Weekly Menu Plan – Oct. 30 to Nov. 5

Here is your weekly menu plan for this week! Happy Halloween!

Monday: Skillet Sausage and Peppers Penne

Tuesday: Instant Pot Chili – perfect for Halloween night!

Wednesday: Baked Chicken Taquitos

Thursday: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Friday: Date Night!

Saturday: Creme Brulee Baked Oatmeal

Sunday: Authentic Italian Bolognese

READ: Weekly Menu Plan – Oct. 30 to Nov. 5

Hi friends! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

Today, I have a new podcast episode live! This was a super fascinating conversation with the founder of GST Body, Anna Rahe. I had so much fun talking with her and learned a ton – definitely take a listen.

143: All about fascia and movement as medicine with Anna Rahe

Here’s what we talk about in today’s episode:

What is fascia – and why it might be the key to your body’s physical wellness

How fitness can be therapeutic, and how you can use motion as medicine

Why you don’t need someone else to fix your body problems, and how you can manipulate and control the outcome of your own health

A daily exercise your audience can implement right now to take control of your body’s health

and so.much.more.

Here’s a bit more about Anna and her background:

For the past 20+ years, Anna Rahe has delved deep into a liberating and empowering relationship with fascia so that as many people as possible can invest in their health, restore their vitality, and heal themselves with the proprietary tools she has created. As the founder, CEO and educator of GST Body, Anna has spoken about holistic body care through fascia around the world, partnered with top athletes, surgeons, physicians and celebrities, and been featured in various publications, from Shape to Elle, Net-a-Porter to The Wall Street Journal.

You can check out GST Body here and connect with her on Instagram here.

More resources from this episode:

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 20% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items. This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers. You can join their fall reset now!

If any of my fellow health professional friends are looking for another way to help their clients, I highly recommend IHP. You can also use this information to heal yourself and then go one to heal others, which I think is a beautiful mission. You can absolutely join if you don’t currently work in the health or fitness industry; many IHPs don’t begin on this path. They’re friends who are passionate to learn more about health and wellness, and want to share this information with those they love. You can do this as a passion, or start an entirely new career.

You can

Sharing some hormonal health tips for women over 35.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the day so far! It’s a busy week over here. The PIlot’s bday was yesterday, P’s is tomorrow, and today I have some podcast interviews, lunch with a friend, and a concert tonight 🙂 I hope you’re enjoying the week!

One of the things I commonly hear with friends and clients is that after you turn 35, things aren’t quite the same. The strategies that used to work may feel like they’re no longer working, metabolism may feel like it’s broken, sleep can go haywire, and energy levels are decreased.

The good news is that there are things you can do to support your body through the stress you’re experiencing. As our bodies navigate changes over time, it becomes paramount to foster hormonal health for overall well-being.

In today’s post, I wanted to share some essential tips and strategies to support hormonal harmony and promote a vibrant, fulfilling life after 35.

Hormonal health tips for women over 35

1. Prioritize Balanced Nutrition:

Nutrition is the cornerstone of hormonal well-being. Opt for a well-rounded diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Embrace whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and a kaleidoscope of fruits and vegetables. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, can be particularly beneficial for hormonal balance.

2. Mindful Hydration:

Water is not just a basic necessity; it’s a fundamental supporter of hormonal health. Stay well-hydrated by aiming for at least eight glasses of water a day. Additionally, consider incorporating herbal teas with hormonal benefits into your routine, such as chamomile or peppermint.

3. Regular Exercise:

Exercise is a potent ally in maintaining hormonal equilibrium. Engage in a diverse range of activities, including cardiovascular exercises, strength training, and flexibility work. Finding activities you genuinely enjoy ensures consistency, as regular exercise aids in stress management, mood enhancement, and hormonal regulation.

4. Quality Sleep Matters:

Adequate, quality sleep is a non-negotiable factor in hormonal health. Strive for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Establish a calming pre-sleep routine, limit screen time before bed, and create an optimal sleep environment. Quality sleep supports the production of growth hormone and helps regulate cortisol levels.

5. Manage Stress Effectively:

Stress can disrupt the delicate dance of hormonal balance. Integrate stress-management techniques into your daily routine, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or mindfulness practices. Experiment with different methods to discover what resonates most with you and make it an integral part of your daily life.

Read more

Step-by-step photos and instructions for a Louisiana-style Crawfish Boil loaded with vegetables and so much flavor!

So. Much. Fun. There are a whole lot of adjectives I could use to describe my introduction to a crawfish boil, but WOW sums it up nicely.

I’m laying out all the steps here so you can set up and cook a Louisiana seafood boil with shrimp or crawfish. Spoiler alert – doing a Louisiana-style seafood boil on the stove is much simpler than you might think. (I’ll be sharing directions specifically for a shrimp boil at home next week!)

Heads up – this is going to be a long one. If you are just here for the instructions, hit that handy “jump to recipe” button at the top of the post.

Crawfish Boil

While in Louisiana for Sean’s family reunion, our cousin Rick volunteered to do a Louisiana-style crawfish boil for us. And oh, there really aren’t words for how excited I was to experience this for the first time.

As far as eating crawfish goes, if you aren’t familiar with them already, they taste like a cross between their crustacean cousins lobster and shrimp. What’s not to love about that?

I was thrilled we were able to be there from start to finish and learn from the master. And yeah, Rick is a legit master of the seafood boil. Don’t miss the custom skimmer, the crawfish on his belt and his hat, and the very cool stirring paddle in some of the photos for evidence of his passion for it all.

Crawfish boils are a social event in Louisiana – and wherever else you might be lucky enough to enjoy one. This isn’t just a meal shared with friends or family. It’s an experience. (Have I stated that clearly enough?)

Ha, and here’s a pro tip for you: Don’t wear white, friends. That’s a rookie move and your Tide stick will be put to good use after the boil.

Sharing some festive ways to enjoy rice crispies this Halloween season!

With the spookiest day of the year just around the corner, I can feel the excitement in the air. Halloween isn’t just about costumes and pumpkins; it’s a fun time to bake up some tasty treats!

Today, I’m sharing a delightful Halloween Rice Krispie Treats recipe—a perfect blend of gooey, crispy goodness that will surely add a touch of magic to your Halloween festivities. Rice crispies are one of my all-time favorite treats; they’re gluten-free, SO delicious, easy to customize, and the kids love them.

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats Ideas

Spooky Shapes and Silhouettes

Transform your ordinary Rice Krispie Treats into Halloween-themed shapes. Use cookie cutters to mold them into ghosts, bats, or pumpkins. The kids will love getting involved in this creative process. For an extra eerie touch, add black food coloring to the mix.

How-to: Shape the freshly made Rice Krispie mixture with cookie cutters. Enhance the details with a piping bag filled with different colored icing.

Monster Mashup Madness

Unleash your imagination by turning your Rice Krispie Treats into a parade of friendly monsters. Use candy eyes, colorful icing, and various candies to create a variety of goofy, spooky, or silly monsters. It’s a fun way to get creative and like a little art project for the kiddos.

How-to: Decorate each treat with candy eyes, colored icing for features, and candies for added texture. Make each monster unique for a vibrant and playful Halloween treat.

Haunted Graveyard Delight

Take your Halloween Rice Krispie Treats to the next level by turning them into a haunted graveyard scene. Use crushed chocolate cookies for “dirt,” gummy worms for added spookiness, and small tombstone-shaped cookies for decoration.

How-to: Assemble the graveyard by placing tombstone cookies and gummy worms on top of the Rice Krispie surface. Dust with crushed cookies for a graveyard-inspired look.

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 package