Superfood Tonics and Vegan Ice Cream from a blender

August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Chef Jason Wrobel (Photo from JasonWrobel.com)

I had the opportunity to take a class with vegan and raw food chef Jason Wrobel at Organic Avenue on the Lower East Side last week. You might know the name Organic Avenue from the line of juice cleanses. At the event, Jason brought his use of Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs from LA and showed us some of his favorite recipes. I was equally intrigued and disappointed that Jason used the herbs. Intrigued because I’m a big fan of TCM, but disappointed that I’d never be able to make these recipes at home without spending a ton of money on ingredients I’d probably never use again.

The common thread through most of the ingredients was that they’re superfoods. I’m intrigued by superfoods because they are the most efficient way to get some really great nutrients. They are, by definition, calorie sparse and nutrient dense. Many of the ingredients Jason used were high in minerals and vitamins. He artfully explained the benefits. Unfortunately, there were so many, it’s impossible for me to repeat them here.

The most impressive part was when Jason used a Vita Mix to blend up some ice cream. And keep in mind when I say “ice cream” I really mean vegan frozen substance that kind of had the consistency of sorbet. He started with a healthy amount of ice, then added the ingredients and used the plunger while the blender did it’s thing. The results were a little surprising.

Of the six recipes, my favorite concoction was the Chocolate Jing Ice Cream. No surprise since I’m a bit of a choc-o-holic. This was the last thing that we tried and I was getting a little tired. Jason said it was heavy on the yang side, meaning it would create heat and energize us. It was actually creamy with a deep chocolate flavor. It did perk me up a little bit and made me a little loopy!

For a look at some of Jason’s recipes, check out this link to his website.

As for the event itself, I felt it was a little overpriced especially considering it was a 3-hour seminar over dinner time and didn’t include any food other than samples of the recipes. I wasn’t interested in paying $10 for a bottle of Organic Avenue’s green juice, and there wasn’t much else to choose from. I seemed to be in the minority though. Most of the other attendees happily sipped their juices as we learned about the tonics and ice creams.

 

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Ladies – Do yourself a favor and get a professional bra sizing

August 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Andrew McCaul

Ok, so this is a little off-topic for this blog, but just consider this my public service announcement to you. The next time you want to treat yourself, head over to a professional lingerie shop and get yourself sized. I’m not talking about Victoria’s Secret here… I mean a place that employs women who have been trained for years to size you. Women who work with you one on one while you try on the bras so you get the perfect fit.

I was fed up with my ill-fitting bra this week, so I headed over to Linda’s Bra Shop in Murray Hill. I’ve featured Linda in segments I’ve produced in the past and purchased bras from her before. But weight gain and loss combined with bras wearing out meant it was time for another visit. Linda measured me and recommended a size that I never would have chosen for myself. I was skeptical, but as soon as I put on one of her choices, it was like a whole new world. I felt supported but free at the same time. Free from the band digging into my back or a shoulder strap that doesn’t stay put. I left the shop wearing one of my new bras. Linda kindly tossed my old one. These bras are not cheap – it was definitely a splurge for me, but one that makes me feel better all day every day.

Here is some bits of bra wisdom I’ve learned from Linda
* When you buy a bra, make sure the band is snug on the largest hook. As the bra stretches, it will get bigger and you’ll be able to make it tighter
* Bras should be replaced about every 6 months
* Your breasts should rest about half way between your shoulders and elbows with your bra on

For answers to some common questions, check out Linda’s bra school here

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Homemade Body Scrub

August 2, 2011 By 1 Comment

Written by Lora Moncheck

Lora's Homemade Body Scrub

Lately I have been searching for a good body scrub.  I tried all sorts of body scrubs from the store, and nothing really impressed me so I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I looked up different recipes and decided to take what I liked from all of them and make my own.  I took 1/4  cup of Sugar in the Raw, 1/4 cup of regular white cane sugar and 1/3 cup of salt.  I then mixed them all in a bowl and added olive oil and baby oil until it was completely saturated.  (If you want to make it all-natural you can use only olive oil and omit the baby oil.)

That night I scrubbed my whole body down with my homemade scrub.  Rinsing it off was kind of a pain since it was so gritty, but it was worth it.  My skin felt so smooth and soft.  I was really impressed, it worked so much better then anything I had bought from the store. And the best part about it was how cheap it was since I used all products found in my pantry!

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Easy Way to Get Free Natural Skin Care

July 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nelson's Pure & Clear Anti-acne Line

I was very excited when Nelson’s asked me to be a part of the Pure & Clear Challenge. Over the past year it seems I’ve constantly had a breakout on my chin or cheek. I’ve tried the products in the past and have been impressed. They use natural plant extracts to break the cycle of blemishes and are free from artificial colorings, fragrances and chemical skin irritants like parabens, PEG’s, silicone and others.

The challenge is simple: submit a “before picture” that shows your problem skin and the first 150 people to respond will get 4 full size products from the line for free! Then after using the products for a month, send an “after” picture. Everyone who completes the challenge will receive Nelson’s goodies and be entered to win an iPod.

Click here to find out all the details and when you’re ready to get your products, email your name, address & photo to challenge@nelsons.net.

So for the month of August I’ll be using the products and I’ll report back in September with hopefully good results! I’ll post my before and after pictures at that time too.

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Explaining “Farm to Table”

July 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Bobo Dining Room (photo credit: Logan Hodson)

Ray and I recently had an absolutely delicious meal at Bobo in NYC’s West Village. We tried the steak frites and the steak tartare (both sounded too good to pass up). On top of amazing drinks and an outdoor seating area, the restaurant boasted a farm to table menu. Farm to table is a term thrown around more and more with a desirable connotation, but I wanted to figure out exactly what it meant. So Bobo’s Executive Chef Patrick Connolly broke it down for me.

Steak Tartare at BOBO

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Losing it with Michael Pollan

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Today’s blog is written by my little sister, Lora Moncheck. Lora is a college student at Mount Union University in Ohio. Living in a small town on a college student’s budget, she offers a unique viewpoint when it comes to living healthy. She’ll be sharing her experiences and successes here on MethodWellness.com

My whole life I have struggled with my weight. Like most people I tried everything from counting calories to fad diets. Then last Christmas, I received Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules”. When I first flipped through, I didn’t know what to expect, but I liked that each page/rule was short and easy to read. It did not take long to finish, and I actually enjoyed it. The rules just made sense.

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Truffle Hunting in the Tuscan Forest

July 21, 2011 By 2 Comments
For my birthday, Ray set up a Truffle hunting experience for us while we were in Florence on our recent vacation. Giulio the Truffle Hunter picked us up at the train station and took us to his house called Limonaia in Bagno Rapoli, a town about 15 minutes outside of Florence. He used to run a B&B out of the house, so it is beautifully furnished. Giulio is now a registered Truffle Hunter and organizes truffle hunts and wine tastings with his wife, Christina.

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Spa – Turkish Style

July 18, 2011 By 3 Comments

While recently in Istanbul, I made a point to visit a local Hamam, or Turkish bath. We decided to go to the Cemberlitas Hamam. It is a little more touristy, but still offered the traditional service of a scrub and oil massage. This hamam was built in 1584 by famed Turkish architect Sinan. It has identical separate spaces for men and woman.

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New Natural Deodorant Finds

June 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After my first post on natural deodorants, I still wasn’t completely happy with the results so I decided to make my own! I found an easy recipe from One Green Generation – you can find it here. It was really easy to make, the whole process took about 5 minutes and involved only two ingredients – corn starch and baking soda. The mix works well but not perfectly. I’m thinking about adding a little more of the baking soda to take it up a notch.

I also got a sample of Purple Prairie Botanical’s  deodorant. To date, it’s my favorite natural deodorant. In fact, I just ordered another tube (I only had a trial size). It works really well and has a wonderful lavender smell. My husband tells me I smell nice almost every time I have it on. My only complaint is that it is a little greasy. I accidentally put it on before a rayon shirt and it got all over the shirt. So there are days I don’t use it because of the clothing I’m wearing. The price is also not bad – $6.99 a tube. It’s not as cheap as the homemade deodorant, but has a nice scent and I think works a little better.

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Affordable Acupuncture

June 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I was a little hesitant to try community acupuncture, but I gave in and gave it a go earlier this week. And I’m so glad I did. I went to City Acupuncture on Fulton St. in NYC. The space was welcoming and clean and the staff was friendly and helpful. I immediately felt at home. I assumed that you would be looking at other clients while getting treated, but the tables and chairs are arranged with screens, so I wasn’t even sure how many other people were in the room. Before arriving, I filled out a complete intake form and after I was taken to my table, Catherine, my acupuncturist, asked some questions and examined my tongue and pulse. We decided that she would treat my back for stress – my muscles were tight and achy. The acupuncture was great. I zoned out like I rarely had before. Catherine asked if I wanted a little cupping done too. I agreed and she put plastic versions of the cups up and down my back. I left feeling relaxed and happy. The cost for this great treatment: $25-$50 depending on your ability – no questions asked. This is definitely the most sustainable acupuncture I’ve come across and something I’ll definitely do again.

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