Welcome to Kitchn's series My Healthy Morning, where we show you how one person greets the day in a way that makes them feel their best. Each post will chronicle how that person defines healthy for themselves, and the habits and recipes that make their morning a little bit better.

We first met Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo, the artists-turned-chefs behind Lil Deb's Oasis, a year ago this month. We were exploring Upstate New York for our Bite-Sized Guide series. We were immediately smitten with the duo and their vibrant-hued, neon-lit restaurant in Hudson, New York. Smart, sassy, and soulful are words that could be used to describe both the women, their cafe, and their home kitchen.

We checked back in with Hannah and Carla to find out what healthy looks like for two busy restaurateurs, and their idea of the perfect morning. (Sleeping in is involved.)

What Does Healthy Mean to You?

For the first year after we opened the restaurant, we ran purely on adrenaline. We practically didn't eat, except for on our days off — then we would eat a lot. On days the restaurant was open, we definitely didn't sit down to eat. There was always so much to do!

"Not having time" is such a modern concept. How is it possible we don't have time to take care of our bodies and do the most basic of things like eating a meal?At some point in the middle of our second summer we realized we needed to make time for family meal.

Family meal really started when Carla proposed trying out the Whole30 diet craze. Then we actually looked at what Whole 30 required. We scoffed and said, No way, we can't do that. That's when "Whole40" took over. (No, Whole40 isn't an official thing.)

The idea was nothing new: Take the time to eat well-rounded meals that are vegetable-forward and protein-heavy — and eat them sitting down.

Importantly, we have no hard rules and there's no shame. Indulge in a glass of wine or two, yes. You want bread? Have some! We work hard, so there is no point in denying yourself of some of the small pleasures of life.

Our Healthy Morning Routine

Neither of us are morning people; that's probably why we make such a compatible team. When one of us is running late, because she snoozed too long, at least we can rest assured that the other is likely doing the same thing. "Running a little late" is a common text between us.

That being said, the responsibility, and added stress, of running a small business has set both of our clocks back a little in the morning. Most days now, we take turns on who has to open the restaurant at 9 a.m., so ideally every other morning one of us gets to come in a little later. It's important to have a little time for yourself outside of work to keep you human.

Hannah: On my mornings off, I like to take it slow. I usually check all of my emails and social media updates before getting out of bed, which, on the perfect day would be like 10 a.m.

A new habit has been to take 10 minutes or so to stretch. My body can really start to feel sore after standing on my feet all day!

I like to take a shower in the morning, too — it really helps to wake me up — and I don't like to get dressed until I absolutely have to. You will find me walking around my house in a robe until it's time to leave. It just feels luxurious!

My go-to breakfast is warm oatmeal with a spoonful of almond butter and a dash of maple syrup, which I usually eat with a glass of grapefruit juice or maybe a cup of coffee. I like to eat my breakfast and watch the news. It's my only time of day to catch up on what's going on outside of work. And, if I can remember, I'll take a few vitamins or supplements to boost my immune system — there's no time for getting sick!

Usually by noon there is some errand to run or some emergency at the restaurant to attend to, but I always try and make my bed and tidy my house before I leave. It always feels good to come back to a clean home after a long day of work.

Carla: Once my eyes finally open, I like to drink a large glass of warm water with half a lemon dropped in and a dash of cayenne. It feels good and cleansing, and immediately adds a fresh start to my day, no matter how exhausted I am. It's also supposed to be good for your digestion and immune system.

I have made a recent habit of rolling out my back on one of those thick foam rollers. Even if it's just for two minutes, it is a way for me to make time for my body and be present in it — outside of work, outside of having fun. We even bought one to keep in the restaurant recently, and it's become habitual to find a staff member rolling one out on the fly on the restaurant floor between shifts!

I'm not much of a breakfast person, but when I do make the time I love a power smoothie with almond butter, oats, and dates. I also love a good hearty breakfast salad with poached eggs, a variety of seeds and sprouts, and whatever seasonal produce I have on hand (and ideally bacon!). But most of the time, I'll sneak a corn masa pupusa when I get to work or snack on Kelp Krunch, the best seaweed/sesame energy bar around!

Also, the most important priority before leaving the house is making my bed. It's become a nearly religious practice to leave it neatly tended so I can later collapse into it after 15 hours on my feet!

If you're pining for Paris in the spring or Santorini over summer break, you may want to put a pause on requesting time off. While sun-soaked days abroad are tempting, there is nothing quite like Europe in the fall. From Indian summer along the Mediterranean to crisp mornings and foliage in the Alps, October is a true gem of the entire year.

Part of what's known in the travel industry as "shoulder season" — the transitional time between peak booking months — October has become a sweet spot for European travel. Between the more comfortable weather, scarcity of tourists, and better bargains, the entire month provides better experiences at a lower cost.

And then there are all the fall foods: French figs, smoked cheeses, roasted chestnuts, and hundreds of Danish apple varieties. There's really nothing like eating your way through Europe's autumnal food festivals and asking local mom-and-pop cafes to whip up their seasonal specialties.

Need more convincing? Here are five reasons you should book a ticket to Europe —pronto.

5 Reasons You Should Go to Europe Right Now

1. All the festivals.

"It's one of the best times to travel because there's a great combination of activities going on to make it interesting," says Kim Terrio, vice president of Penny Pitou Travel. Of course there's Oktoberfest in Germany, while Italy celebrates the season with the annual Alba White Truffle Festival in Piedmont and Eurochocolate in Perugia.

If you're into carbo-loading and then burning it off with a 26-mile run, the marathons in Dublin and Amsterdam are a good excuse to load up on potatoes and stroopwafels. And then there's Halloween (and the opportunity to try all the different European candies).

2. There are no crowds!

And yet, Terrio points out, there are still fewer visitors packing their bags. "In October, you can feel more connected to your destination instead of just being overwhelmed by tourists," she says. That means an easier time scoring coveted restaurant reservations, standing in shorter lines for museums and attractions, and meandering through food markets without crowds to navigate.

3. The weather is basically perfect.

In June and July, a trip to Rome or Spain's island of Majorca can be unbearably sweltering at 95 degrees. "But when you visit in October, expect beautifully balmy weather that's downright lovely," says Loretta Carson, travel advisor at Protravel International.

Other spots across the continent are just as mild at this time, with the United Kingdom at crisp autumn temps comparable to New York or Boston, dry but breezy weather in Switzerland, and a much cooler but slightly damp climate in Northern Germany. Plus, there's plenty of foliage to spot across Europe, from Serbia and Slovenia to France and Germany to Scotland and Ireland.

The only downside? You may have to get out of bed a bit earlier to take full advantage of sunlight during shorter days.

4. Chestnuts and cognac and cheeses, oh my!

There's just as much reason to get excited about fall foods in Europe as it is in the States — without all the pumpkin-spice mania. Instead, you have smoked cheeses, roasted nuts, hundreds of Danish apple varieties (for cider, cakes, and brandy!), and slow-cooked roasts to look forward to. Plus brown, belly-warming spirits like cognac, whisky, and armagnac are sipped more freely than ever.

"My favorite thing to do in Europe is find the little family-run restaurants and ask them for whatever is in season," Terrio says. "Last fall, I had the best plate of porcini mushrooms in Italy; it was to die for." Other winning dishes include creamy French cassoulets, fully loaded beef and fish stews, lamb racks that have been roasting all day, and hearty sausage paellas.

While wine flows year-round in Europe, fall is the time to really celebrate it — especially alongside cheese! What's more, you may catch the tail end of grape harvest at wineries in Spain and Portugal or the start of olive harvest in Italy.

5. It's significantly cheaper.

While plane tickets and hotel pricing have dipped overall in Europe over the last few years, October's post-peak price tags should leave a little something extra in your wallet.

"Four years ago, a typical ticket to Europe during peak season would cost about $1,400," Terrio says. "This year, I booked clients for $700." Book for October and you'll see an even bigger difference. Flights we researched from New York to Paris started at $520 and averaged about $650 for mid-October while flights to Frankfurt started at $410 and averaged about $600.

For that same time frame, Airbnb prices in Paris begin at $80 per night for a private room and $100 per night for an entire apartment, while hotels hover between $150 and $200 per night.

What's more, Carson says, you have a better chance of scoring an upgrade on your flight or at your hotel during this slightly slower month. Consider us convinced.

It's not about whether or not your baseboards are clean, or if fresh flowers adorn every table surface. There's really only a short list of things that really truly make a difference to your guests. Nail these things down and you guarantee a good visit every time.

Basic Amenities

If you have toilet paper in the bathroom, shampoo in the shower, and fresh towels for them to use, you are good to go. It doesn't have to be 4-ply toilet paper, Aveda shampoo, or Egyptian cotton towels: they just need to be present.

Pet Smell & Hair

If you are a dog owner, chances are really good that your house smells like dog. You don't think it does, but it most likely does. Likewise, if your furniture is covered in cat hair, your friends aren't going to want to sit down and make themselves comfortable. At the very least, light a candle before your guests arrive. And go to town on your sofa and chairs to make the evidence go away.

Bad Lighting

If the floor lamp is shining right in their eyes while you chat on the sofa, or there's no bedside lamp to read by in bed, your guest will know. They won't say to themselves, "Dabney doesn't know proper lighting techniques, jeez" but they will be bored sitting in the dark waiting to fall asleep, or squinting during your conversations. Not the end of the world certainly, but also not fun.

Privacy

Even if you all are thick as thieves, comfortable in your own skin, and all extroverts who can engage until the sun comes up, guests sometimes like to have a little buffer. Be sure the guest bathroom has window film so the perve across the street won't watch them shower, and try your best to give them a little space while they are changing or sleeping— even in a small space.

Other Weird Stuff

If the third step on your staircase is a sprained ankle waiting to happen, or if the bedroom door knob falls out all the time, you might want to give your guests a quick heads up. It doesn't mean they will be horrified, but nobody wants to have to call you when they accidentally lock themselves in a room, or if they think they broke something that was already broken.

What other things truly bother you when visiting other peoples' homes? Or what else should be on this list?

Re-edited from a post originally published 8.12.15. — AH