Wellness Wednesday- Chemical Sunscreen VS Natural Sunscreen

Alas, summer is here! That means more sunshine followed with a tanned body. For today's Wellness Wednesday, we will provide information on the difference between chemical sunscreen and natural sunscreen.

Natural sunscreen > Chemical sunscreen. Why is that? Well, laboratory studies have indicated that numerous chemicals in sunscreen mimic hormones and disrupt the hormone system.

The most troubling and commonly used chemical in sunscreen in the U.S. is oxybenzone.  We advise you to avoid this chemical at all costs, for it can penetrate the skin, cause allergic skin reactions, and may disrupt hormones. Oxybenzone is also found in mother's milk. If you're a mother and want to have a healthy baby, do not use a sunscreen containing this chemical.

Instead, we strongly recommend you use a natural sunscreen containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It is the safest for adults and children. Natural sunscreens immediately protect you from the sun the moment you apply it.

Tips Tuesday Vegan Recipe ~ Taco Salad

     VEGAN TACO SALAD

I wanted to add a tasty recipe for summer that was vegan, healthy and light but hearty at the same time. I think this one is all of those things. This recipe was found on Oh She Glows. You can visit this site for tons of great recipes. Check it out here http://ohsheglows.com/2012/06/12/layered-raw-taco-salad-for-two/

   Layered Raw Taco Salad for Two

 Don’t let the long ingredient list put you off; the entire recipe took me about 30 minutes or so. Feel free to adapt this salad     depending on what you have in your kitchen.

 Print, Email, or Text this recipe Inspired by : The Naked Sprout’s Taco Salad

Walnut Taco Meat: (adapted from my taco meat recipes) (yield: scant 1/2 cup)

 1/2 cup walnuts, soaked for 2-8 hours

•  1 & 1/2 tsp chili powder
•  1/2 tsp cumin powder
•  fine grain sea salt, to taste
•  cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

 Cashew or Macadamia cream: (yield: 1 heaping cup)

•  1 cup macadamia (or cashew) nuts, soaked in water for 2-8 hours
• 11-12 tbsp water (use as needed to achieve desired consistency)
• 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
• fine grain sea salt, to taste (I used just over 1/4 tsp)

3-Minute Guacamole: (yield: 3/4 cup)

• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• scant 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste

Other salad ingredients:

• greens of choice
• salsa
• green onion (optional)
• crackers

Taco meat: In a food processor (or by hand), pulse (or chop) the ingredients until combined. Make sure to leave the walnuts chunky. Remove and set aside.

Cream sauce: Drain and rinse the soaked nuts. Add them into a processor and process. Stream in about 1/2 cup water and a couple tbsp of lemon juice. Add more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency. The nut sauce should be super smooth and not grainy. Add salt to taste.

Guacamole: In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocado flesh with a fork, leaving some chunks. Stir in the chopped tomato, red onion, lime juice, and seasonings to taste.

To assemble: (per bowl) Add a hefty base of greens in a large bowl followed by a heaping 1/4 cup scoop of guacamole in the middle. Spoon on 2 tbsp of salsa over the greens followed by half of the taco meat. Add a couple tbsp of cream into a plastic baggie, snip off end, and pipe over top the taco meat. Garnish with a chopped green onion and leftover chopped tomato and red onion. Place a few crackers into the salad before serving. If you find yourself with leftover lemon and lime juice like I did, place juice into a glass, fill with water, add liquid sweetener to taste, and serve over ice.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2012/06/12/layered-raw-taco-salad-for-two/#ixzz36uSF7wJV

Pick Me Up Mondays

Now that it's Monday, I bet you can resonate with this drowsy looking panda while also trying to recover from the 4th of July weekend. Start your week by trying to be like this cute, smiling panda that does not give a care in the world. 

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Throwback Thursday from the Golden Globes Party 2012 with Lou Ferrigno/The Incredible Hulk

As a kid who had an Incredible Hulk sleeping bag in the 80's, everyone knows how incredibly ecstatic I was to meet Lou Ferrigno. He wasn't always the macho type during his childhood. Instead, he was relentlessly teased. Not only that, he suffered a 75% hearing loss. By 13 years old he started weight training. Then he went on to win IFBB Mr. America and IFBB Mr. Universe, making him a World Guinness Book of record making him the youngest Mr. Universe. He later went on to become the iconic superhero the Incredible Hulk. We admire the fact that Ferrigno created Ferrigno Fit a community that focuses itself on positive habits, lifestyles, and ideas. Who knew we had so much in common with the Hulk.

Wellness Wednesday- 4th of July Recipes

Good morning, readers! Today is Wednesday Wellness. To begin the 4th of July with a healthy start, here are some recipes we recommend you share with friends & family! 

Vegan Tempeh & Black Bean Burgers 

To begin you will need :

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk or water

1-8oz package tempeh

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp grilling or hamburger seasoning mix

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 cup cooked black beans

2 medium scallions, sliced thin

½ cup shredded vegan cheese 

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Combine ground flax seeds and almond milk or water in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Crumble tempeh in a large bowl. Add Paprika, hamburger seasoning, salt and black pepper and toss gently.
4. Add black beans, scallions, cheese and flax mixture and using your hands, mash it all together until all the ingredients are combined.
5. Divide the mixture in 4 pieces and shape each one into patties, about an inch thick.
6. Brush both sides of each patty with olive oil and carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes then broil for 5-7 minutes, watching them carefully so they don't burn.
7. Serve on a bun.
8. Pat yourself on the back for achieving this delicious vegan burger!

Everyone on this Earth loves pizza and can't say no to a pizza dish. Try this Vegan Grilled Veggie Pizza recipe!

To begin you will need :

• 1 recipe for a 10-inch vegan pizza dough
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 vine-ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 to 4 finely torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup shredded vegan cheese

1. Spray grill rack or griddle with a nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. Put those muscles to work by rolling the pizza dough out to either 10-inch round or a rectangle.
3. Brush with olive oil and place pizza on grate or griddle. Then, close the lid and grill for 2-3 mins. 
4. Remove the from grill and add the remaining ingredients.
5. Slide back onto grill and close the lid. Grill for 4 mins or at least until the cheese is melted.
6. Cut into wedges or squares.
7. Sit back and watch as the others enjoy your dish. 

We hope you have a happy and safe 4th of July!

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