by Libby

Mango Carrot Baked Oatmeal

This unique baked oatmeal features juicy mango, naturally-sweet dates, and shredded carrot + coconut. Topped with a maple cashew butter spread, this hearty oat-bake is delicious for a prep-ahead breakfast or snack all week long! 

How do you prefer your oats? Steel-cut, overnight, classic stove-top, in pancakes or a cookie…one of the things I love most about oats is how versatile they are, and how endless the flavor combinations for any oat-based breakfast, snack, or dessert are. While I typically opt for regular overnight oats or steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast, occasionally I make a batch of baked oatmeal to switch things up!

If you have never made it before, baked oatmeal is especially wonderful because it can be prepped and made ahead of time – perfect for busy school or workday mornings. Essentially, it is everything to love about regular oatmeal except in a baked + bar form!

However, today I don’t just have any old baked oatmeal recipe for you. We are talking mango carrot baked oatmeal with juicy, sweet dates and shredded coconut mixed in. Sign me up!

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by Libby

Everyday Eats 8.24.22

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a fabulous week so far. How is it already the end of summer?? I feel like this summer flew by even faster than usual. So far, my August has been filled with the busyness of transitions, work, and business logistics, as well as time outside soaking up the sun and a couple of weekends out of town.

We had the BEST long weekend up north in the Petoskey/Walloon Lake area for my oldest-known friend Ellen’s wedding! It was great spending time with old friends and enjoying the scenery up north.

Group of friends from high school. Shoutout to Ellen, the most stunning bride, and her amazing twin/maid of honor, Anna! 

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by Libby

Exploring Different “Types of Hunger”

When many people first hear of Intuitive Eating, they tend to think it is simply about eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. While this is certainly an important part of being an intuitive eater, eating intuitively goes well beyond responding to our physiological hunger/fullness cues. In this post we will explore some of the other kinds of “hungers.”

This concept of “types of hungers” is introduced in the Intuitive Eating book and I will elaborate and expand a bit more in terms of how I tend to think about it. Of course, generally when we think of feeling hungry we are talking about a physiological drive to eat. Everyone experiences physiological hunger in slightly different ways, often some combination of a grumbling stomach, lightheadedness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, etc. For the purposes of this post, we will explore hunger as a concept of various drives/reasons to eat including and beyond just physical hunger.

Let’s explore some of the different types of hunger!

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by Libby

Evening Yoga Sequence for Winding Down

Having a nightly routine to help wind down and prepare for sleep is one of my top tips for improving sleep. Ever since I started incorporating STRETCHING into my evening routine, I can’t imagine not stretching before bed! Taking a couple of minutes to relieve built up muscle tension from the day has had me feeling significantly better once I settle into bed to read, rest, and relax. Continue on below for some of my favorite nighttime yoga postures!

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by Libby

What is Intuitive Eating?

This post was first published on January 13, 2021. As many of you are newer to the blog, I wanted to repost it today as the principles of intuitive eating are relevant for much of my nutrition philosophy! 

Today I want to spend some time discussing what intuitive eating is, as this framework of eating underlies much of what I believe and talk about when it comes to food. When I first learned about intuitive eating towards the end of high school, it greatly helped me in my recovery from an eating disorder and in improving my relationship with food.

The intuitive eating framework was developed by two dietitians, Eveyln Tribole, M.S., R.D.N., and Elyse Resch, M.S., R.D.N. The first edition of the book, Intuitive Eating, was published in 1995, and the fourth (and most recent) edition was published in June of 2021. The book goes in depth on the ten principles of intuitive eating (which I will describe more below) and is a resource I would HIGHLY recommend if you are interested in learning more! (*There is also a workbook that you can get to go along with the book that is also really helpful!) Since the publication of the book, there have been over 100 studies on intuitive eating, validating its effectiveness when it comes to improving one’s overall health (both physical and mental), including one’s relationship with food.

Intuitive eating is a way of eating that focuses on tuning into your own internal bodily cues, mind, emotions, and overall intuition. It places emphasis on the reality that our bodies know best what/when/how much to eat – better than an app or calorie tracker, a meal plan, or a diet (or “lifestyle/wellness plan”) – YOU yourself innately have the ability to eat in a way that cares for YOUR body and YOUR specific needs at any given point in time.

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by Libby

Everyday Eats 7.27.22

Hi friends! How is the week going so far?? It has been hot and humid in Michigan lately although I can’t say I really mind! Gotta enjoy the warmer weather and sunshine while it lasts.

How is it already almost August? We have been enjoying the past few weekends in AA before we will be heading out of town the first couple weekends in August. One weekend for my grandma’s 90th bday and another weekend up north for my friend’s wedding! Should be a couple of wonderfully summery weekends.

Delicious eats from the past couple weeks!

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by Libby

Moist Cherry Muffins

These moist and fluffy cherry muffins are sure to become a summer or even year-round favorite! This recipe uses fresh or frozen cherries and features a hint of cinnamon and a subtle almond flavor. Cherry and almond make for the best combo!

How’s the week going? Today you are in for a real treat with my cherry muffin recipe. Head to your local grocery store or Farmer’s Market pronto to pick up summer’s bounty of fresh cherries. Or substitute frozen for a just-as-tasty version!

Did you know that my home state of Michigan produces 75% of the country’s tart cherry crop and 20% of the sweet cherry crop? How cool is that?

This recipe features dark sweet cherries as well as almond extract for a nice almond flavor spark. Oh, and some cinnamon and cardamom to up the flavor profile even more! Using whole wheat pastry flour and plain yogurt create the fluffiest, moistest muffin.

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by Libby

Everyday Eats 7.13.22

Happy Wednesday! I have been enjoying soaking in the sunshine each morning.

If I could live somewhere where it was sunny every day I’m pretty sure I would do it. You can’t beat daily sunshine early in the morning in my opinion! I am already mourning the fact that we are past the summer solstice. WHY must it get darker and darker in the morning from now on???

Lettuce get to some delicious eats from the past few weeks!

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by Libby

Bringing Awareness to Food Rules

If you have been trying to diet for any length of time or experience any degree of disordered eating, you likely have a number of food rules that you follow, whether you are conscious of them or not. Creating food rules is an anxiety and fear-driven way to try and “manage” one’s eating. If you follow your food rules (however arbitrary they may be), you are doing “well'” with your eating and your anxiety is minimal. If you break any of the food rules, you “messed up,” ate “badly,” “cheated,” and/or experience guilt and anxiety.

Examples of food rules include the following:

  • Only eating dessert once a week on your “cheat day”
  • Excluding entire food groups
  • Only eating what you measured/planned even if you are still hungry
  • Refusing to eat what other people prepare (out of anxiety / not being able to control or know for sure what’s in the food)
  • Only eating ____ calories per day and obsessively tracking this
  • Only consuming dessert if you plan to “work it off” later
  • Only eating at set times, even when you are hungry at other times

Of course, it is helpful to have some structure to our eating. I generally eat at similar times each day and have other intuitive, broad patterns to my eating. I would consider this normal, and also helpful so that we are not constantly “starting from scratch” completely wondering how and what and when we are going to eat each day. In addition, some people follow certain “rules” for medical/health reasons that are not rooted in fear or anxiety – for example, a type 1 diabetic counting her carbs, or someone mindfully avoiding less sugar right before bed because she knows she is prone to not being able to sleep otherwise.

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by Libby

Everyday Eats 6.29.22

Happy Wednesday! How is your week going? I have been enjoying the sunshine, longer days, and getting outside early in the morning!

Also, how is it already almost 4th of July weekend? The start of summer seems to be flying! We are headed to my grandparents’ for the weekend and will be enjoying the time on the water and time with family. And of course some delicious food! (Cherry pie and vanilla ice cream, anyone??)

Onto this week’s inspiration for some tasty eats!

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