Healthy Chicks

Good evening ladies! Hope you were all able to squeeze in a little sunshine today. I just got back from lululemon Newbury Street run club, where I wore in my brand new #BostonStrong pink shirt The Boy bought me today. Oh, how he knows the key to my heart. There’s nothing like showing a little Boston pride while sweating it out with a great group of people!

Anyway, let’s get right to it with this week’s feature for Healthy Chicks in the Community. I was lucky to meet this lovely lady at the I am That Girl event I spoke at last month, and  simply couldn’t get over how smiley and friendly she was! A beautiful person both inside and out, this twenty-something truly knows what it means to be a Healthy Chick. I’ll let Jessica take it from here…

NAME/AGE: Jessica Scire/26

BLOG/TWITTER (If Applicable): www.jessicamariescire.blogspot.com

CURRENT CITY: Medford, MA

PHOTO TAKEN: This photo was taken in June 2012 on “Graduation Day.”  My kids were graduating pre-k to move to kindergarten.  It was such a bittersweet day—I was so proud of my students and it was such a happy day but I also knew I would miss seeing their beautiful little faces and being around their silly and fun personalities each day.

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: I am a pre-k teacher.  I co-teach 15 amazing, curious, creative, and loving 4-5 year olds who are so proud and ready to go to kindergarten in the fall!  I truly believe I have one of the best jobs in the world.

NUMBER ONE PASSION: People!  I am passionate about treating people with kindness, compassion, and respect.  I place creating and developing meaningful relationships with people on such a high standard. 

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM: Eating right for me, drinking lots of water, going for a walk on a warm day, and surrounding myself around the people I love.  Having sunshine, support, and love all around you makes for a healthy, happy day. 

BUT I AM ALSO A REAL GIRL & SOMETIMES: I plop myself on the couch and watch TV—migrating back and forth to the refrigerator for little snacks!

TOP THREE KITCHEN STAPLES: Granola bars, peanut butter, apples. These are so helpful when I’m on the go—especially during weekdays. 

NUMBER ONE GUILTY PLEASURE: Pampering myself.  I love to paint my nails, get my hair done, and relax!  If I could give myself a spa day every day, I would!

EXERCISE THAT MAKES YOU SHINE: Going for long walks and yoga.  I have recently found hot yoga and it is amazing!  I am always pushing myself to get better but it’s all in the practice! 

FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD: Anything chocolate.  I have always loved chocolate. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate peanut butter cups—you name it.    

MESSAGE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHER HEALTHY CHICKS:  When Rachel said she’d like to highlight me for her “Healthy Chicks in the Community” piece I immediately felt incredibly guilty and thought, she must have the wrong person.  I snacked on pretzels all day and ate a burrito for lunch–clearly not my best “healthy” day.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that food isn’t the “be all, end all” of being healthy.  It’s a lifestyle.  It’s your perspective, your focus and drive, your passions.  It’s knowing your flaws and being okay with them-knowing that you have the power to change them.  It’s how you treat others and how you treat yourself.  It’s being that light and shining it on others so they can do the same.  Ladies, stay healthy, happy, and beauty-full!  You are amazing! xoxo

If you’d like to be featured as one of my Healthy Chicks in the Community, or know someone who you want to make blush, email me for more deets. And remember, if you aren’t feeling your healthiest self or are struggling to make positive changes, shoot me an email anytime to schedule your FREE 15-minute info session, check out my health coaching programs, or sign up for a heathy grocery store tour!

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my wellness workshop “Detox & De-Clutter Your Mind & Body This Spring” next Tuesday, 4/30. Discounts for Healthy Chicks’ readers!

It’s no surprise that The Boy and I like to make our own creations in our tiny box kitchen! We’re always playing with different greens, oils, herbs, meat, seasonal produce and garlic (lots and lots of garlic) to tantalize our taste buds.

Then we have our classic dishes, our staples if you will. The Boy’s include soup (particularly his heart-warming Potato Corn Chowder), Breakfast Frittatas and his famous meatloaf (which he literally won’t stop talking about…he keeps telling all my friends and family to “Ask Rach about my meatloaf!”) Classic Rachel dishes include Almond-Crusted Coconut Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries/Mashed Sweet Potatoes, fancy salads, and an apartment favorite: Warm Quinoa & Veggie Bowls which The Boy just dubbed “The Bowl of Goodness.”

The original inspiration came from our favorite local organic cafe Live Alive, as we are absolutely addicted to their warm grain bowls. That’s when I decided to get my experimenting (and my apron) on!  I never make one bowl exactly the same, but all are vegan and free from gluten and dairy ingredients. Sometimes I add in raisins or curry powder, while other times I load up on the garlic and create a more savory dish. Here’s the most recent bowl I made this week:

“The Bowl of Goodness” {A Warm Quinoa Bowl with Greens & Creamy Garlic Sauce}

Makes 4 servings

The Bowl*:

• 1 c. quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to directions
• 1 bag frozen organic broccoli (or equivalent fresh)
• 1 head Kale (simply run your hand down the stem to remove leaves)
• 8 shiitake mushrooms, cleaned & sliced into thin strips
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1/2 c. green onions, diced
• Sea salt & nutritional yeast to taste

*Use organic ingredients when possible

1. Cook quinoa according to directions, covering and stirring occasionally until all water is drained.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, steam kale, broccoli or any other dark green veggies you are using. Once mostly cooked through (about 10 minutes) add in mushrooms and steam for another 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked to your liking.

3. Drain the vegetable mixture, and in a large bowl mix together quinoa, vegetables, green onions and avocado. Add sea salt & nutritional yeast to taste. Slowly mix in Creamy Ginger & Garlic Tamari Sauce (shown below) to your liking.

The Creamy Garlic & Ginger Tamari Sauce:

• 6 cloves garlic, pealed and chopped
• About 1/4 c. fresh ginger, peeled
• 1/4 c. tamari, organic
• 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed & unrefined
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB nutritional yeast
• sea salt to taste

~Add the garlic, ginger, tamari, lemon juice and half of the olive oil. Blend on high speed in a food-processor or Vitamix (I used a Vitamix). Then slow add in the olive oil, pulsing until it creates a creamy texture. Mix in nutritional yeast and sea salt to taste, and stir with a spoon.

Note: This sauce makes enough so you have leftover to use for other dishes, sandwich toppings or as a dip with your favorite veggies.

Do you like experimenting in the kitchen? What are your classic go-to dishes? Who does most of the cooking in your house? P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my Spring Cleaning Wellness Workshop next Tuesday. Special discount for Healthy Chicks readers!

Ladies! Hope you are having a lovely, bright & beautiful week. It definitely doesn’t hurt that the sunshine is finally out, at least here in Boston. On that note, I am finally starting to feel a bit like myself again…every day is a new day for healing!

Anyway, I wanted to fill in all my Boston loves on a super sweet wellness workshop I’m hosting next week at The Breathing Room Yoga Studio in Cambridge, MA. We’ll chat anything and everything SPRING CLEANING, going much deeper than simply cleaning out the closet.

Far too many women are talking about the next diet to go on for spring break or how to lose weight fast, and I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to go on a diet. You just need a shift in perspective! And as a special treat to my beautiful readers, I’d like to honor 50% off your ticket. Just use promo code HealthyChicks50.

Here’s the deets:

WHO: YOU! All you lovely ladies are invited for an interactive ladies’ night out (I mean, Wellness Workshop!)

WHAT: “Detox & Declutter Your Mind & Body This Spring (Without Dieting)”

Tickets include:

• A 60-minute interactive wellness discussion (covering everything from seasonal produce to ways to de-stress this spring)
• Q & A time with me!
• A healthy goodie bag to take home stuffed with tasty treats from some of my fave companies!

WHERE: The Breathing Room 763 Mass Ave Suite #7 Cambridge, MA

WHEN: Tuesday, April 30th 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

WHY: Because you don’t “need” to go on another diet to feel your best self this Spring. Learn how!

Learn more & snag your spot here on Eventbrite: http://springcleansing2013.eventbrite.com

**Remember to use promo code HealthyChicks50 for 50% off your ticket!**

We’ll all meet afterward for an optional healthy meal at my favorite local cafe Life Alive.

What’s the craziest diet you’ve ever gone on? What’s your #1 spring wellness question? Hope to see you there!

If you know me or have been reading my blog for a while, it’s plain to see I’m big on goals. I love creating goals for myself (both big and small), holding others accountable for their goals via health coaching, and am a sucker for vision boards (even as a teenager apparently). I’m a “Goal Junkie” if you will.

And this past year, I’ve come a long way with many of these goals. I’ve landed a part-time job of my dreams with sweetgreen (and have been loving every minute of it), I launched my innovative health coaching programs (including my Healthy Supermarket Tours), I greatly expanded my freelance writing, and I made big strides in my relationship and even moved in with The Boy (my very first living-with-a-man experience).

But, while I’m a pretty avid goal-setter, sometimes I get ahead of myself by creating too many goals at the same time, turning my dreams & visions from inspirations to one, big overwhelming mess.

That’s why when I was invited to lululemon athletica Prudential Center’s “B.H.A.G. Yourself to Greatness” event yesterday evening, I gladly accepted in a hot second. What’s a B.H.A.G. you ask? Why it’s a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, a goal-setting strategy the lulemon athletica folks have got down pat. It was time for me to take a good, hard look at my life and get that B.H.A.G. out there to the world! And what better way than by chatting over tea & healthy goodies with a lovely bunch of like-minded, inspiring people?

At the event, we were encouraged to share our one-year goals, and then broke up into small groups to plan out the how as well as set timelines for ourselves to hold one another accountable. We then broke it down into mini 3 week, 6 week, 3 month, 6 month and 9 month goals.

And now, for my one-year B.H.A.G.: I am going to publish a book (an e-book and/or actual book) on healthy inspirations for women focusing on the fact that there is more to life than dieting, body bashing, “fat days” and counting calories. My book is going to be inspirational, feel-good and light-hearted focusing on the “why” & “how” rather than the “what” (think: none of that diet book stuff with strict rules and guidelines). The why & how is where all the juicy, good stuff is anyway! More details to come on that…

WHY?

Because I’ve been there.

Because I understand how sucky living your life dieting, counting calories, and hating your bod can feel. And that being skinny & exercising like a mad woman means nothing if you aren’t truly happy inside.

Because I know first-hand the power of a hug, a pick-me-up, or a confidence boost.

Because I want to share my love with as many women as I can.

Because life is so much more meaningful (and fun) when you start living with purpose and zest!

Because I’m a writer, and writing brings me joy. It makes me feel alive.

Because I’ve started writing said book a zillion times (with a zillion different drafts, post-it notes and scrap pieces of paper filled with my thoughts) and know the time is now to start. For Real this time.

Because I know I’m meant to share what I have to say with women all over, of all ages and sizes, who went through or are going through what I did.

HOW:

After we shared with the group, we broke our Big goals into small, manageable goals to ensure they get checked off. Step one? We had to create a Do It Now, and mine was a.) announce my B.H.A.G. to friends, family, readers, and my peeps and b.) add it to my vision board. So here I am today, announcing it to you guys: my lovely readers, my fans, my friends, my family and anyone else who reads my blog. I hope you follow along on this exciting, juicy journey!

Let me ask you, what’s your B.H.A.G.? What gets your heart pounding, makes you stay up ’til the crack of dawn, and makes you ooze excitement? I want to hear!

Quick note: I apologize for the lack of blogging last week. I was greatly affected by the events that took place in Boston, and took a week for myself to process my feelings, pray, reflect and begin to heal. While it will take time, I am finally starting to feel like myself again… Much love to you all!

You know those moments when just the right thing comes along at just the right time? It’s as if it was planned that way on purpose, like a little special hug from the Universe. It usually sneaks up on you during one of those “off days,” rough patches or time of grieving. All of the sudden, a little pick-me-up sort of falls into your lap out of no where.

To be honest with you, I’m still feeling a bit off in coping with Monday’s events, and have been having a hard time writing let alone feeling myself. I just keep replaying the day over and over again up to the moment of the attack, thinking “What if it were me?” However, I’ve certainly been finding love & joy in everything around me to not only help myself cope, but also those around me. To help our city heal.

You see, when you look for love it’s everywhere, really. You can find love in things as small as your morning cappuccino or as large as an entire community coming together to pray & heal.

Love is in the eyes of your barista, your lover, the stranger on the street. In that couldn’t-have-been-a-better-time email, note card, text, voicemail or phone call. It’s even in that most perfect fortune attached to your yogi tea.

Love & light is in you, and me and the entire Universe (something I was reminded yet again during the final minute of my yoga class last night).

Just keep your eyes and your heart open and you too will find love. This week, I have found love in…

*The overwhelming number of calls, texts, emails (from some people whom I haven’t spoken to in years) I received to ensure my safety

*The surprise visit from my mom, who came up from CT to take me on a lunch date, followed by some shopping & strolling in Harvard Square to cheer me up

*The warm rays of sunshine on my face

*My delicious mug of French Roast coffee

*The home-made meal The Boy whipped up the other night to put a smile on my face

*The adorable Buddha card my friend Jen sent from Toronto, pouring her love & admiration for me. It seriously couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time.

*Hugs from friends who I adore

*Goodnight kisses & cuddle seshes that felt especially consoling this week

*The restorative yoga class I took last night, with the most beautiful “Om” at the end. The teacher even sang to us during Shavasana. It was absolutely beautiful & perfect.

It was just what I needed….exactly at the right time.

I want to know, when’s a time where you were sent some love at just. the. right. time? Share your stories below! Much love to you all…

This was the one photo I snapped during yesterday’s Boston Marathon.

It’s one of my favorite days in the city, a day that makes me proud to be a Bostonian, a day that makes me contemplate to run a Marathon one day myself. And for the past 4 years, I have gathered with friends and loved ones to watch at my go-to spot: the Finish Line. This year was extra-special as one of my friends was running her very first 26.2.

The Finish Line is a place you see strength, love, dedication, power, and victory. A place where families and loved ones come together to celebrate. A place where runners have their moment. A place where I always find myself tearing up seeing the faces of pure accomplishment.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s tears were tears of sadness, not joy; hugs of fear not celebration. As you can see in the above photo, I was right at mile 26 when the first bomb went off. Like most, I was startled at first but thought it may be a cannon or a celebratory gun shot. When the second bomb went off less than a block from where I was standing, I knew I had to get out…fast. I just had a terrible feeling take over me…I knew it wasn’t good. What if we’re next?

As I stood there shaking in complete shock, I completely lost it. As those around me were screaming, running or consoling loved ones, I tried to make a phone call to my parents and boyfriend. I truly thought that was it for me, a feeling I just can’t describe. I turned around and realized that I had lost my two friends who were with me. Officers kept telling us to get as far away as we could, urging us to get off the streets, and so I ran. I ran for my life…all the way home to my Cambridge apartment…in flip-flops.

When I got home, I prayed. I thanked God that I was alive, that I was now safe. And I prayed for those who weren’t as lucky. While I am still pretty shaken up, as you can imagine, I am feeling an unbelievable sense of gratitude and love.

I feel gratitude for:

-The fact that my two good friends were there with me during the aftermath

-Making it out of there alive

-That all of my friends and loved ones in the area are safe & sound

-That I was able to contact my boyfriend about an hour later, knowing he too was safe

-For the moment I was finally connected with my parents and sister, who were extremely worried for me

-Standing right where I was, instead of seeking a closer view

-Everything I have…life is certainly precious

I feel Love for:

-All of those who don’t feel safe

-Those who were injured & killed

-Those separated from their families

-Brave spectators who rushed toward the explosions in order to treat victims (some even removed clothing or ran straight to donate blood)

-The runners who ran, finished and weren’t able to finish

-Our country

-The city of Boston. My city.

I am forever grateful. Much love & prayers go out to those who weren’t as lucky as me…

The Boy & I have been trying to severely cut back and/or eliminate both gluten and dairy from our diets. While gluten is something I’ve learned to eliminate over the years (due to personal digestion issues and bloating), I occasionally indulge in a tasty snack or fresh-baked slice of bread made with real ingredients. I know my limits, and I’ve pretty much learned to live without it. I guess I’m lucky because I’ve never really had a sweet tooth so fresh bread is really my only temptation.

However, dairy is a completely different beast. You see, I love cheese. Nothing beats a slice of fresh mozzarella, hard cheese paired with fruit, or local feta from the farmer’s market. That being said, this past year I’ve also come to the conclusion that my love for cheese may have some sort of connection  to my skin issues. So I’ve been trying to cut back as much as I can to experiment. Again, this is just my own personal experiment and I’m not saying everyone should give up dairy for clear skin. After all, we are all different and what works for one may not work for another (see: bio-individuality).

I’m proud to say that I’ve considerably cut back on my cheese obsession, from having it nearly every day to having a taste every now and then (once a month or so). I’ve also been drinking a mug of warm water with fresh lemon every morning before eating, adding organic Apple Cider Vinegar to improve digestion and help detox my body along with consuming a 90% “clean” diet.

The verdict? I feel great! As for my skin, I can’t say if I see major improvements but I do think I’m starting to control it. There are days when it’s super clear and days I want to use a pound of cover up. I also  know a lot of my skin issues are hormonal, and therefore right now I need to focus on de-stressing and maintaining balance (through yoga, meditation and self-care).

The point of all of this? I was really craving pizza the other night and instead of ignoring my cravings (by eating lettuce or an apple instead) I decided to think outside the box. Hm…pizza without gluten AND dairy and that actually tastes good? Now this is going to be a toughie! With a quick google search I found this recipe for Cauliflower Pizza Crust, something I’ve been meaning to try for a while now. Only problem was this recipe used mozzarella in the crust mix so I knew there’d be some substitutions involved. Then I got BBQ-style in my mind, and it was on: BBQ Chicken Sausage Pizza it is!

Healthy Chicks BBQ Chicken Sausage Pizza with Cauliflower “Crust” {Dairy Free & Gluten Free}

*Makes 4 extra-large slices or 8 small

For the crust mix (inspired by this recipe from Closet Cooking):

• 1 large head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. Daiya Mozzarella Shreds (a vegan, kosher, dairy-free, soy-free cheese alternative that in my opinion is the best out there aside from homemade!)
• 1 tsp. each dried parsley, oregano and basil
• few shakes of onion powder
• sea salt & pepper

For the pizza:

• 1/2 package or 2 links all-natural chicken sausage, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 TB all-natural BBQ sauce for sautéing onions plus 1/4 c. for pizza “sauce” (I used Annie’s Naturals Organic Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce)
• 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin strips
• large handful of fresh kale, chopped
• 8 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 c. Daiya Mozzarella Shreds

1. Preheat oven to 450. Grate the cauliflower in a food processor until it gets a rice-like texture (rather than pureed). Then steam for about 10 minutes, or until cooked.

2. Use a tea towel or cheese cloth to wring out the cauliflower, removing as much of the moisture as you can. NOTE: This step is extremely important. I completely rushed the process (I was hungry!) and therefore came out with a slightly soggy finish. Do it.

3. Mix together the cauliflower, egg, Daiya, seasonings, salt & pepper and spread out on a lined baking dish as you would regular pizza dough. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

4. In the meantime, prepare & chop your pizza toppings! Heat large skillet to medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add in 1 TB BBQ sauce and continue to stir until onions are well coated. Mix in sliced chicken sausage, stir and remove from heat.

5. Remove crust from onion and coat with 1/4 c. BBQ sauce, chicken/onion mixture, kale and grape tomatoes. Top with another 1/2 c. of Daiya cheese or enough to your liking. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until cheese it bubbling and crust is a perfect crusty golden  brown.

~Enjoy with a glass of organic wine &  homemade salad like this Roasted Beet & Arugula Salad. Cheers!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the cauliflower crust was (minus our slight soggy issue that I totally know now for next time). I could eat this in place of regular pizza any day! I’m telling you…it’s gooood.

Wold you like to cut back on a particular food or have any sensitivities to certain ingredients? Have you ever made a pizza with cauliflower crust before? What natural remedies do you use to keep your skin clear?

Good afternoon ladies! Hope you are all having a sun-shiny day, despite the rain and dreary weather in Boston. I guess we can’t complain much after having 2 beautiful days in a row. I honestly can’t get enough of this sunshine!

For those of you participating in my “Get Happy & Healthy” Wellness Challenge, I am so impressed by all your hard work, dedication and creativity. From squeezing in that extra “me time” to enjoy your breakfast mindfully (and listen to the birds chirping) to trying a brand new green (like broccoli rabe or mustard greens!), each and every step you take—both big and small—is one step closer to a happier, healthier you. Keep up the super work!

OK, on to another week of Healthy Chicks in the Community! This week I am so thrilled to introduce you to Jenn, a real women who shines confidence, health, strength and inspiration. After all, she wasn’t named one of BostInno’s 50 on Fire for nothing. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting down with Jenn in person and took her Pilates Bootcamp Class (which you can read about in my newsletter here) and can tell you this woman is the real deal. Her energy, passion and love for what she does is absolutely contagious! But seriously, I gotta ask, how does she ever sleep? I’ll let Jenn take it from here…

[Photo provided by Jennifer Phelan courtesy of Lucie Wicker Photography]

NAME/AGE: Jennifer Phelan Age 29

BLOG/TWITTER (If Applicable): Jennifer Phelan Pilates www.jenniferphelan.com / JPPilates

CURRENT CITY: Boston, MA

PHOTO TAKEN: This was one of my favorite photos captured during a recent photo shoot with Lucie Wicker Photography. I had this idea to do a split on two boxes (genius). When I got into the spilt I was holding onto the box, afraid to let go when the photographer and stylist yelled for me to lift my arms and look at the camera. I did and we snapped one of the best shots of the day. Conquer your fears and live in the moment!

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: I’m a full time Pilates Instructor and owner of JenniferPhelan Pilates. I teach large, contemporary group Pilates and Barre classes at Equinox and North End Yoga and I train private clients all over Boston. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many different types of people such as athletes, mom’s-to-be, brides and A-List celebs. I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to spread the amazing benefits of Pilates to everyone I meet.

NUMBER ONE PASSION: Motivating others to be the best possible healthy version of themselves.

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM: Remembering to make a little time for me. Even though I love my job and what I do everyday, it’s sometimes hard to find balance. As an independent instructor I literally do everything from teaching classes, scheduling, social media, website work and marketing all by myself. So it’s hard to actually fit in my own workouts and “JP” time. When I do actually schedule this in I feel more energized, happier and more alive. Even if that means I’m going on a 12- hour day by the time I fit in my own workouts that’s okay, because I always end up feeling ready to conquer the city when I’m done.

BUT I AM ALSO A REAL GIRL & SOMETIMES: Spend the day in my sweats and watch 5 hours of Dance Moms straight without moving once.

TOP THREE KITCHEN STAPLES: 1.) Breville Juicer. 2.) Apples, spinach and cucumbers 3.) Reusable Straws Ok, can you tell I’m obsessed with juicing? I seriously can’t go a day without making at least one fresh pressed juice. Juice for life!

NUMBER ONE GUILTY PLEASURE: Ice cream. Specifically soft serve vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. I used to spend my summers working in an ice cream shop that only fueled my addiction and taught me one of my best-kept hidden talents… I can make a perfect ice cream cone. I’m serious and happy to show you anytime.

EXERCISE THAT MAKES YOU SHINE: Pilates of course! I make sure that I give myself some type of a mat workout every day. It keeps my body flexible, balanced and centers my mind.

FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD: Anything that my husband cooks. I’m lucky to have a wannabe chef husband who is one of the healthiest cooks I know. He has a way of mixing love into all of his meals and never settles for putting just anything down on a plate. I’d have to say my favorite dish is his signature miso marinated grilled salmon served over baby kale greens with a lemon vinaigrette and side of herbed quinoa. Hungry yet?

MESSAGE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHER HEALTHY CHICKS:  Keep it simple! Don’t over think and over complicate your life. The number one trick to being healthy is to use common sense. Exercise. Eat REAL foods. Drink lots of water. Get outside. Do things that make you happy. Try living by these standards for just one week and you’ll see that life is a lot sunnier without all the added substitutes. Only YOU are in charge of your life, so start living it today!

If you’d like to be featured as one of my Healthy Chicks in the Community, or know someone who you want to make blush, email me for more deets. And remember, if you aren’t feeling your healthiest self or are struggling to make positive changes, shoot me an email anytime to schedule your FREE 15-minute info session / sign up for one of my health coaching programs.

SIDE NOTE: Boston Fitness Peeps! Check out my blog friend Little Miss Runshine’s upcoming Spinathon on 5/18 to raise money for the Pan Mass Challenge fundraising for Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Learn more here or register/donate over here. There’s some pretty sweet spin instructors on the list!

Last week, I was chatting on the phone with my grandmother while cooking dinner in our teeny-tiny kitchen. When she asked me what I was doing, I caught myself going there to that negative place we all know. And so I began complaining. “Well you know I’m cooking in my awful kitchen and it’s stressing me out. I just can’t stand our apartment. If only we had a bigger kitchen – a bigger apartment for that matter – so I could cook a nice meal for myself and actually enjoy doing it.”

When she asked where The Boy was, I told her he was in the other room waiting for me, and then I lit up. There was a complete shift in my mindset. “You know, I really am lucky to have him.” After all, not only does he cook (and do the dishes) but he loves me despite our tiny apartment…through the good times and the bad.

Then my grandmother said something to me that really struck me. “You don’t know just how lucky you are. He’s a catch. And as for the apartment, it’s just perfect for now. You have enough.” She then went on to say, “In 40 years from now you’ll have a big, big house but for now it’s enough.” I had to laugh at the 40 years…I mean, I sure hope it’s sooner than that grandma!

But what she said about having enough; that really stuck. It’s true, I do have enough. In fact, I have more than enough. The fact that I have a home to keep me warm at night and a loving boyfriend to join me for dinner is enough in itself.

Throughout the past week, I’ve been using this “enough” mentality to bring me back to my Happy Place when I let myself go there. Whenever I notice myself getting down on myself or thinking negatively, I shift my perspective to an “enough” mindset. Take yesterday for example. I was bumming out about my finances (again) and the fact that I still don’t “have it all together.” Needless to say, I can be extremely hard on myself at times, much harder than I’d ever be on a friend or a loved one. At times like these, I stop, drop and remember all that I do have. Yesterday’s thought-process went a bit like this:

I have…

• Enough money to pay my own rent (for the past 4 years), buy heathy, wholesome food and get by even if that means putting the dress I *really* wanted back on the rack
• An apartment in a really cool area – Central Square! Helllooo Life Alive, hidden gems & quick access to the city.
• A small group of inspiring, there-for-you-always best friends who are just enough
• Cool part-time gigs that provide a flexible schedule, even if life can get a little chaotic at times
• A blog that I’ve grown from a college food-log to an inspiring community for women to come together that makes me smile every day.
• Yoga to bring me to a place of calm
• Running to bring me to a place of release
• A creative mind that I know will take me far in life, even if it’s taking a bit longer than some
• A career I’m passionate about, even if that means lots of hard work and ups & downs. It’s a work in progress, and an exciting journey!
• The talent to write, for both paid and unpaid gigs, for both myself and others
• The ability to manifest whatever my heart desires
• Just enough clients who after each & every session make me feel high on life with their dedication, commitment and love
• An intense passion & drive that is enough to make my dreams come true
• A boyfriend who loves me very much and makes me giggle every day
• A wonderful family who provide just enough love, attention, care (with some tough-love thrown in)
• My 7-Day “Get Happy & Healthy” Wellness Program that 46 women signed up for! These ladies are seriously blowing my mind!

As you can see, I have quite a lot to be grateful for. It was just blurred by a cloud of negative energy. The good news? You can shift your perspective from a negative (I am not enough) to a positive (enough) in seconds if you choose to do so.

Let me ask you now, where do you find yourself saying “I am Not Enough?” What do you already have in your life that’s being fogged by negative energy?

Good afternoon, ladies! Today I wanted to touch base on a topic that’s often not discussed in the health & wellness community: mindfulness. For those of you who are participating in my 7-Day “Get Happy & Healthy” Wellness Challenge, you should have already seen in your inbox that today’s challenge has to do with eating mindfully.

What the heck does mindfulness have to do with healthy living, you ask? Well it’s a whole lot more than one may think! It’s also a topic that I hold very close to my heart, as it’s one of the major steps that helped me get over diet-obsessed living once and for all.

You see, in college I ate (and lived, for that matter) completely mindlessly. I scarfed down food as quickly as I could so I wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt, and I rushed through all my meals like it was one big race. I was an emotional eater and an impulse eater at that, eating what would make me “feel better” (or so I thought) and then dealing with the guilt of the aftermath.

This then lead to extreme restriction, dieting and poor body image which, if you ever saw someone on a diet eating lunch, you know is far from a mindful experience. It was complete hell, and I was stuck in a mindless mess.

While I am still a work in progress when it comes to eating mindfully (without distractions from technology, people or thoughts) I am proud to say I have come a long way. Eating this way has taught me to savor my food, to enjoy each meal and to appreciate myself and my body.

How can you practice eating more mindfully? For those of you participating in the challenge, remember to share your experience. The hashtag on social media is #HappyHealthyWC