BellaSugar

DIY: A Brown Sugar Body Scrub Inspired by a Winter Cocktail

BellaSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:01:47 PST

A few weeks ago my friend decided to make hot buttered rum on a whim. None of us had ever had it, and it sounded kind of gross... yet somehow appealing. (YumSugar has a recipe.) Is it good? It was a mixed bag on that one, but the batter itself served as my inspiration for this brown sugar scrub. Oh, and I just found out that National Hot Buttered Rum Day is this Saturday. Who knew? Yum even has a fun quiz all about this old school drink. Check out some pics below, along with my recipe, too.

Bella's Booze-Free Hot Buttered Rum Brown Sugar Body Scrub:

Mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup almond oil (olive oil would work, too); a dash of ground cinnamon or cinnamon essential oil; and a dash of ground nutmeg or nutmeg essential oil. Apply. Optional: Add a dash of rum extract - Oh, I suppose you could get the real stuff out and mix up a little rum cocktail for yourself, too. Whee!

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Definition: Almond Oil

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:00:13 PDT

Almond Oil (or sweet almond oil as it is sometimes called) is a carrier oil that is made from warm-pressed, sweet-almond kernels. It has a pale yellow color in its natural state, and it contains strong concentrations of vitamin E.

It is frequently added to emollient bases to help soften and heal. That's why we see it in many face moisturizers, body creams, massage oils, ointments, hair and nail (specifically cuticle) treatments. Just be sure to avoid it if you have nut allergies in food; the oil can cause problems topically as well.

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Craft a Heart-Healthy Salad in Honor of Mediterranean Diet Month

Michele Foley — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:10:25 PDT

We might not be able to make it to Greece or Southern Italy anytime soon, but we can bring the cuisine to us by celebrating Mediterranean Diet Month in our own kitchens. The healthy benefits of the Mediterranean diet are touted by numerous studies, and for good reason: it promotes heart health, good vision, and weight control, to name a few. An easy way to get the Mediterranean diet into your own life is by dressing up an everyday salad with elements of this regional cuisine.

Nuts, legumes, and seeds: The next time you are debating salad toppings, consider a handful of walnuts, a serving of chickpeas, or a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. The protein, fiber, and healthy fats contained in these small bites will help keep you full and energized throughout the day. Even better, center your entire salad around a legume, like this chickpea, almond, and goat cheese salad.

Fresh vegetables: You'll be hard-pressed to find any Mediterranean meal served without a good helping of vegetables. Foods like greens, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, tomatoes, and cucumbers are popular choices, which is why YumSugar's recipe for a warm mushroom and artichoke salad is a natural choice.

Learn more ways to make your salad Mediterranean after the break!

Tips For Making a Scrumptious Salad

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:55:19 PDT

Photo: Camilla Salem

When building salads, it's far too easy to get stuck in a rut. You know what works, buy the same ingredients, and inevitably eat green leaf lettuce with black olives, sliced tomatoes, and shredded carrots everyday. However, with a little creativity and an open mind at the grocery store, you can enjoy a fabulous variety of healthful and scrumptious salads on a regular basis. Since I've been making salads for lunch for the past couple of years, I'm sharing my secrets:

Think of the salad in textures. From crunchy to creamy to crispy, a good salad has an assortment of textures (and colors).
Use the season as inspiration. Incorporate produce that's at its peak now: asparagus, Spring onion, peas, and radishes, and fruits like strawberries and apricots.
On that note, don't be afraid of fruit. Berries, stone fruits, apples, citrus, melons, etc. are just as delicious in a salad as their veggie counterparts. Fruit can also provide a necessary sweetness to balance the salad.
If you have limited access to fresh, in-season fruits and veggies, turn to the canned aisle of the supermarket. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, garbanzo and kidney beans, and canned tuna are some of my favorite salad ingredients.

For more recommendations and to share your salad suggestions in the comments, keep reading.

A Makeover For Your Grocery List

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:17:02 PDT

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, you know both cooking at home and dining out can quickly become a challenge. Since healthy eating begins at home, and eating at home begins at the grocery store, we turned to Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple for some advice on how to stock your pantry for success, whether you're dealing with food allergies or just want to take a cleaner approach to your family's diet. See how Amie, a nutritionist who specializes in clean eating, fills up her own grocery cart, and how you can transform your own to accommodate your family's dietary needs.

"Cleaning" Up Your Grocery List

Essential Condiments

Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaxseed oil
Grape seed oil
Champagne vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Organic Dijon mustard
Organic coarse, seeded mustard
San-J wheat-free tamari soy sauce
Amy's Organic salsa
Sun-dried tomatoes
Hummus (try Tribe, Wild Garden, Sabra, or Cedar's)
Hot sauce (try Cholula or Sriracha)
Miso (white, barley, and red)
Organic lemon juice

Continue reading for what to buy in the gluten-free, dairy-free, and freezer departments.

15 Salty Snacks Under 150 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 10:33:23 PDT

If you're craving something salty, don't reach for greasy potato chips. Here are 15 low-calorie healthy snacks that are sure to satisfy your salty desires.

Four-ounce snack-size container of low-fat cottage cheese: 81 calories, 459 mg of sodium
Salted cashews (16 nuts): 147 calories, 77 mg of sodium
One and a half cups of edamame in pods: 150 calories, 45 mg of sodium
Two and a half cups of oil-popped popcorn: 138 calories, 243 mg of sodium
A quarter of an avocado (80 calories, 4 mg of sodium) topped with one tablespoon salted sunflower seeds (47 calories, 33 mg of sodium): 127 calories, 37 mg of sodium

Continue reading to see 10 more salty snacks under 150 calories.

Going Vegan Could Mean Missing These Key Nutrients

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:41:38 PDT

Not eating animal products means a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and although it can also be used to lose weight, it's important not to skip out on valuable nutrients that often come from meat and dairy.

Vitamin B12
Most women need 2.4 mcg of this vitamin each day. It's essential for maintaining a healthy nervous system as well as healthy blood cells. Found mostly in poultry, beef, fish, and dairy products, this B vitamin has vegan sources as well including fortified cereals, fortified soy milk, kale, spinach, and nutritional yeast.

Iron
The RDI of iron for women is 18 mg, and while animal products contain iron, there are tons of vegan foods high in this mineral as well. The body needs iron to make hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, which is why an iron deficiency often causes fatigue. Be sure to include fortified cereal, fortified soy milk, beans such as garbanzos and lentils, tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and peanuts in your vegan diet.

Keep reading to find out what other nutrients vegan diets might be missing.

A Reader Recipe: Gluten-, Dairy-, and Sugar-Free Strawberry Muffins

Fit Community — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:59:42 PDT

FitSugar reader Gluten-Free Dom recently shared her vegan, gluten-free strawberry muffins - an adapted recipe from the BabyCakes Bakery cookbook - in our Healthy Recipe group.

Learn how to make these gluten-free treats after the break!

For a Fresh Start, Reach For These Greek Yogurt Mix-Ins

Camilla Salem — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 05:25:11 PDT

While I appreciate and admire anyone who is able to fit in a solid, satisfying breakfast before heading to work in the morning, I just can't relate. Most days it's a race out the door, and taking time to sit down and eat just isn't a priority (or a possibility). That said, I've come to love Greek yogurt, mostly because I can buy a tub of it on my way to work, and the possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to delicious mix-ins. The beauty of Greek yogurt is that it lends itself well to so many other flavors without being overpowering. For some tasty and inventive ways to enjoy Greek yogurt, keep reading.

A Reader Recipe: Grain-Free Kitchen Sink Cookies

Fit Community — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:59:41 PDT

Reader AllieNic's Kitchen Sink cookies are chock-full of good-for-you ingredients. She shared her recipe in our Healthy Recipe group.

Grain-Free Kitchen Sink Cookies (adapted from Une Vie Saine)

Read on for more.