1-219-765-8600

carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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August 7, 2025

August Anxiety. Sunscreen vs. School Bells

This time of year, I feel a mixture of emotions. On the one hand, summer is in full swing. The flowers are thriving, temperatures still soar, and ther

July 30, 2025

Recharging After Your Vacation

Have you ever returned home from a vacation and thought to yourself, “Gee, I could use a vacation.”? I know I have. It seems wrong. We have such a

July 20, 2025

Traveler’s Guide to Food and Fitness

Summer vacations. I’ve always been a big fan of vacations any time of year. They are SO FUN, and people are usually very nice to you when you’re a

July 16, 2025

The Peach vs. Nectarine Debate

I love them both. Lately I’ve been wondering about their slight differences, which sent me down the rabbit hole of looking into their unique charact

July 9, 2025

The Dog Days of Summer

How often I’ve heard this phrase, yet never knew that Dog Days were official. Turns out, the Dog Days of Summer run from July 3 to August 11. This t

July 3, 2025

Can Bananas Ruin Your Berry Smoothie?

This past week I received an email with this question: “I recently read an article about bananas reducing the nutrition of the berries in a smoothie

June 26, 2025

Hot Weather, Cool Tips

Lots of ideas swirling around in my head today—to which Mr. Non-Compliant would say, “Uh Oh!” Since I couldn’t decide on one topic, thought I&

June 19, 2025

Savor the Solstice and Welcome Summer

On June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EST, the sun will reach its highest point in the sky, ushering in the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Th

June 18, 2025

Summer Solstice Fruit Salad with Mint & Citrus Honey Drizzle

This bright and refreshing fruit salad is perfect for summer gatherings, picnics, or a simple treat to celebrate the season. With a citrus-honey drizz

June 12, 2025

Flossing Beyond the Gums

We all know we should floss—but it turns out this simple daily habit might do more than just protect your smile. More and more research suggests tha

Gluten-Free Substitutes for Healthier Baking

The world of gluten-free baking can be rather intimidating.

Experimenting with various “other” flours and mixes can sometimes result in frustrating failures.

This is disappointing for the baker and especially the recipient of the product.

Today I’m sharing some of my favorite gluten-free options. 

For many of your baked goods, using a gluten-free mix that measures 1:1 with regular flour will work fine. You may notice a slightly different texture, but you’ll be pleased with the results.

Brands I often use are Namaste (1:1 GF mix and GF pizza dough mix) and King Arthur (1:1 GF mix and GF baking mix for pancakes, waffles, etc.).

Simple Mills is a brand that offers clean, GF baking mixes for muffins, brownies and breads. This company also makes a tasty assortment of crackers and cookies with clean ingredients.

I have noticed that baking times may be a bit longer for gluten-free products, so keep a watchful eye. There have been times I’ve had to pop my cakes back in the oven after they were on the cooling racks for a short time because I could tell they were a little too gummy in the middle. In cases like these, practice makes better.

Almond flour, GF oat flour (may not be acceptable for some gluten-free eaters due to cross-contamination), coconut flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour are other options that may be used, often in combination with a GF 1:1 flour mix to add more nutrients and interesting texture.

Some of these flours work well on their own and others do not. When choosing any of these options, be sure to follow the specific GF recipe to ensure baking success.

Here’s a recipe for pumpkin muffins that I recently made for a yoga retreat. They fit the bill for Ayurvedic winter eating and were a big hit with the attendees. My sons like them too. They do not get the Mr. Non-Compliant seal of approval. He is not a fan.

Happy healthy baking,
Health Coach Carol

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

INGREDIENTS                                                                                                           

  • 2 cups gluten-free oat flour
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2/3 cup pure maple syrup (at room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or fine pink Himalayan salt

INSTRUCTIONS  

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin pan with 12 liners. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt and use a whisk to mix it well, breaking up any clumps. This works best if your ingredients are at room temperature. If your maple syrup is cold from the fridge, it will cause the coconut oil to harden and thicken up the batter. (It should still bake fine.)
  • Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups, filling them slightly over halfway full. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins rise and start to crack.
  • Let the muffins cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Baked goods made with oat flour tend to dry out over time, so these have the best flavor and texture the first day you make them. I froze them and they were delicious.

*Recipe to make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice

To replace 4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, mix:

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice

“No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize.” Julia Child

10 Easy Steps to Kickstart Your Health Journey

Welcome to 2024.

Year after year, resolutions involving health, fitness, weight loss and eating healthier top the list.

How about you? Do you have you some health goals to work on in this New Year?

In case you do or are considering it, here are 10 easy steps to help you begin—and stick with—your health journey. Choose one or two that resonate with you to get started.

  1. As you plan your schedule to exercise, begin slowly and set realistic expectations. Simple things like parking farther away from your destination, taking the stairs, getting to the gym a couple times a week, taking a 10 or 15-minute walk during your break, all add up to increasing your fitness level.
  2. Limit Processed Foods and Sugars: Try to reduce the intake of processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages. Complete denial may lead to a binge later in January. Make allowances for those special treats—but only when they’re AMAZING!
  3. Have you been drinking plenty of water? Hydration is important for every bodily function. Take your weight and divide by two. Try to drink that amount in ounces throughout the day. Invest in a water bottle that makes keeping track fun and easy.

  4. While extreme diets are not recommended, you may benefit by adding an extra vegetable and/or fruit into your day. No one has ever come to me saying that they gained weight because they ate too many vegetables and fruits. It’s usually chips, cookies, wine, etc.
  5. Cook at Home More Often: Cooking at home gives you control over ingredients and portion sizes, promoting healthier eating habits.
  6. Prioritize Sleep: Good sleep is essential for health. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help your body repair and recover.
  7. Include lean protein in your day. Skinless poultry, wild-caught fish, beans, lentils, peas, lean beef, bison, powdered peanut butter, plain Greek yogurt are a few examples of good protein sources.
  8. Check in with your stress levels. Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga. Managing stress is crucial for both mental and physical health.
  9. Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use an app to track your progress. Monitoring your achievements can be highly motivating and help you stay on track.
  10. Seek Support: Grab an accountability buddy, tell your family your plan, make a bet that you really don’t want to lose to help motivate you to stick with your resolution, explore working with your favorite health coach.

BONUS STEP: Book your 30-minute complimentary health coaching consultation and we’ll create a simple plan to get your year off to a great start. (This offer is good for individuals and couples. Yes, I coach couples!) Shoot me an email if you’re interested.

May 2024 bring you an abundance of blessings and good health~

Sending you love,
Health Coach Carol

“New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.”– Alex Morritt

Eating for Winter Wellness

Last week your favorite health coach wrote about the need to include foods that provide energy and warmth to best thrive in cold winter climates.

Hearty soups and stews, lentils, hearty grains, warm spices, herbal teas, root vegetables and protein-rich foods are excellent choices.

Today I offer you more tips to keep your “digestive fire” alive and well.     

  • Emphasize whole, natural and fresh foods, eaten to 80% fullness for optimal digestion.
  • Consume moist foods and good fats like olive oil or ghee to address winter dryness, particularly for skin health.
  • Finish evening meals about 3 hours before bedtime to ensure proper digestion. Try to eat smaller amounts later in the day.
  • Avoid fasting to maintain muscle mass and body tissues.
  • Encourage more home-cooked meals for quality control and nourishment.
  • Avoid eating on the go and only eat when truly hungry, not out of boredom.
  • Limit intake of dry foods like popcorn, chips and crackers and choose cooked vegetables over raw salads. (This is a tough one for me since I’m a salad-a-day girl. Oh, and I occasionally indulge in popcorn and a home movie.)
  • Add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and/or ginger to your cold protein smoothies to “warm” them up for winter

These guidelines are a starting point. Experiment and adjust dietary choices to find what works best for you.

Eating in this way, focused on health and overall well-being, promotes an ideal plan for weight maintenance or weight loss.

Remember this mantra: How can I do just a little bit better?

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

”Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home” – Edith Sitwell

Embracing Winter Solstice

Welcome to Winter, which officially kicks off this evening, December 21st at 9:27pm CST.

In that moment, we are tilted as far away from the Sun as possible, resulting in the Sun taking its lowest and shortest path through the sky.

Winter Solstice.

In many cultures, the Winter Solstice symbolizes the rebirth of the sun and is often associated with renewal and new beginnings.

Monday, I attended a Winter Solstice Retreat presented by my friend Theuressa, Tea & Yoga. 

We were given the opportunity to reflect on our celebrations (highlights, peak experiences) and challenges (obstacles to connection, areas of potential growth, change) for the year.

While this week may be a bit crazy for you, (I’m still working on decorating the tree) perhaps before the New Year you can carve out a bit of time to reflect on the past 12 months.

Consider what’s working in your life and what needs to change.

What do you need to release? What will you continue doing? What new habits or adventures would you like to begin? How will you bring those changes about?  

Schedule a bit of quiet time to sketch out your plans.

Craving Warm and Comforting Foods?

With winter, we crave more substantial foods for energy and warmth. Our bodies need warm, moist foods like soups, stews and protein-rich foods.

The “digestive fire” we build in cold weather is crucial for health, immunity, weight management and overall well-being. Because this fire is strong in winter, we tend to be hungrier.

See, it’s not your imagination, you really ARE hungrier. I know I am.

This is the season to include spices like fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cloves and warm, herbal teas.

Plan to enjoy regular and more warm meals that include lentils, beans, whole grains and grounding (root) vegetables like beets, carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes. Avoid cold, raw food and drink.

Think of eating foods that provide comfort and energy and feel like a cozy bear hug.

A note of caution: avoid ultra-processed foods, artificial ingredients, refined sugar– and be careful not to overdo those delicious Christmas cookies.

I know–they’re AMAZING!

Well, do the best you can and remember to save some for Santa, served with a warm glass of oat milk.

I’ll share a few more ideas on winter eating next week.

Wishing you a season full of light, blessings, and your favorite celebrations.

Sending you love and a cozy bear hug,
Health Coach Carol

“There are two ways of spreading the light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”—Edith Wharton