Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
As 2020 comes to a close, I have been thinking about my intention for 2021. The word that comes to mind is gratitude. This year has been tough, really tough. This year has brought challenges that I never knew existed. This year has taught me things that I didn't know I needed to learn. This year has taught me to appreciate things that I have taken for granted. Most of all, this year has taught me to be thankful. As I head into the new year, I am going to try my best to practice gratitude each day.
A few ways to practice gratitude include:
- Keep a Gratitude Journal
- Share Gratitude with Others
- Respect and Appreciate Your Body
- Smile More
- Say Thank You
Something that I am especially thankful for are family traditions. For as long as I can remember, my dad has cooked a big pot of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. Consuming black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a southern tradition that is thought to bring prosperity, blessings, and positivity throughout the new year. Not to mention black-eyed peas are a great source of potassium, iron, fiber, and protein!
Recipe:
Ingredients:
½ cup of chopped celery
½ diced green bell pepper
2 lbs. frozen black-eyed peas
½ stick butter
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. season all
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
¾ tsp. cumin
¾ tsp. garlic powder
salt to taste
Instructions:
- Pour frozen peas into pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Drain peas.
- Add the seasonings, celery, bell pepper, and butter.
- Cover the mixture with water and boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
- Enjoy!
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About Haley Pfannstiel
Haley is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist dedicated to helping her patients achieve a healthy relationship with food and their bodies, as well as redefine their meaning of health and wellness. She encourages an “everything in moderation” mentality and believes in a truly balanced lifestyle. She aims to inspire clients to reconnect with their bodies to achieve overall wellness by not only focusing on the nutrition component of wellness, but also self-care.
Haley grew up in New Braunfels, Texas spending most of her time playing volleyball, hanging at the river, or spending time with friends and family. When she was a senior in high school, she began to work at a local natural food store where she developed an interest in health and wellness. She pursued this passion and graduated from Texas State University with a BS in Food and Nutrition. Haley completed her dietetic internship with Be Well Solutions, a corporate wellness company based in Ohio.
Haley currently lives in Plano, Texas. When she is not working, she spends time with friends, hikes with her dog, and finds joy in movement at Camp Gladiator.
Haley’s passion for helping others find peace with food motivates her to connect with clients, develop achievable goals, and provide support throughout their wellness journey. Haley serves the patients of Lemond Nutrition at both our Plano and Rockwall offices.