by Caroline | Sep 24, 2018 | Recipes, Wellness
Chia seed pudding has become one of my favorite make ahead/grab-n-go healthy snack foods. It’s so simple, yet so healthy, and it’s actually really delicious too! All you really need to know are the basics, and then you can add whatever toppings or spices you like to make it how you like it. I’m going to show you two ways I like to make chia seed pudding.
How to make Chia Seed Pudding
The base is just chia seeds and any kind of liquid of your choice. I prefer coconut milk but you can do water, coconut water, cows milk, or any kind of nut milk (checkout my recipe for homemade cashew milk if you really want to take your homemade-game to the next level). How freakin’ simple is that!? The other thing that makes this a super efficient snack, is that you only need a small amount of chia seeds, so the bag that I buy lasts me for months even if I make this a few times a week.
Ready for the easiest recipe of your life? To make the base you need to mix:
- 3 tbs chia seeds
- 1 cup liquid
Then add anything else you want like strawberries, vanilla extract, honey, blueberries, grated ginger, walnuts, almonds, peaches, cinnamon, you get the idea. The taste is very neutral so alone it’s sort of meh. You’ll want to dress it up a bit, but you can add pretty much anything because the base is so neutral.
The chia seeds will soak up the liquid and form a gel like texture. This can happen in as little as 10 minutes, but I like to make a few jars on a Sunday evening, leave them in the fridge overnight, then I have lunch to take to work the next day. You can even make just the base ahead of time, then add fruit to it when you’re ready to eat, that’s what I do to avoid any nuts or fruit getting soggy.
Easy? *check*
Cost effective? *check*
How about healthy? *checkcheckcheckcheck*
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
The health benefits of chia seeds are astounding, it’s crazy that more people don’t know of them or eat them on a regular basis. Here are just a few…
- They pack a major nutritional punch. Just two tablespoons has fiber (11g), protein (4 g), omega-3s, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, Vitamin B1, B2, and B3. Which makes it one of the world’s best sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.
- They are loaded with antioxidants.
- Even though a serving has 12 grams of carbs, 11 of those are fiber, so the carbs your body will digest are only 1 gram, making it good for your blood sugar, and one of the best sources of fiber you can get.
- Just a small amount is great at keeping you full, which can help reduce unnecessary snacking and overeating.
- It’s a high source of protein among plants.
So go-ahead and make a few jars of chia pudding for the week ahead!
Let me know in the comments what you like to put in your chia pudding!
by Caroline | Sep 17, 2018 | Lifestyle
There’s never one moment in our lives when we turn everything around and are awesome forever and ever. I think we expect to have that turning point moment where the sun comes out and we feel a deep sense of joy, and peace, but then we “feel stuck” when that doesn’t happen. I hear this all the time when people say things like “I left my 9-5 to be a full time blogger/influencer/coach/whatever and I’ve never been happier” it glosses over the many moments of frustration and insecurity that comes with those types of gigs, making the rest of us gals feel stuck in our own growth.
Or when people say “I started doing yoga and it changed my life.” Yes, I’m sure it’s helped you, but yoga isn’t a magic wand. When we put that type of pressure on something outside of us, we give away all our power to bring about those feelings within ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great if you love yoga (I clearly LOVE yoga), but let’s not forget that with certain things we expect it to bring us closer to that elusive feeling we are after of finally having/being/feeling “IT” (whatever IT is for you).
Maybe, if you’re like me and you’ve had the though that when you finally get a pair of Luboutons you’ll feel like that gorgeous, special, successful, powerful woman you want to be. So are you after the shoes, or are you really wanting the feeling and the becoming of that desired version of yourself? When we chase after IT, we are forgetting what we really want.
So here’s 4 things to remember when you feel stuck letting external circumstances dictate your happiness:
Remember everybody poops. At the end of the day we all have insecurities. Even those who we perceive as always seeming happy, free, and fulfilled. Maybe it’s the travel yogi you follow on instagram, who is always in amazing places. Or the #relationshipgoals couples on facebook that make you wanna puke, but also make you want what they have. This is more in the realm of comparison-its, but using external expectations from other people to tell you what happiness is, will only bring you more frustration.
Set realistic expectations for yourself. This one is where I fall HARD. There’s no feeling joyful every single moment of the day. And I don’t say this to be negative, I think when we get real about our expectations that’s when we can transcend our old ideas of what happiness really is, and rather than thinking “I’ll be happy when…” or “once I get XYZ then I won’t be to stressed” or whatever you tell yourself to pass the time between now and “there” because we are always looking as “once I get there…”
Don’t do yourself the disservice of waiting on the check, the man, the job, the opportunity, the big break. Yes, I wish those things for you and more. But what I really wish for you, and for me (as I often write my content knowing it’s what I need to hear too) is for you to cultivate the art of finding happiness right now, without the check, without the man, before the job and success and big break that are ultimately coming your way. Not relying on them for your happiness (knowing fully that they are yours and are already on their way, thankyouamen).
Ask yourself this…What do you need to do right now in this minute to get you there? What new beliefs do you need to adopt? What old beliefs do you need to let go of, for you to fully know that happiness is a moment to moment thing, none of it is guaranteed. All you are truly guaranteed is this moment, so let’s practice finding that happiness we long after, right here.
Love always,
by Caroline | Aug 22, 2018 | Mindful Home, Sustainability
As I said in part 1 of this skincare series, I’ve been really interested in cleaning up my personal products, taking out any harmful skincare ingredients, and replacing them with ones that are safer for me and the environment. When starting to research products and ingredients I came upon a startling fact…
While the European Union has banned 1,328 harmful chemicals and ingredients, the United States has only banned 30.
omg say WHAT?!?!?!?!
That means there are thousands of chemicals Americans use and eat every day, that in other parts of the world are not deemed safe for humans. We’re talking pesticides, food additives, dyes, preservatives, chemicals in personal products like cosmetics, toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo. That’s freakin’ messed up and I’m really not cool with it!
Are you as baffled as I am? This is one of the most shocking and upsetting statistics I have heard in years. It makes me think “WTF is wrong with us? Why are are so backwards on this?”
Here’s why. In short, most countries take the stance that if there is credible evidence of danger to human or environmental health, preventative action is taken by banning the product, whether or not the science has yet to prove it’s unsafe.
The US, on the other hand sees it as an “innocent until proven guilty” type of deal. Meaning if there is concern over a product, it will not be banned until certain and conclusive studies have been conducted, proving a high level of harm.
You can see my article in part 1 of this series, when I took a startling look at the ingredients in some of my daily skincare products. I highly encourage you to check out the Environmental Working Group’s website to look at the safety of ingredients in your products.
But for now this is what I want you to be aware of. Please, ladies look at your labels!
HARMFUL INGREDIENTS YOU SHOULD AVOID
Benzalkonium Chloride
A disinfectant used as a preservative and surfactant associated with severe skin, eye, and respiratory irritation and allergies. Found in: sunscreens, moisturizers.
Butylatedhydroxy Anisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene
Synthetic antioxidants used to extend shelf life. They are likely carcinogens and hormone disruptors and may cause liver damage. Found in: lipsticks, moisturizers, diaper creams, and other cosmetics.
Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients
A byproduct of coal processing that is a known carcinogen. It is used as a colorant and an anti-dandruff agent. Found in: hair dye, shampoo.
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)
A chelating (binding) agent added to cosmetics to improve stability. May be toxic to organs. Found in: hair color, moisturizers.
Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA)
Surfactants and pH adjuster linked to allergies, skin toxicity, hormone disruption, and inhibited fetal brain development. Found in: hair dyes, mascara, foundation, fragrances, sunscreens, dry cleaning solvents, paint, pharmaceuticals.
Formaldehyde
Used as a preservative in cosmetics. A known carcinogen that is also linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity. Present where quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3 diol (Bronopol), and several other preservatives are listed. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.
Hydroquinone
A skin-lightening chemical that inhibits the production of melanin and is linked to cancer, organ toxicity, and skin irritation. Found in: skin-lightening creams.
Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone
Chemical preservatives that are among the most common irritants, sensitizers, and causes of contact skin allergies. Found in: shampoo, conditioner, body wash.
Oxybenzone
Sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies, and possible hormone disruption. Found in: sunscreen, moisturizer.
Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others)
A class of preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Parabens are endocrine (or hormone) disruptors, which may alter important hormone mechanisms in our bodies. Found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, foundation.
Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others)
A class of plasticizing chemicals used to make products more pliable or to make fragrances stick to skin. Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system and may cause birth defects. Found in: synthetic fragrance, nail polish, hairspray, and plastic materials.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG compounds)
PEGs are widely used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. Depending on manufacturing processes, PEGs may be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, which are both carcinogens. Found in: creams, sunscreen, shampoo.
Retinyl palmitate and Retinol (Vitamin A)
A nutrient that may damage DNA and speed the growth of skin tumors when used topically. Found in: moisturizer, anti-aging skincare.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS and SLES)
SLS and SLES are surfactants that can cause skin irritation or trigger allergies. SLES is often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a byproduct of a petrochemical process called ethoxylation, which is used to process other chemicals in order to make them less harsh. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.
Synthetic flavor or fragrance
An engineered scent or flavoring agent that may contain any combination of 3,000-plus stock chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors and allergens. Fragrance formulas are protected under federal law’s classification of trade secrets and therefore can remain undisclosed. Found in: all types of cosmetics.
Toluene
A volatile petrochemical solvent that is toxic to the immune system and can cause birth defects. Found in: nail polish.
Triclosan and Triclocarban
Antimicrobial pesticides toxic to the aquatic environment; may also impact human reproductive systems. Found in: liquid soap, soap bars, toothpaste.
*this list is actually known as The Never List, put out by Beauty Counter. I found it the most comprehensive, yet simple to understand list out there*
If you find this disturbing, the best things you can do are to look at the ingredients in the products you use every day, share this with a girlfriend (’cause we look out for each other), and start looking for products with safer ingredients. I’ll show you how to do that in part 3 of this blog series!
by Caroline | Aug 20, 2018 | Mindful Home, Sustainability
So for a long time I have kept telling myself that the next time I need a new cleanser, moisturizer, shampoo, etc. I’m going to really do my research and find products with safer skincare ingredients for both my body, and the environment. I’ve heard about how lots of skincare ingredients in our everyday products are pretty harmful, and considering how many products we all use, it was important to me that I start cleaning it up.
Well, ingredients lists are confusing to say the least. I don’t recognize, nor can I pronounce, any of the terms, and I didn’t know where I could turn to get some answers. I finally came upon the Environmental Working Group website, which has been a really helpful resource, and I encourage all of you to go check it out.
It allows you to research not only ingredients, but you can also search for the products youse to find if they are deemed safe. They also have a special mark they put on products that are verified by the EWG which recognizes products that meet EWG’s strictest standards for your health. SO you know which products don’t contain chemicals of concern. I found this especially helpful, and now am striving to only buy products that are EWG verified. Here’s what the mark looks like:
I like to keep my standards high, and this seems like it will help me, without hours of frustrating google searches.
So with this new information right at my fingertips, I decided to check on three of the products I use on a daily basis (I use more than 3, but to avoid an extremely long post, I kept it to 3 so you could see how it works).
Product #1: Dove go fresh deodorant (cool essentials scent)
This one came back with 12 ingredients of concern (yikes!). The highest concerns include contamination concerns, irritation, persistence, and bioaccumulation.
Score: 4/10 (moderate hazard) *just for reference the higher the number, the higher the hazard*
Top 4 Suspect Ingredients
- Fragrance– skin irritation, organ system toxicity, ecotoxicology
- BHT– Cancer (WTFFFFFF), organ system toxicity, endocrine disruption, developmental/reproductive toxicity.
- Cyclopentasiloxane– organ system toxicity, neurotoxicity, cancer, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology.
- Steareth-100- organ system toxicity, ecotoxicology.
Product #2: Obaji Medical Gentle Rejuvenation Soothing Cleanser
This one came back with 4 ingredients of high concern, and 7 ingredients of moderate concern. The highest concerns are Endocrine disruption, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Contamination concerns, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Miscellaneous, Occupational hazards, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Score- 6/10 (on the high end of “moderate” hazard”)
Top 4 Suspect Ingredients:
- Fragrance-allergies/immunotoxicity, irritation, organ system toxicity, ecotoxicology.
- Isobutylparaben– use restrictions, allergies/immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption, developmental/reproductive toxicity, biochemical or cellular level changes.
- Bropylbaraben– use restrictions, allergies/immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption, developmental/reproductive toxicity, ecotoxicology
- Butylparaben– use restrictions, allergies/immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption, developmental/reproductive toxicity, ecotoxicology
Product #3: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 30
This one actually game back pretty good with a low overall concern (7 ingredients of moderate hazard,and 10 ingredients of low hazard)
Score: 2/10 (low hazard) woop woop!
Top 5 Suspect ingredients:
- Thiethanolamine-use restrictions, allergies/immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), contamination concerns
- Homosalate-use restrictions, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, contamination concerns
- Octisalate– use restrictions, allergies/immunotoxicity, ecotoxicology
- Phenoxythanol– Irritation, use restrictions, organ system toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity
So, luckily nothing came back in the severe hazard range, the the Obagi facial cleanser was just one point away from it, which is upsetting because I got it from my aesthetician at a medical spa and paid a pretty penny for it. I expected it to be the best one, alas, it wasn’t. Either way it’s a eye opening experience to see the chemicals that I am putting on my body every day.
In the next post in this series I’ll share about the ingredients you DEFINITELY don’t want in your products and how to start finding safer products.
Until next time!
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