10 Uses & Benefits of Mint

Mint (scientific name: Mentha rotundifolia), in terms of uses and benefits, is a super-hero of the herb family. It grows vivaciously (it can take over your garden if you're not careful), has multiple culinary uses, and has been used for it's medicinal properties for thousands of years. It grows bush-like, and can spread anywhere from 30-100 cm, with flowers gathering in spikes from 2-5cm long. It's commonly found in nature near rivers, ponds and other humid places.

Many people think of mint solely in terms of the flavor of their toothpaste or the little candy they get at the end of some meals. 

Mint is so, so much more than a leftover taste after a candy.

So, without further adeui, here are 10 Uses & Benefits of Mint:

1) Mint is an amazing remedy for indigestion. You can create a tea from submerging fresh or dried leaves in boiling water. Try adding lemon, honey or chamomile to the mix for an extra boost.

2) It can be used to reduce headaches, fevers, backaches and pain both internally and topically. Mint has a "calming and numbing effect" on the skin, and can be used to ease muscle pain. 

3) It's a natural mosquito repellant. It also repels ants, so instead of spraying chemicals around your house to get rid of bugs, try placing dried bundles of mint around. 

4) Aromatherapy using mint has been shown to reduce stress and promote relaxation. 

5) Mint can be used topically to treat insect bites or stings. It can also be used to sooth sunburns, AND acts as a sunblock!

6) It's good for your hair! Mint can be used to make natural shampoo.

8) Mint has been shown to protect and improve liver health (when taken as a tea).

9) You can throw it into salads, juices, spreads, fruits, and to zest up vegetable dishes.

10) Mint will help revitalize your garden. Because mint is rich in nectar and pollen, bugs such as honeybees are attracted to them and help promote a healthy environment for your garden.


My absolute favorite way to use mint is in tea. I'm also a big fan of using it while making green juice. It gives a nice refreshing kick :)

What are YOUR favorite uses for mint?

Paleonola Review & Giveaway

We originally found Paleonola at Erewhon Natural Foods in Hollywood, CA (if you live anywhere near there, we HIGHLY recommend visiting!) After searching for different paleo-friendly foods, Alexis's dad (head honcho at the store) recommended we try Paleonola. Considering our justifiable fear of a gluten-free granola, we were a little hesitant at first. And boy, were we SHOCKED by how good it was!

Paleonola is not only delicious and healthy, but it fits within BOTH a Paleo and plant-based diet. 

Paleonola's statement on their website explains it best: "At Paleonola, we understand that things in life are not always perfect. Things change, meals get skipped or maybe sometimes you just need something to hold you over and give you that extra bit of energy to make it to the next meal. That’s why we worked with nature to create a delicious, flavor-packed, Grain-Free snack. Loaded with nutrient-dense nuts and topped with unsweetened, shredded coconut, our products not only taste delicious, but give you the energy you need to stay healthy and active. No grains, no junk. Just uber-goodness!"


Paleonola Granola is: ALL NATURAL! Meaning: NO wheat, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial colors, cholesterol, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, soy OR dairy. It's gluten-free & vegan friendly.


The flavors come in: The Original, Chocolate Fix, Maple Pancake. Apple Pie & Pumpkin Pie.


So, how did we like Paleonola?

....LOVED IT. As in, all our sample packs were GONE within a week. We ate it right out of the bag on the go, threw it into our salads, and mixed it into our yogurt! We even did some drool-worthy things like mix it with peanut better and spread it on top of a sweet potato. 

Crista's Favorite: Even though I legitimately loved them all, the Maple Pancake flavor won my heart. I ate it most often on top of a sweet potato and mixed with a little bit of almond butter. Absolutely delicious. The Apple Pie flavor was really good on top of a sweet potato, too. The Chocolate Fix was DELICIOUS mixed in with strawberry yogurt. 

           Ingredients of "Maple Pancake": Almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, honey, maple              syrup, raisins, almond meal, coconut oil, walnuts, flax meal, sunflower seeds,                    unsweetened shredded coconut, pure vanilla extract & cinnamon.

Alexis's Favorite: While all the flavors were absolutely fantabulous and amazing, I have to say the flavor I liked the best was The Original. It was simple, yet out of this world delicious. Normal granola is full of artificial sweeteners, sugar, and TONS of calories. Paleonola is natural, naturally sweetened, and doesn't give you a case of the 'what did I just eats?' I found myself eating Paleonola after workouts, for dessert, and just as a quick pick-me-up when I needed a little boost. I honestly don't think I could've been more satisfied with a guilt-free snack, let alone granola that's actually good for you!

          Ingredients of "The Original": Almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, honey, dried                   cranberries, almond meal, coconut oil, walnuts, flax meal, sunflower seeds,                       unsweeted shredded coconut, pure vanilla extract & cinnamon.

Just so you all understand how HEALTHY Paleonola is compared to other granola, here are the ingredients for other brands of granola. And remember, ingredients are listed in the order in which they are most used. Meaning, in the ingredients below, the majority is made up of whole grain rolled oats, sugar, and canola oil.

           Nature Valley's Honey N' Oats Granola: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Sugar, Canola              Oil, Crisp Rice With Soy Protein (Rice Flour, Soy Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Malt,              Salt), Honey, Brown Sugar Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Soy Lecithin,                    Baking Soda, Natural Flavor, Peanut Flour, Almond Flour, Hazelnut Flour, Walnut              Flour, Pecan Flour.

....Yikes. Nature Valley markets itself as being a "healthy" granola, but after taking one glance at the ingredients, it's clear that it is anything but!

We decided to do something fun with Paleonola, so we created...drum roll please...Paleo-nola Bites! 

Ingredients

Paleonola (obviously) - we mixed Chocolate Fix and Apple Pie - what a surprisingly good combo
Honey
Chia seeds
Flaxseed
Almond butter
Dried cranberry
Raisins

We'd give you an exact recipe, but we kind of just threw things in a bowl, mixed it up and rolled the ingredients into golf ball sized bits. They were to DIE for. We'll recreate the recipe and keep note of how much of everything we used and share in the future for your enjoyment :) Until then, try experimenting in your own until you get the desired consistency!


Info About The Giveaway:

Alexis and I also are heading a Facebook group called Ultra Health & Wellness: Fitness Challenges. We decided that this month, it would be really fun to have the pull-up challenge with a prize at the end for the winner.

Here are the rules:

You must do as many pull-ups, in a row, as possible. They key part is that you have to have it on VIDEO (the only way to prove people are being truthful). So either set up a camera somewhere or have a friend record it for you. Winners for each gender will be selected. 

We also request that the winners of each gender "like" Paleonola on Facebook! Simple and easy!

The final pull-up contest videos should be posted to the Facebook group wall by the 31st.

Good luck and enjoy!

Paleo Banana Protein Pancakes

Put that pre-made pancake mix down! RIGHT NOW! We are about to blow your minds.

....Can you imagine a world with pancakes that are gluten-free and are high in protein? Paleo friendly? VEGAN friendly? Well folks, it's possible. And we weren't the first ones to think of it, either.

We have been hearing about Banana Protein Pancakes for a while now, and finally decided to jump on the bandwagon. 

We used a basic recipe from Skeleton Undressed, and decided to improvise with our own style and flavors. 

Ingredients:

1 Scoop Vega-One Vanilla Chai Protein Powder (or any protein powder of your choice. This one is Vegan and Paleo friendly).
2 Egg Whites
1 Whole Egg
1 Extra Large Ripe Smashed Banana
1 Handful Vegan chocolate chips (or regular, if you prefer)

Allergen Swap-Outs:

-For Vegans: Use almond milk instead of eggs. Start by adding half a cup and increase until desired consistency. 

Directions:

1) Step One: Mash banana.
  

2) Step Two: Mix in protein powder, egg, banana, and chocolate chips.

3) Step Three: "Grease" pan with Pam or other cooking spray and spoon mix onto pan.

4) Step Four: After flipping your tasty treat (a general rule of thumb of when to flip the pancake over is when little bubbles pop up), plate that pancake!

5) Step Five: ENJOY! These pancakes don't need syrup! Trust us! BUT use whatever spread or syrup you like :)