This lovely sweet treat really “hit the spot” today. Rice pudding has always been a favorite teat at our house. This time we were happy to find green Vietnamese Jade rice and made this tasty minty version with pineapple.
Yield: 4 small desserts
Ingredients:
Directions:
Notes:
There are different jade rices available. Depending on which one you bought, it may take longer to cook and need a bit more water. If you can not get the green rice, You could use regular risotto rice and add some natural green food coloring to the boiling water. If using the risotto rice, you may need to cook it longer, and perhaps add more water until it softens. Be sure to check the flavoring as it cooks. You could also add some pineapple juice to the rice as it cooks.
I’ve been on this wall art kick lately, mainly because my walls are so bare it looks like I’ve been robbed. After years of browsing through wall art, there isn’t one piece I feel compelled to buy, so I’m going on a DIY wall art adventure instead.
It’s not that the art I’ve seen isn’t nice, there’s just… something missing. I’d rather put in the extra effort and make art that 100 percent suits my home instead of spending a fortune on pre-made wall art that kinda sorta looks okay.
If you’re in the same boat, here are 9 impressive DIY wall art tutorials that just might do the trick:
This is the coolest potato stamp art I have ever seen! What I love about it most is that each dot has a personality all its own. Get the DIY here.
DIY wall art that looks like a million… but you know, isn’t. Get the DIY here.
A fun (and potentially messy) wall art project for you and your pup to enjoy together. Aw. Get the DIY here.
Another incredible project starring a potato, this DIY wall art is more time-consuming than it is complicated—but look at the incredible results! Get the DIY here.
A white canvas here, a few brushstrokes there, and top off with a vintage key and twine. Bam. Get the DIY here.
This wooden mosaic only looks complicated. Trust. Get the DIY here.
Take the lyrics of your favorite song and turn them into artwork for your humble abode. Get the DIY here.
What I love most about this DIY wall art are the bold colors that are involved. Who knew paint and permanent marker looked so good together? Get the DIY here.
This is basically a paint-by-numbers for grown-ups: Zoom in on a picture you lurv and create a pixellated version of it. Stunning, no? Get the DIY here.
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Image: Bare wall photo via Shutterstock
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When allergy season strikes, your relationship status with beauty products quickly changes to “It’s Complicated.” That’s why it’s important to have a few trusty makeup tips and tricks up your sleeve for when ‘allergy face’ strikes—because it will, and just before an important moment in your life no doubt.
Here, 6 makeup tips and tricks to help you allergy-proof your beauty routine:
Pop a wet washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes and apply to your face like a mask. Not only will it help calm your skin and put the kibosh on puffiness, the freezing cold temp of the cloth will wake you the eff up.
Because your skin’s already irritated by your allergies—especially that poor nose of yours—you can’t just treat it with any cleanser. Look for a cleansing milk that contains flavonoids to help prevent inflammation, and once a week exfoliate with a gentle scrub that contains oatmeal, which helps skin retain hydration while it softens. And if you’re in the mood to indulge, use a super-soothing cucumber mask to moisturize and get rid of any lingering puffiness.
Conceal the blotchiness and redness that comes with allergies using a green-tinted primer, which is specifically made to cover things like acne and rosacea. Dab onto the red areas, paying particular attention to your nose, then top with your regular concealer and foundation.
Because allergies lead to fifty shades of pale, matte foundations will annihilate what little glow you have left and actually highlight your allergies. Focus on creamy foundations that will give your skin sheen while hiding the discolored areas.
If your eyes get uber-itchy when allergies strike, it’s best to wear as little eye makeup as possible. Waterproof mascara will prevent you from looking like a hot mess. One of my fave makeup tips and tricks during allergy season: Add a smidge of shimmery white shadow to the inner corners of your eyes. This will make your eyes look wider and more awake (trust).
It’s ironic, but true: Caking makeup onto problem areas does nothing but draw attention to those areas. The makeup tips and tricks that never fail in this situation are ones that divert attention elsewhere. When your eyes are itchy and your nose is on fire, focus on making your lips look fabulous. Layer with lip balm to lock in moisture (since you’re probably going to be doing a lot of mouth breathing), and dab on a layer of lipstick for a pop of color.
Which makeup tips and tricks do you have on standby during allergy season?
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Image: Allergy photo via Shutterstock
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Each year it seems health food trends get increasingly stranger, yet also more appealing. The following four food trends are testament to the versatility and creativity inherent in the wellness scene. From putting butter in your coffee to enjoying a cricket flour cake, take your health and senses to a new level of awesomeness.
1. Butter coffee
Sounds strange to add butter to your coffee, but it may be the best thing you can do for yourself. Butter coffee boasts the ability to sustain your energy for up to 6 hours, replace your morning breakfast and help you to burn fat all day long. Butter replaces casein proteins found in cream and milk and thus makes for an easier-to-digest alternative to your regular coffee add-ins. Stick to unsalted butter, ghee or coconut oil. Check out Bulletproof to get inspired to change your Morning Joe game. Experiment making your own and see if this trend is fit for your lifestyle. Food trends come and go, but butter coffee is definitely one that should stay!
2. Charcoal cleanse
This isn’t the charcoal you use for barbecue – we’re talking about “activated” charcoal. Activated charcoal is a negatively charged carbon that is treated with oxygen. This process creates a natural magnet for positively charged (acidic) toxins. So, when you consume charcoal, you are helping to pull out gunk from your digestive tract – from pesticides to neurotoxins to mucous. L.A.’s Juice Served Here and New York City’s Juice Generation now offer activated charcoal juice blends.
3. Bone broth
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, this is one of the food trends that isn’t fit for you. Bone broth is making waves for its incredible health benefits. Bone broth is a stock that is made from simmering bits of meat, vegetables and aromatics in water for longer than the regular 4-6 hours than traditional stock cooks – bone broth cooks for 24-48 hours. Bone broth is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is also packed with the amino acids proline and glycine, which are essential in repairing connective tissue, synthesizing DNA, RNA and bodily proteins, boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, regulating blood sugar levels and balancing hormones. These amino acids also improve memory, boost mood, reduce stress and repair muscles. Make your own!
4. Cricket flour
Before you chirp and run away, read why cricket flour may be taking over the world sometime soon. Crickets are packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats and they’re not nearly as land intensive to raise as animals. New York City restaurant The Black Ant already serves up sautéed grasshoppers. Chapul makes gourmet cricket bars and Six Foods sells chirps, or cricket flour tortilla chips. Meanwhile, Bitty makes baked goods with cricket flour.
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Photo Credit: Gloria Munty
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Cholesterol, saturated fats and sodium were all demonized by doctors in the 1980s and 1990s, but a modernized version of the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans is taking another look. It appears that cholesterol is back on the table: an advisory panel making recommendations for the guidelines has said cholesterol is no longer considered a “nutrient of concern,” which means eggs will no longer be shunned by cholesterol-fearing consumers.
Americans may also enjoy coffee with their eggs. The new dietary guidelines will likely give a nod to moderate coffee consumption (about 3-5 cups per day), which may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, the panel is recommending a plant-based diet with ample fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains and legumes for both health and environmental reasons. This is the first such update to the dietary guidelines in five years, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The advisory panel is made up of medical experts at the top of their game who’ve been tasked to come up with dietary guidelines that mirror current research. Cholesterol is a great example: only 20 percent of cholesterol in the body comes from our food, so it doesn’t actually have as much of an impact on reducing overall cholesterol. Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Dr. Steven Nissen says that saturated fats should also be reconsidered as a “nutrient of concern” and in some cases, sodium as well.
“It’s very hard for the people who were the source of all of this conventional wisdom to say, ‘Oh my God, we were wrong,’” Nissen told the Los Angeles Times. “Hubris is a tough thing.”
The modernized interpretation will give recommendations that help Americans use the most updated information we have.
“You can’t just tell Americans to eat less saturated fat,” said Tom Brenna, a professor of nutrition and chemistry at Cornell University. “We not only have to tell them what to reduce, but we have to tell them what to substitute it with that won’t worsen their health. You don’t want to substitute one poison for another.”
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Image of egg via Shuttershock
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For many of us, facial skin is an animal of its own. Often, it’s hard to understand exactly what it needs and wants and, despite our research and extra care, it fails to react properly. The following 5 tips to clear and healthy skin go beyond the keep-it-clean and eat-a-healthy-diet suggestions. Instead, they delve a little further into why you should take care of your skin in certain ways and offer you the tips you need to look your best and put your freshest face forward.
1. Make Your Face the No-Friend Zone
It’s impossible to ensure that nothing ever touches your face, but get as close to mastering this skill as possible. Don’t let anyone or anything touch your face, not even your own hands. You may not realize how often you already put your fingers or palms on your face until you start paying attention – it’s a lot. From you hair swaying forward and gracing your cheek to propping your chin up with your fist to letting your significant other pinch your nose or caress your cheeks, your face is constantly vulnerable to bacteria. Try lying on your back when you sleep or rotate pillow cases on the regular to avoid bacteria build-up. Get used to such rituals and they will soon become second nature. Reduce your face’s contact with other people and things as much as possible and you’ll see the difference.
2. Wash It The Right Way
In the morning after you wake up and at night before you go to bed. No more, no less. Overwashing your face can lead to dryness, irritation and increased sensitivity. Underwashing your face can increase oil build-up and cause breakouts and acne. Cleansing before bed helps to set your face up for a night of renewal and cleansing in the morning removes all dead skin cells and other toxins that your skin emitted over the course of the night. Exfoliate in the morning, twice per week.
3. Stick to Your Routine
You don’t need to waste your money on chic toners, cleansers and moisturizers. Healthy skin is no-fuss skin. Instead, keep your skincare regimen organic, scant and cheap. My suggestion is to purchase a high-quality, organic day-time moisturizer that fits well with your skin type. Some affordable brands include Juice Beauty and The Body Deli. In the morning, cleanse your face using a vegetable-based soap and then apply your day-time moisturizer. If you would like to use a tonic prior to applying to the moisturizer, you can spray your skin lightly with raw apple cider vinegar or rose water. Don’t fuss with your face during the day. Before bed, cleanse your skin again with a vegetable-based soap and apply a natural oil, such as jojoba, coconut and argan. I find that they leave behind an oily glow, so I prefer using them before bed. You can either purchase your skincare products from a reputed natural and organic skincare company or make them at home.
4. Apply Less Makeup
Avoid foundations and powders that can clog your pores and cause breakouts. Even if they are organic and natural, they are getting in the way of your skin breathing, so try to reach the point where you don’t need foundation at all. Your moisturizer will act as a line of defense from outside pollution, and you can even look for a tinted version to give you some coloring. It may be hard at first, but accustom yourself to going completely make up free a few days of the week. As your skin improves, you may find that you only need eye liner, mascara and a touch of lip tint for even the swankiest of events. There are many dangerous chemicals in most makeup brands, so if you have to wear make-up everyday, find a non-toxic organic make-up brand and purchase the essentials.
5. Inversions
This may sound odd at first, but doing inversions is actually godsend for your skin. Try to find a position in which your head is below the rest of your body. You can use an inversion board or simply whatever you can construct using the objects in the comfort of your home. Lie in such a position for up to 5 minutes. The blood rushes to your head and helps to bring oxygen to your facial muscles and increase circulation. All day long, gravity pulls down on your face and can literally draw the life out of it. Inversions help to reverse this effect and reveal healthy skin you didn’t know you had!
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Woman in grass image via Shutterstock
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Our policy director, Peter Melchett, commented on the Science and Technology Committee's report on GM, saying:
In response to the NFU's concern that the UK is 'losing ability to feed itself' (Telegraph, 22 February 2015), Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett commented:
The Telegraph reported a story suggesting that former environment secretary Owen Paterson isset to denounce the so-called ‘green blob’ tomorrow (24/2/15) in a speech on GM crops (Owen Paterson: 'The Green Blob' is threatening lives in Africa). Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett commented:
