October 2017 Favorites

Continuing my tradition of sharing some favorites monthly, here are my October 2017 favorites! 

Just a reminder, some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Beef and Broccoli (AIP)
I’ve taken a couple trips this month, first going to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, then to Georgia and South Carolina. As I often do when I travel, I packed some “safe” food to take along. Beef and Broccoli is one of my go-to meals all of the time, but even more so when traveling. It’s easy to prepare in large quantities before a trip, it travels well, and it tastes good cold if I don’t have access to reheating. When traveling, I package the cooled Beef and Broccoli into quart-sized freezer Ziplocks and freeze them solid before travel. Then, when I’m ready to eat it, I thaw one in the fridge overnight and transfer it to a small Pyrex container. I like to top mine with garlic dill pickle sauerkraut and truffle salt.

XL 7-day pill organizer
Under the supervision of my Integrative MD, I’m on a more rigorous supplement regiment, tailored specifically to my needs as revealed in some recent testing. Some supplements I’m taking multiple times a day, but am taking different amounts at different times of the day, whereas before, I took things once in the morning and maybe again before bed. To keep myself from getting confused and to ensure that I would actually take the things my doctor is recommending, I invested in this new enormous pill organizer. And side note: I’ve never gotten so many DMs on Instagram as when I shared this pill organizer in my IG stories a few weeks ago! 

I still take the most things in the morning, so I end up using both the AM and the Noon spots for my morning pills. I’ve repurposed the evening spot for my afternoon ones and kept the bedtime slot for my nightly supplements. So far this organizer has been very useful and I feel I’ve been much more successful with actually taking what I intend to take while using this system.

The one bone I have to pick with the company manufacturing this pill organizer is their name “Stuff Seniors Need.” Yes, I do not fit in their target demographic, but I wish they’d have thought of more than just an older population when developing their marketing materials. (ok, I'll step off my soapbox now...)

Kuhn Rikon 4-inch nonstick paring knife 
I’ve had two of these paring knifes since around 2009 and they’re still both going strong. Originally, I bought them to go in my culinary/pastry knife kit, but now I use them when traveling and occasionally in my day-to-day cooking adventures. They come in a wide variety of colors, but I happen to have a purple one and a light blue/periwinkle one. The knife sharpens easily, it fits really comfortably in my hand, and they’re very inexpensive (especially as knives go!) I also love that it comes with a matching cover, so I can throw it in my lunchbox to easily cut things (avocado, apples etc.) as needed.

Coconut + Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes 
On a whim, I decided to try these as a good face cleansing option while traveling. I know myself well enough to know that I am much more lazy about my skincare when traveling! In the past, I’ve used a different company’s cleansing towelettes, but they started making my eyes burn… Yikes! Not good! I switched to these and have not felt that same burning.

The smell of these wipes took some getting use to—they smell a bit like Play-Doh—but they are effective and I no longer feel a burning like I did with the last brand I used. I’m sure they’re not perfect ingredient-wise, but they’ve been a great option while traveling or on the occasional night when I’m too tired to do a full face washing. I buy mine at Target, but they're also available on Amazon.

Photo by Rebekah Scadding

Sam Edelman Penny Riding Boots in Whiskey Leather (“Athletic Fit”)
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a fashion blogger. But I am a big fan of these boots and I’ve gotten some nice compliments on them too.

It’s taken me two years to find just the right tan tall riding boot because I’ve had a tough time finding ones with a wide calf shaft and with the right heel hight. Too short a heel and they feel weird when walking… Too tall and I can’t wear them long without my feet, back and legs hurting. These boots are wide enough in the shaft without being gap-y—I can wear them with jeans or leggings. They’re also very comfortable! I walked five miles in Boston in them over the weekend and didn’t get a single blister. My normal shoe size is a 9 1/2 (occasionally a 10) and these fit great as a 9 1/2.

I tried these boots on first in a department store, and while I really liked them and thought they fit well, the price didn’t work my limited budget. I checked on Amazon upon returning home, just in case, and they were less than half the price of the department store! To me, they're still a bit of an investment, but I know I’ll get lots of use out of them. Thanks to my friend Rebekah Scadding for taking the photo of me in these boots while we were in the Boston Public Garden this past weekend.

The Teal Pumpkin Project 
This year marks two years that we’ve participated in the Teal Pumpkin Project for Halloween. By putting a teal painted pumpkin outside our house (or you can buy one), we’re signaling to trick-or-treaters/parents-in-the-know that we’ll have allergy-friendly options. Since today is Halloween, it might be a little late for this year’s Teal Pumpkin Project, but maybe it will be something that can be utilized in future years. Since I grew up with food allergies, my heart really goes out to those kids who can't eat traditional treats.

painting my 2017 pumpkin while watching "Stranger Things 2"

We started a tradition last year of giving out glow stick bracelets instead of a food treat. I like that the glow stick bracelets are not only fun, but also help with visibility on a dark Halloween night.

So those are a few of my favorites from October. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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September 2017 Favorites

Where did September go?!? It seems like just yesterday that I was writing my August favorites and now here I am sharing September’s favorites…

Just a reminder, some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Sheet Pan Meals (AIP or Paleo, depending on combination)
We eat a lot of roasted vegetables throughout the year, but lately I’ve been embracing not just roasted vegetables, but entire meals that can be roasted on a single sheet pan. The template is really easy: veg + fat + protein typically roasted at 425 F for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the veg/protein included. It’s a relatively easy meal with some prep required, but very little hands-on cooking time, and very minimal clean up.

As I’ve got some reintroductions under my belt, I quite often top roasted veggies with some sliced chicken sausage (usually contains some seed spices, but I always look for varieties that are nightshade-free), but chicken thighs also work well. Inspired by my friend Stephanie from “Fresh Tart,” I’ve also embraced this technique to make larger batches of breakfast hash with sliced leeks, baby bella mushrooms, bacon, and hearty greens like chard (include the stems) or kale.

It’s been a great way to use up random bits of vegetables in the fridge or freezer, thus reducing food waste. I plan to do some posts in the future with specific recipes for this technique.

Diffusing Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
I love diffusing essential oils, especially when I’ve cooked something extra fragrant or at night for sleeping. Ylang ylang is the newest oil in my arsenal and one of my current favorites. It’s a very calming, tropical floral scent reminiscent of jasmine. I’m still using my initial bottle purchased at my local Whole Foods, but it’s also available on Amazon or from most major EO companies. I like it for its soothing/relaxing yet uplifting qualities. It’s been a great one to diffuse on days where I need a bit of a pick-me-up. I’ve also read that it’s for the skin (diluted in a carrier oil) and the hair, though I haven’t tried it that way yet. This is another essential oil I anticipate keeping in my stash permanently.

Listening to Audiobooks on Audible 
A favorite childhood memory is of my mom reading to my sisters and me at night and/or when we were sick. Listening to audiobooks reminds me of those favorite memories. I’ve had an Audible gold membership (1 credit/book per month + 30% off the list price for any further audiobooks I choose to purchase) for a couple years and really enjoy listening to books while cooking or doing household chores or while driving. It’s so convenient to run the app on my phone or tablet. I tend to pick longer books, if I can (to maximize my credit purchase), and I tend to gravitate towards the genre of young adult fiction. Currently, I’m re-listening to the Harry Potter series (right now I’m on “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”) but I’ve also lately enjoyed “Tower of Dawn” from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, and “Six of Crows” from Leigh Bardugo.

Beautycounter Volumizing Mascara
I’ve had some adventures finding a more natural, gluten-free mascara…. I used another company’s mascara for a couple of years, but it always smeared under my eyes, giving me a great raccoon impersonation regularly. Plus, it was very difficult to remove when I actually wanted it off!

Beautycounter has had a lengthening mascara for a while, but since I wear glasses, I didn’t want any additional length to my lashes. When I heard that Beautycounter was coming out with a volumizing mascara, I knew I had to try it in hopes that it would be a better option for me. I am pleased to say this new volumizing option has been great! It doesn’t smear under my eyes AND it’s much easier to remove at the end of the day. Fair warning, the brush does take some getting use to, and it isn’t necessarily the most “crunchy” option, but it’s definitely better than conventional mascaras!

While I’m not a consultant with Beautycounter, you can order their products through your favorite consultant (I’m sure you probably know *someone* who sells it, if you’re in the AIP/Paleo-sphere) or through the Beautycounter website.

“Telephone Pictionary”
 We helped throw a surprise birthday party for a friend earlier this month and we played a new-to-us party game called “telephone pictionary.” I’m not usually a fan of group games (unless they’re board games or card games), but this one was super fun! It’s probably better played in larger groups (we had around 15 people playing) for optimal hilarity. Each person gets a stack of papers, amount equal to the number of participants, and a writing utensil. Everyone starts by writing a word or simple phrase on the top sheet of paper, then everyone passes their entire stack of paper to the person on their left. That person looks at the phrase, moves it to the back of the stack, and draws their interpretation of that word or phrase. Next, the entire stack is passed again to the left. That person looks at the drawing, moves it to the back of the stack, and guesses a word or phrase that the picture depicts. And the whole process continues around the group until all the papers are used. What ends up being the most hilarious part of the game comes at the end when everyone looks through their stack of papers and shows the group where the word or phrase started and how much it changed as it went through the whole group.

Pinning Autumn-y Things
Last year was our first autumn in New England (after leaving southern Texas), but we spent the majority of the season’s peak unpacking and settling in to our new home. We’re looking forward to doing all the fall activities (or as many as we can manage) while we live in this gorgeous state.

While we’re waiting for actual autumn to arrive—our weather has been still stuck on summer lately—I’m compensating by pinning on the pretty fall images on Pinterest to a specific autumn board.

So those are a few of my favorites from September. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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August 2017 Favorites

I’m sharing my August favorites a few days early this month so that I can share details about a very special AIP resource that’s only available August 24 to 27!  

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

The Complete AIP Resource Library 

This is one you don’t want to miss! 

My friends Mickey and Angie from Autoimmune Wellness have put together a fantastic resource for those healing from chronic illness. It’s called “The Complete Autoimmune Protocol Resource Library,”  featuring over 31 AIP-compliant e-books, including my book “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats” AND “The Paleo AIP Instant Pot Cookbook” which I designed last summer.  This resource is one I wish had been available when I started AIP back in 2014. And it’s only $28 (which works out to less than $1 per e-book). 

One other really unique aspect to this resource library is that 10% of each purchase will be donated to a charity in the health and wellness community. How cool is that!?! 

• Purchasing on Thursday, Aug 24 benefits Hey Hashi  
• Purchasing on Friday, Aug 25 benefits Ancestral Health Society 
• Purchasing on Saturday, Aug 26 benefits Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund 
• Purchasing on Sunday, Aug 27 benefits The Wahls Foundation  

However, The Complete AIP Resource Library is only available August 24 to 27, so don't delay! 

Peach Season  

Last weekend, we visited two farms, Cider Hill Farm and Applecrest Farm Orchard, for their peach festivals. I hadn’t done any “pick your own” fruit or veggies before, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

Not only was it neat to see exactly where our food is grown, but it gave me a new appreciation for how much work farming can actually involve. And there’s nothing quite like sampling a perfectly ripe, sun-warmed, freshly picked peach.  

Now that we’ve got peaches galore (nearly 40, to be exact), I’ve been adapting some of my recipes to utilize our peach bounty. 

First, I adapted my individual AIP strawberry rhubarb crumbles into peach versions. I replaced the strawberries/rhubarb with 3 cups of chopped peaches, and I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the both the tigernut crumble topping and to the peach filling. 

Second, I adapted the AIP pear galette recipe from my e-book (don’t forget, it’s available in “The Complete AIP Resource Library”) into an AIP peach galette. I reduce the water in the AIP pate brisee to 2 tsp because we’re experiencing higher humidity weather in NH, and I used peaches instead of pears for the filling, reducing the maple sugar a bit because the peaches were so sweet. And instead of making caramel sauce to go with it, I glazed the baked galette with some warmed fruit-sweetened apricot jam. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

Paddle Boarding 

I caught the paddle boarding bug in July while at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota, but, unfortunately the flies were so bad that I couldn’t be out on the water as much as I’d have liked. Then, some NH  friends told me about a paddle boarding opportunity on the Contoocook River outside Concord, NH. We made reservations, and went on a Sunday afternoon after church. We ended up paddle boarding for 4 miles, 2 miles of which were upstream and against the wind. 

photo by my friend Bekah, who was brave enough to take her phone on the water ;) 

As someone who has struggled with chronic health issues and isn’t use to a ton of physical activity, I’m proud of myself for completing the entire paddle boarding excursion. Yes, I was exhausted by the end and I ended up having some of the worse muscle soreness I’ve ever experienced the evening after and the following day (more on that below), but I’d still go again :) 

Vital Proteins Collagen 

Post-paddle boarding, I had some of the worst muscle soreness and stiffness I’ve ever experienced, but I’m also amazed at how quickly my body bounced back. While I can’t say exactly why I recovered so quickly, I suspect my increased consumption in collagen aided at least a little. I typically put the collagen powder in smoothies. Sometimes I use plain collagen, but other times, if I really want to up the nutrient density (and my vegetable consumption), I’ll use the collagen veggie blend  Vital Proteins developed with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne. The plain collagen is pretty much tasteless, however the veggie blend does have a stronger flavor, so I often use it in smoothies that use sweeter or stronger flavored fruits, like banana or dark cherries. My husband is also a big fan of collagen, though he mixes plain collagen with coffee and coconut oil in the mornings for a homemade bulletproof latte.  

Long Walks by the Beach 

Winter is coming! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that Game of Thrones reference, haha!) I’ve started noticing the days are getting shorter and in looking at the calendar, and I know fall/winter will be here before we know it. I’ve always been a person who loves being near water, whether it’s a lake or the ocean, and I find that there’s something about being near water that refreshes and reenergizes me. While the weather is still beautiful, I’m encouraging myself to take advantage of the Atlantic Ocean being a manageable drive away. Especially when I travel to the farmer’s market, it’s so easy to drive just a little further to the beach, and go for a walk. Not only do these walks help refresh and reenergize my soul, but they also give me some easy physical activity and some vitamin D, if the sun is shining. 

Trader Joe’s Onion Salt (AIP)

As I’ve been spending more time outdoors and doing summer-y activities this month, I’ve been spending less time in the kitchen, and have embraced quicker, more simple meals. This onion salt, which I buy at Trader Joe’s, has been an easy-yet-flavorful addition to my spice collection. I most often sprinkle it on a microwaved white sweet potato, but it’s also been great on oven-baked sweet potato fries, in scrambled eggs (AIP-reintroduction), on roasted vegetables etc. It also may be a blend I take with me when traveling in the future. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, this blend would also be pretty easy to mix up at home. 

So those are a few of my favorites from August. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

June and July 2017 favorites

A couple months, I started a new series where at the end of each month I share some of my favorite things. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen and food related. Some may be travel or adventure related. Today I’m sharing my June and July favorites (in no particular order).

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Travel: Airbnb 
After not traveling for almost the first 6 months of 2017, I’ve made up for lost time! We traveled to NYC the end of June/beginning of July, to North Dakota/Minnesota the middle two weeks of July, unexpectedly to South Carolina (while in the middle of our ND/MN trip) for a funeral, and now I’m currently in Minneapolis on a quick trip. Whew!

For the NYC trip and the SC trip, we used Airbnb for our lodging. Both were great experiences and we especially loved having a full kitchen at our disposal. I don’t love to do a lot of cooking while on trips—I’d much rather bring a bunch of batch-cooked foods with me & reheat as necessary, but it was nice to have a full fridge and freezer for storing foods and to be able to make easy breakfasts for family. Also, for both of these trips, it was much more economical to book with Airbnb than to stay in hotels.

Make sure to vet your Airbnb listings well before booking them. If you’re especially keen on having a good kitchen, make sure to read whether it’s fully equipped or not, and pay attention to what’s in the photos. Even in a fully equipped kitchen (and even if i’m not planning on doing much actual cooking), I usually bring along some of my own kitchen tools, such as dish soap & a sponge, a dish towel (which also doubles as a hot pad), a mini cutting board, paring knife, spatula, kitchen shears, and ziplock bags.

For more information on how I travel while following AIP, check out these two posts here AND here. I myself was so out of practice with traveling that I referenced my own posts before recent trips ;)

Recipe: The German (White Sweet) Potato Salad from “Nourish: the Paleo Healing Cookbook”
I am ever so thankful to my friend Rachael from “Meatified” for developing this potato salad recipe. I’ve made it many many times (including two double batches in July alone), & it’s always a crowd pleaser, even for non-AIP/Paleo people. It’s also a salad that gets better with age, so don’t be afraid to make it a little in advance (or to make a double batch). A couple minor changes I make: I usually sub finely chopped scallions for the chives—I never have chives on hand, but I always have scallions. I also really like celery & will add a little more than the recipe calls for. And when in doubt, double the recipe. You’ll never regret the leftovers.

“Nourish” is full of delicious, all-AIP, restaurant-quality recipes. While this potato salad recipe can only be found in “Nourish,” I’d say the purchase price of the book is worth it even if you only make this potato salad!

Tool: Kitchen Shears
I have the Mercer Culinary Kitchen Shears (http://amzn.to/2vhlksW)
One kitchen tool I never like to be without is my kitchen shears. I only began using specific kitchen shears in earnest since culinary school, but they’re a tool I use so often that I have multiple pairs. They’re not only useful for opening packaging, but I also use them to cut bacon into pieces, snipping herbs, cutting scallions, butterflying poultry, and much more. I never realized how much I rely on my shears until traveling to other kitchens and NOT having them along!

I have the Mercer Culinary Kitchen Shears, but there are other good quality options out there. One feature I especially look for is that they come apart, which makes cleaning them (and drying them) much easier.

(Almost) AIP Product: Trader Joe’s Organic Grassfed Hot Dogs NIGHTSHADE FREE! 
It’s really ironic, given my former vegetarian ways, how much I really love hot dogs. But, I hadn’t eaten hot dogs in over 3 years since nearly all hot dogs contain “spices,” which generally means NIGHTSHADE ALERT. However, hot dogs are back in my diet, thanks to these organic grass fed hot dogs from Trader Joe’s. They do require AIP reintroductions of white pepper and nutmeg, but they are completely nightshade free (and delicious). I’ve also reintroduced mustard, so I enjoy dipping my hot dogs in Sir Kensington’s Dijon Mustard.

One tip: should you need to cook your hot dogs on a shared grill, such as at a friend’s house for a BBQ, wrap the hot dogs in foil & then grill. They won’t get grill marks, but there also won’t be cross-contamination.

My first POTG order from August 2016. Note: some of their packaging has changed since then! 

Convenience Food: Paleo On The Go
I’ve placed 4 large orders from Paleo On The Go’s AIP menu over the past year & have found it to be a great option, especially when traveling. For those not familiar with POTG, they’re a paleo (with AIP options) frozen meal company that delivers throughout the US. I’ve primarily used their meals as a replacement for eating out while traveling. Yes, they can be more expensive than traditional frozen meals, but POTG makes delicious products and they use high quality ingredients. It’s such a treat to eat good food that I’m confident won’t cause me to get sick (like eating out sometimes can) and that I didn’t have to make myself! My personal favorite has been the beef pot pies.

POTG also came in really handy earlier this month while we were in ND visiting my parents—I’d had a big order of POTG products shipped to their house ahead of our arrival—but suddenly found out we needed to go to SC for a funeral. I didn’t have enough time to do as much batch cooking as I normally would for a trip like that, but thankfully I could take some POTG things (like beef breakfast empanadas and bacon apple chicken burgers with maple cranberry sauce and chicken breakfast sausage) frozen in my checked luggage. I then used our Airbnb oven to re-heat some of them, & some items (like the breakfast sausage) I just ate cold!

Beauty: Beautycounter Sun Screen
As I’ve cleaned up my body products, finding good quality sunscreen that works and isn’t full of bad ingredients (and doesn’t leave me looking ghostly white) has been a challenge! Last summer, I won a tube of Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 from a Beautycounter party and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love that it works well, it has good ratings from EWG, AND it doesn’t leave my skin all white.

I’ve also become a fan of their sunscreen sticks. Especially while we were traipsing around NYC, it was so handy to have the face-sized sunscreen stick in my purse for easy reapplication. I've also recently ordered a body-sized sunscreen stick, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet.

While I’m not a consultant with Beautycounter, you can order products through your favorite consultant (I’m sure you probably know *someone* who sells it, if you’re in the AIP/Paleo-sphere) or through the Beautycounter website.

So those are a few of my favorites from June and July. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

May 2017 Favorites

Last month, I started a new series where at the end of each month I share some of my favorite things. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen and food related. Some may be travel or adventure related. Today I’m sharing my May favorites (in no particular order). 

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Recipe: Easy Tigernut Granola (AIP) from Backcountry Paleo 

While guest-posting on the Autoimmune Paleo Instagram account earlier this month, I made a small batch of Susan’s granola to include in an AIP fruit-and-granola yogurt parfait. The granola was SO GOOD (and fit a cereal-shaped whole in my heart that’s been empty since I started AIP) that we ate it all the day I made it. Since then, I’ve made three more batches & don’t see myself stopping anytime soon ;) A couple changes I make…. I don’t add any citrus zest or dried fruit. I also reduce the maple syrup by a quarter, using 117 grams in a full batch. And I bake it around 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. It’s delicious eaten by the hand-full, on top of yogurt, in a bowl with a splash of coconut milk, etc.

Kitchen Tool: “If You Care” parchment paper sheets
This is a product I’ve been using for several years and really love. I started using unbleached parchment paper after beginning AIP and slowly transitioning to more eco-friendly (and health-friendly) products. And I became totally spoiled by this product that has the parchment paper pre-cut into half-sheet-pan-size sheets—no more fumbling with trying to cleanly tear it, or estimate how large of a piece I’ll need for my pans. I’ve especially enjoyed using it this month when making the Easy Tigernut Granola listed above. I use to buy it at my local Whole Foods in San Antonio, & I’ve also found it at Natural Grocers in North Dakota. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find it locally since moving to NH, and my stash is nearly out… So I’ll probably end up buying a case of 12 on Amazon. Goodness knows with all the recipe testing I do, all 12 boxes would eventually be used ;)

Convenience Food: Homemade trail mix (Paleo) 
I did a three week Whole30-style reset the last two weeks of April and the first week of May, and this homemade trail mix was a huge help as an easy, shelf-stable, on-the-go snack. I mixed together raw peeled almonds (I seem to have a mild reaction to the peel), raw pecans, and raw pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), with raisins and apple-juice-sweetened dried cranberries. I try to include more nuts than dried fruit, but the ratios were dictated more by what amounts of the ingredients I had on hand. A small handful of this trail mix here and there, especially if I felt my blood sugar dip or started feeling hangry, was really helpful.

Beauty Product: W3ll People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in light
I’ve been on the hunt for a good concealer for over 2 years, as I’ve transitioned all my makeup to be gluten free and less toxic. But I haven’t found one that I truly liked (and liked enough to recommend to other people) until I discovered this one. It has good coverage, the light version works well with my skin tone, and it’s pretty easy to apply with my fingers. I do find it needs a little powder over top, otherwise it attracts my mascara and I end up with worse raccoon eyes than if I’d skipped concealer… I bought mine at Target (though I’m not sure every Target is carrying W3ll People), but you can also find it at select Whole Foods, or through the W3ll People website.

Travel: Anniversary Vermont Trip 

My husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary this month and took a quick trip to Vermont. Even though I have some successful reintroductions under my belt, it still can be challenging to travel. We booked an Airbnb condo at Stowe Mountain Lodge (so that we’d have a tiny kitchen) for our lodging. I cooked most of our meals ahead of the trip & brought them in a cooler. And for our actual anniversary dinner, I found a restaurant, Michael’s on the Hill,  that could accommodate my needs & was in contact with them well before our reservation. It was a great, refreshing getaway. We thoroughly enjoyed the Stowe Mountain Lodge (even if it was a between-seasons time to visit). And we took detours on our drive back to visit the King Arthur Flour headquarters (something I’ve wanted to do since culinary school) in Norwich, VT; the Simon Pearce glass blowing studio in Quechee, VT, and Farmhouse Pottery shop + studio in Woodstock, VT.

If you’d like more of my tips about AIP travel, check out my posts here and here.

Photo by https://www.jennclara.com

In memory of Martine Partridge of Eat Heal Thrive (formerly The Paleo Partridge) 
I found out last week that my friend Martine had passed away (obituary here). She has been a pillar in the AIP community. We will miss her terribly, not just for the fantastic recipes she created, but for her witty way with words, and her encouraging, bright personality. I especially love her sweet and savory pie crust recipe, which I used in my berry panna cotta pie recipe, and her chicken liver pâté with mushrooms and bacon recipe, which was the first pâtâ recipe I made and ate.

If you’d like to contribute to a fund organized in Martine’s honor by the AIP blogging community, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-martine-partridge.

So those are a few of my favorites from May. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

April 2017 Favorites

I’m starting a new series at the end of each month where I share some of my favorite things from the previous month. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen, food, and recipe related.  Today I’m sharing my April favorites (in no particular order). 

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Book: Hope Heals: A True Story of Overwhelming Loss and an Overcoming Love*
I haven’t done great on my “Goodreads” progress this month, but I did finish one of the most inspiring/convicting books I’ve ever read. “Hope Heals” chronicles Katherine & Jay Wolfe’s story following Katherine’s massive brain stem stroke in 2008 when she was 26 and a brand new mom. Their hope-filled, positive, joyful outlook despite living with the lasting physically disabling effects of a traumatic brain injury is incredibly inspiring and convicting. I actually had the pleasure of also hearing Katherine and Jay speak at a women’s event at my church the beginning of this month (and I met them after the event). I hope to write a longer reflection post about the book & hearing them speak, so stay tuned for that. In the mean time, pick up a copy of their book (it’s on SALE right now), check out their story on their website, and/or follow them on social media @hopeheals.

Body: Primally Pure Sensitive Deodorant in Lavender
Since going AIP three years ago, I’ve also made a conscious effort to clean up the products I use on my body. However, I’ve tried many, many, many deodorants with terrible results. Many did not work (i.e I smelled less-than-fresh, yikes!), but worse yet, others made my underarms break out so badly I honestly wondered if I possibly had developed the autoimmune condition "hidradenitis suppurativa" (HS). NOT GOOD!! I finally ordered this sensitive deodorant in lavender from Primally Pure, after seeing AIP friends post about it on Instagram.  After testing it out for a few weeks, I’m pleased that it both seems to work (note: it’s not an antiperspirant) AND I haven’t had one underarm break out.

Tool: Muji 0.38 mm Pens*
I’m a bit of a pen snob & I really prefer using very fine-tip pens for my journaling, writing, list-making etc. This month, I heard about Muji gel pens via an Instagram video from She Reads Truth. I immediately ordered a 3-pack of black Muji 0.38 mm gel pens on Amazon and now I wish I’d ordered more of them and possibly more colors. I love how fine the tip is, but yet it doesn’t wear down so quickly, like the Microns or LePens I’ve used in the past.

Kitchen Tool: Large Mesh Strainer/colander*
For the past few years, I’ve used a small mesh strainer that was probably made with less-than-ideal metal. I would have to strain or wash produce in it in batches, which often slowed down my productivity. Somehow, upgrading it to a larger, stainless option wasn’t a priority until the old strainer started becoming rusty. I ordered this one on Amazon and wow! why didn’t I make this upgrade sooner! It’s now SO much easier to wash leeks and chopped greens and to strain bone broth.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers from Unbound Wellness
I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a few months, but I was having trouble finding high quality ground chicken. We recently found a local pastured chicken farmer who sells ground chicken at a local farmers market. The first time I made the poppers, I made only a single batch. But I immediately regretted not making a larger batch. This week, I made a double batch and I think we ate them all in three days. A couple tips that I’ve found to be helpful when making these: 1)use the shredding blade in your food processor to shred the sweet potato (especially if making a double batch) and then pulse the shredded sweet potato with the S blade to break them up a little further; 2)use a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop to scoop the popper mixture, which both makes the poppers uniform and helps the portioning to go faster; 3)bake the poppers on a baking sheet WITHOUT parchment paper—they get a much better crust that way; 4)make a bigger batch than you think you’ll need because they are SO TASTY ;)

Ingredient: Tessemae’s Creamy Ranch (AIP reintroductions required) 
As I’ve gotten some successful AIP reintroductions under my belt, I’ve been able to eat this Tessemae’s Creamy Ranch without any reactions. Ohmygoodness!! I had forgotten how much I use to love ranch dressing! This delicious product has been an especially nice addition to my diet the past couple weeks as I’ve been doing a Whole30 reset. As I exclaimed to my husband a couple days ago in a hangry episode, “Ranch is LIFE!!” haha! I buy this product at Whole Foods in the refrigerated section of the produce department. Use their store locator to see if you can find it locally

So those are a few of my random favorites from April. What are you loving lately? 

*These items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.