What I'm loving this week

A new lewk for my favorite things email with products, recipes, nutrition info, & more.

If you’ve been a longtime newsletter subscriber, maybe you noticed that you didn’t get a favorite things email yet this month (or maybe you didn’t, ha!). I’m playing around with more newsletter content now that I’m moved over to Substack, and instead of a product-only email I’ve decided to include other favorites, like recipes from other chefs, current nutrition information, podcasts, and more! For products, I’m working hard to get discount codes, and will share when I can.

I thought I wouldn’t start this for a few weeks, but here I am, still pregnant, so why wait? I’m pretty sure these emails will come out on Sundays moving forward, but if I’m inconsistent over the next month, bear with me. I’m still figuring this out (among many other things — like life, and what photos to share with these emails, so here’s one of me and Ozzie this morning).

xx Mia

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For cold season: Power to Breath Inhaler by Olbas

I got hit with a nasty cold last week and was more congested than I remember being in a long time. I found this little inhaler at Erewhon and it’s amazing. It uses an all-natural essential oil formula to clear your sinuses, and it’s less than $7. I might send an entire email dedicated to natural cold remedies, but be patient with me and start with this.

Kid’s snacks: Happy Wolf Bars (discount code: MIA20)

Bars are convenient but often super processed and loaded with sugar, and the “healthy” ones often don’t pass the toddler taste test. These Happy Wolf bars have very quickly become a favorite in our house. Ozzie loves them, and I feel great about the ingredients.

Nutrition news I love: California becomes the first state to ban 4 food additives linked to disease (NPR)

Sharing this in light of all the Halloween festivities last week. We had a blast trick-or-treating and dressing up — it’s pure magic for the kids, but I just find the gluttony completely unnecessary. I love to bake, get ice cream, and do all sorts of fun, sugar-filled activities with Ozzie, but this level of processed sugar feels grotesque, not to mention the environmental impact of all that packaging. The recently-passed California Food Safety Act bans food products with brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 — all of which have been linked to cancer, respiratory, nervous system, and fertility issues. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get skittles, just that they are going to have to make them without these ingredients. The law doesn’t go into effect until 2027, but it’s a step in the right direction.

What I’m cooking: Chicken & Rice Soup with Garlicky Chili Oil (Bon Appetit)

It is NOT soup weather in LA yet, but I can’t wait to make my favorite Chicken and Rice Soup with Garlicky Chili Oil. This recipe from Bon Appetite has been a staple of mine for years — it is warm, comforting, herby, and just hits the spot. For the Garlicky Chili Oil, use avocado or olive oil instead of vegetable oil.

What I’m listening to: Eating Ourselves to Death — Honestly with Bari Weiss

This podcast episode is over a year old, but it’s still one of my top recommendations when someone needs some motivation to make positive changes. Journalist Bari Weiss interviews Dr. Casey Means, one of the founders of Levels Health (which I’m a huge fan and user of!), about the food system in the US, rising rates of obesity and disease, and how so much of it is preventable. If you want to try Levels, sign up here for two free months of membership.