Happy Wednesday!

This week I have been loving how it is getting noticeably lighter earlier in the morning. Sad that we will take a step back with this when we spring forward in a few weeks! :/

This weekend I have plans to visit a friend on Friday, potentially am going out to dinner with Alec for Indian (his favorite), and working on some projects/to-dos at home on Saturday. We are having my family over for Michigan basketball + dinner on Sunday. I’m also looking forward to getting in a couple walks and/or runs outside!

What are you up to this weekend??

Onward to some recent eats from the past couple of weeks!

I made some delish mac n’ cheese with veggies thrown in for dinner the night of the Super Bowl. So simple! This recipe uses grated zucchini (which I have also done before) but this time added some brussels + peas for more of a winter vibe.

Our favorite Fattoush salad has been making a comeback the past couple of weeks! Mixed greens with chopped cuc + cherry tom + radish, fresh mint, plenty of feta, plenty of sumac, toasted pita chips, and the best mint dressing.

The February chocolate + raspberry trend continues with some raspberry chocolate chip pancakes. Winter morning brunching at its finest!

Later that same day I baked some brown butter raspberry chocolate chip cookies to bring to church (lunch afterwards) the next day. I loved how these turned out!

Something I work on with clients is removing “conditions” on our eating. For example, a condition would be telling yourself if you have a cookie with lunch, now you can’t have a cookie with dinner. This is a sure method to feel obsessed and chaotic around food, likely leading to overeating/binge eating later on.

A key part of the solution? Fully allowing yourself the option to have the cookie! That doesn’t mean you have to have the cookie, but that the option to have it exists, without conditions. 

We went out to dinner at Salt Springs Brewery in Saline one night. One of my favorite restaurants in the Ann Arbor area! I enjoyed a fabulous ahi tuna dish with basmati rice, some sort of delicious sauce, and green beans + bell pepper strips. Beef tenderloin medallions for Alec.

Thai red veggie curry over quinoa from one of my favorite food blogs, Cookie + Kate. A splendid mix of carrot, bell pepper, white onion, kale, and plenty of ginger + garlic + heat!

Burger patties topped with caramelized onion and served with some roasted sweet potatoes w/ paprika + garlic powder and side salad. Super nourishing meal! Also TJ’s organic ketchup for dipping. I have nothing against buns but don’t generally keep them on hand since we wouldn’t go through them quickly enough. Sweet potatoes for the main carbohydrate source to round out the meal! Fat + protein + fiber + carbs is the winning formula for a well balanced meal.

Afternoon snack plate of white cheddar, crackers (I love the Simple Mills almond flour crackers from Costco), green grapes (I have randomly been so into lately!), and carrots – my typical raw veggie of choice!

Shakshuka with a sunny egg (a rare commodity these days!), side salad, and homemade sourdough. Alec and I are finding this to be one of our absolute favorite dishes!

We will forever be grateful to an Air BnB / Bed & Breakfast stay in northern Michigan one fall where we were introduced to the wonders of shakshuka with homemade bread. Life-changing!

Fresh berries are such a treat in the winter months! Obligatory steel-cut oatmeal photo with sesame seeds, PB, honey, + fresh raspberries. I feel like plain oatmeal w/ raisins + brown sugar is so lame but with all these glorious toppings it becomes my constantly craved breakfast of choice.

Some of my favorite nut butter / fruit toppings for oatmeal:

–> pear w/ almond butter + dried cherries
–> honeycrisp apple w/ peanut butter + cinnamon
–> berries (fresh or frozen) w/ almond or peanut butter
–> peach w/ almond butter

And always honey + some sort of seed! I like the organic honey found at TJ’s.

Oatmeal also makes a great base for increasing calories if needed during eating disorder recovery. We are talking toppings like all the nut butter, seeds + nuts, dried fruit, melted coconut oil or butter, dollop of whole milk yogurt, etc.

Snacks the past week have been mostly these zucchini chocolate chip muffins. Is it zucchini season yet???

I am LOVING this chocolate tea that my friend introduced me to. I am usually not that into herbal teas so I love that this one is herbal and therefore I can enjoy it in the evenings. Somewhat like a coffee-tasting tea. I love the depth of flavor and prefer it best with a nice splash of almond milk!

Everyday Enjoyment:

New bakery to try: Alec and I went to Agricole the other weekend and I had the most amazing Earl Gray shortbread made by Why Not Pie, a bakeshop in Ann Arbor. I really want to order one of their pies to try – all the flavors sound so creative and tasty!

From my supplement regimen: I find that it is really difficult for most people to get enough vitamin D from food and sun exposure alone. Most of us can use a boost especially given how important vitamin D is! Check out these vitamin D drops from Seeking Health – what I use every day! Be sure to take with foods with fat for best absorption. I take mine in the morning with my breakfast (which has plenty of peanut butter).

Last but NOT least…the SLEEP SYSTEM: I have struggled with waking up hot on certain types of mattresses which has been an on and off problem for me since college. We got a new mattress last summer which helped a bit, but unfortunately the problem kept reemerging (despite plenty of thermostat adjustment, opening windows, fans, etc. Ugh! Have tried everything…). I’d wake up around 2 or 3am, go to the couch, sometimes fall back asleep, sometimes not. We finally bit the bullet and bought this cooling sleep system for our bed. IT IS LIFE-CHANGING. HIGHLY recommend if you ever have temperature regulation issues when you sleep. You can set the temperature to whatever you want (between 55 F – 115 F!), and it even has dual zone temperature control for two sleepers. You can also use the app to have the temperature change throughout the night however you want (for example, warmer when you want to wake up). I have had my best sleeps of the past several years since purchasing this! TRULY AMAZING!

What’s something tasty you have eaten lately?
What tips, tools, or products help you with sleep??