip backpacking near Ketchum, Idaho and the scenery is really quite spectacular there.
I spent a lot of time contemplating the awareness of who I was being as I was doing and recognized how challenging it can be. Yet what a profound difference it made when I was able to be completely present to something or someone. I wonder if that simple task is my most important work.

“Work is not always required…there is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected” -George Macdonald

A new book

I've been reading a wonderful little book titled "Eat by Choice, Not by Habit" by Sylvia E. Haskivitz,M.A. R.D.

It has some wonderful little gems and I wanted to share this one. If you are craving a specific food simply pause before you eat it. This simple 5 seconds can support you to develop the capacity to hold the tension that triggers binge eating.

Pause and ask; What are you feeling? What are you needing? Be aware as you begin to eat the food...what does the first bite taste like? What need is being met to continue eating? How are you feeling when you finish?

If you can hold off on eating it what needs are you meeting? How are you feeling now... Awareness, acceptance, and compassion are the tools for healing. And its not just about food. You can choose to pause anytime you want to check in about any craving or desire.

Pausing or taking time for reflection throughout the day is healing, pure and simple. Give it a try!


I will be out of my office for the next two weeks, will be back writing on the 21st. In the meantime pause, breathe, reflect, and smile!

Summer Vegetable Stew

This time of year the vegetables are so fresh and tasty all on there own you don’t have to do much to enhance them. We made this stew last week and it was delicious.

½ lb. small red or yellow potatoes-
2 cups fresh green beans- cut into bite size pieces
1 bunch fresh greens- kale, chard, arugula...- thinly sliced
2 tomatoes-chopped into bite sizes
2 zucchini-chopped into bite sizes
2 fresh onions- diced
1 red bell pepper- diced
½ bunch basil-finely sliced
½ bunch cilantro- finely sliced
Juice of two limes
1 can coconut milk
Salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Cook potatoes until al dente, done but not too soft and slice into bite size chunks. Steam the greens and green beans lightly. The green beans should still have a nice crunch.
Place olive oil in large sauté pan and add onions. Sauté onions until soft and translucent then add red bell pepper, zucchini and tomatoes. Sauté another 4-5 minutes until vegetable are cooked but still firm. Add the cooked potatoes, steamed greens, green beans, basil, cilantro, coconut milk, and lime juice. Taste and add salt as needed to enhance the flavors. Add a bit of water or vegetable stock if you want a bit more liquid.
Serve topped with cashews or serve a lean protein on the side. Enjoy!