Monday, December 18, 2017

Never Too Old

--> by Karen Steinbrecher

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

As a practitioner of QiGong, an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates flowing movements, postures, breathing and focused intention, I would like to share the following:  I am now 71 years of age.  Yikes.  Practicing this modality I believe has helped me to stay young at heart, physically and mentally.  QiGong is recommended by the Harvard Medical School as well many physicians, and Dr. Oz. Its great appeal is that EVERY one can benefit, regardless of ability, age, belief system or circumstances.  Western scientific research confirms that those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong find that it helps one regain a youthful vitality, maintain health even into old age as well as to  speed recovery from illness.  The following link from Daisy Lee addresses this with a story about her teacher Master Duan, who at the time of the story was nearing 100 yrs. of age: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUHbZFu-BI&list=PL3DEE46AAE854A904. Enjoy Daisy Lee, and have fun and flow to glowing health this New Year.  Let the Qi flow to good health and happiness.

Karen Steinbrecher teaches Qigong at The Resiliency Center on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. Learn more by emailing her at karensteinbrecher@msn.com.   


At 55


by Tracie Nichols (2017)

Rounded,
changing,
graced with
radiating
spirals
across pale
softening
surface.

Me.

Worn
like a
river stone.

Deepening lines,
tracing life
trajectory
over
cheek bone
hillocks,
curving around
eyes that
have
seen.

Deeper
beauty
surfacing.

Truer
beauty
shining.

Passing
time reveals
strength
of my
river stone
woman self.

50 Years in My Skin


by Tracie Nichols (2015)

Fifty years in my skin...

there’s something

richly
beautiful

sacred

about the
lengthening swell
of breasts
and belly

silvery scar-rivers
memorializing
expansions
accommodating
womb-borne
children
and soul-
borne wounds

tracing
paths
where
pleasure
has been
given
and
received


50 years in
this body and
everything
about me
is softer

even the fierce
heart-fire
gleaming
in my eyes

these days
it warms
and invites

though once
(if I’m to
believe
my memories)
it incited

Youthfully Aging


by Jeff Katowitz, LMFT

You are about to turn fifty. Think about it – five decades. Where has the time gone? Do you feel satisfied with what you have accomplished or do you feel somewhat stuck and living in constant regret. Some of you may have children who are now just beginning a new chapter in life – going off to college or entering the workforce. Some of you started your families later and have younger children or adolescents with a few years remaining in high school. Some of you may not have children but experience a similar pressure of aging – beginning to think about the time left and how to invest your energies wisely.  Common thoughts and questions entering our minds may include:

·      “How do I want to spend the time remaining to really enjoy life?”
·      “I need to invest more energy towards my health so I can continue doing what I love.”
·      “I’d like to see things, visit places, be spontaneous and active.”
·      “I’ve been doing the same work for so long. Maybe I’d like to expand or change careers.”
·      “I’d like make sure that I focus my energies in the later part of my life on reconnecting with people I feel disconnected from.”

Sound familiar? While each of us has a different story, we are all faced with the concept of time and aging. It is important to examine things we’d like to do – if we have the ability and our situation lends itself to contemplating how the “next chapter” may look.

As I approach turning fifty this month, I look at my own situation and feel blessed. I have two sons who are developing beautifully and who no longer need me in the same way. I am married to an amazing, creative woman – a true partner in life expanding in her own new and exciting ways. I have a very loving and supportive extended family.  I am surrounded by terrific and exceptional colleagues in my work environment.

Despite my satisfaction, as I inch closer to fifty, I find myself considering the question: “What is important for me to nurture, grow and expand?” I think what is most exciting about asking all of these questions is that, if we allow ourselves to venture back to our memories involving simple activities and events, the newness of life and what it has to offer - this is our youth.

Now we can’t be nine years old playing with our favorite new toy. But what we can do is think about opportunity and expansion at the age of fifty. This can actually be very similar to the lens through which a nine year old sees the future. Do you remember saying things like “When I grow up, I’m going to be a………” or “When I get older, I want to be like……… or have……….”?  Do you remember feelings of excitement and anticipation, a sense of the future as vast and endless?

We have the opportunity to answer these same statements at fifty. For example, “When I turn fifty, I would like to start moving in a different direction. I’d like to be more creative. I’d like to have more friends. I’d like to travel more and see the world.”

Turning fifty does not have to represent aging through the lens of “I’m getting old” but can instead be a marker of time reminding us to think about our goals, passions, interests, and the experiences and adventures we would still like to have. To all those entering into your fifties, I celebrate with you and hope you are able to embrace life in ways that are exciting, engaging in events and activities that fill you with joy.

Here is a reflection process to guide you:

Step one: Sit quietly in a peaceful space for a few minutes and think about an idea, perhaps visualize an event, place, or opportunity and activity that feels good when you think about it.

Step two:  Create some type of movement that places you closer to the direction of your thoughts (ie. sharing this idea with others, developing and plan and writing it down, engaging in an activity that moves you closer to the vision(s)).

Step three: Repeat steps one and two over and over again. Good luck!

Jeffrey Katowitz, LMFT, AAMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
His areas of specialty include divorce and separation, blended family issues, adoption, adolescent development and transitions, grief and loss, and managing and working through traumatic life events.  Jeff’s goal is to provide a safe a nurturing environment for the individual and family system to feel more readily able to access the strength to overcome difficult transitions and events in their lives. Contact him at jpkatowitz@verizon.net and 215-307-0055.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

An Elephant in the Dark


Source: A Year with Rumi, Translations by Coleman Barks, p.362

Some Hindus have an elephant to show.
No one here has ever seen an elephant.
They bring it at night to a dark room.

One by one, we go in the dark and come out
saying how we experience the animal.
One of us happens to touch the trunk.
A water-pipe kind of creature.

Another, the ear. A very strong, always moving
back and forth, fan animal. Another, the leg.
I find it still, like a column on a temple.

Another touches the curved back.
A leathery throne. Another, the cleverest,
feels the tusk. A rounded sword made of porcelain.
He is proud of his description.

Each one of us touches one place
And understands the whole in that way.
The palm and the fingers feeling in the dark
are how the senses explore the reality of the elephant.

If each of us held a candle there,
and if we went in together, we could see it.

Turning Back to Winter


by Rachel Kobin

Light, dark
bitter, sweet
bursts of day
push us up
wells of night
pull us in.

Light, dark
bitter, sweet
petals once velvet
crumble to dust.
Touching the life cycle
in this moment,
floating into the next. 

Beauty in darkness


by Tracie Nichols (2015)

the moon
a ripe peach
suspended
delicately

momentary
flare of
orbed
artistry

succulent
tithe
to the
violet sky

offered
on the
laced fingers
of distant
trees

Emerging from a deep winter night


by Tracie Nichols (2016)

rich scent of
coffee

distant
chickadee glee

yellow leaves
against
mother-of-pearl
sky

and my heart

all scars and exquisiteness
beguiled by morning

cascades into
love
all over
again

Using the winter to connect with our emotions


by Catherine McLaughlin

Winter. A time to turn inward and rest, to slow down and find stillness. But for most of us, the holiday season is in full swing. The stark contrast between the calm of nature and the hustle bustle of the holidays can feel confusing. How do we honor our internal drive, while taking part in the holidays? While we can’t actually hibernate, we can do things that encourage self-sustenance, reflection, and connection. Recognizing that we are all short on time in December, here are some smartphone apps to help you through.

Mood Meter App – Developed by researchers at Yale University, Mood Meter helps you to build your emotional intelligence, become more aware of the nuances of how you’re feeling, and how to stay or shift in a desired emotional direction. Cost is 99 cents, and it is available on Apple and Android.

Insight Timer App – this free app serves as a home base for everything meditation - over 7,000 free guided meditations, connection with a community, discussion groups, and local meet-ups. Cost is Free and it’s available on Apple and Android.

Headspace App - this is an app that teaches people to meditate. Using incredibly simple and accessible language, you’re guided through meditations in short increments. There is the option to purchase more instruction once you’re in app. Cost is Free, and it’s available on Apple and Android.

Catherine McLaughlin, LPC, practices Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) at the Resiliency Center.  If this therapeutic approach sounds like a good fit for you, please give her a call at 267-800-5073 or email Catherine@cjmcounseling.com for a complimentary consultation.

Turning the Light Around


by Karen Steinbrecher

Twenty-five hundred years ago, Lao Tzu, in China, wrote the “Tao Te Ching”.  For spiritual seekers, the Tao Te Ching is a manual on how to accomplish, within oneself, a higher level of spiritual cultivation.  Simply put, the “tao” is the way, walking the path, going with the flow of life.  Lao Tzu composed 82 verses, teachings, practices, that offer us a way to make our own path, find a personal road map on our own inner journey.  One aspect of my personal path is practicing QiGong, with flowing and healing movements, a tool for me to align my thoughts, heart and my physical body.  As the ground hardens and the air chills, QiGong practice helps me harmonize with the season of winter. In Taoist traditions, winter is the season when you are called to explore what lives below the surface, to pay attention to the internal workings of your intuition.Verse 52 of the “Tao Te Ching” is essentially about “turning the Light around”. A current translation reads, ”Seeing into darkness is clarity. Knowing how to yield is strength. Use your OWN LIGHT and return to the source of light. This is called practicing eternity….In the beginning was the Tao. All things issue from it; all things return to it.” Solala Towler created the following practice that resonates with “Turning the Light Around”:

Focus upon your breath, allowing your breath to become unforced and natural.  Sitting on a cushion or on the edge of a chair, imagine there is a thread coming from the top of your skull, up to the Heavens. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth and breathe slowly, deeply into your belly. Closing your eyes completely, or open just a little, allow your thoughts to slow down until you can keep one thought.  This means that, instead of letting the wild horse of thought run all over your consciousness, gently guide him onto one path and keep him there.  You only want to tame the horse, quieting your mind.  Turning your sight inward, focus upon your inner self, let go of your outer self.  Allow the “light” of your inward gaze to connect you with your original spirit.  Ever deepen your gaze and relaxation, noticing what arises in your experience.  Spending some time in this state, celebrate your light, feed your soul, your heart, your being.  When you are ready, opening your eyes, sit still for a few moments before reentering the outer world of “doing.” Take your time.  By practicing in this way, you may reach what Taoists call Living Midnight, a state of profound mental stillness; this is the quietude that allows the original, or celestial spirit to come forth.

Karen Steinbrecher leads Qi Gong classes at The Resiliency Center on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. For more information, contact her at karensteinbrecher@msn.com.

The Gifts of Darkness


by Elizabeth Venart

Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light. – Madeleine L’Engle

What does it mean to “know the darkness”? As this month steadily darkens until our shortest day on the Winter Solstice, I sat with this quote, reflecting on our relationship with light and dark. Is darkness something we ignore, avoid, dread, or try to escape? Or is it something we can welcome? I am struck by the dance we often do, the battle with the dark as it approaches, the push to do as much and as fast as always despite the decrease in daylight. While a seeing person may fear the dark or turn on more lights to obscure it, those born blind have a different relationship to the darkness. Although others imagined her inner world as a place of darkness, Helen Keller described it as rich and vibrant, “golden,” and a “God-made world.”

While we may find ourselves bracing in anticipation of the harsher realities of winter – with its cold and its dark, we have another choice. Instead of pushing against the natural rhythm of the season, we could find ways to accept winter for what it is - a time to start over and build to renewal in the spring.  We can seek new and creative ways to connect with the season and move within it, to celebrate the scarcity of light and welcome it into our daily lives with a different perspective.

First, we may find greater peace by simply accepting what is. There is less daylight in the winter months. Winter really calls our attention to the ecosystem in which we live. Instead of walking outside barefoot to get the mail, we must bundle up. Our bodies may tense at the feel of the cold air on our face and hands. Instead of wishing for summer’s light to return, what if we took time to appreciate the gifts of the longer nights ahead? Noticing our reactions and negative expectations, we can practice breathing into what is rather than bracing against, ignoring, or trying to change it. This is a mindfulness practice that helps with physical pain and can also support us in the changing of the seasons.

Accepting the darkness, we may begin opening to the gifts these shorter days can bring. The dark invites us to slow down, to rest and replenish our bodies and minds. Like the bear, our bodies may feel a pull to hibernate. Sleep may come earlier and be more restful in the darkness of the winter light. We may also feel pulled to stay indoors and cuddle up under blankets, make soup, and listen to music in the candlelight. In the quiet of the winter’s night, we have an opportunity to go within and reflect. For some, meditation practice may be deeper. Others may be inspired to write or draw, to create. Sinking into a favorite piece of poetry or prose offers another way to explore our inner world. Allow the rhythm and landscape of its words to sink into your being by reading it silently or aloud three times, underlining or highlighting phrases that ring true.


If you are struggling with the dark, you may want to get curious about what it is, specifically, that you “don’t like” about winter. You can then brainstorm creative solutions to address it.  For example, if you crave more time outside, you could consider getting outside at lunchtime, walking with friends in the early evening wearing headlamps, and stargazing. If, instead, you notice yourself missing time with friends, consider cultivating some new winter traditions for socializing –  invite friends and family for big Sunday dinners, go to the movies or host movie nights, enjoy singing around a piano or playing music by the fire.  If you are less active in the winter, consider joining a gym or sports league, ice skating, skiing, and sledding (not just for the kids!). Winter won’t offer us the summer barbecue, time at the pool, or a weekend at the beach – but it has the ability to be enriching and enjoyable in its own ways.  

Some of the feelings of being “down” in the winter light are connected to an expectations that we keep the same energy, pace, and routines as the rest of the year. However, for those with recurrent depression, the darker days may result in increased symptoms (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  In that case, solutions may include increasing exercise, modifying diet, considering medication, and using special light boxes (which have become much more affordable in recent years).

Finally, winter also offers us creative ways to bring in Light. The longer days and cooler nights invite us to build fires in our fireplaces and wood stoves, sit outside around a firepit, light a candle.  In the darkness of the New Moon of each winter month, we have our best chance to see the full tapestry of stars in the evening sky.  We can also practice laughter and laughter yoga as a way of bringing the energy of summer to our winter days and nights. Research has shown that 15-20 minutes per day of laughter boosts our immune system, improves our mood, brings pain relief, improves our outlook, and strengthens our heart. You need not rely on jokes or comedy – you can simply laugh. Our brains cannot tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter – so practice fake laughing from your belly to feel better. Learn more [Insert link to: www.laughteryoga.org]

Brene Brown, author of The Gifts of Imperfection reflected, “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” In the darkness, we have an opportunity to meet ourselves – without the hums and noises of screens or lights or the sun. With less stimulation to our senses, we can come home to ourselves and our breathing. Sitting in the quiet, with only the faint light of a candle, we can begin to notice and feel our current state, reflecting on the question, “How am I?” with an earnest curiosity that may be challenging under the harsher lights of daytime.

Instead of using our energies to brace against the darkness that is winter, we may find greater satisfaction and peace if we instead embrace this season. May this winter bring you peace and a greater connection with your own inner radiance.

Elizabeth Venart is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the Founder and Director of The Resiliency Center. She is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant who specializes in providing counseling and mentorship to other therapists and working to empower Highly Sensitive Persons to heal the wounds of the past so that they can embrace their gifts more fully and experience greater joy. Learn more at www.elizabethvenart.com.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

A Generosity of Spirit


by Dean Solon

Gentleness with self opens to and reveals a wonderful “secret” teaching: you are perfectly all right as you are

You are perfectly all right as you are.

This gentleness and generosity with yourself unfolds to a feeling and to a sharing of light and warmth, of compassion and lovingkindness, with other living beings.
And so your perception of life and of the world begins to change and to expand…and so the world changes, too.

Sitting…in this moment…in this present and precious moment.
The concoction and connection is already residing inside you.
The concoction and connection is already and always breathing, already and always living, inside you…
waiting to be released,
waiting to be revealed,
waiting to be shared freely.

Dean Solon leads meditation groups on Monday mornings and Thursday evenings at the Resiliency Center.  He has been practicing for over 45 years and facilitating meditation groups since 2003.  He encourages a personal, gentle, non-rigid approach to mindfulness-and- heartfulness meditation.

Loving-Kindness and Generosity of Spirit


by Karen Steinbrecher

In QiGong practice, I lead participants in a “Lovingkindness of the Heart” practice from Lee Holden also called “Lotus Flow”.  We send out lovingkindness with our hands.  This diamond-light is sent to the earth, to our hearts, to one another, back to the earth and ascends up in the shape of a lotus-flower, returning to our hearts, and continuing to ascend up above our heads to the Universe.  We repeat this several times with words of lovingkindness, compassion, forgiveness and peace.  These lovely peaceful words help to bring expansiveness of the heart, inviting joy to blossom in your heart.

To practice opening your heart through the gentle movements and deep breathing of Qi Gong, join me at the center and/or watch a video of Lee Holden introducing some gentle Qi Gong practices at https://youtu.be/zAKqL3elCjg

Karen Steinbrecher leads QiGong classes twice a week at the Resiliency Center, on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. 

Emotions and Compassion


by Catherine McLaughlin

When we experience emotional pain, our natural tendency is to push “bad” feelings away before we fully experience them.  To be alone with them.  These feelings can get trapped in our bodies and cause physical and psychological pain.

Many approaches to therapy teach us that if we think or behave differently, our pain will naturally go away.

However, this focus on changing thoughts and behaviors doesn’t work for everyone.

There is another way. We can free up the unfelt “bad” feelings when we experience them in the presence of compassion and lovingkindness.  Facing feelings together, we learn that we are not alone in our pain and find a way back to ourselves. 

Catherine McLaughlin, LPC, practices Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) at the Resiliency Center.  If this therapeutic approach sounds like a good fit for you, please give her a call at 267-800-5073 or email Catherine@cjmcounseling.com for a complimentary consultation.

From SAD to Glad . . . Giving grace through nourishing the self and others

by Kristin Fulmer

One of the greatest ways to express loving kindness to yourself and others is with preparing and enjoying eating wholesome, nutrient dense foods. Unfortunately, living in Western society we are often inundated and encouraged to eat quickly and for convenience, a Standard American Diet or SAD. A typical Western diet or SAD is full of unhealthy fats, refined sugars, processed foods, pasteurized dairy, and genetically modified foods that can play havoc with our physical and emotional health causing us to feel SAD, MAD, and overall just plain BAD.

During this holiday season, allow the wisdom of your body and the compassion of your spirit to rejoice with eating a more traditional wholesome diet - a diet rich in pastured meats, wild fish, vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, a natural remedy for diseases of body and mind.  

Here are three delicious ways to go from SAD to Glad:

1. Increase your consumption of whole unprocessed nutrient dense foods sourced from healthy and happy animals and organic (if possible) produce. Keep it simple - pastured meats and eggs, wild fish, cultured or raw dairy, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, properly prepared whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

2. Reduce the consumption of packaged ‘food-like’ products. If you can’t read or recognize the ingredients then don’t eat it! Here’s another clue, if you served this food to your grandmother or great grandmother would she recognize this food? If not, don’t eat it!

3. Get back into the kitchen. Cooking more meals at home means spending more time with family and involving other family members in the meal choice and preparation. There’s no hidden ingredients to worry about and recipe modifications are easily accommodated. Yes, preparing meals at home may take more time but your health and the health of your loved ones are worth it!

Here’s to your health, harmony, and happiness!

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com and visit her website [insert link to: www.healthybody-happybrain.com]

Monday, September 11, 2017

Lessons from Summer

by Catherine McLaughlin
 
For me, fall is a time to get back into a routine. With three young children, summers are an all-out party for us - my kids want to go all the places and do all the things. In my former life as a School Counselor, I had summers off, so I could make that happen for us. But working over the summer changes things. Here’s what I learned, and what I’ll take with me to next summer.
 
1. Stay on a schedule - Most kids respond better when they’re on a schedule, even when they think they don’t. Remember when they were babies and we tried to nap and feed them at the same times? Being on a schedule also works better for a family with two working parents. Being on a schedule doesn’t mean that life has to be boring - it just provides kids with a framework for their days. Most kids can relax when they know what’s up next.
 
2. Mix it up - Plan some fun activities and surprises. During summer, days are longer, more daylight, more time to fill. Planning some surprise outings will keep everyone guessing and having fun. It will also score you some parent points.
 
3. Maintain your own routine - This is a big one for me. Letting my own exercise and meditation routine fall to the wayside did nothing for my parenting. Like my kids, I need a schedule to be able to relax and feel comfortable. With kids at home all day, making time for yourself can be difficult. Next summer I’ll have to be creative - waking up earlier than usual or exercising after kids go to bed. Practicing mindfulness meditation can be especially helpful, especially when dealing with more family time than we’re used to. 

Happy Back to School!

Catherine McLaughlin is a Licensed Professional Counselor and School Counselor. She sees adolescents and adults in private practice, specializing in issues of adolescence and providing therapy for parents of teens experiencing difficult times. Catherine can be reached at 267-800-5073 and catherine@cjmcounseling.com.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

It’s Harvest Time!! Autumn – A Perfect Time to Nourish the Body, Mind, and Soul

by Kristin Fulmer, Certified Nutritional Therapist

Autumn is officially here, the days are getter shorter, the leaves are changing, and the kids are busy with school and activities. And if you are like me….perhaps you may have indulged over the summer on way too much barbeque, beer, and burgers. Thankfully, the Fall provides us with wonderful opportunities to get back into a routine, reevaluate our needs and make some healthy improvements.

Our body, mind, and spirit flourish when we can appreciate and experience the changing seasons while also being aware of our changing seasonal needs both physical and emotional. For me, one of the greatest joys of Autumn is visiting the numerous local farmers markets and enjoying the bountiful selections of delicious produce, meats, cheeses, teas, and chocolates. As a nutritional therapist, I encourage my clients to become more nourished by eating seasonally, cooking locally produced real food, and sitting down with the friends and family to enjoy lovingly prepared meals. Frequenting local farmers markets also means supporting local economies, local farmers and food artisans, which can enhance our individual health while contributing to a thriving community wellness. It’s a yummy win-win proposition!

Happy harvesting!

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few great places to begin…

Local Harvest, https://www.localharvest.org, connects people looking for good food with the farmers who produce it. For Local Harvest, the goal of the local food movement is to create thriving community-based food systems that will make high quality local food available to everyone.

Farm to City, Real Farmers, Real Food, https://farmtocity.org/find-local-food/farmers-markets/ manages 13 weekly, outdoor farmers’ markets. These markets provide neighborhoods with fresh foods produced in the region.

The Food Trust, http://thefoodtrust.org/farmers-markets , in partnership with Get Healthy Philly, operates 22 farmers markets in Philadelphia, including Clark Park Farmers Market, Philly’s oldest year-round market and The Headhouse Farmers Market the city's largest outdoor market. Many of The Food Trust's farmers markets are located in neighborhoods that otherwise lack access to healthy foods; these markets accept SNAP (food stamp) benefits and Philly Food Bucks to make fruits and vegetables more affordable to everyone.

Pennsylvania Farmers Markets Directory is a helpful search for open air markets in PA,  http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Pennsylvania.htm

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com or website: www.healthybody-happybrain.com

Stuffed Heirloom Squash with Sausage, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, and Sage

Recipe by Kristin Fulmer, adapted from MyHumbleKitchen.com

The flavors of the roasted squash with its filling seasoned with sage and cardamom complimented each other well. Sweet and savory filled with spice.

Ingredients:
2 heirloom or acorn squash (suitable for stuffing)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to season
3 thick sliced pieces of (pastured, nitrate-free) bacon, diced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1lb ground (pastured, nitrate-free) chicken, pork, beef, bison, or lamb
2 cups market greens or veggies – use whatever you bought at the market (kale, chard, spinach, zucchini)
1 tablespoon, chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sliced preferably raw cheese (omit if problems with dairy)

Method:
Cut the squashes in half, scraping out all of the seeds. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (reserve the seeds to toast later with some fats and salt)

Place on a baking stone or sheet, cut side up, and roast at 375F for 1 hour or until its soft and can be pierced with a fork.

Once the squash has been roasted:
In a small cast iron pan or skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until its fat has been rendered and the meat is brown and crispy. Set aside.

In the bacon fat, saute the onion until it's soft and begins to turn brown and caramelize, add market greens and saute lightly. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet or pan, cook the ground pork over medium heat.

Once it's cooked through, add the onion, 1/2 of the bacon, sage, cardamom, 1 tsp salt, and apple cider vinegar. Mix through.

Cook on medium low heat for about 5 minutes allowing the flavors to incorporate.

Stuff the Squash.

Divide the mixture into the four squash pieces.

Garnish with cheddar cheese, fresh cut sage, and the remaining bacon pieces.

Return to the oven for an additional five minutes, allowing the cheese to melt.

Adapted from: http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2012/10/stuffed-heirloom-squash-with-sausage-bacon-caramelized-onions-and-sage/

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com or website: www.healthybody-happybrain.com