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Meg is Well

About

Hi, I’m Megan Wells. Food, photography, and writing is how I deal with life’s struggles (aka ulcerative colitis). But chocolate always helps too! I like to create food that I crave, that inspires me, that makes me feel better, and that gathers people around the table. Sometimes I do slow and elaborate recipes and other times I do quick and easy. I’m also a big fan of leftovers.

Ulcerative colitis can be an extremely isolating disease. This blog started as a way for me to navigate the struggles of having ulcerative colitis and to feel less isolated with the world around me.

I’m always having to adjust what I eat and sometimes food can be a little scary. I’ve gone through many ups and downs with my health since being diagnosed but my love for good food has kept me positive and ready to tackle whatever comes next.

While I mostly focus on food, occasionally I give health updates that focus on my struggles with ulcerative colitis and food.

Foodie With a J-Pouch

In May of 2016, I finally made the decision to have my entire colon removed. For three months I lived with a stoma. In August, I had my ileostomy take down surgery and am now adjusting to living with a j-pouch. This marks a new beginning for me and the blog so we’ll see where I’ll end up!

Thanks for reading!

Read more about my ulcerative colitis journey here:

My UC Story

My UC Story: Part I – The Beginning

My UC Story: Part II – Diagnoses and Adjustment

My UC Story: Part III – Good News – Bad News…

My UC Story: Part IV – The Verdict and Remission

My UC Story: Part V – The Second Flare

My UC Story: Part VI – A Stay in the Hospital, Moving On, and Hello ER Again

Health Update: Flare #4

Read more about the surgeries I’ve gone through here:

How Loosing My Colon is a Transformation and Not a Loss

Endurance 

Recovering from Pain and Standing in the Sun

Hello!

I’m Megan Wells. Food, photography, and writing is how I deal with life’s struggles (aka ulcerative colitis). But chocolate always helps too! Read more…

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  • How's everyone's weekend baking going? I'm hoping I'll get inspired to start baking all the holiday treats today. 
I grew up calling these sour cream cookies with cream cheese frosting Bradshaw Cookies. You can grab the full recipe (including the frosting) here: https://megiswell.com/bradshaw-cookies-a-sour-cream-cookie-with-cream-cheese-frosting/ 
The link is in my profile too @megiswell

Bradshaw Cookies
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter (salted), room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. 
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until just combined. 
In a separate small bowl, mix the sour cream and baking soda together. Set aside. 
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder together. 
Alternate beating in the sour cream mixture and the flour mixture into the creamed sugar and butter until everything is combined.
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4 of an inch thick. 
Cut out the dough into various shapes. Take the leftover dough, roll it into a ball, and roll it out again to cut out more shapes. Repeat until there is no dough left.
Bake on cookie sheets for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks and let the cookies cool completely before frosting. Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container or in a ziplock bag. 
#holidaybaking #bakeandshare #bakersgonnabake #bakefromscratch #thebakefeed #bakeit #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles #marthabakes #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed  #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #eattheworld #cookit #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodphotography #bhgfood #mycommontable #bareaders #rslove #realsimple #megiswell
  • I've been in an anti-baking, anti-cooking, anti-socializing, anti-social media mood since Thanksgiving and I'm trying to get out of it. 
I think having cravings will probably do it for me and right now, I'm missing my favorite Christmas cookie of all time: Ritz Cracker Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.

Ingredients
60 Ritz Crackers
Creamy peanut butter (not natural peanut butter)
12 ounces milk or dark melting chocolate
8 ounces white melting chocolate
6 ounces butterscotch baking chips
Instructions
Make peanut butter sandwiches with two Ritz Crackers and peanut butter.
Melt the milk/dark chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch baking chips together in a double boiler.
Dip sandwiches in melted mixture and put on a cookie sheet. Once the sheet is full, place it in the freezer until the cookies are frozen.
Store in a zip lock bag in the freezer. They can be stored at room temperature as well.

#christmascookies #holidaybaking #bakeandshare #bakersgonnabake #bakefromscratch #thebakefeed #bakeit #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles #marthabakes #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #eattheworld #cookit #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodphotography #bhgfood #mycommontable #bareaders #realsimple #megiswell
  • Vegan Matcha Frosted Sugar Cookies 
Ingredients
Cookies
1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted
6 tablespoons chickpea brine
1 (15.25 ounce) box vanilla cake mix
Frosting
1/2 cup cashew or other nut milk
1/2 teaspoon matcha + 1/2 teaspoon more, separated 
1/4 cup raw cashews
2.5 tablespoons raw cacao butter, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar + 1/4 cup more if needed
crushed pistachios for sprinkled topping
raw turbine sugar for sprinkled topping
Instructions
Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix together the coconut oil and chickpea brine. Add the cake mix and mix until smooth.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until slightly golden. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
Combine the cashew milk and matcha powder in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Add the cashews and blend until smooth-it will be a semi-thick liquid.
Pour into a bowl and set aside.
In a glass bowl, melt the cacao butter in 20-second intervals in the microwave.
Add to the cashew and matcha mixture and blend with a hand mixer until smooth.
Add the vanilla extract and another 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder and blend until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar in 1/4 cup portions, blending between each. Keep going until the frosting is the right consistency, about 1 and 3/4 cups to 2.
Recipe Notes
makes 19 cookies
frosting makes about 1 and 1/4 cups and I used a 1/2 tablespoon on each cookie
  • Wash down all the Christmas cookies with a White Chocolate Mocha.

Hit the Save button to keep the recipe OR follow the link in my profile @megiswell ⬇️
https://megiswell.com/white-chocolate-latte/

Ingredients
1-ounce white chocolate melting wafers (13 wafers, 32 grams, or a little less than 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup milk
2 ounces coffee
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
white chocolate shavings (optional)
crushed candy canes (optional)
Instructions
Brew the coffee in a Moka or espresso machine.
If you are topping your drink with whipped cream, beat the heavy whipping cream in a stainless steel or glass bowl on high speed until the cream is the consistency you desire (stiff peaks vs. thick and creamy, etc.). Set aside.

Add the white chocolate and milk to a small saucepan and turn the heat on medium-low. Mix together until the chocolate is melted.

Turn the heat off, and use a milk frother to froth the milk.

Add the coffee to your mug. Pour the frothed milk into the coffee. Top with the whipped cream and dust with white chocolate shavings and crushed peppermints.

#christmasdrinks #holidaydrinks #whitechocolatemocha 
#feedfeed @thefeedfeed #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #thekitchn #cookCL #f52grams #eattheworld #foodwinewomen #foodandwine #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #onthetable #wprecipemaker #foodstyling #foodphotography #bhgfood #saveurmag #marthafood #mycommontable #onmytable #tastemade #bareaders #theartofslowliving #rslove #realsimple #mywilliamssonoma
  • I did promise you lots of cookies ❤️ These Ritz Cracker Peppermint Cookies are the second most popular on my site during December. 
Hit the Save button to keep the recipe OR follow the link in my profile @megiswell ⬇️
https://megiswell.com/ritz-cracker-peppermint-cookies-3/

Ingredients
10-ounces white chocolate melting wafers (like @ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
62 @ritzcrackers (two sleeves)

Melt the chocolate wafers in a double boiler until smooth, stirring with a rubber spatula. 
Once the chocolate is melted, add the peppermint extract, mixing until incorporated.

Dip the crackers in the melted chocolate and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with red or green sprinkles. 
Once the sheet is full, place it in the freezer until the cookies are frozen.

Store in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Try not to eat all at once. 
#christmascookies #holidaybaking #bakeandshare #bakersgonnabake #bakefromscratch #thebakefeed #bakeit #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles #marthabakes #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed  #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #eattheworld #cookit #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodphotography #bhgfood #mycommontable #bareaders #realsimple #megiswell
  • Pistachio Ice Cream Sandwiches with Thin Mint Cookies.

What's your favorite homemade recipe for Thin Mint cookies? Leave your answer in the comments, because I can't wait till January or April for them to go on sale. 
Recipe:

Take your favorite thin mint cookie and place a heaping tablespoon of pistachio ice cream on it. Top with another cookie and press together until the ice cream has spread towards the edge.

Sprinkle or roll the edge of the cookie into crushed pistachios, coating the ice cream.

Keep going until you're full 😋😂 #christmascookies #holidaybaking #halotop #bakeit #thebakefeed #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles  #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #marthabakes #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #eattheworld #cookit #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodstyling #foodphotography #bhgfood #saveurmag #mycommontable #bareaders #realsimple #megiswell
  • I needed to take a vacation from social media. Do you forgive me if I give you lots of cookies?

Hit the Save button to keep the recipe OR follow the link in my profile @megiswell ⬇️
https://megiswell.com/chocolate-cookies-with-peppermint-chips/

Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Chips
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 cups butter, softened 
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 drops peppermint extract
10-ounce bag Ghirardelli peppermint chunks
2 to 3 crushed candy canes (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Beat the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint, and beat on medium until just combined.
Slowly beat in the flour mixture.
Stir in the peppermint chunks.
Use a medium-sized cookie scooper to measure out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with some crushed candy canes if desired.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer the cookies to cooling racks. The cookies will be very soft and puffy and will flatten as they cool.

#holidaybaking #christmascookies #bakeandshare #bakersgonnabake #bakefromscratch #thebakefeed #bakeit #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles #marthabakes #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #eattheworld #cookit #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodphotography #bhgfood #mycommontable #williamssonoma @williamssonoma #bareaders #rslove #megiswell
  • The shatter on these pastries was insane, and messy in the best possible way 😂⠀
⠀
📍 La Farine Boulangerie Patisserie in #oaklandca ⠀
⠀
This weekend, I'll be celebrating a friend's birthday in SF by eating ramen, mochi, soft serve, and hotpot while attempting to pretend I'm karaoke singing.⠀
⠀
Because the air quality is so bad, most of the day we will be snacking on Japanese snacks while hanging out inside an air-filtered apartment, but I'll be rocking a mask anytime I go outside 😷⠀
⠀
What are your plans?⠀
⠀
#eater #eatersf #f52grams #SFguide #bestofbayarea #oaklandeats #oakland #bayareafoodie #oldoakland #sfeats #oaklandandloveit #bestfoodinoakland #sffoodie #eattheworld #foodandwine #lifeandthyme #foodphotography #eeeeeats #saveurmag #mycommontable #tastemade #huffposttaste #buzzfeast  #bareaders #vscofood #theartofslowliving #rslove #realsimple  #cntravelereats
  • I now make this Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy for both Thanksgiving AND Christmas. That's how much my family likes it. The link to the recipe is in my profile @megiswell⠀
⠀
I include a fast stove top method of making it as well as how to make it in a slow cooker. ⠀
⠀
And if you feel like drinking mulled wine when you have no company except for Netflix, I've also included instructions on how to make an individual serving, just for you 😉⠀
⠀
#mulledwine #feedfeed @thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed.cocktails #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #thekitchn #f52grams #foodwinewomen #foodandwine #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #onthetable #wprecipemaker #foodstyling #foodphotography #bhgfood #saveurmag #mycommontable #onmytable #tastemade #bareaders #rslove #realsimple #handcraftedcocktails #driiiiinks #drinkstagram #holidaycocktails #cocktailphotography #boglevineyards @boglevineyards #winecocktails ⠀
  • I don't know about you, but I'm ready for all things peppermint!⠀
⠀
#peppermintchocolate #chocolatepeppermint #ghirardelli #chocolatecookies #bakeandshare #bakersgonnabake #bakefromscratch #thebakefeed #bakeit #thefeedfeedbaking @thefeedfeed.baking #sweetcuisines #thesugarfiles #marthabakes #thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed #f52food #thekitchn #shareyourtable #imsomartha #foodblogfeed @foodblogfeed #heresmyfood @food #eattheworld #lifeandthyme #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #wprecipemaker #foodphotography #bhgfood #mycommontable #bareaders #megiswell⠀

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  • Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Chips
  • White Chocolate Latte
  • Holiday Mulled Wine with Apple Cider and Brandy
  • Cookie Crust Pumpkin Pie with Salted Caramel and 7-Minute Frosting
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