Mac n Cheese

made with cottage cheese & caramelized leeks -- "adultified"

Gooood morning! It’s a rainy morning in LA and I am sipping on some tea. Loose leaf tea** has been my favorite thing in the world, I have three cups a day of different mixtures of tea and its so fun to mix and match. And I am on day 9 of no coffee!

The reason I took a break from coffee is because it started to become a crutch where I felt as if I couldn’t function without it. I was drinking large amounts and still not feeling a buzz, more just feeling like I relied on it for any sort of energy and I do not like feeling that way. Usually when I start to feel like that it’s time for a reset.

The first few days were the hardest. Two of the days I had debilitating headaches, most likely from the withdrawal, and just felt extra drowsy and tired. TBH even more of a sign to push through that I needed this! On the forth day I had an extra boost of energy and felt amazing, and it went up from there. Overall I have noticed more energy, much better sleep, and my skin has cleared up.

I went to a facialist who told me the inflammation on my skin could likely be caused by overconsumption of coffee, and it seems that is the case! Another tip she gave me which I have been LOVING is using an ice cube in the morning as a face wash. Instead of washing just rub the ice cube all over my face. It feels amazing and makes my skin feel great.

So I am just going to continue it on as I feel good! When I crave coffee again I will start slow since my tolerance has likely gone down, but I am going to drink it in a lot less volume than I was before.

**Some of my favorite loose leaf teas:

*discount on these is “glowwithella”

• The Healer, The Cleanser, The Purifier from Organic Olivia*

• Tummy Kind Tea and Sencha Green from Skin by Achilles*

• Clear Skin and Womb Wellness by Healing the Source* (I use her tea infusers too)

• Golden Hour by FireBelly

• LooseLeaf Spearmint + Peppermint

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Nowwww let’s get into the good stufffff —

Caramelized Leek Cottage Cheese Mac n Cheese

I have been loving taking my nostalgic childhood favorites and adding a lil “adultified” twist to them. Today we are making mac n cheeese. Is there anything better than a warm bowl of mac n cheese?

If you have yet to fall in love with leeks, let this be your introduction. They are a cousin to the garlic and onion family, similar in delicious flavor yet a bit milder. Absolutely delicious caramelized or braised on their own, paired with the creamy pasta they are just completely elevated.

I love the revolution of cottage cheese. It truly pairs in perfectly with so many dishes, sweet and savory, and in mac n cheese it is seamless. It adds a delicious creaminess and flavor, while giving a boost of protein at the same time. Making this a comfort meal that brings you joy AND nutrients. Let’s dig innnnn.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried pasta (I rec shells or about 200g) 

• 2 tbsp butter 

• 1 tbsp flour

• 2 tbsp raw milk