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    9 Cauliflower Benefits That Make It A Superfood, According To A Dietitian

    For the last few years, one vegetable has been the star of the produce aisle, outshining all the rest. And while images of kale or even sweet potatoes may come to mind, the owner of this impressive title is actually cauliflower. C’mon you know your famous cauliflower tacos and those yummy cauliflower buffalo wings are a staple in your house, so this can’t be a total surprise.
    And now that you’re thinking about it. If you’re realizing you eat way too much of it, that’s not a bad thing. The cruciferous vegetable, long used interchangeably with broccoli, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts, is one of the more popular veggies thanks to its low-carb and low-calorie values as well as its immense versatility. It’s hard to name a dish you can’t throw cauliflower into.
    READ MORE: Caffeine Effects: “What Happens When I Go Hard on Coffee?”
    Whether you prefer white, green, purple, or any other of the vegetal varieties you can find out there, cauliflower has proven itself as a compelling alternative to traditional ingredients and is now regularly used to make everything from rice and pizza crust to mac and cheese and Christmas stuffing.
    But the vegetable is not only an extremely healthy option for those looking to cut back on carbs and calories. It’s also a great source of plant compounds that are known to reduce the risk of certain diseases, including cancer. Ready to dive into all of cauliflower’s amazing bennies? Below, we break down everything you need to know about cauliflower benefits and nutrition, according to a registered dietitian.
    What does cauliflower’s nutrition look like?
    “Cauliflower is rich in nutrients, including dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and folate,” explains Gena Hamshaw, a registered dietician and the author of The Full Helping blog. “Plus, cauliflower is relatively low in calories and has a high water content.”
    According to the USDA, a medium-sized head of cauliflower contains an estimated 146 calories, 29 grams of carbs, 1.6 grams of fat, 12 grams of fibre, 11 grams of sugar, 11 grams of protein, and 176 mg of sodium. Obviously, these values will differ depending on preparation and any ingredients used alongside it, but the vegetable’s nutrition makes it an appealing addition to almost any diet.
    What are the benefits of eating cauliflower?
    There are many advantages to eating cauliflower, from satiating your body’s need for certain nutrients to the range of ways it can be prepared. Here, we look at nine of the vegetable’s foremost benefits.
    1. It’s high in fibre
    It’s no secret that fibre is a necessary part of any diet or that it can be a huge help to overall health—and lucky for us, cauliflower is rich with it. With 10 percent of your daily fibre needs fulfilled with just a single cup of cauliflower, the vegetable can lower the risk of various illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes. Eating it regularly is also a great way to promote digestive and cardiac health more generally, which is something everyone wants, Hamshaw says.
    READ MORE: 24 High-Fibre Foods That Should Be On Your Plate Every Day, According To Nutritionists
    2. It’s a good source of choline
    “Choline is a nutrient that plays a role in nervous system function and metabolism, and adequate choline intake may aid with memory function as well,” notes Hamshaw. Many people are deficient in the nutrient since relatively few foods contain it, but one cup of cauliflower contains about 11 percent of your daily need.
    3. It aids immune health
    There’s a reason vitamin C has become such a hot topic in recent years, as the world has prioritised immunity in the face of widespread illness. The antioxidant is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to boost immune function, Hamshaw says, and cauliflower is famously high in it.
    4. It’s high in vitamin K
    You’re likely less familiar with vitamin K than many of its counterparts, but believe us when we say it’s just as important. The fat-soluble vitamin plays an essential role in bone metabolism, regulating blood calcium levels, and blood clotting, which means that it helps your body heal from any kind of injury. And cauliflower offers roughly 20 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K, so your body will thank you for eating it.
    5. It can aid weight loss
    With only 25 calories in every cup of cauliflower, the vegetable is an obvious choice for anyone looking to lose some weight. In addition to being rich in fibre, which can work to slow your digestion and make you feel fuller longer, it has a very high water content. With 92 percent of its weight made up of water, eating cauliflower can assist with keeping your body hydrated, and when added to a proper diet, weight loss.
    6. It can help reduce the risk of cancer
    “Cauliflower contains phytonutrients – chemical compounds found in plants – that are associated with protection against chronic diseases, including cancer,” Hamshaw says. The vegetable boasts high contents of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, two groups of antioxidants that have been shown to reduce cancer and especially protect against breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer.
    READ MORE: 15 Crazy-Delicious Cauliflower Recipes To Help You Lose Weight
    7. It contains some of almost every nutrient you need
    It’s rare that a single food can cover nearly every one of your body’s nutritional needs, but cauliflower does just that. Putting aside the more obvious vitamins B, C, and K, the cruciferous vegetable is an excellent source of folate, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and more, all minerals you need to maintain overall health.
    8. It’s a good alternative to grains
    Whether you follow a low-carb diet and are looking to eliminate more grains or you’re simply hoping to increase your veggie intake, cauliflower can be a big help. With about nine times fewer carbs than rice and a myriad more of vitamins and nutrients, it’s a great alternative to traditional grains. You can find cauliflower-based rice and pasta at many grocery stores these days, or you can try your hand at recipes like cauliflower pizza, cauliflower mash, and cauliflower tortillas.
    9. It’s incredibly versatile
    “In addition to all of this, cauliflower is versatile, satisfying, and useful in a huge range of recipes, and it’s especially useful in plant-based cooking,” Hamshaw explains. “You can transform cauliflower into steak, dip, or mash. It can be baked, roasted whole, or pureed into pasta sauce. The possibilities are endless!” You can also eat the vegetable raw or simply roasted, steamed, or sautéed, so preparation can be as minimal or as maximal as you’d like.
    *This article was originally published on Women’s Health US

    READ MORE ON: Food News Nutrition Nutritional Advice More

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    You Should Be Eating In-Season Produce—Here’s Why, and How To Make It Easier

    While many of us have year-round access to a wide range of fruits and veggies and eating a variety of produce is crucial for health, prioritizing in-season produce should be your next nutrition goal. It’s great that we have access to produce from anywhere at any time of the year in our grocery stores (tropical fruits like bananas and mangoes are available in the Midwest even during wintertime, West Coast fruits like avocados and lemons are available at all times on the East Coast, and we can always find berries, peppers, or apples, even if they’re not in season), but it’s important to prioritize what is local and in season for many reasons. As a certified nutrition coach, I teach clients that seasonal foods are crucial and help them achieve a better diet. Read on to find out why it’s so important to eat foods that are in season (and how). 

    Why it’s important to eat what’s in season
    It tastes better
    When food is imported, it is often picked earlier in its ripening process so that it is not overly ripe or bad by the time it arrives to its destination to be sold and eaten. Local foods (and therefore foods that are in season near you) are able to grow until they reach their peak ripeness since they do not need to last through travel. The longer a fruit or veggie is able to grow on its vine, branch, or bush, the more flavorful it will be, meaning juicier, tastier, and more delicious produce.

    It’s more nutritious
    Since it can grow longer than traveling produce, local produce also has more nutrients. Locally grown food is picked at its peak ripeness, when it’s most dense with nutrients. Also, produce begins to lose the amount of nutrients after about 24 hours of being picked, and traveling produce can also lose nutrients from being exposed to temperature changes, artificial light, and air. Local produce is typically grown until it has peak nutrients and isn’t exposed to the many ways used to keep produce fresh while traveling that can typically lower nutritional content. Note: If in-season produce is less available to you, don’t worry. Traveling produce still has tons of nutrients, and organic frozen produce is frozen at peak taste and nutritional value so you can reap similar benefits. 

    It’s usually cheaper
    When there is a large amount of local produce, the cost usually goes down (AKA basic supply and demand). When food has to be imported, the cost also needs to account for the travel accommodations and labor to get it to you. Imported food also often has to be specially packaged and stored to keep it at a certain temperature since it is traveling to a different climate. In-season food and local produce are typically cheaper because they require less cost to get to you. Of course, “cheaper” might only be a few cents, but over time, it adds up. Know that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive—shop at your local farmer’s market or the local section of your grocery store for more affordable options.

    It supports your body’s seasonal needs
    Our bodies need different things in different seasons. For example, many citrus fruits are in season during the winter, and citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C, which is good for supporting the immune system during a season when it could often use a pick-me-up (colder weather means cold and flu season!). Other winter produce include carrots, celery, and winter squash like butternut squash, all of which are great for a warm winter meal like soup. Likewise, summer produce has many benefits that our bodies need more of during that season. For example, fruits like cantaloupe and mangoes have beta-carotene, which a new study suggests can help prevent skin damage (but you know you still need to load up on SPF too, right?). It’s no coincidence that nutrients in fruits and veggies correlate to the fluctuating needs of the body from season to season.

    It’s good for the environment
    Buying food that has been imported means that it has left a bigger footprint on the environment due to the packaging, water, and fossil fuel necessary to get the produce from one location to the next. When produce travels from afar (instead of from a truck to your distributor or grocery store), more energy is spent to transport, refrigerate, and store it, and more packaging is needed to keep it fresher for longer. You can also support local farmers by buying locally sourced produce at your local grocery stores or farmers markets. Farmers markets themselves promote sustainability because many local farmers use certified organic practices, which reduces the amount of synthetic pesticides and chemicals that pollute our soil and water.

    Interested in eating in-season foods? Here’s how to start:
    Now that you have some insight on why it’s important to eat seasonally, how do you get started? The first thing to do is know what is locally in season in your area using a resource like The Seasonal Food Guide. Then, make a list of what products you like from that list or even ones you haven’t tried before but want to try. Shopping at your local farmers market instead of a chain grocery store whenever possible is a great way to ensure everything you’re buying is local and sustainable, but most grocery stores or produce labels will flag local products. If these aren’t options for you, just purchase organic versions of whatever is in-season food, as these are most likely to be the most local and will still contain similar benefits if they’re not.
    As for knowing how to eat the in-season food, make a Pinterest board with recipes that include the fruits or vegetables so you can make your shopping list and buy everything you can locally. Bonus tip: If you’re worried about wasting food or money because you’ll never eat all that produce before it goes bad, chop up and freeze any fruits and veggies to defrost later, add them to dishes like stews, or use them in smoothies for a seasonal boost.

    How to Hygge-ify to Your Diet More

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    How to Hygge-ify to Your Diet

    ‘Tis the season for all things hygge, or the Danish and Norwegian concept of the feeling of coziness, connection with loved ones, and pleasure. As the weather changes, we’re making our homes more hygge-approved (candles, fuzzy blankets, and faux fur everywhere), but we can also apply the concept into every area of our lives too (hygge is a feeling, not a decor style). On a mission to hygge-ify my entire life, I set out on a mission to change my diet for the colder seasons. Thanks to several cookbooks and interviewing my partner’s mother for a first account experience (she’s from Denmark and is a regular practitioner of hygge), I took a deep-dive into how the Danes find joy and pleasure in their everyday meals, and how you can do the same. Read on for six ways you can apply the hygge concept to your diet.

    1. Be mindful of where (and how) you eat
    Hygge nutrition is just as much about how you eat as what you eat. While most of us eat quickly while on the go or mindlessly while in front of our work computers, meals are meant to be the time in our days where we can take a pause, slow down, and enjoy the food and company. Even a simple weeknight meal can turn into a special occasion when you light some candles, set out the special silverware you typically save for when your mom comes, and play your favorite playlist. 
    Invest in tea lights and scatter them about your apartment, drape a few faux sheepskins over the backs of dining chairs, and add natural elements like flowers as the centerpiece to amplify comfort and ambiance. Trust me: Being mindful about how your space is set up will help you enjoy the meal even more, whether it’s a gourmet dish or leftovers for the third night in a row. If a meal at the table just won’t do, hygge encourages you to live life based on what makes you feel most comfortable and happy, so allow yourself to eat in front of the TV if you want to. Get cozy blankets, make a warm meal, and play your favorite show that makes you laugh to unwind from your day.

    Source: Ekrulila | Pexels

    2. Eat seasonally
    In Denmark, every season has their own customs and foods that shift as the times of year change. For example, the first of the new potatoes, green stalks, and asparagus show up in the spring; summer brings strawberries, pumpkins, and raspberries; the fall means Danes lean into more traditional, comforting meat-based dishes (autumn is hunting season); and winter is heavy in garlic, leeks, rhubarb, peas, etc. The point is that every season naturally brings different produce, and, while we have access to any produce year-round in our grocery stores, we should focus on eating seasonally to give our bodies what it needs and be in line with nature. Hit up your local farmer’s market to find what’s fresh and in-season or check out a seasonal food guide to find what’s in-season near you.

    3. Eat locally
    Along with seasonality is the importance of eating what is local to where you live. Eating locally is another way to stay in line with nature and to eat the freshest foods possible, but it also is a way to connect to your community, which is one of the most important concepts of hygge. Because what’s grown locally in southern California will be totally different than upstate New York (and even more different across the world), the healthiest, most sustainable, and best way to eat locally is to support local businesses and eat based on your climate, season, and geographical location.
    For example, if you live by a coast, seafood (local to your area) is probably really fresh, or if you live in a state known for its apple orchards, you probably have access to the most nutritious, flavorful apples when they’re in season. To start eating more locally, shop from farmers markets, support restaurants and grocery stores that are farm-to-table, or check out a website like LocalHarvest to help find nearby farms you can visit yourself.

    Source: Daria Shevtsova | Pexels

    4. Don’t plan too far in advance
    While meal-prepping for the week and heading to Costco to buy in bulk is a norm for most of us, prepping meals too far in advance or even buying fresh food less often is not the hygge way. For one reason, you want to be able to eat based on what your body is craving and what would sound most enjoyable to you. If you’re craving a fresh tomato pasta dish, heading to the grocery store (or farmers market!) to get ingredients the day before is much more satisfying and comforting than forcing yourself to have the same soup you meal prepped for the week. Plus, when you buy less food more often, you’ll have fresher food on hand and be able to vary more easily instead of going off of the same grocery list every week. For example, you can buy the catch of the day for dinner tonight instead of the same frozen shrimp you always get, or have crisper, fresher lettuce for your salads. 

    5. Take time for Kaffe
    When was the last time you ordered coffee and actually sat down to drink it (not in front of a computer)? Better yet, when did you last make coffee at home and invite friends and family over to enjoy it with you? Enter: kaffe. While the word just translates to “coffee,” it also has an implied emotion and ceremony surrounding it. In other words, kaffe is not something you chug or take a shot of in order to have enough energy to tackle your loaded work schedule–it’s something you sip, enjoy, and savor, preferably with loved ones. Bring kaffe to your coffee routine by spending an extra five minutes in the morning to sip and enjoy. Likewise, when you’re tempted to run to Starbucks with your head down and AirPods in, ask a coworker to come along instead. After all, fostering community is a key part in what makes Denmark such a happy place to live.

    Source: Polina Tankilevitch | Pexels

    6. Indulge in your sweet tooth
    This may be the only diet-related article that encourages you to eat sugar, but what is cozier than a warm cup of cocoa and cookies fresh out of the oven, or what is more comforting than your grandma’s chocolate cake? Desserts like Drømmekage or Æblekage are essential to Danish culture and are typically enjoyed with loved ones. Of course, bingeing on packaged candy or mindlessly chowing down on a carton of ice cream is not very “hygge.” The purpose is indulgence, comfort, and pleasure (not mindless eating and sugar addiction!) so to add more hygge to your diet, try baking your favorite sweet treats at home that remind you of happy childhood memories, or invite neighbors and friends over for a plate of cookies or pumpkin bread. And if a dessert 

    8 Easy Ways to Experience Hygge at Home More

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    7 Healthy Eating Hacks Hilary Duff’s Nutrition Coach Swears By

    It’s 2002. You just got home from school, so you grab a Push Pop from the cabinet and turn on the TV because Lizzie McGuire is on. Life is good. 19 years later, Hilary Duff is still an icon. Maybe we no longer look to her for boy advice (Ethan Craft, you’re so 2001) or how to artfully apply 18 butterfly clips to your hair, but we can look to her for lots of other inspiration: motherhood, chic fashion, and #fitspo (let’s be honest, she looks better now than when she was a teenager). 
    A key piece of the latter (besides undoubtedly killer genes) is Erik Young, a celebrity nutrition coach. Duff swears by Young for keeping her healthy while still enjoying bread, chocolate, and wine. Yes, you read that right. Celebrities are just like us! With other celeb clientele (including the Molly Sims), Young is basically Hollywood’s best kept secret. I knew I had to grill him for all of his best health tips (and where, oh where, does the bread, chocolate, and pasta fit in?). Read on for seven healthy eating hacks that this celebrity nutrition coach swears by for a healthy diet that still includes all your favorite foods. Now that is what dreams are made of. 

    Meet the expert
    Erik Young
    Celebrity Nutrition Coach
    Erik Young is a NASM-certified personal trainer, macro nutritionist, and celebrity nutrition coach as well as owner of The Body Shop, a personal training + nutrition coaching service based in Arizona.

    1. Healthy eating should be flexible
    Young is called the flexible nutrition coach for a reason. While he’s a fan of the 80/20 rule (80 percent of the foods you eat are nutritious, whole foods, while 20 percent is food that is “just for fun”), he knows that there’s room for the foods you love, even in a nutritious diet. “With a flexible dieting approach, you can enjoy foods you don’t think you would normally be able to when trying to make changes in your body,” he explained. Young’s approach is to give clients exact macronutrient percentages and calorie goals based on each individual’s body composition, current diet, and health goals. That means that there’s room to adjust those macro percentages and calorie goals based on the indulgences and meals you love. As Young says, “Track your macros, eat what you want, and enjoy life.”

    2. Knowledge is power
    PSA, you can’t just “start on a diet” one day and hope for the best. Knowing what you’re currently eating, lifestyle habits, and the food you gravitate toward is crucial for success. “I start off by getting a three-day food journal so I can get an idea of what clients are eating and how much they are eating,” Young explained. Try tracking what you eat for a few days. Make a list of your meals and snacks, or even take pictures on your phone. You’ll start to see patterns where cravings come up, what foods or flavors you love, and what you’re actually eating (versus what you think you’re eating). The idea here is not to judge but to get curious. Self-awareness is the key to health in every area, so figuring out where you are and what you’re eating is crucial for knowing the next steps. 

    3. Meal prep
    Unfortunately for you meal prep haters, prepping in advance is key to keeping up a healthy diet. “Most of us don’t have a lot of time during the week, so it’s almost impossible to cook three meals a day every day,” Young said. “You will definitely set yourself up for a successful week if you already have food made.” As for what and how to prep? You bet I asked for all the details! Young recommended keeping it simple by prepping a carbohydrate, a protein, and some veggies. He likes cooking rice or potatoes in bulk (super easy and still tastes good when reheated!) or having tortillas on hand for easy meals and healthy carbs. As for protein, baked chicken is the easiest, but ground turkey keeps better. If you don’t eat meat, try roasting tofu or rinsing chickpeas ahead of time. As for veggies, you can roast at the beginning of the week or steam the day of since it’s fairly easy. 

    4. Snacks are your friends
    Snacking not only has a place in a healthy diet, but it is also crucial for keeping a healthy diet. Picture this: You had a nutritious breakfast, deliciously healthy lunch, and are fully prepared for a tasty, veggie-filled dinner out. But then your hunger starts to kick in around 4 p.m., and by the time you get to the restaurant, you’re scarfing down the bread basket and ordering Fettucine Alfredo over the tasty salmon dish you had planned. Nothing wrong with eating bread or Fettucine Alfredo (yum and yum!), but if you’re not really enjoying it and just mindlessly eating because you’re so hungry, that’s not great for a healthy diet or a healthy relationship with food. Try adding in snacks between meals (because FYI: when your body feels hungry, you should eat). Young recommended clients try snacks like nuts, fruit, hummus, yogurt, cottage cheese, popcorn, string cheese, and KIND bars.

    5. When eating out, plan in advance
    Speaking of restaurants, you can eat out and still have a healthy diet. In fact, if a diet ever tells you to stay home to avoid eating out, run (life is meant to be enjoyed!). Since many of Young’s clients are celebrities, he’s used to making a healthy diet work, even when restaurants, events, and takeout are a part of everyday life. The key? Planning ahead. “Clients who are on-the-go or eat out often should have their day planned out,” he explained. “You can pretty much get a meat and veggie or a protein and a carb at any restaurant. If a client does want to have pancakes for breakfast, then we would just eat less carbohydrates through the rest of the day to compensate. It’s all about balance!”
    In other words, look up menus ahead of time to make a plan of what to eat, or build your day around allowing for the indulgences you want. Young knows that carbohydrates or fats are not an enemy against health goals (they’re important nutrients your body needs). Instead, he teaches that the key to achieving goals is to have a balance between all macronutrients throughout the day, and planning out your meals helps you get there. 

    6. If you don’t feel like you’re on a “diet,” you’re doing it right
    What makes Young’s program unique (read: flexible) is that he asks clients what they like to eat in all categories (like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fruits, and veggies) as well as their non-negotiables so that he can fit those into the plan too. “Our whole goal is to have clients not feel like they are on a diet so they are more likely to stick to the plan and sustain the changes.” Anything that’s meant to be temporary or feels too restrictive does not work. Restriction is unsustainable by nature, so at best, you’ll “fail,” but at worst, you’ll experience damaging emotions, food guilt, and nutrient deprivation. “Healthy eating” does not mean only eating certain foods, it actually just means being aware of getting in the right nutrients for your body while still enjoying the foods you love. Not only is there room for your indulgences in a healthy diet, but it also wouldn’t be “healthy” without them. 

    7. Mindset is everything
    “It’s very important to set expectations and be in the right mindset when you start your journey into healthy eating,” Young advised. “Focus on the big picture and don’t compare yourself to other people. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors on social media, so just focus on you and your goals.” In other words, eat healthy for the right reasons. Change your diet because you want to feel your best in your body and keep it as healthy, energized, and balanced as possible. Also, don’t get discouraged if you don’t immediately reach your health goals or if you struggle with sticking to a healthy eating plan. Remember the key principle that Young (and Hilary Duff) know to be true: A healthy diet is supposed to be flexible.

    7 Hacks That Make Eating Healthy Actually Easy More

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    I’m a Vegetarian and My Boyfriend Isn’t. Here’s What I Make in a Week

    Cooking is my love language. Some people give gifts and some people write love letters, but I cook. Though my boyfriend knows a thing or two about roasting veggies and makes a mean pasta sauce, I like to do the cooking because it’s the way I take care of the people I love. It’s an activity I look forward to all day long, and let’s be honest, I’m just way better than he is (he’s better at doing the dishes, so win-win!). However, every meal I make is vegetarian. I’ve never eaten meat in my life (nope, not once!), so I wouldn’t even know what to do with a chicken breast, and I couldn’t tell you the difference between an oyster and a clam. My boyfriend grew up on chicken wings and steak, so I knew his adjustment to my plant-based lifestyle would not necessarily be seamless. 
    While every relationship is different, having dinner is something we like to do together. Eating together is our special ritual; I like to cook for him, and we hang out in the kitchen to catch up on our days. While many couples prefer to eat separate meals (especially when they have different dietary needs), I’ve found ways to make my cooking style work for both of our preferences, so I recorded my meals through an entire week of dinners from Sunday to Thursday (you best believe Friday is reserved for sushi takeout!). Read on for my tips, tricks, and recipes for cooking dinner as a vegetarian for my meat-loving boyfriend. 

    Sunday: Pasta Night

    My boyfriend and I are both Italian, so pasta is the natural go-to in our house. Seriously, there have been weeks where we have same kind of pasta every single night. It’s a good Sunday meal because it’s easy, simple, and delicious. Plus, whether or not you eat meat, everybody loves pasta, right? For plant-based options, I use quinoa, brown rice, or chickpea pasta, or I’ll make spaghetti squash. As for sauce, I love a homemade pesto or quick marinara, but I’ve also been known to get adventurous by adding avocado or hearts of palm to make a vegan “pasta alfredo” (at this point, my boyfriend has stopped asking what’s in the sauce). Don’t forget a simple side salad!  

    Monday: Korean Savory Pancakes

    The secret to getting your significant other to eat less meat? Get adventurous. Since I love to cook and try new foods, I make sure to experiment with different flavors and learn about different diets I would not otherwise be exposed to. In other words, my boyfriend is never bored. I was inspired by a recipe from Bonberi of bin dae tteok, or savory mung bean pancakes, which is a traditional Korean dish. Due to lack of time, I replaced mung beans with chickpea flour (very untraditional) and put together these delicious and dip-able pancakes in under 20 minutes. Trust me, he’s not missing his steak dinners. 

    Tuesday: Fried Egg Tacos

    Pro tip: If you live with someone who has totally different dietary preferences, taco night is the way to go. They’re easily customizable, and all you have to do is prepare a few different toppings and a couple of different fillers. I’ll fill mine with veggies and beans, but my boyfriend can add any kind of meat to his if he’s craving some extra protein. Another favorite hack is to top quesadillas or tacos with a fried egg for extra flavor and protein. I love using eggs for dinner as a protein we both can eat. 

    Wednesday: Blue Apron Meal for Two

    And now for my best cooking-for-two-different-diets hack: Blue Apron. Let’s be honest, yes, I love cooking, but I don’t always have time to meal plan, grocery shop, and DIY an entire meal from scratch. I think of Blue Apron as an investment in our relationship because we both can get what we want. Sometimes the vegetarian option is so delicious and filling that my boyfriend doesn’t even realize there wasn’t any meat. But when he is craving some chicken, steak, or seafood, Blue Apron offers the ability to have two separate proteins for the same recipe, so I’ll add tofu and he’ll add pork—no separate meal required. 
    Sign up for Blue Apron to get up to 14 free meals!

    Thursday: Asparagus Soup

    Some nights, I cook something that may not be filling enough for my boyfriend, so he’ll plan ahead to make his own meat if he wants something extra. Tonight, I was craving soup (it was a rare occurrence, I swear), so I prepared a thick asparagus soup and topped it off with pumpkin seeds and toasted baguette. Bonus life hack: Throw any soup into the blender, and it’ll immediately taste richer and creamier, even if it’s totally vegan. While that was enough for me, my boyfriend roasted some chicken for himself to eat with the soup. Bottom line is, if you have a meat-loving significant other or your roommate is fully plant-based while you can’t give up bacon, any vegetarian main meal can be turned into a side dish for a meat-lover. 

    Super Simple Vegetarian Trader Joe’s Recipes
    that anyone can make!

    This post contains a sponsored inclusion of Blue Apron, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More

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    I Ate Only Recipes From This Insta-Famous, Plant-Based Cookbook for One Week—Here’s What Happened

    You should know that I’ve been a major stan of the wellness company Sakara since I first found their website in college (spoiler alert: the branding is good). If you’re not familiar, Sakara is a plant-based meal delivery service, line of products, and lifestyle brand dedicated to making plant-based eating easy and helping people use food as medicine. As a wellness editor and holistic health coach, I have a lot of thoughts about how the wellness industry needs to change, like, yesterday (read: damaging diet culture, chemical-filled foods that pass as “healthy,” and an oversaturated supplement industry). Sakara has been one of the brands that, in my opinion, has always done it right. So when the founders released a cookbook, Eat Clean, Play Dirty, I ordered it as fast as I got my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn when it came out in 2008 (since then, I’ve switched to #TeamJacob, thank you very much).
    I’m a fan—nay, a worshipper—of a good wellness cookbook. I read them before bed as if they were novels and study them as if they were textbooks. “Extra,” maybe, but I do all the work so you don’t have to. I went through this one in literally three days and loved that while it was recipe-based, the cookbook took a holistic approach, acknowledging that food is only one piece of the cauliflower-based pie. “Lightwork” suggestions were sprinkled throughout the beet burgers and chickpea scrambles, ranging from writing a note with an affirmation to stick on your mirror to turning on your favorite song and practicing being silly. Not only is this the most lovely addition to any cookbook I’ve ever read, but it also made my week way more fun. Read on for what happened when I spent an entire week eating clean and playing dirty (or, you know, cooking only recipes from this Instagram-favorite cookbook). 

    First step: meal prepping
    The first step, of course, was to grocery shop and prep a few basic ingredients for the week. Here were a few things on my grocery list that have most certainly never been on it before: a jar of roasted red peppers, scallions, raw beets, coconut meat, daikon, and kabocha squash. Despite being a bit intimidated by daikon, I successfully completed the grocery list and prepped a few items for the week ahead. The key to eating healthy, whole foods (with less-than-simple recipes) is to prep what you can in advance. I made a few sauces (like a vegan Green Goddess dressing made with avocado) as well as prepped some grains (a couple of the recipes I was making called for rice, but I used quinoa just because I prefer it). I also prepared and roasted beets in parchment paper and washed and dried all the produce. 

    Yes, I did DIY my own sauces
    My first reaction was that many of the meals were actually pretty simple, even if they seemed intimidating, thanks to DIY sauces or sophisticated ingredients. All of my lunch recipes took less than 20 minutes to prepare. I loved that I wasn’t eating basic salads or simple protein and steamed veggies—these foods had flavor. One of my favorite lunches of the week was actually pretty similar (in terms of structure) to a quinoa bowl in my typical weekly lunch rotation. However, the simple addition of roasted and seasoned green beans made a huge difference in flavor (I would’ve normally microwaved green beans or just added raw veggies), but the biggest game-changer was the sauce. 
    Let me go off about the sauces for a second: Whoever said plant-based eating does not have drool-worthy flavor has not tried any of the sauce recipes in Eat Clean, Play Dirty. The Green Goddess that I was so obsessed with was super easy to make; it was basically scallions, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, basil, and mint, all blended together in my Nutribullet. It was creamier and tastier than any Caesar dressing or non-vegan Green Goddess sauce I had ever had. Another favorite sauce from the week was a “cheese” sauce, AKA a creamy spread made with roasted red peppers and tahini I made for tacos (see below), but I straight up ate the leftovers with a spoon because it was that good. Lesson learned: Homemaking your own sauces is so much simpler than you think and worth the cleanup or prep. Plus, veggies taste better when they’re blended. 

    “Plant-based” isn’t as scary as it sounds
    Another lesson: Beets are shockingly easy to cook with from scratch and wildly delicious when they’re roasted. If you’re like me and have only really eaten beets in raw form (like a beet salad), know that they are freaking delicious and savory when you roast them in the oven with some olive oil and cumin *chef’s kiss*. Thanks to the helpful insert in the cookbook, I also learned that beets are rich in enzymes that are programmed to seek out damaging toxins and then neutralize and eliminate them (delicious and detoxifying? Yus please!).
    In general, a lot of the recipes or items I was intimated by turned out to be pretty easy to work with. FYI: Plant-based doesn’t have to mean difficult or bland. I cooked most of these meals for my boyfriend (who has never met a buffalo wing he didn’t like), and he didn’t think twice about eating totally plant-based meals because I don’t even think he realized he was. Turns out, when he’s eating flavorful and delicious meals, he doesn’t really question what’s in them. 

    While Eat Clean, Play Dirty is technically a plant-based and vegan cookbook, it definitely doesn’t feel like you’re taking away anything. The book is full of sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, desserts (more on that below), and it all looks so delicious, you forget that it’s leaving out some of your favorite foods, whether it’s chicken, brie cheese, or sourdough bread. A lot of nutrition cookbooks first focus on what not to eat or what to cut out, or they have a limited amount of healthy fats or portion sizes to restrict calories, so I love that Sakara fits so seamlessly with my own personal beliefs of adding as many whole foods to your plate as possible rather than taking away or limiting.

    The goal of eating should be adding in as many nutrients as possible
    The recipes may not be five-ingredients-and-under kind of simple, but I loved getting out all my veggies, grains, and flavors to marvel at how many nutrients I could fit into a meal. For example, the delicious little Rainbow Wraps above contained seven different whole foods in a small little package (and would’ve contained eight if I didn’t forget to buy the strawberries the recipe called for). Maybe our goal with food shouldn’t always be easier or less; maybe the goal should be to nourish our bodies more. 
    Even the desserts were full of nutrients. TBH, I was pretty intimidated by the Sexy Cinnamon Rolls (I did not know what psyllium husk powder was and also could not find coconut palm sugar at the store), so I opted for these Seed Butter cookies that were fairly simple and took me under 10 minutes to assemble. Spoiler alert: If you were wondering if sunflower seed butter was a thing and if it could turn into cookies (as I know you were), it is and it can! If oat flour, seed butter, and honey can turn into delicious, decadent cookies, you can do anything. 

    When all was said and done (and by that I mean the week was over and my fridge was completely empty), I truly felt the most nourished I had in a long time. After being used to the same basic recipes over and over again, my week with Sakara reignited my love for cooking and my passion for wellness—I wasn’t just going through the motions. Every day, I felt excited to cook and even more excited to eat.

    Here’s What I Learned:
    1. We can all be salad girls
    I’m traditionally not the type to eat salads for meals. A side salad or starter, sure, but I never felt satisfied enough and typically crave something warm, a little tastier, or more filling. But after trying a variety of salads with additions like roasted tamari mushrooms or a creamy Green Goddess dressing, consider me an official convert. Basically, if you “don’t like veggies,” you’re not doing veggies right. I lived a lot of my teenage and young adult life thinking I wasn’t going to be one of “those girls” who ate salads for meals, called their diets plant-based, and said no to cheese or pasta (like that’s possible?). But ever since I proudly chowed down french toast sticks and spaghetti marinara (at the same time, yes, it has happened) in the high school cafeteria, I’ve learned that we are all “those girls;” it’s just about finding the foods that not only make us feel good but taste good too. Trust me, you won’t miss nacho fries or Dominos pizza when you’re shocked at how delicious a roasted red pepper “cheese” sauce tastes. 

    2. You can do hard things
    OK, so this is a Glennon Doyle quote that is meant to apply to actual life problems, but I think it can be applied to cooking my way through the Sakara cookbook too. No, many of the recipes were not “simple,” but I quickly learned that they were doable. Even complicated chutneys were a few basic ingredients mixed together in a bowl. Not to brag or anything, but I did DIY a vegan cheese, bake nutseed-based cookies, roast a raw beet, and make my own curry. And guess what? I did it during an extremely busy work week when my dog also happened to have severe diarrhea for about three days (sorry if that was TMI, but I just wanted to paint the picture that I didn’t have all day to twiddle my thumbs while waiting for the oven timer to go off). Bottom line: Dishes you never thought you could make might be more achievable and simple than you think. I can do it, and you can too. 

    3. Romanticize lunches
    Yes, I’m good at eating my veggies and pretty much only cook plant-based meals, but I typically rotate between the same lunches. Read: avocado toast, a quinoa bowl with some basic veggies and coconut aminos, or a salad wrap. Lunch has historically been about convenience and what’s in my fridge. But this week got me to realize how much better I felt when I took time to make my lunches feel special. Blending herbs into a delicious homemade dressing or roasting veggies with fresh spices not only made my lunches taste more delicious, but it also reminded me that every chance I have to eat is a chance to make my life a little more special. I’m big on romanticizing the little moments in life, and this was my reminder to romanticize lunch too. Catch me spending my lunch break DIYing sauces and blending gourmet soups from now on. It’s well worth the time and effort. 

    4. Trying new things is a healthy eating hack
    The biggest lesson I learned after this week is to become more adventurous in the produce I can cook. Roast a beet? Never thought I’d do that in my life. Purchase and cook chard? Astonishing. Rather than sticking to the same grocery list of produce (spinach, berries, avocado, repeat), I feel much more confident in my ability to pick out what’s in season or try a new veggie and figure out a way to make it delicious. Also, that aforementioned basic meal rotation? Consider it a thing of the past. Trying new flavors, foods, and recipes are not only the way to keep cooking interesting but also the most enjoyable way to eat healthy foods that make your body feel good. 

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    Matcha Is Not Just a Trend: Here’s What You Should Know About It

    Move aside, espresso! Whether matcha is a new ingredient you spotted at Starbucks or a longtime staple in your household, this superfood packs some serious benefits that many Everygirl editors have experienced for themselves. FYI, matcha isn’t just a trendy caffeine craze taking over coffee shop menus and health food store shelves; it has roots in ancient Chinese and Japanese history. The powerful powdered tea is said to have originated in China (over 4,000 years ago!) before making its way to Japan and becoming a key part of tea ceremonies for thousands of years. With a history like that, you know it’s gotta have the health benefits to back it up.

    In this article

    What is matcha?
    “Matcha has been an all-star for centuries and was traditionally used in Chinese medicine,” explained Shizu Okusa, founder of Apothékary, a brand of plant-based medicine supplements based in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Japanese Kampo Medicine. “Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are grown in the shade to avoid direct sunlight. This process increases the content of nutrients, including amino acids and antioxidants, and is rich in chlorophyll.” In other words, it’s a powdered, more concentrated version of the green tea you’d find as loose leaf or in a tea bag, giving it a bright green hue, earthy taste, and high levels of antioxidants. 

    What are the benefits?
    “Matcha is known for boosting the metabolism, sharpening cognitive function, and basically keeping you on your A-game,” Okusa said. Yes, matcha is known as a coffee alternative because it contains caffeine, but the effects are very different. According to U.S. News & World Report, matcha gives you a calmer, more sustained energy, whereas coffee can make you feel jittery or leave you with that dreaded caffeine crash. Every body is different, so it’s important to experiment for yourself, but if you’re experiencing negative symptoms from coffee, like energy crashes or trouble sleeping, matcha might be a good alternative. 
    Beyond the caffeine, matcha itself is a powerful health food. It contains a high amount of antioxidants (one study found the number of antioxidants in matcha is up to 137 times greater than in other types of green tea. That’s a lot of antioxidants!), can help boost brain health, and may help promote heart health. Traditionally, matcha was seen as having energetic benefits as well. “This powerful superfood contains both Yin and Yang aspects by increasing energy while promoting calmness,” Okusa explained. 

    How to DIY Your Own Matcha at Home
    Matcha is a simple ingredient to incorporate at home, and even DIYing a frothy matcha latte is just as doable as brewing a cup of coffee. The traditional method is to put matcha and hot water in a tea bowl and whisk with a bamboo whisk, called “temae” (or a procedure for making tea). Also, be aware that matcha has not only been used for health benefits or as a delicious morning beverage, it also has important ceremonial ties. A tea ceremony is a Japanese ritual based on principles like hospitality, minimalism, and simplicity. To honor the tradition (and reap the benefits), view making and drinking matcha as an opportunity to take a pause from busy life rather than just a quick caffeine fix. Try a few minutes of meditation while drinking or share a cup of matcha with a friend. 
    If you prefer something a little frothier or sweeter, try adding your favorite latte sweetener, like honey or stevia, and whatever milk or creamer you prefer after whisking the hot water and Matcha powder together. Think of the whisking process like your machine making coffee or espresso. You have to fully blend your coffee before adding milk or sweetener, right? The same goes for matcha. Whisk with less hot water if you want to add more creamer to make a latte (think: similar to an espresso shot). Alternatively, whisk with more hot water if you want a thinner consistency. Pro tip: Matcha also works in baked goods too. 

    Try it:

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    5 Ways to Eat More Vegetables (That Aren’t Just Eating More Salads)

    It’s the topic you’ve pondered since your mom tried to bribe you to eat broccoli when you were a kid: how to eat more vegetables. We all know that spinach, red peppers, and Brussels sprouts are good for us, but what’s a girl to do when spicy vodka pasta exists in the world? The answer: a few easy tips and tricks to sneak more in. Veggies are not just something we try to eat because we’re supposed to but because nutrients in vegetables can help us feel our very best. And feeling our best doesn’t have to mean eating boring salads or entirely transforming our diets. Read on for five easy tips that make eating more veggies a breeze. 

    1. Get your meals delivered
    TBH, the hardest part about eating your veggies is making the decision to. When you’re at the grocery store or planning out recipes for the week, it’s easy to stock up on frozen pizzas or plan for tasty pasta dishes without thinking of fitting in fresh produce. Plus, we all know the produce section can be overwhelming AF (sorry, how many kinds of squashes are there?). The fix: Get your meals delivered. Blue Apron offers wellness options like vegetarian, 600 calories or less, WW-approved, and carb conscious, so you’ll have veggie-loaded dishes that you didn’t have to think about prepping or grocery shopping for delivered to your doorstep. The best part is that you’ll be cooking with a wider variety of veggies that you never would have thought to cook for yourself (I just made a recipe with kohlrabi and shishito peppers for the first time this week, thanks to Blue Apron!). 
    Get 8 free meals and free shipping when you switch to Blue Apron!

    2. Add leafy greens to two meals a day
    You get it at this point: What can’t leafy greens do? Since leafy greens pack a whole lot of health benefits, one of the simplest ways to eat more veggies is to add greens like arugula, spinach, and kale to at least two meals a day. Try making a side salad with dinner or adding it to your smoothie in the AM. If you’re bored with the same old salad or smoothie, there are lots of tricks and tips to incorporate greens into the meals you love. For example, replace a wrap with a collard green or bib lettuce, make a pesto sauce out of kale, or add spinach to your omelet.

    3. Eat the rainbow
    Incorporating reds (tomatoes, apples, red pepper), oranges (sweet potato, butternut squash, tangerines), yellows (spaghetti squash, bananas, corn), greens (leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, zucchini), blues (blueberries, blackberries, blue potatoes), and purples (purple cabbage, eggplant, grapes) is the easiest—and prettiest—way to ensure you’re getting an abundance of phytonutrients and the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. As an easy hack, try to add at least three different colors to each meal or keep in mind each color of the rainbow while grocery shopping.

    4. Try one new food every week
    While having a go-to grocery list is necessary for us busy people (and my other lazy people out there), it doesn’t always set you up for the most inventive meals. Challenge yourself to try one different veggie that you’ve never tried before. Maybe you saw a delicious butternut squash recipe and have never cooked butternut squash, or maybe you saw beets at the grocery store and want to Google how to prepare them. Or perhaps you came across a new leafy green at the farmer’s market that you’ve never tried but want to eat. Trying (or cooking) something new will make your meals more exciting, and having a wider variety of food means a wider variety of nutrients. Plus, you might like something so much that it ends up on your go-to grocery list. 

    5. Add them to sauces, soups, and smoothies
    A truth that will inevitably change your life: You can add vegetables to just about anything you’re going to blend. Even your strawberry banana or peanut butter and chocolate smoothie could get a major upgrade with some spinach or cauliflower without a difference in taste. Beyond just smoothies, you can toss a wide variety of veggies into sauces or soups to not only make them more nutritious but also to make them more flavorful or creamy. A butternut squash soup tastes decadent even without cream, and arugula adds a peppery element to cauliflower or broccoli soup. For sauces, add spinach, kale, broccoli, or even beets to pesto, purée carrots or red bell peppers and add them to a marinara sauce, or make a creamy sauce a little healthier by including cauliflower or hearts of palm.

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