Colors of Summer: Watermelon Kabobs

Who doesn't like watermelon in the summer? And especially if it's on a stick? 

Sometimes the most simple ingredients make the best dishes.  I just used three ingredients to make these watermelon kabobs. 

Watermelon, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.  You can drizzle the platter with a balsamic vinegar reduction and/or oil, but since I was bringing this tray to my Thursday morning workout class, I left it dressing free. Still just as good...colorful, bright and refreshing.   

Every week I share a recipe or healthy snack idea.  And we encourage one another that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring...and it can even taste great! 

Every one enjoyed them, and commented on how easy it was, super light and tasty with the basil leaves.  If you're a member at Club H and you're looking for my recipes, they are posted at the front desk.  Feel free to take a copy each week. 

Don't you just love all the colors of summer? 

Here's Susan my super awesome Club H instructor!  She teaches the best classes....she's a hardworking, mom of two small children and every one's cheerleader.  She's always encouraging us in class to push ourselves, challenge our bodies, sweat and get a great workout. 

What an inspiration! I'm always impressed by strong, healthy, beautiful women.  Susan really understands the importance of a healthy body, mind and spirit.  And that fitness and good nutrition go hand in hand.  She inspires me each week to keep moving and live a healthy life both inside the gym and out. 

Who inspires you to be healthy? Do you have support in your family and/or your community? 

Wishing you all a wonderful day...go out there and grab some colors of summer while they last...this season goes quick! Be well.

Lunch 2.0

Everything after awhile needs an upgrade and my lunch was certainly in need of one.  I'm not a lady who lunches out all the time, so this day was a perfect field trip. Sometimes it's just so nice to be waited on and have a lunch out. No dishes, no clean up, what a treat!  Here in New York...it's restaurant week!  So Susan, Victoria and I headed out to see what good food was waiting for us.

We decided on Craftbar near Union Square. It's nice to try these prefix menus because it narrows down your choices and someone else has thought of it all....pretty special for a girl whose usually digging through her vegetable bin trying to decide if the farmer's market veggies are too far gone to be eaten? Or reheating leftovers from dinner the night before. 

Thanks to who ever is back in the kitchen making my lunch.  I don't know you, but I love you! 

To start...the balls.

 

Little rice balls with spicy tomato sauce...crunchy and creamy. The perfect bite. 

Then it was part of Susan's tomato & basil salad...

For the main course...we had an eggplant panini which I forgot to take a photo of, (oops!) it was toasted perfectly....warm, crunchy and delicious.

After lunch we headed to Fisherman Eddy's where in the window, they made a dress out of spoons!  So cool. 

And probably pretty heavy!  Can you imagine wearing that?!

We are planning on doing a little canning later this summer, so Victoria and I were checking out the canning jars.  We hope to make blueberry preserves and some form of canned tomatoes.  So excited! I've done canning once...and really enjoyed capturing the best of summer in a jar!

Hope you treat yourself to a lunch out soon, or at least upgrade the one you're making at home.  If you can, try a new restaurant, or pick up a sandwich and see what's out there.  You so deserve it! Be well and here's to a better lunch!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. 

What's your favorite lunch out?

Smooth Operator

So I've been craving mint chocolate chip ice cream for awhile now.  Ever since I bought fresh mint from the store for another recipe I was making.  The fresh, clean smell reminds me of the mint my Mom grew in our garden growing up.  It's so crisp, clean and refreshing. 

I was looking through my refrigerator one day, and had an idea for a mint chocolate chip smoothie.  Brilliant....I could get that same creamy, flavor combination in a healthy smoothie. 

So here it goes....anyone else craving ice cream this time of year? I swear it's everywhere...and people seem to be licking cones all over town.  Lick...lick...lick...gimme some of that, I say! 

Here's my loot from the fridge....all stuff I seem to have in there anyway. 

unsweetened almond milk, cocoa powder, mint, banana, kiwi, yogurt, spinach, parsley

& aloe vera juice (great for skin, digestive issues & IBS)

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

3-4 ice cubes
1/4 cup of aloe vera juice or water
1/3 cup of low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk or milk
1/4 cup of fresh parsley
1 cup of fresh spinach
1 kiwi
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped

Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy in your favorite glass with an additional sprig of fresh mint on the top. 

Smooth, minty, chocolaty and delicious.  Let'um lick their cones...I'll take this smooth operator any day of the week. 

Make one for yourself today, you'll feel like a kid again.  Happy Summer!

What foods have you been craving these days? 

Be well,
Lynda

Into the Woods

Have you ever felt the need to take a break? Have a quiet day to reflect and play.  Me too.  Isn't that what the weekends are all about?

'Whose woods those are I think I know' -Robert Frost

Saturday we headed up route 9 to Tallman Mountain State Park.  It was so relaxing to get into the woods and recalibrate from a busy week. 

We chose a new trail...trusting the path and believing it would guide us to exactly where we needed to be for the day. 

Step....walk...breathe....push aside branches that are in your way.  Keep going.  Letting go of the week and all that it carries. 

Breathe in all the earth's energy, filling you up and let it radiant through your soul. 

Smile, be calm, laugh, listen....these are all things the woods allows us to do if we are present.

We kept it real simple.  A easy picnic lunch of sandwiches, fruit and veggies, in the woods over looking the Hudson River.  It was just what we needed. 

I told Joe to eat this...and said it was anti-cancer in a bowl.  I think I'm a fruit and vegetable pusher!  Kinda like a drug dealer, but in the healthy direction.  I loved all the beautiful colors, crunch and flavors. 

Wishing you all a peaceful week.  Sometimes being healthy can be as simple as walking out your front door and enjoying a quiet walk all to yourself.  Whatever path your on this week, make it a beautiful one.  Be well.  -Lynda

 A great quote from Steve Jobs. 

'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.  Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  And most important, have courage to follow your heart and intuition.  They somehow already know what you want to become.  Everything else is secondary.'

Magically Delicious

Let's face it our days are packed, you're busy with work, you're enjoying these long summer days, and maybe you've stayed in your yoga pants all day, it's alright.  You're busy going here and there...the kids are out of school and you're hot and tired!  So me giving you any more instruction on how to be healthier, might be met with a good old...'shove it up your *#%$&'  I totally hear you. 

So I say nothing and just share moments of color from the week.  Hope you're staying cool, living well, finding moments to breathe and breaks of joy throughout your day. 

Just as the old Lucky Charms commercial would trick us into believing those fake marshmallow bits where 'magically delicious'...I encourage you to find your own 'lucky charms' in the world and make your day magically delicious. Now get outside and have fun!  Yoga pants are optional. 

How do make the most of these long summer days?

Cartwheels & Yoga Poses

What's making me do cartwheels in the park? 

A big hearty bowl of this every morning.....

Steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon, banana, blueberries, almond milk and chia seeds. 

Ever since Maureen's wedding and the hotel served them for breakfast we've been hooked.  Joe soaks the oats overnight and then puts them on in the morning to cook.  It cuts the cooking time and makes them ready to eat in minutes. By the time I'm up and he's out of the shower...it's breakfast time, quick and easy.  Some people even put them in their crock pots and set a timer.  Wow.

You can find the recipe for Overnight Steel Cut Oats here. 

Other fun things I'm up to these days...

Lots of this...

Yoga time...it twists and stretches my body and makes me feel so relaxed.  If you've never tried it, find a class in your area and treat yourself.  It's money well spent.  Namaste.

The Hoboken Farmer's Market, now available 3 days a week.  Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday!  It's a vegetable lover's paradise.  So many beautiful colors, fruits, vegetables and local baked goods. 

Making my favorite Oatmeal Black Bean Burgers from Mama Pea @ peasandthankyou.com.

..
All packaged up and ready to freeze.  Make one day, and be ready for many more burger nights.

 
Homemade Lemon Ginger Iced Tea. 

Joe likes to tease me and ask me why my 'urine' is in the fridge...but I just laugh because this stuff hits the spot after a long day. 

Have you ever made iced tea before?  It's so easy and fun to play around with fruit flavors in the summer. 

Anyway...let me get back to more cartwheels,

Thanks for stopping bye!! Hope you're enjoying all these sunny, summer days. 

Jen, remember doing these everyday on the side of our yards? We were pretty good gymnasts back in the day.  Do you think London would want us this year?

Fast Food = Healthy

Need some easy ideas to help you stay on track with your health, while you're running around enjoying the summer months? 

I think I can help you.  It comes down to one word...plan! Make a plan and take care of yourself first.  Just like the airlines always tell you to put your mask on first before helping a child....same rule applies here. 

What have you done today to take care of your health?

Let's face it we all have very busy lives, so how can we carve out time to make healthy meals and snacks that are waiting for us in the fridge or easy enough to pack up and take with us. 

This plan/prep time usually for me, happens on Sunday.  I spend a few minutes, checking out what I have at home.  What's hiding in my freezer, my vegetable bins and in my pantry?  I ask Joe what he's in the mood to eat and think about it myself.  I try to listen to what my body is telling me.  Am I craving something I haven't had in a while? Should I try a new recipe or go with one that always works.  I also take into account what our work schedule is like, and how much time will we have to cook each day.  As well as, what's seasonal this time of year? and what fresh fruit and vegetables are available?

Carrot love...what's not to love? Can you imagine finding this in your garden?

Beautiful.

So are you still with me, or have I completely overwhelmed you? Basically, my point is, try to plan out and prepare as much as you can.  Have healthy food in your house, that can be turned into a quick meal in minutes. 

This is one of my 'fast dinners' during the week, before I when out for something.  I had the veggies all in the fridge and the black bean veggie burger prepped...so it took only a few minutes to cook and I even got creative with the veggies!  Greetings happy veggie burger...you were delicious! Like my paper plate...I'm so over doing lots of dishes. 

Here's my strawberry shortcake smoothie.  A quick and easy refreshing option I usually have on hand.  An almond milk fruit smoothie.  Takes minutes in the blender and you feel like you're having a milk shake.  Cold, creamy and so satisfying I feel like having another right now...where's my blender?

Having crunchy pre-cut veggies in my fridge also helps me get all my vegetable servings in each day.  I see it every time I open my fridge, and it's a good reminder to eat all the colors of the rainbow.
 

Lunch on the road....I packed up this beauty while driving out to Long Island.


Hope you are enjoying all your summer plans.  Be smart and prep and plan some healthy options while you're having fun in the sun!  You're so worth the time and effort.

What healthy snacks do you like to pack for a fun day out?

Ready for a WILD HARVEST healthy breakfast treat?

I've had the pleasure of eating my way through a few batches of Peanut Butter Banana Flax Muffins, in hopes that I become the next winner of the WILD HARVEST blogger recipe contest. 

Not a bad job, right? A while back I signed up for the Healthy Living Summit 2012 and clicked the box asking if I had any interest in a recipe contest.  It seemed easy enough to click the box and say...'yeah, sure, sounds like fun'.  Next thing I knew I found a huge box of free products at my door from WILD HARVEST Organic and the nice folks at SUPERVALU INC. 

For a few days I kept looking at all the products and came up with a few ideas on what healthy breakfast treat I could make...that tasted great, was nutritious and was special enough to be winner. 

After many attempts....here's what I've been sampling the last few days.  A moist delicious muffin, filled with healthy ingredients, all vegan, sweetened from a few ripe bananas and applesauce.  Hope you enjoy it!  Cross your fingers....I want to win this thing!!

Peanut Butter Banana Flax Muffins (vegan)

yields: 18 muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (divided 1/4 cup in batter, 1/4 cup on top of muffins) of WILD HARVEST Cherry Vanilla Granola

2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of raw sugar
2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
1/4 cup of WILD HARVEST Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup of WILD HARVEST Organic Unsweetened Applesauce
2 bananas, ripe and mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. 
2.  In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and set aside.  Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and granola. 
3.  In a large mixing bowl, combine canola oil, sugar and flax and whisk until creamy.  Next add in the almond milk, peanut butter, vanilla and applesauce; stir until combined and smooth.  Lastly add in the mashed bananas. 
4.  Add the flour mixture to the wet banana mixture and stir until just combined. 
5.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups filling about 2/3 full. 
6.  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the remaining 1/4 cup of granola. 
7.  Bake the muffins for about 15-18 minutes, depending on your oven.  They should be firm to the touch and the color should be a peanut-butter light brown. 

ready for the oven



Who's ready for breakfast?

I hope my neighbors are ready...I have them all packed up and ready to go! 

Thanks so much WILD HARVEST for all the wonderful products and forcing me into the kitchen to create a hearty breakfast muffin for my family and friends!