Come on in for a quick dose of delicious, nutritious nuggets hand-picked just for you:

5. Making time to wind down with a good book instead of an evening scroll.

I just finished The House of Deep Water and was so impressed with the way the author nailed the complexity of each lead woman and layered them so well that despite their flaws, you just prayed they would find peace. Any time I’m still thinking about the characters days after I close the cover, I consider it a win. My bedside table is now empty so I went on the hunt for a round-up of cozy fall reads and this one looks fantastic. They give us 15 options and I’m starting with Meredith, Alone. Naturally, when I’m about to hit buy on that one it prompts me with a suggested read which also looks amazing, so I used my extra credit to go for it (Local Woman Missing). What are you reading and loving lately? If you need some inspo, this was a fun one (and actually came up with a book I think I’ll like!).

4. Soup season is so scrumptious.

I know we all have a lengthy arsenal of soups and stews to make when colder weather hits, but maybe we’re alike in that I get a little tired of my go-to’s pretty quick. On Sunday I’m going to do a little meal-prepping for the week ahead and get everything together for this Coconut Curry Soup, a perfect looking Vegan Pumpkin Bisque, and oh WOW this chili ramen in a ginger soy broth is one I’m already salivating over. I’m swapping the chicken with crispy tofu!

3. Are you getting enough hugs?

I had previously read and shared a little nugget about the power of a 12-second hug. In those 12 seconds, you release pent-up anger, frustration and anxiety. It then allows you to build back all of the feel-good chemicals and get a little dopamine hit. But this new nugget shares exactly how many hugs per day we need for optimal well-being and all of the incredible benefits for our body and mind. And who doesn’t need a hug these days? 😢

2. Protein packed.

We have a family smoothie for breakfast each morning and one thing I always try to incorporate (on top of the hidden veggies) is protein. It can be hard to find a quality, clean vegan protein powder, so when I find a great option that checks all the boxes, I always love to share it. A long-time favorite you’ve seen countless times in our recipes has been Truvani (their vanilla is the best flavor we’ve tried!), and the past few weeks I have been on a taste-testing spree to add a new scoop or two into the mix. Happy Viking is new to us and the strawberry flavor tastes like a treat (disclaimer, I like the strawberry, but it’s not Jon’s jam). I like that the Viking protein powders are also loaded with fruits, veggies, and aminos. And lastly, this one is superbly delicious and is a proven stress-reducer – yes, please!

1. If you click on one thing…

…let it be THIS. An instant joy-jolt and total tear-jerker 😍🙏🏻.

Bonus bite:

I listened to this podcast by one of my favorite healthspan experts, Dr. Mark Hyman. He outlines the easiest way to do a 10-day detox to cleanse and restore our cells, plus rid our body of built-up toxins, and discover which foods aren’t loving us back. I love that this isn’t a restrictive “juice cleanse” – it’s loading our bodies with all of the good stuff, treating food as medicine, and receiving a big time return for our well-being. The only part I don’t love? No coffee. Can we do it together?!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to be well + joyful, kind friend! The world needs more of you 💙.