Tag Archives: summer

Summer Fluffy White Cloud Day

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One excellent barometer for an absolutely perfect summer day is the blueness of the sky and the fluffiness of the clouds.

When combined and viewed from an especially thick patch of grass laying flat on your back

(that’s what I did when I was little – how about you? ) this is what daydreams are made of.

Today on a scale between 1-10, with 10 being the most excellent of all in fluffy white cloud days – was a 12!

A positively stunning example that fluffy white clouds just doesn’t get any better than this.

When lying flat on your back  or driving the countryside or perhaps grabbing a quick walk during your work day perhaps like me you feel you can touch those clouds or do just about anything you set your mind to

remember that the clouds are there, at least in my opinion anyway, to foster all that is dreamy about our world.

Take a moment and ponder.


Flicker Image Credit – blueness and fluffyness superbly rated

Grilling Rubs And Marinades

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Did you know that if you take a portabello mushroom and marinate it for DAYS, that it’s exceptional grilled?

I tried it, and sure enough.

It was just superb.

I have  recently experimented with cast iron stovetop grilling and found that I liked that too!

An even better trick is to create salad-centric meals and apply the marinade concept to meats/veggies as a plan ahead mechanism for ease of preparing summer meals.

( like that word salad – centric ? It’s a mother earth – ism )

Salad – centric meals means meals centered around lots of salad and raw veggies.  When it’s this hot it’s the perfect thing.  I make a plate of mixed greens, I usually include spinach, a bitter green of some sort; I am on an arugula kick right now and lots of raw veggies – I go for color, texture and variety.  Fresh herbs are wonderful if you can clip them from your garden to add accordingly – dill, basil, chive, oregano, mint. parsley, cilantro – yum!

I purchased sirloin tip, cut into steaks at about 6.99 a lb, ( nice inexpensive cut – when marinated this meat is just astounding on the grill and perfect for steak salad.)  I also bought boneless chicken breasts for a cobb salad, and marinated extra of both to freeze once grilled for added convenience.  Lastly I thickly sliced some summer squash to marinate.

Why am I saying all of this?

Tonight I prepared 2 marinades, am soaking a bunch of stuff overnight to do a super duper grill off tomorrow so then I will have like 4 meals ready to rock.  Or 2 meals to eat and 2 to freeze.

Great way to stay out of the kitchen and enjoy summer

Thai Marinade - I use this for the steak – it is applicable to anything really – it’s my favorite – the hot pepper makes if very sassy

1 T fish sauce
juice of one fresh lime
1 T soy
1 T of water
fresh ground black pepper
1 serrano pepper sliced – today i used a red jalepeno
fresh cilantro
3 cloves crushed garlic

mix together, place meat or veggies in a shallow glass dish – never marinate in metal ( why is that ? someone told me that too )   pour over and cover

Citrus Marinade – I used this for the chicken and the summer squash

Juice of an orange
1 T white wine
1 T of soy
3 cloves crushed garlic
fresh ground white pepper
lots freshly grated ginger ( martha tip – keep fresh ginger bits in the freezer in a glass jar – grate when needed – fabulous way to have that fresh grated ginger taste all the time )

Mix together. Again place meat or veggies in shallow glass, pour marinade over and cover.

Spice Rub – I use this for chicken and turkey with the skin on

2 T of sweet paprika
1 teas of chile powder
1 teas of thyme

mix

oil fingers and rub on skin of the meat, rub in dry spices, add crushed garlic and peppers and rub, doing this the night before makes for great flavor – wash hands well, the pepper and chile powder in your eye is way not fun. Making a double batch of the dry spice part of this and keeping it in a jar is a great time saving tip also.

Happy Summer Grilling!


marinade flickr image credit


spicerub flickr image credit

Do Your Popsicles Hydrate?

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It’s that time of year when it’s definitely hot enough to enjoy popsicles again. I have always been a tad horrified by those plastic tubes with food dye colored popsicle treats.

Something that turns your mouth blue just doesn’t seem very natural.

The expense of alternative fruit juice pops has always seemed too high.

For years and years we make our own popsicles by combining water diluted fruit juice with a hydration product – today we made orange mango ones!

What makes our popsicles more nutritionally valid is we add a remarkable sports nutrition hydration product .

When it gets this hot, you feel limp.  Electrolytes get lost.  Water is hydrating,  but a quality sports nutrition product hydrates you faster and restores your energy.

The list of high powered and impressive athletes who rely on our sports nutrition for their winning edge is amazing.

The history of the design of this high quality hydration product is pretty darn cool

This product was designed to fuel an athlete on a 72 mile human powered airplane flight over the Agean Sea, called the Flight of the Daedalus.

Comes in delicious orange and lemon lime flavors and a very cost effective sports team pack.


flickr image popsicle stick credit

The Athletic Edge

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Summer is a Great Time for Sports Nutrition Products

Are you exercising more now that it’s summer?
Perhaps casually;  on your bike, taking walks, or creating your annual garden?
Maybe you are an amateur athlete in volleyball, baseball leagues or preparing for a tri-atholon?

Sports nutrition products can help hydrate you or relieve those aching, tired muscles.

Not all sports hydration products are created equal!

Some are loaded with artificial sweeteners, food dyes and  high in sodium.

Some have marketing science behind them vs clinical trial science and worst of all many are very trendy if not down right dangerous.

The hydration product I recommend is 67% more effective than Gatorade. We use this beverage alot in the summer time – I even mix it in with diluted juice for excellant homemade popsicles. The team pack designed for 5 gallon containers is an exceptional bargain.

For muscle repair, or basically when you ache all over because you just picked all the thistles in the back yard. Try a product that by design fuels repairs and rebuilds muscle tissue…so that you can go finish that thistle picking again tomorrow. This product helps increase lean body mass and is a safe, effective alternative to steroids.   While excellant during the summer it’s also great after shoveling snow!!

Other uses for a hydration or muscle repair products include delivering a baby, post surgical procedures, or when struck with virus or flu.

Snack Bars. Many on the market are sourced poorly, high in sugar, don’t deliver well to the bloodstream or worst yet taste like cardboard.  A snack bar can be handy dandy energy boost during training or for on the go lifestyles.

We eat these for snacks or we like this one for a 15 gram source of protein when we know we might have to skip a meal or something.

Glucosamine is a well researched nutrient that helps rebuild cartilage. This particular product offers a whopping 1500 mg of glucosamine, without the high sodium chondrotin often found in other brands .

Pain Relief Cream – a friend of mine told me that when she knew she was standing on her feet all day especially working a convention or walking on all cement floors that she would use this cream on her feet. I thought what a great idea!! I also know alot of my athletetic clients  really appreciate the deep liposome delivery.

I enjoy being a resource for all your wellness needs. Those seeking an athletic edge might enjoy my complete sports nutrition information sheet. I’ll  be happy to send it to you.
sculpture in running motion flickr image credit


Tips For Safe Summer Fun In The Sun

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Summer’s back—and so is fun in the sun! But before you hit the beach or stage a friendly water gun fight in your backyard, keep in mind that ultraviolet rays from the sun can do a number on your skin; in fact, they are the most common cause of premature aging.  Here are some simple ways you can protect yourself—and your loved ones—and still have fun in the sun.sourced from our field monthly products feature:

Reduce Sun Exposure During Peak Hours UV rays are strongest and most dangerous between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so the less time you spend outdoors during these hours, the better. That doesn’t mean you
have to ditch out on all the fun. For instance, instead of heading out to the pool at 2 p.m., wait a few hours and go at 5 p.m. The sun will still be up and there’ll be plenty of light out.  And don’t be fooled on an overcast day—you can
still get burned because up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate through the clouds. If you can, stay in the shade.

Cover Up Be fashionably smart. Wear protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible. Remember to cover your hair and head with a wide-brimmed hat. You might even consider carrying an umbrella for shade.  The more protection you have the better off your skin will be.

Protect Your Eyes Always wear sunglasses. Not only are they great for complementing your wardrobe, they also deflect harmful UV rays that reflect off of water, sand, and other surfaces. This helps reduce the risk of cataracts and other eye conditions. And, you won’t have to squint!

Apply Sunscreen Generously Don’t be shy. Apply a liberal amount of sunscreen evenly on all areas
of the skin—and don’t forget your lips, nose, ears, neck, hands, feet, and head (if necessary). Do so at least 20 minutes prior to sun exposure and remember to re-apply every two hours, especially after
swimming.

Arm Yourself with Antioxidants! What’s the big deal? Environmental assaults such as sunlight, pollution, stress, and even normal metabolism produce free radicals in our bodies, that can damage cells, alter DNA, and cause skin to age prematurely.Phytonutrients such as carotenoids and flavonoids—antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and plants—combat these free radicals and protect your body against cellular damage. So be sure to include lots of antioxidants in your diet. Your skin—and your overall health—will thank you.

Our Products Can Help You All Summer Long
In addition to providing broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, clinically proven sunscreens
contains a triple-patented nutrient rich complex—a synergistic blend of seven targeted antioxidants that produces results much greater than the sum of each ingredient alone. In other words, it protects against premature older-looking skin.

sunhat flickr image credit