To say that That Paleo Night was a dream is the understatement of the century.

Last Wednesday night, I hosted my first health and wellness event, which I obviously called “That Paleo Night.” It was an evening dedicated to helping people become the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves through movement, nourishing foods, friendship, and education. I was so proud to host such a beautiful event in partnership with so many wonderful businesses and, to be honest, I’m still on cloud nine.

In case you missed it, here’s a recap for you…

The event took place in the event barn at St. Joe Farm. This is a gorgeous renovated barn that is typically used for wedding receptions and other private events, and we were lucky enough to have this space for That Paleo Night! I was thrilled to use the event barn for the event not only because it is truly stunning, but also because it had plenty of space for us to do yoga, have dinner, and set up other activities and products all in one spot.

On that note, we started with an amazing vinyasa flow class led by my friend, Avery. Avery is a student at Notre Dame and a certified Baptiste yoga instructor, so she led us through an invigorating and upbeat practice. If you’re looking for a bomb playlist, check out the playlist she curated for our practice on Spotify.

We moved straight from yoga into an amazing paleo dinner catered by my favorite local restaurant, Uptown Kitchen! If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have a true obsession with Uptown Kitchen – particularly with my go-to order (which they once featured as a brunch special called “That Paleo Hash”). I was so excited to have a delicious dinner made with simple, fresh ingredients and provided by a locally-owned business. Everyone RAVED about the food and the service!

We also had drinks provided by Spindrift, which is my favorite sparkling water company. Spindrift crafts delicious beverages with REAL fruit and carbonated water  – and that’s it! If you haven’t tried Spindrift yet, I think everyone from the event would tell you to get some ASAP.

After our perfect paleo feast, I shared a little bit about my story and what I have learned about the power of healthy food and lifestyle choices. Using food and lifestyle to heal my autoimmune diseases after a period of deep suffering helped me gain a sense of control over the way I feel and what I am able to do with my life. I do what I do today because I want to empower others to do the same: to understand how the food they eat and the way they live their lives can allow them to be the best versions of themselves.

I shared two tips for choosing foods that have helped me enormously over the past few years:

1. Eat real food. I know the term “real food” can be a little confusing, but I am talking about foods that have been considered food for thousands of years. Modern technology has led to the creation of packaged foods that are nutrient-poor and hyper-palatable. In order to optimize your nutrient intake and help you feel your best, you want to eat unprocessed, nutrient-rich foods.
2. Quality over quantity. Focus on buying foods of the highest quality (especially when it comes to fats and animal products) and with the fewest ingredients. If the ingredients list makes you tired or lists things you have never heard of, you probably don’t want to eat it. Make your life easier by sticking to foods that have one ingredient – vegetables, fruits, pure fats, animal protein – and get creative with how you combine them.

Finally, we ended the night with one of my favorite healthy desserts: a paleo yogurt bar! We had two types of unsweetened, dairy-free yogurt and a huge spread of toppings, including three different types of Kitchfix grain-free granola, Lil’ Bucks sprouted buckwheat, dark chocolate chips, goji berries, cinnamon, and more. I think everyone was surprised by how delicious their yogurt bowls were, despite the fact that everything was either unsweetened or naturally sweetened and made with just a few ingredients that they could pronounce.

Everyone left with an adorable Whole Foods Market reusable bag filled with treats from Artisana Organics, Primal Kitchen, and Wildway of Life, some of my absolute favorite brands. I was so happy to be able to introduce people to brands that focus on quality over quantity of ingredients and provide healthy products that actually taste delicious.

We also had a few giveaways that included the same brands I mentioned above, as well as my favorite safer skincare brand, Beautycounter. I seriously LOVED having the opportunity to introduce my new friends to so many of my favorite things.

Everything about this night was truly perfect, and I am already itching to do it again. So tell me, are you interested in another event?! Comment below if you’re interested or have any ideas!