October Kitchen B2C - April 2018

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THE NOURISH LETTER

Meet the Men Behind Your Meals APRIL 2018

www.OctoberKitchen.com | 860-533-0588 | 309 Green Rd, Manchester, CT 06042

Remembering the Family Warren HARE-RAISING ADVENTURES

Once the rabbits got a taste of freedom, getting them back in their hutch was difficult. I developed a game to solve the problem: I would challenge Audriana to see who could catch

We started the month of April with Easter, and I can think of no better topic to write about than the Easter Bunny. However, since I’ve never met the Easter Bunny, I’ll share the story of the many, many rabbits I raised with my wife and daughter. Just before Audriana started first grade, a new neighbor moved in next door. He would become lovingly known as “Uncle Fred,” and he was an old school country vet and a true bunny whisperer. He raised rabbits (as pets only!) for decades and knew everything there is to know about caring for them. My daughter was magnetically drawn to the rabbits, so of course we knew we’d have to get our own bunny. On the first day of first grade, Audriana got Bean and Nibbles. Those rabbits were a handful. We thought we’d learned everything we needed to about caring for rabbits and maintaining the hutch. Unfortunately we hadn’t learned how to tell whether a rabbit was a boy or a girl. Turns out, we had one of each, and 31 days later we had six more bunnies in the hutch. We built more hutches to house Snow, Jingles, Holly, Junior, Pearl and Cloud, but we successfully separated the boys and girls this time. We created a daily routine to care for the rabbits, going out every morning to feed them and providing fresh water and hay. Back then we had a big fenced-in garden, and sometimes we’d let the rabbits run wild. Did you know the bunny hop is a real thing? When we turned the rabbits loose in the garden, they would go crazy, hopping high into the air as if they were on a trampoline.

Audriana with her furry friends

the most rabbits and get them back in their hutches the fastest. She had so much fun and she never seemed to notice that she always beat me by a wide margin. Audriana adored her bunnies. Once you get to know them, you realize rabbits all have different personalities, and they make really great pets. At one point, our warren was home to 13 rabbits. Raising rabbits is truly a labor of love. The last thing we wanted to do in the dead of winter was go outside early in morning to thaw the rabbits’ water bottles, but they relied on us and we always took good care of them. The average lifespan for a rabbit is 4–6 years. Our rabbits lasted 13 years. Audriana was in college when the last of the rabbits went to heaven. It’s been 20 years since Audriana got her first rabbits. She’s in veterinary school at Purdue University, and she definitely knows her way around animals, both great and small. Rabbits will always hold a special place in her heart. And I’ll admit I liked having them around, too.

“When we’d turn the rabbits loose in the garden, they would go crazy, hopping high into the air as if they were on a trampoline.”

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TOP OF THE CLASS

Miss Haley Adopts Her ‘Problem’ Student

There are two types of students in school: the ones who try to make their teachers’ lives easier and the ones who aim to send their math teacher into early retirement. In her first year of teaching, fourth- grade teacher Chelsea Haley met her biggest problem student, Jerome Robinson, and she nearly quit. But instead, she adopted him and his little brother. “At certain points, his behavior got so bad, I thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be a teacher,’” Haley recalls. However, she refused to call it quits. Haley eventually gained Jerome’s trust and the two formed a close bond. Jerome had a hard time at home, living with his 1-year-old brother, Jace, and their birth mother. The family struggled with poverty and the loss of loved ones, including Jerome’s father and little sister. Even after Jerome moved on to fifth grade, other teachers sent him to Haley’s classroom because she was the only teacher he listened to.

In October 2015, shortly after entering her third year of teaching, Haley dreamed God told her she needed to become Jerome’s mother. Haley laughed and thought the idea was ridiculous. But the next day, while Jerome sat at her desk taking a test, he looked up and asked Haley if he could live with her. Later, Haley went to dinner with Jerome and his family. When she told them she would be returning to her home in Georgia after the school year finished, Jerome’s mother said, “You can go back, but I want you to take Jerome and Jace with you.” Though Haley was only 24 at the time, she filed papers to take permanent custody of the boys in December 2015. She also pulled money out of her retirement account to make a down payment on a house in Georgia. Two years later, the family is thriving. Jerome hasn’t gotten into any trouble at his middle school, and he made the honor roll in eighth grade. “I always knew I wanted to be a mom, and I wouldn’t trade this for anything,” Haley says. Now that’s a teacher who deserves a gold star!

Put a Spring in Your Step With These Healthy Snacks GO GREEN!

Naturally green foods are some of the most nutritious options on the menu, and you don’t have to settle for your everyday broccoli and lettuce. This April, try these special good-for-you greens to put a spring in your step. EDAMAME These Japanese soybeans can be found on any sushi menu or in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Easy to prepare, they’re an excellent protein-rich snack. Try replacing a fatty meat with edamame. KIWI Craving a sweet treat without the added sugar? Skip the candy bar and grab a kiwi, instead! The fuzzy little fruit has more potassium than a banana and twice the vitamin C of an orange. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, folate, and fiber. Add some kiwi to your morning cereal, or eat it as an afternoon snack. NOPAL You might not think a cactus would make a good meal — unless you’re stranded in the desert, that is —

but you probably haven’t tried nopales. Harvested from underdeveloped prickly pear cacti, nopales are popular in Mexico, where they are used in a number of dishes. Add some nopal to your huevos (eggs), and you’ll enjoy a boost of vitamin A, magnesium, and calcium. WATERCRESS Watercress could be hailed as the king of greens. With more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more vitamin C than an orange, and a host of other vitamins and minerals, watercress has been shown to support bone health and heart health. A watercress salad will leave your whole body feeling happy. There are plenty more healthy foods waiting for you. If you want to eat healthier and feel better, remember to think green!

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REACH YOUR GOALS WITH SMALL STEPS

endless and within reach. Choose that one thing and do it. Celebrate this success, no matter how small, because it almost didn’t happen. This accomplishment will energize you to move forward, step by step, as you progress toward your goal. Now, which healthy step will you take today?

It can be tempting to put off our health and wellness goals until the time is “just right.” You’re familiar with the excuses — things need to settle down at work, there’s no time to plan healthy meals, it’s too cold outside, and on they go. There will always be predictable and unpredictable challenges. Instead of waiting for perfection, begin with realistic changes. Make one small, healthy change today that actually fits your lifestyle. Perhaps you’ll walk your dog an extra five minutes, grab a side of veggies with lunch, or power down 15 minutes earlier. The possibilities are

Becky Muldoon, certified health coach plantspired.com

plant-based health coaching designed for you

TESTIMONIAL At October Kitchen, our mission is to provide delicious, nourishing meals. In doing so, we hope to help our clients lead healthy and independent lives. Nothing fills our hearts more than to know we’ve succeeded in our goal when we hear such kind words from our clients. “I first heard of October Kitchen when we were purchasing meals for my grandfather who was 100 years old. I have since started ordering meals because I am a single mom of 5-year-old twins. I work full time and my life is crazy busy. The fact that I don’t have to cook, but I’m getting nutritious meals, has been very helpful in juggling my many responsibilities that a single parent must face. And the best part is it’s very reasonably priced, and if I were to purchase the same ingredients to cook myself, it would cost the same. Thank you, October Kitchen, for making my

_____________________________ Write your name here and fax the completed puzzle to 860-533-0585, send it via empty delivery box or bring it to the shop and receive 10 percent off your next order . Limit one per customer. Expires April 30th, 2018. WORD SEARCH N G S M B Y H S C S O D L G M P E T S E P S V E F I U Z V N G E X N D X L R W D A P K Y O H N N I Z C U G K P I U F L S B I I W A T E R C R E S S E I F U O S N Y H T L A E H D N L A M N E I S N A C K S A M O A B U V N V A J X G T M B U P K E D D B Y B R R Q A S E U A Z A R J R X X E L M W I N D L D I S O R I E B E R O Z E H R Z W Z T B N A S L A O G F R M L I S N J H X N D K D Z I D A T K C H X O R U A X H E T E H H U D L J C A P O Y M M S O I I

NOPAL PAUL PETS

FINNEY GOALS GREEN HARE HEALTHY KIWI

ADVENTURES ALISON AUDRIANA BENEFITS BUNNY EDAMAME FINNEY ADVENTURES ALISO AUDRIA A BENEF TS BUNNY EDAMAME

day a little easier!” —Melissa V.

RAISING SNACKS WATERCRESS

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309 Green Rd. Manchester, CT 06042 INSIDE

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Down the Rabbit Hole

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Amazing Teacher Changes Her Student’s Life

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It’s Not All Lettuce and Broccoli

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Take a Healthy Step

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Word Search

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Do Pets Fit Into Your Retirement Plan?

Don’t Miss Out on the Benefits of Pets

even when there were some downsides to owning an active pet.”

Association says pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, may be linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Caring for a pet takes work, but for many people, the benefits greatly outweigh the challenges. An energetic dog encourages you to leave the house and go for walks, a talkative parrot makes time spent alone less lonely and a soft cat curled up on your lap helps alleviate a stressful day. If you can’t have a pet in your home due to lease restrictions or mobility challenges, you don’t have to miss out on the benefits of being around animals. Consider volunteering at a local animal shelter. You can help care for cats, dogs and other animals while they wait for their own forever home. There are thousands of pets in shelters across the country waiting for someone to care for them. If there’s room in your retirement plan, why not invite one into your home? You might discover both you and your new friend have something to gain.

Researchers found evidence to support this

We tend to picture energetic dogs and cats thriving in young families with children, but animals are often happy to live with older, less active adults. These kinds of homes are especially suited to older animals that might otherwise have to spend their last days in the pound. Depending on your schedule and mobility, you might not want to adopt a large dog. But small lap dogs, cuddly cats and even birds can make a great addition to your home. As long as you do not suffer from allergies, having a pet can be great for your health. The American Heart

claim when they discovered that registered dog owners in Sweden had lower rates of cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of death than individuals without dogs. Physical fitness is far from the only benefit of pet ownership. The love and companionship our animal friends offer can alleviate depression or loneliness. Linda Anderson, founder of the Angel Animals Network in Minneapolis, says, “Older pet owners have often told us how incredibly barren and lonely their lives were without their pet’s companionship,

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