I’m a water person. I love being near the beach, on a boat, by a creek, you name it. People find that being near moving water is really relaxing, and I couldn’t agree more. The sound of a creek meandering around rocks, the gentle turnover of waves on a beach, or the sound of a boat rocking over the water… I don’t really know of anyone that doesn’t get enjoyment out of this.

It very well could be the fact that moving water rarely goes stagnant and people like to absorb the energy from this. Moving water is doing exactly that — it’s in motion, on its way somewhere. That same inherent drive lies within people, which is why it seems people get so uncomfortable in “dead-end” jobs, relationships, and situations. If you aren’t moving, you aren’t changing your perspective. If you aren’t changing your perspective, you’re likely not growing as a person… which leads to a pause in all of the lessons you’re learning.

At some point in their life, no matter the scale, everyone will face a situation where they either see a need for change coming around the bend and adapt, or they will be put in a situation so desperately uncomfortable that they have no choice but to change their situation. I see it in my own life to an extent, maybe more than I’d like to admit. I’m a creature of habit, but I reluctantly force myself to do things that I know are necessary, knowing that sooner is better than later. I also see it in others’ lives — people that are close to me. The hardest thing to watch is someone with their feet planted firmly, not wanting to budge. Their world could be crumbling, but their “breakthrough” lesson of letting go has yet to happen. The biggest part of lessons like these are that they need to come from within — you have to feel so uncomfortable within your situation and your state of mind that you feel there’s no other choice but to take action.

Some people are much more urgent — others take a bit longer to react, and to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s a process, but as with everything, you take it step by step. If you are always changing, you will always end up downstream where you’re supposed to… much like moving water.

With this monologue about water and its likeness to us… comes a delicious dish of the sea. Or… the creek, rather. There’s something about brining and smoking a fish over a nice low heat until it’s got that rich, delicious flavor. If you don’t have the time for that, I recommend visiting your local grocer to find some sustainably-sourced trout fillets, already smoked (much quicker!). As for the other yogurt, feel free to use a a brand/type of your choice — I like this Almond Yogurt because it closely resembles the tartness and thickness of regular dairy Greek yogurt, but feel free to experiment and use what you’d like. This dish is

a perfect appetizer for a party!

Smoked Trout Dip (Paleo, Dairy-Free!)

prep time: 15 min

Cook time: n/a

Ingredients

• 16 oz boneless, skinless smoked trout fillets
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup Greek style, plain dairy-free yogurt (can use regular Greek yogurt if not paleo)
• 1 tbsp Coconaise mayo
• Juice from half of a lemon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp old bay
• 1/2 tsp of preferred sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup or agave (do not use stevia!)
• optional: salt and pepper to taste**

Directions

1. On a plastic cutting board, loosely chop the trout fillets, ensuring larger chunks aren’t left behind.
2. Add trout to a medium sized bowl. Mix in yogurt and mayo — gently stir until thoroughly mixed.

2. Add in spices and herbs, and continue to stir.

1. **At this point – I do a taste-check prior to adding any further salt or pepper — I find that I didn’t need it. When making this recipe, I added Old Bay first, which I knew would add to the saltiness of the smoked trout, but I wanted the Old Bay flavor. The lemon wasn’t enough to cut it alone, so I added a smidge of honey to balance it out. You can add additional yogurt, 1 tbsp at a time, until you get the desired taste.

-S