Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Yogurt Shake Recipes for Immunity, Metabolis and Digestion

Mango-Apricot Magic
Puree in a blender, 3/4 cup diced mangoes, 3/4 cup low-fat orange yogurt, 1/4 cup apricot nectar or orange juice and 1/2 tsp. orange zest for 30 seconds, or until smooth. Add a 1/4 cup of ice. Blend another 30 seconds. Sweeten with honey to taste.
Kiwi-Mint Kick
Puree 1 cup frozen honeydew, 3/4 cup plain unsweetened kefir or yogurt, 1/2 cup diced kiwifruit, 1/4 cup sliced bananas and 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh mint in blender for 30 seconds. Sweeten with honey.
Banana-Berry Bliss
Puree in a blender, 3/4 cup Greek nonfat plain yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup apricot nectar, 1/4 cup sliced bananas, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. lemon zest for 30 seconds.
Yogurt and kefir increases your immunity by crowding out illness-causing pathogens.
Drink 7 oz. of a fermented drink like kefir everyday will help you lose nearly 5% of abdominal fat in 12 weeks.
Reduce stomach pain and gas within two weeks and reduce bloating within four weeks by eating 6 oz. of yogurt daily.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Falls energizing fruit

Quince - this fruit contains chlorogenic acid which is a compound shown to slow the release of glucose in the blood stream. It helps to reduce the dips of mood and energy when blood sugar crashes after a carb-rich meal. It's too tart to eat raw but is found in preserves and desserts.
Italian Prune Plums - this fruit contains compounds that help protect against UV-induced free radical damage that leads to premature wrinkling and sun spots. They are also 'of great interest' in preventing skin cancer. Try this recipe: combine 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbs of honey and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat until syrupy. Drizzle on plums and top with walnuts and feta cheese.
Cantaloupe - the fruit's vitamin C lowers the adrenal glands' output of the stress hormone cortisol. Vitamin A teams up with C in the fruit and reduces stress induced colds. One cup contains a full day of both nutrients.
Concord grapes - these tasty treats help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and also helps promote a healthy blood pressure. After two weeks of consumption, you should notice a difference.
Figs - rich with rutin, a plant compound shown to ward off excess pounds. Try combining figs with chopped italian sausage and minced oregano, then toss with pasta or use as a topper for pizza.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Berries 'n Cream Pops

Choose this instead of ice cream!
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, divided
1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 Tbs. Tbls. apple juice
Lightly crush 1/4 cup of fresh raspberries. In a bowl, gently fold them into 1 cup vanilla yogurt. Divide the mixture into four 3oz. wax coated paper drinking cups.
Pulse the remaining raspberries and apple juice in a mixer for 30 seconds or until smooth. Spoon 1 Tbs. pureed mixture into each cup. In a bowl, combine remaining pureed mixture and vanilla yogurt; spoon into cups.
Cover cups with foil. Make a split in center of foil and insert 1 popscicle stick. Freeze cream pops 4 hours or until set. Peel away foil and cups before serving.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Organize your car while travelling

Stack-and-stow bins
For irregular shaped totes and duffles try these stackable baskets. Choosing bins with wheels makes it easy for little ones to help out. Souvenirs can easily be tucked around the sides on the ride home. IRIS Rolling & Stacking Baskets USPHome.com
An upright hammock
Try a cargo bar and net to keep items from shifting and toppling over. The cargo bar will keep these items safely rooted in their spots and easier to unpack upon arrival. Highland Trunk Cargo Bar with net CargoGear.com
Zip-top bags for Towels
Tuck soft items like towels and sheets into large resealable plastic bags. The bags will squeeze into nooks and crannies which allows you to use every inch of space available. They are also good for the trip home for dirty clothes. Ziploc Big Bags XL at your local grocery store.
Front seat
That empty seat to the right of you is handy for all those things you put into it. But, what if you pick up a passenger? A hanging cooler is good for snacks and drinks and swings around easily for backseat passengers. Maps, pens and other on-the-road necessities could use a multi-compartment lap tray with extra cup holders. Your cell phone could be tucked into a clever pouch that attaches to the air vent to keep you from digging in your purse for it.
Lunch cooler organize.com; kar-kaddy kar-kaddy.com; all phone pouch stacksandstacks.com
Backseat
Hanging media organizer eliminates the under-seat clutter of games and DVD's. A canvas cooler has pockets on the side for paper, markers and more. It also makes a great between the seat table for games. An over-the-seat serving station is great at mealtime to prevent messes on the car seats. entertainment organizer comforthouse.com Canvas cooler StacksandStacks.com back seat food tray brylanehome.com

Friday, August 12, 2011

Handy Home Solutions

Keep flies from invading your next picnic by cutting lemons into quarters and poke a dozen whole cloves into the fleshy part of each wedge. Flies don't like citrus and spicy scents, so the combination of lemon and cloves will ensure they take their hunger elsewhere.
Next time the fuzzy bee stings, place a slice of raw onion on it. The sulfur in the bulb is a natural detoxifier that neutralizes the venom.
Next time you open a musty smelling book, grab a used dryer sheet and place it in the center of it for a day or two. The sheets porous fibers will absorb the moisture and leave behind a laundry-fresh scent.
To avoid the sandy beach from entering your car, sprinkle your feet with baby powder before you leave. The powder will soak up excess moisture that causes sand to stick to the feet. Now you should be able to brush the sand off easily.
The next time you drop a trinket into the drain, grab a vacuum and slip a panty hose over the end. Typically the trinket will be in the U-bend. The vacuum will suck it out and the hose will keep it from entering the vacuum.
Keep your garden hydrated with charcoal. Break the briquettes into 1" pieces and sprinkle on the flower bed. The charcoal will retain rain and slowly release hose water into the ground. This will make the soil stay moist twice as long.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Tangy Two-Potato Toss Recipe

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. White or red wine vinegar
1 small shallot
1 lb. purple potatoes
1 lb. baby red potatoes
1 meduim tomato, diced
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumbers
1/2 cooked chickpeas
4 small red radishes, thinly sliced
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
In a small bowl mix together the first 4 ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. In a pot over high heat, bring purple and red potatoes covered with enough salted water to a boil. Reduce to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain and allow to cool enough to handle and then cut potatoes into cubes.
Toss the vinaigrette with the potatoes. Toss gently to coat and allow to cool 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Chill until ready to serve.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Blast fat and stay cool!

Kayak - when I recently visited the UP of Michigan I saw a lot of kayaking on Lake Superior. I thought that looked like fun and I should try it. This is why - It slims the upper body. It works the deltoids, latissimus dorsi and trapezius which sculps the shoulders and creates a sexy V-back. You will also burn 170 calories in 30 minutes.
Play in the pool - this last weekend I went swimming in the Mississippi which is flowing at speeds I couldn't even imagine. It was quite the workout! Splashing in the water can burn up to 200 calories in 30 minutes. If you have kids, hold them up in the air and tone the triceps, biceps and deltoids to eliminate bat wings and pit pudge.
Pattleboard - this I haven't tried. Balancing on the board strengthens the rectus abdominus. This will give you the 6-pack look! Then twisting will work the oblique muscles to develop the hourglass look. Balance poses in yoga will also do the same thing!!!
Water tubing - I did this a couple years ago with friends. I was surprised how sore my body was the next day and week! This helps tone the core muscles, especially the transverse abdominus. I also found that it toned my upper body as well.
Jump in the water! Work the fast-twitch muscles in the glutes, quads and hamstrings. These fibers contract with short bursts of power. Have fun and let loose. Take a few jumps and develope slimmer thighs and a perky tush.
You have my permission to have fun and let it all go!