Watermelon and Mint Salad (15 Minutes!)

Hi guys! It's #NationalWatermelonDay (lol who makes these things up?), so I wanted to show you one of the easiest, tastiest recipes I make at home. This is one of the best summer salads out there; watermelon is a summer food. Friendly reminder to each of you who keep saying it's about to be fall. Please don't crush my summer-loving dreams yet!

Bonus points: It's pretty healthy unless you're a non-cheese eater! And if you are a non-cheese eater, you could skip the cheese and add a dash of pepper. If you try that version, let me know. I think it would taste good, but I'll be honest, I just made that up off the top of my head — so it is *not* tested and approved.

Here's the tested and approved recipe.

Ingredients
- 1/4 watermelon
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 3 sprigs of mint (bonus points if you pick them from your own garden!)

This recipe serves two as a side salad, or one for lunch. Or if you're REALLY healthy, this could be a great dessert. I'd rather have cheesecake for dessert, but I'll be impressed if this is your dessert.

Directions
Chop up watermelon into bite-sized pieces. Add feta and mint leaves. That's literally it! Eat it!

I honestly don't think this would even take 15 minutes if you're a fast chopper. 15 minutes is more like the time it takes to fix it and eat it. The recipe is easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc. to feed a big gang, too! I've made it for baby showers and wedding showers, and it's always a hit.

Oh, also, my mom showed me how to make this. She's the best.

Anyway, let me know if you try that pepper thing! xo!

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Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles

So I finally made zucchini noodles...

Hands raised if you've tried z noodles — er, zoodles? I first heard about them earlier this year when Austin and I were about to do Whole30, but I didn't actually get around to making them until a few weeks ago.

It's really easy, honestly. You just have to get a vegetable spiralizer, make the "noodles" and cook them in a pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The only downside is the zoodles are prone to being watery, so it's best if you can pat them with paper towels, but you'll still need to prep yourself because they're not exactly like eating spaghetti.

But, with a little meat sauce and some basil, it's close enough! To be totally honest, the first time I tried making zucchini noodles I also tried to make this fancy-pants pesto sauce, but I didn't have a food processor, so I used a blender instead. Pro-tip: When recipes call for a food processor, a blender doesn't always do the job. I ended up sitting in the McDonald's drive through that night reminiscing on how far I'd fallen.

So anyway, this is just a simple meat sauce. With no recipe. What did you think this is, a food blog or something?? (My bad.)

I tried spiralizing squash recently, and I liked that a little better than the zucchini. Adding chicken, tomatoes, olive oil and spices really made it yummy. As far as zoodles go, what other recipes should I try?!

Send me your recipes! xoxo

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Does Pink Salt Have Health Benefits?

Is anybody into pink himalayan salt? I'm pretty sure this trend came and left all while I was asleep some night in January. When I was introduced to pink salt, my first instinct was ooh, pretty and not how healthy is it?

But after I got over how PRETTY it is, the health questions kicked in — along with a few others.

First off: What on earth is it?
It's normal rock salt, but it's mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan, about 190 miles from the Himalayas.

And it's pink because...?
It contains iron oxide, err, "impurities" in the salt, according to Wikipedia.

Cool. What's iron oxide again?
Insert some fancy science explanation here, also can be used as food coloring.

If you're looking for a reason to get into pink salt, the internet can give you plenty. Sources say it can increase hydration, prevent muscle cramping, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones, aid with detox, boost energy, relax your body and improve sleep.

The only problem is there's no peer-reviewed scientific research proving any of this to be true. I mean, it could be... But it also could just be the himalayan salt marketers knowing how to make you wanna buy it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Back to how pretty it is, and how it is actually useful for some stuff.

Some people say "salt lamps" will release negative ions, cleanse the air and can even improve your mood. It might be true, or maybe this tea light just looks cool sitting inside a salt formation.

One place I actually think himalayan salt is useful is the kitchen; that is, kitchen accessories.

There are some brilliant ways to use himalayan salt, like this salt block from Crate and Barrel. You can use it in food prep for grilled items, or even use it as a serving plate for a cool presentation.

AND this mortar and pestle set from Williams Sonoma blew me away. It's carved from a salt block, so your guac will have the perfect salty flavor and you don't even have to add anything to it (besides, y'know, all the garlic and cilantro).

What do you guys think about pink salt? Into it? Not so much?

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Date Syrup Iced Coffee

I'll admit something about coffee. When it comes to caffeinated beverages, I'll try anything once. My go-to is a vanilla latte (hot) or a honey latte (cold), but I've been known to brake for lavender, rosemary pear, or maybe even a little gas station coffee if I'm feeling really wild.

All that being said, I was recently introduced to date syrup. Yeah, you know where this is going...

Date syrup is a really great alternative to many processed sugars. It's all natural, even vegan. So my friend Beth is a barista (and extraordinary photographer, but we'll get there). I brought my bottle of date syrup to her one day and said, "think we can make a latte using this?" We were skeptical. We tried it. It was good. I think Beth's exact words were, "If this were sold at Whole Foods or something, I'd probably buy it." And that, my friends, is a solid testimonial.

So, since not everybody has access to an espresso machine, I'm giving ya the easy-breezy version of the recipe, which doesn't require much explanation. Beth came over to my loft and snapped the photos of our new recipe!

Start with cold brew concentrate.

Add cream and date syrup to taste.

Stir.

Enjoy!

P.S. Beth has shot some really gorgeous weddings recently — you should check them out here.

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Red, White, and Blueberries

Let me guess, you’re going to a 4th of July party with a bunch of hipsters who can’t eat anything yummy (read: burgers and brats), and you have no idea what to bring. Problem solved!*

*Note: Problem not solved if your hipster friends are doing Whole 30 as this summer treat is full of dairy. Problem only solved if your crew likes yogurt in mason jars. 

The main reason I think this would be a good party treat is because it’s so easy to make and super customizable. I made these parfaits look patriotic for the 4th, but you could use virtually any ingredients to make them fit your preferences. (See this post I did on a less healthy caramel apple parfait.) 

Patriotic Parfait Recipe

- Blueberries

- Strawberries

- Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani Vanilla Blended)

- Almond Slivers, Granola

- Honey to taste

It feels silly to even call this a recipe because it’s so easy-breezy. But in case you couldn’t figure it out on your own, I layered the ingredients in the mason jar, beginning with the greek yogurt. I added the blueberries next, and another layer of yogurt then I put strawberries on the top (obviously I should have put the blueberries on the top considering this post is called “Red, White, and Blueberries — oops). On the very top, I drizzled honey and added a few almond slivers.

So really this #shelearnsthings is about meal-planning because I’m so excited to have these yogurts to take to work this week! It takes me a while to warm up to the idea of breakfast in the morning, so I kinda have to force myself to eat something small first thing. (Does breakfast make anybody else nauseous, or is it just me?) My roommate, Merry, takes parfaits similar to these to work weekly and she really likes making (and eating) them. So, I’m accepting her influence and making room for more mason jars in the fridge! Speaking of the fridge, they should last several days when properly refrigerated.

Let me know if you make parfaits for patriotism! I'm going to eat mine now. America!

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5 Quick-Fixes to Boost Energy

So winter is still a thing here in Missouri, and we've been seeing grey skies far more often than sunny days. It's so easy this time of year to feel groggy when you're missing out on all the Vitamin D and blue skies, so when it's 3 p.m. and you're feeling it, here are some food/drink options to help you through the mid-day slump. 

1. Water

Moms everywhere love to remind us to drink more water. Well, mom was right. According to the Mayo Clinic, the old "8 glasses a day" rule is still a good standby, but they have modified it to include 8 glasses of fluids. So, the whole detox water craze is good for this reason (encouraging people to drink more water), but I also don't feel bad about counting a cup of tea. (This is good news for me personally because I have a really hard time making myself drink enough water.)

2. Chocolate

Chocolate. There is a fact about chocolate, and it's that it tastes better than water. Experts recommend dark chocolate with a cacao content of at least 70% to tap into all of the magnesium that can be gained from this sweet snack. Like I learned last year, chocolate also helps to boost seretonin if you're feeling blue during the cold winter months.

3. Apple

Have you heard that there's as much caffeine in an apple as a cup of coffee? Well, that's a lie. But there is quite a bit of sugar in apples, so that is why people often think there is caffeine. Eating an apple boosts your energy while your body digests the fructose and therefore raises your blood sugar. Plus, they taste good.

4. Mixed Nuts

Aw, nuts, still feeling groggy?! (Sorry, I had to.) Nuts are great snacks because they're packed with protein and magnesium. Walnuts especially help with getting in your Omega 3 fatty acids--One serving is said to have as much as 90% of your daily intake of Omega 3. Read all about why Omega 3 is good for you here (but it's a Web MD article, so be careful not to click around too much on there and decide you have some incurable health problem.)

5. Coffee

If you've ever clicked around on She Learns Things, you know I'm a coffee-holic. (Proof here, here, here.) So of course I'm going to give coffee the last word on energy boosts. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory, but the important thing to remember is to be careful you don't drink too much coffee in the morning. Drinking one cup in the a.m. and one in the afternoon better distributes your energy so you don't have that infamous 3 p.m. crash and burn. 

Ok, well I'm going to go drink a mocha iced coffee (technically has water and chocolate in it, right?) and eat some apple pie and those sugar-walnut things they sell at the mall. Later, guys, but you can text me to hang out because I'm sure I'll have energy for days.

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Does Detox Water Work?

Does detox water work? 
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: read on. 

Much like the coconut oil craze, recipes for detox water have been floating around the internet like they'll solve all your problems and make you lose 20 pounds overnight. But do they really?

According to the Mayo Clinic, putting some fruit in your water or doing a juice cleanse is not scientifically proven to detoxify your body. The body is designed to "detox" itself, so assuming your organs are functioning as they should, you don't necessarily need to add a bunch of fruits and veggies to your water to make it healthier. Normal water is pretty healthy, too, and has many benefits. 

That being said, infused water tastes better than the plain Jane, boring stuff you get at restaurants when you don't want to pay $3.00 for a Dr. Pepper. I have to really make a point to drink my water. My tendency is to drink coffee like it's going out of style, and given the choice, I would rather drink a raspberry mocha than a glass of H20. However, I know how important it is to stay hydrated by drinking water, so I gave this fancy water a shot. 
What's in my water?

Oranges: 
Why? Any way that you can get a little more Vitamin C in your life will boost your immune system. 

Lemons: 
Why? In addition to other health benefits, lemon water can be great for your skin. 

Cucumbers:
Why? Unpeeled cucumbers pack a solid amount of potassium. Potassi-yum is good for your heart, k?! (In case you missed it, that was a hilarious joke because potassium is vitamin k.)

Mint:
Why? Yum. 

So, will detox water make your organs squeaky-clean and cause you to lose 20 pounds? Maybe not. Is detox water going to cut your cravings for BigMacs? Probably not. But a common misconception of hungry people is that they want food when they are simply dehydrated.

Regularly drinking water can help cut out the dehydration pangs, so you can be sure that your body is actually hungry for food when your stomach starts growling. 

So, does detox water work? If it makes you drink more water, yes. Infused water is a great substitution for soda, and it's easy to sip on throughout the day without feeling guilty or consuming a lot of unnecessary sugars. Unfortunately, this is no substitution (in my opinion) for coffee. Nothing (in my opinion) is a substitution for coffee. 

I've never been able to make myself drink 8 glasses of water a day (how does anyone do that??), but putting fancy fruits in my cup certainly makes me want to get that much closer. Cheers to detoxing-- err, whatever that means!

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