Kit-Kat recipe is the healthiest chocolate bar

There are moments when I crave chewy, salty, chocolatey goodness. Luckily, these healthy candy bars made with wholesome ingredients satisfy that craving!

With a buttery, coconut-based crust reminiscent of a shortbread cookie, a sweet, gooey caramel sauce in the middle and rich dark chocolate on top, these magical bars come together in one delicious crunch! Chewy and crispy all in one bite!

Now these bars do take a little elbow grease to make; however, each layer is pretty simple. Just be sure to follow the method in the instructions carefully. But I guarantee these decadent treats are worth the wait.

Homemade Kit Kat Bar Recipe

With a buttery, coconut-based crust reminiscent of a shortbread cookie, a sweet, gooey caramel sauce in the middle and rich dark chocolate on top, these magical bars come together in one delicious crunch!

Ingredients

For the crust layer:

• 1 cup coconut flour
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons raw, organic honey

For the caramel sauce layer:

• 1 cup dates, pitted and soaked in water
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

For the chocolate layer:

• ½ cup dark chocolate
• ½ teaspoon coconut oil, melted

Instructions

1. Place dates in a large bowl and fill with water to soften 1-2 hours.
2. Drain water from dates and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine melted coconut oil, honey, and coconut flour until it becomes a gooey mixture.
4. Place the dough in plastic wrap 20 minutes to set. Do not place in the refrigerator or the coconut oil will harden and separate from the dough.
5. While the dough settles, preheat oven to 350oF. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges for easy removal.
6. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and spread into an even layer into the corners of the pan.
7. Place crust in the oven to bake 10 minutes until slightly raised and browned. Cool the crust 30 minutes before proceeding.
8. While the crust bakes, place the dates in the microwave to warm 1-2 minutes. Then add all ingredients for the caramel layer in a blender, placing the dates in first.
9. Blend on high until the ingredients are broken down and becomes a sticky, smooth mixture.
10. Spread the caramel sauce into an even layer over the crust. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.
11. Once set, make the chocolate layer by melting chocolate and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat.
12. Spread the chocolate into an even layer over the bars. Place back in the refrigerator to set 1 hour.
13. Remove from the refrigerator and gently lift the bar out of the pan with the parchment paper and place on a hard surface. Slice into 12 bars using a large knife.

Pro Tip: When slicing the bars, be sure to slice the bars in one stroke versus rotating the blade front to back, as that will break the chocolate.

This Watermelon Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

I’ve always had a guilty pleasure for ice cream, but over the years my stomach wasn’t able to handle it anymore. It wasn’t until I found this amazing vegan-friendly, lactose-friendly ice cream recipe that finally allowed me to enjoy this sweet treat again finally.

The Many Health Benefits of This Ice Cream

Beyond being a delicious treat, this watermelon coconut ice cream brings in many different health factors.

1. Vegan & Lactose Friendly

The first notable health and lifestyle issue this ice cream targets are those with intolerances to milk. If like me, you suffer from lactose-intolerance, you can find yourself always running to the bathroom and getting violently ill after eating a bowl of dairy ice cream.

With this recipe, you never have to worry about that issue again. You can easily have your cake and eat it too (or rather ice cream in this case).

This recipe is also perfect for vegans, since it contains no animal products or by-products, giving everyone the option to eat this ice cream.

2. Coconut Milk Offers Several Health Benefits

Coconut milk is not only a sweet treat; it also packs a huge punch with its nutrients. Coconut milk has been proven benefits such as:

• Lowering blood pressure and keep blood vessels flexible with vital minerals that support circulation
• Aiding in removing bacteria and viruses from the body with the production of lauric acid
• Improving cholesterol levels and over heart health, especially in older people
• Building muscle by adding key nutrients such as magnesium and potassium
• Filling you up to avoid overeating or snacking, promoting fat loss
• Preventing dehydration since most of coconut milk is water
• Providing an abundance of electrolytes that further prevent dehydration, heart problems, exhaustion, cramps and low immunity issues.

Coconut milk contains so many more health benefits outside of this list, though. Many studies done on coconut milk have shown that coconuts have so many nutrients that their benefits could be potentially endless for humans.

3. Watermelon’s Super Health Punch

Not only does coconut milk have health benefits, but watermelon also has a surprising amount of health benefits as well. This makes this ice cream even more tempting!

Watermelon contains a key ingredient, L-citrulline, known for helping with muscle aches, especially in athletes and bodybuilders. This is a powerful antioxidant found in few plants in abundance like in the watermelon and has shown to have long-term relief for people suffering from minor to moderate aches and pains.

Arginine is another key ingredient found in watermelon in recent years. This ingredient, also found in coconut, is known for helping with overall heart health.

4. You Can Eat It Every Day

Unlike most ice cream, this watermelon coconut milk recipe can be eaten every day. You won’t have to worry about packing on pounds or going off your diet for this ice cream. All of the essential ingredients are healthy, and it contains only the sugar from the coconut milk, watermelon, and dates – giving it an authentic flavor.

The best way to take advantage of the health benefits offered by this recipe is to eat it every day. You’re packing on the nutrients opposed to the pounds you’d be packing with traditional dairy ice cream.

The Gooey, Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Recipe That Is Every Cookie Lover’s Dream

There is nothing better than a baked cookie right out of the oven, and these healthy dark chocolate chip cookies are no exception.

The secret to making these cookies gooey and extra rich is the cashew butter filled with healthy fat and protein. It gives the cookies a sweet, buttery, and ever so slightly salty taste. To keep them thick, I used coconut flour to provide them with the same texture as an ordinary chocolate chip cookie.

If you’re nut-free, you can substitute the cashew butter with coconut butter or a ½ cup applesauce with one small mashed banana. Keep in mind you may have to play around with the quantities of the other ingredients to adjust for taste and texture when you substitute.

Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup cashew butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350ºF. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a slip mat.
2. Sift coconut flour and baking soda together in a small bowl and mix well to disperse baking soda throughout.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the maple syrup, eggs, cashew butter, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt.
4. Fold the coconut flour & chocolate chips into the egg mixture by hand. Be careful not to over-mix as the batter will quickly harden.
5. Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350ºF or until edges are slightly brown.
7. Remove from the oven and cool 3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy as a post-dinner dessert or with your morning cup of coffee!

Tips And Tricks To Achieve The Perfect Oily Skin Makeup

In order to look beautiful, it is necessary for a woman to apply the proper makeup which suits her. Properly applied makeup has the potential to transform a plain Jane into a stunning diva. But, if you go wrong with the choice of your makeup products, then the end result can turn out to be quite a disastrous one.

This problem of choosing the most suitable makeup products is a serious issue which baffles many women across the globe. Again, the scenario can attain a more serious tone, if the woman in question has oily skin. Most women with oily skin complain that the makeup applied tends to make their face look even oilier. The makeup also fails to last long and all the more, it may even lead to the clogging of skin pores and outbreak of pimples.

If you are one of those women with an oily skin who face the above said problems, then it is high time that you seriously review your choice of makeup products. Here are some tips and tricks that you can follow in order to achieve the perfect oily skin makeup.

Prepare Your Skin

Preparation of the skin by cleansing and moisturizing is very much essential before you start off with applying makeup. People with oily skin should use a cleanser which contains 3 to 4 percentage of benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide will help to remove the excessive oiliness without drying out the skin. The cleansing process should be followed by moisturizing. The moisturizer used on oily skin should be water based and should make the skin look supple without adding a greasy look. You can choose from a variety of commercially available moisturizers for oily skin for this purpose.

Start With Primer Application

For the makeup to last long on oily skin, it is very much necessary that you start off with a primer application. The primer which should be applied on the skin after cleansing and moisturizing, will act as a smooth base on which the further makeup can be applied. It also absorbs the excess oil on the skin and will thereby allow your makeup to last long and will prevent it from getting spoiled.

The primer for oily skin should be applied after around 10 minutes of the moisturizer application, thus giving adequate time for the moisturizer to be absorbed completely into the skin. Use a sponge to apply the primer evenly throughout the face and over the eyelids.

You should remember never to apply makeup directly using your hands and should always use a sponge or make up brush for that purpose, as direct application with hands increases the risk of transferring oil and dirt on the face thereby leading to aggravating the condition of skin oiliness.

 Cover Up With Foundation

After 2 to 3 minutes of the primer application, you should start applying foundation to your skin, that too with the help of a makeup sponge.

Women with oily skin can opt for using either oil free liquid foundations with a matte finish or powder foundations. Never use an oil based foundation, as it will definitely destroy your complete makeup. A mineral based foundation for oily skin, which is a newly seen trend, is found to be suitable for extra sensitive oily skin which is allergic to chemicals.

Whichever type of foundation you may choose, do choose one which is a shade or two lighter than your normal skin tone. This is to counteract the effects of oil causing the makeup to become dark, with the passage of time. The foundation should be applied uniformly throughout the face and neck areas and should be perfectly blended in with the skin, so as to prevent a flakey appearance.

 If you feel your skin is too oily to withstand the application of a foundation, then you can very well use tinted moisturizer which comes with an inbuilt foundation. If so, then the application of primer can be skipped and you can then dust your face using a loose powder to give a matte effect.

You should always remember that the foundation is a cosmetic product which can either make or break your makeup and hence should be extra careful while selecting one which suits your skin.

Makeup Powder for a Finished Look

Powdering of skin is the next step which follows the application of foundation.  You can either use loose powder or pressed and compact ones.  Be sure that the powder used complements the color of the foundation which is applied and is also blended in smoothly. The compact powder can also be carried along in order to provide occasional touch ups to your makeup.

To add a touch of color and to make your look more defined you can try using a blush. The type of blush most suited for women with oily skin will be a powdered one which offers a matte finish. Do stay away from cream and liquid based blushes as they will tend to increase the skin oiliness. Again, do choose a blush which is a shade lighter than your original choice and apply it sparingly using a makeup brush specially intended for that purpose.

Dress Up Your Eyes and Lips

Choosing the appropriate eye makeup also forms an important part of oily skin makeup. Do not use creamy eye shadows and stick to the ones which come in pressed powder forms, as creamy eye shadows tends to make your eyelids look creased.  To be on the safer side, do use pencil eyeliners and mascaras which are water proof, thus reducing the chances of smudging.

Dressing up your lips can be considered as the fun part of oily skin makeup, as you can choose any type of lipstick you want without having to take into worry about the effects of your oily skin. There is only a single criterion to be considered while choosing lip color and it is that the color should perfectly complement your skin tone and the rest of the makeup applied.

Applying makeup on oily skin needn’t be a nerve wrecking process. You can be sure that with the suitable makeup products and the correct mode of application, you can also be the stylish and beautiful diva that you always wanted to be.

Homemade Bath Salts To Make Your Bath A Refreshing Experience

Having a warm water bath is one of the best ways to relax after a long and tiring day. In order to make your bath even more enjoyable, you can make use bath salts.

Instead of using commercially available bath salts, you can very well make bath salts at your home itself.

Homemade bath salts do not contain chemicals which can harm you or the environment. The minerals contained in the homemade bath salts will be absorbed by your skin and will thus soothe your tired and achy muscles.

The bath salts will also help in absorbing the toxins and flushing them out from your body. They will also hydrate your skin and make it soft. These homemade bath salts also serve as excellent gift items.

The main ingredient used in making bath salts is Epsom salts. Epsom salts contains magnesium sulfate which lends bath salts its therapeutic properties. People with dry skin can also add sea salt along with Epsom salt in the preparation of bath salts.

In order to make bath salts , you have to mix together one cup of sea salt with half a cup of Epsom salts and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. To this mixture you can add essential oils like lavender oil or sweet almond oil so as to give it the required fragrance.

In order to make your bath salts moisturizing, you can add glycerin to it. Addition of half a teaspoon of ground oatmeal to the bath salts will help in making your skin silky smooth. Finally, you can give your bath salt the color of your choice by adding to it a few drops of liquid food color.

There are many precautions you should follow while using bath salts. Avoid using bath salts if there are any open or unhealed wounds in your body. Pregnant women and people with diabetes and blood pressure are also advised against using bath salts.

Also do make sure that you add to the water the exact quantity of bath salts as excessive amount may lead to skin irritations. For a tub of bath water, you should only add a quarter cup of bath salts. You should also store the bath salts in an air tight container to avoid it from getting spoil.

Thus by using homemade bath salts, you can make your bath a rejuvenating and refreshing experience.

Five Tips For Anti Aging Skin Treatment

Tip 1 – Smoking habit can make you look almost 10 years older than the non-smokers, who are of the same age. Apart from affecting your internal health badly, smoking also gives rise to fine lines around your mouth. Smoking also makes your skin dry excessively because it increases the harmful free radicals. Hence, anti-aging tip number six is to quit smoking.

Tip 2 – Excessive exposure to sun can cause significant damage to your skin. Both UVA as well as UVB are responsible for acceleration of skin aging and formation of wrinkles. Protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun by avoiding direct exposure to the sun, as far as possible.

And apply a superior quality sun block, at least half an hour prior to stepping out in the sun. Reapply the sunscreen if you have to stay out for a longer duration. Choose a sunscreen that provides you protection against both UVA and UVB.

Tip 3 – Antioxidants have the ability to fight the free radicals and protect your skin against their harmful effects. Hence, use an antioxidant moisturizer every morning or every night. If you opt for applying it in the morning then you will have to do this prior to the application of the sunscreen. And if you choose to apply the antioxidant moisturizer at night then you should apply it after the application of the retinoid.

Tip 4 – Try to deal with stress wisely and in a mature way. It is necessary to minimize stress in life if you want to look younger because stress weakens the capacity of your skin to prevent itself from the environmental factors, which may lead to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, etc.

Tip 5 – Consume foods that are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants present in the foods will revitalize your skin and will also slow down the aging process. Cherries, berries, apples, red grapes, oranges, etc are packed with antioxidants.

Learn How To Manicure

Firstly, put your hands in water in which you have added special salts. This way you will soften your skin and make the next steps easier. When you are cleaning your hands, do not use strong soaps. Use ones which contain milk in order to make your hands softer. After cleaning your hands you can put a hand cream for a really soft experience.

The second step is to define the shape you want for your nails. If you have square nails, leave them like this. How long would you like your nails to be? If you want long ones, think twice because in the routine they will balk.

When you decide the length of your nails, file them carefully from the left to the right side. The most common mistake is that women rasp their nails from up to down side and this way they make the nails break.

A very important step for the perfect manicure is to rasp your nails regularly in order to avoid broken and splintery edges. Try to remove the dead skin with a buffer. Use the buffer carefully because if you push too hard you can make your finger bleed or at least feel a little pain.

The next important step is to learn how to paint your nails. When you choose a nail polish make sure that it is not too dense. If it is, add two or three drops of nail polish remover and the polish will become more liquid. If it does not, add enough quantity of the remover.

Put a basis and wait until it is completely dry. After that put two layers of the nail polish you have chosen and wait for fifteen minutes. Finally, put a clear topcoat to make your nails shiny. It will prevent the chipping of the nail polish. To save the shiny look of your nails, put a topcoat every day. If you want a beautiful manicure, remember that like the other parts of the body, the nails need attention too.

8 surprising things that are hurting your skin

Skipping meals

In your quest for slimness you think skipping breakfast or dinner is okay, but it’s not! Skipping meals is very very detrimental to your health and is the number one cause for dehydrated, sallow and dull skin. Eating fewer calories—and getting less essential nutrients—than you need shows up on your face first. Want to lose weight? Do so by all means, but never by following fad or crash diets that cut out entire food groups. Also remember to take an A-Z multivitamin supplement.

High impact exercise

While running, step aerobics and other high-impact cardio does great things for your heart, it can cause the fat pads in your face and neck to slide south. Also, repetitive high impact exercise causes collagen and elastin to break down, leading to the dreaded sag. Instead try brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing for a full body workout.

Talking on the phone

Chatting on your cell phone for hours can lead to breakouts and rashes along your jawline and cheek. Studies show that your cell phone harbors more germs than a toilet seat! Make sure to keep antibacterial tissues like Tempo Cleans Alcohol Free Wet Wipes handy to wipe down your phone every day.

Your sunglasses

Like your cell phone, your sunglasses are a breeding ground for infection and breakout causing bacteria. Sure, your sunniest protect eyes from the glare but makeup, oil, debris and styling products (if you hoist them on your head) accumulate on them through the day. Make sure you cleanse them once a day with a wipe .

Hair products

Hair products are great for transforming tresses but a major cause for breakouts and irritation on the sides of your face, forehead, back and chest. Many ingredients in conditioners and styling gels can effect skin, so wash your face after rinsing out conditioner, and spray away from your face.

Heavy makeup

Whatever the manufacturer’s claims, slathering on layers of makeup can clog pores, deprive skin of air and worsen sensitivity. Even if your fave foundation or eyeliner promises 24 hours wear, no makeup should be left on the face that long. Always cleanse your face in the morning and again at night before bed to allow your skin a chance to regenerate and repair itself.

Certain medication

Several medications including antibiotics, Retinoid and even supplements like Vitamin A can increase your skin’s susceptibility to sun damage. Always check with your doctor about the precautions you need to take with a new medication, and if they include sun sensitivity, take due precautions.

Long hot showers

Who doesn’t like a soothing long, warm shower? While an occasional steam session is great, all that hot water strips away the outermost layer of the epidermis, making skin dry and scaly. The minute your skin starts to pucker up or turn red and itchy, you know it’s time to make a hasty exit.

Mixing ginger and chili creates a powerful anti-cancer combination

Ginger and chili not only add spice and flavor to your favorite dish — they may also help you ward off cancer. A recent study has found that the popular spices have properties that significantly reduce mice’s chances of developing lung cancer due to their ability to bind to a receptor that is also responsible for tumor growth.

For the study, the researchers fed mice prone to lung cancer either capsaicin or 6- gingerol alone, or in combination with one another over the course of several weeks. During the study period, all of the mice that received only capsaicin developed lung tumors, while only half of the mice fed 6-gingerol did. However, only 20 percent of the mice that received a combination of both went on to develop cancer.

Two Powerful Spices You Need In Your Diet

1. Ginger

While ginger and chili may have cancer-kicking abilities together, on their own, the two spices are also impressively powerful. For example, ginger contains chromium, magnesium, and zinc, which help to maintain healthy and normal blood flow. In addition, The American Pregnancy Association recommends consuming ginger in different forms, such as tea or jam, to help curb morning nausea brought on by pregnancy, and Columbia University researchers say that ginger, paired with bronchodilating medications, maybe help to relax the smooth muscle surrounding airways.

2. Chili

As for chili, capsaicin, the same compound that gives chili peppers their hot flavor, also inhibits a brain pain transmitter which can help to reduce headaches and prevent inflammation. In addition, Chili pepper contains 108 percent of the vitamin C daily requirements per tablespoon, which can help to improve the immune system.

 

No-Bake Coffee Cheesecake Bars

Calling all coffee lovers: these sweet treats are packed with your favorite beverage! I’m a big fan of adding coffee to baked goods. It gives them a deep, intense flavor and for this recipe, any coffee works well — so feel free to use your favorite beans.

The best part is these raw coffee cheesecake bars are packed with good-for-you ingredients so you can have your “cheesecake” and eat it too.

With a pecan-cacao powder crust that resembles the crust of brownies and a creamy, silky cashew-coffee topping, this is one seriously irresistible dessert!

There’s zero baking required, making them a cinch to whip up. You do have two steps involved – one for the crust and one for the filling, but it’s all easily done in the blender. Just blend, transfer to a baking pan to harden, pop in the refrigerator, and you’ve got decadent coffee “cheesecakes”!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• 1 ½ cups raw pecans
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in water 2-3 hours
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• ½ cup brewed coffee, chilled
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Topping:

• ¼ cup cacao nibs

Instructions:

1. Place cashews in a large bowl and fill with water to soften 2-3 hours.
2. Drain water from cashews. Set aside.

To Make the Crust:

1. Combine all ingredients for the crust in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process on high until fully combined. It will form a ball when it’s ready.
2. Line a 9×5 meatloaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges of the pan for easy removal.
3. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and spread into an even layer. Place in the refrigerator.

To Make the Filling:

1. Clean your blender or food processor, then add cheesecake ingredients. Process on high until creamy.
2. Remove crust from refrigerator and evenly top with “cheesecake” filling. Sprinkle on cacao nibs.
3. Place the pan in the freezer 2-3 hours.
4. Remove from the freezer and gently lift the cheesecake out of the pan with the parchment paper. Place on a hard surface to slice into 12 bars.
5. Note: You may need to let them thaw a bit prior to slicing.