"B'tweener" Season Blues

The ABCs of Wellness

Interior Gardens Newsletter

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"B'tweener" Season Blues and Getting Yourself Unstuck

"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again." -- Sarah Ban Breathnach

Are you feeling 'cabin fever' and weighed down these days? If so, that's winter for you. It's that time of year when Mother Nature is still in her resting zone with her roots deep in the earth as she is preparing for spring.

During this season the bone chilling, damp and coldness of winter drives us to nest, reflect, eat more comfort foods and go deep within ourselves. With that, we tend to be more sensitive, fully aware of our senses and emotions, and less physically active. Does this sound like you?

The good news is that spring is on its way! Some evidence that it is coming is daylight savings which begins Sunday, March 8th, so don't forget to set your clocks ahead. The other good news is that the first day of spring is less than three weeks away, arriving Friday, March 20th.

In the meantime, don't lose hope. Know that you are feeling what most people do this time of year to varying degrees.

Recipe of the month

Turkey Loaf with Greens

This is an all-time favorite of mine out of Glorious Greens cookbook. It's chock-full of greens, which are good for you, low in fat and just plain delicious. In fact, I just made it the other night and it's almost gone. I promise you'll like it, if not love it.

Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
1 1/3 lbs of ground natural turkey (I use 1lb turkey and the rest ground lamb for a heartier taste)
1/2 cup minced onion
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg or 2 egg whites( I use 1 egg)
1/3 cup minced celery
3 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
1 cup finely chopped swiss chard leaves, washed and stripped from their stalks
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup low fat or skim milk
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
Dijon mustard and ketchup as needed for the top

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9 inch plate and set aside.
2) In a medium-size bowl, mix all the ingredients except mustard and ketchup. Pat mixture into the prepared pie plate.
3) Spread top with a thin layer of Dijon mustard and ketchup and bake for 45 minutes, or until the meat begins to pull away from sides of pan. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting wedges. Serve with additional mustard and ketchup, if desired.

Getting Yourself Unstuck

According to Leo Tolstoy, "True life is lived when tiny changes occur. " The weather might have us in a funk, but we still have the ability to create change in our lives. The trick is to realize that the tendency for bodies at rest to stay at rest will keep us exactly where we are unless we do something. What we might not realize is that any change leads to more change. We just need to do something different.

As the seasons start to shift, it is time to plant new seeds and to grow the things we want to see sprout into our life. It's time to make some BOLD choices. What would you like to see happen in your life? Go ahead, take the next step.