Healthy Hacks: Baked Yuca Fries with Roasted Jalapeño Aioli

Jaymee Sire
Sep 22, 2013

Still recovering from our candy bar cake and candy corn martini? Want the comfort of something fried but without the guilt? Baked fries to the rescue! And not just any fries, Yuca Fries!

Yuca (with one “c” and pronounced “YOO-kah”) is also known as cassava or manioc. It’s a tuber, similar to a potato. It’s also the base for making tapioca. But as a root vegetable, they are perfect for making fries! (Much like their potato cousins).

Ingredients:
– 1 medium yuca

– olive oil

– salt and pepper

– fresh lime juice

– Lemonaise light

– roasted jalapeño

– roasted garlic

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To prepare the yuca, use a vegetable peeler to peel off the tough, waxy skin, including the pinkish-purpleish layer. Cut into three-inch sections and boil for 10-15 minutes, until fork-tender and the ends start to split open a little bit.

Remove from water and drain on paper towels. When they are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and remove the thin, woody stock that runs through the middle.

Cut them into desired shapes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once.

I decided to make a quick aioli to go with the fries. I used roasted garlic, a roasted jalapeno, and some Lemonaise light. Of course, we give you permission to use regular ol’ ketchup too ;)

The fries are done when they are crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. Season with more salt and pepper if you want and squeeze a little fresh lime juice over them. Serve with aioli or your favorite dipping sauce. Just like real french fries, they should be eaten immediately!

What are your favorite healthy hacks on unhealthy snacks? Talk to us in the comments below.

I Made The Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink At Home – Here's How It Went

When I was working barista shifts at Starbucks over the winter, we'd get Medicine Ball orders every single hour. And not going to lie, I really hated them. Let me get this straight — I didn't hate the drink, but I more so disliked the fact that the customers ordering them almost always demanded their tea between a swarm of thick coughs and countless small sniffles. Yuck.

It truly felt like I was on the fence of getting sick pretty much every time someone stepped up to the register. But, I remained strong and I did what I had to do as a service worker, which in this case, was to pour the peachy-citrus tea into a pool of honey syrup, then top it with steamed lemonade. Coughs and sniffles aside, I often questioned why someone would order the Medicine Ball, based on the cost of the drink alone (up to $6, and that gets expensive when you're ordering it all the time).

Popular during sick season, the Starbucks Medicine Ball (AKA the Honey Citrus Mint Tea) may be good, but it's not good enough to cure you of that semi-flu, or whatever other pathogens might have been floating around in my café. It's also not worth putting someone else's health in jeopardy. Turns out, you can make the Medicine Ball at home — which saves money and effort (and spares others' safety) in the long run.

Scroll on to find out how simple making the Starbucks Medicine Ball really is!

@k.ard Medicine Ball for only $1.69 each! #medicineball#fluseason#coldseason#starbucksdupe#budgettok#SephoraConcealers#DrPepperTuitionContest#halloween#fall2022♬ Halloween - KenZie DarkStar

TikTok always makes recipes look effortless. So, I took this trusty tutorial into our own hands to compare how good an at-home Medicine Ball could really be against the real one from Starbucks.

Ingredients for the Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink

Starbucks

How can I make a Medicine Ball at home?

Anna Pou / PEXELS

Making a Starbucks Medicine Ball at home is pretty straightforward:
  1. Heat 1 cup of lemonade in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.
  2. Add 1 cup of hot water and stir in 1 tablespoon honey.
  3. Add one bag of Peach Tranquility and one bag of Jade Citrus Mint, then steep for a few minutes.
  4. Enjoy your Medicine Ball!

How I Made The Starbucks Medicine Ball At Home

Meredith Holser

First, I embarked on an ever-iconic Target run to gather my copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe ingredients. Since they were out of the exact Teavana teas I needed to replicate the TikTok recipe, I picked up two similar ones: first, the Good & Gather Organic Peach Honey Tea, and the Good & Gather Organic Mint Tea. I also picked up a jug of lemonade, and planned to use the honey I already had at home. All together, the three ingredients I needed ended up costing me about $9.50.

Step 1: Heat Lemonade

Tara Winstead / PEXELS

I measured a cup of lemonade, and just popped my Starbucks mug in the microwave for a minute.

Step 2: Add Water and Honey

Roman Odinstov / PEXELS

While the lemonade was in the microwave, I set some water on in my electric kettle. Once both liquids were heated up, I measured a cup of water and combined it in the mug with a tablespoon of honey. Yum!

Step 3: Steep Tea Bags

Anna Pou / PEXELS

Then, I put the two teabags in the mixture to steep. The tea wasn't overly hot either, and I steeped them for about 3 minutes before giving my homemade Medicine Ball recipe a lil' sip.

Is the homemade version of the Medicine Ball as good as the one from Starbucks?

Meredith Holser

To my surprise, my homemade Medicine Ball recipe was extremely delicious, and it mimicked the Starbucks one so closely. Before tasting, I gave my tea a sniff, and the smell was pretty much identical to the drink made in stores. The flavor hit the exact same mark.

Overall, I rate my homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball a 4.7/5.

The only detracting factors are the temperature of the drink – Starbucks steams their lemonade to make the drink super hot, and mine wasn't nearly as piping. Of course, this is just personal preference, and next time, I can heat the lemonade for a longer duration, or reheat the drink altogether. Another reason for the minimal point deduction is the drink wasn't as sweet as I expected it to be. Again, this is a personal preference, and you can add as little or as much sweetener you desire!

All of this goes to say, that a homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball is just as yummy as the one you can get at a Starbucks cafe. By following the steps above, you can make a copycat recipe that's going to satisfy your hankering for a citrusy, hot tea!

Looking for more at-home copycat recipes like this Medicine Ball from Starbucks? Browse our site for more DIYs!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

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Um, Gavin Casalegno Is Married!

You might ship Jeremiah and Belly on The Summer I Turned Pretty, but actor Gavin Casalegno is officially off the market. On November 12, the actor hard launched his relationship on Instagram by announcing he had gotten married and the chats went crazy. The Vampire Diaries actor has been keeping things very low-key for over a year, so if this news surprises you, you're not alone!

Keep reading for everything you need to know about Gavin Casalegno's wife.

Is Gavin Casalegno married?

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A post shared by Gavin Casalegno (@gavincasalegno)

"FOREVER CAPTIVATED BY YOU🕊️" Gavin and his new wife Cheyanne said in a joint Instagram post November 12. Gavin wore a black tux while Cheyanne wore a gorgeous strapless gown with a gauzy train and separate, lacy sleeves. As for the veil? The bride wore white fabric over her neck over her shoulders. Gorgeous!

Naturally, the comments went crazy. "okay hard launch !!!!!" one reads, while another user says, "DID I MISS A COUPLE HUNDRED CHAPTERS????"

Gavin and Cheyanne have been together since (at least) spring 2023, when Cheyanne posted him on her Instagram stories. Since then Gavin (or at least, his hair) has popped up on her Insta grid — by the ocean, in Paris, and in the car. Even though Gavin never name dropped his SO at the time, he did talk about dating.

"I definitely have just learned to be more private, which is super interesting because I’m always out in public," he told Shondaland in 2023. "I had to really learn to navigate my own privacy and well-being. So, the quick fix for me is just deleting Instagram and all these apps to kind of check out, to be with my family and be with myself, to spend some time with the Lord — that’s really where I thrive.”

He also told Cosmopolitan that he's had to learn “what it means to just mature a little bit in the dating space."

"You’re dating to marry; you’re not dating to just date,” he said. “I think that gets lost a lot of times in younger generations. So I really try to be intentional with everything that I do as far as spending my time and gift giving and flirting and all these things. I really try to be intentional about it.”

Who is Gavin Casalegno's wife?

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A post shared by DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD (@cheyannecasalegno)

Cheyanne King (er, Casalegno) is a registered nurse who graduated in 2023 from Baylor University, according to her LinkedIn.

How many exes does Gavin Casalegno have?

Gavin Casalegno dated model, dancer, and actress Larsen Thompson (who also has 1.2M followers on TikTok) for six years before the couple split in 2022.

Want the latest news on your favorite celeb relationships? Madison Bailey Got Emotional About Rudy Pankow's Outer Banks Exit Amid Cast Drama Rumors.

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The Best Drugstore Eyeliner Is SO Good — It Didn't Even Budge When I Cried

TBH, I have a roster of all-star beauty products I swear by. From the best cream blush to the lipstick I can't stop buying, my routine has officially become effortless. But, what if I told you I've been using an eyeliner that'll make you want to part ways with your tried-and-true favorite? And what if I told you it's so inexpensive that you won't believe how well it works?

Since I have your attention, let's have a nice girl-to-girl chat about the best drugstore eyeliner that didn't leak when I boohoo-cried over a movie recently. 👀

Amazon

  1. The best drugstore eyeliner: e.l.f. Cosmetics No Budge Retractable Eyeliner
  2. A smudge-proof, felt-tipped favorite: wet n wild Mega Last Breakup Proof Liner
  3. A waterproof wonder: Milani Stay Put Matte Eyeliner
  4. For the more detail-oriented: NYX Epic Ink Liner
  5. A runner-up pencil pick: Maybelline TattooStudio Eyeliner Pencil

Okay, what's the tea on the best eyeliner?

Amazon

The best drugstore eyeliner I've been using is by none other than e.l.f. Cosmetics. I've talked about their amazing Power Grip Primer (a dupe for Milk's Hydro version), but this No Budge Retractable Eyeliner deserves it's own spotlight. I've tried other brands that I thought were good, but a funny incident that counted as an early pregnancy sign is what earned this one's place in makeup kit.

I usually never cry while watching sad movies, but a random movie night in May 2020 ended with me running into the bathroom and bursting into tears over a distressing scene. My fiancé and I were still in the dating phase, so he was confused about what happened, but luckily made sure I was okay. He even commented on the fact that my eyeliner wasn't running down my face which I filed in the back of my mind.

So, how is it so different from other eyeliners you've tried?

Jasmine Williams

I'm glad you asked! e.l.f's No Budge Retractable Eyeliner is considered to be the "ultimate eye pencil" because it's not only waterproof, but it's also retractable. I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of sharpening eyeliners. It's a personal preference that's led me to something that feels super easy to use.

The other thing I like about it is how smooth it glides onto my water line. I've poked myself in the eye more times than I'd like to admit, but haven't had that problem with this product. It's also incredibly pigmented so I get an amazing color payoff that frames my brown eyes perfectly.

I'm fairly light-handed while applying it because I love a 'softer' look, but you can apply as much pressure as you're comfortable with!

You know I have to ask: how do other customers feel about the best drugstore eyeliner?

Amazon

With other 22,000 reviews on Amazon, this eyeliner has a 4.4 rating where over half of the reviews have given it 5 stars. Why?

  • "I love with this eyeliner that it can be a very thin line or a heavy line. You can smudge it and make it very soft. It's very very workable and I love it!"
  • "This is very easy to use. It's reasonably priced and I can't tell that it's a cheaper product than those you would find at Sephora. I will definitely be purchasing again."
  • "As a 77 year old woman, eye area can be sensitive and I like this eyeliner because it is a softer texture and does not make me stretch my eyes"
  • "For a few dollars, I purchased the Elf eyeliner and it is marvelous! It has the richest pigment! Truly, it is a ten, and 'less than ten dollars' and most importantly, cruelty-free!"
  • "I finally found an eyeliner that doesn't smudge ! I have hooded eyelids and really struggle with makeup coming off because of the way my eyes are shaped. I wore this eyeliner for a wedding and I didn't have any smears! I loved the color too."
  • "Love this Eyeliner! It's perfect and lasts a long time. My new favorite. My other go-tos were letting me down. This is perfect! Goes on smooth, lasts all day, looks good. Worth it!"

Shop The Best Drugstore Eyeliner Here!

Amazon

The best drugstore eyeliner: e.l.f. Cosmetics No Budge Retractable Eyeliner

Hopefully the above raving sealed the deal for you on this amazing eyeliner!

More Drugstore Eyeliners I Recommend & Why

Amazon

A smudge-proof, felt-tipped favorite: wet n wild Mega Last Breakup Proof Liner

If I wasn't such a fan of a pencil formula, this breakup proof liner would be my go-to. Someone on wet n wild's marketing team knows breakups and tears go together like two peas in a pod so why not create something that's smudge-proof? You won't experience any flaking or cracking with this product either, just 16 pure hours of sharp lines that could do damage if your ex dared to look in your eyes.

Amazon

A waterproof wonder: Milani Stay Put Matte Eyeliner

This eyeliner's bottle lets you know how long you'll be able to wear it which is an added bonus IMO. There's up to 17 hours of waterproof liquid-to-matte formula in this teeny bottle which says a lot. Ever heard of the saying, "Big things come in small packages?" If not, meet the eyeliner that proves how accurate this statement is.

Amazon

For the more detail-oriented: NYX Epic Ink Liner

Waterproof and liquid liner may not sound like they go together, but NYX has taken great care to make sure they do. Most customers on Amazon end up keeping it which lets you know how good it is, but I don't mind convincing you a little more.

It has a precise tip to help you achieve the cat eye you've been trying to master for years and dries to a matte finish. Just be mindful not to poke yourself in the eye because it's not as forgiving as a pencil formula!

Amazon

A runner-up pencil pick: Maybelline TattooStudio Eyeliner Pencil

Clearly I just said I don't prefer eyeliners that to be sharpened, but I'll only make an exception if the pencil doesn't have a sharp point in the package. You'll still get the same smooth application as e.l.f's No Budge version, but Maybelline promises to give you up to 36 hours of wear with this product. I haven't worn makeup beyond 24 hours so I can't vouch for that, but it lasts throughout a school or work day.

Follow Brit + Co's Amazon storefront for more beauty recommendations!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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