“Make a Friend” and Other Words to Live By

I met my best friend in eighth grade gym class. She was pulling on a sweatshirt to head outside for field hockey, when it caught on her braces and she couldn’t release it. As all the other girls rushed out of the locker room to avoid being marked late, I stopped to free her. I’ve been richly rewarded for that one tiny gesture. Our friendship has been one of the greatest gifts in my life for over…well, a long time.

Not everyone we meet becomes our best friend, of course, but we should always be open to the possibility of connecting with someone new. When my kids were very young, I’d take them to the park or the beach and as soon as I’d get settled comfortably on the bench or chair with a good book, they’d run over, yelling, “Mommy, let’s play chase” or “Let’s dig to China” or something similar. Sometimes I’d oblige but often I’d encourage them to “Make a friend” – and off they’d run to find someone, so confident that every child there would be equally open to the possibility. We lose that openness along the way.

I read a great quote from Dale Carnegie the other day and it’s given me much to think about:

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you”

So true! Often we rush around with our heads down or are so concerned about the impression we’re making on others to focus on what’s really important – truly opening ourselves to a meaningful relationship. It sounds a bit dramatic, but those few seconds in the eighth-grade locker room changed my life.

My friend has seen me through every personal and professional high and low since middle school – and I hope I’ve returned the favor. Having a small, core group of trusted friends you can rely on is important So I’m going to take my own advice and “Make a friend” more often…and call my old ones.

One Mother of a Salad Dressing

I first learned of the incredible health benefits of drinking Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar last month from an unlikely source…my pest-control contractor. Yes, there we were, standing in my kitchen discussing the ants that had invaded it this spring, when the topic turned to health (I had been sick with a virus during his previous visit, so he thoughtfully asked how I was feeling and things took off from there).  That’s when he mentioned that he drinks a tablespoon or two of the Bragg vinegar diluted in a glass of water every day.

I checked out the company’s website and the health claims there definitely got my attention. I wasn’t aware that apple cider vinegar had such a long, distinguished history. According to the Bragg website, “In 400 B.C. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing natural detox cleansing, healing, and energizing qualities. Hippocrates prescribed Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with honey for its health properties.” The site quotes modern-day doctors and a couple of celebrities too, all extoling the vinegar’s amazing health-promoting properties.

I figured anything that helps aid digestion, flushes out toxins and promises increased energy was worth a try, right?  So I went to Whole Foods and bought a large bottle of the Bragg Organic, Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar.  This is important: the vinegar has to have the visible “mother” – those slightly weird strands floating in the bottom of the bottle. All the good stuff (natural enzymes and nutrients) is destroyed in the distilling process.

So I started adding two tablespoons of vinegar to about 8 ounces of water twice a day. For some people, it might be an acquired taste, but I really like it. Sometimes, I add a teaspoon of raw honey too. After four weeks of drinking the concoction, I am hooked! I have one late-morning and mid-afternoon, and honestly, I do have more energy. The other thing I’ve noticed is that the drink fills me up somehow (even though the vinegar has 0 calories and 0 fat), so I’m snacking less.

Then I got to thinking…why not use the Bragg vinegar in recipes, in place of my regular vinegars of choice? Salad dressings were an obvious place to start. The Bragg website has tons of recipes (dressings included) incorporating the vinegar and the company’s other products. Here is a super simple salad dressing recipe I found there:

Honey French Dressing

2/3 cup Bragg Organic Olive Oil
2/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
pinch French herbs

Mix all ingredients except honey. Add honey slowly and beat vigorously. Will make 1-1/2 cups.

I love this dressing’s tangy sweetness! It’s great on a spinach salad. I make one with strawberries and almonds. Yum! And I love the idea of taking something you eat all the time, like salad dressing, and making it just that much healthier. I can’t wait to try other recipes on the Bragg website, so stay tuned.

Do Absolutely Nothing and Accomplish More

I’m a big believer in exercise. I know I feel better and have more energy when I work out several times a week. But I also believe in the power of doing absolutely nothing…for at least a few minutes every day.

Growing up, my best friend was the youngest of six children. Her multitasking mom had an embroidered picture hanging over the laundry-room door that read, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” I always thought it was funny but was too carefree back then to grasp the full meaning. Boy, do I get it now. Multitasking has become a way of life for most of us, myself included. Eventually, though, the pace catches up with me, and when it does, a short break is sometimes just what I need.

I have more energy and get more done when I take a few breaks, 5 to 10 minutes each, throughout the day. You can listen to music or read a good book during your breaks, but I find stillness – or doing absolutely nothing – to be the most restorative. I find a quiet place where I can sit and soak up the benefits of total stillness. Afterwards, I feel refreshed and have more energy for the tasks ahead.

At the end of a brief breather, I like to make a cup of green tea to enjoy as I pick up the pace again. Sipping the tea extends the rejuvenating benefit of the break – and keeps me going until the next respite.

Yoga, Sleep, and Monkey Chatter

My yoga instructor calls it “Monkey Chatter.” I know you’ve experienced it – that frenetic racing and looping your brain does, often while you’re trying to drift off to sleep. You’re lying there, exhausted, but your mind is fretting over the things that didn’t get done today and making a list of things that have to get done tomorrow.

I take a yoga class once a week, and every week I arrive at class a little breathless and often stressed, having just gotten two kids off to school. And it’s only 9:00 am! The instructor begins class by asking us to lay down on our mats for some deep-breathing exercises. In her soothing yoga voice, she instructs us to “put aside everything it took to get you here this morning.” Easy for her to say, right? So I am always amazed when, just one hour later, we return to our mats for final relaxation, and I am, well, sooooo relaxed! I melt into the floor and am in a blissful near-sleep state when the bells chime, signaling the end of class.

Why can I find peace on a hard, cold rec-room floor, but not in the comfort of my own bed? Yoga had to be the answer. Obviously, most of us don’t have the time to do a full yoga practice before bed every night, but I wanted to replicate that yoga-class inner calm, by trying just one or two poses at bedtime. My favorite relaxation pose is legs-up-the-wall. Here’s how you do it:

• On the floor, sit sideways against a wall. Bring up one leg then the other as you come to your back, with legs extended up the wall.
• Extend the arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up.
• Close your eyes and breathe as you relax into the pose. To deepen the soothing effect, place a lavender-filled eye pillow over your eyes.

If your hamstrings are tight, like mine, just move a little further away from the wall. Stay in the pose for about 10 minutes (work up to it, if you need to). Then, move quietly into bed and continue to breathe deeply. Make this pose part of your nightly routine. It’s helped me to quiet the chattering monkeys.

 

2 Ingredient Cookies

Someone told me about these cookies, and I’m not going to lie. I was entirely skeptical. TWO ingredients? TWO? No way. I knew I’d be doubting the credibility of this recipe until I tried it myself.

So I did.

Now I’m a believer! So are my children. Three cookies later (three cookies EACH, might I add), they have convinced me that this recipe is a keeper. You are going to have to try this to believe this, I’m sure… And I can relate. But I definitely suggest you try.

Here’s what you’ll need: two ripe bananas, and a cup of oats.

That’s it. Now, if you’re a chocoholic like me, go ahead and get out the chocolate chips, and believe me – you won’t regret it. Just add about 1/2 a cup.

Mix all of it together. Spoon the batter onto a greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.

Let them cool, and enjoy! These are perfect for breakfast, by the way.

Feel free to share the love with your coworkers. These are bound to he a big hit!

Fat Burning & Metabolism Boosting Foods

Reblogged from CBS New York:

NEW YORK (WLNY) -- Ready to slim down for summer?

Registered dietitian Heather Bauer, founder of Bestowed.com, showed us the top metabolism-boosting foods you can eat to look fit and fabulous in your bathing suit.

Try eating some of these foods:

Hot Chili Peppers. These suckers are like magic for boosting your metabolism and burning calories. Studies have shown that people who eat spicy foods tend to eat less, so hot chili peppers work double duty because they'll keep you full and rev up your metabolism.

Read more… 255 more words

Green Cleaning Your Oven

I’m going to expose one of my most embarrassing secrets here: In the year that we’ve lived in our house, I haven’t cleaned my oven. I can just hear the “yucks!” and “ewwws!” across cyber space. It’s gross, I’ll admit it. By the way, does anyone even say “cyber space” anymore? Probably not. I’ve been too busy chasing my toddlers around the house to notice. And apparently too busy to clean my oven, which brings me back to the point of this blog: I cleaned my oven today.

I want to just say that one more time. I cleaned my oven today!

Everyone clap – please! Seriously. This is the stay-at-home mom’s equivalent to getting a promotion or something. It’s a huge accomplishment.

As I’ve said before, chemically cleaners freak me out, so I decided to go the “green” route. Here’s what I did.

• I got a spatula and I loosened all of the crumbs that I could.
• Then I got out the dust buster. (Everyone has my permission to laugh here… I am sure most cooks don’t need anything this serious to get the crumbs in their oven, but I did.)
• After I removed most of the crumbs, I covered my oven in vinegar. A spray bottle would have made this so much easier, but I made do with a cup full of vinegar and a rag.
• I let that sit for about 30 minutes, then wiped all of the vinegar off with a towel.
• I made a baking soda paste (just add enough water to make a thick paste) and I rubbed that alllllll over the oven. Most of the spots came up with this!
• I wish I could say that was all, but it wasn’t. I ended up getting some steel wool and going after the tough spots, and I even resorted to a butter knife at one point, but I do have to say that considering the magnitude of the mess, the vinegar/baking soda combo took me pretty far. And what I couldn’t wipe up with a towel did come up with a reasonable amount of elbow grease, if you know what I mean!

I’m going to show you a before and after picture, but I’ll preface it with this: A potato exploded in our oven last night, so even though our oven looks gross, it wasn’t THIS gross before yesterday. Just so you know.

I seriously hope this goes without saying, but the bottom picture is the “after” picture!

Alright, so now you know that I’m not the best kitchen cleaner in the world, but I do have to say that even if it doesn’t happen as frequently as it should, at least I’m not exposing myself and my family to all sorts of crazy cleaners in the process. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. With vinegar and baking soda, you can clean just about anything.

Kiwi: Is It A Super Fruit?

 

Typically, when I think of a fruit that contains Vitamin C, I think of oranges. They seem to be the most notorious fruit for being high in C, but as it turns out, kiwi is actually quite a contender. Kiwis contain high amounts of Vitamin C, and with that comes an immune boost that most of us could use! Combine the Vitamin C content with the Zinc that kiwis contain, and you’ve got yourself a dynamic duo. They also contain folic acid (anyone pregnant? If so – this is critical for your baby’s development). Then there’s Vitamin E, a known fighter against heart disease. Add iron, potassium and calcium to the mix, and you have yourself a green super fruit, wouldn’t you agree?

Kiwis are great to slice and eat on their own, and they’re also delicious in smoothies! Peel, slice and freeze a couple of kiwis, and next time you’re making a smoothie, add them in! It’s so important to get a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet, and there is no supplement that can properly replace our need for these fresh foods. If you haven’t been a kiwi consumer up to this point, this is a great time to begin incorporating them into your diet. Try them in a fruit salad (I love them paired with strawberries!) or just slice one and enjoy it with your breakfast in the morning. Taking a kiwi to work could serve you well, since the iron might keep your energy levels up. Just remember to peel and slice it at home, since a good kiwi might be a little messy!

Enjoy!

A Beginner’s Guide to Juicing

I’m new to the juicing world, so on one hand, I feel entirely under-qualified to write on the topic. On the other hand, though, I think I’m where a lot of people are – curious, but inexperienced. I started thinking, “why not learn together?”

So if you’ll promise to keep all head-shaking and eye-rolling at bay, I promise to let you learn from my experience… both the successes and the failures.

I’m happy to begin on a good note. This morning was a success! My children would even agree. Here’s what I used.

• 2 small apples
• 1 medium nectarine
• 1/4 cup spinach

I coarsely chopped the apple and the nectarine (removing the nectarine pit, of course!) and put them in the juicer. (By the way, we have a Breville 700-Watt Juice Extractor, and we love it.) Once all of the juice had been extracted, I simply served it over ice. It was gone in no time!

Photo credit: http://www.schoolphotoproject.com/credit.html

Green Cleaning: All About Carpets

With Springtime in full swing, many of us are feeling the need to clean. Maybe I should speak for myself here, but one place in our house that could always use a little refreshing is our carpets. With two children – a two year old and a one year old – who love to play, roll, “read,” and wrestle on our carpets, we try to keep our carpets fairly clean, but that’s much easier said than done. Plus, with all of this close-carpet contact, I’m really not a huge fan of using a bunch of weird chemicals on them. So this is my new favorite solution:

Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 3/4 cup borax, then adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil. I love vanilla and orange, and lavender is great too!

Once you’ve poured these ingredients into a bowl, whisk with a fork until all of the “bumps” are gone. (In this picture, the bumps haven’t been tackled quite yet!)

Sprinkle this mixture on your carpet, and let it sit for a few hours. (By the way, I always have to at least tripple this recipe to cover our carpets well!) Then go back and vacuum it up! The carpets will smell amazing, and since Borax is said to kill all sorts of things like bugs and fleas, you can know that you’ve done a little more than “freshen up” your carpet with very little hands-on time.

Also, if you have a stain on your carpet, mix together the same ratio of baking soda and borax, and add a little water to make a paste. As my mom would say, “scrub the devil” out of the stain, then let it dry. Once it’s totally dry, vacuum it up. Voila! You’re carpets should now be spotless and smell better than ever.

Do you have any “green cleaning” tips? If so, share them with us! We love swapping these ideas.

Happy Spring Cleaning!