Wellness is at the top of my list for 2026, and it was at the top of my list for 2025, and 2024 and so on. There are tons of programs and products out there to help us find our way and while I think I am no longer an Instagrammer, because I never post anymore, this photo taken the morning of Jan. 1 would suggest otherwise. My son was headed to the airport so while he was packing, I brought up my wellness tray to arm him with all the defenses necessary to survive this flu-ridden world and the germy 16-hour flight he was about to take. Clearly, I am game to try all kinds of options to promote wellness.
We have Mudwtr, which promises to “improve mental clarity, and provide sustained energy throughout the day.” The liquid IV seemed like a wise addition pre-travel and post-New Year’s Eve antics, however it is not a daily habit. I use Dose supplements for our liver health and digestive functions, black elderberry for the best immune boost, and AG1 greens for “foundational nutrition.” Not shown is the creatine I learned about on a podcast, collagen because I’m old now, and beef tallow, the new “miracle” moisturizer.
Wherever your wellness journey takes you, whatever new exercise programs you try or habits you break, fueling your body and managing your stress are still two of the most important elements to overall wellness. I love to meditate, shoot for eight hours of sleep, get outside each day and gather with friends and family around the table for real connection. But my best stress-fighter is finding simple recipes with healthy ingredients. I hope by sharing them with you, you may also benefit from the magic that happens from real connection around the table.
This chicken pozole soup is a new recipe I tried on the family this holiday season and it was a huge hit! Whole Foods has all the ingredients; their produce department has all the peppers, and the hominy is in the canned vegetable aisle. The next time I make it, I am doubling the recipe because we devoured it.
Soup is a fantastic meal. There is a medicinal quality to chicken soup; it is hearty and warming at this chilly time of year. I will definitely be making it often and it will play a role in my 2026 wellness plan. Wishing you all a very healthy and happy 2026.
Chicken Pozole
(serves 5-7)
Ingredients:
3 poblano chiles
2 serrano chiles, seeded
6 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken bone broth or stock
Two 29oz cans white hominy, undrained
¼ – ½ cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
1 Tablespoon pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
Pinch of cumin seeds
1½ teaspoon plus 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
1½ teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (plain oregano is fine)
2½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
Directions:
Preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos, serranos and four tomatillos on a baking sheet and put under broiler to blister on one side, approximately six minutes, then flip to let blister for eight minutes on the other side. Remove from oven and set the serranos and tomatillos aside. Place the poblanos in a bowl then seal bowl with plastic wrap and let steam for about 10 minutes. With your fingers, remove the waxy outer skin, stem and seeds.
In a blender, combine onion, garlic, chicken stock and 2 cups of water, blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a 6-quart Dutch oven. Add hominy and its liquid and set on low heat.
Transfer broiled serranos, tomatillos and poblanos to blender. Add remaining 2 unbroiled tomatillos, cilantro, pepitas, cumin, 1½ tsp oil, lime juice, 1 tsp salt and oregano. Blend until smooth, 20-30 seconds to create a salsa verde.
In a large skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over medium low heat. Pour salsa verde into skillet, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly until the salsa slightly darkens in color, approximately eight minutes. Remove from heat.
Raise heat of Dutch oven to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Pour in salsa verde, add chicken thighs and stir. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook pozole for 90 minutes. Then, with a slotted spoon, remove chicken thighs; use forks to shred the chicken and return to pot. Season with salt to taste.
To serve, ladle pozole into bowls, and top with your favorite fixings such as cabbage, radish, avocado, and freshly sliced jalapeno. Sprinkle with sea salt and Mexican oregano, and finish with a squeeze of lime.
