Show Notes

Picking Yourself Up After a Soul-Crushing Loss

This week, Tara Shannon joins me for a special chat about life after thyroid cancer. Only, we’re not hanging on to cancer—but moving past it. We will be talking about wellness in spite of misfortune—how losing someone can make you think of your own mortality and help you change course toward finding your personal vocation, and how sometimes adversity can make us become even more alive.

Also, on a Side Note: Ever since seeing and hearing this BBC post on Twitter (below), I can’t get this song out of my head…  From the Reading Festival in Reading, England, BBC writes – “ABBA: Bringing audiences together since 1972” – so true. This is collective effervescence at its finest! Why am I highlighting this on the show? – it’s simple. There is so much static on the internet and in social media that illustrates just how divisive we, as people, are – that I saw this as an opportunity to further highlight the opposite:

This Week’s Guest: Tara Shannon
Tara Shannon at The Dublin Cookery School in Ireland

Today’s guest describes herself as a foodie, wine lover, professionally trained cook, social media maven, and writer. I asked her on the show because she is someone I’ve known and who I’ve watched over the years grow into a thriver—she’s like that everyday friend you know who gets hit with adversity—and yet somehow manages to show a quiet, steadfast strength to keep moving forward.

Tune in as Tara Shannon joins us to talk about moving from grief to developing a new kind of normal – it’s a kind of comeback – from changing the way you eat to how you start to pick yourself up after a soul-crushing loss.

The photos – one at the very top of this show notes post and the one below are from Tara’s culinary adventure in Ireland at The Dublin Cookery School. You can also see more images on Tara’s Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/tarashannonwrites/ 

Parmesan Pecan-Crusted Salmon

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 salmon filets, about 6-8 oz. each, with the skin on
Salt for seasoning the fish
4 tbsp unsalted pecans
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated parmesan
4 Fresh Basil leaves (or an equivalent of dill), roughly chopped
A squeeze of fresh lemon, if desired

Instructions:

Recipe for Tara’s thyroid-friendly fresh salmon dish

Place fresh salmon onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Preheat oven to 425F.

Place Pecans, parmesan, and olive oil in a food processor and blitz a couple of times so the mixture is slightly moist yet crumbly. Remove from the food processor, divide in half, and pat down on top of the salmon.

Roast the salmon for 10-12 minutes or until it feels barely firm to the touch when pressed with your finger. (Don’t overcook; the fish will continue to cook for a few minutes when you take it out of the oven.) Serve hot, garnished with Basil, dill, and a squeeze of lemon if desired, and a salad like the Mixed Green Salad with Spiced Pecans, Citrus, Goat Cheese & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette or the Arugula, Avocado & Tomato Salad.