Why I Couldn't Stop Eating Conversation Hearts

Valentine's Day reminds me of a time in my life when I couldn’t be left alone with a bag of conversation hearts without eating every single one of those pastel sugar bombs. And, thanks to handfuls of those cutely packaged Valentine’s Day mini candy bars, February afternoons at my corporate gig became much more bearable.
 
Of course, my sweet tooth didn’t rear its demanding, insatiable head just in February. Bingeing on sugary treats was a year-round occurrence back then. Eating them made me feel alive when I felt dead inside from doing unfulfilling, uninspiring work.
 
The less alive I felt, the stronger my desire was for quick hits of intense food. When I flatlined, sugar was my lifeline.
 
A Symbolic Substitute
For many of us, sugar is a symbolic substitute for fulfillment and freedom. For others, it’s salty snacks, fatty foods, booze or pot. These things take us to a place where we can forget--albeit temporary--about the dissatisfaction and discomfort in our lives. We use them to leave ourselves when life gets hard.
 
It’s not that these things are necessarily bad, or that we’re bad people for consuming them, or that they shouldn’t be a source of pleasure. Challenges arise when we rely on them to fulfill a need they were never ever meant to fill.
 
If this sounds all too familiar, what steps--big and small--can you take to feel more alive in your day-to-day existence?
 
How can you infuse more vitality into the realms of your life that feel lackluster and lifeless, whether it’s work, relationships, intimacy, physical movement, spirituality, personal growth, creativity, etc.?
 
Take a minute to write down all the things that make you feel more alive. Don’t hold back. 
 
A few items on my list include: aligning my passions and values with my career, running at sunrise, re-centering at yoga, challenging my body with a new workout, walking with a friend, reading a captivating book, learning new ideas, hiking along the coast, planning trips, exploring foreign lands, losing myself in a creative project, helping others, and connecting with my coaching clients.
 
What makes you come alive?
 
Remember, food can fill you up, but it can’t fulfill you.

Where I've Been and the Power of Gratitude

I just returned from an amazing solo trip to Laos and Cambodia (hence the reason I haven’t been posting lately). Traveling is one of my greatest passions; it truly feeds my soul.

Exploring foreign lands, especially developing countries, always gives me a wider perspective on life and deeper gratitude for all that I have, like clean water, hot showers and easy access to medical care. It also reminds me of how little one needs to be happy.

The Power of Gratitude
Like travel, the holidays also serve as a wonderful reminder to be grateful for all that’s good in our lives. However, the benefits of practicing gratitude year-round are endless from a stronger immune system, sounder sleep and reduced stress to increased energy, more rewarding relationships and greater life satisfaction.  

6 Simple Gratitude Practices
Here are six simple practices to help you cultivate a daily attitude of gratitude:

1. Keep a gratitude journal by recording five or so things big and small everyday that you’re grateful for.
   

2. Create a gratitude jar. Anytime you experience a poignant moment of gratitude, write it on a piece of paper and drop it in a jar. Once or twice a year, perhaps on your birthday and New Year’s Eve, empty the jar and review everything you wrote.
   

3. Write a gratitude letter to someone who has had a profound impact on your life expressing your appreciation for all the gifts she or he has given you.
   

4. Share the day’s grateful moments around the dinner table. Doing so will surely lead to some heart-warming, memorable conversations.
   

5. When you tuck your kiddo into bed or snuggle up with your partner at night, share three things each of you are grateful for.
   

6. Express gratitude for each part of your body as you apply lotion to it. For example, thank your legs for enabling you to exercise, your arms for carrying your child, or your hands for performing millions of miracles throughout the day from tying shoes and texting friends to scratching your dog's belly and selecting a perfectly ripe avocado.

With Deep Gratitude,
Renee

Fall Favorite: Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew

Spotting all the gorgeous piles of winter squashes and heirloom apples at the farmers’ market, I was reminded of one of my favorite fall recipes, Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew.

Infused with belly-warming curry spices and chock-full of wilted spinach and sweet chunks of butternut squash and apple, this nourishing lentil stew is incredibly fragrant and flavorful. A one-pot dish, it’s super easy to prepare and makes great leftovers.

Enjoy it solo, or with quinoa or brown rice. It’s also delicious topped with a dollop of plain yogurt. I’ve included more of my twists on the original recipe below.

Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew

Yield: 6 servings

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-inch cubes)* 
• 1 large unpeeled organic apple, diced
• 5 ounces baby spinach (or more)

*If pressed for time, you can use pre-cut squash.

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and sauté onion and carrot until almost soft.
    
2. Add garlic, ginger, curry and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant.
    
3. Stir in lentils, broth and tomato paste. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
    
4. Add squash and apple, cover and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender.  
    
5. Remove lid and stir in spinach until wilted.  
    
6. Add salt to taste and serve.

My Twists: 

• I add a few splashes of extra broth as it’s simmering if the moisture is getting low.  
• For a little extra kick, I use a heaping tablespoon of curry powder and add a few pinches of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. As curry powder intensity can vary greatly, proceed with caution!
• I wait until the last 10-15 minutes to add the apple otherwise it can become too mushy for my taste.  
• I use a lot more spinach and add it fresh when reheating leftovers.  

Adapted from Chloe’s Kitchen