So, last summer when an editor reached out to me about spending a day with a famous cookbook author as part of a larger magazine story, I had no interest. I didn’t know who this mystery person was but it certainly didn’t seem worth all the work that would be entailed in an over 12-hour day. In actuality, that “work” was later revealed to be horrendous things like “having hair and makeup done,” “gossiping with a famous person’s hairdresser,” “drinking pink champagne,” “eating homemade cookies for dinner,” and “meeting awesome people,” but at the time, I didn’t know this, and I turned it down. Then I learned that this “cookbook …read more

A few weeks ago, I retold the sad tale of the late rhubarb meringue tart that met its end when it slid off the plate and managed to coat nearly every part of the open fridge I’d intended to put it into with smears of curd, puffs of meringue and crust of crumbs. Rhubarb, although not to blame, and I took a break after that, and it might had continued longer had I not been haunted by an Instagram commenter (hi!) who urged me to try my hand at a rhubarb cream cheese danish. I imagined the tart pink rhubarb against a lemony slick of cheesecake, enveloped in a puff of orange-scented pastry and I could not bear it.

However, as I began researching danish dough, my interested waned. I don’t think it will be a bad project for one day, but all of that envelope folding and yeast and butter and carefully timed steps seemed a bit much for six to eight folded pastries that wouldn’t survive beyond the breakfast meal. And certainly not when it is finally high pie season, that

UDID:

Recipe courtesy of GOOP, from It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen.

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Go into your refrigerator and pull out all your juice bottles. Dump ⅓ of the juice in each and replace with ⅓ water.

WHY:

You’ve just reduced your sugar intake by a third.

Take two pitchers and fill them with water. In one add a handful of fruits either frozen or in season (sliced lemon, orange, frozen berries, etc). In the other pitcher add sliced cucumber and/or fresh mint. Leave these where everybody can see them in the fridge.

WHY:

A new and attractive beverage option may help your family get excited about a healthier alternative to juice.

Bond with those who are on the same journey. If you aren’t surrounded by people who are focusing on getting or staying healthy, find them online. Mama Dweeb is a good site.  If you’re into Pinterest, AnnieShultz has a good board.

WHY:

They say (and I’m still not sure who “they” are) that the five people you spend the most time with influence you greatly.

Eliminate fruit juice entirely.

WHY:

Our thirst mechanism and our hunger mechanism are two different things. Sometimes when you think you’re hungry, you need fluid. Water will hydrate and quench thirst. If you crave something sweet, eat a piece of fruit. When you get fiber along with sugar, your body is prepared to handle it.

Try a new vegetable at lunch and dinner today. We all hear about leeks and kale, but how often do we actually cook with them? Try a site like bakespace.com, look up your new ingredient and give it a go.

WHY:

A diverse plate is more interesting and keeps a variety of nutrients entering your body.

When grocery shopping, don’t buy anything with laboratory names. This may mean a little more food prep, but we’ll survive it. Look at every package ingredient list. Make a conscious decision to fill your body with food, not chemicals.

WHY:

We were designed to consume meats and plants. Let’s give our bodies the fuel they need.