Nutrition & Cooking
Wellness Wednesday: Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate
Dec 21st
Hi friends,
I love this grown-up version of a childhood treat—the more decadent and flavorful, the better. (Of course, when I’m making hot chocolate with my kids, I shelf this one and go for the classic recipe: milk, cocoa powder, sugar and plenty of marshmallows.)
Enjoy this little bit of seasonal luxury, either way!
xoxo,Sukey
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re pretty into chocolate. One delicious way we like to indulge? A steaming mug of liquid chocolate. Satisfy your sweet tooth with this warming treat, but be forewarned: this isn’t your grandma’s hot cocoa. We make a cup with a kick.
Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate (makes 4 servings)
- 1 bar (about 3.5 ounces) organic dark chocolate
- 3 cups milk (or non-dairy milk)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Heat the milk slowly in a saucepan and stir in the brown sugar, spices and salt. When the milk is hot, break the chocolate bar into pieces and add it, stirring the mixture until everything is well combined.
Now all you have to do is break out your biggest mugs and serve up the warmth. You’re welcome.
Tap the Well: No cup of hot cocoa is complete without marshmallows. We like oversized artisan hot chocolate toppers like Sweet & Sara’s vegan vanilla marshmallows, made with organic sugar and infused with Madagascar vanilla. Want to amp up the spice? Use a bar of Taza’s Guajillo Chili Chocolate Mexicano for a rustic, subtle heat.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, your ultimate guide for creating health and happiness. Get the best wellness techniques, products, recipes and general goodness by signing up. Make sure to follow The Well Daily on Twitter and like it on Facebook too!
Wellness Wednesday: Pick Up Some Good Bacteria
Dec 7th
Hi friends!
We’ve all heard the buzz about probiotics by now, but now science is actually backing it up—these good bacteria are proven to make us healthier and happier. Here’s to your health!
xoxo,
Sukey
Turns out, food can make you happy. We’re not talking about the high you get from really good chocolate (although we love that too). We’re talking probiotics.
The brain and the gut are bff, which is why we get butterflies when we’re nervous and that churning feeling when we’re upset. Now researchers are finding that your belly not only reflects how you feel—it also affects how you feel. And happier people have the right mix of bacteria going on.
Probiotics are living bacterial cultures that:
- make digestion smooth and easy
- replenish the good bacteria killed by antibiotics
- battle bad bacteria that finds its way into the gut
- boost immunity and reduce the risk of colon cancer
Tap the Well: Eat these probiotic foods to up your happiness factor:
- Greek yogurt—look for the option with the least added sugar
- Kefir, fermented milk with live cultures (Don’t do dairy? Try coconut milk kefir)
- Sauerkraut or kimchi. Old-school fermented cabbage is making a big comeback
- Tempeh, natto or miso, all products made from fermented soybeans
Not feeling the fermented foods? Pop a probiotic supplement like Florastor instead.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, your ultimate guide for creating health and happiness. Get the best wellness techniques, products, recipes and general goodness by by signing up. Make sure to follow The Well Daily on Twitter and like it on Facebook too!
Wellness Wednesday: The Sweet Side of Apple Cider Vinegar
Nov 30th
Feeling the need to cleanse a bit between this holiday and the next? Try a spoonful of apple cider vinegar in the morning. Here’s to your health!
xoxo,
Sukey
Part home remedy and part health tonic, apple cider vinegar has been a fixture in American kitchens since the 1950s when it was popularized by the book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health. This tart condiment’s claims to fame include everything from killing weeds to treating diabetes.
There are more than 20 different varieties of vinegars made from fruits, vegetables and grains, and they all contain vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Vinegar is a product of fermentation, a process by which natural sugars are broken down by bacteria and yeast, turning them into alcohol and then vinegar. But unlike other vinegars, apple cider vinegar is unprocessed and unpasteurized, so it helps balance the body’s pH levels.
As a fermented food, apple cider vinegar is widely used to cleanse the digestive tract, improve the digestion process and increase circulation. Holistic experts agree that apple cider vinegar promotes healthy weight loss, and studies have shown that it helps prevent diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels. The best part: at just a few cents per serving, apple cider vinegar is incredibly affordable.
Feeling brave or want your quick fix? Take apple cider vinegar by the spoonful, dilute it with juice or water or drizzle it on salad. We prefer to reap its benefits by using it in salad dressings, sauces and dips.
The Well Wisdom: You don’t have to ingest apple cider vinegar to put it to good use. The alpha hydroxy acid in it will prevent skin inflammation, infection and irritation, so use it as a simple skin toner or to heal blemishes. Just remember: always go for unpasteurized apple cider vinegar made from organic apples.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.
Wellness Wednesday: A Fresh Take on Pesto
Nov 9th
Hello friends,
Lately I can’t get enough of fall staples like pumpkin, beets and my personal favorite winter green, kale. This variation on traditional pesto makes a great appetizer for holiday get togethers. Try it and let us know what you think!
Here’s to happiness, every day!
Sukey
This pesto is the special recipe of The Well Daily’s resident organic chef, Taided Betancourt. Taided suggests serving it on a crostini with some fresh mozzarella or as a dip with fresh vegetables and crackers. Watch her step-by-step video on how to make it!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb lacinato or dinosaur kale, rinsed, stems removed
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more if needed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook the kale in the boiling water for about 3 minutes.
- Wrap the kale in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to wring out the excess water. Roughly chop the kale.
- Put the kale, walnuts, parmesan and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until everything is coarsely chopped. Turn the food processor to a steady speed and add the olive oil slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle in more olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.
Wellness Wednesday: Kitchen Cabinet Cures for Dry Skin
Oct 26th
Hello friends,
The transition of the seasons can be harsh on the skin. We’ve got a few kitchen cabinet cures that restore moisture naturally. Try them and let us know what you think!
xoxo,
Sukey
This time of year, dry, itchy skin is par for the course. Soothe your skin with inexpensive, everyday ingredients that can double as natural and effective moisturizers. Try a few for yourself and find your personal favorite.
Oatmeal: Naturally calming to the skin, oatmeal helps lock in moisture, removes dead cells and treats minor irritations. Add a scoop to a warm bath or mix up a face mask with 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, a teaspoon of baking soda, a drop of vanilla and enough warm water to form a paste.
Raw Honey: We’ve touted the benefits of honey before; it practically does it all when it comes to skincare. The live and active enzymes in raw honey act as a mild antiseptic when mixed with warm water, while the alpha hydroxyl acids exfoliate, promote balance in oily skin and increase skin elasticity to prevent wrinkles. Want more? Honey delivers a healthy dose of amino acids to hold in moisture and antioxidants to help reverse skin damage from free radicals.
Avocado: Mash an avocado to slather on the skin as a face mask; the vitamin A will give your face a youthful glow. Likewise, apply avocado oil to your cuticles to soften and revive that skin around the nails that gets so dry in cold weather. Just apply the oil, pull on a pair of gloves and rest your hands under a heating pad for 10 minutes.
Olive, Coconut, Grapeseed and Sesame Oil: Found in many over-the-counter lotions, these oils are rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Avoid the added preservatives and fragrances by using the oil itself as a cleanser in the shower. Just rinse, towel dry as usual and wait about 10 minutes before getting dressed. Olive oil also does wonders for a dry face. Give yourself a mini-facial by massaging it into your skin and draping a warm, damp towel over your face. Leave the towel until it cools, then wipe away any excess oil.
Banana: Next time you eat a banana, don’t throw away that peel; it can do a number on irritations and infections including acne, bug bites, warts, bruises, psoriasis and allergic reactions. Simply rub the inside of the peel on the affected area and feel the soothing effects as the potassium and antioxidants work their magic.
The Well Wisdom: Topical food remedies can be powerful healers for the skin, but don’t ignore the importance of healthy habits that create a glow from the inside out. Start with these tips.
- Drink plenty of fresh water to hydrate.
- Get regular exercise to promote natural oil production.
- Eat fatty fish like wild salmon to prevent aging.
- Use spices like cumin, turmeric and coriander to stimulate digestion, detoxify the skin and reduce inflammation.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.
Wellness Wednesday: 5 Ways to Use Apples Beyond the Pie
Oct 19th
Hello friends,
Apple season’s not over yet. Here at The Well Daily headquarters, we’re making the most of our favorite fall fruit and finding creative ways to sneak in more apples. Let us know if you have any favorite ways to eat this healthy treat!
xoxo,
Sukey
If you’re like us, going apple picking just might be on your list of upcoming weekend outings. You might also be wondering what you’ll do with bushels upon bushels of apples once the day is done. We’ll be trying these ideas to make the most of our local picks.
The Juicier the Better: Make green veggie juice part of your morning routine and sweeten the concoction with an apple. Alternatively, retain the apple’s fiber by chopping it into small pieces and blending it into your green smoothie.
Baked Right In: If dessert is your weakness, get all the taste with none of the refined sugar. Core an apple, sprinkle it with cinnamon and nutmeg, add a drizzle of pure maple syrup and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add chopped nuts or raisins for amped-up flavor.
Chop, Chop: Sweet or tart, the flavorful crunch of an apple adds variety and texture to almost any dish. Dice apples and toss them into salads or create a quick pilaf by adding them to cooked whole grains with nuts, seeds, herbs or spices. Our favorite on a crisp morning: make a warming porridge by cooking apples on the stovetop with oats or leftover grains, cinnamon, chopped nuts and your milk of choice.
Masked Beauty: Take advantage of the pectin and tannins in apples to renew and moisturize your skin. Grate an apple and mix it with two tablespoons of raw honey, the sweetener that’s great for your skin. Spread the mixture onto your face and rinse it off after ten minutes to reveal a healthy glow.
Make the Harvest Last: If you’ve enjoyed and shared your bounty and still have apples leftover, preserve them. Making jam is easier than it sounds; learn simple methods on your own or take a class.
The Well Wisdom: There’s truth in that old adage about an apple a day. Apples provide soluble fiber to lower cholesterol, boron to support strong bones, vitamin C to boost immunity and phytonutrients to fight damage from free radicals. Plus, apples have a long and local season, so this is a daily habit worth keeping.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.
Wellness Wednesday: The Wonders of Coconut Oil
Sep 21st
Hello friends,
When you hear coconut, you probably think tropical, but coconut oil is actually quite the health powerhouse year-round. Here are just a few ways we’ve been using it lately.
Enjoy and be well.
xoxo,
Sukey
Coconut oil can be a powerful addition to your health and beauty routine—and to your medicine cabinet. Just a quick glance at its benefits makes us wonder why it took us so long to discover this helpful and healthful gem.
Coconut oil owes its powerhouse profile to a combination of three acids: lauric, capric and caprylic. Lauric acid has antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it a triple threat to a variety of illnesses such as the flu, sinus infections and allergies. Capric acid helps balance insulin levels, so it can aid in the fight against diabetes and hypoglycemia. Caprylic acid is anti-fungal and is often used to treat digestive issues.
So how can you put coconut oil to work for you?
Add it to Your Diet. With its triumvirate of helpful acids, it’s no wonder that doctors of Ayurvedic medicine have long praised coconut oil for its ability to calm and balance the body. Some nutritionists recommend coconut oil for weight loss because its fats are easily converted into energy, enhancing endurance and making workouts more effective. Try this:
- Add a tablespoon to your smoothie.
- Use it instead of olive oil in your salad dressing.
- Cook with it when you’re stir-frying veggies or making kale chips.
- Try it in place of the butter or oil in muffins and desserts.
Make a Hair Mask. Applied to hair, coconut oil will repair damaged hair, promote healthy growth and shine and even prevent dandruff. Gently warm a few tablespoons of coconut oil, work it into your hair from roots to ends and massage it into your scalp. Leave it in for an hour, or wear a shower cap and let it soak in overnight for a deeply nourishing treatment. Then shampoo and style as usual. Your hair will feel luxuriously soft, and the scent will transport you to the tropics.
Let Your Skin Soak it In. Coconut oil repairs dry skin and prevents premature signs of aging, so make it your regular massage oil. For those with skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis, coconut oil can bring quick relief and provide significant long-term improvement. Apply it in the shower and rinse it off for an all-over body moisturizer, or use it like a lotion before bed. It’s a bit too heavy to use during the daytime unless your skin is really dry.
Heal Your Aches and Pains. Applied topically, coconut oil speeds up the healing process by forming a protective seal that keeps out infection. Massage it over cuts and bruises and swab it onto fungal infections. You can even take a teaspoon by mouth to soothe a sore throat.
Given its inexpensive price tag, coconut oil might just be the best health investment you’ve made all summer.
The Well Wisdom: Make sure to buy organic virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil that has been partially hydrogenated contains trans fats, which increase bad cholesterol. Unprocessed coconut oil, on the other hand, contains lauric, capric and caprylic acids, those medium chain fatty acids that are so good for you.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.
Wellness Wednesday: A Nourishing Soup for Fall
Sep 14th
Hi friends,
Here at The Well Daily, we’re getting pretty excited about fall. Changing colors on all the trees, making the switch from flip flops to boots, comforting foods like tea and thick soups. Here’s a recipe one of our favorite fall meals, kitchari.
xoxo,
Sukey
P.S. A back-to-school tip: make a double batch and freeze some for easy weeknight dinners.
Kitchari is the comfort food of India—a thick, creamy vegetarian soup for the soul. The name means “mixture,” and kitchari is an easily digested mix of one bean plus one grain, providing a perfect complement of carbohydrates and protein in one steaming bowl.
There are many variations on this Indian classic, and adding different spices each time you make it will result in a completely unique soup every time.
The simple un-spiced version below helps bring balance to the body and has a mild, subtle flavor. Enjoy its warming effects throughout the fall season and enter winter feeling completely nourished.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup red lentils
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
Measure the dry lentils and rice into a large soup pot. Wash and rinse them with cold water three times, swirling your hand through to feel for any stones or twigs. When the water runs clear, you’ve successfully rinsed starch off the rice, which will help it cook more evenly and not clump.
Add 8 cups of water and 3 cloves minced garlic to the pot. If you like, added a few strips of kombu seaweed. Kombu helps soften beans, making them easier to digest.
Bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes, then reduce heat to a nice simmer and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. Once lentils are soft, stir in a tablespoon of salt. Adjust to taste, adding more salt if needed.
For more tips on living well, visit The Well Daily, a website and free daily email for all things yoga, meditation, nutrition and wellness. The Well Daily’s simple mission: be well, do well, live well—for yourself and others. Join thousands of others seeking more health and more joy by following The Well Daily on Twitter and Facebook and by subscribing for your daily dose of wellness.