Fridge Voyeur is a virtual visit into the chill zone of the Spoon Crew — our team, our friends, and some of your favorite wellness gurus. We may eat a lot of plants, but you better believe there’s a whole lot of variety, and a bit of naughty, going on behind closed doors. We know you want a peek ;).

This week, we’re peeking into the fridge of life coach, Colette Ellis.

Splendid Spoon: Hey Colette! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Colette Ellis: Hey there! I’m a native New Yorker, now living in Brooklyn. I’m also a certified stress management coach and EFT-Tapping practitioner. [EFT is the Emotional Freedom Technique — an alternative treatment for physical and emotional pain. — Ed.] My passion is to help women realize their full potential, while coping with the normal stresses of life, by nurturing their own wellbeing. In 2006, I had a minor health scare with chronic indigestion and stomach pain. This began my journey to improve my health using healing methods (including diet changes, oils, and mindfulness). My personal experience sparked my desire to help other women do the same.

SS: What are the 5 staples you can’t live without?
CE: Kombucha (I take a shot everyday), bananas (spring/summer), oatmeal (fall/winter), peanuts, coconut oil.

SS: What’s the weirdest thing in your fridge?
CE: The container and ziplock bags with my food scraps that I bring to the Greenmarket for composting. It’s mostly tea leaves and banana peels right now!

SS: How do you incorporate mindfulness into your eating habits?
CE: By being grateful for the nutritious meals I’m able to eat, and by focusing on the taste and texture of my food while I eat. For meal breaks while working, I tend to get up from my laptop to eat. If I’m working from home, that can mean just moving over to the couch. I’ll admit that I could be better about not eating in front of the TV while alone. However, with no computer and no phone, at least I’ve removed two distractions!

SS: What’s your fave sweet and what’s your fave savory?
CE: My favorite sweet is dark chocolate! My favorite savory snack is nuts — peanuts, almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts. My favorite savory meal is sashimi or sushi.

SS: If you were one thing in your fridge, what would it be?
CE: The jar of extra virgin coconut oil — it’s dynamic, healing, and versatile. A little drop goes a long way!

SS: What food do you turn to when you want something comforting or nostalgic? Although we eat to keep our bodies strong and healthy, food also connects us to our past, to friends, and to different times in our lives.
CE: When I want something comforting or nostalgic I crave macaroni and cheese. It reminds me of family holiday dinners made by my grandmother. Now, there are many options to make more health-conscious versions of mac and cheese (I often use gluten-free pasta or even dairy-free cheese). But I have to admit that my grandma’s original is still my favorite!