Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Beach Snacks

Image courtesy of Pixabay
Vacations to the beach or day trips to the beach are incomplete with something delicious to snack on throughout the day. But not everything is good for the beach! You need the perfect treats to fuel you for more fun all day in the sun. What do you like to snack on at the beach? Here are some great ideas and recipes from the Kitchn.


Packing food for a picnic in the park is pretty easy. But when your picnic happens to be on the beach, there's a new set of rules and a few more factors to consider before filling your basket or cooler.

For starters, there's the sand. It's totally obvious, but no matter how hard you plan and how many precautions you take, it inevitably ends up everywhere. Including your sandwich. There's also the wind — the beach can be breezy, which means that sand and salt swirl around, attaching themselves to anything that's remotely sticky, wet, or, let's face it, edible.

Keep that in mind the next time you're packing up for a day at the beach, and remember that even when you have a cooler, some foods hold up better than others. Of course you can always pack the basics, like crackers, chips, nuts, and dried fruit, but it's good to have something a little more substantial.


8 Foods to Pack for a Day at the Beach


1. Wraps

I always opt for wraps over regular sandwiches when packing lunch for a day at the beach. For one, it's just fun to coil things up in a tortilla or collard leaf. But more importantly, when the fillings are tucked away on the inside, they're better protected — plus wraps are easy to eat with one hand.


Recipe: Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce


Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Wraps with Caramelized Onions and Pesto


2. Fried chicken

The only thing better than hot and crispy fried chicken, is leftover cold fried chicken the next day. Especially when that "next day" happens to be at the beach. Fried chicken is a summer staple; it holds up well in a cooler, and it's pretty easy to eat without getting mouthfuls of sand.


How To Make Finger-Licking Fried Chicken


3. Skewers


Because food on skewers is always more fun! Whether you go for fruit, veggies, or meat, kabobs make great beach fare. This is a hands-off (read, sand-free!) meal that's utensil-free and easy to eat, with even easier cleanup.


Recipe: Tomato & Mozzarella Caprese Skewers


Recipe: Bryant Terry's Grilled Vegetable and Tofu Kebabs


4. Whole fruit

As much as I love fresh cut-up fruit, sandy fingers diving in and out of the bowl puts a big damper on the party. Whole fruit is much more suited to a day at the beach. Peaches, nectarines, apples, and grapes all make a sweet choice.


5. Couscous or pasta salad

I've had a lot of experience with these two, and they tend to hold up well in the heat. Also, even if a few grains of sand make their way in, they'll easily get lost in a jumble of couscous; you might not even notice.


Recipe: Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad


6. Charcuterie

True, cheese and salami might not be great choices if you're going to be out for hours in the heat of the mid-afternoon. But if you're eating right away or going at sunset, these bites are easy to pack, require no assembly, and can be eaten without utensils.

7. Lettuce wraps

These may seem overly complicated, but this is our suggestion in lieu of a salad. Wrap up some chopped vegetables or other components in big, oversized leaves of iceberg lettuce. Then wrap in foil, so you can just peel it back and eat.

8. Cookies

Don't forget dessert! Cookies are a simple finger food to curb your post-lunch sweet tooth. You won't hear me say this often, but it's probably best to skip anything chocolate to avoid a melty mess.


Recipe: Peanut Butter & Jelly Icebox Cookies


Recipe: Reverse-Engineered Biscoff Cookies

What are your go-to foods for a day at the beach?

Friday, July 24, 2015

A Small Space Doesn't Have to Mean Cramped

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Living in apartments can be confining when there isn’t much room. Living rooms in particular can feel stifling when there isn’t room to stretch out and relax. Being cramped into a tiny room where you’re trying to relax is stressful. These tips from Apartment Therapy can help you get the most out of your small space.


Living in a small living room, like living in a small home, is a delicate balance of aesthetics and sacrifice. Your living room is often the central hub of your home, and so should have special attention paid to it, particularly if it's on the small side.

1. Add a collage of mirrors

Instead of (or in addition to) a wall collage of art, use mirrors to expand the space, reflect light and make the space feel livelier. → 10 Ways To Use Mirrors To Make Your Space Look Larger.

2. Go for leggy furniture

Leggy furniture — furniture that doesn't sit flat and low on the floor — makes a room feel airier. Maybe even a little bigger. It can be the difference between a comfortable living room and a claustrophobic one. → Take the Weight Off: 5 DIY Tricks to Make a Heavy Furniture Piece Look Lighter.

3. Make your coffee table pull double duty

Whether you choose one that's upholstered so you can use it as extra seating, or you find a coffee table that offers up extra storage for your space, it doesn't make sense to put a big piece of furniture in the center of a small living room and not get extra function out of it.

4. Replace a side table with a tall shelf

If you find yourself in a corner situation where you might naturally put a side table next to a chair or sofa and between a wall, why not replace that side table with a tall shelf that offers up more storage space and style?

5. Wall-mount lighting (and more)

It might not seem like the base of a table or floor lamp takes up all that much space, but believe us when we say every inch counts. Wall mount your lights to save space. And then think about what else you might be able to wall mount, too.

6. Emphasize the coziness

Hey, when all else fails, really emphasize the cozy aspect of your small living room, from choosing extra-plush furniture to filling the space with throw pillows, sumptuous textures and more. → Cozification: 7 Steps to Your Coziest Home Yet.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Clean Habits Will Make A Clean Home

Image courtesy of Pixabay
Cleaning your whole home can be difficult. But cleaning in smaller sections can make it easier. If you adopt these 4 cleanly habits, you can cut down on your cleaning time. These 4 tips from Apartment Therapy can help you become a cleaner person.


Want a cleaner home? One that gets cleaner easier, stays cleaner longer, and doesn't feel like the act of cleaning dominates your life? There are four habits that can be life-changers; could they change yours?

Carve out (and schedule) your cleaning chunk

We have provided you with a lot of different cleaning schedules over the years. What they've all got in common is that at some point in time you've got to carve out time where you pull out cleaning supplies and do a little scrubbing. The trick is knowing what excuses you're using (→ How to Motivate Yourself to Clean Regularly, For People Who Hate Cleaning), plan treats/fun/blackmail for yourself accordingly and then actually physically schedule your time chunk in your calendar/phone. And then you want to keep that cleaning date. It'd be great if you can make it a regular block of time you keep at the same time each day/week/month, but you've got to work with what complements your lifestyle.

Find the tools that work for you (no judgments)

Hey, if keeping an identical set of cleaning supplies in every room of the house (so you don't have to walk all.the.way.across.the.house when you want to clean a room) helps you keep your home clean, then you do you, you know? Or, if keeping those-really-expensive-but-super-handy cleaning wipes on hand helps you keep on top of things in between deep cleanings, no judgment on our part. We encourage you to try cleaning alternatives, but don't be afraid to go back to the tools and styles that work for you.


Don’t fall in love with (all) your stuff

This is pretty much the definition of "easier said than done." But think about trying on — and practicing — a home mindset of recognizing which core things really make a difference in your home - and which are just taking up space. Love your most treasured items such as your art, family heirlooms, and the items that have stories to them. But then work on cultivating a don't-give-a-flip attitude about the other small things in your home that aren't really special to you and might be better off in the outbox for donation day. Continuously working on that kind of in-or-out mindset will make it easier to make decluttering decisions in the future.

Put things back

There are a lot of variations of this idea in keeping a home clean. There's the grab-something-every-time-you-leave a room trick, ensuring that items always eventually make their way to their homes in your home. There's the act of pausing after finishing an activity like cooking and taking a minute to tidy up before sitting down to eat. The result is the same any way you want to approach the idea: Your home will not get as messy or cluttered if you fold in the simple act of putting things back where they belong immediately after using them.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Cool Down With A DIY Summer Snack

Image courtesy of Cathy on Flickr
Summer can get hot so you’ll need some help cooling down. What’s better than a yummy popsicle? Not only is it delicious and chilling, but it’s healthy too! These fruit popsicles from Sally’s Baking Addiction will hit the spot and keep you cool on stifling summer days.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large ripe banana, peeled, cut into chunks, & frozen
  • 12 large strawberries, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice (or orange juice)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Directions:


  1. Blend all of the ingredients together on high speed until smooth - about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed as you go.
  2. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds. If your popsicle mold has slots for sticks, you can insert them before freezing - if not, freeze for 2 hours, then put a wooden popsicle stick in the middle (that is what I did). Continue to freeze for an additional 6 hours or overnight - overnight is recommended for easy removal.
  3. Run popsicle molds under warm water to easily remove. Eat on a hot day. Enjoy!

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Happy Independence Day Weekend

Happy Independence Day! We hope your weekend is filled with friends, family and fun!

Monday, June 22, 2015

7 Sun Tips to Stay Safe This Summer



The first day of summer was yesterday and with this weather heating up, we’re in for a sunny summer! Keeping your skin protected from the sun’s rays is smarter than lying out and soaking them up all day. You can enjoy the sunshine while still staying safe. These tips and facts from Real Self will help keep you safe from the dangerous UV rays.

Summer's almost here, and you know what that means: outdoor festivals, backyard barbecues, and days at the beach! Unfortunately, there's nothing like a sunburn to put a damper on the fun, not to mention leave behind some pretty unsightly tan lines.

However, there's more to using sunscreen than preventing crazy patterns and itchy skin. Any time a RealSelf user asks our doctor community how to prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging, their #1 tip is to wear sunscreen daily. Not only is UV radiation the most common cause of facial aging, but 90% of skin cancer is caused by exposure to the sun. (An even scarier statistic is the fact that one in five Americans are expected to develop the disease in their lifetime.)

You may think your avoiding UV damage isn't always as simple as "my moisturizer has SPF 15." To help you avoid the risks of too much exposure, we turned to dermatologistDr. Susan Van Dyke and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) to bring you these seven facts about proper sun protection:

1. Anything greater than SPF 50 provides the same protection
"A 50 SPF blocks 98.00% of UVB light (the burning rays) while a 100 SPF will block 99.00%,” says Dr. Van Dyke. “This level of benefit [to either] is of course contingent on applying enough and reapplying frequently."


2. Makeup and moisturizers with sunscreen aren’t always enough
Unless your makeup/moisturizer provides broad spectrum sunscreen and is reapplied throughout the day, it isn’t enough protection for all day sun exposure. According to ASDS, it’s fine if “you are only walking to your car from work or going into the store. But if you are going to spend a few hours outdoors, then you need to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen."


3. You need to reapply every 2 hours
"The active ingredients in sunscreen break down when exposed to UV light," says Dr. Van Dyke. "To maintain the SPF on the label, you need to keep reapplying as the ingredients lose effectiveness: every 2 hours, more often if you sweat or swim."


4. You should use one ounce to cover your whole body
According to ASDS, “Research shows that many people put on about half of the amount of sunscreen they need, so be sure to lather it on." And don’t forget the sensitive skin on your lips: Use lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher.


5. It’s not a free pass to suntan all day
"Sunscreen is not 100% even in the best of cases," warns Dr. Van Dyke. "Realistically speaking, few of us follow guidelines perfectly. If you really want to save your skin, the best approach is to use sunscreen, cover up (hats, sunglasses, SPF clothing), and seek shade."


6. Tanning oil with SPF 10 doesn’t count
“Less than an SPF of 15 doesn't protect you from the cancer-causing side effects of sun exposure,” says Dr. Van Dyke.


7. Don’t wait til you’re in the sun to apply
“Sunscreen should be applied one-half hour before going outside, giving the skin time to absorb it,” says ASDS.


The next time you're picking out sunscreen, here's what you should look for:

Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide
Minimum SPF 15, ideally 30-50
Broad spectrum UVA/UVB (UVB causes burns, but UVA is also damaging to the structure and health of skin)
Water resistance if you'll be swimming or sweating

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there doing their best to be role models for their children. Thanks for everything!

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