Truly's Natural Deodorant: Good Enough to Eat

If you are within an earshot of a tv, radio, computer or smart phone you've probably heard the latest news on Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy.  This procedure reduced her risk from getting breast cancer from 87% to 5%.

I will now climb up on my proverbial soap box because this is my blog/soap box. Cancer is caused by all sorts of factors these days or at least it seems like it to me.  There are some easy things we - yes you & me - can do to prevent it.   It starts with paying as much attention to what we put ON our body as to what we put IN our bodies.

I've posted about safe products before & how I try my best to use only  good-for-me products. But I'm not perfect, sometimes I have to err on the side of what works instead of what's most natural.  This was true when looking for natural deodorant. Many deodorants on the shelf today contain aluminum which is linked to cancer. The deodorant & antiperspirant world has us believing that rubbing aluminum based formulas on our 'pits is the only way to stay clean, dry & stink-free.  Who cares if aluminum is linked to cancer if I'm not sweating or smelly? Me! That's who!  Hence why the idea of rubbing a cancer causing agent on my armpit close to my breasts just doesn't sit well with me. 

The good news is there is a deodorant god, her name is Truly. Truly's Natural Deodorant is the answer to my natural deodorant prayers. I'm an totally convinced & converted. I think this product is so nice that I blogged about it twice (read my other post here).

Truly's Natural Deodorant is made with just four ingredients: organic coconut oil, powdered sugar (sugar, cornstarch), baking soda, beeswax.  I have cooked with, ingested and digested all of these ingredients & I can say this without fear of what may happen to me because they're all completely natural & safe.

Not convinced yet? Here's some other reasons you'll love Truly's Natural Deodorant:

1. It smells delicious. It smells like cookies - yes cookies but it doesn't leave you smelling like your deodorant - you know what I mean if you've ever rubbed one of those deodorant solids on that come in a blue tube on your 'pits.
2. It's long-lasting. Just rub a small amount on clean pits in the morning & you're good for the day.
3. It's small enough to stash in your purse & TSA friendly to bring on that tropical vacation.

I'm so happy that this is now part of my daily routine.  If you'd like to opt out of preventative surgeries (like me!) make this simple change today & use an aluminum-free deodorant. You can get Truly's Natural Deodorant online or if you're in NYC (& soon DC) you can pick it up at any Shobha Location.

Easy Naan Bread Pizza with Veggies, Eggs & Goat Cheese

Inspired by Oh My Veggies recent pizza post & the leftovers in my fridge, I conjured up this dinner for one while dining solo the other night.  This is one of those meals that you can eat for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or linner or whatever time it is.

Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower with Toasted Garlic

I love, ahem loved, Whole Living Magazine. Sadly it has folded with most of the other great glossies of it's time. I recently received a letter in the mail saying they (the good publishing people) would fulfill the rest of my Whole Living subscription with Everyday Rachel Ray. My immediate reaction was - it's not the same. And while it isn't the same I'm warming up to it &  have found some good recipes in it like the Roasted Broccoli with Toasted Garlic one.

We had a head of broccoli & a head of cauliflower in our fridge so I used the combination with my new found recipe.

What's your favorite lifestyle magazine? Would love to learn about your recommendations, please comment below with your favorite!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

My nephews call chicken wings or any boned chicken, "chicken on the bone." We now call it that at our house too. We always seem to pick up a package of wings or boned thighs when it's on sale. Usually it's nothing to blog about because it usually tastes like nothing & took too long (in my book) to cook.  This time it was different. Maybe it was the onset of warm weather on Friday or the stars aligned or something but finally there was something to blog about.

If you don't eat chicken you can put this sauce on anything like grilled or steam veggies, maybe some potatoes or just some toasted bread.  Chris called this garlic Parmesan chicken my best chicken on the bone, I think it was simply because the chicken acted as a delivery vehicle for the sauce but I'll take it regardless. 

T.G.I.F.

How cute is this puppy? No, he's not mine. I snapped this photo at the Hoboken Art & Music festival last weekend & had to share it. Look at those wrinkles & that paw!

What are you up to this weekend? Hope you have a great one it's supposed to be "summer-like" in the North East today - I'll take it!

Happy Mother's Day to all those great mamas out there! 

Zucchini Pasta e Fagioli

I've always been a fan of pasta e fagioli (often butchered by Italian-Americans like myself as something that sounds like pasta fazool).  In plain English it's pasta with beans. My mom used to make it with tomatoes, garlic & those short cut noodles or tiny elbow macaroni.

When I have a fridge full of produce I try to use it so I don't lose it. We had some zucchini in the fridge which lead me to this new (to me) take on pasta e fagioli, I call it zucchini pasta e fagioli. I left the dried pasta in it's box & shaved my zucchini into wide noodles instead (similar to here) - making it gluten-free pasta my friends (& Auntie Pat).  It's a very rustic dish which is code for it's not super pretty but it tastes really good, so serve it just after sunset when the light is that cool blue color & you're too hungry to care about how it looks.

Spring Salmon with Almonds, Avocado & Strawberries

'Tis the season for sweet strawberries & ripe avocado.  Since we've been eating salmon once a week in our house I try to change up the way we eat it. I use this no-fail-perfect-salmon recipe every time.  Last night I topped our salmon with some fresh sliced avocado, strawberries & almond slivers. To finish I drizzled some extra virgin olive oil on top & seasoned each portion with a pinch of salt & pepper. Et voila dinner a pretty spring salmon dinner.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 (1 pound) salmon fillet, (if it doesn't fit in your skillet, cut it so it does)
• 1 avocado
• 6 strawberries
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Make it!

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, place a large (12-inch) cast-iron pan over high heat for 5 minutes.
3. Brush the salmon all over with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, & place in the the pan skin side up.
4. Cook fish for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them until browned.
5. Turn the salmon skin side down, I used tongs to gently pull & flip each piece or you can use a spatula.
6. Transfer the pan to the oven for 8 minutes.
7. The salmon will not be completely cooked through yet. Remove the salmon from the oven & cover with foil for about 5 minutes, this will complete the cooking without drying out the salmon.
8. Slice the avocado (use this trick!) & the strawberries. 
9. Just before serving, plate each dish with the half the salmon.
10. Position the half the sliced avocado & strawberries neatly on top of each piece.
11. Sprinkle with almonds.
12. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each piece & season with salt & pepper.