GUYS???? Where did the month go.
I spent the weekend laying in the park in the sun and got so extremely sunburnt literally just from laying and reading. The no sun in the winter really does make a difference like I was humbled. But it was such a beautiful weekend and experiencing it in NYC was so special because no one takes a nice day like that for granted. Like literally EVERYONE was out and about. It was so funny too because walking around this morning it’s like a ghost town hahah, like everyone spent all their weekend energy enjoying the sunny day and doesn’t have the energy today. Back to hibernation.
As always there are an abundance of things I obsess over each month, and these are my current favs <3 excited to share with you, enjoy your restful Sunday friends.
OH and PS — I briefly mentioned this in the chat but I want to start doing lives where we cook together and just chat! Today was an option but it didn’t work for enough people, so let me know which date/time this next month works best for you:
now let’s get intoooo ittt……
My Top 10 March Favs
Purple Rice x Egg Yolk Rice
I love rice. It is my favorite side dish to add to any meal — and it also makes a wonderful meal itself when I am feeling lazy. Rice is the perfect thing to add more nourishment too and these have been my two favorite ways to do it.
Purple Rice — I melt a little ghee or coconut or olive oil, coat the rice, add in my liquid (sometimes broth sometimes filtered water), and then add in my shaved and chopped purple sweet potato and cook the rice as normal, bring to a light boil then cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until fully cooked! Then I just mash the cooked purple sweet potato into the rice .SO SO GOOD. Purple sweet potato is rich in antioxidants and a wonderful addition to the rice. Top with some coconut aminos and flakey salt, I love serving with a carrot salad and some salmon.
Egg Yolk Rice — This is straight heavennnn. Think like a mix between carbonara, mac n cheese and risotto. It is light and creamy and so nourishing.
Ingredients
1 cup jasmine rice
1 3/4 cup bone broth, stock or filtered water
1 tbsp ghee
2 egg yolks
Lots of freshly grated parm
Flakey salt
Optional: pepper, coconut aminos
Recipe
Melt ghee in a pot and add in rice, coat rice in ghee
Add in broth and stir, bring to a light boil then cover and reduce heat to low — cooking for ~20 mins or until fully cooked
Once done remove from heat
Separate egg yolks from whites (just save whites for another time)
Grate a lot of warm
Slowly mix egg yolks and parm into rice and serve with flakey salt
Option to serve as is or with a meal — I love with some sauerkraut and coconut aminos xx
My Reading Library
I have veered away from the spicy fantasy books lately after being so immersed in all of Sarah J Mass’s series’s and having it overtake my life lol so I am on a different journey & I am loving loving loving the books I am reading right now. I have kind of a lineup so here they are —
The Nightingale — this book is so special, I really love the characters, and I love reading historical fiction because I feel like I am learning something
The Wedding People — reading this for a book club and I like it because it’s different than any book I have read. very stream of consciousness like I feel like I am in the main characters mind even though it is in third person
Braiding Sweetgrass — one of my goals this year is to spend time learning more about the history of and the incredible knowledge and traditional practices that Indigenous Peoples have passed down through generations, and this is the book I am starting with!
Tales of a Gay Frat Star — my best friend is currently writing a book and he is so incredibly talented. I have been lucky enough to read a few passages and I get full body chills — his story is truly amazing and the way he tells it literally feels like I am watching a movie in my head, the detail, the vulnerability, the HUMOR. It has everything. It is a page turner and I am so excited to see it come to life!!!! Follow him on Instagram @gayfratstar for updates and to keep up with him. Also hopefully he will be starting a substack sooooooonnnn!!!!
The Daily Laws — I have read the daily stoic over and over for years so trying something new for this year and been loving this! Having a daily devotion is grounding to me
My best friends mom also wrote a cookbook…..AND SHE HAND PAINTED ALL THE ILLUSTRATIONS. This book is so so special, filled with recipes that she has made for her family with love — all of them so incredibly delicious. If you are looking for a cookbook that has tons of good recipes, or looking for the perfect gift for someone, I recommend this book so much! I love it and it’s so cute it sits out on my counter. I am SO EXCITED for strawberry season so I can make her famous strawberry pie & her strawberry shortcake.
Snack Plates
Guys I am SO HAPPY because it is snack plate szznnnnn (I mean it is for me every season but like spring really fuels the fire). Here are some of my favorite elements of a snack plate —
crudite/veggies (loving raw carrots and radish)
cheeses of all sorts
butter + flakey salt
dark chocolate
dates
anything and everything pickled — pickles, pepperocinis, olives, pickled beets, onions…..gimme it all
all fruits and berries
sourdough crackers
cookies
bread
tinned fish
herbs
lemon zest
nuts — pistachios, walnuts, pecans etc…
cured meats and sliced turkey or any protein
soft boiled eggs
cottage cheese
tomatoes
ALL THE DIPS — hummus, pesto, tzatziki, labneh
the options are unlimited….like I could make this list as long as my entire substack because there are no limits when it comes to a snack plate. it is a combination of anything and everything that you love. its just the best.
Farm to People
I keep getting asked where I am getting all my pretty produce in ny — and 90% of the time it is from Farm to People! You can use “GLOWWITHELLA25” for a discount on your order (I don’t get paid they just gave me that to share!) and they source all of the produce and items from local farmers. Kind of like a CSA. It’s affordable and it delivers right to your door which is amazing. Some of my favorites — hidden rose apples, pasture raised eggs, watermelon radish, badger flame beets. They even have a meats & bakery section.
Microneedling
Right before/when I was going off birth control my skin started going crazy. I was getting really bad hormonal breakouts and because of that I ended up with a bunch of acne scarring on my cheeks. One of the things that has made the biggest difference in minimizing my scars has been microneedling. I have done it twice now and I will probably do it 1-2 times more this year. I am grateful because my acupuncturist Nicole at Greenpoint Acupuncture does microneedling and the experience has been wonderful. My scars have definitely reduced and my skin texture overall has improved. Also my favorite facialist in New York, Skin by Gill offers microneedling as well. Neither of them will push you on something if you don’t need it, they take personal and unique approaches to skin and health overall, but if you are interested you can always ask if it’s something for you!
Ceramics
If you are wondering where I got any of my cute mugs from — it is most likely always sourced from small-batch ceramists. Ceramics is something I definitely want to get into myself too — I recently just did a class and have another one scheduled, and maybe I will learn to start making my own little fun bevvy cups and mugs!! But for now, a few of my favorite artists:
Teya, The Turmeric Times (she is such a beautiful soul I genuinely am so inspired by her and everything she does!!!!)
she also hosts ceramic cermonies which if you are in nyc I highly recommend going to!!
Let me know who your fav ceramists are too!!!
I always go through phases when it comes to coffee — but I am really sensitive to the caffeine. So when I am craving a gorgeous latte but don’t want to be too jittery or have trouble falling asleep at night I loveee 1/3 caff coffee because it is just perfect for me.
You can use “ELLA20” for a discount, & I love Purity too all of their blends are great.
Bone broth was one of my keys to helping improve my gut health and overall health when I was really struggling. I love making it on my own, but when I am not doing that I am drinking Fond! I have been drinking Fond for 4+ years now lol I will never forget when I first discovered it in Sprouts in San Diego during COVID. It is really one of the only store-bought bone broths that I trust and is super high quality. Why —
It is extremely gelatinous. It is not super watered down.
Glass jars — no plastic
Organic ingredients — no unnecessary add ins
Regenerative
Tastes amazing
Family owned
The quality is unmatched. The flavor is incredible. I love the unflavored beef, and then my favorite flavored ones are the turmeric black pepper thyme, sage thyme rosemary, and spring chicken. SO GOOD. I make it my base for soups, cook my rice or grains or pasta in it, or just sip. It is so healing & the easiest way to make anything extra nourishing. You can use discount “glowwithella”.
The way that I am rubbing this all over my body before bed Cooper thinks I am insane but I just love it so much. I sleep soooo good and wake up with soft skin. It is the most soothing body butter AND it has magnesium which is just an extra plus. Also like I said I got so sunburnt this weekend and this was so soothing.
I love everything from honeybee hippie always (you can use discount glowwithella on all of their goodies they just came out with a yummy vanilla chamomile lip balm too) and this is my current favorite, along with their infused castor oils that I use once a week.
HAPPY SUNDAY LOVE YOU ALL. If you haven’t entered the matcha giveaway — I recommend you dooooo because I am picking the winners TOMORROW.
XOXO - Ella
Thanks for this post! How do you usually use your castor oil?
Hi!! I love your favorites 😍 if you’re in the market for more handmade ceramics I would love to make you something:) my insta is @hillarypots