Green Smoothie With Cucumber, Celery & Pear

 If you have trouble eating enough vegetables, try making a green smoothie filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Today's smoothie has 6 ingredients: nutrient-dense greens, lemon juice, freshly grated ginger, pear, celery, and cucumber, plus ice water or ice cubes. The vegetables provide chlorophyll and alkaline-rich foods, which increase red blood cell count, improve circulation, calm inflammation, and oxygenate the body.

 The end of summer and the beginning of autumn are a great time to make a green smoothie with a fresh pear. Cucumber and celery are diuretic veggies great for weight loss and high in minerals. Kale is a super vegetable packed with vitamin K and has anti-cancer benefits. Plus, you can boost your immune system with cleansing lemon that’s full of vitamin C.  Pear is a great source of fiber and helpful for colon health. If you are unable to find kale, you can substitute spinach. If you are using a regular blender instead of a food processor or high-speed blender, blend kale or chard with ice water and then add the rest of the ingredients. Sometimes if you do all the ingredients at once, the greens clump and do not blend well.

 Green Smoothie with Cucumber, Celery & Pear

 Use organic when available; it makes 1 large serving 

Ingredients

• 1 cup kale, baby spinach, or chard
• 1 lemon
• 1 cucumber
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 1 pear cored & diced
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 cup ice water
• Optional 1 teaspoon chia or flax seeds
• Optional scoop of avocado or Greek yogurt 

 Instructions

• Peel rind off lemon, remove seeds, and quarter
• De-core pear
• Cut ends off celery and cucumber and chop
• Put all ingredients in food processor & blend until smooth
• Optional put greens in blender with ice water & blend
• Optional add rest of ingredients to blender and process
• Serve immediately

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3-Day Hike on Grand Island National Recreation Area

 

James on Grand Island

 

The Grand Island National Recreation Area is a 13,500-acre protected island in Lake Superior, located about one-half mile off the coast of Munising, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Hiawatha National Forest, it features 300-foot sandstone cliffs, pristine sandy beaches, and deep hardwood forests.

Munising is about 43 miles from Marquette and 55 miles from Manistique. In the summer it can be reached via passenger ferry or private watercraft. In winter, it is accessible only via snowmobile, cross-country skis, or snowshoes across frozen Lake Superior ice at your own risk.

Grand Island is the perfect place to spend a day or even just a few hours biking, exploring, and appreciating nature. Please be aware that, in keeping with agency interim direction, the non-motorized trails (e.g. all bike trails) are not open to eBikes. NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES ALLOWED!! The island is an exciting and secluded destination that offers: Breathtaking overlooks, Pristine sandy beaches, Fascinating cultural sites, and Deep hardwoods.

 

My nephew, James, and a friend went on a 3 Day Hike on Grand Island mid-August. He had a great time ending his summer of camping adventures. He has generously shared his photos. I am indebted to James & Heather for all the wonderful photos they have shared over the years. They are very supportive, and I love them dearly. 

 

Ferry to Grand Island

James & Friend at camp

James had an encounter briefly with a bear. He's an intelligent man and made noise to scare it. He quickly moved away & took 1 photo. It was close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

 

  

 When I was in college, I was dating a special guy. His birthday was coming up, and I asked him what his favorite meal was. His answer was Beef Stroganoff. Even though classic Russian Stroganoff had been popular in the U.S. since the 1950s, I had never eaten it, much less cooked it. Well, it was long before the days of computers and checking online for recipes. I, of course, went to my favorite place, the library, and found a recipe there. My fellow had a surprise birthday meal of beef stroganoff, which included the classic ingredients of sour cream, mushrooms, onions, pasta, and steak, and I discovered a new dish I loved.

 

 

 

 

Today I’m sharing a leaner Stroganoff. I have seen recipes for a crockpot Stroganoff made with chicken for some time. I don’t want to use the shortcuts of condensed mushroom or cream of chicken soups or packets of dry onion mix. There are too many chemicals in many of the prepared foods. I’m using low-salt chicken broth, low-fat Greek yogurt, or low-fat sour cream for the classic flavor with fresh mushrooms and onion. Most recipes suggest boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed, but several people like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I am using chicken breasts today, but you could also try the frugal boneless, skinless thighs. I’m skipping all the browning and placing all ingredients in the slow cooker. Turn on low and do other things. In 5 hours, dinner is ready when you add cooked egg noodles and a salad. For non-pasta lovers, you can also serve the meal over rice. I hope your family likes Chicken Stroganoff straight from the slow cooker.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Use organic when available. Serves 4

 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 lb cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
• 12 oz egg noodles
• 1 cup low salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Grease or spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray
• Place onions, garlic, chicken and mushrooms in bottom of crock pot
• Add salt and pepper to taste and mix
• In large bowl add chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, tomato paste, wine and flour
• Whisk to combine
• Pour broth mixture over ingredients in slow cooker
• Stir to mix
• Add bay leaf
• Turn slow cooker on low
• Let cook for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until chicken is cooked through
• When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil
• Add 1 teaspoon salt to water for egg noodles
• Cook noodles according to package instructions
• Remove bay leaf from slow cooker and add Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• Add more salt or pepper if needed and stir
• Serve immediately over cooked noodles
• Garnish with fresh parsley  

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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July Skies Shared on Facebook

 I visit FaceBook often and have shared interesting news on it before. Today it's all about weather!

 

Image Credit Matt Devitt, weatherman

 

 

Shared by Greg Dee

 I'm not out taking photos myself, as I made myself sick this last week taking care of business for 3 hours in the heat. I came home and then had to go out again for a problem. Returned and spent two days recuperating. 

 

 

Since our temperatures have required heat warnings for several weeks, today I'm sharing beautiful photos of skies shared by others in Florida. Credit for photography is given from original Facebook postings. 

 

 

Storm Chasers Image via FaceBook

 

 

July 24th Good morning from Land of Lakes, Photo by Dawn Sweum Easparro

 

 

Sunset photo on July 27th in Largo by Bill Woerner

 

 

Storm Photo on July 23rd by  Jacob Merrifield at Longboat Pass Bridge

 

 

Photo on July 23rd at Lemon Bay, photo by Bebe Barcus

 

 

On July 23rd, Nearly non-stop lightning over Sarasota Tiffany

 

 

Photo on July 23rd, by Dylan Henderson

 

 

On July 23rd Palmetto. Photo by Jeremy LeBarre

 

 I hope you all are having good weather where ever you are. This final image made me glad I was inside!

 

 

Image for Last Weekend in July by Matt Devitt

 

 

 

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Terri's Garden in Nashville, Tennessee

  

 I met Terri when she was 10 years old. Her mother, Margie, worked with me and invited me home for dinner.  I met Terri and her two younger brothers.  Several years later, a baby sister was added to the family.  Until I decided to move to Miami, Florida, I was a frequent visitor in the home. Through the decades I've kept in touch with Margie and her family.  Today Terri is a grandmother in a community just north of Nashville.  She grows beautiful flowers. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Family fun at New River Gorge National Park West Virginia

 

New River Gorge is famous for being home to one of the oldest rivers on Earth, featuring world-class whitewater rafting, and holding the status of America's newest national park (2020). Ancient River: Despite its confusing name, the New River is estimated by geologists to be tens of millions of years old, making it one of the oldest rivers on the continent.

 

 

 

 

 The last week in July, my nephew James, his wife, Heather, his daughter, Christina, her fiancé, Conner, and his son, Joe, went to have fun at the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. He and Heather have shared their photos. Many thanks to my family for sharing!!

 

 

 

 The family hiked, swam, and enjoyed the white water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm not an adventurous person. In even my prime, which was decades ago, I would have said "Hell no" to bungee jumping!

 

 

 

 

 They had a great time, and Heather celebrated her birthday during this great family vacation!

 

 

 

 

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