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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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September 3, 2026

Too Hot to Cook Eat This

Well, friends…Mother Nature has apparently decided we need to be reminded that summer is still here. It is HOT. Really hot. The kind of hot where wa

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Food, Fun, Health
September 3, 2026

Savory Chicken Salad

This one is a staple in my kitchen. Rotisserie chicken, a creamy dressing, and just enough crunch from the celery and onion make it endlessly versatil

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Recipes, Salads
August 27, 2026

Apparently, There’s a Day for That

Have you ever noticed how there seems to be a “National Day” for just about everything? National Donut Day. National Gardening Day. National Lefto

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Food, Fun
August 20, 2026

The Scoop on Coffee

For my coffee lovers, here are some interesting tidbits. Light roast coffee tends to be slightly higher in caffeine content than dark roast when measu

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Health
August 13, 2026

A Kitchen Lesson from Julia Child

In honor of Julia Child’s birthday, I want to share one of her most repeated kitchen philosophies, because it is one I highly endorse. Do not ap

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Food, Fun
August 5, 2026

Part One: Fun Facts About Julia Child

August 15 marks the birthday of one of my favorite kitchen icons, Julia Child. If you have never seen an old episode of The French Chef, do yourself a

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Food, Fun
July 30, 2026

My Kitchen Counter Has a Problem

If your garden is anything like mine, the tomatoes are coming in fast right now. And if you’re growing zucchini too, you know it has a way of sh

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Food, Health, In the Garden
July 21, 2026

Sweet Corn Season is Here in Indiana

If you drive anywhere in Indiana right now, you know the scene. Fresh corn, roadside stands, and that first bite of butter-dripping corn on the cob th

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Family, Food, Health
July 15, 2026

Better, Not Perfect

I have a confession. This week I was completely overwhelmed, by my own house. I had been traveling and busy with life, and when I looked around all I

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Health, Hope, Personal Development
July 8, 2026

Theo of Golden

“Theo of Golden” is a beautifully written novel that I highly recommend. In the summer months, I often splurge and read something other th

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Hope, Love, Spiritual

Too Hot to Cook Eat This

September 3, 2026
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Food, Fun, Health

Well, friends…Mother Nature has apparently decided we need to be reminded that summer is still here.

It is HOT. Really hot. The kind of hot where walking outside feels like opening the oven door, and suddenly a big dinner sounds about as appealing as putting on a sweater.

When it’s this hot, your appetite may take a little vacation. That’s okay. You don’t need to force down a heavy meal just because the clock says it’s dinnertime.

But your body still needs the good stuff along with plenty of fluids, even when you’d happily make watermelon your entire food group. (Which, by the way, is sometimes also okay.)

Let’s make summer eating easier.

Think cool, simple and satisfying rather than complicated recipes and lots of cooking. 

Grilled chicken with a cool corn and avocado salad or sliced over a bed of greens with a simple vinaigrette. Make a tuna or salmon salad and pile it onto greens or into a big, juicy tomato. Scramble a couple of eggs and add avocado and tomatoes. Have Greek yogurt with berries and nuts for a snack or breakfast. Try grilled shrimp with avocado and mango over a bed of greens. Toss chickpeas with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, lemon and olive oil for a quick salad. (I had this salad for lunch this week with some almond crackers. It was perfect.)

And don’t overlook the snack-plate dinner.

A little turkey or chicken, some cheese, hummus, crunchy vegetables, fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and a few crackers can absolutely count as dinner. No recipe. No oven. No sweat. Literally.

Leftovers are your friend, too. That leftover grilled chicken (or store-bought rotisserie chicken) from Tuesday can become Wednesday’s chicken salad without requiring you to turn on a single appliance. Here’s the link to my favorite chicken salad recipe. Savory Chicken Salad

And then there’s Labor Day…

If your weekend includes a good old-fashioned backyard cookout, please don’t feel like you must bring your own sad little container of “healthy food.”

It’s Labor Day!

Enjoy the burger. Have the corn on the cob. Put some of that colorful pasta salad on your plate. Eat the watermelon. Add a big scoop of grilled vegetables if they’re available.

And if someone makes an absolutely amazing potato salad, dessert or family recipe that you only get once in a while?

Have some.

Seriously.

Healthy eating isn’t about avoiding everything fun. There’s room for food that’s simply delicious and part of celebrating. 

So, this weekend, enjoy the good food, stay hydrated, and don’t overthink it. No need to earn the potato salad or work it off afterward. Just enjoy it and get back to your regular rhythm when the holiday is over. That’s real-life healthy living.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“We should enjoy food and have fun. It is one of the simplest and nicest pleasures in life.”~ Julia Child

Savory Chicken Salad

September 3, 2026
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Recipes, Salads

This one is a staple in my kitchen. Rotisserie chicken, a creamy dressing, and just enough crunch from the celery and onion make it endlessly versatile. I love pulling it out for a quick lunch, a light dinner on a busy night, or a make-ahead option for guests.

Swap in Greek yogurt for half the mayo if you want a little extra protein without losing the creaminess. Either way, this salad comes together fast and tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 to 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works great)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (or half mayo, half Greek yogurt)
  • ½ cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons yellow onion, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional, for a slight tang)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

STEPS

  1. Shred the chicken: If using a fresh rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and bones, then pull the meat apart into bite-sized chunks.
  2. Mix the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or half mayo, half Greek yogurt), minced yellow onion, and lemon juice until smooth.
  3. Combine: Add the cooked chicken and diced celery to the bowl. Gently fold everything together until evenly coated in the dressing.
  4. Season: Add salt and black pepper, to taste
  5. Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld.

 

NOTES

Serve on a flaky croissant, toasted sourdough, a bed of greens, or alongside your favorite crackers.

Apparently, There’s a Day for That

August 27, 2026
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Food, Fun

Have you ever noticed how there seems to be a “National Day” for just about everything?

National Donut Day. National Gardening Day. National Leftovers Day. (Okay, I made that last one up, but I probably could find it somewhere!)

Today, August 27, happens to be especially busy. According to the various calendars that keep track of these things, it’s National Banana Lovers Day, National Peach Day, National Just Because Day, World Rock Paper Scissors Day, and National Pots de Crème Day.

I couldn’t resist.

First, there’s National Banana Lovers Day. A couple of fun banana facts: Bananas aren’t actually trees. They’re the world’s largest flowering herb. And botanically speaking, bananas are berries. (Because apparently bananas enjoy confusing us.) Who knew? 

Then there’s National Peach Day, which seems perfectly timed for late August when those juicy, fragrant peaches are showing up at farmers markets and grocery stores. Peaches originated in China and have been cultivated for thousands of years. That’s a pretty impressive history for something that ends up dripping down your chin at a summer picnic.

National Just Because Day might be my favorite. It’s reportedly the creation of Joseph J. Goodwin of California, who started it as a family holiday in the 1950s. The premise is wonderfully simple: Do something just because.

No reason required. No productivity points awarded. No box to check.

And then there’s World Rock Paper Scissors Day, created in 2014 by the World Rock Paper Scissors Association. The game itself goes back more than 2,000 years to China. So the next time you settle an argument with “rock, paper, scissors,” remember, you’re participating in an ancient tradition.

Finally, there’s National Pots de Crème Day. This one celebrates the little French baked custard whose name literally means “pot of cream.” Chocolate and vanilla are classic versions. And apparently, nobody knows exactly who decided we needed a national day devoted to it.

Which brings up the obvious question: Who makes these days official anyway? 

The answer is…well, it depends. There isn’t one official organization handing out certificates for National Days. Some are created by organizations, businesses or individuals. Others have historical or cultural origins. And calendars such as National Day Calendar collect and promote these observances.

But here’s what I really like about all of this:

You don’t need a national organization to give you permission to celebrate something.  

So today and/or tomorrow and/or next week, pick one. Or more.

Eat a peach. Make something with bananas. Challenge someone to a game of rock-paper-scissors. Try a little pots de crème. Take a walk. Sit outside with your coffee. Call a friend. Buy yourself flowers.

Or do absolutely nothing productive for ten minutes.

Do it just because.

Because not everything has to be useful, healthy, efficient or productive.

Sometimes, joy is reason enough.

Sending love,
Health Coach Carol

“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” ~Emily Dickinson

The Scoop on Coffee

August 20, 2026
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Health

For my coffee lovers, here are some interesting tidbits.

Light roast coffee tends to be slightly higher in caffeine content than dark roast when measuring scoop for scoop.

Some studies have shown a difference of 9 mg of caffeine (per half cup) between light and dark roast coffee, with lighter roasts containing the larger amounts.

Because the light roast beans spend less time in the roasting process, they are slightly smaller than medium and dark roast beans. Therefore, when measuring by volume, you’ll get more coffee beans per scoop with light roast. More beans equals more caffeine.

When measured by weight, the difference is insignificant. 

And coffee isn’t just a delivery system for caffeine. It contains hundreds of biologically active compounds, including antioxidants and polyphenols, which may contribute to many of the health associations seen in research. That’s one reason even decaf coffee has been linked with some of the same benefits as regular coffee.

In moderation, coffee can be part of a healthy diet and has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain liver conditions, and possibly some age-related brain disorders. Coffee consumption is also associated with greater longevity.

Note: what you ADD to your coffee may not be as beneficial!

Another tidbit: Dark roast coffee is less acidic than light and medium roast. If you suffer from heartburn or other digestive issues, dark roast may be a better option.

I am a fan of Lifeboost Coffee. It’s organic, low acid, roasted fresh in small batches when you order, 3rd party tested for molds, bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides and 400 other toxins.

There are a variety of coffee flavors to choose from, although I find the basic dark or medium roast to be delightful.

If you enjoy coffee and must avoid it due to its acid producing qualities, or if you are searching for a “clean” coffee, you may want to give Lifeboost a try. Check it out at www.lifeboostcoffee.com

Cheers!

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh