health

Comfort Food Trumps Hate

Posted on by thenamlife

I’ve spent so much of the last month filled with anger, dread, and utter panic for what the next four years have in store, I’ve neglected the habits I often use as a crutch to zen me out.

In the time since my last post, my initial fear, disdain, and disgust for the upcoming four years has been replaced with a renewed sense of responsibility to continue living my best life, but more consciously–to give to my community, with a focus on those who will be most affected by these upcoming years, to spend more time with my family, with the specific intent to be the best role model I can be for my younger brother, and to find more time to work on my health, with explicit regard to mental and emotional stability. And in doing so, I find myself reverting back to the hobbies that zen me out most–an evening spent cooking with and for the ones I love, an afternoon with a warm bowl of ramen and a book, or maybe a two-hour breakfast by myself–a rare indulgence in the rushed madness of the adult world, as my friend Nadia pointed out to me last night.

So I called up a friend of mine, a renowned chef and restaurateur in his own right, and asked him to make my terrible electoral Monday a little bit better. I brought the ingredients and a rough sketch of the flavor profile I was chasing, he brought the technique and unreal knife skills. We poured a glass of wine, and below is the result.

FENNEL GINGER SALMON

**Recipe adjusted to serve four**

I’m separating this recipe into two parts, as the broth is an incredible winter soup on its own. In fact, we made the soup first, then later paired the salmon with it to create the actual dish.

Fennel Broth

Ingredients

4 bulbs of fennel

4 tablespoons of coconut oil

1/2 cups of roughly diced shallots

4 cups of seafood stock, preferably lobster stock

3 tablespoons of fresh, grated ginger

2 tablespoons of ground fennel seeds

1 tablespoon of ground coriander seeds

1/2 cup of coconut flavored Greek yogurt/skyr

1 tablespoon of flour (optional, as thickening agent for the broth)

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

3 whole star anise

Preparation

Cut the fennel bulbs in half, and discard the white core at the bottom of the bulb. Slice the bulbs across into thin slices, so as to speed up cook time.

Place the coconut oil in a large saucepan, and if solid, melt over medium heat. Add the star anise, fennel, and shallots, and cook until the shallots are translucent. Pour in the seafood stock and bring to a boil, then cover the saucepan. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes. Take out the 3 pieces of star anise, and discard. Then pour the mixture into a food processor or blender, along with ginger, ground fennel seeds, coriander seeds, salt, and pepper. Puree the mixture and return to the saucepan for a second boil. Add the lemon zest and a generous squirt of lemon. Whisk in the Greek yogurt.

While the mixture approaches a boil, pour a small ladle into a bowl and whisk in the flour, making sure no lumps form (this will thicken the broth to a more bisque-like consistency).

Pour the contents of the bowl into the broth, and bring to a full boil.

Soup is ready to serve!

If you want a bit more out of your broth, keep reading for the salmon recipe!

FENNEL GINGER SALMON

Ingredients

3 carrots, sliced vertically (I used a variety of purple, yellow, and traditional carrots)

1/2 cup of apple, sliced

1/2 cup of shallots, sliced

1/4 cup of fennel, sliced

1 tablespoon of ground ginger

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 parsnips, sliced vertically

4 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of Chinese 5-spice

4 salmon steaks

1 whole lemon

1 sprig of rosemary

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven preheats, line two separate baking sheets with foil, and coat both with cooking spray.

On a chopping board, lay out the salmon steaks and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Chinese 5-spice, salt, and pepper to taste. Squeeze lemon on all sides, generously. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Put carrots, apple, and parsnips on one baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Chinese 5-spice, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss in oven with a sprig of rosemary.

While the apple and veggies roast, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and add the minced garlic, fennel, and shallots. Saute until the shallots are translucent, then spoon out the mixture and evenly spread it onto the sheet with the roasting veggies.

Heat up another tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet (no need to clean it–the skillet should retain some of the garlic flavor) and on a high heat, add the salmon steaks. Grate 1 tablespoon of ginger directly over the salmon. Give both sides a good sear (about two minutes per side), and remove from heat.

Put all four salmon steaks on the second sheet, and layer round slices of lemon over each steak.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes.

While the salmon and veggies are baking, reheat your broth to a piping hot temperature, and place the desired amount into four shallow bowls. Once cooked, place veggies over the broth, then salmon on top, and fall in love a little bit!

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Rosy Complexion Smoothie

Posted on by thenamlife

If I could rave about the benefits of rose water all day, it still wouldn’t be enough. For the last year, it’s been a featured member of my skincare routine, and its effects on my skin have been remarkable.

I was first introduced to rose water as part of skin care, when I swung by my local Lush Cosmetics store, and picked up a spray bottle of the Eau Roma Rose Water Toner. The scent was deliciously relaxing, and it left my skin feeling dewy and soft, rather than harsh and irritated. It was just light enough that it got off residual make-up, unlike pharmacy toners, which often leave my skin puffy and dry.

In recent months, however, I have begun making my own toner. I purchased a spray bottle at my local CVS, and poured in an entire bottle of Cortas Rose Water, added 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil, 10 more drops of Jojoba Oil, and haven’t looked back.

Most mornings, I wash my face with a gentle cleanser like this coconut face wash, then spray on a couple generous sprays of my toner (don’t forget to give the bottle a good shake, as the oils tend to layer on top of the water), moisturize, put on some SPF, BB cream, and run out the door.

At nighttime, however, I put in the additional effort to dab cotton pads into the toner and wipe the day’s dirt and bacteria off my face. The results are always this soft, supple, hydrated facial texture that makes me feel brand new again.

My obsession with rose water extends to my diet, too!

Below, I’m sharing my favorite morning smoothie recipe! I’ve mentioned before how I start every single morning with a large mug of warm water and one whole lemon sliced in. This smoothie is what follows about a half hour after I gulp down the lemon water. It fuels my morning with just enough energy to hit up a HIIT class, and it wakes my skin up immediately with its rosy goodness. Since rose water is such a staple in my skincare routine, adding a tinge to my smoothies only takes my routine a step further.

Ingredients

1 banana, chopped

1 1/2 cup of ice

1/4 cup of almond milk, unsweetened and carageenan-free

1 serving of Siggi’s plain Icelandic Skyr

1 teaspoon raw honey

1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

1 small pinch of cinnamon

1 small pinch of fresh nutmeg, grated

1 tablespoon of rose water

1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee (I like to start my mornings with a healthy dose of fat)

1 tablespoon of maca powder

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

Preparation

Mix all ingredients in a high-power blender (I use a NutriNinja), blend until smooth, garnish with chia seeds, and sip away!

 

The Most Basic Time of the Year

Posted on by thenamlife

Each fall, as the wind gets crisper, the leaves get crunchier, and that summertime humidity slips away, I promise myself I won’t give into the pumpkin spice madness that has now become synonymous with autumn. Still, I end up cheating my way toward that indulgent latte, that pumpkin ale, a slice of pumpkin bread, and maybe a forkful of pumpkin pie, too.

Even though it’s not quite fall yet, I recently came across this incredible recipe for pumpkin curry ramen on The Skinny Fork, and I just had to abandon my cooking plans for the evening to immediately produce this seemingly delicious recipe.

Anyone who knows me well knows that ramen is my lifeline in the winter months, and thanks to Amanda at the Skinny Fork, I’ll be eating this all winter long, feeding it to my family, and raving about it all over town!

I made a couple small adaptations to her original recipe to suit my own palate (I’m a big fan of lots and lots of spice), so here’s my take on this recipe!

I highly recommend you all check out her recipes, as they’re wildly innovative and one-of-a-kind, and her varied photographs give you a good idea of what the ingredients should look like at each step of the process!

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons of Thai Red Curry Paste (altered from original recipe)

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 small pinch of garlic scapes (optional, and altered from original recipe)

  • Garlic Scapes, though often hard to come by, have this herbiness that totally enhances the flavor profile of any dish they are used in. Often, we tend to chop ’em off, and toss ’em away, but I love using them in my cooking, and highly recommend using them, either as a garnish, or as a flavor enhancer in the base of the food.

Small, one-inch nub of fresh ginger, grated

1 whole white onion, diced

1 tablespoon of raw coconut oil (altered from original recipe)

3 cups of chicken stock

1 large chicken breast, sliced into strips

1 cup of sliced crimini mushrooms

Small handful of dried shiitake mushrooms (altered from original recipe)

1 can of coconut milk

1/2 cup of pumpkin puree

9 ounces of ramen noodles

1 cup, roughly chopped herbs (altered from original recipe)

  • I cooked some coriander, fresh basil and scallions into the broth for added flavor
  • Set aside some coriander, garlic scapes, and juliened scallions for garnish

2 eggs, soft boiled, separately (altered from original recipe)

1 teaspoon of sesame oil (altered from original recipe)

2 tablespoons of minced jalapenos (altered from original recipe)

small handful of round-sliced jalapenos (altered from original recipe)

1 tablespoon of sriracha (altered from original recipe)


Preparation

Add the red curry to your soup pot, and heat on medium for a couple of minutes

Add the coconut oil and garlic, and cook garlic until slightly golden, but not toasted (about two minutes)

Add the ginger, crimini mushrooms, chopped herbs, and onion–cook until the onion is slightly translucent

As the onion becomes translucent, pour in the broth, pumpkin puree, dried shiitake mushrooms, and coconut milk

Turn the heat up just above medium, and bring it to a boil

Once you hit a boil, add the noodles and chicken, sesame oil, sriracha, jalapenos, and give it a good stir. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cover

While the soup mixture stews (I gave it 20 minutes for the flavors to truly absorb), in a separate sauce pan, bring water to a boil and add two large eggs

  • As soon as you add the eggs, bring the water down to a simmer, cover the sauce pan, and let the eggs cook for exactly 7 minutes
  • Once the 7 minutes are up, take the eggs out carefully, and put them in an ice bath. A small bowl with cold water and ice should suffice
  • Let them sit in the ice bath for an additional 3-4 minutes before peeling

Ladle the soup into a bowl, slice eggs in half, set on top of the soup. Garnish bowl with the chopped coriander, scallions, jalapenos, garlic scapes, and slurp up!

*NOTE: My phone rang in the midst of boiling the eggs, so mine are definitely erring on hard-boiled!

As an aside, I’ve linked back to many of the products I’ve come to love from Thrive Market. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Thrive Market is an online retailer of ethically sourced food and health products. I bought into a membership last fall, and have not looked back, since. It’s saved me money, cut back on my Whole Foods expenses, and introduced me to tons of great products I never would have known existed!

Roasted Eggplant Hummus

Posted on by thenamlife

Every now and then, I grow weary of my usual snacks–yogurt, homemade granola bars, oatmeal cookies, the usual–and reach back to those good old Middle Eastern roots.

Eggplant was always a favorite, growing up. Whether roasted and lightly spiced with potatoes, or pureed in spices and served over rice, it was a staple in our home, and has slowly become a staple in my own diet. I always find little ways to sneak it into my meals or incorporate it into salads.

Today, I’m sharing a recipe that combines eggplant with my all-time favorite, anyime/anywhere food-hummus!

Tip: I have used fairy tale eggplant, which has a mild eggplant flavor. Feel free to use any type of eggplant you have on hand, or whatever is available. I used a mixture of garlic and shallots, although any kind of onion in addition to, or instead, will work. I like to peel the light skin off my chickpeas for a smoother finish. This step is optional, but in my opinion, it’s totally worth the time. This takes about 30 minutes to make, and yields 2 cups of hummus. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

large bunch fairy tale eggplants or 1 medium sized eggplant

1 head of garlic

3 shallots

2 tablespoons tahini

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup fresh parsley + more for garnish

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Wash and slice the eggplant, lengthwise

Take the bulb of garlic and slice the top off so each clove is exposed

Cut the shallots into large-sized bites. Toss with a light coating of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Turn the eggplants, cut side down onto a baking tray, add in the garlic and shallots.

Roast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Flip and continue cooking until the eggplant is totally soft, depending on the size of your eggplants, 5 – 15 minutes more.

Remove the eggplant from the pan when it is done cooking. If the garlic still needs a little more time, continue cooking.

You can use this time to prep the hummus. Scoop the flesh out of the eggplants, leaving the skins behind. You’ll want to get together about 1 cup of cooked flesh.

Once the garlic is done cooking, combine the chickpeas, eggplant flesh, garlic bulbs, shallots, tahini, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper in the food processor. Pulse until smooth, adding a drizzle of olive oil in as needed to loosen.

Enjoy topped with more parsley, olive oil + crushed peppers, and serve with chips or veggies!

 

Strength vs. Balance

Posted on by thenamlife

“You use the wall for strength. You don’t use it for balance.”

Last Saturday morning, I made my way to the Upper East Side for a yoga workshop with the incomparable Kerri Verna. I last took a workshop with her in July, and wouldn’t have passed up an opportunity to practice with her again. Admittedly, this workshop was not quite as evocative, physically nor emotionally, as the July one, but I think some of that was my own fault: I set my expectations very high, now that my inversions are five months more practiced and advanced, and like all good lessons learned from the mat, my expectations were shattered, as the majority of workshop attendees were super new to any inversions. So we spent more time on fundamentals, than the mid-room inversion practice I’d been hoping for. When we did finally start reviewing handstands, Kerri said the above line to the room, and I felt my face go beet red, because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing at home to practice handstands.

I walked away from the class slightly disappointed: it ran way over, and I had to leave early to catch a train, leading me to miss savasana and the chance to spend time with her one-on-one, not to mention my ego was a little frustrated that we hadn’t worked on the more advanced postures, despite taking valuable lessons in fundamentals away from the session. On the train ride back downtown, I decided to pull out the tiny notebook I keep in my purse for emergency inspiration, and began writing. I journaled a stream-of-consciousness more than anything, trying to keep my handwriting steady as the train rocked left, then right. But when I stepped back after 15 minutes of furious scribbling, the words from Kerri above are what stood out the most.

As the thought rolled around in my head, I started to relate it to a lot that’s been happening lately in life, and not just my own, but in the lives around me, as well. I see it in many of my friends, lately–a desperate need to lean on something or someone to make it through, often forgetting that our friends and family are here to offer us strength, and not simply serve as pillars for our own need to balance. I see it in the nostalgic moments–like looking at my childhood pictures later that day, only to burst into tears because the ease of adolescence, of no responsibility will never again be a part of my life.

There are these waves of life, new beginnings with endings, sad stories with a happy ending, which can all come back to something as simple as a handstand against a wall: the wall is for strength, not balance. What you choose to fall back on in life is for strength, but not for balance. The people in our lives that support us are for strength–so we may pull ourselves out, but balance is something only we can achieve.

Balance is such an interesting and fragile concept–like balancing a needle on a thread, as someone important once told me. There’s the physical aspect of balancing, but on a higher level, balance is something we’re all desperately seeking in our lives. There’s the ever-difficult quest for a work-life balance, and learning how to juggle responsibilities at home, and to yourself–with the constant pull for happy hours and 4 am nights in the city.

As I reflected last weekend about balance, and the walls I’ve been using to keep me upright, I thought about how the biggest balancing act I’ve had to manage this year is between the strength I’ve gained from being on my own for six years, and the balance I’m chasing between my many selves–from the 24-year-old party girl, to the overworked young professional, or the “sick girl,” and finally–the happy girl.

Probably the biggest thing I took away from the class on Saturday was the ability to reassess my life right now, and decide to take a step back from handstand practice. I may have the strength to hold myself up, but in the past eight weeks, things have felt so off-balance, it’s no wonder I’ve been leaning on the wall to keep me grounded. I walked away from the workshop feeling disappointed I couldn’t push myself into a pose, but in that disappointment, I found a calm peace of mind.

We forget sometimes, that the mind and body are intrinsically connected in ways we’ll never understand. Sometimes, it takes a few weeks of getting back to the fundamentals before we can push ourselves away from our support systems, and find a balance on our own two feet– or, in my case, hands. 

Magic Muhammara

Posted on by thenamlife

This. Stuff. Is. Addictive. With its peppery, walnutty goodness, I just want to dive into a pool filled with muhammara, and chill on a giant pita floatie. It would be like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, only it would be more like Sunny with No Chance of Natural Disaster Because with a Good Muhammara, Everything is Perfect!

Serve it with pita, eat it with a spoon, or do what I did the last time I made pizza–spread it on homemade pizza dough, top with prosciutto, arugula, dried oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil!

Ingredients

3 red bell peppers, chopped and roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of salt

1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

the juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 tb honey

2 cloves of garlic 

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes

2 tb olive oil

salt + pepper to taste

Preparation

Blend everything in a food processor

Don’t share with anyone 

Vegan Fennel Asparagus Soup

Posted on by thenamlife

By now, you all know that green is my favorite food color, and soup is my favorite food. So why not combine the two? A lot of people look at soup as just a starter to a more complete meal, but I have found that hearty toppings, paired with a vegetable-heavy composition actually make the soup a complete meal, in and of itself. Toppings not only add a fibrous and protein-heavy completeness to the soup, they also provide an added layer of flavor and texture.

At Whole Foods this past weekend, I found lots of asparagus on sale for the holidays, so I decided to buy all of it, and go crazy. Here is my latest soup recipe, just in time for the holidays, and perfect for those who follow a Vegan lifestyle.

Tip: I keep a jar of toasted pumpkin seeds in my kitchen and almost always have some cooked lentils ready in the fridge. It’s a good practice, as it makes it a lot easier to create small, quick meals like this.

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus
2 tbsp coconut oil 
6 thin spring onions or 1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 small fennel bulb (or 1/2 large)
1 large handful spinach
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp lemon (or apple cider vinegar, if you’re battling a seasonal cold or allergies)
salt & fresh black pepper

Lentil & Pepita Topping
The reserved raw tips from the asparagus
1 cup cooked puy lentils (1/2 cup uncooked, boiled in water for 18 minutes)
1/2 cup dry-toasted and salted pumpkin seeds / pepitas
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley
1/2 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil

Cashew Cream
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1/2 cup coconut water
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

Preparation

Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. Cut in diagonal pieces, 1/2 inch thick. Save the asparagus tips for the topping.

Heat oil in a large saucepan.

Finely chop onion, garlic and fennel, and add to the the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add the asparagus, stir around, and let fry on low/medium heat for a minute, then add spinach, stock, and lemon/ACV.

Season with salt and lots of fresh, ground pepper.

Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings. 

Finely chop the asparagus tips and the parsley, and place in a bowl, together with the boiled lentils and the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Add red chili powder, if your prefer it a little spicy.

Pour over some olive oil and stir around until it’s all mixed well.

For the Cashew Cream

Cover the cashew nuts in water and let soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Drain, rinse, and place them in a blender.

Add the coconut water, lemon juice, and pink Himalayan sea salt, and mix until completely smooth.

Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed. 

Carefully pour the soup into a blender (I find my Vitamix to be the most powerful kitchen tool I’ve ever owned), or use a hand blender to mix until smooth. Taste the soup, add more stock or salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve the soup with a generous portion of lentil topping, and drizzled with the cashew cream.

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Thrive Market Lovin’

Posted on by thenamlife

A few weeks ago, I posted a Spotlight Review on the Maca Powder I purchased on Thrive Market, and many of you asked me about what Thrive Market is, how it compares to Whole Foods, and whether I find it to be user-friendly. So I decided to dedicate this post to my new holistic companion. Many more of you also asked me exactly which supplements I use on the daily, and how much they cost. Since transparency reigns supreme, I’m sharing all my health and wellness secrets with you! Why not spread the love?

I discovered Thrive Market about two months ago, and my life will never be the same! As a Whole Foods shopper and holistic wellness enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for supplements and dietary additions that boost my immunity and well-being, and add a little pep into my step. Unfortunately, this comes at a budget-smashing cost, and sometimes, I really can’t justify spending $6 on a small bottle of kombucha (one post-workout bottle for every day of the week, and that’s $42 a week on just tea, and that, too, pretax!).

This amazing website caters to those of us who love organic and natural products, but aren’t willing to break the bank. Thrive is an online market that sells all those amazing brands that I love–Seventh Generations, Mrs. Meyers, etc. that are pretty pricey at Whole Foods, but go for 25-50% off retail. I placed my first order a couple of months ago, and I was so pleased with everything from the delivery and packaging, to the customer service. Another great feature of this website is that it saves you time and effort! Whole Foods has had my heart for a long time, but any die-hard Whole Foods shopper will tell you that you can essentially spend a whole afternoon reading labels and browsing the aisles in the store. Thrive Market lets you plug in your dietary restrictions (i.e. Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan), and filters out every product that doesn’t meet the mark.

Here’s a list of all the items I ordered from Thrive Market the last time around. It took me a while to get to this point, as I was still working on depleting my Whole Foods supply, but now that my pantry is stocked with everything purchased exclusively from Thrive Market, there’s no looking back. My wallet loves me, and my skin has never looked better.

Maca Powder- For years, I used to spend $25 on a 100 gram bag of Maca Powder at Whole Foods (less than a quarter of a pound), and at Thrive Market, I purchased this 1-pound bottle of Maca Magic Whole Raw Powder for $44.45.

Spirulina Powder- Incredibly high in iron, B-12, and calcium content, this is another supplement I put into my smoothies every single day. As someone who has been anemic her whole life, this product has really aided me in keeping my iron levels from dipping.

Earthrise Spirulina Powder– $13.95

Cacao Powder- A natural blood thinner, cacao, when used regularly, can prevent blood clots, combat fatigue, and help lower your blood pressure. A great bonus is that cacao is a delicious treat! I use it to make my fan-favorite “mint dark chocolate” smoothie bowl (recipe to come soon, I promise!). It’s so delicious, and fits so seamlessly into my everyday diet, I don’t even realize I’m consuming a supplement. I wish my mother had sneaked this into my milk as a kid–I would’ve happily enjoyed a warm mug of cacao over a tall glass of milk (yuck!).

Divine Organics Raw Cacao Powder– $9.95

Cacao Nibs- Speaking of treats, these delicious, “chip” forms of cacao are the perfect substitute for chocolate chips. Admittedly, they are a bit bitter, and will be best suited to dark chocolate lovers, but if you’re a dark chocolate fan like me, you’ll love using these in all your baking. I’ve been making cacao nib cookies and cacao nib pancakes for quite some time now, and let me tell you–healthy has never tasted this good!

Divine Organics Raw Cacao Nibs– $9.95

Kombucha Tea Kit- By far my most expensive habit (move over Starbucks), kombucha continually leaves a hole in my wallet. A 12- or 16-ounce bottle runs me anywhere from $5-$8–a ridiculous expense, considering it’s just tea! But like any kombucha lover will tell you, it’s not just tea. Kombucha has completely turned around my digestive health. Sure, it’s a touchy subject for most, but your digestive health is incredibly important, and gentlemen–since you are prone to getting colon cancer, you really, really need to incorporate an effective probiotic into your diets. Kombucha has that perfect combination of healthy bacteria to keep your system in check. Up until now, however, my one-a-day habit was costing me, but not anymore. This incredible kit from Thrive Market comes with everything you need to brew five gallons of kombucha in your own home. Talk about a steal!

Cultures for Health Kombucha Tea Starter Kit– $10.45

Buckwheat- This fiber-filled, gluten-free, wheat-free alternative to regular flour is an incredible substitute for all your flour-rich cooking. I use buckwheat for breakfast crepes, banana bread, loaf cakes, tea cakes, fresh, homemade pasta, ravioli, and pretty much anywhere real wheat can be used. It keeps my fiber in check, and makes me feel full for much longer than whole wheat ever does.

Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Organic Buckwheat Flour– $4.95

Finally, I want to know what some of your favorite products are. Where do you all shop for your supplements? What are some of your favorite places to catch good deals, and in your respective experiences, where do you find the finest quality at the best price? Any new products I should try? Any recipes you’d like me to share? Feel free to ask!

  

**This is an unsponsored post. All opinions are genuine, not-for-profit, and my own**

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

Posted on by thenamlife

I am SO excited about this post because I have finally discovered bee pollen!! Yes, bee pollen. As in, the pollen that collects on the bodies of a bee and sometimes contains bee saliva. Now, before you are totally grossed out by this, you should know that bee pollen is a holistic remedy that is used throughout the world. Most bee pollen that I have come across has been relatively costly, but this variety, from GNC, is inexpensive, and some of the highest rated whole granule bee pollen on the market.
Bee pollen is extremely high in protein, more so than any animal source, so it makes for an excellent dietary supplement to vegetarians and vegans! In addition to this, it is an energy enhancer, skin soother, great for the respiratory and digestive systems, and for treating allergies. Not to mention, it’s as good an immune system booster as vitamin C. Especially for flu season, bee pollen can be a great aid in setting your body up with the right tools to fight off viruses.
Because it comes from bees, it is a common misconception that bee pollen will be sweet like honey. However, it is not sweet at all, and can easily be whipped into your yogurt, or blended into a smoothie/smoothie bowl.

Healthy, Glowing Skin

Posted on by thenamlife

Health and beauty are about more than just numbers–we keep trying to drive that point home. So why does every new beauty fad focus so exclusively on them? Yet we’ve all seen people who are thin, but look haggard and dull. That’s because beauty is about more than how much you weigh. It’s about the glow that you radiate, and you can’t buy that in a pill. When you have healthy and radiant skin, you look happier, have more energy, and it shows to everyone who sees you.

There’s an army of expensive products that claim to carry the secret to luminous skin, but the truth is, you don’t have to plop your entire paycheck on the counter to get the look you want. With these five tried-and-true, mom-entrusted tips, you’ll be on your way to the healthy glowing skin in no time.

Detoxify Your Body and Take Your Skin Back to Basics

The fact of the matter is, your skin is a reflection of the internal health of your body. Whatever toxins are inside your liver and blood will literally show up as imperfections on your skin. So naturally, the first thing you want to do is detoxify your body. Keep in mind that this is something you will repeat periodically. Even with a perfect diet, it is only natural for your body to accumulate toxins.

Fortunately, you can detox with a few simple steps:

Eat enzyme-rich foods

Drink a blend of leafy greens each morning

Avoid too much caffeine (my guilty pleasure)

Take magnesium oxygen before bed

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Good hydration has two benefits for your skin. First, it helps the detoxification process by flushing out impurities. Second, it keeps skin from excessively drying out and having a flaky, cracked look.

Now, before you get ready to sling a gallon-sized jug of on your shoulder and head off to work, understand that bottled water does not have to be your only source. Raw foods with high water content such as lettuce, watermelon, eggplants, green peppers, and spinach also contribute to skin hydration.

Foods to Fortify Your Skin

As stated above, your skin reflects the level of health within your body. Therefore, your skin is only as healthy as the food you put into it. Ideally, you’re looking to increase key vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, B, B12, C, and E. Here are some foods that should help you out:

Leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, greens, and spinach

Other vegetables such as red peppers, tomatoes, and squash

Fruits like cantaloupe, watermelon, blueberries, and bananas

Nuts such as walnuts, pine nuts and sunflower seeds

Animal proteins such as poultry, meat and fish (ideally you want to minimize or exclude animal proteins)

Baby Your Skin with Mild Cleansers

Cleansing your skin is an important part of maintaining a healthy glowing look, but be very careful. Many popular products are overly harsh on your skin. They tend to dry it out or strip away essential nutrients. For best results, look for mild cleansers. If you have acne or other skin issues, you might need a stronger cleanser at first, but if you incorporate the other tips in this article, your skin will clear up and you can switch over to a more mild cleanser.

Bag the Makeup

One of the greatest perks of drinking green smoothies and using the tips outlined here is that your skin will become so naturally beautiful, you will need little-to-no makeup. In any case, try to minimize the amount of makeup you wear so that it won’t clog your pores. Also, pay close attention to the ingredient list. You’ll want to use brands that are natural and non-toxic. Steer clear of brands that use petroleum-based ingredients, since petroleum breaks down collagen over time.

Remember, getting and keeping beautiful and radiant skin doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, or take hours out of your day. With just a little bit of planning, you’ll have the skin you’ve been dreaming of in no time.