6 Words That Currently Define Me...

There may be certain words, phrases, quotes, or terms that resonate with you and stick with you. Sometimes I read a quote and it feels like it was written for me, or that the person was saying it to me; it feels like that's what I needed to read/hear in that moment. Quotes definitely inspire me, give me perspective, and help me stay on my path to becoming the best version of myself. At times I wonder (and my husband wonders) where my ideas/thoughts come from, as he and I think very differently about a few things.

I've been thinking about moderation, minimalism, and mindfulness lately. These words, along with happiness, health, and habits (yes, I like alliteration) seem to be terms that I come back to and that help me focus my efforts, my blog posts, and the work I choose to accept and pursue. These words might not speak to you, but they speak to me. In the 'cheesy' sense, I thought I would actually define them for you today. I say 'cheesy' because it makes me think of wedding moments on television "webster's dictionary defines love as..." (you know what I mean). Since I use these words often, I thought it was a good idea to check out their definitions to make sure they say/mean what I want them to.

1. moderation: (moderate): average in size or amount -neither too much nor too little; neither very good nor very bad; not expensive - not too high in price; avoiding extremes of behavior or expression -  observing reasonable limits
2. minimalism:  a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity
3. mindfulness: the quality or state of being mindful; the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis; also :  such a state of awareness
4. happiness: the state of being happy; an experience that makes you happy (*not a surprising definition, but I do appreciate that it says experience - not a thing)
5. health: the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially :  freedom from physical disease or pain; the general condition of the body; flourishing condition (well-being)
6. habits: a usual way of behaving : something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way

I also like the terms inspiration, motivation, etc. but I don't think I need to keep defining things for you, I just thought this would be an interesting activity.

Do you have terms that guide you or help you through your day (or this journey we call life)?

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus
www.nutrishus.com

Bruschetta Salad {ReDux}

July 21 and I'm ready with my ReDux post! For once, I was actually organized (I typically am, this mom thing just makes things harder!). This month's theme was Fresh from the Garden -The season of bountiful produce has arrived. Whether your produce comes from the Farmers Market, a CSA share, or a plot of dirt out back, show how you are using fresh July fruits or veggies. And if you have gardening successes – or failures – please share!

We just moved into our house in June, and the yard will likely be next year's project, so I don't have a garden of my own. I'm also not sure if I have a green thumb, but I have some in my social circles (hence the garden fresh basil in this recipe - thanks Jolene!). I have been enjoying Canadian grown summer fruit (cherries, nectarines) and picked fresh Saskatoon berries at our lake, but right away, my thoughts went to tomatoes for this post.

I love a good, garlicky bruschetta, but I also enjoy salads this time of year - I mean, do you really want to heat up the house with the stove?! So, a combo was my end goal. I made croutons, which I usually don't, because I think of bruschetta with a crispy bread. I also left some options depending on if you're using this as a side dish or an entree, or if you're not a big fan of onion, for example.

Bruschetta Salad

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

salad

4 ripe, roma tomatoes, de-seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2-4 cups of fresh spinach, washed and torn

1/4 cup feta, crumbled

1-2 Tbsp red onion, diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

croutons (optional)

1 1/2 cups bread, cubed (I used leftover multigrain artisan bread)

1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Croutons: Heat oven to 375F. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on baking sheet. Add cubed bread, drizzle remaining 1/2 Tbsp and lightly toss to coat. Make sure bread is spread out. Place in pre-heated oven and bake for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Check and shake pan about every 2 minutes for even cooking.

2. Let croutons cool.

3. Combine salad ingredients and toss. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

4. Mix in croutons and serve.

So simple, so flavourful, and a recipe I will definitely be making again!

See below for other garden inspired ideas and enjoy the rest of your summer! 

Steph Langdon, RD

something nutrishus

www.nutrishus.com

An InLinkz Link-up

Top 5 from the last five

Today I celebrate officially starting my business, Something Nutrishus Counselling & Coaching, 5 years ago on July 7, 2010. A lot has changed in that time, but I'm still here, I'm still self-employed, and I'm still able to pay my bills.

I have gradually been redefining my business as I figure out my passion, niche, motherhood, and areas I want to work in. After five years at this, I am able to be a bit pickier, but I still struggle to say no at times (I think it's the entrepreneurial concern of where the next pay cheque is coming from).

I can't say these are my top 5 memories or learnings, or the best of the last five years, but these are the notable things that came to me when writing this post and reflecting on how I got to today.

1) I am fortunate to have the support of my loving husband.
I could not do this without him. He helps in so many ways and I often feel like he's my business partner as I bounce ideas off of him, seek his advice, and seek his embrace when I get overwhelmed. He's my biggest fan and has always believed that I could work for myself and be successful (even when he has to help me define my success).

2) I do what I do for the freedom and flexibility.
I am not rolling in cash, but I am able to contribute to our household. Instead, I am able to enjoy the moments when I get to take my dog for a walk mid-afternoon, join a friend for coffee, spend time with my daughter, spend time in the kitchen, and be my own boss.

3) Self-employment is hard work.
My husband (refer to #1) often reminds me that many people have ideas, but few act upon them. I figured out in university that I was likely going to end up in private practice. I spent time emailing other dietitians, networking with other entrepreneurs, and going back and forth between loving what I was doing and wondering if I was crazy for choosing to do it. I now have a 7 month old daughter, and being self-employed means no formal maternity leave, but for me it also hopefully means more time with her each year, not just her first.

4) Having an off button is important.
Most people go to work, come home, and leave their work at work. For various reasons there are some people who are not able to do that (myself included). Perhaps they have clients contacting them at all hours and expecting responses, they love their work and surround themselves with it intentionally (ie. reading about the subject in their spare time for continued understanding and improvement). For me, I am always thinking about social media posts, helping/inspiring others and trying to stay up on the field (although I keep being reminded that I'll never 'catch up' and that my to-do lists will never be complete).

5) I love that I can evolve and change what I do.
I often have too many ideas of what I could do, so I have to have perspective and bring myself into focus. However, it's great to look back on what I've done, who I've worked with, and how I have found focus in my chosen career. I don't know what the future holds (as I have so many ideas), but I look forward to figuring it out as I learn more about myself and what I want to do when I grow up!

I googled top 5 lists and thought these two sites were interesting if you like lists and have time to spare (or waste):
- the top 5 of anything
- top 5 lists (daily lists from well-known personalities)

Thanks for the support and for reading over the years,

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus
www.nutrishus.com