Spring favorites: food, beauty and home

The year is almost halfway over and I’ve yet to chat about some of my FAVORITE THINGS! Pantry staples, safer beauty, and fun & fancy home-things — keep reading for the deets!

HOMEMADE MATCHA LATTE WITH COLLAGEN CREAMER

If you know me, you know I LOVE matcha. It’s pretty much a can’t-live-without-thing at the moment if I’m being honest. While I used to have it first thing most mornings on a walk, I now have gotten into the routine of having it post-breakfast-smoothie-bowl and mid-morning. It’s extra perfect mid-morning because of what I’m blending it with, which I’ll go over in just a sec!

If you’re not familiar with matcha and it’s benefits let’s go over that first. What is matcha? Matcha is finely ground green tea leaves. When looking for a brand you’ll sip vs. cook with, do make sure to buy “ceremonial grade” vs. culinary grade or just green tea (Starbucks matcha is not actually matcha… so sorry!) 

The reasons I LOVE matcha: matcha is very high in manganese, a powerful antioxidant that can benefit the skin, bones and overall health. Some of the other benefits include promoting energy, boosting metabolism and increasing focus. It also contains the amino acid L-Theanine which can be helpful for stress and anxiety. Matcha has a much lower, and less rapidly-absorbed caffeine amount plus is super high in antioxidants. It’s an incredible healthy habit to adopt, and full of unique benefits.

Now to one of my favorites, and what I blend into matcha. One of the keys to making matcha tasty is definitely what you blend it with. Unlike coffee, it is not going to taste great on it’s own. At it’s core it’s quite earthy and bitter. But with something kinda creamy, the taste is elevated and undeniably delicious. I blend my matcha powder with Vital Proteins Coconut Collagen Creamer.The reason I love this is because it makes the matcha creamy and slightly sweet (but without ANY added sugar), has no gums (which can disrupt the gut) and is full of grass-fed collagen (great for the gut, joints, hair, skin and nails) which packs up to 10 grams of protein. Since I have a lighter breakfast — protein mid-morning really helps to satisfy me. 

My matcha method:

2 cups cooled boiled water 

1/2 tsp. ceremonial grade matcha powder

2 scoops Vital Proteins coconut collagen creamer 

Blend on high for a few seconds in your blender

Pour and ENJOY

Try it and let me know what you think! And reply with any matcha how-to questions.

SAFER SKINCARE

Now on to skin care and beauty! Being that I care about the quality of my food, lifestyle, and mindset — I cannot ignore what I put on my skin, and the products I use everyday. Last year was the first year I really truly committed to swapping out the last of my conventional products. Safe beauty is an absolute must to begin feeling educated and knowledgeable about. Why? Many of the ingredients in our favorite everyday products can be cancer-causing, endocrine disruptors and inflammatory. Unfortunately the industry is highly unregulated and there are not up to date skincare laws in the US. In fact The United States has not passed a major federal law to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care products since 1938. That’s CRAZY. It’s time we become our own advocates and take back control of what we’re putting on our bodies, because everything we put on, is absorbed in.

Since the industry is so protected, it can be difficult to find companies that are transparent about the safety of their products. It’s not so obvious and it can certainly be super overwhelming to know who to trust. That’s why I am SO thankful for Beautycounter. They are a safer skincare company whose foundation is education and safety. They avoid over 1500 unsafe ingredients in their products. They are also a Certified B-corp, meaning they place people, the planet and products as equals, and are in the top 200 of the 2,000 Certified B-corps in the world. SO incredible. Not only all that, but they value performance, and sell products that actually work, so the transition from conventional to safe is smooth and you’re not sacrificing efficiency. 

They have incredible skin, makeup and body products but today I want to highlight two of my absolutely favs.

BEAUTYCOUNTER COUNTERMATCH ADAPTIVE MOISTURE LOTION

This is my everyday am and pm face lotion. 1-2 pumps post-cleanse and I’m good to go. It’s lightweight, and meant to adapt to your individual skin-type while hydrating for 24-hours. I love it because it’s not over-powering, greasy or too thick. Check out the Adaptive Moisture Lotion here.

BEAUTYCOUNTER CHARCOAL CLEANSING BAR

To be honest, the first time I tried this I didn’t quite understand the hype (it’s one of Beautycounter’s most popular products) and NOW I can’t imagine living without it. This bar gives me a deep, detoxifying clean and I really like using it post-workout or in the shower. It makes me feel super cleansed and clear and has definitely cleared up my chin and nose blackheads (glamorous!) It’s best for those with blemish-prone skin, but not drying or stripping like a lot of acne products. I even feel like it helps my skin look more even and glowy. Check out the charcoal bar here. 

CYBELE'S FREE TO EAT PASTA

All hail upgraded pasta products! There are a lot on the market right now, but you guys THIS IS THE BEST. These pastas are made from 100% lentils and veggies. No gums, or other weird additives. Pure veggie-packed bean pastas that honestly taste amazing. I am obsessed with them.

And because I seriously love veggies, anytime I make these pastas I do 1 serving + another fresh veggie or two like greens, broccoli or brussels. They have combinations like red lentil + pumpkin and butternut squash, and green lentil + cauliflower and parsnip. So good! I love adding homemade pesto or some clean sauce like Rao’s or Yellow Barn, being my favs. Check out their products & store locator here. 

LITE + CYCLE CANDLES

This company is INCREDIBLE. Scott got me one of their candles for Christmas, and I practically cried the day it burnt out. I don’t know about you but I am very sensitive to scents, and cannot stand anything strong and synthetic. That’s why I love this company — they use only essential oils, and never any synthetic or toxic additives, fragrances, or chemicals. These candles are also made of soy-wax and a cotton wick — conventional alternatives are just not safe. My absolutely favorite is the Bergamot which is uplifting, bright and promotes optimism. Yes please.

PLOT TWIST — as I’m writing this I’m seeing that the company is selling off all their current inventory for up to 65% off, so run don’t walk! They also have lip balms, essential oils and some other amazing clean beauty & home products. Shop their products here.

Let me know what you’re going to try, or any questions, in the comments below!