Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

A bag of semi sweet chocolate

1/2 a cup of goji berries

1/2 cup of pecans (or any nut of your choice

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until it's completely melted.  Quickly pour our onto a baking tray covered with wax paper.  Then sprinkle on the goji berries and nuts and place in the fridge to harden.  Once it's solidified, take it out of the fridge and break it into pieces.  

Boo-nana Pops

Ingredients

1 medium banana, cut in half lengthwise and then cut down the middle 

1 cup of white chocolate chips, melted

Dark chocolate Chips

4 popsicle sticks

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler.  Take the bananas and thread the popsicle sticks through them and then quickly dunk them in the white chocolate.  Place them on wax paper and use the dark chocolate chips for eyes and a mouth.  Place in the fridge and serve once they've hardened.  

Enjoy!

By Casey Sharbaugh

If you are conscious about taking care of your health and overall wellbeing, chances are you understand the importance of using all-natural beauty formulations. If not, remember that your skin is your largest organ. That means that if you’re concerned about the chemicals you're ingesting, you should also be concerned with the chemicals you are applying since they will inevitably make their way into your bloodstream. Luckily, there is an absolute plethora of safe brands that specialize in products that are actually good for your body.

Beauty routines should change according to the seasons. During the stifling hot temperatures of the summer, the last thing you need (or want!) is thick and creamy formulas. Here are the top six items to add to your summer beauty arsenal ASAP:

1. Grown Alchemist Matte Balancing Moisturizer ($69)

This mattefying, non-greasy moisturizer leaves skin balanced and radiant. It is chock-full of natural ingredients such as rice bran and tomato to give you that much coveted glow.

2. Dr. Bronner’s Fair Trade & Organic Castile Liquid Soap ($16)

Do you ever get home after a long summer day and feel like your skin is covered in a day's worth of dirt and grime?  Oldie but goodie Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap will wash all that away without disturbing your skin's natural moisture barrier. Even better, it is certified organic and vegan.

3. Bottega Organiza Relaxing Eye Mist ($38)

Whether your eyes are puffy from a night on the town or looking sallow from lack of sleep, this product is sure to soothe. High mallow and garden thyme work with olive leaf extract and cucumber to relax and rejuvenate.

4. FIG+YARROW Cleansing Nectar ($30)

Cleansing and exfoliating your face is crucial in the summer since it will evitably be covered in sweat and sunscreen. The key is to deeply clean, but in a non-irritating way. FIG+YARROW’s Cleansing Nectar is a washless cleanser/toner to draw out impurities while also balancing your skin’s natural pH. Use it once and you’ll never wash your face any other way again!

5. Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 ($26)

SPF should be used all year round, but is especially important when exposing yourself to harsh UV rays at the pool or beach. Many sunscreens on the market are unfortunately full of scary chemicals, but Beautycounter’s protects with non-nano zinc oxide, a completely safe mineral.

6. Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo ($12)

Whether it is perspiration, saltwater or chlorine, your locks are sure to be filled with things OTHER than what you want in it during the summer. Additionally, your oil glands will inevitably go into overdrive as the temperatures rise. To gently but effectively cleanse your scalp of these irritants, use this shampoo with both matcha green tea and ginseng extract.

Casey Sharbaugh is a New York City resident who works in the fashion industry. In her spare time, you can find Casey working out, writing, trying new beauty products, or browsing the city for the best ice cream cone or green smoothie (not simultaneously). Check out her personal blog www.comfortablycasey.com

Watermelon is always a regular at summer soirees.  When chilled, there's nothing quite like it.  But what if you could up the ante from the run-of-the-mill sliced melon and bring this fancy-looking watermelon cake?  And what if I told you it was super easy to make?  Well you can, and it is!  All you'll need is a few simple ingredients and about 25 minutes.  

Ingredients:

1 small watermelon 

1 16 ounce packet of coconut meat

4 tbsp of agave or raw honey

2 tsps of vanilla 

2 tbsp of lemon

2 tbsp of melted coconut oil

1/4 tsp of salt

Berries for garnish

Directions

Cut the top and bottom off your watermelon so it's flat like a cake.  Cut the rind off the perimeter of the melon and try to make it as curved as possible.  I struggled with this part : ) Set your melon in the fridge.

For the icing, blending the coconut meat, lemon juice, agave/honey, vanilla, coconut oil and salt until it is pureed.  Place it in the fridge until it's hardened quite a bit.  I kept it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.  It needs to be firm enough to hold onto the melon, but liquid enough to smooth out across the cake.  Once it's firm, smooth it across your cake with a knife or spatula.  Top off with the berries of your choice and smile broadly when everyone tells you how great it tastes : )

Some days I just really want to cozy up with a glass of almond milk and an oatmeal raisin cookie. But yours truly has a gluten and oat allergy.  Womp womp.  So when it was time to make my bf some bday treats I thought I'd try out something that could resemble an oatmeal raisin cookie.  And boy do these guys deliver.  

Not surprisingly, they are full of health benefits.  Goji berries are a superfood and are very high in antioxidants and vitamin c.  They are also grain free and gluten free so they are perfect for those paleo or celiac folks.  

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups of almond meal

1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup of coconut sugar 

1/4 cup of goji berries 

1/2 tsp of baking powder

1/4 tsp of salt

1 chia egg

3 tbs of melted coconut oil

1 tbs of cinnamon 

Topping

2 tbs of Sweet Spreads chocolate brownie coconutter

Make your chia egg and set aside.  Mix all of your dry ingredients together until well mixed.  Melt your coconut oil on the stove top and slowly add to your dry mixture.  Mix well.  Then add in your chia egg and mix until everything is evenly distributed.  Use a tablespoon to scoop your mixture into balls.  Place on a plate and let stand in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.  Remove your cookies from the freezer and place onto a baking tray.  Flatten then out and then pop them in the oven for 7-10 minutes on 375.  Let them cool and you can even keep them in the fridge over night.  Heat your coconutter and drizzle on top when you're ready to eat.  

I'll never miss an oatmeal raisin cookie ever again.

We all have to travel for work from time to time— some of us more than others.  One such fellow, my boyfriend and partner-in-crime, Stephen,  travels EVERY SINGLE WEEK.  This can be exhausting and really take it's toll on your body.  You have to work extra hard to stay healthy and happy.  In an effort to keep one of the most important people in my life as healthy as possible, I started packing him a wellness travel bag every week.  What's in it you ask?  Well, I'm glad you did!

1. A Brita water bottle: Staying hydrated, especially if you are flying all the time, is of the utmost importance.  Your body can't carry out any of it's activities without water.  Oftentimes we are so engrossed in our work we forget to drink, and that is a big no-no.  Dehydration can lead to headaches, poor performance and even over-eating.  So if you want to feel great and work well, drink water.  This bottle has a filter in the cap so you can get your water anywhere and be sure it's filtering out all the things you don't want in there.  

2. Daily Dose Vitamins: I love these single dose packets.  They come with a probiotic, vitamin D3 and a multi.  They are also produced under the highest standard of care so there are no nasty additives.  

3. A portable workout: Though most hotels have a gym, at the end of a long day you might not feel like going.  However, it's important to do some stretching or a light exercise.  The first wellness travel bag I put together for Stephen had a high-speed jump rope.  I printed out some exercise ideas for him and included it with the jump rope.  Even ten-minutes with that rope is a crazy-good workout.  

4. Protein powder: Hotel breakfasts are usually not that inspiring or healthy.  If all you have to choose from is powdered eggs or canned fruits loaded with sugar, take a few packets of protein powder with you.  You can mix it with milk at the breakfast table or even have it with water.  It's a great way to make sure you're fueling your cells and getting clean protein.  

5. Aloha Daily Good Powdered Green Juice Packets: You need your greens to stay healthy…. microgreens added as a garnish on a steak dinner do not count!  I love the Aloha packets because they are portable and can be added to your morning protein shake without muss or fuss. Each packet contains two servings of fruits and vegetables making it the perfect addition to your breakfast roster.    

6. A healthy eating guide: I got this idea from a fellow marketer and wellness warrior, Brad.  Using yelp and search engine results as my guide, I look for places that serve up green juices, organic grass fed meats, fresh organic produce, vegan options etc.  There is almost always a Whole Foods or health food store you can visit to stock up on snacks or even meals you can keep in the hotel fridge.  Be sure to stock up on healthy snacks before you head to the airport as airline food is notoriously unhealthy for you.  

7. A mindfulness practice: Whether you download headspace or you listen to Miles Neal on your beats app, I encourage you to do some exercise for the mind.  When you're traveling for work, you have a propensity to work even more than you do at home.  Your brain might be overworked and frazzled and the best gift you can give it, is some quiet time to be present.  

8. And lastly: We can't forget the skin.  Though hotels often have trial-sized products, they often aren't the best quality.  Additionally, your skin gets dryer when you fly, so you might need a heavy moisturizer than usual.  I love Clarins Beauty Flash Balm.  Stephen gets the Malin + Goetz Vitamin E moisturizer or the SPF 30 moisturizer.  For colder winter months, I stash Avene Cicalfate in the bag; it always does the trick.  

How do you stay well on the road?  Let us know in the comments section below.