Category: Vegetarians

January 31, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC Adding chef-level flavor to your meals doesn’t have to be complicated. You can use herbs and spices, a squeeze of citrus, or—my personal favorite—a sauce. In particular, you can use this creamy avocado-loaded aioli that tastes good on literally everything. I’m talking roasted veggies, salads, scrambles, and more. Avocados From Mexico just launched AvoEatery in Dallas, Texas, and the entire menu is focused on the beloved green fruit. Aka a dream come true. While the main dishes—from Texas-sized avocado toast and grilled avo-topped zoodles—are always a win, the humble avocado aioli’s multi-use powers are seriously impressive. “Avocado aioli is so versatile and can really give a dish an extra something special,” says David Spirito, the senior director of foodservice and culinary for Avocados From Mexico. “You can use it as a dip with veggies, pitas, and chips to make a fun appetizer or as a side dish. You can also use it to dress up your favorite sandwich (whether it’s hot or cold), add it to your breakfast or lunch, or add it to a burger. You can even use it as a base in a salad dressing. The possibilities are really endless for this simple sauce.” To try it out for yourself—and, let’s be honest, add it to every meal you possibly can—whip up Spirito’s recipe below. Once you have a batch ready to go, you can use it all week long. AvoEatery’s avocado aioli Yields 2 cups Ingredients 1 ripe avocado,

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January 31, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC It’s a truth universally known that eating enough protein is important for healthy, stable energy levels. It’s important for muscle recovery and repair, it’s great at working with fiber to stabilize blood sugar, and it helps keep you full. “I always recommended protein and fiber-rich snacks to help keep you energized and satisfied. It’s a bonus if those snacks are plant-based and portable,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, RDN, author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club. But let’s face it: eating foods like hard boiled eggs—the traditional go-to for easy protein—can get old, fast. While there are a bunch of other good healthy snack options that are high in protein (think Greek yogurt, string cheese, nut butter packs, and more), I was surprised to find that there was one food that every dietitian I know says is an excellent choice for mid-afternoon hunger pangs. No, it wasn’t a protein bar. It was roasted beans. Wait, why do experts recommend beans as a snack? Surprised? So was I. But all of the RDs I spoke to said that they’re a big fan of the roasted beans trend—which includes chickpeas, broad beans, and edamame—because it’s a near-perfect healthy snack. For starters, beans and legumes in general are high in protein and fiber, which helps fill you up, keep blood sugar levels stable, and satiate you until your next meal. They can be incorporated into a variety of eating plans, making them a good option for vegans, vegetarians, Med

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January 31, 2020 at 03:12PM by CWC Sugar, especially the white, refined kind we all grew up with, has never exactly been considered a health food. It spikes your blood sugar, increases inflammation, and can spur further cravings that can impact a person’s healthy eating goals. And artificial substitutes like Splenda and Sweet ‘N Low come with chemical baggage we’d rather avoid. But life without something sweet every now and then doesn’t seem worth it, IMO. So we asked Erica Giovinazzo, RD, Clay Health Club’s resident nutritionist, and Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, host of Well+Good’s YouTube series You Versus Food, if there are any benefits to the natural white sugar alternatives flooding the market. They helped us sort through the options and the marketing—from agave to stevia and even Sugar in the Raw. Here’s the 411 on sugar and all its aliases, straight from a registered dietitian: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lw-OEaThp0] Just remember, Giovinazzo says, “naturally derived sugars are still sugars. They’re not a health food. But if you’re going to have sugar, there are more nutritious ways to get it.” Here’s your guide to the most common natural white sugar substitutes…   Photo: Wikipedia/Maltose Agave Pro: Agave has a lower glycemic index, meaning your body absorbs it more slowly than refined sugar, so you avoid the typical blood-sugar spikes (and crazed rush). And it’s vegan. It also has some anti-inflammatory properties, Beckerman says. Con: Agave, which comes from the same cactus as tequila, is primarily fructose (90 percent). While fructose breaks down

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January 31, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC When it comes to keeping the fridge stocked with healthy foods, there are two obstacles many people cite: cost, and having no clue what to buy. It’s true that walking into a big supermarket can be overwhelming (So.Many.Aisles.), which is why it helps to take a lap with a dietitian who not only knows the lay of the land, but also is super clued into what’s worth adding to your cart. Get ready for the next best thing to shopping with a healthy eating pro IRL. Here, registered dietitian Ellie Krieger, RD, reveals her top eight finds at Aldi, the discount supermarket chain popular in the South and Midwest. These are the foods that are staples in her house because they’re all super healthy and versatile enough to enjoy lots of different ways. Oh, and by the way, nothing is over $6. Happy shopping! Keep reading for an RD’s take on what to buy at Aldi: 1. SIMPLY NATURE CREAMY ALMOND BUTTER, $4.89 “Almond butter is my go-to snack any time of the day,” Krieger says. As a dietitian, she loves it because of the balance of healthy fat and protein, key to staying full between meals. “I admit I sometimes just scoop some out and eat it right off the spoon—no double dipping though!—but I also love to spread it on apple slices or banana, and I often add it to oatmeal or a smoothie at breakfast,” she says. 2. SEASON’S CHOICE

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January 30, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvW35toe6Gc] This healthy trail mix is guaranteed to be your new energizing snack of choice. Here’s how to make it. The 4 p.m. slump is one of the most persistent banes of existence. Unless you live in Spain and are allowed daily siestas to recharge your batteries, you’re likely well aware of the brain fog that sets in a few hours before you’re actually allowed to vacate the duties of your job. It’s intensely frustrating and difficult to combat, especially given that for many of us, caffeine is not a good idea that late in the day. Personally, the only thing that works for me is a mid-to-late afternoon sweat sesh, but since most office workers can’t jet out for an hour to recharge with a workout, herbalist, Supernatural founder, and host of Well+Good’s Plant Based video series Rachelle Robinett offers a more widely-adoptable solution: nootropic trail mix. “Nootropics are another way of describing herbs, supplements, foods, and compounds that are great for our brains,” Robinett says. “This recipe is designed for the times of day…you’re feeling the lethargy or lowness or brain fog.” One of two key ingredients in her brain-boosting blend is cordyceps mushrooms. Robinett explains that while all mushrooms are great sources of antioxidants, cordyceps mushrooms are especially adept at providing the body with energy. “Cordyceps also enhance our cells’ ability to use oxygen, which is very important for brain circulation and cognitive function,” she says. The second key ingredient is rosemary. “Rosemary is

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January 30, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Almond butter is creamy, loaded with protein, and is downright delicious. These are just facts. But sunflower butter is going more mainstream too, giving the OG pantry staple some friendly competition at the grocery store—particularly in the freezer section. Ben & Jerry’s just aded three new flavors to its non-dairy line—”Milk” & Cookies, Crème Brûlée Cookie, and Mint Chocolate Cookie—and they’re are all made from sunflower butter. Since the existing vegan flavors the company offers are almond-based,  this gives anyone with a nut allergy the chance to get in on the fun. With the popularity of sunflower butter on the rise, you may be wondering how it holds up to the OG of the nut butter world. And while it doesn’t have quite as many body-bettering qualities, it’s pretty darn close. According to registered dietitian Sameera Khan, RD, almond butter will always be the queen of the nut butter world, as it’s one of the most nutrient-dense options available with 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fiber per two-tablespoon serving. It’s also loaded with potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. But in terms of the best butter for anyone with allergies, sunflower butter is the best nut-free option to go with. When it comes to sunflower butter nutrition, the option contains 6 grams of protein, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber per two-tablespoon serving. Plus, Kahn says a single tablespoon provides 40 percent of your

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January 29, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC It’s safe to say the world is obsessed with protein. Where it comes from, whether we’re getting enough of it, what the best kinds are, when to eat it… the list goes on. Because of all the information circulating around the internet, you probably have your fair share of questions about the diet staple. And trust me—you’re definitely not the only one. Registered dietitians get asked health and nutrition-related questions on daily, both online and in person with their clients—especially with the rise in plant-based eating, as many people are rethinking the way they look at protein in the first place. But out of all the questions they get (and there are a lot!), these are the top three protein questions that come up more than any others. The top 3 protein questions RDs get asked all the time 1. Are some sources of protein “better” or more “complete” than others? You might think certain proteins are “better” or more “complete” than others, but Whitney English Tabaie, MS, RDN, co-founder of Plant-Based Juniors, says at the end of the day, protein is protein and the outdated idea of having to combine plant proteins to make them a “complete” protein has been disproven. “They’re all made up of amino acids that are broken down into individual units to be digested. Even plants contain all nine amino acids, despite what you may have heard. Some are just lower in one than others. For example, beans

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January 29, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC If asked to give an example ab exercise, the majority of people would undoubtedly say “crunches.” Crunches, and their sister move sit-ups, are an OG core move that the fitness world has been doing for ages. But, according to a chiropractor, these happen to be the worst things that you can do for a stronger core. The issue? Crunches and sit-ups both involve folding your body inward. “People are sitting all day, looking down at their smartphone or their computer, but what people really need to do is more extension,” says Todd Sinett, DC, a chiropractor and kinesiologist (whose book, Sit-Ups are Stupid and Crunches are Crap, comes out this spring). “Our core is actually over-contracted and too tightened—so it’s too tight, not too weak.” Moves that literally crunch (ahem) your body even more throw off your alignment and your posture, which can lead to back pain. Simply extending your spine and opening up your core, on the other hand, strengthens the important muscle groups around the abs that are key for holding yourself upright. Dr. Sinett points out that extension-based core exercises work “all of the supporting core musculature in a symmetrical and systemic fashion,” while also keeping your back straight (studies even prove it). Things like standing ab exercises, twists, and basically anything that burns your core without contracting your spine all fit the bill Keep scrolling for Dr. Sinett’s recommended core exercises. Back-friendly core exercises 1. Dead bug: Lie down on

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