Have an Indoor Picnic
Who says that a picnic has to be outdoors? It is typical, yes, that picnics will be outdoors but it is not set in stone. What if it rains or one person in the family is under the weather? What if there is a pandemic? There’s no need to cancel your fun in these instances. Instead have the picnic inside. With July being National Picnic Month, I thought this would be a useful topic! Here are some ideas for hosting an indoor picnic. Set the Indoor Picnic Scene Whatever the reason you are indoors for the picnic, it can be just as much fun as it would be if it…
Make-Ahead Food Ideas for 4th of July Entertaining
Are you planning a small shin-dig for the 4th of July? With the health crisis that is going on, you may be planning a smaller gathering or something in the backyard. Either way, consider some of these make-ahead food ideas for 4th of July entertaining. Making some of the food up to a week before the big day will enable you to relax and enjoy yourself. Make a Budget Begin by creating a budget for your event. Choose which foods you will serve and decide which ones can be prepared beforehand. Try to determine a schedule to begin making the food so you have very little to do the actual…
Chewy Ginger Snap Cookies
Hello July! And today July 1st is National Ginger Snap Day! As a child, I ate a lot of ginger snaps while my great-grandmother was alive. She loved ginger snaps so we — the grandchildren — would get into the box when she got some for herself. They were tasty and crisp but not as good as homemade. And little did I know that ginger snaps are somewhat healthier than other cookies — a bit lower in calories. Plus the ginger and the spices of cinnamon and cloves have some anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Ginger can help with digestion and cinnamon may affect glucose in the bloodstream. I think knowing…
Self-Care Tips to Manage Emotional Eating
Outside of the normal physical things that people do to maintain their health, there are a number of ways in which the emotional state of a person can influence what they are able to achieve in their day to day lives. This is especially true of health goals involving food, weight loss, or any other goal that relies heavily on maintaining some kind of discipline. Having a healthy mindset should be the foundation of any plan for success, so this article will include some tips on self-care to manage emotional eating. Keep Track of Your Achievements One positive form of reinforcement can be found in the simple method of recording…
Garden Veggie Mason Jar Salad with Homemade Dressing
Since one of the focuses of this month is fruits and veggies (National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month), I thought this would be a good time to post about Mason jar salads. Even though we may not be working outside of the home as much right now, it would be great to have lunch lined up in the fridge — just grab and take your break! The beauty of Mason jar salads is they offer the perfect solution for a satisfying, nutritious lunch on the go or as a quick and easy weeknight dinner. The key to success with Mason jar salads is the order you add your ingredients. Always…
Ice Cream Soda with Homemade Chocolate Syrup
June 20th is National Ice Cream Soda Day. And National Vanilla Milkshake Day… as noted in a post earlier today. If you love ice cream, today is a day full of choices. I remember making ice cream sodas as a child. No measurements or advanced planning… My mom would offer some ice cream for dessert — if there was a little of whatever I was drinking for dinner left — Voila! ice Cream Soda! Ths recipe adds a homemade chocolate syrup to your ice cream soda. Once again, a simple treat becomes a lovely dessert. Did you make ice cream sodas as a kid? What was your favorite combination?
National Vanilla Milkshake Day
June 20th is National Vanilla Milkshake Day. I know it is summertime but doesn’t it seem like there are a lot of ice cream days this month? Not that I am complaining — at all! But ice cream is a star player in quite a few national days in June. Today’s star is the vanilla milkshake. Seems basic right? Today’s recipe adds a bit of flair so that the basic vanilla milkshake becomes a full-fledged dessert. A little chocolate and sprinkles around the rim. Whipped cream and a cherry? Definitely a delicious summertime dessert. Pro-Tip: The in-process photos for this recipe show how the ramekin is positioned prior to melting…
Stuffed Papaya Bowls
My husband loves papaya. This recipe uses papaya. That is almost all… 😁 This is Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month. These Fresh Stuffed Papaya Breakfast Bowls fit right in! This is a fun tropical breakfast. You will feel like you are on a lovely island… Just an FYI: This flexible recipe includes 3 variations. Please note, though one set of images shows Nutiva® Superseed Blend (a mixture of ground flax, chia, hemp & coconut) in lieu of plain chia seeds. You can buy this here by clicking on the link.
Southern Italian Antipasto
I am sorry this post is late. I had planned to post this on June 4th to coincide with National Cheese Day. Best laid plans, right? But it’s been a weird week — a death in the family and my son’s high school graduation. We have had huge highs and huge lows and I haven’t been very focused on my blogs or my business. I will do better. On to my late recipe: I love — LOVE — cheese platters. When I attend a function and there is a platter with cheese, meat, bread, and crackers, I am satisfied. Sometimes, the actual meal (not the dessert, mind you) isn’t necessary!…
Mini-Pavlovas with Fresh Fruit
For some reason, I was not familiar with Pavlovas and never had any as a child. As a rule, meringue was placed on the top of pies — which I did not like!. Any pie that had meringue on it got the fork-scrape treatment. I would eat all of the pie and leave a pile of meringue behind. Seemed like a boring addition to tasty pies… I don’t think I gave meringue much thought until I started watching various cooking shows. Suddenly I saw a different side to meringue — a baked one! Pavlova! Pavlovas are a delicious type of meringue with a delightfully crispy exterior and a soft marshmallow-like…
