chronically fulfilled

Fulfilling my monthly intention to eat more healthy carbs with this honeynut squash 💯 probably my easiest intention to date! #dEats 🍽 honeynut squash roasted at 400° for 30min w/ coconut oil, pink salt, cinnamon, pecans & pumpkins seeds (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/Btop-pCHEyh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xzg74lea50yx

Can’t believe it’s already February, here’s what I’m working on this month ✨ 1. Look for the beauty in winter. My aversion to winter is no secret, I make it a point to vocalize how much I dislike the snow and the cold. But negativity doesn’t increase the temperature outside, so I might as well look for the positives in the season ❄️ 2. Don’t take on the stress of others as your own. There will always be people around you who are stressed out, whether it be at work, at school, or at home. That doesn’t mean you have to take on their energy and get anxious and off balance, too 3. Eat more healthy carbs. Because I follow a diet without grains and starchy carbs, I sometimes unintentionally eat a low carb diet. Women often need more carbs to regulate their hormones, and I’m currently dealing with hormone imbalances. This month I will try to eat more carbs from fruit, winter squash & root veggies🥕 4. Check the word ‘just’ in your vocabulary. I use the word ‘just’ A LOT, in emails, texts, and conversations in general. In most cases, it makes what I say weaker, as if it’s not that important. Old habits die hard, but I want to make a conscious effort to use this word less What are your February intentions? (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtbgZ0inBR7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vnb1bmkdh0pj

Before I changed my diet, I was an oatmeal fanatic. Borderline addict. I ate oatmeal every morning for 6 years straight. Overnight oats, steel cut, old fashioned, all of the above. There was nothing better than a big bowl of oats filled to the brim with nut butter, spices, and endless toppings. Out of all the foods, I probably missed oatmeal the most after eliminating grains from my diet (a close second being pasta) I’d seen recipes for cauliflower ‘noatmeal’ for a while, but was skeptical. I figured it would be a disappointment and make me miss the real thing even more. I finally tried making cauliflower oats and surprisingly loved it! You can use all the same flavors and toppings that you’d add to regular oatmeal, and have a pretty similar breakfast experience. Moral of the story: don’t knock it til you try it 👌 recipe: 1 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower rice 2 tbsp @traderjoes coconut cream 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut 1 scoop @furtherfood collagen 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla Pinch of pink salt Cook the cauliflower rice on the stovetop until soft, ~5-10 minutes, remove from heat and mix in all ingredients. For toppings, I used roasted apples, medjool dates & almond butter 😋 (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtJNcQPnAaR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4hi59wuj2hb

How many times can I reuse a sheet of parchment paper before I burn down my apartment building? ~the limit does not exist~ #dEats: brussels sprouts roasted at 400° for 35-40 min w/ @chosenfoods avocado oil & pink salt (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs_jMAgH1zk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qruaw7w8jlt5

Feeling this slow & snowy morning ❄️ (and by snow I mean gross freezing rain). Today’s plan is to meal prep, clean up the bomb that went off in my room, and FINALLY watch the the season 7 finale of Game of Thrones. Better late than never! stay warm Boston people ☺️ #whatsonmyplate 🍽 scrambled @vitalfarms eggs 🥚 + @applegate uncured bacon 🥓 + sautéed chard 🌿 + orange slices 🍊 (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3TvUGnGXl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=o0zclozxio0q

Things that made me happy this week: 1. The anticipation of @maggierogers album coming out tomorrow 2. Finally getting into wheel pose in yoga class 3. This veggie based smoothie 😋 Sometimes at first glance, weeks pass by without any notable occurrences. But if you take a closer look, the mundane little things can be pretty special ✨ take a minute to think of one thing that made you smile (and if you’ve had a rough start to the week, there’s still a couple days left) Tell me about it below ☺️ recipe: 1 cup roasted carrots 1/3 cup roasted acorn squash 1/3 cup @traderjoes coconut milk 1 scoop @furtherfood marine collagen 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp vanilla Water to blend (I used ~1 cup) Topped with roasted apples, unsweetened coconut flakes & pecans Blend until smooth, enjoy it warm or cold! I’m personally loving warm smoothies these days 🔥 (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsvkeTgnOPL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ht2eh72smdkr

Meal prepping takes up a decent chunk of time, but I’ve found ways to make it more enjoyable. Besides snacking on everything and stopping myself before I have no food left for the week, I usually listen to podcasts. I go through phases with podcasts, listening non stop to a select few and then moving on to another one. Right now I’m loving Rise with @msrachelhollis and the @goop podcast ✨ comment with some of your favorite podcasts, I’m always looking for my next binge worthy show! the lineup 🍽 sautéed purple cabbage + ground turkey & mushrooms + honeycrisp apples + lemons for water + roasted celery + red kuri squash (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BslaM8OHV-O/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=smvjdab9n8en

I’ve been making these baked honeycrisp apples on repeat lately 🍎 tastes like apple pie, sans the sugar and effort! To prepare, chop up an apple (any variety), coat in coconut oil + cinnamon, and bake at 400° for about 20 minutes. I topped mine with almond butter, @wellbees_scd_paleo grain free granola, and more cinnamon Hope you guys are having a happy Thursday 😊 (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsd47SonXyf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vfcu9pme7gl1

Things that are getting me through a serious case of the Mondays: 1. These extra crispy golden beets from yesterday’s meal prep 2. The Bachelor season premiere in T-3 hours🌹 Who else is watching tonight?? (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsWV564na-V/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u1hdyg9q6f14

A Trader Joe’s haiku: Browsing the aisles With my grocery list in hand I throw out the list (at Brookline, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsTOxlnHvVq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e8ltja952e9w

New year, new month, new intentions (and a fresh new pack of 100 Crayola colored pencils to make this list with) 1. Lean in to the new season instead of fighting it ❄️ January kicks off the annual tax busy season at work. This means a heavier work load and longer hours. To say I’m dreading it would be an understatement. But the season is going to happen whether I like it or not, so I want to do my best to keep a positive attitude 2. Tongue scraping 2x daily 😜 the Ayurvedic practice of tongue scraping helps remove toxins and improve oral health. I bought a stainless steel tongue scraper from Amazon and plan to use it in the morning & at night 3. Switch to non-toxic lip balm 💋 I’m clearing out my old chapsticks and switching to products without harmful ingredients. My lips always get super chapped in the winter, so I’m hoping my @primallypure lip balm and other DIY products can help combat that 4. Accept that what you need is not always what you want. I often find myself staying up too late, picking child’s pose over a vinyasa in yoga class, or eating foods that I know bother my stomach. And then justifying my actions as ‘listening to my body’. But if I’m really being honest with myself, I’m just satisfying my short term wants. I want to try and keep my daily decisions aligned with my long term goals ✨ What are your intentions for the month? (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsI7gjinSE2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cb7quthl2uvh

Happy New Year everyone!! My aunt taught me to choose one word on January 1st to bring forward into the new year. It’s typically an all encompassing word, one that can apply to everything from your career to your relationships to your mindset. This word serves as a reminder of what you want to focus on during the year. I also just didn’t feel like making separate new year’s resolutions, since I already set monthly intentions. My word for 2019 is FLOW. At the most obvious level, I want to flow more in my yoga practice. I struggle with transitions in yoga, like chatarungas, and could definitely benefit from more flowing and less forcing. I also want to help my body find it’s natural flow again. I’m working on healing hormone imbalances and regulating my cycle, and I often get frustrated when my body isn’t working like it should. But getting wrapped up in frustration and negativity definitely doesn’t help. And I want to flow through life in general, instead of trying to control everything. Life is going to happen whether we like it or not, so we might as well flow through the good and the bad ✨ What’s your word for 2019? (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsGWSiCnCyz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=im8j4wko3e2z

Looking back at 2018 like 👀 This year has been such a ride. I saw some cool places, changed jobs, started dating my best friend, and spent the entire year in clinical remission from Crohn’s. After a rocky 2017, I thought that I’d never get a stable footing with my health. 2018 proved me wrong, and I’m counting my blessings for feeling this good. Things are far from perfect, but nothing ever is 🙃 This year I focused on my mental health, the far less straightforward side of healing. I love eating healthy and using food as medicine, but in some ways that’s the ‘easy’ part. I fixated on this after my diagnosis in 2017: reading tons of books, implementing dietary changes, and looking at the results. That’s all important, but it only scratches the surface of living with a chronic illness. Dealing with thoughts and emotions are when things get tricky. Throughout 2018, I worked on how I react to stress, started practicing meditation, and became more comfortable with my decisions that are often at odds with the norm. My yoga practice shifted to focusing on my breath instead of just focusing on changing my physical appearance. I narrowed down my to-do lists, and tried to hone in on what’s really essential. I haven’t ‘achieved’ any of these things (I never will), but I’ve learned that small changes make a huge difference. So here’s to looking back at 2018, not to relive the past, but to see how far we’ve come ✨ (at Austin, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsBbs9mHL_K/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xjmgjse0wy7h

I always feel a little down the day after Christmas. There’s so much hype leading up to it, and then it’s all over in 24 hours. But I guess it’s a beautiful thing to have something to miss. I feel so damn lucky to get to spend the holidays with my family, and sometimes forget that others aren’t as lucky. I hope you all had a holiday full of good food, good people, and great memories✨ I’m also grateful for allll the not so pretty leftovers 🙌 (at Longmeadow) https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3FA6KHtLh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vik833cifldf

Feeling v festive with this roasted beet & carrot soup 🎄 I eat soup all year round, but I especially love it during the winter months ❄️ I added collagen for extra protein and kept it simple without any spices. This soup is easy to digest & prepare, which are my 2 main criteria for basically everything I make👌 ingredients: 1 cup roasted carrots 1/2 cup roasted beets 1 cup bone broth 1 scoop @furtherfood marine collagen Pink salt to taste Topped with fresh parsley Blend until smooth ~2 min and enjoy! I usually heat up all the ingredients before blending, but you can also heat it on the stovetop afterward or enjoy it cold like a smoothie https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvL4rZnTu8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10it818ps7xy6

The start of Christmas vacation calls for a fridge clean-out lunch bowl 🙃 I’m heading home for the holidays after an appointment with my new GI doc this afternoon. Still bummed that my old doctor is leaving the practice, but I like my new one so I’m excited to work with her✨ I procrastinated packing, mostly due to the plant mishap this morning on my stories. But I’m still hoping get on the road before the evening rush hour🤞my car has been making some semi alarming noises recently, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s close to my age. I’m overdue for a new one, but I just can’t let go of the cassette player and roll down windows. Anyone else have an emotional attachment to their car? today’s bowl 🥣 @wildplanet sardines + butternut squash + @wholefoods olives + steamed green beans + @bubbiespickles sauerkraut (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrneocuHuth/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7ymr91lfh7i9

The picture does not do this dish much justice, but I swear it was a 10/10👌this Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash from Paleo Running Momma was perfect for meal prep and made tons of lunches/dinners (may or may not have eaten it for breakfast too) 😏 spaghetti squash can be a hit or miss if it’s too watery, so I always pat it down with a paper towel after it’s cooked to absorb the excess moisture. Once the squash is on point, you can’t really go wrong with this dish. Check out her site for the full recipe! (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BriULXKnA0r/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3xs5856696s4