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10 Best Fruits And Veggies To Help You Stay Hydrated This Summer
Summer is finally here! We wait all year for the long, warm, and sunny days. This is the time of year when we spend the most time outside swimming, having picnics, going to the beach, hiking, and playing.
Those activities are great, but it is very important to remember to protect our bodies while out in the heat. Summer weather is getting hotter and hotter so finding ways to combat the effects of the high heat is a must for health and safety.
When dealing with hot weather, hydration is the key to feeling good and taking care of ourselves during the summer months. We can become dehydrated rather quickly in hot weather, especially when engaging in activities. Many people do not drink enough water, which is why it is important to recognize when we are dehydrated.
Also, it is extremely important to know and recognize the signs of dehydration in infants and children as well. Little ones and the elderly are the most vulnerable to heat-related conditions.
Dehydration Signs
Signs Of Dehydration In Adults
Extreme Thirst
Dizziness
Fatigue
Dark Urine/Low Urine Output
Confusion
Signs Of Dehydration In Infants And Young Children
No Wet Diapers For 3 Or More Hours
No Tears When Crying
Irritability
Dry Mouth/Tongue
Listlessness
Foods That Hydrate
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are over 95 percent water. They contain vitamins C and E, and is great for the skin.
Tomatoes
Incorporate tomatoes into your diet by adding tomatoes to your salad, sandwiches, and wraps. Tomatoes are 95 percent water, and contain vitamin C, which is good for skin health.
Watermelon
Watermelon is 92 percent water, and may actually hydrate faster than water. Watermelon contains magnesium, potassium, and sodium, all of which are needed to properly hydrate.
Strawberries
Strawberries are 92 percent water. Strawberries are plentiful during summers months, and easy to incorporate into your snacks, and meals.
Grapefruit
The grapefruit is 88 percent water. Start off your day right with a grapefruit for breakfast. Grapefruits contain vitamin A and C, potassium and biotin, all of which are good for the skin.
Carrots
Snack on carrots in the summer. Carrots are 87 percent water, and loaded with beta carotene, which helps protect the skin.
Cantaloupes
Cantaloupe is 90 percent water, and loaded with vitamin A.
Celery
Hydrate with celery. Celery is 96 percent water, and may hydrate you just as fast as drinking water.
Zucchini
Cook with zucchini this summer. Zucchini is 95 percent water, and a great source of folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
Iceberg Lettuce
Add iceberg lettuce to your meals this summer to stay hydrated. Iceberg lettuce contains 96 percent water, and has vitamin C, potassium, and folate.
One of the easiest things to do this summer to help with hydration is to just make a salad. Make a super hydration salad by adding iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and carrots. Or you can make a nice fruit salad with watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and grapefruit.
Most fruits and vegetables have high water content. Whatever your plans are this summer, remember your sunscreen, and don't forget to hydrate.
What do you do to stay hydrated in the summer heat? Do you primarily rely on water and sports drinks to provide your hydration needs? Or do you enjoy eating all of the fresh fruits and veggies? Please share!
Photo by Toni Cuenca from Pexels
7 Ways To Have A Stress Free Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving, and I am truly thankful for all of my good fortunes. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of food, family, friends, and football. I know that for many, holiday time can be stressful or depressing, but for me I feel like this is when I really shine.
It really is not about how big, or small your crowd is, but about appreciating how wonderful things are, and hopes of better things to come. My crowd size varies from year year, from as small as six people, to as large as twenty. Personally for me, ten people is the most comfortable size for me to cook for.
This year I am doing something a little different. I am hosting a pre-dinner the Wednesday before at one home to spend time with those who will not be with us on Thanksgiving.
Then on the actual day of, I will host another Thanksgiving with some different guests at a different house. The menus will be different, as will the locations and ambience, which makes it more interesting for me.
I used to get very stressed out cooking for the holidays, wanting everything to be perfect. But those years are long gone. I am pretty confident in my abilities, but can also shrug it off if something doesn’t turn outright. I also don’t try to go it alone.
My two daughters are awesome sous chefs, which helps a lot. I love teaching my girls to cook, and seeing that growth from year to year.
So while my holiday menus are mostly decided, I am now teetering between a roasted or fried turkey. For a while there, I was really on a fried turkey kick, and then I was over it.
In the last three years, I roasted the turkeys, brined for 48 hours before cooking, and they were delicious. But it may be time for a change-up again. Either way, I plan on a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Here Are My Tips For A Stress Thanksgiving...
Plan Ahead - Once you know how many people you will be hosting, start planning seating, your menu, and beverages.
Make Ahead - Many dishes, especially desserts and appetizers can be made ahead of time.
Enlist Help - Have your kids, partner, or friends assist as needed with food prep, serving, and clean up.
Bring A Dish - When entertaining large groups, have guests bring side dishes, desserts, or beverages.
Perfection Not Required - Remember the gathering is about being together and giving thanks.
Size Doesn't Matter - Whether your celebration consists of 2 or 20 people, you have something to be thankful for.
Buy Preprepared Meals or Get Take Out - It’s still Thanksgiving even if you are not doing all of the work yourself.
What are your holiday plans? Hosting a dinner? Attending someone else's dinner as a guest? Or going out for a nice steak dinner at a restaurant? Please share your plans and tips for having a wonderful, stress free Thanksgiving!
When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others. - Dalai Lama
Quick and Easy Baked Potato Soup
Soup is the best kind of comfort food. Nothing will warm you up on a chilly day like a nice bowl of soup. One of my favorite soups to whip up is baked potato soup. This recipe is super easy, it is quick and definitely delicious. My family loves this soup and often helps prepare it.
This recipe is one of my favorites because not only is it quick and simple, and it is also yummy and very filling. For baked potato soup, you can just choose your favorite potato. For this recipe, I am using the russet potato but Yukon gold potatoes are also great for this dish, or you can even use sweet potatoes to change it up. Next, crumble crispy bacon on top, add some cheddar cheese, and sprinkle a little bit of green onion and you have the perfect bowl of soup.
Homemade Baked Potato Soup Recipe
The ingredients for my baked potato soup recipe are very basic but also versatile. My soup recipe is gluten-free due to my allergy, so I use gluten-free flour, but of course, you can use wheat flour if gluten is not an issue for you. For a slightly creamier taste, I recommend replacing the russet potatoes with Yukon gold. You can also use fat-free, whole milk, or a combination of the milk with heavy cream. You decide, it’s your calories. LOL
Ingredients:
3 Large Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
2 Cups of Milk
1 ½ Cup Chicken Broth
½ Yellow Onion, Diced
1/3 cup of Flour, Gluten Free
3 tbsp. Butter
6 Strips of Bacon, Cripsy
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
¾ Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Sea Salt, you will salt to taste
Pepper
Olive Oil
Directions:
On medium heat in a large pot or French oven, add butter and drizzle about 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add yellow onions and garlic to the pot and sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir flour into the pot and stir until the mixture is blended. Next add broth, milk, potatoes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and allow soup to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook bacon until crisp and crumble it on a paper towel. Add 4 strips of crumbled bacon and ½ cup of cheese to the soup and cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with green onions, and the rest of the cheese and bacon.
One of the great things about this soup is that it seems to taste even better the next day. Double the recipe for lots of leftovers and enjoy all week long. I recommend serving it in a bread bowl or with a slice of crusty bread.
Baked potato soup is one of my winter favorites, but you can enjoy it all year long. Please share how it turned out for you. I hope you enjoy it!
6 Steps To A Stress Free Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving, and I am truly thankful for all of my good fortunes. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of food, family, friends, and football. I know that for many, holiday time can be stressful or depressing, but for me I feel like this is when I really shine.
It really is not about how big, or small your crowd is, but about appreciating how wonderful things are, and hopes for better things to come in the future. My crowd size varies from year to year, from as small as six people, to as large as twenty. Personally for me, ten people are the most comfortable size for me to cook for.
This year I am doing something a little different. I am hosting a pre-dinner the Wednesday before Thanksgiving at one home to spend time with those who will not be with us on Thanksgiving.
Then on the actual day of the holiday, I will host another Thanksgiving with some different guests at a different house. The menus will be different, as will the locations and ambiance, which makes it more interesting for me to plan and prep.
I used to get very stressed out cooking for the holidays, wanting everything to be perfect, but those years are long gone. Now, I am pretty confident in my cooking and hosting abilities, but can also shrug it off if something doesn’t turn out just right. And the biggest thing I do is that I don’t try to go it alone.
My two daughters are awesome sous chefs, which helps a lot with holiday meal preparations and cooking. I love teaching my girls to cook, and seeing that growth from year to year.
So while my holiday menus are mostly decided, I am now teetering between a roasted turkey or a fried turkey. For a while there, I was really on a fried turkey kick, and then I got over it and went back to the traditional roasted turkey.
In the last three years, I have roasted the turkeys, after brining them for 48 hours before cooking, and they were absolutely moist and delicious. But it may be time for a change-up again. Either way, I plan on a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Here Are My 6 Tips For A Stress Free Thanksgiving...
Plan Ahead - Once you know how many people you will be hosting, start planning seating, your menu, and beverages.
Make Ahead - Many dishes, especially desserts and appetizers can be made ahead of time.
Enlist Help - Have your kids, partner, or friends assist as needed with food prep, serving, and especially the clean-up.
Bring A Dish - When entertaining large groups, have guests bring side dishes, desserts, or beverages.
Perfection Not Required - Cut yourself some slack. Remember the gathering is about being together and giving thanks.
Size Does Not Matter - Whether your celebration consists of 2 or 20 people, remind yourself that you have something to be thankful for.
What are your holiday plans? Hosting a dinner? Attending someone else's dinner as a guest? Or going out for a nice steak dinner at a restaurant? Please share your plans and tips for having a wonderful, stress-free Thanksgiving! And have a Happy Thanksgiving!
When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others. - Dalai Lama
How To Have A Stress Free Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving, and I am truly thankful for all of my good fortunes. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of food, family, friends, and football. I know that for many, holiday time can be stressful or depressing, but for me I feel like this is when I really shine.
It really is not about how big, or small your crowd is, but about appreciating how wonderful things are, and hopes of better things to come. My crowd size varies from year year, from as small as six people, to as large as twenty. Personally for me, ten people is the most comfortable size for me to cook for.
This year I am doing something a little different. I am hosting a pre-dinner the Wednesday before at one home to spend time with those who will not be with us on Thanksgiving.
Then on the actual day of, I will host another Thanksgiving with some different guests at a different house. The menus will be different, as will the locations and ambience, which makes it more interesting for me.
I used to get very stressed out cooking for the holidays, wanting everything to be perfect. But those years are long gone. I am pretty confident in my abilities, but can also shrug it off if something doesn’t turn outright. I also don’t try to go it alone.
My two daughters are awesome sous chefs, which helps a lot. I love teaching my girls to cook, and seeing that growth from year to year.
So while my holiday menus are mostly decided, I am now teetering between a roasted or fried turkey. For a while there, I was really on a fried turkey kick, and then I was over it.
In the last three years, I roasted the turkeys, brined for 48 hours before cooking, and they were delicious. But it may be time for a change-up again. Either way, I plan on a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Here Are My Tips For A Stress Thanksgiving...
Plan Ahead - Once you know how many people you will be hosting, start planning seating, your menu, and beverages.
Make Ahead - Many dishes, especially desserts and appetizers can be made ahead of time.
Enlist Help - Have you kids, partner, or friends assist as needed with food prep, serving, and clean up.
Bring A Dish - When entertaining large groups, have guests bring side dishes, desserts, or beverages.
Perfection Not Required - Remember the gathering is about being together and giving thanks.
Size Doesn't Matter - Whether your celebration consists of 2 or 20 people, you have something to be thankful for.
What are your holiday plans? Hosting a dinner? Attending someone else's dinner as a guest? Or going out for a nice steak dinner at a restaurant? Please share your plans and tips for having a wonderful, stress free Thanksgiving!
When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others. - Dalai Lama
Easy Combination Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of my favorite dishes to cook and to eat. It’s fast, it’s filling, and very versatile. The great thing about fried rice is that the rice provides a great base, and you can add any additional ingredients you want.
For this particular recipe I added lots of protein. My fried rice usually consists of brown rice, lots of chicken breast and eggs, plus plenty of carrots and green onions for great flavor and beautiful color. This recipe also has yummy shrimp, and crispy bacon crumbles added.
This meal really comes together in about 30 minutes and if you have sous chef you can be sitting down to the table that much faster.
Easy Fried Rice
Ingredients
6 cups Cooked Brown Rice or White Rice
2 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts
4 Pieces of Cooked Bacon, Crumbled
8 Jumbo Shrimp, Cut Into Half
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
3 tbsp. Soy Sauce
3 Eggs
1 cup Shredded Carrots
4 Green Onions, Chopped
Olive Oil
Directions
Prepare your white or brown rice either in stove top or using a rice cooker. Cut up chicken breast into small chunks and cook in wok on medium high heat with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and garlic. While chicken is cooking add bacon to microwave safe plate, cover with paper towel, and cook until crispy. In a skillet drizzle olive oil and cook shrimp on medium high heat until pink and sit aside.
Once chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes with frequent stir, remove chicken from wok and put to the side. Add carrots and 1 tbsp. of oil to wok and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions to carrots and cook for 2 more minutes. Add cooked rice and soy sauce and stir until blended. In a small skillet, spray with pan spray and hard scramble eggs. Add eggs and chicken to rice. Blend and serve.
Tip – I highly recommend a rice cooker. The rice can cook while you are preparing your meat and veggies. Or try the frozen rice steam bags that are ready after 3-5 minutes in the microwave.
This recipe also works great with cauliflower rice. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
As the weather starts to cool, we tend to retreat more indoors and fire up the ovens more frequently. One of my favorite things about fall is the cool, crisp weather. I love curling up with one of my favorite throws, when my home is nice and warm, with slight touch of coolness reminding me of the outdoor weather.
After a full summer of avoiding turing on my oven as much possible, I am finally back to making soups, stews, and some of my favorite baked recipes. Flaky, buttery pie crust filled with delicious chicken and veggies in a creamy sauce. Chicken pot pie is comfort food at its best. My recipe is simple, quick, and very flavorful.
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked Diced Chicken
1 Bag Mixed Veggies
½ Medium Onion, Diced
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
1 ½ cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Flour
1 1/3 cup Milk
1 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Rosemary, Finely Choppped
1 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Black Pepper
2 Pie Crusts, allow to come room temperature to soften while preparing filling
¼ cup Butter
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot add butter, olive oil, garlic, diced onions, and sauté until onions are clear. Add flour, black pepper, salt, thyme, 1/2 tsp. of rosemary, milk, and broth, and stir until mixture slightly thickens.
Add chicken and frozen veggies and continue to stir until blended. Once blended allow to simmer until filling is very thick, which should be about another 7-10 minutes.
Place one pie crust in the pie pan and spoon in filling to the top. Cover with a second pie crust and cut and roll the pie dough edges as needed. Place pie in the center rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
For Rustic Chicken Pot Pies
Place pie crusts on a baking sheet or pie dish. Spoon filling to the center of the pie crust and then fold in crust edges around filling, creating a pie shape, and sprinkle remaining rosemary over pie.
Place pie in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Allows cooling for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
I love a roasted chicken and make one almost every Sunday. For me, roasted chicken is the epitome of comfort food. I truly love everything about the process of cooking a roasted chicken. I love getting the fresh lemons and rosemary from my garden, and best of all I love watching this ugly pale piece of meat turn into a golden, beautiful, delicious meal.
Although a whole chicken, is just a whole chicken, you can really do so much with one. For this recipe I am making a lemon rosemary chicken, but I also occasionally like to do a nice cajun rub and roast the chicken, or cook the chicken spatchcock style on the grill.
Cooking a roasted chicken is super easy, but also a crowd pleaser, and not nearly as difficult as people think. Give it a try. Bon Appetit!
Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients:
1 5lb. Whole Chicken, Giblets Removed
¼ Cup Butter
3 tsp. Olive Oil
3 Sprigs plus 1 tbsp. of Rosemary, Finely Chopped
1 Lemon, 1/2 Lemon Quarterd, 1/2 Lemon Squeezed
3 Whole Garlic Cloves
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, olive oil, lemon juice, and rosemary in a bowl. Pat the chicken completely dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle chicken liberally with salt, paprika, and pepper. Using hand, coat chicken inside and out with butter mixture and place in roaster, breast side up and wings tucked under.
Insert rosemary sprigs, garlic, and quartered lemons in chicken cavity. Bake for about 1 hour on lower rack, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to bake for another 30-45 minutes, until juices run clear.
Remove chicken from oven and let sit for about 30 minutes before carving. I recommend that you ladle pan juices over your chicken before serving.
That’s it! Pretty simple right. Not much prep time to a roasted chicken. You basically season it and pop in the oven for a couple of hours. Easy peasy! Enjoy!
Easy Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Soup is the best kind of comfort food. On a chilly day nothing will warm you up like a nice bowl of soup. One of my favorite soups to whip up is baked potato soup. This recipe is super easy, and delicious. My family loves this soup, and often help prepare it.
This recipe is one of my favorites because it is quick, simple, and so yummy. Crumble crispy bacon on top, add some cheddar cheese, and sprinkle a little bit of green onion and you have the perfect bowl of soup.
Baked Potato Soup Recipe
The ingredients for my baked potato soup recipe are so simple but also versatile. My soup recipe is gluten free due to my allergy, so I use gluten free flour. For a slightly creamier taste I recommend replacing the russet potatoes with yukon gold. You can also use fat free, whole milk, or a combination of the milks with heavy cream. You decide, it’s your calories. LOL
Ingredients:
3 Large Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
2 Cups of Milk
1 ½ Cup Chicken Broth
½ Yellow Onion, Diced
1/3 cup of Flour, Gluten Free
3 tbsp. Butter
6 Strips of Bacon
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
¾ Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Sea Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Directions:
On medium heat in a large pot or French oven add butter and drizzle about 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add yellow onions and garlic to pot and sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir flour into pot and stir until mixture is blended. Next add broth, milk, potatoes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and allow soup to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook bacon until crisp and crumble on paper towel. Add 4 strips of crumbled bacon and ½ cup of cheese to soup and cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with green onions, and the rest of the cheese and bacon.
One of the great things about this soup is that is seems to taste even better the next day. Double the recipe for lots of leftover and enjoy all week long. Baked potato soup is one of my winter favorites, but you can enjoy it all year long. I hope you enjoy!
Trader Joe's Favorites...My Pantry Must Haves!
Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite stores to food shop. I make a least one trip a week to my Trader Joe’s, and usually purchase the same things, with a few change ups every now and then. What can I say, I am a creature of habit. I always get fresh flowers, usually lilies, tulips, hydrageas, or mums.
I love fresh flowers, but they are most certainly not the only reason I am going to Trader Joe’s every week. Trader Joe’s has fresh meats and veggies, a nice freezer section, and also a great beer and wine selection. Whenever I am entertaining, I get my goodies from TJs. I honestly could go on and on, but this blog is about my pantry must haves.
Here are my Trader Joe’s pantry and fridge staples...
Tomato and Basil Marinara Sauce - This simple marinara sauce is my go to sauce for a quick meal. The sauce is tasty as is, but I usually zhuzh (juje) it up by sauteing fresh chopped garlic in olive oil and adding it to the sauce and tossing with gluten free pasta.
Harissa Paste - Harissa paste is very spicy African paste that is bursting with flavor. I will caution that this paste, a little goes a long way. I like to marinade chicken and shrimp in the harissa paste, and then grill and serve with rice and veggies.
Pesto Sauce - Trader Joe’s pesto sauce packs a lot of flavor in a small jar. Pesto sauce is primarily a basil, garlic, and olive oil sauce. Pesto sauce is great tossed with your favorite pasta, and works as a great marinade for a baked chicken dish.
Soy Chorizo - Trader Joe's soy chorizo is by far my favorite chorizo around. It is a little spicy and perfect for a breakfast of chorizo and eggs. The price is right, the serving size is perfect, and the taste is amazing.
Chicken Stock - I think it is important to always have chicken stock or broth on hand in the pantry to quickly whip up a soup or a sauce. If you make your own awesome. But on those occasions when you need stock, and do not have any of the homemade kind in your fridge or freezer, the TJ chicken stock should be in your pantry.
Frozen Brown Rice - I love Trader Joe's frozen brown, and literally have multiple boxes of it at all times in my deep freezer. Three bags of rice comes in each box, and you just pop it in the microwave for three minutes and voila you have perfectly cooked brown rice.
Chopped Onions - I love by bag of chopped onion. Sure I could chop onions myself, but when you are pressed for time and trying to get a meal on the table for your family on a busy week night, pre chopped onions come in handy. Trust me, they are so worth it.
Garlic Cloves - When I first spotted Trader Joe’s peeled garlic cloves in their produce section I was so excited. I cook with a lot of garlic, and this product is convenient and of good quality. The fresh, peeled, and vacuum sealed garlic cloves makes adding fresh garlic to your meal easy.
Coconut Oil - Coconut oil is a staple in my pantry because of its many uses. I use it for cooking, and making granola. I also pour a bit into a separate container in keep in my bathroom for use as a beauty product.
Lemonade Tea - I keep Trader Joe’s lemonade tea because it is perfect for just sipping while sitting outside on a nice day, and to serve when having guests over. For a nice cocktail, add a splash of rum and garnish with a lemon slice and fresh mint.
Are you a Trader Joe’s shopper? If you are what’s on your must have list? If you are not currently a shopper, then maybe you will be soon. Hopefully you have a close Trader Joe’s by so you can enjoy their products too. Let me know your thoughts on my pantry must have. Please share yours!