This Cherry Vanilla Smoothie with Chia tastes more like a cherry milkshake than a healthy (280 calories per serving and packed with calcium, protein and vitamin C and a great source of fiber, riboflavin, iodine, and phosphorus) way to fuel your morning.
Just a few ingredients tossed into a blender create a healthy, protein-packed way to start your day!
Chia seeds are one of the "superfoods" being coined as one of the healthiest foods on our planet! They are packed with antioxidants, protein, and fiber; high in omega-3 fatty acids (I was shocked to learn that they pack more omega-3's than salmon); and they deliver massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories. I love throwing them into smoothies for an added boost that doesn't distract from the flavor of the smoothie.
Did you know that cherries have natural anti-inflammatory benefits along with melatonin that helps regulate sleep?
It's that time of year when we must slather ourselves in sunscreen in the Pacific Northwest!
Did you know...
I recently read an article that stated that by eating foods high in carotenoids, you can help build the natural sun protection from your diet.
Spinach = dark, leafy greens
By including dark, leafy greens and fruits and vegetables that are yellow-orange such as carrots, sweet potatoes and apricots, algae and spirulina you can boost your body's ability to provide additional protective factors.
But the smell is not all that captivated me. From the great coverage options in SPF levels to the smooth application that does not leave you with a greasy or oily feeling, this sunscreen is amazing.
Upon returning to the states, I could not find the Australian Gold products anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. I have to admit that I held onto my sunscreen bottle when it had finally been used as I adored the smell that transplanted me back to the white sand beaches of Cancun, where the Hubs and I celebrated our honeymoon.
One day, I caught a whiff of the familiar scent and had to ask the person where they had found their sunscreen after confirming it was the my beloved scent. Low and behold, it was available to order on Amazon!
Last summer, I wanted to test the other products besides the initial sunscreen that I had found in Cancun so I ordered a variety of SPF levels, the lip protection, the instant bronzer, the waterproof, and the facial sunscreen.
I've learned that my favorite product continues to be water resistant for up to 80 minutes. It contains aloe vera which also moisturizes the skin.
Note: I did not get paid anything or reimbursed for purchasing this product. It just is something that I have really loved and wanted to share with all of you. I also can't vouch for how great the product works except for how it has worked on my family.
Looking for an easy Fourth of July Celebration Dessert to take to a party or potluck?
Look no further than these Patriotic Brownie Dessert Kabobs!
Patriotic Brownie Kabobs
Okay.
So, I promised these were easy.
All you need is wooden skewers, fresh strawberries and or fresh watermelon, fresh blueberries, marshmallows (or angel food cake) and a batch of brownies.
I soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 20-30 minutes prior to threading anything on them as it eliminates the wood pieces peeling.
Next up, I cut the brownies into small squares (a little bigger than bite-sized pieces), and if you are using angel food cake instead of marshmallows, cut those as well.
Wash your fruit and cut your watermelon into bite-sized squares, if using.
Then alternate your fruit and brownie creating a "flag-like" patriotic treat.
I guarantee that these will be one of the most popular treats at your celebratory Fourth of July or patriotic gathering.
Dating couples can teach married couples a thing or two about how to love!
Here are 10 examples of ways dating couples remind "marrieds" how to fall in love, stay in love and keep the romance alive throughout marriage.
1. Date your mate. Call up your partner and ask your your mate out for a date you planned without their knowledge. Build up the date with communication, texts, excitement. Show up at the door with a flower (or bag of flour - ha!)! Open the car door. Courtship is critical! Keep dating. Make time for your relationship.
2. Indulge in public displays of affection. Kiss, touch, hug like you wanted to the first time you met.
My sweet sister-in-law and brother-in-law keep love alive "dating in Paris".
3. Get gussied up. Every once and a while swap out the sweats and workout gear for what you wear if you were going out on a date...early on. Shave. Dress up. Add a little perfume or cologne. Slip into that little black dress or add a sports coat or tie.
Proof of the reason I say that "we all" need to break from daily routine and spiff up for date night...
Spiffed up a bit for date night...
4. Flirt. Go on. Wink, bat your eyelashes, touch an arm lingeringly, whisper - whatever you do that shows your partner you are interested in them. Be dazzled by their charms. Tell them what you like about them. Gush on.
5. Have fun! Be silly. Do something outrageous. Go kiss at Lover's Lane. Meet somewhere and pretend that you don't know each other yet. Have a sleepover in the back yard under the stars or living room under a fort. Think outside the box and get crazy.
My parents celebrated 50 Years of Marriage last summer!
6. Laugh. Challenge yourself to get your partner laughing, hysterically.
This guy can totally crack me up!
7. Stay up all night talking. Okay, maybe not all night. Pretend like you are just getting to know your partner. Ask them all those "getting to know you" questions - I bet many answers have changed. Find out what their dreams are and how they plan to make them come to fruition.
8. Surprise them. Excite them. Be out of the ordinary. Break routine. Write them a note. Give them a token that makes you think of them. Text them to build excitement throughout the day. Plan a getaway and tell them what they need to bring but don't reveal the destination.
Sweet surprises = chocolate-dipped strawberries
9. Pay attention. Be thoughtful. Think of the little things and do them for them. Notice everything. Give good eye contact. Be appreciative. Keep impressing them.
10. Kiss at the front door. Then click your heels together and dance a little jig because you get to go through that door with this person and sleep in the same bed with them. Celebrate the fact that you get to spend your life together. Now remember all the reasons why it's "better to be married vs. just dating".
What are some other tricks and reminders we can learn from dating couples?
Around here, right now...here's a snippet of what's happening lately.
Cooking: healthier meals from scratch and I've made our favorite Grilled Salmon recipe three times over the last month! The Hubs' cousin was visiting from Arizona and we just "had" to make it for him...along with the Frozen Berries with Melted White Chocolate (recipe to come).
New Recipe I'm Trying: This Outrageous Eskimo Bar recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe has been listed on my "to make list" for the past two summers. All ingredients are now accounted for, although, my teens devour the ice cream as soon as it makes an appearance from the store (don't tell them, I have a secret stash in a nondescript container)
Seasonal Food I can't wait to stock up on: Strawberries and cherries!
Latest Kitchen Gift: The most amazing oven ever! My Uncle Harlan researched the best possible oven on the planet and then sent one to me! It's the Samsung Chef Collection Slide-In Flex Duo Electric Induction Oven! This incredible oven has induction burners with virtual flames, the ability to bake at two different temperatures simultaneously, with a warming drawer at the base and the induction burner boils water in two minutes! Supposedly typical ovens experience a 25 degree temperature change during cook time but this oven promises to never fluctuate more than 8 degrees. I am so enamored with this oven (and I am incredibly thankful for this dream gift)!
The Samsung Chef Collection Dream Oven!
Latest Kitchen Purchase: the Zo Bread Machine (Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Bread Machine) was purchased at a recent nonprofit auction. I'd researched the Zojirushi (pronounced zoh-gee-ROO-shee) brand for a long time and felt it was justified as the purchase not only benefited the nonprofit but it serves multi-purposes and can make more than just bread and dough (cakes, fruit jam, meatloaf or even lasagna). I am swooning. It's SO easy to make a perfect loaf of bread. I love the timed function that allows me to pop the ingredients in the early morning (you can program up to 13 hours ahead) and then shazam - produce hot, fresh bread at dinner! The only downfall is that it is "dangerously good" bread and I could see how one could devour and easily slather up slice after slice with butter.
Cookbook I'm Currently Obsessed With:Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman gifted to me from my Uncle Harlan. This book will transform cooking for me. It offers basic recipes and then builds on the basic scratch recipe with simple additions. What I love most is the fact that it provides the "why" behind the ratios. This quote sums up the power of this cookbook perfectly,
"Cooking, like so many creative endeavors, is defined by relationships. For instance, knowing exactly how much flour to put into a loaf of bread isn't nearly as useful as understanding the relationship between the flour and the water, or fat, or salt. That relationship is defined by a 'ratio,' and having a ratio in hand is like having a secret decoder ring that frees you from the tyranny of recipes." - Alton Brown
Making:grant proposals, project budgets and dreaming up ways to help nonprofits get more foundation funding support
Super Unhealthy Thing I Love: Fair food - Hand-battered Onion Rings (Gah!)
Drinking: Chai Tea with Hemp Milk AND I figured out a great take on the Arnold Palmer combo of lemonade and iced tea that my kids adore. Instead I've swapped out limeade and it's fantastic!
Reading: Okay, Bella is the queen of procrastination (I have no idea where she gets that love of deadlines and working under the gun) but she needed to read five chapter books over three months and I think she left four books to be read in less than 3 weeks. Sigh! Thankfully, the rule is that parents can read a book aloud (or they can listen to books on CD) so I helped her read one book in two days by speed reading.
Can you believe that her young adult genre book made me cry? Bella thought I was being dramatic and reading the book with extra theatrical efforts but I sobbed at the end of the story with the resolution and bittersweet ending.
Wanting:To go hiking! The Hubs invited me to a quick hike escape this morning but I had to work as it's the end of the month and deadlines are plentiful. Yet, all day...I can't stop longing to be walking along a babbling brook, taking the pooch out to explore, pushing back foliage to reveal hidden waterfalls. Tomorrow - this will be on the list!
Pacific Northwest Hiking
Looking: At my kids and noticing their growth this year from their most noticeable change in height, smiles, humor, struggles, PR's (personal records) and their achievements. These two will both share the halls of the high school next year and I anticipate very few "dull moments".
So many changes over the past school year, but most obvious is the height!
Watching: Did you see Pitch Perfect 2 yet? I loved the acapella music, the humor and the fact that a sequel trumped the first movie! Loved this movie and being reunited with all the "Pitches"!
Listening: The killdeer are waking me up every morning before my alarm goes off and a nest of another bird family tweet it up every morning under the eave of our front porch. While I typically love the sound of birds, I'd prefer they wait until after 6:00 A.M. for their screeching.
Loving:Jambu shoes! Okay, I'm admitting that I may have a bit of a current obsession over said shoes. I rarely get excited about shoes or fashion but the comfort level of these shoes has transformed the way I walk/trot/glide. I have found out that the pricing for Jambu shoes is much better on Amazon but that could be because they are a season behind the current shoes...but if you know me, I'm not needing to be that cutting-edge with my styles. You will thank me once you get turned on to these shoes that have been equated with Birkenstocks in the comfort department and Keens in the water shoe department. They can be dressed up or down and are great for treks and water alike.
I love Jambu footwear!
What are your recent favorite recipes or obsessions?
A girl in love with the seasons who wants to cram as much as she can into the 365 days of the year to live a life of bliss. Welcome to What Matters Most Now! I hope you will find inspiration and recipes you love.
