Please allow me to introduce myself..

Lately I’ve been noticing a lot of new readers and I thought “Maybe I should re-introduce myself…” and then I realized that I had never formally done that to begin with. So, hey! I am Bonnie Rue and I really, truly appreciate you taking the time to visit this little virtual corner of the world. A little bit about me… I have been called woo-ey, empathic, bratty, sarcastic and challenging. All compliments, clearly but I would really like to be remembered as omnivorous, curious, perceptive, creative and kind. I work as a private chef and integrative nutrition coach in Austin, Tx (originally from Dallas, in case the big hair didn’t give it away). I am sober and loving it. It is what lead to me studying nutrition in the first place. I wanted to work with people in recovery. To teach them how to stabilize their mood, care for themselves and heal their systems through colorful, healthy and nutritious food. This new direction presented itself to me while I was working as a chef at a small recovery center. It became obvious that nearly everyone who changed the way they ate felt less anxious and were in turn less likely to relapse. I loved seeing them transform and commit to it. So I enrolled in school and now I get to support and cheer people on as they change their lives and become the fullest expression of themselves. I never imagined any of this for me but I could not be more thrilled! This is the first job I have ever had that gives me a true sense of purpose. I have found my path! Trust me, I looked everywhere. Over the years I have worked as a… Booking agent, fashion designer, head of marketing, phone psychic, bar tender, nanny, PA, stage manager and pizza slinger extraordinaire. To name a few. I did really love making pizza.. pizza makes people very happy but, not very healthy. Ergo, pie and purpose are two different things.

Beyond work and sobriety? I am crowding 40 and feeling 25. My hobbies include painting, drawing, talking to my plants, feeling awesome, solo dance parties, collecting vintage food themed jigsaw puzzles, yoga, foraging, thinking about minimalism, thinking about every-thing.. cruising around on my bike, befriending neighborhood cats and playing with my food.

So, that’s me. If you or someone you know could benefit from working with a health coach I will have room to take on 5 new clients at the end of August. Consultations are free. Email me to schedule yours today, bonnie@nakedandeggs.com.

Day 194: Arugula, avocado, beet kimchi (spicy!), sunflower sprouts, mango, bloobs, serrano peppers and pumpkin seeds, dressed in foraged lime and Udo’s 3*6*9.

We’re half way there!

Alright guys, I want you all to take a second and sing the chorus of Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer with me because we are officially half way through a year of breakfasts here at Naked and Eggs! This project has been such a fun and nourishing way to make sure that I am taking care of me first. If you are someone who is prone to prioritizing others needs above your own I highly suggest you carve out some non-negotiable time in the morning just for you. Every day.. And put a egg on it! Wake up, look in the mirror and ask yourself how you feel and what you want. Going into each day knowing what you want saves time. I have also noticed that creates less space in your life for other people who do not know what they want. What a gift! So today I am feeling accomplished and I want EGGS and Bon Jovi on blast! 182 days down.. 182 day to go!

P.S. I am 100% positive that if I had not been sober this entire time I would have given up on this project long ago.. I would have woken up feeling like steaming trash and not had the energy or desire to make myself something beautiful to eat. I would have ordered a taco (outsourcing my self care) and eaten it in bed… I do not miss that.

Day 182: Cheesy egg with sautéed kale, potatoes, bell pepper, shi-shi’s (shishito peppers) scallions and tomato confit. Berries on the side.

DID YOU KNOW… Blueberries have the ability to control the release of cortisol in your body? That is the stress hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland during stressful moments. It travels to the hippocampus and unleashes an emotional response (aka potential freak out). Blueberries help in controlling this hormones impact on your mood. Keeping you calm and relaxed. So eat up!

..existentially punked..

During my morning meditation I had many more intrusive thoughts than usual. I was on the verge of yelling “quiet down now!” But I have never been the kind of person who shuts up on demand so.. I sat there just letting my mind run it’s mouth. It reminded me of the anxiety I used to feel when I was hungover. Yuck. Thought after thought in a wheel.. I was trying to give myself a break. Things have been stressful lately. Everything is so up in the air right now. Literally and figuratively. Day by day I feel like I have less control. Within the hour, as I was cleaning out a drawer and I came across a note I had scribbled who knows when, it read..

“The quality of your life is directly related to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably live with..”

WTF.. I would be lying if I said it didn’t creep me out a little. It was too on the nose. I mean, I looked over my shoulder. It felt like I was being existentially punked. I decided to steer clear of the other drawers as I was uncertain as to what other poignant truths lurked inside of them. Just as I felt my spirit sink from reading this timely message the little voice in my head said “wait a minute.. I LOVE UNCERTAINTY!” I would even go as far as to say I get off on it. Historically I have been bored nearly to death by the predictable. In fact “predictable” was once one of my favorite insults to sling around. So one of two things is happening here. Either the level of uncertainty has reached critical mass OR I have some how forgotten who The Fuhk I AM. I’m going with the latter. I can manage a perspective shift but have little control at the moment over all this external mayhem.

I am curious though.. What perspective shift would benefit you right now?

Day 175: Coconut milk yogurt with watermelon tossed in lime, mint, basil and serranos + strawberries, bloobs, crunchy quinoa, chia and nasturtium flowers.

When you’re smilin’..

Quarantine can be a little gloomy and monotonous at times.. but I’m not ready to give in. We all have a secret list of cure-all’s that thrill us. I happen to love Louis Prima. So when I woke up and didn’t know what day it was and quickly realized it didn’t entirely matter, I put some on turned up the stereo. What we choose to engage with is one way we hone our own power. It is everyone’s job to be mindful of what we give our attention to. We lose when we give it to “those people”, the daily news, too much sad bastard music, overly processed foods, self limiting beliefs, the ego, the past, etc. Small doses, if any, of all that shit. If things have gotten too blue try the now, a great tune and a little messin’ around in the kitchen instead. With the right ingredients you can keep your mood in check. I grabbed some beets at the farm today for that very reason. They are chock full of tryptophan & betaine which have been scientifically proven to boost your sense of well being. Plus they are so gawd damn pretty. All of that makes me smile. And not to be simple or down right annoying but honestly, we need smiles right now. They are contagious.

Day 105: Quinoa (for some protein), kale, red cabbage and golden beets tossed in olive oil and grapefruit juice (for Betaine, Iron, Anthocyanins, vitamins C & K), avocado and Greek yogurt dressing with herbs (potassium, calcium, vitamin B6, more protein, vitamin C and a little probiotic). Eight minute egg on the side for that sunny stare and a little omega 3’s.

Quarantine Breakout

I truly believe that damn near anything can be fixed with food. Even adult acne. Recently my skin has been breaking out. Am I alone? I blame the usual suspects. Stress, hormones and.. if I’m being honest, my sugar battle rages on. I want that sweet stuff! After all, ice cream in the tub may as well count as sex in these dark times of social distancing. I am human. I have needs. However, my skin has spoken up to let me know it needs me to dial it back on the chocolate chip cookie dough and crowd it out with nutrient dense treats. A solution I can manage and enjoy. My top picks? Mango and blueberries. They help regulate my hormones while pleasing my insatiable sweet tooth. Avocado for it’s world of antioxidants like B-carotene, lecithin, and linoleic acid that helps moisturize from within. Kimchi (my go to fermented food) has stellar amounts of omega 3’s and vitamin A, boosting hydration, preventing acne and staving off the aging process.. so I don’t look like a 900 year old teenager when it’s time to emerge from my apartment. You can save yourself some much needed cash right now by skipping the many topical skincare products that promise rejuvenation by just switching up what you eat. Killing two birds with one stone and saving face at the same time.

Day 104: Avocado, kimchi, mango, bloobs, sunflower sprouts, Briggs amino’s and seeds (chia, hemp hearts, sunflower and pepitas.