The chocolate chip cookies they’ll beg you to make (use your power wisely)
These have been billed as the Neiman Marcus cookies, and whole fan fiction, urban legend situations have been built around them. Whether Neiman Marcus actually charged a cafe customer $250 for this recipe a couple of decades ago or not, who knows. But the recipe? Worth the hype, without doubt. You’ll need: Method: Cream together…
DIY Anti-Aging Body Oil – for you or for gifting!
Have you seen those glossy ads for that pricey European anti-aging body oil floating around on your feed lately? (Or is my algorithm just exposing my obsession with good skin?) Either way, I was intrigued — because of course I was. This tiny bottle promised to make my skin look half its age. Obviously that…
Holiday Wish Lists for the Adults, Sorted
The grown ups in our life are notoriously hard to buy for at the holidays, but don’t spend one more minute wracking your brain for gift ideas. I’ve sorted that for you. With over a hundred ideas in each list, complete with links, you can’t go wrong. I’ve included items at every price range, and…
Get ready for winter skin, clean beauty edition
I know I’m a *tad* obsessed with skincare. It’s not a new phenomenon for me. I was born with sensitive, fair skin that hates a LOT of products, and it’s been the work of my adult life to find clean products that don’t cause reactivity and that actually WORK. As we move from summer to…
Quality of Life Edit, Sleep and Protein Edition
Ok, this is, admittedly, an oddball post. I’m just here to share things that have made immediate improvements to my quality of life, and that is the only theme here today. Here to help you get your protein, and get your sleep. No mysterious subtext, just a few good life faves, for you, My Faves.…
Curated Clean Beauty, Done For You
Finding the right skincare can feel like an overwhelming mine field. Right now having a 43 step routine is en vogue, but you do not have to have a train case full of products to make your skin look and feel great, at any age. You also don’t have to have harsh chemical peels and…
Vitamin C: Your Key to Reducing Stress Levels (!)
The exhaustion is real. No matter how much sleep you get, you can’t seem to catch up. You wake up at 3am almost every night. You can’t decide if it’s burnout, perimenopause, or existential angst. Or maybe you just want to buy a bed and breakfast somewhere in Bordeaux, change your name, and never look…
Another Pasta Salad For When It’s Just Too Hot To Live
The author seeks quick, versatile meal solutions suited for hot weather, favoring Southwestern flavors. A pasta salad recipe is shared, featuring ingredients like black beans, tomatoes, and pickled onions, adaptable as a side or main dish. A flavorful chili lime dressing complements the salad, which can accommodate various dietary preferences.
Protein: The Full-time Job You Never Asked For
Midlife women facing perimenopause and seeking to balance protein intake for energy and health may find inspiration in curated protein options. The author shares enjoyable protein sources, including flavored protein powders, plant-based snacks, and even unique items like protein pop tarts and pasta, aimed at supporting nutrition without compromising taste.
It’s too hot. I ain’t cookin’. (But we still have to eat.)
The last thing on God’s hot-and-humid Earth I want to do when it’s over 92 degrees and 70% humidity is cook hot food. I use a combo of pantry staples and quick grabs at the grocery store, and I make a cold collation (thank you, Victorian vocab for that spiffy name for my creation). Everyone…
The Exclusive Midlife Thrive Kit
If you’ve been struggling with peri/menopause symptoms – whether you’re using hormone therapy or not – I’ve put together a supplement kit, just for you. Thorne supplements are rigorously tested and researched for efficacy, and they partner with research institutions like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, and Wake Forest University. They’re not an MLM.…
Summer Bean & Veg Soup
One of the great things about any bean soup is that you can make it with a protein, or you can make it vegan. I made mine without meat, and it’s bursting with summer flavors. Of course, it makes a ton, so you can freeze individual portions for fast meals when you don’t have time…
Should You Take an Electrolyte Supplement? Benefits, Uses & Hydration Tips
From Thorne’s Blog May 25, 2026•Maura MacDonald, MS, RD, CSSD What are electrolytes and electrolyte beverages? Electrolyte beverages contain electrically charged minerals – also known as electrolytes – including sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. They are designed to restore fluid levels in the body, support overall muscle function, and improve hydration. These drinks are…
We are now offering Thorne supplements! (Discount info inside.)
If you’ve ever purchased a supplement and were unsure of its purity, efficacy, safety, or scientific validity, you get why I have partnered with Thorne. I’ve been using their products for a long time, and when I was scouting a supplement partner that didn’t require me to part of an MLM, Thorne was THE no-brainer…
Perimenopause And All The Private Problems, Solved.
My glorious fellow GenX ladies: we may not 25 anymore, but we are still completely unstoppable! Well, I mean, except for the new urinary and vaginal health nonsense perimenopause has gifted to us. Too often, it takes ages to get the care you need if you have a UTI, a yeast infection, or just want…
Super Simple Summer Staple: Pickled Red Onions On Everything
Pickled red onions stay in my fridge all summer long, because they elevate everything: burgers, salads, tacos, whatever! They’ll easily last a couple weeks in an airtight jar, but they will be eaten before they stay in the fridge that long. Pickling them takes some of the bite out of the onion, and makes them…
Sick of Cooking? Here’s a simple summer pasta dish that comes together FAST.
This pasta dish is a quick, healthy recipe that your family will enjoy. Made with high-fiber pasta, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, spinach, basil, and olives, it can be easily customized based on ingredients on hand. Serve with optional rotisserie chicken for added protein while keeping the cooking straightforward and fuss-free.
Top Grown-Up Snacks for Your Next Trip!
The post discusses the concept of healthy adult snack foods, emphasizing options that are better than typical vending machine fare. It highlights snacks that balance sugar, fiber, healthy fats, and protein, offering examples like Shameless snacks, The Only Bean edamame, and IQ Bars. The author invites feedback on favorite snacks.
Summer Is Sun Protection Time, Lovelies
I moved from the Midwest to Central Texas when I was in my twenties, and as I looked around me, I saw a lot of, well, leathery looking people. The sun is strong down there, my friends, and I was determined that my super-duper pale skin would be protected from it, just as my Grandma…
Unlocking Longevity: Lessons from the Blue Zones
You’ve probably heard that eating a Mediterranean diet is the best thing you could do for your health and longevity, but have you heard of the Blue Zones? The Blue Zones are five regions from around the globe where people live significantly longer and healthier lives, with many hitting 100+ years old – and it’s not just…
Easy, Healthy, AND Fancy Salmon with Pickled Serranos
This is a riff on a recipe I found from the food network, and it’s gonna be a two-for-one recipe, lovelies! I rarely make a recipe as written, and by the time I’ve tweaked and subbed and added and deleted, it’s a whole new thing. I’ve switched out fresh serranos in the original recipe for…
Fast, Easy Vegetarian Main/Side Dish (From Your Garden or The Grocery Store)
Now that we’re in the full swing of spring, the less time I spend standing at a hot stove for the next few months, the better. But I still want healthy, fresh, big flavor on my table, and I want to use my garden produce to its full potential. This recipe brings all of that…
We have clean-crafted, zero sugar wine!
I’m really excited about our new offering, because finding organic, zero sugar, clean-crafted wines that still taste fantastic is next to impossible, unless you’re willing to pay a bundle for the privilege. Why offer wine, when health and wellness are the whole point here? Because I know we’re going to have an occasional glass of…
Pain Relief Gadgets – ON SALE!
Y’all, I don’t know if it’s farm life or (stupid) perimenopause, but I have a lot more body aches than I used to. Nothing debilitating, just enough to make me feel less than my best some days. I’m forever lifting and toting around here – which is great for bone health and general longevity -…
Craveable Turkey Pesto Sammie – It’s Marriage Material, Y’all
I’m not much of a sandwich eater. I know, that’s sacrilege, but it makes me think of what we called “skinny ham” sandwiches in my house; they were regularly in my Holly Hobby lunchbox. I’ve never eaten skinny ham since graduating elementary school, and I still don’t want it. THIS particular sandwich is a spinoff…
Warm Weather Make-Up, But Make It Clean Brands
My whole natural health schtick started because I have ridiculously sensitive skin. I just can’t use most mainstream skincare or makeup without risking a reaction. I’ve had my eyelids get so swollen that I can barely open my eyes, all because I put on an eyeshadow my skin didn’t like. Fortunately, the demand has grown…
Sweet Potato with Chili, 2 Ways (carne or veg)
This post offers a recipe for roasted sweet potatoes paired with chili. It encourages even sweet potato skeptics to try the dish, suggesting alternatives like russet potatoes. The cooking instructions include roasting the sweet potatoes and preparing a chili with options for vegan variations. Toppings enhance the final presentation.
Free E-book? Yes, Please!
Happy Monday, Friends! I’m feeling generous today, so I’m giving away 50 copies of my e-book on GLP-1s. It contains dozens of recipes focused on hitting your nutritional needs for weight loss and maintenance, whether you’re doing GLP-1s, or not. It has tons of info, if you’re just in the consideration stage. (It would make…
Eyes Like A Desert? Help is on the way, dear.
After I turned 50 (!), my eyes started feeling like I had sandpaper behind my eyelids. Dry, painful, and beyond annoying. The eye doctor recommended eye drops and warm compresses. It helped a little, but the results were very short lived. Apparently, the oils in the lower lids that are supposed to keep your eyes…