October Kitchen - July 2019

Check out our July newsletter!

This is our way of saying that you are important to us, and we truly value your business. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and neighbors. ENJOY!

THE NOURISH LETTER

Meet the Team Behind Your Meals JULY 2019

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

The Case for More Fun LET’S PLAY!

There are two weeks out of every year that October Kitchen is closed: the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day and the week of Independence Day. We’ve done that from the get-go, ever since it was just me and my wife. It’s important for us to spend that week at the beach with our daughter during the summer to connect as a family. The practice of taking time off is horribly underrated, in my opinion. A lot of people view being away from work as a waste of time. But taking a vacation is one of the greatest things we can do for our relationships and our mental health. Every parent has to grapple

We’d play on the beach, go crabbing on the rocks, hunt for the ice cream truck and even take a canoe on the nearby creeks. Once, my friends and I tried to chase around some swans, only to discover the hard way that swans will chase you back! My daughter spent her childhood summers at that cottage, too. Now, Ali and I have a dream of spending the summers at that cottage with the next generation and have another 18 summers with the grandkids. When I talk about taking time off, I don’t just mean twice a year for a trip to the cottage — though that is a lot of fun. I also encourage everyone to make time in their regular lives to play. I know many people will turn their noses up at the idea of playing as

with the fact that we only get 18 summers with our kids. Once they go off to college and “real life,” those summer vacations are changed forever. We have a responsibility to make every summer count. My family is privileged to have a cottage at the beach that my grandmother purchased back in 1963. I’ve gone to that beach since before I was even born. It’s a little slice of heaven. I’ve been on tropical vacations and exciting cruise ships, but I’m telling you, nothing beats being able to mosey down to the beach with a cup of coffee and your chair to stake out a prime piece of real estate and watch the waves roll in at sunrise.

“I also encourage everyone to make time

in their regular lives to play.”

As a kid, my sister and I would hop on our bikes and just explore outside for hours.

Continued on Page 3 ...

860-533-0588

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

A Guide to Eating Seasonally This July Zucchini, Avocado and Swiss Chard — Oh My!

steaks, burgers, hot dogs or fish. Go low-carb by stuffing your zucchini with vegetables and a protein for a charred skillet bowl. Even better add some corn to your fresh salsa to

When you eat something during its harvesting season, you get the most out of your meal. In-season fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-dense than their out-of-season counterparts, and there’s no matching the flavor profile of fresh, in-season produce. Even better, because in-season foods are so bountiful during their peak, you can save a lot of money by shopping with the season. This July, enjoy some tasty foods during their prime with this handy guide. Fruitful Harvest Avocado toast lovers rejoice! Your season is here. Avocados are in season during July, joining many other fruity favorites. Gorge yourself on scrumptious blackberries, sweet strawberries and bountiful tomatoes. Don’t forget about the cherries and blueberries, too! Because these fruits are so plentiful this time of the year, it’s easy to find ingredients for your favorite recipes. Host a Latin-inspired foods night with fresh guacamole and salsa, or make a delectable shortcake with a blackberry and strawberry mixture on top. Grill Game So Strong There’s no better time to fire up the grill than July and not just because of the weather. Zucchini and corn reach their peak during July, and these grilling favorites pair well with Can one person make a difference? We think so. Here are a couple stories about how the smallest gestures really can have a big impact. Shoe Shine for a Cause Albert Lexie worked as a shoe shiner at the Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh for over 30 years. Lexie made $3 a shine and donated all his tips to the Free Care Fund, which provides medical care to uninsured and underinsured children in the Pittsburgh area. Throughout his career, Lexie donated over $202,000. For his generosity, Lexie was honored at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2010 and inducted into the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans. But he never cared about the fame. For every cent he donated, Lexie had one goal: “I wanted to see the kids get well.” A Rival in Need In 2018, Pierre-Cedric Labrie, a hockey player for the Milwaukee Admirals, started his New Year’s Day in a panic when his pregnant girlfriend called at 2 a.m. to tell him her water had broken. Unfortunately, Labrie was in another state for an away game in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

add an extra zing to your tacos. Regardless of how you utilize them, zucchini and corn are sweetest, juiciest and freshest during July. Go Green Filling your plate with plenty of greens is never easier than in July. Pick up a bundle of spinach, arugula, lettuce, Swiss chard or any other leafy green, which are all juiciest and freshest during July. Cucumbers and green beans are bountiful this time of the year, as well. You can also add some fresh flavor to your water with cucumbers or create hearty salads with any of the leafy greens mentioned above. After all, there’s no better way to celebrate the middle of summer than by consuming its most delicious foods.

How to Change the World Amazing Stories of Small Gestures Making a Big Difference

The next flight out of Grand Rapids was at 6:30 a.m. to Chicago, but a bad winter storm meant no cab would pick him up. Labrie feared he would miss the birth of his first child until one of his teammates put him in touch with the opposing team’s goalie, Tom McCollum, who didn’t hesitate to loan out his truck. Thanks to McCollum’s generosity, Labrie made it to the hospital in Milwaukee at 6:15 a.m. His son was born less than 45 minutes later. Hello Goodbye For 12 years, Tinney Davidson waved to students who passed by her house on their way to Highland Secondary School. Davidson and her late husband, Ken, started the tradition when they first moved into their home in 2007. Pretty soon, the students were waving back. This fall, Davidson won’t be waving from her window anymore, as she’s moved into an assisted living center. To show her how much those morning greetings will be missed, this past spring, many students walked to Davidson’s house together. As Davidson stepped out onto her porch, 400 students were waiting to cheer and give her one last wave goodbye.

2 www.OctoberKitchen.com

ON THE WATER “My very good friend, Honora, used to get meals from October Kitchen. She had a heart condition but still worked a lot. October Kitchen helped her eat healthily, and she raved about them. When my boyfriend and I started working more hours, I didn’t have time to cook for us every night. Following Honora’s recommendation, I checked out October Kitchen. Their home-cooked, healthy options were exactly what we needed! They have delicious food. I love their Mexican-style meals and their chocolate chip cookies!”

Amy Gambardella’s Advice for Paddleboarding

probably find Amy out on the lake near her home.

“We try to get out on the lake every day when the weather is nice,” Amy says. “I don’t like to swim in the lake, but I do love to float on the water. Dragon boating, paddleboarding, canoes, you name it. It’s a relaxing escape away from everyday life.”

–Amy Gambardella

... continued from Cover Of all the lake activities, Amy’s favorite is paddleboarding. She’s been paddleboarding for seven years, sometimes alongside her boyfriend and occasionally with a dog on board! Amy used to have a chihuahua named Pedro who was delighted to go paddleboarding with her. As Amy put it, he would stand on the front of the board “like Leo on the Titanic.” Amy hopes to continue this tradition with Billy Jean. “Make sure you have the right form for paddling,” Amy advises readers who might try paddleboarding this summer. “It’s not like a canoe paddle. You have to take your paddle, reach straight forward and dig it straight into the water and really push the water back. But beyond that, just get out there and do it. Paddleboarding is such a fun way to spend a summer’s day.” an adult, but it’s so important to get out of the normal grind and let yourself have fun. Inside everyone, there’s that 7-year-old kid who just wants to run around and explore. If we don’t let that kid have a little fun, we’re stifling an important part of ourselves. I have a productivity coach who keeps me accountable for reaching my goals, and he challenges me to make sure I have time to play. As for what “good play” is, he suggested finding something that excites you, or something you jumped out of bed for as a kid. Short of building forts, I loved playing with Legos. These days, I get giant Lego sets with 4,000 pieces and 700 steps and build huge projects. Recently, I finished a giant excavator wheel that was 3 feet wide and 20 inches tall. It looked awesome and was a terrific project to work on. This summer, I want to challenge everyone to play more. For you, this might mean taking a vacation with your family or taking time personal time to draw, bake or go stargazing. We cannot overestimate the value of downtime as a family tradition and a mental recharge.

There are many reasons why our clients choose October Kitchen. When asked why she signed up with October Kitchen, Amy Gambardella had a pretty great response: “I would much rather take my dogs for a walk or go paddleboarding than cook dinner.”

Amy works as a surgical technician in an orthopedic surgery center. It’s a fast-paced job with physical and mental challenges. When Amy gets home from work, there’s nothing she enjoys more than going on a hike with her boyfriend and their dogs, Murphy the Wheaten terrier and their Mountain Feist, Billy Jean. And when the weather is warm, you’ll

_____________________________ 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% off your next order . Limit one per customer. Expires July 31, 2019. October Kitchen

S L A E M T O T C B N H U K S G T W F D G I A K O P A I A T S L E E P O C X S J O T P T I T K V P U V X I I L C M A H U R I J K H W L X Z H T S U N R V E G E T A B L E S O P L L F Y F M C O K N N X J B B E X Z O H U M Q T K I U Q E T B R C Y S B P U D J L E M R O K U P H Y B U L S Y C U J P H D K M O P U E Y G V X X I X C G O M S X P M U Q M R D A L X I E D P M L G M V H S P N E O B L V M S P H J Y I Z U K C H C X O Y E N N I F G G R W W F N B C

ALISON

FINNEY

FRUITS

ALISON HOT MEAL PREP SUMMER

FINNEY JULY OCTOBER SLEEP VEGETABLES

KITCHEN PAUL STEPHANIE YUMMY

HOT

JULY

KITCHEN

Plus, it makes life more fun.

MEAL PREP

OCTOBER

PAUL

SLEEP

STEPHANIE

SUMMER

VEGETABLES

YUMMY

860-533-0588