by | Jul 24, 2021 | Giveaway |
Hello Wonderful People,
I pray that your week has been a great one.
Summer is upon us and the heat is on. But I know, fall is just around the corner and Christmas will be here before you know. I am starting to see fall fashion make its way into the catalogs and in the stores. And Christmas in July is in full force. I use this time to plan for my holiday decorations and to start thinking about what gifts I will be giving to my family and friends. You can never start too early. And for Christmas in July, I am co-sponsoring yet another giveaway. Here is your chance to win this beautiful ginger jar from Katherine and my giveaway friends.
Please remember to subscribe and follow Katherine and all her hostesses so you can earn all of your entry opportunities.
Katherine — Katherines Corner
Lisa — Casa Bouquet
Diane — Mamal Diane
Karren — Oh My Heartsie Girl
Laura — Everyday Edits
the giveaway gals at Katherines Corner
Disclaimer – from Katherines Corner when applicable-Some of Katherines giveaways may have sponsors and/or reviews included. Katherines Corner may receive compensation for reviews and advertising provided through a sponsored giveaway. However, no compensation will influence the outcome of any review or giveaway win. Katherines Corner provides reviews to readers to provide an informed decision before the purchase. Katherines Corner and its affiliate Bobskatie Enterprises reserves the right not to publish a review of a product or products that do not meet the specified instructions provided to product submission companies or individuals. Reviews are posted in the appropriate section at Katherines Corner and may also be posted on Amazon.com (subject to product availability). This disclaimer is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
To enter, please log into the entry form using your email address.
Have fun and Good Luck with the Giveaway!
rafflecopter code below
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by | Jul 9, 2021 | Fitness, Food |
Let’s be honest here – eating clean is not always easy. You want it to be easy. You might even expect it to be easy. However, the truth is that sometimes you can’t seem to get into the swing of things when it comes to clean eating.
The concept of clean eating is a simple one, but the reality is that the actual process of clean eating is not always as easy as it might seem. There’s a lot more to think about and consider than you might think, isn’t there? Often, eating clean religiously calls for a lot of prep time, which can be a little off-putting, especially when your schedule is already hectic.
The good news is that just because sticking to clean eating does not always seem as easy as you might hope, there are steps that you can take to make the process of eating clean consistently more achievable. There are also lots of ways that you can make preparing to eat clean easier too – it’s just a case of being smart about your approach, that’s all.
Photo source: Pixabay
Intrigued?
Below is a guide to some of the steps you can take to make eating clean more doable daily for everything you need to know. Have a read of this.
Make a plan
The first step to ensuring that you stay on track when eating clean is to make a plan. It’s far easier to stay on track with a diet if you have a plan to help you do that. Mapping out a clean eating plan can help make the process of staying on track a little easier for you.
The first step of the process is to create a mind map that includes all of the key information you need to stay on track when it comes to your clean eating. It would be best if you had a plan that gives you options to choose from to make clean eating easier to stick to.
Ideally, you want a plan that maps out options for different things, such as several breakfast options to choose from and dinner ideas, like seven-layer salad by Yellow Bliss Road. Having options available makes staying on track easier.
Meal prep in advance
Another simple way to stay on track when it comes to clean eating is meal prepping in advance. If you lack time daily, it’s worth setting aside a few hours one day a week to meal prep for the entire week. If you can set aside a few hours every weekend to meal prep for the week ahead, you will find staying on track when eating clean is far simpler.
You can chop vegetables and fruit up. You can put all of the ingredients in tubs labeled per meal and use those to make preparing meals on weekdays easier. Then, all you need to do is throw the ingredients into a pan, and you have your meal.
Another option is to actually make some meals and cook them, leaving them in the fridge ready to re-heat as and when you want them. You either store these in the fridge or freeze them in pre-portioned sizes.
Have snacks readily available
When it comes to making sure that eating clean is more doable, having healthy, clean snacks is important. If you are going to ensure that you stick to eating clean, having snacks on hand is super important.
These can either be pre-made snacks from the supermarket, such as low calorie, clean snacks, such as fruit or health foods, or homemade healthy snacks. A good snack is energy balls – there are lots of recipes that you can use to create healthy, nutritious energy balls, as well as plenty of pre-made energy ball recipes to try.
You will find that if you have snacks readily available that are healthy, clean, and taste good, that you will be less likely to end up snacking on unhealthy and unclean foods. So being prepared is extremely important when it comes to staying on track with any healthy eating regime. A lack of organization is often responsible for your diet taking a bad turn and you accidentally ‘falling off the wagon,’ so to speak.
There you have it, a guide to how you can make clean eating more achievable and fit it more easily into your daily life.
by | Jul 8, 2021 | Fitness, Food, Lifestyle |
Hi Lovely readers,
I have heard how Elderberries are a good source of Vitamin C and full of antioxidants. Research has shown they may reduce cold and flu symptoms. Take a look at the pros and cons of elderberries of Healthline.com. I made this recipe from Nikisha Riley, who had a blog at the time. I would watch the Urbanbushbabes youtube videos. I’ve been making this recipe ever since I saw it. I was looking for a healthy alternative to a cough syrup that also may boost the immune system.
Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried
elderberries
3 cups water
1 cup local or raw honey
2/3 cup organic raw apple cider vinegar
Directions:
Fill a pot with 3 cups of water and dried elderberries. Bring to a boil, and on low heat, let boil for 30 minutes. Take off heat and mash elderberries up well with a potato masher. Strain out the liquid into a separate bowl using a strainer, cheesecloth, coffee filter, or something similar.
Once strained, add honey to the elderberry liquid, stir well, and add the apple cider vinegar. Place in a glass jar with an airtight lid and place in the fridge. The syrup will last for up to 6 months.
To Use:
Adults 1 Tablespoon a day and
children 1 teaspoon a day.
If you are using it as flu and cold medicine, you can take the same dose every hour instead of just once a day.
Raw berries, stems, and leaves can have side effects of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Wellness Mama has her elderberry recipe, which is almost identical, except she uses additional added flavors like clove and cinnamon.
Disclaimer
This recipe has been provided for informational purposes only. Please check with your doctor first if you have medical questions, if you are pregnant, have allergies, or allergic reactions.
by | Jul 8, 2021 | Fitness |
(Unsplash CC0)
You will understand the importance of healthy eating already as much has been written about a nutritious diet’s physical and mental health benefits. We have discussed some ways to eat healthier on our website, including this article on how to improve your diet. When you start to eat nutritiously good foods, you will boost your health, prolong your life, and inspire others to follow your good example.
But here’s the thing. Healthy eating is a choice, so you do need to be proactive. You might fall into bad habits if you don’t make an effort, so with this in mind, here are some simple ways to make healthier food choices.
#1: Plan your meals in advance
Don’t begin each week not knowing what you are going to eat. If your goal is to eat healthier, consider the recipes you might want to consider. Then make a meal plan and work out what ingredients you need to buy. This way, you won’t be tempted to buy those foods that aren’t healthy for you at the supermarket. You won’t be tempted to order a takeaway as you shouldn’t run out of things to cook. And you won’t be inclined to eat snacks between meals if your meal plan consists of healthy foods that keep you going throughout the day.
#2: Make healthy food swaps
Think about the foods you enjoy but that aren’t necessarily good for you. Then consider the healthier alternatives. So, you might choose wholemeal bread over white bread, for example. Instead of putting butter on your toast, you might use olive oil margarine. Rather than frying an egg for your lunch, you could boil or poach an egg instead. And rather than putting full-fat milk on your morning cereal, you could use homemade evaporated milk for your breakfast. Think about all of the other things that make up your diet and swap out anything that isn’t particularly healthy.
#3: Visit healthier restaurants
Whether it’s a fast-food restaurant or somewhere a little posher, be sure to avoid those places that will tempt you away from a healthier diet. Of course, you might tell yourself that you can still pick the healthier choices when you visit somewhere that offers unhealthy foods. But be honest with yourself. When you see or smell the appetizing but unhealthy foods others are ordering; you might be tempted to forsake all that is good and nutritious and eat something bad for you instead. If you relate to this, do the sensible thing and be more choosy when it comes to where you eat in town. For inspiration, here is a list of America’s healthiest fast-food restaurants.
#4: Prepare a packed lunch for work
Sure, you could eat out when on your lunch break. Or you could quickly grab a sandwich when on your morning commute. But what if you opt for something unhealthy? You might, especially if you don’t have time to choose something carefully. To avoid such a situation, prepare a healthy packed lunch before you leave for work. There are some examples in the linked article, so have a read and note the foods you will enjoy.
Once you make these healthier food choices, you will start to experience the benefits. Be mindful then and steer away from any foods that you know are bad for you.
by | Jul 7, 2021 | Fashion |
Hello Elegant Readers,
What to wear? What to wear? Have you ever stood in front of your closet and wondered what you were doing to wear on those summer days. It can be hot and humid one day, and the next day it can be raining. It can be frigid on the inside but steamy on the outside. Instead of dressing the same way for the entire summer season, I have to dress for the day. This picture below is me getting ready to leave for work.
Living in the Show-Me State, summers are typically hot and humid, and I want my outfit to be as cool as possible. On this day. I wanted my clothing to be free-flowing because it was hot but not as steamy. The cotton blouse is Isaac Mizrahi, and the polyester gauchos are from Bob Mackie. Having a cotton blouse and polyester pants was okay because it was in the 90-degree temperatures, but I wouldn’t be wearing polyester if it was a muggy day. The polyester in these gauchos actually felt breathable and not heavy. My leather sneakers are from Vince Camuto. It is great to have a cute and comfortable shoe that works well with a variety of outfits. My leather handbag is a Dooney and Bourke Hattie that is great on the shoulder.
Even with temps reaching near 100 degrees outside, you have to remember that the inside will be much cooler. Whether you are in the grocery store, at church, or work, the air conditioning is turned down and makes it feel like it is 20 or 30 degrees cooler. In these situations, there are great options without bringing out the winter parka. If I have a shirt or a dress with no short sleeves or no sleeves, I always carry a lightweight cardigan with me just in case. Dressing in layers is something that we should do all year long it’s not only for fall and winter.
Tips for dressing for summer
– Dress in layers: bring a lightweight cardigan or sweater with you just in case it’s chilly
– Look for key pieces like blouses, pants that are natural fibers because there’s breathability
– If it’s not too hot, you can wear polyester but make sure it’s not heavy
– Step outside of your comfort zone and wear a piece of clothing (like a skirt or scarf) or color you normally wouldn’t wear
Follow!