February

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ACTIVITY: Make a Nature Mandala

To make a mandala all you need is a little creativity and natural materials. Invite your child to create a circle with items they have found outdoors. First, have them choose a natural object that will become the centerpiece of their Mandala. Then, form a ring around the centerpiece. Continue to make new expanding circles until they either run out of items or feel that the structure is completed. *What is a mandala? The word mandala is a Sanskrit term which means “circle”.

PLANT OF THE MONTH: Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana)

This annual plant is a great addition to your home décor. An excellent plant for bedding and containers, pansies are available in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes. To ensure a successful season, plant this flower in the fall for early spring bloom. Selecting an optimal location is recommended, to provide the flower the opportunity to receive sun to partial shade. In addition, pansies are a wonderful plant because they are edible! Harvest the flowers for a colorful addition to a salad. *An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle within one year and then dies.

RECIPE: Collard Greens Stew with Black-eyed Peas

Ingredients

• • 1 ½ cup canned black-eyed peas
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
  • ¼ red onion into long strips
  • 2 cloves garlic cut into long strips
  • 1 tablespoon red flakes (optional)
  • 2 cups of collard greens, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup tomato pulp
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a medium pot. Heat on medium heat for 30 seconds and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
2. Add 1/4 of a red onion cut into long strips. Sauté it until it browns
3. Add 2 cloves of garlic cut into long strips and 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to your taste)
4. Add 2 cups of collard greens (roughly chopped)
5. Add 2 tsp of sea salt to the collard greens and 1 cup of tomato pulp
6. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it cook for about 4 minutes.
7. Add the black-eyed peas and bring it to a boil.
8. Cover and keep the heat to low. Stew for 40 minutes and cook for two minutes.
9. Serve and Enjoy!

Collard Greens Stew with Black-eyed Peas. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healingtomato.com/collard-greens-stew/