Happy, healthy and hot snow survival

Many of us are stuck at home right now, thanks to Winter Storm Jonas (when did we begin naming snow storms…did I miss something?!)  So I thought I’d put together a quick post to help you survive.

Snow storms seem to call for hot drinks and lots of snacks.  I’ve definitely got you covered in the hot drink department.  My very first post, Welcome!, gave a recipe for a matcha latte that is a great afternoon pick me up.  If you don’t have any matcha at home, order some now and you’ll be ready for the next storm.  The antioxidants are awesome for your skin, and I enjoy the steady energy it gives me.

Since I love coffee, I make it more than just a hot drink, and blend in some ingredients that will help my skin, hair and nails.  I usually add coconut oil, ghee, and collagen, which I detailed in My morning super coffee.  This morning, I threw in raw cacao powder which made it even better!  The fat from the coconut oil and ghee supports healthy skin, and helps your body absorb the nutrients from the cacao.  The ghee is a good source of vitamins A and D, also great for your skin.  The collagen helps your skin stay firm (I truly notice a difference) and also supports healthy connective tissue throughout your body. The cacao is a great source of magnesium, iron and antioxidants.  You could use regular unsweetened cocoa powder also.  This drink is a win-win…it tastes amazing and has some great health benefits.

If you want something a little lighter, that you can sip all day, make a lemon ginger drink, which I described in Look what I found in the produce section at Target!  Ginger is an amazing source of anti-oxidants, as well as being anti-viral and anti-bacterial, to help you stay healthy.  The fresh lemon juice contains vitamin C, which supports your body’s production of collagen.

As far as snacks go, I plan to pop some organic popcorn in coconut oil later, and sprinkle on some Himalayan salt.  Wegmans was a total mob scene yesterday, but I managed to load up on some good produce, and made some roasted broccoli, brussels sprouts and mini bell peppers with avocado oil and Himalayan salt…so good!

Don’t forget to take care of your skin!  Using my dry brush has made a big difference…instead of resembling lizard skin, my legs are now soft and smooth.  I use the dry brush right before I hop in the shower.  Not only does it stimulate my circulatory and lymphatic systems, it gets rid of the dead skin cells.  When I get out of the shower, I usually just use coconut oil as an all over moisturizer.  That’s why you need to get a few tubs of it!

A cold day like this is great for curling up with a fluffy dog and good book.  I plan on flipping through the pages of The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook this afternoon.  Even though I tend to just throw stuff together when I cook, I love paging through cookbooks for inspiration. I grabbed this one because my friend Kelly Winters, who blogs at Primally Inspired, contributed many of the recipes.  So far the book looks great.  Whether or not you follow a Paleo diet, there are plenty of healthy recipes made from whole foods.  I promise to tell you more about this book in a future post!

So there you have it…enjoy the snow, and remember to stay happy, healthy and hot!