Looks like we made it 🎤

Monthly Musings

I remember when I was a kid, adults would always chuckle to one another about how fast time flies, how the years ‘just keep getting shorter’. At the ripe age of 34 I’m watching this sentiment become truer and truer every day. As I play this year’s film reel in my head, I wade through a healthy mix of nostalgia, heart ache, gratitude, joy, and grief. I mourn the carefree-pre-baby lifestyle my husband and I had but my heart swells when I think about the day I found out we were finally pregnant. I feel hopeful about my relationship with my mother knowing how fractured things were this time last year. I feel blessed to have embarked on so many friendships in Winston Salem, and am astounded by the overwhelming positivity that surrounds Good Soup. I’m proud of the milestones I’ve achieved with my financial goals and grateful (kind of? lol) for the hard lessons learned along the way. 

All of this to say, yes time has flown but also – how lucky are we to be alive? To have the opportunity to dream a little, grow a little, heal a little, and just be. Your 2023 may look completely different than mine, but I hope you too have small moments of levity, peace, and joy you can look back on. 

Xx

Sie

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Soup of the Month

Without fail the month of December always feels incredibly busy. For that reason, this month’s soup shout out goes to Nikole Goncalve aka “The HealthNut” and her Easy Ginger Miso Soup. Not only is it the perfect compliment to cold weather and flu season, but and it cooks up in a flash!

Easy Ginger Miso Soup

From HealthNut Nutrition

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 inch ginger root grated

• 1 clove garlic minsed

• 2 heads bok choy rinsed, bottom chopped and leaves separated

• 150 g mushrooms (her recipe calls for Enoki but just use what you have!)

• 2 tbsps tamari

• 2 tbsps white miso paste

• 4 cups water (boiled)

• 1/2 block soft tofu cut in ½ inch cubed

• 1 tsp chilli garlic sauce

• Toppings: green onion and sesame seeds

Method

1. Chop tofu into cubes and set aside.

2. Heat sesame oil in a sauce pan on medium.

3. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the mushroom and sauté for about a 1 minute. Then add the bok choy and tamari and sauté that for another minute or so.

4. Throw a splash of water into the pot and add your miso paste. Mix it in a bit. Then pour in the remaining 4 cups of water and bring it all to a boil. Let this simmer for a few minutes.

5. Add your chopped tofu and chili sauce to the pot. Give it 2 or 3 mins then serve it up with green onions and sesame seeds!

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Share the Good

Part of our intention with Good Soup is to share brightness with folks near and far. In this section you’ll find a call to action to do some good. 

This month we had a great conversation with Courtney King on the She’s Friendly podcast about what it means to be ‘friendly’. At one point we all agreed that there’s something really generous about taking the lead in a relationship.

Let’s Do it

Our challenge this month: Surprise /delight TWO people in your life. Maybe it’s sending something thoughtful in the mail or maybe it’s taking the time to simply tell someone what makes them special, or in what ways they had an impact on your year. You’ll know what’s right when the moment strikes. 

Oh, and if you have the means to donate literally any money to anything that will make our world a better place please do so with reckless abandon 🤑. Need inspo? This month Sie and Emmy will be donating to World Central Kitchen’s efforts to provide food for people in distress in Gaza and Palestine.

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Hot Stuff

What’s a blog without a list these days 🤷‍♀️? Here you’ll find some recs and faves we’re dying to get off our chests. Sometimes there will be a theme and sometimes there won’t, but this month it’s all about gift giving 🎁.

Gifts for You or Someone You Love

Emmy’s Picks

1. Everyday Oil - This little bottle is a multi-tasking miracle. It can be used as a face wash, moisturizer, shaving cream, hair mask… the list goes on! I’ve swapped out most of my skincare for this one product and won’t be looking back. As a bonus it also smells amazing!

2. GLDN Jewelry - GLDN offers beautiful and unique handmade jewelry. As a gift to myself after the birth of my children, I purchased a personalized necklace that honors each of them. I’ve found GLDN jewelry holds up really well, and you always get a handwritten note from the person who crafted your piece - sweet!

3. Graza Olive Oil - I tried to resist the hype, but the hype is REAL! Graza makes incredibly delicious high quality olive oil that comes in aesthetically pleasing packaging (I’m a sucker for good branding). You can buy just the “sizzle” or “drizzle” oils on their own, but I highly recommend buying them as a pack and finding a cute spot on your counter to show them off!

4. Baggu - Baggu is known and loved for their bags, but let me tell you about their socks! They come in a variety of fun prints for both kids and adults and are really great quality. I love to add a pop of color to my outfits with a peek of brightly colored socks. Their baby Baggu reusable totes will also bring joy to any kid in your life!

5. Libby (virtual library) - Give yourself the gift of books (including audiobooks) and get yourself a Libby account! I’ve totally fallen back in love with reading this year and I credit most of it to my Libby app. I love having access to book right on my phone, and have even been able to get some audiobooks to enjoy with my kids.

Sie’s Picks

1. Usb rechargeable lighter - Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something off-putting about seeing a bunch of brightly colored lighters scattered around a space. This sleek little lighter is a budget friendly purchase for you and every candle lover in your life.

2. Ole Henrikson eye cream - Much like every other Queer Eye fan, I recently started a skin care routine. After much research around products best suited for people of color, I’m happy to report my dark circles are a distant memory. (Note this is not a POC run business— Ole Henrikson is just a Danish dermatologist with skillz)

3. Ocoopa hand warmer - There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who love cold weather and those who are miserable. This year I’ll be treating my self to extra warmth!

4. Apple Air. Tag - Ah, the gift of sanity. Think: forgetful partner; Irresponsible child; Your indoor/outdoor cat. The list of appropriate recipients for a neat little tracker goes on and on.

5. Cat socks - My boss gifted me these socks several years ago and they have since become my travel socks. They’ve traversed many an airport and hotel room because as a cat mom they just make me smile!

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Til next time…

If you have a monthly musing or a soup recipe you’d like to share, please email us at hellogoodsoup@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!

If you’re local to the Winston-Salem area keep an eye out for upcoming soup offerings! We’ll keep you updated via email or through our Instagram.

You can find us on Instagram @itsgoodsoup or coming soon to TikTok @hello_goodsoup.