Hi Friend,
Happy Monday! I'm writing from Miami, where I'm soaking up a little sun with my family after a crazy time getting out of Chicago during a snowstorm. The kids were troopers, and I'm so glad we finally made it! Without further delay, here's the recap from this week:
New blog post:
I've compiled 10 of my favorite healthy travel tips. Between work trips and vacation, these routines have made a big difference for me--and I hope you find them useful as well! Please drop a note in the Comments section of the post if you have other healthy travel tips to share!
What I've been cooking: |
| One-Pan Mediterranean Braised Chicken Thighs. I follow the Food 52 method for "Chicken Thighs Braised to Perfection," which I call "choose your own adventure chicken thighs" because it's very flexible depending on what you like and have on hand.
This version was super tasty and packed with some of my favorite superfoods: onion, garlic, lemon, (frozen) artichoke hearts, capers, cherry tomatoes & kale. It would also be delicious with white beans, potatoes, fennel, olives, or swiss chard. So many possible variations! Check out my how-to video in the Healthy Meals highlight on Instagram.
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| I also made an incredible (and easy!) Chicken Pho in my Instant Pot, following this recipe from Nom Nom Paleo.
Rather than zoodles, I used kelp noodles one time and Shirataki noodles on round 2 for lunch - both were great! Check ‘em out if you’re GF, Paleo, Keto or doing Whole30 - I think they work particularly well in Asian dishes.
Also, this Instagram post covers 6 reasons why I love soup so much! :)
What I've been thinking about:
- Try "mini meditations" throughout the day by taking a very conscious breath or two while you're waiting somewhere (e.g. an elevator) rather than reaching for your phone. It's a practice that helps you incorporate more awareness throughout your day, rather than compartmentalizing time for mindfulness. I'm into it! And it feels very doable compared to a 10-15 min meditation.
- "We evolve only because we are being challenged." No explanation needed. I think we all recognize this when we look back on difficult times, and it's a good reminder as we face challenges big and small.
- On worry and anxiety: "a lot of suffering that humans endure is not created by events, but by dysfunctional thinking" that we bring on ourselves. "This is futile and destructive." It's also not living in the present moment.
- My favorite: “Most humans live as if past and future—and especially future—were more important than this moment.” People "continuously treat the present moment as though it were no more than a stepping stone to the next moment." But really, the present moment is all we have, and we should savor it. "Otherwise you miss your whole life" living for the next moment, the weekend, retirement, etc..
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| Thank you for your precious time! If you know someone who'd enjoy this content, please forward this note along!
Be well, Jess
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kaleifornian.com
I always appreciate feedback, recipe ratings, and your comments on my blog and Instagram posts! If you make any of the recipes I've posted, I'd love to see! Tag @kaleifornian_ and/or use hashtag #kaleifornianeats when you share a pic on Instagram! And shoot me a note if you tried something different or have a tip that you think should be in the write-up. Thank you so much for your support! ♥ |
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