New Month Reflections

Journal Prompts, October Glow Up Challenge, Seasonal Grocery List + Chai Cinnamon Rolls (drool. worthy.)

Oct 01, 2023

Happy October 1st! Another new month, a fresh start, is among us. It is pretty wild how quickly the seasons seem to shift once October starts, the gloom feels like it immediately started. I am truly embracing cozy season sipping on a dirty chai latte with homemade whipped cream (doesn’t get much better than that)

October is when Fall really begins to kick in at full force, and I think of Fall as the season of stillness and reflection. The leaves falling from the trees symbolizing what we are shedding that is no longer serving us. A time to slow down and be more intentional. During this time journaling becomes really important to me.

When a new month comes along, I like to take a moment of stillness to reflect on the previous month and think intentionally about what is to come. I notice when I ignore this practice the days just seem to fly by so quickly and I feel more… lost? This really helps to ground me.

Journaling has become a wonderful outlet for me to let go, and also get to know myself so much better. At some times it feels like a release, or therapy, sometimes a creative outlet, and sometimes it honestly just feels like a chore lol, but no matter what I always feel so much better after. Pent up emotions and feelings manifest into physical symptoms, and for me, writing things out has been a big part of healing.

Sooooo I thought Fall was the perfect month to kick off 30 days of journaling. 30 days. At least 5 minutes a day. Just try it out and see how it makes you feel. It may feel really forced and awkward at first, that’s totally normal and okay. Just take the time to sit for at least 5 minutes and write anything and everything. To start off the month I’ve created a few prompts and worksheets to get those thoughts flowing. Throughout the month, either continue to use these prompts or just free write!

I like to keep journal + pen by my bedside so that it reminds me to do it right when I wake up and/or right when I go to bed - hard to forget!

Click on each image to download them!

October is also known for Sober October… which I will be participating in this year for whomever wants to join meee! So much more fun when we are doing it together. Make sure to follow along on my Instagram page if you are not already because I will be sharing a Glow Up Series to do alongside the Sober month + journaling challenge! It is going to be a goooood month guys :) I can feel it.

Chai Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe truly has me speechless. I can say a lot of things to convince you to make this but there is really no need. It speaks for itself. You will like the plate clean.

Dough

2 Cups Flour Sifted (I used Sprouted Spelt, AP or GF works too!)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup ghee
2 eggs
1/3 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp milk

Filling

2.5 tbsp ghee
1/4 cup coconut sugar
4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/5 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp all spice
2 tbsp maple syrup (I used cinnamon vanilla bean infused)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

1 cup greek or coconut yogurt
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Recipe

1. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and coconut sugar)

2. Melt ghee and fork into dry ingredients

3. Whisk together wet ingredients in separate bowl (eggs, yogurt and milk)

4. Add wet ingredients into dry and fork together, may want to use hands to properly mix everything together

5. Form into a log, wrap, and place in fridge

6. For the filling, mix together all of the spices

7. Melt ghee and mix into the spices

8. Whisk together maple syrup, vanilla bean paste and extract and add into the ghee and spice mixture, mix together until thoroughly combined into a paste like consistency

9. Remove dough from fridge, flour a clean surface or parchment paper and roll out dough

10. Dough should be an even rectangle about 1/4 of an inch thick

11. Add filling onto dough and evenly spread

12. Using your hands, roll the dough (like a sushi roll) from one short side to the end making sure to keep it tight (TIP: roll on a plastic wrap so you can tuck it in and pull it tight)

13. Tightly wrap up the rolled log and place in the fridge

14. Preheat oven to 350

15. Once oven has heated, remove log and cut into even circles (you can use silk dental floss to do this cleanly and precisely, or a super sharp knife)

16. Using ~10.5 inch pan, line it with the rolls

17. Place in oven and bake for ~25 minutes or until golden brown (you may need to cover halfway through to avoid burn on the top)

18. Remove from oven and while cooling whisk together your frosting

I like to not let it cool all the way because they are SOOOO good warm, top with frosting and enjoyyyyyyyy heavennnnnnnn

*For dairy free: replace ghee with coconut oil + replace greek yogurt with coconut yogurt

*For gluten free: replace flour with GF flour

Seasonal Produce + Grocery List

New season = new seasonal produce!! Eating seasonally is KEEYY to overall health.

Fall produce makes me SO excited. I can’t wait to hit the farmers marketttt. Also - I don’t know about you but if I don’t have a plan going into the grocery store, I always overbuy. So here is a grocery list for you this week so that does not happen! Remember - all the recipes on my Instagram will correlate with the weekly grocery list so make sure to follow to stay up to date. Some fun Fall recipes this week: Chicken Soup, Meatball Soup, Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese, Sweet Potato Gnocchi & More.

So excited for this new month with you guys, feeling like it is going to be a wonderful one. I want to thank you for being a part of this community. I truly feel as if you are all my family and close friends, and I wouldn’t be here without your incredible support and kind words you share with me on the daily. You inspire me to be the best version of myself.

I hope you have been enjoying my newsletter, and if you have it would mean the world to me if you shared with the people that you love! Send to a friend, post on your stories, and even clicking the heart button or leaving a comment absolutely makes my day. Happy Sunday and have a BEAUTIFUL week! <3 - Ella