Category: Health

I like to lead a healthy lifestyle, maintaining regular exercise and choosing a fully vegetarian diet. Living in Miami, it’s easy to access these healthier choices and I love to share my tips and tricks!

Health

2 Minute Healthy Dessert Under 100 Calories

by Aroon MelaneLeave a Comment on 2 Minute Healthy Dessert Under 100 Calories

Can you even believe it?!!?

I want to start adding more health and fitness related posts to AroonMelane, so what better way to start it off? This extremely quick and easy dessert has been one of my go-to’s recently!

All you need is a bag of frozen fruit, your choice (but the fruit you choose may change the calorie count).

I’ve been using frozen mango chunks from Trader Joes, as I find the mango has a better texture. 

Once you have your serving of frozen fruit out, stick it in your blender, add some water and blend until creamy! 

I love making this treat with mangos because one serving makes a lot! And the texture is that of an ice cream/Italian ice mix! It’s amazing and sooooo easy! 

One serving (14 pieces) of Trader Joes mango chunks = 90 calories

What’s your favorite healthy dessert?

Xoxoxox

Health

Healthy Greek Kale Quinoa Recipe

by Aroon Melane2 Comments on Healthy Greek Kale Quinoa Recipe
Healthy Greek Kale Quinoa Recipe

I am usually not the biggest fan of quinoa all by itself, but I had a huge bag in the pantry and needed to find a way to use it up. After searching Pinterest for ideas, I found the most delicious and super healthy quinoa dish!

I doubled up on the recipe, as I like to have a bunch for my roommates and I to eat for the next few days. But the recipe below serves 4.

This is one of my new favorite recipes, as it only took 15 minutes to make and it is sooooooo yummy!

  Ingredients:

2 cups of water

1 cup of quinoa

1 cup of baby kale, stems removed

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup cucumber

1/4 cup of minced onion

2 tbsp kalamata olives

1 tbsp of cilantro or parsley (chopped)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp himalayan salt

1/8 tsp pepper

feta cheese

Instructions:

  • Cook quinoa. Add water and quinoa into medium pan, bring to boil. Turn stove top to low heat and let quinoa cook for 15 minutes, or until desired texture.
  • While your quinoa is cooking gather all of your vegetable and chop up. Mix all veggies in large bowl.
  • In separate small bowl mix together your dressing. Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  • Stir dressing in with vegetable.
  • Add quinoa once cooked and stir thoroughly.

You can eat this dish hot or cold, its just as delicious either way!

And feel free to switch up the veggies or take certain ones out if you are not a fan.

Let me know if you recreate this recipe and how you like it!

Health

Fun Tip Friday// How to Cure Chapped Lips

by Aroon MelaneLeave a Comment on Fun Tip Friday// How to Cure Chapped Lips
Fun Tip Friday// How to Cure Chapped Lips

We all know the pain of cracked, dry lips, so today I am here to suggest some tips to help!

Sometimes applying loads and loads of chapstick is not the answer to dry, chapped lips.

Just like our skin our lips need exfoliation.Therefore, in order for our lip moisturizers to do their job, they need a fresh exfoliated surface to work with. There are many ways to exfoliate your lips, you can: Use a toothbrush to scrub your lips, or a towel. You can even use scotch tape (place tape on lips and slowly peel off), or you can use a lip scrub, which you can find at most places, or you can make your own using sugar and oils.

After you have exfoliated, follow up with your favorite lip moisturizer.

My current favorite is Lip Service by LUSH.

So this winter make sure you don’t forget to exfoliate your lips!

xoxoxo

Health

Hot Lemon Water// Does It Actually Work?

by Aroon Melane2 Comments on Hot Lemon Water// Does It Actually Work?
Hot Lemon Water// Does It Actually Work?

I am sure most of you have heard of the amazing benefits hot lemon water, first thing in the morning, is supposed to have. After hearing so many people talk about how amazing this simple drink is, I decided to give it a go.


For the past month I have been drinking hot Lemon Detox Tea (click here to purchase) with half a fresh squeezed lemon. I drink this before I eat or drink anything else. And I can definitely tell a difference. Some of the immediate and visible changes I saw were:

  • Clearer skin, after only a few days of drinking this there was a noticeable difference in the complexion of my skin.
  • Eating less. I felt much more full and did not tend to be as hungry throughout the day.
  • Digestive health

Tea cup with lemon on a wooden table

These are only what I can visibly see changing within the past month. But this morning drink is supposed to have many internal benefits for your everyday health. Such as:

  • Source of Vitamin C, to help build immune system and prevent sickness such as the common cold
  • Balances pH levels
  • Lemon contains pectin fiber which is great for your colon
  • Helps prevent growth of certain bacterias
  • Provides energy to liver enzymes which in turn helps keep a healthy liver
  • Helps with wrinkles (Luckily I do not have wrinkles yet, so I can not tell if this has personally helped)
  • Helps replenish salt levels
  • Can help with dental problem (freshens breath, relieve toothache and gingivitis)

As you can see this stuff is basically magic! Yet it is so simple and such an easy thing to add into your morning routine. Instead of drinking your regular tea or coffee in the morning, try this lemon detox and I am sure you will reap the benefits like I have.

xoxoxo

Health

Favorite Summer Recipes // Pinterest Inspired

by Aroon MelaneLeave a Comment on Favorite Summer Recipes // Pinterest Inspired

Summer means lots of time to try new things and spend your days outside with friends and family. That being said, here are a few of my favorite summer treats, thanks to Pinterest!

Moscato Peach Wine Slushies

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Ingredients
  • 1 bottle Moscato Wine (750ml) (I used Barefoot brand) plus more for blending *see note
  • 2 cups frozen peaches (unsweetened)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar (can cut back but it needs to be pretty sweet)

Instructions

  1. Add frozen peaches, sugar and a few splashes of moscato to food processor or blender.
  2. Blend until completely smooth.
  3. Pour in the rest of the moscato and blend until incorporated.
  4. Quickly pour mixture into ice cube trays. (stir if peaches begin to settle on the bottom of blender jar)
  5. Freeze.
  6. Place frozen cubes in a blender. ( I never measure them out. I just toss a handful in and add more if I need it)
  7. Add a splash of wine to make blending easier.
  8. Blend until slush consistency, adding a splash of wine to thin it out if needed.
  9. Pour into wine glasses, add a straw (if desired) and serve immediately.
  10. Garnish with fresh fruit like strawberries and peach slices
Notes

You’ll need to add a few splashes of wine to the frozen ice cube for blending. You can reserve a small amount of wine or just use some wine from another bottle, which is what I do.

ADD ice! If you like for your slushies to have those tiny little ice chips then throw in a few ice cubes and a little bit more wine!

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Watermelon Sorbet
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 8 cup Seedless Watermelon
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
  1. In a small pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.
  2. Cook until sugar is dissolved, then set aside to cool.
  3. Puree watermelon in batches and place in a large bowl.
  4. Add sugar syrup and lemon juice and mix well.
  5. place in a 13×9 dish, cover and place in freezer until firm.
  6. Puree frozen mixture before serving.

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Raspberry Lemonade Tea

rasptea

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Sweet’N Low (12 packets)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
  • 2 cups raspberries, pureed
  • 3 1/2 cups cold water
  • ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Bring the Sweet’N Low and water to a simmer. Let cool.
  2. Add pureed raspberries to sugar water.
  3. Add fresh lemon juice to the raspberry mixture.
  4. Pour raspberry mixture into a large pitcher filled with cold water.
  5. Stir and add ice cubes.

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Let me know if you try out any of these recipes!

Have a happy summer

xoxox

Health

Summer Tips

by Aroon MelaneLeave a Comment on Summer Tips
Summer Tips

It is finally summertime which means lots of sun! The sun can be fun, but it is always important to make sure you’re aware of the everlasting effects too much sun can have on your body. Here are a few of my favorite tips to make sure you protect yourself from the sun.

derm1. Always apply a SPF daily moisturizer in the morning. I use dermalogicia SPF 50 everyday after cleansing my skin.

2. The Suns UV rays are the strongest between 10am and 2 pm, when the sun is highest in the sky.

3. Plan on being in the ocean a lot? Apply hair oil or conditioner before going on the water to help keep hair silky smooth.

4. Drink before you are thirsty. You may not realize your body is dehydrated, so it is always important to constantly stay hydrated, even if you don’t feel like your thirsty! The more water, the better.

Have some fun in the sun!      

 xoxoxo

Health

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Stew

by Aroon MelaneLeave a Comment on Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Stew

I’ve been really into soups the past few months and decided to make my own at home! 

I went to my local farmers market and picked up some fresh veggies. From there I threw everything together in the crock pot (besides water and coconut milk) and sautéed it in grapeseed oil until it browned.    Next, I added in the water and coconut milk and let the soup cook on medium heat in the crock pot for about 4 hours.   Finally I toasted some fresh homemade bread that I picked up from the farmers market and made some white rice to make the perfect meal! Ingredients:

1 sweet potato 

1/2 cabbage

2 whole carrots

Himalayan salt

1 1/2 purple onion

Curry powder

1/4 garlic

Coconut milk

Water

Xoxox

Health

5 Tips For Your Perfect Bed

by Aroon Melane13 Comments on 5 Tips For Your Perfect Bed
5 Tips For Your Perfect Bed

Trouble sleeping? Or just want to make your room a more cozy space? Check out these 5 great tips to making the perfect bed!

Tip 1: Smell. Aromatherapy can play a big role in relaxing the body when it comes time to bed. Lavender is one of the best scents to use at night to relax. Try an oil diffuser mixed with a lavender essential oil. Start your diffuser when you’re ready to hit the sack, and let the sweet scent drift you to sleep. (Studies show that lavender has helped many people with insomnia fall asleep easier) [Huffpost]

Tip 2: Bedding. Synthetic materials tend to trap heat in easier which can lead to more troubled sleeping. It is best to use egyptian cotton or pima cotton for bed sheets. Get these in a sateen type finish and you’ll be off to bed in no time. [Today.com]

Tip 3: Laundry. Everyone knows there is nothing better than jumping in a bed with fresh clean linens. It is suggested that you clean your bedding every 7 to 10 days.

Tip 4: Color. The color of your room and bedding can also help you either stay awake or fall asleep better. The best colors to help one sleep are colors such as; blue, purple, grey, silver, neutrals or cool colors to lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate, which in turn relax the body. Try to stay away from bright colors like, reds or orange, if you are obsessed with these colors you can easily add them into a couple throw pillows for your bed.

purpleroom

Tip 5: Weight. Something a lot of us may not know is that comforters actually have different weights. It is suggested that a person uses a blanket with the weight of 10% plus one pound of a persons body weight. This means if you are 100 pounds you would get a 11 pound blanket. The pressure of the weight on a persons body, “…stimulates the release of calming hormones and neurotransmitters all night long” (friendshipcircle.org).

 

I hope you all enjoyed this post! I am going to be adding some more fun content like this to the blog, let me know if there is anything you are dying to learn about, or any suggestions for more posts similar to this.

xoxox

 

Health

Healthy Banana Treat

by Aroon Melane3 Comments on Healthy Banana Treat
Healthy Banana Treat

Hi everyone!

I have recently been trying to get back on track with my eating, it is so hard to maintain a healthy diet over the holidays!

That being said, I have also been experimenting with the foods I eat, and in the process I have found a new favorite snack, a delicious banana smoothie!

IMG_2264

This recipe is enough to make 8oz

You will need:

  • 1 banana
  • A few ice cubes
  • 1tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • (optional: coconut shreds)

All you have to do is combine all of the ingredients above and use your blender or nutribullet.

Enjoy!

The chia seeds and flax seeds are optional, but I always add these into my smoothies to add a little healthy kick. If you are having trouble blending the smoothie, then add a little almond milk.

xoxox