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Thanksgiving Issue - November 25, 2009

Hey Everybody!

I am writing to wish you all a HAPPY, HEALTHY AND BLESSED Thanksgiving! This morning, I decided to go back into my archives to see what I had written in last years Thanksgiving newsletter. It hit home in a very powerful way. You see, two years ago my grandfather, Robert Welch, passed away in his sleep early Thanksgiving morning. It came as a surprise to the whole family, seeing as he appeared in good health the day before. His passing taught me many important things about living but I think the biggest lesson I learned is to cherish EVERY moment you have with those you love and care for...you NEVER know when their time will come.

Too often we hold on to negative emotions and let those emotions disrupt our relationships, or the time we spend with others. Learn to let go, forgive, and BE GRATEFUL for all of the positive blessings in your life. Don't wait until they are gone. Take tomorrow as a day to share with those you love and care for and continue that sharing through the rest of your year. My grandfather always had a way of letting us know we loved and cared for us. For that, I am grateful and blessed. Please take some time to read what was written last year. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Be Well,
Brittany

Thanksgiving Issue - November 24, 2008

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all find yourselves well. I decided to write a pre-Thanksgiving newsletter to encourage you all to think about what you are truly grateful for. So many of us go about our day-to-day lives without really thinking about, or appreciating, what makes our lives the way they are. Often we are unaware how important certain people or things are to us until we lose them. This Thanksgiving marks the first anniversary of my grandfather's death. I found it difficult to accept, yet ironic, that a man so important in my life would leave this earth for a better place on a day that represents thankfulness. I dedicate this newsletter to him.

My grandfather loved food, good food, but did not make the healthiest of choices. I remember him refusing anything green (except green M&Ms) and he always made sure there was dessert. I recall how much he loved the holidays. He valued family time immensely and always found a way to give individual attention to everyone. Whether it was asking twenty questions about what's going on in your life, commenting on your new hair color, or suggesting you do something better with your time, my grandfather gave attention to all of us. For that I give thanks.

He taught me many important lessons and in his honor I will take extra time this holiday season to pay attention to the people and things that make my life what it is. What are you thankful for? Sometimes we need to sit and reflect on all of the simple, yet important, things that contribute to our lives; our basic necessities like food, clothing, and a place to live. Then there are the people in our lives that truly make it what it is: our family, friends and significant others. This Thanksgiving, take the time to show appreciation for what you have in your life, even the smallest things. Times are tough in our economy right now and many people I know struggle just to put food on the table or gas in their cars. So be grateful for all of the big and little things!

I am sure you can all agree, Thanksgiving is the holiday most associated with food. When you think Thanksgiving what do you think???...TURKEY. Even if you don't eat it, turkey continues to be the main food component of this holiday. For me, it is not the meal itself that I look forward to this Thanksgiving. It is the time I will share with my family while preparing and enjoying the food. My sister, who lives in New York, and my mother, who lives in Maine, will both be in town. I miss the days my sister and I use to spend sharing our creative cooking ideas and putting them to action in the kitchen. It is our quality time together. And this Thanksgiving we will be creating new recipes and repeating old ones at my father's house, alongside my brother. It is this important time with my father, mother and siblings that I don't get to share throughout the rest of the year. For that I am thankful.

As part of my newsletter, I always include two recipes. So, for this Thanksgiving issue, I thought it would be appropriate to provide a couple recipes to add to your meal. The first one I found as I was searching to find gluten free recipes. As many of you know, I suffer from gluten allergies and it can make it very hard for me to enjoy all of a meal. I found a delicious recipe for gluten free cornbread stuffing. Since a lot of you don't have gluten allergies, you can use a traditional cornbread. If you would like a recipe for gluten free cornbread please feel free to contact me. Try this:

Corn Bread Stuffing Corn bread, crumbled and toasted 5 stalks of celery, chopped 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped 3 shallots, chopped (or 1 small onion) 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 tsp ground sage, or to taste 1/2 tsp ground thyme, or to taste 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste 1 stick of butter, melted 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth In a sauce pan melt the butter in the 2 cups of broth. Pour over the stuffing mixture and blend together. Then pour it into a 6 x 10 greased pan. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Then uncover to allow to brown for 10 to 15 minutes.

The second recipe isn't necessarily a recipe. It is something I strongly suggest: Brine your turkey. Brining adds moisture and flavor to poultry and helps to keep it from drying out. A turkey can be a serious investment in time so you want to make sure it is perfect, especially if you're entertaining. Whether you grill, smoke, fry, or roast your turkey, you should use a brined bird. To properly brine a turkey you need to start the night before you plan to cook. You will need at least 10 to 12 hours (plan on 1 hour per pound of turkey), a container large enough to hold your turkey and enough brine to cover it. You'll also need salt, water, sugar, seasonings, and enough room to refrigerate it. A large stainless steel stock pot or even a 5 gallon clean plastic bucket would make excellent containers. Whatever container you choose the turkey needs to have enough room to be turned so it should be big. Both Reynolds (Oven Roasting Bag for Turkeys) and Ziploc (XL Storage Bag) make very large food safe sealable bags that are great for brining.

To make the brine, mix 1 cup of salt (I suggest sea salt as the healthiest option) in 1 gallon of water. You will need more than 1 gallon of water but that's the ratio to aim for. Make sure that the salt is completely dissolved before adding the seasonings you like, making sure not to add anything that contains salt. Brines can be spicy hot with peppers and cayenne, savory with herbs and garlic, or sweet with molasses, honey and brown sugar. The one I find to be the best is: -2 quarts vegetable stock -1 tablespoon dried rosemary -1 tablespoon dried sage -1 tablespoon dried thyme -2 quarts cold water In a large pot combine vegetable stock, salt and herbs over a medium heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the salt is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add cold water. When you are ready to start cooking your turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse it off thoroughly in the sink with cold water until all traces of salt are off the surface inside and out. Safely discard the brine and cook your turkey as normal.

I hope that you all enjoy this Thanksgiving and remember to be grateful for all that you have been blessed with. And remember to find balance in your day-to-day lives.

Be Well,
Brittany

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Resolve2Evolve offers health counseling programs, cleansing and detoxification guidance, and Reiki therapy for men, women and children of all ages. Each of these services focuses on improving one’s body, mind, and spirit. By acknowledging the outside factors that influence our health, you can begin to RESOLVE your personal relationship with food and the body, mind, and spirit. Our focus is on lifestyle change to effectively EVOLVE into a healthier, happier you!

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