Feel Good Monday Post: Shine as you are!

Hi Everyone,

I am writing my Monday post on Sunday as I have the kiddies home tomorrow.  Today happens to my 43rd birthday.  Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend a women's workshop (one of my birthday gifts) where we spent a very introspective day and ended with a beautiful guided meditation.  During the last few moments of the exercise, a phrase came to me that I would like to share, "shine as you are".

We each might make this mean something a little different, but to me it meant, this is your time to live out loud and not hold anything back.  I share this with you because I believe this is appropriate for us all.  Where do you hold back in your life? Where do you let yourself shine?  Letting yourself shine is more than just about being good to you. We are all in this world together.  When one person shines brilliantly, it inspires another to shine their brightest. Imagine what an amazing world we would have if we each allowed ourself to shine NOW.

Another meaning of this phrase could be "you are all that you need to be in this moment". Same ultimate message, "what are we waiting for"?

It is my birthday promise to myself to shine more brightly, more regularly, in more areas of my life.
Will you join me in this noble, perhaps crazy resolution?

Also, I am excited to share with you that I will be part of Mother Earth's monthly "Wednesday Wellness Event".  They will be held the 4th Wednesday of each month from 5-7pm at their Kingston store.  There will be a variety of wellness practitioners there, including massage therapists, yoga instructors, fitness trainers, nutrition counselors and food demos as well.  I will be there offering free 10 minute mini nutrition sessions. If you can come by, I think you will be glad you did!

FOOD WISE (This is supposed to be a nutrition blog, isn't it?:)
Friday night I made fish cakes from a family recipe (my family is Portuguese).  They were delicious and felt great.  I believe they are my grandfather's recipe but they could be my grandmother's so I will call them, Armando and Maria- Julia's Fish Cakes

Armando & Maria- Julia's Fish Cakes
1 ld cod or scrod
2 large yukon gold potatoes
4 tbsp parsley, chopped
5 tbsp flour (I used almond)
4 eggs
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
pepper
1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, onion
2 small onions or 1 large, diced
olive oil for the saute'

1.Boil potatoes until tender, put through ricer or mash thoroughly if you don't have a ricer.
2. Boil fish with carrot, celery, onion for about 5 minutes (simmer)
3. Beat eggs
4. Mix the fish, potatoes, salt, eggs, onions (you can either caramelize them beforehand or uses them raw) into a bowl and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet.
Make cakes in any shape you prefer.  I made medium sized patties.  Cook for 5 minutes on each side.
Place on paper towel while you are cooking the rest of the mixture.

I made a Veganaise/ mustard, lemon dip the first day. The second day, we had them with chopped pickles. They were yummy both days!

If you have an aversion to fish, try cooking something from your own family's archive of recipes. It is a nice way to connect with your history and bring it into the current moment!

Have a beautiful week everyone!
Lysa