THE SYNERGY CENTER - Newsletter

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chicken Quinoa Stew ~ From Georgia

3/8/2016

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chicken Quinoa Stew
Prep time 30 mins
This hearty, healthy stew is perfect comfort food for cooler Fall days! With yummy ingredients like quinoa and butternut squash this fantastic meal cooks itself in the crockpot.
Author: LeelaLicious
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
14 ounces (13⁄4 cups) diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons curry powder
1⁄2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup quinoa

Instructions
1. In a small pan heat the olive oil, then saute chopped onion and garlic until lightly browned.
2. Place chicken breast in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients on top of chicken and cook on high for 3-4 hours or 7-8 hours on low. When finished cooking, discard bay leaf. Take out chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks etc.
3. Return shredded chicken to stew and stir to combine everything evenly.
4. Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 6 Calories: 468 Fat: 18.5g Saturated fat: 4.6g Carbohydrates: 43.7g Sugar: 9g Sodium: 871.5mg
Fiber: 5.5g Protein: 37.2g Cholesterol: 82.6mg

Cook time
3 hours
Total time
3 hours 30 mins

Recipe by LeelaLicious at http://leelalicious.com/slow-cooker-butternut-squash-chicken-quinoa-stew/

Lentil Stew from Georgia

12/15/2015

Lentil Stew

Yield: 1 1/2 qts (about 6 Servings)
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Ready In: 7 hrs 30 mins

What to do with those winter vegetables in your CSA box? Carrots, parsnips and celeriac - release their sweetness into this earthy, humble Lentil Stew. Mustard greens, stirred in at the very last minute, wilt in the residual heat of the stew and provide just a whiff of pungency. Serve it with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar. To make it vegetarian, substitute olive oil for the bacon fat & vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups French green lentils
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon bacon fat
1 medium yellow onion (chopped fine)
2 bay leaves
3/4 pound celeriac (peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice)
3/4 pound carrots (peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice)
1/2 pound parsnips (peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice)
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 dried red chili pepper
2 bunches mustard greens (trimmed and sliced very thin)
unrefined extra virgin olive oil (to serve)
balsamic vinegar (to serve)

Instructions

Pour the lentils into a large mixing bowl, cover with warm water by 2 inches and stir in vinegar. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel, and leave it in a warm spot in your kitchen for 8 to 12 hours. Drain the lentils and rinse them well.
Melt the bacon fat in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Toss the onions into the bacon fat, and cook them until fragrant and translucent. Stir in celeriac, carrots and parsnips. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt, cover the pot, and sweat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in lentils, chicken stock, chili pepper and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes until lentils are tender. Pluck out the chili pepper and bay leaves.
Turn off the heat, and stir in mustard greens. Cover and allow the greens to wilt in the residual heat of the lentils for about 5 minutes. Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Your Partner in Health,
Georgia D. Austin, MSACN, CCN, CNS
Certified Clinical Nutritionist
FLT Lifestyle Educator
New Leaf Functional Nutrition

Back to School/Welcome Autumn

9/6/2015

Autumn ~ changing seasons and changing schedules! As we are connected with nature, we must shift also. While we look forward to all the beauty of the season, here are some wellness ideas from The Synergy Center:

ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture can help you get back into the groove of back to school by helping to regulate sleep/wake cycles (saying goodbye to daily summer sleeping in), helping to ease your body through the stresses of this time, and increasing energy and motivation to help you get done what you need to get done.
Kari Gardner, L.A.c. ~ (315) 925-8888 ~ www.CNYcommunityacu.com

AYURVEDA
Ayurveda is a science of healing that is based, in part, on how to keep the mind, body, and spirit in balance during the changing seasons. Transitions, particularly such as from summer to fall, or from summer break to back to school, can make maintaining one's equilibrium and balance challenging. Ayurveda is a tool that supports health and wellness holistically during the transitions and throughout the season.
Nicole A. Cuffy, MFA, RYT-200, AYS ~ 315.256.5046 ~ nicole@gardenofeuterpe.com

BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS BACK TO YOGA
The kids are back in school and now you have time to take care of you. Get back in the routine and treat yourself to weekly Yoga classes at The Synergy Center. Yoga helps you stretch away tightness, build strength through range of motion, and let go of the stresses of the day. Yoga starts September 28th and meets on Monday and Wednesdays. You deserve it!
Chris DeAmicis ~ CDeamicis2@gmail.com ~ www.GentleYogaWithChris.com

CLINICAL NUTRITION
Back to school time can be stressful for both parents & children, and that can compromise immunity - as well as create unnecessary sleepless nights & anxiousness during the day. Clinical nutrition uses a preventative approach by using a combination of targeted nutrients & herbs to boost immune function - as well as to support restful sleep & modulate stress hormones - an also using meal planning & healthy food choices to reduce stress & nourish the body properly. I work with parents to support their health & therefore support the health of their children - kind of like the idea of "putting your oxygen mask on before helping others”!
Georgia D. Austin, MSACN, CCN, CNS ~ 315-663-4944 cell ~ 315-682-0804 fax

FINANCIAL WELLNESS
"With another school year upon us, don't let another year go by with out planning for the financial future of both yourself and your kids. Whether its college savings, budgeting, retirement or insurance, schedule a complimentary one on one session with Jon to discuss how he can help improve your financial wellness."
Jon Smith ~ 315-807-7670 ~ jonpatricksmith@gmail.com

HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathic remedies give our immune system a boost of energy to increase our health and wellness. This includes increasing our ability to shift with the changes of a new season or a new routine as well as assisting us with stress, anxiety, flu, allergies, etc.
Rosemary Thompson ~ (315) 663-6725

MASSAGE
Massage is very helpful to relax and de-stress during back to school time. Changing schedules and changing seasons can disrupt both emotional and physical balance, and massage is a perfect way to bring that balance back!
Valerie Edwards, LMT ~ 622-8358 ~ Thursday and Friday 10-4 and Saturday 8-12

MINDFULLNES
Mindfulness will not instruct you to change your life circumstances or magically reduce your commitments or life stressors. Instead, it will teach you a way to better respond to these experiences so that they are livable. By retraining how our bodies and minds respond to stress, we can free ourselves from the most damaging aspects of stress in our lives.
The world’s first online mindfulness summit. The summit is a free online event that will be held 1st to 31st October. Watch and listen to the wisdom of Tara Brach, Ruby Wax, Joseph Goldstein, Professor Mark Williams, Dr. Rick Hanson, Dr. Daniel Siegel, Professor Paul Gilbert, Tami Simon, Elisha Goldstein and Vidyamala Burch, to name a few. Enjoy being led in meditation by the world’s best teachers, all from the comfort of your own home. To register you free place at the summit now go to http://themindfulnesssummit.com
There will also be a stress/reduction/mindfulness class offering at Synergy starting next month.
Christine Tyrrell Baker, PhD ~ (315) 790-0717

QI GONG
Fall can be a time of year when we feel as though our lives are getting back to "normal." The pace of summer slows, we fall back into the routine of the school year cycle, and we begin to take stock of what we have manifested during the earlier months of the year.
In Qi Gong and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the energy associated with Fall and the Lung/Large Intestine organ system, plus their attendant meridians, represents our ability to create structure and clear, healthy boundaries in our lives. This is why we generally begin to feel a greater sense of "normalcy," as schedules are becoming more ordered, and rhythms more regular.
QI Gong Therapy can aid you to make this transition with greater ease, as it helps to remove blockages that cause imbalance in the energy (Qi) flow in the body. These obstructions create disharmony in and among the body's organ systems, which then manifest as physical, mental and/or emotional symptoms.
Practicing self-care is the best thing one can do for one's self and family. When our well is continually replenished, we have copious stores of energy to offer those whom we love and serve in all realms of our life.
Katrin Naumann, MFA, E-RYT, QGT, VH ~ (315) 289-3831

REIKI
A Reiki session offers you time to relax and begin breathing deeper again. Reiki is generally translated to mean Life Force (or Universe) Energy. During a Reiki session, the practitioner will connect with this energy and offer it to the client’s healing system. The Reiki practitioner does not direct or influence the Life Force Energy. We trust that our systems have an intelligence that is always working toward our highest levels of wellness. Our healing system will use this boost of energy wherever it is most needed.
Rosemary Thompson (315) 663-6725

Cherry Oat/Date Bars: Just in time for back to school!

9/6/2015

A healthier GF version of granola bars that has less sugar than the overly processed ones & has only whole food ingredients! And they are delicious!

INGREDIENTS

• Coconut or extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats

• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries

• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried dates

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp coarse salt

• 1/2 cup smooth natural almond butter (at room temperature)

• 4 Tbsp ground flaxmeal

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/2 cup honey

• 3 Tbsp orange juice

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-by-8-inch pan with oil and line with parchment paper.

2. Combine oats, cherries, dates, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine almond butter, flaxmeal, applesauce, honey, orange juice, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add wet mix to dry one and stir to combine. Press mixture evenly into pan with your fingers and bake on middle rack until golden brown and firm, 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then remove from pan and cut into 9 squares.

COOK'S NOTES

Store bars in an airtight container up to three days.

Strength from Stress: Discovering Pathways to Health and Healing

5/31/2015

June 19, 2015, 9-3pm

Christine Tyrrell Baker, PhD
WellBeing.CNY
Transformational Workshop Series
Key Learning Points:

Stress is a functional part of our experience. All humans are programmed with reactivity to stress.
We can learn to observe stress reactivity and link it to common mental and physical struggles in our lives.
Healing and connection occur when people can understand their difficulties in a new light and develop compassion for themselves and for others.

Have you ever noticed that people struggle with holding stress in their bodies even when they have worked on the stressor in their minds?

Practices that address the mind-body connection, like mindfulness, are essential for building resiliency. Through awareness, we can interrupt the destructive pathway in which stress can lead to mental and physical symptoms and illness.

June 19, 2015 9-3pm
$90 per person
$75 for students
limited to the first 25 registrants

The Synergy Center
4500 Pewter Lane, Bldgs 8 & 9
Manlius, NY 13104
www.synergyhhw.com
To register: Email Christine Tyrrell Baker, PhD at wellbeing.cny@gmail.com

Deadline for registration: June 11, 2015

I am a health care provider. Is this workshop relevant to individuals or intended for those providing services as well?
This is workshop relevant to individuals AND healthcare providers helping any population.

Mindfulness is essential for interrupting the stress response. Research shows positive benefits of mindfulness for immune function, chronic pain, parenting and relationships, anxiety, depression, cancer, and hypertension.

Asparagus Soup - from Georgia

5/31/2015

Asparagus in on the list as one of the ten best foods to eat for your brain health. And since Spring is the perfect time for it since it's in season, here is a delicious soup that you can serve piping hot or super chilled! Add a fresh garden green salad and you have great meal for a light lunch or dinner that will fill you up and recharge your brain!

ASPARAGUS SOUP

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches of Asparagus, tuff ends cut off and sliced on the diagonal into 1” inch pieces

1 yellow onion peeled and sliced into ¼” inch slices

6 scallions chopped coarsely

3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked pepper

3 cups of organic chicken stock, homemade or store bought

½ cup dry white wine

½ teaspoon Tumeric

½ teaspoon ground cumin seed

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

GARNISH

4 Fresh Basil leaves sliced thin

6 to 8 small fresh oregano leaves

6 to 8 fresh mint leaves

METHOD

Pre-Heat oven to 450 F.

Place the rack from the oven in the middle.asparagus

Toast the walnuts by putting them in a cold dry small frying pan. Turn the heat to medium and toast for 5 to 8 minutes shaking the pan back and forth until the walnuts start to turn golden. Do not burn walnuts or they will taste bitter.

Place the onions, scallions and asparagus on a baking sheet.

Drizzle the olive oil all over.

Sprinkle over the garlic powder, onion powder Kosher salt and cracked pepper.

Mix in all together using your hands until the vegetables are completely coated.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack a roast for 15 minutes (Be sure to check after 10 minutes). If they start to turn too quickly use tongs to move the vegetables around. Continue baking for the last 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place the onion mixture in a soup pot and turn the heat high. When the vegetables start to sizzle add the wine and cook down until almost completely gone (About 6 to 8 minutes).

Add the Tumeric and Cumin and mix well.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a slow simmer. Place a lid over stock pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

Soup

Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Add the soup to a blender and blend for 60 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Pour the soup back into the stock pot and heat until hot.

Adjust seasoning adding more salt if necessary!

Creamy Pesto “Pasta” with Spring VegetablesSERVES: 4 from Georgia

4/7/2015

Looking for a delicious springtime veggie recipe that's low in carbs & free of heavy dairy products? Try this Creamy Pesto "Pasta" with Spring Veggies. You can use a vegetable peeler to create fettuccine style or a spiralizer like Veggetti to make spaghetti style noodles.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini, peeled and sliced into thin noodles
1 cup asparagus pieces
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 ounces prosciutto (omit for vegan and add ¼ teaspoon salt)
½ cup frozen peas (omit if you’d like for Paleo)
½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup raw cashews
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons chopped basil
¼ teaspoon salt
dash of white pepper
dash of nutmeg
Garnish with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil

Instructions:

Boil the 4 cups water, then pour it over the cashews. Soak them in the boiling water for 30 minutes.
Bring another large pot of water to a boil, then add the zucchini noodles and blanch quickly for 1-2 minutes. Remove the noodles with a slotted spoon and place in a colander. Immediately run cold water over them then turn them out onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Set off to the side until your sauce is done.
Add the asparagus to the same pot of water and cook for about 3 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain the water and set the asparagus off to the side.
Sauté the prosciutto and mushrooms in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Reduce heat to low while you make the sauce.
Drain the cashews, but reserve the soaking water. Blend the cashews with 1 cup of the soaking water in a blender. Add the lemon juice, nutmeg, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic and blend to a smooth sauce.
Add the sauce, asparagus, and the peas to the mushrooms and prosciutto and simmer for 7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and remove from heat. If your sauce is a little too thick, add a bit of the cashew water to help thin it out.
Serve the sauce over the zucchini noodles garnished with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
The pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Some water will gather at the bottom of your container because of the zucchini. You can drain it before heating, or simply stir it into the sauce to help thin it as it thickens when chilled.

February 23rd, 2015

2/23/2015

Counseling in a New Light: the Role of Spiritual Advisor
March 13-15, 2015

It has always been part of the human experience to seek understanding and merge with that which is timeless and bigger than one’s own self. This longing for a connection to the divine will ultimately manifest itself as spiritual belief and aspiration, and can be a driving force for cognitive and behavioral change. Yet as yoga instructors, ministers, counselors, coaches and therapists, we often do not utilize this aspect of human nature for motivation or transformation, and it remains an untapped resource for change.

This workshop will give you the skills to begin integrating spirituality into your professional practice. Join Hari Nam Singh Khalsa, minister, yoga teacher, and mental health counselor, for this interactive, hands-on workshop as we explore the following areas of Spiritual Advising:
 †How the role of Spiritual Advisor differs from that of conventional counselor, psychologist, or life coach

 †The relationship of Spirituality and Existential Psychotherapy

 †When Spiritual Advising is appropriate and beneficial

 †How a Spiritual Advisor perceives and interprets reality

 †How to conduct a Spiritual Advising session

 †Ethical considerations in Spiritual Advising

When: Friday, March 13th through Sunday, March 15th (see schedule for details) Where: The Synergy Center in Manlius (Syracuse), NY
Cost: $215.00 before March 1st/ $265.00 after March 1st
To register: Contact Julie Walenta at 302-588-4416 or goodfoodkarma@gmail.com

About the Instructor
Hari Nam Singh Khalsa received his Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology in 2000 and since that time has maintained an active private practice counseling individuals, couples and families. He is also the founder and director of The Center for Existential and Spiritual Counseling in Portland, Oregon, where he effectively utilizes the counseling techniques that are shared in his workshops.
Hari Nam studied yoga and meditation for 30 years with the renowned Yogi Bhajan, who was a pivotal force for the introduction and growth of yoga (specifically Kundalini Yoga) in America. Yogi Bhajan was known for his effective “Poke, Provoke, Confront, and Elevate” style of counseling, which he taught to Hari Nam. This methodology is known only to a select few, and Hari Nam continues Yogi Bhajan’s legacy by including these teachings in the Spiritual Advisor workshops.
As an ordained minister in the Sikh faith, Hari Nam provides guidance, inspiration and counseling to members of both the Sikh community and the larger, general community as a whole.
Hari Nam’s broad professional background brought him to his current path of educator. Synthesizing what he has learned as a yoga instructor, minister, and counselor, Hari Nam created an in-depth course of study in Spiritual Advising, which unites the fields of conventional counseling and life coaching with timeless spiritual wisdom. Hari Nam has taught hundreds of people all over the world the skills to apply this knowledge to their own practice.

For more information on Hari Nam and his work visit www.spiritualcounselor.org

For directions to The Synergy Center, please call Rosemary at 315-663-6725

Chocolate Bliss Balls

2/17/2015

Are you looking for a healthy sweet treat? Why not try these Chocolate Bliss Balls? Raw cacao in these treats provide a high antioxidant value & has natural compounds (called polyphenols) that protect the heart & brain. In fact, cocoa polyphenols have been shown to increase nitric oxide production, which can enhance not only circulation but also sexual vigor!

Not a chocolate fan? No problem, these Sesame Bliss Balls promote healthy digestion and purify the body and mind by promoting a more alkaline pH. An alkaline pH is known to help the liver & kidneys get rid of toxins more efficiently, plus all of the enzymes in digestive system function better.

Use organic ingredients for best effects. These recipes are gluten free & the Sesame Bliss Balls can be made dairy-free & vegan by substituting coconut oil for ghee.

Recipe 1: Chocolate Bliss Balls

Ingredients:
1 cup of cashews blended until smooth (or you can cheat and buy cashew
butter)
2 Tbl of raw honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 dates (pitted and soaked for at least 4 hours)
2 Tbl raw cacao powder
1 cup of shredded coconut for coating

Method: Place all the ingredients, except for the coconut, in a blender/food processor & process until
smooth. With your hands, roll the mixture into small balls. Then pour the coconut onto a chopping board and roll the balls in it to coat them. Place the balls on a plate and refrigerate (or freezer for quick results) until hard.

Recipe 2: Sesame Bliss Balls

1 cup toasted sesame seeds
½ cup golden raisins or regular raisins
2 tsp ground ginger powder
2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp ground cardamom
2½ Tbl ghee or coconut oil

Method: Place all the ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, in a blender/food processor & process until
smooth. With your hands, roll the mixture into small balls. Then pour the toasted sesame seeds on a chopping board and roll the balls in it to coat them. Place the balls on a plate and refrigerate (or freezer for quick results) until hard.

The Mindful Path: Transforming Stress through Awareness

2/17/2015

Feeling overburdened or trapped by life’s demands?

Always on edge, like your body and mind are reactive to just about anything?

Coping with family, relationship, or parenting stressors that you want to respond to differently?

Sapped of mental and physical energy despite your best intentions to live well?

Dealing with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sleeplessness, headaches, and/or other medical conditions?

Interested in learning more about mindfulness and its many health benefits?

The Mindful Path: Transforming Stress through Awareness

Instructor: Christine Tyrrell Baker, PhD, Clinical Psychologist

Three sessions provide core content on stress reactivity and the basics in mindfulness skill practice. March 12, 19, and 26; 5:30-7:30pm

$295.00 for the entire course.

Our mind and body responses to stress play a large role in how well we feel. Stress does not only come to us from external forces in our lives but also comes from our reactions to stressful circumstances. Our bodies are programmed to react to stress in a fight or flight mode. When are bodies react in this natural way to stress, our minds also respond by being on high alert to respond to threats and to solve problems. These stress reactions can leave us with experiences of depression, anxiety, exhaustion, illness, physical pain, and general life dissatisfaction.

The Mindful Path will not instruct you to change your life circumstances or magically reduce your commitments or life stressors. Instead, it will teach you a way to better respond to these experiences so that they are livable. By retraining how our bodies and minds respond to stress, we can free ourselves from the most damaging aspects of stress in our lives.

This course provides a pathway to awareness that diverts us from our usual mind and body responses to stress. Learning about this pathway has the potential to change your response to stress forever.

This approach is backed by substantial medical research that shows mindfulness has positive benefits for immune function, chronic pain, parenting and relationships, anxiety, depression, cancer, and hypertension.

To register, please email Dr. Christine Tyrrell Baker at Wellbeing.cny@gmail.com or call her at (315) 790-0717