TresSugar

Link Time: Trader Joe's is Branching Out

Susannah Chen — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:14:29 PST

Confirmed: Trader Joe's is expanding to new states - HuffPost Food
Is the babyccino the next big coffee drink? Eater NY
One Chipotle run, two meals - Food Republic
How to tell if you're a supertaster - Endless Simmer
Whole Foods is trying to keep prices down despite rising costs - Gawker
Good news! Trans fat intake's gone down - The Daily Meal

No Girl Scout Cookies? Make Your Own Thin Mint Body Scrub

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:04:01 PST

It's Girl Scout cookie season, and across the USA echoes the resounding crunch of Thin Mints. If you can't get enough of their chocolate-y, minty goodness, here's a super easy DIY scrub that has all the things you love about the cookies and will leave your skin looking, feeling, and smelling sublime, too. To whip up your own Thin Mint scrub, just follow our recipe below.

Reese Witherspoon Admits to Having a Girl Crush on Jennifer Aniston

PopSugarTV — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:42:23 PST

Reese Witherspoon swung by Conan last night to chat up her new movie This Means War. In honor of Valentine's Day, conversation turned toward the many loves of Reese's life. She married Jim Toth last year, but Reese still has one crush that won't go away - and it's on her good friend Jennifer Aniston.

8 Recipes For a Rainy Day

Camilla Salem — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:27:39 PST

Don't let the rain get you down; instead, channel all of that energy into some culinary projects and challenges. We've got eight ideas for recipes to make while it's coming down outside. Some of them may take a bit of extra effort, but it will be worth it when you can cuddle up in front of a good movie with some delicious eats.

Elizabeth Banks Talks The Hunger Games and Says Harry Potter Is "Scary as Sh*t"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:30:00 PST

I got the chance to visit the set of What to Expect When You're Expecting last year, where I chatted with Elizabeth Banks about fake baby bumps, motherhood, and the star-studded comedy. Naturally, the conversation also turned to Banks's other big upcoming movie, The Hunger Games. Banks discussed how she feels about the dark subject matter now that she's a parent herself, compared the film to the likes of Harry Potter, and talked about how she got into the role of Effie.

As a parent, did you have any reservations about The Hunger Games's dark subject matter?
EB: The movie is going to be PG-13, and I think that's about right. My nephew's 11, and he read it and loves it. The book has adult themes, for sure. Gary Ross, the director, and Suzanne Collins [who wrote the novels] did a great job patrolling what happens visually in the movie, what we can show and what we can't show. But I remember taking my 6-year-old niece to a Harry Potter movie with those dark shadow things that were scary as sh*t, and the guy doesn't even have a f*cking nose. That's like nightmare stuff, in my opinion. This is a lot of hand-to-hand combat, but it's nothing you wouldn't see on a video game or an episode of CSI. We don't have guns.

What was it like making the transition from The Hunger Games to What to Expect When You're Expecting?
EB: They're just so different, it's literally night and day. I don't have the same voice, I don't have the same hair, I don't have the same anything. Literally nothing, it's completely and utterly opposite. The good thing about this is that it's a role much closer to myself, so it's easier.

What helps you get into character?
EB: Well what's great about both of these characters, Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, and Wendy, is that there's so much external stuff to build the character with. Effie has the great wigs and the crazy clothes, and the accent, and all that. That's all something that really helps feed you. And this character has the boobs and the bump and the back pain, and the shoes that don't fit, and all of those things that really feed you in the moment, which is great. It's a lot easier than having to come up with a bunch of emotional sh*t that you have to deal with from internally. They're nice characters that you build from the outside in, instead of from the inside out.

You Can Turn Work Stress Into a Good Thing

Emily Co — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:05:42 PST

We're all about having a healthy work-life balance, but it's inevitable to have ups and downs. If you're struggling to cope with workplace stress, you might be cheered by this Harvard Business Review article, which says you can make your stress work to your advantage. Shawn Achor, HBR writer, says:

"Stress can cause the human brain to use more of its capabilities, improve memory and intelligence, increase productivity, and even speed recovery from things like knee surgery. Research indicates that stress, even at high levels, creates greater mental toughness, deeper relationships, heightened awareness, new perspectives, a sense of mastery, a greater appreciation for life, a heightened sense of meaning, and strengthened priorities."

We hear all about the negatives of stress but rarely hear about some of the better effects. Not to mention, it's easy to tap into the benefits of stress - you just need to view it as enhancing rather than debilitating.

The results of this research don't mean that we should all strive for more stress at work. Instead, we should try to channel that energy into something that will have a more productive outcome. For example, if work issues are weighing you down, clean your house as a way of harnessing the energy of your frustrations and putting it to good use. Other great outlets include exercising and organizing your clutter.

10 Apple-Inspired Snacks to Help Keep the Doctor Away

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:04:30 PST

Eating an apple a day may not prevent you from ever having to see your doc, but they are full of nutritional goodness: one medium apple is 95 calories with 4.4 grams of fiber and 195 milligrams of potassium. The high fiber content keeps you full, which helps prevent weight gain, and also keeps you regular, which results in a healthier body. Crunching on an apple is good for your smile because the fruit acts like a toothbrush, cleaning your teeth as you chew.

Another bonus is that apples are supersweet, so they're a healthier way to satisfy your sugar cravings. Here are 10 delicious, good-for-you snack ideas, all made with the goodness of apples.

Shredded apple mixed into plain yogurt
Warm apple toast made with whole-wheat bread, peanut butter, and sliced apples
Apple slices drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sliced almonds
Applesauce mixed in cottage cheese and sprinkled with Craisins
Baked apple filled with raisins, walnuts, and a little maple syrup
Diced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and warmed in the microwave
Apple, peanut butter, and pumpkin stacks
A piece of homemade apple cinnamon cake
Slices of apple paired with slices of Cheddar cheese
Apple chips made with apples, cinnamon, and sugar (using this recipe)

5 Staples of a Mediterranean Diet

Leta Shy — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:08:45 PST

There are already many proven benefits to following a Mediterranean diet, and now we can add another one: a new study of the dietary habits of about 1,000 people found that the high levels of monounsaturated fats found in a Mediterranean diet may help your smarts by protecting against small vessel damage in your brain. That benefit may help slow cognitive decline as well as prevent strokes.

Past studies have found that following a Mediterranean diet can help lower the risk of heart and eye complications, control your weight, and help you live longer, so there are more than a few good reasons to eat like you live overseas. Read on for five staples of the Mediterranean diet you should be eating.

Sources: Thinkstock, Flickr Users bochalla and Gustty

Messed Up on an Interview? Ask For Another Chance

Emily Co — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:04 PST

If thinking about your last interview makes you cringe, you may want to ask your interviewer for a second go at it if you know you're qualified for the position. Apparently, it can work in some circumstances, according to Glassdoor.com. But you need to be honest and humble when attempting to ask for another chance. Another idea to get a second interview is to ask someone to step in for you. Perhaps a friend, colleague, or recruiter who is willing to vouch for you and your abilities.

Sometimes asking for a second interview may work for you, because the employer may view it in a positive light and respect your attempt. Glassdoor says:

It takes courage to request a second chance and some employers may admire that, said Tashana Sims-Hudspeth, a Columbus, Ohio-based human resource manager who also teaches on HR and being successful in college. She suggests an approach that includes an apology, a general explanation of what went wrong, and a request for a second chance. The candidate must be very clear how much they want to work at the employer and then use their personal judgment on giving a detailed explanation on what contributed to their bad performance.

If you were told that you weren't picked because another job candidate had a skill you didn't possess, Keystone Associate’s Pennell Locey says you should take a six-week class to brush up on the skill, or gain the experience through volunteering for a two-month charity project. After you've gained the knowledge or the experience, write back to the hiring manager to let them know that you have put in the effort to attain the missing skills and experience they were looking for. If you do possess those qualities, Locey encourages job seekers to write a brief follow-up email and cite one or two examples that highlight them. Personally, I think there's no harm in trying for a second chance and that the worst response you can get is a "no." As long as you go about it with finesse, reaching out to employers again might leave them with a good, and more memorable, impression of you, and they may potentially keep you in mind for future positions.

5 Ways to Make Moving a Habit

Leta Shy — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:52:25 PST

We all should take time to relax, but sometimes we don't realize just exactly how sedentary our lives can be. Even if you devote an hour to exercise most days, if you're not moving a lot the rest of the time, you can be doing more harm than good. So start making moving a habit with these five tips.

Keep track: One of the best ways to encourage yourself to move is to get a fitness monitor that tracks your steps. You don't have to invest a lot - while more sophisticated trackers (like these five fitness monitors) track your steps as well as your exercise (some can also distinguish between walking on flat ground and when you're going up steps), you can buy a basic pedometer for just a few dollars.
Try a one-minute move: Whether you're folding laundry or watching TV, multitask by building muscle while you work. Take a one-minute break to dance around or do squats, lunges, or planks, and you'll raise your heartbeat as well as your energy levels.

Read on for three more ways to making moving a habit.