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Nine Favorite Things | halfbakedharvest.com

421: Nine Favorite Things

We are officially back! The holidays were wonderful, and I wonโ€™t lieโ€”Iโ€™m sad to see them go. Every single holiday season seems to pass faster and faster. Itโ€™s always so special! I hope you all had a few moments that truly felt magical.

While Iโ€™m sad to say goodbye to the festive nights and holiday cheer, I am so happy to be back. I missed sharing with you all! That said, I also enjoyed the break, and I know my mom did too! We had a lot of slow nights, dinners, and Christmas movies!ย 

If youโ€™ve been reading for a while, you know Iโ€™m not a resolutions person. I like having a few goals in mind and directions I want to go, both personally and professionally, but in general, I think the New Year can put too much pressure on people and ultimately set us up for failure.

Instead, I love leaning into resources I know Iโ€™ll always find value in. Over the holiday break, I listened to a couple of podcasts that felt perfect for this time of year. One big takeaway was the idea of setting a theme for the year. I loved that concept and implemented it that very night.

For the website, the theme is โ€œBack to Basics.โ€ I touched on this a lot last year, and I want to hone in even more this year. The focus is on getting back to our rootsโ€”basic recipes with color and flavor, not too many ingredients, and mostly real foods. Think an 80/20 approach: we still have to live life and enjoy it. Sometimes that means cookies or a simple cocktail.

For me personally, the theme is health. I know that sounds very typical for the New Year, but for me, itโ€™s really about dialing in my sleep and creating more mental space for even more creativity. Iโ€™ve already started working on it, and Iโ€™m feeling so motivated to keep improving.

Remember, itโ€™s all about small improvements over time and consistency. Thatโ€™s how real change happens. I will say, I love new notebooks, pens, and a vision board this time of year. I always have โ€” I love it!ย 

I build multiple boards on Pinterest, then use this vision board kit and combine them all. It always makes me smile when I look at it!ย 

Coming up, January is going to be busy with a two-day photoshoot this week, a couple of trips to Aspen, Sun Valley Food & Wine, and finally wrapping up a long two-year project that I canโ€™t wait to share.

February will be just as exciting with a long trip to Italy, and then itโ€™s full speed ahead from there!

Lastly, I sharedย the 25 most popular recipes of 2025 โ€“ as picked by all of you โ€“ along with my favorite healthier recipes, in preparation for a month of clean January recipes! The list is HUGE, so if you need some inspiration/motivation, that is a good place to start.

Iโ€™d love to hear from all of you about the special things you did over the holiday break. What recipes have you made? Please share!

1. Things Iโ€™m Loving.

lovingโ€ฆthe very sweet and inspiringย Jessi, who made every single recipe in the HBH Every Day cookbook!ย How cool! She did an amazing job! You are the BEST.

everything in my cart (low)โ€ฆa great pair ofย Buckle Heal Boots from Zara. And a good pair of winter boots, the Park Tall Boot from Coach. ย 

A cozy, affordable Hooded Scarf Beanie found on Amazon.ย 

home of the weekโ€ฆKendall Jenner Gets Comfortable With Colorful Florals and Graphic Patterns in her Mountain Getaway. It is so cute and cozy!

dreaming of goingโ€ฆto St. Moritz in Winter. Everyone travels to three places, it seems, in the winter: Aspen, Jackson Hole, and then St Moritz. Weโ€™re really lucky to be able to experience Aspen whenever we want, so St. Moritz it is! My parents have been there and loved it. I think a winter vacation there would be fun โ€“ but then off to the tropics. BALANCE!ย 

Badruttโ€™sย Palaceย orย The Carltonย in St. Moritz (near where we will be in Italy), and thenย Castel Badia in San Lorenzo di Sebato BZ, Italy, are at the top of my list.

alsoโ€ฆThe Vogue Guide to St. Moritz in Winter.

new year supplementsโ€ฆI always have Cymbiotika with me. My dailies are: The Omega in the morning and probiotics every night. I alternate the Cymbitika probiotic with Just Thrive Probiotic.

I still swear by Armra Colostrum for good immunity. I do two to three scoops every morning. Use HALFBAKEDHARVEST FOR 15% OFF.

I also put Lineage collagen in my coffee every day. And I love their air-dried steak and meat sticks for traveling (theyโ€™re 15% off with code TIEGHAN).

Lastly, I use Kion Aminos Powder every night along with their Omega Fish Oil. I use their coffee beans too!ย 

shoppingโ€ฆDooney & Bourke bags! Do you remember this brand? They were so popular when I was in middle school. Theyโ€™re making a comeback, and itโ€™s fun to see. I added their Florentine Large Satchel in chestnut to my cart.ย ย 

watchingโ€ฆplease, no shame โ€“ yes, Iโ€™m still watching Christmas movies. My Mom and I both enjoyed A Bramble Houseย Christmas.

everything in my cart (beauty)โ€ฆall the products on my 2026 โ€œto try listโ€ First the SACHEU Peel Off Lip Liner STAY-N Bundle. Iโ€™ve seen so many people talking about this. Iโ€™m curious to try it! And I already love VIOLETTE_FR products, but I needed to add the Bisou Balm โ€“ Bonbon Coquelicot to my collection.

I want to try this Medicube Wrapping Mask Collagen Overnight Peel Off Facial Mask. Again, so many beauty editors have recommended it! Speaking of, I still use my Dr. Dennis Gross red light mask every night.

And for hair, the T3ย  Volumizing Hot Rollers!! These look so fun, and I always love a curl in my hair. I want that LUXE Volume, Body, and Shine!

For the body, Iโ€™m still loving my Higher Dose sauna blanket. I use this every single night. I absolutely love to sink into it while I do some nighttime work. These blankets help to reduce stress and anxiety, relieve muscle pain, and have a multitude of other health benefits too.ย 

orderedโ€ฆnew notebooks. I use one for writing out recipes, and another for my daily to-dos. I ordered thisย set of twoย recipe notebooks. And reordered my favorite planners/notebooks from Golden Coil. I get the spiral-bound notebooks in leather or linen covers. Whatโ€™s your favorite notebook? How about pens too?! I really want to order some fun pens!

everything in my cart (high)โ€ฆsuch a cute Short Coat in Satin from Chloe.ย 

wantingโ€ฆthese steak knives. Iโ€™m ordering a set or two for the family. When I hosted Christmas Eve dinner at the studio, I realized we didnโ€™t even have a full set of steak knives!

drinkingโ€ฆso much milk!ย Goat milk is my favorite (I have a cup every morning like a 5-year-old), but I finally found an organicย A2 milk at Whole Foods, and itโ€™s delicious.ย So creamy itโ€™s almost like dessert, full of protein and healthy fats too!ย 

readingโ€ฆ18 Vogue Editors Share Their 2026 Fashion Resolutions. This was fun to read through. It even inspired me to implement a few things myself!ย 

bakingโ€ฆChocolate Chunk Greek Yogurt Banana Bread. And Hot Chocolate Cookies for my little brother, Oslo.ย 

inspiring meโ€ฆ9 Questions to Help You Create a Clear Vision for the Year Ahead.

2. Winter Baking.

Maple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Spice Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

Maple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Butter

Salted Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | halfbakedharvest.com

Salted Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Better Than The Bakery Chocolate Chip Espresso Yogurt Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

Chocolate Chip Espresso Yogurt Cake

Double Chocolate Muffins | halfbakedharvest.com

Double Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate Chunk Coconut Banana Bread | halfbakedharvest.com #bananabread #easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #chocolate #dessert

Chocolate Chunk Coconut Banana Bread

Iced Grapefruit Yogurt Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

Iced Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

Homemade Baked Frosted Chocolate Donuts | halfbakedharvest.com

Homemade Baked Frosted Chocolate Donuts

Healthier Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars | halfbakedharvest.com

Healthier Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars

3. New Year Home Finds.ย 




4. Podcasts.ย 

Sharing the handful Iโ€™ve listened to recently that I really enjoyed and found inspiring! Plus, a few Iโ€™m looking forward to listening to. What podcast do you listen to?

The Skinny Confidential

ย 

Aspire with Emma Grede

How Dr. Barbara Sturm Built a Billion Dollar Beauty Brand with Zero Training

The Five Lessons That Shook Me This Year

The Dream Bigger Podcastย 

Raissa Gerona on Revolveโ€™s Secret Sauce, Working with Celebs Like Kendall Jenner, Grandist & The New Creator Economy

2026 Glow Up Series โ€“ Goal Setting, Manifesting & Vision Boarding Deep Dive

2026 Glow Up Series โ€“ Becoming Your Healthiest & Hottest Self

Looking forward to listening to:

431: The Best Wellness Tips of 2025 on Well with Arielle Loriย 

How To Stop People Pleasing on Call Her Daddy

How ShopMy Became a Billion-Dollar Business on Letโ€™s Get Dressed

And if you are looking for more podcasts, especially business or personal health but more fun, definitely come through this list, UPDATED! The Most Bingeable And Gripping Podcasts Series That Make Doing *Any* Chore REALLY Enjoyable from Emily Henderson.

5. To do this Winter โ€“ 5 fun Things.

  1. Start a soup group and host Sunday soup night. I have so many cozy winter soup recipes you can rotate through all season long โ€” itโ€™s such a fun, low-key way to gather.

  2. Start a weekly game night, either with friends or family. Honestly, this sounds so fun to me. Or take on a puzzle and actually finish it (a winter win).

  3. Create a cooking challenge and master one recipe. Everyone loves these easy homemade flour tortillas, or make it a hot chocolate challenge with different toppings and flavors.

  4. Do a home workout. I canโ€™t recommend the Melissa Wood Health platform enough. The workouts are easy to incorporate into your routine, there are tons to choose from, and theyโ€™re great for all levels.

  5. Have a Pinterest night. I spend way too much time on Pinterest, but itโ€™s such a fun way to pull inspiration. Build boards for upcoming projects, organizing ideas, recipes, or even New Year goals and wishes.

Bonus: Take a winter walk. I know itโ€™s cold, but I promise it will feel good. And while youโ€™re at it โ€” go sledding or build a snowman. Why not?

Find more ideas here.

6. Inspiring Me.

(quote)

7. Favorite Links.

The Buzzy European Hotel Openings of 2026 and What to Pack for Each

How to Start the Year With Less Cortisol

This Tiny Habit Reduces Inflammation

How to Do a Lymphatic Drainage Massage at Home

An Honest Guide to the Best Afternoon Teas in London

The Best Destinations to Visit in 2026, According to Experts

These 5 Habits Are Making You Sound Less Confident

8. Winter Basics From Nordstrom Sale.ย 

sweaters

jeans

coatsย 

accessoriesย 

9. This Weekโ€™s Dinners + Weekend Eats.

Honey Mustard Salmon | halfbakedharvest.com

Monday: Honey Mustard Salmon

Salsa Verde Tortilla Soup- | halfbakedharvest.com

Tuesday: Salsa Verde Tortilla Soup

Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing | halfbakedharvest.com

Wednesday: Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing

Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup | halfbakedharvest.com

Thursday: Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup

20 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken Udon Noodles | halfbakedharvest.com

Friday: 20 Minute Garlic Chicken Udon Noodles

Fiery Golden Mango Tonic | halfbakedharvest.com

Saturday:ย Fiery Golden Mango Tonic

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars | halfbakedharvest.com

Sunday: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

ย 

This post was originally published on January 4, 2026

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Comments

  1. Hi! Best pens ever in the most beautiful colors โ€“ Sarasa Clip Vintage 5 Color Set. You can get them from a variety of places including some small businesses!

  2. I know itโ€™s not really your thing, but weโ€™d all love to see a โ€œDay In My Lifeโ€ from you! I think it would be awesome to see a look inside your day- waking up, breakfast, how you plan out recipes, testing, friends/family time, etc!

    Just a thought ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Will you be doing any traveling around Italy when you go for the Olympics? It could be very inspiring for your cooking to taste authentic Italian food and experience the cuisines of different regions.

    1. Hey there,
      Yes! We will be in a few different spots, I am so excited!! Thanks for asking, have a great Sunday!

  4. Just spent my Sunday morning reading through all these lovely tips and recipes. Excited for the week and the new year ahead. Thank you for sharing and inspiring with such positivity.

    1. Hey Jen,
      Thanks a lot for taking the time to read today and each week:) So glad you enjoyed the post!

      Happy New Year!

  5. I truly love many of your recipes. In keeping with your 2026 theme of simple healthy, can you drop the fat grams and sodium content? I love cheese but many of your โ€œhealthyโ€ recipes are overloaded with it. It increases the sodium content quite a bit also. Throwing kale or spinach in there doesnโ€™t negate that.

  6. Oh my gosh, that is so wonderful that you will be spending time in Italy. I love Italy, I am so excited for you!! how long will you be there? Do you have anything specific you want to see while youโ€™re there?!

    1. Hey Ally,
      I am so excited to visit! We will be going to watch my brother in the Olympics, so that is my main focus, but also really excited to site see and enjoy the food!

      Happy New Year!

  7. Why did you share a picture of the table before it was fully set? Are you going to share pictures of the completed tablescape and food you made for the holiday?

    1. Hey Trish,
      I just snapped a few quick pics over the holiday and this was one of them:) Thanks for asking! Happy New Year!

  8. Happy New Year Tieghan. !! So happy youโ€™re back and glad you had a restful holiday!!! Always enjoy my Sunday reading your 9 favorite things!!! Have a great week!! ๐Ÿฉท๐Ÿฉท