Over the last few months, the diet and health industry has been alive with the vegan buzz. However, being a Vegan is more than just a diet. Many people on a plant-based diet don’t have the same strict rules as a true vegan. Veganism is a lifestyle where you remove anything that has derived from an animal out of your life. This includes any makeup or clothing too.   

While I’m not vegan by any means, I can’t deny that having plant-based meals / days is good for my body. We have lived by the belief that humans are supposed to be meat-eaters. Vegans need protein, and the best source of that is through meat. However, this isn’t necessarily true. Legumes, which make up a family of products rich in protein are often used as part of the feed we let our cows feast on. Have you seen a cow? They are muscles on legs. Legumes are highly rich in protein and are far less harmful to your body than meat.

Recent studies have proved that by reducing your meat intake, you can control several chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. There is also a reduction in certain types of cancer in those that follow a plant-based diet. This alone is enough to make you consider switching over to a whole-food, vegan diet. 

There are other benefits too. Recently several major athletes and weightlifters have switched to a plant-based diet reporting they have more energy, fewer injuries and reduction of inflammation. Lewis Hamilton, the British, five-time Formula One Champion is just one of a recent influx of athletes who have changed their diets for improved performance and resistance. 

With demand, supply has increased, and now there are a number of plant-based alternatives across many restaurants and supermarkets, even the corner shops have stepped up and offered a far more varied product range for the consumers. You can also buy vegan mince or vegan sausages made from natural, and non-meat derived ingredients. This makes it easier for us to live a plant-based diet, even when we are on the road or trying to navigate a busy lifestyle. 

If you are looking for a healthier lifestyle but have shied away from vegan diets because you don’t have an issue with wearing leather and you quite enjoy a steak from time to time, then maybe you could consider a plant-based diet with a little cheat from time to time. They say a bit of everything is good for you. Perhaps moderation is the key. You could look at mixing the plant-based and the 5:2 diet. Eating no meat during the week and then allowing yourself fish or chicken on the weekend. 

There are multiple ways we can incorporate the benefits of a plant-based diet into our daily lives without making huge sacrifices every day of the week. The benefits from your vegan-only days will probably make you feel so good about yourself that you will naturally stick to a plant-based diet. Why not give it a go today?

There are very few drinks that come with their own specific brand of drink ware, but everyone knows that if you order a Moscow Mule, it better come in a frosted copper mug. Since Moscow Mules are probably my favorite cocktail (I just love me some ginger beer), I own a couple of copper mugs, and I’ve noticed that unless i’m making a mule of some sort, they sit in my bar collecting dust, which is just such a shame. Copper mugs are so pretty, and so I decided to come up with some ways you can use your copper mug starting from the moment you wake up, to right before you go to bed. 

**Note, the good people at Moscow Muled sent me this copper mug to try out, so I’m going to use their mug exclusively for this post**

Morning

Iced Coffee

Why have your morning iced coffee or cold brew in a regular glass when you can take it up a notch and enjoy it in a copper mug? Here’s a quick cold brew recipe: In a mason jar or small pitcher, combine 3/4 cup coarsely-ground coffee and 4 cups of water and stir gently. Let sit out on the counter for 8-12 hours or in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Use a coffee filter to strain out the coffee grounds and enjoy your cold brew over ice. I like mine black, but you can also make a simple syrup using equal parts sugar and water, boiled until the sugar dissolves. Boom. Starbucks ain’t got nothin’ on you.

Bloody Mary

If you prefer something a little boozier in the morning (hey, I ain’t judging), a bloody mary is a perfect beverage to enjoy in your copper mug. You can make your own mix or use a tried-and-true pre-made mix (like Charleston’s Own!) and then get creative with your toppings. Keep it simple with celery or go crazy and use a skewer to add anything from pickled okra to boiled shrimp to even a whole biscuit. The world’s your oyster (hey, why not throw some oysters in there while you’re at it). 

Smoothie Bowl

I love a good smoothie bowl, and they couldn’t be easier to put together. All you need is some fresh or frozen fruit, protein powder (if you want, this is definitely optional), some water or juice, and whatever toppings you’re into. Here’s my normal smoothie recipe: 1 cup frozen mixed berries. 1-2 scoops whey protein powder. Enough water to cover the fruit (usually about a cup to a cup and a half). I sometimes will add a tsp of turmeric if I want to feel extra healthy, or açaí if I happen to have some. Blend and pour your smoothie into a copper mug. I usually top mine with fresh berries, unsweetened dried coconut, hemp seeds, and cacao nibs, crushed walnuts. Bonus, it’s so beautiful you almost won’t want to eat it. (Almost).

Afternoon

Iced Sweet Tea

Hi, I’m Sydney and I love sweet tea. I might make some fellow southerners clutch their pearls when I say this, but usually I brew my tea without sugar and instead make a separate thing of simple syrup and add it to the tea when I pour it into my cup. The tea will keep longer, plus sometimes I want more sugar than other times, so when I want it a little sweeter, I can make it happen. I also like to make different flavored simple syrups which makes it seem like i’ve made different teas and keep me from getting bored. I usually have raspberry, rosemary, and mint simple syrups (as well as a plain, unflavored one) in my fridge that I use when I want to mix things up. 

Grits

Y’all. Grits are so good. The key to really great grits is to not use instant grits and then add in a bunch of cream, garlic, salt, and cheese. Let it cool a bit and then pour it into your copper mug (copper mugs really transmit heat, so you’ll want it to be cool enough to handle or else you’ll burn your hand). I usually top my grits with more cheese and some sliced scallions (and maybe a finishing salt if I’m feeling fancy). It really makes your grits feel a lot more elevated than normal. 

G+T

I. Love. Gin. ilovegin. If you don’t love gin, you’re wrong. One thing I learned from my grandmother, is that it’s important to celebrate happy hour every day right at 5pm on the dot with a gin and tonic (or in my case, a gin and Topo Chico, another obsession of mine). She and my grandfather were both really particular about their gins (he would only drink Beefeater and she will only drink Tanqueray). I am not as particular (although Hendrick’s is probably my favorite), and there are few things more refreshing than an afternoon G+T. I make mine with some Topo Chico and a splash of simple syrup (rosemary simple syrup is my fave).

Evening

Margarita

Tequila and I used to be really good friends, but we had a falling out after college. Nowadays, I really only like tequila in a margarita or a paloma (or something else that hides the flavor of the tequila). I prefer my margaritas on the rocks rather than frozen, although either way lends itself really well to being served in a copper mug.

Chocolate Milkshake 

End your day by treating your sweet tooth to something a little special. Make yourself a sundae or a chocolate milkshake (in a blender, add chocolate ice cream and a few splashes of milk. Or vanilla ice cream, a few splashes of milk, and chocolate syrup). I like to top mine with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Caring for your copper mug:

This brand of copper mug is made with 100% food-safe copper, lined with stainless steel. The outside will get a patina on the outside because of the oxidation, but you can get it back to shiny with a slice of lemon and some salt. Simply sprinkle a pinch of salt on a slice of lemon, allow the salt to dissolve, and then gently rub it on the surface of your mug. The lemon and salt will form a mixture that will naturally remove the patina and restore the copper’s shine. Once done, rinse with water and dry well. Handwashing is best so opt for that, with lukewarm water and a soft cloth, instead of the dishwasher. 

However you decide to use your copper mug–whether for food and drink, decorating your home bar, or holding pens or supplies on your desk–you’ll love your high-quality copper mug from Moscow Muled!

If quarantine has put you in a position where you need to start cooking, but you don’t know where to begin then don’t worry, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Learning how to cook can take time and dedication. Luckily, there are lots of ways in which you can ensure your skills are improving each and every day. From starting with super simple recipes to asking your friends and family for advice, the more you’re doing to improve your skills the better. With that in mind, here are 5 top tips for first-time cooks: 

Start With Some Simple Meals

One of the best ways to ensure you’re not overwhelmed by cooking is to start by doing simple meals. Whether that means cooking an easy chicken pasta or a simple Ceaser salad, starting small will give you a chance to practice your technique. Not only that, but it will give you the time you need to get used to reading recipes. For chicken and pasta recipes, you can visit this site here. 

Ask Friends And Family For Inspiration

If you know that your friends and family love to cook, you may want to consider asking them for advice. Whether they share some of their favorite recipes or they teach you some of the absolute basics, you will be able to pick up lots of tips and tricks from those around you. If you need help with a specific recipe, it might be worth getting them to talk you through how they would make it. 

Research Lots Of Recipes Online 

Another great way to help when it comes to learning how to cook easier is to research lots of different recipes you would like to try online. Although you may not try them all right away, having a list of different things you would like to try as you improve your skills will definitely help when it comes to motivation. If you need tips and tricks when it comes to following recipes, you may want to out this website. 

Make Sure You Have The Right Utensils 

If you’re going to be cooking each and every day, you need to ensure you have the right utensils. From pots and pans to spoons and strainers, the more you have the better. 

Stock Up On Store Cupboard Essentials 

Finally, you also need to ensure you have all of the store cupboard essentials. Whether that means stocking up on spices or always having fresh garlic, you need to decide what is essential to you. Usually, it’s the stuff you use time and time again. 

With lots of simple ways to start improving your skills as a first-time cook, you can be sure you’re off to a good start. What will you be cooking first? Did we miss any tips and tricks off the list? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

During this time of uncertainty, many of us are trying to become better home chefs so as not to order delivery every single night. Cooking is a wonderful skill to have, and it’s a lot of fun too. Cooking is something that can be fun because it allows you to create delicious things for you and those around you to eat. However, if you are new to the cooking scene and you are looking for some advice, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading if you want to find out more.

Start With The Basics

The first thing that we suggest is that you start with the basics. Start with what you know, and if that’s nothing, then you need to look up the basics of cooking so that you can get started. There are a few basic things that you are going to need to be able to do before you can start creating culinary masterpieces. One of these is how to cut properly. As you know, cooking involves a lot of sharp knives, so knowing how to cut food is important. The best thing you can do is use the bridge technique if you are a beginner to make sure that you don’t cut your fingers in the process. To do this, you simply place your hands like a bridge on the item and then cut in between. It’s simple and means that you are less likely to get hurt. Youtube is a great resource when trying to learn new knife skills or other cooking basics.

Of course, there are other basics that you need to know, so you can look these up to make sure that you are well prepared for the life of cooking.

Recipes Will Help

The next thing that we advise you to do is look up recipes like the ones that you can find on blogs such as Giadzi. The reason for this is that they are going to help you figure out what kind of meals you like, even if you have never tried them before. Beware, though, sometimes you will look at a recipe and think that the mixture of ingredients sounds gross, but really it is delicious. If you think the meal sounds nice, and you like what is in it, then you should try and make it to see what it’s like. For example, plenty of people don’t like celery, but there is celery in a lot of food, and you just don’t notice when it is blended with all the other flavors.

Experimenting Is Awesome

Finally, experimenting is so much fun, and it is one of the best parts of cooking. Once you get used to following recipes, and there are a few things that you can make, you might want to start experimenting with certain flavors or types of dishes. You’re the one who’s going to be eating them, so make sure that it is something that sounds appealing to you. When you are experimenting, you also want to take notice of smell because this can give you a good indication of what’s going on in the pot. Not everything smells nice though, so while you should take notice, don’t hang everything on it.

Always Try To Learn New Things – Even If You’re Quite The Expert

You’re never going to know everything in this world. Even celebrity chefs who have been there and done it will have areas that they’re not comfortable with due to a lack of knowledge. If you continually enter cooking as though you’re a beginner, then you’ll actively choose to soak up all the right knowledge. Even some of the ideas that you would have never thought of like asking ‘can you air fry a pizza’? The more things like this that enter your mind, the more competent you’ll be overall.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have some advice for if you are going to start being a home chef. Enjoy yourself, and share you recipes below!

When all of your favorite fruits are in season, it can be so hard to find the opportunity to taste them all. Far too few people know how to enjoy fruit by incorporating it into their daily meals, as you really don’t have to consume raw, untouched produce when you can opt for an alternative that maximizes flavor. Whether you want a sweet treat for breakfast, a nutritious and filling lunch or a light bite for dinner, there’s always a way to include your favorite fruits! So, if you want to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best tips and tricks that you can make the most of today!

Breakfast 

Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day for several different reasons, and those of you who skip breakfast or even opt for a processed snack to fill your hunger will no doubt feel the effects as the morning progresses. Opting to include fruit in your morning meal will be the perfect end to your over night fast, as the slow release of energy will no doubt set you up until lunch time.

Blueberries and raspberries work well in transforming an otherwise dull bowl of porridge, whilst a smear of strawberry jam and sliced banana can take your toast to a whole new level. If you’re after a liquid start to the day, say good bye to the processed, sugar filled venti iced latte that you might usually go for and dig out a blender to fill with frozen fruit for the perfect vitamin kick. 

Lunch 

There’s no better feeling then clocking out to go and eat a delicious homemade lunch after a long and stressful morning, so don’t devalue your health and head to a fast food outlet to curb your cravings. Luckily, there are many ways that you can incorporate fruit into your lunchtime meal, even if you’re after a more savory snack.

Slice an apple into dipping size chunks and pair with a pot of peanut butter for protein packed side, or add pomegranate seeds to your salad to spice things up and add a pop of color. Pasta with lemon and avocado is another delicious idea that you might like to try, as there are many ways that you can incorporate fruit and pasta for a really tasty meal. 

Dinner 

Your evening meal should be the smallest meal of the day, as you no longer need to fuel up to power through any work or other responsibilities. One of the best ways that you can include fruit in your evening meal is to provide yourself with 2 small courses to offer a savory break from all of the sweetness, to then finish off with a small but yummy dessert that can give you one of your 5 a day.

An amazing dessert idea that you might want to try is this mini fruit tart recipe, as you can have as many different types of fruit and berries that you like to create a colorful and unique pastry dish.