A Piece of My Mind - February
Closing Out February with Nourishment, Community, and March’s Cookbook Pick
Welcome to the Michelle Seguin MD newsletter! I’m Dr. Michelle, and I’m grateful you’re here as part of our growing community of 850+ readers across 46 states and 29 countries. This week, we’re wrapping up our 2nd month of the Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club. As we step into March, I’m excited to share our next cookbook pick—one that feels just right for the changing season!
Hello friends,
February may be brief, but it holds its own quiet magic—a time for nourishment, connection, and embracing the pause before spring stirs to life. I hope this newsletter serves as a touchstone where we can savor the in-between together. Whether you’re here for the seasonal rhythms, the food-as-medicine inspiration, or simply a sense of connection, I’m grateful for this growing community. With my 2-year Substack anniversary on the horizon in April, I can’t wait to share new ways for us to connect in the coming weeks (hint: think community chat, cooking threads, and more)!
With gratitude,
Dr. Michelle
A Piece of My Mind
Welcome to this space, where I share quick updates on what I’m learning, doing, and loving as we close out each month together. As the newsletter has evolved, this section has become a reader favorite—a playful nod to the beloved JAMA series, which explores the joys, challenges, and hidden truths of practicing medicine. While inspired by those stories, my version leans into the lighter side, celebrating the small, meaningful moments and practices that shape our everyday lives.
What I’m Excited About
I’m honored to be mentioned in the Substack Garden Writers’ Directory. It’s always special to be part of a community that celebrates nature, gardening, and writing—a few of my favorite things (cue my best Julie Andrews’ melody) . If you’re looking for more garden inspiration, this is a wonderful resource—thank you to
for curating such a fantastic directory!In gardening news, this week our seed orders arrived from Seed Savers Exchange, MIgardener, and Pinetree Seeds. Oh, and I was invited to present on “Gardening for Dietary Diversity” at our local seed library’s seed swap event next month! Insights from this talk will help shape next month’s newsletters, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
What I’m Listening To
Lately, I’ve been savoring the beautiful vignettes in Italy in the Low Season from
. The way she and her guests (including ) capture the slower, quieter side of Italy in the cooler months is pure poetry—a reminder that beauty isn’t just in peak seasons, but in the quiet in-between, too. It has me dreaming of a return trip in the winter months—un giorno (one day)!What I’m Watching
Birdwatching at our property—soon to be home—has become a favorite pastime, especially with our Bird Buddy feeder. Chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, and American goldfinches have been regular visitors, bringing such joy with their tiny flutters and calls. They even inspired these comfy chickadee slippers—because why not bring a little bird-inspired coziness indoors? From the video below, it seems the chickadees love watching the gently falling snow over the building site just as much as we do.
What I’m Reading
I’ve been diving into Why We Cook, a fascinating exploration of the ways women across cultures and generations have shaped food traditions, stories, and community. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about your own food memories and the quiet power of cooking as an act of care—something that our cookbook club readers have beautifully expressed as well. The book includes essays, interviews, and recipes!
What I’m Practicing
More squats! This article on why 10 squats may be the best thing for your metabolism inspired me to be more intentional about incorporating movement throughout my day—especially between telemedicine visits. A small but mighty way to support strength and blood sugar balance. If you’re looking for the primary research study, you can find it here.
What a wonderful month of seasonal cooking in our Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club! February’s feature, My New Roots by Sarah Britton, invited us to explore vibrant, plant-forward meals that celebrate whole ingredients in their most nourishing form. One standout for me was the Pickled Fennel, Grapefruit, Cabbage, and Avocado Salad—simple yet deeply satisfying, with bright citrus that added a burst of sunshine to the season.
**Reader Feature**
Thank you to Dee P for sharing this month!
Here’s what she had to say about the Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, Pomegranate Salad:
“I made the Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad for breakfast today. I used Stokes purple sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash because I had a couple I needed to cook. I also used feta instead of goat cheese because my husband doesn’t like goat cheese. The texture of the sweet potatoes was a little heavy so I will stick with the butternut squash next time. But overall, I love this salad. Making fresh dressing is so easy and tastes so great! This was a fun thing to do on a sunny Saturday morning!”
Dee, I love how you made this salad your own, adapting it with what you had on hand while still capturing its essence. The swap to Stokes purple sweet potatoes is such a creative touch, even if you found the texture a bit heavier than expected. Your reflections remind us that cooking is an evolving process, full of experimentation and discovery. Thank you for sharing your experience and bringing such thoughtfulness to the table!
I’ll continue sharing reader features at the end of each month to celebrate the creativity and connection within our Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club community. I’d love to hear how you’re bringing each month’s cookbook to life in your kitchen—keep sharing your photos, reflections, or creative twists on the recipes. Your stories are what make this community so special!
Here’s what we will be cooking from next month…
March 2025
Cookbook: Salad Seasons by Sheela Prakash
For next month’s Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club, we’ll be exploring Salad Seasons by Sheela Prakash. This book is a beautiful reminder that salads are more than just greens—they are a celebration of the seasons, bursting with flavor, texture, and nourishment. As we enter spring, this feels like the perfect guide to embracing fresh, vibrant meals.
In Closing
As we step into a new month, may we carry forward the warmth of winter’s quiet joys and the anticipation of spring’s gentle awakening. Here’s to another season of connection, curiosity, and nourishment in all its forms.
With love and care,
Dr. Michelle
Physician, Gardener, Home Cook, and Forever Curious
P.S. If this newsletter resonated with you, consider liking it and sharing it with a friend. Our growing community is a space for slow living, nourishing meals, and deep connection—including our Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club, where we cook and learn together through the lens of seasonal eating. Thank you for being here—your presence means so much to me.
Here are my most recent Substack sharings:
Michelle - I greatly enjoyed reading this! From the little birds to the reader salad adaptation to the article on squats it was written with both eloquence and education in mind. :)
Thank you for sharing the article on the Squats, very interesting and I am happy to have a reason to squat at the office now :)