To know me is to know that I baby my hair. Since growing it out during covid, I have become obsessed with finding and trying tons of hair accessories on the market searching for ways to style my hair without stressing the strands to keep the ends as healthy as possible.
TL;DR
Kitsch is a women-owned business committed to creating high quality products- and they don’t disappoint. You can shop their products here and here.
The MVP
I have dozens of Kitsch products including their satin sleep bonnet, butterfly clips, satin scrunchies and satin pillow cases. They have ingenious products to help you style your hair that are so easy to use anyone can create a beautiful look. My absolute favorite lazy-girl hair style is their heatless curling set. If you haven’t tried this viral hack yet, consider this is your sign to give your hair a break from heat.
This is the ultimate lazy girl way to curl your hair especially if like me you grew up using sponge curlers after your shower to wake up with ringlets in the morning.
My how-to guide
My favorite way to use this is to first wrap the front section of hair around a large curler and use a clip to secure in place on the top of my head. This will help with volume later. I then thread the flexible satin rod (yay for no tugging on my precious hair/ends) and wrap section by section down the rod until I run out of hair. I then secure the ends with a satin scrunchie (included) and repeat on the other side. Once both sides are done, I then tie both rod ends together behind my head using a single satin scrunchie and let it do it’s thing.
Tips I’ve learned through trial and error
Use on damp hair. Not soaking wet and not bone dry. You need some moisture on your strands to ensure that the curls hold. I like to use this sometimes on dry hair by spraying it down with salt spray first for texture.
This is a great opportunity to load your hair up with leave-in conditioner. I usually spray down the sides just to help encourage my hair to cooperate with me later and avoid frizz.
I recommend using a salt spray if you have fine textured hair like me and could use a texture boost for beauty waves. Keep in mind this will also make your hair more tangle prone so it’s best to save the salt spray for the day before your next wash, or at least try to avoid brushing and combing since you’ll likely snap and snag your hair a bit more than usual.
Leave-in place until hair is dry and then at least 1 hour longer. Sometimes I sleep with this on and other days I wake-up and start this while I’m getting ready for the day. By the time I leave the house it’s been in for a couple of hours and removing the rod leaves me with perfect curls.
Have you tried a heatless curling rod or other viral air drying hair hacks? Try this one and let me know what you think in the comments below!
I love to workout, but I have always struggled with consuming enough food post-workout to optimize my recovery. I’m a dietitian, I know how important it is, and yet more often than not I’m either skipping my post workout fuel or struggling to make sure I’ve consumed enough to give my body the fuel it needs to rebuild.
Part of the problem for me has always been the taste of protein supplements. Most of them are gross. Especially vegan protein supplements. They’re usually chalky, taste like dirt, or have way too much stevia to try and trick you into thinking you’re eating something that tastes like a dessert.
Enter Vitalura Labs
Anna Victoria, CEO of Fit Body Love Group and NASM certified personal trainer, released a plant-based vegan protein powder this week and being an FBG girl and dietitian, I had to try it. The thoughts below are my own, I paid for my own product.
I did my hamstrings and glutes workout today and for the first time ever I was looking forward to my post workout protein. Not just thinking about what I’d eat to refuel, I was legit looking forward to it. Let me tell you why.
Product breakdown
Taste- it honestly tastes like the name. I ordered the vanilla gelato flavor and I have never tasted a protein supplement, plant-based or whey, that tastes as good as this flavor tastes. I blended mine with some frozen banana and unsweetened soy milk and topped with rainbow sprinkles. It’s like drinking a vanilla shake post workout. I have a huge sweet tooth and am still shocked that this product has somehow hit that craving for me AND provided nutrition. There are currently two flavors available: vanilla gelato and chocolate gelato.
Quality- this protein powder is the “cleanest” I’ve seen on the market to date. The ingredients list is short and they’re NSF certified so you know that their product doesn’t have hidden ingredients or missing ingredients. They use organic pea protein and include rice and pumpkin seed protein to make sure you’re getting an optimal amino acid profile. I was nervous when I saw that it has stevia leaf extract, simply because I generally detest the aftertaste of stevia, but this protein powder doesn’t have that weird after taste I’ve come to expect with stevia sweetened products.
Nutrition- they nailed it. In 1 scoop of powder, you get 100 calories, 0g saturated fat, only 20mg sodium (this is amazing!), 0g added sugar and a whopping 25g protein. Read that sentence again and let it sink in for a moment. That is truly a magical recipe that they’ve created. The majority of protein powders don’t hold a candle to the nutrition punch the new Vitalura Labs protein powder gives you. It’s also plant-based making it acceptable to a wide audience, and when compared to many whey protein products on the market it still reigns supreme in its nutrition profile.
Cost- some may think that $60 is a lot for a protein supplement. And yes, if it was one of the other brands currently on the market I’d agree with you. But this protein powder is of a superior quality, flavor, texture, and NSF certified. It is 100% worth that $60 price tag. Especially if you consider that there’s 30 servings in every container. That’s $2/serving. I can’t even get a gallon of gas for that cheap.
Final thoughts
If you’re interested in trying Vitalura Labs new plant-based protein powder for yourself, here’s a link to purchase, use code SARAHMILLER for free shipping!
I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a good post workout protein supplement or anyone who has higher protein needs than they’re able to meet through their diet.
vegan graham crackers (at least 3 sheets) broken into pieces
vegan marshmallows (mini or regular)
vegan chocolate chips or bar of choice (if using bar, break into pieces)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Pop your popcorn according to instructions. I like to airpop using my colonel popper in the microwave, no oil needed.
Spread popcorn out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Distribute pieces of large marshmallows (or mini marshmallows) throughout popcorn spread. Do the same with your chocolate and graham pieces.
Place baking sheet in the oven. After ~5 minutes watch more closely for doneness. Chocolate and marshmallows should be soft/melted with some slight browning on the marshmallows.
Remove from oven- serve and enjoy!
Tips
I recommend keeping a close eye on your tray in the oven to avoid overcooking.
Feel free to try different add-ins such as unsalted nuts, caramels or other gooey or crunchy treats. The options are endless!
Place 1-2 pieces of the diced potato and diced mushroom in each mini muffin hole.
Let air fry for about 5 min or until potato has some light browning.
Carefully remove mini muffin tin from air fryer.
Shake well and pour in liquid Just Egg, being careful not to overflow.
Place a few pieces of shredded vegan cheese or smaller pieces of sliced vegan cheese in each muffin hole.
Return to air fryer on lower level of appliance.
Let air fry for another 5 min, or until tops of mini egg bites appear done (light browning).
Carefully remove from your air fryer and let cool for a couple of minutes before removing from muffin tin. Make sure to place on a heat safe surface.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips
I recommend keeping a close eye on your air fryer during the cooking process to avoid overcooking.
Feel free to try different vegetables and/or cheese. The options are endless!
Make sure not to over-fill mini muffin tin; adding too much liquid will make the egg bites puff up. They’ll still taste great, they’ll just look like mini soufflés 🤣
These are so tasty you’re going to want to eat them all, so at most one mini muffin pan will feed ~1-2 people.
If you’ve read my blog post reviewing natural deodorant you know that I’ve tried a plethora of different natural deodorants. Even though ultimately Schmidt’s was the winner, it was still lacking in a few areas, which led me to continue my search for the best natural deodorant.
I joined Beautycounter as a consultant earlier this year because I feel strongly about clean beauty products and like to support companies that are trying to make a difference, both for humans and for the planet. Beautycounter has a clean deodorant called the Clean Deo that was on my list of products to try and when it arrived in my latest order I was super excited to get my sweat on.
The set-up
My goal was to wear the Clean Deo daily for a week so that I could get a good comparison to my Schmidt’s product. Switching from an antiperspirant to a natural deodorant necessitates getting used to sweat. Brands will tell you there’s an entire detox process, but I can’t find any solid evidence to support this. The bottom line is that when you’ve spent years wearing antiperspirant you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have damp underarms. I think it takes about 2 weeks to get used to your body sweating instead of feeling dry all of the time.
I’m definitely a heavy sweater. I work out daily, take my dog for walks, love to go hiking, and all sorts of other things active and sweaty. Don’t even get me started with how much my anxiety makes me sweat. For a deodorant to keep up with me is pretty difficult and generally requires me to reapply throughout the day.
Application
Schmidt’s has long been my go-to because it doesn’t irritate my skin with reapplication, is a vegan product, smells great, and glides on fairly smoothly. You do have to warm it for a few seconds in your underarm to make it roll on smoothly. Additionally Schmidt’s does leave a white product residue behind and unfortunately leaves underarm stains on many of my shirts.
Beautycounter Clean Deo (I used the coconut scent) has a great application feeling- better than Schmidt’s and requires no warming. Just simply remove the cap and apply. It glides on super smoothly and requires only 1-2 swipes without leaving a white residue. Did I mention that I only had to re-apply a handful of times this past month? Way less often than when using other natural deodorants on the market.
I have been using the Clean Deo daily for over a month now and can attest that it has not stained any of my clothes.
But is it vegan?
Schmidt’s is a vegan product and Beautycounter’s Clean Deo has beeswax. So depending on how strongly you feel about beeswax usage this may be a dealbreaker for some people. I personally try to look at every product holistically before making the decision to use it. For me, I can forgive the use of beeswax when taking other factors into consideration- including that Beautycounter is leaping bunny certified. Leaping Bunny certification is an important criteria for me if a product I’m considering isn’t 100% vegan. Veganism looks different on everyone. Veganism for me involves challenging my own and conventional views of what makes someone or something vegan, as well as setting priorities for what criteria is met and if I’m willing to compromise.
Beautycounter’s Clean Deo also has an amazing feature that other deodorants don’t. Instead of throwing away the entire stick when it’s done, you keep the container and simply refill it with a new canister. I’m definitely not the only fan out there, either. The Clean Deo was recently featured in the Toronto Star’s round up of the best refillable products and Marie Claire’s 17 best deodorants. Making the deodorant packaging refillable cuts its water, fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 47%! This is a huge win for the environment.
Final thoughts
Overall, Beautycounter’s the Clean Deo is my new go-to and my Schmidt’s has started collecting dust.
Considering making the switch to clean beauty? You can shop the Clean Deo and other Beautycounter products here.
A significant source of some B vitamins, nutritional yeast is a great way to give foods a cheesy or savory flavor. Some brands are fortified with vitamin B12, making this a staple in many vegan households. I personally love the flavor of nutritional yeast and started using it years before I was eating vegan.
Nutritional yeast can also be helpful for people who want to give their food a cheesy flavor but are on a low sodium diet. One serving (1 tbsp) of nutritional yeast has 25mg of sodium while one serving (1oz) of cheddar cheese has 174mg.
One serving of nutritional yeast provides 9g of complete protein and is made from a single-celled organism called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is dried and inactive and therefore doesn’t grow like active dry yeast does, so you can’t substitute it in place of yeast in your bread recipes. Nutritional yeast is technically made from the same species of yeast as active dry yeast, but it’s a very different product.
But you can use nutritional yeast to amp up the flavor of many dishes including soups, sauces, egg substitutes (like this tofu scramble) or even as a popcorn topping. The umami flavor of nutritional yeast is from the amino acid glutamic acid. But don’t worry, this is a naturally occurring amino acid and is not the same as the additive monosodium glutamate (MSG).
If you know me, you know that I’m always looking for the best non-toxic product possible. Nail polish is no exception. I’m also notorious for messing up my manicure within 5 minutes of leaving the nail salon. (Carrie can attest to this ????????♀️ ) I hate shellac polish for so so many reasons, but love that it would dry before I’d leave and would last up to 2 weeks. But unfortunately because of all of the reasons I don’t like it, I would still opt for a natural manicure with polish and ruin my nails the same day I paid to have them done.
Enter Dazzle Dry. Not only is this nail polish non-toxic and vegan, it dries in 5 minutes (no joke) and lasts up to 2 weeks (the longest I’ve had mine last and not chip was 1.5 weeks). I discovered this awesome system after having my last professional manicure in January 2020. I was visiting Reno and had a manicure at the salon at the Silver Legacy Resort. The nail system they used was Dazzle Dry. My first experience blew me away. The nail technician assured me my nails would be dry before I even got to the counter to pay and she was right. My manicure life was forever changed in that moment.
Silly me, I didn’t know at the time what nail system it was that she had used. I just hadn’t paid close attention while it was happening. After some detective style Googling I found out it was Dazzle Dry and immediately placed my first order.
Cost
Yes, their products are a bit on the pricey side. But they are worth it! Especially since covid has made nail salons open and close at a head spinning rate. I’m able to give myself salon quality manicures at home AND the products are safe.
There are specials online pretty regularly, so if you’re nervous to try I’d recommend waiting for a sale. Or you could even search for a coupon code online. Either way, you will love it. I’m so obsessed that it’s hard to not constantly buy new polish.
The other factor is the the products are non-toxic and vegan. Buying a product that is better for you and the environment generally comes at a higher price tag. The upfront cost of Dazzle Dry is worth the long-term value.
Current Special!
Dazzle Dry has a special right now for the system. If you buy one, you can get one free with code BOGO50 at checkout. This would make an awesome gift for you and one of your favorite gals.
Depending on where you live, a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist are not the same. For example, I live in California. In California there are no regulations related to using the title “Nutritionist.” However, the title “Registered Dietitian” is protected. That title can only be used if you’ve met the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian.
A Registered Dietitian, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, RD, or RDN all mean the same thing. This is a credential that someone has earned. Similar to an MD or an RN- you can only call yourself those things if you’ve done the work required. To become a Registered Dietitian involves completing extensive education and supervised training prior to passing a national exam.
Minimum Requirements
The education includes biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, biochemistry and more. After completing at minimum a Bachelor’s Degree (soon Master’s Degree minimum), you then apply to participate in an internship program, of which many are unpaid. The competition is fierce, just like trying to apply to Nursing School. There are more applicants than there are internships. Many of us completed our internships unpaid- a sort of labor of tough love.
Now that you’ve completed your internship program, required to be at least 1200 hours consisting of supervised clinical, community, and food service rotations, you may be eligible to take the registration exam.
The registration exam is conducted at an official test site to maintain the integrity of the exam. You’ll likely want to pass the first time if possible because it’s not free. Once your internship is verified and you are deemed eligible to sit for the exam, you pay a fee when you select your exam date. No phones, no personal electronics, nothing can go into that room with you. I had the privilege of later completing my Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) exam with a broken foot. More on that some other time…
Congratulations, you’ve passed the exam! Tears, there will be tears. So many tears of joy. You are notified before you leave after exam completion whether or not you’ve passed. If you didn’t pass, you can re-take the exam at another scheduled date and time.
Lifetime Learners
California doesn’t have licensure for RDs and therefore the path to becoming a Dietitian concludes once you pass the registration exam. Dietitians are required to complete at least 75 units of continuing education every 5 years to maintain their credential, including at least 1 unit of ethics. You create an online learning profile with the governing body and log your education as you complete it. That means every RD you meet has continued to learn throughout his/her career. Dietitians are dedicated to staying up to date to ensure that they are providing the best nutrition care possible with the most current scientific evidence. We are a profession of lifetime learners. Many Dietitians will choose to complete additional certifications and/or credentials to become more specialized in specific areas of practice.
As I mentioned before, this may vary depending on your geographic location. The information provided here is specific to California, USA. There may be other regions where being a Nutritionist involves specific criteria, but here you’ll want to work with a Registered Dietitian to ensure that you’re receiving evidence-based information and not just someone’s opinion.
Cut the bread slices into 1 inch cubes. Remove 2c of mixed berries and leave out on countertop to defrost a bit.
Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with a nonstick spray and add bread cubes.
Blend tofu, coconut milk, arrowroot, sugar and cinnamon in your high speed blender to make a custard.
Pour custard over bread cubes. Push cubes down to ensure they all get wet, or leave some dryer areas if you like a crunchy crust.
Place in oven and bake for 20min.
Pour mixed berries over the top and bake for another 20min. It’s ok if the berries are still frozen when you add them.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Tips
Make sure your bread is dry- it works best if the bread is about 1 day past it’s best date. The dryer the bread the better the texture for this recipe. You can also substitute another type of french bread if you prefer.
My husband and I like a mixture of texture so I like to only push down some of the bread and let other smaller areas remain untouched by the custard so that they come out a little crunchy. If you prefer soft texture make sure you have fully coated all of the bread pieces.
Feel free to add more fruit if you like, 2c is an estimate of the amount I used.
My husband really likes maple syrup on top; I prefer to keep it as is or to add some vanilla plant based yogurt ????
With the launch of Apple Fitness+, I wanted to take this time to get excited for the upcoming new year and our inevitable resolutions. While not all resolutions have to or should be related to fitness, it can be really fun to have at least one of them be.
For the seasoned exerciser, maybe a resolution is to rest more. Or maybe to improve your mile time. For people who have given exercise a break with everything happening during 2020, 2021 might be a great year to check out some home workouts.
I love working out at home. Not only is it my own space, with my own equipment and no waiting for machines or weights, but I’m also free to workout when it works for me and to shower right after without having to wear flip-flops. I’m not a personal trainer or a Medical Doctor- you should always consult your Doctor before beginning a new exercise program. But here are some of my favorite options that I wanted to share with all of you.
Peloton is known for their fancy at home bike workouts. But did you also know that they have an awesome app that includes strength, stretching, cardio, outdoor running/walking, and even pilates and yoga? This app is easy to use with some great trainers. They have a 30 day free trial going so if you’ve never signed up before, now is a great time to test it out! This is the Peloton Digital version, not the membership including the hardware. The digital membership is for a single-user where their All Access membership, which includes all digital content on your phone PLUS content on your Peloton hardware, can be shared with an unlimited amount of household members. I don’t have any Peloton devices so I don’t know what the experience of using their hardware is like.
Alexia Clark is a personal trainer with a massive online following and presence. There are home and gym workouts available and they don’t require a lot of equipment. You can get a great home workout using dumbbells and resistance bands. I started her program after having needing to find a new workout that wasn’t running due to surgery on my left foot and then 6months later breaking my right foot. So I speak from experience when I say you can find ways to modify. I have been using her workout program for over a year and I absolutely love it! I don’t follow her nutrition plan, but if you need new menu ideas you can definitely find some inspiration. Her workouts have a 30min or 60min option, 5 workouts/week, and are brand new every day! And when I tell you they’re new each day, they truly are different each day. The workouts are designed to be completed Monday-Friday and if you follow her on Instagram she shows you the first circuit daily. You can also mark your favorite workouts so that you can do them again in the future!
This brand new service launched this week and I love it! For those who are looking for a slightly less expensive service that is similar to Peloton, this is definitely for you. Very comparable, and I’d say even better for beginners. I really like that the strength workouts are all full body so if you’re new to working out or coming back from injury it’s easy to make sure that you’re hitting every muscle group. My most used feature of any digital workout is definitely the stretching. I really like that Apple Fitness + includes mindfulness with their cooldowns/stretching series. I’ve found that adding the extra minute or two to meditate at the end of my workout is a great way to fully bring my body down from the high of exercising. This is one feature that the Peloton stretching does not include. Apple Fitness + also doesn’t currently offer any outdoor guided walks/runs like Peloton does, but considering it’s a brand new service, I’m sure it’ll evolve over time to include more features as they get feedback from users. Apple Fitness + as a great option for getting a great workout in at home, and can be shared with up to 5 household members.
Another great option for home or gym workouts. Anna Victoria is a personal trainer who also has a massive online presence, just like Alexia Clark. Her program is similar in that it includes workouts and nutrition, but otherwise I found the Fit Body experience to be different from Alexia Clark. I definitely love that Anna Victoria’s app has tons of meal options AND they have a Registered Dietitian on their staff. Not only does your membership include access to the app, but Anna Victoria has said that you can also contact them with questions for their Registered Dietitian or their Physical Therapist. Her workouts are definitely tough, but can also be modified. She recently gave birth to her first child and has added pregnancy workouts to her app for other women who want a workout program during that time. The only complaint I had with her program when comparing to Alexia Clark’s was that there wasn’t enough variety for me. You will definitely hit all major muscle groups, it just felt like most of the workout movements were repeated a lot. They recently debuted a massive overhaul of the app to include a lot of changes for how the workout week is structured and variety with the trainer you use. You have way more flexibility over which muscle groups and exercises you do and on what days, whereas with Alexia Clark you’re kind of forced into a Monday-Friday schedule. The other feature I like is that the Anna Victoria meal plans have a ton of variety and are available for any type of diet: vegan, paleo, vegetarian, flexitarian, etc. The recipes are definitely high quality and provide great inspiration even if you don’t follow the calculated macro meal plan.
UPDATE 12/18/20: For a limited time online you can get the 12month subscription to Fit Body for only $99.99! Use promo code FITBODY2021 at checkout.
Dance Church Go is the perfect workout for people who don’t like to workout. They offer live classes every Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. Classes are donation based with the recommendation to give $15, the price you would pay for an in-person class. Dance Church has nothing to do with religion or church and is everything dance. All classes were in-person before covid. Classes are partially guided with instructors who also give you time to just dance around your space and enjoy yourself. The 55ish minute classes include a Daydream sequence near the end for you to catch your breath and do some stretches before starting lower body work on the floor. The 30ish minute (usually Saturday class) skips the Daydream sequence and lower body specific work, but is still a great way to get your blood pumping. A friend of mine told me about Dance Church near the beginning of the pandemic and I’ve been hooked ever since! The teachers are so fun and have so much energy, you can’t help but have a good time. Classes are mostly PG-13 and friendly for kids, but I’d recommend you leave that to your discretion as a parent.
UPDATE 1/10/21: Dance Church Go announced this week that they are making some changes. Sunday classes will remain the same, and the Wednesday and Saturday classes are being discontinued. But the amazing news is that they’re working on having a streaming service so that you can dance whenever you want! That’s even better than classes Wednesdays and Saturdays! You can subscribe to their newsletter at go.dancechurch.com to stay up to date with everything Dance Church.
