The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 37

LIFESTYLE
For those who never liked to cook, there was
an indulgence in takeout and delivery, with
restaurants offering delicious menus and cook-athome
meal kits. We all experimented with food as
entertainment one way or another.
At this stage in the pandemic, most of us have
settled into a routine, with food still playing a
big role. We're seeing an explosion of millennials
gardening herbs, fruits and vegetables, using fresh
ingredients in their cooking-it's been a source of
real pride and accomplishment for many young
people. Others, like myself, still use recipes and
cooking as a way to connect with others, like my
mom's Fattoush recipe. I try to be purposeful and
thoughtful in how I approach mealtime. Most of
our meals are whatever I feel like putting together
at the time, but each week I try to pick one meal
that I research and get excited about. It makes
it feel special and gives me the flexibility to not
put too much pressure on the other meals of the
week. Sometimes, it's not a meal but a dessert that
can be a reward for a particularly stressful week.
Like a lemon ricotta cake topped with homemade
whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruit, pictured
here.
Other ways to get excited about food include taking
advantage of the wonderful farmer's markets in
your city or town. They highlight when certain
produce are in season and why it's best to eat
them during those times. Being able to buy directly
from local farmers and sellers will help you feel
connected to your community. It's also a nice outing
for everyone, whether you go alone or take a friend
or family member. The fresh seasonal fruit on this
lemon ricotta cake, for example, all came from our
local farmer's market.
Something I like to do with friends is a brunch or
dinner club where each person volunteers to make
a meal for the rest of the group. It's a great way to
reconnect with food and explore different recipes.
It also gives you an opportunity to taste different
cuisines you may not be that familiar with. If no one
in your group likes to cook, you can have brunch or
dinner clubs at various restaurants-each person
gets to pick the restaurant on their day.
As a society, we tend to go to extremes and then
inevitably, we burn out or get bored. With food, there
are so many ways to celebrate it and use it as a way
to connect with yourself, your community and your
loved ones. It's not only about the banana bread!
5 APPS
TO IMPROVE YOUR
MENTAL STATE
Happify
Find your happiness score and improve it each day with
this app that provides evidence-based exercises, daily
articles and fun games to help you overcome negative
thoughts, deal with stress and boost your mood.
Pride Counseling
Pride Counseling is an online therapy provider that
specializes in LGBTQ+ related counseling and offers help to
any person in the LGBTQ+ community who might be facing
mental health issues. It also offers therapy for people with
any kind of mental health issue.
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Share this app with your children to help them learn
emotional regulation skills like deep breathing, problem
solving and processing emotions all while helping their
Sesame Street monster friend calm down and solve
everyday challenges.
Gottman Card Decks
From the Gottman Institute's research-based approach
to relationships, this app features a high-tech deck of
cards that provide a list of questions to spark deeper
conversations with your partner without judgement.
Moodfit
Like a fitness app but for your mental health, Moodfit
allows you to chart your mood with gratitude and mood
journals, sleep patterns, medications and activities like
exercising or meditation. Log your progress and work on
meeting your personal goals all within the app.
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 4
37
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4
