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Vegan Goodie Guide for Your Next Shopping Trip!

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Vegan Food for Everyone

Veganism is a part of our everyday lifestyle but you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy vegan food. If you are vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, carnivore or whatever label you might go by, we have something for everyone. Good food is just that, good food! The vegan food game has changed over the years, and there are countless options available to appease even the pickiest of eaters. If your partner or kids say they don’t like vegan food, some of these items just might change their minds. We are sharing some of our current favorite vegan goodies with you, which just might end up becoming some of your new fav’s too!

Our Current Vegan Crush’s and Obsessions

  1. Vegan Pizza: I have tried quite a few vegan pizzas, and this one became my favorite after the first slice. Sweet Earth knows what they are doing! The crust is made from carrots, cornmeal, and chia. It’s surprisingly different in all the right ways. I top it with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle some Follow Your Heart Parmesan, for a little extra touch. It’s a really delightful and satisfying vegan pizza. I pick mine up at Sprouts. Delish.
  2. Vegan Hot Cheetos: Beanitos Chili Fuego N’ Lime is my go-to chip when I’m craving a spicy crunch. They are what I consider as the “Vegan Hot Chetto” and they hit the spot every time. There are a few major differences between the two the though. Beanitos come with 4g of protein and they are completely dairy free. The beans make me feel less guilty about nearly finishing an entire bag in one sitting. Just the right amount of spicy and ever so crunchy. I have seen these at Sprouts, Whole Foods, and local Dallas health food stores. Try em’ and thank me later.
  3. Vegan Breakfast Burrito: Sweet Earth is making this list again because their food is truly delicious. These burritos warm up great in the oven and in the microwave. These make for easy meals at work too. With some of your favorite hot sauce, you will be in for a treat with this tofu “egg” scramble. They are not the cheapest frozen burrito, so I don’t eat one every day, but I do work them in once a week or so. It’s packed with protein, and will fuel your body with the energy you need to kick your to-do list’s ass!
  4. Vegan Treat: When I pass by these at Sprouts, I can’t help but pick up a package. They are so yummy. They are a sweet treat that you won’t feel guilty about indulging in. They are made from bananas and carrots and are soft baked. I’ve had them for breakfast, an afternoon snack and as dessert. They will make your tummy happy any time of the day.
  5. Vegan Nuggets: These are one of my favorite snacks. They are made from ingredients like spinach, potatoes, onions, quinoa, pea protein, and zucchini. They are a healthy snacking alternative to lots of other common products. Highly recommend these! My toddler nieces even enjoy them! Bonus: they reheat just fine too!
  6. Samosas: These wonderful Indian treats are the best flavors of simple ingredients. Potatoes and green peas wrapped up together in a flaky crust and deep fried. Mmmmm! And all you have to do is take out however many you think you’ll eat, plus one more (trust me) and pop them in the oven!
  7. Rice Ramen: Top Ramen use to be one of my favorite goto snacks before being more mindful of what I eat. Now, I love Lotus Foods individually packaged Rice Ramen. It’s the perfect amount, and if I ever wanna switch up the flavor I’ll add teriyaki or soy sauce and sometimes sesame seed oil.
  8. Baked Crunch Chickpeas: When I’m craving something salty but full of flavor too, these Baked Crunch Chickpeas always come in handy. I found these goodies at the Dollar Store and they had all types of flavors. I am quickly satisfied with about a handful and a half and they must know this because they made the bags resealable. These are great to have in your car for those quick cravings on the go.
  9. Spring Rolls: Another one of my favorite vegan finds at the Dollar Store, Spring Rolls! I buy these in threes LOL. I feel like I can never have enough of these in my freezer. They come in a package of 10 (yea, 10 cents a roll!) and the ingredients are natural. I’ve even baked up a big batch for a vegan party and they were a total hit! Try them with your favorite sauce and you will be in for a tasty treat.
  10.  Fruit & Veggies: Good ol’ natural fruit & veggies will ALWAYS be our favorite vegan treat. You can find fruit & veggies everywhere and incorporate them into your meals and snacks easily. Cut up some cucumber slices or a bag of baby carrots for a quick healthy snack or maybe a banana or apple with your morning coffee or tea. As long as you work them into your daily return is all that really matters!

What are Your Favorite Vegan Goodies?!

Tell us what you’re obsessed with so we can become obsessed too! Our fridges always have more room for new vegan finds!

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5 Reasons You Should Jump Rope

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Jump Rope

A jump rope is handy for so many things, but using it for fitness still remains #1. Jump ropes can be cheap, portable and will help you burn a shit-ton of calories. It can be used by the whole family and it is so versatile that it will never get boring. Jumping rope workouts your upper and lower body while burning calories at an extremely fast rate. Here are a few reasons and ways to use a jump rope…

1. Burn calories in a short amount of time.

It is proven that jumping rope is one of the fastest ways to burn calories. Very few exercises burn calories as fast as jump roping does. Jumping at a moderate rate can burn about 10 to 16 calories a minute and can raise your heart rate 2 to 3 times faster than other exercises. Aerobic Test found that 10 minutes of jumping equals a 30-minute run. 10 minutes of jump rope and you just worked off that candy bar.

2. Jump for a healthy heart and brain

Healthy Kids has teamed up with parents, children, and teachers in a campaign, “Jump Rope for Heart”, to teach children about their heart, learn jump rope skills, and the importance of having a healthy heart. Jumping rope has cardiovascular benefits and we all know having a healthy heart is vital for living a healthy life. Teaching Students the benefits of a healthy heart may protect them from the #1 killer, heart disease.

Performing two activities with both physical and mental demands have higher impacts on cognitive function than doing a stationary exercise like being on the treadmill or stationary bike. The best workouts for your brain and body involve coordination, rhythm, and strategy; which is exactly what jump rope brings.

3. Convenience

You can literally throw a jump rope in your purse, briefcase, lunch bag, or keep it in your trunk. A jump rope takes up close to no room and weighs about a pound, and is extremely portable. If you have a trip out of town, throw it into your luggage and your workout will never be too far. If you’re more forgetful, keep one at your desk and break it out during your lunch break. Jump rope can be done just about anywhere!

4. Core Strength

Jump roping is a great core workout. Balancing and engaging your whole core while jump roping makes this convenient workout a total body workout. When you think of jump roping you might not associate it with a tough or rigorous workout but it is! They are also weighted ropes if you want to take your jump roping up a notch. Jump roping can bring definition to your core and help with slimming down your mid section while also working out your legs, arms and butt. Jump roping will get you’re ass into shape!

5) Improve Agility, Mobility and Speed

Jump roping is a great way to improve your agility, mobility and overall speed. You have to have quick and agile feet to be able to jump rope for a long period of time. Jump roping builds up your calf and leg muscles which improves your mobility and speed. When we first started jump roping, neither of us could go for that long. After awhile our endurance built up and now we can go for quite a long time. Time yourself and jump in intervals to start. Start with 30 seconds jumping followed by 15 seconds rest then slowly build up your intervals. You will be so surprised when you reach your first 2 minute mark! Then five minutes then TEN!  YOU GOT THIS! 🙂 

Have we motivated you to buy a jump rope?  We hope so! make sure you find one that is long enough for you height. You don’t want to buy a rope that is too short! If you already a jump roper do you agree with the benefits we listed?! Please let us know how you feel about jump roping!

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Damn Good Green Beans!

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Healthy Can Be Tasty

Green beans are my absolute fucking favorite. They are versatile, delicious and such a healthy snack! Click here to check out some facts on the benefits of green beans! I eat green beans so often that I have to get creative, so I don’t get bored with them. Playing around with seasonings can make all the difference in your green bean dish. I have one that is my go-to favorite and will be sharing it with you. I hope you try it and enjoy these beans just as much as I do!

Some of my favorite seasonings!

Ingredients:

  • Green Beans (frozen or fresh)
  • Butter ( I use Vegan Earth Balance butter)
  • Light Soy Sauce – 1-2 tablespoons
  • Sriracha- 1-2 tablespoons
  • Minced Garlic – you decide the amount- I love garlic so I use quite a bit
  • Black Pepper
  • Salt, Onion, Parsley seasoning mix ( I get mine from Trader Joes )
  • Everyday Seasoning ( From Trader Joes) But feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
  • Harissa Olive Oil or another spicy infused olive oil like cayenne or chipotle. These are not mandatory but I love infused oils and vinegar and use them DAILY. If you have never tried or invested in them I highly recommend you check them out. They are local in every city. Here’s a site to check out what they have to offer. I can’t live without my oil/vinegar!
If you don’t like too much sauce you can use less and they will come our more like these

Directions:

  • Boil your fresh or frozen green beans for 3-7 minutes depending on which kind you are using.
  • Drain green beans and leave in strainer for a few minutes
  • Put some butter and the minced garlic into the pan and sauté the garlic until toasted
  • Add in the green beans
  • Add in the soy sauce, sriracha and seasonings of your choice
  • If you are using an infused oil feel free to add it in now as well
  • Turn down and let them cook down for about 10-15 minutes. Cooking them slow lets all the flavors use together and the green beans become such a nice consistency
  • Add some more sriracha or seasonings if you feel it needs it otherwise you are done!
I love spice so i tend to get heavy handed and my finished green beans usually come out looking like this!

Easy and Delicious

As you can see, this recipe is straightforward and can be prepared quickly. These green beans can go with a lot of different meals, or they can be eaten alone just as they are! Check out some recipes here to pair these green beans with! You can get as creative as you want with this recipe which is why it is one of my favorites. Some days I might not want so much spice so I can tone it down and they are just as good. I hope you give this recipe a try and fall in love with these damn good green beans!

Damn good green beans paired with vegan mac & cheese and vegan chicken!
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Skin Care With Angel Martinez

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Changing Seasons and Skin Care

Summer is fast approaching which means bikini’s, pool parties and hot skin-damaging sun! We love the sun, but we also know how important it is to protect our skin from it. During the Winter our skin gets super annoyingly dry which means our skincare routine is different from our Summer routine. Although our routine might change during the seasons, there are a few things that we do year-round to keep our skin in check. We have always been obsessed with achieving healthy, moisturized clear skin. We are always reading about new ways to take care of our skin, and we try to make sure that our skin is getting the attention and protection it needs and deserves.

When the opportunity for a Q&A with a friend of ours who is an expert in the field of anesthetics presented itself, we jumped right on it! The info we got is pure gold, and we’re here to share it with YOU!

Meet Angel Martinez a Skin Care Expert

Angel Martinez has a degree in aesthetician/esthetician and skin care and has been in the game for over ten years. She owns and operates Angel Aesthetics medicine clinic in Denver Colorado. Her clientele ranges from soccer moms to celebrities and she is a regular guest on Colorado’s television morning show “Everyday” where she gets to discuss her extensive knowledge and skill set. Angel was recently asked to speak at the Aesthetic Show in Vegas where they will be naming a theory after her. Her advanced skin care procedures separate her from the pack which is why she is the go-to skin guru in Denver.

She has gorgeous skin, is highly accomplished and is an all-around boss babe! We are so excited about these questions, so let’s get to it!

Answers by Angel

1)What should be done to transition your skin from Winter and prepare it for Summer? Angel: In Winter our skin is dehydrated so, it’s important to exfoliate. This can be done through treatments like dermaplane, microdermabrasion or an exfoliant.
2)If there was only one skin care product that you could use for the rest of your life, what would it be? Angel: This is a tough one, but I would have to go with Retin-A. One of the only FDA approved for anti-aging.
3)What is your go-to treatment for a pimple or random breakout? Angel: Benzoyl Peroxide from Vivant Skin Care. I love their line.
4)What is something women should stop or never do to their skin? On the flip side, what is one thing every woman should be doing to care for their skin? Angel: The one thing they should NEVER do is pick at their skin. This only causes more damage than good. One thing they SHOULD do is make sure they wash their face EVERY night!
5)Do you always shop for high-end skin care products or are there some generic more affordable products that are just as good? Angel: I am not a big fan of “high end “ products. I am a fan of medical grade products which you can find at any medical aesthetic office. However, I do love Cetaphil over the counter and coconut oil for the body, two of my faves.
6)What age would you recommend to start focusing on anti-aging products? Angel: I started anti-aging products at about 27. So late 20’s and early 30’s is an ideal time to start focusing on those products.
7)Is there such a thing as over-moisturizing? Angel: Too much of anything is never a good thing. But, if you have the right moisturizer, it should work fine.
8)You have beautiful skin! Can you give us a quick rundown of your daily skin care routine? Angel: I wash my face every morning and night with my own Angel Face Cleanser. In the morning, I cleanse, use my iS clinical Vitamin C serum and apply my SPF moisturizer. At night, I use iS Clinical Active Serum along with Latisse for my lashes to keep them long. I top it off with a moisturizer before going to bed. I keep it simple, and I usually change my routine every six months.

Love The Skin Your In!

We hope you find these answers as useful as we did! If you have never been to aesthetician before make sure to do your research. Check sites like Yelp for good reviews and find someone who you think you will mesh well with. As always, taking care of your skin is so important, but with the right person and the right products, you will be on your way to fresh, glowing skin in no time! 

If you want to learn more about certain procedures please check out Angels website by clicking here. 

Please tell us your favorite skincare routines. Do you regularly get facials? Or ever had a dermaplane procedure done? Please share your experiences with us!

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Snacking at Work!

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Midday Hunger is the Worst

Being at work without snacks is tragic. I repeat, TRAGIC! When I go to work without my backpack full of healthy snacks, I become susceptible to buying crap just out of hunger pains which then lead to guilt pains and typically stomach pains from the crap that I decided to eat when my hunger blinded me. As you can see, this becomes a very harsh and painful cycle, so I avoid it at all costs. Furthermore, I try to spend NO money while at work and it is uncommon if I eat out for lunch. Therefore, I’m big on bringing leftovers from the night before as a main meal for lunch, but I ALWAYS have extra snacks to get me through the morning and afternoon.  I take my grocery shopping pretty serious and make sure that I buy food and snacks for the house AND office. My favorite places to shop are Trader Joe’s, Whole Food’s, and Safeway & Walmart (lots of healthy vegan finds here surprisingly)! Trader Joe’s is my favorite because they are VERY affordable and offer unique and healthy options.

Snacks so you won’t be Sad

Addictive AF!

People often ask me what I eat during the day, I’ve compiled a list of my top 20 fav snacks to take to work. I store most of the non-perishable items in my desk and bring foods that need to be refrigerated on a daily basis. Since people steal in my office ( little assholes) I recommend investing in an insulated lunch bag if you don’t trust your office fridge. You can mix and match a lot of these items so get creative and have fun on your next shopping trip!

The Good Stuff

  1. Roasted Plantain Chips (Trader Joe’s) 6-ounce bag for only $1.69!
  2. Bamba Peanut Snacks (Trader Joe’s) a 3.5-ounce bag is only 99 cents & you can enjoy 40 pieces in a single serving! BOOM! ( think peanut butter fluffy cheetos- except not a cheeto! )
  3. Oatmeal Packets- I always keep a few in my desk. (Throw in some of your favorite fruit!)
  4. Fruit, veggies, or salad!
  5. Blueberries
  6. Pomegranate seeds
  7. Apples 
  8. Pineapples
  9. Nuts/trail mix
  10. Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Cheese Squares ( Whole Foods)
  11. Falafel Wrap ( Trader Joe’s)
  12. Lentil Wrap with Tahini sauce ( Trader Joe’s)
  13. English muffins ( whatever is your favorite ) use #15 for these!
  14. Avocado (I usually bring just a half, but you could bring a whole and leave ½ for the next day!) Combine with #14!

    Sweet Tooth Fix!
  15. Peanut Butter or Almond Butter ( carrots, celery, or even a spoon full!)
  16. Harvest Snap pea crisps
  17. Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits (Trader Joe’s)
  18. Hummus & Chips (jicama, carrots & bell peppers are other dipping options)
  19. Soup! Keep a can of soup/chili in your desk for an emergency hungry moment          
  20. Cheese and Crackers (Daiya Jalapeno Havarti cheese is my top fav)
  21. Bonus: Any Flavor of Boom Chicka Pop! ( Walmart, Safeway, Whole Foods)

Prepare, Save Money and Snack Happily

Bringing your own food to work helps you make healthy eating decisions while saving money. I know some days you will forget your food ( GASP!) or just want to eat out with coworkers, and that’s totally fine! But, trust me. You will thank yourself one day if you keep some options readily available in your side drawer. Don’t ever be that person that is so hungry that you contemplate eating those old mustard packets laying around in your drawer! LOL! That would be fucking gross, and yes, I would judge you if I saw you doing this.

Try not to eat the whole bag! So yummy

What are your favorite snacks? Please share

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Have You Ever Tried Kombuchca?

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What are you Sipping on?

What you drink can either fuel your body or deplete it. Do you ever take the time to notice how your body responds when drinking a specific type of liquid? I know how my body responds after a few beers or glasses of champagne and its far from hydrated. I also know how my body responds after drinking something fresh and healthy. There are days when my energy levels are lower than usual and I can feel that my body is lacking certain vitamins. After reading all of the benefits of Kombucha I decided to try it out and it quickly became one of my favorite beverages for more reasons than one.

Why Kombucha?

Water, it’s amazing, and I love it but sometimes I need something else, this is where Kombucha takes center stage. A few months ago I started making it a part of my routine diet. It made me feel so good that I now consume this wonderful fermented tea consistently. A headache? Drink kombucha. Upset stomach? Drink kombucha. Experiencing digestion issues? Drink kombucha. Need an energy pick me up? It can help with that too. I suffer from major digestion issues, and since making this wonder drink a part of my lifestyle, my stomach nightmares occur less and less. There is a shit-ton of probiotics in every bottle which helps aid in detoxification of the body, and they make me feel a shit-ton better when a drink it. My husband gets freaked out by the thought of something “live” in his drink but over time I am starting to break down his barrier, and I sometimes win in trying to get him to guzzle down a glassful...YAY!

Will You Give it a Try?

I know you have probably seen kombucha in the stores or on the menu at certain restaurants. If you haven’t given it a try, I’m here to vouch for those little probiotics and encourage you just to buy a bottle that appeals to you and see if you dig it! You never know what you are missing from your life until you try something new. Tantric Turmeric, Heart Beet, Trilogy, Strawberry Serenity & Gingerade by GT’S are some of my favorites. I don’t discriminate against brands as I have yet to try a flavor that I didn’t enjoy. Yes, this habit can get a little pricey which is why my next mission is to start making kombucha myself. If I can save some dough and always have it in the fridge, that would be a major WIN! Stay tuned. DIY kombucha tutorial is coming soon! Now promise me that next time you hit up the grocery store that you will throw a bottle of kombucha in your cart.  You won’t regret it, and you will make your tummy EXTREMELY happy!

Happy tummy = Happy life!

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