Drink up, ladies!!! Happy Worldwide Whiskey Day! Cheers!

I know I'm a little late on this but this honestly Coke's decision to change its recipe to reduce carcinogens (that of course it insisted for years it did not have) can't come soon enough. To me, I can't believe anyone is even still drinking soda on a regular basis. I guess that sounds preachy but, oh well. Deal with it. 

CBS reported, "The 4-MI chemical, which provides the caramel color in cola drinks, has been shown in lab studies to cause cancer in rats, but not in humans. California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment set a level of 29 micrograms of 4-MI before a product has to bear a cancer warning label." 

Visit CBS for the full article!

Starbucks is jumping on the juice bandwagon! 

According to GrubStreet, Starbucks opened its first juice bar, Evolution Fresh, in Bellevue, Washington.

Baristas are learning to mix cold-pressed juices. They have great sounding combos like Field of Greens, hwich is greens, ginger, apple and cucumber. However, these aren't made from all organic produce. They'll also be selling bottled juices in stores and eventually your local 'Bucks. 

I'm a bit skeptical that these juices will bring the quality of freshness that my local juice bar will but it will be a nice substitute if I'm traveling for convenience sake, right?

What do you think about Starbucks juice?

Most of us steep our tea for its health benefits but now you can go the route of some avant-garde New Yorkers, and smoke it. That’s what Liz Neves suggests. Liz is a Brooklyn-based creator of Vivid Visions, an herbal tea blend that’s meant to be smoked, not sipped. And she can barely keep the stuff on her Etsy shelves since being featured on FoodCurated.com.

“There’s something taboo about smoking things, and people are drawn to that,” says Neves. “It feels like you’re getting away with something.” And given that wholesome Brooklyn foodies were the first to discover her, even healthy types like that.

Smoking the tea lets it get into your bloodstream faster and may be a bit trippier than your average cuppa tea! 

Her tea is called Vivid Visions and it has some properties that are a little trippier than, say, your Celestial Seasons. 

“The main benefit is a shift in your perception. It’s really subtle, but you just see things a little differently,” explains Neves. Don’t worry, the herbal ingredients aren’t going to get you arrested (at least in New York): Damiana is an antidepressant, lavender is a relaxant, and mugwort tends to induce vibrant dreams.

Of course smoking anything isn't a good idea long-term for your health but this is certainly an interesting idea. Not your cuppa tea? Liz also sells non-toxic beauty and cleaning supplies!

This warm weather we've been having is a friendly reminder that beach body season is coming up and although we like to indulge, there are some junk foods that we should really steer clear of. Probably ALL the foods I've been snacking on since I've been on my honeymoon and my healthy diet has gone to all hell! I'm off the wagon but about to get back on…

Kimberly Snyder, celebrity nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution shares the top 5 worst fast/junk foods and gives her tips on great alternatives to stay guilt free and bikini ready!

1.      Fried chicken

Made from conventional chicken laden with hormones and antibiotics, covered with gluten-containing breading and chemicals like MSG and salt, and fried in cheap, rancid oils, fried chicken is high in calories, fat, and other chemicals that can make you sick. Skip it altogether. Please, please just never eat fried chicken.

2.      Deep fried cheese sticks

Take cheese (loaded with fat, salt, hormones and antibiotics), bread it, and deep fry it. How does that even sound as if it might be “food”? Skip them and have some veggie sticks with hummus, instead.

3.      Fish and chips

Many people select this as a “healthy” alternative in fast food, but it is anything but that. Fish serves as a sponge that mops up all of the toxic chemicals from the sea. Bread it in wheat flour (gluten) and fry it up, and you’re looking at an unhealthy meal. Avoid fish unless you know where it comes from, and opt for a salad instead.

4.      Pepperoni pizza

Cheese and white flour combined with nitrosamine-containing salty processed meats, pizza is toxic and unhealthy. Why not try some brown rice or quinoa pasta with tomato sauce instead?

5.      Nachos

Corn chips loaded with cheese, meat and beans and then dipped in sour cream? Really?? Dairy, hamburger, salt, and GMOcorn are just a few of the health issues associated with this high fat, high calorie snack. Instead, have some vegetable sticks dipped in salsa.

For more information on Kim or The Beauty Detox Solution, please visit www.kimberlysnyder.net.

Amy's Family Marinara is the world's best marinara sauce!!! I am so picky with marinara sauces–especially canned/jarred goods. This tastes like restaurant quality! I just thought that everyone should be aware the next time you're at the store–pass over Prego and Ragu, which are packed with preservatives to extend its shelf life and color. Ick!! 

Amy's Family Marinara is a simple sauce, perfect alone or adding to any recipe. Yum!!

Visit Amy's website for more information! 

For all you wine snobs out there, you may cringe when you read the words that follow…but trust that the tip comes from former CTO of Microsoft and famed master French chef, Nathan Myhrvold.

Does anyone decant wine? I mean I'm always pleased with myself if I even open the bottle and leave it to breathe before I guzzle the whole thing down. So, according to many famed French chefs, the best way to aerate your wine is to literally beat the crap out of it. 

You may be asking, Katie, what does that mean? It means either put a beater in your wine or throw it into your standing blender like my best friend in the entire world, the Vitamix! It makes sense right? The whole point of decanting wine is to expose it to air. This is just the quickest way! I haven't' tried it yet but I can't wait to! Have any of you guys?

Watch this video to see!