Curly Care Series: Inside Out

It's a brand new season in New York. Summer is finally starting to rear it's head and that's when I start to pay extra special attention to my hair. I have 3b/high porosity curls (if I've already lost you head check here to find out what sort of curl pattern and porosity you're working with) which means I always have to take care of my hair. And if you're here, I'm sure you've got curls you need to nourish, too! This summer is especially tricky. Coming out of a rough school year filled with little to no hair care other than weekly wash and go routines, my hair is dry, frizzy, broken, and all-together damaged. Add on summer sun, pool water, and coastal salts and you've got a heap of trouble. So, today I'm starting my curly hair care series here on MNLY with how I take care of my hair from the inside!

Summer Beauty Smoothie

Summer is almost well and truly upon us. It's been a weird few weeks here in NYC with temperatures ranging from 50 fahrenheit all the way up to 89 like it was today. But, luckily for a heat seeker like me, the warmth seems to be here to stay. This AM I woke up sticky and hot, so after a dip in the pool and a little sunbathing I made this amazing smoothie. I think it's a new favorite. Not only does it promote skin health (you will be glowing), but it's also going to kick fat in the butt. I had this smoothie just before the gym and I felt amazing. Keep reading for the recipe and breakdown of all the awesome health benefits. 

Summer Update!

     

Hasn't it been the craziest year? I know that I've been the worst blogger on the planet, and I have plenty of good reasons! All shall be explained and there'll be a huge announcement at the end of this post! Read on!

My First Week As A Vegan!

It's finally feeling like Summer here. Summer is my favorite season; the smells, the feeling, all the fun, and the gorgeous food! I am so happy I decided to become a vegan during the summer, because the supermarket literally feels like a farmer's market around this time of year. Plus, it's absolutely gorgeous out. Heat, humidity, stagnant air, and wood scented dew totally lights my fire; I am completely aware how alone I am in that sentiment, but I literally adore it.
So now, not only am I eating all the freshest, most amazing food from the earth, but I've been eating outside in nature and it's such a great feeling. Becoming a vegan has been a great decision, and I really want to update you guys on how week one went!

Summer Beauty Bowl

Look at that! Is that not the most gorgeous, abundant, and fresh breakfast you've ever seen! This was my breakfast a few days ago, and after posting the photo on Tumblr and Instagram I got a huge number of people asking for the recipe. I actually made this delicious bowl specifically for this blog.
I call this a Beauty Bowl because every single ingredient in it is made by nature to make your hair and skin even more gorgeous than it already is. Let's get down to how to make it.

Gorgeous Summer Beauty Bowl

• 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1 tbsp strawberry jam
• 1/2 ripe peach
• 2 large fresh ripe strawberries
• 1/2 cup cantaloupe
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 tbsp black chia seeds 

Step 1: In a blender or NutriBullet, combine jam, soy milk, and strawberries and blend until smooth. Use more or less milk depending on your desired thickness.
Step 2: After placing your smoothie in your serving bowl, cut up your fruits and place atop your smoothie bowl. Then, sprinkle chia seeds on top for healthy crunch.

All these ingredients are made to make you look gorgeous. All the fruits are super high water content, especially cantaloupe. If you're in need to rehydration, look no further. Your summer skin will thank you!
Blueberries and strawberries are packed full of antioxidants. Those little fighters are what will keep your skin wrinkle free. If you've got problematic skin, those peaches will help clear up your complexion, and prevent it from creating new problems. Chia is full of good for you fiber that flushes out toxins, keeping your skin glowing and fresh!

Enjoy!

Quick, Thick, and Easy Chocolate Chia Pudding

See, you guys! I promised! A vegan recipe! And, because I am a huge, massive chocoholic (who isn't?) I thought we'd start out with my absolute favorite chocolate chia pudding! If you're brand new to the world of chia, this is a really great place to start. Chia is a superfood that actually deserves to be called a superfood.
Chia is also incredibly non-offensive. There's really no taste to it, and the texture, when dry, is exactly like crunchy poppy seeds. Add it to you oatmeal, smoothies, salad dressings; whatever you think needs a crunchy boost! Personally, I put a little bit on most of my daily meals.
It's chock full of protein, fiber, phosphorous, Omega-3s, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. While usually, a lot of foods that are that packed with nutrition are calorie dense, chia is only 160 calories for three tablespoons. And three table spoons is all you need for a whole lot of chia pudding! So, without further ado, let's get to the recipe!

Chocolate Chia Pudding

• 3 tbsp black chia seeds
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• a touch of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp agave extract

Step 1: Put your chia and soy milk together in a small bowl. Stir.
Step 2: Drop in the rest of the ingredients one at a time, stirring after each ingredient.
Step 3: Let sit for one hour to overnight; it all depends on how thick you want it to be.

In the photo above, I was eating chia pudding for breakfast! Yup, dessert for breakfast! Totally doable with chia, because it's so healthy. I topped it with whole, raw almonds, strawberry compote, and coconut flakes. The compote was warm and the pudding was chilled, which was such a cool contrast. Plus, the almonds and coconut made a great textural difference that made the whole thing incredible delicious!

Enjoy, you guys! 

It's Skin Night! New Routine & New Products

Hey everyone! I know it's been far too long, but since all the life related craziness has reached a glorious calm, I am back! And, it's Summer! I have so many great summer post ideas, plus, as a new vegetarian, I'm introducing some lifestyle/fitness/recipe/what I ate today posts! I'm super excited to get back on this ride with you guys. So, in the spirit of Summer, let's jump right on in.

Today was my favorite night of the week. It varies week by week, but without fail, once a week, I take an hour or so and focus on rejuvenating my skin hardcore. I call it Skin Night. It's like a mini spa all for myself. It's so relaxing and so lovely. Especially on a warm, wet Summer night. Here's what I use to keep up with my Summer skin, and some products I am obsessed with. Here goes!