SmoothSailing The Beverage

The Best Smoothies

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:50:14 +0000

I have been so very busy recently that I had been skimping on breakfast. I would just grab an apple or banana and hit the road. Now for some people that might be all they need to get going, but I need a whole lot more to keep me going until lunchtime. Sitting down with a bowl of oatmeal or some fruit and yogurt is just not an option for me right now with my crazy schedule, so I had to do something.

I went out and I bought a new blender. It’s nothing fancy just a Cuisinart that was on sale. In fact I think I spent more on my new direct tv packages than my blender, but a girl’s got to have television. Anyway, I am in love with my blender. I have been making all sorts of delicious smoothies that start my day off right. Of course I want to share them all with you, so here are my favorites for different days:

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie – This smoothie is a great idea for any day, and it tastes like a milkshake. For one serving add 1/4 cups instant oatmeal (dry), 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 4 ounces of plain Greek yogurt, and one medium to large sized banana. Blend until it is smooth for a delicious breakfast at 345 calories. It keeps me full until lunch!
Blueberry Antioxidant Smoothie – I like to have this smoothie on days when I know I am going to be training at the gym for a couple of hours. It definitely gives my energy. I love putting greens into my smoothies, but I know other people don’t like the idea of drinking something green. This smoothie includes spinach and it is purple not green. Add one cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup instant oats, 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, 1.5 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 1 small slice of peeled lemon (optional) in the blender. Add ice or water if desired–I like mine a bit thick–and blend it up. At 375 calories you can expect this smoothie to be a great go to breakfast.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie – On rest days I don’t need as many calories, so this is my smoothie of choice. Add one banana, a cup of frozen sliced strawberries, and one cup of plain Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth. It’s 300 calories of wonderful deliciousness!

I Workout!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:20:31 +0000

So What Should I Eat?

I am definitely still sticking with my New Year’s resolutions here at Smooth Sailing, and I hope that you are doing the same thing. So that means that I have been hitting the gym and left behind those fast food places for good. One of the most important things for you to consider when on an exercise program or routine is your nutrition. You do not want all of your hard work to go to waste just because you are not eating appropriately. And not only will bad nutrition keep you from reaching those body goals, it might also affect how you are working out.

When you work out your body needs certain nutrients to sustain the activity, whether it is cardiovascular or strength training. There are combinations of proteins and carbohydrates that you should consider eating a certain amount of time prior to and after a workout. Once you start consuming a diet that correlates with how and when you are training, you will likely see positive improvements, like: increased endurance and stamina, quicker recovery, and faster results. If that sounds like just what you need, then it is all in the food.

To get started, follow some of the tips and reminders on the infographic below.

Resolutions for Healthier Eating

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:20:41 +0000

It’s almost that time again! The year is closing out and 2012 is just a couple of days away. When the new year comes in people make it a point to create resolutions for it. Most of these resolutions have to do with being healthy. Maybe people want to start eating healthier or start working out or both. So if you are trying to resolve to eat healthier, you are not alone. Here are some tips that can really help you along the way to a healthier and happier life.

Eat in instead of out. You would be surprised how many extra calories you consume in a restaurant as opposed to cooking dinner at home and eating it there. Restaurants give you bread that you mindlessly eat or prepare foods in a way that is not healthy at all. A bonus is that you will also save money by doing this too.

You will also save money if you pack your own lunch each day. One of my favorite lunches is super easy to create the night before. Just pre-make some brown rice or quinoa to pack and take some fresh baby spinach leaves and shredded carrots. Before you heat up the rice or quinoa at work, put the spinach and carrots in the bowl and heat them too. It is so filling and super healthy.

Pre-cut your snacks. It is so much easier to snack on fruits and veggies when they are ready to go. Every Sunday I cut and portion my snacks that will last until Wednesday, then Wednesday I do it for the remainder of the week. To make sliced apples last, cover the slices with lime juice and the acids will preserve the apples. Broccoli and carrots are other great crunchy snacks.

Eating healthy is doable and small simple steps can make a huge difference in how you eat and feel. Good luck and happy New Year!

Foods For Abs

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:25:03 +0000

First I should start by saying that yes, I do know that the holidays are here and that what I am about to tell you is a little nutty. I made a goal a few weeks ago that isn’t one most would make this time of year, but it was time. I decided that I was going to eat healthy and workout so that I can finally have abs that show. Now some people will think this is a silly goal because I love food. I love food a lot, but it’s something I wanted to try.

Luckily I don’t have to quit eating to accomplish this goal, but I will have to start eating a little more cautiously. Organic produce and meats have always been a top priority for me anyway, so that will help. The only problem I can see arising would be my love for sweets. Baking tasty treats is a favorite pastime of mine, and it is one that I will have to give up since I will be trying for those abs.

To keep myself encouraged and on the right track I did find a list of the best foods for abs and why they are so great. So, if you are crazy like me and want to potentially rock a six-pack, check it out.

Barbecue Spare Ribs on the Grill

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:11:42 +0000

Homemade ribs can be the best summer meal when you want to sit out on the patio in the sun and enjoy a messy BBQ meal with the entire family, but cooking those ribs perfectly can be a challenge. You have to have them at just the right temperature on the grill in order to slow cook the flavors deep into the meat. The process begins in your grocery or market with choosing the perfect cut of meat and continues all the way through to the final seasoning as you place your ribs onto the plate of your lucky guest. You can find a plethora of recipes online or on Dish Network packages that include a variety of ingredients and techniques. The video here gives some great tips for making spare ribs so give it a try and make the BBQ that everyone will be talking about!

Recipe Sites For You

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:30:19 +0000

On of the most convenient ways to get a hold of a recipe is to simply hop online and type in a search for whatever you are looking for. There are numerous recipe databases and sites to be found on the internet, which means that there are incredibly large amounts of recipes out there just waiting for you. Just say you are looking for a certain recipe with a special diet twist. You might have to search and search in order to find that exact recipe on dozens of recipe sites. How do you know which site would be your best bet to start out on?

Help is here, my cooking friend. You can see in the infographic posted beneath here, that the top ten recipe databases have been compared against one another in order to find which is the best for you and other recipe searchers. I cannot say that I was surprised to find Epicurious was at the top of the list. I love using their search tools and reading the articles in the blogs too. Take a look to see how the competition stacked up. What are your favorite sites for recipes?

Easy Recipes for Moving

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:50:55 +0000

It’s official, I am now a homeowner! Over the weekend I moved into my new place, and I am just so excited. Of course, the house is still filled with boxes that are waiting to be unpacked and sorted through, but I would much rather be spending my time on the internet than unpacking. That was obvious the second that moving company Los Angeles was out the door, I was hooking up my router. Alas, here I am to share with you how I have been surviving off of one pot meals while I was all packed up. I have a crock pot recipe for chicken chili that is absolutely delicious. I bought all of the veggies pre cut so I did not have to break out the cutting board and knives, but if you aren’t moving, then no worries. This recipe yields about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, plus 1 teaspoon

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can fire roasted tomatoes diced (28 oz)

1 small sweet potato, peeled and shredded

15 oz chicken broth

1/8 cup instant tapioca

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

small pinch of ground cloves

1/2 cup lager beer (optional)

Directions: Add the chicken to the crock pot. Put in only 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chili powder and the other ingredients aside from the beer. Stir it all together and cook on low heat for seven hours. After that time has elapsed, stir in the beer and remaining chili powder.

I like to top mine off with some cheese and sour cream. It is so tasty!

If you like these one-pot meals, let me know and I can post more recipes. Well, that’s all for me today. I really do need to at least unpack some of my towels and linens today. The towel I used to dry off with earlier today is a bit suspect…

Men’s Watches

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:32:24 +0000

Watches have evolved tremendously over the last few decades. For example, the watches at blumlux.com are a prefect example of the modern form they have taken. The most important aspect that differentiates most watches is the movement. A movement in the industry of watch making is basically the method that measures passing of time and shows the current time. Some watches also incorporate other information such as day, month and date. A movement may entirely be done mechanically or entirely done electronically. The latter having no displayed moving parts. A movement can also combine both the mechanical and electronic methods. Most watches today have electronic movements if they are purposed mainly for time telling. They will have mechanical hands or pointers on the face of the watch to indicate the actual time. Wrist watches evolved in the seventeenth century.

As compared to electronic movements, a mechanically moved watch is less accurate and often has errors of seconds per day. They are sensitive to magnetism, positions and temperature and are costly to manufacture. They require adjustments and maintenance often. On the other hand, watches with electronic movements have very few to no moving parts. They use piezoelectric effect contained in a small quartz crystal, producing a stable base for time display. Men’s watches using electronic movements are reliable and also look good and sophisticated.

Specialized watches are manufactures for different types of professions. For example, a man working in space will require a different kind of watch from a man working in an office with normal weather conditions. The watch that needs to be used in space will take into consideration the zero gravity and other extreme environmental conditions experienced by astronauts. A scuba diver will inversely require a watch that is specifically water resistant. These types of time pieces are also known as diving watches and are also used in saturation diving. The IOS or the International Organization for Standardization forwarded a criterion for water resistant watches such as diving watches, which prohibited the use of the term waterproof with these watches. Water resistance in watches is arrived at by the use of gaskets which form water tight seals. They are used together with sealant that is applied on the case in order to help keep the water out of the watches interior. The material of the overall case should also be put under testing to be called water resistant.

Another watch type for the more muscular gender is a sports watch. This has stop watch facilities and is one of the quickest developing departments of the watch industry. They are made for style as well as function and will also include features of compasses, thermometers, altimeters and barometers. Watches to be used in higher end or extreme sports also include a heart rate monitor which is very convenient for the athlete or sports man who needs to regularly check the heart rate.

There are many watch making and repair companies and some specialize in men’s watches for men of all ages and walks of life. Online companies offer to deliver the time pieces to the exact location of their buyer at a discounted shipping rate.

Fast Food Nation

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:11:11 +0000

I’ve been on a mission to get healthy for about seven months now. The hardest thing for me so far was not making myself workout, thinking more positively, and taking care of important health concerns, but it was cutting out the fast food, completely. Now, I do not believe that all people who eat fast food are unhealthy, and I also believe that for some people everything in moderation is perfectly fine. For me, I had to quit eating fast food, because just one bite of my favorite burger or breakfast combo would send me down a slippery slope causing me to continue to eat fast food forever. As I drive around town I realize how tempting these fast food places make themselves. The signs lure me in with the 2 sausage biscuits for $3, and even though I ate a healthy and filling bowl of oatmeal I find my stomach signals to me that I am hungry when I know I’m not. Am I the only person in the world who struggles like this? There’s no telling, but I did find the below infographic about fast food in the United States. Let’s just say I’m glad I don’t live in a fast food capital!

Highlights from the Infographic include:

Plano, TX residents spend the most on fast food.
Louisville, KY has the most McDonald’s in the city per 100,000 city residents.
Boston, MA residents spend 92% less than the national average on fast food.

The Best Swimsuit for Your Body

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:30:49 +0000

I wanted to take a break from our usual blog posts on food and recipes, and talk about some summer fashion.

A few weeks ago, I went swimsuit shopping. I realize it’s a little late in the season, but my family and I are just getting around to pool. I haven’t been swimsuit shopping in a long time, and my body has change significantly. As I was trying on swimsuit after swimsuit, I started to get frustrated. All the suits that I thought were cute on the hanger, were looking really weird on my body. The bottoms felt too skimpy, the tops felt too small. I realized at that moment, that I had no idea how to shop for a swimsuit to flatter what I had.

I put away all the swimsuits, and came home. I immediately got onto the computer and started looking up Youtube videos on how to shop for a swimsuit that flatters your body. I found this little gem, and it helped so much, I wanted to share. The good news is, I was able to find a swimsuit that looks great on me. I hope this video helps some of you find the perfect swimsuit, too!