Water

Summer: Hot, humid, lots and lots of activity... need water!

I used to NEVER think twice about drinking water from my tap. Now, it would never cross my mind to drink water straight from my tap. My brain immediately thinks filter first please, then drink the water.

Years and years ago, I thought Kent, Ohio had the best water straight from the tap and I wasn't alone. I know, shocking! Does anyone drink water straight from the tap anymore? Kent city water was refreshing and odor free. Not the case now. Now, it has an odor, chemical taste and is not real refreshing straight from the tap in my opinion.

Kent is a small town, and used to be known for great tasting water. No kidding! In 1996, David Letterman and Jay Leno praised Kent, Ohio for having such tasty water based on the Berkeley Springs national water tasting competition. If I am not mistaken, one of them came into town and did their own little study and maybe even enjoyed a glass or two of Kent's cool, refreshing tap beverage.

In 2004, Kent won the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Bronze Award for municipal water and the Silver in 2006. Did you notice, bronze to silver! I'm not certain but I think the bronze in 2004 was a step down from 1996, I'm just saying. I do not know what happened over the last few years, but the city water tastes like gutter water and not a single award in sight. Kent should have bottled and sold the tap water back in 1996.

Well anyway, I was thirsty the other day, real thirsty. Digging and laying brick in hot, humid weather - well, you get the idea. Here's a few ways to jazz up water.

My favorite vegetable to add to water is cucumber, and I'm out, so no picture. I don't think you need me to paint you a picture here do you? Try it, you'll really like it, maybe even straight from the tap, but my tap water always filters through my Brita filter first.

Orange, Frozen grapes, Fiji apple, Watermelon, Lemon

After my third glass of water I have more fruit than water, and then I call it lunch.

A tall glass of cold water
I was out of cucumber, but try it...it's fab! and the reason why I'm out!

Frozen

Brain Freeze!

Fill the Tupperware container
insert stick, secure lid, and
FREEZE!

Wait for it, wait for it...

Introducing the Smoothie Brain Freeze Pop!

Left over smoothie? Freeze it.

You'll pat yourself on the back for how smart you are when you open up your freezer on a hot, humid summer afternoon.

Imagine, you just finished mowing the lawn, sweat is dripping down your back. You go inside, and head towards the freezer. You swing open the freezer door, and anticipate a quick rush of cold air hitting your sweaty self. Nice. Then you open your eyes and REALLY see how smart you are. Your eyes bug, you smirk, nod your head, and reach in with satisfaction!

Aaagghhh!! One frozen smoothie brain freeze pop left, and it's all yours, thank you very much!

Click on Snack below for original smoothie recipe.

My Morning Buzz

These three things,

put into these two things,

gives me this ONE really good thing!

Every morning I NEED to make an espresso, caffe latte or cappuccino. It's a habit deeply burned into my daily morning routine. I will not bore you with my morning laundry list, but this little morning shot of a bitter alkaloid known as C8H10N4O2 or street name, "caffeine" (gulp) allows me the time to "wake up", gather my thoughts, sneak a peak of CNN online, and write. Okay fine, I just spilled part of my morning laundry list to you; you feel closer to me now don't you.

Would you like to know how I decide my morning buzz of choice? It's complicated, and based on a formula. Oh please, it's all decided when I open the frig door and see if I have all three ingredients. It's that simple! The tough part is deciding which pretty cup or demitasse to use, wink.

To make the perfect drink, consider bean, water quality, grind and method or don't.

What is:

Espresso? Besides being delicious, espresso is made by forcing boiling water or steam through finely ground beans under pressure. The grind is almost a powder, the water should be fresh, cold, soft or low hardness.

Cappuccino? Is one-third espresso combined with one-third of steamed milk and one-third foamed milk. My favorite! Once again use fresh, good quality ingredients. No spoiled milk!

The Caffe Latte? Is also a tasty little morning treat, and consists of one-third espresso, two-thirds steamed milk topped with foam. Sprinkle on raw cane sugar or a swirl of Raw Pure-Organic Agave Nectar, or cinnamon.

Now with all that information under you belt, do you feel the need master this addicting craft? Well check out: http://www.2basnob.com/espresso.html

Good morning!

Mr. Smooth, Meet Ms. Smoothie

SO easy and SO good.

Add 1 tablespoon of flax seeds
and water, blend
drink.

Nothing like a little berry delight to do a body good. Smoothies are so easy to make, and the best part is you can add or subtract ingredients.

This fruit smoothie consists of 5 ingredients, and provides 2 fruit servings:
1 medium size banana
1/2 C strawberries (organic if available)
1/2 C blueberries
1 T flax seeds (grind them prior to adding if time permits), and
Fresh, cold water to desired consistency.
Natural sweetness will vary depending on fruit ripeness.

Variations: Substitute cold kefir, low-fat yogurt, soy milk, or milk v. water.
You can also add chopped ice while blending for a brain freeze.

This drink is high in potassium, and vitamin C and phytochemicals.
Some powerful antioxidants found in plant pigmant include: anthocyanin, and lycopene. Anthocyanin is the blue in blueberries and lycopene is the red in strawberries.