you're meant to be here

like right here, right now!

I know this because I think there may be part of you that knows deep down you are struggling to keep it all together with racing food thoughts, endless food rules, and constant self criticism....

And I'd like to hold space for that part of you right here on my blog.

My favorite quote is an old Swedish proverb that says, "joy shared, joy doubled; sorrow shared, sorrow halved." So linger a while here and let's double some joy and halve some sorrow.

golden ale chili and cornbread

Have you heard of mindfulness? It is something I am trying hard to practice these days. Mindfulness is bringing your full attention to the present moment. For example: mindfulness is sitting around the dinner table discussing each other’s days and savoring your food, it’s not peeking at your phone in-between careless bites. That is hard […]

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food

how to eat for the holidays

In case you didn’t know –  the holiday season is upon us. Although Thanksgiving has yet to occur, the Christmas decorations are up and the Santa commercials are playing. No complaints here, I absolutely love this time of year. Call me Buddy the Elf, but I  l o v e  this season. I love the traditions, […]

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beans & greens soup

Maybe it’s the Southerner in me, but I love greens. One of my professors has a saying that in order to keep stayin’ alive, you need your BeeGee’s. Cue the disco party. But for real! Beans and greens are packed with nutrients and are filling for little calories. And they are so inexpensive. You probably already […]

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kale + cranberry turkey stuffed acorn squash

This past week was full of 40 degree days, cloudy skies, and drizzling rain. You know the kind of weather that makes you want to throw on sweatpants and a sweatshirt and lay on the couch all day? Well, that’s exactly what I did this past Saturday. I tidied up my home, caught up on […]

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“don’t say that about my friend”

I have so many brilliant women in my life. And each of these women is different from one another. They have their own life experiences that have formed and shaped them into who they are together. And although each is beautifully unique, there is one consistent behavior of just about every woman I have ever […]

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my 1st FNCE experience

My heart & belly are full as I head back to Columbia, MO, after my first FNCE in Chicago. FNCE is the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo where thousands of dietitians gather. The conference side is full of discussions about science, public health and policy, and leadership skills. Of course, the exposition side was […]

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creamy chicken tex-mex chili

It’s time for a reunion with my crockpot – the temperature is starting to drop and my workload is picking up. Crockpots are so great because they are low maintenance. There is something so pleasant knowing that after a long day of classes and work I can come home to an already made dinner. On […]

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food

do I want to be healthy or be skinny?

Go ahead and look inward and ask yourself: Do I want to be healthy or be skinny? Personally, I can’t remember a time in my own life where I would have answered that I would genuinely rather be healthy than be skinny up until 2 years ago. It was music to my ears when someone told […]

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body image

s’mores bites

Warning: you won’t be able to eat just one. This recipe is the classic combination of honey graham crackers, creamy milk chocolate, and sweet gooey marshmallows. And although it’s not made over a cozy campfire, these little bites still manage to be crowd favorites. S’more bites are also probably the easiest dessert to make too! […]

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is (fill in the blank) good for me?

Anytime I tell someone that I am studying nutrition and dietetics, within seconds, the person’s eyes open wide and their whole body leans in to ask me: is (fill in the blank) good for me? And while semantics can be annoying, I can’t help but ask back what exactly “good” means. On Merriam-Webster, it says good […]

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eating disorder recovery