May snuck up on me and now it's nearly over! I'm not sure how we're already closer to summer than we are to January but here we are. We've been traveling quite a bit lately, with both sons graduating (one from college, one from high school) and visiting relatives along the way, with stops in Chicago, Milwaukee and Boston and (this weekend) Deerfield. When we're finally done running around, the pool is open and grill season is officially underway. I've been heads-down on some content I'm...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Memorial Day is a week from Monday and I have something to tell you that changed how I cook steak. You don't have to thaw it. I worked out the reverse sear method for steaks pulled straight from the freezer years ago and after a lot of requests I finally wrote it up. The short version: low oven to bring the inside up to temperature, then a quick hot sear at the end. Frozen actually gives you a better crust than thawed because the inside stays cold while the outside browns hard. No gray band,...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Years ago after I started reading the research on PFAS and phthalates, I made a list of every potential exposure in my kitchen and felt mildly horrified. The pans, the plastic storage containers, the candles, the cling wrap, the fragrance in the dish soap...all of these carry potential health hazards. The instinct, when you read enough of this research, is to throw everything out and start over, but that isn't necessary. I have spent the last few years swapping things out gradually and I want...
21 days ago • 3 min read
Yesterday was a hard leg day, the kind where you know you'll feel it on the stairs for the next 48 hours. I had dinner out with a girlfriend that evening, we split a bottle of wine and spent two glorious hours catching up. We laughed at the kind of stuff you can only laugh at with someone who has known you for 13 years and discussed all the conspiracy theories where the AI overlords rule and make us thankful we have friends with farms. You know, the usual 😂 Given the wine, leg day and later...
28 days ago • 2 min read
At some point, you clicked to show an interest in getting the free version of the High Protein Kitchen meal plan, so that's why you're seeing this email. Going forward, you'll get a new plan the last Wednesday of every month. It’s built as a daily high-protein system, so instead of overthinking the whole week, you just follow the day in front of you. If you DON'T want to receive the free monthly plan, just click here and your preferences will be updated. If you want to make absolutely sure...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
As I'm writing this, I'm getting ready to set up my new Eight Sleep pod and filming the whole process for a future review. I've been using my Chilipad Dock Pro for over five years and love it. I'm genuinely curious whether the Eight Sleep lives up to the hype. More on that soon. Until then, I want to talk about what's already happening on my wrists, fingers and in my gym. For the past several weeks I've been wearing the Oura Ring and the Whoop, while also using the Hume Body Pod for daily...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Happy Friday! I am extra excited to be chatting with you today because I have some news regarding a project I've been thinking about forever. For years I've been solving the same problem every single week. What am I eating, what does hubs want to eat (anyone else ask that question like four times a week?!?), what do I need to buy? Do I prep things for the week on Sunday or wing it every night? Rinse and repeat. It's mentally exhausting! I know I am not the only one. You tell me the same thing...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Something happened in January that was LONG overdue. The U.S. government finally updated its protein recommendations for the first time in over 70 years. They basically doubled them. The old RDA was 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which worked out to about 55 grams a day for a 150-pound woman. That number got treated like a goal when it was actually the bare minimum to avoid deficiency. Not to thrive. Not to build muscle. Not to lose fat. Just to survive. The new 2025-2030 Dietary...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
I have some news. I just passed my NASM personal trainer certification. At 52 (ok two days before my birthday but still technically 52 lol). If you told me even a couple years ago that I'd be adding CPT after my name, I would have laughed. For over 30 years my focus has been on nutrition, wellness, and the mindset side of healthy living. Training was something I did for myself, not something I thought I'd ever coach. Two things changed my mind. First, competing in a bodybuilding competition...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read