The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

I’ve been thinking about you all quite a bit. I hope you are taking care of yourself. I hope you have your needs met. I hope you have things to be grateful for and that laughter is finding its way to you during these quiet spring days. Today I have for you two recipes. One is for your heart/mind/body and the other is for your stomach.

In this edition of Quarantine Cuisine, I present: Dream Cakes. Gourmet food doesn’t have to be expensive! Do you have stacks of canned salmon (or tuna or crab) in your doomsday closet? One great thing about canned fish is that it has incredible shelf life. Fish is rich in protein and low in saturated fats, which is necessary when the world is suddenly changing, and you still need to have proper brain functions. Salmon and other fish are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which are necessary for optimal brain and heart health. If you’re having a hard time getting creative with a few ingredients-have no fear, Dream Cakes are here! Grab the cans out of your pantry along with these other simple ingredients and you will have the whole crew asking for more. You can even add different flavors to season your cakes like dill, chili powder, paprika and lemon.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup canned salmon (or tuna or crab) drained and flaked

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 TBSP milk

2 TBSP onion, finely chopped

2 TBSP celery, finely chopped

½ TSP dill, dried (optional)

¼ TSP pepper

1 slice whole wheat bread, cut into cubes

½ cup bread crumbs (optional)

1 TBSP cooking oil

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Mix well. Divide mixture into six patties. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Place patties in the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve warm, garnish with lemon wedge and hand sanitizer.

Mindfulness. What is it? Mindfulness is a state of nonjudgmental awareness of what’s happening in the present moment, including the awareness of one’s own thoughts, feelings and senses. The two components of mindfulness are awareness and acceptance. During a state of mindfulness, you will notice your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations as they happen. The goal isn’t to clear your mind or to stop thinking--it’s to become aware of your thoughts and feelings, rather than getting lost in them.

The thoughts, feelings and sensations that you notice should be observed in a nonjudgmental manner. For example, if you notice a feeling of nervousness, simply state to yourself: “I notice that I am feeling nervous.” There’s no need to further judge or change the feeling.

The Benefits of Mindfulness: Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Greater satisfaction within relationships. Improved memory focus and mental processing speed. Improved ability to adapt to stressful situations. Reduced rumination and improved ability to manage emotions.

Mindfulness is a state of mind, rather than a particular action or exercise. However, without practice, mindfulness is difficult to achieve. These techniques are designed to help you practice.

Mindfulness Walk: While walking, make a point to practice mindfulness. Start by noticing how your body moves and feels with each step. Then, expand your awareness to your surroundings. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Feel? You can do this activity virtually anywhere doing anything.

Five Senses: Make a conscious effort to notice the present moment through each of your five senses. 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 1 thing you taste and 1 thing you smell.

Body Scan: Pay close attention to the physical sensations throughout your body. Start with your feet and move up through your body. Start with your feet and move up your legs, groin, abdomen, chest, back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck and face. Spend anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute on each body part.

Since we all have a bit more time on our hands than we are used to, I hope you give mindfulness practice a try. This moment in life we are experiencing is comparable to a fiction novel, but it is also an incredibly rare opportunity to slow down, be present, and focus on what is most important.

Be well, Wahkiakum- I salute the spirit in you!

"Look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of This Moment." Rumi.