Dr. Weil is No Joke

Is it coincidence that the word "mental" can be found smack dab in the word "supplemental?" I don't think so, peeps, and here's why.



Last year, after a recommendation from my ladydoctor, who is fellowing with Dr. Weil, I decided to check him out. I think I bought his book, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, but never committed to getting 'er done. Did I lend this out to one of you? K? I did however check out the Vitamin Advisor arm of his site and brand. You answer basic questions on your medical history, etc., your concerns, and then it recommends vitamins and supplements which it will package for you in daily packets and ship to you monthly. They're pricey, no doubt. And I'll tell you, I took it upon myself to compare the contents and dosages to what's available through swansonvitamins.com who sells much of the same at a discounted price.

I was able to source a few from there (Fish Oil, Calcium, B-50 Complex, Gingko Biloba, Valerian Root), which really cut down the price that I was going to have pay Dr. Weil every month. Even then, it's still probably more expensive then most people would like to pay for vitamins, but he's so plain about the benefits and why his sources are better for you, and he's open to alternative medicine, so I go with it.

Another con? You're taking a morning packet, a noon packet, and it can get hard to keep up with. Before you know it, you might skip your noon packets, and now you're left with extras even though a new batch is on its way! There's no ease way online to tell them, hey, only send me the morning packets next month, okay?

In spite of the cost, the potential extra bounty of packets/pills, and I didn't even mention the vitamin breath, you're probably wondering - is it worth it? Ah yes, the big reveal.

I have to tell you that yes, it is. I'm trying to get back into the routine of taking both my packets and all of my extras from Swansons every day, which I've managed the last two days. Yay me! And having come from taking them all regularly for weeks, and then falling off the wagon, and now being back on again, oh yes - there's a difference. I find in particular that the B-50 Complex along with the Gingko Biloba really get me mentally in the game at work. Dare I say my verbal agility and vocabulary is increased? Well, it is! Coming from someone who has a fear of repeating herself, forgetting who I've told what to, and the possibility of early-onset Alzheimers, this is a huge feat for me. Not to mention I really feel like I have that extra boost of energy and get things done like crazy.

I would recommend for anyone who doesn't want to part with anywhere from $30-50/month on Dr. Weil's site, just fill out the assessment form, and get the recommendations and then source what you want elsewhere. I've not seen prices cheaper than Swanson, either.

more chicken please

So, I wanted to add another recipe to the "fried" chicken arsenal. I tried the citrus-y chicken recipe of Dana's and it was quite tasty. There's one chicken recipe that Brian and I have been making fairly regularly that is really, really good, plus it's totally guilt free because it's from the Ultrametabolism cookbook, therefore totally whole foods. Here it is:

Raspberry-Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Makes 4 servings (Brian and I cut it in half and it's no prob)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

1 cup fresh or frozen (unsweetened) raspberries (just thaw the frozen ones in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on high)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pistachio nuts (we just buy what we need from the bulk section at Central Market, so it's not so expensive)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (we've made it with and without the parsley and it's good either way)
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sea salt

Combine the raspberries, mustard, and lemon juice in a small food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a shallow pan or plate and set aside. In another shallow pan/plate, combine the bread crumbs, pistachios, parsley, pepper, and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the sauce to coat both sides. Roll the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture to cover completely. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes*

*The recipe actually calls for pounding the chicken to 1/4" thickness and sauteing in olive oil over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is slightly browned, 5 minutes on each side. We found that it was easier and slightly healthier (no oil at all) to just bake in the oven (plus no need for pounding the chicken). We put the chicken on a rack over a jelly roll pan. It makes it really crispy and keeps the crust on the best. I found that half the crust came off when trying to flip the chicken and then getting it out of the saute pan with a spatula.

We have served this with steamed kale, which is really quite yummy. If you haven't tried it, this is how we do it:

From one head of kale, separate the tough stems from the leaves. Meanwhile, bring an inch of water in a big soup pot to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, put the kale in the pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and let steam for about 5-7 minutes until wilted and bright green. Remove with tongs and serve. So good!

Sociables.

Do they still make those crackers? Anyhoot, I thought I'd hip yall to a running column from Jezebel called, Social Minefield. It pretty much helps you make your way through this thing called life, or rather how to always appropriately handle a variety of social or life situations. Maybe this is "whatever" for those who might have life on lock, but for those of you who, like me, find yourselves overthinking and just generally being way too neurotic, then maybe this column can be of service. Granted I don't always agree with every single piece of advice, but I don't necessarily disagree with any of it either. Overall, it's all pretty sound.

So yeah...wondering how to be a well-behaved drunk? Or how to quit your job? Or how to give the perfect gift? Go here .

I love this idea.

It's no surprise that Gwyneth and her e-newsletter, GOOP, get poked fun at quite a bit. I personally cringe over the name. Obviously not everyone can afford to live exactly as she does, but many can choose one thing here or there to embrace the same message she purports - healthy, stylish, mindful, simple, inspired, and good, whether it be where you go on vacation, what books you read, what culture's medicine you consider for your ailments, how you stay active, or what food you eat.

This week's newsletter mentioned an olive grove, Nudo, where you can either purchase their olive oils or you can, wait for it...adopt an olive oil tree for one year. They support small farming, cutting out the big mechanical processes wherever possible that lead to soil erosion and blander flavors. They don't use pesticides, either. To adopt a tree you start out by identifying which of the ten groves you'd like to adopt within, or you let them pick one for you. Throughout the year you receive two separate packages made from the fruit of your tree (and technically blended with it's nearby neighbors in the same grove). And they even allow people to visit their groves, even see their adopted tree, if they'd like. How freakin' cool is that? Receiving this awesome oil from a grove that you hand-picked and then taking a trip to Italy to see the grove?! Yes, please! While it is a bit pricey, at $105, I think this is such a neat concept! It would make a great gift for the spouse or significant other who's a foodie or amateur gourmet chef. Or a gift to oneself, even. A gal can dream, can't she?




- d.

it's like starting over.

Good morning! Today is my, ehem, 31st birthday. And since I've yet to post on our little "collective" here, I thought today should be the day! Since, I'm another year older today, this is about skin care products. Now, I'm not a member of that beauty review site, so I'm not sure if these get a good grade or not, but here are some pros and cons I've found. I swear this isn't a promo for St. Ives.

First up we have the St. Ives Renewing Collagen Elastin body lotion. It's nearly fragrance free, which I like, it's got some good minimal ingredients and the bottle states "not tested on animals"* I've only been using this for a week or so, but I like it, I can tell a difference in the feel of my skin, not only smooth but in the "bounce back test" it passes, with flying colors!

Next up, we have the St. Ives Daily Microdermabrasion. This little gem was actually brought to my attention by Dana a while back. The ingredients are not as minimal as I'd like, and the bottle does state "not tested on animals"*. First off let me state that I do NOT use this daily, my skin cannot handle anything other than daily face washing, therefore I cannot attest to the daily powers it may or may not offer. I use this product about three times a week, usually after I run outside to assist in removing any outside dirt and bacteria. The first thing one will notice about this product is the fineness of the "scrubbers", its very fine and for those with sensitive skin, that is a good thing, the smaller they are the less harsh they are on your face! I can immediately tell a difference on the feel and see a more youthfulness look to my skin after I use this. Does this offer the same type of long-term effects of an actual microdermabrasion treatment at your local spa, obviously not, but it's a great, cheap way to get you through.

* This is a bit of a side bar on the whole "Not Tested on Animals" I truly do try and look for these on products I purchase, as do I also try to purchase products from the ever-growing list of companies that DO NOT test on animals. But I'd like to point out something on this statement, as it can be slightly misleading. The "Not Tested on Animals" label only means that that product, that is bottled/packed up nice and neat as is for you was not tested on animals. It does not mean that some of the ingredients (of which the majority of animal testing occurs) used in the product were not tested on animals, nor does it mean that previous versions of the product were not tested on animals. The only way to be sure a product is totally cruelty free is to look for this label or purchase products from the companies listed on the those that do not test list, better yet are vegan products which not only are not tested on animals, but use no animal ingredients (I'm well aware of the price of these things though, and for those of us on a budget it may not be an option) but this label is! (I'm removing myself from the soap box now!)

Green Johnson

Jack Johnson, that is.

So, Max and I really wanted to go to his concert a few weeks ago, but we weren't able to get away that evening. I thought that it was really cool that 100% of profits from his To The Sea tour are going to different earth/green charities! If any of you haven't listened to his stuff, it's kind of surfy-acoustic-goodness. He writes amazingly good songs and his committment to Greenery is something that all artists should aspire to. His newest album, To The Sea was recorded in a solar powered studio and printed on 100% recycled paper, which I think is pretty cool. Since he is, at heart, a surfer boy, it would make perfect sense that his cause is to give back to his community and to the environment.

So, I thought I would post a link to his website in case any of you are interested in learning more about these particular charities/causes:

http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/home

And here is a video for one of my favorite songs!

Kind of Obsessed With Fried Chicken.

Seriously, I love it. I have fond memories of my grandma and my mom frying it up in a skillet when I was growing up, and my first job was even at a (love-that-chicken-from) Popeye's. We've been committed to eating better as much as we can at home, lately, and have been hard core with the Weight Watchers recipes. I've been reluctant to try their "fried" baked chicken variations using corn flakes or bread crumbs up until this last week, fearing that they could never compare to the lovely golden crispy greasy pieces of heaven I know and love, aka fried chicken...but now I'm sorry I waited so long! Here's one of the two recipes we tried this week, Orange-Crumbed Chicken, and I highly recommend it. Total deliciousness in your mouth, and with only 179 calories per piece you could actually have two and not feel guilty.


2 Tbsp. orange juice

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup whole-wheat cracker crumbs

1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

1 shallot

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs



Heat oven to 350 degrees F; spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine orange juice, mustard and salt. On sheet of wax paper, combine cracker crumbs, orange zest, finely chopped shallot and freshly ground pepper. Brush chicken on both sides with mustard mixture, then dredge in crumbs, firmly pressing crumbs to coat both sides. Place chicken on baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes; turn over and bake until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information, per serving: 179 calories, 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 59 mg cholesterol, 518 mg sodium, 20 grams carbohydrate, 3 fiber, 16 protein.



Enjoy!


D.

Stop Being All Ashy and Shiz.

Normally I would post a beauty product recommendation on my own blog, but I figure this works for here since it's LIFE-friendly.

If you're looking for a great, inexpensive body lotion, may I suggest St. Ives Intensive Healing Body Cream? No testing on animals, paraben-free, and fragrance-free. I can instantly feel the relief it gives my scaly legs. It's like aloe vera on a burn. I'm definitely getting into fragrance-free lotions...not sure if I've just read to many reviews on Beautypedia which state any kind of fragrance (even if natural/plant-based) can irritate the skin or what. My skin has never been irritated by anything that contained fragrance per se, but sometimes fragranced lotions will feel sticky rather than moisturizing. This lotion was also a "Paula's Pick" and it's around $4. Can't beat that!

And oh! There's also an Intensive Healing (FF) Body Lotion which comes in a big pump bottle. There's no review for it on Beautypedia, but it can't be much different from the body cream's formula. I have both, and as one might guess, it's just not as thick as the body cream, but soothing nonetheless!

p.s. I've only been able to find them at Ulta.

A Must See.

Friday night me and Eric watched Part I of the documentary, The Future of Food. I highly recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it. Scary? Yes. Important to know? YES. I had heard some of what was going on and it was specifically in reference to soybeans, but I had no idea to what extent corporations were shaping and controlling what we eat. In addition, these corporations have found another way to screw farmers.

Even though buying local produce is more expensive, it's worth it because a) the food is not genetically modified, b) the quality really is that much better (cut up the most flavorful cantaloupe yesterday!), and c) those guys work their asses off and get very little in return. I know it's not 100% doable all the time...it's not for me either, but it's a wonderful alternative to the supermarket that hopefully one day will become more commonplace.



-K

It really is incredible!

Okay, okay, I know I'm posting on here like crazy, but school's about to start up again and although I still intend on contributing, it may be harder to do so.

So, I was at Victoria's Secret today and checked out the new "Incredible" bra. I must say that it is the most comfortable bra I have ever put on my body. It fit perfectly (since I finally know my correct bra size) and another wonderful thing about it is that the straps don't have the little adjustable thingies. It fit quite well without them, and I really don't like messing with those things.

I bought a bra from Intimacy Boutique a few months ago and while I got a great fitting bra, it costs twice as much as the VS bra plus it's not quite as comfortable. I have found my new bra and if any of you are in the market for one, you must try one on.

- Nicole

P.S. I am fully aware of my shopping problem.

Basic black pants

Hi Ladies,

I just went to the Gap today (surprise surprise!) and they have the best black dress pants right now. I got a coupon in the mail that showed all their new black pant styles and was curious to try them. I already have a pair that I wear with heels, but have been searching for a pair to wear with flats. Well, I found them! I got the "true straight" style in ankle. They're the perfect length, so I don't have to take them to the tailor. They cost $59.50 and I got 40% off with my coupon. Here they are:



They also have perfect trouser, modern boot, curvy, really skinny, slim crop, and boy fit. They have some of them in gray as well. Here's the link to the site:

http://www.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=57240

Anyway, just thought I'd share in case any of you are in need of these basics. I also have coupons if you want (20% off).

I Thought of Something!

And of course it's food-related. I thought I would share a recipe with you lovelies---kitchen-tested, moi approved.

It's for a soup---and a cold one at that. I loooove soup, but up until making this one, I had been pretty stand-offish to cold or chilled soups. This particular soup just sounded so refreshing and besides, it's too effin' oppressive outside for a hot soup right now.

I got this recipe from the cookbook, Super Natural Cooking. The woman who wrote it, Heidi Swanson, also has a popular food blog yall may have heard of called 101 Cookbooks (look to the right of the page). I originally planned to provide a direct link to the recipe on her blog, but it's been pulled due to changes she made (the book has this newest version, as noted on her blog). SO, here it is below---


Crema de Guacamole (with Crunchy Topopos)

12 small tomatillos
3 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp. fine-grain salt
4 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1/2 lime
Crema, fresh salsa, and chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Crunchy Topopos
1/4 cup clarified butter*
12 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Fine-grain sea salt
1/2 lime


Remove husks and stems from tomatillos. Rinse well, coarsely chop, and put in soup pot along with serranos, onions, garlic, and stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately lower and simmer for 5 minutes, or until tomatillos start losing their structure.

Puree thoroughly with a handheld immersion blender (I'm sure a food processor does the trick, just watch out for that hot liquid!). Push the puree through a strainer and into a bowl to remove the tomatillo seeds and skins. Cool for 30 minutes, the stir in the lime juice. Refrigerate until completely chilled---a minimum of 2 hours.

To make the topopos---heat butter in a heavy skillet until hot but not smoking. Put a small handful of the tortilla strips into the skillet in a single layer. Note: it's very important not to overcrowd the skillet because the tortilla strips will steam rather than brown. Toss occasionally with tongs or a spatula until golden brown, usually 2-3 minutes. Tranfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and immediately toss with salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Repeat.
The topopos can be stored in a plastic bag.

In a separate bowl, blend the avocados thoroughly with the cilantro, salt, and a big squeeze of lime juice, then blend into the chilled soup base. Adjust the salt and lime as needed---you should be able to smell and taste the lime, but it shouldn't be mouth-puckering. Top each bowl with a swirl of crema, a spoonful of salsa, and a sprinkling of topopos, and a pinch of cilantro (As mentioned, optional, but the crema is definitely a nice touch!).


*Maybe some of yall already know making clarified butter aint no thang, but here's how to do it JIC---

Gently heat unsalted butter (just however much you need for a recipe, or if you want to make extra for future cooking, then a couple of sticks) in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. It will separate into 3 layers---a top layer of foam, a bottom layer of milk solids, and the clarified butter will float in between those 2 layers. Skim the foamy layer off with a spoon and discard. Next, carefully pour the golden middle layer into a jar or bowl, leaving the milk solids at the bottom. Discard the milk solids as well. Voila!!!

-K

first one!

i can't believe i'm the first one to post on here. it's nothing big, and it's probably something that only dana and i would benefit from, but i wanted to post the info. in case any of you were interested. i also wanted to post it in case dana hadn't seen it yet (i know i mentioned it to you already dana).



here's the link to the website that has a video about how it works:

http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/blow-dry-perfector/index.aspx#/home

so, i researched the ingredients to see exactly what it is and how it works. it's basically a mild relaxer. it says that it's safe for color treated hair, but needs to be applied at least two weeks after hair has been colored (and i'm guessing vice versa). it does have a small bit of sodium hydroxide, which is a little scary just because it's a very strong chemical. but it's at almost the very end of the ingredient list. i'm thinking of perhaps trying it once i cut bangs and only using it on my bangs. i still want curls in the rest of my hair, but perhaps it will help my bangs lie flatter and stay straight throughout the day.