I love riding my bike by the bay!

It’s time to stop those engines and hop on a bike!  May brings sunnier days which are perfect for bike rides, and since it’s National Bike Month, take that bike out for a spin.  Whether you ride on the daily or only for fun, cycling is a great cardio workout that strengthens muscles and even your core.

I first hopped on a bike when I was 5 years old.  I spent a few years riding in circles around the driveway, and then, around the age of 10, my banana seat bike and I were inseparable.  I’d spend whole afternoons just cruising around the block.  It was so fun, I didn’t even think it was exercise.

Now, I don’t quite ride my bike as often as I should.  I’m lucky if I take a ride once a week.  But believe me, once I’m on and cruising along the coastline, I’m loving every minute of it.  My heart’s pumping, the breeze is blowing through my hair, and I’m just feeling so free, like a kid again.

This month, I encourage you to go for a ride or two.  Some cities even host a Bike to Work day, making it easier to hop on your bicycle.  With energizer stations and free giveaways, you’ll want to skip the train and roll into work instead.  For the cities that aren’t on that level, set the example and show everyone that bicycling is not only a form of transportation, but also a means to a healthy lifestyle.

Luckily, I live in an area where bikes advocates exist.  We have bike trails, bike parties, bike bands, and even ride-in movie nights.  We’ve got everything from fixed gears, to cruisers, to lowriders, to scraper bikes.  One day, I’ll trick my Tiffany-blue bike out with a basket, but for now, I’m enjoying what I’ve got.

Perhaps you haven’t rode a bike in awhile.  Don’t worry, because it’s true that you never forget.  You might take a few tries to ride smoothly, but if you already learned before, you’ll always know.  If you don’t have a bike, and have no intentions of purchasing one, you can always rent one, borrow one, or even hit the gym.  Cycling classes use stationary bikes and you go on a “ride” with everyone else in the room.  It helps that the instructors usually play music to match your pace.  Although it’s not the same as riding in the open air, but you’ll probably be sweating more than you would if you were to casually cruise the streets.

Always remember, pack plenty of water when going on a ride, and it could also be helpful to have a healthy snack in your backpack.  I love bringing trail mix and fruits that come in their own packages, like oranges, apples, and bananas.  You’re going to be hungry while you’re riding along, and it’s best to energize yourself with something that’s good for your body.

And, just a warning: once you start riding, you might not want to stop.

Treat yourself to a bowl of pozole.

One of the many blessings of living in the Bay is the abundance of Mexican food.  I’m talking taquerías, panaderías, tamales at the pot luck, late night taco trucks, and even the elote man.  How fresh is that that I can get corn off the street?  Yes it is fresh, literally, like roasted earlier that day, but even though it’s some good, wholesome corn on a stick, there are ways to make food so good not so good for you.  Mr. elote man, I will skip the mayo and just go for some limón. Y chili tambien.  Gracias.

With Cinco de Mayo coming up, enjoy yourself a healthy Mexican meal.  It might be difficult to stray away from some traditional ways, but when you go the healthier route, you’ll realize the food was meant to be so fulfilling all along.  Try the following tips to celebrate the occasion.  These healthy options apply to any Mexican fare, whether it be from Chipotle, Chevy’s, la taquería, la famila, and even Taco Bell.

• Don’t forget your veggies.  You can’t eat Mexican food without vegetables around.  Chomp on a picked carrot with that burrito, throw some lettuce on top of a taco, or add grilled bell peppers to a fajita.
• Go for the whole.  Use whole wheat or corn tortillas to get more fiber.  If you’re really lucky, you’ll have some blue corn products on hand.
• Rethink refried.  Refried beans are so good yet so bad.  Be careful of refried beans with lard.  Instead go for whole beans that have been simmered in spices.  Cumin, oregano, and chili powder would taste great!
• Forget about fried.  Choose foods that have not been fried.  That means no chips, hard-shelled tacos, taquitos, chile relleno, sopes, you get it.  I need to especially remember this, since I have a weakness for chips and salsa.  Instead, go for fajitas, burritos, or enchiladas.
• Select a soup.  My friend swears by the soup hangover cure, pozole or menudo.  Hangover or not, these spicy soups can make any day better.  Squeeze lots of lime for more Vitamin C.

Remember, there are so many colors in Mexican food, it’s hard to not eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.  ¡Buen apetito!

It’s National Grilled Cheese Month!

Earlier this month, while strolling around during Oakland’s monthly Art Murmur, I noticed a crowd gathering around a street food cart.  I’ve often been delighted by the cuisine sold on the streets, from butternut squash ice cream to chicken adobo to- dare I say it- dirty dogs, and this time, I knew it just had to be something new.  Something different.  Something we’ve never tasted before.  But once I peeked through the peeps, written in chicken scratch on a piece of ripped up cardboard read “Happy Grilled Cheese Month.”  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE me some grilled cheese, but I just couldn’t believe all of the hype for something so simple.  But this guy was doing it, live right there on the streets, giving everyone that passed by that nostalgic feeling of lunchtime at your best friend’s house.  Oozy cheese encased between two slices of crispy, buttery bread.  This guy was smart, because anytime is a good time for grilled cheese, and anywhere as well.  You can’t say no to grilled cheese, ever.

I didn’t get to try grilled cheese guy’s food, but I did not deny myself the celebration either.  I wasn’t trying to wait in line…for a grilled cheese!  Plus I like mine prepared a particular way.  As a child, it was all about the white bread with American cheese, smashed flat on the pan then diagonally cut.  I would eat the crust first.  That was the only way I knew grilled cheese.

Now, of course, I do things a little different, and on the healthier tip.  I still need the sandwich cut diagonally, and I always eat the crust first, but I wouldn’t even think of using American cheese!  And white bread…no way!  I’ve grown to have an open mind in my approach to grilled cheese sandwiches.

For National Grilled Cheese Month, try these tips so you can have a grilled cheese that’s all grown up…and healthier for you too!

• Use whole grain bread.  Make sure it’s 100% whole grain so you’ll get a good dose of fiber for your digestive system.  White bread uses enriched flour, where most of the nutrients are stripped away and then added back in.
• Don’t fake the cheese.  Cheese is a great source of calcium for your bones.  Real cheese on your sandwich provides the best taste and optimum health benefits.  American cheese is heavily processed and full of other chemicals and it does not taste as good as real cheddar cheese.  Buy a block and cut slices yourself, because shredded cheese often contains food additive anticaking agents. Personally, I like to mix cheeses up, maybe a slice of sharp cheddar and some Swiss.  When you add fancy cheeses, you’ve got a fancy grilled cheese!
• Add something fresh.  I love adding a slice of fresh sweet tomato to my grilled cheese sandwich while it’s cooking.  Just shop for what’s in season and add it to your sandwich and it’ll be a step above other ordinary grilled cheeses.  Spinach and garlic could kick up the flavors, and so could roasted peppers.
• Make it a complete meal.  Everyone knows that grilled cheese goes great with tomato soup.  Top off the meal with a hearty salad that includes some protein and you’ll have one healthy meal out of the way for the day.

Whatever you do, don’t blame me if’ you eat grilled cheese every day this month!

Use the Sun to Cook Your Lunch!

Sometimes it feels so hot outside that you can just cook an egg on the concrete.  Although that could be true, it’s also pretty gross.  Just think of all those people walking around with their dirty kicks, hawking loogies all over the place.  Don’t try that at home kids.  Instead, take the sanitary route and use the powers of the sun to do some cooking by using a solar oven.

The week before Earth Day is also known as National Environmental Education Week, a time when you can focus on learning about ways to help the environment so that when Earth Day does come around, you’re already living the green life…even if it’s just for one day.  Since Earth Day is next week after all, it’s the perfect time to try out some eco-friendly cooking techniques so you’ll be able to show off your solar chef skills!  No need to increase your carbon footprint even more by using your kitchen oven to bake your famous mac and cheese because you can use the energy from the sun.  It’s free and readily available…on a nice sunny day of course!

Try these tips to have some solar fun with the sun:

• Invest in a solar oven.  If you’re amazed that cooking does not always require a microwave, or even a stove, then it might be a good idea to invest in a solar oven.  Perhaps you enjoy the outdoor life, or your home gets plenty of sunlight and you’d like to use it to your advantage.  Then you can prep your meal, put it outside, and come back to some delicious home cooking.  They should really make infomercials for these.
• Make your own oven.  If this seems too good to be true, you can make your own solar oven using recycled materials.  It doesn’t get more earth-friendly than that.  Old pizza boxes, or any type of clean box works fine. My daughter, that 9-year-old  little eco-scientist, made her own solar oven complete with a plastic wrap window to see what’s cooking.  Keep in mind that you’d want your contraption to trap in the most heat, so line it with black paper or paint it black with non-toxic paints and use aluminum foil to reflect the sunlight into the boxed compartment where the cooking goes on.
• Try out a simple recipe.  You wouldn’t want to start by baking a complicated bread that requires high heat.  Try out recipes that require mainly melting and heating at first, so you can get an idea of how the heat works.  You can cook pasta noodles first, then add your pre-cooked sauce and cheeses to make a sun-cooked casserole!  Or why not bake some pizza using whole wheat pita bread and fresh peppers?
• Check the temp.  If you’re up for something more challenging, make sure that your solar oven is retaining a consistent temperature.  Use an oven thermometer and point your oven in the direction of the sun’s rays.  The best time to cook is around high noon, so make sure you have enough time before for pre-heating.  Then when the oven hits that right temperature, you can throw in some bread dough to make some fresh solar bread, with whole wheat of course!
• Use dark bakeware.  Cast iron and dark baking equipment is best for your food because it will absorb and retain heat better than glass.  Remember, the solar oven can do most of what your household oven can do, it just depends on the the duration and the intensity of the solar rays.
• Take the oven elsewhere.  Solar ovens are a great item to bring on a camping trip.  No need to wait for S’mores ’till the campfire is burning, because you can make your own in broad daylight in your oven.  Just make sure to use dark chocolate for more antioxidants.

Hopefully you’re getting enough sun to try some solar cuisine that’s tasty and nutritious, and not to forget, good for the environment!

An Apple a Day Keeps the Dermatologist Away

Sometimes, no matter how healthy you eat, your skin looks like you’re scarfing down junk food.  It’s essential to eat good to look good, but you also have to have a good beauty routine to keep your skin looking great.  How do you know what products to use on the outside?  Take a cue from your diet, and it’ll be easy to know what ingredients you should be looking for not only on your plate, but also in your medicine cabinet.  Apples, a notoriously nutritious fruit, can keep the doctor away, specifically, the dermatologist.  It’s packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant that is also well known for promoting healthy skin.  Zia Natural Skincare summoned the powers of the apple and has created the Apple Refining Mask, a lightweight mask that can clarify clogged or sun-damaged skin.

When I received the jar for review, I was excited to try it because of the all natural ingredients.  You can forget about paraben preservatives in this list!  The special recipe uses organic apple juice, plantain, and pectin to eliminate toxins and impurities, while minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores and firming the skin.  Other ingredients sound just as good to eat and also benefit the skin, like sugar cane to naturally exfoliate, grapefruit essential oil to encourage cellular renewal, and lemon juice and green tea to minimize fine lines and correct sun damage.  It’s great for smoothing fine lines and simply rejuvenating your skin!

One of the downfalls of using a mask is actually looking like you’re wearing one.  If the doorbell rings, forget about answering it because you wouldn’t want anyone to see you looking like that!  But with this mask, it’s dries clear and feels so lightweight, you’ll forget you’re even wearing it!  When I first opened the jar, the sweet smell of apples gave me a dose of aromatherapy.  I seriously almost wanted to taste it.  After washing my face, I applied a thin layer, and after only 30 seconds, I felt a slight tingling wave of freshness.  After about 3 minutes, the mask firmed up just enough so that I can tell that its working, but not too much to the point when I can’t even talk.  When 15 minutes had passed, I washed it off.  I loved how smooth my skin felt!

If that isn’t enough for you, the packaging can also make you feel good.  It was created with windmill power and printed with soy ink, on 50% post-consumer waste.  A beauty product that’s good for your skin and the environment is good for me.

The Apple Refining Mask from Zia Natural Skincare is available at the Zia Natural website and Whole Food Markets.  Grab a .25 oz. portion for $5.95, or a 1 oz. jar for $24.95.  While you’re at it, pick up a couple of apples, too.

Don’t take it personal

Uggghhhhhhh.  Bloated.  Bitchy.  Blah.  It’s just one of those days, when the people that love you most know to stay at least 2 cities away from you because your Aunt Flo is coming for her monthly  visit…again.  You’re suffering from PMS, nature’s present before your other monthly gift.  While it’s wonderful to be a woman and all, this is definitely not one of the highlights.

Most women experience different degrees of premenstrual symptoms at one point or another, and I’m betting that some of our featured women have battled PMS.  Don’t let PMS stop you from shining though, because if those ladies can handle it, as well as the many other pressures on their plate, then you can too!  I’ve been guilty for turning on a whiny, crabby attitude during my premenstrual phase, unmotivated to do anything productive.  Talk about an emotional roller coaster!  However I feel, I blame it on PMS, which I’m actually hoping is the real reason for the crazy moods I experience.  Some women have severe symptoms each and every darned month, while for other luckier ladies, it could vary from month to month, even year to year.  From mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, depression, and even cravings, PMS in not any fun.  There are no clear conclusions on the causes of PMS but one theory is that it could stem from poor nutrition.

Thankfully, with the right nutrition, you can help reduce, and maybe even prevent, PMS.  Try these tips to turn just one of those days into days of the past:

• Don’t give in…to the cravings.  Sugary.  Salty.  Fried.  Caffeinated.  Whatever it is that you’re craving, you don’t need it.  It will only make your body feel worse!  For instance, caffeine consumption can increase irritability and headaches, and can even make breasts tender and swollen.  Don’t drink soda and skip that coffee in the morning.  Too much salt in your diet can also lead to more bloating and water retention.  Do your best to avoid processed and fast foods, which usually contain loads of salt.  Instead, get some colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains in.
• Focus on what you need.  PMS could result from a deficiency from vitamin B-6 or the mineral magnesium.  Instead of taking supplements, get what you need the natural way from whole grains and dark leafy greens.
• Put the bottle down.  Alcohol might pick up your mood, but it won’t drown your symptoms away, so make sure to stay away from it!
• Move your body girl.  You might need to find the proper exercises during this time of the month.  My breasts get really sore, so I can’t do anything that involves vigorous movements.  Yup, no Zumba for me!  But walking, free weights, and even a swim would be beneficial, as long as your heart is pumping.
• Get cultural.  Different cultures carry their own natural remedies for PMS.  Do your research and know that although some of those remedies may not have scientific evidence proving it will work, women for centuries have been using the techniques so there has to be some credibility to it.  Even if it’s a placebo effect, at least you’re feeling better.
• Don’t hate…appreciate.  Try not to focus on the negative while you’re going through the hormonal battle in your body.  Your mood can directly affect the loved ones around you, so instead of taking all out on them, breathe, relax, and turn that negative energy into positivity.  It’s a great time to be cuddled up with someone close, and your extra lovin’ could even end up in a soothing massage for you!
• Tap into your inner goddess.  Some feel that this time of the month is the best time to tune into your creativity.  Pick up a pen and pad and let your emotions form into the shape of a poem, or unleash your artistic side and create a collage of your inspirations.

And if you still are suffering each month even after trying these tips out, at least you’ll be healthier!

What about when you period  actually comes?  Well, my dear, that’s a whole other story…

Add some flower power to your plate!

Ahhhhh, Spring…Don’t you just LOVE this time of year?  You’ve probably been waiting until Winter was over to wear your fun and flirty frocks, and hopefully your body is feeling fine and fabulous!  Just as you have to wait for the right season to rock the right fit, you have to eat certain foods during certain seasons for the best flavor.  This time of year, aside from the varieties of fruits and vegetables that are ready for harvest, flowers are in full bloom, blessing our lives with natural beauty.  Flowers look great on your dinner table, and even in your closet (have you seen Liberty of London all over Target?), but have you ever thought of adding flowers to your diet?

Edible varieties of flowers do to food as they do to everything else: make everything prettier, of course!  There may not be much nutrition in the delicate plants, but if it will get you to enjoy your spinach salad or baked fish even more, then sprinkle those petals everywhere!  Cooking is an art as well, and if artists of all eras have been inspired by flowers, then food should also be used as a canvas.  However, don’t go pulling daisies just yet, since not all flowers were meant for eating and you’ll want to make sure the flowers you do eat are the ones that will optimize your senses.

Sometimes, flowers will have an amazing scent and even a very distinct taste.  Roses, for instance, are very fragrant and have an almost sweet and spicy flavor to them.  Try roses in jams and jellies, and even ice cream!  Flowers are also great to add to salads.  I love to sprinkle fresh-picked Nasturtiums petals in garden salads for more color on my plate (on top of my usual rainbow of fruits and veggies).  You can even use the flowers of your favorite herbs to add a different degree of flavor to your favorite dishes, from breads to stews.  And you can’t forget that some of the best teas use flowers!  I particularly favor jasmine and hibiscus tea flavors.  As you can see, flowers can fit in anywhere.

What flowers are exactly safe to eat?  What’s Cooking America has a pretty informative list of edible flowers and their suggested uses, including recipes and some do’s and don’ts, like don’t pick flowers off of the streets to eat.  Just as some foods you’ll want to make sure you eat organic, the flowers you eat should always be pesticide-free.  The best way to know that what you’re eating is safe is to grow the flowers yourself.  You’ll not only have a beautiful garden, but also a tantalizing array of fresh ingredients.  Do some research to see what varieties grow best in your region at this time of year.  The Old Farmer’s Almanac is the go-to source for gardening by seasons and regions.  Bring out the green thumb in you!

It’s National Noodle Month! Slurp it up!

Every year for my birthday, my mom makes noodles for me.  One year it could be a huge pot of spaghetti; the next year it could be a Filipino style stir-fry called pancit.  Whatever it may be, she keeps that tradition in the family, saying, “If you eat long noodles, you’ll have a long life.”  I believe it too, especially since noodles can be paired up with so many different fruits and vegetables to make something already so tasty even more nutritious for you, hopefully giving you a longer life!  Don’t forget, it is Nutrition Month, ladies, but it’s also National Noodle Month, so make sure your noodles give you oodles of healthy days.

Noodles star in so many different dishes, you can eat noodles every day of the week and not get sick of them!  You can go with Vietnamese noodle soup, phở , or try the Japanese thick noodles, udon.  For something creamy, have some fettucini alfredo, or on the lighter side, go for linguine with clam sauce.  You can’t forget about Thai food, like pad Thai, or even the thick flat noodle dish, pad see ew.  Noodles can even be a dessert, as in the Jewish noodle pudding, kugel.  Generally, Asian cuisine usually uses rice or mung bean starches to make noodles, while European fare, like Italian pasta, usually incorporates egg and wheat.  Any way you eat it, it’s important to mix in fruits and vegetables with the noodles to make them healthier and so much more flavorful.

As wonderful as they are, noodles aren’t always healthy for you.  I know for some folks out there, the noodle of choice is the good old instant noodle pack, or even the noodle in the cup kind.  I know this because I see shopping carts full of noodles coming out of the dollar store!  It’s cheap, it’s quick, it’s easy, but surprise!…it’s not that healthy for you, even if you add onions or eggs to the mix.  The noodles themselves are not the more worrisome ingredient of the dish; it’s usually those tiny flavor packets that contain unnecessary chemicals and loads of sodium.  If you’re a Top Ramen cook, it’s just as easy to make some wholesome noodles.  You can skip the packet and give the pot your own flavor.  It’ll taste better, be healthier for you, and make you feel like a top chef!

Try these tips to have some noodles you’ll want to slurp up:

• Quick and easy stir fry.  Your favorite veggies, like broccoli and carrots, can be chopped up and quickly stir fried in a little bit of sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce.  Try adding hoisin sauce for a deeper flavor.
• Slurp-worthy soup.  Mix in vegetable broth with onions and your favorite noodle for an alternative to the instant noodle packages.  For more nutrients, add spinach or baby bok choy.
• Pasta power.  Pasta dishes always taste better when they’re made at home, and M.I.S.S. hooks you up with step-by-step recipes.  Try M.I.S.S. GDK’s very own ziti with chicken and broccoli, Ragù alla Bolognese, fresh tomato and mushroom sauce, pesto, or even a tomato sauce with “homemade” spinach and ricotta ravioli.  Skim Kim even has a yummy pesto sauce for you to try!

Wishing you a slurp-worthy month.  Grab your chopsticks, your fork and spoon, or heck, even your little fingers and dig into some noodles today!

The first glass water bottle on the market!

My prayers have been answered!  I’ve been searching for a reusable water bottle that fits my busy lifestyle, and when I received a bottle from Lifefactory, I knew that this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  In the past, I’ve toted around different containers to keep my water by my side, from old plastic water bottles, to stainless steel vessels, to even old peanut butter jars.  If I didn’t lug around some liquid, then I probably wouldn’t drink enough!  Each day, you should at least chug down 8 glasses of water, and I’ve found that when you B.Y.O.W. (bring your own water), you’re more likely to finish it.  And now that I have my Lifefactory glass water bottle, I don’t want to forget it at home.  In fact, ever since I received it last week, it’s been on the go with me.  Check out my life with Lifefactory!

Day One:
I was literally waiting by the mailbox everyday for this bottle to come.  I mean, it’s the first glass reusable water bottle to hit the market, and it’s about time.  The peanut butter jar just ain’t cutting it anymore!  I opened the lightly-padded envelope package, and alas, the bottle was all in one piece!  To go through the U.S. Postal Service and not break was already a tell tale of its durability.  But of course, that was not enough proof for me.  I just had to take a few tests of my own.

I’m a pretty clumsy gal.  Once, after forking over $25 for a fancy plastic water container with a built-in straw, I managed to drop it out of my car the very next day.  Fail.  I anticipated that I would drop this new Lifefactory bottle somewhere down the road, so I “accidentally” tipped the bottle off of the dining table.  Surprisingly, the non-toxic silicone sleeve was able to absorb the impact of the drop and it kept the glass in one piece.  And, this glass is not some cheap quality glass; it’s some pretty heavy duty stuff.  Lifefactory actually started off by making glass baby bottles with a silicone sleeve, so you know that safety is a top concern.  After a few more knocks and drops, I was convinced that this bottle would be able to handle my butter fingers.

Day Two: It’s easy to make juice!

Day Two:
With any new water container, you’ve got to give it a cleaning.  This has been one of my least favorite chores with previous containers; I’ve been using bottles with a narrow mouth, which means I couldn’t even fit a sponge inside!  The widemouth opening of the Lifefactory bottle made it really easy to give the bottle a good cleaning for my first use.  And, even though the bottle got super soapy, I was able to keep a firm grip on it, thanks to the silicone sleeve, once again!

I filled the bottle up with some H2O, 22 oz. to be exact, and hit the road. It was off to work I go.  I work with some pretty eco-conscious peoples, and I could already envision the water bottle envy.  By the time I settled in, I had already finished my whole bottle, and I was ready to do more experimenting.  I wanted to try something different and healthy, so I filled it up again and cut up a handful of calamansi, a small sour citrus, squeezed it directly into the bottle and even tossed in the rinds.  A few drops of honey sweetened up my concoction, and I topped it off and shook it up.  The bottle is more on the heavy side, compared to the typical plastic or stainless steel bottle, but it was actually feeling like an exercise weight as I shook.  So I did my reps, 12 on each side, and then I had some fresh calamansi juice.  Once again, the wide mouth made it easy to add citrus to my water, giving me an extra boost of Vitamin C and some delicious, nutritious flavor!

And….a few people did comment on my water bottle.  The bold blue silicone sleeve with playful circular cutouts definitely call attention to itself.  If it were up to me, I would match my water bottle to my outfit, and with Lifefactory’s 6 choices of color, it could be easy to do so.

I grabbed some Afgan food from the Emerybay Public Market, and although they gave me a free soda (thanks, but no thanks), I wanted to drink some of my own stuff.  I had just picked up a bottle of wine from BevMo! and thought this glass bottle would be fine to drink from.  Yes, it may not sound too classy, but it’s glass nonetheless.  I’ll be that no one would have guessed what I was sippin’ on!

After, I gave it a quick rinse, filled up with more water, and my next sip had no wine residue.  Thank goodness, because a few glasses is enough!

Toilet water?/Is that water?

Don’t be fooled with illusions…Lifefactory water bottles are the perfect size.

While I experimented with sight, sound, and science, I was also experimenting with this water bottle.  It didn’t fit inside my purse, but it held up just fine with the carabiner clip.  I did drop it once (or twice) in the commotion of all the crowd, and my home tests worked in the field.  I had a blast and I was well hydrated the whole time, even refilling my bottle from a toilet fountain!

The Future:

This is only the beginning of my life with Lifefactory.  I have yet to try it with hot tea, infused ice cubes, and take it on a long road trip.   And you know I’m definitely bringing it to hydrate me during my next Zumba class!  I can already see that this is going to be as essential to my daily kit as my iPhone and Burt’s Bees lip balm. The summer days have yet to come, and I know that this will keep me feeling cool.  I’m not too happy when I find my stainless steel bottles warmed from the sun.

The Lifefactory glass water bottle retails for $21.99, which is about the same price for a stainless steel vessel.  Now, since this company has gone from babies to adults, I’m hoping that they’ll also start a kid-friendly line.  My little girl wants some Lifefactory in her life as well.  Then…my prayers will truly be fulfilled!

Happy Birthday M.I.S.S. Healthy Bites!

Raise up your glasses and make a toast because March is here!  While I’m all giddy for Women’s History Month and all of the ladies that M.I.S.S. will be featuring, I’m equally excited because it’s Nutrition Month as well!

And….(drum roll please), it’s the column’s 1st birthday!

One year ago, M.I.S.S. understood that a woman’s lifestyle should also include healthy living so this column was launched.  What started out as “Nutrition Facts” has turned into “Healthy Bites”, little morsels of ways to get on the healthy path.  From nutrition to fitness and even lifestyle modifications, I’ve been delighted to give a little taste to you about how to keep your body looking good and feeling great.  Every week, I get inspired by seasonal foods, current events, and the random national fill-in-the-blank days, and try to cook up something that will hopefully inspire you to do the same.

So, to celebrate, I’m going to say that it’s ok to have your cake and eat it too!  During special times, you deserve something special, so there’s no need to hold yourself back.  As long as overindulging in something as sweet and tantalizing as cake isn’t an everyday occurrence, then why not give yourself a little something good?

Actually, as I write this, I’m thinking of all that I have indulged in the past year.  Red velvet cake on my birthday, cookies and cream ice cream cake for my daughter’s birthday, lava cake for that night on the town, and I’m sure I’m purposely forgetting about the other times I turned to sweets to celebrate.  But don’t worry, if you’re not trying to give in to the temptation, even it if is for a special occasion, you can have cake that won’t make you feel as guilty.

Try these tips to bake a healthier cake:

• Add fruits or veggies.  Smash up some bananas and add it to the mixture for some good flavor and more potassium to help those muscles out.  Carrot cakes are usually a popular flavor, but they also can be loaded with too much sugar.  Try using applesauce to sweeten the cake instead of loads of sugar, and you’ll also find it makes it moist.  Fruits can make a delicious filling, so use something fresh and in season to fill in the gap between cakes.
• Pass on the frosting.  For some, the frosting is what makes the cake, but if you don’t need it, don’t eat it.  Try lightly dusting with powdered sugar if you need a little sweetness on the outside.
• Cut the serving in half.  Sometimes, if another person serves you some cake, they can be quite generous in the serving size.  Eat less than what you originally had your eye one, and you won’t be regretting it as much.
• Make it moist.  Use yogurt in your mix to give it some protein and a moist texture.
• Make half your grains whole.  Substitute some of the flour with whole wheat flour for more fiber for your digestive system.

I hope you have been taking a healthy bite every week, and even if you can’t commit so some of the tips, as long as you’re soaking up the information, then that’s all you need.  Sometimes, with modifying something as simple yet important as your diet, it can take awhile to make it a lifestyle change.

Have you made any changes in your diet or ways of living?  Please share with us so we can applaud each other on our efforts. Or, on the flip side, is there that special something that you eat to celebrate?  It’s ok to divulge in what you indulge in!

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