i love lists
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October 17, 2014

I love lists, Friday!

I LOVE LISTS FRIDAY!!!

  1. Three words: Samoa Pretzel Bites.
  2. I’m contemplating doing Whole 30. Maybe in January?  Have you done it? Tell ME.
  3. A little Ina love for my mom.
  4. I need to be alone.
  5. Secondhand embarrassment is so real.
  6. The biggest mistake you can make when hiring a designer.
  7. Oh goodness. What a perfect Autumn appetizer.
  8. Who you need to tip while traveling.
  9. Skin care tips! I’m in need of them.
  10. Target lovers, this one’s for you. This one is for those of you who are obsessed with In & Out.
  11. What Kids Around the World Eat for Breakfast
  12. A smash-bang of two of my favorite things.
  13. The fall sure does look pretty in Ohio.
  14. Amen.
  15. JTB got a makeover this week and it looks AWESOME.
  16. Drunk J. Crew. YAAAS.
  17. I wish I had seen this drink last week when I had a cough…
  18. If you need to take a mental break, get lost here.
  19. Use blogging as a catalyst to live your best life. YES.
  20. Exposure is not payment. 

 

butwait

 

 

I put my food styling to the test with Dine x Design’s YOU GOT SERVED. Thanks for featuring me, Kristin! xo

Thanks to People.com for featuring my Breakfast Pizza.

Thanks, Williams-Sonoma for featuring my  Pumpkin Spice French Toast

And a quick note about the podcast. Joy is on book tour and her schedule is a little hectic. We hope to squeeze one in in the next few weeks. Stay tuned and thank you for your patience!  Meanwhile, go buy her book– Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence if you haven’t already. It’s life changing.

 

mybites

 

The Hippocratic Cupcake made my Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

The Casual Baker adapted my Tangerine Sherbet

 

44 comments

  • Alessandra // the foodie teen October 17, 2014

    I love that piece about blogging being a catalyst to live our best lives – it’s so true! The breakfasts of the world are super interesting, and the GIFS in that exposure post… priceless!

    Reply

  • Kerry @ Kerry Cooks October 17, 2014

    Mmm breakfast in Iceland looks delicious!

    Reply

  • shelly October 17, 2014

    congratulations on being featured! sounds exciting.

    Reply

  • Mallory @forkvsspoon October 17, 2014

    Again, great list Tracy! I did the whole 30 (OK, it was more like Whole 23 but I did it during my birthday month bc I don’t think ahead and well damn it if I am not eating ice cream for every birthday, ever). Overall, it was great – but believe it when they say like days 7-12 suck, because they kinda do.

    Reply

  • mary October 17, 2014

    I’ve been on Whole 30 since April – no joke! I suffered from debilitating migraines for decades (literally 3-4 times a week, I would be so nauseous, I often ended up in bed before noon), as did a couple of my family members. It ran in our family, so to speak.

    I finally had had enough this past spring, and went to see an allergist to see if I could at least alleviate the intense stuffiness I would have whenever I got a headache. I was tested and shown to have an off-the-chart allergy to yeast. Yep. Sugar in all it’s forms. I was directed to an elimination diet, and well, let’s just say it was THE most life-changing experience ever. I have been migraine free – not.one.headache.since – and it’s changed my diet incredibly. It’s opened up all kinds of new foods that I never considered (or had to because sugar filled the void), and helped me experience new tastes and flavors!

    It isn’t easy the first 5-10 days, though I didn’t find it unbearable. You just go thru a detox time.

    I would wholeheartedly recommend giving it a go! Even after you’ve completed the 30 days, your body feels great, and most people find they make lasting changes due to the experience.

    Just one person’s experience, but I am a believer!

    Reply

  • Jamie October 17, 2014

    Why is it so difficult to ask for alone time? I always feel guilty, even though I know how good it is for me! = )

    Reply

    • Tracy October 17, 2014

      The hard part I face is that people get insulted when I’m like I NEED TO BE ALONE.

      Reply

  • Jessica W October 17, 2014

    HI! OK, so I’ve been doing whole 30 since April and it has been amazing. My relationship with food has totally changed. Now that I’ve gotten to a healthy place with food (i.e. I don’t want to eat an entire bag of chips when I’m stressed) I do indulge here and there and don’t feel any quilt. Also, I had pain in my feet and lower back from running, and now it’s gone! Weird, I know, but they say eating this way gets rid of inflammation in your body. Hooray! Ok sorry for the ramble, love your site! xoxoxo

    Reply

  • Kate October 17, 2014

    The Target list is so me! I still use one thing from the $1 section, though: a little Hello Kitty bag that I take my lunch to work in.

    Reply

  • Becky October 17, 2014

    omg that Target list made me laugh!

    I did the Whole 30, it was pretty easy once I got started, but I DID miss my wine and being able to eat out.

    Reply

  • Emily October 17, 2014

    hi Tracy! I completed the Whole30 in February of this year. I definitely recommend!! To be honest, I suppose it could be difficult considering your food blog. (One of the most difficult things was working hands-on with food I could not eat: packing my husband’s lunches, making food for friends, etc.) That said, there are still so many things you can eat! So, I tried to focus on that.

    My thoughts about food changed in many ways in a relatively short amount of time. It was eye-opening to see how my body responds to certain foods and empowering to know that I can control and maintain a healthy relationship with food. In the least cliche way possible, it did change my life.

    Reply

    • Tracy October 17, 2014

      You’re totally right about that. I don’t know how I can keep up the blog content without making it all Whole30- which I think would turn people off since my most popular recipes online are the indulgent ones. But then again, I was able to feed my family for three days straight and be around food while I was on a juice cleanse, so I dunno. I did something similar to Whole30 last September and it was awesome. I felt really really good.

      Reply

      • Sam @ The Second Lunch October 22, 2014

        I actually managed to live and blog through a Whole30 (and NaNoBloMo) without mentioning it (or the word Paleo, for that matter) once. For someone who loves to cook, you can do many recipes with international or even Bay Area flair that just happen to fit the requirements 🙂 I say go for it!

        Reply

  • Teri October 17, 2014

    I did a Whole 30 last year and it was great. I really want to do another one soon. There are some tough days in the beginning but I lost my sugar cravings and felt incredible. You should definitely give it a shot!

    Reply

  • Becky October 17, 2014

    I’m on my third month of living a Whole 30 lifestyle. I found that the first few days are rough-I was tired and headachy-but after a while you get SO much more energy and I love the challenge of cooking in a completely different manner. Also, I’ve lost tons of weight, have clearer skin and overall just feel so much better. Follow #Whole30 on Instagram and get inspired. I would love if you would do a Whole 30 and do some fun Whole 30 recipes.

    Reply

  • Jenn October 17, 2014

    I’m a vegetarian, so I’m not sure what I would eat for protein on the whole 30. Eggs, nuts and seeds? I’ve gone without dairy before, but beans have always been a staple of my diet.

    BTW, I read the first link as “samosa pretzel bites”.

    Reply

  • Lauren October 17, 2014

    Today is my last day of re-introduction on the Whole 30! It’s been awesome. I hope you do one and post great paleo recipes. I will try to make this a quick rundown of my experience.

    The back story: I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the end of the summer, without ever, ever, ever having a single symptom. It started with my toddler son getting a stomach bug. He still hadn’t bounced back after a few weeks and was started to get worse. It was a very scary time and we felt so helpless. We took him to pediatric gastroenterologist who suspected celiac. The Doc’s were right, he had the classic case. Celiac is genetic and testing revealed it came from me. (What? total bummer!) Since then, I have done a huge amount of reading on gluten/celiac; the stats are 1 in 133 people have celiac, but only 1% of people ever get a diagnosis since most people who have Celiac are asymptomatic or at least lack the digestive issues Celiac can cause nutrient deficiencies and that can lead to carb and sugar addiction.

    CARBS were my jam. I made your lemon arugula pasta and the spinach tortellini soup all the time. Baguettes? Yes please. Smoked salmon on bagels, pizza, stuffing, gourges, waffles! Savory carbs are my favorite, but in light of my son and my new food restriction, out when all the gluten in the home. (my son made a full recovery within days of being off gluten, so glad it was that simple)

    After being GF for about a month, my and hubby took the plunge and did the Whole 30. I no longer crave carbs at all, it’s a miracle. Whole foods taste better than ever before. I have more energy, mental clarity and my mood had never been better. No blood sugar spikes sending me out for my next carb fix. It has really helped me sort out a lot of my food issues too; I can apply the brakes so much easier when it comes to knowing when I have had enough to eat. I never had the carb flu, I think it’s b/c I quit gluten the month before the W30 and I lost a pants size!

    Reintroduction – legumes, totally fine. I love black beans and paleo or not, I think beans are good for you.

    Dairy – uh, mixed reaction. I felt crampy, but I am going to test this further. It could just be a temporary intolerance since it never bothered me before.

    GF grains – I had a “hangover” the next day. I plan on testing this out further too, seeing as how I give my son GF treat food and I want to eat the GF baked goods I make for him.

    Gluten – not reintroducing. I may plan on something in the future just to see how I react, but now it’s off the table!

    Sorry for the novel, but I have so much to say on this. Plus with my last day being today, I felt the need to write about it! I plan on being mostly paleo and once in a while having a GF treat… and wine. Good luck!

    Reply

  • Katelyn October 17, 2014

    DO THE WHOLE 30! It’s amazing. It will change your life. For real. I didn’t find it nearly as hard as people said (that’s not to diminish anyone’s experience – just don’t fret if you don’t hate your life like everyone seems to say). As far as keeping up the blog, I say make a few “indulgent” things ahead to toss in but honestly, you can eat really well on whole30. There are so many delicious things still available and once you give up sugar, everything tastes UH-MAY-ZING. Also, from one pear shaped lady to another – it will do rad things for your body.

    Reply

  • Abby - Little City Adventures October 17, 2014

    So waiting for another podcast from the two of you! I’ve been going back and listening to past podcasts that I missed! This is a great Friday post by the way…I should do the Whole30, it would be rough on my hubby though because he would eat what I eat since I do the cooking but it’s something to consider. And Drunk J. Crew, HILARIOUS. Thank you for sharing, such a good laugh! And it was so fun to read the You Got Served post that you are featured in, I really enjoyed it!

    Reply

  • Ella October 17, 2014

    Oh goodness, that drunk J Crew post is so funny! And very, very true to what I think when I see some their ads/models… Ha!
    Can’t wait for a new podcast (well, I can, but… I don’t want to!) from you two! Joy is so awesome+I’m so happy for her right now+I totally get being a busy bee. When y’all are ready with one, I’ll be listening 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend, Tracy!
    http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26

    Reply

  • amy (Wooden Spoon Baking) October 17, 2014

    My friend Caroline does a Whole30 blog: http://www.oliveyouwhole.com/

    It sounds like a lovely idea…for someone else. 😉 I live on cheese and coffee and I feel fine, thanks! (Exercise helps, admittedly.)

    Happy Friday!

    Reply

  • Millie l Add A Little October 18, 2014

    Oooh love these links – I find whole30 very interesting, but I agree with what you said earlier about blog content!

    Reply

  • Megan October 18, 2014

    Thank you for the link to Drunk J. Crew, I’ve howled with laughter all morning! I cannot wait until they post pictures from J. Crew Bridal!

    Reply

  • Elizabeth October 18, 2014

    Oh man! I really thought the link for people who love In & Out was a reference to the Kevin Kline movie and not the burger place. Ha! I guess that mistake is only made by east coasters.

    Reply

  • Olivia October 18, 2014

    AHHHH!! Thanks for featuring me (I’m samoa pretzel lady). Having a major fangirl moment!! Seriously thanks, though. 🙂

    Reply

  • Amy October 18, 2014

    I’ve never done a Whole30 but my husband and I have been eating paleo/primal for the last 3 years. At first we did it to lose weight but when I started to read about it I fell down the rabbit hole of all the research and science behind why one should eliminate sugar, grains and dairy. I’ve always failed at diets or attempts to eliminate things from my diet but with paleo/primal it became not about depriving myself but of nourishing my body with the most nutrient-dense food available. This food happened to also be delicious.

    Eating like this has completely changed my relationship with food. I’ve always loved food like you but now it’s about nourishing foods that benefit my body. One word: INFLAMMATION. Forget fat; inflammation is what will ultimately be most people’s demise. If fat is the culprit why are so many low-fat (SUGARY) foods making people not just fat but obese?

    We eat pastured, grass-fed, high-quality meat and eggs (including lots of bacon!) and tons of veggies. We aren’t militant with avoiding sugar but we definitely eat far less and eat it in the form of fruit as much as possible. We feel amazing.

    If you do a Whole30 I’ll take the journey with you and do my first true Whole30 too.

    Reply

  • Hilary October 19, 2014

    I tried to do the Whole30 at the end of September…but then got sick (unrelated tummy bug) and ended up having to quit about 5 days into it. I was feeling refreshed and surprisingly not hungry, so I’d like to try again – I’ll do it in January too! My staple during those 5 days was your Carrot Coconut Soup!!! That, plus celery sticks with almond butter, made a great lunch. Breakfasts are tough (no toast…boo hoo).

    Reply

    • Tracy October 19, 2014

      I know…the not toast thing…sigh…as I sit here with a piece of toast writing this….

      Reply

  • fusilliamy October 19, 2014

    I’ve been contemplating doing the Whole 30 thing for about 6 months and I think January is a good idea. Honestly, most of my favorite things of yours are the “healthier” options. I mean, I have a folder of just YOUR salads. I know the rest of the internet isn’t as cool as me, and likes sexier things like caramel and carbs, but I’d be interested to see how you adapt your eating with a whole 30 approach. (But first let’s go make that honey roasted pear crostini!)

    Reply

  • Melissa Hartwig October 19, 2014

    We’d love to see you do a Whole30, AND blog about your delicious, real food during the process. I know the desserts and treats are sexy (and readers love them), but I bet you’d find a LOT of your readers are just as hungry for delicious, simple, healthy real food options, too.

    Keep us posted!
    Melissa Hartwig
    Co-creator, Whole30

    Reply

  • Alex October 20, 2014

    I’ve done two Whole 30s now (a year or so apart) and I really think they’re helpful. The hardest part of me is cutting out the drinking, but overall I do feel less dips in energy, less hungry (after the first week), generally more even-keeled. I’ve been eating mostly paleo + dairy and alcohol because LIFE and find some of the finder points of whole 30 a little arbitrary, but worth giving a shot. Enjoy! Get those coconut aminos – so necessary. And Frank’s hot sauce. Whole 30 staples (alongside coconut milk and ghee, etc etc).

    Reply

  • Kathleen October 20, 2014

    I did whole30 for the first time this summer and it was great! Not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. If you decided to do it, I wrote about it here: http://kapachino.info/category/health/whole30/. I really liked reading about other people’s experiences day to day, so I wanted to share my own.

    Reply

  • Amber October 21, 2014

    OMG Drunk J Crew! THANK YOU! Made my day!

    Reply

  • Elise October 26, 2014

    Hi Tracy! I have done the Whole 30!
    Not gonna beat around the bush…It’s difficult, but totally doable. I honestly did it to drop a few pounds (which I did) but realized during the process that it was not the type of lifestyle that I felt that I’d like to retain for the rest of my life. Sorry Whole 30, but I would like to drink a glass of wine now and again. That being said, I definitely felt that doing it reset my sweet tooth–I used to crave chocolate a lot.. A LOT, but after doing the whole 30, that tapered down dramatically. Oh, and what weight I lost, I gained back within a few months. The limitations were just a little too much for me… if it comes down to holding onto a few pounds and giving up BREAD all together? I choose bread.

    Reply

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