recent eats Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Everyday Chocolate

February 21, 2024February 20, 2024 by Libby

Everyday Eats {February 2024}

Hello, everyone! How is your week going so far?

I have been loving the sunnier days lately and am looking forward to a couple of days in the 50s and 60s coming up!

We went to my grandparents’ house for a quick overnight weekend trip which was nice. A change of scenery can be so refreshing!

During our stay we went on the toboggan run at Pokagon State Park in Indiana. It was quite the thrill ride with the weight of me, Alec, and my parents all on one sled! I was somewhat paranoid we were going to go flying off the edge.

I feel like the winter is flying by and soon we will already be into spring!

What have you been up to lately for fun on the weekends (or whenever your time off is)??

Recent February meals & snacks for your own eating inspiration!
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January 24, 2024January 19, 2024 by Libby

Everyday Eats {January 2024}

Happy Wednesday!

How is your start to 2024 going??

Personally, I am happy 2023 is behind us, but who knows what 2024 will hold!

Glad to be here posting after a couple of weeks! We were in Phoenix about a week and a half ago with Alec’s side of the family… it was so nice to get some sun for a few days! We returned back to the frigid temps in Michigan and a couple of cars covered in snow/ice. We forgot to put the car I usually drive in the garage before we left and it was the hardest time I think I’ve ever had getting the ice scraped off! 2 inches of solid ice on the back windshield… I was heading out to get groceries/run errands during which the almond milk I got from Costco froze/expanded/leaked onto my trunk and underneath the top flooring… and then all froze again making it much more of a hassle to try and clean up… let’s just say it was an interesting time getting back into the swing of things that day! Thankfully Alec, as the resident car expert, offered to clean up the almond milk debacle…

While it’s nice that it’s a bit warmer this week, I’m also not a huge fan of the constant colder/warmer cycles our winters seem to be composed of nowadays! I’d rather just take snow for 3 straight months compared to all this melting/back-and-forth/ice and cold rain…

In other news, how about Michigan Football??? More on that below.

Some recent eats from the holidays / into January!

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December 20, 2023December 18, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {December 2023}

Happy Wednesday!

I’m feeling epically ready to rest and recharge as we head into Christmas and New Years’. Anyone else?? I know the holidays can bring up a mix of emotions, and some years may be more joyful or difficult than others. I hope that with whatever you have going on in your life right now, you are able to take some time to rest and recenter a bit.

Backing up to the previous weekend, we had dinners scheduled Saturday & Sunday with friends we are connected to from college. It was so great to catch up — it had been much too long since seeing both couples/friends! Prior to that we were sick/recovering from colds… it seems everyone has been getting sick lately! Hoping we have gotten all our sickness out of the way before the holidays…

Before we get to some December eats, I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas! However you have found your way to the blog, I am grateful that you are here.

Closing out the year with some pre-Christmas December eats!

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November 29, 2023November 29, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {Thanksgiving & End-of-November 2023}

Hi everyone!

How was your Thanksgiving? I feel like it came and went so quickly!

Our long weekend was a mix of relaxing, getting some random things done, enjoying the actual holiday, and severely stressing during the final minutes of the Michigan-OSU game. Let’s just say my heart rate was rather elevated, but as they say, all is well that ends well!

At least here in Michigan, the weather leading up to and on Thanksgiving was amazing! While it is getting colder and grayer now, we have had the sunniest November I can ever remember. That has been such a blessing!

We enjoyed several long sunny walks over the time off. This beautiful sunrise was from one of my recent runs! I’m always grateful for this field that allows me to see some of the early morning sun.

On to discussing some November meals, snacks, and desserts!

As always, these posts are meant to inspire you in your own culinary and eating adventures! Each of us has our own nutrition needs, food preferences, and individual patterns/rhythms when it comes to eating… I recommend eating in a way that works best for you! 🙂

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November 8, 2023November 7, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {November 2023}

Happy Wednesday!

I feel like the week is already flying by!

I am definitely happy that daylight savings time is now over and that the mornings are lighter earlier on. I find that having brighter daylight earlier in the morning makes such a difference to my day!!

In other news…our Book Club is starting next week on Tuesday! We will be going through Soul-Deep Beauty. It’s not too late to join us! Reading/commitment level is meant to be rather minimal. You can contact me if you are interested or if you would like more information. This is open to anyone!

Read on for some November culinary inspiration!

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October 18, 2023October 17, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {October 2023}

Hello everyone! I hope your week is going well so far.

Two weekends ago we were able to make it up to Tahquamenon Falls to enjoy some fall colors and time outside. I was feeling a little unsure about the trip with the colder weather and rain that was forecasted all weekend (of course just a few days prior to our trip it was 70s and sunny there!). However, I’m really glad we ended up going!

The bulk of the rain was overnight, so wasn’t too bad. As my dad likes to say, “There is no such thing as bad weather… only bad clothing decisions!!” So I was sure to pack ALL the cold weather gear, perfect for staying warm while camping outside in the 40-degree rainy/drizzly weather.

It was a quick trip! Saturday we went on a long hike (between the upper and lower falls). We also went up to Whitefish Point, went to an absolutely delicious restaurant for dinner (more details later in post), and watched the Michigan game from our car/tent.

Time continues to fly by (at least from my perspective!)… we are already over halfway into October and it feels like the holidays are fast approaching! I am trying to slow down and focus on each day/week at a time… enjoying the things to be grateful for each day instead of constantly looking ahead OR overly looking at the negatives!

Delicious eats from the past few weeks… October edition!

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September 6, 2023September 5, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {September 2023}

Hello everyone!

Welcome to September! I am somewhat relieved to be in the almost-fall season, with the slightly cooler temps and the more energizing-to-me activities this time of year (more opportunities for hiking in better weather/without bugs, college football, various fall plans, etc.). We also just got back from our yearly end-of-summer trip, this time heading to Holland for a night and then three nights of backcountry camping in the Nordhouse Dunes on Lake Michigan.

The weather, for the most part, could not have been better! Highlights of the trip included extended time outside, three beautiful sunsets, stunning beach views throughout the day, extended time without technology, and a wonderful stay at a bed and breakfast that we would definitely go back to in the future!

How was your Labor Day weekend? Thankfully Michigan football is also off to a good start!

As we round out summer and head into fall, I have a wide variety of delicious eats to share today. Hopefully you feel inspired to try some new and/or return to some favorite flavor & food combinations in the week or two ahead!

Some favorite eats from the past few weeks!

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August 9, 2023August 8, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {August 2023}

Hello & Happy Wednesday!

We were out of town visiting family in Iowa last week. It was nice to have a break from our normal routines!

We enjoyed the scenery, going on walks, time with family, the Iowa corn 🙂 , and the chance to just relax more without having to think about the regular to-dos/stressors of life.

And, of course, some delicious eats! (some of which will be featured below!)

As we continue on into August, I’m hoping to take advantage of all the amazing fresh produce in-season for the next month. Hello fresh peaches, tomatoes, and corn!

What are you hoping to make before summer is over? I’m dreaming up a burrata salad w/ fresh tomatoes, a chicken dishes w/ fresh peaches, & quite possibly some fruit crisp!

Plenty of delicious seasonal summer eats from the past month!

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July 5, 2023July 3, 2023 by Libby

Everyday Eats {July 2023}

Hi everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful 4th / possible long weekend! I have been off work the past few days and have been enjoying the extra time with a mix of relaxing / getting random other things done.

In full disclosure I completely wrote and scheduled this post in advance / before my time off so I can’t comment too much on how the weekend went at the time of writing! 🙂 Will be back to my regular work week tomorrow (Thursday).

Whether you are enjoying some extra vacation time this week or have more of a typical week, I hope this July Eats Roundup post inspires you to seek out satisfying, tasty eating experiences all throughout the week!

Some recent meals + snacks from the past couple of weeks!

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June 21, 2023June 20, 2023 by Libby

Intuitive Eating Behind the Scenes {Typical Day}

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to post a new type of post sharing some “behind the scenes” as far as what thoughts/considerations might go into a typical day of my daily eats. This is NOT meant to be a comparison or a “you should eat like me” type of post — HECK NO. More meant to encourage you as far as what it might look like to have a normal relationship with food!

Everyone’s nutrition needs and food preferences are different. In my work with clients, I consider myself to be the nutrition professional and the client to be the expert on herself/her goals/what she likes/what might work best for her. Not everyone’s eating looks the same, so no cookie cutter approaches here! I am all about helping others work towards an intuitive eating way of eating where you grow in listening to your body’s inner signals, considering your thoughts/feelings about food, and trusting your overall intuition, as we are born knowing how to intuitively eat. I hope these types of posts help you grow in your own journey of peace with food and joyful nourishment of your body!