Healthy Recipes: Strawberry Watermelon Cooler

I don't know where you are, but here in Houston, the temperatures are soaring right along with the humidity. In that kind of weather, it's very important to keep your body cool and hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids is the key. You don't, however, have to resort to high-sugar carbonated drinks to fit the bill. There are plenty of healthy options for drinks that include fresh fruit and even vegetables. You can easily dress up plain water with slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber for an extra refreshing beverage. Here is another great beverage that is sure to be a hit:

Strawberry Watermelon Cooler

Ingredients:

2 cups organic strawberries, washed and stems removed
1 cup organic watermelon, seeds removed and cut into chunks
1 cup crushed ice
2 tablespoons stevia
splash of ginger-ale
fresh mint for garnish

Preparation:

In a blender, combine strawberries, watermelon, ice, and stevia. Puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and top with a splash of ginger-ale and a twig of mint.  Enjoy!

Original Articles. Constant-Content.

Summer Activities: Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program

Parents, are you looking for a fun summertime activity for the kids? Join Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Club. And the best part is it's free. Kids grades 1-6 can earn a free book from Barnes & Noble by reading 8 books over the course of the summer. They can read books that they already have or books from the library. Use this link to print out the Summer Reading Journal. When it is completely filled out, just bring the journal to any Barnes & Noble location and they will give your child a coupon for a free book.

Grades 1 and 2 can earn a free book with titles like:

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Danny and the Dinosaur
Fancy Nancy: Fancy Day in Room 1A
Lego Hero Factory: Meet the Heroes

Grades 3 & 4 can earn a free book with titles like:

American Girl Series: McKenna
George Brown, Class Clown #7: Attack of the Tightly Whities
Lulu and the Brontosaurus
The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Grades 5 & 6 can earn a free book with titles like:

Junonia
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
The Phantom Tollbooth
Underworld Series #1: The Battle Begins

Is Your Toddler Overweight?

Where infants and toddlers are concerned, bigger is not always better. But new studies published in the May 2012 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine report that mothers may not recognize when their infants and toddlers are overweight.

Some moms today are having a problem accurately assessing body size. Over 70% of the moms studied did not perceive that their children were on the heavy side. In fact, more than two-thirds of the mothers who had overweight, or even obese, children under five years old reported that they were satisfied with their child's size. This is compared to a low satisfaction rating given by moms who had normal or underweight children.  The moms in the study were equating chubbiness with healthiness.

Childhood obesity

Obviously, these findings raise concerns regarding the national childhood obesity epidemic currently escalating in our country.  The rate of childhood obesity has progressively increased since the 1970’s.  Since then it has gone from 5% to 15% with no end in sight.   Interestingly, 30 years ago kids drank three glasses of milk to every one glass of soda.  Today, it's reversed - three sodas to every one glass of milk.

What is normal?

Normal weight in children is calculated in somewhat the same manner as normal weight in adults using body mass index (BMI).  Height and weight are used to determine the amount of fat a person has.  Kids fall into four categories of weight:

• Underweight.  The child’s BMI is below the 5th percentile.
• Normal weight.  BMI ranges between the 5th and the 85th percentile.
• Overweight.  BMI ranges between the 85th and 95th percentile.
• Obese.  Anything over the 95th percentile is obese.

Summer Family Activities: Grilling the Best Burgers

Summertime means grilling time so fire up the grill and don your apron. But first, you'll want to take advantage of some tips for producing the best grilled burgers around. Here are some great grilling tips to help you be the star of your next get-together.

The Best Meat to Use


When it comes to what kind of meat produces the best grilled hamburgers, grill masters will tell you that the best meat for grilling is ground chuck. Some even take it a step further and say to mix your ground chuck with ground sirloin. They will also advise you not to skimp on the fat. For best results on the grill, opt for meat that contains at least 15% fat. If you want like your burgers well-done, you might even want to go with 20% fat. It's important to remember that the longer you cook your meat, the drier it becomes. High fat content will help keep your burgers moist and flavorful.


The Best Hamburger Patties


Forming patties that are the right size with the right seasoning is an important part of a great grilled burger. Start by popping your purchased meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to make forming patties easier. Wet your hands and handle the meat as little as possible to avoid "bruising" the meat which makes it dense and dry. Form patties that are at least a half an inch thick. Thin patties have a tendency to burn quickly on the grill. Seasoning should be simple - just a little salt and pepper will suffice.


The Best Flavor
 
Many outdoor chefs use a gas grill, but many grill masters will contend that a simple, old-fashioned charcoal grill is a better option for flavorful burgers. And it doesn't take long to cook the perfect burger. All that's required is a smoking hot grill and 3 or 4 minutes per side. Whatever you do, don't squish the patties with your spatula. You will squeeze out all of the flavor. Lastly, don't forget to let your cooked patties rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Great grilled hamburgers start with ground chuck that is formed into thick patties and lightly seasoned. Throw them on the grill for a few minutes and you might just have the best burgers on the block.