Tween girls are a species of their own, right? Still little enough to sort of be able to “believe” in the Easter Bunny, but too big for really getting into the egg hunt. (Or at least admit to really getting into it!) We’ve rounded up some super sweet treats that will make a splash in any Tween basket .. dare we say, they’re all totally Instagrammable?

She’ll want one of these TONY MOLY Petite Bunny Lip Gloss Bars in every color! Can you blame her? ($8 each at RickysNYC.com)

She’ll still want a chocolate bunny, but make it a fancy chocolate bunny! (The better for you steal the ears…) Godiva Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny with Foil Eggs is a sweet treat for a not-yet-too-sopisticated girl. ($15 at Godiva.com)

Taylor Swift’s Champion Eyelet Berry Keds. Taylor. Swift. Keds. ($55 at Keds.com)

This You Are Loved boxed set is beautifully packaged, and contains one 2 oz spray bottle each of Olivine Atelier sprays. Love + Salt is a vegan, volume-enhancing mist to give hair prety, beachy waves.  Made with  hydrating salts like Himalayan Pink Salt, you can also use it as a body mist. Love + Roses is a gorgeous blend of beautifiers, essential oils, sacred flower essences, and waters to soften skin and hair. ($24 at ShopOlivine.com)

You will want to steal this one. A favorite of the Royal Family across several generations and served at every state banquet, Prestat has held a second Royal Warrant for over 35 years – awarded by  Her Majesty The Queen (the first Warrant was awarded by The Queen Mother). YES FANCY. The Prestat Red Velvet Easter Egg  is wrapped in gold foil and packaged in Prestat’s hand-crafted box designed by famous British Artist Kitty Arden. And inside of THAT, are the truffles: Creamy Red Velvet icing is piped into a milk chocolate shell & rolled in fresh crushed raspberries.  ($26.95 at Central Market Baskets)

Cool Easter bunnies bring cool egg-shaped Korean soaps. Right? Right. TONY MOLY Egg Pore Shiny Skin Soap Pack works for for all skin types — they’re deep cleansing to lessen the appearance of pores and get rid skin of excess sebum and dirt. ($14 at RickysNYC.com)

Olay Fresh Outlast Body Wash, Cooling White Strawberry & Mint. Brand new from Olay, this special formula is one of the very first U.S. products to use the white strawberry scent. Plus, they new body washes are lower in sulfates and contain 3X more mild cleansers than in the past. ($4.34 at Drugstore.com)

Harry & David  Hand-Dipped Chocolate-Covered Strawberries and Cheesecake Pops. Out of this world, right? And yes, Mr. Easter Bunny, they overnight deliver. ($49.95 at HarryandDavid.com)

Bethany Mota Fiesta Fringe Bucket Bag … the perfect “bucket” to use as a basket! ($24 at Aeropostale.com)

1. Ball Fresh Tech $299
The makers of Ball Jars really want Mom to can her tomatoes! This new to market gadget takes out all the guesswork (and work!)

2. Bactrack Mobile Breathalyzer $149.99
The Bactrack is a mobile breathlyzer syncs to an app on your smartphone and tells you when your blood alcohol level will return to zero. The device is small enough to fit in a wristlet for Mom’s night out on the town. Safety first!

3. The Creative Station $34.99
Mom craft much? It’s a label maker, a laminator, a magnet maker..even business cards!
Available nationwide at Michael’s.

4. D-Link Wi-Fi Baby Camera with Night Vision $179.99
New moms will love this! High res night vision, two-way audio, and motion, sound and temperature detection..It also has on-board recording, customizable color rings to match the nursery, and it even plays lullabies for baby.

5. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb $147.19
Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb is a great women’s perfume. It’s modern with hints of tea, freesia, jasmine, and rose orchid that create a lovely flowery scent that is sweet and sophisticated.

6. Floating Flower Frame $19.95
From Papyrus Online, this borderless frame is lovely and sweet and under twenty bucks! J’adore!

Laughter is a bold declaration of happiness.

We’re all familiar with its contagious effect, and attempts to stifle it often result in uncontrollable giggles. Professional comedians claim that there is humor to be found in virtually any situation, given enough time. We all know that laughing feels good, but what impact does it have on our daily wellbeing? Let’s turn to the research to find out.

Recent studies suggest that laughter enhances the quality of romantic relationships. One experiment found that couples instructed to reminisce about occasions where they laughed together reported being more satisfied with their relationships, compared to couples that remembered times when they laughed apart from one another or times when they shared positive (but not funny) experiences1.

Interestingly, the occasions on which couples laughed together were not always positive. This suggests that the ability to laugh about neutral or even negative experiences together enhances relationship satisfaction, which is highly related to feeling happy.

Read Live Simply: Unclutter Your Daily Health Routine

How can you make this work for your relationship? Next time you and your significant other are caught in traffic or dine at a mediocre restaurant, help each other find the humor in the situation.

Each time you do this, you create one more memory for the both of you to fondly remember.

Research also indicates that laughter is powerful enough to enhance our physical health. A recent experiment found that mothers who watched and laughed at a Charlie Chaplin movie, “Modern Times,” had higher levels of melatonin in their breast milk, which helped reduce allergic responses and promoted better sleep in their infant children. Another group of mothers that watched a video about weather information did not experience this change2.

Another experiment revealed that women who watched a humorous movie reported lower stress levels and experienced greater immune system functionality, relative to a control group that watched a tourism video3. Finally, laughing has been associated with decreased levels of prorenin in the blood, which is involved in the onset of diabetic complications4.

Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it does seem to have a legitimate medicinal value.

Being a mom is awesome, but it also, at times involves an awful lot of stress and guilt. That’s no big newsflash — entire books are dedicated to the topic, and oh about a zillionkatrillion blog posts. But still, as Mother’s Day rolls around, it’s a good time to concentrate a little bit on the positive. As an antidote to all that angst, sometimes it’s good to just treat yourself, whether with some precious “me time” (not involving hiding in the bathroom with the book you’ve been trying to read for 8 years) or an actual present involving the exchange of cold, hard cash.

Here are 6 indulgent gifts to give yourself as a reminder that you deserve all the best this Mother’s Day, and that you appreciate yourself. Trust me — you’ll thank yourself for it!

What’s the Best Beauty Advice Your Mom Ever Gave You?

Beauty expert Rebekah George shares the top beauty tips her mother shared with her.

My sister and I usually make fun of my mom when we go to the beach — she wears long-sleeve t-shirts with pants and hides from the sun underneath her giant umbrella. But, thanks to her unusual beach habits, her skin is gorgeous and smooth.

It’s one of the many beauty tips I’ve learned from my mother — you may love the sun, but it’s not your skin’s BFF, so protection is key. She’s also taught me that less is more when it comes to makeup, and that red lipstick is classic, timeless and sexy. Thanks, mom.

Read 5 Celeb Moms Who Deserve Mother’s Day Awards

I’m not the only one who heeds my mother’s beauty advice. Rebekah George, fashion & beauty expert and host of Total Look on TotalBeauty.com, has never forgotten the beauty lessons her own mother has taught her.

After Mother’s Day earlier this month, we caught up with Rebekah, who was eager to share her mom’s important beauty tips with us. We’re curious, is that one of your mother’s beauty tips that she taught you? What else did you learn from her?

Ever pee when you sneeze? You’re not alone. You probably have weak pelvic floor muscles, which are caused by pregnancy, childbirth, aging and being overweight. The solution is to perform Kegel exercises, which help strengthen those muscles. But not everyone digs doing Kegel exercises. They can feel weird, and even though you’ve been told 100 times to clench the same muscle you squeeze when stopping the flow of urine, it’s hard not to wonder if you’re actually doing them correctly.

Read 5 Things to Know About Barefoot Running

The good news? There are other exercises that can help tighten your pelvic floor muscles. “Pilates and other core exercises do help the pelvic floor,” notes Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., author of The Yale Guide to Women’s Reproductive Health: From Menarche to Menopause. “I still encourage Kegels, too, but these other exercises are excellent and helpful.”

Want to head off those embarrassing accidents? Try these exercises recommended and performed by Pilates and fitness instructor Cassey Ho.

If you’ve spent one too many hours attempting to master Candy Crush Saga, it’s time for a new guilty pleasure –one that’ll deliver on-trend styles without breaking the bank! Enter Little Black Bag, an ingenious website that brings the Japanese tradition of Fukubukuro to the online community right here in the United States. What exactly is Fukubukuro, you ask? Also known as the “Lucky Bag Sale”, it’s an event where retailers sell mystery bags filled with goodies that customers then trade amongst friends and fellow shoppers.

Here’s how Little Black Bag works: Visit the website, where you’ll have the opportunity to take a quiz to determine your style personality. You’ll also be given the chance to pick your first item. Then, Little Black Back’s stylists will get to work choosing one to three additional pieces that match your personal style.

Read Recreate Hayden Panettiere’s Stunning, Striped Look for Less

Too much of a gamble for you? Not to worry! After checkout, you’ll have the opportunity to swap items with fashion-loving site members. Once you’ve made those key trades, Little Black Bag will ship your goodies to your door. And you’ll even have the opportunity to send items back for exchange or refund within 30 days, just in case. Brilliant!

Participating brands include Badgley Mischka, Kenneth Cole, BCBGeneration, Betsey Johnson, and Dolce and Gabbana, so you know you’re shelling out for stuff you’ll actually want to wear. Pricing for members is $29 for the intro tier ($50-$75 value) and $49 for the mid-tier ($100-$150 value).

Learn more about Little Black Bag by visiting their Facebook page and taking the personal style quiz. See you there!

Photos courtesy of Little Black Bag

Good news if you’re in a long-term relationship: Those annoying arguments about whose turn it is to clean the bathroom or who spent too much on new shoes will likely diminish over time, but not because you’ve discovered the secret to marital bliss. According to a study published in the July 2013 issue of Journal of Marriage and Family, relationships often evolve to avoiding or ignoring conflict—and that can be a good or bad. We’ll explain.

Sarah Holley, Ph.D., San Francisco State University assistant professor of psychology, interviewed 127 long-term married couples several times over 13 years. During that time, she and her colleagues noted how they communicated about everyday conflicts from housework to finances.

What the researchers found was something many couples can relate to: the classic demand-withdraw pattern increased over time. This pattern typically happens when one person blames or pressures a partner to engage (“Why don’t you ever take out the garbage?”), while the other tries to simply avoid the discussion (“Honey, have you seen my keys?”).

Read This Is Your Brain on Friendship

“Over time, both husbands and wives showed a significant increase in their avoidance behaviors,” Holley explains, “meaning that both spouses were increasingly more likely to avoid conflict discussions in later life stages by doing things like diverting attention from the topic or changing the subject altogether.”

This “avoidance trend” doesn’t just apply to married couples either.

Holley says she previously compared demand-withdraw behaviors in gay and lesbian couples in committed relationships (before any states allowed them to marry) to heterosexual married couples and noted similar patterns.

“I found no differences in the amount of demand-withdraw behaviors any of these groups demonstrated during conflict discussions,” she says. “Therefore, I don’t think the findings of this study are unique to married couples. I would expect that any long-term committed couples would be likely to show a similar pattern of change as they move into later life stages.”

Married or not, conflict avoidance almost always stems from a lack of communication know-how, according to Jane Greer, Ph.D., relationship expert and author of What About Me? Stop Selfishness From Ruining Your Relationship. “Couples fall into this pattern because they lack the tools and verbal skills they need in order to successfully negotiate conflict resolution,” she says.

Now that it is finally summer, cue the sunshine and margaritas! It is time to take road-trips, jet set to far away beaches, and start tackling that summer reading list. For many of us, summertime means relaxation and getting away from the 9-5 workday. Which, let’s be honest, is very necessary a few times a year. But before you jump into that itty-bitty-yellow-polka-dot-bikini and start throwing back margs like it’s your job, shouldn’t you set some ground rules first?

Ground rules… on vacation? Sounds crazy, right? Wrong. You’ve been working too hard eating clean, cycling at Soul Cycle, doing brupees at Cross-fit and Yoga-ing your heart out for the past 6 months. There is a way to relax and enjoy, while maintaining your rockin’ figure. In other words, literally having cake and eating it to.

Here are 5 ways (and useful recourses) to maintain your bikini body and to staying motivated this summer: 

1. Don’t throw out the scale. Instead, trade it in for this one! I am a firm believer that you shouldn’t judge how you feel based on the numbers you see on a scale. But, I am advocate for measuring your weight-loss success based on tangible results and personal progress. When I first heard about Taylor’s Smart Scale (pictured above), I just had to try it! This Bluetooth enabled Smart Scale is outfitted with the latest technology, features the free SmarTrack App, allowing users to store and view recorded data – weight, body fat, body water, etc. – in a variety of graphs, charts and dashboards – a great tool in the journey to maintaining everyday excellence!

And, SmarTrack is compatible with popular fitness and health apps RunKeeper, myfitnesspal and mapmyfitness, which automatically sync data into the consumer’s preferred app for easy tracking. For me, it really put a new perspective on how to monitor my wellness journey.

The Smart Scale is very user-friendly and more importantly, it retails for $59.99, which is a much lower price point then most scales with these capabilities.

2. Apps & Tools. In addition to using Smart Scale and SmarTrack, there are a plethora of apps and fitness tools you can use to keep yourself accountable this summer. The following is a list of our favorites:

MyFitnessPal – A personal food journal right in your phone! This app is great for logging your food and analyzing the amount of nutrients you receive in each meal. We love the scan feature, which allows you to scan any barcode and instantly all of the data from the food item uploads. It makes tracking so simple!

FitBit Charge HR – This fitness tracker does it all! Counts steps, calories, distance, tracks your sleeping habits, tells you your heart rate, has a clock, tells you floors climbed, has a sleep alarm and stop watch, tells you when you need to get moving and even informs you of an incoming phone call!

Follow Fitness and Food Blogs – I recently had the chance to speak with Shelley Cameron, the wellness and fitness blogger of Sea Shells and Sit Ups, who created her own fitness + workout tracker (which can be found on her website.) Shelley has amazing tips and tricks to share, and throughout the rest of this piece we will share some of her favorites. To start for all of your workout inspiration, Shelley routinely posts all her workouts of the day to her Instagram account. In addition, some of her go-to workouts consist of Tone it Up workouts, Kayla Itsines’s Bikini Body Guide and the Couch to 5k mobile app for running intervals.

If you feel like you are getting off track with your diet (and over indulging), surf the web and discover new health conscious food blogs, like this one – it is my personal favorite . Often a little inspiration is all it takes to get back on track.

3. Keep Your Routine. With a busy travel schedule, weddings to attend and vacations galore, it can be hard to maintain the same workout routine you are accustomed to. According to Shelley, “All the workouts I create can be done anywhere, anytime, and are always under 20 minutes! So, I use them when I’m in hotels, on the road and feel out of my routine.” The best thing to do is to incorporate your workouts as part of your travel schedule.

My personal biggest tip when traveling is to always pack workout clothes and running shoes. You never know what kind of resources you may have access to. 

4. Cheat the System. The weather is warmer and you deserve to enjoy yourself! So cheat… but smartly. For example one of Shelley’s favorite tricks when craving an indulging drink is to order a 1/2 glass of wine when out or at dinner, mixed with 1/2 sparkling water. She says, “You get to enjoy a glass of bubbly with half the guilt; and can even order two (which is really one!)”.

Another great product to “indulge” in is Sealand Birk, a flavored “water” that’s actually 100% harvested from the sap tapped from birch trees in Finland. It has no additives, is USDA organic, is recommended by athletes and nutritionists as a great pre and post workout drink (a natural substitute to Gatorade to replace electrolytes). Right now, you can try a case for 15% off using ‘bikinibirk’ at checkout. Just visit sealandbirk.com.

Some other tips include: bring your dressing during meals to avoid those harmful ingredients, ask for the meat to be prepared “dry” (without oil or butter), and look for the meals that are inline with your dietary goals.

5. Balance. It is so easy to get off track, give into social pressures and then beat yourself up about it all. But the best thing to do is to set yourself up for success. If you miss a day ( or five), indulge in too many macaroons, and even gain a few pounds, do not get discouraged. You are human and achieving your wellness goals will be a journey. The next morning, wake up, get dressed and jump back on the horse!

“To stay motivated is to set a few realistic, reachable goals for myself once a month. If I try to do everything all at once, it sets me up for failure. By setting a few achievable goals, you get excited when you reach them, which keeps you excited and motivated. I also focus on eating more than working out when my busy schedule swallows me whole! Eating clean(ish) plays a huge role in maintaining my figure, energy, and confidence. A good workout enhances all of that, but abs are made in the kitchen and revealed in workouts” says Shelley.

For more tips and tricks to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, follow Shelley Cameron on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and check out her website! Also, detox and unwind with Shelley at the Koru Retreat, a wellness weekend in Carlsbad, CA 9.25-9.27. Get all the details here!

So tell us, what tips and tricks have you tried and found to be successful? Tweet me at @Jamiedanno or leave a comment below.

Fun times ahead for families living on (or visiting) the East Coast! Killington, Vermont is well known as an incredible ski destination, but now it’s going to be the go-to place in the summer, too! With the launch this summer of the Killington Adventure Center, families now  have access to an awesome array of adventurous activities. From ropes courses to ziplining, from hiking and swimming to mountain biking on trails built by industry leading mountain bike venue designers Gravity Logic, there really is something for every age and ability level.

And we’ve got a family day pass to give away! All you have to do is  leave a comment below, by 12 noon EST on Wednesday, July 29th.

This prize includes 1-day Adventure Center passes for one winner and their immediate family members (up to 4 people), including all taxes and fees. The prize does not include lodging or meals, but the passes include access to: Snowshed Express Quad,  The Beast Mountain Coaster (opening summer 2015: visitors are asked check opening date on the site), Disc golf, Skyeride Zipline (a 1,200-foot long ride that seats two guests at a time and rises over 200 feet in the air!), an AWESOME looking Skye-Ropes Race Course (a four-story ropes course with 42 obstacles above a 5,000 square foot maze), and the Terra Maze. (Make sure to note the height restrictions for some of the activities).

Once inside the Adventure Center, guests can also access the following for an extra fee: Roaring Brook Mining, expanded Mountain Biking terrain for all levels, and Segway/ATV Tours.

Throughout New York City, there are many modern food court-like spots that have a variety of restaurants and eateries. These food courts have become incredibly popular, and an important stop for any foodie living in or traveling to New York City. One of the newest and best food courts is Hudson Eats near the World Trade Center at Brookfield place. Hudson Eats boasts a wide variety of offerings: from BBQ and dumplings to cupcakes and sushi, you can find just about any food you are craving! The individual eateries include Black Seed Bagel, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar, Chop’t, Dig Inn Seasonal Market, Dos Toros, Little Muenster, Mighty Quinn Barbeque, Northern Tiger, Olive’s, Skinnypizza, Sprinkles, Num Pang, Tartinery and Umami Burger. The giant food hall is packed around lunch time, and is one of the most popular places to eat in the area.

I set out to find the best foods in the Hudson Eats food hall. After trying all sorts of foods within each of the eateries, below are my favorite dishes and recommendations.

1. Best Pizza: Skinnypizza

Plain Slice with original skinny crust-

This incredibly thin slice of pizza has a large amount of light, sweet tomato sauce and a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. The skinniness of the crust highlights the density of the cooked tomato sauce which adds a great taste to the simply delicious slice.

2. Best Ice Cream Sandwich: Cool Haus @Umami Burger

“I’m Pei-nut butter” ice cream sandwich-

At Umami burger, they sell a variety of Cool Haus ice cream sandwiches. Cool Haus has an ice cream sandwich truck that travels around NYC, so it’s very unique that they sell their sandwiches at Umami Burger. I tried an ice cream sandwich with double chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter ice cream. After waiting two minutes for the ice cream to soften, the soft rich chocolatey sweet cookies went perfectly with the mild and subtle sweetness of the peanut butter ice cream.

3. Best Grilled Cheese: Little Muenster

Grilled cheese with white American cheese and caramelized onions-

Little Muenster has the best grilled cheese in Hudson Eats. From the perfect crunch in the buttery, super fluffy toasted bread to the tasty caramelized onions and the white American cheese, it was a delicious grilled cheese!

4. Best Bagel Dish: Black Seed Bagels

“#1” Bagel Sandwich with smoked salmon, plain cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, and red onions-

My favorite bagel dish in Hudson Eats was from Black Seed Bagels. They wood fire their bagels, which gives them a unique toasty but chewy layer. I ordered the #1 bagel sandwich and loved every bite of it. I got a toasted plain bagel which made the plain cream cheese even more melty. The creaminess of the light, warm cream cheese went perfectly with the refreshing cold tomato slices and the saltiness of the thinly sliced smoked salmon and the plump, fresh capers.

5. Best Sandwich: Num Pang

 “Pulled Duroc Pork” Sandwich-

At Hudson Eats was the Pulled Pork sandwich at Num Pang. It was unlike any other pulled pork sandwich I’d ever eaten. On a perfectly toasted baguette-like oval roll laid a delicious layer of sweet and sour tender pulled pork. On top of the pulled pork was a light creamy spicy mayo spread. I added pickled carrots and a refreshing bite of the cold cucumber with some cilantro. It was an incredible mixture of ingredients in an unforgettable sandwich.

6. Best BBQ: Mighty Quinn’s

Brisket Sandwich-

The fall-off-the-bone, well-seasoned brisket at Mighty Quinn’s was out of this world! They included a little sea salt which combines with the juiciness of the meat and creates a great salty flavor. The lean brisket on a soft roll with a few very lightly pickled cucumber slices makes for an especially flavorful meat.

7. Best Sushi: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar

Spicy Tuna Roll-

The Sushi at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar was overall extremely tasty and super fresh. I loved the Spicy Tuna Roll which was very simple. It had just the right amount of tuna with the exact amount of kick needed, a lot of rice with a nice acidity and seaweed created the perfect simple yet complex-in-flavor sushi roll.

8. Best Cupcake: Sprinkles

“Vanilla Milk Chocolate” Cupcake-

Sprinkles, home to the Cupcake ATM, produces some of the best cupcakes in New York City. This outpost reflects the same impeccable standards of the other outposts,  despite not having its own cupcake ATM, features amazing cupcakes. My personal favorite is the Vanilla Milk Chocolate cupcake. It is a light vanilla cake with super creamy and rich sweet milk chocolate icing.

9. Best Dumplings: Northern Tiger

“Heritage Pork and Chive”-

Northern Tiger not only has the best dumplings in Hudson Eats, but features one of the best dumplings in all of NYC. I was shocked at how unbelievable the pork and chive pan fried dumplings were. They have the perfect levels of juiciness and saltiness. he chive adds a delicious complex flavor, with a sublime ratio of filling to dumpling.  The pan-fried wrapper was cooked to perfection With the citrusy-soy sauce, the dumplings are worthy of being named the best of NYC.

Hudson Eats is a cool place.  It not only has great food, but creates a vibrant and fun destination with spectacular views. It is well worth the trip downtown, but if you happen to be visiting the World Trade Center, Battery Park, or Financial District, you have no excuse for not stopping by to check it out.

In the comment section below tell us: what dish from Hudson Eats do you want to try? Or, how would eat your way through Hudson Eats?

David Pines is currently a 10th grader at the Collegiate School in New York City where he serves on the student government and is a member of the Tennis team. David has been writing about food for over five years and is the author of two editions of the award-winning “Pines Picks: A Kid’s Guide to the Best Things to Eat and Drink in New York City.” His blog can be found at www.pinespicks.com.

Help revamp your child’s breakfast and lunchtime routine with these five organic recipes from Whole Foods.

1.   Mini Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches

Photo Via Whole Foods

Ingredients:

-       Olive or canola spray oil

-        2 Brat Hans® Apple Chicken Sausages , each diagonally cut into 8 slices

-       32 365 Everyday Value® Organic Whole Wheat Mini Pancakes or Organic Apple

-       Cinnamon Mini Waffles , (prepared according to package directions)

-        3 tablespoons grape jelly or apple butter

View full recipe here.

2.   Open Faced Apple Tahini Sandwich 

Photo Via Whole Foods

Ingredients:

-      1 tablespoon peanut, cashew or almond butter

-       2 slices whole wheat or multigrain bread

-      1 small apple , cored and thinly sliced

-      1 tablespoon tahini

-      1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

-      1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

View full recipe here. 

3.    Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Muffins

Photo Via Whole Foods

Ingredients:

-      1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

-      3 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal

-      1 teaspoon baking powder

-      1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-      1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

-      3/4 cup low-fat milk

-      2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

-      1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

-      2 large eggs

-      1/4 cup fruit-sweetened fruit jelly or jam

View full recipe here. 

4.   Apple Sandwiches with Granola and Peanut Butter 

Photo Via Whole Foods

Ingredients:

-      2 small apples, cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds

-      1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

-      3 tablespoons peanut or almond butter

-      2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

-      3 tablespoons granola

View full recipe here.

 5.   Banana Oatmeal Snack Cookies

Photo Via Whole Foods

 Ingredients:

-      2 ripe bananas , mashed

-      1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

-      1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

-      1/2 cup finely ground walnuts

-      1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots and/or dates

View full recipe here.

To find more delicious recipes and products visit  Whole Foods.

Our Favorite Crooner is Back! Christian Josi and his All-Star Lineup Shine on #LEGENDS. It’s the brand new music you don’t know you need—but you need it. Betty crush  Christian Josi has partnered with DulceTone Recordings to make what they’re calling the #LEGENDS album, so named for the incredible lineup of musicians, production and creative staff who came together to make this 8-song dream. Recorded last Spring at the famous Avatar Studios (formerly the Power Station) in NYC, the record features fresh, innovative takes on classic songs, some of which you’ll recognize, some you may not.

From Josi’s rollicking duet with 80-year old Freddy Cole (brother of Nat, and a legend in his own right) on “Two of a Kind” to the tender duet with Antonia Bennett (daughter of Tony) on “I Have Dreamed” to the other 6 tracks where he stands alone with his orchestra and combo, (most of whom were featured on the Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga album that won the Grammy for Best Jazz Album last year). Living legends of jazz like Harry Allen, Bucky Pizzarelli, Warren Vache, and Bennett pianist/musical director Mike Renzi are all over #LEGENDS. It’s the freshest thing we’ve heard in a long time. Get it now!

View The Legend’s Debut Album

Photos courtesy of Christopher Makos, Makostudio

Over the summer, I was lucky enough to travel to Tokyo, Japan. I love sushi and Japanese food in general, so it was an incredible and eye opening experience for me to go to Japan and sample authentic Japanese cuisine. Set forth below is a description of my favorite dishes and restaurants in Tokyo.

Best Sushi
-Sushi Mizutani
Sushi Mizutani was my favorite restaurant in Tokyo. I had the sashimi and sushi option, which ended up being a flawless meal. I even liked the rice at Sushi Mizutani, which has the perfect acidity and tecture. From a great selection of the freshest fish, like the perfectly not-at-all-chewy squid, to the delicate sweet cake-like Tamago (egg omelet); Sushi Mizutani served the greatest sushi and one of the best meals overall that I’ve had in my life. Mizutani was trained by the famous Jiro Ono. He cooks his rice differently, but uses creativity to make his food stunningly great!

-Sukiyabashi Jiro
For those of you who have seen Jiro Ono’s movie, you understand that this is certainly a chef who is dedicated to making the best sushi possible. Jiro is almost 90 years old, and is well renowned to be the “Master of Sushi.” But the myths are true, at Sukiyabashi Jiro, Jiro is making some of the best sushi around. My favorites were the super creamy uni and the nicely salty kohada (gizzard shad). Although the meal is only about twenty minutes long and is quite expensive, it is well worth a visiting if you are a true sushi lover.

-Sushi Ikkyu
Sushi Ikkyu is a sushi restaurant located on the fourth floor of Barney’s in the Ginza area of Tokyo. It is a very small restaurant, similar to Sushi Mizutani and Sukiyabashi Jiro. Within the less famous restaurant, the sushi chefs are making incredible sushi in a much friendlier atmosphere. The rice is perfect and the fish is very fresh. The chefs are super nice and skilled, as they craft a very diverse sushi meal. My favorites were the chirasahi ebi (tiny shrimp pressed together, that flavorfully explode in your mouth,) and the soy marinated tuna which had a ton of flavor and just melted in my mouth. A great, well-paced sushi experience!

-Sushisho Saito
Sushisho Saito was another one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Tokyo. At Sushi ShoSaito, you remove your shoes, get comfortable, and then have a first row seat to observe Chef Saito, who was trained by the chef at Sushi Sho.  The ikura (salmon roe) was served over warm rice, and the flavor from the tiny firm fish eggs exploded, creating a perfect salty blend of tasty flavors.

Best Udon Noodles
-Hashida Honten
Hashida Honten has the greatest udon noodle soup that I have ever had. I had the perfect salty chicken broth and fluffy light soft udon noodles, which forever transformed my view on the American comfort food, chicken noodle soup.

Best Yakitori
-Birdland Ginza
Yakitori consists of a variety of grilled skewers. It is a really fun experience as the chefs craft a tasty meal out of skewers of different parts of a chicken and various vegetables and meats. The chicken and scallion was my favorite skewer and the Yakitori at Birdland Ginza is definitely worth trying.

Best Ramen
-Hirugao on Tokyo Ramen Street
My favorite ramen in Tokyo was on Ramen Street in Tokyo Station (the central train station). At Hirugao, although there may be very long lines, it is well worth the wait. You order what you want from a vending machine, and then they make you some of the most flavorful ramen ever. The pork at Hirugao is truly special and the steaming bowl of ramen is nothing less than amazing!

Best Soba
-Akasaka Sunaba Soba                                                                                                                                      My favorite soba in Tokyo is located at Akasaka Sunaba. The two different types of soba (either regular or buckwheat noodles) are available hot or cold. All of the soba noodles are thinly cut and cooked to soft, aldente perfection. I loved the delicious sauce or “soba soup” that came with the cold soba noodles, which was similar to a sweeter version of soy sauce. Whether hot or cold, Akasaka Sunaba serves fantastic soba noodles. This restaurant can have really long lines, so getting there early (around 11am) helps guarantee a spot for lunch.

Best Tempura
-Tempura Kondo
After going to Tempura Kondo and eating the tempura, I could never view tempura the same way. They make every piece in front of your eyes, and the lightness and thinness of the batter is mind boggling. My favorite pieces were the asparagus, the shrimp head (this was the first shrimp head I have ever eaten, and I was shocked by how good it was—particularly its juiciness and complexity of flavor) and the pumpkin (which is seasonal and you must order ahead).

Best Kaiseki
-Nihonryuri Ryugin
I tried a few different Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo and Ryugin was my favorite by far. Kaiseki is basically a traditional Japanese multi-coursed meal of the highest and finest haute cuisine. I loved the abstractness of the dishes, and I found myself excited to try the next course. Ryugin had some of the coolest and most creative dishes I have ever tasted. My favorite was the ayu fish, which was served whole and had the perfect crispiness (you actually are supposed to eat the head and tail, which are surprisingly crispy and tasty and not a bit gross). It was an awesome experience!

Best Crab
-Kanidouraku
The crab at Kanidouraku was extremely tasty and fresh. There are tanks of live crabs as you walk in, and this all-crab-restaurant serves some delicious crab, with some dishes that you can even cook at your table.

Best Chinese Food
-Din Tai Fung
Din Tai Fung is a Chinese restaurant chain from Taiwan that is also in the US. It has some incredibly thin-wrappered, great soup dumplings that are perfect if you are craving Chinese food in Toyo.

Best Japanese Restaurant Overall
-Narisawa
Overall, the most perfect Japanese meal (other than the sushi meals) that I have had in my life was at Narisawa. Every course there was both highly interesting and delicious. From the clam with something similar to chowder inside of it, to the langoustine to the “bread of the forest,” that is cooked at your table; the variety of flavors and creativity of the dishes made for one unbelievable meal. My absolute favorite dish was the wagyu beef, which cut easily like butter and had a very nice mixture of seasoning around it.

Best Desserts
-Sadaharu Aoki
Sadaharu Aoki makes some excellent French pastries in Tokyo, many delicately and beautifully flavored. For example, the Matcha croissant had many layers and was soft, light, buttery, and flakey. It is a very good pasty shop!

In the comment section below, tell us: What are your favorite places to eat in Tokyo? 

David Pines is currently a 10th grader at the Collegiate School in New York City where he serves on the student government and is a member of the Tennis team. David has been writing about food for over five years and is the author of two editions of the award-winning “Pines Picks: A Kid’s Guide to the Best Things to Eat and Drink in New York City.” His blog can be found at www.pinespicks.com.

I am terrible at winter, in general. I can kind of get into it for a little while, usually, at least through the holidays. And on a totally frivolous note — I do love being able to wear boots and cute sweaters! But once the new year rolls around, and all the holiday cheer is spent, and it’s freezing and DARK all the time …. UG! That’s when I start to start having fantasies of either moving somewhere like Miami beach, or magically morphing into some kind of creature that hibernates. Seriously. I find winter can be terribly depressing, what with the long nights, the cold, dry air, and the difficulty of doing something as simple as walking a few blocks to the park (Too cold! Too slippery! Where’s my hat? It’s dark ALREADY?) — let alone meeting friends for dinner (LEAVE THE HOUSE NOW?!)

I’ve never been officially diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but I know I suffer from all the symptoms, and it’s really easy for me to slip into depression during the winter, which is no bueno for me, my health, or for my family! This year, due to a terrible personal loss, I’m working extra hard to battle the winter blues, so I’m happy to get help and advice from the pros. Dr. Josie Howard, a member of the Simple advisory board, specializes in women’s mental health with a focus on psychodermatology (a popular skincare treatment that connects the mind and body as it examines disorders caused by stress). She gave me some really great advice on how to fight back against SAD: 

1. Let there be light!

“The gold standard for seasonal affective disorder is to go back to the source of the problem — light, ” says Dr. Howard. She  recommends  purchasing a simple light box from places like Costco, etc. which has a broad-spectrum light. Sitting in front of this for the prescribed amount of time, which differs, first thing in the morning can “make a huge difference.”

2. Get moving.

“Lifestyle measures which support mood and emotional wellness become all the more important — and often more challenging — during the winter months of short, grey days,” says Dr. Howard. First, she says, “regular aerobic exercise is essential.” According to Dr. Howard, it takes relatively little — 20-30 minutes — on five or more days per week to make a “huge difference in energy and outlook.” This is especially true in the dark winter months, when you really need that burst of energy and oxygen!

3. Sleep: it’s for more than just beauty.

“Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and good sleep hygiene is paramount,” says Dr. Howard. Here’s a great video where Dr. Howard talks about the importance of relaxation and sleep in terms of your overall heath, as well as your skin’s health and appearance!

(ps: I just want to add my own tip for getting a good night’s sleep: Give yourself the comfort of knowing you cleansed your face before you got in bed! If you really run out of time,  Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes are lifesavers! Followed by Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturizer = bliss!)

4. Eat right.

“An often overlooked, but very important, component of caring for ones mind and mood is eating plenty of fruits and vegetables,” says Dr. Howard. “There is increasing recognition and research evidence pointing to the link between emotional wellbeing and robust fruit and veggie intake — and, conversely between intake of processed foods and depression.”

And, she points out, the same thing goes for good skin!

Read: Your Gorgeous Skin Loves Apples & Pumpkins! Tips + Recipes (Including Delish Mulled Apple Cider)

5. Be social!

“Nurturing supportive relationships during the winter months can be incredibly strengthening of ones positive outlook on life and sense of resilience,” says Dr. Howard.  “This may take extra effort in the winter months — when it’s dark and cold out, it’s hard to get motivated to get out and socialize — but so critical to do!”

Now, that doesn’t mean you have to have plans seven night a week, or that your plans have to be overly ambitious. “Set realistic goals,” she advises. “You don’t have to go out dancing all night; meeting up with a group of friends for a fireside chat is just as good … though don’t forget to get your body moving during the day!”

Great advice, right? And just remember — after December 21st, the days start getting longer again. Summer will be here before we know it!

Do you feel blue in the winter?