Stuff I'm Loving Lately: 07-25-2013

Welcome to the second edition of Stuff I'm Loving Lately. Click here to read the first edition, chock full of lovely links and fantastical recipes.

The Terrible Tragedy of the Healthy Eater is  hands down one of the most genius food articles I've ever read. You can ignore everything else in this post if you must, but definitely read that article in it's entirety. We all need a good laugh. And I quote: "Some people see Jesus in their toast but you know the only faces in that mix of frankenfood grains and commercial preservatives are Insulin Sensitivity Man and his sidekick, Hormonal Disruption Boy."

You should all go to Knead for brunch. Yes.

I'm still washing my face with coconut oil and I'm still obsessed. I wet my face, massage about a teaspoon all over my face, and then gently wash it off with a washcloth. My face is as soft as a baby's bottom and I smell like Aruba. I know what you're thinking....why would you ever rub oil all over your face?! Coconut oil is a miracle product. It has antimicrobial properties. It has plant-based saturated fat that is actually beneficial to cholesterol levels. It pops the perfect popcorn. It takes off my eyeliner like a pro. And it makes my face soft and breakout-free. Hallelujah. Buy the organic, unrefined kind from Trader Joe's or the huge tub from Costco for the best deal.

When I'm not using coconut oil (like a fourth of the time), I use this Neutrogena naturals fresh cleanser and makeup remover. I think it's the best drugstore face wash you can find because it's gentle and free of yucky additives.

I'm all over this fab list of DIY natural skin care products. Sorry to be all hippie on you today, but this stuff actually works. I put half a cup of organic apple cider vinegar and ½ cup of filtered water in a spray bottle and sprayed it all over my hair after I shampooed. I didn't use any conditioner like I usually do. Then I rinsed it out for a while. Then I may have sprayed some all over my face because of course it's good for acne, too. The result? Super shiny and soft hair.  Would I lie to you?

I've finally figured out the perfect ratio of oil to popcorn kernels for when I'm in the mood to measure (which I'm usually not). Put a heaping two tablespoons of coconut oil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup kernels. Put the lid on and shake until all the kernels are popped. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Duh. This should probably serve about three, but good luck sharing.

These carrot cake breakfast bars from paleOMG. OMG is right. Totally flourless and totally made with almond butter . I used coconut flour instead of protein powder, too). These have been my go-to snack when I want to bite my arm off at 3pm. I had to instagram 'em.

This blackberry and mint salad with honey lime dressing. I always like keeping homemade dressing in the fridge in one of those cute little mason jars to force myself to eat salads throughout the week. I used fresh mint from the garden and it was so summery and delightful. You could easily make this without the mint, too. I enjoyed the dressing over mixed greens with chopped avocado when I was too lazy to get out the blackberries (which are 10 for $10 at Kroger right now heyyyyyyy).

Speaking of Kroger, they have some fabulous deals on organic produce. I got organic peaches for way cheaper there than at Whole Foods (no surprise there), and they were just as sweet and juicy. But the best thing going on there right now is the giant tubs of Simple Truth organic mixed greens on sale for a mere $3.99! CRAZINESSSSS. They're usually double that, and the tub is freaking humongous. Like, you'll have to try hard to eat it in time. I've had it for over a week and it's still perfectly crisp. Since it comes with so much, you'll be forced to eat salad everyday and your bod will surely thank you.

These Greek yogurt pancakes are so gosh darn fluffy. It gets me every time. You really really really should make them this weekend.

Speaking of being so fluffy you're gonna dieeeeeee, Despicable Me 2 is probably my favorite kids movie ever, second only to Despicable Me the first.

Sooooo I actually just ate two hard boiled eggs, some applesauce, some dark chocolate, a cup of tea, aaaaaand a big bowl of popcorn....all like an hour after dinner. Still not full. #HUNGERPROBS