I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
You know I’ve been on an essentials kick lately; I’ve praised the perfect white t shirt, talked about buying essentials versus fast fashion, and not to mention I’m literally always dreaming about the perfect pair of jeans.
Well how can I forget the white button down shirt? It’s probably an even more important essential than a casual tee. Stick to cotton, linen or silk, and you’ll have this wardrobe staple for years to come. It’s so versatile, and you can effortlessly dress it up or dress it down. My favorite brands for this item include Equipment, J.Crew and Madewell.
When choosing the perfect shirt, consider the pockets, the sleeves, the collar, the fit. If you find your perfect shirt from a designer, it’s worth an investment. But of course, a great white button down shirt doesn’t have to break the budget either… J.Crew always offers its signature crisp cotton shirt under $100.
Check out five of my favorite ways to style my white button down shirt in the slideshow above, and find my favorite picks below! Cheers, Kat
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The beauty world is abuzz these days with talk of healthy, natural products free of toxins and carcinogens, and that in turn has sparked my interest for starting several healthy beauty habits in my daily routine. Though there are some beloved products I simply cannot give up, I’ve enjoyed becoming educated in what it takes to have a safer beauty routine, and I’ve started to swear by a few simple practices to ensure that I’m feeling beautiful inside and out. Check out my eight habits below, and let me know what you swear by! Truly, MKR
No. One, Oil Pulling. An ancient dental technique, oil pulling involves swishing one-two tablespoons of oil (coconut, olive, or sunflower) in your mouth on an empty stomach for approximately 20 minutes. The action is said to draw out toxins and improve your overall oral health all while naturally whitening your teeth. I’ve been pulling, coconut is my oil of choice, for a few months now and I’m obsessed. And for all you naysayers I spoke to my dentist, and in his words; “oil pulling should never replace your usual dental routine, but there is plenty of research that supports it’s health benefits. Mainly because your mouth houses more bacteria than anything else and if your mouth is healthy then your system can focus on fighting other issues.”
No. Two, Dry Brushing. Introduced to me by my aesthetician, dry brushing is an age old practice of brushing your skin in an upward motion with a firm, natural bristle brush. The practice, most commonly done before showering, exfoliates and unclogs skin, while stimulating your lymphatic system, and is said to help reduce cellulite. Just a tad painful, but I’ve really taken to loving my dry brush, and I mean if Jennifer Aniston swears by it, then consider me sold.
No. Three, Think Dirty. Talk about a game changer. Think Dirty the app allows you to scan or type in products and in return gives you a 1-10 toxicity rating. So get ready to stand in the grocery store aisles for hours scanning just about everything you’ve ever bought or are thinking about buying.
No. Four, Consistently Washing Your Makeup Brushes. Ask yourself when’s the last time you washed your makeup brushes? If you’re like me it’s been too long. And just think about all of that old makeup, dead skin, and germs of all kinds just sitting on your brushes. Eew. Washing your makeup brushes once a week is essential to keeping your complexion clear and your health in tact, so get the suds ready.
No. Five, Non-Toxic Nail Polish. When you really begin thinking about what’s in nail polish, and how it’s just sitting there absorbing into your nails, into your skin’s pores, into your system, and not to mention how much we probably accidentally ingest from chipping (especially if you bite your nails), wouldn’t you feel better knowing that polish was toxic free? Enter my new favorite nail polish Smith & Cult. Free of the 5 major toxins found in most nail polishes, it allows you to rest easy thinking about all those nasty chemicals, and go back to stressing about if your polish is dry enough to reach in your purse for your keys without smudging. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it comes in just about every color we could possibly want and has the most beautiful packaging.
No. Six, Activated Charcoal Pills. Recently while reading what seemed like my thousandth detox article, I stumbled upon something I’d never heard of: activated charcoal pills. The pills are used commonly in the ER medical community to treat oral poisoning, and the charcoal’s “pores” make it very effective at binding and flushing out poisons that are still present in the stomach and small intestines, hence the belief of detox. While there’s research both supporting and negating it’s ability to actually flush your system after an over-indulgent Saturday, all I can say is I’ve taken it a dozen times and have felt better. Just note that charcoal doesn’t always differentiate between good and bad, so if you want anything to stay absorbed in your system, like your daily vitamin, take them hours apart. And like everything, do your research; what works for some does not work for all.
No. Seven, Shots. I admit it, I’m on the pressed juice band wagon. I’ll drink a juice, or five, all day every day. And my new favorite thing, the shot circuit. Seven shots: wheatgrass, E3, turmeric, ginger, lemon, aloe, and dandelion. They’re not all pleasant going down, but I feel high on health for the rest of the day. Not to mention my energy is on fire. Not ready for seven shots? Start slow with a wheatgrass or turmeric; both easily found at your local juice shop or Whole Foods, or better yet, make your own!
No. Eight, Chemical Free Products. Letting go of products we’ve used for years can be a difficult thing, but now more than ever there are so many amazing non-toxic choices there really is no excuse. Two brands I’ve completely fallen in love with are Beauty Counter and One Love Organics. I swear by Beauty Counter’s sunscreen and eye palettes and One Love’s Vitamin C Body Polish smells like heaven and their Morning Glory is my new morning savior.
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All images original to Waiting On Martha.
*This information is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
As you know, one of my all-time favorite junk food, no-holds-bars snacks is chips and dip (Dean’s French Onion & Ruffle’s Potato Chips if I’m being specific). But, I know better than to reach for the dip and chips on a regular basis, so lately I’ve gotten creative in the kitchen subbing in a few healthy, homemade options that still hit the spot and are perfect with fresh veggies and chips alike.
First up my homemade hummus and black bean garlic dip. I’ve always been a fan of hummus, but got tired of the limited organic options so I decided to begin Vita-mixing up my own versions at home since they’re both incredibly easy to make. For traditional hummus the recipe calls for only three simple ingredients (plus salt), but you can add anything else you like such as garlic, roasted red peppers, or jalepenos for a little kick. The black bean dip, is similar to the hummus but lends itself to a creamier texture and in my opinion is best with just a little garlic and fresh chives because fresh chives and/or green onions make everything better. Both dips can be made in large batches and upon refrigeration will last for 7-10 days making them an easy mid-day snack.
The third dip, and star of the show, is my vegan onion and spinach dip. It nails that creamy-Ranch-dressing taste we all secretly want, without all of the “bad” ingredients and highlights my very favorite local onion, the vidalia. Vidalia onions are sweeter than your typical white or yellow onion and are great for just about anything (creamed vidalia bake recipe HERE), but my favorite was to enjoy a vidalia is simply smoked on the Big Green Egg with a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and cayenne. Try it, you will not be disappointed. And since we’re talking favorites here I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention my deep love of Tofutti. if you haven’t tried Tofutti yet, you’re in for a pleasant surprise because it tastes the exact same as sour cream in my book, but it’s dairy free and has less calories. The Tofutti cream cheese is pretty fantastic as well!
Anyway, back to the actual dip. Along with the Tofutti, I added chopped and sautéed vidalia onions and garlic mixed with fresh spinach, red onions, and jalepeno topped off with chives. The vegan veggie dip’s texture should be a bit chunky, and each scoop will be better than the last. I prefer the dip to be served room temperature, but you can also serve it straight out of the fridge if late night snacking is your thing(it’s addicting…don’t say I didn’t warn you!).
Check out the recipes below, and I hope you’ll whip some up to enjoy this weekend and throughout next week. TGIF Friends! Truly, MKR
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Potato chips and veggies like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and bell peppers
Instructions
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium head; add onions and garlic, until golden and tender, 15-20 minutes.
10 minutes in add red bell pepper and jalepeno, continue cooking.
Gradually add spinach, stirring just until wilted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and remove from heat.
Let stand until mixture reaches room temperature.
In a very large bowl mix together the sour cream and onion mixture. Add additional salt to taste and divide into single bowl or serving bowl. Garnish with fresh chives and serve with chips and veggies.
By Mandy Kellogg Rye @Waiting On Martha
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/
Rinse black beans in a colliander, drain and add to Vitamix or blender. Add garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix on high until smooth. Add salt to taste, garnish with fresh chives and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Notes
When mixing you may need to add additional olive oil and water to achieve the desired texture.
By Mandy Kellogg Rye @Waiting On Martha
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/
Rinse and drain garbanzo beans in a colander and place into Vitamix or blender. Add olive oil, tahini, and salt to taste and blend to desired texture. Squeeze with a bit of lemon juice and serve.
By Mandy Kellogg Rye @Waiting On Martha
Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/
