Soups and stews are the quintessential winter dishes. Warming and often slow cooking, they are perfect for any chilly evening. But every now and then, we require a meal both hot and delicious, while also fast-cooking and nourishing. Enter peanut miso soup with greens and tofu.
Winter is here, and with it comes lots of temptation for sugary foods and not-so-healthy drinks. One of my favorite things to drink this time of year is hot chocolate, a staple for many people over the holidays. Unfortunately, traditional hot chocolate is often loaded with refined sugar and dairy, not to mention hydrogenated oils if you’re buying it pre-packaged.
A lot of the shampoos and conditioners out there are filled with toxins (and are costly!). To save a buck and ditch the chemicals, try making your own shampoo and conditioner with these recipes. Just remember that everyone's hair is different: What works for me may not necessarily work for you. In order to find out what your hair truly needs, I suggest experimenting with the herbs you use in these recipes. Try different herb combinations and see which ones your hair responds to best. Personally, my hair loves coconut oil, rose, and peppermint.
Candy canes are a wonderful holiday treat to enjoy this time of year, but they're not always healthy. They're loaded with sugar and corn syrup: Try making these as a healthy, fun alternative. This recipe in particular will make you approximately 18 sticks. If you wish to make more or less, just double or halve the ingredients. The finished result won't look as perfect and flawless as pe-made candy canes, but they'll definitely be healthier.
Ingredients:
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most talked-about items when it comes to health, so you may have noticed certain apple cider beverages being sold in various health food restaurants and stores. With all the many kinds of health benefits apple cider vinegar offers, its growth in popularity makes a lot of sense. Apple cider vinegar drinks can be hard to find sometimes, as well as pricey, and drinking apple cider straight is not often very agreeable.
Did you know the average woman eats 7 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime? To make sure you're not eating chemicals, try these crafty recipes for all natural lipstick and lip gloss. The best part is, they'll certainly save you a buck or two in the long run. Lipstick and lip gloss not your thing? You can always give these away if you'd rather not use them. Either that or learn to craft eye makeup instead! Either way, you're bound to look (and feel) fabulous.
If you don’t know what herbal tonics are, winter is a really great time to learn about them. They are easy to make and simple to store, but the benefits are incredible.
What Are Tonics?
Herbal tonics consist of an infusion of herbs mixed with water, consumable alcohol, vinegar, or oil. Tonics are used to restore and refresh our bodies, as well aspromote our general health and well-being. There are various ‘tonic herbs’ that will increase your overall vitality, improve longevity, invigorate the internal systems, and even strengthen the spirit.
Got a bad gut and need some help digesting your food? This tonic should help: It's specifically designed to work with fall bounty too, so make it before the season is over! I recommend using it whenever you feel you've eaten too much food, or have an upset stomach. That said, you can also drink it as often as you like to promote good gut health on a regular basis. Cranberries are known for aiding in digestion, lowering wrinkle-causing inflammation, and even preventing urinary tract infections.
Oats are the grains of the common oat plant, Avena sativa. From being mocked as the ‘poor man’s breakfast’ oats have become an asset for many to combat bad lifestyle and poor nutrition. Full of carbohydrates, proteins and fiber, a bowl of oats in the morning is definitely a start to a healthier you...
Why are oats so healthy?
Oats are healthy because of what they contain. Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients of oats:
Spirulina is a blue-green algae growing in fresh water and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and has many health benefits. Spirulina has been used by the Aztec people since before the Conquistadors.