1-219-765-8600

carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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March 14, 2024

10 Muscle Building Tips for Women

Most women I talk with would like to build more muscle and lose more fat. While strength or resistance training is a key component to building muscle,

March 7, 2024

A Taste of Spring

In case you’ve been missing out on some of the most delectable oranges, this is your friendly reminder that we are in the midst of SUMO season. This

February 29, 2024

10 Healthy Snacks for Busy People

My family loves snacks. I love snacks. Who doesn’t love a good snack? I believe snacking can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you c

February 21, 2024

Saving Dough and a Surprise Cake from Mr. Non-Compliant

Some say it’s expensive to eat healthy. I believe it’s even more expensive, especially in the long run, to eat unhealthy. Today I present some tip

February 14, 2024

My Best Workout Tip for Top Results

Ever wonder how to get the most out of your run or walk or strength training workouts? It’s the same way you can feel the most productive about your

February 8, 2024

Celebrating the Birth Month Without FOGO

This year’s birth month is a rare one because I get to celebrate for 29 days. Those of you who get 30, or if you’re REALLY lucky, 31 days, may not

February 1, 2024

How to Stick with Exercise

Work is really busy. Or your kid is going through a “phase.” Or it’s chocolate season. Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing dema

January 24, 2024

Find the Right Foods for You

You know what it’s like to create a pump-up playlist, right? You compile a list of songs that—when they come on—make you say: “Yes, I feel lik

January 18, 2024

Mastering a Dry or Damp January with Style

As the new year begins, many of us look for ways to reset and rejuvenate our bodies and minds. One popular approach is embarking on a ‘Dry Janua

January 11, 2024

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 frustratin

Go Ahead, Be Fearless

We hear it often enough, those four little words that pack a huge punch: “Do not be afraid.”

Easier said than done.

Thankfully, I’m doing a little better with this concept, which gives me courage–and faith–to be fearless as I face new challenges.

I’m not going to suggest something crazy, like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. (One of my sons did this, and fortunately survived the stunt.)

Today, I’m giving you a few tips I’ve gleaned (and paraphrased) from Julia Child, to practice in your kitchen. Cooking your meals is healthier than eating out, and it can even be FUN! 

Whether you like to cook or you have some fear around it, you may find solace in taking her advice, especially if those recipes don’t always turn out quite the way you intend. They didn’t always work out for her either.

Julia’s Tips

  1. Simple dishes, well prepared, are important to know how to cook. Save the challenging recipes for those days when you need an adrenalin rush.
  2. Understanding basic techniques will help you with efficiency so you will not be so focused on speed. “Hurry-up” cooking will ruin the dish.
  3. Work ahead of time so that when your guests (or family) arrive, you may calmly complete the meal. You can always store and reheat a dish.
  4. “There is no reason to serve those bloody casseroles all the time. I even hate the name!”
  5. French cooking is simply a matter of theme variations. Once you understand how to brown the beef and slice the onions for Beef Bourguignon, you’ll know how to do so for other recipes as well.
  6. It’s important to watch, smell and taste the food as you prepare it. The senses belong in every well-run kitchen, like good knives.
  7. Use the best, freshest ingredients. When Julia was writing, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” she experimented with canned and frozen products and found them “okay” if that’s what was available.
  8. You may want to learn how to cut professionally with a knife, in case you end up on television.
  9. Since Americans have the annoying habit of not drinking white wine, what are they to cook and make sauces with? Dry vermouth is acceptable, according to Julia.
  10. Supermarket ingredients can be transformed into authentic French dishes, except you must include two essentials: time and love. 

“I think one should get one’s vitamins in salads and raw fruits, and what is cooked should be absolutely delicious and to hell with the vitamins!”—Julia Child

My Friend Julia

In honor of my late friend Julia Child’s Birth Month, I’ve decided to share some interesting facts with you about her life.

I did not know Julia Child personally, although I wish I did. I’ve been reading about her, own several of her books, and still enjoy watching her cook, thanks to reruns.   

Julia was born on August 15, 1912. She was the eldest of three and lived in Pasadena, California. She graduated Smith College in 1934, with a degree in History.

During WWII, Julia joined the Office of Strategic Services (the OSS), and became a research assistant in the Secret Intelligence division. In other words, she was a spy. She was responsible for handling high volumes of top-secret documents.

Here’s the part I think some of you will REALLY find interesting. Julia was not always a great cook! She grew up in a home with a cook, so she didn’t have a clue about cooking until she met her would-be husband Paul, who grew up in a family that was very interested in food.

We learn to cook (or not) because there was someone in the kitchen to teach us. For Julia, that someone was a recipe book.

She was often frustrated because sometimes she would follow a recipe to the letter, and it would turn out great. Another time, it would be a disaster. Can you relate?

I hear from many people that planning, cooking, time, are a few of the challenges that contribute to less than stellar health. They simply don’t know how to begin the process, so nothing changes.

Julia learned proper cooking techniques when she attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Even with that, she still suffered from occasional disasters in the kitchen.

Fortunately, her husband Paul was a patient man who loved her beyond her messed up recipes.

As she worked on her first cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” which took 7 years to complete, she tried to write the recipes so that any new American bride could cook a French meal successfully—each and every time.

Seven years of what Julia referred to as “practice and passion.”

Practice and passion. Pratique et passion.

Life is a practice.

We’d best be passionate about living it.

Cooking a French dish may not be something you’re passionate about, however I encourage you to consider what you ARE passionate about, and then keep practicing.

If you’re not sure how to begin planning, cooking, finding time to take care of YOU, I’m here to help. We will come up with a plan so that you know what to do first!

Practice and passion. Pratique et passion.

And if you are not a particularly good cook and would like to be, consider yourself in good company with Julia. It’s never too late to learn—and practice.

 “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”—Julia Child, My Life in France”

As the Fog Clears

I’ve been in some pretty thick fog in the past. Sometimes over land, sometimes over water, and sometimes, in my brain.

If you’ve ever found yourself in any of the above, it can be somewhat frightful.

In each situation, all I needed was for someone to take my hand and help me find a clearing.

When brain fog hits, I find it tough to focus on one task for very long. I lose sight of my priorities.

My Spotify station is often on the genre of music known as “Focus.” Sometimes I need more. 

Sometimes I need an expert to help me find a clearing.

My coach helps me get through the fog and find clarity.

Clarity. Is. Awesome.

The more I learn, the more I realize that we are all so unique, that there is no cookie cutter way to find clarity, our ideal weight, or our best life.

What works for your best friend may make you crazy—or foggier.

To my point, there are numerous ways to get from Chicago to New York City. The route you choose depends on your specific goals, vehicle and time frame.

Oh, and weather. You may hit patches of fog. Scary.

If you are experiencing fog around getting clarity with your food, health, fitness, and making it happen in YOUR life, I can help.

I take your hand, listen, and lead you to a clearing, in the way that serves you best.

The week of August 6, I’ve set aside some appointment times to listen to your struggles around the fog that is keeping you from reaching your destination.

Click Here for my calendar to book a call with me. I look forward to hearing from you!

As for this week, I’m kicking off my shoes, reading some books (most likely about food), and keeping a close eye on Mr. Non-Compliant. If you don’t hear anything from me in your Inbox next week, you’ll know I got caught up enjoying summer.

“When the fog clears, clarity will follow.”–Trav Bulb

Tomatoes, Lilies and Being Gratefully Silent

My garden is producing tomatoes–red, ripe, beautiful tomatoes. I picked a large tomato and a handful of cherry tomatoes yesterday.

My assorted lilies are blooming abundantly. They are so delicate and detailed; it’s hard to imagine that they burst forth from little brown bulbs—at exactly the right time.

Each bloom of my lilies lasts only one day. One. Glorious. Day. If all you had was one glorious day, how would you spend it?     

When I ponder the length of the gardening season or the lifespan of a lily in bloom, I am reminded of the brevity of each day.

I am grateful for this moment.

The topic of meditation and enjoying some silent space has come up in conversation numerous times this week.

I have an App on my phone that reminds me to give my sympathetic nervous system a break and breathe for 10 minutes. Or, the 1% (10 minutes) of my day I spend sitting quietly uplifts the other 99%.

There is a strong connection between our bodies and our minds. When our minds are going crazy, our bodies follow along.

The state of the mind has a direct impact on health. And the way we care for our bodies has a direct impact on our minds. Imagine!

Today, find some silent space in which to feel gratitude. Slow your mind and your body for a few brief moments.

If it feels uncomfortable, that’s okay. I would say that about 99% of the time, those things we do that are the most transformative are a bit uncomfortable.

Here’s some good news: unlike the tomatoes and lilies that take weeks or months to produce, the effects of some intentional quiet time has immediate benefits.

I’d love to hear how this exercise made you feel and what differences you noticed, if any.

“The quieter you become the more you are able to hear.”—Rumi