"Setting the Mood" Weekly Wisdom

 

 I haven't put up a Christmas tree up in my house for over 10 years. 

2015 changed my whole view on what holidays are really about and missing your heartbeats during one of their favorite times of the year, just didn't feel the same. The tree, the decorations, the music, the gifts really had no meaning to me. My Dad and sister loved Christmas and it just has never felt the same way since. For any of you who have lost loved ones, I see you and I understand your feelings.

This year, I was shopping with a friend and saw this sweet little 3 foot white tree and I started to feel a little different. I passed by it a couple times and decided it needed to come home with me. It stayed wrapped up by my back door for a couple weeks, I couldn't decide if this would be the year I would put it up. But then I put it together. I added lights. I added a couple ornaments. I set it up downstairs in the living room. The next day, I moved it to the kitchen. I just was not finding a placed that I loved it. 

Then I set it up in my bedroom. 

Maybe it is the ambience, maybe it the sense of comfort. Maybe it's the reminder of a those heartbeats who I miss deeply this time of year. Whatever has changed this year, it feels good and I am open to whatever this time of year is trying to tell me. I hope all of you are experiencing some special holiday feels this time of year and remembering the reason for the season. 

#EmbraceTheHellYeah | #Freedom

~AE

"Be Present Instead of Presents" Weekly Wisdom

Before you buy a bunch of stuff this year for family and friends here is some #foodforthought...

This holiday season, I am sharing some ideas to help you think out of the box on buying things for others. No one really needs more "things" to add to their lives but I bet many people in your life would appreciate and utilize more thoughtful ideas to be gifted. 

Which brings me to my second idea...

Being present instead of buying presents. Sometimes I think it is easy to give actual things than it is to give your time. How many times have you hesitated when thinking about going to visit family and friends? I get it - thinking about our crazy schedules, how long it takes to get there and back, the feeling you're not staying long enough - there will always be plenty of excuses. 

If you have 30 minutes or 3 days, it doesn't matter. Your time is the best thing you can give. I also love the added touch of making something homemade and bringing it with you. Throughout the year, my mom likes to make a loaf of homemade bread and take it to people and I just love that. It is so kind, thoughtful and delicious. 

Nothing says I love and care about you than sharing moments of your time and homemade food. 

#embracethehellyeah

~AE

 

"The Last Words of 2019" Weekly Wisdom.

Reflecting on this past year, what 3 words come to mind?

As the year is winding down and we all set sail on the journey of reviewing our past year, how would you sum it up?  These were not the first 3 words coming to my mind when I was thinking about 2019. More traditional reflection words came to mind first like gratitude and hope but those words didn't define my past year very well. This second set is much more on point. 

Heartbeats. They have a wingspan covering a lot of miles. I am fortunate to have amazing family, especially my Mom, and friends who have become family. There is nothing more meaning than people in your life who make your heart beat and feel all the feels. 

Connection. Over the past year, I have created so many connections with people I never would have if it wasn't for my podcast. There is nothing more special to me than this tiny little space I have in the airwaves that is creating the most meaningful professional and personal relationships with complete strangers. Words being exchanged between two people is a sacred space, which I hold with much value in my life. 

Yum. It has been a tasty year! Food is at the root of everything I do and find joy in. Sharing meals with family, discussing food and nutrition with clients, loving a new recipe one of my connections created, learning something new about any certain food - including the way it is grown, harvested and engineered, trying a new food, immersing into a new food culture while traveling, and drooling over beautiful food photos. 

Whatever 3 words come to mind when you look back on the past year, don't go with your first thoughts. Dig a little deeper. 

May you have the most amazing end of the year and see you all in 2020!

#embracethehellyeah

~AE

#WeeklyWisdom and Christmas Nutrition Nosh

Happy Happy Holidays! What are you doing to celebrate?

I hope you're simply having the most wonderful Christmastime. Obviously I am having a killer time soaking in all the kisses I can get with a lovely cocktail. I have decided this is a pretty genius idea to just plant myself in a comfy chair so whoever walks by gives me a second look and a smooch out of obligation. I may have done this for the past two days....

But seriously, I hope you are surrounded by the people who make your heart burst with so much happiness. I hope you have had meaningful conversations, fantastic food and created memories to last lifetime. I hope you have been generous, kind and present in everything occurring over the past few days. But most of all, I hope you are full of feelings of joy for all you have accomplished this past year and being able to share some slow moments, realizing what this beautiful life is for. 

~AE

Anyone else's pants tight right now?  Tis the season to be happy! Just be happy, however you define it. Who cares if your pants are tight. What matters are the meaningful relationships and simple joys you have in your life. Time is precious and if you are pre-occupied with shopping, eating and a bunch of other exhausting happenings, you are missing out on priceless moments with people. Put your credit card away, stop shopping online and put your phone away. Grab a cookie, unbutton your pants and engage in a conversation with the people who mean the most to you as 2016 is slipping away. 

Weekly Conversation

I did this crazy-ass thing this year and started doing a podcast. It has been one of the most exhilarating things I have done. I have enjoyed every conversation I have had with the people I love the most, the people who love food and care about health:  Registered Dietitians. As I am getting ready for 2017 and more adventures, I wanted to share the one podcast that started it all. Number one, numero uno, my first. It is even more crazy that since I had my conversation with Jena, she is now a new mother!  Time flies people, don't waste a single moment. 

Please click here to head over to iTunes and listen to my conversation with Registered Dietitian,

NEW MOM, and my friend, Jena Hunt.

Week in Review

I have some amazing friendships and this week was a great celebration of them. My friend Erin married the love of her life, James. It was a little dicey at the beginning of the day with a snowfall, but love prevailed and it all cleared up by the afternoon. They had a beautiful wedding and I know they will have a joyful life together. This picture says it all. 

The tribe also got together and had a cookie and cocktail club. Thankfully, we had a responsible member of the party to maintain motivation for the task at hand. Stacey, Cyril and Hollis manned the kitchen and created some delicious eats. 

Our theme for the party was to make a holiday cookie that reminded you of your childhood or something you made with your mom. My mom made a ton of cookie delights when we were kids. I know we tried to help, but I am guessing we were much of a help by licking bowls and spoons and eating cookie dough. I do remember my Dad loving all the treats my mom made and sitting at the table during the process sneaking bites. I made these peanut butter blossoms with Cyril helping me roll the dough and then dip them in sugar. This was my sissy Kate's favorite holiday cookie, so it only seemed appropriate to make them. 

Jason was in charge of making the cocktail, which seemed appropriate to have cranberry juice, with a splash of vodka for the cookie party.

Justin made some delicious peanut butter cookies with chunks of peanuts in it. Kevin got after it and made sugar cookies (with sprinkles!!!) and black raspberry jam cookies. He would not give me the recipe for the jam cookies, but they were delicious and sooo pretty. 

Workout Playlist of the Week

Listen to Anne Elizabeth's "Pants are Tight" Workout Playlist of the Week on Apple Music.

What I Love Right Now

I got a pretty kick ass package in the mail this past week.  Thank you Sierra!

About 6 months ago, I was out shopping with my mom and we saw a cool display of beautiful soaps at a local retailer. What was even better was the luxurious smells coming from the display. I was drawn to the lavender and the lemon poppy seed bars coming in all shapes and sizes. There were actual poppy seed in the soap. As we did more investigating, the company Pacha Soaps did not only have an impeccable message and mission, but were locally made in Hastings, Nebraska. (Side note:  for those of you who do not know, my college roommate, well-known organic chemistry guru and potato and vinegar loving, Katie Hervert Thomas is from Hastings). I love supporting locally created products and businesses and I love great smelling and beautiful personal products. 

"We are dirty hippies with a clean purpose."

"Pacha Soap is on a mission to provide the highest quality products, to promote health and well-being around the world and to implement sustainable solutions to the poverty cycle....all with veracity and love!"

Pacha Soap also gives back, number three of why I love their products. They have their "Raise the Bar" campaign to help someone in need. For every bar purchased, a bar is donated to a variety of people, including children in developing countries. This campaign also supports developing careers in soap making  for men and woman in developing nations. 

These colorful, fragrant and handcrafted soaps come in a variety of versions:  handouts loaves, bars and moons with scents like Ruby Red Grapefruit, Frankincense Myrrh and Pocket Full of Cozy; logs that are moisturizing and exfoliating with flavors of avocado, carrots, rosemary and eucalyptus; and soaks and scrubs for the bath. 

Their new product is this bar soap variety pack. You get a great selection of their scents in a smaller bar than the normal size. The bars last a long time and fill your shower or bath with scents reminiscent of essential oils. My mom loved the variety pack so much, she places a different bar underneath her pillow each week just to have the lasting and relaxing scents fill her slumber. 

I got these as stocking stuffers for all members of my tribe this year, head on over to Pacha Soap to explore their great products, learn more about their great mission and find a store closest to you to purchase a unique, made in the Heartland gift for those who make your heart beat. 

~AE 

Wisdom Wednesday

This week, take time to be grateful. Take time to look at all the great things happening in your life, without wanting, without needing, without looking into the future. Look at what is happening RIGHT NOW. Never let the things you desire make you forget what you have in the present. At any moment, it could all be gone. When you are in love with your life and are grateful for all it gives you, you have everything you could possibly need. 

I am so very grateful...for everyone and everything in my life. 

Weekly Conversation

I am grateful this week for my conversation with Food Scientist (and also the wonderful editor of my book), Susan Bingaman. 

From time to time, I want to have conversations with guests who are not registered dietitians, but have a deep connection to food, nutrition and wellness. Susan is one of those fascinating guests whose lifelong passion has been the science of food. As a little girl, Susan always found herself in the kitchen with her family cooking and this passion lives on in her today. My conversation with her is about being a food scientist, working in a test kitchen and the importance of recipe development. It is a great listen for anyone who has an interest in the dedication to creating recipes with love and that taste great. 

And in the spirit of one of Susan's favorite quotes from Ina Garten:  "If someone can do something better, let them." Please enjoy my conversation with Susan. 

Week in Review 

This past week, I am grateful for the opportunity to experience something new and attend an evening with Henry Rollins. What I know about Henry was that he was a hard core front man for a band in the 90s and he had a cameo in Sons of Anarchy. I had no idea he is a writer, journalist, comedian radio host, has his own publishing company and tours with his spoken word in intimate speaking engagements. I was encouraged by a friend to go to his show at Hoyt Sherman in Des Moines because of his motivational and entertaining way he speaks to a crowd. I was floored because I had this idea of who he was in my mind and left knowing a completely different side of this human. He is very intelligent, well traveled and extremely motivating. I am encouraged to be extraordinary and never stop learning. If you have the opportunity, catch him on tour or check out his website for all the amazing things he does. 

I am also grateful for Arron Smith, president of the Iowa State University Student Dietetic Association, who at their meeting this past month, hosted a fun interactive quiz for the students and used my book as a prize!  Emily Lensing was the winner of the book for her essay answer on the difference in a Dietitian and a Nutritionist. Proud of Emily and all the other RD's to be at Iowa State for being a part of their student organization!

Workout Playlist of the Week

In continuing with my theme this week, I am sharing my grateful and thankful playlist.  I am so grateful I can exercise everyday.  Make sure to get your "Thanksgiving" treat at the end of the playlist!  Listen to Thankful Workout Playlist of the Week by Anne Elizabeth on Apple Music. 

 What I Love Right Now

During these short days of fall/winter (looking forward to the longer days of January), I am very grateful for a warm, caffeine tinted latte to get me through the afternoon. Around 3 pm is when I notice my need for a little pick-me-up. Latte's can be expensive and I do not have a latte budget, but I have figured out an easy way to make my own.  Make a pot of your favorite coffee. Pour 1/4 cup of low-fat milk, my favorite is Fair Life milk for extra protein, into a mason jar. Secure the lid and shake the milk for about 30 seconds. Then take the lid off the jar and microwave the foamy milk for about 45 seconds. Pour 1 cup of hot coffee into the warm milk. 

I love the latte plain but if you would like to mix it up, try this new gourmet spice blend from McCormick: Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Chia Seed seasoning. It is the perfect topper and mix in to your homemade, cozy latte. It is a great way to add a little more nutrition to your beverage and is great with oatmeal, yogurt and pancakes. The perfect spice for this time of year. 

So very grateful...

~AE