Publisher’s Perspective: Random Acts of Kindness
“Be kinder, more considerate and always project a positive mental attitude.”
When was the last time someone went out of their way to be kind to you? Better yet, when was the last time you did something kind without expecting anything in return?
Chances are, it’s probably something you rarely experience.
You can find countless definitions on random acts of kindness, but this is one that I feel fits best:
A random act of kindness isa non-premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world, without expecting anything in return.
I never knew what this meant until two years ago. It was a Monday morning and routinely I go to get my morning Joe at Starbucks.
As I pulled up to pay for my coffee and egg sandwich, the woman at the window gave me my order and said with a smile, “No charge today, sir, the car in front of you paid for your stuff!”
I exclaimed, “No way, why would they do that?” She smiled and said, “It’s called a random act of kindness.” Well, I can’t begin to tell you how good that made me feel. I saved $13.45 (LOL)! In all seriousness, it set my mood for the entire day. That somewhat selfless and thoughtful act made me begin to think.
I’ve always considered myself to be polite to others, but to me, this act of doing something out of left field was next level. So, I decided to begin doing it myself. Just about every week or so, as I roll through Starbucks, I pay it forward. If it made me feel that good, why not do the same for others?
As human beings, we need to be kinder, more considerate and do more things for others, even if it’s to a stranger. Just as it makes you feel good to be the recipient of someone’s kindness towards you, it feels equally gratifying to do the same for others.
If we were all more thoughtful, kinder and considerate of others, there would be a lot less hate in this world. I come from the age of the Lovin’ Era. You know, peace and love from the 60s. People were cooler and not so uptight. Those were good times.
I’ve learned throughout my life that what you put out is what you get back. Start giving more of yourself without expecting anything in return. Do it often enough and you will soon find yourself living in the abundance of all that life has to offer.
Here are my top ten Acts of Kindness you can try the next time you are out and about.
1. If the person behind you on line at the supermarket only has a hand full of items, let them go ahead of you.
2. Pay for the person’s order on line at Starbucks that is directly behind you.
3. Open a door for someone every chance you get.
4. A simple “Good morning” to 3 strangers in your day.
5. Leave a dollar or two in the tip jar at your local deli counter.
6. Say “Thank you” far more than you have been.
7. Send out a positive text message to a loved one, friend, coworker or customer.
8. Go out of your way to tell the manager at a restaurant how great of a job your server did.
9. If you got great service, leave a generous tip with a hand-written note.
10. Smile more to every person you come in contact with.
The Baking Coach: Heart Shaped Ravioli
Heart Shaped Ravioli
PREP TIME: 90 MINUTES | SERVING SIZE – TWO DOZEN – 3 INCH SIZE HEARTS
YOU WILL NEED FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (up to a ½ cup extra in case dough is sticky)
- ½ teaspoon salt – extra salt for boiling
- 3 large eggs, plus 1 for egg wash (you will need a total of 5 for dough, wash and filling)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 heart-shaped cookie cutter
HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT :
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt; make a well in the center. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use one hand for mixing and the other hand to hold the bowl. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. If dough is too sticky, add in additional flour- slowly dough should be soft, tacky, but not sticking to your hands. Divide into two disk portions. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. (This is a good time to make your filling!)
CLASSIC CHEESE WITH SPINACH RAVIOLI FILLING
- 1 lb. ricotta cheese
- ½ cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained (well drained) – (optional)
- 3 tablespoons grated cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried chopped parsley (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large egg
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except egg. Taste the filling to make sure you have enough salt and pepper in your filling. Mix in egg. Chill in fridge until you are ready to use.
ASSEMBLING AND COOKING YOUR RAVIOLI
Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Take small pieces of dough at a time, leaving the rest in the plastic. Coat well with flour and roll out super thin. Cut out two hearts, then roll the heart pieces again. Using a brush or your finger, create a line around the edges of one piece of dough with the egg wash, which acts as a glue.
Drop a tablespoon of your filling in the center. Top with second piece of dough. With your fingers, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling. Use cookie cutter to cut each ravioli again into a heart shape; pinch the edges tight with your finger to make a tight seal. Set completed ravioli on a flat cookie sheet lined with parchment or plastic wrap until all are ready.
Cook the ravioli 4 to 6 at a time in boiling, salted (1 teaspoon salt+ 1 tablespoon olive oil) at least 4 quarts of water for 4 minutes; they will float to the top when ready. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon. Finish off the ravioli in your favorite sauce to lightly coat and serve. To freeze and enjoy later, place uncooked ravioli on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once hardened, transfer to an airtight container and store up to 2 months. Heart Shaped Ravioli
Come and visit our shop at the Bellport Outlets
Foodie Vue: The Stone Goat Restaurant and Brewery
552 North Country
Rd.,
St.
James
(631)
400-4628
stonegoatsmithtown.com
Originality, creativity with a sense of eclectic curiosity has made The Stone Goat the new shiny object of the St James community. A free-standing structure located near the intersection of North Country Road and Lake Avenue appeals to those that want to experience far more than what meets the eye. As you enter the space, you’ll find a welcoming bar with high tops, adjoined by a well-appointed dining room with alluring u-shaped booths. There is also an upstairs Tap Room with a separate pub style menu that is perfect for private gatherings. From the Tap Room there is access to a one-of-a-kind brewery where events and live music will soon be taking place this Spring.
Owners Nick Gounaris and Al Hand (executive chef) hatched the name to create a certain sense of intrigue. Once perusing the menu, you’ll understand why. The care and attention that went into the development of each entrée was skillfully thought out to connect the true food enthusiast with something special. The lineup of fare is not overwhelming, but manages to touch upon all the colors, textures and flavor profiles from the land and sea.
For starters, we had the Grilled East Point Oysters; Spooned into five delicate shells in a savory herbed compound butter elixir with a hint of char, were delicious. I could have easily devoured a dozen or two but wanted to leave room for what was to come. The Beets and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad with candied walnuts and vinaigrette was light and refreshing.
For the mains I had the Bone in Rib Eye. A 22 oz. 45-day dry aged steak. In all candor I am a little bit of a steak snob and was initially reluctant to order it. However, I can tell you straight away that it was one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time. Cooked medium rare the steak was tender, and packed with that beefy flavor, mostly found at old-school New York City steak houses. My partner ordered the Black and White Sesame Tuna: A generous size cut with Black Forbidden Rice infused with Coconut, Lemongrass, with Bok Choy and a touch of Soy. A generous loin served medium rare. Buttery and savory, nothing beats that “meaty taste” you get from a fresh tuna steak. Though there was plenty of food on the table, my curiosity got the best of me and went in for the Short Rib Surf. Beautifully braised, buttery, rich in marbling, fall off the bone with a melt in your mouth texture (have I gotten your attention?). Embedded within a rich and creamy risotto was a small lobster tail. Once taking a bite of this dish, you’ll close your eyes and say ummm!…trust me on this one.
Wanting to end on a good note, their in-house masterful pastry chef brought us The Maple Bourbon Bread Pudding; soaked in rye, topped with salted caramel gelato, pecans, and fresh cream. A sweet and savory sensation! Following suit was the Flourless Chocolate Cake. Though rich and decadent, the chef goes over the top with a Dark Cherry Gelato, Fresh Cream, and yes Chocolate Sauce. A chocoholic’s dream come true.
The next time you are planning a night out, allow your curiosity to be your guide and follow your passion to The Stone Goat Restaurant and Brewery.
Health & Wellness: Choose Health, Choose Love
The best gift that you can give to yourself is self-care. When you are loving to yourself, you can be your best self and you can give back to others. Investing in yourself and your health is actually self-less, not selfish.
One of the best ways to show up for yourself is with healthy choices. Ask yourself, ‘What does health mean for me?’ I know that people are confused more than ever trying to understand what healthy means. And believe it or not, eating healthy or being healthy is subjective. As you age, your wellness needs change too.
With all of this confusion about being healthy – where can we start? A good place to start is to tune in with what feels good for you. It’s the kind of feeling that embodies wholesome goodness. The kind of good that in years to come, you know you’ve invested in your health. It is the opposite of immediate gratification so beware of that and understand the difference.
What makes this confusing is the spectacular way our society markets holidays in an unhealthy way. Here we are facing another holiday that should be celebrating pure love yet the materialistic component is shoved in our faces causing more stress. The sugar chocolate companies make a fortune on their heart-shaped boxes filled with cancer and diabetes causing ingredients. Gas, bloating and chronic illness is not romantic. Buying toxins for loved ones is not what you want to do. What gets us off course is the way that we have been duped into believing that it is all about the ‘things’ that we buy for loved ones that shows how much we love them. What’s worse is that these chemical treats and stress about affording lavish gifts are damaging not loving.
Healthy is the new sexy. Getting to understand what your body needs may require professional evaluation. Maybe you feel sluggish and fatigued, but you still don’t know why after trying everything possible. Perhaps it’s gut health, thyroid functioning, or chronic inflammation. You may be able to aid your healing by eliminating dairy, maybe taking sugar out of your diet helps or getting on a treadmill reduced that ache in your leg. It can get overwhelming – I get it. Understanding what your body needs now is crucial. It may be different than five or ten years ago. Or maybe you’re suffering in the same way you have been for a decade but you just accept that is how you are meant to feel. Humans are meant to thrive. Just look at the blue zones where people gracefully age beyond 100 years old without chronic illness that is so rampant here in America. We deserve to age well too.
Start somewhere. Feel empowered if your body is telling you that you need to tune into your health needs. Common sense goes a long way too. I know a lot of people reading this are well aware of what they could change. The first step is recognizing it. The next step is taking action for healthy change. If you need help – ask for it. If you are seeking a natural approach consider seeking out a Naturopathic Doctor who understands root cause medicine. Health plans that cover all aspects of wellness include Nutrition, Healthy habits, and Nutraceuticals. Small changes towards health make a big difference. You’ll be grateful you did and that attitude of gratitude is a huge hug for the heart which is love in one of its purest forms.
In Good Health,
Dr. Dawn Siglain ND, LAc
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