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How To Host A Perfect Gluten-Free Holiday Dinner

Post author By Tara Teaspoon
Post date November 1, 2018

Sponsored content by Argo.
Hosting a holiday feast for your whole gang can feel intimidating, even when none of your nearest and dearest have dietary restrictions. But making dinner when one or more guests is gluten-free can really throw you. It used to rattle me, and cooking is my career! But I now know making a delicious, entirely gluten-free holiday meal is totally possible, fun, and, dare I say, easy. You just need to stock your pantry smartly and have a few so-delicious-you’ll-never-know-they’re-GF recipes in your back pocket.
I started experimenting with gluten-free holiday recipes years ago, when we discovered my brother had celiac disease (an autoimmune disease that can cause damage to the small intestine in those who eat gluten) and we learned he had to stay away from that protein. We soon realized gluten was in almost everything we ate, including holiday favorites like stuffing, pie, and cookies.
We’ve had many GF feasts since my brother’s diagnosis, and everyone leaves our holiday table happy, grateful, and stuffed. Now I’m sharing my secrets (including a 30-minute recipe for Gluten-Free Sausage-Apple Stuffing Casserole that’s bound to be the star of your holiday spread) so your family can do the same!

Secret #1: Make these smart switcheroos!

You’ll want to take a peek in your pantry and stash problematic foods away while you’re hosting. Gluten-free folks can’t have traditional breads, pastas, pastries, cookies, pie crusts, or crackers. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up baking—more on that later!
You may be surprised to learn soy sauce, gravy, and thick sauces can also contain gluten, as do foods and drinks that have barley, malt, or rye. Even the canned frosting you use on your Christmas cookies may have gluten lurking within.
To avoid laboring over a dish that can’t be enjoyed by everyone at the table, turn to these smart swaps for your holiday staples:

Gluten-Free Pantry Swaps

Instead of ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, try: CORNSTARCH to make a gluten-free baking blend
Instead of 2 Tbsp. FLOUR to thicken gravy, try: 1 Tbsp. CORNSTARCH
Instead of PIE CRUST, try: a cookie-crumb crust with PACKAGED GF COOKIES
Instead of SALAD CROUTONS, try: NUTS or LARGE, TOASTED COCONUT FLAKES for crunch
Instead of BREAD for making leftover turkey sandwiches, try: quesadillas made with CORN TORTILLAS

Secret #2: Use this super-ingredient in your sauces and sides!

Both stuffing and saucy side dishes are often no-nos for gluten-free guests—the stuffing because of the bread, of course, and the sides because of the flour used to thicken them. With a simple swap, though, you can make your fave sides a-okay for everyone at the table. Argo® corn starch—the ingredient that adds crispy texture to sautéed veggies, structure to pie fillings, and lovely body to crusts and cookies—is a brilliant GF flour replacement for thickening roux and sauces. I keep Argo at the ready for my holiday meals, adding about half as much cornstarch as I would flour. It elevates my recipes into crowd pleasers that no one would ever know are GF.
This season, I used Argo corn starch to create a GF holiday side dish of my dreams. This sausage and apple casserole tastes just like mom’s stuffing with a little gravy drizzled on top. The crunchy, cheesy topping takes the place of crusty breadcrumbs. I added cubes of fennel and squash so everyone gets their veggies in, too.
This casserole gets made in a skillet while the topping bakes in the oven. Have your vegetables chopped, and you’ll be ready to serve it hot in 30 minutes. It’s delicious alongside holiday staples like turkey, roast, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, or my flavorful Brussels Sprouts with Apricots and Pistachios.

Gluten-Free Sausage-Apple Stuffing Casserole

Serves: 6 to 8

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for the Filling:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 links sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup (3 stalks) celery, diced
1 cup (1 medium) onion, diced
1 cup diced apple
1 cup diced fennel
1 cup diced butternut squash
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. mustard powder
1 Tbsp. fresh minced sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Ingredients for the Topping:

¾ cup finely chopped almonds
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
½ tsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. milk

Method:

Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add sausage and cook, breaking into small pieces, until just browning, about 5 minutes.
Add the celery, onion, apple, fennel, butternut squash, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix the spices, broth, and cornstarch and add the mixture to the skillet.
Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are tender and sauce is thick—about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, for the topping, mix together the almonds, Parmesan, paprika, cornstarch, butter, and milk until a batter forms.
Spread batter to 1/8” thickness on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Use another sheet of parchment to flatten the batter onto the pan, then remove the second sheet.)
Bake topping until golden brown—about 15 minutes—while the filling simmers. Remove from the oven.
Remove filling from the heat and stir in grated cheese.
Transfer filling to a 2- or 3-qt casserole dish and spread evenly. Crumble topping and sprinkle over entire casserole. Serve hot.

Secret #3: Make your own easy, GF baking blend.

What’s a holiday dinner without dessert? I’ve come up with some yummy GF sweets over the years, like using GF pretzels for the crust on my Chocolate Covered Pretzel Cream Pie and decorating cookies with a homemade Fluffy Vanilla Frosting since the store-bought kind contains gluten. You can also make GF versions of your favorite, tried-and-true pies, cakes, and cookies by whipping up your own all-purpose flour substitute.
I make this Gluten-Free Flour Mix from Argo in multiple batches at the holidays and keep it airtight for baking days. It gives my cookies and crusts the best texture. Storebought GF flour mixes often have preservatives added, but by making my own version, I know exactly what’s in it—just four ingredients.
Rice flour, potato starch, and xantham gum can be found in the health food section of your supermarket. (Xantham gum may also be in the supplement section of your health food store. It’s a wonderful binding ingredient that acts like the glutinous proteins you’re missing when cooking GF.) Try using this blend instead of the packaged GF flour mix called for in holiday specials like Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Cutouts and Gluten-Free Pie Crust.
Guaranteed, when your friends and family finally push away from the table, they’ll be asking you for your recipes (and an invite for next year!).

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Health x Body Wellbeing

5 Ways Finally Getting Enough Sleep Changed Me As A Person

Post author By Diana Vilibert
Post date September 25, 2018

Sponsored content by tulo.
On my nightstand, I have a sleep mask gathering dust, a light therapy lamp that I’ve never once plugged in, and a diffuser filled with lavender essential oil and probably mold. Basically, I’m a sleep optimist. I know about sleep hygiene. I crave a relaxing nighttime routine and consistent sleep and wake-up schedule. But in reality, I just sort of tumble into bed sometime between midnight and 3 a.m., sleepwalk my way through the morning after hitting snooze a dozen times, wonder why I’m tired all day, and do it all over again.
I’m in good company—research from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention shows that a third of us are sleep-slackers, getting less than seven hours of shuteye a night, the minimum recommended for health and wellbeing. But that doesn’t make me any less delirious.
So when the makers of tulo, a new mattress designed to support your specific sleep style, offered to let me try out one of their dreamy memory foam mattresses if I promised to get a solid eight hours of sleep every night for a week, I was into it. (Heads up: If you get overheated in the wee hours like me and are nervous about memory foam mattresses, both a cooling layer and an airflow layer in each tulo keep you nice and chill.)
Here’s what happened during my week of blissful rest. Spoiler: Sleep is very nice and good!

My 3 p.m. hangries were MIA.

Just one night of skimping on sleep messes with the hormones that regulate how hungry you feel and how quickly you register fullness when you’re eating the next day. Translation: You wake up with pizza on your mind and in your heart, and you absolutely, desperately need chocolate and salty chips in the afternoon.
While no amount of sleep will turn me into one of those people who “forgot to eat,” I did feel infinitely more satisfied with my healthy-ish lunch and didn’t feel the need to go snack grazing after a night on the tulo.

I was on top of my game at work.

Those aforementioned 3 p.m. munchies? They usually come with a side of very heavy eyelids. And for a freelance writer like me, that grogginess can end up meaning a “work” day that is mostly just naps, imposter syndrome-induced mood spirals, and a little light crying in between episodes of Frasier. (So I’ve been told. Not that I’ve ever had a day like that.)
Research backs me up—studies have shown that a rotten night of sleep can wreak havoc on attention, focus, and performance. So this week, when the freelance heavens opened up and assignments rained down, I was grateful I had the mental energy to take them all on and hit my deadlines.

I went to the gym. Twice! In the morning!

Please, hold your applause. Was I disappointed that, after weeks of no-showing at my local sports club, I wasn’t welcomed back with a marching band weaving through the ellipticals? Of course. But my self-satisfaction at making it there at all (twice!) was enough. Turns out that a quality eight hours of sleep leaves you well-rested enough that you can actually get out of bed the first time your alarm goes off, and starting the day with the time and willpower to work out feels better than hitting snooze so many times that your cat thinks you’re dead and starts trying to boop you awake.
Bonus: My back didn’t feel 200 years old when I woke up. I usually change positions (aka thrash around violently) while I sleep. This quiz from tulo steered me to their medium firmness mattress—a perfect balance of supportive and cushiony for my middle-of-the-night American Ninja Warrior moves.

I wore eyeshadow.

Sure, some people wake up early enough to catch the sunrise, meditate, pop the wholesome ingredients for a Paleo dinner into their slow cooker, pack bento-box lunches for their herd, go for a run, and take their kids to school all before starting their days. But have they ever tried to make both of their eyes the exact same degree of smokey?
Ok, I’m starting small, but having a chunk of extra time and energy for skincare and grooming felt pretty great, especially when I’m used to completely skimping on self-care and/or kind of sleepily trudging through the process of trying to make myself look presentable. Next challenge: liquid eyeliner.

I cracked a smile before 10 a.m.

Sleep research shows we feel more irritable, angry, and hostile and less friendly and empathic when we’re sleep deprived. This low mood is fairly impenetrable–we’re less likely to even derive an emotional boost from a positive experience or achievement when we’re tired.
Now, did a week sleeping in tulo’s welcoming embrace spur me to look like the “after” sequence of a commercial for allergy medication? No, I didn’t become ecstatic about gardening or stroll through a wheat field hand in hand with anyone. But I did have noticeably more pep first thing in the morning and found myself being more chatty with strangers and friends and agreeable with coworkers throughout the day. I’d call that a success!

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Fresh Fashion Lifestyle Uncategorized

Wildfang Is The Feminist Brand That Designs For Every Body

Post author By Maggie Tyson
Post date August 10, 2018

Out of Office is a regular feature of brands we love—and we think you will too! Each of the brands we highlight must meet three criteria: 1) have a woman in charge; 2) create sustainably, responsibly, and thoughtfully; and 3) fit in with the lives we’re actually living. Read on to find out more about this week’s brand, the lady behind it all, and the advice she has for women everywhere.

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It happens all the time. You walk into a store and it just doesn’t seem like anything is your style, so you leave empty-handed. And if your style or size doesn’t happen to fit into the neat little boxes of women’s fashion (as deemed by the glossies), you likely struggle even more.
That’s exactly what happened in 2010 when Emma Mcilroy, co-founder and CEO of Wildfang, was on the hunt for a bold graphic tee. When nothing in the women’s department was working, she headed to the men’s section, where she found a great shirt with a suggestive pic of Kate Moss on it. She was in love! And then she realized it wouldn’t fit her.
“Ems, why don’t they make this shit for us?” her friend implored. And Emma said, “Jules, why don’t we start a clothing company that allows women to wear whatever the hell they want?” And her friend said, “Yeah, maybe,” which was enough. So they decided to make that shit for them (them meaning all women). And they called it Wildfang.

Wildfang is German for “tomboy.” In an interview with Racked when Wildfang first started, Emma explained that for herself and co-founders Julia Parsley and Taralyn Thuot, tomboy “stands for a real fun-loving, cheeky, carefree, positive, bold girl that I think many of us aspire to be when we’re at our best,” and “sums up, loosely, that menswear-inspired vibe that we’re going after.” Wildfang wants to empower women by “smashing gender roles” through the clothing they sell.
With the recent widespread resurgence of feminist sentiment the internet over, Wildfang has continued to ride the wave and do what they’ve always done: design cool shit for women. Wildfang makes their own clothing and also acts as a boutique for other badass brands. They’re inclusive in their sizing too, making sure that their stuff isn’t just for the slimmer figures of the world.

Their presence in the space has given them a political voice as well. Emma said in a Forbes article: “I never intended Wildfang to be political—but then I also never intended it to be political to be a woman.” Wildfang doesn’t just make statement tees and yell into an echo chamber; they also make tangible change by donating to causes they feel passionate about.
They made major headlines when they produced the “I Really Care, Don’t U?” jacket in response to Melania Trump’s jacket fiasco. Rather than just criticize Melania’s (ridiculous) choice to wear her “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket while visiting detained immigrant children, Wildfang created their own spin as a t-shirt with the goal to raise $100,000 for RAICES, a non-profit that provides immigrants and refugees with legal aid and services. (In the end, they raised $250K.)
In addition, Wildfang has donated $100,000 to save the last abortion clinic in South Dakota and $75,000 to Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and Tegan and Sara Foundation, among others. Proceeds from their “Wild Feminist” collection also give back to a different charity each month. That’s some serious coin going to those incredibly important causes.

Wildfang is about more than selling a style of clothing missing from the mainstream fashion market. They empower women with clothing to feel their best, most confident, most authentic self, and they use their pieces to make statements. As Emma said in one interview, “Fashion has been historically a very political way to express our views.” It’s clear that Wildfang takes that seriously.

HealthyWay’s Picks From Wildfang

Where to even begin? (Seriously, they have a ton of stuff and it’s all so frickin’ cool. So picking out my faves was a toughy.) I decided to limit myself to things just made by Wildfang, but they also sell pieces from brands like RVCA, Hips & Hair, and Bridge & Burn.
I’m pretty reserved when it comes to fashion: I tend to dress in neutrals with clean lines and few patterns. And yet this shirt exists. The Ultimate WF Cat Button Up is truly incredible and I only lament that I didn’t find it sooner.
And now I’m back to my regularly scheduled programming with this black on black Wild Feminist tee. I love how it’s subtle but still carries a strong message for those who choose to pay attention. That’s probably a metaphor for something.
The Wild Feminist crop pants are too damn cool. I didn’t realize until I inspected closely that the grid print is actually made up of text that says “Wild Feminist” over and over. Brilliant! That’s a pattern I can get down with.
You better believe that I’ll be outfitting my daughter in this kids tee. She’s all about girl power, so this is the perfect shirt for her to wear as she heads into first grade this fall.
And finally, I had to include these Wild Feminist sparkle pens. (I’m a pen and planner addict.) When something as simple as a pen can share a message and it has sparkles, I am all over it.

Q+A With Emma Mcilroy

What’s your why behind the brand? What inspired you to start your company?

My best friend and I were shopping in the men’s department at a local clothing store—I was shopping for a bold, provocative graphic tee—which you never find in women’s section. Everything there is always floral and bohemian. My best friend wanted a cool blazer and found one she loved in the men’s department but it was way too big for her. That got us thinking—why are there certain styles you aren’t allowed to wear because of your gender? Why are women restricted from buying certain styles? So we decided to change that. We decided to start a company that allows women to express themselves however the hell they want.

Walk us through your typical work day.

There is no typical day! I’ll give you an example of how yesterday went—started at 8:30 a.m. with a four-hour offsite with my eCommerce team to do a SWOT analysis of our website and plan our web development roadmap for fall 2018. Immediately after that, I had an HR meeting with a staff member about promoting them into a new role. Next I did a quick interview for a radio station. I then met with our Amazon consultant to brainstorm ways to grow our Amazon business and set sales forecast for rest of 2018.
My day in the office ended with a review of the creative direction for H1 2019—reviewing the key trends, colors, materials for the spring and summer seasons. I finally got an hour to do emails and grab food before I headed over to our Free Speech event at our store. I’m the host and the event is phenomenal. I got home around 10 p.m.

What’s up next for your company?

We’re actually getting ready to open an LA location this fall, are giving back TONS of money ($250K) to RAICES from our “I Really Care” collection in response to Melania Trump’s “I Really Don’t Care Jacket,” and getting ready to release some killer suits for fall.

We are also working really hard on our product right now to improve the fit and the quality but also expand the sizing range so more women can access it. Our new suiting goes up to size 20 and we’re psyched about how awesome it looks. The long-term goal is to be her favorite brand and make a huge impact on our community.

If you had to pick just one of your pieces as your favorite, which would it be and why?

It would be the Wild Feminist tee. That shirt always makes me feel bolder and braver. I wear it when I need a little confidence boost.

Five-Minute Mentor Session

What’s your best advice for our readers?

Surround yourself with only the best people who 100 percent share your vision. If you can build great teams with shared vision you will ALWAYS win. You need a #yeahmaybe crew.

What’s your favorite way to practice self-care?

By turning off my phone. Emails and social media create stress and distraction. When my phone is off, my mind clears.

Balance or harmony?

Balance.

How do you define wellness?

Wellness applies to body, mind, and emotional health. All three have to work together. When one is damaged they all suffer. Wellness is connected to balance and regeneration for me. I try to make room for both.

What book do you think all women need to read?

I don’t know if there’s one book, but The Untethered Soul really helped me. It’s all about letting go. I also loved Peace Pilgrim. Both changed my life.

Pick your fuel of choice: Coffee, tea, or something else?

Black tea, ideally an Assam

What’s your ideal day off of work?

Going to the Oregon Coast with my wife. I love the sea so much.

What was your first job?

I had two: working in my dad’s shop and also being a bartender at local social club.

What has been your biggest obstacle in building your company and how did you overcome it?

People. It’s always about motivating and identifying a team. I never settle for anything less than the best for a role. And I never settle for someone who is not a cultural fit. Get the people right and you get everything else right.

How do you stay motivated?

Our mission and our customers keep me motivated. They are why we get up every day and work hard.

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Shop Wildfang on their website and check out their Instagram.

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Healthy Her Way

Activist And Amma Emily Baldoni

Post author By Lindsey Fiala
Post date August 10, 2018

Love. Endless amounts of love. That is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the empowering woman we’re highlighting in this week’s Healthy Her Way feature. Whether it’s expressing her love for her family, the AMMA community, or the women all over the world she has yet to meet, it seems as though Emily Baldoni has a heart the size of California.
Though you may have heard of Emily as a Swedish actress or the adored wife of Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni, she is not defined by her celebrity. Emily is also a mother, entrepreneur, and activist who’s actively leveraging the limelight (and working on life-changing projects) to make the world a better place for all.
Have I mentioned that Emily is a badass mom? Emily welcomed her eldest youngin, Maiya, into the world after 35 hours of active labor during a drug-free home birth according to her talk about the spiritual power of the feminine qualities for BahaiTeaching.org. During her speech, Emily discusses how both men and women should embrace feminine qualities and celebrate just how strong women really are (tell ’em, sis). Justin also gave a similar presentation as a TED Talk—now that’s a power couple!
One of Emily’s many impactful initiatives is her service as a board member for the Skid Row Carnival of Love—founded by Justin—which strives to shine a light on the homelessness in Los Angeles’ Skid Row area and to provide often overlooked individuals with the resources they need. The success of this annual event proves that people from various backgrounds can come together to make a respectful, positive, and even celebratory impact.
Emily is also the co-founder of AMMA, a brand new product line “designed by mamas for mamas” whose mission to educate the world about breastfeeding while making it easier for mamas to breastfeed in public—all of which further demonstrates the Baldoni family’s altruistic nature.
When this kind soul isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her family, which is apparent from scrolling through her Instagram feed for just 10 seconds. We can’t help but admire Emily’s raw transparency as she shares the joys of motherhood as well as its struggles.
As she navigates entrepreneurship, service to (wo)mankind, and motherhood, Emily still takes a moment or two each day to care for herself through quiet time filled with meditation and prayer—reminding us that every mama on a mission needs to tend to the light within as well.
While Emily’s life couldn’t get much busier, we can’t imagine a world where she wasn’t doing everything in her power to make a difference. We are so grateful to know this incredible human being and for the love she’s spreading in so many creative ways.

A Day in the Life

What does your daily routine look like?

You’re catching me at a time when our life is upside down due to months of traveling, work, and building a house, so we are just getting back to something even remotely similar to a routine. So this is what I hope life will look like soon…
If my little boy doesn’t wake me up by sticking a finger up my nose, I’ll wake up from my alarm and go in to Maiya to wake her up and get her ready for daycare (one of her favorite places on earth). Our beloved, incredible, supernanny arrives to take care of Maxwell just before I leave to drop off Maiya. My husband might be home catching up on well-deserved sleep or been up since 5 a.m. to act/direct/produce/edit or just making the world a better place. #nobiggie #overachiever
If he’s home when I get back from daycare, we try to catch up on all the million things that are always going on in our life and figure out what the day will look like. I feed Maxwell. Then I feed my heart and soul with a couple of prayers, and then I go out to our Endless Pool for a swim (coolest invention, check it out) or a workout in our garage. Now—moment of truth—this is NOT what I am currently doing while living in an Airbnb with our life packed in boxes, but let’s pray to the workout Gods that I can stay committed to daily movement/workout because once in our new house I have no excuse. 😊
After this I make breakfast and shower and then start my day, which includes work for AMMA—a new company I co-founded with a mission to celebrate and elevate the experience of motherhood, and soon launching an incredible breastfeeding wrap—and/or auditioning, answering emails, running errands—somehow there are ALWAYS errands to run!—and I always try to stay connected to old and new friends, meeting for coffee and either catching up or brainstorming about projects we want to do together.
I pick up Maiya from daycare in the afternoon and after that it’s playtime with both kids, dinner, bath time and bedtime, and sometime after 8:30 or 9 p.m. the house is quiet again and hopefully Justin is home so we can have dinner together and catch up.
And I always end my day with a few prayers and checking in with myself about what I handled great today and what I could’ve handled better. We are Bahá’ís, and our teachings speak of the importance of bringing yourself to account each day so we are always evolving to a better version of ourselves.

What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?

Just a moment to myself is self-care for me these days. And if that moment is meditation and prayer, even better. Nature also has a way of bringing me peace, a clearer perspective on things, and an overall recharge.

How do you stay inspired?

I stick around really inspiring people who make a change and lead with their heart. I also love to read!

Disclaimer: Just so you know, if you order an item through one of our posts, we may get a small share of the sale.

Loving Lately…

What are the best products you’ve discovered recently?

Currently in love with the True Botanicals skincare line…it’s so hard to find all-natural products that really work.
Savory Moment is a new meal delivery company that we’ve fallen completely in love with. Super healthy, delicious, and made with love.

Whose Instagram is on your radar? #squadgoals #gramlove #hashtag

Angi Greene for incredible knowledge and inspiration for physical and mental well-being.
Celeste Barber for the best kind of belly laughs. She’s a genius.
Maya Vorderstrasse: the original letter board mom. Her posts about motherhood are insanely creative, fun and honest.

What’s your go-to healthy snack?

Cold sliced organic Fuji apples with almond butter or Greek yogurt with chopped apples or a handful of nuts

What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

My kids mainly. 😂 About to re-read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, a fantastic book about creativity. Also just started The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary.

Emily IRL

What superpower would you like to have?

To be able to speak all languages. Teleporting would be pretty awesome too since my family lives in Sweden and I could just keep hopping around the world showing off my other fancy superpower

What are you really great at (that might embarrass you to admit)?

I’m tall, white, and quite skinny, kind of a perfect build for the stiff Swedish polka. But my body and soul wants to move to African drums. I can’t even control it. My butt just starts moving and then the rest of my body follows. It’s probably not the most gorgeous sight and it’s an epic cultural mix-up but it feels pretty damn good!

What woman in history would you love to take to brunch?

Tahirih. She was a heroine, poet, and feminist martyr in the mid-1800s, and a very important figure in the history of the Bahá’í faith. Her prophetic dying words were: “You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.” Hearing her thoughts on how we should deal with our world today, even for just 10 minutes, would be worth everything.

Would you rather explore space or the ocean? Why?

Space. I’ve always been fascinated with space. My first words were “my moon,” and when I learned in school that it only takes a few days to go to the moon, I went home and started planning my trip. Imagine the perspective on life you’d have up there…

What piece of advice has impacted you the most?

My mom always told me to follow my heart. I think that’s something we hear a lot, but to actually put it in practice is a lot harder than we think. When I quiet my mind enough and get in tune with my heart, that’s when miracles happen.
Want more refreshingly honest (and downright inspiring) posts on your Insta feed? Be sure to follow Emily to learn about what she’s up to and how you too can make a difference.

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Collective Editor's Exclusives Exclusives

The Books We're Reading This Fall

Post author By Maggie Tyson
Post date August 6, 2018

Yes, it’s only August, but in my mind, that means summer is basically over. Labor Day will be here faster than we know it, beginning the roll into the end of the year. Soon it’ll be autumn—the best time of year for cuddling up with a cozy throw and a good book.
I’ve put together a lengthy list of books that will keep you company during sunny Sundays on the couch and get you through the doldrums of late fall. From highly anticipated releases to classics perfect for sleepy autumn nights, here’s HealthyWay’s fall 2018 reading list.

Books With Buzz

Each of these books has had a certain amount of press surrounding its release. Hop on the train before everyone else to give yourself endless cocktail party conversation topics.

Killing Commendatore: A Novel by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is back with a two-part novel about a painter whose wife divorces him. He goes to stay in another artist’s house where he discovers a painting in the attic, setting strange adventures in motion. The book, which pays homage to The Great Gatsby, is so controversial it’s been censored in Hong Kong…so of course that means we’ll be picking it up as soon as it drops.
Pre-order your copy now or get it on Oct. 9.

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini

From the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns comes an illustrated short work that speaks to the refugee crises raging around the world. The book takes the form of a letter a father writes to his son the night before they escape Syria. Hosseini was inspired by the photo of Alan Kurdi, the Syrian boy who washed up on a Turkish beach, and is donating all proceeds to the UN Refugee Agency and the Khaled Hosseini Foundation.
Pre-order your copy now or get it on Sept. 18.

In Her Bones: A Novel by Kate Moretti

Can’t do a fall book list without a horror story. In Her Bones is a thriller following Edie Beckett, the daughter of a murderer, as she comes to terms with her mother’s crimes. When a man is found murdered, Edie’s the main suspect and has to figure out what happened. Moretti, a New York Times–bestselling author, has already received high praise for this novel; we can’t wait to get started.
Pre-order your copy now or get it on Sept. 4.

Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents by Pete Souza

If you loved Obama: An Intimate Portrait by former official White House photographer Pete Souza, you’ll love his next photo book. Born from Souza’s shady (and beloved) Instagram posts, the book contrasts photos of Obama during his administration with Trump’s tweets and headlines from his first 500 days in office. Souza, who estimated he took 1.9 million photos during Obama’s eight years in office, has a photo for everything—and it’s delicious.
Pre-order your copy now or get it on Oct. 16.

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

This memoir was actually released in February 2018, but it’s been making waves all year. Westover, who grew up in an isolated Mormon family in Idaho, didn’t have a birth certificate and didn’t attend school until she was 17. Nevertheless, she went on to graduate with a PhD in history from Cambridge University. It’s a book about family, education, privilege, access, and shame—and a definite must-read.
Get your copy here.

The Outsider by Stephen King

Okay, fine, this one was also published earlier this year (in May), but if Stephen King doesn’t make an appearance on your autumn book list, you’re doing it wrong. It’s the perfect time of year to be downright terrified, and King is a master of the craft. The novel follows an Oklahoma detective’s investigation of a murder case, moving from standard procedural to a true horror story. The tale is set to become a miniseries, which leads us to our next category…
Get your copy here.
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Before They Hit the Big Screen

Because Hollywood has apparently run out of ideas, big (and small) screens are full of remakes, superhero blockbusters, and…optioned novels. Luckily for us book lovers of the world, that gives us a leg up when everyone’s talking about these films come awards season—we read the book, you know.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Ng, who knocked it out of the park with Everything I Never Told You, did it again with 2017’s Little Fires Everywhere. So much so that Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington (queens!) are making it into a miniseries on Hulu (and they’re both executive producers and stars of the show).
Get your copy here.

Boy Erased: A Memoir by Garrard Conley

Conley’s powerful memoir about growing up gay in fundamentalist Christian Arkansas talks about his experience in gay conversion therapy and the immense harm it caused him. Joel Edgerton wrote, directed, and acts in the film, which also stars Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Russell Crowe; it premieres Nov. 2, 2018.
Get your copy here.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

This 2012 novel is written from the perspective of a 15-year-old girl whose agoraphobic mother, Bernadette, goes missing before a family trip. Cate Blanchett and Billy Crudup are just two members of the star-studded cast of this film, which is set to premiere on March 22, 2019.
Get your copy here.

My Heart Is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots by John Guy

This historical fiction novel (heavy on the fiction) follows Mary, Queen of Scots, and her often-contentious relationship with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. The two queens never met in person, but their relationship—and its outcome—shaped the course of English and Scottish history for centuries. I am what some may call a fanatic about early modern English history, so this novel—and its upcoming film adaptation titled Mary Queen of Scots, starring Saoirse Ronan as Mary and Margot Robbie as Elizabeth—is right up my alley. Regardless of historical accuracy, I can’t wait to dig in.
Get your copy here.
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Stay Informed (and Inspired)

When the weather turns a little colder and a little grayer, it’s easy to get complacent about, well, everything. Do something different this year with these books that will feed your brain—and your soul.

Invisible: How Young Women With Serious Health Issues Navigate Work, Relationships, and the Pressure to Seem Just Fine by Michele Lent Hirsch

It’s a long title, to be sure, but the topic is an important one: 117 million adults have one (or more) chronic health conditions. Women especially are conditioned to zip their lips and stop complaining, even when they’re racked with pain. Hirsch combines her experience with stories from other women, culminating in an important work on misogyny, disability, and trusting your own body.
Get your copy here.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

This nonfiction work from January 2018 covers the reality of racial issues in America today. From police brutality to institutionalized white supremacy, Oluo makes serious issues accessible, offering clarity that can be hard to find in the 24-hour news cycle and heated social media posts.
Get your copy here.

Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride

McBride’s memoir follows her decision to come out as trans to her work as a transgender activist to her personal stories of—as the title notes—love and loss. The foreword from Joe Biden(!) is the cherry on top of an important book that proves that trans rights are human rights.
Get your copy here.

Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston

Literary giant Zora Neale Hurston died in 1960, but her legacy—that lives on in classrooms across the world—was fortified this May with the release of Barracoon. Starting in 1927, Hurston interviewed Cudjo Lewis, the last African man alive to be taken across the Atlantic in the American slave trade.
In years of interviews, Lewis described his African childhood, the Middle Passage, and his years in slavery before the Civil War. Hurston’s manuscript faded from memory during the Great Depression, was re-discovered in 1977, and was published with the Zora Neale Hurston Trust in May 2018.
Get your copy here.

How to Get Sht Done: Why Women Need to Stop Doing Everything So They Can Achieve Anything* by Erin Falconer

With a title like that, I’m definitely in—who doesn’t need a kick in the ass every once in a while? This nonfiction book, focused on productivity and women, looks at why we feel like we don’t have it all when it actually seems like we’re busier than ever. Falconer gives advice and tips for women who want to feel more productive—and do what they really want.
Get your copy here.

Gmorning, Gnight! Little Pep Talks for Me and You by Lin-Manuel Miranda

The guy who brought Hamilton to life in his award-winning play has earned millions of Twitter followers, thanks in part to his “gmorning” and “gnight” tweets that are full of encouragement, humor, and warmth. Now, in collaboration with Twitter-famous artist Jonny Sun, Miranda is releasing a book of feel-good affirmations to give you comfort morning and night.
Pre-order your copy here or get it on Oct. 23.

The Illustrated Herbiary by Maia Toll

This recommendation comes from Linsey Stevens, herbalism devotee and HealthyWay’s own Associate Editor, who says, “The Illustrated Herbiary is the perfect fall pick because it invites you to get in sync with nature’s ever-changing beauty while tapping into your own aspirations and needs. It doesn’t require a lengthy time commitment; just flip open to any page and enjoy the mystical illustrations and plant-powered wisdom—plus epigraphs from great women including Elizabeth Gilbert, Dolly Parton, and Brené Brown. Once you’re acquainted with the Herbiary, cozy up with some girlfriends and indulge in a little autumnal soothsaying as you put the Herbiary deck (similar to tarot cards) that comes with the book to good use.”
Get your copy here.
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Cozy Classics

I’m all for a brand-new book that’s making the rounds in literary circles and book clubs the world over. But there’s nothing quite like snuggling up with an old classic you’ve read a dozen times—one with well-worn pages and memories of high school English classes past. These are my favorite picks for rainy autumn nights on the couch.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Dreary English moors. Intense love stories. Tortured, brooding men. Sounds like a slow-burning crime drama on the BBC. But actually, it’s just Brontë’s 19th-century classic. It’s the ultimate in gothic tragedy, and Brontë’s exploration of social class, gender, and morality continues to be relevant 170 years later.
Get your copy here.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

If you’ve never read Dracula, do yourself a favor and read it. And if you haven’t read Dracula since high school, I recommend it all the same. The book that launched a thousand Twilight fan fiction pieces, Dracula is the fundamental vampire novel. Around Halloween this year, dig into Jonathan Harker’s travels from Transylvania to Whitby, England—it’s way better than trick-or-treating.
Get your copy here.

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

Did you know Frankenstein was written by a woman? And, even better, it was written as a contest entry. In the summer of 1816, Lord Byron challenged his friends, writers John Polidori, Mary Shelley, and her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, to a ghost story–writing competition. Mary Shelley’s entry, Frankenstein (which won that contest, btw) has become one of the most enduring horror stories of history. There’s far more depth to the novel than you’ll get out of any film adaptation (though Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is a delightful follow-up when you’ve had enough horror for one evening).
Get your copy here.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

True, this selection isn’t quite on the same playing field as the previous three, but it’s a classic nonetheless. Re-reading as an adult, you might be surprised by how childlike it is—after all, Rowling was writing for young children (at the beginning of the series anyway). But it’s an easy read should you need to kill an afternoon. Plus the combination of back-to-school vibes and fantastical magic are a great trip down memory lane.
Get your copy here.
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Healthy Her Way Lifestyle Uncategorized

SWEAT Trainer Kelsey Wells

Post author By Taylor Geiger
Post date August 2, 2018

This week’s Healthy Her Way feature needs no introduction—but we’re going to try our best to put into words just how incredible this woman truly is. With 1.3 million followers (and counting) on Instagram, Kelsey Wells definitely knows how to inspire and empower people across the world—and we can’t help but fangirl over this talented mama.
When our editorial team first sat down at HealthyWay HQ to discuss who our biggest sources of motivation were in the fitness scene, one name was spoken by almost every single woman in the room. “Kelsey Wells! I follow her workouts all the time!” and “I love her posts on Instagram, she keeps it so real!” were some of the excited comments shared amongst our team.
One can’t help but wonder if Kelsey ever envisioned just how much her postpartum fitness journey would motivate people she’s never met. But that’s exactly what has transpired since Kelsey began to share her story just a few years ago.
Shortly after giving birth to her son, Anderson, about four years ago, Kelsey’s doctor recommended exercise to help her combat postpartum anxiety. Prior to this point in time, proper nutrition and regular exercise were not priorities in Kelsey’s daily life, but she knew she needed to make changes in order to learn to love herself again and appreciate her body.
In an Instagram post, Kelsey shared that she struggled with her fitness journey at first and fell off track a few times (it happens to the best of us), but she didn’t let that stop her hustle.
“There is no secret to my transformation. There is simply four years of hard work and consistency. Of trying and failing and learning and pushing forward. You don’t need hours in a gym or extreme diets. You need a healthy mindset and to never give up on yourself,” she wrote.
Kelsey’s message of perseverance and self-love is so important, and we admire how she uses her platform to share these motivational messages with those who may need to hear these words the most.
With her family, friends, and husband Ryan in her corner, Kelsey has created an extremely supportive community of women who want to prioritize exercise and a positive mindset in their daily lives. As a SWEAT trainer and the creator of the PWR workout programs, Kelsey provides something for everyone, regardless of where you are on your fitness journey. She even has crafted workouts for fellow mothers in all stages of pregnancy and postpartum fitness.
The more we get to know the woman behind the workouts, the more we’re in awe of all that Kelsey has accomplished in such a short amount of time. We couldn’t be more honored to share this feature with our readers and can’t wait to see what else Kelsey will accomplish in the years to come.