Fitting In Fruits and Veggies Daily

Remember those days where your mom (or dad) always told you to finish your peas and broccoli? Oh the face you made as you were tortured and tried swallowing it whole so you didn't have to taste it! Or, if you were smart and lucky enough to have a dog, you slid the food under the table to feed good ol' Fido. Yes, a (wo)man's best friend for life!

Back then we thought it was a form of torture, stopping us from playing outside or actually enjoying life. Mom and dad had a point though. Those fruits and veggies actually do a body good. In the hustle and bustle of our life, we often choose to eat fast food that, unfortunately, do not supply our body with the healthy nutrients that fruits and vegetables provide. And even when we do have time to eat at home, we forget to include that side dish of fruits or veggies. Here are some recipes that will include a couple servings of fruits and veggies into your daily diet.

If you like to eat muffins, bagels or donuts in the morning, opt for the Banana Crumb Muffin. This muffin only takes 15 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes to bake, and provides 10 muffins in a single recipe. The nutrition for the Banana Crumb Muffin include: 263 calories, 40mg Cholesterol, 1.5g Fiber, 352mg Sodium, 46g Carbohydrates, 8.1g Fat, and 3.2g Protein.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Who says you can't have delicious and healthy? The Country Apple Dumplings recipe is just for you. This will take about 20 minutes to prepare, 45 minutes to bake and makes 16 dumplings. The nutritional value includes: 333 calories, 31mg of Cholesterol, 0.6g of Fiber, 350mg Sodium, 38.5g Carbohydrates, 19g Fat, and 2.7g Protein. To make this more waist friendly, opt to reduce the butter to 3/4 stick, 1/2 cup of Splenda, and use Diet Mountain Dew. Serve with light vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 cup butter (or 3/4 stick melted butter)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (or 1/2 cup Splenda)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Mountain Dew (or Diet Mountain Dew)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew™ over the dumplings.
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

If you're a lover of soup or looking for a way to veggie up your soups, the Italian Sausage Soup is perfetto for you. This recipe takes 10 minutes to prepare, 40 minutes to cook, and provides 6 servings. The nutritional value for this buono recipe is 385 Calories, 58mg Cholesterol, 5.7g Fiber, 1259g Sodium, 22.5g Carbohydrates, 24.4g Fat, 18.8g Protein. The sausage can be removed to opt for a healthier choice.

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

The Usage of Leopard

Leopard has been showing up everywhere as of late. And, with good reason, some have been calling leopard the new black. The reality is that leopard is one of those prints that coordinate with a range of different colors and shades. Leopard has a universal appeal as a print, it’s not too girly and yet it still evokes a sense of femininity and appeal. But, there is a definite way to wear leopard right and there is a way to wear leopard wrong. The reality with leopard is that you must wear it in small doses.

Leopard looks best when it is an accenting an outfit, not overpowering an outfit. You should never pair a main leopard piece with another main leopard piece and be in head to toe leopard. But, when leopard is used sparingly, it can make a defining statement which is perfect for the colder months up ahead. Leopard can be worn any which way, on anything. As of late, top designers have been utilizing leopard on coats, jackets, blouses, tank tops, jeans, cropped pants, scarves, necklaces, gloves, shoes and hair accessories.

The best part about leopard is that it is easy to coordinate with other items in your closet using the basic colors that make up the leopard print. Brown, white, cream, beige, black, grey and charcoal look great with leopard. And, if done right, red, dark green and mustard also look great with the leopard print. If you are looking for an understated appeal, then it is best to wear leopard sparingly, such as in a scarf around your head or in a headband.

There are more bold ways to wear leopard as well, such as on a pair of cropped jeans or on a jacket. Some very cute leopard print pieces that have been seen on many individuals include leopard shoes of all types. Leopard pumps are incredible popular and they can be worn with an all black ensemble or a range of colors that were mentioned above.

The best part about leopard is that it includes all the neutrals within the color spectrum, but it does it in a way that is not boring, but exciting and most of all, fun. Leopard also looks very cute when worn on gloves or a hat. There are many makeup shades that look great when paired with leopard pieces, but the best makeup to wear with leopard include a bright red lip. The bright red showcases the leopard to the fullest degree, but doesn’t detract from the printed leopard appeal.

And, since red is bold and bright, the leopard print and the red lip seem to balance each other out quite nicely. So, do yourself a favor and invest in some statement making leopard pieces to look amazing during the winter season.

Ideas for Winter Dates

       

        

        Have you noticed that during the winter months you can't do as many outside activities compared to the summer? And sometimes you think “my boyfriend/ husband and I always just end up going to the movies and grabbing dinner? Don't get me wrong going to the movies and grabbing dinner is enjoyable, but it most defiantly gets repetitive! So how about trying a couple of new things during these winter months!
 
Ice skating: Going ice skating is not only fun but its very enjoyable in good company. There is music playing and you are bound to have a good time. If you have never ice skated before it may be a little tricky and I would suggest taking it one step at a time. You might not get the hang of it right away, but if you liked it and decide to go again you will for sure pick up on it. When going ice skating I would suggest to wear warm clothing. ( I usually like wearing a cozy sweater and gloves; I find that wearing a jacket is a little uncomfortable)
 
VanDusen Garden/ Stanley park: during this time of year both of these parks have beautiful Christmas decorations, they are definitely worth to check out. It's quiet pretty for a date, and there are many places in where to take pictures. Riding the train at night in Stanley Park with your significant other is very very very romantic. At VanDusen garden I believe you have to pay to get in, and I can't quiet remember how much (I think about $10-15) , but believe me it is worth it. Now if you end up going to any of these two destinations make sure dress really warm, because it does get quiet cold at these locations, especially because its night time.
 
Going Up to the Mountain: Do you like snowboarding or skiing? I myself can't say I do, it’s not something I have tried (I’m a big chicken when it comes to these things), but if you're the type of person that enjoys these winter activities, get other with your partner and have some fun. If you're like me however don't miss out on going up to the mountain; rent out a sled and go down it together. You're only young once, so go out there and try it! I guarantee you will both have fun.
 
        Very well, I hope you found these activities enlightening and that you and your boyfriend/ husband get a chance to try them. Remember it's always good to try something out of the routine, it keeps the relationship interesting.