I love to eat. Don't you? I think we all do. It's so fun...and yummy.

Ever since I've been practicing mindfulness, it's amazing how much more I've enjoyed my meals. I thought I enjoyed them before, but now they are more calm, filling, and delicious than ever before.

Here are some tips for developing your mindful eating practice. Not only will you enjoy your meals better, but you might just improve your health a lil' bit! 

Eating Mindfully

1. Check in

How hungry are you, from 1-10? It's smart to get in a habit of noticing your hunger level before you dive in to a meal.  The goal of the meal is to make you feel satisfied and to give your taste buds a treat. You'll be better able to do this if you think for a moment before you begin.

2. Notice everything

What does your food look like? Are you excited to eat it? Does it smell good? Notice as much as you can about your food, and this moment to be grateful for the yumminess you're about to behold. 

3. Chew too many times

I think the number of times we're supposed to chew is what, 25? I'm not sure about that, I haven't counted lately. But it's definitely a mindful process to slow it down, and chew. Your brain will register the food more, and appreciate it more. Plus you'll be less likely to choke and cough all over your friends when you start laughing mid-bite.

4. Use chopsticks

Not only will this make you eat more mindfully, but you'll also really impress people the next time you go out for garlic noodles. But really, trying this will slow you down a bit. I know, we don't have time. I'm a naturally fast eater, so I'm with you. But as they say, it takes the brain 20 minutes to register that it's full, so by eating nice and slow we give it time to catch up with your stomach.

5. Or try being a lefty

Just another way to make your eating more difficult and slow, and therefore more conscious! By having to purposefully work through each bite, you'll be even more ready and aware of what you're doing.

6. Put your fork/sandwich/burrito down

In between bites, take a break. This is essentially the same tip as #3 and #4 - to slow it down. I have trouble with burritos and messy/delicious sandwiches that are falling apart. It seems like holding them the whole time is the right way to go. But I promise, the amazingness will last longer and taste better if you slow it down a bit. 

7. Close your eyes

If you're in a position where this isn't overly awkward, try to shut your eyes for part of the meal. Without the distraction of vision, you can focus solely on the experience of eating.  Focus on the flavors, smells and textures in your mouth. This will help you both appreciate your food and eat more slowly.

8. Taste the rainbow

What's inside your dish? Can you try to taste each of the ingredients? I think I used to just mow a salad, hoping to breeze over the flavors I didn't think I liked (cucumbers and raw mushrooms, for example). But once I stopped to check out each of those individual flavors I realized...I kind of like cucumbers and mushrooms after all. It's also fun and a good skill to develop if you're interested in becoming a better cook - at a restaurant, if you can taste the ingredients, you can mimic the recipe at home :). 

9. Serve yourself a plate, sit at the table

Try to formalize your eating experience a bit so that you can fully appreciate and acknowledge what, and how much you're about to eat. It makes it feel more special, and you're definitely more likely to remember the "meal" (even if it's just a snack).

10. Eat in Silence

Any sensation that you experience outside of taste and smell while you’re eating can distract you and make mindful eating more difficult. It's nice to be quiet sometimes isn't it?

Want to hear more? I like this article about the "BASICS" of mindful eating. 

And click here for a great mindful eating exercise - a raisin has never tasted so delicious!

Good Eats

MmmmMmmMmm. I've been eating like a champ lately.

Care to drool?

1. egg and avo salad on greens

2. bitter caramel ice cream with hot donuts from The Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz

3. tender pork belly with turmeric pickled daikon and green shiso from The Chairman

4. our favorite coffee from Pacific Bay Coffee Co.

5. quince black pepper ice cream in the best waffle cone of my life (Penny)

6. Ike's "Pinky & the Brain": halal chicken, onion Rings, swiss, teriyaki, wasabi mayo

7. homemade farmer's breakfast

8. calamari at Aldo's in Santa Cruz

9. spaghetti squash carbonara based on this recipe (winner of the ugly-but-tasty award)

10. pork banh mi salad

11. fresh ramen with pork and soft boiled egg 

I hope everyone is enjoying a calm and joyful week!

Getaway Weekend :: Sierra Nevadas

Happy Friday, darlings! 

I'm so glad to be getting around to posting these photos of our trip up to the Sierra Nevadas. This place is just glorious. Actually, these are photos from two trips combined since I never got around to posting the first weekend away, and we loved it so much that we returned last week! 

We stayed with our friends  in Taylorsville - a teeny tiny town in Plumas County, smack dab in the middle of the Sierras....in California, USA, Earth. In the middle of nowhere. Actually, right about here (see the star?):

Every once in awhile there is nothing I like more than being in being in the middle of nowhere. It feels so good. Have you tried it lately? Not only does it usually come along with a slower pace of life and a general sense of relaxation, but it also reminds you of how small you are on this big, vast planet. When you're surrounded by nothing but trees and hills for miles and miles and miles, what is there to worry about? I guess a huge part of it for me is the fact that when you're surrounded by "nothing", you're probably surround by nature. Systems that have been around for millions of years, that will keep doing what they're doing regardless of whether you turn in your report or get to the gym or return your library book on time. Humans need this reminder sometimes. 

So these weekends in the Sierras were good. Filled with gorgeous drives, sunsets, hearty meals, hikes, wildlife, dusty roads, creek dips...and stars upon stars. So I'll let the photos speak for themselves, as the simple ones often do.

 

Thanks M&T for hosting us :).

And thanks to all of you as always for checking in!

What does your weekend look like?? We have a few possibilities but nothing set in stone...I love weekends like that. Hoping to cross a few things off the list, see some friends, create something new and be outside 24/7 in this fresh weather we've been having. Have fun!

Getaway Weekend :: "Lost" in Sinkyone Wilderness Park

What an escape!

This Labor Day weekend, Jimmy and I traveled north to Mendocino County again. But this time, it was to a part of the state where time stands still, cell service is lost entirely, and you're only invited if you have 4 wheel drive and your own stash of toilet paper. We stayed at Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, part of California's "Lost Coast". This is the part of the state where gorgeous Route 1 veers off the coast, joining up with Highway 101 about 15+ miles inland, so there are no paved roads along the gorgeous coastline. Which of course, is all the better for those of us willing to roll off the beaten track.

After packing up all of our camping necessities we drove the scenic route north, stopping for coffee/scenic vistas as we went, and finally meeting up with our dear friends Danny & Krista who made the drive all the way from Ashland, OR to meet us. It was one of the best weekends I've had in a long time, and here are the moments I'll remember it by - both pictured and not-pictured:

What you see here:

  1. sunflowers and sunshine along route 29 on our way north

  2. strong, strong coffee in a pretty loaned mug 

  3. blueberry pancakes on the fire

  4. our little slice of heaven

  5. alder grove

  6. stripped down on the beach

  7. friends & love

  8.we admired this Osprey, her family, and her pretty nest for at least an hour 

  9. hiking a little tiny piece of the Lost Coast Trail

  10. bird's eye view of the beach

  11. this is why I moved to California

  12. girl chat on the beach at sunset while the boys search for rhinoceros auklets

  13. I could stay in this spot forever and ever

  14. there was a fire in the sky welcoming us home

What you don't:

  1. mixed sounds of the ocean crashing and the alders creaking as we fell asleep

  2. the taste of almond meal/walnut/blueberry pancakes crisped in leftover bacon fat

  3. the look on Jim's face and the accompanying laughter after he accidentally swung a 6-foot tree limb into our pile of dishes at full speed (only 1 plate broke!)

  4. the heat and light of our little beach fire in a sea of blackness

  5. Danny lulling us into dreamland with his hypnotic flute playing

  6. the anticipation/thrill/fear of waking up to the sound of a (probably large) animal rustling around outside your tent 

  7. fire-belly feeling that comes from sipping best homemade whiskey in the world

We found you, Lost Coast! And we'll be back.