The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1445493
MEALS IN Monica's MINUTES Share your favorite recipe! Monica's Meals in Minutes PO Box 68, Petersburg 47567 mealsinminutes@pressdispatch.net MAIL EMAIL CAULIFLOWER BUFFALO BITES INGREDIENTS • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 tablespoons Buffalo wing sauce • 3 tablespoons butter, melted DIP • 1-1/2 cups 2 % cottage cheese • 1/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese • 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix • Celery sticks, optional DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat air fryer to 350°. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower and oil; toss to coat. In batches, arrange cauliflower in a single layer in air-fryer basket. Cook until florets are tender and edges are browned, 10 -15 minutes, stirring halfway through. 2. In a large bowl, combine Buffalo sauce and melted but- ter. Add cauliflower; toss to coat. Transfer to a serv- ing platter. In a small bowl, combine dip ingredients. Serve with cauliflower and, if desired, celery sticks. Source: tasteof home.com THE CENTER ACTIVITIES The Center for Seniors in Gibson County is open. Cof- fee and donuts are being provided daily at the coffee bar. It is a fellowship, social time for seniors. Hand sanitizer is required for all visitors. Anyone need- ing assistance or a ride can call 812-385 -8818. The current schedule is Bingo for prizes and fun at 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, exercise class at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays, Quilters at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, Bible Study at 10 a.m. and painting class at 1 p.m. on Thursdays (supplies will be provided), exercise at 9 a.m. on Fridays. Meal delivery for those who are homebound from SWIR- CA will continue at this time. To sign up for home deliv- ery, call 812-464-7817. The Center offers a food pantry every second and fourth Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. MENU Tuesday, Jan. 25: Breakfast for lunch: eggs, bacon, toast and hash browns. Friday, Jan. 28: Ham and beans, potatoes, cornbread and dessert. Tuesday, Feb. 1: Music performed. Vegetable beef soup, cheese, Dewig's bologna, crackers and dessert. Meals available on-site for seniors 55 and older. Call the Center by noon the day before at 812-385 -2897. SWIRCA MENU FOR DELIVERY Tuesday, Jan. 25: Chicken patty, sweet potatoes, broc- coli, wheat bread with margarine, pineapple cup and milk. Wednesday, Jan. 26: Polish sausage on bun, mashed po- tatoes, sauerkraut, warm spiced apples and milk. Thursday, Jan. 27: Chicken & dumplings, vegetable blend, warm spiced peaches, roll, brownie and milk. Friday, Jan. 28: Country fried steak, garlic mashed pota- toes, seasoned green beans, bread with margarine, fruit- ed Jello cup and milk. Monday, Jan. 31: Baked ziti with Italian sausage, Italian veggies, spiced peaches, Texas toast and milk. MORE INFORMATION SWIRCA meals are available for delivery to housebound senior citizens (60 and older) in Gibson County. Meals are provided on a donation basis and whatever you can afford to contribute. There is no set fee or charge. A sug- gested donation is $ 3.50 per meal. Cash and check or food stamps are accepted. Meat/Entrée portions are 2.5 to 3 oz. Vegetables and salads and desserts are half cup servings. Margarine is 1 teaspoon. Bread is one slice. Milk is a half pint. Casse- roles are 8 oz. This program is operated by the SWIRCA and More Nutrition Program and 16 W. Virginia St. and Evansville. The number to call for information or to order meal deliv- er is 812-464-7807. Note that the soup and sandwich is only for our congre- gate site clients. It is an alternative option to the hot meal. No special orders. Call 812-464-7807 to order at least one day ahead. YOUTH FIRST TODAY MY SO CALLED MILLENNIAL LIFE Is it a cold or COVID-19, and will I ever escape this mental prison? Thanks to the omicron variant, there are roughly 70 flagrillion cases of COVID-19 in the country. Omicron is breaking through vaccines, though it bears repeating One! More! Time! that vaccines and boosters are re- ducing symptoms and saving lives, and everyone should get jabbed, if possible. Also, testing is key when exposed or feel- ing bad. But let's talk more about feeling bad! Remember the days when you could have a sniffle and watch murder documenta- ries for a couple days without wonder- ing if you were contributing to the fall of society? Since this variant is so break- through-y, it has resulted in the following thought process anytime one takes ill: • Is it oak pollen, or is it COVID-19? • Is it the common cold, or is it COV- ID-19? • Is it a migraine, or is it COVID-19? • Is it a silent scream into the ether, or is it COVID-19? • Is this food really bland and flavorless, or is it COV- ID-19? Furthermore, should I tell my date that her food is re- ally bland and flavorless? • Is my new shampoo leav- ing my hair dull and lifeless, or is it COVID-19? • Is it a botfly infection, or is it COVID-19? Are there even botflies here? • Is it my past choices coming back to haunt me at a time I least expect, or is it COVID-19? • Is it the creeping feeling that I left the curling iron/coffee pot/bathroom candle on, or is it COVID-19? • Is it bad shrimp, or is it COVID-19? • Is it the urge to get bangs, or is it COVID-19? • Is it generalized anxiety disorder, or is it COVID-19? Why not both?! • Is it an alert from my bank that my balance is low, or is it COVID-19? • Is it a bite from a radi- oactive spider that will give me extraordinary strength and speed, but also great power and responsibility, or is it COVID-19? • Is it the all-consuming existential dread I face each day living in a pandemic that never seems to relent and only mutates and spreads, or is it COVID-19? • Is it ... whatever, I'm getting four tests. Stephanie Hayes is a columnist at the Tampa Bay Times in Florida. Follow her at @ stephhayes on Twitter or @ stephrhayes on Instagram. Self-regulation for parents By Shannon Loehrlein Youth First, Inc. Being a parent is hard. I can say this is 100 percent true from my own person- al experience with a seven-year-old and a two-year-old. Parenting is a job that of- fers no pay, little appreciation, and no time off. It's a 24/7 job. Who in their right mind would apply to that job, right? Parenting in 2022 comes with an ex- tra set of challenges. The seemingly never-ending COVID pandemic has put intense pressure on parents and fam- ilies. The Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on health issues in the United States, has been studying mental health relat- ed changes due to the COVID pandem- ic. They found that in 2019, the average number of adults reporting anxiety and depression was 11 percent. By January of 2021, that number rose to 41.1 percent. Parents play an important role, be- cause children look to their parents for emotional regulation and safety during difficult times. It's crucial for parents to be able to regulate their own emotions in order to also regulate their children. Here are some simple tips to help par- ents regulate themselves. 1. Take time for yourself. It's import- ant for parents to have time away from their children. Some people enjoy alone time and others enjoy spending time with other adults. Do what replenishes you and carve out time each day, even if only 10 minutes. 2. Prioritize transition times. Have you ever noticed that your own kids act out the most during transition times (bedtime, end of playtime, coming home from school etc.)? It's because transition- ing from one task to the next can over- stimulate the brain. Adults have difficulty with this too. A good way to help with this transition is to doing something you en- joy during the transition. For example, I personally like listening to audiobooks or podcasts during my commute from home to school. I've noticed my kids need this time to decompress too. Make a family rule that for the first 30 minutes home from work/school, everyone has "calm time" alone. 3. Try breathing techniques. Breathing exercises and meditation can reset the brain when you're feeling over- whelmed. The main focus on breathing is to hold your breath between inhale and exhale and try to exhale longer than you inhale. This type of breathing helps with your parasympathetic nervous system. You can find many examples of breath- ing exercises on YouTube and different mindfulness apps. 4. Spend time having fun. Many times as parents we move from one task to the next, never really finding time to enjoy our day. Make sure you and your kids spend time having fun each day. You could read a book, play outside, have fam- ily game night, or watch a movie togeth- er. Having these types of experiences al- so promotes healthy bonding with your children. 5. Exercise. Exercise is really import- ant in managing stress and decreasing anxiety and depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can make a statisti- cally significant difference in improving anxiety and depressive symptoms by re- leasing "feel-good endorphins" in your brain. Any exercise is good exercise, just go at your own pace. Remember, this pandemic has been difficult for everyone around the world. It's okay to have times when you feel over- whelmed. If you don't feel that self-care is enough for you, it's okay to seek help from a professional. Now many mental health providers offer virtual sessions, removing barriers to access care. Re- member, we are all in this together! Shannon Loehrlein, LCSW, is a Youth First Social Worker at Thompkins Mid- dle School in Vanderburgh County. Youth First, Inc. is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides 78 Master's level social workers to 105 schools in 12 Indiana coun- ties. Over 60,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First's school so- cial work and after school programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student suc- cess. To learn more about Youth First, vis- it youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336. C-1 Tuesday, Januar y 25, 2022 South Gibson Star-Times