With chillier fall temps approaching, we're ready to get back to those warm comfort foods that pair so perfectly with the season. While pasta will always be a go-to, there are clever ways to put fun twists on classic dishes that deliver all the flavor without all the carbs. One easy update that'll satisfy even the pickiest of eaters (not to mention, the laziest of cooks)? Spaghetti squash.
Unless you've been living under a rock — without access to social media — chances are, you've heard at least some of your Facebook friends evangelize about Whole30. For the uninitiated, this popular diet involves eliminating foods like dairy, sugar and grains, while amping up your intake of veggies, unprocessed meats and seafood for, you guessed it, 30 days.
One thing all doctors can agree on — whether they're trained to cure skin diseases or specialized in treating conditions of the heart — is that healthy eating is the key to a long and fulfilling life. As the old adage goes, we are what we eat. Doctors know this to be especially true, as they see first-hand the extent of physical, mental and emotional damage a poor diet can wreak on the lives of their patients.
As appealing as Pinterest tries to make it look, no amount of mason jars or color-coded plastic containers can make meal prep actually fun. Even if you have the foresight (and time and energy) to meal prep all at once, meal planning usually involves sacrificing precious Sunday hours to grocery shopping, chopping, seasoning, roasting and packing a week's worth of meals -- and then you're stuck with the same meal for every meal, which usually isn't improved upon as the days of the week slip by.
The verdict is in: Plant-based diets are more popular than ever, and with good reason. There's now convincing evidence that yes, bacon and hot dogs are bad for you — eating them and other processed meats in excess has even been linked to significantly higher chances of certain cancers. Evidence shows that choosing a plant-based diet can ward off high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even acne and wrinkles. At this point, it isn't really rocket science: Eating more fruits and vegetables, vegan or not, is definitely, definitely good for you.
If you've recently gone Paleo, or just looking to lower your carb intake, cauliflower rice is a satisfying, healthy alternative to rice, pasta and all those other carb-centric staples. And just about everyone is obsessed with it these days. Case in point: Trader Joe's recently announced it was rationing its cauliflower rice in certain locations due to high demand.
It's not that you just-can't eat healthy; it's that you just-don't always have time. While staying busy might make you productive and feel more accomplished, tight schedules don't allow for much wiggle room to prepare nutritious snacks. You might grab for whatever is nearest when you're starved between meal times, but what you digest can make or break the rest of your day.
As beauty editors, we fiercely love our anti-aging lotions and potions. But what you put in your face (or rather, your mouth) is just as important as what you put on it -- and maybe, according to dermatologist Jessica Wu, MD, even more so. Research shows that when you feed yourself, you feed your skin -- and all of those salty snacks and sweet treats have a way of mucking up your complexion.
Look, it's summer. It's hot. You can't think of anything worse than turning on the oven and making your place even hotter. Plus, you're feeling lazy, and you're in dire need of sustenance that won't leave you feeling heavy and bloated. Luckily, there are meals out there that fit all those requirements: Quick, easy, refreshing and best of all? No oven required.
On a hot day, or after a weekend of unrestricted brunching, a salad starts to look like the perfect meal (or perfect penance). And if you give any thought to the food pyramid, a salad is a super-easy way to squeeze in your daily rec of four servings of vegetables.
If you're making an effort to eat healthy, protein balls are kind of a must. Packed with nutrients, flavor, and protein, they're both filling and delicious. They're a great way to start off a busy day, plus they make for great pre/post-workout snacks. Perhaps best of all, they can be a great way to sate sweets cravings -- after all, many protein ball recipes happen to be inspired by your favorite desserts, from Almond Joy candy bars to fudgy brownies to good old fashioned cookie dough.
Juice cleansing -- drinking a selection of juices daily instead of eating food, or heaven help us all, the Master Cleanse -- has been on the radar for over ten years.
When we're not swooning over celebrities' drop-dead outfits or gorgeous complexions, we're envying their six-pack abs and tight AF tushes. Without a doubt, Hollywood's hottest stars make a flawless physique look effortless -- like they could eat doughnuts on the reg and still look fabulous. But one peek inside our favorite A-listers' kitchens tells us otherwise. In fact, many celebrities known for their smokin' bods have stringent diets with long lists of foods they will not eat (we're looking at you, Gisele).
Packed with sugar and alcoholic goodness, sangria isn't exactly health food. That said, it makes an absolutely excellent treat on cheat day -- after all, it's got everything you could ask for in a summery cocktail: Copious fruit juices (and/or fruit-flavored alcohol), wine, bubbly fizz, and, perhaps most importantly of all, booze-soaked fruit. Sangria's perfect for every summer occasion, be it a birthday barbecue, a vacation on a white sand beach, or a good late-afternoon float in the pool.
Food. It's the giver of life, the bread to your literal butter. You need it. But just in the same way that certain foods can ruin your figure, some foods will ruin your skin -- and, conversely, adopting a healthy skin diet can make all the difference in the world.
You've got approximately 23 minutes to pick up your lunch, eat it, turn around notes from the last meeting you were in and make it to your next one. When caught in a traffic jam with the clock, you might reach for whatever food is most convenient, instead of what's most nutritionally sound for your body -- and mood. And though we hate to be the ones to break it to you, several foods that are often referred to as 'healthy' are actually quite the contrary, and can leave you feeling even more ravenous (and crankier) than you were before. Before you know it, you're in a constant state of snacking, which is not going to get you any closer to your summer #bodygoals.
Yeah, we've all been there: It's bright and early at 7:41 a.m., you've hit snooze twice and now you have to get out of bed to even have a chance of making it to your 9 a.m. meeting. Yikes. While you can rock an high pony and put on a tunic with leggings in a flash, finding something that's easy to eat and also healthy is a taller order. An especially concerning fact when you consider that your breakfast choices can make or break your entire day. This pivotal meal that your mom always warned you to never, ever skip is what revs up or slows down your metabolism for the other 23.5 hours of the day.
When it comes to brunch, we love an Instagrammable avocado toast or a bacon-topped anything as much as the next gal. But for us, it's the mimosa that makes the meal.
