October 29, 2018 at 09:27AM At The Assemblage in New York City at a recent Well+Good TALKS panel, the crowded room was buzzing with one topic in mind: inner beauty. Well+Good co-founder Melisse Gelula held a conversation with beauty mastermind and wellness pro Bobbi Brown and Well+Good Council member and fellow wellness expert Lily Kunin on the topic, and, while everything from beauty supplements to skin care were discussed, the top smoothie add-ins were hotly debated. Lucky for us, Kunin dropped some pretty game-changing knowledge that will totally alter what we put in our blenders. Cauliflower (yes the same stuff that upped the game for pizza crusts and oatmeal) is a smoothie superstar, as well. “It tastes delicious and makes your smoothie creamy,” she says. And what’s more, if you’re looking for a way to rotate out your banana base, this is a pretty good stand-in. “I’ll do a smoothie and sub cauliflower for bananas,” she says for those seeking a low-sugar alternative. Though you won’t taste the cauli, it’s possible you might get a whiff of the pungent veggie as you go to take a sip. So to mask the aroma (which isn’t exactly appetizing, TBH), Ella Woodward—vegan recipe creative behind the food blog Deliciously Ella—recommends adding a certain fall-apropos spice to your recipe. “I didn’t add the cinnamon at first but that really really helped,” she wrote in a recent Instagram post after experimenting with blending the versatile ingredient into her smoothie recipe. She also notes that adding a date to the mix
Category: Vegetarians
How to make Candice Kumai’s vegan, velvety smooth pumpkin mac-and-cheese
October 28, 2018 at 08:25PM According to Candice Kumai, chef, author, and Well+Good Council member, being vegan on Thanksgiving shouldn’t mean being stuck with a plate full of Brussels sprouts—though they can be pretty yummy. She makes this ultra-rich macaroni and “cheese” recipe in place of a turkey for vegan guests—and swears there are no complaints. “Once you make this, there’s no turning back.” “Once you make this, there’s no turning back,” says Kumai. The creamy sauce is made from a velvety-smooth coconut and pumpkin puree which gets its savory umami flavor from a combination of miso and nutritional yeast. A crunchy breadcrumb topping makes it extra crave-worthy. The recipe is flexible, from the pumpkin (start from scratch, or use canned) to the pasta. “ I love using shells or penne in my mac and cheese, but feel free to use elbow macaroni or whatever pasta you’d like,” says Kumai. “You could also swap in whole wheat or gluten-free pasta.” Keep reading to get the recipe—and don’t plan on leftovers. Well+Good Wellness Council member Candice Kumai; Photo: Candice Kumai Candice Kumai’s vegan pumpkin mac Serves 8 Ingredients Coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray, for pan 1 medium pumpkin, peeled, halved, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch cubes (or substitute organic canned pumpkin, about 22 ounces or 1 1/2 cans) 4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 sprigs fresh thyme 22 ounces coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cans) 3 Tbsp organic miso paste Coarse salt 4 cups pasta shells or penne, cooked
These tried-and-tested vegan deodorants will do your armpits right
October 29, 2018 at 05:27AM For the majority of my life, the idea of switching away from my beloved industrial-strength antiperspirant was pretty much out of the question. I simply did not have the emotional stability to play Russian roulette with my armpits. Excess sweat? An (ahem) odor? Rings around my underarms? Yeah, count me out. But as cleaner deodorants have grown in number and efficacy, I decided to rethink my stance and pursue not only an aluminum-free alternative, but a vegan deodorant, at that. Let’s get a few things out of the way about the confusing underarm lexicon from the get-go: First off, deodorants differ from antiperspirants in that they’re devoid of aluminum, which creates a plug in the sweat gland to prevent sweating from happening. Deodorants, instead, are a cosmetic product that help to sop up sweat with ingredients like baking powder and add a nice fresh scent in some cases. Vegan options, could theoretically contain aluminum so long as they’re devoid of animal byproducts and haven’t been tested on animals, but the ones that I tried out didn’t. They were vegan deodorants. In terms of using a vegan versus a non-vegan option, Tara Pelletier, co-founder of the vegan deodorant brand Meow Meow Tweet told me that the effect on your pits is roughly the same no matter which deodorant you choose, but she added that “in terms of sustainability, using plant-based ingredients from ethical, organic farming methods is often more environmentally friendly than farmed animal products.” And so
10 vegan alternatives to chicken soup
October 27, 2018 at 05:00AM Confession: I am a soup fanatic. So much so that I can’t quite understand why it’s always the cheapest thing on the menu, offered alongside some other item, like a salad or sandwich, as if to sweeten the deal. In my opinion, soup is enough. Soup, you are enough! IMO, these ingenious liquid-y meals are especially swoon-worthy when you’re sick. Soup is a tried-and-true remedy which, if nothing else, make you feel as though you feel better—and the best ones actually provide health-boosting vitamins, minerals, fluids, electrolytes, protein, and more. Given my obsession, I find nixing traditional sick-day soups, like chicken noodle, chicken pho, and (chicken) matzo ball, to be nearly impossible, even though I’m trying to limit the animal products in my diet. But here’s the great thing: soup doesn’t need the chicken for which it is oftentimes famous. Below, find proof in the form of ten crave-worthy, immunity-boosting powerhouse concoctions (read: vegan soups) you can cook in bulk and freeze in case of a health emergency this fall and winter. Keep reading for 10 sick-day-perfect vegan soup recipes. Photo: Gabriel Cabrera 1. Miso soup Your gut is the largest part of your immune system, so it makes sense to feed it probiotic, fermented foods when you’re sick to help it do battle with your body’s bugs. Miso is made from fermented soybeans (and sometimes, chickpeas, too), and this soup recipe also includes immunity-boosting green veggies, ginger, wakame (a seaweed), fennel, and more. Add turmeric for an
How to tell if tattoo ink is really vegan
October 26, 2018 at 06:52AM Tattoos have become increasingly commonplace in the last few years. It’s to the point where body artists are now making office visits and being booked at events to send guest home with permanent party favors. But if you’re vegan and thinking about getting one, here’s something you should know: Like makeup, which often contains animal byproduct or uses insects to create pigments, many types of tattoo ink use similar ingredients including insect parts, charred bones, gelatin, and glycerine made from animal fat. “Sometimes, there are resins from bees in it,” says Lou Rubino Jr., founder of the vegan and animal-friendly World Famous Tattoo Ink line and owner of SOHO Ink in New York City. He says that unless explicitly stated or highlighted, you should always assume that your ink is non-vegan. To know for sure, he says, “Just ask the artist what type of inks they use and go directly to the manufacturer yourself and ask.” They should be able to tell you pretty quickly and confidently whether or not their ink meets your requirements. Another option is to start your search by using this online database of vegan tattoo parlors. Having to do a little extra research, however, doesn’t mean that vegan ink is hard to come by. Rubino Jr. says have vegan ink varieties are widely available at this point. You just have to ask—it’s kind of like the body art version of Starbucks’ secret menu in that way. If you’re not ready for the permanent stuff quite yet, try out
Settle in for a spooky-flick marathon—it’s an expert-approved way to boost mental health
October 26, 2018 at 04:34AM Humans have been scaring up stories for centuries in order to pass on vital information for survival. And, sure, while the 47th Saw movie may not be your go-to guide to life, fear (and the response it elicits) still plays a vital role in our modern-day lives. “We have four basic emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, and fear,” explains Mary Poffenroth, a San Jose State University biology lecturer and fear scientist. “Fear is there to keep us alive, and it’s something that is so inherently part of just being human, but we have this really kind of dysfunctional relationship with fear. In our society, what is the big messaging? ‘Be fearless!’” If fear is such an important emotion, how do we go about exploring the things that frighten us without feeling embarrassed or ashamed? That, says Poffenroth, is where scary movies come in. “The horror genre gives us a safe space to express our fears, to talk about our fears, to say that ‘I was scared!’ without having the kind of personal obligation to say that you are a fearful person,” she says. And this exploration can have a myriad of mental and emotional benefits beyond the those obvious evolutionary ones. Yep, that’s right—a date with Michael Myers could actually help relieve anxiety and boost your mood, among other things. Check out three ways scary movies can benefit your health. Photo: Getty Images/vladens 1. Believe it or not, they’re confidence boosters An awareness of how your
See ya, bloat: 10 natural ways to get rid of water retention
October 25, 2018 at 01:13PM Holding on to extra water weight can be super annoying. Besides making your stomach feel like a weighted balloon, it can cause your hands, feet, and face to swell. Fun times, right? So why exactly does this happen? Well, there are a few different reasons. “It can be due to an imbalance of minerals, be PMS-related, or a side-effect of the contraception you’re using,” says Jessica Sepel, CNS, clinical nutritionist and founder of JSHealth, all of which, she adds, are worth talking to your doctor about. If you’re experiencing the symptoms on a regular, long-term basis, Sepel recommends paying your doctor a visit because it can be a symptom of something more serious like high blood pressure. But, on it’s own, fluid retention is nothing to freak out over. There are a few nutritional and lifestyle things you can do to correct the issue. Below, Sepel and functional medicine dietitian, Miriam Jacobson, MS, RD, CNS, of Every Body Bliss share ten things you can do to banish the water bloat once and for all. Keep reading for 10 expert tips on how to get rid of water retention, the natural way. 1. Lower your salt intake “When you have too much sodium in your body, that’s when you hold on to fluid retention,” Sepel says. So the first point of action is to reduce your salt intake. Instead of adding table salt to your food, she recommends using different herbs and spices to add flavor instead. Cutting back
Here’s exactly what to eat when you’re getting over food poisoning
October 25, 2018 at 11:29AM One second you’re enjoying some food from your favorite takeout spot, and the next you’re logging your best running time yet while frantically searching for the nearest toilet. Anyone who’s ever experienced food poisoning—which is caused by food that’s been contaminated with bacteria or other infectious organisms—knows it’s all sorts of miserable. And the recovery process is anything but easy-breezy. Rather, it’s a full-time job looking searching vetting the proper food for upset stomach. A couple hours after eating contaminated food, the wave of nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea hits like a brick. Then as you’re getting over it—which can take days—the sheer thought of food can be traumatic: something you ate just caused you a whole lot of pain, and no one wants to experience round two. Because of that, there are some rules to keep in mind in order to ensure your stomach stays happy. Once you start adding foods back into your diet, it’s best to go for bland options that are easy for your body to digest. First, skip out on eating things that can upset your stomach even more—including dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, and anything that’s high in fat or highly-seasoned, says the Mayo Clinic. The Oregon Clinic also recommends avoiding any raw veggies, citrus fruits, or hot or cold beverages, which can also make your symptoms worse. Once you start adding foods back into your diet, it’s best to go for bland options that are easy for your body to digest,
Meet coorie, the Scottish concept that takes hygge up a natural notch
October 25, 2018 at 06:16AM You know (and love) the Danish tradition of hygge, which wants you to bask in the most cozy stuff in life. Well, make room in your self-care routine for another buzzy concept, this time from Scotland: coorie. While hygge is about all things comfy in pursuit of happiness, coorie is focused on spending time in nature in order to reconnect. Think: a little less pastel cashmere on a plush couch, a little more tartan on a rolling hill. “A coorie way of life practices small, quiet, slow activities by engaging with our surroundings to feel happy,” says Gabriella Bennett, Scotland native and author of the new book The Art of Coorie. Historically, the word has meant cuddling up or snuggling in, but it’s taken on a life—and lifestyle—of its own. “A coorie way of life practices small, quiet, slow activities by engaging with our surroundings to feel happy.” —Gabriella Bennett, author and coorie expert “It’s about drawing comfort from Scotland’s oldest traditions and updating them for modern times,” she says. Coorie also takes a cue from sustainable and mindful living, looking at how people buy and consume and then trying to simplify. The best thing about coorie? You don’t need to go out and buy extra candles, bath bombs, or fuzzy socks to practice it. “Coorie is about learning to live better using what is around you,” Bennett says. Here’s how you can start living the coorie life today. Photo: Getty Images/michellealbert 1. Embrace the
One of the best banana peel uses? Shining up your shoes
October 24, 2018 at 08:49AM People have been slipping on bananas in slapstick comedy for years. And while stepping on one doesn’t actually result in a traumatic fall on the sidewalk (thanks, MythBusters), it could be a totally chemical-free—and environmentally-friendly—way to shine up your favorite pair of booties in seconds. It might sound strange, but according to PureWow, the texture of the inner part of a banana peel works great as an all-natural shoe shiner on both leather and faux-leather shoes. The technique is incredibly simple, too: All you need to do is buff your booties until the oil from the peel gets rid of any marks and scuffs. Then before wearing your shoes around again, gently wipe them down with a microfiber cloth to clean off any leftover banana chunks. Unless, you know, you want to snack on them later. The texture of the inner part of a banana peel works great as all-natural shoe shiner on both leather and faux-leather shoes. The next time you’ve finished enjoying your snack, don’t toss the peel in the trash—put it to good use. And when someone asks you how you got your shoes so shiny, just be prepared for some very confused looks. Want more ways to put your bananas to good use? Whip up this delicious buckwheat banana bread, or go totally bananas for this vegan alt-milk alternative. Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by iversue