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7 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

While cooking a delicious and nourishing meal doesn’t require a lot of fancy gadgets, everyone usually has a few utensils that they can’t live without in the kitchen. We rounded up a list of our seven favorite kitchen tools to make cooking nutritious meals for your family faster, easier, and healthier. The best news is most of these tools are quite affordable!

Cast iron skillet: Trade in your non-stick cookware for a cast-iron skillet or pot. Cast iron cookware doesn’t scratch or degrade over time, and even better, you’ll avoid the harmful chemicals found in Teflon. In fact, simply cooking in a cast iron skillet is a great way to significantly increase your dietary intake of iron.

Fine mesh strainer: A fine mesh strainer is versatile enough for multiple uses – washing vegetables, straining pasta, rinsing grains, and even making your own nut milk. A strainer made out of stainless steel is durable even when the mesh is particularly fine.

A Healthy Memorial Day Recipe + Vegan and Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy Memorial Day to everyone in the US! On Friday we rounded up our favorite allergy-free, summer inspired dishes to kick off the holiday weekend. If you’re trying to decide on a delicious and healthy meal to serve to your friends and family, then you’ll want to try these two crowd-pleasing recipes from our Memorial Day Menu.

Craving a burger with a healthy twist? Try this Edamame burger for a healthy meal that’s ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.

Edamame Burgers

Ingredients:

Maria Jose Flaque Inspires Women Throughout Latin America

After spending years sick and overmedicated, Maria Jose Flaque knew that she had to make a lifestyle change.

She began to learn about holistic health, nutrition, and self development, but it wasn’t until she read Integrative Nutrition: Feed your Hunger for Health and Happiness that she realized she could use her personal experiences and passions to build a career.

Since graduating from the Health Coach Training Program in 2012, Maria has created a successful online health coaching business which allows her to work with clients throughout Latin America.

Her journey to wellness is so inspiring that she even won first place in the My IIN Transformation Video Challenge!

Read on to learn how IIN helped Maria discover a happy and healthy lifestyle.

An Allergy-Free Memorial Day Menu

It's Memorial Day weekend here in the US, which means that summer is finally upon us and it’s time to start planning a cookout with friends, family and lots of delicious food! If you’re cooking for a crowd this year, serving a meal that satisfies everyone, even those with food allergies, can be difficult. Instead of making one vegan burger, or a small batch of gluten-free cookies, why not make delicious, allergy-free dishes that everyone will enjoy? We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gluten-free, vegan, and raw dishes (with a few meat dishes for your omnivorous friends) that everyone is sure to love!

Have a gluten allergy? Try…

Gluten Free 101: Is It Right For You?

Chances are you’ve heard about the gluten-free phenomenon that has swept across the country. It seems that wherever you look there is a new gluten-free bakery or product line. Even celebrities are joining in with everyone from Bill Clinton to Zooey Deschanel turning to a gluten-free diet.

But is it just another fad diet, or is it a lifestyle change? Should you and your family be gluten-free? We’ve answered a few of the questions we hear most often so you can decide if gluten-free is the right choice for you.

What is the difference between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity?

Simple Tips for Energizing Your Creative Spirit

There are many more aspects to health and happiness than merely what’s on your plate. Wholesome food, fitness, and time with loved ones can certainly take you a long way, but true fulfillment comes from the full expression of one’s authentic self.

While some may discount creative endeavors as frivolous or wasteful activities, immersing yourself with focus, energy, and enjoyment towards something that you care about has many benefits to overall well-being.

Being fully present and mindful, as we tend to be during times of creativity, is an incredible stress-reliever. It also helps tap into the subconscious mind where our deepest desires are held, and creates a sense of personal success and accomplishment. That’s not to mention the added bonus of developing mental clarity and problem-solving skills that can be applied to other areas of life!

5 Simple Tips for Grilling Vegetables

Nothing says summer better than a good old-fashioned barbecue. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you might wonder what you can enjoy among the classic barbecue staples like hamburgers, chicken kebobs, and fire-grilled shrimp.

But grilling vegetables is actually easy and delicious – especially if you grow your own. And the best part is that they make a great main dish packed with delicious vitamins, minerals, and fiber!

Here are some tips to use when cooking vegetables on the grill:

Natural and Safe Sunscreens for Summer

One of the greatest joys of summer is spending time outdoors in the sun. As the best natural source of vitamin D, sunlight promotes bone health, supports the immune system, and boosts the mood. Yet too much sun can cause painful burns and potentially dangerous long-term skin damage, so it’s important to protect yourself with sunscreen, especially if you’re going to be outside during peak hours.

When shopping for sunscreen, choose wisely. Many sunscreens contain chemicals that are absorbed directly into the body and can be harmful. Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, create a physical barrier to block UV rays and are regarded as quite safe. For more information about which sunscreen ingredients to look for and which to avoid, check out our Summer Wellness Tune Up guide.

The Environmental Working Group is a fantastic consumer resource that reviews thousands of sunscreen products for their safety and effectiveness. We rounded up a list of our favorite mineral sunscreens that all ranked the highest. Slather them on before you head out to enjoy some fun in the sun!

Loving Naturals Clear Body Sunscreen - SPF 30. This unique formula is clear and rubs in easily. Water resistant up to 40 minutes.

Upbeat Songs for Your Summer Workout Playlist

Finding the time and energy to work out during the winter can seem like a daunting task. When it’s cold outside, we just want to curl up at home with a cup of tea and a good book instead of braving the cold to go for a run.

The warm weather, longer days, and sunshine make summer the perfect time to amp up your fitness routine! The only thing missing is a playlist that will push you to run an extra mile or do one more set of squats at the gym. We’ve complied some of our favorite upbeat jams that have us rocking out on the treadmill!  If you need a little musical inspiration to encourage your fitness routine, try adding a few of these songs to your playlist:

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