July 10, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Once upon a time, the biggest debate in the nut butter section at the grocery store was if you should go for a jar of Skippy or the “healthier” looking one that comes in a glass jar and requires tons of stirring. Now, it’s a lot more complicated. Besides peanut butter, you’ll see almond, cashew, even seed butters like sunflower seed and pumpkin are becoming more common. A healthy eater could spend a heck of a lot of time comparing nutritional labels and trying to decide between all the options. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Registered dietitian Sameera Khan, RD, did the investigating and comparing for you, and is revealing all her expert intel here. Curious as to how the most popular peanut butter alternatives compare nutritionally? Keep reading for a full run-down. Best overall: Almond butter The TL;DR nutrition breakdown: 7 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams fat, 1 gram sugar per two-tablespoon serving ad_intervals[‘406763_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘406763_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); What the expert says: Almond butter is the gateway to peanut butter alternatives due to its mild flavor profile and growing accessibility. And nutritionally, it’s worth the slightly higher cost than peanut butter—per Khan, it’s one of the most nutrient-dense nut butters out there. “Almond butter is higher in fiber [two tablespoons of almond butter has double the fiber of peanut butter], but lower in saturated fats,” Khan says. She adds
Month: July 2019
Tofu is *not* boring—and we’ve got 8 recipes to prove it
July 10, 2019 at 04:01PM by CWC Most people probably feel pretty meh about tofu. And I don’t blame ’em: A few years ago, I certainly wasn’t a member of the tofu fan club either. How could a flavorless brick be anything but boring. Well, when you get creative and cook it properly, that brick turns into a straight-up plant-based dinner superstar. If you claim you don’t like tofu, there’s one reason for that: You’re doing it wrong. By itself, tofu isn’t going to taste good. But the transformation into something flavorful is easy. Tofu soaks up spice like a sponge, and it’s incredibly versatile when it comes to preparation. You can make it super crispy, blend it up into a sauce, turn it into dairy-free cheese, scramble it—the options are endless. When you prepare correctly, you won’t even be able to tell it started as a block of curdled soy milk in the first place. That’s a promise. 8 delicious tofu recipes that are anything but boring Photo: Hummusapien 1. Vegan stuffed shells with tofu ricotta Yeah, that’s right—you can turn tofu into ricotta. And a really good one, at that. ad_intervals[‘407068_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407068_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: Getty Images/Smneedham 2. Tofu fettuccine Alfredo The next time you’re in the mood for an Alfredo sauce, take a tip from chef Chloe Coscarelli and blend up a block of tofu with onion, garlic, and lemon juice. Photo: Minimalist Baker 3. General Tso’s tofu
Your instinct to either scream at or squash a bug relies on 2 factors—and only 1 is fear
July 10, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC My fondest New York City memory is also one of my first: when my first roommate, Emily, and I were shrieking while trying to attack a silverfish with a Swiffer and thus overcome our mutual phobia of bugs. It was hard to even see the barely-an-inch-big insect spindling across her room, but with enough frantic swatting, we were finally able to put it to bed forever. But then we paused, confused about whether we should clean up our dreaded foe (and if so, how?). “No, leave the body,” Emily said darkly. “As a message to his friends.” Now whenever I see a silverfish, I just sigh, grab whatever shoe I’m least emotionally attached to, and…put it to bed, but unceremoniously and without all the fanfare. I get strangely nostalgic about this every summer, since it’s during the hotter seasons, I’ve found, that I encounter an influx of ’em, thus testing my waning phobia of bugs and how many I can tolerate in my space. And I’ve also found that fear is only one factor to consider for a person’s reaction to bugs—whether it’s immediate tears, reaching for spray, or calling for the help of a Real Adult. The way you handle the creepy-crawlies actually has a lot more to do with your tolerance for disgust. ad_intervals[‘406630_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘406630_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Research suggests when it comes to unwanted pests, our mind tends to compound feelings of
5 common mistakes you’re probably making with foundation, according to makeup artists
July 10, 2019 at 11:50AM by CWC You know that feeling when you catch a glimpse of yourself halfway through the day in either a rearview mirror or that office bathroom and realize that a) your foundation wasn’t properly blended in or b) your face is a completely different shade than your neck? Same! There’s also the fun scenario when you notice streaks that didn’t seem to be there when you applied your foundation in the morning. Le sigh—I don’t know what it is about foundation, but it seems to come with a slew of complications. But that’s apparently because, well, I’ve been using it wrong. If you’re a pro makeup kween, chances are you don’t even know what I’m talking about because your foundation application is always f-l-a-w-l-e-s-s. But if you’re like me… what’s up?—we need some assistance. So I tapped some professional makeup artists on the most common foundation mistakes that they see, along with how to fix ’em. Keep scrolling for the intel. ad_intervals[‘407144_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407144_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); 1. Too much coverage: Foundation can get the reputation of being cake-y, but it shouldn’t. “I can’t tell you how many people think they need full-coverage foundation from ear to ear, when they really just have some redness or a few blemishes to cover up,” says Merrady Wickes, makeup artist and head of content and education at The Detox Market. To make things look more natural, she recommends wearing a light to
6 teeny, tiny barre movements that add up to a full-on workout
July 10, 2019 at 11:26AM by CWC When it comes to fitness, you might assume that the bigger the movement, the sorer the muscles, and the better the results. That’s not always the case though. Take the beauty of barre, for example. The ballet-based workout focuses on small, dance-like movements that target slow-twitch muscle fibers (yup, just like Pilates) that add up to a full-on, sweaty workout. If you dig the sound of this and think you might want to brush up on barre, you’re in luck. Ahead you’ll find six teeny tiny movements that you can master right at home. Just remember to breathe through the burn, y’all. Bring these 6 barre moves home with you 1. Parallel leg extension: Light your quads and abs on fire with this balancing act. Start standing with your feet parallel and hip-width apart. “Work near a chair, wall, or counter for balance,” says Katelyn DiGiorgio, Pure Barre’s vice president of training and technique. “Extend your right leg out straight in front of you toward hip height, and flex your foot. Slowly lower and lift the leg in a smooth, controlled range of motion.” ad_intervals[‘406348_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘406348_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Repeat this process for 30 seconds. At the top of the movement, Digiorgio says to hold your leg up at your highest point while holding strong posture through the upper body. From there, perform small lifts up for 30 seconds. “Hold the leg at your highest point
Found! The cooling drugstore face mist that brightens on demand
July 10, 2019 at 11:15AM by CWC In recent years, face mists have become as synonymous with the summer season as watermelon slices, rosé, and driving with the windows down while listening to Sheryl Crow. They cool you off, hydrate your skin, and leave behind a dewy, radiant glow. But Neutrogena’s new Hydro Boost City Shield Facial Gel Mist ($19) takes things one step further by doing that and protecting your skin from the sweat, dirt, and grime that also happen to be synonymous with the summer season. The mist, which launched this past fall, is a part of the brand’s Hydro Boost line… AKA one of the drugstore’s most hydrating heroes. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid which (say it with me now!) holds 1,000 times its weight in water and offers some seriously intense moisturization. But in addition to plumping and hydrating your skin, the mist is also chock-full of antioxidants, which offer a layer to fend off environmental pollutants. So, I’d say it gets a whole lot done for a price tag of $19. ad_intervals[‘407184_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407184_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: Neutrogena There are a few reasons why I, personally, am a big fan of the mist… and only one of them has to do with the fact that I can get it at the drugstore. It has the same refreshing, vaguely floral scent as the rest of the Hydro Boost line, and unlike some of the lighter sprays on the
Researchers identify the personality trait people value most in 2019
July 10, 2019 at 11:08AM by CWC No spoilers, but Stranger Things 3 is a clear indication that “reliability” was the most desirable social trait back in the era of Bon Jovi. Eleven reliably saves the day with her superpowers. Dustin reliably humbles Steve. And Joyce (Winona Ryder) is reliably tough as nails. Indeed, research from the mid-’80s found reliability to be the most desired of 154 distinct personality traits. But that notion has been challenged in 2019, reports Psychology Today. In a close replication of the 34-year-old study, new research published in journal PLoS ONE used various methods to find out what personality factors stood out to 2,821 participants. Social psychologist Patrick Heck, PhD, analyzed the data to find the most (and least) desirable traits in 2019. And when you stack them side by side with 1985 findings, you end up with a very interesting comparison of what people valued then and now. ad_intervals[‘406675_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘406675_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In 1985, being reliable was most important, followed by being honorable, responsible, friendly, and cooperative; least desirable personality traits include being a liar—the worst—followed by dishonest, rude, a phony (à la Holden Caulfield), and dishonorable. In 2019, participants set their sights on intelligence; reliability, loyalty, attractiveness (however unfortunate and unsurprising), and responsibility rank highly as well. More telling though, we now deplore those who are dishonest, incompetent, unpleasant, dishonorable, and—yes, liars. There’s so much to psychoanalyze here about the evolution (devolution?) of our collective
A blind endurance athlete and her guide prove crushing races is better together
July 10, 2019 at 08:47AM by CWC It was the final stretch of the 2018 Race Across America—a 3,000 mile bike relay from California to Maryland—and Tina Ament was pulling double duty. As part of a team made up of both blind and sighted cyclists, Ament, who was born without sight, was taking on a few extra legs of the race to let her teammates rest. “We wanted to make sure there was a visually impaired person riding at all times, and we really needed Tina to step it up because some people were tired,” recalls her sighted teammate, Caroline Gaynor. “Basically, she stayed on the back of the bike and [our other teammate] Pamela and I switched off on the front in this really hilly section. It was, like, 2:00 in the morning in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. That was pretty nuts.” Ament’s effort paid off—Team Sea to See ended up becoming the first team with all blind stokers to complete the grueling race, finishing in an impressive 7 days, 15 hours, and 3 minutes. And while for many athletes, this would be a singularly impressive lifetime achievement, it was just one in a long line of victories for Gaynor and Ament. The pair has been competing in endurance races together since 2010, with Gaynor acting as Ament’s guide for around 20 events total, including four Ironman triathlons. (You know, the race that involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and full 26.2-mile marathon. No biggie.) ad_intervals[‘402388_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function ()
6 tips for hosting your friends for a weekend without spending a million dollars
July 10, 2019 at 08:28AM by CWC Once upon a time, I lived—with two roommates and three dogs—in a New York City one-bedroom apartment that we converted to a three-bedroom apartment. As I was new to town that year, everyone I’d ever met in Los Angeles, from where I had just relocated, and Texas, where I had grown up, used my new address as an excuse to visit Manhattan. My couch literally welcomed a guest every single weekend for an entire year—and, for once in my life, I am using the word “literally” properly rather than colloquially. In other words, I’m not exaggerating, and was in dire need of some budget-friendly hosting tips. I was 22 at the time, which meant I wasn’t exactly rolling in dough. My millennial post-grad funds (read: excessive debt) posed a problem when it came to entertaining these guests, as every single one of them wanted to experience NYC to the hilt. They were on vacation and spending money like they were on vacation, and I was expected to join them on these bill-burning expeditions even though I was not so much on holiday as just trying to survive everyday life in one of the world’s priciest cities. As a result, despite having made a decent amount of tax-free cash as a bartender that year, I left the East Coast 12 months later without a single cent saved. ad_intervals[‘406142_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘406142_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The route I took
3 things to keep in mind to do push-ups the right way
July 10, 2019 at 06:45AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt5b9x9N0KU] Time to w-o-r-k that upper body—watch exactly how to do push-ups correctly. For me, doing push-ups involves several key things: being on my knees (the standard modification), having trembling arms, dripping sweat onto my mat, and folding back into child’s pose many times. Push-ups are hard…and even harder when you’re doing them the right way. And yet—according to superstar trainer Charlee Atkins, who reveals the push-up form secrets in our Well+Good The Right Way video series, a lot of people actually aren’t doing them correctly. “Let’s face it: Push-ups are not easy, and a lot of the times, most of us are doing them the wrong way,” she tells us. ad_intervals[‘407014_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407014_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); What does the wrong way look like, exactly? She points out that the wrong way involves having your butt way up in the air. And oftentimes, your elbows will be pointing out—which will make it feel like the push-ups are easier. “But in reality, all you’re doing is setting yourself up for an awesome injury,” Atkins quips. Here’s the deal—she says that push-ups are actually quite simple once you nail the correct form. Here are the three things to make sure of when doing them correctly: 1. Work from plank position: “Have your body create a moving plank,” says Atkins. Start in a plank position with your shoulders right over your wrists, middle finger pointing forward. Hands should be about