Summer is here. School’s out. Time to play. Remember what mom said years ago…. “Play nice!” She meant have fun while treating others and things respectfully. If you play nice, friends always want to play with you, and playthings won’t get broken. So, call those nice friends and schedule some fun activities in the U.P.
Take the kids to a U.P. zoo. Go whitewater rafting down the Menominee River. Google “Hiking Upper Peninsula Trails” for an exhaustive list of some of the best and most beautiful hiking in the Midwest, right here near home, healthy and inexpensive!
Google “Upper Peninsula waterfalls map,” then go. We in the U.P. have the best waterfalls. Lower Michigan has only one puny public-accessible waterfall. Too bad for them!
There are five-hundred-and-fifty miles of the famous North Country Scenic Trail running from St. Ignace at the Mighty Mackinac Bridge to Tahquamenon Falls State Park, to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, through Marquette to the virgin forest in the Porcupine Mountains, then to the Wisconsin border and beyond—enough to wear out two pairs of hiking boots!
Our outstanding U.P. state and national parks and forests are great for fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, camping, photography, birding.
There’s no need to fly to some other state. Instead, experience what the U.P. has to offer!
We have some of the cleanest beaches in the nation thanks to the sparkling waters of Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron—so many beaches, so little time. There are centuries of shipwrecks to explore. If you haven’t been snorkeling, do it! Don’t let all that crystal clear water go to waste. If needed, rent or buy a wet or dry suit, mask, and snorkel. There is a whole world of subsurface surprises waiting for you.
Bike trails—some are paved and relaxing, some are rugged and exciting. Take your pick. Michigan offers more rail trails than any other state and is home to the International Mountain Biking Association Silver Level Ride Center in Copper Harbor. From top-rated singletracks to thousands of miles of family-friendly rail trails, Michigan is one of the most bike-friendly states in the nation. Some trails are e-bike friendly. Call your local bike shop for details.
The above activities all share some critical qualities. They’re local, interesting, healthy, fun, and a great way to be with friends respecting the outdoors by minimizing recreational gas burning. Notice none of the activities above require an airplane, an outboard motor, a jet ski, motorized dirt bike or ATV. I just suggested more than a few summers’ worth of activities that require absolute minimal gas burning. Don’t fly in fuel-guzzling airplanes to play in some other state. Instead, save those fuel dollars or spend those dollars on an electric vehicle rental for your “play nice” local adventure.
Burning fossil fuels just to have fun is not how we play nice in the outdoors.
The International Panel on Climate Change issued its comprehensive summary report earlier this year. They are desperately pleading to get people, especially Americans, to burn less fossil fuel. All regions, including the U.P., are experiencing “widespread adverse impacts.” Oceans and ice caps routinely break high temperature records.
People are slow to change. Marketing relentlessly entices us to distant exotic vacations, powerful, speedy gasoline engines on land, water, and in trucks, and suggests that a beach in another state is better than our own beaches. I’m not convinced.
So, play nice this summer. Leave the gas can at home. Breathe clean fresh air and less CO2. Help keep the climate stable and our amazing U.P. playground beautiful and unbroken, today and tomorrow.
Steve Waller’s family lives in a wind- and solar-powered home. He has been involved with conservation and energy issues since the 1970s and frequently teaches about energy. Steve can be reached at Steve@UPWallers.net.
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be! By inviting play and exploration into your cooking, you can turn it into a fun and creative activity. Here are some of our favorite ways for finding play in preparing your food:
Visit the farmer’s market: Visiting a farmer’s market can be a great source of inspiration for cooking. Seeing all the fresh produce and talking to the farmers can spark ideas for new recipes. You might find yourself drawn to a particular ingredient or combination of flavors that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Try a new recipe with an unfamiliar ingredient: Cooking the same dishes over and over again can get boring. Creating a dish with an ingredient you’ve never used before can be a fun challenge. Use an interesting vegetable, herb, or spice as your starting point, and search online for a recipe that features it.
Host a food-based party: Themed parties can be a blast, especially when the theme is food-related. Consider hosting a party where everyone brings a dish from a particular cuisine, or an ingredient to create a dish such as Greek spanakopita, burritos, samosas, or pizza. This can be a great way to try new foods and learn about different cultures.
Have a family cooking night: Cooking with family members can be a bonding experience. Assign everyone a role, such as chopping vegetables, stirring the pot, or setting the table. You can even make it a competition by seeing who can come up with the most creative dish using a particular set of ingredients.
Take a cooking class: The Marquette Food Co-op offers public and private cooking classes. We share a full range of food experiences, from half-hour food demos to multi-course feasts. We can host bridal showers, birthday parties, business team building meetings, or friend groups looking for a unique culinary experience. Visit https://marquettefood.coop/outreach/ for more information.
By finding play in cooking, you can make it a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Whether you’re exploring new ingredients, trying new recipes, or cooking with loved ones, there are many ways to inject some fun and creativity into the process. Give it a try and let us know what you make!
Spanakopita Recipe
Have a spanakopita making party! Everyone brings an ingredient, helps prepare the pie, and can leave with leftovers! This dish freezes well, so it’s perfect to make ahead and bake as needed, straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
1/2 package fillo dough (thawed)
3 eggs
3/4 lb feta cheese
plenty of butter – about 1 lb
3 C chopped fresh spinach or 20 oz. frozen cooked spinach
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/4 C dried dill
Directions
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and set aside.
Mix together the chopped spinach, onion, feta cheese, and dill. Pour the whisked eggs over spinach mixture and mix. Smell the mixture. If the dill scent is not the first thing you smell, add a little more dill. Set mixture aside.
Melt the butter in a separate dish. While the fillo dough is still rolled up, cut it into equal thirds. Take two and set aside wrapped in a damp cloth to keep the dough from drying out. Unroll the dough. Place one sheet of dough down and with a basting brush, lightly butter the dough. Place another sheet on top of the buttered one and repeat. Do this with 5 sheets of fillo dough.
Take about 2/3 cup of the spinach mixture and place it at the bottom of the 5 sheets of fillo dough. Shape the mixture into a right triangle so that one corner of the “spinach triangle” is in line with a corner of the dough. Proceed to fold the mixture into the dough in a “flag fold” fashion. When you reach the end, butter the end to the wrap, and lightly butter the top of the wrap. Continue doing this until all fillo dough is used.
Place wraps on a lightly buttered cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
*Article sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
From fatigue to body aches and pains, mood challenges, and metabolic imbalances, there are many symptoms preventing individuals from living their best life. As these symptoms worsen, the activities that one normally engages in begin to decrease. This creates a vicious cycle of decreased health.
Why do I bring this up? #1: We can halt this downward trajectory and restore our health! #2: Most of us want to be healthier, happier, more fit, and truly feel our best so we can live and play full out. But what are we actually doing to make a positive difference in our body, mind, and heart? As the saying goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Isn’t that the truth! How in the world can we expect anything to change, to live our life to the fullest if we keep doing the same things that aren’t working?
The Solution! One thing I recommend for patients at least once per year is a 21-day cleanse, to jump start the body and to create the change that is needed for individuals coming out of the long winter months. The most popular time to do this is heading into summer. The reason being—people want to look and feel better so they can fully enjoy the active summer months.
What is this 21-day cleanse?
It is a health restoration and lifestyle modification program that combines a patented homeopathic supplement with the nutrition protocol for a simple, effective, and safe way to achieve optimal health. The goal is to teach you new skills and help you embrace a healthy lifestyle. We work on creating small habits that will be a part of your life well after you complete the cleanse.
I find this cleanse simple and effective. It is organized into three phases: cleanse (the 21 days), stabilize (3 weeks), and live (your lifestyle moving forward). These three phases are designed to first balance your brain chemistry, strengthen your immune system, and cleanse your body of excess weight and toxins.
This program is customized to your bio-individual needs, meaning I use your health history, symptoms, and urinalysis results to adjust this protocol specifically for you. This will ensure you feel satiated and achieve optimum results. You receive your own program guidebook, nutrition guide, dietary supplement, and any other recommendations I have found beneficial for your healing journey. A urinalysis is used to measure your improvements, and we meet weekly to answer questions, hold you accountable, and help you establish positive health habits, and learn how to take control of your health.
Individuals have experienced a decrease in inflammation, fewer joint problems, better digestion, normalized blood pressure, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, balanced blood sugar, cognitive improvements, reduced dependence on prescription medications, optimal weight, and better overall health.
I look forward to the opportunity to help you on your health journey and would love to be a part of shaping-up your health. I work with individuals locally in my office, and remotely via phone or zoom. Call, text, or email the office to schedule a free twenty-minute consultation to see if you are a good fit and ready to take control of your health.
Dr. Linzi Saigh is a naturopathic doctor (ND) and a certified nutrition specialist (CNS) with a Masters’ in acupuncture (MSAc). Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies and therapies along with lifestyle changes to help the body heal itself.
*Article sponsored by Upper Peninsula Natural Wellness
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
Do you remember how important play was when you were a young child? All your time was configured around playing in some manner or another, whether on your own, with a sibling, or with a group.
Playing was all-encompassing and could take place in your imagination, a small space, or a larger one where you could be physically active in some type of game. Often the rules were fleeting and varied depending on who was involved.
As we become adolescents, our play often becomes more structured and complex as our brains develop. As we continue to mature, play often starts to fall by the wayside as more important grown-up roles begin to take over. Career becomes an important word, and most of our time is now spent on making a living. How are you going to become a productive, integral part of society?
At some point in the mix, love arises and adds its own complexities. In other words, life happens, and before you know it, play is no longer the driving force it once was when you were young and still trying to figure out who you were and what you could do mentally and physically. Play helped in figuring those mysteries out in a mostly fun and enjoyable way. Physical play also helped your body develop or not, depending on the choices you made.
Remembering the fun you had playing as a child can help you bring this fun and playfulness into your daily life.
Any kind of movement can be fun if approached in a playful, lighthearted way. As adults, we need to make an effort to regain that healthy past time and find the activities we consider to be play.
Getting our aging bodies back into motion through play-full activities helps keep us active longer and can only benefit us throughout the remainder of our lifetime. Make life fun again! Become active in ways you may have forgotten about, whether gardening, creating crafts, playing with children or grandchildren, dancing to favorite music, or going to the lake for a swim.
Playing is a mindset that makes moving more enjoyable, and thus we’re more likely to do it longer and more often, making us healthier and happier. Sometimes limitations restrict us from these playful activities; however, some strategizing can get us back in the fun. For example, if gardening is your enjoyable outlet but your knees or hips now prevent this, perhaps a gardening stool or chair would solve the issue.
Finding solutions to the issue instead of abandoning the activity altogether could help add both years and fun to your life.
Remember, doing what’s enjoyable to you is key in helping you restart or continue an active lifestyle, so keep playing to keep your body in motion!
Kevin McGrath can be found playing in the woods, by the water, or in a group of friends.
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
What’s Blossom Bird Bubble Tea Café all about? We are the first dedicated bubble tea café in Marquette and most likely the whole UP. We also have a tiny bakery—all baking is done on site and fresh baked daily—and have a small selection of Japanese collectible toys available to purchase. We started with bubble tea and slowly added the rest over the year and a half we’ve been open.
Our atmosphere is very eclectic–a mix of fantasy vibes, woodsy vibes, with lot of plants, and “nerdy” vibes—lots of anime and video game figures and stuff. Some would say it’s “cottage core.” And it’s welcoming to everyone.
We relaunched our bakery section so we can finally do what we’ve wanted to from the beginning. The original oven just wasn’t cutting it for creating uniquely-shaped macarons—sometimes shapes of characters from different shows and video games—and other pastries we haven’t had before. We always try to do something different, something a little unique that sets us apart.
What led you to open the café? My wife Kaila and I had an opportunity to follow through on this idea I had in the back of my head but had never really pulled the trigger on. We decided to take a chance when we saw the perfect spot for it had become available and follow our dreams to open it.
Neither of us had done anything like this before. Neither of us had owned or managed a business. My wife’s background is in biochemistry, mine is in warehouses and stuff.
We’ve been fans of bubble tea our whole lives. We put a lot of ourselves into our business—the decorations, collectible toys. The atmosphere is an extension of our selves.
What’s been your biggest surprise so far? How many people resonate with the vibe of the business—people who’re into Japanese animation and video games, pop culture, nerdy stuff like that. I think it’s the first place where a lot of these people feel like they’re at home when they come into our business. It’s definitely been rewarding.
What led you to choose Blossom Bird for your business name? We were brainstorming names. The original name we came up with was Bumble Bird Bubble Tea. Bumble Bird was my wife Kaila’s screen name on an old video game called Neo Pets that she played when she was a child. We liked it but thought it might be a little too weird and people might not resonate with it, so we compromised on Blossom Bird.
What do you and your wife enjoy most about running the cafe? The community aspect—seeing people smile when they come in. Lots of people feel like they’re at home when they’re here, people who are fans of the same things we’re fans of—anime and videos, and stuff. We love offering a unique atmosphere to the area.
What do your customers enjoy most about it? People say they love the atmosphere and finding all the little hidden decorations we have. You never know what you’re going to see. And definitely the bubble tea. Lots of people enjoy our drinks and baked goods.
Anything else you’d like our readers to know? We’re not just a bubble tea café. We’re always getting a new selection of collectible toys in. It’s always fun to see what we have. There’s always something different and new.
You can check out our social media, Facebook and Instagram, for what baked goods we have and special drinks that aren’t on our regular menu.
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
How amazing it is that Lake Superior Theatre (LST) has been part of the waterfront for twenty-five years now! Since we began all but one of the Blockbusters closed, along with a plethora of other changes in technology. Everywhere we go, we are on Wi-Fi! We have tablets and mobile phones that do many of the things we used to do on those big desktops we had in 1999 and we’re ordering everything we cannot find in town on them. You probably used your smartphone’s GPS to find the theatre the first time, or to check LST’s website or Facebook page to see what show is playing.
LST was begun when Beacon on the Rock was written for Marquette’s sesquicentennial. In looking for a location, we discarded the idea of a tent due to wind, water, heat, and the biggest issue… late darkness. We found the acoustics of the boathouse (just north of Mattson Lower Harbor Park) wonderful, and LST was born.
The boathouse is a historic building where iron lungs were built by Maxwell Reynolds during the polio epidemic, so it has always seemed fitting that Lake Superior Theatre focuses on presenting and preserving our past. Beacon on the Rock is a key part of LST’s past, and also a tribute to those ancestors who came to this harsh, isolated region to build a new life landing on the shore where it’s located. History recognizes the contributions of Peter White and others, but Beacon is about the ordinary people who endured a harsh life to settle this area and became “spelled” by Lake Superior. Beacon reminds us too that we are all immigrants seeking a better life. The families in Beacon left all that was familiar to them and came to a place that provided unimaginable challenges. They brought only their creative energy, intelligence, independence, persistence, and willingness to work hard.
I often think that if we could test immigrants for these qualities, we would find they are built into their DNA, genetically passed along to future generations, and have served this country well. We hope those who came to Beacon are motivated to hear the story of an immigrant, perhaps in their own family, who came to America. We hope you will ask them to tell you their story, and that you will treasure and share it. We are so proud of these amazing individuals of diverse cultural heritage and talents!
As with most any person or group facing challenges, at times during LST’s twenty-five years we were uncertain about our future.
each year, we made progress and improvements and thrived. The lifespan of summer theaters varies greatly, as many factors can influence their success and longevity—availability of funding, quality of productions, audience size, and the theater’s ability to adapt to changes in the market and cultural trends. Some may also face challenges related to competition from other forms of entertainment or changes in the local community that impact attendance. Many only operate for a few seasons before closing, while rare others continue for a decade or more. LST’s beginning its twenty-fifth season is a testament to its appeal.
LST is at a pivotal time of its life, leaving some to wonder openly what its future might be. Having a Board that embraces the future of LST is crucially helpful. Additionally, I am an eternal optimist and know that our mission to enhance and embrace live theatre in our area is firmly viable. We are a nation of individuals who relish rising to challenges; a people that don’t see the impossibility of a task, but instead look for the possibilities… and push the envelope to accomplish them, just like the families in Beacon on the Rock.
LST has been able to build a loyal audience over time and establish itself as a cultural institution and tourist attraction in the Upper Peninsula, helping to ensure its continued success and longevity. By introducing young and old alike to live theatre, it has contributed to the artistic world.
LST has benefited from MACC and NEA grants that are awarded through a peer review process. MACC grant awards require matching those funds with other dollars. We thank our sponsors, supporters, and those who made donations at any level, and recognize them in our summer program. Our LST fundraiser is Monday July 10th this year, and features Broadway stars. However, every donation in any amount is so appreciated!
Kudos also to the cast and crew who donate their time and work tirelessly each summer.
We often remark on how they bring the boathouse alive with magic, and it seems this year it will not just come alive, it will burst into our twenty-fifth anniversary season with vibrancy that will bring down the house!
It’s such fun sharing our passion with you, and your supportive comments are so appreciated. Life teaches us so many things, and I have learned so much through LST. It is what we learn that matters. So if you have always wanted to visit the boathouse, now is the time to do it! This artistic jewel with the million dollar lobby view will present our signature musical, Beacon on the Rock, followed by I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Jersey Boys, The Odd Couple, Honk Jr., and Superior Memories this summer.
Beacon will be performed July 5-8. It was written by Shelly Russell and she will direct it this year. On July 11-14, enjoy the funtastic I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, directed by Leslie Parkkonen; it hones in on the awkward, cumbersome, tricky nuances of dating life with witty quips and cutting-edge lyrics. July 18-29, Jersey Boys will take the stage, directed by Eliisa Herman. This show features the electrifying songs we all love in this summertime spectacular tell-all sensation! August 1-6, we present the amazing comedy The Odd Couple, directed by Denise Clark.
Our collaboration with Superior Arts Youth Theatre in Honk Jr. August 8-20 will be directed by Caitland Palomaki, and is a show that touches our hearts. On August 21, we host Jack Deo, Jim Koski, and Bob Buchkoe with their program about silent film footage from 1914-1949: Lights, Camera, Marquette. On the 22nd, we welcome Broadway to Blues with Tony Beacco, Ann Berchem, and Keith Cahoon. On the 24th, B.G. Bradley returns with Northwords & Music. On August 23rd and 25th, the Franklin Park Band returns to take us back to beloved songs of the Sixties. The band has traveled to our often-frozen “tundra” for several years to support LST, and we are so grateful for the way they boost our spirits. You may walk in with a cane but leave dancing in the aisles!
Tickets always sell out fast for these productions, so get them now.
Show information is available at lakesuperiortheatre.com, Facebook, the theatre, and the rack cards holders of the former ticket office in the Lower Harbor. You can visit the Berry Events Center (or Forest Roberts Theatre, depending on construction progress) for your tickets, call Northern Michigan University’s ticket system at (906) 227-1032, or book your reserved seat online directly at tickets.nmu.edu.
Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of the Sunday matinees at 3 pm. Allow some extra time to enjoy the short walk to the theatre after parking in the Lower Harbor so you can soak in the Superior vistas of our domain. We have limited disability parking and always have drop-offs available. Most of you who return to LST annually know all this, of course, but we are always amazed at how many people are unaware of the theatre gem hidden from view on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Make time during your busy summer to let us entertain you…. as well as inspire, educate, and enlighten you! Our mission of being a gathering place for the community to engage in educational opportunities and enhance their understanding and enjoyment of life through the creation and presentation of the arts has led LST to welcome more than 100,000 people since 1999. We invite you to join us in 2023 and enjoy our exceptional live experiences. See you at the Boathouse!
Peggy Frazier has contributed to the fields of pharmacy, education, theater, and women’s rights. She was Pharmacy Director at NMU, worked administratively in promoting gender equality and disability rights, and demonstrated her public service commitment on FSU Board of Control and Michigan Board of Pharmacy.
Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
I scoop up sunflower seeds, traipse out back, reach out to the feeder, flip off its cover, pour thin seeds into the clear metal tube, keep pouring until they spill over onto the ground, until they cover my feet. I once stood in the middle of a sunflower field in Southern France, wearing my wedding dress. I married a field of sunflowers that day, a blossoming bride among those yellow blossoms. And each morning, I carry it with me, that field of golden faces, pour it into my own backyard, even when it is gray and France is far away, and I’m wearing navy blue long johns and am only half -awake.
Reprinted with permission from Undone with Wonder by Helen Haskell Remien, copyright 2023.
The Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum was designed by kids for kids. Yet it is still able to address the developmental stages of youth between the ages of one and thirteen, and delight visitors of all ages. Through creative youth empowerment, the museum offers cultural and educational exhibits that reflect the diverse interests, history, culture, and heritage of the area. The museum is not only for the young but also the young at heart, and unlike many museums where the exhibits are off limits, touching and interacting with the exhibits is encouraged, if not mandatory.
The exhibits are meant to be immersive. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join their littles by exploring alongside them for pure hands-on-fun for all—children and their adults can step into an exhibit and suddenly find themselves on an archaeological dig site discovering fossils, or driving a huge mining dump trunk (wearing safety hats of course)! Kids and their adults can learn about the route of wastewater too. From boring signs? Listening to a long lecture? Nope. They can flush themselves down a huge toilet to see where the water goes!
One of the most popular exhibits for adults and children alike is the Human Body Exhibit, where learning takes place inside a grumbling stomach, sliding down the intestines (no one can resist hitting the fart button) and then scrambling up a skin-climbing wall to explore a giant head.
The museum lets its guests step into someone else’s shoes using pure imagination.
Have you gone to flight school? No matter! Everyone is allowed to sit in the cockpit to “pilot” the real jet. Kids can chart their flight to anywhere in the world, and parents can go along for the ride. Ever wanted to be on TV? Anyone at the museum can be a meteorologist and announce the weather on UPCM TV. Order up! Kid chefs run the Candy Fossil Rock Cafe and can cook you up the tastiest dish. Every exhibit allows kids to learn through touch and imagination. Parents and caregivers can use this time of active play to engage with their children and help them learn through modeling behavior.
Once kids and their adults have explored all the exhibits, the learning experience doesn’t have to end there. The museum provides year-round programming for kids and families.
Every second Thursday of the month, the museum throws a themed creativity evening aimed at preschool and elementary-aged children and their families. The themes are fun and meant to be interactive. Popular themes include Princesses and Pirates, Halloween Party, Polar Express, Dance Party, Star Wars, and many more! Costumes are always encouraged. It’s a fun-filled evening of hands-on activity stations, creative food crafts, and always a live musician. Plus it’s always free to attend.
The museum also has programs that allow kids to take on leadership roles.
8-18 Media is for kids who dream of being published. Its mission is to amplify the voices of youth through adult media. Youth eight to eighteen work in teams on issue-based stories that are printed in the Mining Journal and broadcast weekly on two radio stations. And new kid-powered podcasts are streamed on Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Podcasts.
The museum also gives kids the opportunity to join its volunteer force. Those eight to eighteen can train to become a Guardian. Once trained, Guardians are able to help guide visitors through the museum, help manage the museum’s animals, and assist with special events like Second Thursday Creativity Series by helping model crafts or scooping up the frozen custard for the museum’s guests.
For more info on the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum’s full list of exhibits and programming, please visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org or call (906) 226-3911.
Marnie Foucault is the Director of 8-18 Media at the UP Children’s Museum and resides in Marquette with her husband and daughter. She enjoys tennis, hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Excerpted from the Spring 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine with permission. Copyright 2022, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
Spring is in the air, the perfect time for colorful flavorful dishes featuring leafy green vegetables. After months of the colder, heavier energy of winter, spring’s uplifting energy is reflected in the food we eat. Sour is the signature flavor for spring, and lemon juice lends that sour taste to any dish. Foods with this sour flavor feed and nurture our liver, gallbladder, and nervous system as do leafy green vegetables.
Often the vegetables we buy have greens attached that we end up tossing out because we don’t know what to do with them. The nutrient-dense greens that grow upwards from root vegetables have upward, expansive energy and naturally bitter flavor. Their upward energy opens us up physically and emotionally to get ourselves moving in the warmer weather.
The greens featured in my recipe below are full of health benefits.
Turnip greens are very high in potassium, an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, and excellent for gut health and digestion. They’re also high in dietary nitrates, which help with cardiovascular functioning and reduce the risk of strokes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.
Dandelion greens are great for detoxing the liver, purifying the blood, eye health, and healthy skin. They also contain over 500% of your daily requirement of vitamin K, which is important for healthy brain function, a strong metabolism, blood clotting, and improved bone health, reducing your bone fracture risk.
Kale is in the cabbage family and has anti-cancer properties. It’s very high in calcium, iron, vitamins C and K, and anti-inflammatory properties, and is great for your heart.
Fennel is one of the signature vegetables of spring. This licorice-tasting vegetable is great for your digestion. It contains a compound called anethole which is found to inhibit smooth muscle spasms in the intestinal tract, helping to eliminate gas or treat stomach cramps, which may help soothe indigestion, colic, stomach ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Spring Greens Medley with Turnips and Sweet Potato Miso Sauce
4 cups water 2 cups cooked brown rice 1 purple onion (thin half-moons) 1/2 fennel bulb (sliced thin) 4 cups kale (cut up) 2 cups turnip greens (cut up) 1 cup dandelion greens (cut up) 10 cloves black garlic (cut up or or reg. minced) 4 oz. mushrooms (cut up) Use your fave variety 2/3 cup vegetable water from recipe 2 T. brown rice vinegar 1 turnip (cut in matchsticks) 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Sauce
1 sweet potato (approx. 3 1/2 cups, peeled & cut up) 3/4 cup vegetable water from recipe 2 T. lemon juice 1 T. mellow white miso or chickpea miso 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Boil turnips for approximately five minutes until soft. Remove turnips and boil the sweet potato for approximately 10 minutes until soft, then remove from water. SAVE THE WATER TO USE IN THE RECIPE AS VEGETABLE WATER.
Sautée the onions in a little olive oil and sea salt on medium heat until soft and translucent. Remove onions and add fennel to the middle of pan. Sautée with a pinch more of sea salt until soft.
Put mushrooms, garlic, kale, turnip greens and dandelion greens on top of the fennel and onions. Add 2/3 cup vegetable water, 2 T. brown rice vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Cover and simmer for approximately ten minutes until greens are soft.
Turn off heat, add turnip to the pan, and mix all together. Put the sauce ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. I recommend serving the sautéed vegetables over brown rice. Drizzle sauce over the top and enjoy!
Chef Valerie Wilson has been teaching cooking classes since 1997. She offers weekly, virtual cooking classes that all can attend. Visit http://www.macroval.com for schedule, cookbook purchases, phone consultations, or her radio show, and follow her on Facebook at Macro Val Food.
Excerpted from the Spring 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine. Copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
Do you want more out of life? According to Abraham, a group of non-physical entities channeled by Esther Hicks, you can be, do, or have anything you want when you understand the Universal Law of Attraction. If channeling entities is too “out there” for you, think of the Law of Attraction as similar to positive thinking.
The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like. When we think of something we want, we tend to attract it. For example, if you think about money, you’ll attract money. If you think about love, you’ll attract love. You may be thinking, “Then why don’t I have money or love?” The hitch is we have to believe we will receive what we want. When we doubt it or feel we don’t deserve it, we send a message to the Universe that we don’t want it. That blocks us from receiving what we want. When we really envision having it and we act and feel like it’s already ours, we create a powerful magnet that attracts it to us.
Before you dismiss this concept, recall a time when you thought of something that surprisingly appeared. For example, I might learn a new word, and then suddenly, I read or hear it multiple times within a few days. You might even attract a parking space in a busy downtown by simply believing you will have a smooth day where everything goes your way.
Yes, I know attracting a parking space seems like a small thing compared to attracting a life partner or a good-paying job, but according to Abraham, it is as easy to create a castle as a button. It doesn’t matter how big or small the item you wish to attract because when you use the Law of Attraction, you will attract it. Even the Bible supports this universal law as evidenced by the biblical title of Abraham’s first book, Ask and It Is Given.
My late friend Helen Haskell Remien was a devoted student of the Law of Attraction.
I remember her talking about how one of her ancestors had been a builder of community. Helen wanted to do the same. She was full of positive energy and constantly attracted people to her. In the movie Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner’s character comes to believe “If you build it, they will come.” He builds a baseball field and famous baseball players come to play there. Similarly, Helen built Joy Center in Ishpeming.
About 2006, she complained to me about the setup at a poetry reading she participated in. She decided to take future matters into her own hands by creating her own event and venue. She began by having one-woman shows at various locations. Then she expanded her vision to creating her own building, a creative sanctuary for her and others’ events. And hence, Joy Center was born.
Before Helen built Joy Center, she tweaked her vision by having a dollhouse-size model built of it. With the help of atalented carpenter, she then created a large, house-like location with three floors and plenty of room for events. At Joy Center, Helen held yoga classes, writing workshops, movie nights, open mic nights, and let people rent the space for their own events. How did she do this? By believing it was possible and acting on her belief.
Once Helen opened Joy Center, many flocked there.
As a result of her courage to live out loud and not suppress her dreams, Helen inspired countless people to follow their own dreams. Everyone from aspiring poets and authors to musicians and athletes joined Helen in celebrating life’s possibilities when we allow ourselves to receive what we wish to attract.
Abraham says the Law of Attraction is a universal law. Humans are born with the ability to send out a request to the Universe and have the Universe respond by granting their wishes. The problem is we let self-doubt, fear, and doubt of our worthiness interfere.
I have had the experience numerous times of getting out of my own way and then seeing what I want appear. For example, when I applied for a PhD program, I was accepted but told the university could not offer me an assistantship. I stressed for weeks about how I would support myself while in the program. One day I said, “God, this is out of my hands. If it’s going to happen, it’s up to you” and I let the worry leave my mind. Later that day, I got an email offering me a teaching assistantship that would cover my tuition and pay me a stipend. Whether you want to call it trusting in God, letting go and letting God, or getting out of your own way, the Law of Attraction worked for me that day.
Even if you don’t believe in Universal, mystical laws, I guarantee if you use positive thinking, you will change your mindset and open your mind to finding ways to create what you want. Instead of saying, “I’ll never be rich,” switch to saying, “I have enough money,” or “I am capable of making enough money to support my needs.” Listen for the negative voice in your head and rewrite its sentences to positive ones. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Ford thought he could, and he was right. Helen did not say, “No one will come to my events.” She told herself she would build a place filled with joy for countless people. People wanted more joy and to share in her joy, and so they went and played and created with her at Joy Center.
What story are you telling yourself about what you want?
How can you tweak that story to attract all the good things you deserve? What is your Joy Center?
Tyler R. Tichelaar is the author of twenty-two books. He thanks Garee Zellmer for introducing him to the Law of Attraction and Helen Haskell Remien for modeling it.
Excerpted from the Spring 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine. Copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
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