Thinking Bigger: New Rhythms and Routines

What an interesting time it has been! I know we have touched so much on this on the blog, but it’s so true. This time has been unlike any other. I recently launched a new series on the blog called Thinking Bigger, and this week I wanted to touch on the idea of new routines and rhythms. I think one of the reasons we keep talking about this time is because it has caused us to pause – We’ve paused from our everyday life, from our routines, our appointments, our errands, our offices, classes, and schedules. And that pause has caused us to think. And we’ve been thinking a lot! Although some of that thinking can cause fear, much of it has been an assessment of what we used to do every day in comparison to what we’re doing now. Things I used to view as such a chore have now become cherished routines. Activities I used to never have time for are now new staples in my schedule – like planning evening meals and eating dinner with Jase, planting a garden, reading a book, or taking joy and excitement in grocery shopping at the local farm. With all this new that has come about in this season, and in light of many of us on the brink of communities opening up again, I’ve caught myself almost sad that “a return to normalcy” would mean potentially losing those routines and rhythms I’ve come to love so much in this time. What will life look like when we are able to be busy again? When those appointments, and errands, and classes, and work will fill our schedules once more?I think rather than being sad, it’s okay to ask this question, and I think it can be a positive in return. We’ve been talking about this time so much on the blog because I think we’re excited about the opportunity that all this pause has given us to become better. Better at being more present at home, better at implementing routines that are healthy and creating healthy environments, better at being intentional about our activities, thoughts, and how we fill our time. I don't know about you, but I don’t want to leave my new cherished routines behind when all this is over. I want to use whatever I have left of this pause to continue to practice them, and instill them in the rhythms of my every day so that, when I have the opportunity to fill my schedule a bit more, I will still make time for those things I came to appreciate so greatly when my schedule was less full. What new routines and rhythms have you begun or been practicing in this season that have made you better? What rhythms can you start now that you can carry with you when this time is over? My hope for you all is that you have found practices and activities that you have come to cherish during this time, those that have made you feel whole and healthy. And for those of you who haven’t yet, I hope that you take whatever time we have left in this pause to find what fills you up in that way – So that all of us can leave this time feeling and being better than when we went in. x

In The Kitchen: Adding Life to Your Groceries

Last week on the blog I started a new collection of talks around being In The Kitchen. I don't know about you, but here at LSK we've been talking so much about how this time has changed everything for us. Things that we used to think were such a chore have now become a cherished part of our routine, and we're finding ourselves digging into new passions like never before. One of those passions for me has been spending time in the kitchen – taking extra care in what I prepare, and all the steps along the way.With things being the way they are recently, I've been thinking so much more about what I use and how I use it. This week I want to share a few tips on how to preserve those precious groceries we're buying and make them last as long as possible in order to reduce waste and save on fewer trips to pick up groceries.More than ever, I think I am realizing why my mom is almost mentally trained not to waste any food considering the culture during her childhood. I always had no problem tossing certain things, but now I have a greater appreciation for what I put in my straw bag at the farm shop. These times have brought more scarcity than we have experienced in our lives, and I am all about making my produce last as long as possible + for the first time have researched what veggies remain fresh for longer.I wanted to share some tips that have really helped me. It has been such a new topic to educate myself on!

SHELF LIFE

This article and graphic have both taught me so much!

  WASHING

• Rinse with water. You can use a vegetable brush on tougher roots.
• Veggies will hold the longest if you wait to wash them right before use.

TOOLS

• Swag Bags: It keeps our veggies fresh for up to two weeks + they are made with the healthiest materials.
• Almond Cow: Jase and I were having a hard time keeping almond milk in stock. It was always out at the grocery store after quarantine started, so this has been an absolute game-changer. And it only takes 5 minutes!

HERBS

• Your herbs will be happiest standing in a glass of water, where just the stems are wet.
• Store in the fridge or on the counter.

ROOTS

• Store in the refrigerator in a container with some airflow.
• Keep potatoes in a paper bag to minimize light exposure (that is what causes them to sprout!).

GREENS

• Refrigerate in an airtight container.
• They like a little moisture but not too much. Sometimes it helps to add a damp paper towel into the container.

TIPS

• If you feel like you won't use your veggies or fruit before they will get bad, freeze them! Did you know even raw butter and cheese freezes well? Cut, peel, and remove excess from your produce, and store in these biodegradable storage bags.
• With bread that is going bad, make croutons!

Info source: @wearebrightland

Thinking Bigger: Serving Others and Supporting Small Businesses

Although this time is full of struggle, re-adjusting, loss, learning to homeschool, and bits of frustration or maybe even fear, there are positive ways we can support each other! This time has reinstalled a sense of camaraderie and community. Do y'all agree? Many are serving more than they ever have. It’s a beautiful silver lining to this pandemic. When loneliness sets in, I encourage you to check in on someone else or send a thoughtful note or gift to a loved one; I guarantee it will bring you joy and will only bring comfort to others!

Here on the blog, we've implemented a new series of talks on Thinking Bigger. Last week we touched on How Simplicity Changes Everything, and this week I wanted to talk about serving others and supporting small businesses – A topic that has really been on my heart and surprisingly, has also helped me process during this time.

My family lives in Dallas; we are so close, and it was really tough to cancel the trips we had planned to see each other, not knowing when the safe next time will be. One way that has helped me feel so connected is by sending them presents that remind me of them or fun little things for my sweet nieces! And all the while, I order the items from small businesses. You bring a company joy while sending joy to someone you love, and it doesn’t have to be big!Another long-winded, yet rewarding project we have been diving into is all things home and finishing the furnishing process! With the intension of supporting small businesses, I feel like I have entered an entirely new world of discovering some incredible companies! It makes the purchase that was on the to-do feel much more purposeful.

Fun Ideas

• Create your neighbor a bouquet of flowers from the backyard.
• Write a note to someone you are grateful for.
• Call your grandma.
• Give to a charity that provides meals to others during this time.
• Cook a meal or cookies and deliver it to someone it would help.

Gift Ideas

• Send a bottle of wine from here (it's organic and biodynamic and delicious!)
• A toy for your friend's puppy from here, here, or here.
• Send something cute from here.
• This Box of Sunshine that gives 100% of proceeds to Baby2Baby.
• The cutest organic clothes for kids.
• For new mamas.
• Healthy products from here.

For the Home

• I just got this little vase, mini lamp, and marble counter pedestal (inspo from Ashley Kane).
• These pretty water glasses.
• European linen pool towels for such an affordable price!
• A healthy way to keep the bugs away outside!
• Rugs from here or here!
• Something pretty from here.

To follow along with items I'm getting my hands on, or to see how I'm constantly learning and processing throughout this time, stay up to date on my Instagram. x

How can you serve and support others during this time? Jot down a few ideas and try to implement one this week!

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In The Kitchen: Adding New Purpose To Your Cooking Routine

I have always known that I have an affection for healthy food, a fascination for the origin of where organic produce is grown and harvested, and a love for experimenting with new recipes and flavors, but I have come to notice that time and lack of energy from a full schedule eliminated space to explore and grow in these passions. Cooking became more of a chore, gardening was a no-go since we weren't at home long enough to sustain it, and sometimes just picking up dinner from the Erewhon food bar was way easier than thinking about what to whip up. Not to mention, the task of cutting veggies and doing dishes just seemed daunting and anything but enjoyable.It's like a new world has opened up during this quarantine time. Cooking has become what I look forward to every day, our garden is thriving, the local farm we discovered is my happy place to buy organic and biodynamic produce + support a small business, and dishes seem like a breeze. I have been cooking almost every night with the windows open and the Florida Georgia Line radio playing, and Jase sometimes is creating the most beautiful cocktails next to me with freshly squeezed watermelon and orange. I am more intentional about using the produce we have because not many other options like we had before are available, and I have such a strong desire to feed our bodies with nutrition to keep our immune systems strong!I started a Master Class and Alice Waters is inspiring me to plan meals based on the ingredients I get from the farm, and it has brought about this whole new light and intention to cooking and meals! This time is truly bringing new purpose to what used to be a mundane activity. Now I cook out of necessity for health, conserving the produce we have, and it has allowed so much space for creativity. Who knew that I would develop a new excitement for making homemade salsas from the pretty tomatoes or roasted carrots from the cookbook I never had a chance to look through? There are truly so many silver linings in this time of unknowns, sadness, loss, and confusion. Embracing them makes every day a little brighter!How has this time added to your cooking routine?I'm excited to share with you over the next few weeks a few of the things I'm doing in my kitchen right now as a part of my In The Kitchen series – things like how to maximize your produce, what to grab when shopping, growing your own greens, and more.Follow along with me here, or at my Instagram where I often post a meal I'm cooking or kitchen must-have I'm loving. xShop My Look Here: Top, skirt, sunnies

Thinking Bigger: How Simplicity Changes Everything

I have been reflecting on this time a lot, and as I am sure most of us are, thinking about new routines and positive habits that we have developed during this stay at home order that we want to bring with us as we enter back into "normalcy," which I assume will never be the same. Although this time has so much heaviness and devastation that surrounds it, I continually think about how wonderful it has been to be forced to stop, to pause, and to be where we are.These reflections have led me to start a collection on the blog focusing on Thinking Bigger – Over the next few weeks, my hope is to cover topics that have been developed in this time like the power of simplicity, serving others, new rhythms and routines, and digging into new passions.Before this pandemic, the general answer from the majority of us when asked how we were doing would be, "we are so busy."Even though our days still remain full since Jase and I's work has shifted and continued, our days look so incredibly different. We are able to start our day in a more restful way, we have been spending hours in the fresh air and sunshine every day, we have been extra present and available for little Bennett doodle (our 5-month-old puppy), and we are more intentional with who we connect with virtually + having time and space to think about others more, to help small businesses, and the list goes on. Not to mention, shows such as The Today Show (the majority being filmed from their homes) and even my husband's show (currently transitioned to interviews on IG Live) have all felt so personal and so genuine, which I think we have all craved without even knowing it.I didn't realize how much mental space was taken from coordinating and deciding on social plans, organizing travel schedules, unpacking just to repack, going to appointment after appointment, and driving to and from everything. This realization has given me a little hint as to why I feel like we are doing things so differently during this time. I really had to sit and think about why we didn't spend our evenings outside before this since the time in the evenings have stayed quite similar from then to now, why cooking felt more like a chore then and is a joy now, why FaceTiming with family and friends felt distracted then and is longer and so focused now. As I have realized in the past through my own experience is that traumatic times seem to show us immediately what is important. It filters out the fluff and hones in on necessities to live – the simplicities that keep our joy kindled.The things that this time has brought that I feel so grateful for: hearing the birds outside, noticing things in nature that I have never had the time to enjoy before, listening to music all day, buying our groceries from a local farm, starting a masterclass that has taught me so much about cooking, planting a garden, going for long neighborhood walks while getting to know the neighbors from a distance, and reaching out more to friends and family to check-in.One last thought: isn't it so interesting to think that this is so similar to how our parents and grandparents grew up? Neighbors knew each other, people borrowed an egg from the person next door, so many gardened and enjoyed the simple things, cooking and dishes were day to day tasks...Questions to leave with:What has changed in your routine that you feel thankful for? What is one thing you want to continue when the world starts opening up again?Shop the tank here.[show_shopthepost_widget id="4023495"]

Sweet Recipes To Savor

You guys have heard me talk about the Sweet Laurel cookbook before on Instagram, so I felt the holidays were the perfect time to dedicate a blog post to this incredible cookbook. Created by Laurel Gallucci & Claire Thomas, Sweet Laurel is a curated collection of the yummiest desserts and savory breads that are made with whole foods and are also grain-free. Praise hands up for that!From turmeric bread to cinnamon rolls and southern biscuits to lavender cookies, there are so many sweet recipes to savor. The best part is the whole food part...there is such freedom and joy found in baking and enjoying desserts and savory treats that are made with real ingredients and free of grains that would more than likely bother your gut. These recipes are ones that your body, mind, and soul will all enjoy, and for that, we are so grateful.Whether you want to gift the cookbook this Christmas or prepare one of the recipes for a holiday brunch or party, this is the perfect time of year to grab a copy for you and for loved ones! As you probably already saw, this was on my gift guide and you can bet that I'll be gifting it this year! xo

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greek-style meatballs

As most of you know, Michael and I just bought our first house back in March and have been working hard to fix it up and make it feel like home. One of our favorite things about owning a house now has been inviting people over for dinner or get togethers. We both love having people into our home, the conversations shared in these walls, and the laughter that fills the rooms.One thing that still gives me slight anxiety though is the dinner part. I will be the first to admit that I'm not the greatest cook. I so enjoy it, but I'm not awesome at it. Last night we had my brother & sister-in-law over for dinner and I made these Greek-style meatballs I'm sharing with ya'll today. They are so unique and yummy, and on top of that, super healthy and easy to make! It's become my go-to when we're having people over for dinner and I want to get a little fancier than chicken, but not spend a ton of time on the meal. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!Greek-style meatballs

1. In large bowl, mix 1 lb ground beef, 3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese (I used reduced fat!), 1/2 small red onion, grated, 1/3 c. Italian-style bread crumbs; 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, 1 lg egg, lightly beaten; 2 tsp dried oregano; and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
2. Form into 12 balls and thread onto skewers
3. On cookie sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray, roast meatballs at 425 degrees, 15 to 20 mins, or until cooked through.
4. Serve with lemon slices and 1/2 c. prepared tzatziki (I just bought mine premade from Trader Joe's!)

For the side dishes, I just did roasted red potatoes and a kale salad. But you could really do anything you want with it! Enjoy! xx

dinner made easy (and healthy!)

In case you don't know this about me already, I am a major foodie. I love good food, I love great restaurants, and I love desserts. I'll be the first to admit though, I'm not the greatest cook in the world. Baking - I love. Cooking - not my strong suit. I'm trying to get better though & find more recipes that are healthy and easy!I recently found this turkey burger recipe (from The Pioneer Woman) and thought it looked simple and delicious. I tried it last night and both my husband and I loved it! The goat cheese/pesto spread was amazing, and the entire meal took less than 30 mins to make. (The Pioneer Woman recipe has the turkey burger on a toasted everything bagel. My husband had his on a toasted bun, and I did mine just on a bed of spinach! She also put more butter in her's than I used. So, the recipe below is my version of her original) Enjoy!

Ingredients (This is for 8 servings - if you have a big family or just want lots of leftovers!)

• 8 whole Everything Bagels (Again, I used a bun for my husband, just spinach for me!)
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Goat Cheese (chevre)
• 2 Tablespoons Pesto
• 2 pounds Ground Turkey
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
• Plenty Of Black Pepper
• 8 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 whole Egg Yolk (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Sliced
• 3 whole Avocados, Sliced
• 16 whole Large Basil Leaves

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and grill the cut side of the bagels until golden brown and slightly crisp. Set aside.Stir together the goat cheese (or cream cheese) and the pesto until smooth. Add more pesto if you'd like!Combine turkey, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and egg yolk (if using) in a large bowl. Stir or knead together with your hands, then form into patties.Heat canola oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties on both sides until totally done, with no sign of pink in the middle, at least 4-5 minutes per side.To serve, spread a good amount of the pesto spread on each bagel half. Place the burgers on the bottom half, then top with tomato slices and basil leaves. Lay avocado slices on the top half, using the spread to make them stay put. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the avocados, then place the top half on the bottom half, smush it together...and dig in!

Cooking Contrast: Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil

Olive oil is an extremely healthy oil as it is loaded with much-needed fatty acids and essential vitamins, but how can we use it in order to properly take advantage of its rich benefits?*This oil is not the best for cooking as high heats make it susceptible to oxidative damage.Instead, use it in homemade salad dressing, or drizzle it last-minute on top of your cooked food for the fullest flavor. Go here for two easy and delicious recipes.

Coconut Oil is esteemed as the only oil that is stable enough to withstand the high heats of cooking. So, do yourself favor, and toss out all of those "wishful heathly oils," and replace them with a big-ole' jar of organic, thyroid-stabilizing, antioxidant-rich coconut oil.Benefits:-Anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial-Boosts energy levels and endurnace-Improves the digestive system and absorption of fat soluble vitamins, minerals, and amino acids-Contains high levels of anti-oxidants which protect the body from free radicals and premature aging-It contains 50% lauric acid, which helps prevent high blood pressure and heart-related problemsSource