The first day of the spring and the Spring Equinox in 2024 is March 19. This holiday marks the beginning of spring. There are many ways for you to celebrate this season with friends and family. The date of the Spring Equinox shifts every year. You can celebrate the theme of the Spring Equinox throughout the spring season.
Spring Equinox: Source: Verdicsid Laanta Blog
A Brief History of the Spring Equinox
The Spring Equinox called the March or venereal equinox takes place in March. It is the time when the sun crosses the equator from south to north. The celestial equator is an imaginary line used to explain the spring equinox. During this time the North and South hemispheres of the earth receive equal hours of daylight and darkness.
Most times of the year the earth is slanted toward or away from the sun. This means that the Northern and Southern hemisphere receives unequal amounts of light and darkness most days. During the equinox the sunrise and sunset seem faster and they rise in the east and set in the west.
Technically the daylight and darkness are not always equal at this time but often very close. Equinoxes occur twice a year but after the spring equinox most areas will receive more sun than darkness. Depending on the year the holiday falls on March 19, 20, and 21. It is the beginning of spring a good time to get outdoors and appreciate nature.
Celebrate The Spring Equinox Theme During Spring
Wooded Path Photo Source: Deviant Art
Go for a walk outside in the park, in your neighborhood, or take a walk on a hiking trail. Observe the trees, plants, gardens, birds, and nature. Turn off your cell phone or leave it home. When it is cloudy or raining lightly go for a walk or hike anyway and bring an umbrella with you.
Buy some flowers for your home or apartment at your local supermarket or garden center. Design an arrangement in a vase of flowers for your kitchen or dining room table. Buy a plant to raise indoors and later place outdoors the garden or on the deck or patio.
Potted Plants Source: Wix Media
Clean a room or an outdoor space you use in the warm weather like your deck or patio. Get this outdoor space ready for spring.
Find more than one way to exercise that you enjoy in the spring. Walk your dog, jog, run, bike, swim, garden, work out at the gym, do yard work, or practice yoga.
Buy a few herbs and vegetable plants from your local garden center. Take care of them until you can plant them outdoors or raise them in containers.
Vegetable Plants Outdoors Photo Source: Flicker/Mark Levisay
Prepare healthy recipes using plenty of fruits and vegetables. Look for recipes online or go to your local library and take out a cookbook. If you enjoy buying cookbooks stop by your local bookstore.
Try Forest Bathing the practice of walking in nature in a park, hiking on a nature trail, at a state park, or along the beach without distraction. Leave your cell phone home and wear comfortable clothing. You can walk from 20 minutes to 45 minutes depending on your schedule. Take your time and pay attention to what you see in nature. When you are with other people keep your conversation to a minimum. This activity is suitable to sunny or cloudy weather.
Add an outdoor yoga and meditation practice to your spring activities. Try observing the stars and moon at night sitting on your deck or patio. Keep it simple use your eyes or binoculars.
Children Walking in the Woods Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Spring Equinox Recipes
Animation Source: Giphy
Green Minestrone Soup
This is a green minestrone soup the uses spinach, sugar snap peas, scallions, onion, potatoes, and roasted pepper. You will need a strainer, cutting board, knife, measuring cups, spoons, soup pot, wooden spoon, container for chopped vegetables, and bowl.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped spinach.
1/2 of a white onion chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1 small potato chopped fine
1/3 cup roasted peppers from the jar
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
Directions:
Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak the vegetables in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Strain and dry the vegetables with paper towels if needed. On the stove add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the soup pot. Chop the spinach into bite size pieces and place in the container. Cut the ends off the onion and remove the peel. Discard. Cut the onion in half and dice. Add to the container.
Cut the scallions into bite sized pieces, cut the sugar snap peas in half. Dice the potato very fine and leave on skin. If you prefer to peel the skin use a potato peeler. Rinse off the roasted peppers and dice. Add to the container.
Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat on the stove and add all the vegetables. Sauté them for about five minutes letting the vegetables cook stirring them with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, minced garlic, paprika, and black pepper. Let the soup cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add extra broth if needed. Add salt to taste. Serves about 4.
Tip: When leaving the skins on potatoes or other vegetables soak them in warm water for about 5 minutes. Make sure they do not have black spots or mold. Scrub the peel with a vegetable brush to remove the dirt. If you do not like to leave on the skin use a vegetable peeler to remove skin.
Image Source: Giphy
Green Leaf Salad with Lemon Dressing
You will need a cutting board, knife, bowl or container to wash vegetables, strainer, measuring spoons, plate or bowl, and a small container for the dressing.
Ingredients:
1 head green leaf lettuce
2 tomatoes finely diced
2 cucumbers sliced thin, and the slices cut in half
2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or concentrate
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a container warm water and soak the green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Let them soak for about 5 minutes. Strain. Cut the core or end of the green leaf lettuce and discard. Cut the lettuce into bite size pieces and add to the medium sized bowl or plate. Dice the tomatoes and add to salad. Slice the cucumber and cut slices in half and add to plate or bowl. Mix well. Measure the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle evenly through salad.
In a container mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper and salt. Mix together with a spoon and pour over the salad evenly. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Pasta Amination Source: Giphy
Pasta With Broccoli Rabe, Garlic and Parmesan Cheese
You will need a medium size pot, strainer, knife, cutting board, measuring spoons, and frying or sauté pan.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 head of broccoli rabe chopped fine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb. regular or gluten free spaghetti
Directions:
Rinse the broccoli rabe under warm water and cut off the stems and discard. Chop the broccoli and the leaves into bite sized pieces. In a sauté pan over medium heat add the olive oil and garlic. Add the chopped broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and parmesan cheese and cook another 5 minutes or longer stirring well. Turn off the burner and cover pan when done.
On the stove in a medium sized pot boil water with oil or salt for 1 pound of spaghetti. Follow the package directions for amount to time to cook the pasta. Cook the pasta and strain the place it in a bowl or on large plate. Mix the sauce from the pan with the pasta. Mix well. Add some extra cheese and olive oil Serves 4
Lemon Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks
Lemon Chicken: Photo Source: The Culinary Chef
You will need a skillet or pan, small bowl, measuring cups, and spoons, cutting board, and knife.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken thighs or drumsticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice or concentrate
1/4 cup chicken of vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
Directions:
Place the chicken parts in a skillet or pan. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and broth in a small container. Add the pepper and salt and mix well. Pour the mixture over the chicken and coat thoroughly. Chop the parsley and add to the chicken and broth. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake or roast the chicken for 1/2 hour. Check the chicken and add more broth if needed. Cook another 20 minutes and serve with rice, potato, or pasta. Serves 4.
Animation Source: Giphy
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