As I embark on writing this, I anticipate it will be a comprehensive exploration of personal growth and authenticity. While I apologize in advance if it runs long, for those simply seeking a truly exceptional cookie recipe, please feel free to scroll down!
When I first launched this blog, my intention was firmly set against delving into overly personal details. I found it somewhat unsettling to encounter blogs that chronicled every minutia of their daily lives, and I genuinely believed that my mundane inner thoughts would hold no interest for the wider cyber world. However, even in my relatively short time blogging, my perspective has subtly shifted. I’ve begun to reconsider how much of myself I’d like to share with all of you, recognizing that genuine connection often blossoms from vulnerability.
Whenever I’m asked to name some of the other blogs I follow, a consistent theme emerges: none of them claim to be flawless. This isn’t an explicit declaration, but rather an observable honesty in their content. They don’t exclusively showcase their peak moments, their most successful recipes, or their most rigorous workouts. Instead, they openly share instances when recipes fell flat, when motivation for exercise was nonexistent, and many of the insecurities they grapple with daily. This transparent approach fosters a profound sense of connection and relatability, making their platforms feel more human and less like curated highlight reels.
It has always bothered me when content creators attempt to project an image of absolute perfection in their lives. While it’s possible that some may genuinely experience perpetual bliss, I hold a steadfast belief that every human being encounters their fair share of challenging days. I initially created this blog with the aspiration of sharing my favorite recipes, fitness routines, and insightful foodie tips. The feedback thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am truly grateful to every single person who dedicates a portion of their day to reading my posts. While my “Weekend Recap” entries may not consistently rank as the most popular, when I reflect upon all my content to date, these are the ones I cherish most deeply. They serve as a personal chronicle, capturing many of life’s highlights spent with the people I hold dear. Therefore, regardless of their readership numbers, these personal reflections are unequivocally here to stay.
I’ve noticed a subtle trend in many of my posts, pictures, and recipes: they tend to inadvertently project an image of a life that is consistently idyllic and carefree. Please don’t misunderstand; I am incredibly blessed. I am surrounded by a wonderful family and a supportive circle of friends, I have a stable job, a comfortable home, and most importantly, my health. Yet, I would deeply regret it if anyone were to believe that my life is devoid of imperfections. Like many women my age, I navigate a complex landscape of challenges. I genuinely have no definitive “clue what I want to do” with my future, I experience considerable stress meticulously planning every detail of what feels like an impossibly distant future, and I continue to grapple with persistent body image issues and all the associated pressures that accompany being a young woman in our contemporary society.
This last point holds particular significance given that I write a healthy living blog. The reality is, I don’t adhere to a perfectly healthy diet all the time, nor do I engage in workouts every single day – and frankly, I don’t believe anyone should. There are days when I am completely “on my game,” diligently fulfilling every nutritional and physical need my body requires. However, there are just as many days when it feels like a monumental struggle. On these tougher days, I find myself tempted by foods that aren’t particularly beneficial for me, or I simply lack the energy, and working out feels like an insurmountable obstacle. The aftermath of these days often brings a wave of guilt, and I frequently chastise myself for knowing better, trapped in a cycle of self-criticism.
This persistent guilt, coupled with the absurd amount of pressure I impose upon myself to look “perfect,” is very likely what contributed to my recent knee, foot, or leg injury – whatever precisely is ailing me. I pushed my body too far, and now I am paying the price. But here’s the surprising truth: achieving that elusive “perfect” look didn’t make me feel any better than I do now. The pursuit of being skinny, thin, or resembling a Victoria’s Secret model is an inherently impossible goal, one without a true end game. You won’t ever definitively “get there,” and even if you perceive that you have, it’s highly improbable that you’ll discover lasting happiness or contentment.
So, here I am, after years of relentlessly pushing my body to conform to an unrealistic ideal. For the very first time, I’m beginning to experience a profound sense of clarity. This injury has forced me into a necessary reevaluation of how I approach both my workouts and my diet. With cardio exacerbating my condition, I’ve had to pivot almost entirely to strength training. Furthermore, I genuinely love food, and my body has grown accustomed to a certain way of eating. Without the intense calorie expenditure of extensive cardio, I’m not as lean as I once was, or as I was accustomed to being. However, I’m also not deluding myself; I am undeniably thin, largely thanks to my naturally fast metabolism. What I’ve predominantly noticed is a significant increase in my strength. I can now chest press more weight than ever before and deadlift (or trapbar!) a weight I never imagined possible. And you know what? It feels absolutely incredible! While I still endure days where my shins ache and my feet throb, this merely signals that my body is demanding a much-needed break. Sometimes, *not* working out is just as crucial, if not more so, than the act of working out itself.
One remarkably positive outcome that has emerged from this injury is my gradual, but profound, learning to let go. I am finally releasing my incessant need to exercise all the time, letting go of the rigid requirement to stay within my calorie range every single day, and loosening my obsessive grip on being and looking absolutely perfect. My current focus is shifting towards consuming healthy, nutrient-dense foods because they genuinely make me feel good, and simultaneously, allowing myself to enjoy less-healthy foods occasionally because that also brings a sense of pleasure and balance. (Though I am making a conscious effort to minimize the consumption of foods that genuinely don’t make me feel well, such as gluten and dairy, I acknowledge the importance of listening to my body’s signals.) This newfound philosophy also means directing my workouts towards building genuine strength and improving overall fitness, rather than solely pursuing leanness or a specific body type. Perhaps the most challenging aspect I’m confronting is truly honoring my body’s signals when it communicates that a workout simply isn’t a good idea, prioritizing rest and recovery above all else.
Your dearest friends and closest family members will not love you any less if you happen to weigh 10 pounds more, or even 50 pounds for that matter. Their love for you will be at its deepest and most unwavering when you are genuinely happy, when you are making healthy, positive choices for yourself that benefit not only your physical being but, more importantly, your mental and emotional well-being. As profoundly obvious as this realization may appear, it is a truth that has only now, in this moment of vulnerability and reflection, become crystal clear to me, truly resonating within my core.
Whew! I’m genuinely glad to have expressed all of that. While I will undoubtedly continue to share the delicious recipes I adore and the workouts I find genuinely enjoyable, I also fully intend to open up and share those moments when I stumble, when things don’t go as planned, and the specific areas where I continue to struggle. My earnest hope is that somewhere out there, at least one person will read this and find a sense of identification, a comforting recognition that they are not alone in their experiences.
I did warn you this post would be rather lengthy…
I figured, since we’re on the topic of embracing foods that might not always be the most nutritionally dense, it felt entirely appropriate to share a recipe for what I consider the most decadent, delicious, and all-around dynamite cookies. Let me be clear: these are NOT gluten-free, vegan, paleo, FODMAPs-friendly, or compatible with any of the well-known diets currently trending. But damn, are they good. In my renewed commitment to honesty with all of you, I will openly admit that I absolutely devoured several of these delightful bad boys. While I didn’t feel absolutely fantastic afterwards (and I largely attribute that to the gluten), trust me when I say I savored every. single. bite. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated enjoyment, a perfect embodiment of the balance I’m striving for.
This particular recipe was a standout dish I served at my Mom’s dinner party a few weeks ago, and they were an absolute hit! Since I firmly believe that you should absolutely indulge your cravings for truly decadent desserts every so often, I would wholeheartedly recommend serving these at your next gathering. For the absolute best results, prepare the dough ahead of time and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours. And, crucially, use only the highest quality chocolate; if you’re going to indulge, you may as well do it impeccably right.
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Triple Chocolate Sablés: An Indulgent Delight
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- Total Time: 24 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 2 dozen delectable cookies 1x
Ingredients for Unforgettable Triple Chocolate Sablés
Scale
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup premium cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 stick and 3 tablespoons (113g + 39g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt or 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 150 grams of your absolute best-quality bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped. I recommend a blend, such as 50 grams of 70%, 50 grams of 63%, and 50 grams of 54% cocoa solids for depth of flavor.
Simple Steps to Sablé Perfection
- In a medium-sized bowl, meticulously combine the all-purpose flour, rich cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine salt. Whisk gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter until light and fluffy. Beat at a medium speed for approximately 2 minutes, allowing it to aerate beautifully.
- Gradually add both the brown and granulated sugars, along with the vanilla extract, to the creamed butter. Continue to beat for another 1-2 minutes until the mixture achieves a soft, creamy, and uniform consistency.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients (from Step 1) into the wet mixture, adding them in small batches to prevent a sudden burst of flour.
- Once all ingredients are just combined and no streaks of dry flour remain, turn off the electric mixer. At this stage, the dough will appear quite crumbly, which is perfectly normal for Sablé cookies. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
- Take your high-quality chocolate and chop it into delightful, bite-sized bits. Gently fold these chocolate pieces into the dough using a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed throughout.
- Divide the dough into two equal halves. Place one half onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Using your hands, carefully shape the dough into a log approximately 1 1/2 inches thick. To avoid forming an air channel in the center of the log (which can cause breakage during baking), gently flatten the dough and fold it onto itself several times before rolling it into its final log shape.
- Repeat the shaping process with the second half of the dough, creating another identical log.
- Tightly wrap each dough log in plastic wrap, ensuring it’s sealed to prevent drying. Store these wrapped logs in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, or for optimal flavor and texture, up to 3 days. For longer storage, the dough can be frozen for up to one month; just be sure to thaw slightly before slicing.
- When you are ready to bake these exquisite cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Remove the chilled dough logs from the refrigerator. Using a long, sharp knife, carefully cut the logs into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Each log should yield approximately 12-14 cookies. Arrange them on your prepared baking sheet with a little space between each.
- Bake the cookies for precisely 12 minutes on the center rack of your preheated oven. To ensure even baking, it’s best to bake only one sheet of cookies at a time.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a good 10 minutes. This helps them firm up and prevents breakage. After 10 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve these delightful Sablés at room temperature to fully appreciate their rich texture and flavor. Store any leftover cookies for up to 5 days in an airtight container. They also freeze exceptionally well and are surprisingly delicious when enjoyed straight from the freezer!