A Quick Summer Recipe

During the summer, folks have a tendency to lean toward lighter meals in the evening. In fact, they like to toss something relatively simple together. Summertime offers a myriad of local fresh produce and the opportunity to fire up the grill. A quick and easy meal will help you save the fuss of lengthy preparation and leave plenty of time to have fun in the sun. Here are a few quick and savory possibilities for summer dishes:

Grilled Shrimp Souvlaki

Ingredients:

1lb of large shrimp, peeled & deveined

6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (divided)

2 tsp olive (divided)

3 tbsp fresh dill (divided)

1 tbsp fresh oregano

¾ cup Greek yogurt (divided)

2 minced garlic cloves (divided)

2 cucumbers

Black pepper

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 red onion

4 whole-wheat flatbreads

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

1)     Preheat grill pan

2)    Rinse the shrimp well and make sure they are well cleaned. Then stir together 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of olive oil, and 1tbsp of dill and oregano into a bowl. Add the shrimp and toss them in the mixture. Let them marinate for about 10 minutes.

3)    Mix ¼ cup of Greek yogurt with one minced clove of garlic, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of dill in another bowl. Then, with a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumbers into lengthwise ribbons and discard the largely seeded area. Add the ribbons into the yogurt mixture and pepper to taste.

4)    Mix the remaining ½ cup of yogurt with 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tbsp of dill and the other half of the minced garlic into another bowl for raita sauce. Add pepper to taste.

5)   Combine cherry tomatoes and 1/3 inch rings of onions in remaining olive oil into a bowl. Grill the shrimp with tomatoes and onion in a lightly oiled cast iron skillet or grill pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until shrimps are bright red, tomatoes are soft and onions are golden and tender.

6)   Grill flatbread until slightly crisp. Then top flatbread evenly with cucumber salad, shrimp, onions, tomatoes and romaine. Add raita sauce if desired. 

 Now you can sit outdoors and soak in the beautiful warm sunset. Enjoy!

Content provided by: @tailbase

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Nutrition Habits

By Capital Discount Furniture

We have great news for those obsessed with dieting - March is the national nutrition month this year! Nonetheless, we are not nutritionists and will not suggest what you shouldn’t eat nor give you any recipes – even if, these tips could help lots of us as spring is coming! Then why not talk about eating habits for once! What eating habits should we adopt to stay healthy and live longer? Here are our pieces of advice:

Time does matter!

Some American surveys reveal that 7.11 am is the ideal time for breakfast, 12.38pm for lunch, and 6.14pm for dinner.  Whether there is any best time to eat or not, when we are less active especially in the evening, it takes more time to burn calories- that’s a fact! Yet, what really matters is not at what time you eat, but how many times you eat on a daily basis.

Fuel up 3 times a day with a healthy meal and have some healthy snacks in between if need be. This is a great habit to develop. You don’t have to apply the famous phrase: “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” as you know your limit. However, never overeat especially before going to bed! While eating, take your time to enjoy each bite!

Eat in the best room ever… It is always better to have a sit-down dinner than to eat on the go. Obviously, our dining room is arguably the best place to have your meals or as a second option, there’s always the kitchen! As long as you sit on a chair, you are in the right spot!

Keep the rhythm! Eating in the dining room is also great for sharing family moments. Families share about their day or/and make plans. We will always remember those times where we were all seated around the table, eating all kinds of food, even green vegetables and discussing! Everyone needs their daily portion of fruit and vegetables and if leading by example can help our kids, why not adopt this routine?  It will certainly reduce some health problems later too! So keep the rhythm…

As a last piece of advice, follow healthy eating habits more than 31 days. How long could we carry on with this challenge? You know the answer…Have the greatest and healthiest March ever!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com

What to Do on Martin Luther King Day

By Capital Discount Furniture

Everybody has dreams, right? And what if they come true? Martin Luther King Jr, a civil-rights activist had one some years ago, where all Americans, regardless of their background and cultural diversity would become equal.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King’s holiday on January 18^th; we should continue to put this dream of a “better world” into practice by:

1-     Take the opportunity to give some of your time as a volunteer in citizen action groups

2-     Spend quality time with your family and kids. What a great lesson it is to teach them what this day symbolizes and have them share their own dreams!

3-     Bring a bit of culture diversity to your ears by going to live-music tributes or listen to readings!

4-     Watch parades or go to museum exhibits; most of them are free on that day!

5-     Make a holiday dinner featuring cuisine from different countries or regions.

Whether you're a dreamer or hope to achieve a cleaner environment, a better dish, or the perfect tea party, this holiday should inspire you to move forward with your aspirations. With or without kids, appreciate the most of the diversity on this day.

Happy Martin Luther King Holiday!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com

Last-Minute Ideas For New Year’s Eve

By Capital Discount Furniture

Don’t drop the ball just yet! New Year’s Eve has a way of sneaking up on people, and if you haven’t had the chance to plan anything other than your guest list to a tentative party, here are some great last-minute ideas that will delude your guests into thinking you planned ahead! Of course, there are countless ways to spend the night, but here are a few ideas that serve as an alternative to the over-hyped and expensive ways to spend New Year’s Eve.

1)      Dress your best

Whether you are celebrating the New Year with that special someone or you plan to fill your home with your friends and family, this is the perfect occasion not to hold back.  Host an elegant soiree by encouraging your guests to wear their party clothes. You may want to throw in some fun props such as boas, tiaras, hats, noisemakers and horns for good measure. The extra amusement will not only accessorize apparel, but it will set the party atmosphere.

2)      Party Food Ideas

Make it a BYOA (bring your own appetizer) event. Ask your guests to bring some easy finger foods that require little preparation such as raw vegetables, fruit, nuts and cheese with crackers. This will keep you and your guests till you have dinner. As for dinner, opt for a romantic candlelit dinner following midnight. After the countdown and noisy fun, have your guests gather around the table to share a meal and their hopes for the New Year.

3)      A night for toasting

In order to be a thoughtful and gracious host, make sure to provide your guests with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, so that your guests who do not drink will not feel pressured. There is no need to be a mixologist to pull off impressive drinks. You can find a myriad of festive drinks online to cater to groups. Along with your drinks, be prepared to share a toast or two throughout the evening, so you can kick off things for your guests and have them participate.

Have a great New Year’s party! Remember to drink responsibly and to take it upon yourself as a host not to allow any of your guests drive home intoxicated. Happy New Year!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com