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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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April 29, 2026

Tiny Seeds, Big Story

There’s something about pomegranates that feels a little special. Maybe it’s the color. Maybe it’s the way you have to work just a bit to get to

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Food, Fun, Health
April 26, 2026

Chocolate Crunch Protein Balls (No-Bake)

Makes: ~16–20 ballsTime: 10 minutes + 20 minutes chill Ingredients 3/4 to 1 cup rice crisps Note: I use gluten-free chocolate crisps and omit the ch

admink
Recipes, Treats
April 23, 2026

That Sneaky Sabotage Problem

If eating well, getting to the gym, and sticking with healthy habits were only about knowing what to do, most of us would have it figured out by now.

admink
Family, Food, Fun, Health
April 15, 2026

When Food is Healthy Enough

Fresh off my Arbonne conference, I found myself thinking again about how often we make food harder than it needs to be. After 21 years with a health a

admink
Food, Health
April 8, 2026

Healthy Foods That Get Overhyped

Some foods, as I mentioned last week, have a rough reputation. Others get treated like they’re on a pedestal. This week let’s cover some foods tha

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Food, Health
April 2, 2026

Six Foods With a Reputation Problem

Some foods have terrible PR. They are not trendy. They are not glamorous. They are not showing up in beautiful little bowls on social media with chia

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Food, Fun, Health
March 26, 2026

Post-Workout Protein Without the Panic

For years, fitness culture has pushed the same message: if you do a strength workout, you had better get protein into your body within 30 minutes or y

admink
Food, Health
March 18, 2026

Mind the Gap, But Don’t Live There

I recently read The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and I think it is one of those books that can help just about anyone in j

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Health
March 4, 2026

Stop the 3PM Snack Spiral

Stop the 3PM Snack Spiral Last week we talked about why the 2 to 4 PM slump hits so many of us: a natural energy dip, lunch patterns that don’t hold

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Food, Health
February 25, 2026

Why You Want a Nap After Lunch

You know the moment. It’s mid-afternoon. You’re doing fine… and then suddenly you’re not. Your energy drops like a phone battery at 12%. Your

admink
Food, Health

3 Reasons Why Losing Weight is Hard

April 8, 2021
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Health, Hope

It seems like such a simple concept.

Expend more calories than you eat, and BOOM. Off go the pounds.

Not so fast.

There are lots of reasons why it’s more complicated. Here are a few of the big ones from some really smart scientists who study this stuff for a living.   

Reason #1. Once you’ve lost some weight, you burn fewer calories. Think about it, in case you haven’t. A person weighing 100 pounds needs to consume less calories than someone who weighs 150 pounds. Even a 5-pound decrease in weight means you need fewer calories. Bummer.

Reason #2. Your metabolism shifts in a way that is not helpful. For instance, let’s say you have been the same 100 pounds most of your adult life, and your friend lost 20 pounds and now weighs 100 pounds. Your friend has to eat less in order to stay at that 100 pounds than if she’d been that weight most of her life. SO not fair for your friend!

Reason #3. As you lose weight, your appetite increases. This increase in appetite can last for up to a year. WHAT? I know, it’s crazy!

If you’ve struggled to lose those same pesky pounds for years, now you know why.

 It’s not that you don’t have enough willpower or discipline. If you’ve been saying that to yourself, STOP IT!

Weight loss isn’t only about what you eat (or don’t eat) and how much you exercise. Although this is a big part of it, there’s much more.

The scientists who have done these studies say that “promoting a holistic approach to achieve a healthier lifestyle is necessary to maximize quality of life.”

It’s not just about a number on the scale.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned the concept of Deep Health: relational, existential, mental, physical, emotional, environmental. 

These are all connected, which also explains why sustained weight loss can be hard. There are no quick fixes.

Needing guidance and help along the way is the norm, not the exception.

I’m here for you.

Connect with me by email. We’ll look at what’s getting in the way of maximizing your quality of life—and losing those pesky pounds.

Much love,
Carol

“We do life. We do it abundantly. And we have a good time.”—Carol Slager  

He’s Here, and He’s Adorable

April 1, 2021
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Fun, Health, Hope, Love

This is week #39 of baby, and guess what? He arrived!

Little Angelos is perfect and looks like a little angel—well-dressed in monogrammed attire with a bit of hair gel, perhaps?

He is the size of a mini watermelon, which is the produce of the week. Right on schedule, he weighed in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces and is a whopping 20 ¾ inches long.   

Mom is doing well and could use some rest. She’s a trooper!

And for fun, a few tidbits of watermelon trivia.

As you may suspect, watermelon is great for hydration since it is 92% WATER. Between the water and fiber, it will fill you up without loading you up on calories. Sweet!

Watermelon delivers many vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that enhance health.

Benefits include enhanced heart and eye health, decreased inflammation linked to many chronic diseases, and improved digestion.

We began the baby countdown back in October at week #17 with the turnip and have certainly covered the produce section.

May you continue to enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables and challenge yourself to try something unusual from time to time.

How fitting that little Angelos has shown up in time for Easter as we celebrate new life and the resurrection of Jesus.

To the parents of Angelos, I wish you many blessings, lots of love, and an occasional good night’s sleep.

Thanks for giving me fun blog material for the last 5 months.

Wishing you a most joyful Easter,
Carol

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”
― Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyła)

Leek, Potato and Zucchini Hot Cakes

March 26, 2021
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Everything Else, Recipes

Ingredients:

1 medium potato
2 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)                                                 
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup flour or gluten-free flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1-2 tsp dried red chili flakes (according to your “heat” preference)
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potato until it’s tender enough to pierce through with a fork, about 40-45 minutes.

Boil a saucepan of salted water and add the sliced leeks and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and wrap in a tea towel; wring out any extra moisture. Set aside.

Drain the shredded zucchini of its moisture. Wrap in a tea towel and wring it as well. Set aside.

Once the potato is cooked, peel it and roughly mash it.

Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Make patties from the mixture. Heat about 2 Tbsp. oil in a skillet. When hot, gently drop the patties into the oil (medium heat), flatten with a spatula and let cook until nicely browned on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream with dill makes a nice dipping sauce to accompany these.

For the Love of Leeks, and Hot Cakes

March 24, 2021
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Food, Fun, Health

It’s the week of the leek. From the looks of the leek I have in my fridge, it’s a good thing that at week #38, baby is about to make his grand worldly entrance.

Pictured, is me holding a typical leek. Yes, it resembles a giant green onion. 

Leeks belong to the same family as onions, chives, scallions, garlic, and shallots.

They have a mild, somewhat sweet flavor, and acquire a creamy texture when cooked.

The first time I took notice of the leek, I was in San Francisco trying to dine at Postrio, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. There was no way to get in for dinner, so we sat at the bar and ordered a leek and shrimp pizza.

It was AMAZING!

I immediately worked to recreate it when I returned to my kitchen. I came up with a Chèvre (goat cheese), Leek and Shrimp Pizza that was pretty tasty. That was about 30+ years ago. Postrio closed in 2009.

As luck would have it, I found a fairly simple “comfort food” leek recipe to share. I’m planning to make it Friday to accompany my fish.

Of course, leeks are very nutritious, extremely low in calories, and very versatile, like onions.

The greatest adventure in working with leeks is cleaning the mud out between the layers. This step is critical so that you don’t find dirt or grit in your dish.

To clean them, cut off the hair-like end and most of the tough green parts from the other end. Then slice them in half, from top to bottom. Fan out the layers and rinse under running water to remove any dirt or grit.

Another way I’ve done it is to cut off both ends as above, then chop so that I have rings of the leek, the same way I’d cut a green onion. I then separate those leek ringlets in a colander and rinse well.Choose whichever way is best for your recipe. 

There are many ways to use leeks: in tarts; potato and leek soup (a classic from Julia Child); sauté and top your pizza or burger; roast with other veggies; add to pasta; any way you’d use an onion.

Leek, Potato and Zucchini Hot Cakes

1 medium potato
2 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup flour or gluten-free flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1-2 tsp dried red chili flakes (according to your “heat” preference)
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potato until it’s tender enough to pierce through with a fork, about 40-45 minutes.

Boil a saucepan of salted water and add the sliced leeks and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and wrap in a tea towel; wring out any extra moisture. Set aside.

Drain the shredded zucchini of its moisture. Wrap in a tea towel and wring it as well. Set aside.

Once the potato is cooked, peel it and roughly mash it.

Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Make patties from the mixture. Heat about 2 Tbsp. oil in a skillet. When hot, gently drop the patties into the oil (medium heat), flatten with a spatula and let cook until nicely browned on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels. (Recipe derived from nodesserts blog)

Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream with dill makes a nice dipping sauce to accompany these.

Bon appétit!

Much love,
Carol

 “Labor is the only blind date where you know you will meet the love of your life.”–babycenter

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