The weather is warming up, which means grilling season is back baby! And I’ve got the perfect half salad half grain bowl combo you’re sure to love.
Back when I was on the sweetgreen marketing team, one of my favorite OG meals was the Earth Bowl. (Sorry folks, it’s no longer on the menu but I’ve re-created my Healthy Chicks version and it’s pretty damn good). It’s healthy, hearty and full of vibrant flavors. What’s not to love?
This colorful Earth Bowl replication combines all your spring and summer favorites: arugula, crunchy veggies, grilled chicken, a little cheddar and an incredible herby green goddess dressing. Delish!
Healthy Chicks Warm Grains, Greens & Chicken Bowl
*makes about 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts, roasted or grilled
2 cups cooked quinoa (2/3 c. uncooked) or grain of choice
1-2 heads broccoli, chopped (~10 oz or bag pre-cut equivalent)
Olive oil, for roasting broccoli
2 cups corn, cooked (you can grill or steam from frozen)
1 bag arugula
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
~1 c. sharp cheddar, cubed
Herby dressing of choice (we use Gotham Greens Vegan Goddess)
Prepare the chicken however you prefer — we love grilling
We take turns putting the kids to bed, and even on the nights my husband puts our daughter to bed she 99% of the time calls me back up for one more snuggle.
I cuddle up with her, and we usually do some simple repeat-after-me bedtime affirmations to help calm her body and busy mind. After we finished them last night, my little one told me she came up with some of her own.
“Do you want to hear?” she enthusiastically asked. And then she proudly exclaimed:
“I am love-full.”
“I am sweet”
“I am beautiful.”
“I am Isabella.”
“Were those good affirmations, mommy?” she asked. Yes, yes they were sweetie.
Hearing this made my mama heart so full. And if you have little ones, you can practice simple bedtime affirmations too!
In fact, my new Mindfulness Deck for Kids, coming out this spring, includes several affirmation exercises I use with my own kiddos and in my kids yoga classes — including a go-to bedtime affirmation.
Get on the wait list for my Kids Mindfulness Deck here!
Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day comes once a year.
In all honesty, this holiday used to kind of annoy me. All the posts, all the pressure, all the “stuff.” Often I’d end up frustrated at my husband for not doing anything “special.”
At the end of the day, what I really wanted — what I needed — was the same thing I want on any other day — time together.
That’s why last year I decided to create our own Valentine’s Day tradition. Seeing as though my love language is quality time (and words of affirmation), I took matters into my own hands by creating a new tradition we can do together as a family: heart-shaped pizza.
This year, we poured red wine and listened to classic oldies love songs while making homemade heart-shaped pizza.
The kids tried to help but mostly ended up just eating all the cheese and bickering with each other. It was perfectly imperfect. It was us.
Here’s your reminder to take the pressure off this holiday (and any holiday for that matter) and do what feels good to you whether that’s doing nothing, making heart-shaped pizza or going all out … Read More!
I haven’t been as active on social media lately, as I’ve been doing a lot of reflection, planning and living. I even took over a month off Instagram to unplug, which felt good — exactly what my soul needed to recharge.
It’s also given me some time to reflect on what I want to call in for 2023. At the beginning of each year, I always choose three words I want to embody. This year I landed on: play, presence and purpose.
PLAY: Playing more with my kids, getting messy, having FUN and building my kids yoga business (which the very core is about mindfulness, movement and yes, play)
PRESENCE: Being more present with my family, focusing on one thing at a time, unplugging more often to be in the here & now
PURPOSE: Making a difference, living & working with purpose and also being purposeful with how I spend my time.
Do you choose a word(s)? I’d love to hear yours below! … Read More!
Baby it’s cold outside, and while I highly dislike being cold, I don’t like stuck, stagnant energy even more. Feeling in a winter slump? Here are 5 quick ways to shift your energy this season!
1. Brisk Walk Outside
Get outside for a brisk walk in the cold! Soak in the sunshine and breathe in that fresh winter air.
2. Meditate Over Coffee
Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa and spend a few minutes in meditation. As you sip your drink, think of how you want to feel and set an intention for your day!
3. Holiday Dance Party
Pop on those holiday jams and shake it out! Dancing is a wonderful way to move stagnant energy through the body.
4. Freshen up Your Wardrobe
Give your winter wardrobe a seasonal refresh by purchasing a new item that feels good (and while you’re at it, toss something old that doesn’t feel good).
5. Play in the Snow
Play outside in the snow! Embrace your inner child by building a snowman, make a snow angel, or catch snowflakes on your tongue. … Read More!
I’m beaming as I just taught a “Gingerbread Man” themed yoga class to 13 preschoolers this afternoon. And let me tell you — it was quite the adventure!
We practiced belly breathing while sipping “hot chocolate” followed by a “Hot Chocolate” Polar Express dance party to explore Mountain
We warmed up by sneaking past the gingerbread animals to escape the house!
Then we ventured off for a magical sleigh ride adventure through the park at night (where we spotted some horse, a tree with twinkly lights, stars in the sky, and more)
To end the class, we shook our worries out then rocked our beanie animal friends to sleep once we got back to the gingerbread house (for the sweetest savasana).
That moment witnessing 13 little ones laying still cuddled up with their animal friends made my heart so very full.
Here’s your reminder to embrace your inner child this weekend, BREATHE and have fun! … Read More!
Kids thrive on routines. From breakfast to bedtime, children like to know what’s going on. That’s why you’ll notice they even ask for the same shows over and over again. (Right now in our house it’s Curious George Christmas.)
Among all the routines, the bedtime routine is probably the most talked about in the parenting world. It’s a way for children to “wind down” before bed, and typically includes a mix of tubby time, lullabies/songs, books and good night kisses.
The other night, my 4-year-old daughter was a little worked up before bed — moody, whiny way overtired and on the verge of a meltdown, and all of our usual bedtime tricks simply weren’t cutting it.
Here are 3 simple steps we took to help calm her body and mind — infusing more mindfulness to her bedtime routine.
3 Mindful Bedtime Tips for Children
Breathing: As Danielle Tiger always says, “When you feel so mad that you want to roar, take a deep breath and count to four.” Deep breathing is a wonderful way to help regulate our emotions.
However, sometimes when I encourage my kids to take a deep breath I am met with resistance. Before bed … Read More!
I went away on a women’s spiritual/business retreat two weekends ago, which was truly transformational and life-changing. It’s hard to put into words exactly what I experienced while there, but I will try.
Before I embarked on this journey, I asked for clarity and boy did I get it. On the first day, while sitting in a field amongst 75 women in ceremony, I had a major a-ha moment. We were in a deep guided meditation, where I was shown different versions of ME standing in a cave — literally every version of my former self flashed upon my eyes (the me struggling with body image, getting my footing in Boston, going off to college) but the central focus was on 5-year-old Rachel, me as a child.
An old, wise woman then came into the cave and brought us all together for a nurturing motherly hug, then grabbed my hand and whispered into my ear, “You are meant to be working with children,” then she turned back and said “Remember, never lose your sparkle.”
After those words were spoken, a light lit up within me. I visualized myself surrounded by children, animals and magic. I saw dolphins dancing in the … Read More!
