The Weekly Dish

Hi! I’m back!

I took a break from hashtag blogging because I felt a bit stuck. I genuinely feel like I haven’t hit my stride yet. And unlike on Instagram, where interaction is encouraged, blogging feels like you’re yelling into the great abyss without much return. (This also could be due to the fact that I haven’t exactly nailed down SEO).

Which brings me to a new series I am kicking off: The Weekly Dish, a series not only in place to keep me accountable but also to mimic some of the aspects of Instagram that I love. Namely the quickfire posting and the food pics that seem to be a general crowd-pleaser

Yet, I am also taking advantage of THIS platform and incorporating some non-Instagramy things like links and wild tangents that seem to be the epitome of the blogging culture (said with love <3).

Truly, though, this series is also here to inspire easy meal prep, highlight the simple ways you can add nutrient-dense food to your daily life and a few tips as to how to do it.

I am a creature of habit when it comes to meals, so you will likely be seeing repeats and meals in bowls (like, A LOT), but that’s what works for me and my hope is that this series inspires you to find what works for you!

Monday

I had a little extra time on Monday and limited groceries, so I decided to make Prana Thrive’s Keto Porridge, not because I’m keto, but because I had all the items on hand and I was curious—hemp heart porridge?! I did omit the almond flour from the recipe and added in a splash of molasses for a boost of B vitamins and iron. I also added coconut butter as a garnish, because when are good fats a bad idea?

Late Monday afternoon, my parents dropped off a piece of furniture that had been hidden away in their garage. I have been in desperate need of a dresser and this hidden treasure fit the bill (and my small space) perfectly! Any other Heywood Wakefield fans out there?

So, as a thank you, I treated them to a kombucha beer while we waited for one of my favorite Chicago/northside restaurants to open, The Warbler. You can find the kombucha beer across the street at The Grafton.

After many back and forths, we decided that the raspberry flavor was slightly better than the peach.

Tuesday

Coconut butter and I had a big week seeing as the following evening I added it to my roasted carrots and my life was forever changed for the better….

Look at that beaut. It tasted like candy and yet I loved that I was getting good fiber and fat. I have heard Ben Greenfield wax poetic about the joy that is putting coconut butter onto roasted veggies, but I thought he was exaggerating. He most certainly was not.

It really is the simple things in life, isn’t it?

To make your own bowl of carrot-y goodness just chop up a whole bag of carrots (rainbow carrots are a personal fave), coat with melted coconut oil or ghee and roast at 350 degrees until tender (I think mine were in there for about 40 mins?). While still hot from the oven transfer a serving to a bowl and add a dollop of coconut butter (my favorite brand) and a healthy dusting of cinnamon. Stir to combine and enjoy. You can leave a thank you note in the comments below.

Tuesday

In my opinion, meatballs are the easiest meal prep there is. I cobbled together some turkey meatballs for the week and seeing as I am considered an Individualist on the Enneagram scale, I did not use any one recipe, but this looks like a good one!

As my side for the week I chose broccoli. I had been avoiding broccoli in the produce aisle for quite some time. Not because I didn’t love it (I made a paper mache broccoli in my college art class #liberalartseducation) but because I hated the mess I made whenever I tried to dismantle the florets from the stalk.

Enter frozen broccoli florets.

These frozen bags are such a cleanliness game-changer and equally as affordable as the fresh stuff. I dump the whole bag into a glass container with grass-fed butter and herbed sea salt, and roast until tender. One thing to note: frozen broccoli will always be a bit mushier than fresh, so if you’re a texture person this might not be your mealtime hack.

Wednesday

Wednesday night I hosted my monthly book club and was pleased to find this organic (!!!) wine at Trader Joe’s. It was okay and worth serving for the name alone.

Look at the Papyrus font….also just noticed that the “A” was slightly smaller to make it “Well Red” SMH

I liked this bottle (also organic!!!) a bit more. Never thought I’d be a red blend drinker, but Organic wine is important to me.

Yes, I had to take both of these out of the recycling because I forgot to snap a pic…
I usually like buying bio-dynamic, organic wines from Thrive Market. I trust their sommelier and vetting process.

Thursday

Out of meatballs, groceries, and ideas, I found a sad zucchini in the back of my fridge and spiralized (the OXO spiralizer is my hero) said sad zucchini to make an equally sad-looking (but very tasty!) stir fry. I sauteed the noodles in ghee and added coconut aminos at the last second. From there I added Everything but the Bagel seasoning, pumpkin seeds and topped it with an unpictured fried egg. Side note: Trader Joe’s now carries pastured eggs and, so far, I’ve really liked their quality!

I got a kick out of this because I thought it looked like a yin yang sign….

I always fry my eggs in avocado oil or grass-fed ghee (my absolute favorite ghee). I am proof that if you force yourself to keep trying food that you do not necessarily enjoy it will grow on you. I used to hate fried eggs with a passion, but now I have them at least once a week. They’re too convenient and easy to make.

Saturday

I’ll leave you with this, my current tablescape. Cheap flowers that are already dying from Trader Joe’s and a garlic bulb bunch from my parent’s garden in Wisconsin.

As I said: it truly is the simple things that bring joy.

Nama-Stay Away Germs

Confessions of an Ugly Sweater

I am sure this will not be the first instance of me bringing up the fact that I am a sweater. No, not the wooly kind.

I sweat a great deal and it’s not something I am particularly fond of, but something I am working through and, of course, bio-hacking my way to find a better sweat/life balance. Ha.

But that’s a digression from where I wanted this blog post to go.

Part of my propensity to perspire is due to the learned detox my body gets whenever I go to hot yoga. It’s like my sweat glands have a muscle memory, because the moment I walk into that yoga studio, my pores immediately begin to dump every ounce of bodily moisture possible.

Needless to say, my yoga mat is a disaster by the end of a 60 minute class. Thus, I regularly need to make sure it’s mold and germ free, so I’ve developed a few hacks and ideas to keep my mat sparkling clean.

Spray Bottle; Essential Oil; Witch Hazel

Meet Matt, My Yoga Mat

I have a Lululemon Yoga Mat and have used it consistently for about 7 years now. I love it. It’s not the most non-toxic option, but it is better than some. Lululemon advises against most of the tips I have listed below, so employ at your own caution. I will point out that I’ve been doing all of these for quite some time and my 7-year-old mat is no worse for wear.

• Air dry in sunlight whenever possible. I live in a four floor walk up without a balcony, but I still manage to get my mat to the park and into some sunshine now and again. Sunlight is such a great antiseptic, especially for mold and mildew, plus I swear my mat smells “fresher” after a tanning session outside.

• Rinse off with your mat! I grab my mat and bring it into the shower with me. I try not to get too much soap on it and usually time my shower companionship for a day when I know I won’t be using my mat the next day (takes a bit for it to completely dry out). Once done, I hang the mat over my shower curtain and go about my day. (the 5mm mat from lulu is a bit heavy, especially waterlogged, so make sure your curtain rod can handle the extra weight!)

• Roll it out! Whenever I know I am going to be out of town for an extended period of time, I roll out my mat and let it get some much needed airflow. This probably will only work if you live alone or in space that can accommodate a large 6 ft mat sprawled out across the floor, but hey! worth a shot!

• And finally, the lazy girls guide to a clean mat: non-toxic mat spray. I’ve tried a few variations, but this is the combination I like and use the most. It smells great and is very effective. I have not seen any issues with the integrity of my mat’s surface with this spray and it does not make the mat slippery after use (this is a big breakthrough, IMO). Keep scrolling for the easy recipe!

Nama-Stay Away Germs Mat Spray

This can also be used as a multi-purpose spray! I use Uncle Harry’s Anti-Germ essential oil but you can make your own blend of disinfectant EOs. A few of my other favorite combos are: Peppermint + Tea Tree, Rosemary + Lavender, and Grapefruit + Lemon!

What you’ll need:

• wide mouth mason jar

• spray bottle head (You can also buy these all in one glass jars with spray head. I wouldn’t recommend storing this spray in plastic bottles)

• witch hazel

• filtered water

• essential oil blend of choice (I use this)

Mix all liquids in mason jar and attached lid. Remember to shake gently before use and store in a cool, dark place since essential oils do best in amber, low light glass and your mason jar is not very protective! I use this on my mat after I’ve wiped it down with a clean, wet cloth and then spray with this and let it dry. I’ve also used this spray in my kitchen when I’ve run out of my Branch Basics spray! The peppermint and tea tree combo is a refreshing favorite of mine and helps keep spiders aways. I love when things are multipurpose!

Constipation Nation

Constipation is a shitty situation.

How do I know?

I’ve been there, many times. And many times I was told that it was “totally normal.” Yes, there are definitely times when things can become a bit jammed, perhaps you have an upcoming presentation or public speaking event and tense up just thinking about it, maybe you’re traveling, or maybe you’re spending a weekend away in a very small hotel room with a new significant other.

This shows how powerful our thoughts and actions are in relation to our digestive functions and its regulation.

Trust Yo Gut & Think Positive Thoughts

Your digestive tract, or gut, has now been officially recognized as your second brain. There are 100 Million nerve cells lining your gut from head to, ahem, butt Source. So, it should come as no surprise that when anxious, stressed, sad, and, yes, even happy, your digestive tract might react.

Basically, what I am trying to tell you is there is scientific evidence behind the saying “I laughed so hard I pooped my pants!”

All silliness aside, constipation is a frustrating uphill battle for many and still such a taboo subject. And I get it— not many want to sit there and discuss their bathroom habits, but there are so many impacts on your health when you’re not eliminating, it’s something that should be taken seriously. And while going three times a week may still be considered “okay” and “normal,” I, personally, feel best when I go AT LEAST twice a day.

This is the first thing you see when you google “How many times should I poop in a week”

I like to use the (very obvious) analogy of a garbage can. You don’t have to empty it every day and you might not feel its effects for a few days, but at a certain point it hits its limit and becomes a bigger problem with bacterial overgrowth, uncomfortable smells, leaking…you get the picture. Why not be proactive and “take the trash out” a bit more frequently?

Here are a few tips and tricks to keep your day happy & crappy!:

1. Start your morning with a few deep breaths and some warm lemon water. The deep breaths center yourself and keep you in a parasympathetic state for optimal digestion. The lemon h2o helps to stimulate the liver and gallbladder to release bile, which is like the rinse cycle in your small intestine and colon, and gets things chugging along.

2. Eat some beets! Beets and beet greens (their leafy tops) are a superb bile thinner. Bile is the unsung hero of the GI tract, it helps emulsify fats, which then allows them to be digested properly. Bile also helps to regulate intestinal flora, help rid body of waste (duhhhhhh) and acts as a defense against certain organisms that may end up in your digestive tract. What are you waiting for? Turn up the beet.

3. FERMENTS. Chock full of fiber, enzymes, and fuel for your gut microbes, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, etc bring in reinforcements in the form of prebiotics and probiotics to help support the native flora in your system and get things back on an even keel.

4. Go tropical and grab a pineapple. Pineapples contain the enzyme, bromelain, which helps digest proteins. If I’ve had an particularly meaty (?) meal, I’ll grab some pineapple an hour or so later to help keep things moving. No #meatsweats here.

5. It seems like a no-brainer, but stay hydrated! Not only does this help keep your blood flowing, but it delivers essential minerals to your system that can help relax your GI muscles and get things back on a positive flow.

6. Cut down on your Omega 6 fatty acids and processed foods/sugar. All of these add to your inflammatory response and could be hindering normal GI function because your body is stressed from the inflammation load. We have a an overabundance of Omega 6 fatty acids in our modern, more processed diets, so it is wise to intentionally cut down on them—you’ll be surprised by how many foods have omega 6 in them.* *Note: this is not me villainizing omega 6 fatty acids—they’re an essential part of our diet and aid in proper inflammation response and hormone production. My argument is that we already get more than enough in our diet, so it would be wise to cut back, not eliminate. We should be consuming a 1:1 ratio of omega 3’s and omega 6’s. The current ratio in the western diet is 15:1. (Source)

7. Soothe you digestive tract with some fresh aloe vera. Fresh aloe is chock full of fresh enzymes to help break things down. It is also very soothing and can help with inflammation, which can give your system a break and get back to the business of doing your “business.” I’ve seen these big stalks at the more obvious establishments like Whole Foods and other natural food stores/markets, but I have been surprised to see them popping up at more conventional grocery stores as well. My other go-to if I can’t find a grocery store with fresh aloe is to look for a Mexican market, as aloe is a huge part of their culture and is used for exactly this purpose!

Hi, I’d like to buy my way out of this problem:

While I’m never one to immediately encourage supplements, I GET IT. If you’re traveling, or in a lot of discomfort you’re probably like “THAT’S GREAT KENDALL I LOVE PINEAPPLES AND KIMCHI BUT I NEED TO GO NOW”. I’ve compiled a few of my supplements that I lovingly refer to as train conductors, as they keep that locomotive moving.

Here are a few of my go-to’s to GO:

Electrolytes—many times hydration can be a contributing factor to constipation, or lack there of. Unfortunately, by the time you start feeling the sensation of thirst you’re already partially dehydrated. So that is why I always bring along electrolytes when traveling and I am away from my regular hydration routine. That way the water I am drinking is getting readily absorbed with the added benefits of the powerful electrolytes. When I’m at home, or sometimes when traveling, I use a pinch of this salt in my water as a cheaper electrolyte alternative!

Digestive Bitters— much like the discussed beets, digestive bitters can help stimulate the liver and gall bladder, which will help get those juices, including bile, flowing. Taking them a few minutes prior to a meal can have a very desirable effect later on and it’s giving your body natural cues to help amp up its digestive fire. Luckily digestion is not on a negative feedback loop like hormones, so this supplementation is merely that: supplementation. Your body is still doing the work to digest.

Smooth Move Tea—this tea is very soothing to the digestive tract, with the licorice root and other calming herbs, but they really do pack a punch. I believe this has the herb Senna in it, which has some controversy behind it. I haven’t investigated the details, because personally, I have not had a problem with it and do not have a dependency to the product to go.

Colon Max—Usually used as an overnight supplement to help get things moving. I take this proactively when I know I might be stopped up i.e. the usual suspects: travel and/or stress. This stuff is STRONG so definitely start with the recommended dose. My whole family loves this stuff, in fact, one year “santa” put it in all of our stockings.

Calm—I think we’ve all experienced that post magnesium citrate “ride.” It can be quite a surprise to someone not prepared, but very beneficial if you need some progress. Again, this works best overnight, but I’ve used it during the day, now that I know my reaction time to it. I haven’t tried these, so I can’t speak to their efficacy, but they also make a gummy form of the Calm supplement.

Proteolytic Enzymes—this can be more bio-individual, but has worked for me. These enzymes specifically help to digest proteins in the digestive tract. When taken during or directly after a meal they help to break down the ingested protein. I usually use supplemented bromelain, which if you remember is an enzyme found in pineapple, so this is just a more concentrated form of what I talked about above with pineapple. When taken on an empty stomach the proteolytic enzymes can help to digest and move along any leftover protein matter in the digestive tract, aka inflammation. Source.

Castor Oil Packs—Do not be intimidated by this practice; it’s easier than it sounds! Castor oil helps to bring blood flow AKA movement to the areas where it is applied, thus a castor oil pack on the abdomen can be a wonderful facilitator in feces (sorry). I keep an organic wool cloth in the fridge (so that the previous castor oil doesn’t go rancid) and when I need it, I add 2 tbsp to the cloth and apply to my abdomen. I either add a hot water bottle or a Biomat for heat to help absorption. I plan on doing a more in depth step by step on castor oil packs, but until then Wellness Mama has a great guide.

A great litmus test to see where you fall on this pooping dilemma is the Bristol Stool Chart. It’s very visual, so you should have no problems classifying where you stand.

If you’re brave….comment below your Bristol number….I’m a 2 :)

DISCLAIMER
The information on this website is intended as educational advice only and should not be used in place of a medical provider to diagnose or treat any illness.

A Botanic Garden For Your Face

One of the easiest and most luxurious self care activities I have found are floral facial steams. Not only are they easy to set up, (AKA no added stress) they’re incredibly beneficial to your skin. Herbal and floral facial steams boost circulation, calm nerves, open and cleanse your pores and hydrates leaving a dewy glow. And they’re incredibly easy to make yourself!

I am not a “blogger” who will bore you with a bunch of anecdotal word fodder in relation (or sometimes no relation) to the topic at hand, so let’s get right to it!

What you’ll need:

• clean, heat safe bowl ( I usually use an oversized ceramic bowl)

• 2 cups boiling water, preferably filtered

• 2 tbsp organic, food grade dried flowers (more on that in a sec)

• large bath towel

• cleansed skin

Add the 2 tbsp mixture into the bowl and cover with the boiling water. Create a hood with your towel over your head and gently lower it towards the steam. Deep inhales and weird noises that scare your roommate are encouraged. I pop on some relaxing music or a good crime podcast and usually last about 10-15 minutes in the steam. Then, I’ll add a heaping application of this to further nourish my skin.

I have bought pre-made facial steams in the past from Franklin & Whitman but made the decision to buy my own flowers in bulk to make variations on the botanical steams offered from them. And I am so happy I did. I purchased everything on Amazon, and mixed up a large batch, so large in fact, I gave away sachets of the mixture as Christmas presents last year. They were a hit! (Unless my friends were lying).

Here are the supplies I ordered, but really the combinations are endless and you probably have a few of the ingredients sitting in your herbs & spice drawer and tea drawer! Images below are linked!

Botanical steams are one of my secret weapons for self-care and skin health. Not only does the gentle steam, infused with calming or invigorating properties. Here are a few of the combos I readily use:

Skin Calming

• Lavender

• Calendula

• Chamomile

• Rose

Sinus Clearing

• Eucalyptus (I’ve not been able to find a reliable source of organic dried eucalyptus leaves, so I use this instead)

• Peppermint

• Rosemary

Rejuvenating

• Lavender

• Peppermint

• Cornflower

There really is no right or wrong combination, so I encourage you to branch out. You can also add these combinations to a warm bath, but I suggest using one of these to contain all those petals!